KFC SuperCoach NRL: Round 10 best players and trade targets

The Mastermind analyses every KFC SuperCoach NRL Round 10 match with the high-shot crackdown sending records tumbling.

The NRL’s crackdown on high tackles made Magic Round live up to it’s name with players disappearing from the field in a flurry of send-offs and sin bins leaving the likes of Nathan Cleary, Tom Trbojevic, James Tedesco and Nicho Hynes to dazzle fans and post massive scores for KFC SuperCoaches.

This week’s top score of 1776 by The Ryan King is an all-time best and he had all of the players above on board.

It felt like a real game-changing weekend for KFC SuperCoach with more bodies off the field Cleary’s 225 smashed Cody Walker’s record of 204 and it makes you wonder how much higher the best players can score.

At the other end of the scale Herman Ese’ese, -11, and Tyrell Fuimaono -8 went close but couldn’t beat Trent Hodkinson’s lowest of -12.

ROUND 11 LATEST: EARLY MAIL

Let’s take a look at the highs and lows from each game and the players to add to your watchlist.

TIGERS 36-18 KNIGHTS

Highs: Adam Doueihi, 114, has the best average of any five-eighth this year at 79.1PPG and is in just 3.5% of teams. A switch to the centres didn’t hinder his scoring with two tries, a try assist, 6/7 goals, two offloads and a linebreak. Luke Brooks, 78, had a try, linebreak, and two try assists. Tommy Talau, 74, had a try, try assist and two linebreaks.

Lows: Tex Hoy, 9, had two errors, three missed goals and a sin binning for -20 points. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 35, was penalised four times and sin-binned for -16 points.

Watchlist: Shawn Blore, 14, played his first game of the season and is already in 5% of teams who were hoping the cheapie would be on deck for the first bye round. Mitch Barnett, 53, played 47 minutes in the middle and while the game time is disappointing, the base output isn’t drastically different to what he was producing in 80 minutes on the edge. He’s got to be a shout at reclaiming kicking duties after Hoy’s 1 from 4 goals.

SEA EAGLES 50-6 BRONCOS

Highs: Tom Trbojevic, 119, produced his fourth century in five games with two tries, two try assists, three tackle busts, a linebreak and six linebreak assists. Daly Cherry-Evans, 100, had two try assists, two try contributions five tackle busts, four forced drop outs, three offloads and four linebreak assists. Jason Saab, 100, scored his 10th try in six games. A remarkable form reversal for the winger who scored at 22ppg in the first five rounds and now 65.8ppg with Trbojevic’s return to the team. Martin Taupau, 94, is another Sea Eagle in a rich vein of form. As we flagged a couple weeks ago his attacking numbers are on the rise and his five-game average of 72.4PPG puts him behind only Isaiah Papali’i in the front row. He’s owned by just 2.2% of teams. Reuben Garrick, 92, is now the fifth best scoring CTW of the year. He kicked 9/9 goals for 36 points.

Lows: Tyson Gamble, 8, was last week’s most popular trade and delivered -22 points from eight missed tackles, three penalties and a trip to the sin bin. Kieran Foran, 4, went off injured after 16 minutes.

Watchlist: Josh Schuster, 57, was a popular trade out last week with his price peaking but showed some nice attacking touches before a late sin binning. Foran’s injury and the impending return of Curtis Sironen should give Schuster a run at five-eighth while Manly have a soft draw through the Origin period. Herbie Farnworth, 60, is averaging 53.8PPG for the Broncos with only one try for the year. He had 39 in base stats this week and 44 the week before, that’s getting close to Brian To’o levels of workrate.

BULLDOGS 18-20 RAIDERS

Highs: Caleb Aekins, 87, had two try assists and four linebreak assists and has averaged 57.4ppg since coming in for the injured Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Curtis Scott, 84, had a try, linebreak, five tacklebusts and 44 in base stats. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 76, had a try and five offloads and is ticking over a handy 60PPG average. Luke Thompson, 75, is looking like one of the safest options in the FRF position crunching out another big score in mostly base stats. His average of 68.2PPG puts him second to Isaiah Papali’i in the position and he’s a dual 2RF as well making him a worthy considering for a trade in after the first round of byes.

Lows: Josh Papalii, 32, sent off (-16) and suspended for three weeks. Jack Wighton, 22, was sin binned and suspended for a week. Bailey Simonsson, 16, looked a good option to play against the Bulldogs but came up with five errors.

Watchlist: Corey Harawira-Naera, 71, had a try and the rest was base stats. He had 13 hit-ups this week compared to 4 and 5 the weeks before. He’s still at a nice price for a player who’s averaged 60PPG in the past. Tom Starling, 60, has averaged 70PPG in the past four weeks and is an enticing prospect for round 14 with only 1.2% of teams if he holds onto the job. His rival for the No. 9 jersey Josh Hodgson returned from injury this week as a ball-playing forward. Ryan James, 37, has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the 37% of teams still holding him. Papalii’s suspension should give him a chance to send his value back up again.

SHARKS 22-32 RABBITOHS

Highs: Jai Arrow, 84, had a try, linebreak, four tackle busts and 50 in base stats in 54 minutes. Cody Walker, 81, had two tries, four tackle busts, a linebreak and two linebreak assists to finish off his run of games at fullback with Latrell Mitchell set to return from suspension. William Kennedy, 80, was back to form after scoring just 4 points against the Panthers last week. He had a try, try assist, four tackle busts, four forced dropouts, a linebreak and two linebreak assists.

