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NRLSCTALK 2017 MEGA GUIDE

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

ABBREVIATIONS 2

REFERENCES 2

A RATED PLAYERS 3

BRISBANE BRONCOS 6

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 19

CANBERRA RAIDERS 32

CRONULLA SHARKS 44

GOLD COAST TITANS 55

MANLY SEA EAGLES 67

MELBOURNE STORM 79

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 93

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 108

NORTH QLD COWBOYS 121

PARRAMATTA EELS 133

PENRITH PANTHERS 148

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 163

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 176

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 191

WESTS TIGERS 204

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 | 1

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to SuperCoach 2017 and another addition of the NRLSCTalk Mega Guide. Thank you for purchasing this guide and continuing to support the site. We are excited to be back for another year and looking forward to bringing you more quality SuperCoach information.

An overview of this years guide is provided below:

� Stats, commentary and SuperCoach ratings for EVERY contracted NRL player (as at 25 Jan 2017) § These ratings are all written from a SuperCoach perspective.

- Dean Whare is rated a B, whilst James Tedesco is also rated a B. So even though Tedesco is largely considered a better player than Whare, Whare has the same SuperCoach rating this year as he is expected to be one of the better cash cows.

§ These ratings are our round 1 ratings for each player. - For example, someone who we expect to be an early season cash cow will have a much

higher rating than someone who we expect could be a mid or late season cash cow. The early season cash cow is more valuable as they will generate cash much earlier in the season.

� 2017 Team by team analysis including Predictions, NRL Squads, Summer Training Squads, Depth Charts, off-season Gains and Losses and our Predicted round 1 lineups

� Bye Schedule and Analysis for every team � Team by team Player Categorisation for every player. The categories are:

§ Gun – out and out SuperCoach Gun at their position § Worth Considering – someone who we expect to score more or at a consistent level from their

2016 average § So So – someone that we expect has no real upside § Regression Chance – players who we think will average 5-10 PPG less this year than they did

in 2016 § Possible Early Season Cash Cow – cheaper players who should increase in price, possibly

within the first 6-8 weeks of the season § Possible Mid/Late Season Cash Cow – cheaper players, who may become relevant around

Origin time, or over the last 2 months of the season § Irrelevant (rookie or other) – either rookies who are unlikely to play enough minutes this year,

or mid-priced players who won’t score enough to be a SuperCoach factor this year � Review of the best Under 20’s prospects from each team � Gun, Sleeper, Bust and Rookie for each team � Off-season injuries and/or surgeries for all teams � Key round 1 Injury Concerns by team � Contract status by Player

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ABBREVIATIONS

Throughout this document you will find a small number of abbreviations. The meaning of these are:

“MPG” – minutes per game “NYC” – National Youth Competition, Under 20’s Competition “PPG” - points per game “PPM” – points per minute “FG”- First Grade “HU”- Hit up “SC” - SuperCoach

REFERENCES

In completing this document, we utilised a variety of research resources, including Internet-based research, discussions with other SuperCoach players, discussions with club members, stats that we have kept from prior seasons, and our own knowledge of the game. Particular Internet sites that were utilised and need to be acknowledged are:

� http://www.zerotackle.com – this site was used as a basis for all 2017 Team Squads, current contract information, and off-season player movements

� http://www.nrlSuperCoachstats.com – this site was used for statistical analysis for prior years, utilising many of the stats that are available via this site

� http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org – this site was used as a basis for all historical game logs, including number of games played and positions played, but excluding game statistics and minutes played

http://www.zerotackle.com/

http://www.nrlsupercoachstats.com

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org

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A RATED PLAYERS

Throughout this guide, you will see that we have given each NRL player a rating, from A to E, based on their expected SuperCoach value for the 2017 season.

Below is a list of all player who received an A rating (in no particular order):

� Jesse Bromwich � Sam Burgess � Bryce Cartwright � Andrew Fifita � Paul Gallen � James Graham � Jarryd Hayne � Shaun Johnson � Cameron Smith � Johnathan Thurston � Bodene Thompson � Jake Trbojevic � Tom Trbojevic � Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 BRISBANE BRONCOS | 6

BRISBANE BRONCOS

Corey Parker has long been the first player selected for the Broncos but his retirement leaves a massive hole to be filled. Jarrod Wallace, while not leaving anywhere near as deep a divet, is still a big loss. The Broncos will be looking to some of their young guns to step up this season to fill the void, such names as Jai Arrow, Jo Ofahengaue, Tevita Pangai Jnr and Jaydn Su’A will be asked to play a bigger role. They will also of course need their more experienced first graders to have a consistent season. With spots available in the forward pack the biggest opportunity for SuperCoach is at lock with Josh McGuire, Jai Arrow, Alex Glenn and Matt Gillett all pushing to replace the former captain. Whoever gets first crack at the position will be close to a must own.

Their 2016 season fell away after a brilliant start to the season and with a very tough opening set of fixtures in 2017, including matches against the top four finishing sides from last year over the first month, a successful start largely hinges on the performance of their star halves combination. Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt were firing in the first half of last season, but fell away over the last 10 rounds. They will both need to be up and going early once again if the Broncos are going to be any chance this season.

The Brisbane based side have not acquired any stars in the offseason which is very un-Broncos like, adding depth to their squad in the likes of Benji Marshall, Mitchell Dodds and David Mead. With the losses of Parker, Wallace and Jack Reed they may struggle to finish in the top four in 2017.

Predicted Finish: 5th

2017 NRL SQUAD

Jai Arrow, Alex Barr, Adam Blair, Joe Boyce, Darius Boyd, Mitch Cronin, Mitchell Dodds, Herman Ese’ese, George Fai, Salesi Funaki, Matt Gillett, Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt, Jamayne Isaako, Jordan Kahu, Sam Lavea, Benji Marshall, Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, David Mead, Anthony Milford, Tautau Moga, Francis Molo, Todd Murphy, Kodi Nikorima, Corey Oates, Jo Ofahengaue, Tom Opacic, Moses Pangai, Tevita Pangai Jnr, Jonus Pearson, James Roberts, Aaron Rockley, Sam Scarlett, Marion Seve, Korbin Sims, Nikau Terupe, Sam Thaiday, Travis Waddell

SUMMER TRAINING SQUAD

Corey Allan (20’s), Jai Arrow, Alex Barr, Adam Blair, Joe Boyce, Darius Boyd, Patrick Carrigan (20’s), Mitch Cronin, Mitchell Dodds, Herman Ese’ese, George Fai, Salesi Funaki, Matt Gillett, Alex Glenn, Payne Hess (20’s), Keegan Hipgrave (20’s), Ben Hunt, Jamayne Isaako, Jordan Kahu, Sam Lavea, Matiu Love-Henry, Benji Marshall, Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, David Mead, Anthony Milford, Tautau Moga, Francis Molo, Todd Murphy, Kodi Nikorima, Corey Oates, Jo Ofahengaue, Tom Opacic, Moses Pangai, Tevita Pangai Jnr, Jonus Pearson, James Roberts, Aaron Rockley, Sam Scarlett, Marion Seve, Gehamat Shibasaki (20’s), Jaydn Su’A (20’s), Nikau Terupe, Sam Thaiday, Travis Waddell

BYE SCHEDULE

The Broncos have rounds 15 and 18 off, but play in the first big bye round being week 12. This means that their Origin players will miss a maximum of three games, which is the best possible outcome. If you’re keen on any of the Broncos players this season then this bye schedule should not put you off them.

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OUR PREDICTED ROUND 1 SIDE

1. Boyd Interchange:2. Oates 14. K. Nikorima3. J. Roberts 15. Dodds4. Kahu 16. Arrow5. Mead 17. T. Pangai Jnr6. Milford7. Hunt8. Blair9. McCullough10. Thaiday11. Gillett12. Glenn13. McGuire

PLAYER RATING FOR POSITIONS / DEPTH CHART

PROP – McGuire, A. Blair, Thaiday, Dodds, Pangai Jnr, Ofahengaue, K. Sims, Ese’ese, Molo, Funaki, Rockley, Lavea, Fai, Hipgrave (20’s), Carrigan (20’s), Paas (20’s) HOK – McCullough, K. Nikorima, Waddell 2RF – Gillett, Glenn, Oates, Funaki, Rockley, Love-Henry, Boyce, Barr, Su’A (20’s) LOCK – Thaiday, Arrow, Pangai Jnr, Rockley, Boyce, Fai, Hipgrave (20’s), Carrigan (20’s) HALF - Hunt, K. Nikorima, Scarlett, Murphy, Isaako 5/8 – Milford, K. Nikorima, Marshall, Scarlett CTW – J. Roberts, Kahu, Opacic, Moga, Marshall, Cronin, Seve, Terupe, Shibasaki (20’s), Isaako, Su’A (20’s) WING – Oates, Mead, Pearson, Moga, Seve, Terupe, M. Pangai FLB – Boyd, Kahu, Mead, Isaako, Allan (20’s)

2017 Gains: Mitchell Dodds (Warrington Wolves, 2017), Benji Marshall (St George Illawarra Dragons, 2017), David Mead (Gold Coast Titans, 2017), Tautau Moga (North Queensland Cowboys, 2018), Moses Pangai (2018), Tevita Pangai (Mid Season: Canberra Raiders, 2018), Korbin Sims (Newcastle Knights)

2017 Losses: Carlin Anderson (TSV Blackhawks), Greg Eden (Castleford Tigers), Brett Greinke (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Lachlan Maranta (rugby union), Darren Nicholls (Penrith Panthers), Corey Parker (retired), Jack Reed (retired), Jarrod Wallace (Gold Coast Titans)

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FULL SQUAD ANALYSIS FOR SUPERCOACH 2017:

Gun Worth Considering So So Regression

ChancePossible Early Season Cash

Cow

Possible Mid/Late Season Cash Cow

Irrelevant (Rookie or

Other)

Milford Gillett McCullough Thaiday Ofahengaue Moga Ese’ese

McGuire Glenn Oates Hunt Arrow M. Pangai Fai

Roberts Kahu T. Pangai Greinke

Boyd Molo

Blair Opacic

Timu

Funaki

Nikorima

Waddell

Marshall

Mead

Dodds

Boyce

Sims

FORMER AND CURRENT HOLDEN CUP PLAYERS TO WATCH

Gehamat Shibasaki (20’s) – Position: Centre, Fullback Height: 185cm Weight: 93kg Promising centre who represented QLD in the junior levels. Following a successful first season in the NYC he will spend his 1st off season training with the first grade squad despite being eligible for NYC for another 2 seasons. In the NYC last year he averaged 135 metres from 14 hit ups per game, to go with 5 tackle breaks per game, 14 line-breaks, 11 try assists and 14 tries over the 24 games. I expect he will spend majority of season playing NYC but may be promoted to the QLD Cup at some stage during the season to see how he performs when playing in an open age competition.

Gehamat Shibasaki 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/101/playerid/7409/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Jamayne Isaako – Position: Centre, Fullback, Halfback Height: 180cm Weight: 97kg Utility back who can play multiple positions in the back line, and was a part of Broncos Auckland Nines squad in 2016. He spent last season playing both Q Cup and NYC, but 2016 was his last season of NYC. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 118 metres, 14 tackles, 10 points, 3.6 missed tackles and 4.4 tackle breaks per game. It is his 2nd pre-season of training with the first grade squad, but will spend the season playing Q Cup unless he can force his way into the first grade side over the Origin period.

Jamayne Isaako 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/101/playerid/6730/seasonid/44/default.aspx

http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/101/playerid/7409/seasonid/44/default.aspx




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Patrick Carrigan (20’s) - Position: Lock, Prop Height: 187cm Weight: 99kg Young promising middle forward who made his debut in the NYC last year in round 7. He performed so well that he was named the Broncos NYC Player of The Year and Forward of The Year, whilst also being promoted to train with the first grade squad this pre-season, despite being eligible for NYC for another 2 seasons. In the 2016 NYC season he averaged 110 metres from 11 hit ups and 26 tackles per game and will likely continue to develop in NYC in 2017 but may see some NRL game time come Origin.

Patrick Carrigan 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/101/playerid/7573/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Corey Allan (20’s) - Position: Fullback Height: 186cm Weight: 86kg Highly rated fullback (18 year old) who the Broncos signed before the start of last season. Hopes to follow in the footsteps of Chris Sandow, Antonio Winterstein, Cameron Smith and Israel Folau who all went on to play in the NRL after attending Marsden State High. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 113 metres from 11.7 runs, 3 tackles and 3 tackle breaks a game to go with 8 tries, 14 line breaks and 13 try assists in 23 games. Is still eligible for NYC for another 2 seasons.

Corey Allan 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/101/playerid/7407/seasonid/44/default.aspx

GUN, SLEEPER, BUST & ROOKIE OPTION

Gun – Josh McGuire

Sleeper – Jai Arrow

Bust – Ben Hunt

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Jamayne Isaako

OFF-SEASON SURGERIES AND INJURIES

� Mitchell Dodds – broken leg (13/3 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kodi Nikorima – left shoulder surgery (6/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tom Opacic – right shoulder surgery (27/9 - confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/left shoulder

surgery (26/10 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � David Mead - Finger surgery (Late Sep 16’ – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Alex Glenn - left shoulder surgery (24/10 – confirmed – REHAB Group - TBA) � Sam Thaiday – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/fractured eye socket

surgery (16/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Corey Oates – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ left/right knee

surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jaydn Su’A - shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Adam Blair – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season - TBA) � James Roberts – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Matt Gillett – shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)





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� Sam Lavea – unknown injury (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Mitchell Dodds - re-injured broken left leg (Dec 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Korbin Sims – ankle injury (Nov 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)

PLAYERS TO MISS OR IN DOUBT FOR ROUND 1

� Mitchell Dodds (leg) � Kodi Nikorima (shoulder) � Tom Opacic (shoulder) � Alex Glenn (shoulder) � Jaydn Su’A (shoulder) � James Roberts (knee) � Matt Gillett (shoulder) � Sam Thaiday (eye socket) � Sam Lavea (injury) � Korbin Sims (ankle)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 - Jai Arrow, Alex Barr, Adam Blair, Joe Boyce, Darius Boyd, Patrick Carrigan (20’s), Julian Christian (20’s), Mitch Cronin, Mitchell Dodds, George Fai, Salesi Funaki, Alex Glenn, Keegan Hipgrave (20’s), Ben Hunt, Jamayne Isaako, Jordan Kahu, Thane Kellermeyer (20’s), Sam Lavea, Matiu Love-Henry, Benji Marshall, Andrew McCullough, Josh McGuire, David Mead, Anthony Milford, Francis Molo, Todd Murphy, Fanitesi Niu (20’s), Corey Oates, Jo Ofahengaue, Mosese Pangai, Jonus Pearson, James Roberts, Aaron Rockley, Sam Scarlett, Marion Seve, Gehamat Shibasaki (20’s), Tyson Smoothy (20’s), Kotoni Staggs (20’s), Nikau Terupe, Travis Waddell, Korbin Sims

� 2018 – Corey Allan (20’s), Herman Ese’ese, Tautau Moga, Kodi Nikorima, Tom Opacic, Tevita Pangai Jnr, Jaydn Su’A (20’s), Sam Thaiday

� 2019 – Payne Hass (20’s) � 2020 - Matt Gillett

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2017 PLAYER PROFILES:

Name Position 2017 Price

2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Arrow, Jai 2RF $195,900 10 29.0 25.0 1.16 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats

2016 Avg 14.2 2016 End Price $3,500 2016 Value Rating 4.06

2017 SC Rating

Arrow looms as a potential bargain buy should he be the man selected to replace Corey Parker at lock. Priced at just a 29 average, he will no doubt be extremely undervalued with any significant increase in

minutes. Arrow filled in for Parker at lock in round 19 and scored 59 points in 53 minutes with 57 points coming from base statistics.... One to watch! B


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Blair, Adam FRF $277,100 22 41.0 53.0 0.77 20 46.4 50.2 0.93

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Blair followed up his solid first season at the Broncos with another 41 PPG season in 2016. His game is not

suited for SuperCoach and simply shouldn’t be selected. D


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Boyce, Joe 2RF $132,000 0 - - n/a 1 24.0 37.0 0.65

Moneyball stats

2016 Avg - 2016 End Price $3,500 2016 Value Rating -

2017 SC Rating Boyce is yet to make his NRL debut, but will be hoping that with the absence of Corey Parker and Jarrod

Wallace from the Broncos pack opportunities might present themselves in 2017. His SuperCoach potential remains largely unknown at this stage. E


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Boyd, Darius FLB $341,200 23 51.0 80.0 0.64 15 47.1 78.6 0.60

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Boyd was outstanding for the Broncos in 2016; however his form on the field was unable to be reflected

with a significant boost in SuperCoach output with his average improving only slight by 3 PPG. There are better fullback options for your side at the price point. C

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Dodds, Mitchell FRF $165,800 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats

2016 Avg - 2016 End Price $ - 2016 Value Rating -

2017 SC Rating Dodds has returned to the Broncos after a year long injury plagued stint in the English Super League. While

he starts cheap in 2017, he has been signed to provide depth and injury cover. He is unlikely to see enough game time to warrant SuperCoach selection. D


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Eseese, Herman FRF $143,600 8 21.0 23.0 0.91 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Herman played 8 games in 2016 following just the 1 game in 2015. The concern is his PPM, which at under

1 PPM is underwhelming particularly considering that he averaged just 23 minutes per game last year. He will likely see more opportunities this season, but I would want to see a heightened work-rate from him

before adding him to my SuperCoach thoughtsE


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Funaki, Salesi 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Perhaps best known for his training scuffle with Josh McGuire, Funaki is yet to make his debut for the

Broncos. Priced at basement price he may come into calculations at some point this season given the loss of Parker and Wallace, but it’s hard to recommend him prior to seeing round 1 teams. E


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Gillett, Matt 2RF $383,500 19 57.0 76.0 0.75 23 57.1 76.3 0.75

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Gillett produced exactly the same output in 2016 as he did in 2015 with a season average of 57 PPG at 0.75 PPM. While he has produced an average almost 10 PPG higher than that previously, selecting Gillett this

season with that as the hope is likely to be a trap. He’s seen a considerable drop in attacking stats over the past 2 years, scoring just 3 tries per season compared to an average of 8 tries per season in the years prior and as we suggested in last year’s guide, this is perhaps just what we can expect from Gillett going forward.B

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Glenn, Alex 2RF / CTW $266,100 21 40.0 60.0 0.67 22 55.2 72.5 0.76

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Glenn is one of a couple of Broncos forwards who are shaping up to replace Parker at lock. Should Glenn

be the man then he is attractively priced coming into the season priced based on average MPG of 60 in 2016. However, the achilles heel for Glenn has been his PPM, failing to produce anything near what would

make him a SuperCoach option over the past 5 years.C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Hunt, Ben HFB $372,400 24 56.0 80.0 0.70 23 64.0 80.2 0.80

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Hunt seemingly failed to recover from a tough end to the 2015 grand final, finishing the season with an average of 56, almost 10 PPG less than 2015. There’s no doubting his potential; he still finished in the top 3 in the league for try assists and was in the top 6 for base points per minute despite the drop in his season

average. The killer for Hunt are the missed tackles, penalty’s conceded and errors. Combined he conceded more than any other half-back in 2016. While others such as Shaun Johnson and Johnathan Thurston also have high negative points they are able to offset these with goals, something which Hunt cannot. At $372k he offers a cheaper alternative to the other gun half-backs, but given the Broncos tough start to the season

he may struggle to find too many points early on.

C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Kahu, Jordan CTW / FLB $291,100 18 44.0 73.0 0.60 19 44.7 76.9 0.58

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Kahu should get the opportunity to be the main goal kicker for the Broncos. Assuming he doubles his

goal kicking points from 2016, his average increases to approximately 51, which although suggests his potentially undervalued this season isn’t really enough to make you want to spend almost $300k on him. C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Marshall, Benji HFB / CTW $299,600 16 45.0 80.0 0.56 22 45.9 77.0 0.60

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating In what was a very surprising recruitment play by the Broncos, Benji Marshall will join the Brisbane based

side for a swansong to his career. Talk is currently that Marshall may be reinvented as a centre with the Broncos already having stronger options in the halves. Benji hasn’t been relevant in SuperCoach since his

before his departure to Rugby Union and I don’t think things are going to change in 2017. E

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

McCullough, Andrew HOK $321,900 19 48.0 67.0 0.72 24 59.1 70.2 0.84

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating McCullough has tempted in the past, but the increase in minutes hasn’t really resulted in a keeper. Bennett

loves to use a utility off the bench and that looks to continue in 2017 with Waddell and Nikorima still within the squad. Look for McCullough to produce a similar output in 2017 from the past two seasons. C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

McGuire, Josh FRF $387,700 22 58.0 58.0 1.00 13 56.7 50.7 1.12

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating McGuire is perhaps the leading contender to replace Parker at lock this season. Averaging 60 MPG in 2016

and with a PPM over 1 any meaningful increase in playing time will him take a step towards joining the SuperCoach elite. The Broncos Origin players schedule is favourable too, missing a maximum of 3 games

over the period. B


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Mead, David CTW / FLB $264,200 17 40.0 79.0 0.51 22 32.3 78.5 0.41

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Mead is an interesting acquisition by the Broncos, which could suggest that Oates will spend more time in

the 2nd row this season. He has never been fantasy relevant, but joins a side this season that should be much more organised in attack. C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Milford, Anthony 5/8 $444,800 24 67.0 80.0 0.84 24 64.7 80.2 0.81

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Milford was a must have SuperCoach weapon over the first half of 2016, but his season fell from round 11 (much like the Broncos!) averaging 50 PPG from that point on. However, that 89 PPG average from rounds 1 to 10 lingers in the memory and he is a hard player to leave out of your round 1 side, particularly given

that the Broncos play in the first big bye round. The Broncos face a horrible start to the season with games against the Cowboys, Storm, Raiders and the Sharks including two of which are away from home and on

this basis we can’t recommend him as A rating player from the start. B

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Moga, Tautau CTW $167,100 1 25.0 80.0 0.31 6 38.5 80.8 0.48

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Moga has struggled to make his mark on the NRL playing just 7 games over the past 2 seasons. Despite

previously averaging in the mid 40’s it will be hard to fit him into your starting squad at the opening price unless he appears to have locked down a centre position for the Broncos. D


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Molo, Francis FRF $132,000 0 - - n/a 5 15.6 17.6 0.89

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating After 5 games in 2015, Molo was unable to register a single match for the Broncos last season, playing the

year out in the Queensland Cup. In 2015 he averaged just 16 PPG at less than 1 PPM, which is not exactly mouth watering. E


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

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Nikorima, Kodi HOK / 5/8 $195,900 16 29.0 38.0 0.76 17 20.5 22.8 0.90

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Kodi Nikorima is not an option unless Anthony McCullough suffers an unfortunate injury.

D


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Oates, Corey 2RF / CTW $336,200 20 50.0 74.0 0.68 22 36.7 58.5 0.63

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

2016 was a break-out season for Corey Oates. With a permanent switch to the wing he was able to improve his average from 37 to 50, including a 64 PPG average over rounds 1-10. He will start relatively

cheap thanks to a poor end to the season, but will potentially see himself shifting into the forwards at some stage during the season. Until we know exactly where he will line-up in the Broncos side, he will be a risky

proposition from round 1. C

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Ofahengaue, Jo

2RF / FRF $199,700 16 30.0 31.0 0.97 11 24.8 25.1 0.99

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Ofahengaue looks set to see an increase in responsibility this year after a few years developing with

managed minutes. Priced at less than $200k and with a PPM hovering around 1 he could be set for a break-out season should he see an increase in minutes from the 31 MPG in 2016.C


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Opacic, Tom CTW $278,200 8 42.0 64.0 0.66 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Opacic starts the season priced at a hefty $278k and is also recovering from injury with an expected return

date not until round 5 or 6. This is a shame as he would have been an almost obvious replacement for James Roberts. D


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Pangai, Moses CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Moses Pangai has been recruited by the Broncos after spending 2016 in the Queensland Cup with the Townsville Blackhawks. At just 24, Pangai has been with the Cowboys, Panthers and the Wests Tigers,

having played just the one NRL game. He will no doubt be looking to make himself more of a permanent fixture with the Broncos, but will face steady competition from the likes of James Roberts and possibly even

Benji Marshall. However, at just $123k he one to watch should he be selected in the starting side. D


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Pangai, Tevita 2RF / FRF $223,900 12 34.0 24.0 1.42 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Tevita Pangai was impressive in his first season with the Broncos, playing a total of 12 games for an average

of 34 PPG at 1.38 PPM. Priced awkwardly at just under $250K, it’s a tough recommendation at that price point, but there is no doubt the potential for a break-out season in 2017 as the Broncos go through a period

of change in the forward pack. C

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Pearson, Jonus CTW $267,400 1 80.0 80.0 1.00 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Thanks to an 80 point game in 2016, Pearson starts the 2017 season priced at $267k and is not

an option at that price. E


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Roberts, James CTW $341,200 24 51.0 80.0 0.64 24 54.9 79.7 0.69

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Roberts largely failed to deliver on expectations in his first season with the Broncos, scoring half as many tries in 2016 compared to 2015. However, despite this his average fell by just 4 PPG, which can be seen

as a positive. Starting the year priced in the mid $300k’s, Roberts has the talent to be an elite SuperCoach CTW, but continues to find himself mixed up in issues off the field and for this reason can’t be trusted for

SuperCoach. C


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Seve, Marion CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Recruited by the Broncos before the start of the 2016 season, Marion is yet to make his NRL debut. He is an

extremely talented centre who has represented Queensland in the under 20’s and he will add depth to the Broncos outside backs this season. D


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Sims, Korbin 2RF / FRF $304,100 22 46.0 58.0 0.79 22 45.4 47.0 0.96

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Sims has made a last minute move up to the Broncos, where is near impossible to imagine him averaging

the 58 minutes per game that he played in 2016. Definite regression candidate this year.E

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S’ua, Jaydn 2RF $227,300 4 43.0 71.0 0.61 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Su’a made his NRL debut in 2016 to finish with a 44 PPG average across 4 games, including two games

starting in the back-row. He starts the season priced at $277k and is not an option at that price. D


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Thaiday, Sam 2RF / FRF $307,200 20 46.0 61.0 0.75 20 48.5 57.3 0.85

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating Sam Thaiday hasn’t been SuperCoach relevant since 2013 where he averaged 58 PPG. Since then he has

failed to break the 50 PPG barrier largely due to a reduction in minutes received of almost 10 each season. At his age and despite the loss of Parker and Wallace there is a high probability that Thaiday’s minutes of 61

from 2016 will remain constant this year and as such he is not an option. C


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Waddell, Travis HOK $200,500 4 38.0 58.0 0.66 - - - n/a

Moneyball stats


2017 SC Rating

Waddell is a backup hooker for the Broncos and nothing more.

E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS | 19

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS

The Bulldogs finished in 7th place last season in what was largely an underwhelming season. They lacked spark in attack and Des Hasler will be hoping for a little bit more out of his spine in 2017; he is himself under immense pressure also. Leading the way for the Bulldogs is Moses Mbye who will be looking to cement himself as one of the games genuine elite players. Brett Morris is also crucial to the sides chances, and will be hoping for a much more consistent and injury free year. They also have one of the better forward packs in the competition with names such as James Graham, Aiden Tolman, David Klemmer, Sam Kasiano, Greg Eastwood and Josh Jackson.

They have only added depth players to their squad during the off-season, but in return have been able to retain their more talented players. However, their squad wasn’t good enough in 2016 and they haven’t added anything to it in 2017 to see them do anything other than regress further and we have them finishing outside of the eight.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Bradley Abbey, Josh Cleeland, Greg Eastwood, Adam Elliott, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Aspeli Fine, Danny Fualalo, Craig Garvey, James Graham, Kerrod Holland, William Hopoate, Josh Jackson, Sam Kasiano, Richie Kennar, Will Kerr (20’s), David Klemmer, Brenko Lee, Michael Lichaa, Rhyse Martin, Moses MBye, Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Tyrone Phillips, Josh Reynolds, Reimis Smith (20’s), Chase Stanley, Aiden Tolman, Francis Tualau, Zac Woolford


Bradley Abbey, Josh Bergamin, Tom Carr, Josh Cleeland, Greg Eastwood, Adam Elliott, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Ofa Finau, Aspeli Fine, Matt Frawley, Danny Fualalo, Bronson Garlick, Craig Garvey, James Graham, Soni Hala, Kerrod Holland, William Hopoate, Josh Jackson, Sam Kasiano, Adam Keighran (20’s), Richie Kennar, Will Kerr (20’s), David Klemmer, Brenko Lee, Lachlan Lee, Lachlan Lewis, Michael Lichaa, Darcy Maroske, Rhyse Martin, Moses MBye, D’Rhys Miller (20’s), Marcelo Montoya, Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Jayden Okunbor (20’s), Lloyd Perrett, Tyrone Phillips, Josh Reynolds, Reimis Smith (20’s), Chase Stanley, Luis Strickland (20’s), Peter Tiatia (20’s), Aiden Tolman, Renouf To’omaga, Francis Tualau, Zac Woolford

BYE SCHEDULE

The Bulldogs have one of the better bye schedules as their non-Origin players will cover rounds 12 and 18. Origin players will miss four games this season and given that none of these guys are SuperCoach elite, selecting them in your side is worth a second thought.

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1. Hopoate Interchange:2. B. Morris 14. Kasiano3. J. Morris 15. Faitala-Mariner4. Holland 16. Fualalo5. B. Lee 17. Cleeland6. Reynolds7. Mbye8. Graham9. Lichaa10. Tolman11. Jackson12.Eastwood13. Klemmer


PROP – J. Graham, Tolman, Kasiano, Klemmer, Fualalo, Hala, Lee, Okunbor (20’s), Finau, Tiatia (20’s) HOK – Lichaa, Garvey, Woolford, Garlick 2RF – J. Jackson, Eastwood, Faitala-Mariner, Cleeland, Fine, Martin, To’Omaga, Strickland (20’s), Miller (20’s) LOCK – Eastwood, Klemmer, Elliott, Maroske HALF - MBye, Frawley, Kerr (20’s), Lewis 5/8 – Reynolds, Cleeland, Abbey, A. Keighran (20’s) CTW – J. Morris, Hopoate, B. Lee, Holland, Kennar, T. Phillips, Stanley, To’Omaga WING – B. Morris, B. Lee, Kennar, Holland, T. Phillips, Stanley, R. Smith (20’s), Carr, Montoya FLB – B. Morris, Hopoate, Abbey, Bergamin

2017 Gains: Tom Carr (St George Illawarra Dragons, 2018), Josh Cleeland (Cronulla Sharks, 2018), Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Mid Season: New Zealand Warriors, 2019), Asipeli Fine (Mid Season: Wests Tigers, 2018), Richard Kennar (Melbourne Storm, 2018), Brenko Lee (Canberra Raiders, 2018), Lachlan Lewis (Mid Season: Canberra Raiders, 2018), Rhyse Martin (2018), Francis Tualau (Melbourne Storm, 2019), Zac Woolford (Canberra Raiders, 2018)

2017 Losses: Tim Browne (Penrith Panthers), Dane Chisholm (Bradford Bulls), Graham Clark (released), Shaun Lane (Manly Sea Eagles), Lamar Liolevave (released), Makahesi Makatoa (Canberra Raiders), Lyndon McGrady (released), Jarrod McInally (QLD Cup), Pat O’Hanlon (retired), Lloyd Perrett (Manly Sea Eagles), Sam Perrett (retired), Curtis Rona (rugby union), Tony Williams (Cronulla Sharks)

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Cow



Other)

Graham Mbye Tolman Reynolds Abbey Garvey Fine

Klemmer Jackson Cleeland Smith

B. Morris Lichaa Woolford Eastwood

J. Morris Stanley

Holland Phillips

Kasiano Faitala-Mariner

Lee Fualalo

Elliott

Carr

Frawley

Tualua

Martin

Lewis


Zac Woolford - Position: Hooker Height: 192cm Weight: 90kg Son of former Raiders hooker Simon Woolford, Zac has signed with the Bulldogs until the end of the 2018 season and has all the qualities his dad did as a footballer, but Zac has some attacking flair which his father didn’t have. In 2016 in the NYC he averaged 40 metres from 4.3 hit ups and 33 tackles in 74.9 minutes per game over 21 games, 11 off loads, 25 tackle breaks, 7 line breaks, 18 line break assists, 18 try assists, 1 40/20 and 4 tries to go with a 69% goal kicking conversion rate.

Zac Woolford 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/7191/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Josh Bergamin - Position: Fullback Height: 185cm Weight: 86kg Promising young fullback whose NYC career ended last season after playing 3 seasons. In that time he played 49 games, scoring 13 tries and kicking 17 goals from 32 attempts. Has got good speed and ball playing skills which he will look to improve whilst spending his 1st pre-season with the first grade squad. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 94.3 metres from 9.6 hit ups and 4.2 tackles per game to go along with 7 tries, 15 goals, 15 line breaks, 23 try assists and 77 tackles break in 23 games. Unlikely to see any NRL action this season with Brad Abbey ahead of him in the pecking order but could be one to watch in coming seasons.

Josh Bergamin 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/103/playerid/6958/seasonid/44/default.aspx





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D’Rhys Miller - Position: Second Row Height: TBA Weight: TBA Young left edge second row forward who started the 2016 NYC season on a trial contract but with hard work, dedication and commitment went on to play all 24 games in NYC in 2016 and will step up to train with first grade squad for this 1st time this year. H was named the Bulldogs 2016 NYC Player of Year. In the 2016 NYC season he averaged 101 metres from 10.2 hit ups and 18 tackles per game to go along with 11 tries, 11 line breaks, 10 try assists, and 68 tackle breaks in 24 games. Is still eligible to play NYC for another season.

D’Rhys Miller 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/103/playerid/7424/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – James Graham

Sleeper – Brad Abbey

Bust – Josh Reynolds

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Brad Abbey


� Chase Stanley – left ACL (11/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Richie Kennar - foot surgery (7/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Lachlan Lewis – lung injury (Last Season – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Darcy Maroske – back surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Reimis Smith – broken leg surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Francis Tualau - knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Brad Abbey – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kerrod Holland – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Brett Morris – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh Jackson – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ left knee surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed - Pre Season – TBA) � Aiden Tolman – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � David Klemmer – left shoulder (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/right knee surgery (TBA –

unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Josh Reynolds – right elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jayden Okunbor - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Renouf To’Omaga - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh Cleeland - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Brenko Lee – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � James Graham - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Lachlan Lee – unknown surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)



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� Chase Stanley (ACL) � Richie Kennar (foot) � Reimis Smith (leg) � Brett Morris (knee) � Renouf To’Omaga (ankle) � Lachlan Lee (injury)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Josh Bergamin, Adam Elliott, Ofa Finau, Danny Fualalo, Bronson Garlick, Craig Garvey, Soni Hala, Kerrod Holland, William Hopoate, Adam Keighran (20’s), Will Kerr (20’s), Lachlan Lee, Michael Lichaa, Lopeti Mafi (20’s), Darcy Maroske, Jordan Martin (20’s), D’Rhys Miller (20’s), Jayden Okunbor (20’s), Tyrone Phillips, Tigris Polata (20’s), Josh Reynolds, Ulysses Semisi (20’s), Reimis Smith (20’s), Chase Stanley, Luis Strickland (20’s), Reuben Te Kani-Taylor (20’s), Peter Tiatia (20’s), Renouf To’omaga

� 2018 – Bradley Abbey, Tom Carr, Josh Cleeland, Greg Eastwood, Aspeli Fine, Matt Frawley, James Graham, Morgan Harper (20’s), Sam Kasiano, Richie Kennar, Brenko Lee, Lachlan Lewis, Rhyse Martin, Marcelo Montoya, Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Zac Woolford

� 2019 - Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Zac Saddler (20’s), Dalton Smith (20’s), Francis Tualau � 2020 - Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Moses MBye, Aiden Tolman

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Abbey, Brad CTW / FLB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats 2016 Avg - 2016 End Price $3,500 2016 Value Rating -

2017 SC Rating

Abbey covers almost the positions in the outside backs and will be pushing for a starting role this year. Round 1 teams crucial. C


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Carr, Tom CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a

Moneyball stats 2016 Avg - 2016 End Price $- 2016 Value Rating -

2017 SC RatingCarr joins the Bulldogs from the Dragons to add some depth the centres. He’s yet to make his NRL debut

and is likely to spend most of the season in the lower grades this season. E


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Cleeland, Josh HFB / 5/8 $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingJosh Cleeland joins the Bulldogs from the Sharks and will provide depth to the halves in 2017. With

Reynolds and Mbye ahead of him, Cleeland is not an option for round 1. D


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Eastwood, Greg 2RF $298,100 17 45.0 53.0 0.85 22 37.5 45.8 0.82

Moneyball stats 2016 Avg 24.0 2016 End Price $6,000 2016 Value Rating 4.00

2017 SC RatingEastwood has never been relevant for SuperCoach. Low minutes and poor work rate historically suggests

that he will not be one to pick for 2017E

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Elliott, Adam 2RF $143,600 7 16.0 23.0 0.70 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingElliot played the 7 games for an average of 16 PPG coming off the bench for the Bulldogs. He’s not an

option unless we see a considerable increase in both MPG and work-rate. E


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Faitala-Mariner, Raymond 2RF $198,300 15 30.0 33.0 0.91 11 38.5 54.4 0.71


2017 SC RatingFaitala-Mariner has joined the Bulldogs from the Warriors for the 2017 season. Look for him to add some

depth to the back-row and with a poor PPM he should be avoided. E


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Fine, Asipeli 2RF / CTW $143,600 4 20.0 21.0 0.95 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fine played 4 games in 2016 at an average of 20 PPG coming off the bench for the Tigers last year. He’s available as a dual positioned CTW / 2nd row and is only an option should we see a dramatic increase in his

playing time this season. E


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Frawley, Matt TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingThe former Canberra Raiders under 20’s captain has joined the Bulldogs where he will add depth to the

halves and will likely spend most of this season in the NSW Cup. E

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Fualalo, Danny 2RF / FRF $143,600 10 21.0 23.0 0.91 3 13.7 14.7 0.93


2017 SC RatingJust 10 games in 2016 for a mediocre season average of 21 for Fualalo. With PPM of 0.89 despite playing

such little game time, Fualalo is not option for the moment. E


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Garvey, Craig HOK $193,900 10 29.0 33.0 0.88 7 21.3 23.4 0.91


2017 SC RatingGarvey will support Lichaa in the hooking position again this season and is not an option unless the

incumbent gets injured. D


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Graham, James FRF $428,400 24 64.0 62.0 1.03 16 55.7 53.6 1.04


2017 SC Rating Graham has been an elite SuperCoach option since joining the NRL and 2016 was no exception, averaging 64 PPG at 1.04 PPM. He is a workhorse with one of the best motors in the game having played in excess of 60 MPG since joining the NRL and with a handy bye schedule he offers a solid select and forget option for 2017. He may not be the most fashionable selection, but you know exactly what you are going to get from

him and he is one of the safest options available for your front row this season. A


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Holland, Kerrod CTW $333,700 14 50.0 80.0 0.63 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Holland enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, playing 14 games at an average of 50 and he actually averaged over 55 PPG up until round 16. The drop in average over the final 4 games of the season was due purely to less points from goals. Priced now at $334k he is a risky selection for round 1 given he will likely produce

much of the same in 2017. D

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Hopoate, Will CTW / FLB $339,300 21 51.0 81.0 0.63 19 41.5 77.3 0.54


2017 SC Rating Hopoate enjoyed his best SuperCoach season since re-joining the NRL with a season ending average of 51. However, if you take the 112 point game in round 14 against the Dragons out then his average falls to 47, which is probably more what his true value is given that he has averaged 43 in the two previous seasons. E


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Jackson, Josh 2RF $381,600 22 57.0 74.0 0.77 21 57.1 72.9 0.78


2017 SC Rating Not having dual position flexibility sees Jackson largely irrelevant for SuperCoach. He plays big minutes already and is priced fairly coming into the 2017 given he averaged 57 PPG across the past two seasons.

He will miss 4 games over the bye period through NSW selection. C


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Kasiano, Sam FRF $248,800 22 37.0 30.0 1.23 22 41.8 34.5 1.21


2017 SC Rating Reportedly Kasiano has slimmed down over the offseason; however, the Bulldogs have one of the more competitive front rows in the competition with the likes of Graham, Tolman and Klemmer all demanding big

minutes. He won’t be relevant once again in 2017. E


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Kennar, Richard CTW $252,700 3 54.0 78.0 0.69 6 28.7 78.2 0.37


2017 SC Rating Kenner played just the 3 games in 2016, which included a try and a try assist to see him finish with a season average of 54. He receives a 40% discount coming into the season, but even with this he is still

priced above $250k and can’t be selected this year. E

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Klemmer, David FRF / 2RF $379,400 21 57.0 54.0 1.06 19 48.2 43.4 1.11


2017 SC Rating Klemmer is getting close to becoming an elite SuperCoach front row forward with an average of 57 at a scoring rate of 1.06 PPM. However, with an already high MPG of 54 for a prop and tough competition in the front row, any further improvement in Klemmer’s SuperCoach scores appears for now to be limited unless

he shifts position to the back-row. He will also miss 4 games over the bye period assuming he gets selected for NSW.

C


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Lee, Brenko CTW $338,700 9 51.0 82.0 0.62 2 43.5 82.0 0.53


2017 SC Rating Brenko Lee joins the Bulldogs from the Raiders in an attempt to kick-start his NRL career having played only 15 games over the past 3 seasons. Despite there being a very good chance of him securing a starting

position this season, at $340k, you simply can’t pick him. D


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Lewis, Lachlan 5/8 $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingLewis is another offseason recruit for the Bulldogs and will add depth to the halves. He is behind Mbye and

Reynolds there. E


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Lichaa, Michael HOK $352,400 21 53.0 76.0 0.70 21 52.5 73.2 0.72


2017 SC RatingLichaa has now had two full seasons under his belt as the starting Bulldogs hooker, averaging 53 PPG across both seasons. He’s not an option with such limited spaces available at hooker in SuperCoach. D

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Martin, Rhyse 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingHas signed for the Bulldogs this season from the Townsville Blackhawks and he will add depth to the 2nd

row position. He’s unlikely to play enough early on to warrant selection in your side. E


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Mbye, Moses HFB $394,100 24 59.0 80.0 0.74 21 43.2 79.2 0.55


2017 SC Rating Mbye is an interesting proposition. There is no doubting that he has the ability to produce great SuperCoach scores with more than 80 points scored in 6 games during 2016. However, he can also be very inconsistent scoring less than 20 points 4 times. If Kerrod Holland starts for the Bulldogs (which he should) then you’d expect that he is their full time goal kicker and Mbye would see a hit to his potential output. His

2016 average would be reduced to 54 PPG without goals.B


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Morris, Brett CTW / FLB $363,600 10 54.0 81.0 0.67 14 58.9 80.0 0.74


2017 SC Rating On returning from injury Morris took the SuperCoach world by storm averaging 92 PPG across rounds 16, 17 and 18 thanks largely to scoring 7 tries over these games. However, from there the tries dried up, scoring just another 3 for the remaining 7 games seeing his average freefall to a season ending position of just 54. While the starting price is attractive for a player who can seriously pile up the SuperCoach points, the fact is that he has failed to average over 60 PPG in any one of the past three seasons and he will also miss 4

games over the bye period. C


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Morris, Josh CTW $300,200 22 45.0 81.0 0.56 20 52.9 80.2 0.66


2017 SC RatingJosh Morris is not relevant to SuperCoach. He has finished with season averages of 45, 53, 35 and 33 over

the past 4 years. D

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Phillips, Tyrone CTW $247,300 4 46.0 80.0 0.58 1 30.0 80.0 0.38


2017 SC Rating

Phillips joins the plethora of awkwardly priced CTW options and like those should be avoided. D


2016 GP

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Reynolds, Josh 5/8 $349,000 24 52.0 80.0 0.65 15 44.4 66.3 0.67


2017 SC Rating 2016 was the season to grab Reynolds with a nice discount in his price, but starting the 2017 priced at $350k surely there are better options for you 5/8 spot. If you take the 2 100 point games out then his 2016

average falls to just 47 PPG. D


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Smith, Reimis CTW $254,000 1 76.0 80.0 0.95 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating1 game in 2016 for 76 points sees Reimis Smith priced at $254k and despite the handy 1 game average

and the discount on his starting price, he is another CTW too be avoided from round 1. E


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Stanley, Chase CTW $215,100 4 36.0 59.0 0.61 6 47.0 79.7 0.59


2017 SC RatingStanley has played a combined 16 games over the past three seasons suggesting that unfortunately he is

just durable enough to warrant selection in your side. E

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Tolman, Aiden FRF $376,600 24 56.0 60.0 0.93 19 61.5 61.8 0.99


2017 SC Rating Tolman is good, but is stuck between a rock and hard place with an average of 56 PPG (61 PPG in 2015 and 57 PPG in 2014) and really only offers up as an option over the bye period where he will provide cover

in rounds 12 and 18. C


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Tualua, Francis TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingTualua joins the Bulldogs from Melbourne and will add depth to the front-row, which is already jam packed with talent. Expect to see Tualua either coming off the bench or running around in NSW Cup this season. E


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Woolford, Zac HOK $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingZac Woolford, the son of former Canberra skipper Simon Woolford joins the Bulldogs from the Raiders this

season. The NSW under 20’s star will add depth to the hooking position this season. D

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 CANBERRA RAIDERS | 32

CANBERRA RAIDERS

The Raiders had a fantastic 2016 and with a squad brimming with attacking talent we are tipping them to go a little bit deeper into the finals this season. Their outside backs were at times unstoppable and finished amongst the highest averaging CTW’s in SuperCoach, with Croker breaking Canberra’s all-time point’s scoring record along the way.

