NRL SuperCoach Cheapie Bible round 16

LAST week’s most popular cheapie has been dropped but there is still plenty of value on offer for SuperCoaches.

SUPER Trade Round!

How exciting is this, five trades at your disposal and the mid-season ‘reset’ button we all need (well I certainly do).

One of last week’s cheapie favourites has been dropped, and there will be plenty of late changes due to the Denver Test and other representative hangovers… literally!

Each week the Cheapie Bible will take a long look at the money-makers, the players we all grow man crushes on — and even the ones who seriously let us down like being stood up on a blind date.

Ultimately, I will sift through who we should buy, sell and hold in the sub $250k price bracket. As players hike in price past the $300k mark (or start losing cash!) I will give a final verdict before they exit this list.

Here we go…

Kurt Mann HFB | CTW (STG | $227,800) - 60 points

Kurt Mann is the most purchased player this week.

I called Mann the best buy of the week last week ahead of Olive and thankfully he didn’t let me (or his new owners) down, scoring 60 points with a try against the Sea Eagles and looking very impressive in the process. That leaves Mann with a matchup against the lowly Eels this weekend, and a huge negative BE of -18 to boot. You little beauty.

VERDICT: BUY. If you missed him last week to get Olive, I would still be OK jumping on now.

Reimis Smith CTW (BUL | $177,300) - 25 points

Smith played on the wing last weekend for the Bulldogs in the absence of both Morris brothers, one to injury and the other to the birth of his child — going on to score 25 points in his first NRL game for two seasons. Now, Brett Morris returns but Moses Mbye has left to the Tigers so he should retain his spot. By way of reference, the one game he did play back in 2016 he scored a massive 76 points with two tries but the base stats were very low. Smith is a nice ‘extra’ trade option this week to make the other four trades (or less) the biggest possible upgrades.

VERDICT: BUY/WATCH. Spot in the side should be safe until Josh Morris returns post bye when he then becomes a ‘nuff’ ideally.

Reimis Smith has retained a wing spot at the Bulldogs.

John Olive CTW (BUL | $221,600) - 46 points

Olive scored a try from a kick last weekend against the Titans but the base stats were well down on previous weeks to only notch the 46 points. That was enough, though, to register an initial price hike of $44,300 and sit with a BE of just seven. Just when you thought his spot was secure, he’s been named on an extended bench with Smith and Montoya retaining their places and Hopoate to fullback. Ugh. Dean Pay, I implore you to pick Olive in round 17. And more importantly, those of you who read the Cheapie Bible last week and took Mann over Olive… You’re welcome. All in good fun of course.

VERDICT: HOLD. We have to hold and hope for next week, if he’s not named, we move on.

Lachlan Lewis 5/8 | HFB (BUL | $164,600) - 0 points

The nephew of the great Wally Lewis is a well renowned ball player with ‘silky skills and a great kicking game’, and steps straight in to the starting five eighth jersey for the Bulldogs in the absence of Kieran Foran. Lewis is not only at base price in a position where many are still carrying dead weight, but also provides AMAZING coverage of the round 17 bye week.

VERDICT: WATCH. I know it may be tempting to jump on now with the five trades, but my advice is to use all your cash this week and plan for Lewis as a downgrade to create cash next week once we’re sure he gets there.

Joe Stimson 2RF (MEL | $254,400) - 56 points

Joe Stimson of the Storm celebrates a try.

I feel like Stimson has been a SuperCoach cheapie in each of the last three years! That’s a result of the strength of the Storm squad in general, but last round he started on an edge and played the full 80 minutes (scoring 56 points) — with Ryan Hoffman demoted to the bench. The lure here is 80 minutes in round 17 with Kaufusi missing due to Origin, but the downside is that he’s been named on the bench again this week where as little as two weeks ago he scored just eight points in 10 minutes.

VERDICT: RISKY. Upside is there, but there are significant red flags which make me say no.

Sione Katoa CTW (CRO | $239,600) - 47 points

Katoa was outstanding on the wing for the Sharks in their win over the Broncos in round 15, scoring 47 points without a try or try assist. What a gem. There were rumours that Josh Dugan would return this weekend before the bye, but he hasn’t been named in the squad at all so Katoa lives on (he may well stay in the side even with Dugan returning, mind you).

