SuperCoach NRL: Trent Copeland’s Buy, Hold, Sell round 12 verdict in Cheapie Bible
COVERAGE v Cash. That is the question on every SuperCoach’s lips when looking at trades for round 12 — and Trent Copeland is here to tell you which buys to pull the trigger on.
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COVERAGE v Cash. That is the question on every SuperCoach’s lips when looking at trades this week, with numerous bye coverage options like Scott Sorensen, Taniela Paseka, Jack Gosiewski and, most recently, Brock Lamb going down with injuries — and Andrew Fifita back in the Origin mix … leaving us all scrambling for numbers in round 13.
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 be buying, selling and holding of the sub-$250k price bracket all season long. 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 …
Rhyse Martin 2RF (BUL | $280,900) — 82 points
What a breath of fresh air Rhys Martin is! After early season cheapie studs like Viliame Kikau, Jamayne Isaako and Connor Watson became household names, we have been crying out for a locked-in BIG money maker — and boy have we got one. Martin played the full 80 minutes on the weekend against the Sharks, scoring 82 points without a try or try assist and registering a MASSIVE $116,300 price rise. Twenty-seven tackles, 16 points in offloads (love it!!), and 30 points in hit-ups was exactly why I was raving about this kid having learned his trade under the Walker brothers last year in Queensland Cup.
The return of Faitala-Mariner this weekend may mean the minutes settle around the 65 mark but Martin is a best 17 option most weeks, and still very much a “BUY” if you somehow missed out last week.
VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. What a star, we don’t care about the bye next week, we care about the coverage of round 17 and projected top price of around $580k.
Alexander (AJ) Brimson HFB | 5/8 (GCT | $164,600) — 53 points
Brimson was highly regarded for his decision making, lightning-quick feet and raw talent, and delivered alongside Ash Taylor on the weekend against the Knights with 53 points including a try and a last-touch assist. Following on from his 30-point debut, Brimson sits with a -28 BE and projected price rise of over $50k this weekend. Brennan seems to love him and he looks locked in to the halves for the short-term. The only issue is the Titans’ bye next weekend if you are struggling for numbers.
VERDICT: BUY. It’s a shame about the bye next week, but ideally he sticks around for round 17 coverage.
Te Maire Martin HFB | 5/8 (NQC | $182,300) — 23 points
We flagged this positional switch a few weeks ago, but coach Paul Green held off until the last minute to make the change with Lachlan Coote dropped, Michael Morgan moving to fullback and Martin playing at five-eighth — scoring 23 points. By way of reference, Martin played 15 matches last season for an average of 48.5PPG, and six matches for an average of 49.7PPG back in 2016 at the Panthers.
Well then. Brimson will be the obvious choice for most, but with coverage of next week’s all-important bye round, a starting halves spot alongside the GOAT — Johnathan Thurston — and a BE of just 4 … maybe, just maybe, Martin is the way to go.
VERDICT: BUY. Spoiler alert … I’m calling Martin a better buy than Brimson!
Tyrone Phillips CTW (PTH | $278,000) — 70 points
If you were ballsy enough and took the plunge on Phillips despite the 17-point dud in his second game — well played. Phillips scored another try and notched 70 points meaning the first price rise was a whopping $72,800! A tough matchup with the Dragons awaits before the bye in round 13, so Phillips may well be a long play up to round 17.
VERDICT: HOLD. If Phillips can score well this weekend, another wave of price rises will kick in come round 14 when the 17-point score rolls out of his price cycle.
Campbell Graham CTW (STH | $248,800) — 22 points
Here comes the downside of wingers who don’t have huge base stats. After the stellar 66-point start to Graham’s season, scores of 37 and 22 have followed with a nice $41k initial price rise but owners are now met with the harsh reality of your best score coming in your first game (for the three-game rolling average), meaning the BE sits at 24 this week. A tough match against the Warriors in Auckland awaits and Graham will likely need to be sold IMMEDIATELY after round 13, so plan ahead.
VERDICT: HOLD/AVOID. Hold through the bye, but certainly don’t be jumping on now if you haven’t already. Richie Kennar and Rob Jennings’ returns also loom large.
Trent Hodkinson HFB (MNL | $261,900) — 13 points
What a story this is for Hodkinson and the Sea Eagles, back where it all began next to DCE in the halves. After his season debut delivered just 13 points (in 31 minutes) coming off the bench with Dylan Walker in the halves, two things of note came out of that match. Firstly, the moment he came on to the field he assumed the goalkicking duties from DCE. Tick.