They’ve made some great acquisitions of late with the likes of Elliot Whitehead, Josh Hodgson, Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer and Iosia Soliola all making an impact. However, they will be tested from round 1 with a very tough opening month as they face the Broncos, Cowboys and the Titans; they also have to play five of their seven fellow finalists twice this season! That being said, their squad is good enough now to handle this and they will be very hard to beat at home. No more excuses from the Canberra based side.

Predicted Finish: 1st

2017 NRL SQUAD

Eddie Aiono, Blake Austin, Kurt Baptiste, Luke Bateman, Shannon Boyd, Adam Clydsdale, Jarrod Croker ©, Lachlan Croker, Shaun Fensom, Lou Goodwin, Josh Hodgson, Edrick Lee, Joseph Leilua, Jeff Lima, Dunamis Lui, Makahesi Makatoa, Brent Naden, Kato Ottio, Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo, Clay Priest, Jordan Rapana, Zac Santo, Aidan Sezer, Iosia Soliola, Scott Sorensen, Joseph Tapine, Dave Taylor (Trial and Train), Jordan Turner, Elliott Whitehead, Jack Wighton


Eddie Aiono, Blake Austin, Kurt Baptiste, Luke Bateman, Shannon Boyd, Adam Clydsdale, Nick Cotric (20’s), Jarrod Croker, Lachlan Croker, Thomas Cronan, Daniel Dole, Shaun Fensom, Lou Goodwin, Josh Hodgson, Edrick Lee, Joseph Leilua, Jeff Lima, Dunamis Lui, Makahesi Makatoa, Anthony Moraitis, Brent Naden, Kato Ottio, Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo, Clay Priest, Jordan Rapana, Zac Santo, Aidan Sezer, Iosia Soliola, Scott Sorensen, Marcus Stormquist, Joseph Tapine, Dave Taylor (Trial and Train), Jordan Turner, Elliott Whitehead, Jack Wighton

BYE SCHEDULE

The Raiders cover the first big bye round, but miss rounds 15 and 18. Their Origin representatives will miss a maximum of three matches, which is the best possible outcome. Much like the Broncos, this schedule allows you to pick their players without too much concern from round 1.

Twitter




1. Wighton Interchange:2. E. Lee 14. Clydsdale3. Croker 15. Bateman4. Leilua 16. Tapine5. Rapana 17. Priest6. Austin7. Sezer8. Paulo9. Hodgson10. Boyd11. Whitehead12. Papalii13. Soliola


PROP – Paulo, Boyd, Tapine, Soliola, Priest, Lui, Lima, Makatoa, Dole, Stormquist, Taufua HOK – Hodgson, Baptiste, Clydsdale 2RF – Papalii, Whitehead, Taylor, Turner, Taufua, Moraitis, Sorensen LOCK – Soliola, Bateman, Tapine, Priest, Fensom, Goodwin, Cheeseman HALF – Sezer, L. Croker, Turner, Foster 5/8 – Austin, L. Croker, Turner CTW – Croker, Leilua, Turner, Naden, Cotric (20’s) WING – Rapana, E. Lee, Ottio, Aiono, Cronan FLB – Wighton, Santo, Naden, Rapana, Cotric (20’s), Cronan

2017 Gains: Dunamis Lui (St George Illawarra Dragons, 2018), Makahesi Makatoa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2017), Junior Paulo (Mid Season: Parramatta Eels, 2018), Scott Sorensen (2017), Jordan Turner (St Helens RLFC, 2018)

2017 Losses: Mitchell Barnett (Newcastle Knights), Brenko Lee (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Lachlan Lewis (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Frank-Paul Nuuausala (Wigan Warriors), Tevita Pangai (Brisbane Broncos), Paul Vaughan (St George Illawarra Dragons), Sisa Waqa (rugby union), Sam Williams (Wakefield Trinity), Zac Woolford (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

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CowPossible Mid/Late Season Cash Cow

Irrelevant (Rookie or Other)

Croker Austin Soliola Fensom Cotric Bateman

Papalii Whitehead Wighton Rapana Santo Lima

Hodgson Boyd Leilua Clydesdale Lui

Austin Paulo Priest

Lee Sezer Tapine

Baptiste

Makatoa

Sorenson

Ottio

Croker


Nick Cotric (20’s) - Position: Centre, Fullback Height: 185cm Weight: 99kg Highly rated 18 year old outside back who can play either at centre or fullback, but spent most of the 2016 NYC season playing right centre for the Raiders. Named at Centre in 2016 NYC Team of season as well as playing for Australian Schoolboys in 2016. Raiders have re-signed him until the end of 2018. In the 2016 NYC season he averaged 116 metres from 11.8 hit ups, 9.4 tackles, 2.6 missed tackles and 6.4 tackle breaks per game to go along with 12 line breaks, 11 try assists and 7 tries from 21 games. This pre-season will be his 1st training with the first grade squad and with Raiders limited depth in outside backs I wouldn’t be surprised if he made his NRL debut in 2017

Nick Cotric 2016 NYC Stats https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/7429/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Daniel Dole - Position: Prop, Lock Height: 184cm Weight: 98kg Hard working middle forward who is known for his hard hitting defence, and joins the first grade pre- season squad for the 1st time. With 2016 being his last season in NYC (where he won NYC Coaches Award) he will look to step up to play for Mounties in the Intrust Super Premiership in 2016. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 115 metres from 11 hit ups and 17.3 tackles from 40 minutes per game. Is coming off off-season surgery after playing the 2016 season with torn ligaments in his wrist, for which he had surgery on in late September. As such, his pre-season has been limited with no contact leading into Christmas break.

Daniel Dole 2016 NYC Stats https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/7136/seasonid/44/default.aspx

https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/7429/seasonid/44/default.aspx




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Thomas Cronan - Position: Fullback, Wing Height: 182cm Weight: 83kg Promising young fullback who enters his 2nd pre-season training with the first grade squad, and can also play either centre or wing. With the 2016 season being his last in the NYC he will look to step up to play for Mounties in the Intrust Super Premiership, with a view to making his NRL debut sometime during the season if the Raiders are hit by injuries. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 151.8 metres from 15.1 hit ups, 4.6 tackles and 4.1 tackle breaks per game to go along with 7 tries, 10 line breaks and 3 try assists in 17 games.

Thomas Cronan 2016 NYC Stats https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/6898/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Connor Cheeseman - Position: Prop, Lock Height: 184cm Weight: 98kg Young front rower who has been promoted to train with the first grade side for 2017. His 2016 season was halted early in the season after suffering a wrist injury in round 5, which he had surgery on. I like him as a player from what I have seen of him; he is very good at making metres after contact. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 110 metres from 10.4 hit ups and 23.4 tackles a game in the 5 games he played. With 2016 being his last season in the NYC look for him to start the year in the Intrust Super Premiership with the goal of playing NRL at some stage, either this year or in coming years. He has had a limited pre-season due to the wrist surgery he had earlier in 2016 season.

Connor Cheeseman 2016 NYC Stats https://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/7431/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Jarrod Croker

Sleeper – Blake Austin

Bust – Jordan Rapana

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Kato Ottio


� Connor Cheeseman - wrist surgery (April 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Lachlan Croker - ACL (2/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group - TBA) � Blake Austin – left hand surgery (25/8 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Dunamis Lui – right Achilles surgery (Late Aug 15’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kato Ottio - ACL (September 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group - TBA) � Clay Priest - right ankle surgery (14/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Daniel Dole - wrist surgery (29/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jarrod Croker – left knee surgery (Late Sept 16’ – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Joseph Leilua – hamstring injury (Last Season – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Josh Papalii – left ankle surgery (18/10 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/right knee surgery (TBA

– unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jordan Rapana – fractured eye socket surgery (22/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)





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� Iosia Soliola - knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Lou Goodwin - ACL (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh Hodgson – left ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Adam Clydsdale – left elbow surgery (TBA - unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kurt Baptiste - foot surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/left Achilles surgery (8/12

– confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Lachlan Croker (ACL) � Dunamis Lui (Achilles) � Kato Ottio (ACL) � Clay Priest (ankle) � Jarrod Croker (knee) � Josh Papalii (ankle) � Jordan Rapana (eye socket) � Iosia Soliola (knee) � Lou Goodwin (ACL) � Kurt Baptiste (Achilles) � Connor Cheeseman (wrist) � Daniel Dole (wrist)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Eddie Aiono, Sam Bramich (20’s), Jayden Carroll (20’s), Connor Cheeseman, Lachlan Croker, Thomas Cronan, Daniel Dole, Zeik Foster, Shaun Fensom, Lou Goodwin, Derek Hay (20’s), Cody Hedge (20’s), Edrick Lee, Jeff Lima, Makahesi Makatoa, Anthony Moraitis, Brent Naden, Kato Ottio, Zac Patch (20’s), Jordan Rapana, Mikaele Ravalawa (20’s), Zac Santo, Scott Sorensen, Marcus Stormquist, Dave Taylor (Trial and Train), Brodie Vassallo (20’s), Kitione Vikash (20’s), Zane Wallace (20’s)

� 2018 - Blake Austin, Kurt Baptiste, Luke Bateman, Shannon Boyd, Adam Clydsdale, Thomas Cotric (20’s), Jarrod Croker, Josh Hodgson, Joseph Leilua, Dunamis Lui, Josh Papalii, Clay Priest, Aidan Sezer, Iosia Soliola, Jordan Turner, Topiese Taufua, Elliott Whitehead, Jack Wighton

� 2020 – Joseph Tapine

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Austin, Blake 5/8 $293,300 17 44.0 78.0 0.56 23 54.7 78.0 0.70


2017 SC Rating

Blake was sensational at times throughout the season, but is just too inconsistent and injury prone to demand selection from round 1. He scored under 40 point in 6 of 17 games last season. C


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Baptiste, Kurt HOK $143,600 21 20.0 28.0 0.71 16 24.8 24.9 0.99


2017 SC RatingBaptiste is sidelined indefinitely due to a ruptured Achilles suffered during pre-season training and will not

be seen for most of the 2017 season.E


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Bateman, Luke 2RF / FRF $251,000 18 38.0 43.0 0.88 6 15.7 15.3 1.02


2017 SC RatingBateman had a solid season in 2016 largely coming off the bench. I can’t see this role changing too much in

2017 with the Raiders still boasting one of the best forward packs in the competition.D


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Boyd, Shannon FRF $249,100 23 37.0 37.0 1.00 20 46.4 35.6 1.30


2017 SC Rating Boyd will no doubt be looking for more responsibility in 2017 and could see his minutes increase to over 45. However, for me he resembles a mid-price trap given that he’s unlikely to have the required fitness to see

too much more game time than that and at 45 MPG he’s still likely to produce less than 50 PPG. C

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Clydsdale, Adam HOK $143,600 4 9.0 18.0 0.50 17 38.9 50.5 0.77


2017 SC RatingClydsdale played just the 4 games last season and despite the injury to Baptiste is still unlikely to see much

game time with Hodgson the preferred option at hooker. D


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Cotric, Nick CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Cotric is a fullback or centre who has been one of the Raiders best juniors having been named in the under 20’s team of the year and Australian Schoolboys in 2016. With a promotion to the NRL squad this season

he is a player to watch out for should he get a crack at first grade. C


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Croker, Jarrod CTW $479,600 24 72.0 81.0 0.89 24 60.9 80.3 0.76


2017 SC Rating Croker had an outstanding 2016 finishing with a season average of 72 ranking him equal 4th overall for a CTW (all players above him played just the 1 game. Priced now at $480k you are going to have to pay top dollar for Croker and given that he broke all sorts of scoring records for the Raiders last season and with

the Raiders facing the Cowboys, Sharks and Broncos all within their first month, I’d suggest to wait for his price to fall before selecting him in your side.

B


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Croker, Lachlan HFB / 5/8 $143,600 1 1.0 38.0 0.03 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating

Assuming that there is a fit Sezer and Austin combination, Croker won’t see much game time in 2017. D

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Fensom, Shaun 2RF $326,100 14 49.0 51.0 0.96 23 64.4 67.0 0.96


2017 SC Rating Fensom was one of the busts of the season with his average seeing a massive decline from 64 PPG in 2015 to just 49 PPG in 2016. Having played big minutes in the past, Fensom was forced to the bench in 2016 as the likes of Elliot Whitehead, Josh Papalii and Iosia Soliola were all preferred options in the backrow. He starts the season massively discounted on prior years, but you’d think it would be unlikely for him to get back to playing in excess of 65 minutes in this Raiders back-row. In the last four games of 2016 he

averaged just 40 MPG. D


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Hodgson, Josh HOK $417,300 23 62.0 72.0 0.86 24 53.9 60.3 0.89


2017 SC Rating Hodgson was unlucky not win the Dally M medal in 2016 with an outstanding season at the Raiders. He ranked 7th at hooker in total points from tackles, but also scored almost 40 more points than any

hooker in tries, something which he may not be able to reproduce in 2017. In fact only Cameron Smith got close to him here, with the third place hooker 100 points behind. With only room for the 1 gun hooker

in SuperCoach, it’s hard to select him, but he definitely needs to be respected and particularly with his backup hooker having a major injury.

B


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Lee, Edrick CTW $215,500 17 32.0 80.0 0.40 23 38.7 80.3 0.48


2017 SC Rating Edrick Lee is due. Raiders fans will no doubt be becoming a tad impatient with their talented winger. At $216k he offers value, but he has averaged 40 PPG across the past two seasons and you’d be selecting

him purely on hope. C


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Leilua, Joseph CTW $483,400 22 72.0 80.0 0.90 19 43.4 78.5 0.55


2017 SC Rating Leilua officially joined the ranks of the elite SuperCoach players in 2016 finishing with a season average of 72 across 22 games. He now will start the season priced over $480k and that’s serious money to be spent

on a CTW from round 1. Look to grab Leilua at a reduced price later on in the season and probably not until after the byes are done as the Raiders miss both of the last two big bye rounds.B

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Lima, Jeff FRF $209,400 6 31.0 30.0 1.03 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingLima adds depth to the Raiders forward pack and is unlikely to play enough game time to make himself

relevant for SuperCoach. D


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Lui, Dunamis 2RF / FRF $159,800 10 24.0 26.0 0.92 17 32.9 42.8 0.77


2017 SC Rating

Dunamis Lui finds himself at another new club, but will be used as a depth cover in 2017. D


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Makatoa, Makahesi TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingMakatoa joins the Raiders from the Bulldogs to add some depth to their front-row. Expect him to play most

of the season in the NSW Cup.E


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Ottio, Kato CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingOttio scored 29 tries in 23 games for the Mounties last season, but is recovering from ACL injury and is

likely to be out until the middle of 2017.E

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Papalii, Josh 2RF / FRF $419,900 22 63.0 80.0 0.79 24 56.2 72.3 0.78


2017 SC Rating Papalii took a big step from a SuperCoach perspective in 2016 with his average increasing from 56 across the two prior years to 63 PPG in 2016. The increase in PPG correlates directly with his average MPG as

the big Queensland forward averaged 80 MPG in 2016 compared to 73 MPG in 2015 and 70 MPG in 2014. Some may be willing to take the risk that he has more improvement in his output and the Raiders Origin

players will miss a maximum of 3 games this season. B


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Paulo, Junior FRF $314,800 21 47.0 49.0 0.96 15 51.1 48.3 1.06


2017 SC Rating Paulo crossed from the Eels midway through the season and proved to be a very solid buy for the Raiders. However, this on field form didn’t transfer to SuperCoach output as Paulo’s average fell from 54 PPG to less than 40 PPG once crossing from the Eels to the Raiders despite playing similar minutes. Scoring at

less than 1 PPM is not ideal for a prop that plays less than 50 MPG and the starting price he’s not an option for round 1.

C


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Priest, Clay 2RF / FRF $156,800 13 23.0 27.0 0.85 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingPriest came off bench in each of his 13 games last year and he should fill the same role for the

Raiders given their forward pack depth. D


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Rapana, Jordan CTW $436,400 24 65.0 79.0 0.82 19 44.9 74.4 0.60


2017 SC Rating Rapana had a breakout season in 2016 finishing with a season average of 65. He scored over 100 points in 3 games including a 163 point performance in round 8 including 4 tries. With a tough opening month, wait

till his price drops and then consider bringing him in if he is able to back up his 2016 season. C

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Santo, Zac CTW $149,700 1 28.0 80.0 0.35 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingSanto will be pushing for a starting role this year after impressing in his only game of the season last year.

At the price he is certainly one to keep in mind should he be selected for round 1. D


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Sezer, Aidan HFB $236,500 21 35.0 80.0 0.44 18 59.6 77.8 0.77


2017 SC Rating Sezer had an immediate impact in his first year at the Raiders, but finished the season with average way below par at just 35 PPG. This was not helped at all by a horrible end to the season where he averaged just 20 PPG over the last 4 games. There’s value in his starting price given he has averaged 60 PPG in the past,

but this included goals and with Croker around he will not have the opportunity to get those points back into his output.

C


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Soliola, Iosia 2RF $326,400 17 49.0 51.0 0.96 19 58.2 79.4 0.73


2017 SC Rating Soliola offers value coming into 2017 given he averaged just 51 MPG last year compared to 79 MPG in 2015. However, with Papalii and Whitehead set for big minutes in the back-row, how much more improvement is there in Soliola’s output? In fact in the last 7 games of the season he averaged just

42 MPG for 47 PPG.C


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Sorenson, Scott TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Scott Sorensen plays in the back-row and previously played for the Sharks and Souths, making his NRL debut in 2014, but has failed to play a game since that season. He will play most of this season

in the NSW Cup. E

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Tapine, Joseph 2RF / FRF $269,800 22 40.0 39.0 1.03 13 36.8 37.8 0.98


2017 SC RatingA future gun of the game, Tapine will likely play similar minutes in 2017 to that of last year with plenty of

depth and talent in the Raiders.D


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Turner, Jordan 2RF / CTW $219,900 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Turner joins Canberra from England and will likely play a utility role, having played centre, lock, back row, five-eighth and even fullback in the past. He doesn’t start at basement price and given that we know so

little about him it is hard to set any realistic expectations for now. D


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Whitehead, Elliott 2RF $408,000 24 61.0 81.0 0.75 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Whitehead was very impressive in his first season in the NRL, averaging 80 MPG he finished the season with an average of 61 PPG and at $410k, you know exactly what you are going to get from him. He scored

89 points in the halves in one game last season. B


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Wighton, Jack FLB $363,000 23 54.0 81.0 0.67 21 50.8 79.7 0.64


2017 SC RatingWighton had a solid season at fullback for the Raiders, but falls short of the real elite and at the price offers

little value. C

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 CRONULLA SHARKS | 44

CRONULLA SHARKS

The Sharks finally delivered a premiership to their faithful and we see a bit of a risk that the partying may not stop before the season starts! They have lost two key cogs from their 2016 winning side in Michael Ennis and Ben Barba (for most of the season) and have a list of aging stars that may struggle to play out the season fully fit.

They haven’t yet signed a gun hooker (James Segeyaro yet to sign at the time of writing this) to replace Ennis and they will have to depend on Daniel Mortimer and a host of untested talent including Manaia Cherrington, Jayden Brailey and Fa’amanu Brown. Valentine Holmes should be able to cover Barba at fullback, but this still reduces their talent available in the outside backs.

Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita will carry much of the load, while they will be hoping for Jack Bird and Wade Graham to take further steps forward into the game’s elite players. James Maloney, without Barba, will be forced to shoulder even more responsibility this season.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Gerard Beale, Jack Bird, Jayden Brailey, Fa’amanu Brown, Jayson Bukuya, Kurt Capewell, Manaia Cherrington, Jordan Drew, Sosaia Feki, Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, Wade Graham, Chris Heighington, Valentine Holmes, Jaimin Jolliffe, Jeremy Latimore, Luke Lewis, Ricky Leutele, James Maloney, Jayden McDough, Daniel Mortimer, Joseph Paulo, Matt Prior, Sam Tagataese, Chad Townsend, Jayden Walker, Jack Williams, Tony Williams


Gerard Beale, Jack Bird, Jayden Brailey, Fa’amanu Brown, Jayson Bukuya, Kurt Capewell, Manaia Cherrington, Kurt Dillon (Trial & Train), Jordan Drew, Sosaia Feki, Jackson Ferris (20’s), Kye Flannagan (20’s), Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, Wade Graham, Chris Heighington, Valentine Holmes, Malakai Houma (Trial and Train), Romen Ioelu, Jeremy Latimore, Luke Lewis, Ricky Leutele, Issac Lumelune (20’s), James Maloney, Luke Metcalf (20’s), Daniel Mortimer, Joseph Paulo, Matt Prior, Jessie Ramien (20’s), Dylan Smith (20’s), Sam Tagataese, Chad Townsend, Jack Williams, Tony Williams

BYE SCHEDULE

The Sharks have one of the best bye schedules for SuperCoach as they play in rounds 12 and 15. However, their Origin stars will miss four games over the period and with the likes of Graham, Bird and Maloney not quite at the elite level, you can probably avoid these guys from the start of the season without too much concern. Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita loom as great bye coverage options, as does Valentine Holmes if he can live up to the hype in the fullback position.

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OUR PREDICTED ROUND 1 LINEUP

1. Holmes Interchange:2. Beale 14. Brailey3. Bird 15. Bukuya4. Leutele 16. Heighington5. Feki 17. Tagataese6. Townsend7. Maloney8. A. Fifita9. Mortimer10. Prior11. Graham12. Lewis13. Gallen


PROP – Gallen, A. Fifita, Prior, Tagataese, Heighington, Latimore, M. Houma, Dillon, McDough, Jolliffe HOK – F. Brown, Mortimer, Cherrington, Brailey 2RF – Graham, Lewis, Bukuya, T. Williams, Paulo, Capewell, J. Williams, Walker LOCK – Gallen, Paulo, Prior, Heighington HALF – Townsend, Mortimer, Metcalf (20’s), Flannagan (20’s) 5/8 – Maloney, Bird, F. Brown, Capewell CTW – Leutele, Bird, Beale, Drew, Ramien (20’s), Lumelune (20’s), Ioelu, Tuilagi (20’s), Tuitahi WING – Feki, Beale, Drew, Ferris (20’s), Lumelune (20’s), Ioelu, Tuilagi (20’s) FLB – Bird, Holmes, Ferris (20’s), Smith (20’s)

2017 Gains: Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers, 2017), Jeremy Latimore (Penrith Panthers, 2017), Daniel Mortimer (Gold Coast Titans, 2017), Tony Williams (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2017)

2017 Losses: Ben Barba (released), Mitch Brown (Leigh Centurions), Josh Cleeland (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Michael Ennis (retired), David Fifita (Wakefield Trinity), Jacob Gagan (Newcastle Knights), Matt McIlwrick (Wests Tigers), Anthony Moraitis (released), Junior Roqica (London Broncos), Jesse Sene-Lefao (Castleford Tigers), Connor Tracey (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

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Cow



Other)

Fifita Maloney Bird Lewis Cherrington Brown

Gallen Holmes Bukuya Brailey Tagataese

Graham Latimore Paulo

Prior Townsend Drew

Mortimer Williams

Beale Leutele

Feki

Capewell

Heighington


Jayden Brailey - Position: Hooker Height: 178cm Weight: 87kg Outstanding young hooker who capped his last season in the NYC by being named the Dally M NYC Player of the Year and selected on the bench in the NYC Team of Season. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 53.6 metres from 5.7 hit ups and 39.4 tackles in 78.2 minutes per game. He also had 8 line breaks, 31 line break assists, 31 try assists and 44 tackle breaks. Brailey led the NYC in regular season in tackles (921), line break assists and try assists, as well as most receives with 2,354. Expect him to see a lot of time in first grade in 2017 as the Sharks look for a Michael Ennis replacement.

Jayden Brailey 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/104/playerid/6727/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Jack Williams - Position: Second Row Height: 184cm Weight: 95kg Promising young left edge second row forward who has signed for the Sharks after spending the last 3 seasons playing NYC for Raiders where he was named the Raiders NYC Player of the Year in 2016. This will be his 2nd pre-season with the first grade squad after he trained with the Raiders first grade squad in 2015/16 pre-season. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 121.6 metres from 11.6 hit up and 30.2 tackles from 78.6 minutes per game. He also had 7 tries, 11 line breaks, 4 try assists, 22 offloads and 77 tackle breaks from 24 games. However he has to work on his defence, after finishing 2nd in missed tackles with 108 missed tackles at an average of 4.5 a game.

Jack Williams 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/102/playerid/6902/seasonid/44/default.aspx

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Gun – Andrew Fifita

Sleeper – Valentine Holmes

Bust – Tony Williams

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Jayden Brailey


� Daniel Mortimer – hamstring surgery (19/5 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jordan Drew - shoulder surgery (9/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Sam Tagataese – right shoulder surgery (11/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jack Bird – right elbow surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Joseph Paulo – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Paul Gallen – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Luke Lewis – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Ricky Leutele - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kurt Capewell - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Sosaia Feki – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jeremy Latimore – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Chad Townsend – broken right thumb (Jan 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Jordan Drew (shoulder) � Sam Tagataese (shoulder) � Jack Bird (elbow) � Joseph Paulo (knee) � Chad Townsend (thumb)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Gerard Beale, Jack Bird, Jayden Brailey, Fa’amanu Brown, Kurt Capewell, Manaia Cherrington, Kurt Dillon (Trial & Train), Jordan Drew, Kye Flannagan (20’s), Sosaia Feki, Paul Gallen, Wade Graham, Chris Heighington, Valentine Holmes, Malakai Houma (Trial and Train), Romen Ioelu, Jaimin Jolliffe, Jeremy Latimore, Luke Lewis, Issac Lumelune (20’s), Tony Mata’utia (20’s), Jayden McDough, Luke Metcalf (20’s), Daniel Mortimer, Joseph Paulo, Matt Prior, Brydon Ramian (20’s), Jessie Ramien (20’s), James Segeyaro, Dylan Smith (20’s), Sam Tagataese, Chad Townsend, Josh Tuilagi (20’s), James Tuitahi, Jayden Walker, Jack Williams, Tony Williams

� 2018 – Jayson Bukuya, Jackson Ferris (20’s), Andrew Fifita, Ricky Leutele, James Maloney

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Beale, Gerard CTW $265,000 20 40.0 71.0 0.56 24 36.5 80.0 0.46


2017 SC Rating

Beale has only been interesting with a massive discount in his price and this year he has none. D


2016 GP

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2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Bird, Jack 5/8 / CTW $346,400 23 52.0 79.0 0.66 21 57.8 78.2 0.74


2017 SC Rating Bird produced much of the same in 2016 from his rookie year, albeit a small drop in average. He has the added dual position flexibility this season as he can be selected at 5/8 as well making him more appealing,

but still hard to fit into your starting side given the opening price. C


2016 GP

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2015 GP

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2015 PPM

Brailey, Jayden HOK $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Brailey joins several Sharks hookers fighting it out to replace Ennis this season. He would appear to be behind a few and despite the basement price, he is unlikely to be an option for the early stages of the

season. C


2016 GP

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Brown, Fa’amanu

HOK / 5/8 $193,900 4 29.0 53.0 0.55 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingBrown will be looking to replace Ennis at hooker, but faces competition from the likes of Mortimer and

Cherrington. Expect the role to be shared throughout the season. D

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2016 GP

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2015 GP

2015 Avg

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Bukuya, Jayson 2RF $310,800 22 47.0 48.0 0.98 22 36.6 45.5 0.81


2017 SC Rating Bukuya would be expecting to see an increase on the 48 MPG in 2016 with the likes of Gallen, Heighington and Lewis all coming to the ends of their careers. However, Tony Williams joins the club this year and he

will competing for largely the same role. At the price he offers a mid priced option worth considering, but he has burnt plenty in the past...including me! D


2016 GP

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2015 GP

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Capewell, Kurt 2RF / CTW $177,500 2 30.0 36.0 0.83 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Capewell played just the 2 games in 2016 and failed to really stir that much interest averaging just 30 PPG. With Gallen and Lewis still in the pack he will likely continue to be a depth player this season and at a very

awkward price is a hard selection to recommend. E


2016 GP

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2015 GP

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2015 PPM

Cherrington, Manaia HOK $143,600 5 15.0 26.0 0.58 11 22.1 27.3 0.81


2017 SC Rating Former Wests Tigers hooker Manaia Cherrington has joined the Sharks in the offseason, hoping to be the man to replace the retired Michael Ennis at hooker. With MPG at just 26 in 2016, a starting spot would guarantee that his MPG and therefore average will increase in 2017, making him a possible cash cow

target. (Note: on writing this James Segeyaro has not yet signed a contract with the Sharks) C


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Drew, Jordan CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingDrew failed to play a game for the Sharks last season after being acquired from the Broncos. He will add

depth to an already packed outside back line up, but is unlikely to line-up in the round 1 side at this stage. D

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Feki, Sosaia CTW $272,500 21 41.0 74.0 0.55 21 37.4 71.8 0.52


2017 SC Rating

Feki is another mid priced CTW who simply should be avoided. E


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Fifita, Andrew FRF $481,900 22 72.0 55.0 1.31 16 73.4 53.8 1.36


2017 SC Rating Fifita has averaged over 70 PPG in each of his past 3 seasons. Assuming that he doesn’t make the NSW side again this year, he will play in the first 2 big bye rounds making him one of the first players that you

should be picking in your side this season with his game perfectly suited to SuperCoach. A


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Gallen, Paul 2RF / FRF $503,900 18 75.0 64.0 1.17 16 79.0 75.5 1.05


2017 SC Rating Gallen has been a SuperCoach gun for years, but is now staring into the twilight of his illustrious career and we saw him take more of a back seat last season playing just 64 MPG. However he was still able to

average 75 PPG at a cracking rate of 1.17 PPG; a work rate which we have come to expect from the Sharks captain and why he has been such a formidable SuperCoach weapon. He has retired from representative football and although presenting an undoubtable injury risk he will play in both of the first big bye rounds

making him one of the better buys of the season.A


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Graham, Wade 2RF $374,900 23 56.0 79.0 0.71 24 59.8 79.6 0.75


2017 SC Rating Graham has been a pillar of consistency over the past 3 seasons, averaging 56, 59 and 61 in 80 MPG. He is pretty much at his peak unless he can increase his points from attacking statistics, which were very average for a 2nd row forward at just 34 points in total for 2016 seeing him ranked 35th overall for the year. With the

likelihood of Origin selection looming also, Graham could miss four games over the bye period. C

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

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2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Heighington, Chris

2RF / FRF $217,100 23 32.0 33.0 0.97 21 45.5 41.1 1.11


2017 SC RatingHeighington’s average has been on the decline now for a few years and it’s highly unlikely that this trend will

stop in 2017. He will add depth to the squad but not much more. E


2016 GP

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2015 PPM

Holmes, Valentine

CTW / FLB $329,300 23 49.0 80.0 0.61 23 46.1 80.2 0.57


2017 SC Rating Holmes should get the first crack at fullback this year with Ben Barba in exile. While this shift to fullback should be a positive for his SuperCoach output, we are yet to see any real evidence of this given he has yet to play in that position and there is no guarantee that he will see a massive amount of improvement.

However, at $329k he no doubt offers great value and looms as a real breakout season candidate.B


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Latimore, Jeremy FRF $205,600 17 31.0 28.0 1.11 24 49.5 44.8 1.10


2017 SC Rating Latimore joins the Sharks from the Panthers and will form part of the front row rotation. His minutes were quite low in 2016, playing just 28 MPG, a drop of 16 MPG from 2015 resulting in a big reduction in his

average 19 PPG to just 31 PPG. At just over $200k he is very cheap should he return to his 2015 output, but it’s completely unknown how he will be used in the Sharks forward pack and perhaps too much of a

risk to pick him from round 1. C


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Leutele, Ricky CTW $299,100 16 45.0 66.0 0.68 21 46.0 77.8 0.59


2017 SC Rating

Leutele is your classic mid range CTW who only ever saw value in his rookie NRL season. Stay away. E

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2016 GP

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2015 GP

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2015 PPM

Lewis, Luke 2RF $352,500 23 53.0 66.0 0.80 20 58.7 64.3 0.91


2017 SC RatingLewis is likely playing his final season in 2017 and may possibly see reduced time on the field. There is no

value in him this season and he should be avoided. D


2016 GP

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2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Maloney, James HFB / 5/8 $335,100 22 50.0 77.0 0.65 24 66.3 80.2 0.83


2017 SC Rating Maloney’s SuperCoach output took a bit of a tumble in 2016, dropping from 66 PPG in 2015 to just 50 PPG in 2016. Despite playing a big hand in the Sharks premiership, Maloney’s attacking stats were way down on his 2015 levels with his try assists in particular dropping from 21 to 9, a result of the Sharks having several

other playmakers in their side. With the loss of Barba perhaps Maloney will have even more responsibly this season and can return to the SuperCoach level produced during his time at the Roosters.

B


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Mortimer, Daniel

HOK / HFB $232,000 7 39.0 36.0 1.08 17 46.6 66.2 0.70


2017 SC Rating Mortimer will be fighting for the vacant hooker position and faces competition from Fa’amanu Brown and Manaia Cherrington, so he is not without hope of a role in the first team. However, you would expect this to be some sort of committee with no hooker to play any real significant minutes, as such it’s probably best to

stay away from Mortimer in 2017. C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Paulo, Joseph 2RF / 5/8 $150,700 20 23.0 26.0 0.88 14 32.4 47.6 0.68


2017 SC RatingPaulo adds depth to the squad but little more and is unlikely to see enough game time this year to deliver

any real increase in value across the season. E

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2016 GP

2016 Avg

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Prior, Matt 2RF / FRF $287,100 22 43.0 43.0 1.00 22 31.5 32.0 0.99


2017 SC Rating Whilst a 43 PPG average doesn’t on face value seem great, Prior actually finished the season as one of the leading prop forwards in the competition, averaging 65 PPG over the final games at 1.2 PPM. If he can continue this form then there is massive value in his starting price, but plenty have fallen into the mid-range

price trap before, so buyer beware. C


2016 GP

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2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Tagataese, Sam FRF $188,500 20 28.0 29.0 0.97 18 32.5 32.4 1.00


2017 SC RatingTagataese has never played enough minutes to make him SuperCoach relevant and his prospects are

shaping similarly this season with the likes of Fifita, Prior, Heighington and Latimore all in the mix. D


2016 GP

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2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Townsend, Chad

HFB / 5/8 $342,300 24 51.0 80.0 0.64 22 51.5 80.2 0.64


2017 SC RatingTownsend has averaged in the low 50’s for the past three seasons and I can’t see any obvious variable

which would see him deliver any more in 2017. D


2016 GP

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2015 Avg

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2015 PPM

Williams, Tony 2RF $263,300 18 39.0 55.0 0.71 11 38.7 62.5 0.62


2017 SC Rating Williams will look to get his NRL career restarted at the Sharks following a dismal term at the Bulldogs. He will start the season priced under $300k, which on past form would seem cheap; however, more recently Williams has been horrible for SuperCoach, averaging less than 40 over the past two seasons. With the Sharks pack boasting a serious amount of depth this year, it’s hard to see Williams’ minutes ramping up

from the 55 MPG in 2016. E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 GOLD COAST TITANS | 55

GOLD COAST TITANS

It’s truly an amazing change of events since the Daly Cherry-Evans backflip. The Titans have since added Jarryd Hayne, Jarrod Wallace, Konrad Hurrell, Nathan Peats, Kevin Proctor, Dan Sarginson and Ashley Taylor to their squad, making them a legitimate force to be reckoned with in 2017. Ryan James has also gone to another level, while Chris McQueen and Zeb Taia provide very handy support and depth.

Their 2016 performance was even more impressive considering that they lost their gun young half before the start of the season. Kane Elgey looks set to take part in round 1 this season and his partnership with Ashley Taylor will be a critical element to their success.

While we see them as one of the big improvers from last year, given the relative inexperience of their halves and the amount of new faces in the squad; 2017 may be a year too soon for the emerging Titans.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Kurt Bernard (20’s), Morgan Boyle, Nathan Davis, Anthony Don, Kane Elgey, Jarryd Hayne, Konrad Hurrell, Ryan James, Karl Lawton, Chris McQueen, John Olive, Agnatius Paasi, Nathan Peats, Nathaniel Peteru, Eddy Pettybourne, Kevin Proctor, Leivaha Pulu, Tyrone Roberts, Dan Sarginson, David Shillington, Ryan Simpkins, Zeb Taia, Ashley Taylor, Paterika Vaivai, Daniel Vidot, Jarrod Wallace, William Zillman


Kurt Bernard (20’s), Morgan Boyle, AJ Brimson (20’s), Tyler Cornish (Trial and Train), Nathan Davis, Anthony Don, Kane Elgey, Kelepi Faukafa (20’s), Bostyn Hakaraia (20’s), Jarryd Hayne, Konrad Hurrell, Ryan James, Max King (20’s), Karl Lawton, Lamar Liolavave (Trial and Train), Lorenzo Ma’afu (Trial & Train), Chris McQueen, John Olive, Agnatius Paasi, Nathan Peats, Nathaniel Peteru, Eddy Pettybourne, Pat Politoni (Trial and Train), Kevin Proctor, Leivaha Pulu, Ethan Roberts (20’s), Tyrone Roberts, Tyrone Roberts-Davis (20’s), Dan Sarginson, Sam Saville (Trial and Train), Hayden Schwass (Trial and Train), David Shillington, Ryan Simpkins, Zeb Taia, Ashley Taylor, Paterika Vaivai, Jarrod Wallace, Henare Wells (Trial and Train), William Zillman

BYE SCHEDULE

The Titans miss rounds 12 and 18, but cover the middle big bye round. Their Origin players will miss a maximum of three games. Gold Coast offer several viable SuperCoach options this season and their bye schedule should allow you to being able to select as many of their players as you want from round 1.

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1. Hayne Interchange:2. Vidot 14. Roberts3. Sarginson 15. Simpkins4. Hurrell 16. Pulu5. Don 17. Paasi / Peteru6. Taylor7. Elgey8. James9. Peats10. Wallace11. Proctor12. McQueen13. Taia


PROP – James, Wallace, Paasi, Pettybourne, Peteru, Shillington, Vaivai, Nakubuwai, Bernard (20’s), King (20’s), Farmer (20’s) HOK – Peats, T. Roberts, Politoni, Lawton, E. Roberts (20’s) 2RF – Proctor, McQueen, Taia, Paasi, Pulu, Boyle, Ma’afu, Schwass, Liolavave, Faukafa (20’s) LOCK – James, Wallace, Paasi, Simpkins, Saville HALF - Elgey, T. Roberts, Cornish, Lawton, Brimson (20’s), Hakaraia (20’s), E. Roberts (20’s) 5/8 – A. Taylor, T. Roberts, Lawton CTW – Sarginson, Hurrell, Zillman, Lawton, Olive, Davis, Roberts-Davis (20’s) WING – Don, Vidot, Zillman, Olive, Davis, Wells, Roberts-Davis (20’s) FLB – Hayne, Zillman, Davis, Wells, Brimson (20’s), Roberts-Davis (20’s)

2017 Gains: Konrad Hurrell (Mid Season: New Zealand Warriors, 2017), Nathan Peats (Mid Season: Parramatta Eels, 2017), Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm, 2020), Dan Sarginson (Wigan Warriors, 2018), Daniel Vidot (Salford Red Devils, 2018), Jarrod Wallace (Brisbane Broncos, 2019)

2017 Losses: Greg Bird (Catalan Dragons), Lachlan Burr (Leigh Centurions), Jed Cartwright (Penrith Panthers), Cameron Cullen (Manly Sea Eagles), Luke Douglas (St Helens RLFC), Nathan Friend (retired), David Hala (released), Josh Hoffman (Parramatta Eels), Brian Kelly (Manly Sea Eagles), Nene Macdonald (St George Illawarra Dragons), David Mead (Brisbane Broncos), Daniel Mortimer (Cronulla Sharks), Matt Srama (retired), Shane Wright (North Queensland Cowboys)

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Cow



Other)

Hayne Hurrell Peats James Elgey Roberts

Proctor Taia Sarginson Olive

Taylor Pulu

Wallace Davis

Paasi Pettybourne

McQueen Shillington

Zillman

Peteru

Don

Moseley

Simpkins

Lawton

Tuiasau


Max King (20’s) – Position: Prop. Lock Height: 190cm Weight: 103kg Young promising front row forward who will spend his 2nd and final season playing NYC in 2017. His 2016 season was outstanding in the NYC, culminating in being awarded the Titans NYC Player of the Year as well as being promoted to the NRL squad for the 2017 season. He led the NYC in offloads during 2016 with 57, was 3rd in most tackles with 817 and led the NYC in top of our tackle efficiency rate. He averaged 124.7 metres from 13.2 hit ups and 34 tackles in 59.7 minutes per game to go along with 3 tries, 3 line breaks, 1 try assist, 53 missed tackles and 24 tackle breaks in 24 games.

Max King 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/116/playerid/7481/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Kurt Bernard – Position: Prop Height: 196cm Weight: 120kg Huge front row forward who arrived at the Titans 12 months ago weighing 125kgs, but is looking at getting down to 115kgs for the start of 2017 season. Due to his size his 2016 season was limited in minutes and he was used off the bench as an impact forward, but will hoping to see more minutes as his match fitness improves. H spent time in the Q Cup during last season and with 2016 being his last season; look for Kurt to make an impact for Tweed Heads in the Q Cup in 2017. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 89.9 metres from 7.8 hit ups and 13.8 tackles in 36.4 minutes per game to go along with 3 tries, 5 line breaks, 5 offloads, 50 missed tackles and 55 tackle breaks in 18 games in NYC.

