SuperCoach NRL 2022: Teams analysis Round 23, Joseph Suaalii top one-week-wonder
It’s sudden death in KFC SuperCoach and these are the players who could win you an all-important preliminary final. Full NRL teams analysis
Tom Sangster has the good oil on round 23 teams and reveals the top PODs to win you a sudden death head-to-head final this week.
WINNERS
* Latrell Mitchell FLB $826K - Named for the Rabbitohs and set to play despite a minor groin injury at training on Monday. Latrell has averaged 107 since returning from a hamstring injury in round 16 and if you don’t own him you’re falling behind.
Huge VC option this week given he plays the first game of the round against the depleted Panthers. Brave SuperCoaches may even go the straight C to blow away preliminary finals opponents early.
* Jahrome Hughes HFB $532K - Named to return from a shoulder injury. Hughes is still owned by 15 per cent and provides a crucial extra number in this week’s preliminary finals. Hughes is the most reliable halfback in KFC SuperCoach this season with a low score of 44 in games not affected by injury.
* Cameron Munster 5/8 $730K - Munster at fullback is no longer just an experiment, the Storm are banking on the switch to win another title (despite the Storm playing ducks and drakes with their team yet again by naming Munster in the No. 6).
KFC SuperCoaches are the big winners in Munster’s switch to the back. He has averaged a massive 112 in the position this season. Obviously it’s an extremely small sample size of two games, one of those against the 15th-placed Titans. But the key stat here is the increase in runs from an average of 11 per game at five-eighth to 17 at fullback. As we’ve seen countless times in KFC SuperCoach, the more a player runs, the better they score. Storm’s draw is hardly appealing against the Broncos, Roosters and Eels. But Munster can go big against anyone.
* Joe Tapine 2RF/FRF $676K - Named to return from a rib cartilage injury and therefore a crucial extra number. That said, minutes and involvement could be down given he will likely require a needle to play. Before the injury, Tapine was the elite FRF in KFC SuperCoach, averaging 86 since round 12, the best of any FRF in the game.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
* Cameron Murray 2RF $697K - Most purchased player after averaging 93 since Origin. Murray is one of the few players in the competition with strong safety (elite pure base of 53) yet huge upside (two tons this season). The only knock is his tough run against the Panthers, Cowboys and Roosters. That said, he scored 129 against the Roosters in round three so he can go large in tough match-ups.
* Joseph Suaalii FLB/CTW $529K - Those looking for a one-week-wonder with upside should look no further. The Roosters v Tigers clash at the SCG is the obvious game to target this week and Suaalii is sure to be at the centre of the action alongside James Tedesco, who will likely be the most popular captain.
* Shaun Lane 2RF $687K - We talked him up last week as a POD and he promptly banged out 85 with no big attacking stats. Lane has put together an elite few months of KFC SuperCoach. After a slow-ish start to the season, he has averaged 80 in his last 11 games. Yet he is owned by only seven per cent.
* David Fifita 2RF $547K - The Titans are struggling in 15th spot and Fifita has hardly been immune from the void of attacking stats. Nonetheless, the shear talent of Fifita means he still sits seventh overall for total points at 2RF. The Titans may have turned a corner last week with a 44-24 win over the Sea Eagles and also have a dream run home against the Dragons, Knights and Warriors.
There is literally nothing to play for in any of those match-ups, which generally leads to open, tacking football. What’s more, the axing of halfback Toby Sexton for Fifita’s schoolboy teammate Tanah Boyd has Fifita’s tick of approval. “Tanah is a great player and I have a good combination with him from growing up,” Fifita said. “It’s good to be alongside him and hopefully we can stay there long-term, including next year. It will be good for us.”
* Mitchell Moses HFB $587K - Massive news for those who held with Moses named to return from a broken finger for the Eels.
LOSERS
* Taylan May CTW $441K - The 10th most popular player in the game is set to miss another week due to a shoulder injury. The most sold player this week by a long way and rightly so.
* Izaac Thompson CTW $175,400 - At any other time of the year, Thompson would be a must-have cheapie after averaging 64 in his first two games including tries in both matches. However, he misses the 17 this week due to the return of Campbell Graham from facial fractures and is unlikely to play again this season unless there are injuries.
* Siosifa Talakai CTW/2RF $450K - Again misses selection for the Sharks due to a shoulder injury and therefore the third most sold player. There are two schools of thought here. Talakai has a dream run home against the Sea Eagles, Bulldogs and Knights and could therefore be a handy POD play in coming weeks. Countering that, he has averaged mid-40s since his big run at the start of the season and may not even regain a spot in the side based on recent form.
More Coverage
Penrith forced to abandon prestigious World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge will remain the only trophy unclaimed by the all-conquering Panthers, with Penrith’s management telling the NRL there’s ‘no way in the world’ the club can play the prestigious annual match.
Panthers take their premiership party onto the water
Penrith’s premiership players took a break from their celebrations with a quiet cruise and the launch of an exclusive commemorative T-shirt but the party is about to kick off again. See the details here.