KFC SuperCoach NRL 2021: Cheapie Bible Round 6

Trent Copeland runs his eyes over the best cheapie options for Round 6, calling “trap” on the most popular purchase this week.

Trent Copeland

10 min read

April 15, 2021 - 1:49PM

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WALKER’S ON!

You could have been forgiven watching the first half against the Sharks thinking the kid was human, and in for a bit of a ‘cheapie half’ stinker. Then twenty minutes, a try and THREE try assists later and you’re reminded Walker is not normal.

A lock to make huge cash this week even against the Storm, he should be in 100% of KFC SuperCoach teams.

Thankfully, Walker is not the only cheapie on the horizon either, with young gun Queensland hooker Jake Simpkin named to start at the expense of another Cheapie Bible favourite Jacob Liddle at the Tigers, and a Warriors smokey among others.

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By definition a ‘Cheapie’ will be referenced when under $300,000 and actually relevant for KFC SuperCoach purposes. Key word being relevant. Once players eclipse the $300k mark they will be given a final verdict in the ‘Bon Voyage’ section.

Buckle up, here we go!

Sam Walker has impressed to start his NRL career and is a must-have for SuperCoaches with over 50% ownership. Picture: NRL Photos.

Sam Walker HFB (Roosters) $173,700 - 89 points

Honestly, the second half was a thing of beauty. We’ve talked about this kid for months now but everyone saw with their own eyes what the hype was about. A try, three try assists - two of which were beautiful rainbow passes to both wingers - and a huge come from behind win for the Roosters. 89 points was the end result, leaving Walker with a -106 BE and the prospect of a record initial price jump in the vicinity of $130k-$150k if he has another monster performance. That said, let’s tame those expectations for a matchup with the Storm at AAMI Park.

VERDICT: BUY. In 51% of teams already, that should be 100% come Monday next week.

KFC SuperCoach NRL: Buy, Hold, Sell guide for Round 6

Teig Wilton 2RF (Sharks) $313,400 - 58 points

This guy is the real deal in my opinion, scoring 58 points against the Roosters almost entirely in base stats. The work rate is phenomenal for an edge and you can just tell his care and effort on the ‘one percenters’ is what every team, in any sport craves. The initial price his of $63,000 was awesome, and the BE of -21 is nice coming into the matchups against the Knights and Bulldogs the next two weeks… BUT. As warned last week, Briton Nikora returns and immediately starts in his preferred right edge slot, and it’s only that Wade Graham is out with concussion that Wilton starts on the left edge. Siosifa Talaki is also back on the bench. My read on this is the fact Wilton was the one to ‘move’ to the left suggests he may be on the bench or out of the squad (as much as I disagree with that personally!) altogether once Graham returns next week. A change of coach to Josh Hannay is also in the mix as an unknown. Quite simply, he’s very good, making money and those of you who jumped on last week will get at least one more great price rise.

VERDICT: HOLD. Non-owners can’t be buying now with so much uncertainty, and the above $300k price tag, though.

Ben Condon 2RF (Cowboys) $186,800 - 62 points

Best of a bad bunch? Harsh but fair I think given the current lay of the land in KFC SuperCoach cheapie central. I actually think Condon has shown flashes that say the Cowboys should invest time into the kid, a solid NRL prospect for sure. EVERYONE is jumping on Condon as a $186k player that has a ‘green light’ a -28 BE and score of 62 points in his last game against the Tigers. Juuuuuust let me put the brakes on there for a second. 35 points in 80 minutes in game one. 62 points, but alarmingly, just the 49 minutes in game two. Being brutally honest, the base stats are horrific, so if it’s 40-50 minutes as the norm, we’re looking at a best case scenario of around 25-30 points without attacking stats. Not to mention the impending return of Tom Gilbert, and Jason Taumalolo to the pack. I’m worried.

VERDICT: AVOID. Big call, but I think it’s a trap. Unless it funds David Fifita or Brian To’o.

There aren’t many stand-out cheapies at 2RF this week, but if it helps you get a gun then Ben Condon could be a good downgrade option. Picture: Getty Images.

Bryce Cartwright 2RF (Eels) $372,100 - 49 points

Carty Party v5.0?!

VERDICT: JOKING. Don’t you dare.