Kurt Bernard 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/116/playerid/6583/seasonid/44/default.aspx





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Gun – Jarryd Hayne

Sleeper – Konrad Hurrell

Bust – Ryan James

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie - Max King


� Kane Elgey – left ACL (5/1/16 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Nathan Davis – right ankle surgery (26/6 – confirmed - REHAB Group – TBA) � Karl Lawton – left ankle (4/7 – confirmed - REHAB Group – TBA) � Agnatius Paasi - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Ashley Taylor – groin surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Zeb Taia – groin surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Nathan Peats - thumb surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kurt Bernard - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � John Olive - shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Eddy Pettybourne - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Tyrone Roberts - left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kevin Proctor – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/left patella knee

surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jarrod Wallace – groin surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � AJ Brimson - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Konrad Hurrell – right knee surgery (21/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group) � Tyrone Roberts – calf injury (Dec 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Anthony Don - knee injury (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kevin Proctor - knee injury (17/1 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � David Shillington – shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Dan Sarginson – knee injury (patellar tendinitis – confirmed 24/1 – REHAB group – TBA)


� Nathan Davis (ankle) � Karl Lawton (ankle) � Agnatius Paasi (shoulder) � Ashley Taylor (groin) � Zeb Taia (groin) � Kurt Bernard (shoulder) � Jarrod Wallace (groin)

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� Konrad Hurrell (knee) � Anthony Don (knee) � Kevin Proctor (knee) � Dan Sarginson (knee) � David Shillington (shoulder)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Kurt Bernard (20’s), Morgan Boyle (20’s), AJ Brimson (20’s), Jack Conlan (20’s), Tyler Cornish (Trial and Train), Curtis Dansey-Smaller (20’s), Nathan Davis, Sam Eley (20’s), Kelepi Faukafa (20’s), Moeaki Fotuaika (20’s), Ryan Horton (20’s), Konrad Hurrell, Ryan James, Max King (20’s), Karl Lawton, Lamar Liolavave (Trial and Train), Faatupu Lisati (20’s), Lorenzo Ma’afu (Trial & Train), Willie Malala (20’s), Reihana Marsh (20’s), Chris McQueen, Michael Molo (20’s), Ben Nakubuwai (Trial & Train), Agnatius Paasi, Kody Parsons (20’s), Niko Patelesio (20’s), Nathan Peats, Wally Pegler (20’s), Eddy Pettybourne, Pat Politoni (Trial and Train), Luke Polson (20’s), Leivaha Pulu, Ethan Roberts (20’s), Tyrone Roberts, Tyrone Roberts-Davis (20’s), Sam Saville (Trial and Train), Hayden Schwass (Trial and Train), Kurtis Shayler (20’s), David Shillington, Ryan Simpkins, Jack Sparey (20’s), Tim Swane (20’s), Zeb Taia, Justin Timu (20’s), Paterika Vaivai, Zae Wallace (20’s), Henare Wells (Trial and Train), Todd White (20’s), Isaac Worboys (20’s), Keenan Yorston (20’s), William Zillman

� 2018 - Anthony Don, Kane Elgey, Bostyn Hakaraia (20’s), Jarryd Hayne, Nathaniel Peteru, John Olive, Dan Sarginson, Ashley Taylor, Daniel Vidot

� 2019 – Darrius Farmer (20’s), Kevin Proctor, Jarrod Wallace

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Davis, Nathan CTW $193,900 8 29.0 72.0 0.40 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingDavis played 8 games in his first NRL season, averaging just 29 PPG. With Hurrell and Sarginson the likely

centre combination, he is unlikely to get much of a look in this season and he should be avoided. E


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Don, Anthony CTW $194,500 22 29.0 80.0 0.36 16 40.3 80.1 0.50


2017 SC Rating Don would have to be one of the worst options for your CTW going around. In 13 games last year where he failed to score a try he averaged just 17 PPG, and in the games in which he did score a try he averaged 46 PPG. This suggests that he simply does not do enough nor get enough of the ball to take up a valuable

CTW spot and especially at $200k!E


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Elgey, Kane HFB / 5/8 $226,700 0 - - n/a 16 48.4 74.3 0.65


2017 SC Rating Elgey is starting the season priced at $226k despite not playing a single game last season thanks to a 49 PPG average in 16 games the season prior. He therefore has a nice discount in his starting price (with a 49 PPG average player generally starting at over $100k more) and given he will play every game for the Titans

(injury permitting), he looms as a viable option this season. B


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Hayne, Jarryd 5/8 / FLB $244,700 5 37.0 71.0 0.52 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating There is probably no other player in the competition with as much pressure or expectation on them as Jarryd Hayne. He has been brought back to the NRL on massive money and is expected to deliver for

the Titans. You are getting him for a 35 PPG average, a price dramatically under his likely final value when considering that in the season before his departure to the NFL he averaged 85 PPG. He will be the most

selected player in SuperCoach and for good reason. A

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Hurrell, Konrad CTW $315,300 12 47.0 64.0 0.73 12 42.2 68.4 0.62


2017 SC Rating Hurrell joined the Titans mid-season (round 14) and averaged 60 PPG from that point on compared to an average of just 12 points in his 3 games for the Warriors. Priced at $300k, he has to come into serious

consideration for your side given this 2016 output with the Titans and the fact that he has averaged over 60 PPG in years gone by (2014). The Titans will be good this season and look for Hurrell to be one of their key

attacking weapons. B


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James, Ryan 2RF / FRF $487,400 24 73.0 59.0 1.24 21 47.1 76.0 0.62


2017 SC Rating Ryan James had an outstanding SuperCoach season in 2016 with a significant increase on anything that he has produced in the past. His performance was even more impressive considering that he saw a permanent shift to the front row resulting in a big reduction in minutes from 76 MPG to 59 MPG. A key driver was that he scored the 2nd most tries for the Titans with 11 for the season, a rate hard to repeat year after year for a prop! He averaged 33 tackles and 15 hit-ups per game, which presents a very solid base, but I can’t justify

the price tag for round 1. C


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Lawton, Karl HOK / HFB $143,600 1 14.0 46.0 0.30 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingLawton is recovering from a serious knee injury and is unlikely to play much part in this season for

the Titans. E


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McQueen, Chris 2RF / CTW $303,900 24 45.0 70.0 0.64 23 39.4 67.5 0.58


2017 SC Rating Despite generally playing big minutes, McQueen has never been SuperCoach relevant with an average work rate of 25 tackles and 9 hit-ups per game not helping. He’s available in both the 2nd row and CTW,

but this doesn’t make him any more attractive based on past stats and he’s another mid-pricer to stay away from this year. E

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Moseley, Kierran HOK $150,400 4 23.0 33.0 0.70 16 34.6 49.3 0.70


2017 SC RatingTyonne Roberts is likely to beat Moseley to the utility bench spot. He can’t be selected unless there is an

injury to the incumbent hooker and even then, probably not. E


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Olive, John CTW $198,500 4 33.0 80.0 0.41 1 18.0 80.0 0.23


2017 SC Rating Olive joined the Titans from Souths last year, but could manage just 4 games at an average of 33 PPG. With Daniel Vidot’s signing and Anthony Don likely to secure the opposite wing spot, Olive may be fighting it out

in Queensland Cup for much of the year. D


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Paasi, Agnatius 2RF / FRF $311,700 24 47.0 44.0 1.07 18 38.6 48.8 0.79


2017 SC Rating Paasi played similar MPG in 2016 to that of the season prior but was able to produced a slightly higher PPG with some big improvements in base statistics per game. However, he was only able to average 35

PPG over the final 10 games of the season and he looks like a player who requires big attacking statistics to get anywhere close to a reasonable score given his reduced minutes.D


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Peats, Nathan HOK $364,800 19 55.0 65.0 0.85 19 58.1 75.4 0.77


2017 SC Rating Peats averaged 54 PPG for the Titans (56 PPG for the Eels) to finish the season as the 7th best hooker in the competition. Playing an average of 65 MPG, he was ahead of Jake Friend with regards to PPM, so if he can secure more time on ground then he could very well have some value in his starting price. However, in 2015 and 2014 he averaged in excess of 75 MPG and could score approximately 57 PPG. With only two

positions available at hooker and the Titans missing the first bye round, Peats is not a hooking option which I am considering too seriously this season.

C

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Peteru, Nathaniel FRF $184,500 2 35.0 33.0 1.06 5 29.6 25.6 1.16


2017 SC RatingPeteru played just the 2 games for the Titans last season and will probably play about the same this year

without injuries to others. James, Wallace and Shillington (if fit) will command minutes in the front row. E


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Pettybourne, Eddy

2RF / FRF $149,500 11 22.0 25.0 0.88 21 38.0 42.1 0.90


2017 SC Rating

Pettybourne will once again offer depth in the front-row, but nothing more. E


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Proctor, Kevin 2RF $407,800 21 61.0 70.0 0.87 24 51.5 63.3 0.81


2017 SC Rating Proctor is the Titans big recruit this season and he will be looking to follow on from his SuperCoach breakout season in 2016 where he averaged 61 PPG. The Titans have spent big money on Proctor and will

be looking for him to play as many minutes as possible and this will hopefully see him play closer to 80 MPG this season. In the 7 games that he played 80 MPG in 2016, he averaged 65 PPG.B


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Pulu, Leivaha FRF $221,200 22 33.0 37.0 0.89 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingPulu adds depth to the squad, but will not overtake Wallace or James as starting prop and as such is

largely irrelevant for SuperCoach. E

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Roberts, Tyrone HFB / 5/8 $294,100 20 44.0 78.0 0.56 21 41.2 75.7 0.54


2017 SC Rating Roberts will struggle to get too much game time this year as the Titans are likely to run with their two young halves. Regardless, he has never been relevant for SuperCoach and don’t expect anything to change

this season. E


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Sarginson, Dan 5/8 / CTW $219,900 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Dan Sarginson joins the Titans from the English Super League and played for England 3 times. Starting at a little over $200k he looms as a potential bargain buy given his recent performances in the Super League. He finished the 2016 Super League season with the most carries, 6th most metres made and 3rd in total offloads made. He has picked up an injury during the pre-season, which adds some risk into his selection

from round 1. B


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Shillington, David FRF $260,100 11 39.0 37.0 1.05 15 51.7 47.7 1.08


2017 SC RatingJarrod Wallace and Ryan James will be the starting props for the Titans this season resulting in Shillington

producing much of the same from last year. There are far better options for your side. E


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Simpkins, Ryan HOK / 2RF $143,600 8 17.0 23.0 0.74 6 37.3 41.5 0.90


2017 SC RatingSimpkins should spend most of the season in the Queensland Cup and will only find his way into the NRL

side should their be injuries. E

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Taia, Zeb 2RF $352,600 24 53.0 78.0 0.68 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Taia proved to be a very shrewd acquisition for the Titans playing almost every minute of every game in 2016. Whilst a season ending average of 53 was a reasonable return he didn’t really do enough to put

himself into calculations for this season. He averaged less than 50 PPG over the last 10 games and there are better options for your crucial 2nd row spots. D


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Taylor, Ashley HFB $343,100 21 51.0 80.0 0.64 1 12.0 29.0 0.41


2017 SC RatingTaylor was one of, if not the cash cow of the year last season. However, he starts 2017 priced in the mid

$300k’s and won’t be selected in too many teams for obvious reasons. C


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Tuiasau, Oshae FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingTuiasau spent last season recovering from a horror injury from the end of his under-20s career. Expect him

to spend most of his time this season playing in the Queensland CupE


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Wallace, Jarrod FRF $251,800 24 38.0 37.0 1.03 22 41.0 37.4 1.10


2017 SC Rating Wallace is a great acquisition for the Titans, adding some much needed power to their forward pack. He should join James as the starting front row and cause some real damage this year. I am expecting that he will eclipse the 37 MPG at the Broncos last season, but this would likely be capped to a point given that

James will demand at least 60 MPG. 45 - 50 MPG is not out of the question, but he would need more than this to be worthwhile selecting. He does have the ability also to play lock as he played this position for the

Broncos last season in round 13, where he scored 60 points in 80 minutes. C

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Zillman, William CTW / FLB $248,100 9 37.0 81.0 0.46 10 34.4 78.1 0.44


2017 SC Rating

Zillman will not score more than 40 points on average this season and will not play more than 10 games. E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 MANLY SEA EAGLES | 67

MANLY SEA EAGLES

2016 was earmarked as a rebuilding year with a new coach and new-look roster. Fast forward 12 months and there’s a definite sense of déjà vu about the Sea Eagles’ preseason. Gradually the ‘old firm’ are moving on due to retirement (whether voluntary or injury-enforced). In any case, there are more reasons to be optimistic about 2017 for Sea Eagles’ fans with some astute recruits (as well as some lemons of course). The key will lie in how DCE performs now he has a recognised half beside him again in Blake Green. A 12th place finish was not acceptable for the Sea Eagles faithful; however, provided the injuries are kinder than 2016 and the spine can develop some continuity, the Sea Eagles should have the cattle to challenge for the top eight, even if they will fall short.

Predicted finish: 12th

2017 NRL SQUAD

Billy Bainbridge (20’s), Lewis Brown, Daly Cherry-Evans, Cameron Cullen, Addin Fonua-Blake, Blake Green, Jackson Hastings, Jamil Hopoate, Brian Kelly, Jarred Kennedy, Apisai Koroisau, Shaun Lane, Brenton Lawrence, Darcy Lussick, Nate Myles, Brad Parker (20’s), Lloyd Perrett, Curtis Sironen, Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Martin Taupau, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic, Akulia Uate, Dylan Walker, Frank Winterstein, Jonathon Wright, Matt Wright, Tom Wright (20’s)


Tom Amone, Blake Andrews (20’s), Billy Bainbridge (20’s), Lewis Brown, Daly Cherry-Evans, Cameron Cullen, Charlie Faingaa, Addin Fonua-Blake, Pita Godinet, Blake Green, Jamil Hopoate, Brian Kelly, Jarred Kennedy, Jerry Keys, Apisai Koroisau, Shaun Lane, Brenton Lawrence, Kevin Locke (Trial and Train), Darcy Lussick, Joey Lussick (NSW Cup), Willis Meehan, Nate Myles, Matt Parcell, Brad Parker (20’s), Peter Schuster, Curtis Sironen, Omar Slaimankhel (Trial and Train), Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Martin Taupau, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic, Akulia Uate, Dylan Walker, Johnnie Walker, Frank Winterstein, Jonathan Wright, Matt Wright, Tom Wright (20’s)

BYE SCHEDULE

The Sea Eagles have the worst bye schedule, being one of three teams whose byes fall on the first two big bye rounds (rounds 12 and 15). Load up from round 16 onwards though as they will not miss any games after that. The upside here is that Origin representatives from the Sea Eagles (most likely Dylan Walker, the Trbojevic brothers and Nate Myles being the only realistic selection candidates) will miss only the one extra game (round 18).

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1. T Trbojevic Interchange:2. Taufua 14. Hastings3. J Wright 15. Winterstein4. D Walker 16. Fonua-Blake5. Uate 17. Lane / Kennedy6. Green7. Cherry-Evans8. Lawrence9. Koroisau10. Myles11. Sironen12. Taupau13. J Trbojevic


PROP – Myles, J. Trbojevic, Lussick, Perrett, Lawrence, Fonua-Blake, J. Walker, Amone, Faingaa HOK – Koroisau, Hastings, Godinet, Lussick 2RF – Taupau, Sironen, Brown, Lane, Kennedy, Bainbridge (20’s), Walker (20’s), Winterstein, Andrews (20’s), Keys LOCK – Taupau, J. Trbojevic, Hopoate, Amone HALF - Cherry-Evans, Cullen, Koroisau, Hastings, Godinet 5/8 – Green, D. Walker, Godinet, Lussick CTW – D. Walker, Kelly, J. Wright, Andrews (20’s), Keys WING – Taufua, Uate, J. Wright, M. Wright, Kelly, Parker (20’s), Schuster FLB – Stewart, T. Trbojevic, Slaimankhel, Wright (20’s)

2017 Gains: Cameron Cullen (Gold Coast Titans, 2018), Blake Green (Melbourne Storm, 2018), Jackson Hastings (Sydney Roosters, 2018), Brian Kelly (Gold Coast Titans, 2018), Shaun Lane (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2018), Lloyd Perrett (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2019), Curtis Sironen (Wests Tigers, 2018), Akulia Uate (Newcastle Knights, 2018), Jonathan Wright (New Zealand Warriors, 2018), Matthew Wright (Mid Season: North Queensland Cowboys, 2019)

2017 Losses: Rhys Armstrong (released), Jamie Buhrer (Newcastle Knights), Luke Burgess (Catalan Dragons), Fabian Goodall (rugby union), Nathan Green (released), Nicholas Hynes (released), Isaac John (released), Dylan Kelly (released), Liam Knight (Sydney Roosters), Halauafu Lavaka (released), Blake Leary (released), Jamie Lyon (retired), Feleti Mateo (released), Tim Moltzen (retired), Matt Parcell (Leeds Rhinos), Hugh Pratt (released), Tony Satini (Penrith Panthers), Josh Starling (Newcastle Knights), Tom Symonds (Huddersfield Giants), Siosaia Vave (Parramatta Eels), Brayden Wiliame (Catalan Dragons), Willis Meehan (released)

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Cow



Other)

T Trbojevic Cherry-Evans Fonua-Blake Green Kelly Lane Bainbridge

Taupau Lussick Koroisau Kennedy T Wright Brown

D Walker Taufua Hastings Uate Cullen

M Wright Lawrence

Winterstein Myles

Parker

Sironen

Stewart

J Walker

J Wright


Brian Kelly – Position: Centre, Wing Height: 184cm Weight: 96kg Highly rated outside back who signed a 3 year deal to play at Manly after completing 3 years playing in the NYC for the Titans scoring, 35 tries in 54 games. Scored 4 tries for the NSW Blues Under 20’s Origin team in 2015. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 132 metres from 13 hit ups and 10 tackles per game to go along with 11 tries, 9 goals, 11 line breaks, 1 try assist, 13 offloads, 53 tackle breaks and 37 missed tackles in 15 games. With the Sea Eagles limited outside backs depth he could be pushing for a starting spot come Round 1 or at least making his NRL debut at some stage during the season.

Brian Kelly 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/116/playerid/6825/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Billy Bainbridge – Position: Second Row Height: 180cm Weight: 98kg Second row forward who is a local junior and made his NRL debut in Round 26 in 2016. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 87.4 metres from 9.5 hit ups and 27.7 tackles in 79.4 minutes per game to go along with 9 tries, 8 line breaks, 46 missed tackles and 47 tackle breaks in 22 games. May not play any first grade in 2017, but could be a player to watch in future years.

Billy Bainbridge 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/105/playerid/7287/seasonid/44/default.aspx

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Gun – Tom Trbojevic

Sleeper – Daly Cherry-Evans

Bust – Apisai Koroisau

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Brian Kelly


� Steve Matai – neck surgery (May 15’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Brett Stewart - knee surgery (22/7 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) Darcy Lussick – left

shoulder surgery (22/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/ left wrist surgery – 18/1 – REHAB Group – TBA)

� Dylan Walker – left dislocated shoulder injury (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tom Trbojevic – right ankle surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Daly Cherry Evans – right ankle surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Brenton Lawrence – pectoral surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jorge Taufua – right shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jake Trbojevic – left knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Nate Myles – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Matt Wright – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Lewis Brown – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Addin Fonua-Blake – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Akulia Uate - ankle surgery – (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Cameron Cullen – right shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jackson Hastings – leg injury (7/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jackson Hastings - ankle surgery (19/1 - confirmed - REHAB Group - TBA)


� Brett Stewart (knee) � Darcy Lussick (shoulder/wrist) � Dylan Walker (shoulder) � Tom Trbojevic (ankle) � Jake Trbojevic (knee) � Daly Cherry-Evans (ankle) � Brenton Lawrence (pectoral) � Jorge Taufua (shoulder) � Nate Myles (knee)

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CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Tom Amone, Billy Bainbridge (20’s), Cameron Cullen, George Francis (20’s), Pita Godinet, Jamil Hopoate, Jarred Kennedy, Jerry Keys, Joey Lussick, Jesse Martin (20’s), Brad Parker (20’s), Jonah Polota Kopa (20’s), Peter Schuster, Omar Slaimankhel (Trial and Train), Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Junior Tuileisu (20’s), Johnnie Walker, Frank Winterstein

� 2018 – Blake Andrews (20’s), Lewis Brown, Charlie Faingaa, Addin Fonua-Blake, Blake Green, Jackson Hastings, Brian Kelly, Apisai Koroisau, Shaun Lane, Darcy Lussick, Nate Myles, Curtis Sironen, Akulia Uate, Jonathan Wright, Tom Wright (20’s)

� 2019 – Dylan Walker, Matt Wright, Lloyd Perrett � 2020 - Martin Taupau, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic � 2021 – Daly Cherry-Evans



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Bainbridge, Billy TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Bainbridge made his FG debut in round 26 last year, playing 14 minutes off the bench. He may get more opportunities in 2017 if injuries hit hard in the backrow but Barrett is on record in Sept 2016 saying he is 18

months off playing regular FG. Not yet in the SC database.E


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Brown, Lewis 2RF / CTW $177,100 24 27.0 61.0 0.44 21 44.2 61.2 0.72


2017 SC Rating 2016 was highlighted by numerous stints in the centres or as bench hooker resulting in Brown’s poorest year yet. There are some reports that he has been shopped around to Super League clubs but regardless,

his low PPM makes him irrelevant but for the fact that he will start at near rookie price. An option if he starts but even then, only if there are no better options.C


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Cherry-Evans, Daly HFB $358,500 19 54.0 78.0 0.69 23 61.0 78.1 0.78


2017 SC Rating DCE disappointed in 2016, but again holds much promise, especially at his estimated starting price. With Blake Green (the closest thing to Kieran Foran that was on the open market at the time) beside him to

control the team, DCE has been given licence to inject himself whenever he sees an opportunity. This bodes well for DCE’s scores in theory, in which case he should return to being one of the elite halves, albeit with a poor bye schedule. You could do worse than to take a punt on the new Sea Eagles captain given they play

five out of their first seven games at Brookvale Oval.B

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Cullen, Cameron

HFB / 5/8 $227,800 5 43.0 68.0 0.63 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Stuck behind a logjam of talented halves at the Titans, Cullen was a depth signing for the Sea Eagles. Showed promise in his five games in 2016 but won’t be an option barring a long-term injury to DCE, Green

and potentially also Hastings.D


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Fonua-Blake, Addin FRF $231,100 14 35.0 28.0 1.25 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Playing 14 games in his debut season, Fonua-Blake showed his potential as a prop with a nose for attacking stats. Limited minutes restricted his output but he has shown a respectable work rate when given longer minutes as well. A chance to start now that Lussick is out until approximately Round 5, which may

increase his appeal slightly.C


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Godinet, Pita HOK / HFB $285,400 2 61.0 80.0 0.76 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Godinet was only ever signed for depth and only turned out twice last year. He played very well though in SC terms and averaged 61 across the two games. He has been added to the Nines’ squad as he potentially

plays for another contract - however at that starting price he is unlikely to be relevant.E


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Green, Blake 5/8 $339,600 21 51.0 80.0 0.64 24 53.9 80.2 0.67


2017 SC Rating A significant acquisition from the Storm, Green may be the key to unlocking DCE’s scoring potential again. He is not an elite half option in his own regard, but can be considered a POD who can average 50-55 across

a season but has the ability to score 100+ in any week. New team makes him less appealing than 2016 though, and it remains to be seen whether he adapts from being at the ultra-professional Storm outfit to the

Sea Eagles. C

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Hastings, Jackson

HFB / 5/8 $350,700 15 52.0 80.0 0.65 14 18.6 35.5 0.52


2017 SC Rating A late signing from the Roosters (Wyong, really), Hastings has been thrown a lifeline by the Sea Eagles. Originally expected to take up a bench utility position, there have been rumours that he may in fact start

at hooker given he has (limited) experience playing there and the Sea Eagles really need a consistent goal kicker. This would be a kick in the teeth for Koroisau but it would be hard to pick Hastings at that price regardless, given he would be unlikely to play more than 50-60 minutes even if he started at hooker, or

he ends up as bench utility because *shock* he’s not actually a FG standard starting hooker. He has had offseason surgery on a long-term troublesome ankle (removing a bone that has been floating around for four

years) and all this uncertainty plus a disrupted offseason means he is to be avoided from Round 1.

D


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Kelly, Brian CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Signed from the Titans as depth for their thin outside back stocks, Kelly has long been considered a freakish talent who has question marks over his training and application. Whether he gets to an opportunity will depend on Matai, Stewart and injuries. Jump on if named come round 1 but otherwise keep him on the

midseason watch list.C


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Kennedy, Jarrad

CTW / 2RF $165,100 0 - - n/a 23 38.0 52.0 0.73


2017 SC Rating Kennedy was decent in 2015, averaging 38 PPG in 52 MPG, whilst only missing 1 game for the season. In 2016 he spent the year in the NSW Cup, and was named in the team of the season. He left the Raiders for Manly, and is shaping as a real chance to start the year in the back row, or if not at least from the bench. Pencil him in as a potential cheapie, and keep a real eye on him over the trials. He won’t set the world on

fire but he could be a solid early season cow.B


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Koroisau, Apisai

HOK / 5/8 $349,800 18 52.0 72.0 0.72 16 49.6 70.2 0.71


2017 SC Rating Started 2016 as first choice hooker before losing his spot to Parcell, Koroisau also spent time in the halves due to injury. Parcell’s departure to Leeds meant he was likely to have the starting hooker position on a

silver platter but the recent signing of Jackson Hastings may place this in jeopardy, with contrasting reports indicating that Hastings may actually start at hooker due to his accuracy as a goal kicker. If that is the case,

then Koroisau will be relegated to the bench hooker/utility spot which is SuperCoach poison.C

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Lane, Shaun 2RF $143,600 1 11.0 21.0 0.52 12 40.5 40.4 1.00


2017 SC Rating After a breakout midseason debut in 2015 with the Bulldogs, Lane was not sighted in 2016 until he moved to the Warriors as part of a midseason player swap. Even then, he only played the one game off the bench for a measly 11 points. He should be in the mix for a bench position but is likely to be behind the likes of

Jake Trbojevic, Taupau, Brown, Sironen, Kennedy and Frank Winterstein. If he drops to bottom dollar then he will be worth keeping an eye on as a potential midseason cheapie option.

C


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Lawrence, Brenton FRF $274,800 9 41.0 36.0 1.14 1 33.0 47.0 0.70


2017 SC Rating Showed glimpses of his SuperCoach potential in 2016 but seems to be behind Lussick, Myles and even Fonua-Blake in the pecking order as the rumours are that he is being shopped around to try free up salary cap. If he doesn’t leave he is likely to get a bench position and continues to have a strong PPM, but unless

his average minutes increase to 50 MPG or more he will not offer much value.D


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Lussick, Darcy 2RF / FRF $270,500 19 40.0 43.0 0.93 17 33.7 34.6 0.97


2017 SC Rating After long being somewhat of a plodder, Lussick showed signs of life as a SuperCoach option in the back half of 2016. In his last seven games of the year he averaged 50 PPG in 54 MPG, a significant increase from

his season average of 40 PPG in 43 MPG. Of note is that he scored over 48 out of 50 PPG in pure base stats. He will represent decent value if he can continue his form and average 50 MPG as starting prop for

2017. N.B. will miss the opening month or more with an injury. Put him on the watch list to see how he goes once he returns.

D


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Matai, Steve CTW $223,900 8 34.0 79.0 0.43 19 31.7 74.3 0.43


2017 SC Rating Barely sighted in 2016 (only played eight games), the fact that all offseason the talk is that he will have to retire due to a chronic neck injury means that even if he somehow lines up for round 1, he is a no go. His

best years are long behind him as well.E

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Myles, Nate 2RF / FRF $268,200 16 40.0 43.0 0.93 16 41.7 48.1 0.87


2017 SC Rating Was touted as an option after his seachange, but he really disappointed in 2016, both on the field and in SuperCoach terms. He is only getting older so it is hard to see how there will be a SuperCoach renaissance

for this one-time SuperCoach gun.C


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Parker, Brad CTW $177,100 4 27.0 81.0 0.33 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Only featured in four games in 2016 after an outside back injury crisis. His base stats are almost as bad as Bevan French (scores of 14, 11 and 11 when not scoring a brace of tries). Still, he may be bottom dollar and in the mix for a wing spot alongside Uate and the Wright ‘brothers’, so worth keeping an eye on regardless. D


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Perrett, Lloyd FRF $150,400 2 23.0 21.0 1.10 14 27.9 29.9 0.93


2017 SC Rating A late signing from the Bulldogs (finally), Perrett has long been considered a promising talent for the future, given he has been a part of the QLD Emerging Origin/Emerging Maroons squad from 2015 to 2017. Perrett

has played 24 games in FG spread across three seasons, but was unable to push his way through the logjam of forwards at the Bulldogs. Given his relatively low price, if he is able to get a spot on the bench he

should be able to play enough minutes to make some money.C


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Sironen, Curtis 2RF / 5/8 $228,100 8 34.0 51.0 0.67 19 39.2 72.6 0.54


2017 SC Rating Sironen’s work rate improved slightly in 2016 but his PPM is still nowhere near good enough to be particularly SuperCoach-relevant. Throw in the fact that he will most likely be consigned to a bench role and

he is not an option, even at his low price.D

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Stewart, Brett FLB $143,600 11 21.0 77.0 0.27 22 42.1 78.2 0.54


2017 SC Rating Brett Stewart’s glory days are far behind him and he is clearly no longer the best fullback at the Sea Eagles. He is seriously cheap and may be worth a punt (even if named on the wing) to start the year though -

assuming he even survives the preseason. A perennial injury risk and AE nightmare, especially as he gets older, one could not be blamed for giving him a big miss.D


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Taufua, Jorge CTW $296,300 18 44.0 78.0 0.56 17 47.6 80.0 0.59


2017 SC Rating Jorge has been a stalwart on the left wing of the Sea Eagles for a number of years now, but there have been grumblings that his position is far from nailed on this year. His performances on the field have been

declining whilst his body has been increasingly injury-prone. Despite that, Taufua remains one of the better base stat wingers around, but has struggled for attacking stats in recent years. Could be a left-field POD

but one may want to see some evidence of improvement before jumping on.C


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Taupau, Martin 2RF / FRF $406,800 20 61.0 65.0 0.94 21 58.4 49.0 1.19


2017 SC Rating A mixed year in 2016 on the field, but in SuperCoach terms Taupau had his best year yet despite moving from the middle to the edge and back again, as Barrett saw fit. On the edge, Taupau averaged 68 PPG from 75 MPG (although some parts of the later games he was playing on the edge and the middle, swapping with

JTurbo). In the middle (mainly prop), Taupau averaged 50 PPG from 48 MPG. Early indications seem to be that he will be back on the edge, which is promising, but he needs attacking stats to bump up his scores as

he only averages 50 in pure base. Constant suspension risk as well though.B


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Trbojevic, Jake 2RF / FRF $438,000 23 66.0 70.0 0.94 23 49.1 46.7 1.05


2017 SC Rating A breakout year in 2016 as well as a shift to a new position. JTurbo was a revelation at lock, especially when he played 70 minutes and over (average of 72 PPG - 6 points above his season average). If only Barrett

could be trusted to leave him at lock to play big minutes all year.A

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Trbojevic, Tom CTW / FLB $437,400 23 65.0 80.0 0.81 9 45.0 73.3 0.61


2017 SC Rating The other Trbojevic had a breakout season too, establishing himself as the number one fullback at the Sea Eagles. TTurbo was the 6th highest averaging CTW option and 4th highest FLB option and did it all on

one leg for most of the season. Word is his surgery went extremely well and in fact his ankle should heal better than what it was pre-injury, potentially allowing him to put on a bit more speed. With a full preseason

training with a settled spine, we should see him improve to be a top 5 CTW in 2017. A


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Uate, Akuila CTW $172,500 10 26.0 80.0 0.33 22 48.4 79.6 0.61


2017 SC Rating Uate averaged around 50 PPG from 2012 to 2015, despite his on field performances going backwards each year. In 2016 his SuperCoach output fell off a cliff (as did the Knights) and he is priced accordingly. The Sea Eagles are a better team and he seems likely to slot in on the right wing and should at the very least average

more than 2016.B


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Walker, Dylan 5/8 / CTW $303,400 18 45.0 76.0 0.59 21 52.3 78.7 0.66


2017 SC Rating Walker had a rollercoaster of a season, going from failed 5/8 experiment to Origin player before seeming to find a home at right centre towards the end of 2016. With a proper preseason training at his ‘new home’ where he won a premiership in 2014 (averaged 64 that year) he seems likely to improve significantly from his 2016 average of 45, especially if he takes over as goal kicker. Could be some value and he still has the

pedigree to be a keeper in the CTW.B


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Walker, Johnnie TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Was signed as a promising union player and was likely to be playing in the second row or at centre, however his development is still taking time and he has been playing lock and prop in U20s. Unlikely to be

sighted again this year.E

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Winterstein, Frank 2RF $172,900 3 32.0 56.0 0.57 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Joining the Sea Eagles towards the end of last year, the ‘Frankenstein’ played the last three games, coming off the bench (including filling in on the wing for one game) and then playing 80 minutes in round 26. He

didn’t look bad on the field but his PPM appears to be less than satisfactory from a limited sample size. At close to rookie price he is worth a look.C


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Wright, Jonathan CTW $231,700 9 35.0 75.0 0.47 20 32.5 74.5 0.44


2017 SC Rating Signed from the Warriors when the Sea Eagles were desperate for outside backs, Jono Wright’s experience may get him a CTW spot ahead of the likes of Kelly and Parker. His NRL ability would argue against that

and his SuperCoach output also agrees. Not fantasy relevant.D


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Wright, Matthew CTW $180,500 15 27.0 75.0 0.36 17 41.1 80.1 0.51


2017 SC Rating Matthew Wright is a handy NRL player in that he can goal kick and take kick-offs, but it doesn’t translate to SuperCoach points. He is another goal kicking option and may land somewhere in the backline come round

1. At his price and if he is kicking goals, he is worth considering if there aren’t an abundance of bottom dollar options. C


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Wright, Tom HFB / 5/8 $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Another highly-sought after signing, the youngest Wright (they’re not really brothers) was viewed as a long-term successor to Kieran Foran. He has been running around as a fullback in U20s but his future position will be at pivot. Wright turns 20 in July next year so his time will come. He is unlikely to get a run unless

mass injuries strike the backline again or Barrett decides to roll the dice and pray for a Trbojevic-like impact.E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 MELBOURNE STORM | 79

MELBOURNE STORM

Every year it seems the expert commentators start predicting the downfall of the Storm, with many predicting a finish outside the top 4 and some in fact predicting a finish outside the top 8. Well, one minor premiership later, those of egg on their faces learned that you write off the champion side that is the Storm juggernaut at your own peril. Now, the Storm once again have some serious questions to answer (How will Billy Slater go? How do they replace Blake Green? Who takes over from Kevin Proctor? What about Marika Koroibete’s vacated left flank?). It would take a brave soul to question the ability of Craig Bellamy to coach the Cameron Smith-lead and Cooper Cronk-controlled Storm team to back-up a quality 2016.

Predicted Finish: 2nd

2017 NRL SQUAD

Josh Addo-Carr, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Cheyse Blair, Dean Britt, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Will Chambers, Brodie Croft (20’s), Cooper Cronk, Dale Finucane, Tim Glasby, Slade Griffin, Tohu Harris, Jeremy Hawkins, Jahrome Hughes, Riley Jacks, Erevonu Kamikamica, Felise Kaufusi, Vincent Leuluai, Jordan McLean, Cameron Munster, Mark Nicholls, Justin Olam, Curtis Scott (20’s), Billy Slater, Brandon Smith, Cameron Smith, Joe Stimson, Shem-Kalvin Tatupu, Young Tonumaipea, Jack Turpin, Suliasi Vunivalu, Christian Welch


Josh Addo-Carr, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Cheyse Blair, Dean Britt, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Will Chambers, Brodie Croft (20’s), Cooper Cronk, Scott Drinkwater (20’s), Dale Finucane, Charlie Galo, Tim Glasby, Slade Griffin, Guy Hamilton (Train & Trial), Tohu Harris, Jeremy Hawkins, Jahrome Hughes, Riley Jacks, Erevonu Kamikamica, Felise Kaufusi, Dylan Kelly, Vincent Leuluai, Jordan McLean, Harrison Muller (Train & Trial), Cameron Munster, Mark Nicholls, Justin Olam, Linc Port (Trial and Train), Curtis Scott (20’s), Billy Slater, Brandon Smith, Cameron Smith, Joe Stimson, Jack Svendsen (Trial and Train), Shem-Kalvin Tatupu, Young Tonumaipea, Suliasi Vunivalu, Christian Welch

BYE SCHEDULE

The Storm have somewhat of a favourable bye schedule with byes on rounds 12 and 19. This means that they play two out of the three big bye rounds (rounds 15 and 18). Origin players (mainly Smith, Cronk and Chambers) will miss a minimum of four games (rounds 12, 15, 18 and 19) over the bye period, which makes in particular Cameron Smith a difficult proposition to carry through the byes this year given there are only two hooker positions. The likes of Tohu Harris and Jesse Bromwich will be extremely valuable from round 13 onwards, with them only missing only one game for the rest of the year as well as covering the following two big bye rounds.

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1. Slater Interchange:2. Addo-Carr 14. Glasby3. Chambers 15. K. Bromwich4. Scott 16. Stimson5. Vunivalu 17. Asofa-Solomona6. Munster7. Cronk8. J. Bromwich9. Smith10. McLean11. Kaufusi12. Harris13. Finucane


PROP – J. Bromwich, McLean, Asofa-Solomona, Welch, Glasby, Kaufusi, Nicholls, Kamikamica, Britt, Svendsen, Galo HOK – C. Smith, B. Smith, Griffin, Turpin 2RF – Harris, Kaufusi, K. Bromwich, Glasby, Stimson, Kelly, Galo, Muller, Svendsen LOCK – Finucane, K. Bromwich, Nicholls, Griffin HALF - Cronk, Croft (20’s), Hamilton, Jacks 5/8 – Munster, Hughes, Drinkwater (20’s), Kelly CTW – Chambers, Munster, Blair, Scott (20’s), Tatupu WING – Vunivalu, Addo-Carr, Tonumaipea, Hawkins, Olam, Tatupu FLB – Slater, Munster, Hughes, Port

2017 Gains: Josh Addo-Carr (Wests Tigers, 2019), Jahrome Hughes (North Queensland Cowboys, 2018), Ryley Jacks (2017), Vincent Leuluai (Mid Season: Sydney Roosters, 2018), Justin Olam (2018), Brandon Smith (North Queensland Cowboys, 2019)

2017 Losses: Blake Green (Manly Sea Eagles), Ben Hampton (North Queensland Cowboys), Richard Kennar (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Josh Kerr (St George Illawarra Dragons), Marika Koroibete (rugby union), Ryan Morgan (St Helens RLFC), Kevin Proctor (Gold Coast Titans), Francis Tualau (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

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Cow



J Bromwich Chambers Addo-Carr Blair Kaufusi Britt Asofa-Solomona

Harris Slater K Bromwich Munster Scott Griffin Croft

C Smith Cronk Vunivalu Stimson Leuluai Glasby

Finucane Olam Hawkins

Hughes

Jacks

Kamikamica

McLean

Nicholls

B Smith

Tatupu

Tonumaipea

Welch


Brandon Smith – Position: Hooker Height: 180cm Weight: 93kg Highly rated Junior Kiwi who spent his NYC career at the Cowboys before signing a three year contract at the Storm with the view of being groomed as Cameron Smith’s replacement when he retires. He was named the starting hooker in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year over Jayden Brailey and named the Cowboys 2016 NYC Player of Year. During the 2016 season he averaged 92.5 metres from 8.5 hit ups, 5.2 tackle breaks and 28.2 tackles in 65.7 minutes per game to go along with 18 tries, 26 line breaks, 21 try assists, 74 missed tackles and 26 offloads in 24 games, with only 13 errors.

Brandon Smith 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/108/playerid/7119/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Joe Stimson – Position: Second Row Height: 189cm Weight: 97kg St Gregory’s College Junior who has been in the Storm system since 2014, and was the NYC Captain in 2015 after being named the Storm’s NYC Player of the Year in 2014. He backed it all up in 2015, before spending the 2016 season playing for the Storm’s feeder club the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Q Cup, where he was named the Storm’s inaugural Feeder Player of the Year. He has had an interrupted pre-season after having to have wrist surgery following a scooter accident with Cameron Munster in Bali in October. Stimson is known for his consistency, where his best performance and his worst performance are pretty close together. The coaching staff have good raps on him and he is seen as a future leader down the track.

Joe Stimson 2015 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/stats/holdencup/playerstatistics/playerprofile/tabid/11563/clubid/106/playerid/6594/seasonid/43/default.aspx

Charlie Galo - Position: Prop, Second Row Height: 193cm Weight: 110kg

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Promising young forward who finishes his 3 year NYC career with 16 tries in 53 games for the Storm. Spent time playing in the Q Cup throughout the 2016 season, and has been promoted to train with the first grade squad in the pre-season for the 1st time. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 122.6 metres from 12.4 hit ups and 18.2 tackles from 68.2 minutes per game to go along with 7 tries, 7 line breaks, 3 try assists, 24 offloads, 35 missed tackles and 55 tackles breaks in 14 games.

Charlie Galo 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/106/playerid/6586/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Cameron Smith

Sleeper – Billy Slater

Bust – Kenny Bromwich

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Brandon Smith


� Billy Slater – left shoulder surgery (15/3 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Vincent Leuluai - knee surgery (June 16’ – confirmed - REHAB Group – TBA) � Jeremy Hawkins - shoulder surgery (1/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Nelson Asofa-Solomona – left elbow surgery (16/9 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/left knee

surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Cooper Cronk – nose surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Shem-Kalvin Tatupu - ankle surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Dean Britt – right knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Will Chambers - foot surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Joe Stimson - wrist surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Suliasi Vunivalu – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jordan McLean – left/right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Dale Finucane – left knee surgery (Dec 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/right shoulder

surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/right ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)

� Cameron Munster - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/right knee (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)

� Curtis Scott – left ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kenny Bromwich – unknown surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/right elbow surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jesse Bromwich – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season - TBA)/ left hand surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Tohu Harris – right shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/left hand surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)



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� Vincent Leuluai (knee) � Jeremy Hawkins (shoulder) � Shem-Kalvin Tatupu (ankle) � Dean Britt (knee) � Dale Finucane (knee) � Will Chambers (foot) � Joe Stimson (wrist) � Kenny Bromwich (injury)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Jake Ainsworth (20’s), Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Dean Britt, Will Chambers, Chol Chol (20’s), Harlan Collins (20’s), Dale Finucane, Slade Griffin, Guy Hamilton (Train & Trial), Tohu Harris, Jeremy Hawkins, Riley Jacks, Felise Kaufusi, Dylan Kelly, Jordan McLean, Harrison Muller (Train & Trial), Mark Nicholls, Levy Nzoungou (20’s), Justin Olam, Linc Port (Trial and Train), Te Rangiatea McDonald (20’s), Augustus Rangihuna (20’s), Curtis Scott (20’s), Billy Slater, Joe Stimson, Jack Svendsen, Carlos Swasbrook-Murray (20’s), Braydon Trindall (20’s), Jack Turpin, Suliasi Vunivalu, Kye Waller (20’s), Christian Welch, Jack Wright (20’s)

� 2018 - Cheyse Blair, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Cooper Cronk, Scott Drinkwater (20’s), Tim Glasby, Jahrome Hughes, Erevonu Kamikamica, Vincent Leuluai, Cameron Smith, Shem-Kalvin Tatupu (TO), Fredrick Tuilagi (20’s)

� 2019 - Josh Addo-Carr, Brodie Croft (20’s), Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith, Young Tonumaipea

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Addo-Carr, Josh CTW $298,600 9 45.0 81.0 0.56 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Signing a three-year deal with the Storm midseason in 2016 and then publicly stating his heart is with the Tigers isn’t the best way to get on your 2017 coach’s good side, but Addo-Carr’s ability as a flyer is

irresistible. That speed and finishing ability can’t be coached and he has the potential to be on the end of an even more potent backline than what he was with last year. His relatively high starting price makes him a big risk for round 1 but if he takes the left flank vacated by Koroibete and Slater is at fullback, he could be

well worth the punt.C


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Asofa-Solomona,

Nelson

2RF / FRF $245,500 14 39.0 30.0 1.30 10 31.9 23.0 1.39


2017 SC Rating This man mountain that lumbers off the bench and wrecks tired opposing forwards each week was sorely missed by the Storm in at the back end of last season, and especially in the GF. An absolute beast that has good attacking output, he is well worth consideration at the first sign of any increase in game time.

