SuperCoach insider: Who you should and shouldn’t buy to replace injured Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses

Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses injuries have thrown a spanner in the works for their SuperCoach owners. Here’s who you should buy and avoid buying when replacing the halfbacks.

Nathan Cleary is out for up to a month. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Nathan Cleary is out for up to a month with a hamstring injury and 67,805 SuperCoaches are looking for replacement.

And those planning to make the logical move to Mitchell Moses were sent straight back to the drawing board with news the Eels’ halfback could be sidelined for up to to eight weeks with a foot fracture.

Injuries to the two best halves in the NRL represents a SuperCoach selection crisis.

Cleary is 13 points ahead of the next best player at halfback this season despite not fully hitting his straps yet and many halfbacks seeing serious price drops.

Moses, meanwhile, is a proven gun and scored a brilliant 116 on the weekend. With a BE of 45, he would have been unlikely to lose cash this week; a small victory in itself given he carried a groin injury through the first three rounds that clearly limited his movement and stopped him goalkicking.

Nathan Cleary is set to be sidelined for up to a month. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

So, where should SuperCoaches look now?

We break down the options

Daly Cherry-Evans should see a soar in ownership figures after Cleary and Moses injuries. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

LOCK IN A GUN

Daly Cherry-Evans: The bad first. DCE has a break even of 126 and predicted price drop of almost $60,000 this week. Yes, the smart move is to wait a week. Then again, he’s playing the Dragons, who last week conceded 46 points and have leaked the second most points of any side this year. Translation: The BE is very achievable. He also has the Titans in the next month and no bye until Origin.

Lachlan Galvin has been a SuperCoach favourite since debuting. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

GO TO A CHEAPIE

Lachlan Galvin: The most popular buy this week and for good reason. Only available at five-eighth, you’ll need a dual to make this trade work. But anyone with two eyes will tell you this kid is the real deal. Set for a $84K price rise, Galvin is almost a must anyway so why not use the Cleary injury as an opportunity to get him in?

Luke Brooks is another Manly option to consider. Picture: NRL Photos

MAKE SOME MID-RANGE MONEY

Luke Brooks: Now at the Sea Eagles, the former Tiger has turned back the clock in 2024. Or he’s showed what he’s really capable of, depending on which camp you are in. Has already made $25,600 so far and SC Plus predicts another $40,700 this week. Crucial dual positioning, which is rare in the halves this season.

Nicho Hynes hasn’t been hitting his SuperCoach highs so far this season. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

JUST DON’T

Nicho Hynes: While Nicho has been arguably the best player in SuperCoach over the last few years, he’s not a buy this week. In fact he’s a very popular sell. Hynes has a BE of 126 and is set to drop mass cash again on top of the $108,00 he’s already leaked, then has the bye next week. Could be a bargain buy in round 6 but definitely not now.

YEAH, NAH

Shaun Johnson – Another of the halfback crew yet to hit their straps in 2024. Johnson has lost $77,300 already and is predicted to drop another $63,300 this week. While there are a number of reasons for SJ’s reduced scores this year, the main factor is that he’s handed the goalkicking duties to Luke Metcalf.

POD PLAY

Cody Walker – Again, you’ll need a dual to make this trade work but Walker is the man if you like chasing fallen guns, which is a proven SuperCoach strategy. Yes the Rabbitohs are stinking it up but they have too much class to stay at the bottom of the ladder for long. That’s often the time to strike – buy them low and sell them high. Walker has done pretty well to average 50 in a poor team, but he averaged 69 last year and 84 in 2021.

Originally published as SuperCoach insider: Who you should and shouldn’t buy to replace injured Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses