NRL SuperCoach: Trent Copeland’s FIVE targets for Super Trade Week

FIVE trades … How fun is this! You could call it a mid-season re-set button gifted to us by the SuperCoach gods.

FIVE trades … How fun is this!

You could call it a mid-season re-set button gifted to us by the SuperCoach gods, and whilst it would be lovely to know exactly who will be on deck for their teams come the all-important round 17 bye, we can cast an eye forward to our ‘finished 17’ and also look for guns, who barring injury (heaven forbid), we know will be there and score us some huge points.

Let me preface this list with the name Shaun Johnson, who if you don’t own already HAS to be your ‘numero uno’ trade target this week!

Here are my five trade options for Super Trade Week…

Nathan Cleary HFB (Panthers) $509,600 - AVG: 56.1PPG

Nathan Cleary doesn’t cover round 17, but Copes says to buy anyway.

Cleary’s form (in SuperCoach terms) the past three weeks has been below his best, but he has still scored 76, 36 and 57 points. Yes, Cleary misses round 17 with Origin, but he plays this weekend against the Sea Eagles conceding a truckload of points, and in the run home plays teams such as the Sea Eagles again, Raiders, Titans, Knights and Warriors.

Everyone is focused on bye-coverage options, but I’m here to say that Cleary is the best value buy on the market as one of the three premier halves options for the run home. Oh, did I mention he will regain the goal kicking duties after Origin also? The future Australian halfback is only owned by 8 per cent of teams, you will not be disappointed.

Trent Copeland reveals his top five targets for Super Trade Week.

Tohu Harris 2RF (Warriors) $523,300 - AVG: 60.7PPG

Tohu was originally an ‘avoid’ for me this week, but then he went and announced he wouldn’t be playing in the dreaded Denver Test match against England he immediately jumped to the top of the bye coverage keeper list. Not only does Tohu cover round 17, but he also possesses an injury-affected averaged that may lead some to avoid him.

Taking out his two injury affected games this year (scores of 14 and 32) Tohu’s lowest score is 55 and average is 67.5PPG - which would sit him ninth behind only Cook, SJ, Ponga, Taumalolo, Tom and Jake Turbo, Fifita and Rhyse Martin for highest averages in the game. If you break it down even further to when SJ has been fit and playing the average is well in advance of 70PPG. Get on.

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Blake Ferguson CTW (Roosters) $625,100 - AVG: 63.4PPG

The CTW poison, I mean, position is just absolute carnage this season, with Esan Marsters and Ryan Matterson the early season ‘favourites’ along with Latrell Mitchell, Jordan Rapana and Mahe Fonua forming the consensus elite group of keepers. Well, the man with the MOST points of any CTW is none other than Blake Ferguson. Yep, better than Marsters, averaging a stellar 63.4PPG and with scores of 87, 93 and 99 in his past three matches for a remarkable three-round average of 93PPG with the best base stats in the category.

The price is high, but with a BE of just 23 and a week where most will be selling Fonua at a high price or able to maneuver some cash to make it happen, this could be your only chance to get him before about round 20, when most of us will be out of trades!

SUPERCOACH PODCAST! Best buys for Super Trade Week.

Will Hopoate CTW | FLB (Bulldogs) $484,500 - AVG: 54PPG

The ‘masses’ are focusing in on the likes of Aitken, Lafai, Croker and BJ Leilua this week, and whilst they are all fantastic options I want to flag a man who is about to take on a new role and is owned by only 2 per cent of teams. Will Hopoate (should be) the new fullback for the Bulldogs in the absence of Moses Mbye, and much like Fergo above has some fantastic base stats that make him reliable even in weeks where he doesn’t score a try.

By way of averages, Hoppa sat at 59PPG last season when playing at the back, and you can expect more of the same with coverage of the round 17 bye to boot, if that floats your boat. I know some very astute SuperCoaches will be looking long and hard at it. I mean, he does play the Knights, Raiders and Eels in three of the next four matches.

And finally, a POD for old times sake...

Trent Merrin FRF | 2RF (Panthers) $445,400 - AVG: 52.3PPG

Are you a Michael Chee-Kam or Mahe Fonua owner? Well I own both, and using some duals this former SuperCoach stud is right in the reckoning as a target this week. Whilst everyone has their focus on Tohu Harris and Ryan James (don’t forget he still could play Origin and miss round 17) amongst others, I’m here to open your eyes to the fact that the Campbell-Gillard injury and Peter Wallace retirement has seen Merrin kick his PPM back up over 1.1 whilst averaging 54PPG the past three weeks.

With the thrashing at the hands of the Roosters last weekend, ‘Hook’ will be looking to his senior guys to turn it around and Merrin at $445k is seriously underpriced and owned by just three per cent. This is a guy who has averaged 58.4PPG, 73.7PPG and 60.9PPG the past three seasons… Worth a look.

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach: Trent Copeland’s FIVE targets for Super Trade Week