He could be one to benefit (either directly or indirectly) from Proctor’s departure but he is a “wait-and-see” prospect, as there is not much room for improvement if he continues to play the impact forward role for 30

minutes off the bench. D


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Blair, Cheyse CTW $335,700 14 50.0 80.0 0.63 7 32.0 80.0 0.40


2017 SC Rating Previously, Cheyse Blair’s biggest claim to fame was being one of Ricky Stuart’s infamous “Projector 12” cleanout at the Eels in 2012. In typical Bellamy style, he saved Blair from the wilderness and made a consistent first grader out of him, which saw him have a career SC year as well. An average of 50 PPG is

nothing to write home about though, but what is interesting is that Blair averaged 41 PPG in his first seven games of 2016 and then 59 PPG for the last seven games of 2016, with a definite increase in his base stats contributing to that higher average as well. Having said that, he’ll never really be a top shelf keeper in the CTW but could be a left field POD to be considered if he can stay at left centre or even if he shifts to left

wing outside a quality player like Munster.

D

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Britt, Dean 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Britt is another one of the promising youngsters being developed at the Storm, having previously been part of the NSW U20s Origin squad in 2013 and 2014. He has been impressive in reserve grade as he develops as a consistent, ball-playing and line-running second rower and, especially with Proctor’s departure, will be pushing for a bench spot this year (although probably not from round 1). Which, unfortunately, isn’t the best

situation for SC given how Bellamy bloods his young forwards (see Christian Welch). E


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Bromwich, Jesse FRF $436,700 24 65.0 59.0 1.10 24 62.1 64.5 0.96


2017 SC Rating The past two years JBrom has impressed the SC masses in the first half of the season, and as soon as everybody jumps on his output falls off a cliff. In 2016 he averaged 73.2 PPG until round 13 and then 57.5

from round 14 onwards. A big reason for the decrease in points was due to JBrom putting away his offload. He had 20 effective offloads and six ineffective offloads in the first 13 rounds, but only 12 effective offloads

and five ineffective offloads for the remaining 13 rounds. He remains a premium FRF option who, given previous years, should be a candidate for your round 1 teams, especially with the much more favourable

Storm bye schedule.

A


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Bromwich, Kenneath 2RF $265,400 24 40.0 43.0 0.93 16 36.4 38.1 0.96


2017 SC Rating The younger Bromwich has been seen as the likely beneficiary of Proctor’s move to the Titans, having often been named there as injury cover in the past. There has been some talk that Bellamy likes KBrom’s

versatility off the bench, and this may work against him in scoring Proctor’s starting spot. Of note is the fact that on two occasions last year KBrom was kept on the bench whilst F.Kaufusi started in the 11 jersey but came off after 20-30 minutes or so. K.Brom will need to be playing significantly more minutes (if not 80) in order to increase his score enough to make money. A potential mid-range forward trap - it may be safer to watch his role/minutes for the first two weeks before jumping on if he’s starting and playing 65+ minutes.

C


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Chambers, Will CTW $313,200 14 47.0 80.0 0.59 23 56.0 80.0 0.70


2017 SC Rating Will “Michael Jennings” Chambers doesn’t like to pass, which makes him a great CTW option because he has great base stats as a result. Known as a high floor CTW option, he has scored below 30 points only

5 times in the past 3 years. Chambers averaged 60 in the first 6 games of 2016 until he suffered a serious foot injury. Upon his return, he could only manage an average of 37, leaving his season average at only 47 PPG. His previous 3 seasons? 56, 60, 56. A picture of consistency and based on past stats, about 10 PPG

undervalued - bargain! N.B. did have post season surgery so he has only started his preseason in January 2017.

B

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Croft, Brodie HFB / 5/8 $229,300 1 49.0 80.0 0.61 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Only 19, Croft is very much a player of the future, having only made his QCup (and then his FG debut) in 2016. He is in the running for the vacant 5/8 position although he seems more like a traditional halfback in the Cronk mould. He scored a respectable 49 points in his FG debut (during round 15 when the Origin stars were gone) including a notable 31 tackles (with only 1 miss!) and a try assist from a kick. Jump on if he manages to snag the 5/8 position or if he somehow ends up getting an extended run, but his likely SC

relevance will most likely be after Cronk retires.D


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Cronk, Cooper HFB $395,800 23 59.0 80.0 0.74 21 48.9 77.6 0.63


2017 SC Rating 59 PPG. That is Cronk’s SC average when he has a season worthy of taking out the Dally M (2013 and 2016). It also seems to be around about his usual SC output, having averaged between 58 to 60 in 4 out of the past 5 years. Cronk has great base stats for a half in that he usually racks up FDOs for breakfast and puts in defensively too. The major impediment to Cronk ever being an elite SC half though, is his lack of goal kicking. Good POD at the right time, but unlikely to ever be a premium half option without the extra

bonus points for goal kicks that the likes of JT and SJ will have.C


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Finucane, Dale 2RF / FRF $384,600 24 58.0 62.0 0.94 21 50.4 52.3 0.96


2017 SC Rating It was suggested in the 2016 Mega Guide that Finucane was likely to increase his minutes to 60+ MPG. After a bit of a false start where he got 45 and then 50 minutes, he soon increased quickly and ended up

averaging 62 MPG for the year, scoring 58 PPG. There isn’t much value left in his 2017 starting price unless, and it is a big unless, Bellamy decides he wants to play Finucane for 70+ minutes whilst he balances the

transition of Proctor’s replacement in the starting line-up. Keep an eye on that obviously, as Finucane would really step up to premium keeper level if he somehow was able to get to 75 MPG across the season. N.B.

has had a disrupted preseason due to injury and may not take part in any trial games.

C


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Glasby, Tim FRF / 2RF $261,400 19 39.0 35.0 1.11 24 36.3 37.1 0.98


2017 SC Rating Tim Glasby continues to plod along off the bench for the Storm and ultimately won’t be a SuperCoach option unless he becomes a starting prop and plays more than 50 minutes. He has slowly increased his

scores each year but his average minutes per game sat at 35 for the season. Whilst he’s a hard worker on the field he is yet to be trusted with big minutes to allow him to notch up the bigger scores. Not fantasy

relevant.E

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Griffin, Slade HOK / 2RF $160,400 1 30.0 45.0 0.67 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Slade Griffin’s development over the past few years has been hindered by an ACL injury in 2015. He was being developed slowly in typical Bellamy style until then. Even in Smith’s absence in round 15, Griffin was only trusted with a bench role with KBrom playing at hooker for the other 35 minutes. Not fantasy relevant

yet.E


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Harris, Tohu 2RF / CTW $448,100 24 67.0 78.0 0.86 24 60.7 77.4 0.78


2017 SC Rating Premium CTW DPP option who comes at a premium cost. Tohu had an interesting season where he played a number of games at centre and 5/8 in a Mr Fix-It role, yet still managed to score at 67 PPG. There was minimal difference between his scores at centre or in the halves, compared to the backrow, due to a lot

of attacking stats. Ultimately though he performed slightly better when back in his favoured 2RF position and with the Storm now having developed more depth in their backline, hopefully Tohu will stay in the 2RF. Arguably a bit overpriced because of the number of attacking stats he managed last season, there needs to be some consideration given to the fact that he won’t be outside Green anymore. There may be some possibility of him switching to Cronk’s edge which would make him a very tempting prospect, but if he

remains on the left edge then perhaps a ‘wait-and-see’ approach will be prudent to see how the new 5/8 performs.

B


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Hawkins, Jeremy CTW $143,600 0 - - n/a 4 32.0 80.0 0.40


2017 SC Rating One of the pre-season options last year to slot into the right wing position, Jeremy Hawkins never got a chance due to injury. Seemingly has slid down the pecking order further with the emergence of Vunivalu,

Blair and Scott. At his price he would be worth considering if he was named with any short-term job security, but it’s hard to see him taking the field for the Storm in 2017.D


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Hughes, Jahrome

CTW / FLB $257,400 1 77.0 80.0 0.96 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Hughes starts as an astronomical price for someone who has only previously played two games across four seasons. Priced highly due to a 77 point outing for the Cowboys whilst JT and Morgan were playing

for QLD. At this stage he doesn’t seem likely to jag the vacant 5/8 spot, although he may come into calculations come Origin time given his ability to play in the halves or at fullback. Awkward price. D

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Jacks, Ryley HFB / 5/8 $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Ryley Jacks was the SC Falcons Player of the Year in 2016 and was rewarded with a one-year deal with the Storm. His name has been mentioned as an option for the vacant 5/8 spot but halfback is his usual

position. He also appears to be behind most of the other options so barring major injuries / Origin coverage, he will be unlikely to see any time in FG this year.E


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Kamikamica, Tui TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Tui Kamikamica is a 22 year old Fijian league/union prop/second row forward currently running around with the SC Falcons. So far down the pecking order he isn’t in the SC database. If he manages to get on the

bench, he’s still a no-go due to the Bellamy factor.E


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Kaufusi, Felise FRF $192,600 21 30.0 29.0 1.03 17 25.1 23.1 1.09


2017 SC Rating One of the names mentioned by Bellamy as a chance of taking Proctor’s starting edge spot, Kaufusi has been developing nicely at the Storm. He doesn’t have a great work rate though and he would need to play 55-60 minutes to make a decent amount of money. Watch first if named as starter, and even then he’s a

wait and see because Bellamy played him for 18 and 28 minutes in his two starts last year.C


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Leuluai, Vincent 2RF / FRF $143,600 2 11.0 11.0 1.00 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A mid-season acquisition from the Roosters in 2016, Leuluai didn’t see any FG time with the Storm. Still young and developing, he is highly rated (especially by a certain preseason favourite of the SCTalk forums)

and appears to have a game which is favourable to SC scoring. He appears unlikely to start the season unless he manages to overtake the likes of Welch and Asofa-Solomona, but may come into contention for a

bench spot if injuries strike the props.E

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McLean, Jordan FRF $244,700 18 37.0 39.0 0.95 13 35.5 39.2 0.91


2017 SC Rating The target of a tug-of-war between the Cowboys and the Storm, McLean has displayed loyalty to the club which developed him over big money, despite the Cowboys also still being a premiership contender in

2017. His 2016 was disrupted by injury however McLean has not demonstrated the work rate or the motor required to significantly increase his SC output. Added concern about whether the McKinnon legal battle

will effect him but regardless, he’s not fantasy relevant.D


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Munster, Cameron

CTW / FLB $460,900 21 69.0 80.0 0.86 17 61.9 80.0 0.77


2017 SC Rating An out-and-out premium gun when at fullback, Munster is slated for either 5/8 or left centre positions, depending on one Billy Slater. If he moves away from fullback then Munster is definitely a regression

chance due to an impressive 2016 season where he averaged 70.7 PPG after switching to FLB in round 2. Munster played 5/8 when in the juniors so one would expect that he is still going to be very capable as a running 5/8 (think Michael Morgan); however a lot of his base stats came from kick returns and dummy half runs which he won’t be able to rack up at pivot, even if he’ll have to do plenty of tackling as teams no doubt target him in defence to try tire him out and potentially expose new defensive combinations. Watch

and see how he goes if he’s at 5/8 or even left centre.

C


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Nicholls, Mark 2RF / FRF $143,600 0 - - n/a 5 33.8 28.4 1.19


2017 SC Rating Nicholls was a depth signing from the Raiders and despite some injuries last year to the Storm forwards, he was only ever on an extended bench and never got to run out on the field. If he gets a chance he’ll do his

job but won’t set the world on fire. Not relevant.E


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Olam, Justin CTW $132,000 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingOlam was signed from the PNG Hunters midway through the 2016 season. He is a centre/wing but for now

is far down the pecking order. Not likely to feature this year barring injuries.E

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Scott, Curtis CTW $143,600 2 21.0 49.0 0.43 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A player who unfortunately featured in many a SC team in 2016, Scott remains very much a star in the making who continues to demand a starting spot. Bellamy loves him and he is a strong chance for a spot

come round 1, either at 5/8 (he has played all over the backline in the juniors plus has been sighted there at training) or left centre or left wing. A must if named come round 1, or otherwise expect him to be first cab

off the rank once an injury arises in the backs. B


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Slater, Billy FLB $300,800 1 50.0 80.0 0.63 7 53.7 79.4 0.68


2017 SC Rating All eyes will be on Slater as his price is very hard to ignore for a genuine SC gun in his prime. His prime may have been four years ago and that troublesome shoulder is a big risk; however Slater is on record saying he won’t take the field if his shoulder is not considered able to handle the load, and that he may very well have played his last game if that is the case. It seems very likely that Slater will not risk further damaging

his shoulder so that another cleanout/reconstruction is required. His pedigree is undeniable though, so if he ends up playing in 2017 then he must be considered, albeit with some (understandable) hesitation.

B


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Smith, Brandon HOK $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Touted as one of the brightest young hooking prospects in the country, the ‘next Cameron Smith’ is unlikely to see any time in FG unless there is an injury to Slade Griffin or Kenny Bromwich when CS9 himself is unavailable due to Origin, injury or somehow, suspension (hah, yeah right). Even then it’ll be as a bench

hooker position a.k.a. SC poison. One for future seasons most likely.E


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Smith, Cameron HOK $523,700 23 78.0 79.0 0.99 23 68.6 79.7 0.86


2017 SC Rating What needs to be said about 2016’s highest scorer that averaged 15 PPG more than the next best option in his position? CS9 is top-shelf and only the only downside will be his astronomical starting price in 2017. He is a must for your team at some stage of the season, even if not from round 1 due to some potentially

better value options at hooker.A

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Stimson, Joe 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fresh off being named the Storm’s feeder club player of the year in 2016, Joe Stimson is waiting for an opportunity in FG. His name has been mentioned by Bellamy, along with KBrom, FKaufusi, as possible options for the starting spot. Bellamy has shown in previous years that he is willing to give rookies an

opportunity to impress (circa Tohu Harris, 2013) so we can only cross our fingers and hope that Stimson gets the nod. Even if he only gets a bench spot, we may not have many options at that bottom level price

but buyer beware, given the usual Bellamy bench forward factor.C


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Tatupu, Shem TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Tatupu played league and union in the juniors, then for some reason decided to try AFL for two years. Obviously it didn’t work out and he’s now trying his luck at the Storm. Seems to be a work in progress and

is well down the pecking order for outside backs.E


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Tonumaipea, Young

CTW / FLB $238,400 12 36.0 69.0 0.52 4 41.8 81.3 0.51


2017 SC Rating Bellamy clearly rates and trusts Tonumaipea, giving him the starting fullback position when Slater and Munster weren’t available, but he doesn’t see him as a better winger or centre than several other options

used throughout 2016. Seemingly in a battle with JAC and Curtis Scott for the vacated left wing position, he may be worth some consideration if he is named there for round 1 although he is at an awkward price point.C


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Vunivalu, Suliasi CTW $350,200 18 52.0 80.0 0.65 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating What a rookie season for the now-customary resident Fijian flyer at the Storm, now that Koroibete has decided to play for the Wallabies. His try-scoring exploits were 2015-Radradra-like; however that means

regression is highly likely, especially if Slater does come back (as he can throw a decent right-to-left cut-out pass whereas Munster clearly enjoyed throwing bullet passes to Vunivalu only). A massive risk to start with

him at that price and coming off 22 tries in 18 games. It may be prudent to wait until the Storm’s slightly new-look spine is settled and their attack becomes more defined to see if he is likely to maintain that try

scoring rate.

C

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Welch, Christian FRF $179,600 15 27.0 23.0 1.17 10 18.2 15.6 1.17


2017 SC Rating Welch has a healthy PPM but Bellamy doesn’t trust him with big minutes. Unfortunately for him, since he gave away the penalty which gifted the Sharks the repeat set which Fifita then scored in during the GF, this

is unlikely to change in any major way. Irrelevant until bigger minutes are on offer.E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS | 93

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

Right now it seems that the universe itself seems to hate the Newcastle Knights. After a season from hell featuring only the single solitary win, a draw and the rest being losses, all their best players have left or gotten themselves banned from playing in one way or another. With the roster they have currently, barring a marquee signing or two in the next few weeks it is hard to envisage which of the other 15 teams will lose to them. When you hit rock bottom the only way is up, but there’s a chance that the Knights just wallow down the bottom for another year before that happens.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Mitch Barnett, David Bhana, Jamie Buhrer, Jack Cogger (20’s), Cory Denniss (20’s), Brendan Elliott, Jaelen Feeney, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Dane Gagai, Jacob Gagan, Trent Hodkinson, Brodie Jones (20’s), Josh King, Rory Kostjaysn, Brock Lamb (20’s), Danny Levi, Chanel Mata’utia, Pat Mata’utia, Peter Mata’utia, Sione Mata’utia, Sam Mataora, Nick Meany (20’s), Jarred Mullen, Mickey Paea, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsell, Dylan Phythian, Tyler Randell, Bradon Robson, Nathan Ross, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti, Ken Sio, Bradie Smith, Josh Starling, Jack Stockwell, Sam Stone (20’s), Joe Wardle, Luke Yates


Mitch Barnett, David Bhana, Jamie Buhrer, Jack Cogger (20’s), Cory Denniss (20’s), Brendan Elliott, Jaelen Feeney, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Dane Gagai, Jacob Gagan, Trent Hodkinson, Brodie Jones (20’s), Josh King, Rory Kostjaysn, Brock Lamb (20’s), Danny Levi, Jake Mamo, Chanel Mata’utia, Pat Mata’utia, Peter Mata’utia, Sione Mata’utia, Sam Mataora, Nick Meany (20’s), Jarred Mullen, Mickey Paea, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsell, Dylan Phythian, Tyler Randell, Bradon Robson, Nathan Ross, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti, Korbin Sims, Ken Sio, Bradie Smith, Josh Starling, Jack Stockwell, Sam Stone (20’s), Luke Yates

BYE SCHEDULE

The Knights don’t have much going for them at the best of times and now they also have the worst bye schedule in the competition with their byes falling on rounds 12 and 15. Like the Panthers and Sea Eagles, you can load up on Knights players from round 16 onwards, but would you really want to?

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1. Pete Mata’utia Interchange:2. Sio 14. Phythian3. Wardle 15. J Saifiti4. Gagai 16. Starling5. Ross 17. King6. Lamb7. Hodkinson8. Mataora9. Levi10. D Saifiti11. S Mata’utia12. Barnett13. Buhrer


PROP – D. Saifiti, Starling, Mataora, King, Paea, Stockwell, B. Smith HOK – Kostjaysn, Randell, Levi, Phythian, Bhana 2RF – Buhrer, Barnett, S. Mata’utia, Wardle, J. Saifiti, C. Mata’utia, Pauli, Fitzgibbon, B. Smith, Robson, Jones (20’s), Stone (20’s) LOCK – Buhrer, Randell, Bhana, Yates, Robson, Stone (20’s) HALF - Hodkinson, Feeney, Cogger (20’s) 5/8 – Mullen, Randell, Phythian, Pearsell, Lamb (20’s) CTW – Gagai, S. Mata’utia, Elliott, Wardle, C. Mata’utia, Peter Mata’utia, Pat Mata’utia, Denniss (20’s), Robson WING – Ross, Sio, Elliott, Gagan, C. Mata’utia, Pat Mata’utia, Denniss (20’s) FLB – Ross, Feeney, Mamo, Gagai, Meany (20’s)

2017 Gains: Mitchell Barnett (Mid Season: Canberra Raiders, 2017), Jamie Buhrer (Manly Sea Eagles, 2018), Brendan Elliot (Mid Season: Sydney Roosters, 2017), Jacob Gagan (Cronulla Sharks, 2017), Rory Kostjaysn (North Queensland Cowboys, 2018), Peter Mata’utia (Mid Season: St George Illawarra Dragons, 2017), Ken Sio (Hull Kingston Rovers, 2018), Josh Starling (Manly Sea Eagles, 2017), Joe Wardle (Huddersfield Giants, 2019)

2017 Losses: Jake Mamo (Huddersfield Giants), James McManus (retired), Robbie Rochow (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Tariq Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Jeremy Smith (retired), Kade Snowden (retired), Akulia Uate (Manly Sea Eagles), Korbin Sims (Brisbane Broncos)

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Cow



Other)

Barnett Buhrer Ross King Feeney Bhana

Gagai D Saifiti Pe Mata’utia Gagan Cogger

S Mata’utia Phythian Mata’utia, C Denniss

Pearsall Elliot

Yates Fitzgibbon

Hodkinson

Kostjaysn

Levi

Mataora

P Mata’utia

Mullen

Paea

Pauli

Randell

J Saifiti

Sio

Wardle

Starling

Stockwell


Nick Meaney - Position: Fullback Height: 185cm Weight: 86kg 2016 was his first season in the NYC. He was awarded the Knights NYC Player of the Year award and has been leading the fitness drills in his first pre-season with the NRL Squad. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 117 metres from 10.7 hit ups and 6.7 tackles per game to go along with 4 tries, 19 line breaks, 5 try assists, 10 offloads, 104 tackle breaks and 54 missed tackles in 23 games (he played fullback in 21 of those games with 1 game on wing and 1 at halfback). With the Knights issues at fullback he could make his NRL debut at some stage during the season if injuries hit.

Nick Meaney 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/107/playerid/7482/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Sam Stone (20’s) - Position: Lock, Second Row Height: 194cm Weight: 98kg Young, tall and lanky second row forward who is the son of former Knights Coach Rick Stone and can either play on edge or tight. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 98.4 metres from 10.6 hit ups and 29.7 tackles in 73.3 minutes per game to go along with 7 tries, 4 line breaks, 1 try assist, 14 offloads, 44 missed tackles and 29 tackle breaks in 21 games.

Sam Stone 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/107/playerid/7321/seasonid/44/default.aspx

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Gun – Mitchell Barnett

Sleeper – Daniel Saifiti

Bust – Jamie Buhrer

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie - Nick Meaney / Sam Stone


� Joe Wardle – unknown surgery (28/6 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Brock Lamb - ankle surgery (2/7 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/left shoulder surgery (TBA –

confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Danny Levi – back surgery (22/8 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Luke Yates – jaw surgery (30/9 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Sione Mata’utia – jaw surgery (31/10 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/left elbow surgery (TBA –

unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jarrod Mullen – hamstring surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jack Cogger - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Rory Kostjaysn - elbow surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/ hernia surgery (TBA –

confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jacob Saifiti - calf surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh King – jaw surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Mickey Paea - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Trent Hodkinson - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Chanel Mata’utia - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Daniel Saifiti – right elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/right knee surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Peter Mata’utia - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Pauli Pauli – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Nathan Ross – right eye surgery (12/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jarrod Mullen – hamstring injury (22/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Rory Kostjaysn – throat surgery (7/1 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Pauli Pauli – dislocated hip and broken leg (19/1 – confirmed – Car Accident)


� Jarrod Mullen (hamstring) � Jack Cogger (shoulder) � Rory Kostjaysn (hernia/elbow/throat) � Jacob Saifiti (calf) � Trent Hodkinson (knee)

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� Chanel Mata’utia (knee) � Peter Mata’utia (knee) � Nathan Ross (eye) � Jarrod Mullen (suspended) � Pauli Pauli (hip and leg)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 - Mitch Andrews (20’s), Mitchell Barnett, David Bhana, Rory Brownlie (NSW Cup), Keanu Dawson (20’s), Brendan Elliott, Lachie Farr (20’s), Jaelen Feeney, Vika Fesolai (20’s), William Finau (20’s), Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Dane Gagai, Jacob Gagan, Jack Johns (20’s), Samuel Kemu (20’s), Hayden Loughrey (20’s), Christian Maanaima (20’s), Ofa Manuofetoa (20’s), Peter Mata’utia, Sam Mataora, Thomas McGrady (20’s), Nick Meany (20’s), Mickey Paea, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsell, Dylan Phythian, Josh Ralph (20’s), Tyler Randell, Bradon Robson, Korbin Sims, Bradie Smith, Josh Starling, Jack Stockwell, Sam Stone (20’s), Sanchez To’a (20’s), Luke Yates

� 2018 – Jamie Buhrer, Jack Cogger (20’s), Cory Denniss (20’s), Trent Hodkinson, Brodie Jones (20’s), Josh King, Rory Kostjaysn, Brock Lamb (20’s), Danny Levi, Chanel Mata’utia, Pat Mata’utia, Sione Mata’utia, Jarred Mullen, Nathan Ross, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti, Pasami Saulo (20’s), Ken Sio

� 2019 - Joe Wardle

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Barnett, Mitchell

2RF / FRF $450,800 9 67.0 75.0 0.89 2 35.5 43.0 0.83


2017 SC Rating An absolute revelation following a mid-season transfer last year, Mitch Barnett put up legitimate 2RF keeper numbers despite playing in possibly the worst FG team of all-time. Priced accordingly, and now with some

question marks over his minutes due to the acquisition of Buhrer and Sione Mata’utia’s full-time switch to the backrow, it would be a massive gamble for anybody to start with him until those minutes became

clearer. If he continues to play 80 minutes however, he is a genuine keeper with that average and DPP. If his minutes drop, then he will definitely regress.

B


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Bhana, David HOK / 2RF $196,700 7 29.0 37.0 0.78 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating One of a multitude of rookies last year, Bhana was used as a bench hooker and also at lock. Didn’t really set the world on fire in the NRL or in SC terms, and now above bottom dollar and outside the top 17, he is

unlikely to be relevant at all.E


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Buhrer, Jamie 2RF $409,500 15 61.0 74.0 0.82 7 50.1 70.3 0.71


2017 SC Rating One of the more-heralded signings (albeit extremely unusual in some ways), Jamie Buhrer has promised so much over a number of years but has under-delivered through a mixture of injury/less minutes than

expected. He appears set to play 80 minutes, either at lock or on the edge, and will need to stand up and lead the young and inexperienced pack. Buhrer averaged 68.1 in his 80 (or more) minute games last year

playing on the edge, but he did rack up a few attacking stats in that average. If at lock his work rate should go up but in turn, his injury risk will increase too. It would be a brave POD move to start with him as he

could potentially be 7 PPG undervalued. Would prefer to wait and watch those minutes in the backrow first.

C


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Cogger, Jack HFB $202,800 6 30.0 81.0 0.37 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Another rookie that was blooded last year, Cogger did an alright job given the really difficult circumstances. Most likely will be injury cover in the event of injury to Hodkinson, but unless the Knights somehow shape up better than they look on paper they will be stretching to get any consistent attacking stats to improve

their prices above what they average in base stats. Only worth a brief look in the event of a long term injury to the halves.

E

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Denniss, Cory CTW $177,600 7 27.0 78.0 0.35 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Cory Denniss was one of the early season feel-good stories of 2016, being plucked from the obscurity of a two-game NYC ‘veteran’ to suddenly debut in FG. Despite a dream debut where he scored two tries,

Denniss was soon found out to be as inexperienced as you would expect and the remainder of 2016 was mainly a horror story for the young winger. Any winger who is capable of scoring 9, 15, 13 and 5 in full 80

minute games is, as you’d expect, a big no-go. E


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Elliot, Brendan CTW $244,800 16 37.0 80.0 0.46 8 48.6 80.0 0.61


2017 SC Rating Signed from the Roosters mid-season, Elliot was barely FG standard but he was somehow one of the better players at the Knights - at least in attack that is. He was poor in defence but the sad reality for the Knights

was that he was one of the best of a bad bunch. Hard to find any reason for improvement, avoid.E


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Feeney, Jaelen 5/8 / FLB $143,600 5 21.0 80.0 0.26 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Feeney will go down as one of the “greats” of SuperCoach in the ilk of a John Palavi and Tom Humble. In case you were confused, that’s not a good wrap. However, he actually wasn’t totally hopeless when playing

in the halves. He seems to be behind the likes of Lamb and Cogger but if there are injuries, there’s no reason that he couldn’t be a viable mid-season downgrade at that price point.D


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Fitzgibbon, Lachlan 2RF $160,400 5 24.0 39.0 0.62 1 8.0 17.0 0.47


2017 SC Rating Another one of the multitude of young forwards that were given a go last year, although technically Fitzgibbon debuted in 2015. Either way, it’s hard to see how he could possibly be SC relevant unless at

least the five starting forwards fall over in a heap.E

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Gagai, Dane CTW / FLB $298,400 22 45.0 81.0 0.56 24 54.4 78.3 0.69


2017 SC Rating 2016 was one heck of a weird year for Gagai, from the highs of being one of the best performers for QLD contrasted with the poor performances for the Knights. Gagai had an extended run at fullback, after

playing five games for an average of 75.6 in 2015, he turned that around in 2016 with an average of 40.4 in 14 games. In contrast, he averaged 52.1 from eight games back at his usual position at centre. Go

figure. Priced at a 44.6 average, arguably he’s under-priced if he plays at centre where he has consistently averaged around 50, give or take a few points. Surely the Knights can only get better this year...

C


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Gagan, Jacob CTW $143,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A somewhat unexpected signing from the Sharks, Gagan debuted in 2014 and performed respectably, scoring five tries in seven games. He was unable to get a look in the next two years and has obviously

decided to try his luck at the Knights. Given his (limited) FG experience, he should be in the mix for a CTW spot although it’s very hard to predict what Brown will do. At that price, depending on the number of other

CTW cheapies available, you almost have to give him a shot. D


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Hodkinson, Trent HFB $257,800 23 39.0 80.0 0.49 19 46.4 75.8 0.61


2017 SC Rating One try, 16 try assist, three line breaks and 13 line break assists compared to one try, 12 try assists, three line breaks and six line break assists. Plus far fewer attempts at goal. That’s a comparison of Hodkinson’s

2015 46 PPG average vs his 2016 39 PPG average. Attacking stats are hard to come by at the Knights and it’s no use being a gun goal kicker (84% last year) when you don’t get many attempts to convert. Hard to see why he would be any more relevant until the Knights are able to convert their roster into one that is

more competitive. Also continues to manage his knee and is going through a modified preseason training as a result.

D


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King, Josh FRF $181,000 12 27.0 34.0 0.79 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Josh King suddenly becomes slightly more interesting due to the recent departure of Korbin Sims, given he played fairly big minutes in such an inexperienced team. King averaged 34 MPG on his way to a 27

PPG average however, which is quite poor given the limited time on field. However, another year older and another pre-season could change that. Not really one for the watch list but perhaps a name to keep in the back of your mind in the early rounds as a downgrade option for a mid-ranger flop, if he is in the 17 and

getting the minutes/scores.D

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Kostjasyn, Rory HOK / 2RF $177,600 23 27.0 42.0 0.64 20 26.3 41.1 0.64


2017 SC Rating Whilst Kostjasyn is a fairly astute purchase for the Knights, it is more for the off-field benefits rather than his on-field performances. Kostjasyn brings with him a wealth of experience and professionalism from two winning cultures (the Storm and the Cowboys) however what he won’t bring is an SC-friendly work ethic or SC points generally. Woeful PPM, no matter where he plays. Massive trap. Blessing in disguise for plenty of

SCs that he will most likely miss the first month of footy due to a freak training mishap.E


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Lamb, Brock HFB / 5/8 $176,500 3 33.0 80.0 0.41 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating The likely beneficiary of the Mullen debacle, Lamb already debuted and ‘enjoyed’ three games last year for the Knights. Job security would appear to be something he has but there are a lot of young, talented halves that might get thrown in the mix if Lamb isn’t cutting it (see Cogger, Pearsall, even Feeney). We all saw last year how much of a nightmare Brown was in terms of chopping and changing his team. Halves cheapies

are limited and some may be tempted to jump on... be warned. Attacking stats are rare at the Knights and he will need them on a fairly consistent basis to be able to make enough cash to warrant a trade.

D


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Levi, Danny HOK $201,300 18 30.0 54.0 0.56 7 29.1 31.4 0.93


2017 SC Rating Levi has a lot of hype about him but as far as SC goes he’s a bit of a bum. A poor man’s Granville, with much less chance for attacking stats given the team he plays for. Averaged 54 MPG last year for 30 PPG

just about says it all. Don’t fall for the trap.E


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Mataora, Sam FRF $314,500 20 47.0 46.0 1.02 9 28.0 25.8 1.09


2017 SC Rating Mataora had a breakout year and was one of the Knights’ best early in the season. He wasn’t able to maintain the rage the whole year though, and played reduced minutes every now and then as Brown

managed him. There is no value there now as he doesn’t appear to have the motor to consistently play much more than the 46 MPG that he did last year. D

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Mata’utia, Chanel CTW $156,400 1 26.0 80.0 0.33 1 22.0 80.0 0.28


2017 SC Rating Only surviving the one game before going down with a long-term injury, ChanMat is another one that might be in the mix for a starting CTW spot, along with a bunch of other options. Again, pick at your own peril due

to Brown’s penchant for mixing things up but there’s not much you can glean from one game.D


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Mata’utia, Pat CTW $261,700 14 39.0 73.0 0.53 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating One of the early season cheapies last year, PatMat was better in SC than he was on the field. Eventually dropped due to poor defence, he appears to be at longer odds to reclaim his spot with Gagai locking down

one centre position already. Can’t pick him at that price anyway.E


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Mata’utia, Peter CTW / FLB $230,600 16 35.0 77.0 0.45 20 42.4 80.3 0.53


2017 SC Rating PeteMat is one of two options name-dropped by Brown as in the mix for the fullback position in Round 1. If named at fullback, Pete is cheap enough that he might be worth a punt but also expensive enough that he has dollars to lose if he goes poorly, being priced at a 35 average. His base stats should see him hit 25-30 PPG without too much fuss but again, it’s whether he can get any attacking stats to bump that price up to

trade for a fallen keeper.D


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Mata’utia, Sione

2RF / CTW $308,700 16 46.0 76.0 0.61 22 37.0 73.0 0.51


2017 SC Rating One of the preseason hype stories, Sione has apparently trained exclusively at 2RF, which bodes well for his transition. The key stat is that he is priced at a 46.2 average but in five games at the back end of 2016, averaged 59.8 in 78.6 MPG when playing in the backrow (four games on the edge, one at lock - his four games on the edge saw him average 64.3 from 80.5 MPG). If he’s playing 80 mins on the edge, lock him in. If he only gets 60 MPG... he’s probably not going to increase in price by much. He could be a Round 3

trade-in after his minutes (as well as the minutes of Buhrer and Barnett) are made clearer.B

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Mullen, Jarrod HFB / 5/8 $250,200 14 37.0 72.0 0.51 10 52.0 73.3 0.71


2017 SC RatingWhat a sad story. It seems inevitable that his career is over after testing positive to an anabolic steroid.

Obviously avoid picking him in your team. E


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Paea, Mickey FRF $197,900 15 30.0 30.0 1.00 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating One of the “old fellas” in the team (at 30 years of age), Paea has struggled with injuries a bit as well as some inconsistent form (possibly due to being in and out of the team due to injury). It’s hard to see any

large increase in minutes for him given the emergence of younger and more promising props. Not relevant.E


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Pauli, Pauli 2RF / FRF $271,800 15 41.0 52.0 0.79 16 22.8 30.3 0.75


2017 SC RatingDevastating news for Pauli Pauli, with a dislocated hip surely ruling him out for the majority, if not the whole,

of the season. Wishing him a speedy recovery.E


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Pearsall, Will 5/8 $143,600 3 16.0 31.0 0.52 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Pearsall debuted and played three games last year, when another young debutant in Lamb injured himself. The stats aren’t pretty, but it’s to be expected for a young playmaker playing in such a poor team. Again,

the price is appealing if he somehow gets a spot and some guarantee of an extended run, but it’s the Knights. Avoid.E

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Phythian, Dylan HOK / FLB $156,400 2 26.0 25.0 1.04 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A surprise candidate for the fullback position as nominated by Brown, ‘the Python’ (c’mon, it’s such an obvious nickname) actually played two games last year as a bench hooker. He actually played fullback, 5/8 and halfback during his junior years though. Jaelen Feeney all over again, perhaps? His DPP is appealing though, and if no cheapie hookers arise then (if the Python is starting fullback) he may not be the worst

option in the hope that he jags some early attacking stats for an ASAP upgrade.D


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Randell, Tyler HOK $210,900 18 32.0 48.0 0.67 20 34.6 43.1 0.80


2017 SC Rating Randell job shared at hooker with Levi all through last year, and was clearly the harder worker. Managed to average 32 PPG from 48 MPG, but it seems likely that Levi and Kostjasyn will be the hooker/utility combo

this year (once Kostjasyn is fit). Avoid.E


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Ross, Nathan CTW $319,800 19 48.0 75.0 0.64 6 39.0 80.0 0.49


2017 SC Rating This try scoring freak cannot stop himself from getting in the top 10 tries of the year. Possibly the most acrobatic finisher in the NRL, Rossdog is actually a decent SC option too, as his base stats average is

comparable with other CTW keeper options such as Radradra. If only he played for a team like the Storm, the Broncos or the Raiders, he would be a legitimate CTW keeper. Alas, he plays for the Knights and it’s hard to see how he can improve on his 48 PPG with him already scoring 9/52 tries scored by the Knights

last year. C


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Saifiti, Daniel FRF $297,500 20 45.0 44.0 1.02 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating DSaif really hit the ground running last year despite being such a young debutant. He and his twin brother came out of nowhere, and really asserted themselves as prospects for the future. A starting prop spot beckons for Daniel and he has a respectable 1.02ppm made up primarily from base stats. In games he

played over 40 minutes, he averaged 46.4 from 47.4 MPG without any major attacking stats. If he is able to increase his season average for minutes from 44 MPG to 55MPG then he is pushing borderline keeper

territory. KSims leaving has opened a door for him to grab the lion’s share of minutes on offer, so if he does manage to increase his MPG then he’s worth a look.

C

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Saifiti, Jacob 2RF / FRF $250,700 18 38.0 58.0 0.66 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating JSaif also did well, although he was a makeshift edge backrower when he is accustomed to playing in the middle as a junior. However, with such an influx of quality backrowers plus Sione’s transition, he may be able to join the prop rotation which could see his work rate increase significantly. There is a bit more

potential growth in his price so keep an eye on him.C


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Sio, Ken CTW / FLB $260,100 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fresh off a two year stint in the Super League, Sio is priced at a an approximate average of 39 or 40 PPG. In his last three seasons in the NRL, his average was 56, 35 and 44 (which was in 2012, prior to the new scoring system). So arguably Sio is under-priced - but in 2014 he scored 13 tries in 12 games, in 2013 he scored 10 tries in 20 games and in 2012 he scored 13 tries in 24 games. It is hard to see him scoring that

many tries at the Knights so Sio should be avoided.D


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Starling, Josh FRF $235,600 20 35.0 37.0 0.95 14 28.0 34.1 0.82


2017 SC Rating Starling is a very ‘meat and potatoes’ type of front rower. Does the job, but is rather unremarkable. He was a plodder at the Sea Eagles, and there appears to be no reason for him to be any different at the Knights,

even if he is considered a good signing for them. Whilst he may start, unless he magically becomes capable of playing 55-60 minutes (and gets those minutes), he will continue to be irrelevant.D


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Stockwell, Jack FRF $242,600 6 40.0 44.0 0.91 12 38.3 35.9 1.07


2017 SC Rating Despite being on decent money, Stockwell was not particularly well-liked by Brown last year as he only played six games for an average of 40 PPG from 44 MPG. Rumours of him being shopped around aren’t

confidence inspiring and there is no reason to pick him in your team. Irrelevant.E

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Wardle, Joe CTW $219,900 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A SL import and former member of Scotland’s Test squad, Joe Wardle has been signed on a three year contract. Given the quality of the Knights’ backline, or lack thereof, it seems likely that Wardle will get

the other centre spot not taken by Gagai. He is priced at a reasonable average of approximately 33 PPG, however without any knowledge of how hard he would work in the NRL it is extremely risky to pick Wardle

at that price point when he will need attacking stats to make any money. That is, on top of the fact that most other SL backs tend to flop upon their arrival in the NRL (Hardaker, Eden, Tomkins, etc.). Avoid!

D


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Yates, Luke 2RF / FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating The 2016 Knights reserve grade squad’s ‘Player of the Year’, Yates is a 22 year old lock/prop that is waiting for his chance in FG. Given Brown’s propensity to blood rookies at will, that may very well happen this year

but it is unlikely to be from Round 1. Most likely won’t be relevant this year unless he gets a mid-season debut and smashes it out of the park.E

Double-up contests have been extremely popular in the Daily Fantasy Sports industry for a long time now, considering the low cost of entry combined with the high chance of winning a prize. There’s a lot of money to be won in this style of contest, but it also requires some specific strategies and knowledge to be successful in the long run.

A double-up contest requires you to beat just over half of the field to double your money. Therefore, very simply, you need to be able to construct a marginally better than average lineup for the day. In most cases, a score of 280 is enough to bring home the cash in an NRL double-up contest on Moneyball. If you scored in that range in the tournament style contests, you wouldn’t even be close to gaining a return. To win the Weekly Tournament or one of the Daily Contests on Moneyball, you have to be scoring at least 360 or more. It’s already clear why these two different formats need to be approached differently to maximise your return.

In a double-up contest, you should be looking for ways to achieve a winning score without taking on too much risk. In most cases, you can achieve this by targeting players that should achieve close to 4 times value – if their salary is $7,000, you want them to score close to 28 Moneyball points. But at the same time, you need to avoid players that are extremely volatile, because just as they are prone to excellent games, they are just as likely to put up a dud score. If you are looking to score 360+ and win a Moneyball tournament, then go ahead and pick players that are extremely volatile, because you need to maximise your ceiling. However, in a double-up, your goal should be to maximise your floor.

It’s important to understand how NRL players in different positions score their points. Generally speaking, Forwards are known to be more consistent, as they get a lot of their points from what we deem to be “bases stats” – largely tackles and hit-up’s, whereas Backs tend to rely more on attacking stats, such as

tries, try assists, line breaks, and line break assists, to score their points. There are some Backs who also score a large volume of their points through base stats, and those are the players that you should be targeting in these double-up contests.

Let’s take a look at 4 players from the 2016 season – Sam Burgess vs Bryce Cartwright, and then Josh Mansour vs Semi Radradra. Sam Burgess scored 68% of his total points from base stats in 2016, whereas Bryce Cartwright, another Moneyball gun, scored only 57% of his total points from base stats. Josh Mansour, who plays in the outside backs, scored 69% of his total points from base stats, whereas Jordan Rapana only scored 35% of his total points from base stats. So it’s a fair assumption to say that whilst Rapana and Cartwright might have a higher ceiling than Burgess and Mansour, they also have a lower floor, which makes them ideal for tournament play (matchup permitting), but not as attractive for a double-up contest.

NRL DOUBLE UP STRATEGY


http://lockerroom.moneyball.com.au/

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS | 108

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS

Year after year the Warriors have such a strong squad on paper, but those poor Warriors fans are disappointed every August and September as the Warriors, usually with their finals aspirations in their own hands, lose the plot and finish outside the top 8 for another year. Arguably, this is the strongest Warriors outfit for a long-time, with effectively the New Zealand national spine and another five or six New Zealand internationals in their line-up. A big question mark is when the NRL will register Kieran Foran’s contract, as this will go a long way towards defining the Warriors season. With a new coach at the helm as well, the Warriors could finish anywhere from top 4 to bottom 8. One thing is for sure – they will knock off several top 4 teams but find a way to lose to a bottom 4 team too.


2016 NRL SQUAD

Bunty Afoa, Matt Allwood, Blake Ayshford, Kieran Foran, David Fusitu’a, James Gavet, Charlie Gubb, Ata Hingano (20’s), Ryan Hoffman, Shaun Johnson, Solomone Kata, Jacob Lillyman, Mason Lino, Sam Lisone, Tuimoala Lolohea, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Ken Maumalo, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Nathaniel Roache, Ligi Sao, Toafofoa Sipley, Jazz Tevaga, Bodene Thompson, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Manu Vatuvei, Albert Vete


Bunty Afoa, Matt Allwood, Blake Ayshford, James Bell, Erin Clark (20’s), Kieran Foran, David Fusitu’a, James Gavet, Charlie Gubb, Ata Hingano (20’s), Ryan Hoffman, Shaun Johnson, Solomone Kata, Jacob Lillyman, Mason Lino, Sam Lisone, Tuimoala Lolohea, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Ken Maumalo, Etene Nanai (20’s), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Ofahiki Ogden, Isaiah Papalii (20’s), Junior Pauga, Jordan Pinnock (20’s), Nathaniel Roache, Ligi Sao, Patrick Sipley, Toafofoa Sipley, Dylan Tavita (20’s), Jazz Tevaga, Bodene Thompson, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Manu Vatuvei, Albert Vete

BYE SCHEDULE

The Warriors’ byes fall on rounds 15 and 18; however, they play the first big bye round (round 12) which means they are prime candidates for your round 1 squad to start the season with (on top of their kind early draw as well).