Stefano Utoikamanu FRF (Wests Tigers) $347,000 - 46 points

Here we go! Yes he’s over $300k but this is big news, so he can stay front and center. Big Stefano, after outplaying basically everyone in the Tigers’ pack in the opening rounds has been elevated to the starting side against the Rabbitohs in round 6. You beauty! Having made a healthy $160,000 already without even scratching the surface of his tackle-busting and offloading capabilities, Stefano could end up being one of 2021’s best cheapies. Hopefully the move to the starting side lifts his minutes to around the 45-50 mark (up from 36.6 MPG so far), where he will undoubtedly average 55PPG with his crazily good PPM.

VERDICT: HOLD. Should peak nicely around the $400k-$450k range and provide coverage of the round 13 bye. Sell in round 14.

Jake Simpkin HOK (Wests Tigers) $173,700

Speaking of exciting prospects… This could be one of the KFC SuperCoach success stories of 2021. The young Queensland hooker prodigy was brought to the Tigers by Madge, made to bide his time in the NSW Cup (more on that in a minute) and now supplants Jacob Liddle to start for the Tigers on debut in the no.9 jersey. Simpkin has TORN UP the NSW Cup so far this season. Have a listen to some of these numbers… 5 games played, SIX tries, seven line breaks, with a truckload of tackle busts, post contact metres and offloads. Defensively, Simpkin averaged 42.6 tackles so we’re looking at not only around 45 points in base stats, but also plenty of attacking upside. Watch this one closely, hopefully he gets 60 minutes or more with Mbye still on the bench.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST. This could be huge!

Wests Tigers hooker Jake Simpkin could be a great option at hooker in a few weeks if he can lock down a starting role. Picture: NRL Photos.

Jackson Topine 2RF (Bulldogs) $173,700 - 23 points

I gave a big fat ‘CALM DOWN’ last week to those jumping early on Topine after looking a little deeper at the 53 points in 73 minutes in round one - due to concussion for Lachlan Lewis and no Josh Jackson or Luke Thompson present. Well, back to being a bench hooker Topine scored 23 points in 34 minutes. This is not going to be a profitable scenario for KFC SuperCoaches unless we see him starting (would require an NRL exemption) full time on his preferred edge. One of the most talented players the Bulldogs have on their roster, so definitely keep him on the watch list.

VERDICT: AVOID.

Josh Curran 2RF (Warriors) $203,100

YES! I feel like it’s 2020 all over again getting excited for a Josh Curran starting gig. Cast your mind back to the All-Stars game last pre season and Curran tore it up, having him right in the frame for a starting berth on the edge for the Warriors. Then injury curtailed his season, having him left at home in NZ when the squad was forced to stay in Australia. Now, though, Curran has dislodged Eli Katoa for a starting edge role, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Bar probably Shaun Blore, Curran could be the best 2RF cheapie for the remainder of the season if he holds down this spot! If you’re not aware, Curran possesses the perfect KFC SuperCoach tackle busting, post-contact metres and offloading game.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST. Pleaaaaase keep this spot!

Ryan James FRF | 2RF (Raiders) $286,000 - 41 points

James actually lost money this week, with his injury-affected 5-point game coming out of the rolling average. Unfortunately, that’s not the only negative for the some 63,713 KFC SuperCoaches who own the Raiders’ big man, as he copped another bad head knock - albeit passing his game day HIA and continuing to play on for his 41 points. As a result fo two bad head knocks in a short space of time, James is out of the 21-man Raiders squad altogether this week. A smart move, and one that hopefully benefits James in the long run.

VERDICT: HOLD. Still more money to be made if you’re patient.

Charlie Staines CTW | FLB (Panthers) $340,000 - 85 points

YES! We urged HOLD through the tough times, and called that Staines just simply had to find the try line eventually in this red-hot Panthers team, and he did it twice in the one game for a massive 85 points. Funnily enough, his two best games this year have come against two of the toughest matchups for outside backs in the Storm (56 points) and Raiders (85 points), proving he is matchup irrelevant it’s just if the Panthers choose to go right, and the ball gets past Momirovski who’s one of the great ball hogs. Now in advance of $300k, with the 85 point game in the rolling average for three weeks plus a matchup against the Broncos this weekend, Staines could skyrocket in price.

VERDICT: HOLD. In a perfect world Staines scores again this week which will see him carry his value through to the bye rounds.