VERDICT: HOLD. Katoa maintains a low BE with a tough matchup this week against the Warriors at Mt Smart, so hold a week and then look to upgrade.

PODCAST! The teams are in and there are a host of shocks to deal with. Join Tom Sangster and Rob Sutherland.

Alexander (AJ) Brimson HFB | 5/8 (GCT | $246,000) - 31 points

Brimson promised a lot in his second game with 53 points, but since that day he has done what many rookie five-eighths without the goal kicking duties do… struggle to put up SuperCoach scores. 35, 23 and 31 points respectively the past three rounds has seen Brimson peak and plateau in price to now sit with a BE of 30 — almost directly in line with his average of 34.4PPG. If you are a H2H only player, selling to Lachlan Lewis this week or next makes a lot of sense.

VERDICT: HOLD. BE is not ideal, but you have to hold through the bye coverage with the hope of him jagging a try.

Te Maire Martin HFB | 5/8 (NQC | $312,600) - 63 points

‘TMM’ has been exceptional for his SuperCoach owners since entering the starting lineup, particularly when you consider how poor the Cowboys are playing. A three round average of 50.3PPG has seen scores of 43, 45 and 63 with combined price rises of over $100k — and better yet, he STILL has a negative breakeven of -1. With a score of 41 this week, SuperCoach Stats projects TMM to make another $30,000 to peak perfectly and be sold to a gun (or Lachlan Lewis).

VERDICT: HOLD. Still handy 5/8 | HFB duals with SJ to cover a late out of Widdop if that happens, even up until round 17.

Tom Wright FLB | 5/8 (MNL | $164,600) - 48 points

Wright was very impressive in game two of his NRL career, scoring 48 points in 55 minutes including a try, line break, 13 tackles an offload and six points in tackle busts, leaving the kid with a BE of 5 heading in to this weekend’s clash with the Panthers. But… He’s been left out of the Sea Eagles’ 17 for this week with the return of Dylan Walker in the halves pushing Trent Hodkinson to the bench utility role.

VERDICT: AVOID.

Reed Mahoney HOK (PAR | $164,600) - 22 points

Mahoney was very impressive on debut, and in his second game for that matter, but has been sighted for dangerous tackles both weeks and is now suspended and unable to take the field again until round 18, making him a no-go.

VERDICT: AVOID.

Sam Hoare FRF (NQC | $219,000) - 32 points

Hoare was originally named on an extended bench for the last match, only to be named as a late inclusion to the starting front row. Unfortunately, that only lead to 32 points in the 34 minutes in what seems to be his ceiling. Also copped a knee injury and has a bye next week, so don’t touch him with a 10 foot pole (with all due respect).

VERDICT: AVOID.

FINAL VERDICT

Players that surpass $300k (or heaven forbid, start to lose cash!) will feature in this section with a summation of where they are at and what you should be looking to do.

Enari Tuala CTW (NQC | $334,500) - 36 points

A down week for Tuala in the loss to the Warriors, but he was inches away from scoring a try yet again and the 36 points essentially in base stats is a nice floor. This week Tuala meets the high flying Rabbitohs with his BE sitting at a very manageable 14 — so there is likely one more price rise left before the bye in round 17. Perfecto!

VERDICT: HOLD. If you have the cash just sitting there with the five trades this week there is merit in a big upgrade to someone like Euan Aitken, otherwise hold for the week and bank another $20k before selling.

Sione Katoa HOK | 2RF (PTH | $275,500) - 30 points

Katoa seems pretty locked in to the hooker role with Peter Wallace sadly retiring effective immediately, with his role looking locked in to 55 minutes given that is exactly the minutes tally he has played the past three weeks, for scores of 35, 26 and 30. The PPM of 0.5 isn’t enough to warrant holding any longer than next week’s bye coverage, so plan on a sell up to a gun in the 2RF.

VERDICT: HOLD. Bye coverage then the boot!

* If players aren’t anywhere on the above lists it is because we deem them irrelevant at least for the time being.

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach Cheapie Bible round 16