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1. Tuivasa-Sheck Interchange:2. Vatuvei 14. Tevaga3. Kata 15. Afoa4. Fusitua 16. Gubb5. Lolohea 17. Lisone6. Hingano7. Johnson8. Lillyman9. Luke10. Vete11. Thompson12. Hoffman13. Mannering


PROP – Matulino, Lillyman, Vete, Lisone, Sao, Gubb, Gavet, T. Sipley, P. Sipley, Ogden, Papalii (20’s), Pinnock (20’s) HOK – Luke, Roache, Tevaga, Clark (20’s) 2RF – Hoffman, Thompson, Mannering, Afoa, Ogden, Bell LOCK – Mannering, Tevaga HALF – Johnson, Lolohea, Lino, Hingano (20’s) 5/8 – Foran, Lolohea, Clark (20’s), Tavita (20’s) CTW – Kata, Ayshford, Lolohea, Fusitu’a, Allwood, Pauga WING – Vatuvei, Lolohea, Maumalo, Fusitu’a, Allwood, Nicoll-Klokstad, Pauga, Nanai (20’s) FLB – Tuivasa-Sheck, Lolohea, Fusitu’a, Pauga, Nanai (20’s)

2017 Gains: Kieran Foran (Parramatta Eels, 2017)

2017 Losses: Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Ben Henry (retired), Konrad Hurrell (Gold Coast Titans), Shaun Lane (Manly Sea Eagles), Ali Lauitiiti (retired), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan Warriors), Sione Lousi (released), Marata Niukore (Parramatta Eels), John Palavi (released), Jeff Robson (Parramatta Eels), Henare Wells (released), Jonathan Wright (Manly Sea Eagles)

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Cow



Other)

Johnson Kata Foran Lolohea Hingano Pauga Afoa

Mannering Luke Fusitua Gubb T Sipley Allwood

Thompson Matulino Vatuvei Ayshford

Tuivasa-Sheck Clark

Gavet

Hoffman

Lillyman

Lino

Lisone

Maumalo

Ogden

Nicoll-Klokstad

Ogden

Papalii

Roache

Sao

P Sipley

Tevaga


Ofahiki Ogden - Position: Prop, Second Row Height: 192cm Weight: 102kg Young Warriors forward who can play either tight or out on the edge and completes his NYC career after three seasons. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 136.8 metres from 13.6 hit ups and 24.1 tackles in 77 minutes per game to go along with 1 try, 4 line breaks, 3 try assists, 38 offloads, 43 missed tackles and 65 tackle breaks in 16 games. Expect to see him make his NRL debut at some stage during the season.

Ofahiki Ogden 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/114/playerid/6873/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Isaiah Papalii (20’s) - Position: Prop Height: TBA Weight: TBA Teenager who made his NYC debut as a 17 year old in 2016 whilst still attending Mount Albert Grammar. Will spend his 1st pre-season training with the NRL Squad and is contracted until the end of 2019. Played a limited number of games in the NYC in 2016 due to Schoolboy Rugby commitments, where he was named the New Zealand First XV player of the year. During the 2016 NYC he averaged 133.7 metres from 13.2 hit ups and 30.5 tackles in 59.2 minutes to go along with 6 tries, 6 line breaks, 1 try assist, 5 offloads, 47 tackle breaks and 16 missed tackles in 11 games.

Isaiah Papalii 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/114/playerid/7452/seasonid/44/default.aspx

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Gun – Shaun Johnson

Sleeper – Solomone Kata

Bust – Tuimoala Lolohea

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Ofahiki Ogden


� Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – left ACL (13/5 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kieran Foran – left shoulder surgery (Early June 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Ben Matulino - right knee surgery (28/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/ left knee surgery (13/1

– confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Simon Mannering – right knee surgery (Early Oct 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Issac Luke – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Ligi Sao – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jazz Tevaga – left ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Bodene Thompson – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Manu Vatuvei – right knee surgery 9TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tuimoala Lolohea – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Albert Vete – right ankle injury (8/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (knee) � Kieran Foran (shoulder) � Ben Matulino (knee) � Simon Mannering (knee) � Issac Luke (knee) � Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (shoulder) � Ligi Sao (knee) � Jazz Tevaga (ankle) � Bodene Thompson (knee) � Manu Vatuvei (knee)

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CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Matt Allwood, Tevin Arona (NSW Cup), Blake Ayshford, James Bell, Erin Clark (20’s), Matthew Faitotoa, Kieran Foran, James Gavet, Charlie Gubb, Liam Hampson (20’s), Ata Hingano (20’s), Ryan Hoffman, Utah Ioka (20’s), Shaun Johnson, Jacob Lillyman, Mason Lino, Ben Matulino, Etene Nanai (20’s), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Ofahiki Ogden, Jordan Pinnock (20’s), Nathaniel Roache, Ligi Sao, Matt Sauni (NSW Cup), Patrick Sipley, Toafofoa Sipley, Chris Sio, Bodene Thompson, Christian Tuipolutu (20’s), Sione Tuipolutu (20’s), Albert Vete

� 2018 – Sam Lisone, Tuimoala Lolohea, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Ken Maumalo, Junior Pauga, Dylan Tavita (20’s), Jazz Tevaga, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Manu Vatuvei

� 2019 - Bunty Afoa, David Fusitu’a, Solomone Kata, Isaiah Papalii (20’s)



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Afoa, Bunty 2RF / FRF $276,700 4 52.0 47.0 1.11 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating The player with possibly the coolest name in the NRL made waves with his four-game stint last year. He was great to watch in the game itself but from an SC standpoint he is an absolute no-go until he finds a

starting spot somehow. His two big scores came when he replaced Bodene on the right edge and enjoyed the quality service from SJ. For now he’ll most likely be coming off the bench and playing limited minutes,

which is bad news even for players under $200k.D


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Allwood, Matthew CTW $183,800 4 28.0 64.0 0.44 3 52.0 80.0 0.65


2017 SC Rating Can you believe that at one stage last year, McFadden had Jono Wright, Blake Ayshford and Matt Allwood alongside Lolohea and Fusitua as his backline? They had been struck by injuries but still, it was an ordinary backline (and they were pumped 38-12 by the Raiders). Not SC relevant at his price and is unlikely to see

much time in FG.E


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Ayshford, Blake CTW $281,400 22 42.0 72.0 0.58 4 30.3 70.0 0.43


2017 SC Rating The much maligned Blake Ayshford is often the butt of many a joke but in 2016, he actually had a fairly good year. His base stats aren’t bad, and running off SJ and Bodene is always a good thing. His season average was 42 but if you take out the games where he was injured and played less than 65 minutes, or came off the bench, he averaged over 47 PPG. Still, it would be a brave SC to choose Ayshford in your

team!E

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Clark, Erin TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Erin Clark is not yet in the SC database. Only 19 years of age, he plays fullback, 5/8 and halfback. He has already represented Samoa twice, coming off the bench both times, in 2016. It is hard to see him spending

any time in FG this year but a name to keep in mind for the future.E


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Foran, Kieran 5/8 $294,900 9 44.0 73.0 0.60 19 49.4 78.2 0.63


2017 SC Rating Kieran Foran has a lot of issues on his plate from the past year, dealing with a serious shoulder injury, separating from his partner and now living far from his children, as well as walking out on a lucrative contract with the Eels and signing for half of what he was worth just 12 months ago. Plus there’s the

spectre of Eddie Hayson hanging about too. On the field, he remains as good of a player as ever but even at his peak he was hardly SC relevant. The key difference he will make is if he can get on to the park and take the pressure of organisation off SJ, to allow him to play his natural game. Rumours are that he won’t be back until at least Round 5 or 6, and potentially not until Round 12. All speculation though... either way,

don’t have Kieran Foran in your team.

D


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Fusitua, David CTW / FLB $338,700 18 51.0 81.0 0.63 3 52.3 68.0 0.77


2017 SC Rating Fusitua was always too talented to be kept out of the team and it didn’t take long for him to get in and stay in (Round 7 and for the rest of the season). Playing all around the backline, Fusitua averaged 55.9 from seven games on the wing (bumped up due to a 140 vs the Knights), 49.1 at fullback from seven games,

and 44.3 from four games at centre. This is dragged down by a final round score of 10, and SJ’s fade come the last few rounds was very pronounced... average of his other three games at centre was 55.9. Well, he’s

likely to be playing right centre this year with Lolohea outside him on the wing. All the stats from last season are there... he would not be the worst pick to start the year given the friendly starting draw for the Warriors.

C


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Gavet, James FRF $184,500 10 28.0 30.0 0.93 1 18.0 29.0 0.62


2017 SC Rating Gavet started 2016 with promise, getting decent minutes for his price, before his minutes inexplicably dropped, then went back up, then dropped again. McFadden at his best, it seems, and before long Gavet

was gone altogether and down the pecking order of the other young middle forwards. He is a wrecking ball at his best but he doesn’t seem to inspire much confidence in his coach. Not worth considering at that

price bracket, unless he is getting 40-45 minutes minimum.D

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Gubb, Charlie FRF $172,800 14 26.0 30.0 0.87 9 34.9 31.9 1.09


2017 SC Rating One of the young middle forwards thought to possibly benefit from Ben Matulino’s preseason injury, Gubb certainly can increase his minutes from his 30 MPG average of 2016. However, his PPM is not entirely flash,

and with the whispers that the Cowboys are chasing him, potentially for 2016, he probably shouldn’t be anywhere near your SC team.D


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Hingano, Ata HFB / 5/8 $165,400 2 28.0 41.0 0.68 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Ata Hingano was the Warriors’ 2015 NYC rookie of the year and he did so well he also played NSW Cup finals football that year. In 2016 he came off the bench twice in late season, and in his debut he played 63 minutes beside SJ after an injury in the backline forced a reshuffle of Roache and Leuluai out of their initial

named positions. Hingano performed well and showed he would not be out of place in FG. Seemingly locked in for Round 1 at 5/8 with Foran’s contract not likely to be registered by the NRL yet, he seems to

be the best cheap half available and is a chance of getting some decent attacking stats early with the good starting draw. May not make a huge amount of cash but we can’t always get a

Hastings/Taylor/CWalker each year.

B


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Hoffman, Ryan 2RF $339,500 23 51.0 81.0 0.63 18 44.9 72.2 0.62


2017 SC Rating Once upon a time Ryan Hoffman was SC relevant (2013) but as he gets older each year he becomes less and less worth looking at. Can still go on some good runs but he loses a yard of pace each year and also

seems to be managing injuries (understandably so). Not relevant.E


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Johnson, Shaun

HFB / 5/8 $464,300 24 69.0 80.0 0.86 18 70.5 77.3 0.91


2017 SC Rating Thankfully SJ was given back his dual status (rightfully so) as this makes him far easier to work with. One of the all-time greatest SC halves, his game is made for SC with attacking stats galore. He loses a little bit of shine if he doesn’t goal kick this year, but he still averaged 67 in the seven games he didn’t goal kick for. This includes two out of the last three games of the season where SJ’s quad injury really seemed to have

gotten to him, and he looked like he shouldn’t have been on the field. Take those three games out and his season average jumps to 75.1. There’s no real reason not to start with him; did we mention the kind

opening draw for the Warriors?

A

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Kata, Solomone CTW $348,900 21 52.0 81.0 0.64 24 44.1 79.7 0.55


2017 SC Rating It wasn’t that long ago that Kata burst onto the scene in Round 1 2015 as one of the must-have rookies of that season. Now about to start his third season in FG, Kata could very well be the BJ Leilua of 2016. Kata

averages about 26 in base stats but he also scored an average of almost 8.4 PPG in tackle busts alone. That gives him around 34 PPG as a fairly standard base to work off each week, before adding in the other attacking stats. If Kata can get an offload going (only three EO and one IO all year) and become a provider as well as a try scorer in 2017 (no try assists, only two last touch assists in 2016 in contrast with 15 tries) we could definitely see a 60+ average. A potential Round 1 POD, again, because of the nice run of games

in NZ.

B


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Lillyman, Jacob FRF $312,000 22 47.0 47.0 1.00 21 41.5 45.0 0.92


2017 SC Rating Lillyman had a great year by his standards, after consistently averaging in the low 40s despite his minutes not changing. His work rate jumped up in 2016 and he had a career year, scoring 47 PPG. Which makes

him SC irrelevant given it is not a great keeper level average and there’s no money to be made out of him. Avoid.E


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Lino, Mason HFB / 5/8 $132,000 0 - - n/a 3 16.7 78.7 0.21


2017 SC Rating Mason Lino debuted as a late inclusion in Round 24 of 2015, notching a try assist on debut. It was a baptism by fire, with the JT-led Cowboys racking up 50 points on them. Lino showed promise but was

nowhere to be seen in FG in 2015, with Hingano getting the nod ahead of him. Lino is dropping down the pecking order of playmakers at the Warriors but at his price, if he looks likely of getting any extended run

then he would almost be a must. D


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Lisone, Sam 2RF / FRF $211,000 21 32.0 31.0 1.03 19 29.7 28.6 1.04


2017 SC Rating Named by Kearney as one of the potential starters in place of Ben Matulino, Lisone has been kicking around for a few years too. He has a respectable PPM of 1.03 and his minutes are trending upwards (29

and 31 MPG the past two years). If he was to increase his minutes to 40-45 MPG then he would be worth taking a punt on as a mid-ranger. Perhaps a Round 3 trade-in, if it makes sense.C

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Lolohea, Tuimoala

CTW / FLB $295,300 22 44.0 69.0 0.64 23 48.7 80.2 0.61


2017 SC Rating Did anyone have as bipolar a year as Lolohea? Starting on the wing, shifting to fullback, filling in at 5/8, dropped to the bench, then back to alternating between the wing and fullback, he was everywhere. What is relevant is that he seems likely to start the year on the right wing outside Fusitua, and his average from eight games on the wing was 44 PPG (scoring five tries and kicking five goals in nine attempts). In 2015

he played three games on the wing for an average of 59.7, scoring four tries. His base stats are poor, averaging around 17 PPG. If taking a flyer on a POD from the Warriors, Lolohea is probably the least

desirable option.

D


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Luke, Issac HOK $424,100 20 63.0 71.0 0.89 20 58.6 74.2 0.79


2017 SC Rating Luke’s 2016 was poor in terms of his on-field performances but he actually scored respectably SC-wise. A season average of 63 increases to 64.6 when you ignore the two games he was started off the bench.

However, it’s his average of 71.8 PPG from 76.3 MPG from nine games after he took over the goal kicking from SJ that is of most relevance. If there is any indication that Luke will retain the goal kicking (which he

might, as he kicked at 82% (28/34) compared to SJ’s 74% (42/57) success rate) then he could very well be the best value pick at the hooker position.

B


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Mannering, Simon 2RF $450,600 22 67.0 77.0 0.87 24 69.1 78.0 0.89


2017 SC Rating Manners averaged 56.5 in four games when playing second row, and 69.8 from his 18 games at lock. That improves to 72.1 PPG from 78.9 MPG when you remove his injury-affected game too. That means Manners

is most likely undervalued only on the basis that Manners continues to play 80 minutes or close to 80 minutes each week. Entering his 13th season of FG, and turning 31 next year, does he possibly start having

his minutes managed to ensure he can play on for as many years as possible? Corey Parker’s minutes started dropping when he turned 31 too... that is really the only question mark over the great man, who is

as consistent as they come otherwise.

B

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Matulino, Ben 2RF / FRF $349,300 23 52.0 52.0 1.00 21 61.6 57.9 1.06


2017 SC Rating Matulino had just come off a career SC year where he averaged 62 PPG from 58 MPG, and had some SCs excited for further development from Matulino to potentially become a genuine gun with the added

attacking stats. However, he regressed, struggling with some off-field issues that lead to being dropped and receiving reduced minutes as a result. A season average of 52 is mediocre but in the 15 games that ‘Muts’ played over 50 minutes, he averaged 59.4 PPG from an average of 58.9 PPG. Another big reason for the drop in score is his number of effective offloads went from 36 to 17, and ineffective offloads went from 15

to 4. One more stat for the road - he usually averages 3-4 PPG more when playing at home. It really is a pity that he is injured and won’t be available until after Round 5, although this means we can definitely get to

watch and see how he goes before jumping on.

C


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Maumalo, Ken CTW $203,200 10 30.0 75.0 0.40 8 28.9 76.8 0.38


2017 SC Rating Maumalo didn’t get a run until the second half of the season and he took his opportunity with both hands. He racked up 31, 42, 26, 28, 29 and 29 in pure base stats in his first few games - but then for some

reason his work rate dropped off a cliff (probably an injury?). Whatever the reason, the Minibeast will be an interesting watch if he gets a regular wing spot. He is behind the likes of the Beast, Lolohea and potentially

Ayshford as well though. D


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Nicoll-Klokstad, Charnze TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Turning 22 years of age this year, Nicoll-Klokstad has been biding his time in the juniors and lower grades and waiting for an opportunity. Capable of playing fullback and in the halves, he is also proficient in the backline; in fact he was named in the 2016 InTrust Super Premiership NSW team of the year at centre. If

injuries strike hard, he will be a chance for a debut but otherwise he is unlikely to see any FG time. Also not in the SC database yet.

E


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Ogden, Ofahiki TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingOgden is a young 20 year old prop (turns 21 in 2017) who will most likely get more experience in reserve

grade before any chance of FG. Not likely to be sighted (and isn’t in the SC database yet anyway). E

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Papalii, Isaiah TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fresh off signing a three year deal with the Warriors, Papalii was running around for the U20s last year, playing 11 games. Playing both a prop and lock, Papalii was consistently racking up 60+ minutes, making

30+ tackles and between 130 to 170 metres from around 13 hitups. Impressive stats and it seems the Warriors are keen to see him develop. One for the future most likely as he’s behind a long list of young,

promising middle forwards already. Also not in the SC database.E


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Pauga, Junior TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Pauga was playing NYC last year but on the back of some incredible performances he was given a shot in NSW Cup. Capable of playing fullback and wing, centre is his best position and he is one of the most exciting prospects coming through the junior Warrior ranks. As a snippet of what he is capable of, in one game he ran for 312 metres and notched up nine tackle breaks as a CENTRE. That’s seriously impressive and one name to write down for future seasons. The Warriors signed him for two seasons so they have

plans for the future for him. Another one who isn’t in the SC database.E


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Roache, Nathaniel

HOK / FLB $143,600 11 19.0 35.0 0.54 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Roache is one versatile player, with his best positions being 5/8 and fullback but also playing centre and wing as well. Oh, don’t forget that he’s been coming off the interchange as a bench hooker in FG. For all that talent however, he is SC poison until he somehow gets a permanent spot somewhere. Do not get

sucked in due to the price and his unique DPP of HOK/FLB.E


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Sao, Ligi FRF $143,600 2 16.0 14.0 1.14 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Sao returned to the Warriors last year after a three year stint with the Sea Eagles that only saw him play 21 games. Unfortunately, Sao was only able to add another two games to his tally last year before injury ruined

his chance. He has played junk minutes in the past year, and injury hasn’t helped him establish himself as a regular FG prospect. He turns 25 this year so it is hard to see him play much FG if he doesn’t start

getting more regular chances this year and next. Put him on the watch list given his price but seems to have slipped down the pecking order after some promising debuts from the likes of Sipley last year.

E

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Sipley, Patrick TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Whilst his younger brother debuted in FG last year, Patrick is still waiting for his opportunity. He turns 25 this year and he is well behind a lot of younger promising props (including his younger brother). Seems

unlikely to be sighted (and isn’t in the SC database yet).E


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Sipley, Toafofoa FRF $150,400 2 23.0 16.0 1.44 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Toafofoa (or ‘Tof’) Sipley debuted in Round 9 last year, playing only 10 minutes. He managed to make five runs (three over eight metres), bust two tackles and notch a line break in that time however, but also missed

3 tackles from 5 attempts. Not a great start defensively but the attacking potential is clearly there. In his second game in Round 15, he managed to see 21 minutes of game time and made seven tackles with no misses, busted four tackles in his seven runs (four over eight metres) and conceded a penalty. From those

limited stats, his gameplay seems quite suited to SC so keep him in mind if he looks like getting 30 minutes or more on a consistent basis as his PPM is quite decent.

D


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Tevaga, Jazz HOK $227,300 11 34.0 39.0 0.87 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating An impressive debut season deputising for Luke, Tevaga won a lot of fans last year from the way he put his body on the line and worked his hardest for the team despite his inexperience. Unfortunately from an SC perspective he isn’t relevant as long as continues to be a bench hooker. If Luke goes down long-term with an injury and Tevaga gets a guaranteed run - jump on. Although it was only three games, the games

he started he averaged 52.3 PPG from 65.7 MPG without any attacking stats. Could be good if he gets the minutes.

D


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Thompson, Bodene 2RF $442,700 18 66.0 77.0 0.86 21 60.9 75.0 0.81


2017 SC Rating Possibly the POD of 2016, Bodene was a revelation after he returned from his preseason injury and settled into his usual role playing 80 minutes on the right edge. The attacking stats that he gets from running off SJ’s hip are obvious, but of particular interest is the fact that Bodene raised his base stat average

(from non injury affected games playing his usual minutes) from 48 PPG in 2015 to 52 PPG in 2016. His increased work ethic was marked and 52 PPG is a solid base before adding in the tackle busts and all the other attacking stats that he consistently gets. A genuine gun, albeit a riskier one as he (like Cordner) need attacking stats to maintain their keeper level averages. One last point - Bodene would have averaged 69.6

last year, not including the first game he played off the bench and the final round score when he went down injured.

A

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Tuivasa-Sheck, Roger FLB $324,000 7 54.0 71.0 0.76 24 77.4 79.8 0.97


2017 SC Rating RTS was the highest overall points scorer in SC in 2015. New club in 2016 but things were looking good until his ACL. He doesn’t actually have much pedigree given he only had the one (insanely) good season, but the signs in the last few rounds of 2016 were that when he is at fullback, he does the hard yards and will continue to have great base stats. The question mark is how he goes post-ACL - they are always a

hard injury to come back from but the way RTS plays surely places him at risk. Looks like we will have the Auckland Nines to watch him in action and potentially some more trial games too. In any case, he is priced 23 PPG less than his first season at fullback, and it is close to what he was averaging when he was on the wing at the Roosters. He averaged 44 PPG in base stats and tackle busts alone. There seems to be little

downside and the upside more than justifies the risk of re-injury.

A


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Vatuvei, Manu CTW $272,300 15 41.0 75.0 0.55 16 52.6 77.1 0.68


2017 SC Rating Big Manu had a turbulent year in 2016, going off the rails due to personal, off-field issues which clearly affected his on-field performances. He has consistently pumped out 50+ season averages and until 2016, he has scored 10+ tries in 10 consecutive years. Another potential beneficiary of the Warriors’ easier start

to the year. His base stats are usually in the 25-30 range before adding tackle busts. Could be a good POD to start the year.

C


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Vete, Albert FRF $274,500 15 41.0 34.0 1.21 21 37.0 33.4 1.11


2017 SC Rating The first name off Kearney’s lips when asked who would take Matulino’s spot, Vete has been developing quite nicely and 2017 might just be the year he kicks on. He managed a 41 PPG average from only 34

MPG, a healthy PPM of 1.20. That’s in the top 10 and he plays the 4th most minutes behind the likes of James, Fifita and Taumalolo. A big reason for this was a brace of tries in Round 14 but also because he

kept his offload happening. If Vete manages to increase his minutes to 45-50 then he would be well worth looking in the early season.

C

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 NORTH QLD COWBOYS | 121

NORTH QLD COWBOYS

The Cowboys put up a spirited fight in their attempt to back-to-back, falling in the preliminary final to eventual premiers the Sharks. If only they didn’t have to face off against their arch-nemesis in an elimination semi-final the week before – although thankfully for us they did because we got to witness such an amazing game. The Cowboys have lost some quality cattle, especially in the middle of the park, but they have some promising young talent coming through. If Green is able to work through the rotations to cover the loss of Tamou and Hannant, and assuming the two JTs in Thurston and Taumalolo stay fit all year, the Cowboys have too good of a squad to not be at the business end of the competition.


2017 NRL SQUAD

John Asiata, Cooper Bambling, Scott Bolton, Javid Bowen, Josh Chudleigh, Gavin Cooper, Lachlan Coote, Kyle Feldt, Gideon Gela-Mosby (20’s), Jake Granville, Ben Hampton, Coen Hess, Sam Hoare, Shaun Hudson, Corey Jensen, Marcus Jensen, Patrick Kaufusi, Kyle Laybutt, Kane Linnett, Ethan Lowe, Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill, Kalyn Ponga (20’s), Matt Scott, Ben Spina, Jason Taumalolo, Ray Thompson, Jonathan Thurston, Antonio Winterstein, Shane Wright


Carlin Anderson (Trial & Train), John Asiata, Cooper Bambling (Trial & Train), Scott Bolton, Javid Bowen, Will Bugden (Trial & Train), Josh Chudleigh, Gavin Cooper, Lachlan Coote, Kyle Feldt, Gideon Gela-Mosby (20’s), Jake Granville, Ben Hampton, Coen Hess, Sam Hoare, Shaun Hudson, Corey Jensen, Marcus Jensen, Patrick Kaufusi, Kyle Laybutt, Blake Leary (Trial & Train), Kane Linnett, Ethan Lowe, Patrick Mago, Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill, Kalyn Ponga (20’s), Matt Scott, Ben Spina, Jason Taumalolo, Ray Thompson, Jonathan Thurston, Bradan Uele, Antonio Winterstein, Shane Wright

BYE SCHEDULE

The Cowboys have a mediocre bye schedule with their byes falling on rounds 12 and 18. They play one big bye round in round 15, and the ‘brilliant’ NRL drawmakers have robbed us of a blockbuster by scheduling the Cowboys and the Storm to meet in that round sans all their Origin stars. Round 13 onwards is a decent bet for Cowboys keepers should any take your fancy, as they would miss only one more game for the rest of the year. Origin players (namely Thurston, Morgan, Scott and maybe Cooper or O’Neill) will miss only the three games unless rested by their coach.

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1. Coote Interchange:2. Winterstein 14. Hampton3. Linnett 15. Hess4. O’Neill 16. P Kaufusi5. Feldt 17. Hoare / Spina6. Morgan7. Thurston8. Scott9. Granville10. Bolton11. Lowe12. Cooper13. Taumalolo


PROP – Scott, Bolton, Asiata, Spina, Hoare, Kaufusi, Uele, Wright, Bugden, C. Jensen HOK – Granville, Hampton, Thompson, Chudleigh, Leary 2RF – Cooper, Lowe, Hess, Mago, Wright, C. Jensen LOCK – Taumalolo, Asiata, Spina, Leary HALF - Thurston, Thompson, Hampton, Bambling, Laybutt 5/8 – Morgan, Thompson CTW – Linnett, O’Neill, Bowen, Hudson WING – Winterstein, Feldt, Bowen, M. Jensen, Anderson, Gela-Mosby (20’s) FLB – Coote, Morgan, Hampton, Ponga (20’s)

2017 Gains: Ben Hampton (Melbourne Storm, 2019), Corey Jensen (2017), Shane Wright (Gold Coast Titans, 2018)

2017 Losses: Ben Hannant (retired), Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm), Rory Kostjaysn (Newcastle Knights), Tautau Moga (Brisbane Broncos), Brandon Smith (Melbourne Storm), James Tamou (Penrith Panthers), Matthew Wright (Manly Sea Eagles)

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Cow



Other)

Thurston Cooper Bolton Scott Hoare Gela-Mosby Asiata

Hess Coote P Kaufusi Ponga Bowen

Lowe Granville Spina Chudleigh

Morgan Feldt

Taumalolo Hampton

Hudson

C Jensen

M Jensen

Laybutt

Linnett

O’Neill

Thompson

Winterstein

Wright


Gideon Gela-Mosby (20’s) - Position: Winger Height: 180cm Weight: 87kg Lightening quick right wing who set the Auckland 9’s alight in 2016. Gela-Mosby only needs 2 more tries to pass Matt Dufty and Drury Low to become the leading try scorer in NYC history; he currently sits on 53 tries scored in 44 games and is still eligible to play NYC for another season. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 120 metres from 9.8 hit ups and 5 tackles per game to go along with 14 tries, 17 line breaks, 4 try assists, 14 offloads, 28 missed tackles and 44 tackle breaks in 19 games. Will need two injuries to the Cowboys outside backs for him to play First Grade in 2017.

Gideon Gela-Mosby 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/108/playerid/7118/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Marcus Jensen - Position: Winger Height: 193cm Weight: 91kg Young tall lanky left winger who completes his NYC career after scoring 27 tries in 26 games over 3 seasons. Rewarded for his outstanding 2016 season in the NYC by stepping up to train with the First Grade Squad for his 1st pre-season. During the 2016 NYC season he averaged 93.7 metres from 8.3 hit ups, 2.2 tackle breaks and 3.3 tackles per game to go along with 27 tries, 28 line breaks, 3 try assists and 3 try assists. Will start the season in the Q Cup with the hope of making his NRL debut at some stage during the season.

Marcus Jensen 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/108/playerid/6920/seasonid/44/default.aspx





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Gun – Johnathan Thurston

Sleeper – Coen Hess

Bust – Scott Bolton

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Gideon Gela-Mosby


� Sam Hoare – left ACL (21/3 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ left shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)

� Shane Wright - shoulder surgery (June 15’ – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Ethan Lowe – spinal surgery (28/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � John Asiata - elbow surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Matt Scott – finger surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/ back surgery (TBA –

unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Michael Morgan – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/ right knee surgery

(TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Gavin Cooper – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Kalyn Ponga - shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Ray Thompson - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jake Granville - hand surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Antonio Winterstein – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jason Taumalolo - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh Chudleigh - ACL (Dec 16’ – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Ethan Lowe (back) � John Asiata (knee) � Matt Scott (finger/back) � Michael Morgan (knee) � Gavin Cooper (knee) � Kaylan Ponga (shoulder) � Ray Thompson (knee) � Antonio Winterstein (knee) � Jason Taumalolo (knee) � Josh Chudleigh (ACL)

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CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 - Carlin Anderson (Trial & Train), John Asiata, Cooper Bambling (Trial & Train), Scott Bolton, Will Bugden (Trial & Train), Gavin Cooper, Kyle Feldt, Gideon Gela-Mosby (20’s), Shaun Hudson, Corey Jensen, Patrick Kaufusi, Kyle Laybutt, Blake Leary (Trial & Train), Patrick Mago, Griffin Neame (20’s), Kalyn Ponga (20’s), Matt Scott, Ben Spina, Jason Taumalolo, Ray Thompson, Jonathan Thurston, Bradan Uele, Solomon Vasuvulagi (20’s), Shane Wright

� 2018 – Javid Bowen, Josh Chudleigh, Lachlan Coote, Jake Granville, Ben Hampton, Coen Hess, Sam Hoare, Marcus Jensen, Kane Linnett, Ethan Lowe, Connor Luhan (20’s), Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill, Antonio Winterstein



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Asiata, John 2RF $173,000 17 26.0 26.0 1.00 21 30.4 31.9 0.95


2017 SC Rating Asiata is known as the most skilful big man at the Cowboys, with a good pass and the ability to lay on a try. He often came on for Lolo earlier in the season before the Cowboys went with a new rotation once Hess’s

performances demanded minutes in FG. With minutes up for grabs following Tamou’s departure, he is most likely not going to benefit as his role often has not been that of a traditional bench forward. Seems unlikely

to increase his minutes by much, if at all.E


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Bolton, Scott FRF $273,200 24 41.0 37.0 1.11 16 40.6 36.5 1.11


2017 SC Rating Widely tipped to be Tamou’s replacement at starting prop, Bolton is an experienced tradesman who has been a reliable bench prop who steps up around Origin time. He started four games last year and played more minutes than his usual 37 MPG, but his scores did not increase substantially more from his 41 PPG average. Plenty may be tempted but whilst there is most likely is improvement and he may increase his

minutes from 37 MPG to maybe even 45 MPG, he may make $50k or so barring some fluke attacking stats, and his scores won’t be anywhere near keeper level. Mid-ranger trap.

D


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Bowen, Javid CTW $340,100 8 51.0 80.0 0.64 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Bowen had a solid debut season, scoring four tries in his eight regular season games and finishing with an average of 51. He has respectable base stats and can bust a tackle or five (especially off a kick return) which is great for SC scoring. However, this has left him with a high price of $340,100, yet he is unlikely to make the top 17 given how settled the Cowboys backline is. First cab off the rank (most likely) in the event

of any injury to the centres or wingers, you can’t select him in your team at that price.E

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Chudleigh, Josh HOK $224,600 1 56.0 28.0 2.00 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingAfter a promising debut off the bench last year, Chudleigh seemed set to take on the bench hooker role

vacated by Kostjasyn. Unfortunately an ACL injury has ruined his chances there. No go.E


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Cooper, Gavin 2RF $392,600 23 59.0 80.0 0.74 23 62.9 79.8 0.79


2017 SC Rating JT’s partner in crime on the left edge, Cooper has been the beneficiary of many a short ball into a hole for a line break and try. His only problem is that his base stats are not particularly great, even amongst the edge backrowers who rely on attacking stats. A poor man’s Bodene Thompson, you could do worse than take

a punt on Cooper getting a few pies in the early games where the Cowboys have a relatively easy opening draw with 6/9 games at home and 2/3 of their away trips are to the other QLD teams. For reference, Cooper

got off to a decent start in 2016, averaging 64.3 over his first 10 games. A decent POD option for those brave enough.

C


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Coote, Lachlan FLB $273,800 24 41.0 80.0 0.51 22 54.4 80.2 0.68


2017 SC Rating Coote had a great year in 2015, being an integral part of the Cowboys premiership winning team. His form fell away dramatically last year, and for some reason that meant his already-poor work rate dropped even more. The question is how Green intends to use Coote, and whether he can perform at those levels again. He is priced 13 PPG under his 2015 average - so there’s definitely room for growth if they go back to what

worked for them in 2015. As an added point of interest, in 2016 he averaged 50.6 in all games at home but only 31.3 PPG at away venues. In 2016, he averaged 57 PPG at home (3 PPG more than his season

average). Risky but could be a POD move, although there are plenty of other good options in the FLB slot.

C


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Feldt, Kyle CTW $260,100 21 39.0 80.0 0.49 5 50.0 80.0 0.63


2017 SC Rating Kyle Feldt is priced awkwardly, as even though he is able to go on small runs here and there to bump up his price, he needs to score quite well in order to make enough money to warrant selling him. He has poor base stats and whilst he can cross the chalk, he needs to do it a lot more in order to justify the trade-out. A running trend by now, but Feldt averaged 45.3 PPG at home in 2016, 6 points above his season average.

Better options out there though.D

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Granville, Jake HOK $298,700 22 45.0 61.0 0.74 24 54.2 52.3 1.04


2017 SC Rating After such a promising end to 2015 where he scored 64.3 PPG from 59.4 MPG, plenty were excited about Granville kicking on and playing roughly 60-65 MPG and scoring at keeper level. Well, he got roughly the minutes expected but underwhelmed in the point scoring department (season average of 44.7 PPG from

61.2 MPG). Much seems to be attributed to coaching instructions, with Granville often not running the ball where in 2015 he would take the line on and get through more often than not. Whilst the scoring potential

is definitely there, Granville would be a very risky POD to start the year without knowing exactly how Green plans to structure his attack. Given Granville’s base stat average is in the low 30s, he could lose more

money before that becomes clear. One to be avoided from Round 1.

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Hampton, Ben 5/8 / FLB $151,800 17 23.0 33.0 0.70 3 45.0 80.0 0.56


2017 SC Rating Hampton was signed from the Storm where he spent the season playing as bench utility, filling a good role for them as injury cover / attacking spark off the bench but in SC terms he was absolute trash. It remains to be seen how the Cowboys plan to use him but there is a suggestion that he will see a similar role for now before a longer term plan which may see him takeover one of the spine positions once JT retires. In any

case, avoid like the plague despite his cheapie-level price. E


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Hess, Coen 2RF $243,900 5 46.0 49.0 0.94 1 75.0 54.0 1.39


2017 SC Rating One of the much-hyped preseason purchases, it is hoped that Tamou’s departure frees up minutes for young gun Hess to get a real shot in FG. He gave us a glimpse of his attacking prowess in 2015, and expanded upon that in 2016. He is priced at a 46 average from 49 MPG, and it is hard to see where

increased minutes are going to come from for him unless Taumalolo shifts to prop to cover for the loss of Tamou and Lowe shifts to lock. In the back end of last year, Hess was coming off the bench and playing

on the right edge, which coincided with Lolo going off and Lowe shifting to lock. Hess would play the rest of the game on the edge (roughly 50 mins) and Lowe would go off when Lolo came back on. In

those 50 mins Hess would score in the low 30s in base stats and bolster his scores with attacking stats. Interestingly, Hess played 90 mins and 80 mins in the last two finals games when Lowe was ruled out with his neck injury, scoring 72 points in 90 minutes - basically all in base - vs the Broncos and 71 in 80 mins vs the Sharks - one line break and the rest in base stats. His role remains very much undefined however so he would be another one of these mid-ranger options - although the Cowboys coaching staff have

already confirmed they intend to find a way to get him more minutes this year. For now, it seems not even the coaching staff know what will happen. Potentially a round 3 or even round 4 target once minutes/role

become clearer.

C

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Hoare, Sam FRF $143,600 0 - - n/a 8 27.4 24.3 1.13


2017 SC Rating Hoare was looking promising as an up-and-coming prop in 2015 and looked set to expand on his eight games the previous year as he appeared to be the next cab off the rank after the likes of Bolton and

Hannant. He was struck down by an ACL injury in March though, and there has to be some reservations on picking a bench prop coming back from an ACL injury. The appeal is there and he should play decent minutes once he proves his ability to do so. In two games that he started in 2015 (due to Origin cover), he scored 51 in 36 minutes and 36 in 30 minutes - all in base. His PPM of 1.13 is impressive given that only includes four tackle busts in eight games and no offloads. Just hard work and minimal errors and missed

tackles. He may be worth the punt if named in Round 1, as long as you have some spare cash to swap him over to one of the other bench props for the Cowboys if necessary.

C


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Hudson, Shaun CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Hudson was signed from the Titans at the start of 2016 after being their Holden Cup Co-Captain. Plays fullback, centre and wing, he is well down the pecking order at this stage but could come into calculations

around Origin time depending on selections/injuries. Most likely a name for the future.E


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Jensen, Corey TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingA 23 year old prop/second row forward trying to crack into the NRL, Corey Jensen is there for depth and most likely won’t be seen in FG barring standout performances in the QCup. Not in the SC database yet.E


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Jensen, Marcus TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Marcus Jensen topped the NYC try scorers list with 27 in 2016 and he is an out-and-out winger. As his trajectory is very similar to Gideon Gela-Mosby, he remains down in the pecking order and will be unlikely

to see any FG time this year.E

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Kaufusi, Patrick 2RF / FRF $152,100 12 23.0 23.0 1.00 1 10.0 16.0 0.63


2017 SC Rating The youngest of the three Kaufusi brothers, Patrick was given an extended shot in FG in 2016 after his one game debut in 2015. He averaged 23 PPG from 23 MPG in eight games last year, which is respectable but not anything special. The question is whether he is now ahead of Hoare, Spina and any other young prop in the pecking order, which may see him be one of the beneficiaries of Tamou’s departure. An option may be

to start with Kaufusi and downgrade him if he isn’t getting the increase in minutes required to see him make money (assuming one of the other bench rookies like Hoare or Spina are getting the minutes instead).

D


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Laybutt, Kyle HFB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A young half who will most likely be running around with the Townsville Blackhawks in 2017, there is a suggestion that he may get a FG debut around Origin time if he is playing well. Otherwise, barring several

injuries in the halves, he won’t be sighted in FG. E


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Linnett, Kane CTW $299,800 21 45.0 78.0 0.58 24 51.8 80.2 0.65


2017 SC Rating Linnett has been a picture of consistency SC-wise, averaging around 50 PPG for most years. He had a down year due to some injury issues however he still would have only averaged 47.4 once the injury-

affected games were removed. He would definitely be a POD to start the year and he is capable of going on small 3-4 game runs from time to time. Otherwise you may just get a 50 average, which is still 5 PPG more

than his starting price.D


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Lowe, Ethan 2RF $429,800 24 64.0 78.0 0.82 24 55.8 78.5 0.71


2017 SC Rating Lowe has really developed quickly in the past few years to become one of the better edge backrowers in the competition. He has a good work rate and runs good lines, although he often is used as a decoy

depending on how JT feels. Somewhat of a fast starter he has scored slightly above his season average in the opening rounds the past two years. There have to be some question marks though as he had surgery to fix a serious neck issue which ruled him out of the last two finals games. May be a good idea to avoid him

from Round 1 until it can be seen how he has recovered.C

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Morgan, Michael 5/8 $391,600 19 59.0 80.0 0.74 19 58.9 77.5 0.76


2017 SC Rating Morgan has settled into his role at 5/8 now and continues to play second fiddle to the genius of JT. He has averaged around 59 PPG in both seasons at 5/8, but he has the tendency to be a bit of a rollercoaster.

Again. He averages slightly more at home (62.9 PPG as opposed to his season average of 58.6), so he may be a good POD selection to start the season. Only available at 5/8 is a bit of a downer though.C


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Mosby-Gela, Gideon TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating After a record-breaking year in the Holden Cup in 2015 (39 tries) and a blistering debut at the 2016 Auckland Nines, Gideon Gela-Mosby (hereby known as GGM) looked set for his FG debut. However, failing to turn up to a recovery session in the U20s in March saw him consigned to U20s for the rest of the year.

Hopefully GGM learned from that lesson and he will be itching to crack into the FG team this year. He reportedly can run the 100m dash in 10.24 seconds. You can’t coach that pace in the NRL - look out if he

gets a go.D


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O’Neill, Justin CTW $298,100 22 45.0 80.0 0.56 22 45.0 76.4 0.59


2017 SC Rating O’Neill had a career year - not from a SC perspective but on the field he was in great form, culminating in an Origin debut. Still, given he had such a great year yet only averaged 45 PPG is saying something. Just

not hard enough of a worker or dynamic enough in attack to be anything but an average CTW plodder. Avoid.E


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Ponga, Kalyn CTW / FLB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Can there possibly be any more Ponga hype? Soon to be the richest teenager in the NRL, he appears set to play out the year at the Cowboys in reserve grade. Green has said that Ponga will be treated like any

other player and given a shot in FG if his form warrants it and there’s an opportunity there - but realistically what coach would resist handing GGM a debut and developing him this year, over developing Ponga to

play against your team next year. If there was any sort of certainty that Ponga would get an extended run, he would be a must-have as evidenced by his performances in the NRL finals series. Against the Broncos,

in his debut game Ponga made 17 runs and racked up 177 metres, including two line breaks and five tackle busts for 46 SC points. He was nowhere near as effective against the Sharks though, scoring only 17 points

from eight runs and a tackle bust. The attacking potential is massive though. Most likely we will see it on display for SC 2018, playing for the Knights!

D

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Scott, Matthew FRF $312,200 20 47.0 46.0 1.02 21 53.7 53.5 1.00


2017 SC Rating The prop formerly known as the best prop in the world saw a reduction in minutes and SC scores as he was managed through 2016 with a bulging disc in his neck. There is also the reality that Scott, at 31 years of age, is already unable to play 50+ minutes on a consistent basis. The Cowboys really need him to stand up and shoulder the load that the loss of Tamou and Hannant will create. A return to his peak 2014 season would be great, where he averaged 65 PPG from 56 MPG. The question is whether he is able to or not but as it stands, one would expect Scott to push his minutes up to at least 50-55, assuming he is able to do so

again. Perhaps another Round 3/4 target once the minute rotations are clear at the Cowboys.

