NRL: Live scores and SuperCoach analysis from Dragons vs. Manly and Titans vs. Dolphins
The points were absolutely flowing out of the Queensland derby with some SuperCoach favourites hitting season-high scores. See the winners and losers from Saturday in the full SuperCoach analysis.
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Too little too late was the sentiment shared on NRL Super Saturday.
Both the Manly Sea Eagles and Gold Coast Titans had the last say in try-scoring but ultimately fell short against the Dragons and Dolphins respectively.
When it comes to SuperCoach, some owners would be feeling more content than others.
STUDS AND DUDS
STUDS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (114) What looked to be somewhat of a flop turned into a well-oiled round 4 for the Hammer, who blew through points in the second half.
2 Jamayne Isaako (106) Out of nowhere, Isaako found himself in the mix of top SuperCoach scorers tonight and trumped his 63-point average by over 60%. Perhaps the $783,200 splurge was worth it for his 13,000+ owners.
3 Phillip Sami (106) Playing through an early injury, the Titans winger put on a commendable show.
4 Haumole Olakau’atu (87) A mediocre round 3 sparked the Manly second-rower into a top-five performance this weekend which may see his stocks jump back up.
5 Jack Bostock (87) Perhaps the most surprising package of the night, given two early handling errors, the Dolphins youngster certainly pleased the 43,000+ owners who’d most likely picked him just for being cheap.
Me: “Hammer’s lack of upside is concerning. A guy who can score a hattrick and not score 100, not for me.â€
— SuperCoach Brain (@SC_Brain) March 30, 2024
Hammer: *Scores his second hundred ever* 😂 pic.twitter.com/qFjobDRMMi
DUDS
5 Jaxson Paulo (26) With stocks already dropping from last round, Paulo can at least cry consistency.
4 Moses Suli (20) Suli had little to do in St George’s victory, and the 615 SuperCoaches who tarded him out after round 3 won’t be regretting their choice.
3 Sam Verrills (13) A 43-point game last week may have pushed hopes a little too high coming into the Sunshine Showdown. The silver lining? Verrills has previously scored 131 points against the Cowboys - Titans’ next opponent. Redemption week, maybe.
2 Jesse Marschke (12) It may be hasrh, but after a promising performance against the Titans last week, some would have expected Marschke to continue the form this week.
1 Alofiana Khan-Pereira (12) The Titans winger is yet to score over 30 points this season. For a direct comparison, the Dolphins wingers scored a combined 193, while the Titans mustered 119... And 106 of those were from an injured Sami.
TITANS V DOLPHINS
75TH MINUTE
62 minutes had passed since the Titans last scored, but Phillip Sami was done waiting.
With a double under his belt and 102 points to his name, Sami’s 925 owners are reaping the rewards of taking a chance with him.
63RD MINUTE
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has broken the lead right open for Dolphins and finally lived up to his earlier SuperCoach hype.
Now with 90 points and leading the live points, the Hammer has overtaken his own round-average (86.5) and may end up a popular trade-in two weeks in-a-row.
56TH MINUTE
Jack Bostock has added another to his list of ‘little wins’ tonight, successfully challenging a knock-on call.
The winger now boasts 82 points to the delight of his 43,060 owners.
The successful challenge resulted in Redcliffe’s third try and former Bronco Herbie Farnworth’s first try in Redcliffe colours.
50TH MINUTE
David Fifita’s 1,552 owners should be happy with the star’s return-to-injury performance so far, having racked up a commendable 39 points coming off the bench.
With the second-rower looking healthy after time away, SuperCoach players ought to consider a trade-in for round 5. The question is, who would he replace?
HALFTIME TALK
Dolphins youngster Jack Bostock had the last laugh over Beau Fermor, shooting to the top of SuperCoach live scoring (76 points) and gifting his side their second try just before halftime.
Despite injury, Phillip Sami remains inj the top three SuperCoach scorers (55 points).
Perhaps a dark horse of SuperCoach in just 0.2% of teams, Jaimin Jollifee is on track for back-to-back stellar SuperCoach games having already reached back-to-back 50s.
All eyes will be on Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Dolphins for the near 5% of SuperCoaches who splurged on his trade-in this round.
His two assists for Bostock (12 points each) are a good start, but with an average of 86.5, owners would be hoping for a points boost in the second half.
39TH MINUTE
Bostock muscled his way through four Titans defenders on the wing to claim his second try of the night and shoot up the SuperCoach points ladder.
