2014 NRL SuperCoach winner Dave Von Kotze reveals his first 10 players picked

2014 NRL SuperCoach winner Dave Von Kotze reveals his first 10 players picked for the upcoming SuperCoach season.

2014 NRL SuperCoach winner Dave Von Kotze reveals his first 10 players picked for the upcoming SuperCoach season.

1/ Sam Burgess

As a devoted Roosters supporter, it pains me to admit that my first player picked this season is a Rabbitoh. Whether he returns to an 80 minute player or not, Sam Burgess, or Surgess as he is known in SuperCoach world, will sit atop my list of must-haves. He will not play Origin and is a set and forget captain option who will churn out points week in, week out. Priced very nicely too considering he scored the most SC points of any player in 2014.

Sam Burgess starts 2016 very cheap. Picture: Jerad Williams

2/ Billy Slater

Billy The Kid is an absolute steal for $305,700. He has proven SuperCoach pedigree and is incredibly under-valued due to an injury plagued 2015. Regardless of whether or not he plays round one, he will reprise his role as ‘Gun Fullback’ for the Velociraptors with hopes of a return to top form so he can be traded for James Tedesco in time for the bye period.

3/ Johnathan Thurston

There are certain areas in a starting team where coaches can start the season light, the halves is not one of them. JT averaged over 75 points per game in the last three seasons and was at his usual brilliant best in the World Club Challenge win.

4/ Bryce Cartwright

He is Tom Sangster’s favourite and with good reason. Carty showed his potential as a SuperCoach player last year by posting four scores over 100 in the back half the season and he is available at both five-eighth and second-row. If he can have an injury free 2016, Carty will be one of the buys of the season.

5/ Shaun Johnson

Shaun Johnson was not in my original top ten but after watching him in the Auckland Nine’s, I will be jumping on the SJ rollercoaster ride once again in 2016. Despite being a notoriously slow starter, I am very excited to see how his combination with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck goes and I couldn’t sit there and watch those two carve up without being a part of the action.

Shaun Johnson had a brilliant Auckland Nines.

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6/ Aaron Woods

Aaron Woods always comes out of the blocks well and fires on all cylinders in the lead up to State of Origin. Woods is another under-priced gun who never shirks responsibility and consistently scores at an impressive rate of over a point per minute.

7/ James Segeyaro

Having at least one top class hooker is crucial to the success of any SuperCoach team. On the proviso that Penrith don’t name a reserve hooker for round one, Segeyaro will be my No. 9 of choice. Seggy is deadly from dummy-half near the line and will expose any fatiguing forwards who won’t get as much of a break this year as a result of the new interchange rule.

8/ Robbie Rochow

Robbie Rochow has left many SuperCoaches with divided opinions as to whether or not he is a genuine prospect for this season. As far as mid-priced players go, I think he ticks all the boxes and will be enlisting in his services this season. Rochow won’t be a huge money earner but if he can stay off the casualty list, he should play big minutes and keep the scoreboard ticking over until round 15 when the Knights have their first bye.

9/ Agnatius Paasi

Agnatius Paasi could well end up the SuperCoach crash and burn story of 2016. If this ends up being the case, then I’ll be in a flat spin heading out of Gold Coast because I am strapped in and ready to go. Paasi played big minutes at the end of last season and finished with a three game average of 68 points. If Paasi, a dual FRF/2RF, is the benefactor of increased minutes this season and can build on his solid pre-season form shown at the Auckland Nines, then thousands of SuperCoaches will be jumping on for the ride. However, if the prediction goes down in flames then I will no doubt be deservedly hammered on all forms of social media from the harsh, but fair SuperCoach community. Come on Agnatius!!

10/ Jackson Hastings & Jayden Nikorima

I have only mentioned two cheapies in my top 10 because most cheapies that find their way into round one teams usually get a start in all of our opening teams. Although nothing is ever certain in the NRL, this young and new look halves combination for the Roosters were impressive in their World Club Challenge win over St Helens last weekend and should fatten as a couple of lovely cash cows during the first part of the season.

11/ Backflip Clause

Should for any reason I decide to exercise my SuperCoach Backflip Clause and strike any of the above mentioned players from my list they will be at the expense of Paul Gallen and Anthony Milford. Gallen is quite simply a SuperCoach weapon who delivers every time he steps on the field and is worth every cent of his $499,500 asking price. As for Milford, he is one of the most exciting players to own and another attacking asset who will tear fatiguing defensive lines apart this year.

Originally published as 2014 NRL SuperCoach winner Dave Von Kotze reveals his first 10 players picked