C


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Spina, Ben FRF $143,600 2 20.0 22.0 0.91 5 45.0 39.4 1.14


2017 SC Rating Spina only played two games last year, perhaps indicating his position in the middle forward pecking order (behind Kaufusi and Asiata). Of course, as two spots have opened up in the middle forward rotation, Spina is in the mix for a spot. His PPM is respectable without being outstanding but at that price, if he is named

then he is worth considering if there are no better options. D


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Taumalolo, Jason 2RF $433,100 24 65.0 52.0 1.25 22 51.2 49.7 1.03


2017 SC Rating Well and truly the forward leader at the Cowboys, he had one of the most dominant NRL seasons ever by a forward, culminating in a joint Dally M medal. The biggest thing is the consistency, with Taumalolo scoring above 60 in 15/24 games (62.5%). Arguably, Lolo stood up when he was needed as Scott was not in peak

physical condition and able to perform to his usual standard. To expect Lolo to step up even more, after such a monster year, would be downright unrealistic and it is for that reason that it is hard to envisage how Lolo’s scores can be maintained or bettered - unless he develops an offload. Having said that, he averaged 70.8 in the second half of the season and if he was able to continue that, he will be under-priced to start the season.

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Thompson, Ray HOK / HFB $259,600 7 43.0 64.0 0.67 8 32.8 56.6 0.58


2017 SC Rating A handy utility option that can play hooker or in the halves, he seems to be one of two options to replace the departed Kostjasyn as the utility/bench hooker in the 17. He is also the first choice halves replacement

in the event of injury to JT or Morgan, and of course over Origin too. This all means nothing as he is SC poison like every other bench utility/bench hooker. E

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Thurston, Johnathan HFB $467,000 21 70.0 78.0 0.90 21 77.0 79.8 0.96


2017 SC Rating It’s almost unfair when you have your worst season for many a year, but you still finish as the highest scoring HFB option. JT hasn’t been priced at a 70 average for a long time now, and the stars have aligned

to gift him and the Cowboys a perfect bye schedule for Origin players. JT will only miss the three Origin games (barring further resting from Green) and coupled with the Cowboys’ early run, he has to be a prime candidate for Round 1 selection as it is one of the years where he won’t need to be traded out. Again, the

recurring trend is that the Cowboys play better at home and that really comes down to JT - he averaged 10 PPG above his season average in 2016 when playing at home. Whilst there still are question marks about the attacking structure and how JT’s attack stats are now being shared amongst Morgan and Coote, he’s

still head and shoulders above almost every other playmaker in the game.

A


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Winterstein, Antonio CTW $307,500 23 46.0 79.0 0.58 22 42.5 76.8 0.55


2017 SC Rating Winterstein is one of those wingers that just gets the job done. He is a hard worker who actually averages almost 30 PPG in base stats, but otherwise is not overly flashy and doesn’t offload a lot or rack up the tackle busts. He can occasionally go missing but will often offset with a monster base stat game the

following week. No value here and won’t be a CTW keeper.E


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Wright, Shane TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingA 21 year old backrower he has shifted from the Titans this year on a two year deal. Seems unlikely to get a run in 2017 given the depth in the backrow though, barring mass injuries to the three starting backrowers.E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 PARRAMATTA EELS | 133

PARRAMATTA EELS

The Eels went through a real doozy of a year in 2016, being hammered on and off the field from all angles. Brad Arthur and his merry men are to be commended for how resilient they were on the field, managing to put in determined and spirited performances week in, week out. The Eels have also been quite busy on the recruitment front, picking up some handy recruits up front and in the backline. However, they are still lacking any recognisable star and their X-factor comes from an almost-rookie fullback, a makeshift 5/8 and a so-far unreliable half. The Eels also have some unanswered questions with respect to the legal troubles of Semi Radradra and Kenny Edwards. Regardless, the Eels will need a lot to go their way to challenge the top 8 teams as they have a lot of potential yet some glaring weaknesses need to be addressed.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Daniel Alvaro, Kirisome Auva’a, Nathan Brown, Isaac De Gois, Kenny Edwards, Bureta Faraimo, Jamal Fogerty, John Folau, Bevan French, David Gower, Clinton Gutherson, James Hasson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Michael Jennings, Cameron King, Tim Mannah, Suaia Matagi, Manu M’au, Tepai Moeroa, Jack Morris, Cody Nelson, Marata Niukore, Corey Norman, Rory O’Brien, Frank Pritchard, Kaysa Pritchard, Semi Radradra, Jeff Robson, Scott Schulte, Beau Scott, Will Smith, Brad Takarangi, Kelepi Tanginoa, Peni Terepo, Honeti Tuha, Alex Twal, Joseph Ualesi, Siosaia Vave, Matt Woods


Daniel Alvaro, Kirisome Auva’a, Nathan Brown, Isaac De Gois, Kenny Edwards, Bureta Faraimo, Jamal Fogerty, John Folau, Bevan French, David Gower, Clinton Gutherson, James Hasson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Michael Jennings, Cameron King, Greg Leleisiuao (20’s), Tim Mannah, Suaia Matagi, Manu M’au, Tepai Moeroa, Jack Morris, Cody Nelson, Marata Niukore, Corey Norman, Rory O’Brien, Frank Pritchard, Kaysa Pritchard, Semi Radradra, Jeff Robson, Scott Schulte, Beau Scott, Will Smith, Ray Stone (20’s), Brad Takarangi, Kelepi Tanginoa, Peni Terepo, Vai Toutai, Honeti Tuha, Alex Twal, Joseph Ualesi, Siosaia Vave, Matt Woods

BYE SCHEDULE

The Eels have the best bye schedule in the competition along with the Rabbitohs, playing all three big bye rounds. The Eels’ byes fall in rounds 16 and 19, so any Eels can be confidently started without interruption until round 15. Origin players (of which only Michael Jennings is in the mix) will miss five games over the representative period.

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OUR PREDICTED BEST 17

1. French Interchange:2. Radradra 14. K Pritchard3. Jennings 15. Vave4. Takarangi 16. F Pritchard5. Hoffman 17. Edwards6. Gutherson7. Norman8. Matagi9. De Gois / King10. Mannah11. Ma’u12. Scott13. Brown


PROP – Mannah, Vave, Matagi, N. Brown, Alvaro, Terepo, Hasson, O’Brien, Tanginoa, Twal HOK – De Gois, Robson, King, K. Pritchard, Morris 2RF – Scott, M’au, F. Pritchard, Moeroa, Tanginoa, Ualesi, Woods, Niukore LOCK – Scott, Moeroa, Gower, Nelson, Tanginoa, Ualesi, Woods, Stone (20’s) HALF – Norman, Robson, W. Smith, Fogerty 5/8 – Norman, Gutherson, W. Smith CTW – M. Jennings, Takarangi, Gutherson, Auva’a, G. Jennings, Folau, Niukore WING – Radradra, Gutherson, French, Faraimo, Folau, Schulte, Tuha, Leleisiuao (20’s) FLB – Gordon, French, Gutherson, W. Smith

2017 Gains: Kirisome Auva’a (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2017), Nathan Brown (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2018), Jamal Fogarty (2018), Josh Hoffman (Gold Coast Titans, 2019), George Jennings (Penrith Panthers, 2017), Suaia Matagi (Penrith Panthers, 2018), Marata Niukore (New Zealand Warriors, 2017), Frank Pritchard (Hull FC, 2017), Jeff Robson (Mid Season: New Zealand Warriors, 2017), Will Smith (Penrith Panthers, 2017), Siosaia Vave (Manly Sea Eagles, 2018)

2017 Losses: Mitch Cornish (Sydney Roosters), Kieran Foran (New Zealand Warriors), Tyrell Fuimaono (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Michael Gordon (Sydney Roosters), Luke Kelly (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Ryan Morgan (St Helens RLFC), Kieren Moss (Hull Kingston Rovers), Junior Paulo (Canberra Raiders), Nathan Peats (Gold Coast Titans), Vai Toutai (released), Anthony Watmough (retired), Danny Wicks (retired)

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Cow



Other)

Radradra French Brown M Jennings King Folau Alvaro

Gutherson Hoffman K Pritchard G Jennings Auva’a

Ma’u Mannah Matagi Niukore De Gois

Norman Tanginoa Edwards

Faraimo

Fogarty

Gower

Hasson

Moeroa

Morris

Nelson

O’Brien

F Pritchard

Robson

Schulte

Scott

Smith

Takarangi

Terepo

Toutai

Tuha


Greg Leleisiuao (20’s) - Position: Winger, Centre Height: 180cm Weight: 99kg His 2016 season was cut short due to an ACL injury in June, so he is unlikely to be fit for Round 1. In 2016 he averaged 157.5 metres from 11.2 hit ups, 7.7 tackles and 7.2 tackle breaks per game to go along with 8 tries, 6 line breaks, and 2 try assists in 8 games before injury hit cutting short his season.

Greg Leleisiuao 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/116/playerid/7283/seasonid/44/default.aspx



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Marata Niukore - Position: Centre, Second Row Height: 188cm Weight: 102kg Junior Kiwi who spent time in both the NYC and Intrust Super Premiership in 2016, playing both centre and second row. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 105.4 metres from 11.4 hit ups, 20 tackles and 4.3 tackle breaks in 71.1 minutes per game to go along with 6 tries, 6 line breaks, and 6 offloads in 13 games. With the Eels lacking depth in the outside backs, he could make his NRL debut at some stage during the 2017 season.

Marata Niukore 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/114/playerid/6935/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Alex Twal - Position: Prop Height: 190cm Weight: 103kg Best Prop in the NYC and was named at Prop in the NYC Team of the Year, despite only playing 13 games, as he spent time playing Intrust Super Premiership for Wentworthville. Represented the Junior Kangaroos (2015), U20 NSW Blues (2015), U18 NSW Blues (2014) and U16 NSW Blues (2012) during his junior career. Will spend his 2nd pre-season training with the First Grade Squad in 2016/17. In the NYC during the 2016 season he averaged 144 metres from 13.6 hit ups and 33 tackles in 55.6 minutes per game to go along with 3 line breaks, 1 try assist, 17 offloads, 12 missed tackles and 23 tackle breaks in 13 games. With the limited depth the Eels have at prop, it will really be interesting to see if he makes his NRL debut in 2017.

Alex Twal 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/109/playerid/6937/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Semi Radradra

Sleeper – Clinton Gutherson

Bust –Bevan French

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Alex Twal


� Greg Leleisiuao - ACL (June 15’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Clinton Gutherson – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Semi Radradra – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Bevan French – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kaysa Pritchard – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Tim Mannah – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Ray Stone - shoulder surgery (TBA - confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tepai Moeroa – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Beau Scott - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Joseph Ualesi – foot surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Rory O’Brien - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Brad Takarangi – left ankle (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)





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� Matt Woods - shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � George Jennings – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Cameron King – ankle injury (9/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � John Folau – wrist injury (9/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Greg Leleisiuao (ACL) � Ray Stone (shoulder) � Matthew Woods (shoulder)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Kirisome Auva’a, Blaise Barnes (20’s), Bureta Faraimo, John Folau, David Gower, James Hasson, Sam Hughes (20’s), George Jennings, Cameron King, Greg Leleisiuao (20’s), Tepai Moeroa, Cody Nelson, Marata Niukore, Rory O’Brien, Frank Pritchard, Semi Radradra, Jeff Robson, Scott Schulte, Will Smith, Kelepi Tanginoa, Peni Terepo, Honeti Tuha, Alex Twal, Joseph Ualesi, Matt Woods

� 2018 – Daniel Alvaro, Nathan Brown, Isaac De Gois, Jamal Fogerty, Suaia Matagi, Jack Morris, Kaysa Pritchard, Beau Scott, Ray Stone (20’s), Siosaia Vave

� 2019 – Tui Afualo (20’s), Jesse Cronin (20’s), Kenny Edwards, Bevan French, Josh Hoffman, Michael Jennings, Tim Mannah, Manu M’au, Corey Norman, Brad Takarangi, Tangata Utoikamanu (20’s)

� 2020 - Stefano Utoikamanu (20’s)



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Alvaro, Daniel FRF $285,100 17 43.0 37.0 1.16 7 34.4 26.6 1.30


2017 SC Rating Alvaro increased his average minutes from 27 to 37 MPG last year; however a drop in his PPM meant that his average score only increased by 3 PPG. The Eels were busy recruiting in the offseason however and Alvaro faces some stiff competition to stay in the top 17. There are also question marks about how Brad

Arthur (BA) intends to use his bench, with there being recent quotes from him saying he was keen on an 80 minute hooker because there were some “bigger bodies” in the squad now. Too risky to start with Alvaro

but if he is starting or getting minimum 45-50 MPG then he may be worth getting in.D


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Auva’a, Kirisome CTW $213,900 13 32.0 68.0 0.47 4 27.0 80.0 0.34


2017 SC Rating Thrown a lifeline by the Eels after recording a second strike under the NRL’s illicit drug’s policy in 2016, Auva’a adds depth to the Eels’ backline. He appears unlikely to be around from Round 1 but may come into calculations if injuries strike. He was underwhelming in his 13 appearances for the Rabbitohs last year, after

being one of the rookies of the year in 2014. Would want him to show some semblance of form and SC relevance before taking a chance on him.

E

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Brown, Nathan 2RF / FRF $319,600 21 48.0 46.0 1.04 7 26.6 27.4 0.97


2017 SC Rating Perhaps one of the Eels’ best offseason signings, Nathan Brown really came into his own in 2016 during a tough season for the Rabbitohs. His minutes varied by quite a bit throughout the season, and he finished with a 48 PPG average from 46 MPG. Much will depend on the make-up of the bench, but if BA goes with some of the “bigger bodies” on the bench (namely, F Pritchard and Vave), he may need someone who can play bigger minutes. Interestingly, Brown has a decent motor and in games where he played over 50 mins (eight games averaging 57.3 MPG) he scored 56.3 PPG. Throw in great bye coverage and there is a lot to

like about Nathan Brown if he does consistently get 50-55+ minutes.

C


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De Gois, Isaac HOK $225,800 22 34.0 55.0 0.62 17 29.5 46.3 0.64


2017 SC Rating In one of the most difficult positions this year, BA has come out and said to the media that he wants to play an 80 minute hooker to utilise a four forward bench. This boils down to a choice between the elder

statesman of De Gois, the raw and yet unfulfilled talent of Kaysa Pritchard and the fragile but possibly most exciting prospect of Cameron King. What BA doesn’t say is whether or not he will push for this setup from Round 1. None of the hookers have had much practice playing for 80 mins, although De Gois played four games out of necessity (averaged 46.3 PPG in those four games). What is clear however, from his scores last year, is that if De Gois is the starting hooker and even if he plays 65+ minutes, he is to be avoided -

even for bye coverage. Save the trade.

E


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Edwards, Kenny

2RF / 5/8 $317,500 24 48.0 61.0 0.79 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Kenny Edwards has to be one of the most entertaining and exciting players to watch at the Eels. Whether it be a cheeky quick tap close to the line or yet another coincidental final minute leg cramp when the Eels are leading, Edwards keeps things interesting. Unfortunately his versatility and impact off the bench means he is almost irrelevant for SC despite having quite a decent work rate and SC-friendly playstyle. There is just no guarantee of consistent minutes barring a long-term injury to one of the edge forwards where Edwards has played 80 mins multiple times. Throw in an unresolved domestic violence court matter and he is to be

given a wide berth from Round 1 and most likely the season.

D


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Faraimo, Bureta CTW $231,600 2 50.0 80.0 0.63 11 41.8 79.2 0.53


2017 SC Rating Faraimo has been in and out of the Eels backline for the past two seasons. Seemingly the first or second cab off the rank, Faraimo has respectable base stats and is a decent finisher, but is now priced far too

awkwardly to make him relevant. Move along.E

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Fogarty, Jamal HFB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fresh off leading the Burleigh Bears to the InTrust Super Cup title, Jamal Fogarty is a halfback and fullback who is looking to break into the NRL. He has a two year deal and could be an option with a view towards

the future if Gutherson wasn’t working out at 5/8 beside Norman (and BA doesn’t want to go back to Robson). Otherwise he’s unlikely to see any extended time (or any time at all) in FG this year. E


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Folau, John CTW $144,400 1 27.0 80.0 0.34 7 39.7 80.0 0.50


2017 SC Rating Folau Jnr showed glimpses of his natural ability in his debut year of 2015 but a hamstring injury during the Auckland Nines of 2016 hamstrung (sorry) Folau’s 2016 campaign. He didn’t get an opportunity until Round 21 and only played the one game. He has increased competition for backline spots now with the addition of Josh Hoffman and George Jennings (although Toutai’s release helps a bit there). He’s still cheap enough

that if he seems like he will have an extended run, he should hopefully make some money.D


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French, Bevan CTW / FLB $336,800 13 50.0 80.0 0.63 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating One of the revelations of the 2016 Nines’ tournament, Bevan French didn’t get a chance until later in the year. He quickly showed his try scoring ability, with an impressive read of the game and a knack for

showing up at the right place at the right time. His almost non-existent work rate is scary but a look at his try scoring feats in the lower grades as well as his start to his FG career shows that he finds the line more often than the average player. Now being given first shot at the #1 jersey, French is the perfect high risk/

high reward POD option for those who are brave.C


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Gower, David 2RF / FRF $254,000 16 38.0 40.0 0.95 21 43.3 54.5 0.79


2017 SC Rating Gower is somewhat of an unfashionable, ‘meat and potatoes’ kind of forward. His PPM is acceptable, and he scores as you would expect from the minutes he is given. Seems unlikely to have any bigger role than

what he has had so far - if he makes the top 17 at all. Move along.E

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Gutherson, Clint

5/8 / CTW $336,200 24 50.0 80.0 0.63 1 4.0 13.0 0.31


2017 SC Rating He has a terrible haircut but the natural talent of Gutherson shines through. He’s shown his flexibility in playing on the wing, centre, fullback and 5/8. BA has indicated that Gutherson will start the year at 5/8 beside Norman. An average of 58.1 from the final seven games of 2016 shows a snippet of what he is

capable of - but that was as the dominant playmaker and main creative spark (he was beside Jeff Robson). There is a big question mark over how he may go with Norman being the dominant playmaker but the sweetener may be that he is a favourite to secure the goal kicking, although by all reports BA has not

decided who is the best option and he, Norman and Radradra are all continually practising and improving each training session. If Gutherson gets the kicking he becomes a less risky proposition, and is well worth a look at that price range (plus has a handy DPP). If not, then it would be more sensible to wait and watch

first.

B


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Hasson, James 2RF / FRF $132,000 0 - - n/a 10 20.3 25.1 0.81


2017 SC RatingA fringe forward for the Sea Eagles, a fringe forward for the Eels. Hasson is an AE nightmare waiting to

happen as he doesn’t have a good PPM even in limited minutes. Avoid.E


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Hoffman, Josh CTW / FLB $249,300 24 37.0 80.0 0.46 24 35.7 78.4 0.46


2017 SC Rating Recruited from the Titans on a three year deal, Hoffman famously left Brisbane with the intention of playing fullback for the Titans. It didn’t take long for him to lose that fullback jumper to Zillman and he has spent most of his time at the Titans playing left centre. Now it appears he has signed with the Eels to play right wing. This is where it gets interesting however, as Hoffman averaged 54.8 in 15 games on the wing for

the Broncos in 2013, scoring 12 tries. He was a good finisher, and was a strong runner of the ball on kick returns. It was a while ago but might Hoffman return to that try scoring rate for the Eels? That wing average is significantly higher than any of his other season averages so if he was able to perform at a similar level,

he is well under-priced and could be a great POD from the start or even just over the byes.

C

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Jennings, George CTW $184,500 0 - - n/a 5 46.0 77.0 0.60


2017 SC Rating After a fast start in his debut season, a broken leg put the brakes on that and young George has struggled for an opportunity since then in a stacked Panthers backline. Shifting to the Eels he will most likely compete with Faraimo to be first choice injury cover or Origin cover (if brother Michael is selected again). Not bottom

dollar but cheap enough to make money if George can find that 46 PPG average again. One for the mid-season watch list most likely.

C


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Jennings, Michael CTW $289,900 19 43.0 78.0 0.55 21 50.7 80.0 0.63


2017 SC Rating A quick glance at Michael Jennings’ previous SC averages and you could be forgiven for assuming that 2016 was just a blip and he is now going to start under-priced. What cannot be ignored is that he was

playing for a much more potent attacking side in the Roosters during those other years. The Eels attack is still yet to click and now there is a fresh spine and most likely new attacking structures to implement.

Safer to watch for signs of life before considering him - but he will miss five games over the Origin period if selected.

D


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King, Cameron HOK $132,000 0 - - n/a 2 15.0 19.5 0.77


2017 SC Rating It’s been a tough preseason as cheapies appear to be in short supply but Cameron King is one name which many a SC is pinning their hopes on. The difficult hooker position is giving plenty of SCs a headache and the briefly-floated idea of King being the first choice hooker at the Eels (vaguely alluded to in an article,

albeit without any direct quote from player or coach) whet many an appetite for cheap hookers. The injury history is a worry but it would a big ask to say no for a nearly-bottom dollar starting hooker. Cross your

fingers for TLT.C


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Mannah, Tim FRF $284,100 14 43.0 39.0 1.10 23 53.7 44.5 1.21


2017 SC Rating Mannah has been one of the more consistent and durable props over recent years, until that all came crashing down in 2016. Mannah seemed unable to stay in one piece, or avoid being concussed, with

many a game in 2016 being interrupted due to injury or concussion. 43 PPG from 39 MPG is poor when compared to his usual minutes and output. When fit last year, he averaged, 48.2 PPG from 45 MPG. So

there appears to be some value there, at least 5 PPG if not more (if he can increase his minutes as well as his PPM) but there are probably more appealing mid-range options than Mannah.

C

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Matagi, Suaia FRF $192,600 21 29.0 30.0 0.97 7 29.4 26.4 1.11


2017 SC Rating Matagi had a great year for the Panthers and was duly rewarded by being squeezed out by their salary cap and the prioritising of the up and coming stars like young Matt Moylan and Bryce Cartwright. Interestingly though, he still got limited minutes even when he was starting in the back half of the season. He averaged 30.4 PPG from 31.9 MPG in the eight games he started in the front row. The big difference is that the Eels don’t have a Trent Merrin with a wicked work rate and also demanding big minutes in the middle. So there is work available and minutes up for grabs - he just hasn’t demonstrated the ability to play big minutes or that higher work rate previously. Technically still cheap enough, depending on the rookie situation come

Round 1 TLT, we may have to look at some of these options.

D


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Ma’u, Manu 2RF / CTW $386,800 22 58.0 79.0 0.73 22 54.0 74.8 0.72


2017 SC Rating Ma’u has suddenly become far more appealing since being a dual position in the CTW position. His average is not particularly flash and even in the CTWs he was only the 10th highest average in 2016. But

that bye coverage, he would be more than serviceable as a 5th or 6th CTW option that you can lock away from Round 1. His price is unlikely to vary more than $30,000 either side of his 2017 starting price, which is

reflected in his 2016 price movements.B


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Moeroa, Tepai 2RF $285,300 22 43.0 60.0 0.72 19 39.1 60.5 0.65


2017 SC Rating Moeroa was promising junior but hasn’t really set the world on fire since making FG. He doesn’t have a high work rate and is susceptible to injuries as well. An average of 43 PPG from 60 MPG says it all really -

plodder. D


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Morris, Jack TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating No longer eligible for the U20s this year, Morris is a second row forward who can also play some centre. He turned out for the QLD U20s squad in the backrow, and also played for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup to give him a taste of the next level up. A real talent for the future, he is yet to be added to the SC database

and won’t be relevant this year.E

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Nelson, Cody HOK / 2RF $143,600 2 12.0 15.0 0.80 1 63.0 80.0 0.79


2017 SC Rating Nelson has been on the fringes for a few years. He put in one solitary eye-catching performance in 2015 where he scored 63 in 80 minutes - but otherwise he has been given junk minutes as a bench hooker and scored junk points accordingly. Seems unlikely to be sighted in FG given the plethora of cheap hookers

(sorry) at the Eels.E


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Niukore, Marata CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Niukore jumped ship from the Warriors this year, with his pathway to FG seemingly blocked by a raft of promising slightly older talent in both the backrow and at centre. The Eels have some depth in those

positions too so it will take some impressive performances in reserve grade for Niukore to establish himself as one of the preferred options for a debut/injury cover. Seems unlikely to figure in FG this year.E


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Norman, Corey 5/8 $367,600 16 55.0 77.0 0.71 22 49.4 79.5 0.62


2017 SC Rating Norman could be going into 2017 as the reigning Dally M medal winner, going by how well he was polling prior to his season-ending suspension for being a bad boy. The lone attacking spark at the time, Norman was directing the team well and pulling the strings as the dominant playmaker in impressive fashion. This lead to a career high SC average of 55. The question is how does he work with his new spine? And, for all of his Dally M winning form prior to suspension, he still only averaged 55 PPG. Definitely worth starting if he is confirmed as first choice goal kicker, otherwise to pick him would be a brave POD move given the

numerous question marks over the Eels.

C


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O’Brien, Rory FRF $147,100 9 22.0 26.0 0.85 3 22.7 19.3 1.17


2017 SC RatingAnother one of the fringe forwards floating in and out of the team, the latest acquisitions this year should

see O’Brien drop further down the pecking order and out of any SC relevance at all. Move along.E

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Pritchard, Frank 2RF $322,000 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Frank the Tank was in devastating form for the Bulldogs in 2015 before joining Hull FC in the Super League for the 2016 season. In his last season of NRL he averaged 54 PPG from 57 MPG. Of interest is that when he played 60+ minutes, he was putting up a huge 67.8 PPG from 71.3 MPG average across 12 games -

mainly playing on the edge. Whilst unclear if he will walk back into a starting backrower spot at NRL level, or if he would play big minutes, he can really provide a lot of impact off the bench which is great for the

Eels, just not very good for SC. At his price point, even if he starts he would be a risky pick. Wait and see.D


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Pritchard, Kaysa HOK $153,300 16 23.0 27.0 0.85 1 37.0 65.0 0.57


2017 SC Rating Pritchard Junior has struggled with game time in the past few years, a combination of injury and indifferent form. In 2016 he was able to put together 16 games, although an average of 23 PPG from 27 MPG is hardly inspiring. He is a Granville-like hooker though, extremely quick off the mark and can get the forwards on a roll. He is in the mix to try score the starting hooker role and has to be considered if named there Round 1

with no bench hooker in sight.D


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Radradra, Semi CTW $409,900 19 61.0 76.0 0.80 18 81.1 78.2 1.04


2017 SC Rating Even in a poor year Semi registered keeper-like numbers, averaging 64.6 from 18 games if you take out his injury-affected score of 3. There are massive question marks over Semi though, from his pending Court matter in February to the fact that this is his last season in the NRL before taking up a lucrative big money contract in French rugby. To further complicate matters, he is in the mix to score the goal kicking duties which would make him a ‘must-have’ from Round 1 if he was to navigate his legal issues and line-up in Round 1. Even if not, there is plenty to suggest that a 61 average is unders for Semi in his current form.

B


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Robson, Jeff HFB / 5/8 $232,700 16 35.0 80.0 0.44 24 30.8 80.2 0.38


2017 SC RatingJeff Robson seems to consistently be referred to as the worst starting half in the NRL. Whether this is a fair

assessment or not, his SC numbers don’t present a compelling argument against it. Stay away.E

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Schulte, Scott CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Scott Schulte is still waiting for a chance in FG. Capable of playing in the backrow, centres or even the wing, his versatility may lead to a FG debut but he is far down the pecking order and it seems unlikely for

this year.E


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Scott, Beau 2RF $287,800 20 43.0 58.0 0.74 18 40.7 69.8 0.58


2017 SC Rating Renowned hardman Beau Scott gets another year older but his defence remains as bruising as ever. Unfortunately hard hits don’t get more SC points and his minutes are only going to trend downwards. Not an option for SC himself but what happens with him will lead to opportunities to the younger forwards like

Nathan Brown. E


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Smith, Will 5/8 / FLB $207,200 4 31.0 78.0 0.40 9 58.2 80.0 0.73


2017 SC Rating Smith left the Panthers as his path was blocked by Moylan and the extremely talented youngsters that fill the halves and backline. Capable of playing at fullback, in the halves and even in the centres, Smith could

see himself in a Mr Fix-It role if injuries strike. He is awkwardly priced so there are most likely better options out there.E


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Takairangi, Brad 2RF / CTW $280,400 17 42.0 78.0 0.54 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Takairangi had a good year, albeit one that was interrupted by injury. He was shuffled around a bit, with two games at 5/8 for a 70 average in those two games. Taka doesn’t have the work rate to make him SC

relevant however.E

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Tanginoa, Kelepi

2RF / FRF $143,600 0 - - n/a 3 33.0 34.0 0.97


2017 SC Rating Once touted as the next Taumalolo, Tanginoa left the Cowboys for the Eels previously to try break into FG. He was unable to get a game last year however and continues to bide his time. He is a wrecking ball and

if he is given the minutes and an opportunity, expect plenty of hard runs and tackle busts from players bouncing off him. Most likely irrelevant though.E


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Terepo, Peni 2RF / FRF $246,700 23 37.0 38.0 0.97 13 26.7 27.6 0.97


2017 SC Rating Terepo did the job required of him all throughout 2016 - however there is not much that stands out about his gameplay in NRL or in SC. Seems like he will be lucky to make the top 17 at this stage. He has also

been busted for drink driving in late January, and his status is unkown at the time of writing this.E


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Toutai, Vai CTW $225,400 7 34.0 80.0 0.43 2 23.5 80.0 0.29


2017 SC RatingToutai was mutually terminated from his contract after an alleged glassing incident involving a bikie gang

member. Doesn’t sound like much fun - and he won’t be playing NRL this year. Moving on.E


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Tuha, Honeti CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingFormerly at the Knights, Tuha is a winger-turned fullback that is waiting for a chance at FG. He was a

standout performer for Wentworthville last year, but remains some way from a debut in FG.E

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Twal, Alex FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Considered by many to be the best front row forward in the NYC in 2016, he is stuck behind a logjam of middle forwards who all are serviceable, but none of them really stand out. Twal seems unlikely to get a

chance in FG this year barring mass injuries, but he is definitely a name to keep on the radar for the future.E


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Vave, Siosaia FRF $249,900 23 37.0 35.0 1.06 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Cut from the same kind of cloth as George Rose, Vave was a bit of a cult figure for the Sea Eagles last year. Of course he now finds himself at the Eels but Vave provided impressive impact off the bench. Not capable of consistently punching out big minutes, he seems likely to find himself on the bench come Round 1 but

he is irrelevant at that price.E


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Woods, Matthew 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Formerly the Tigers’ NYC captain in 2015 and NSW U20s Origin representative, Matt Woods (no relation to Aaron) also happens to be a handy goal kicker. At this stage he seems unlikely to see any FG time but he is

a promising backrower of the future. E

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 PENRITH PANTHERS | 148

PENRITH PANTHERS

The Panthers are becoming one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the NRL. They have some of the brightest young talent coming through, and they are a real chance at a premiership if not this year, then definitely next year. The injury curse that plagued the Panthers a few years back is slowly fading from memory and if the key players in the spine can stay healthy this year, there is no reason the Panthers won’t find themselves with a shot at the premiership on Grand Final Day in 2017. One thing which the Panthers will need to start getting used to is losing some of their best players to Origin, and dealing with the post-Origin fatigue factor, but this doesn’t seem like it will be a significant factor this year as some of their talent is arguably not quite ready yet.

Predicted Finish: 3rd

2017 NRL SQUAD

Sitaleki Akauola, Waqa Blake, Tim Browne, Regan Campbell-Gillard, Bryce Cartwright, Jed Cartwright, Nathan Cleary (20’s), Zach Docker-Clay, James Fisher-Harris, Dylan Edwards, Peta Hiku, Sione Katoa, Viliame Kikau, Leilani Latu, Moses Leota, Josh Mansour, Te Maire Martin, Tyrone May, Sam McKendry, Trent Merrin, Matt Moylan, Darren Nicholls, Michael Oldfield, Tyrone Peachey, Mitch Rein, James Tamou, Peter Wallace, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Whare, Issiah Yeo


Sitaleki Akauola, Waqa Blake, Tim Browne, Regan Campbell-Gillard, Bryce Cartwright, Jed Cartwright, Oliver Clark, Nathan Cleary (20’s), Liam Coleman, Zach Docker-Clay, James Fisher-Harris, Dylan Edwards, Peta Hiku, Sione Katoa, Viliame Kikau, Samisoni Langi (Trial and Train), Leilani Latu, Moses Leota, Soni Luke, Josh Mansour, Te Maire Martin, Tyrone May, Sam McKendry, Trent Merrin, Matt Moylan, Darren Nicholls, Michael Oldfield, Tyrone Peachey, Mitch Rein, Tony Satini (Trial and Train), Lachlan Stein, James Tamou, Ratu Tuisese, Corey Waddell, Peter Wallace, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Whare, Issiah Yeo

BYE SCHEDULE

The Panthers have the worst bye schedule in the competition as their byes fall on the first two big bye rounds (rounds 12 and 15). The silver lining is that this means their non-Origin players will have a clear run from round 16 onwards, and their Origin players will miss the bare minimum number of games (unless they are rested by their coach).

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1. Moylan Interchange:2. Watene-Zelezniak 14. Peachey3. Hiku 15. Campbell-Gillard4. Whare 16. Browne5. Blake 17. Fisher-Harris6. Martin7. Cleary8. Latu9. Wallace10. Tamou11. Yeo12. Cartwright13. Merrin


PROP – Tamou, Campbell-Gillard, McKendry, Latu, Browne, Akauola, Kikau, Leota, Clark HOK – Wallace, Rein, Katoa, Docker-Clay, Luke, Coleman 2RF – B. Cartwright, Peachey, Yeo, Fisher-Harris, J. Cartwright, Waddell LOCK – Merrin, Akauola, May HALF - Cleary (20’s), Wallace, Nicholls, Docker-Clay, Luke, Coleman, Luai (20’s) 5/8 – Moylan, Martin, B. Cartwright, May, Langi, Luai (20’s) CTW – Whare, Hiku, Blake, Stein, Satini, J. Cartwright WING – Mansour, D. Watene-Zelezniak, Hiku, Edwards, Oldfield, Tuisese, M. Watene-Zelezniak FLB – Moylan, Hiku, D. Watene-Zelezniak, Edwards

2017 Gains: Tim Browne (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2019), Jed Cartwright (Gold Coast Titans, 2019), Chris Grevsmuhl (Mid Season: South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2017), Samisoni Langi (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2017), Darren Nicholls (Brisbane Broncos, 2017), Michael Oldfield (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2017), Mitch Rein (St George Illawarra Dragons, 2018), Tony Satini (Manly Sea Eagles, 2017), James Tamou (North Queensland Cowboys, 2020)

2017 Losses: Braidon Burns (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Ben Garcia (Catalan Dragons), Josh Hall (released), Zak Hardaker (Castleford Tigers), Andrew Heffernan (Hull Kingston Rovers), George Jennings (Parramatta Eels), Robert Jennings (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Jeremy Latimore (Cronulla Sharks), Suaia Matagi (Parramatta Eels), James Segeyaro (Leeds Rhinos), Chris Smith (Sydney Roosters), Will Smith (Parramatta Eels), Jamie Soward (retired), Elijah Taylor (Wests Tigers)

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Cow



Other)

B Cartwright Cleary Hiku Blake Browne May Akauola

Mansour Martin Peachey Fisher-Harris Edwards Oldfield Campbell-Gillard

Merrin Watene-Zelezniak Rein Whare J Cartwright

Moylan Tamou Clark

Dockar-Clay

Katoa

Langi

Latu

Leota

Luke

McKendry

Nicholls

Satini

Wallace

Yeo


Oliver Clark – Position: Prop Height: 190cm Weight: 106kg Captain of the 2016 NYC Team who lost the grand final to the Roosters and he also spent time in the Intrust Super Premiership during the year. In the 2016 NYC season he averaged 114.5 metres a game from 11.8 runs and 25 tackles a game. He was named the starting prop in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year. With 2016 being his last year in the NYC he will start the season in the Intrust Super Premiership with the view of making his NRL debut at some stage during the season.

Oliver Clark 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/110/playerid/6947/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Dylan Edwards – Position: Fullback, Wing, Centre Height: 183cm Weight: 93kg Highly rated fullback who lit up the NYC in 2016 with staggering numbers. Spent the year playing both Intrust Super Premiership as well as leading the Panthers to the NYC Grand Final. He made his NRL debut in the 2016 season in Rd 18 vs the Sharks and was named on the interchange bench for the 2016 NYC Team of the Year. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 200 metres from 16.7 hit ups, 8.7 tackle breaks and 6 tackles a game to go with 12 tries, 14 try assists, 17 line breaks. He ran 200+ metres in 7 out of 17 games, with his most impressive game being vs the Cowboys in Rd 6 when he ran for 327 metres.

Dylan Edwards 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/110/playerid/7108/seasonid/44/default.aspx





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Tyrone May – Position: Lock, Five-Eighth Height: 189cm Weight: 95kg Versatile utility forward who can play either as five eighth, edge second rower or at lock and was a member of the Penrith Panthers winning grand final team in 2015. 2016 was his last season eligible for NYC, so will have to step up to play Intrust Super Premiership in 2017, although he did play some games these in 2016. Represented the Junior Kangaroos as well as being named five eighth in the NYC Team of the Year in 2016. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 71.4 metres from 7.7 hit ups and 21.7 tackles per game to go along with 8 tries, 5 line breaks, 11 try assists and 51 tackle breaks whilst averaging 69.5 minutes per game over 17 games. He is a local junior who will be pressing to make his NRL debut in 2017.

Tyrone May 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/110/playerid/6956/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Viliame Kikau – Position: Front Rower Height: 195cm Weight: 120kg Very promising front row forward whose 1st season out of the NYC at Penrith (after signing from the Cowboys) in 2016 was hampered by an ankle injury. When he did return he played out the season in the Intrust Super Premiership, finishing the year as a member of the 2015 NYC Team of the Year and he represented Fiji in 2015 in a test match vs PNG. His 2015 NYC numbers were massive, scoring 21 tries in 21 games whilst averaging 135 metres and 6.3 tackle breaks a game. Will be very surprised if he doesn’t debut this season, and will make a big impact when he does.

Viliame Kikau 2015 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/stats/holdencup/playerstatistics/playerprofile/tabid/11563/clubid/108/playerid/6629/seasonid/43/default.aspx


Gun – Bryce Cartwright

Sleeper – Te Marie Martin

Bust – Tyrone Peachey

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Dylan Edwards


� Dean Whare – ACL (Early May 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Samisoni Langi - ACL (May 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Regan Campbell-Gillard – back injury (Last Season – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ left elbow

surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Peta Hiku – right ACL (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Peter Wallace – hand surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ right elbow surgery (TBA –

unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Josh Mansour – right ACL (15/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – SEASON) � Mitch Rein - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Trent Merrin – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Matt Moylan – right elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Dallin Watene Zelezniak – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)



http://www.nrl.com/stats/holdencup/playerstatistics/playerprofile/tabid/11563/clubid/108/playerid/6629/seasonid/43/default.aspx

http://www.nrl.com/stats/holdencup/playerstatistics/playerprofile/tabid/11563/clubid/108/playerid/6629/seasonid/43/default.aspx

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� Oliver Clark – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Waqa Blake – left shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Viliame Kikau - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tyrone May – ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Sam McKendry – ACL (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jed Cartwright - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tim Browne - ankle surgery (Nov 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Dean Whare (ACL) � Samisoni Langi (ACL) � Peta Hiku (ACL) � Josh Mansour (ACL) � Mitch Rein (shoulder) � Viliame Kikau (ankle) � Tyrone May (ankle) � Sam McKendry (ACL) � Jed Cartwright (shoulder) � Tim Browne (ankle)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Sitaleki Akauola, Bryn Callaghan (20’s), Mason Cerruto, Liam Coleman, Zach Docker-Clay, Ashley Dunlop (20’s), Siailaoa Faafua (20’s), Brad Gaut (20’s), J’maine Hopgood (20’s), Sione Katoa, Viliame Kikau, Samisoni Langi (Trial and Train), Jarome Luai (20’s), Nick Lui-Toso (20’s), Darren Nicholls, Michael Oldfield, Tony Satini (Trial and Train), Lachlan Stein, Ratu Tuisese, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Whare

� 2018 – Oliver Clark, Dylan Edwards, Peta Hiku, Daine Laurie (20’s), Soni Luke, Josh Mansour, Te Maire Martin, Tyrone May, Mitch Rein, Jackson Ryan (20’s), Charlie Staines (20’s), Corey Waddell, Peter Wallace

� 2019 - Waqa Blake, Tim Browne, Regan Campbell-Gillard, Jed Cartwright, Nathan Cleary (20’s), James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Sam McKendry, Tyrone Peachey, Issiah Yeo

� 2020 - Leilani Latu, Trent Merrin, James Tamou � 2021 - Bryce Cartwright, Matt Moylan

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Akauola, Sitaleki

2RF / FRF $143,600 12 18.0 21.0 0.86 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Akauola has been given junk minutes for most of his career so far. Unfortunately with the acquisition of Tamou and Tim Browne, and the likelihood of Peachey joining the bench, it seems there are less and less

minutes to go around in the Panthers’ pack. Will be irrelevant most likely.E


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Blake, Waqa CTW $280,700 20 42.0 73.0 0.58 18 36.3 78.3 0.46


2017 SC Rating Blake had a decent year on the field, but in SC terms he still only managed to put up an average of 42 for the season. Base stats are hard to come by when you have Mansour on one flank and Peachey at centre

who just wants the ball in his hand. No value in his price, avoid.E


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Browne, Tim 2RF / FRF $186,300 22 28.0 29.0 0.97 22 38.2 29.2 1.31


2017 SC Rating Browne has shifted from the Bulldogs with the aim of increasing his minutes. He showed his ability when given bigger minutes in the Origin rounds (56 points in 80 mins and 47 points in 45 minutes, almost all

in base for both scores). It still seems hard to see where his minutes are going to come from with Merrin taking up bulk minutes, along with Tamou, RCG and Latu also in the middle forward rotation. Cheap enough

to be worth a punt, if no better options present themselves.D


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Campbell-Gillard, Reagan FRF $263,700 20 39.0 43.0 0.91 24 40.9 41.5 0.99


2017 SC Rating RCG suffered a serious back injury last year, and missed the back end of the season. From all reports his recovery has been smooth, but it seems highly likely that he will be eased back off the bench. Probably

won’t get his 43 MPG from the start - avoid from Round 1.E

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Cartwright, Bryce

2RF / 5/8 $497,200 24 74.0 77.0 0.96 22 57.2 53.0 1.08


2017 SC Rating What a breakout year for Carty - he made his mark on the game from an NRL perspective and also in SC. Take out his injury-affected game and he averaged 76.7 - that’s top shelf in any position. Interestingly,

his average at 5/8 was 82., compared to 70.8 in the backrow (72.8 if you also exclude his random game coming off the bench). Either way, an average over 70 is rare and with the easy draw for the Panthers, there

is every chance of a few Carty parties early in the season. A


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Cartwright, Jed 2RF / CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating We may need a new nickname for Bryce now that his cousin has joined the team. Thankfully he most likely won’t be sighted in FG for this year so we have some time to think about it. A second rower who can also

play some centre, Jed will be pushing for a FG debut this year and, depending on how many Panthers play Origin, he may get a chance over that period.E


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Clark, Oliver FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingA former Australian Schoolboy in 2014, this 21 year old prop is still developing. Most likely he will looking to

become a regular in reserve grade first before any look in at FG. Not likely to be sighted this year.E


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Cleary, Nathan HFB $442,700 13 66.0 81.0 0.81 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating This ‘veteran’ of 13 FG games absolutely blitzed it. Looking like a far more experienced and mature player, Cleary was good on the field but possibly even better in SC terms, being the goal kicker for such a good attacking side and a hard worker in defence gives him a solid base of around 40, give or take 5. His price is so high though for someone who hasn’t played a full season of NRL, and it remains to be seen whether there might be some second year syndrome or anything to suggest that his role is diminished (new halves

partner, Moylan taking charge, etc.)C

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Dockar-Clay, Zach

HOK / HFB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating There has been a lot of hype from Panthers fans about ‘ZDC’, a former Junior Kiwi capable of playing at hooker or at halfback. He seems unlikely to break into FG again this year with Rein’s signing, and even if he

did, his skillset would indicate a high chance of being a bench utility which, of course, is SC poison. E


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Edwards, Dylan CTW / FLB $143,600 1 19.0 80.0 0.24 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A smokey for Mansour’s left wing whilst he recovers from his ACL injury, Dylan Edwards has been impressing in preseason training. Training the house down, if you will. He performed well in his one game

in 2016, although his SC stats don’t really say much. If he is named, you almost have to pick him given the dearth of cheapies going around.C


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Fisher-Harris, James

2RF / FRF $283,600 21 42.0 51.0 0.82 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating JFH was mighty impressive in his debut season, and was easily the forward rookie of the year. He seems likely to end up on the bench again, given the shift of Carty back to the 2RF and Yeo being a Hook

favourite, and it’s hard to see where JFH will get big minutes from. He is an SC gun though, averaging 58.3 from the 11 games where he played 50+ mins (averaged 70.8 MPG). That’s impressive for a young rookie, and you can expect improvement IF he is given a chance to play those bigger minutes. One for the watch

list depending on where he is named.D


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Hiku, Peta CTW / FLB $310,500 11 46.0 77.0 0.60 22 48.6 80.0 0.61


2017 SC Rating Hiku was one of the best base stat CTWs going around, averaging 31 PPG purely in tackles and hit-ups. His average should be 50.4 PPG if you take out his injury-affected final game, which means he is slightly

undervalued. He is a legitimate option as a POD given the nice early season draw for the Panthers.C

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Katoa, Sione HOK / 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A young hooker, Katoa was discussed as an option in 2016 after Seggy went down injured. Unfortunately he also got injured and that was that. Rein’s signing pushes him further down the pecking order, and it

seems unlikely that we’ll see him this year.E


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Kikau, Villiame TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating This 21 year old stands 195cm tall and weighs 120kg. He is a monster and only getting bigger and better. He also managed to get named in both the 2015 Holden Cup team of the year and the 2015 NSW Cup

team of the year after a mid-season switch from the Cowboys to the Panthers. There is a chance that he pushes for a FG debut this year, but it will depend on injuries/Origin for that to happen most likely given the

additional signings of Tamou and Browne (which offset the loss of Latimore). E


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Langi, Samisoni TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Langi has been in reserve grade for a long time, after getting to play three games in 2013/2014 for the Roosters. He is primarily a 5/8 but he has played in the backline as well as in the backrow. He seems

unlikely to get a shot this year.E


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Latu, Leilani FRF $315,400 22 47.0 47.0 1.00 6 34.7 31.7 1.09


2017 SC Rating Latu showed what can happen when you get a shot, after forcing his way onto the bench and then playing his way to becoming a starter. His minutes gradually improved as the season went on and his scores

reflected that. In 11 games where he played over 50 minutes, he averaged 52.8 PPG which is almost 6 PPG over his season average. With the minutes up in the air, and also dependent on the make-up of the bench,

it may be worth keeping an eye on how the rotation falls in the first few rounds.D

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Leota, Moses FRF $143,600 4 17.0 16.0 1.06 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingLeota has only played four games, and generally got junk minutes (highest minutes played was 22). With

the added depth in the props, it’s hard to see how he could be relevant. Move along.E


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Luke, Soni TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingNot in the SC database, Soni Luke is another young hooker, but seems to be even further down the pecking

order than ZDC and Katoa. Definitely won’t play FG this year.E


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Mansour, Josh CTW $422,000 23 63.0 80.0 0.79 12 53.6 76.7 0.70


2017 SC Rating There was much angst last year when ‘Glue-hands Hiku’ was playing inside Mansour, as it contributed to several bombed tries and visible frustration from the passionate winger. Mansour averaged 50.9 from the

first 11 rounds of the year. After Hiku’s season-ending injury, Mansour exploded with an average of 74.3 for the rest of the year. Unfortunately he went down with an ACL injury in the post-season which will delay his

return to the field in 2017. Keep tabs on his recovery but otherwise we will need to see who is playing inside him at centre as well.