With 71 points going into the second half, Bostock could make a valuable trade-in for round 5.
The young centre/ wing is paying just $314,500 but averages an impressive 57.5 points.
26TH MINUTE
Max Plath has found himself in the bin and on report following an ugly clash which left Titans’ Phillip Sami receiving medical attention.
It’s bad news for the Dolphins, and even worse news for the 2.3% of SuperCoaches with Plath in the ranks.
23RD MINUTE
Dolphins winger Jack Bostock has answered the calls of 1,440 SuperCoach players who traded him this week, opening his side’s scoring.
12TH MINUTE
Joining the party to make it 10-0 early on, Phillip Sami has done Gold Coast and his 925 SuperCoaches a huge favour in going over in the corner.
A quick 36 points is always welcomed.
9TH MINUTE
Jaimin Jolliffe has done the honours of opening the Sunshine Showdown scoring in Titans’ favour, while Tanah Boyd polishes it off with a conversion.
4TH MINUTE
Beau Fermor has given up an off-side penalty and handling error without two minutes, meaning 14% of SuperCoach players are already on edge.
LATE MAIL: TITANS V DOLPHINS
Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler has confirmed David Fifita will return via the bench for the Titan’s Sunshine Showdown against the Dolphins.
In his first game back from a pec injury sustained during the pre-season, the hulking forward comes onto the bench in place of Keenan Palasia, who has failed to overcome a quad strain picked up at training this week.
Jayden Campbell and Joe Stimson join Fafita in returning to the field.
On the Dolphins bench, Ray Stone comes in while Jarrod Wallace spends his second-straight game on the bench
DRAGONS V SEA EAGLES
The Dragons have fended off a late comeback to secure their second win of the season, while an out-of-sorts Manly leave shaking heads.
On paper, the Dragons and Sea Eagles shared possession evenly throughout both halves.
In fact, the split was a near-perfect 47-53 in Manly’s favour.
The scoreline however tells a different story, one Anthony Seibold would like to forget.
The good news? SuperCoach players with Haumole Olakau’atu (81 points) still have something to smile about.
Dragons Tyrell Sloan finished with 76 points including two tries.
73RD MINUTE
Haumole Olakau’atu (79 points) has officially put Manly back in the game. There may only be three minutes to play, but stranger things have certainly happened in this game.
62ND MINUTE
Tyrell Sloan has put an end to a slow second half, securing a double and extending Dragons lead.
The Dragons fullback now boasts 71 SC points.
55TH MINUTE
It’s been a slow start to the second half, but some SuperCoach players are still celebrating.
Jayd’n S’ua has flown up the ranks with 57 points while Tolutau Koula has racked up 56.
The 68.5% of SC players with Ben Trobojevic in their squad should be satisfied with 40 points so far, but those with Turbo on their side may be looking at trade-in options for next round.
HALFTIME TALK
Dragon’s Blake Lawrie has landed in hot water, put on report for a hair pull that seemingly flew under the radar at the time.
With 30 points to his name, Lawrie is on track to recording a similar score to that in round 3 (55).
3. A nowhere-pass from Daly Cherry-Evans cost Manly their second try at the 20-minute mark.
2. Tom Trbojevic started strong with a try assist in the opening minutes, but quickly dropped off the radar after three handling errors within a 15-minute window.
1. Someone might need to check in with Dragon’s Zac Lomax. A first try conversion did not set the tone for the rest of his kicking game, currently sitting at 33% including a jaw-dropping shank.
37TH MINUTE
Tyrell Sloan and Jaydn S’ua have given St George some breathing room to close the first half, though Zac Lomax may need to reflect after a sub-par kicking performance (2/3 conversions).
30TH MINUTE
Tries might not be flowing, but the SuperCoach points are steadily climbing.
Manly’s Tolutau Koula (43) remains atop the list, closely chased by Dragon’s Jack Bird (36).
16.3% of coaches stay in waiting for Kyle Flanagan to come out of the woodwork, racking up just eight points so far.
15TH & 20TH MINUTES
A toenail is all it took to halt Mikaele Ravalawa from gifting the Dragons their first lead of the match.
Meanwhile, an initially starring Tom Trbojevic has recorded an uncharacteristic three handling errors within the first 20 minutes
7TH MINUTE
Jake Bird (try) and Zac Lomax (conversion) were quick to level the field for St George, shooting up the live points ladder to the delight of a combined 6.4% of SuperCoach players.
