Tom Sangster’s NRL SuperCoach team 2018
NRL SuperCoach is open for 2018 and to mark the occasion our resident guru Tom Sangster reveals his initial team.
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NRL SuperCoach is open for 2018 and to mark the occasion our resident guru Tom Sangster reveals his initial team.
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HOOKER
Cameron Smith ($667,400)
Averaged 15 more points than any other hooker last year. And he’s even more valuable this season with the new NRL draw, which features a standalone Origin and only two byes, meaning Smith plays more games.
Craig Garvey ($177,300)
The former Bulldog is frontrunner for the starting hooker spot at Canberra following an ACL injury to Josh Hodgson and departures of Kurt Baptiste and Adam Clydsdale.
FRONT ROW
Sam Burgess ($572,600)
Expect Big Sam to bounce back from his worst SuperCoach season since 2011 (when he played just four games before a season-ending injury). Champions never stay on the canvas for long and he’s impossible to pass up at the price.
Jesse Bromwich ($413,600)
Proven SuperCoach performer who starts very cheap following a poor season SuperCoach-wise. Minutes and work rate should increase following exit of Jordan McLean.
Leilani Latu ($270,500)
Starts in the borderline cheapie range after playing mostly an impact role at the Panthers last year, averaging 36 minutes. However, after being released by Penrith to accommodate star signing James Maloney, Latu starts 2018 as arguably the Titans’ top prop after Jarrod Wallace. He will command huge minutes in one of the weaker middle rotations in the NRL.
Matt Lodge ($208,900)
The Jarrod Wallace of 2018. Starts at cheapie price following years out of the game due to disciplinary issues, but is confirmed to start in place of Adam Blair (Warriors) at prop.
BACK ROW
Paul Gallen ($674,900)
The Gal-Bot last year reaffirmed his status as the best SuperCoach player of all-time by topping the rankings yet again. In terms of average, Gallen has never finished below fifth and he has topped the list an incredible four times.
Bryce Cartwright ($260,300)
Starts in the cheapie range following a hellish season of injuries and off-field dramas. However, Cartwright produced one of the great SuperCoach seasons in 2016 when he averaged 74.4 and ranked second behind Cameron Smith.
Trent Merrin ($518,300)
Starts cheap and set for big improvement following his worst SuperCoach season since he was a youngster back in 2011. Merrin played just 20 games and also battled off-field distractions, finishing an uncharacteristic 73rd in the rankings.
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Jai Arrow ($308,800)
Struggled for minutes at the star-studded Broncos but mail suggests Arrow will score the starting lock spot down the M1 at the Gold Coast. The Titans have, on paper, one of the worst packs in the competition, which means big game time for Arrow.
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Taane Milne ($192,800)
Played as a bench utility for all but two of his 11 games last year, averaging a lowly 18 in 29 minutes per game. He therefore starts in the cheapie range, while stints on the interchange mean he has earned valuable dual positioning in the backs and forwards. Milne was a wrecking machine on the right edge for Fiji in the World Cup and his game is perfectly suited to SuperCoach scoring. In fact, Milne was a revelation in his debut season in 2016 when he averaged a keeper-like 54 over seven games.
Luciano Leilua ($177,300)
Fingers crossed the brother of Canberra’s Joey Leilua scores the starting edge back row spot vacated by Joel Thompson, who has left the Dragons for the Sea Eagles.
HALFBACK
Johnathan Thurston ($536,300)
The SuperCoach great starts cheap after an injury-ruined year. Can concentrate entirely on the Cowboys after retiring from representative footy.
Lachlan Croker ($164,600)
Frontrunner for the five-eighth spot vacated by Blake Green at the Sea Eagles. The nephew of Jason Croker is a former Holden Cup team of the year member and would have played plenty more NRL if not for a succession of knee and shoulder injuries.
FIVE-EIGHTH
Connor Watson ($286,700)
Averaged just 42 minutes as a bench utility at the Roosters last year and therefore starts cheap, but set for huge improvement after being guaranteed the starting five-eighth spot at the Knights.
Shaun Johnson ($641,000)
Produced the best average of any halfback last year (72.2). Once dubbed the “Rollercoaster” by SuperCoach boffins and often derided for inconsistency in actual NRL, Johnson has matured into the most reliable half in fantasy footy, averaging 68.7, 70.5, 69.5 and 72.2 in the last four years.
CENTRE/WING
Jarrod Croker ($490,000)
The Canberra captain is the best centre/wing in SuperCoach but starts comparatively cheap following his worst season in half a decade. Crucially, consistency is never a problem for Croker in a notoriously inconsistent position, averaging 57.9, 60.9, 71.8 and 55.3 in the last four years.
Josh Mansour ($451,900)
Starts cheap after an ACL injury limited him to an average of 51. However, Mansour is one of the best-performing backs in SuperCoach history and has averaged as high as 66.
Jarryd Hayne ($420,300)
Very risky purchase given he has stunk it up in his last two seasons, averaging just 37 and 47. However, that means he starts cheap and fingers crossed he can wind the clock back to 2014, when he averaged 85.
Peta Hiku ($279,100)
Starts in the borderline cheapie range after a stop-start nine NRL games at the Panthers, where he played five games off the bench and four in a starting wing role for an average of only 56 minutes. But the former Kiwi international is set to return to an 80 minute role in 2018 as a starting centre or winger for the Warriors. Hiku has been a consistent SuperCoach performer in the past, producing season averages of 47, 49, 49 and 46 prior to last year’s aberration.
Jamayne Isaako ($192,800)
Serious chance for a round one backline spot at the Broncos, with Jack Bird (shoulder) in doubt and Corey Oates likely to move into the forwards.
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Greg Leleisiuao ($164,600)
The blockbusting winger or centre is coming off a brilliant NYC season, scoring 17 tries in 19 matches, running for over 4000 metres, making 26 line breaks and busting 206 tackles. One of the stars of Parramatta’s pre-season, the Holden Cup Team of the Year member is a genuine chance for round one, particularly if Clint Gutherson is held back following a second ACL injury.
Zac Lomax ($164,600)
The 18-year-old has set his sights on Josh Dugan’s vacant fullback spot at the Dragons. While most outside the club are tipping Matt Dufty or Kurt Mann for the No. 1 jersey, Lomax has made it clear to coaching staff he wants to play at the back. The towering rookie has also trained at centre and wing in pre-season.
FULLBACKS
James Tedesco ($599,700)
I’m backing Tedesco to score the most SuperCoach points of any player this year. He averaged 67.6 at the struggling Tigers last year despite scoring just four tries and he should see a huge upturn in attacking stats at the powerhouse Roosters, where he teams up with Cooper Cronk.
Kalyn Ponga ($419,900)
The most talented teenager in the comp but only played seven games for the Cowboys last year after announcing a switch to the Knights. Ponga’s season average of 52.6 is misleading due to an injury-induced score of one in his final game. With this score removed, Ponga averaged 61, which places him in the keeper range. Also a goalkicking contender.
MORE SUPERCOACH:
Cheapie Bible 2018 / Most popular SuperCoach players / Must-haves for 2018 / Pre-season casualty ward / Eels fans are biggest SuperCoach addicts / Former champ’s top 10 mid-rangers / Champion’s Choice: Alex Twal / CTW: Risk vs reward / HOK: Smith or not? / Your club’s biggest selection issue / SuperCoach study guide: Broncos / Bulldogs / Cowboys / Eels / Knights / Panthers / Roosters / Rabbitohs / Raiders / Sharks / Sea Eagles / Storm / Tigers / Titans / Warriors
Originally published as Tom Sangster’s NRL SuperCoach team 2018
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