Secondly, Walker will now be missing for up to six weeks meaning Hodko gets the full 80 minutes in the halves moving forward and covers next week’s big bye round. Hmmm … To play devil’s advocate, Hodkinson did play four matches in the halves for the Sharks earlier this season for scores of just 26, 8, 24 and 31 (albeit without goal kicking duties).
VERDICT: BUY/WATCH. You can wait a week to see how he goes as the BE is at 44, but the scoring upside is significant in this role. Very, very tempting.
Kotoni Staggs 2RF (BRO | $164,600) — 65 points
Staggs was unreal on debut for the Broncos, playing 77 minutes in the centres (despite starting off the bench) for 65 points — leading him to be the second most-purchased player this week. Wait, WHAT?! C’mon people, let’s have a little foresight here. Firstly, Staggs has played one game so we know by now not to buy players before their second game. Secondly, the returns of Jordan Kahu, Josh McGuire, Matt Gillett, Jack Bird and Korbin Sims either this week or shortly thereafter mean his spot is hardly secure. Oh, the Broncos have a bye next week just to top it off.
VERDICT: AVOID. And thank me later.
Corey Jensen 2RF (NQC | $285,700) — 46 points
This one is a little left field, and comes in the mould of the Peni Terepo or Shaun Lane suggestions earlier this season. Jensen isn’t a huge money maker, but scored 46 points in 53 minutes on the weekend (well up from previous matches) leaving him with a BE of just 15. The upside here is more about points over the next two weeks. With the likes of Gavin Cooper, Coen Hess and Matt Scott near certainties for the Queensland Origin team, Jensen could be looking at 80 minutes next week.
VERDICT: RISKY! Not for me, but there is upside as a two to three-week cash and bye coverage option.
John Olive CTW (BUL | $177,300) — 0 points
The knee injury to Josh Morris will keep him on the sidelines for eight weeks, meaning his replacement — John Olive — immediately becomes SuperCoach relevant as the eight weeks covers the round 17 bye week. Somewhat surprisingly, Kerrod Holland, who has been in the side already (and played the remainder of the game there after Morris’s injury), remains on the bench. You may remember Olive played for the Rabbitohs in recent year but the numbers aren’t pretty. Last year? Five matches played for an average of 12PPG. TWELVE! Lets hope the change of scenery increases the scores as Olive would be the ideal round 14 downgrade target.
VERDICT: WATCH.
Jack Gosiewski 2RF (MNL | $255,100) — 0 points
It will likely have slipped under the radar for most NRL folk out there, but not NEEDY SuperCoaches that “The Gos” was named on the Sea Eagles’ extended bench this week — a fantastic sign for the healing of the injury and, even if he isn’t a late inclusion this week, it bodes well for him playing next week in the big bye round for us and cashing in a little bit more money from that BE of 8. Go you good thing.
VERDICT: HOLD!
Jack Williams CTW | 2RF (CRO | $164,600) — Nine points
No shocks here people. After a stellar debut scoring 59 points, the return of Paul Gallen and Jayson Bukuya put a real dampener on things — nine points in just eight minutes. Now, Williams drops out of the side altogether with the return of Wade Graham and Luke Lewis.
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 in the future.
Brock Lamb HFB | 5/8 (NEW | $295,200) — 35 points
Oh man. After all of the injuries there have been this season, we didn’t need one to a guy with a negative BE, goalkicking duties and coverage of next week’s bye. Unfortunately the broken jaw means Lamb will miss up to four weeks, meaning he is a must trade out.
VERDICT: SELL.
Moeaki Fotuaika FRF (GCT | $199,400) — 13 points
Fotuaika was an “AVOID” last week, and thankfully we got that one right, as the 13 points in 32 minutes were a disappointment but with Kevin Proctor returning this week Fotuaika is now out of the Titans squad altogether!
VERDICT: AVOID/SELL. By the looks of the Titans team list, Fotuaika is done for the short term.
WATCHLIST
All of these players were in contention, but we can cross these guys off our starting team lists, as they have either not been named/on extended bench, are injured or have a diminished role …
Sione Katoa CTW (CRO | $164,900)
Justin Olam CTW (MEL | $164,600)
Taane Milne 2RF | CTW (WST | $192,800)
Mitch Cornish HFB | 5/8 (SYD | $192,800)
Hame Sele 2RF (STG | $212,400)
Greg Leleisiuao CTW (PAR | $164,600)
Kyle Flanagan HFB | 5/8 (SHA | $164,600)
Nat Butcher 2RF (SYD | $192,800)
Lindsay Collins FRF (SYD | $177,300)
* 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 SuperCoach NRL: Trent Copeland’s Buy, Hold, Sell round 12 verdict in Cheapie Bible
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