4TH MINUTE
Some magic from Tom Trbojevic has opened up the scoring for the Sea Eagles, offloading to Tolutau Koula (33 live points) in the corner.
The pass itself from Trbojevic is arguably a season highlight, let alone a gift to 21.3% of SuperCoach players.
LATE MAIL
The late mail is in. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Coach Anthony Seibold and St George-Illawarra Dragons’ Shane Flanagan have finalised their teams for NRL round 4, and it seems pretty straight forward.
Dragons’ Ben Murdoch-Masila, Connor Muhleisen and Viliami Fifita remain out while Francis Molo, Hame Sele, Jacob Liddle and Jaydn Su’a maintain ‘in’ status.
Manly have likewise kept it simply: Toafofoa Sipley (interchange) and Tommy Talau (starting) are in, while Jakob Arthur remains out and Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega disappears after a 38-point round 3.
THE BREAKDOWN
Most picked Overall: Ben Trbojevic, Manly
Most picked Dragons: Kyle Flanagan (Viliami Fifita not picked this round)
Most picked Manly: Ben Trbojevic
Most expensive on the field: Tom Trbojevic
Cheapest on the field: Jesse Marschke (Dragons, interchange) and Ben Trbojevic (Manly, starting)
HOT TOPIC
There’s a lot riding on the round 4 performance of Manly halfback Luke Brooks, who according to 3,841 SuperCoaches, is the best replacement for injured Panthers skipper Nathan Cleary.
A total 5.2% of players traded Brooks in for the round, while 0.1% went against the trend.
MORE FROM BEFORE
Manly coach Anthony Seibold has challenged forgotten forward Josh Schuster to earn back his NRL spot, saying he could wait up to three weeks for a recall to first grade.
Seibold has resisted the urge to rush one of his highest paid players back from injury, with the $800,000-a-year star remaining in reserve grade as he regains full fitness.
Schuster will wear the No. 13 jersey in the NSW Cup curtain-raiser before the Sea Eagles take on St George-Illawarra at WIN Stadium on Saturday.
“I’d rather give Schuie (Schuster) his next opportunity two or three weeks too late, than two or three weeks too early because I don’t want that yoyo effect,” Seibold said.
“Once he’s up, he needs to be ready to stay up.”
After a pre-season disrupted with injuries, Schuster impressed Seibold in a stint off the bench in reserve grade last week.
But the 22-year-old remains on the outer, with Seibold instead keeping faith with starting second-rowers Ben Trbojevic and Haumole Olakau’atu.
Corey Waddell, Ethan Bullemor and Nathan Brown hold the forward spots on the bench.
“He has progressed really well, last week he was outstanding in reserve grade. We need to see that not just for one week but all the time,” Seibold said of Schuster.
The Sea Eagles’ visit to Wollongong marks the first time Seibold coaches against former assistant Shane Flanagan.
And while the Dragons are reeling from back-to-back heavy defeats, the Manly coach is adamant his side won’t underestimate the home side.
“We expect the best version of the Dragons,” Seibold said.
“There will be a real emotional response tomorrow at WIN Stadium and that’s why we need to control what we can.
“And we need to come in with the same physicality we have in the first three games.”
Having remain in close contact with Flanagan, Seibold has kept his distance from his ex-deputy in the lead-up to the contest this week.
“We will leave the chats and conversations till after the game,” he said.
“We got a real mindset where we have to go and be at our best tomorrow night, and I’m sure they are thinking the same, so it will be after the game that we catch up.”
The Sea Eagles have been boosted by the return of enforcer Toafofoa Sipley, while centre Tommy Talau could be a late inclusion for Ray Vaega.
WHAT SUPERCOACHES ARE WATCHING ON SATURDAY
* Tom Trbojevic is rolling along with a 74PPG average and is yet to have a ‘good’ game by his lofty standards. A popular captaincy pick against the Dragons.
* Luke Brooks, the Manly five-eighths’ ownership rocketed as plenty pivoted away from Nathan Cleary
* Jack Bostock and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow: the Dolphins winger and fullback are well owned and tipped to go big against the hapless Gold Coast defence.
* David Fifita: Not name din the starting 17 for the Titans, Fifita was named in the reserves as he works his way back from a pectoral injury. Should he be passed fit, Fifita would make a great pick-up for anyone with a lazy $832K to spend.
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Originally published as NRL: Live scores and SuperCoach analysis from Dragons vs. Manly and Titans vs. Dolphins
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