D


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Martin, Te Maire HFB / 5/8 $298,800 6 50.0 73.0 0.68 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating TMM hype was real last year, before it was overtaken by Cleary hype. Kicking that field goal to help the Panthers beat the Broncos contributed to that. TMM seems to have the inside running to partner Cleary in the halves, although Hook is keeping his cards close to his chest. Given we have only seen 6 games from

him, he is even more of a risk than Cleary given he won’t have the floor of goal kicking, however he still puts in defensively and likes to take on the line as well. Realistically though, there has to be a limit on how many

Panthers you have in your team and there are at least four better options!C

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May, Tyrone 5/8 / FLB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating May played for the Junior Kangaroos last year and is obviously a talent for the future. He is able to play at fullback, 5/8 and lock, which is an interesting combination. If injuries strike hard (which has happened to the

Panthers in the past) he could be in the mix for a debut.E


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McKendry, Sam FRF $239,000 12 36.0 34.0 1.06 24 39.7 38.2 1.04


2017 SC RatingMcKendry has been around for a while and even last year he was a fringe forward for the Panthers. With

increased competition from spots, McKendry most likely will spend most of the year in reserve grade.E


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Merrin, Trent 2RF / FRF $492,900 23 74.0 67.0 1.10 19 60.9 53.4 1.14


2017 SC Rating Merrin’s move to the Panthers was exactly what he needed, after being held back in terms of minutes and playstyle by the Dragons. With only four scores under 60 all year (including one where he was obviously suffering from an illness of some sort), Merrin established himself was a premium forward option. The

question for 2017 is how Tamou’s arrival impacts him, if at all. Merrin was the alpha forward on big money, and was obviously going to be given the minutes he demands. Tamou will also expect to play the minutes that he wants as the Panthers aren’t going to pay him big money to play less minutes. This may in turn reduce Merrin’s minutes, although it would not be by a huge amount. Most likely he will also be in

everyone’s team come the end of season.

B


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Moylan, Matt 5/8 / FLB $421,100 19 63.0 79.0 0.80 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Young Matt Moylan had a great year both on the field and in SC terms, despite losing the goal kicking. The main downside to Moylan is that he is so reliant on attacking stats, as his base stats leave much to be desired. The positive for him is that a lot of the attack goes through him. Especially in late season, we saw Moylan go on a great run where he averaged 73.6 from Round 20 onwards. It was noted that the Panthers had an easy finish to year - well, the Panthers have an easy start to this year. Moylan would be a great POD

to take a risk on, as long as you’re prepared for some potentially low scores as well. B

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Nicholls, Darren HFB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Nicholls has been shifting around clubs, from the Broncos, Rabbitohs and now to the Panthers. Consistently one of the better halves in reserve grade, he seems destined to be a back-up half biding his time. Already 27, he won’t see any time in FG unless injury strikes. Although, I guess he could do a Cody

Walker and debut as a late bloomer.E


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Oldfield, Michael CTW $192,200 4 29.0 66.0 0.44 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingJumped ship from the Rabbitohs, Oldfield is obviously just a depth signing to cover the injury-prone

backline. Not likely to be relevant unless there is another long-term injury or two.E


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Peachey, Tyrone

2RF / CTW $387,700 22 58.0 74.0 0.78 22 53.7 57.6 0.93


2017 SC Rating Peachey is one of the most exciting players to watch because he’s just a natural footballer. So much of what he does is instinctive, and that is great from a SC standpoint because it usually results in points. Unfortunately, it is also the reason that Peachey is a difficult SC option because he is so versatile and

literally able to play anywhere on the park (except he is probably too small to play prop!) - the curse seems to consign him to a bench utility role, as it seems highly likely that Hook will play his two NZ international centres once they are fit and ready to go. If named on the bench then he is a no go, however he would be

an interesting POD option if named at left centre again.

D


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Rein, Mitch HOK $340,900 24 51.0 70.0 0.73 23 55.2 57.1 0.97


2017 SC Rating A truly puzzling signing, Rein was effectively unwanted by the Dragons after a subpar year on the field. It seems that the Panthers essentially threw him a lifeline, which is great for them in terms of a depth signing. However, there appears to be no spot for him in first grade, as Wallace plays 80 minutes already and Hook would be a more foolish coach than first thought if he puts Rein on the bench as a utility. He may be worth consideration if Wallace is injured for any extended length of time but at his price point, there is little appeal

even then.D

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Satini, Tony TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Satini was a former Panthers NYC captain in 2013. He spent a few years with the Sea Eagles, debuting in 2014 but he didn’t get any FG time after that. He has come back to the Panthers and is an outside back -

but not yet in the SC database. Most likely won’t see any FG time at the Panthers too with their backline depth.E


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Tamou, James FRF $347,000 22 52.0 46.0 1.13 20 49.6 47.7 1.04


2017 SC Rating The Panthers’ marquee signing, Tamou has a lot of dollars in his pocket for the next few years. With that brings great responsibility and he will be responsible for spearheading the front row at the Panthers. He has

previously had the tendency to go missing at times but he can’t afford to do that in his current situation. Tamou has never been a big minute man, although that may be due to the Cowboys system. The flow-on effect of Tamou’s arrival is probably on the minutes of the other middle forwards (including Trent Merrin). It would be surprising to see Tamou playing anything less than 45-50 minutes given his price tag. This makes him most likely irrelevant for SC purposes as he won’t appreciate much (if at all) in value and he won’t score

at keeper level.

D


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Wallace, Peter HOK / HFB $297,700 24 45.0 79.0 0.57 13 36.2 80.0 0.45


2017 SC Rating Wallace was initially thrust into the role of hooker as a stopgap measure once Seggy went down injured. He ended up playing 20 games at hooker and was the perfect fit for the flashy Panthers attack. His average at hooker was 47.8 PPG, with the letdown being sometimes his base stats went missing. There’s not enough

upside to pick him despite possibly being one of the last 80 min hookers in the competition aside from Smith.

D


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Watene-Zelezniak,

Dallin

CTW / FLB $274,900 24 41.0 80.0 0.51 16 48.4 79.3 0.61


2017 SC Rating DWZ scored 12 tries last year yet he turned in his worst SC average for the past few seasons. This anomaly appears to be explained by the fact that in 2015, he played a number of games at fullback where his kick

returns were much higher. The Panthers’ easy starting draw makes DWZ a very interesting POD in that Mansour will not be available for the opening rounds so DWZ may be the “go-to” winger for scoring tries.C

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Whare, Dean CTW $143,600 1 20.0 56.0 0.36 13 49.5 78.1 0.63


2017 SC Rating A former NZ international centre, Whare has had a rough two years with injury. Prior to this, he averaged in the 45-50 range which is not particularly high - but given his starting price, if he was to score in the low 40s

he would still make enough money to justify trading him out.B


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Yeo, Isaah 2RF / CTW $339,500 24 51.0 80.0 0.64 21 39.2 68.4 0.57


2017 SC Rating Usually 80 minute backrowers available in the CTW generate a lot of interest and hype however Isaah Yeo is never in anybody’s team. A ‘Hook’ favourite, Yeo averaged 51 PPG from 80 MPG in 2016. The concerning

part is that Yeo only averages around 40 in base stats which means he is unlikely to ever average above the low 50s which is not CTW keeper territory. Pass.D

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS | 163

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

Most pundits had the Rabbitohs struggling in 2016 and indeed they did, finishing 12th and missing the finals series by 5 points, with just nine wins for the season. At one stage they were 5 wins, 15 losses, before winning their last 4 games of the season to add some respectability to the final result. Keary is out, likely replaced in the halves on a permanent basis by Cody Walker, who was a really bright spot for the Rabbits last year. McInnes is gone, replaced by Farah at hooker and they have also lost fringe forwards Nathan Brown and Paul Carter, who added some mongrel to the pack last year. Again, another side that will be battling in the 7 to 11 range on the ladder, sniffing finals but not really threatening to win the title.


2017 NRL SQUAD

George Burgess, Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess, Braidon Burns, Anthony Cherrington, Jason Clark, Damian Cook, Angus Creighton (20’s), Robbie Farah, Tyrell Fuimaono, Bryson Goodwin, Damon Goolagong, Jack Gosiewski, Aaron Gray, Brett Grienke, Hymel Hunt, Greg Inglis, Robert Jennings, Alex Johnston, Luke Kelly, Cameron Murray (20’s), Zane Musgrove, Dane Nielsen, Adam Reynolds, Robbie Rochow, John Sutton, Siosifa Talakai (20’s), Connor Tracey, Kyle Turner, David Tyrell, Cody Walker


George Burgess, Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess, Braidon Burns, Anthony Cherrington, Jason Clark, Damian Cook, Angus Creighton (20’s), Brad Deitz (Trial and Train), Adam Doueihi (20’s), Robbie Farah, Tyrell Fuimaono, Bryson Goodwin, Damon Goolagong, Jack Gosiewski, Aaron Gray, Brett Grienke, Mawene Hiroti (20’s), Hymel Hunt, Greg Inglis, Robert Jennings, Alex Johnston, Luke Kelly, Cameron Murray (20’s), Zane Musgrove, Dane Nielsen, Adam Reynolds, Robbie Rochow, Toby Rudolf, John Sutton, Siosifa Talakai (20’s), Tyrone Taukamo (20’s), Cruz Topai-Aveai (20’s), Connor Tracey, Kyle Turner, David Tyrell, Cody Walker

BYE SCHEDULE

One of the best bye schedules there is, the Rabbitohs play all 3 of the big bye rounds, and only miss rounds 13 and 16 (with 1 other team). This means their non-origin players will be extremely valuable during this period, however their origin representatives (Inglis, maybe Farah, maybe Reynolds) will be no goes, as they miss 5 out of 7 games from round 12 to round 18.

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1. Inglis Interchange:2. Johnston 14. Rochow3. Hunt 15. Tyrell4. Goodwin 16. Clark5. A Gray 17. Cook / Musgrove6. Walker7. Reynolds8. T Burgess9. Farah10. G Burgess11. Turner12. Sutton13. S Burgess


PROP – G. Burgess, Tyrell, T. Burgess, Rochow, Clark, Musgrove, Cherrington, Rudolf HOK – Farah, Cook, Deitz 2RF – S. Burgess, Sutton, Turner, Rochow, Talakai (20’s), Gosiewski, Fuimaono, Murray (20’s), Grienke, Topai-Aveai (20’s) LOCK – S. Burgess, Clark, Murray (20’s) HALF – Reynolds, Kelly, Tracey, Doueihi (20’s) 5/8 – Sutton, C. Walker CTW – Goodwin, Hunt, R. Jennings, Talakai (20’s), Nielsen, Fuimaono, Burns, Hiroti (20’s), Taukamo (20’s) WING – Johnston, A. Gray, Goolagong, Hiroti (20’s), Taukamo (20’s) FLB – Inglis, Johnston, Walker, Goolagong, Hiroti (20’s)

2017 Gains: Braidon Burns (Penrith Panthers, 2018), Anthony Cherrington (2017), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers, 2018), Tyrell Fuimaono (Parramatta Eels, 2018), Brett Greinke (Mid Season: Brisbane Broncos, 2017), Robert Jennings (Penrith Panthers, 2018), Luke Kelly (Parramatta Eels, 2017), Robbie Rochow (Newcastle Knights, 2017), Connor Tracey (Cronulla Sharks, 2018)

2017 Losses: Kirisome Auva’a (Parramatta Eels), Nathan Brown (Parramatta Eels), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Paul Carter (Sydney Roosters), Brock Gray (Sydney Roosters), Chris Grevsmuhl (Penrith Panthers), Tom Hughes, Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters), Samisoni Langi (Penrith Panthers), Cameron McInnes (St George Illawarra Dragons), Michael Oldfield (Penrith Panthers)

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Cow



Other)

S Burgess G Burgess Inglis Cook Jennings Crichton T Burgess

Farah Sutton Walker Greinke Burns

Hunt Musgrove Cherrington

Reynolds Talakai Clark

Fuimaono

Goodwin

Gosiewski

Gray

Johnston

Kelly

Murray

Nielsen

Rochow

Tracey

Turner

Tyrrell


Braidon Burns – Position: Centre Height: 185cm Weight: 98kg Young Centre who can play either side of the field, comes over to the Rabbitohs after completing his NYC career at the Panthers, where he scored 28 tries in a 31 game career over 2 seasons. His NYC career is best known for his effort in Rd 10 in 2016 vs Warriors, where he equalled the record of scoring the most tries ever in an NYC game, scoring 5 tries to go along with 14 runs for 173 metres, 2 line breaks, 1 offload, 9 tackles and 1 missed tackle. He has got good foot work at the line to beat defenders and has the speed to bust the line. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 115.8 metres from 11.2 hit up, 3.2 tackle breaks and 14.5 tackles per game to go along with 20 tries, 17 line breaks, 12 try assists, 26 offloads and 55 missed tackles in 20 games.

Braidon Burns 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/110/playerid/7509/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Tyrell Fuimaono – Position: Centre, Second Row Height: 188cm Weight: 98kg Promising young edge player who can play either second row or centre, he finishes his NYC career with 11 tries in 57 games. He is yet to play any Intrust Super Premiership football during his NYC career, so it will be interesting to see how he develops when playing in an open age competition. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 173.7 metres a game from 15.6 hit ups, 6 tackle breaks, 1.9 offloads and 17.9 tackles per game to go along with 5 tries, 11 line breaks and 1 try assist. Very durable player, playing 1,899 out of a possible 1,920 minutes during the 2016 NYC season. Only Nat Butcher made more metres in NYC in 2016. Represented the Junior Kangaroos in 2015 and 2016, NSW Under 20s in 2015 and 2016 and Australian Schoolboys in 2014 during his Junior career as well as being named on



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the bench in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year.

Tyrell Fuimaono 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/109/playerid/6907/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Robert Jennings – Position: Centre, Wing Height: 192cm Weight: 102kg Younger Brother of Michael and George who signed a 2 year contract at the Rabbitohs after completing his NYC career at the Panthers, where he scored 9 tries in 19 games in 3 injury riddled seasons. He made his NRL debut in Round 7 in 2015 and was named in the centres in the NYC team of the Year, despite a season ending shoulder injury in Round 20. Represented the Junior Kangaroos in 2015 and 2016, Australian Schoolboys in 2014 and NSW Under 16s in 2012. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 131.5 metres from 12.5 hit ups and 11.1 tackles per game to go along with 5 tries, 5 line breaks, 2 try assists and 46 tackle breaks in 10 games.

Robert Jennings 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/110/playerid/6933/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Sam Burgess

Sleeper – Hymel Hunt

Bust – Cody Walker

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Robert Jennings


� Luke Kelly – right ACL (April 16’ – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Robbie Rochow – pectoral surgery (19/7 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Aaron Gray – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ left hand finger surgery

(7/9 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kyle Turner – right shoulder surgery (Early Sep 16’ – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Zane Musgrove – left wrist surgery (Early Sep 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Angus Crichton – left wrist surgery (Early Sep 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Connor Tracey - ACL surgery (Sep 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – SEASON) � Damon Goolagong - ACL (Nov 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Hymel Hunt – left shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jason Clark – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Robert Jennings – right shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Greg Inglis – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Robbie Farah – torn bicep (5/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)





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� Zane Musgrove (wrist) � Angus Crichton (wrist/hand) � Connor Tracey (ACL) � Greg Inglis (knee) � Damon Goolagong (ACL) � Robbie Farah (bicep)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 - Anthony Cherrington, Brad Deitz (Trial and Train), Bryson Goodwin, Damon Goolagong, Jack Gosiewski, Aaron Gray, Brett Grienke, Theo Hippi (20’s), Dale Hurley (20’s), Alex Johnston, Luke Kelly, Dane Nielsen, Robbie Rochow, Toby Rudolf, John Sutton, Siosifa Talakai (20’s), Kyle Turner, David Tyrell

� 2018 - George Burgess, Sam Burgess, Braidon Burns, Jason Clark, Angus Creighton (20’s), Adam Doueihi (20’s), Robbie Farah, Tyrell Fuimaono, Hymel Hunt, Robert Jennings, Connor Tracey

� 2019 - Tom Burgess, Damian Cook, Mawene Hiroti, Cameron Murray (20’s), Tyrone Taukamo (20’s), Cruz Topai-Aveai (20’s), Cody Walker

� 2020 - Greg Inglis, Zane Musgrove � 2021 - Adam Reynolds

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Burgess, George FRF $241,800 17 36.0 39.0 0.92 24 56.0 51.2 1.10


2017 SC Rating Burgess went from 51 MPG in 2015, down to only 39 MPG in 2016, and with a decreased PPM down from 1.10 to 0.93, his average PPG dropped from 56 in 2015 to only 36 in 2016. As such he is priced very cheaply going into the 2017 season after suffering from a groin injury for the majority of the 2016 season,

which saw him undergo surgery and miss a number of games in the middle of the season. Of his 17 games in 2016, 7 of them were from the bench. Assuming he has recovered and is fully fit for the start of the 2017 season, the only way is up, and he looks undervalued by approx. $100k. Throw in the great bye coverage

that the non-origin Rabbitohs players have, and he looks even better.

B


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Burgess, Sam 2RF / FRF $499,300 23 75.0 72.0 1.04 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Burgess returned to the NRL in 2016, and did not miss a beat, being the same devastating player he was before he left, and having a great SuperCoach season also. He missed the 3 games, but injury was always a worry at many other times throughout the year. He remains a premium option in 2017, and someone who

you can feel relatively confident as a captain option each week also. The great value from 2016 has now gone, however the great bye coverage remains, making him close to a must have again this season

A


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Burgess, Thomas FRF $280,000 19 42.0 45.0 0.93 24 48.4 43.5 1.11


2017 SC Rating Burgess saw a significant drop in his PPM from 2015 to 2016, down from 1.11 to 0.93, on similar minutes (44 up to 45). 2017 is likely to be much of the same, with little value to be made, and keeper status highly

unlikely. A waste of a spot in your 25 man side.D


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Burns, Braidon CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Burns is a promising outside back, who joins the Rabbitohs from the Panthers Under 20’s squad for the 2017 season. He scored 5 tries in a game in 2016, so he knows how to find the try line. Look for him later in the season if injuries strike. He could be similar to Aaron Gary from 2015 - heavily reliant on attacking stats.E

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Cherrington, Anthony TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Cherrington has previous NRL experience, playing a total of 19 games for the Roosters in 2008/09, and comes to the Rabbitohs this year as a 28 year old mature recruit. He is a back-rower, and will likely add

squad depth but not much else. Has been playing in the QLD Cup for the past 2 seasons. Unlikely to play significant minutes in 2017.E


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Clark, Jason 2RF / FRF $269,100 23 40.0 37.0 1.08 17 39.7 38.6 1.03


2017 SC RatingClark has averaged 40 each of the past 2 seasons, on similar minutes, and looks likely to be used in the

same role off the bench again in 2017. He is not SuperCoach relevant given the low minutes played.E


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Cook, Damien HOK $269,000 17 40.0 49.0 0.82 3 84.7 80.0 1.06


2017 SC Rating It will be interesting to see how the Rabbitohs use Cook this year, with the signing of Farah likely filling the starting hooker position. We know what Cook can do if he gets minutes, evidence by his PPM’s of 0.82 and 1.06 in the last 2 years - if used as a consistent 80 MPG hooker, he could easily average 60+ PPG. However

with Farah in the side he is unlikely to play big minutes, and looks to be battling for a bench spot. If Farah was to get injured for any period of time then Cook would be close to a must have, especially at this price,

or if his price were to drop early on in the year.D


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Crichton, Angus 2RF / CTW $203,900 8 31.0 34.0 0.91 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Crichton played 8 games for the Rabbitohs in 2016, 7 of them off the bench and 1 starting in the second row. He will be in the running for a bench spot again in 2017, and could be included in the Round 1 side, over the likes of Tyrell and Clark. Hard to see him averaging more than the 34 MPG he averaged in 2016 though, which limits the upside that he may have. If he was to move into the starting side as the season

progresses then I would consider him, but I would need to see some evidence first that he was getting 50+ MPG on a consistent basis.

D

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Farah, Robbie HOK $346,900 9 52.0 65.0 0.80 17 57.5 72.1 0.80


2017 SC Rating Farah moves over to the Rabbitohs in 2017, and looks likely to start at hooker come Round 1, assuming he is fit. He tore his bicep in pre-season training in early December, however opted against surgery, and as such should be fit to play round 1. He will likely be under-done after not having a full pre-season, and therefore could start the year playing reduced minutes, until he regains full fitness. Once confirmed as

fully fit, the inclusion (or lack thereof) of Cook on the bench will be a key factor to decide whether or not to consider Farah for your team. His PPM has been consistently dropping year on year - from 1.01 in 2013,

to 0.93 in 2014, to 0.80 in 2015 and 2016, so even if he plays 80 MPG he is at best a 60-65 average player, which would still see a $50-75k increase in price. Let’s see how his pre-season goes, but add him as a

maybe. If selected for origin he will miss 5 games in 8 weeks, and as such will need to be sold prior to that origin period.

C


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Fuimaono, Tyrell

2RF / CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Fuimaono is a strong signing for Souths, and can play either in the back-row of in the centres. He comes over from Parramatta, and has a great pedigree, having played for the Junior kangaroos and NSW Under 20’s. He could make a real impact later in the year, and will be pushing for a first grade gig for sure, if he

can improve his work-rate which as times was below par in the Under 20’s. Remember his name.D


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Goodwin, Bryson CTW $365,100 13 55.0 71.0 0.77 24 41.8 80.0 0.52


2017 SC Rating Goodwin increased his PPG from 42 in 2015 up to 55 in 2016, thanks to a fast start where he averaged 95 PPG after Round 2. He came back to earth, averaging 36 in his next 5 games, before missing a significant portion of the back-half of the season. There is minimal, if any, upside in selecting him this year, as he will

not improve significantly on the 55 PPG average from last year. Some regression is likely.E


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Gosiewski, Jack 2RF $143,600 5 19.0 37.0 0.51 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Only 5 NRL games played for this youngster in 2016, coming off the bench in all 5 appearances. A very low PPM for someone only playing 37 MPG, and something which does not bode well for the SuperCoach

relativity going forward. Not worth considering this year, given the poor PPM he displayed in 2016.E

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Gray, Aaron CTW $287,800 21 43.0 80.0 0.54 12 41.5 80.0 0.52


2017 SC Rating Gray now has 16 tries in 33 NRL appearances, a slightly below average strike-rate for a Winger, who most of us probably consider a regular try-scorer. He will be there come Round 1, either on the wing or in the

centres, however at this mid-range price he is just taking us much needed space in your team, with limited upside given he is already priced at a 43 average.D


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Greinke, Brett 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Greinke shifts to the Rabbitohs from the Broncos, until at least the end of the 2017 season, after being stuck behind a log-jam of back rowers in Brisbane. He has achieved all the QLD honours in the under age

categories, and although he is not the biggest bloke going around, he has a lot of talent and could make an impact this year. His game is suited to SuperCoach also, should he get a runD


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Hunt, Hymel CTW $290,500 13 43.0 74.0 0.58 3 31.3 65.3 0.48


2017 SC Rating After only playing a total of 4 NRL games prior to the 2016 season, Hunt was able to get much more game-time at the Rabbitohs, racking up 13 games in total, with some decent scores in there, especially to start

the season. Unfortunately he suffered a torn pec muscle after only 7 minutes against the Broncos in Round 8, ruling him out until Round 22, when he returned to play out the last 5 games of the year. Pre-injury he

averaged 53, and only 38 post-injury, so there may be some upside over and above the 43 average that he finished with for the 2016 season. Could quite easily average 50-55 this year, which would mean that he is

undervalued by $50k+. Once to watch in the pre-season and come Round 1.

C


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Inglis, Greg 5/8 / FLB $402,100 20 60.0 80.0 0.75 19 65.4 77.5 0.84


2017 SC Rating Inglis had a decent 2016 SuperCoach season, after a slow start where he only averaged 44 through the first 7 weeks. He then went on to average 70 from Rounds 8 through to 17, and 66 from Round 22 to the end

of the year, after missing some weeks both during and post the State of Origin series. He played a mixture of fullback, five-eighth and centre, although his average was not hugely different by position. Despite the added dual position flexibility this season he is getting on and with the shocking bye coverage for South’s

Origin players, he is a pass until the second half of the season. C

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Jennings, Robert CTW $143,600 0 - - n/a 5 33.6 70.8 0.47


2017 SC Rating Jennings moves over from Penrith, where he played 5 NRL games in the 2015 season. A strong running outside back, he spent the 2016 season in the Panthers Under 20’s side, and will be looking to crack the

NRL in 2017. In 2015 he averaged 34 PPG, so I wouldn’t be expecting him to be a SuperCoach revelation, but he could make some money if he can crack the NRL side at some stage during the year, potentially

during the bye period, where he would be great cover.C


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Johnston, Alex CTW / FLB $274,100 18 41.0 81.0 0.51 24 47.0 80.0 0.59


2017 SC Rating Johnston is hugely reliant on tries / attacking stats for his SuperCoach points, having scored an impressive 49 tries in 61 NRL appearances since he debuted in 2014. His tried per year have dropped each year since 2014 though, from 21, to 17, to 11. His 41 PPG average can probably be found from a rookie priced player, that is at least $100k cheaper. Not SuperCoach relevant, unless potentially he gets moved to fullback on a

permanent basis, where he averaged 55 from 3 games in 2016.D


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Kelly, Luke HOK / HFB $160,400 1 30.0 80.0 0.38 12 31.7 80.8 0.39


2017 SC Rating

Kelly has shifted over from the Eels, and will back up Walker and Reynolds in the halves.E


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Murray, Cameron TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Murray has only just turned 19 years old, and as such will likely play Under 20’s again in 2017. A strong running lock, he has played NSW Under 18’s and Under 16’s, as well as Australian Schoolboys, which

shows his pedigree. One to watch in 2018 and beyond, but probably not this year.E

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Musgrove, Zane FRF $225,000 6 34.0 37.0 0.92 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Really liked the look of Musgrove in 2016, and keen to see what he can do in 2017, hopefully injury free. He suffered a serious wrist injury in Round 1, after been named as a bolter off the bench. It too him until Round

21 to return to the NRL, but the good news is that he just had 1 game in the Intrust Super Premiership before returning, showing the faith that Michael McGuire has in him. He has a strong PPM, and is a base stats machine, with a base PPM of 0.98 (overall PPM drops to 0.92 due to errors). We have him in the mix for a bench spot come round 1, so keep an eye out for him in the pre-season. The Burgess boys will be

fighting for minutes again this year, but Musgrove should move ahead of Clark and Tyrell, and could be in line for 40+ MPG. Potential cheapie option.

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Nielsen, Dane CTW $235,500 7 39.0 81.0 0.48 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Nielsen played a group of 7 games in the middle of the 2016 season, from Rounds 8 to 15, and was not heard from after that. Has never been a strong SuperCoach player, and we have him on the outside of the Rabbitohs best 17 going into the 2017 season. If selected he is unlikely to become a revelation this year,

and the same output should be able to be gained from a base price rookie.E


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Reynolds, Adam HFB $385,200 16 58.0 73.0 0.79 17 54.7 76.1 0.72


2017 SC Rating Reynolds had an injury interrupted season in 2016, missing 8 games in total, and playing limited minutes in 2 others. His season average increases to 61 if you excluded the injury-affected 5 in Round 24 against the Sharks. With Walker looking like a permanent fixture in the halves, alongside Reynolds, in 2017, it will be interesting to see if this helps or hinders Reynolds SuperCoach output. He could benefit from the extra attention that Walker will command, or Walker could steal a bunch of his attacking stats. Only time will tell,

but you could do worse than including Reynolds in your halves this year, however be aware that he will need to be traded prior to the origin period, if he is selected for NSW.

B


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Rochow, Robbie

2RF / FRF $342,600 8 51.0 72.0 0.71 5 55.8 63.4 0.88


2017 SC Rating Rochow was touted by one and all as an under priced mid-ranger last year, and whilst the minutes were there, the SuperCoach points were not, and he averaged just 48 PPG before he broke his arm in Round

5, ruling him out until he returned in Round 16. He then got injured again in Round 19 and his season was over. An injury-prone, mid range battler with limited upside, he is unlikely to average 72 MPG again at the

Rabbitohs, and as such looks set for a regression season.E

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Sutton, John 2RF / 5/8 $366,500 12 55.0 78.0 0.71 17 52.1 68.9 0.76


2017 SC Rating Sutton played only the 12 games last year, after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in Round 1 which ruled him out until his shock return in Round 15, where he proceeded to play out the rest of the season. He is an 80 minute player, and is likely to be that again this year, however the upside is limited, and I can’t see him

averaging 60+ in 2017. His last 3 years he has averaged 54, 52 and then 55 PPG, which shows where he is at. He could be a steady bye coverage player during the middle of the year.

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Talaki, Siosifa 2RF / CTW $160,400 3 30.0 46.0 0.65 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Played the 3 games during the bye period last year, before never being seen again after suffering an ankle injury in his 3rd game and never being heard from again. He’ll be available as a back-up in the centres (and potentially back row if required) again this season, however given that he is no longer rookie priced, is not

an option for round 1. With the great bye coverage that Souths have in 2017, he may provide value at some stage during that mid-season period though.

D


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Tracey, Connor HFB $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A 20 year old halfback, Tracey sufferred an ACL injury in 2014, and then re-injured the same knee again in 2015. Unfortunately he has reinjured the same ACL again in October 2016, and will not play in 2017. A real

shame as he would have been great to watchE


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Turner, Kyle 2RF $304,900 23 46.0 64.0 0.72 5 35.8 51.6 0.69


2017 SC Rating Great to see Turner back on the field and playing consistent football in 2016, following his serious neck injury in early 2015. Whilst it is a feel-good story, he has no SuperCoach relevance, with a below average PPM in limited minutes, and a bunch of keen youngsters snapping at his heels. Not worth considering.D

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Tyrrell, David FRF $178,300 15 27.0 33.0 0.82 23 32.0 35.4 0.91


2017 SC RatingTyrell is a plodder, just like Clark, and not relevant for SuperCoach. His time in the best 17 must surely be

coming to an end soon.E


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Walker, Cody 5/8 / FLB $444,900 20 67.0 81.0 0.83 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Walker had a huge season in his debut year in 2016, and will look to roll that good form in 2017. He played 7 games at fullback where he averaged 69 PPG, and 13 games at 5/8th where he averaged 65 PPG, so the difference was not as big as some may have expected. He is locked into the starting 5/8th position

following the departure of Luke Keary, and should average 60-65, which is a slight decrease on his 2016 form. He is hard to pick at this price, with minimal upside, and coming into his 2nd season, which has

haunted many a player in the past. Hopefully he drops in price prior to the origin period, where he could be a good pickup, with great bye coverage.

C

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS | 176

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

The Dragons had a tough season in 2016, finishing 11th, with the 2nd worst attack in the competition, only ahead of the Knights. It has been a tough few years for the merger club and although they did just sneak into the finals (8th) in 2015; their last appearance before that was in 2011. With improvement in attack needed, it’s not ideal that they have lost Benji Marshall, and the player earmarked to take his place, Drew Hutchison, has injured his ACL and is out for the year. The halves pairing of Widdop and McCrone is close to the worst in the competition and coupled with off-season injuries to De Belin and Frizell, it’s very hard to see the Dragons making the finals this year. Hopefully they blood some youngsters later in the year and Ben Hunt will add some much needed talent to the spine in 2017.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Leeson Ah Mau, Euan Aitken, Jack De Belin, Levi Dodd, Matthew Dufty, Josh Dugan, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Tyson Frizell, Yaw Kiti Glymin, Siliva Havili, Jacob Hind, Jacob Host, Drew Hutchison, Josh Kerr, Tim Lafai, Luciano Leilua, Chris Lewis, Nene Macdonald, Kurt Mann, Jake Marketo, Mose Masoe, Will Matthews, Tyrone McCarthy, Josh McCrone, Cameron McInnes, Taane Milne, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Nona, Russell Packer, Hame Sele, Tariq Sims, Isaac Thompson, Joel Thompson, Paul Vaughan, Gareth Widdop


Leeson Ah Mau, Euan Aitken, Jack De Belin, Levi Dodd, Matthew Dufty, Josh Dugan, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Jai Field (20’s), Tyson Frizell, Reuben Garrick (20’s), Yaw Kiti Glymin, Siliva Havili, Patrick Herbert (20’s), Jacob Hind, Jacob Host, Drew Hutchison, Josh Kerr, Tim Lafai, Blake Lawrie (20’s), Luciano Leilua, Chris Lewis, Nene Macdonald, Kurt Mann, Jake Marketo, Mose Masoe, Will Matthews, Tyrone McCarthy, Josh McCrone, Cameron McInnes, Taane Milne, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Nona, Russell Packer, Reece Robson (20’s), Hame Sele, Tariq Sims, Isaac Thompson, Joel Thompson, Paul Vaughan, Gareth Widdop

BYE SCHEDULE

The Dragons have byes in rounds 12 and 18, meaning that they miss 2 of the 3 big bye rounds, and Origin players (Dugan, Frizell, maybe Vaughan) will only miss 3 weeks. This makes them one of the worst bye options teams out there, with the only real option being to use them for 5 weeks during the middle of the bye period. The player would need a low breakeven to be used in that manner – bye coverage really for 1 round, and hopefully make some cash at the same time.

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1. Dugan Interchange:2. MacDonald 14. Sims3. Lafai / Milne 15. Packer4. Aitken 16. Marketo / Leilua5. Nightingale 17. Matthews / Havili6. Widdop7. McCrone8. Ah Mau9. McInnes10. Vaughan11. Thompson12. Frizell13. De Belin


PROP – Ah Mau, Packer, Vaughan, De Belin, Masoe, McCarthy, Host, Hind, Kerr, Lawrie (20’s) HOK – McInnes, McCrone, Havili, Robson (20’s) 2RF – Frizell, Sims, J. Thompson, Marketo, Leilua, Matthews, Lewis LOCK – De Belin, Vaughan, Host, Sele HALF - McCrone, Hutchison, Field (20’s) 5/8 – Widdop, McCrone, Mann, Nona CTW – Dugan, Lafai, Mann, Aitken, Glymin, Dodd, I. Thompson, Herbert (20’s), Garrick (20’s) WING – Nightingale, Macdonald, Faifai Loa, Milne, Glymin, I. Thompson FLB – Dugan, Dufty, Mann, Field (20’s)

2017 Gains: Levi Dodd (2017), Jacob Hind (2017), Josh Kerr (Melbourne Storm, 2018), Chris Lewis (2017), Nene Macdonald (Gold Coast Titans, 2019), Cameron McInnes (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2018), Tariq Sims (Mid Season: Newcastle Knights, 2019), Paul Vaughan (Canberra Raiders, 2019)

2017 Losses: Tom Carr (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves), Ben Creagh (retired), Dylan Farrell (retired), Sebastine Ikahihifo (Huddersfield Giants), Dunamis Lui (Canberra Raiders), Benji Marshall (Brisbane Broncos), Peter Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights), Adam Quinlan (Hull Kingston Rovers), Mitch Rein (Penrith Panthers)

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Dugan Aitken MacDonald Dufty Ah Mau

McInnes De Belin Widdop Field Dodd

Frizell Masoe Faifai Loa

Host Nona Garrick

Leilua Glymin

Milne Havili

Nightingale Herbert

Vaughan Hind

Hutchison

Kerr

Lafai

Lewis

Mann

Marketo

Matthews

McCarthy

McCrone

Packer

Robson

Sele

Sims

I Thompson

J Thompson


Jai Field (20’s) – Position: Fullback, Five Eighth, Halfback Height: 185cm Weight: 78kg Pocket rocket goal kicking five eighth who set the NYC alight in his 1st season in 2016. He is having his 1st pre-season training with the first grade squad, where he has been leading the way in most fitness challenges despite being still eligible for NYC in 2017. Has a very strong kicking game and can break the line, but his size is a concern if he was to defend in the front line in first grade. He signed a contract extension late last year, keeping him at the Dragons until the end of 2019. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 82.6 metres from 6.8 hit ups, 16 tackles, 3.2 tackle breaks and 3.3 missed tackles per game to go along with 15 tries, 76 goals at a 66% conversion rate, 23 line breaks, 18 try assists and 10 off loads. He was named runner up to Jayden Brailey as Dally M NYC Player of the Year in 2016. Filed is expected to spend 2017 in the Intrust Super Premiership getting used to playing against men.

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Jai Field 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/112/playerid/7501/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Matt Dufty – Position: Fullback Height: 179cm Weight: 80kg Outstanding, promising fullback who ended his NYC career as the leading try scorer in NYC history, scoring 55 tries in 65 appearances in 3 seasons. In my view he has got all the skills required to make it in first grade, and there are reports around that he will start the season at fullback pushing Dugan into the centres. He was named on the bench in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 153.8 metres from 13.2 hit ups and 7.1 tackle breaks per game, also had 23 tries, 22 line breaks, 22 try assists from 22 games. He also finished 7th in run metres, 5th in try assists and 2nd in tackle breaks.

Matt Dufty 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/112/playerid/6676/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Patrick Herbert (20’s) – Position: Centre Height: 181cm Weight: 92kg Young, highly rated outside back who represented the Junior Kiwi’s in 2016 and can play either wing or centre; he spent the 2016 season as captain of the Dragons NYC side, whilst playing right centre. Played every game in the NYC in 2016 and only got rested once when he played 67 minutes in Rd 10. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 149.6 metres from 15.1 tackles and 6.3 tackle breaks, to go along with 20 tries, 20 line breaks, 7 try assists and 27 off loads. He does however have a deficiency in defence, averaging 4.1 missed tackles a game which was the 3rd worse in the NYC in 2016.

Patrick Herbert 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/112/playerid/7239/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Josh Dugan

Sleeper – Cam McInnes

Bust – Gareth Widdop

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Matt Dufty


� Mose Masoe – right ACL (3/2/15 – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/right knee surgery (29/11/16 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)

� Russell Packer – hip surgery (29/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)/left shoulder surgery (8/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)

� Tariq Sims - ankle surgery (1/9 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Leeson Ah Mau – right knee injury (Oct 16’ – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Shaun Nona - right ankle surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jacob Hind – hamstring injury (24/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Paul Vaughan – sternum injury (Pre Season – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Chris Hind – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)





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� Tyson Frizell – right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jason Nightingale - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jack De Belin - shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Kurt Mann - right knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Izaac Thompson - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Josh Dugan – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Hame Sele – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jake Marketo – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Matt Dufty – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Euan Aitken – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Siliva Havili – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Yaw Kiti Glymin – hamstring surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jacob Host – right shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Rueben Garrick - knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Blake Lawrie - thumb surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Drew Hutchinson - ACL (15/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jack De Belin - wrist surgery (Late Dec 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Levi Dodd – left knee injury (Dec 16’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Patrick Herbert - hand injury (Jan 17’ – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Mose Masoe (knee) � Russell Packer (hip/shoulder) � Tariq Sims (ankle) � Leeson Ah Mau (knee) � Shaun Nona (ankle) � Jacob Hind (hamstring) � Tyson Frizell (knee) � Drew Hutchinson (ACL) � Jack De Belin (wrist) � Levi Dodd (knee) � Patrick Herbert (hand)

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CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Euan Aitken, Max Bailey (20’s), Jack De Belin, Levi Dodd, Josh Dugan, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Yaw Kiti Glymin, Siliva Havili, Jacob Hind, Drew Hutchison, Tim Lafai, Blake Lawrie (20’s), Chris Lewis, Kurt Mann, Jake Marketo, Mose Masoe, Will Matthews, Tyrone McCarthy, Josh McCrone, Taane Milne, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Nona, Russell Packer, Matt Sheppard (20’s), Rudi Sifa (20’s), Isaac Thompson, Vinnie Tikeri (20’s), Bailey Wallace (20’s), Gareth Widdop

� 2018 - Leeson Ah Mau, Josh Dowell (20’s), Matthew Dufty, Reuben Garrick (20’s), Patrick Herbert (20’s), Matheson Johns (20’s), Luciano Leilua, Josh Kerr, Hayden Lomax (20’s), Joe Lovodua (20’s), Cameron McInnes, Dylan Morris (20‘s), Trent Peoples (20’s), Hame Sele, Israel Seufale (20’s), Joel Thompson

� 2019 - Jai Field (20’s), Zac Lomax (20’s), Nene Macdonald, Steve Marsters (20’s), Reece Robson (20’s), Tariq Sims, Paul Vaughan, Jackson Willis (20’s)

� 2020 - Tyson Frizell, Jacob Host



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AhMau, Leeson FRF $269,900 21 40.0 43.0 0.93 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Over the last 3 years Ah Mau has averaged 47 (2014), 45 (2015) and 40 (2016) with his 2014 stats inflated somewhat as he was playing in the back-row that year. He is firmly entrenched in the front row rotation

now and in fact Vaughan’s acquisititon may relegate him to less minutes, so I just can’t see any upside in selecting him this year.E


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Aitken, Euan CTW $368,300 22 55.0 76.0 0.72 22 50.1 80.2 0.62


2017 SC Rating Aitken was a very solid pickup for a number of teams over the bye period last year after an injury affected zero in round 7 dropped his price by $50k. He averaged 60 PPG from round 9 onwards, slightly above

his season average with solid base stats, averaging 37 PPG from base alone in 2016. Consistency is his greatest attribute, and for that reason alone he may be a good player to partner in your CTW with some

more explosive players. Not against selecting him this season, but he starts expensively priced. C


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De Belin, Jack 2RF / FRF $424,600 21 64.0 69.0 0.93 21 56.2 57.6 0.98


2017 SC Rating JDB had a breakout year in 2016. After averaging only 42 in 2014, then 56 in 2015, he exploded in 2016, averaging 64 for the year thanks to an increased volume of minutes at 69 MPG. Bye coverage is horrible

this year, however he could be a solid option for the first part of the season. The questions has to be is he a keeper? He is right on the borderline of someone who you would want in your final 17 if he can hold that

65 PPG average. High base stats at 57 base PPG, but most FRF/2RF will have this high proportion of points from base. He has sufferred from a wrist injury during the pre season (December), however he is expected to be fit for round 1, but may be slightly under-done and as such he could drop in price early on in the year

as he builds fitness.