Lows: Jaydn Su’A, 30, was sin binned for a high shot.

Watchlist: Damien Cook, 64, showed hints of his running game returning and is the cheapest he’s been since 2018. Taane Milne, 39, a solid first game of the season for the CTW/2RF cheapie. Probably not one for the moment but come Round 17 he might be a handy bye round player that then becomes a nuff.

ROOSTERS 30-16 COWBOYS

Highs: James Tedesco, 131, had an emphatic return to form and faces the Broncos up next. Tedesco had two try assists, 11 tackle busts, two offloads, a linebreak and eight linebreak assists. But most importantly 17 hit-ups more than doubling his efforts in recent games against the Eels and Storm. Angus Crichton, 119, had two tries, five tackle busts, two offloads, a linebreak and 59 in base stats. Scott Drinkwater, 103, produced his first KFC SuperCoach century with two tries, a try assist, a linebreak, four linebreak assists and two forced dropouts. Daniel Tupou, 101, had two tries and two linebreaks. He’s scored five tries in his past six games after a lean start and there are few better POD CTWs, he’s in just 3% of teams.

Lows: Coen Hess, 15, failed a HIA after 16 minutes. Sio Siua Taukeiaho, 24, played just 35 minutes. He averaged 70PPG with the goalkicking and plenty of minutes in the opening five rounds but has averaged below 40 in his past four games. Sitili Tupouniua, 27, had five missed tackles, an error, a penalty conceded and was sin binned for -17 points.

Watchlist: Javid Bowen, 68, had a try, linebreak five tackle busts and 30 in base stats. Justin O’Neill and Hamiso Tabui-Fidow will likely take his place when fit but he could be a decent cash grab, provide a player for Round 17 bye then become a nuff. Jason Taumalolo, 53, played 64 minutes and is going to be ripe to trade in after Round 14. Tom Gilbert, 46, played 40 minutes in his return from injury. He averaged 52PPG in the last five games of 2020 and could be a handy mid-season trade with dual FRF/2RF status.

WARRIORS 18-34 EELS

Highs: Reece Walsh, 100, had a try, eight tackle busts, two forced dropouts, three linebreaks and two linebreak assists. The cheapie fullback is set to reward his 6% of owners with some massive price rises. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 94, scored a double on top of his usual 50 in base stats. Mitchell Moses, 91, had three try assists, 4/5 goals, a linebreak and two linebreak assists in his best score of the season. Ken Maumalo, 79, had six tackle busts, two forced dropouts, two offloads a linebreak, two linebreak assists and 34 points from hit-ups. Ryan Matterson, 74, had a try and 59 in base stats and is ready to buy if you haven’t already.

Lows: Blake Ferguson, 21, had just 12 hit-ups his lowest of the season. He could have had a big score but dropped one over the line, while Matterson earlier did the same after ignoring Ferguson with the line wide open. Waqa Blake, 17, missed six tackles on his return from injury. Rocco Berry, 2, failed a HIA.

Watchlist: Euan Aitken, 39, returned from injury with a typical stack of base stats. Jakob Arthur, 53, made a solid debut with a try and a linebreak.

STORM 44-18 DRAGONS

Highs: Nicho Hynes, 182, went off for a HIA after four minutes and when he returned the Dragons were down to 12 men. Hynes had an incredible five try assists, six tackle busts, three offloads, two linebreaks and 12 linebreak assists. He could have cracked 200 with better goalkicking landing just 2/5 goals. Mikaele Ravalawa, 136, scored a hat-trick but faces suspension for a shoulder charge. He had five linebreaks and eight tackle busts. Josh Addo-Carr, 100, scored three tries, to add to his tally of 12 in the past four games.

Lows: Ryan Papenhuyzen, 23, had a try assist and two linebreak assists before failing a HIA after a high shot in the 14th minute. A blow for the 24% of teams holding onto him. Tyrell Fuimaono, -8, who hit Papenhuyzen, is facing a long stint on the sidelines, as is Josh McGuire, 28, who was sin binned.

Watchlist: The Dragons are going to need a massive backline reshuffle with Matt Dufty, 65, going off with a shoulder injury, to join Ravalawa, Fuimaono and Zac Lomax on the sidelines. Cheapie Max Feagai, 7, played 36 minutes off the bench and should get a starting role.

TITANS 12-48 PANTHERS

Highs: Nathan Cleary, 225, had three tries, two try assists, a try contribution, 8/8 goals, nine tackle busts, three forced dropouts, an offload, three linebreaks, four linebreak assists and 38 in base stats. James Fisher-Harris, 98, scored a try for the second week in a row on top of his usual stack of hit-ups. Beau Fermor, 92, did a decent David Fifita impression providing the Titans’ few attacking options on the left edge with a try, try assist, two linebreaks and four tackle busts.

Lows: Herman Ese’ese, -11, was sent off. The Panthers’ usually lethal left edge missed out on the points with low surprisingly low scores for Jarome Luai, 23, Viliame Kikau, 40, Matt Burton, 21 and Brian To’o, 34. Tyrone Peachey, 27, had seven missed tackles against his former team and is facing a suspension for a crusher tackle.

Watchlist: Apisai Koroisau, 48, hasn’t found the attacking stats of last year where he averaged 66PPG. He did ramp up his running game against the Titans with 10 hit-ups. He could be a good trade in to cover the first bye round at just 3% ownership or a week earlier to get an extra Panther in your squad to play the Bulldogs in Round 12.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL: Round 10 best players and trade targets