KFC SuperCoach NRL: Round 6 Winners & Losers

Haumole Olakau’atu 2RF (Sea Eagles) $245,600

This one is very much in the the Josh Curran basket of ‘wait and watch’, but in the role Olakau’atu should be looking at (starting on the right edge for close to the full 80 minutes) for the next few weeks prior to Curtis Sironen’s return he should score very well. If you look at his 2020 season for the Sea Eagles, the average of 30PPG is misleading, as four of the five games he played were from the bench and saw 31 minutes or less. The one game he did play 75 minutes against the Warriors, Olakau’atu scored 91 points including a try, but importantly 28 tackles, SIXTEEN points in tackle busts, and 21 points in runs. Watch this space.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST.

Sean O’Sullivan HFB (Warriors) $304,400 - 72 points

I called O’Sullivan a POD-BUY last week, with everyone focusing on Sam Walker (rightly so!) and man has he delivered. Scores of 70, 44 and 72 points so far saw O’Sullivan increase in price by $73,000 this week, and KFC SuperCoach Plus projects another $40k+ coming this week. The unfortunate thing with O’Sullivan is the HFB only eligibility, where you really MUST own both of Nathan Cleary and now Sam Walker. Take the $130k on offer by downgrading to Walker and be happy with the choice to bring him in off the old eyeball test, it was very much a success.

VERDICT: SELL. In a normal scenario O’Sullivan is a HOLD/BUY but it has to be Sam Walker in that spot now.

Spencer Leniu FRF (Panthers) $274,100 - 51 points

Leniu had his highest score of the season, in only 26 minutes! That’s his fourth game in a row with minutes in the 20’s, with a ridiculous 1.7 PPM over that period. The 51 points included a monstrous line break and massive 24 points in H8’s, which has Leniu at a tick over $50k in profit thus far. A matchup against the Broncos this week will hopefully have the Panthers out to an early lead where coach Cleary can lean on this beast in waiting a little more. If he gets 40+ minutes it’s lights out!

VERDICT: HOLD.

Murray Tualagi CTW (Cowboys) $290,800 - 72 points

Taulagi scores twice for the Cowboys! How good. That’s two VERY good games for the winger playing on the end of a backline without a great deal of cohesion or time and space in recent weeks - albeit during a big win on the weekend. Jason Taumalolo being back is huge for this side, and hopefully Taulagi keeps scoring this weekend against the Bulldogs.

VERDICT: HOLD/AVOID. A dream matchup against the Bulldogs comes at the perfect time to kick on the money making cycle, but if you don’t already own, it’s too late to jump on.

BON VOYAGE

Josh Schuster 5/8 (Sea Eagles) $353,500 - 64 points

There’s another 60+ point game and a further $70,000 ($150,00 total) for Schuster, who goes from strength to strength, scoring a try in this one and just genuinely barging over people with ball in hand. Quite remarkable given he has played in the halves for so long. As far as a final verdict goes, I raved about him all preseason and am still raving now, with another season ending injury to an edge back rower in Jack Gosiewski last weekend, his place is solidified for the long term even when Sironen returns. Plenty more cash to be made particularly with Tom Trbojevic back at fullback this week, as the left edge ALWAYS profits when he plays. Matchups against the Titans, Tigers, Warriors and Broncos in the coming four rounds means he’ll likely score well and peak in price just before the bye rounds at around $450k. Ahhh, you’ve been a dream Schuuuuuuster.

VERDICT: HOLD. Until the byes, and playable every week regardless of matchup.

Connor Tracey HOK | 5/8 (Sharks) $325,000 - 28 points

Tracey went back to his bench utility role on the weekend against the Roosters, which is obviously KFC SuperCoach poison. But, in the absence of Josh Dugan this weekend, he gets a reprieve to start in the centres where he’s been so impressive this season. With a BE still in the negatives, Tracey owners will be hoping he gets two more decent scores against the Knights and Bulldogs, before being a sell in round 8.

VERDICT: HOLD.

WATCHLIST:

Joseph Suaalii CTW | FLB (Roosters)

Shawn Blore 2RF (Tigers)

Ofahiki Ogden FRF (Bulldogs)

John Asiata FRF | 2RF (Broncos)

Sebastian Kris CTW (Raiders)

Zac Saddler 2RF | FRF (Sea Eagles)

Christian Tuipulotu CTW (Sea Eagles)

Dean Ieremia CTW | FLB (Storm)

Ben Trbojevic CTW | 2RF (Sea Eagles)

Greg Marzhew (formerly Leleisiuao) CTW (Titans)