C

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Dodd, Levi CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A mature age centre (26 years old), Dodd has been part of the NSW Cup side in recent years, and joins the NRL squad on a 1 year deal. The Dragons are very deep in the outside backs with the links of Faifai Loa, Milne, Mann, Glymin all listed outside their best 17, so it may require a miracle for Dodd to play NRL this

year.E


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Dufty, Matt TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Dufty comes out of the Under 20’s this year with a strong pedigree, having played NSW Under 20’s and Under 18’s in recent years, and will be looking to crack the NRL at some stage this year, potentially around Origin time. The Dragons Origin players will only miss 1 additional game, which doesn’t help Dufty, however there is every possibility that Dugan gets shifted into the centres, and Dufty into fullback at some stage this

year. Probably not a round 1 option, but keep an eye on him.C


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Dugan, Josh CTW / FLB $372,800 17 56.0 79.0 0.71 21 57.8 78.3 0.74


2017 SC Rating Dugan played 17 games in 2016 which isn’t too bad, averaging 56 PPG, slightly down on his 2015 season (58). He is already suffering from a knee ligament injury sustained in the Four Nations, although he was back in full training in early January. Looks set to play fullback from round 1 this year, where he averaged 59 PPG in 2016 from 15 games - he started the year at centre for the first 2 games, averaging only 33 PPG. With the Dragons byes he will only miss the 3 games over the Origin period, although he is always a risk of having a

rest at least once or twice during the period.C


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Faifai Loa, Kalifa CTW $216,900 11 32.0 79.0 0.41 7 41.7 74.7 0.56


2017 SC Rating Faifai Loa was the first choice winger for the Dragons for the first 11 rounds of the 2016 season, before suffering a fractured cheekbone which required season ending surgery. It looks as though MacDonald might

be in line to take his spot come round 1 this year, and as such we have Faifai Loa outside of the Dragons best 17. Historically he has never been a SuperCoach option, and should not be considered this season.E

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Field, Jai TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Field is only 19 years old, and will not turn 20 until after the 2017 regular season has finished. He has just been re-signed by the Dragons which shows that they see a great future in him; however, at only 75kg it may be in 2018 and beyond. In 2016 he was the Under 20’s runner up for player of the year. Would love

to see him get a shot at NRL this year and it may happen, however it is looking likely that he will start the year in the Under 20’s, with McCrone getting first shot at the #7 jersey. Could be a cash cow at some stage

though, and his name will likely be around the NRL for years to come.C


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Frizell, Tyson 2RF $364,800 21 55.0 65.0 0.85 20 57.9 75.0 0.77


2017 SC Rating Frizell falls into that not quite a keeper but above a mid-pricer category, along with so many other Dragons players, after averaging 55 PPG in 2016, to go with his 58 in 2015. The 65 MPG in 2016 is likely to be repeated again this year. With poor bye coverage, Frizell unfortunately will have to be a pass this year,

unless he shows something in the first 2 weeks and looks like playing 80 minutes per game, week in week out. He is also managing an ongoing injury in a disc in his back, which could potentially cause him to miss time at some stages this year (he has been on restricted duties during the pre-season, but expects to be fit

for round 1).

C


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Garrick, Reuben TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Garrick is a solidly built centre, who has previously played both Under 20’s and Under 18’s for NSW. Remains eligible for the Under 20’s comp in 2017, and will likely spend the majority of the season there,

especially with the depth the Dragons currently have in the centres. Along with Dufty and Field, he will form part of the Dragons backline for years to come, but maybe not in 2017.E


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Glymin, Yaw Kiti TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Glymin played the 1 NRL game in 2015, scoring 21 points, however he could not crack it again in 2016. The Dragons seem to have some decent depth in the outside backs this season, and as such it is hard to see

him making a real impact, unless significant injuries strike the side.E

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Havili, Siliva HOK $143,600 10 18.0 20.0 0.90 8 20.9 21.9 0.95


2017 SC Rating Havili was a regular off the bench in the early parts of the 2016 season, however some drunken trouble with Tim Lafai saw him not play again from round 15 onwards. Used mainly as a bench utility in limited minutes, he is unlikely to be SuperCoach relevant in 2017, unless McInnes suffers a significant injury. Even then he will not be called on to play 80 minutes, it may be 40 minutes max. Maybe worth a look if injuries do strike

later in the year, but then and only then.E


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Herbert, Patrick TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Herbert only turned 20 in early January 2017, and as such remains eligible to play Under 20’s this year. He did play in a couple of NRL trials in early 2016, however it is unlikely that we will see him in the regular

season this year. Can play centre or wing.E


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Hind, Jacob FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingHind, a solid prop and is part of the NRL squad this year after playing NSW Cup for the last few seasons.

Looks unlikely to play NRL this year.E


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Host, Jacob 2RF / FRF $231,500 8 35.0 40.0 0.88 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Host remained eligible to play Under 20’s last year, however managed to force his way into the NRL side on and off from round 9 onwards, playing a total of 8 games during the season. A solid PPM, most of which

came from base points (base PPM of 0.76), he will be on the fringes of the top 17 again this year, and likely to play a lot of NRL throughout the season. Starting priced at a 35 average is not ideal, and given that he is $100k more than a base player who could very well averaged 35 PPG as well, it is hard to include him in your round 1 side. Keep an eye on him though, as he did start 2 games last year for 53 and 64 minutes

respectively. If he can hit these minutes numbers then he could increase in value.

C

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Hutchison, Drew

HFB / 5/8 $224,600 1 56.0 80.0 0.70 3 25.0 64.0 0.39


2017 SC RatingUnfortunately Hutchison has suffered an ACL injury in December, and will miss most, in not all, of the 2017

season.E


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Kerr, Josh 2RF / FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Kerr has come across from the Storm Under 20’s side, and was selected in the QLD Under 20’s squad last year. A big prop come back rower, he will add some depth to the Dragons, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him push for a bench spot later on in the season. Minutes may be an issue with regards to

SuperCoach.D


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Lafai, Tim CTW $281,900 18 42.0 76.0 0.55 18 37.9 76.6 0.50


2017 SC Rating It will be Lafai or Milne partnering Aitken in the centres come round 1, and if it is Lafai I implore you to stay away, as he is a mid-pricer with minimal upside; the type of player that you don’t want included in your side. Has averaged 40 PPG over the past 2 seasons, after his heyday in 2014 where he averaged 60+. Not worth

considering.E


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Leilua, Luciano 2RF $189,800 5 28.0 36.0 0.78 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Only resigned by the Dragons in mid-December, Leilua is the younger brother of BJ (Raiders), and was hot property on the open market until the Dragons locked him up, eventually. Played Australian Schoolboys in 2014 and NSW Under 18’s the same year, with 5 games in the top grade at the end of 2016, all off the

bench. He will force his way into the side again at some stage this year, however will need to either increase his minutes or his PPM to become a real SuperCoach weapon. Priced in line with this 2016 season average

of 28 PPG.C

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Lewis, Chris 2RF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Lewis is 24 years old, and has been a member of the NSW Cup side for the past 4 seasons, playing in the back row. The Dragons have a bunch of young back rowers, so it is hard to know exactly where Lewis fits in. Let’s see if he gets any time in the pre season, but at this stage he would have to be a long shot to be

SuperCoach relevant in 2017.E


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MacDonald, Nene CTW $282,900 22 42.0 81.0 0.52 15 45.3 80.3 0.56


2017 SC Rating MacDonald has shifted down from the Titans in the off-season, and we have him penciled in to start on the wing come round 1. Has averaged between 40 and 45 each of the last 3 seasons, playing mostly on the

wing. Last year he only averaged 25 PPG from base stats, which is the main reason why he has never made an impact from a SuperCoach perspective - the work rate is just not there. Similar output should be gained

from a base price player in this position.E


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Mann, Kurt CTW / FLB $297,200 13 44.0 80.0 0.55 18 39.6 79.7 0.50


2017 SC Rating Started the 2016 year at fullback for the Dragons, however once he returned in round 12 he was shuffled out to the wing, and played the rest of the season there. 2 of his last 3 games were in single digits (7 and 3), and he ended the year with a 5 round average of 24. Could be used in 2017 anywhere in the backline

depending on injury and availability. Priced at a 44 average he is not an option for your initial side, and most likely not an option at all this season.

E


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Marketo, Jake HOK / 2RF $191,600 18 29.0 32.0 0.91 16 25.4 41.9 0.60


2017 SC Rating Likely to be on the fringes of the 17, and if included in the game day side will be used off the bench in an impact role in limited minutes. Does not have a SuperCoach pedigree, and unlikely to suddenly discover

one in 2017.E

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Masoe, Mose FRF $143,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Masoe has not played a game with the Dragons since returning at the end of the 2015 season. Firstly he suffered an ACL injury in early 2016, followed by additional surgery in late 2016, to clear out a cyclops

lesion in his right knee. His timetable to return is unknown. If he could regain fitness he would likely come off the bench as an impact player, however with 2 knee surgeries in one calendar year, it is hard to see him

progressing past this injury in the short term. May become a late season cash cow.D


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Matthews, Will 2RF / CTW $216,900 20 32.0 42.0 0.76 13 38.4 49.8 0.77


2017 SC Rating Was a hot selection at times last year when injuries struck and it looked as though he was going to play big minutes, however after averaging 63 MPG over a 5 game stretch mid-season, he went on to average only

35 MPG for the rest of the year. In those 5 games he averaged 48 PPG, which lines up with his season PPM average. Unless he looks like playing 60+ minutes on a regular basis, he is not an option.D


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McCarthy, Tyrone 2RF $156,400 2 26.0 33.0 0.79 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating McCarthy struggled early in the season, as a result of a hamstring injury, after coming over from the UK at the end of 2015. He did play a couple of NRL games late in the 2016 season, as a late inclusion both times,

but spent the rest of the year, when healthy, playing NSW Cup. Would need 40-45 minutes and a PPM of greater than 1 to really make an impact, and that would seem unlikely this season. He may be able to crack

it later on in the year.D


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McCrone, Josh HOK / HFB $183,300 7 27.0 80.0 0.34 4 17.3 38.3 0.45


2017 SC Rating Whilst we think that McCrone is the most likely candidate to start round 1 in the #7 jersey, it doesn’t mean that we think he will last very long. He might last the first 6 to 8 weeks, but at some stage the Dragons will

make the move to one of the youngsters, be it Field or Nona, and let them have a crack. They may as well. I can see many being tempted by McCrone if he is selected to start round 1, but it will not be a pretty result.D

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McInnes, Cameron HOK $369,400 19 55.0 63.0 0.87 12 36.1 36.8 0.98


2017 SC Rating Rein has gone to Penrith, and McInnes has jumped across from the Rabbitohs to take his spot, and hopefully play close to 80 minutes each week. The Dragons don’t look like they will use a utility off the

bench, at least to start the year, and if McInnes can maintain that PPM of 0.88 in an 80 minute performance, he could become a 70 PPG average player. It may not happen and he may well remain a 55-60 average

player, but at least there is some potential for upside. Round 1 teams will be key, and if he is selected with no utility, then he is worth consideration for sure.

B


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Milne, Taane CTW $325,700 7 54.0 71.0 0.76 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Milne could very well start in the centres for the Dragons come round 1, after impressing over the final 6 games of the 2016 season. His impressive form resulted in a season average of 54, which has pushed his price sky high, and it would be a brave coach to select the 2nd year player in their round 1 side, especially

at that price. A good player but without much upside.C


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Nightingale, Jason CTW $360,100 24 54.0 80.0 0.68 17 48.1 79.5 0.61


2017 SC Rating Like Aitken, Nightingale is a consistent SuperCoach scorer, although he did only average 30 PPG from base stats in 2016 - you would like to see that up around the 35 mark. Averaged 54 for the year, but if you

remove his huge 163 in the last round, that drops to 49. He will probably be that 50-55 average player again this season - consistent but with minimal upside, and not a keeper. Probably other options out there with

better money making potential.C


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Nona, Shaun HFB / 5/8 $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A bit of a journeyman, Nona (25 years old) reneged on a deal with the Mackay Blackhawks in the QLD Cup to sign with the Dragons, and was then boosted up the pecking order following the pre season injury to Hutchison. He is in the mix with the likes of McCrone, Mann and Field for the halfback spot vacated by Hutchison, however you would have to say he is probably 3rd or 4th on that list at this stage. Still, a strong pre-season could rise him up the rankings, so keep an eye out for him to make his debut at some stage this

year. He may not play enough games to become an SuperCoach factor though.D

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Packer, Russell FRF $268,600 22 40.0 42.0 0.95 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingPacker will be used in an impact role off the bench, to give Vaughan and Ah Mau a spell. Solid PPM,

however doesn’t play enough minutes to be relevant. Not an optionE


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Robson, Reece TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Only 18 years old, and as such will play hooker for the Under 20’s side in 2017. With the departure of King, Robson is likely seem as the long term replacement, but they do have McInnes to fill the gap in the short

term. Unlikely to be SuperCoach relevant this season.E


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Sele, Hame TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Sele has just turned 20, and as such graduates from the Under 20’s side this season. Previous honours include NSW Under 18’s and Australian Schoolboys, and with a 3 year deal just signed, he will be a part of

the Dragons forward pack over the next few years. Likely to play NSW Cup this year however.E


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Sims, Tariq 2RF / FRF $333,400 16 50.0 61.0 0.82 19 54.7 79.2 0.69


2017 SC Rating Played 8 games for the Knights and 8 games for the Dragons in 2016. Post joining the Dragons, he only started on the field once, averaging in total 42 MPG and 52 PPG, boosted by a 100+ game in round 23

(excluding that game his average at the Dragons was 45). Given the evidence from last year, it appears as though he will be used off the bench again this season, playing approx. 40-45 MPG. Not a SuperCoach

option, although he would likely be the first to slip into the starting side if injury does strike.D

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Thompson, Izzac TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating A huge outside back, weighing in at just over 100kg, Thompson graduates from the Under 20’s competition this year, and will likely start the season in the NSW Cup. Could progress up the ranks as the season goes

on, however it is hard to see him making a huge impact in the SuperCoach world in 2017.E


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Thompson, Joel

2RF / CTW $326,500 20 49.0 77.0 0.64 18 47.2 74.0 0.64


2017 SC Rating Over the last 3 years, Thompson’s PPM has been very consistent at 0.65 (2014), 0.64 (2015) and 0.63 (2016), and as such I think we can make the assumption that he is what he is, and it would be a brave

SuperCoach to predict a significant increase in the PPM in 2017. Given that his minutes are almost already at 80 per game, there is no upside, even with the CTW availability. Not worth a look.D


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Vaughan, Paul 2RF / FRF $341,300 18 51.0 43.0 1.19 24 52.4 41.9 1.25


2017 SC Rating Vaughan has jumped across from the Raiders in the off-season, and will start in the front-row come round 1. With the Dragons likely to have some big boppers coming off the bench (Packer, Marketo, Matthews, Sims

etc), and backrowers who can play big minutes, it’s hard to see Vaughan increasing his minutes hugely. However, Mike Cooper averaged 53 MPG and Vaughan has a chance of stepping in and taking those

minutes. Alternatively he still may only get around that 40-45 mark again this year. Has always had a great PPM, however until he can hold that PPM and increase his minutes to 55+, he will remain as a mid-pricer, well below keeper level. Worth consideration but maybe have a look at his minutes first before jumping on.

C


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Widdop, Gareth HFB / 5/8 $334,800 24 50.0 80.0 0.63 23 57.8 80.0 0.72


2017 SC Rating Many a SuperCoach jumped on Widdop last year for his bye coverage, and he wasn’t too bad, averaging 57 from round 12 onwards. With Benji gone and Hutchison injured, Widdop will be doing all the attacking for the Dragons this year. This could be great for his SuperCoach output, or it could put a lot of pressure

on him, as opposition teams will know that it is him or nothing. I don’t expect the Dragons to score a lot of points this season, and with poor bye coverage, I will be staying away from Widdop.

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 SYDNEY ROOSTERS | 191

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

Finished 2nd last in 2016, but expected by most to be the big improvers coming into 2017. Key players Pearce, Cordner and Waerea-Hargreaves missed a large chunk of time at the start of the year and the team was never really able to recover after that. Their only major losses this off-season have been Sam Moa and Jackson Hastings, both of whom can be replaced without much issue. Their signings have been significant, bringing in Luke Keary, Paul Carter and Michael Gordon, all of whom should play significant roles this season. With the squad they have, and a full pre-season for all involved, they really should finish top 8 this year.


2016 NRL SQUAD

Mitch Aubusson, Nat Butcher (20‘s), Paul Carter, Lindsay Collins, Dale Copley, Boyd Cordner, Mitch Cornish, Kane Evans, Poasa Faamausili, Blake Ferguson, Jake Friend, Luke Garner, Grant Garvey, Michael Gordon, Brock Gray, Aidan Guerra, Luke Keary, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Liam Knight, Issac Liu, Joseph Manu, Ryan Matterson, Latrell Mitchell (20’s), Shaquai Mitchell, Paul Momirovski, Dylan Napa, Jayden Nikorima, Mitchell Pearce, Reuben Porter (20’s), Chris Smith, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Zane Tetevano, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, Daniel Tupou, Eloni Vunakece, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Connor Watson


Mitch Aubusson, Nat Butcher (20‘s), Paul Carter, Lindsay Collins, Dale Copley, Boyd Cordner, Mitch Cornish, Kane Evans, Poasa Faamausili, Blake Ferguson, Jake Friend, Luke Garner, Grant Garvey, Michael Gordon, Brock Gray, Aidan Guerra, Jackson Hastings, Luke Keary, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Liam Knight, Issac Liu, Joseph Manu, Phillip Makatoa (20’s), Ryan Matterson, Latrell Mitchell (20’s), Shaquai Mitchell, Paul Momirovski, Dylan Napa, Jayden Nikorima, Mitchell Pearce, Reuben Porter (20’s), Brendan Santi, Chris Smith, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Zane Tetevano, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, Daniel Tupou, Eloni Vunakece, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Connor Watson

BYE SCHEDULE

The Roosters play 2 of the 3 big bye rounds, missing rounds 15 and 19 only (whilst 19 is not a big bye round it can be tricky to navigate without pre-planning), thus providing valuable cover in rounds 12 and 18. Non-origin players will therefore be valuable, whilst Origin players (Pearce, Napa, Cordner) will miss 4 games over the 8 week period from round 12 to round 19.

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1. Gordon Interchange:2. Tupou 14. Evans3. Mitchell 15. Matterson / Tetevano / Knight4. Kenny-Dowall 16. Guerra5. Ferguson 17. Nikorima / Watson6. Keary7. Pearce8. Waerea-Hargreaves9. Friend10. Napa11. Aubusson12. Cordner13. Liu


PROP – Waerea-Hargreaves, Napa, Taukeiaho, Evans, Liu, Knight, Tetevano, Vunakece, Collins, S. Mitchell, B. Gray, Faamausili HOK – Friend, Nikorima, Watson, Garvey 2RF – Cordner, Guerra, Aubusson, Carter, C. Smith, Garner, Makatoa (20’s), Porter (20’s), LOCK – Taukeiaho, Liu, Butcher (20’s), Carter, Santi HALF – Pearce, Nikorima, Cornish, Watson 5/8 – Keary, Nikorima, Matterson, Watson, Momirovski, O’Sullivan (20’s) CTW – Copley, Ferguson, Kenny-Dowall, Aubusson, C. Smith, Manu, Momirovski WING – Gordon, Mitchell (20’s), Tupou, Manu, Tuivasa-Sheck FLB – Gordon, Ferguson, Mitchell (20’s), Slaimankhel

2017 Gains: Paul Carter (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2017), Mitch Cornish (Parramatta Eels, 2017), Michael Gordon (Parramatta Eels, 2017), Brock Gray (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2018), Luke Keary (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2018), Liam Knight (Manly Sea Eagles, 2019), Brenden Santi (2017), Chris Smith (Mid Season: Penrith Panthers, 2017), Zane Tetevano (2017)

2017 Losses: Pakisonasi Afu (released), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Tyler Cornish (QLD Cup), Brendan Elliot (Newcastle Knights), Jackson Hastings (Manly Sea Eagles), Ian Henderson (retired), Vincent Leuluai (Melbourne Storm), Sam Moa (Catalan Dragons), Charlie Taylor (released)

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Cow



Cordner Pearce Ferguson Carter Knight Afu

Guerra Friend Aubusson

Matterson Taukeiaho Butcher

Napa Copley

Waerea-Hargreaves Cornish

Evans

Garvey

Gordon

Gray

Keary

Kenny-Dowall

Liu

Manu

L Mitchell

S Mitchell

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Smith

Tetevano

Tuivasa-Sheck

Tupou

Vunakece

Watson


Nat Butcher (20’s) - Position: Lock Height: 184cm Weight: 97kg Outstanding young lock who captained the Roosters Grand Final winning side in 2016, and is still eligible to play in the NYC for another season. He was named at lock in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year, after putting up outstanding numbers last season. In the NYC in 2016 he averaged 187 metres, 18 hit ups and 43 tackles a game, to go with 41 offloads, 10 line breaks and 5 try assists. Ran for 200 metres or more in 7 games, with a season high of 288 metres in Rd 19 vs the Sharks. Made his First Grade debut in Rd 26 in 2016, and is a player who I see playing representative footy in the coming years.

Nat Butcher 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/113/playerid/7131/seasonid/44/default.aspx



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Grant Garvey - Position: Hooker Height: 186cm Weight: 88kg Attacking young hooker who made his NRL debut in Rd 22 last season. No longer eligible for the NYC, Garvey will train with the NRL squad for the first time this pre-season. He was named the NYC players players for the 2016 season. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 33 tackles a game, but has to work on his defence after missing an average of 3.6 tackles a game. He was able to score 18 tries, to go along with 22 try assists and 16 line breaks last season in the NYC. With the Roosters having limited depth at hooker, if Friend does happen to get injured during the season Garvey would see good minutes.

Grant Garvey 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/113/playerid/6918/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck - Position: Wing Height: 180cm Weight: 100kg Better known as Roger’s Brother, he is slowing making a name for himself after scoring game-winning tries against both the Dragons in the preliminary final and the Panthers in the NYC Grand Final. Is a right winger who, like his brother, has outstanding foot work. In the NYC 2016 season he averaged 140 metres from 14 hit ups and 4 tackle breaks per game to go with 12 tries, 12 line breaks and 2 try assists for season. Will spend his 1st pre-season training with the First Grade squad, and with the Roosters lack of depth in the outside backs if injuries do hit he could make his NRL debut at some stage during the season.

Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/113/playerid/7127/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Brock Gray - Position: Second Row, Prop, Lock Height: 190cm Weight: 102kg Very promising young second rower whose last 2 seasons have been hampered by injury. Can play either on edge or as a middle forward. Spent most of 2015 playing NSW Cup for Bears, whilst last season when not injured he played in the NYC. Despite missing a number of games during the season he was able to average 105 metres and 26 tackles per game from 14 games. Is spending his 2nd season training with the First Grade squad. Isn’t eligible for NYC this season so will start the season at Wyong in the Intrust Super Premiership, with a view of making his First Grade debut at some stage during the season.

Brock Gray 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/111/playerid/6776/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – Boyd Cordner

Sleeper – Aiden Guerra

Bust – Jake Friend

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Nat Butcher







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� Sio Siua Taukeiaho – right ACL (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Blake Ferguson – right ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jayden Nikorima – hamstring surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Boyd Cordner – knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Grant Garvey - right shoulder surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck – right ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Latrell Mitchell – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Aiden Guerra - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Issac Liu – left ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Connor Watson - ankle surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Jared Waerea-Hargreaves – right elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Nat Butcher - shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Sio Siua Taukeiaho (ACL) � Grant Garvey (shoulder) � Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck (ankle) � Connor Watson (ankle) � Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (elbow) � Nat Butcher (shoulder)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – Paul Carter, Lindsay Collins, Mitch Cornish, Kane Evans, Blake Ferguson, Potusa Fuilala (20’s), Luke Garner, Michael Gordon, Aidan Guerra, Jake Kambos (20’s), Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Awatere Kiwara (20’s), Tino Lui (20’s), Phillip Makatoa (20’s), Ryan Matterson, Paul Momirovski, Sean O’Sullivan (20’s), Mitchell Pearce, Reuben Porter (20’s), Brendan Santi, Chris Smith, Zane Tetevano, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, Daniel Tupou

� 2018 – Nat Butcher (20‘s), Dale Copley, Boyd Cordner, Poasa Faamausili, Jake Friend, Grant Garvey, Brock Gary, Luke Keary, Liam Knight, Issac Liu, Joseph Manu, Jayden Nikorima, Kell O’Brien (20’s), Edenn Rogers-Smith (20’s), Jonah Theyers (20’s), Eloni Vunakece, Connor Watson

� 2019 - Mitch Aubusson, Latrell Mitchell (20’s), Shaquai Mitchell, Dylan Napa � 2020 - Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

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Aubusson, Mitchell

2RF / CTW $315,100 22 47.0 76.0 0.62 23 48.1 67.6 0.71


2017 SC Rating Aubusson has tempted many a SuperCoach in the past, however he always fails to live up to the hype - and season 2017 is looking to be more of the same. Taukeiaho is potentially out Round 1 with a knee injury,

which could open the door for Aubusson to slot into the starting side. The issue is that he averaged 76 MPG is 2016, so there is nowhere for his minutes to go - even if he does get 80 minutes he will not average

significantly more than in 2016, so there is no real upside here.E


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Butcher, Nat 2RF $160,400 1 30.0 28.0 1.07 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Coming off the one game in 2016, Butcher starts the year priced above the standard rookie level, and JWH is on record in an interview saying that he expected “pack plenty of scrums” with Butcher this year.

Whether this is from round 1 is unknown but keep him on your radar.D


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Carter, Paul HOK / 2RF $323,600 12 48.0 60.0 0.80 3 26.0 30.0 0.87


2017 SC Rating Carter was a solid cow early in the 2016 season, with all 12 of his games played in the first 15 weeks of the season, before yet another stint in rehab ended his season early. He is now on his third life, after being offered a one year deal at the Roosters in 2017. He will start the year already priced at a 48 average, which means there is limited upside to be had in selecting him this year. Potential some games off the bench may

see his price drop to a more realistic level, but for now he is not worth a look.D


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Copley, Dale CTW $204,400 14 31.0 67.0 0.46 9 28.2 66.2 0.43


2017 SC Rating Copley was a mainstay in the Roosters side (when fit) in 2016, only missing the large majority of the 10 games due to injury, after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Round 3. The signing of Michael Gordon is potentially going to push Mitchell into the centres, which could mean that Copley is on the outer. He had a couple of decent games in 2016 when he was able to get across the line, but for the most part he was

underwhelming, and is not worth considering this year.D

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Cordner, Boyd 2RF $466,800 12 70.0 77.0 0.91 22 56.6 75.2 0.75


2017 SC Rating Cordner had a hugely interrupted season in 2016, missing the first 7 rounds following off-season pectoral surgery, and then missing a further chunk of games during the middle of the year following a foot injury

that kept him sidelined for 7 weeks. When he was fit he was an SuperCoach beast, finishing the year with the 13th highest average, and having some huge games along the way. From 2012 to 2015 he missed an

average of 4 regular season NRL games a year, so whilst 2016 was really bad, he does have some question marks over his durability. If you are looking for a top end premium, who is usually a bit of a POD, then Cordner could be your man. Will get selected for Origin, and as such will miss 4 games over the Origin

period.

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Cornish, Mitch TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Cornish played 8 games at the end of the 2014 season, averaging only 19 PPG in only 39 MPG. He then started at halfback for the Raiders in 2015, however was hooked after round 4, before coming back for 3 more games in injury relief later on in the year. In 2015 he averaged 41 PPG (full 80 minutes all 7 games). In 2016 he moved to the Eels, however could not crack the NRL side in an injury interrupted year, where

he injured his MCL in May. He will now back up the likes of Pearce, Keary, Watson, Nikorima, Hastings and Matterson - given that logjam it’s hard to see him getting much of an opportunity this year.

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Evans, Kane FRF $255,200 23 38.0 34.0 1.12 23 38.4 27.0 1.42


2017 SC Rating What a let-down Kane Evans was, and surely he has to be in the never again pile. His MPG increased from 27 (2015) to 34 (2016) however his average remained stagnant at 38 PPG, which shows that the high work rate he may have had in lesser minutes was not transferable into an expanded role. There is no way anyone

can pick his this year, no way.E


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Ferguson, Blake CTW / FLB $343,300 22 51.0 80.0 0.64 16 49.7 77.9 0.64


2017 SC Rating Ferguson lined up for NSW in all 3 Origin games in 2016, and had a decent NRL year also, switching between wing, centre and fullback. The arrival of Gordon is likely to have Ferguson slotting back onto the wing in 2017, a role which is usually not conducive to SuperCoach scoring. You would much prefer him

closer to the action, although the arrival of Keary should see an improved Roosters attack in 2017, which hopefully leads to more tries for Ferguson. Already priced at around that 50 average, there may be some upside there, but it will be limited. Given that he is likely to miss 4 games over the Origin period, there are

probably better options out there. Not the worst pick though.

C

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Friend, Jake HOK $420,600 24 63.0 76.0 0.83 19 58.8 68.9 0.85


2017 SC Rating The Roosters have a number of bench utility options this year, with the likely of Watson, Nikorima and Hastings all a chance to play that role, which could impact on Friend’s minutes. Friend is reasonably

durable, having only missed a total of 8 regular season games over the past 3 years. With an average PPM of 0.84 over the past 2 seasons, if his MPG were to drop to say 60, his average would likely settle in the

50-55 range, allowing for a slight increase in PPM. Probably best considered as some sort of bye coverage option, considering the likelihood of a utility impacting on his minutes in 2017.

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Garvey, Grant HOK $143,600 1 11.0 14.0 0.79 - - - n/a


2017 SC RatingWith the plethora of utilities that the Roosters have at their disposal in 2017, Garvey is highly unlikely to play

a role really in any form this year.E


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Gordon, Michael

CTW / FLB $323,900 24 48.0 78.0 0.62 23 45.2 72.9 0.62


2017 SC Rating Gordon moves over to the Roosters from the Eels, after plodding his way to a 48 PPG average in 2016. Will likely be the first choice fullback this year, however I can’t recommend him, as his game is not conducive to

huge SuperCoach scores, with averages of 45 and 48 over the past 2 seasons.E


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Gray, Brock 2RF / FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Gray makes the move over to the Roosters from the Rabbitohs this year, and is yet to debut in the NRL. Brock can play either prop or second row, and was previously a member of the emerging blues squad.

Maybe an option later in the year, if injuries strike, but he is starting from a fair way back.E

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Keary, Luke HFB / 5/8 $272,500 17 41.0 67.0 0.61 23 39.2 80.0 0.49


2017 SC Rating Keary’s averages over the past 3 years, when he has been consistently playing 75+ MPG are as follows - 41, 39, 41. So that really shows you where he is at. Moving to the Roosters is unlikely to have a huge

impact, as he will be playing with Pearce, who will likely dominate the attack similar to what Reynolds does at Souths. Not an option.E


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Kenny-Dowall, Shaun CTW $348,300 19 52.0 80.0 0.65 17 54.1 80.3 0.67


2017 SC Rating Over the past 3 season, SKD has average 52, 54 and then 52 again in 2016, showing that he is consistent, but consistently mediocre, with limited upside. He will start the season again in the centres or on the wing,

however given what we have seen over the last 3 years, it’s unlikely that he will become an SuperCoach revelation in 2017.E


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Knight, Liam 2RF / FRF $143,600 1 4.0 15.0 0.27 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Knight played 1 game for Manly last year, before being released to join the Roosters on a 3 year deal. Infamously sprayed insect repellent in his mouth when pulled over for drink driving in March 2016, he will

be looking to put this behind him and re-ignite his career at the Roosters. Unlikely to be in the best 17, but may see some action either during Origin, or if injuries strike. Unlikely to be an SuperCoach revelation.D


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Liu, Isaac 2RF / FRF $269,800 22 40.0 45.0 0.89 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Liu is a solid NRL player, with a strong SuperCoach PPM (0.91 in 2016, 0.91 in 2015), however with his MPG hovering around the 43-45 mark over the past 2 seasons, he won’t be able to average much more than 40 PPG. If for any reason he were to start playing 60+ MPG then he would be worth a look, but for now it looks like more of the same in season 2017, with no upside. We have him coming off the bench in

the Roosters best 17.D

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Manu, Joseph CTW / FLB $178,300 3 33.0 80.0 0.41 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Manu played a few games on the wing during the Origin series, however his work-rate was not high, and as such he only averaged 33 PPG in those 3 weeks. Seems to be willing to get stuck in there and take a hit-up. Not in the Roosters best 17, and as such unlikely to have a significant SuperCoach impact this year.D


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Matterson, Ryan

5/8 / CTW $276,700 15 41.0 56.0 0.73 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Matterson is a strong young player, and could potentially be pushing for a starting back row spot in 2017. He will likely start the season from the bench, or may miss out on the round 1 side altogether. If his price drops and he can somehow force his way into the starting side (maybe due to injury), he could be

considered, as his PPM last year was very good, considering the role/s he was playing. I would be keeping an eye on him the early rounds, but not including him in my round 1 side.

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Mitchell, Latrell CTW / FLB $290,200 24 43.0 75.0 0.57 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Although Mitchell did increase in value and prove to be a decent cash cow in 2016, he was incredibly frustrating to own, scoring under 40 on 14 occasions. The 103 he scored in round 7 saw his price peak just before origin, when most existing owners cashed in. In 2017 he will likely be shifted into either the centres or out to the wing, with Gordon likely shifting into the fullback role. Hard to say exactly what impact this

will have on his scoring, but you have to assume it won’t result in a huge uptick in output. Likely to average around the 50 mark in 2017, assuming he can stay healthy. Although he did not miss a game last year, he

did not complete the full game 4 times.

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Mitchell, Shaq TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Played a mixture of prop, lock and bench in the Under 20’s side last year, and will be looking to make the leap to NRL in 2017. Averaged approx. 35 MPG in 2016 (Under 20’s), with 8 runs, 15 tackles and 80

meters gained per game, scoring 2 tries with 4 line breaks for the entire season - hardly awe-inspiring stats. Probably won’t be SuperCoach relevant this yearE

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Napa, Dylan 2RF / FRF $350,200 23 52.0 57.0 0.91 24 47.7 50.5 0.94


2017 SC Rating Napa’s last 3 seasons read as follows: 2014 (PPG 37, MPG 42, PPM 0.88), 2015 (PPG 48, MPG 51, PPM 0.94), 2016 (PPG 52, MPG 57, PPM 0.92). As his minutes have gradually increased from year to year. It is hard to see him averaging much more then 57 MPG going forward, as that is really on the high end of a

starting front rower. I see him as a 50-55 average player in 2017, with limited upside. Should consistently score around that mark though.

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Nikorima, Jayden

HOK / 5/8 $171,900 7 26.0 61.0 0.43 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Nikorima produced very little last year, especially considering that he averaged 61 MPG in his 7 appearances. This year he will be battling it out for a bench utility role, and as such will likely be largely

SuperCoach irrelevant again in 2017. A stay away.E


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Pearce, Mitchell HFB $443,400 12 66.0 80.0 0.83 20 52.6 76.8 0.68


2017 SC Rating Pearce missed the first 8 weeks of the 2016 season after recovering in rehab, however once he returned in round 9 he was a strong performer on a SuperCoach basis, with the 3rd highest average of all halfbacks, only behind Shaun Johnson and JT. After a full preseason leading into the 2017 season, he will likely be

ready to fire again, and could be an interesting premium (likely POD) pick in your halves. The Roosters did not score a huge amount of points in 2016, and as such the only way is up.

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Santi, Brenden 2RF $132,000 0 - - n/a 10 24.1 26.7 0.90


2017 SC Rating Santi played 1 NRL game in 2014, and a further 10 in 2015, all for the Wests Tigers, however he was not offered a contract for the 2016 season, and as such spend the year playing for Townsville in the QLD Cup. In his 10 games in 2015 he averaged 24 PPG, at a PPM of 0.90, which is a solid PPM. He is outside of the Roosters best 17 to start the year, but may get some game time later on in the year, or over the bye period.

Really needs to be getting 40+ MPG to make a SuperCoach impact though, which is hard to see.D

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Smith, Chris 2RF $143,600 1 17.0 15.0 1.13 1 n/a n/a n/a


2017 SC Rating Joined the roosters in April 2016, with a contract that lasts through to the end of the 2017 season. Has played 2 NRL games in his career, including 1 in 2016 where he played 15 minutes for 17 SuperCoach points. Likely to be used as depth coverage in 2017, and as such probably won’t have a huge impact

SuperCoach wise.E


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Taukeiaho, Sio Siua 2RF $367,000 20 55.0 57.0 0.96 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Taukeiaho was solid in 2016, increasing his average from 46 in 2015 up to 55 in 2016, off the back of some strong play, and assuming the goal kicking duties. Unfortunately he suffered a torn ACL towards the end of the 2016 season, which ruled him out of the 4 Nations, and has him eyeing off a round 6 return. Keep him

out of your Round 1 side, but look to pounce when he bottoms out, assuming fitness.D


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Tetevano, Zane 2RF / FRF $154,300 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Has a total of 29 NRL games to his name the last of those coming in 2014, before being sacked by the Knights for disciplinary reasons, after being sentenced to 9 months jail for assault, which was later reduced to no jail time on appeal. The Roosters have offered him a lifeline in 2017, and he looks to be on the fringes of their best 17, and vying for a bench spot come round 1, especially with Taukeaiho in doubt. Had a PPM

of 1.1 in 2014, so if he is selected round 1 I dare say he will be in a lot of teams.C


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Tuivasa-Sheck, Johnny TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Obviously the younger brother of Roger, Johnny graduates from the NYC this year, and will be looking to crack the NRL at some stage. Most comfortable on the Wing, he may potentially get a game during the

Origin period, or earlier if injury strikes. Keep an eye on him in the pre-season. Unlikely to have huge base stats from the Wing, although he did average 14 runs and 3.8 tackle busts per game in the Under 20’s last

year, coupled with 12 line breaks and 13 tries. Potential cheapie option at some stage.C

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Tupou, Daniel CTW $332,600 21 50.0 80.0 0.63 24 49.3 80.2 0.61


2017 SC Rating Tupou is another of these mid-pricer, valued at a 50 average, where he has consistently been for each of the past 3 seasons. The upside is minimal - he may go on a run at some stage and score a bunch of tries,

however he is unlikely to be consistently scoring well, and will likely revert back to the 50-ish average again by the end of the season. Better value elsewhere.D


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Vunakece, Eloni FRF $150,800 9 23.0 20.0 1.15 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Vunakece is the garbage man turned NRL player, who came on in the back-half of the 2016 season. Unlikely to play enough minutes to be considered for SuperCoach, even though it would be great to see

him back in the NRL again in 2017.E


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Waerea-Hargreaves,

JaredFRF $325,600 14 49.0 49.0 1.00 19 52.8 47.9 1.10


2017 SC Rating JWH’s SuperCoach output dipped in 2016, from a 53 average in 2015, down to only a 49 average in 2016, which has him priced right around that logjam of 50 average players, right in Mid-Pricer hell. He looks likely

to start again for the Roosters this year, barring injury, however he has shown over the years that he is a consistent 50 PPG average player, and nothing more. Probably better value elsewhere.C


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Watson, Connor 5/8 / FLB $279,500 16 42.0 50.0 0.84 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Watson played 16 of a possible 18 games from Round 7 onwards, initially from the bench, before slotting into the Five-Eighth role from Round 19 onwards. Looks like a decent player, and will be battling for a utility role again in 2017, however is unlikely to start in the halves, following the recruitment of Keary from Souths.

With the inflated starting price, he is not an early season option.D

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NRL MEGA GUIDE | 2017 WESTS TIGERS | 204

WESTS TIGERS

2016 was the Tigers best season since 2011, with a 9th placed finish including 11 wins, and they only missed the top 8 by 1 point. Internally there was the drama between coaching staff and Robbie Farah, resulting in the latter being rested for the majority of the 2nd half of the season and subsequently moving on from the club at the end of 2016. The most intriguing signing of the off-season was arguably Jamal Idris, and it will be interesting to see how he is used in his return to the NRL. Their forward pack looks a little weak, and if they could just sign one decent back-rower they would be a lot better off. Should be sniffing around the finals again this year, but likely to miss out.


2017 NRL SQUAD

Josh Aloiai, Matt Ballin, Luke Brooks, Michael Chee Kam, Joel Edwards, Matt Eisenhuth, JJ Felise, Jordan Grant, Tim Grant, Rod Griffin, Watson Heleta, Justin Hunt, Jamal Idris, Ryland Jacobs, Chris Lawrence, Jacob Liddle, Jack Littlejohn, Wesley Lolo, Kyle Lovett, Esan Marsters, Matt McIlwrick, Mitchell Moses, Kevin Naiqama, David Nofoaluma, Taniela Paseka (20’s), Jordan Rankin, Ava Seumanufagai, Tim Simona, Bayley Sironen, Sauaso Sue, Junior Tatola, Elijah Taylor, James Tedesco, Aaron Woods


Josh Aloiai, Matt Ballin, Luke Brooks, Michael Chee Kam, Joel Edwards, Matt Eisenhuth, JJ Felise, Jordan Grant, Tim Grant, Rod Griffin, Watson Heleta, Justin Hunt, Jamal Idris, Ryland Jacobs, Chris Lawrence, Jacob Liddle, Jack Littlejohn, Wesley Lolo, Kyle Lovett, Jeremy Marshall-King, Esan Marsters, Matt McIlwrick, Nathan Milone, Mitchell Moses, Kevin Naiqama, David Nofoaluma, Taniela Paseka (20’s), Jordan Rankin, Ava Seumanufagai, Tim Simona, Bayley Sironen, Sauaso Sue, Moses Suli (20’s), Junior Tatola, Elijah Taylor, James Tedesco, Aaron Woods

BYE SCHEDULE

The Tigers have the byes in rounds 12 and 18, meaning that they miss 2 of the 3 big bye rounds, and Origin players (Tedesco, Woods) will only miss 3 weeks. This makes them one of the worst bye options teams out there, with the only real option being to use them for 5 weeks during the middle of the bye period. The player would need a low breakeven to be used in that manner – bye coverage really for 1 round, and hopefully make some cash at the same time.

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1. Tedesco Interchange:2. Nofoaluma 14. Lovett / Marsters 3. Simona 15. Grant4. Idris 16. Seumanufagai5. Naiqama 17. Liddle6. Moses7. Brooks8. Sue9. Ballin10. Woods11. Lawrence12. Aloiai13. Taylor


PROP – Woods, Sue, T. Grant, Seumanufagai, Griffin, J. Grant, Felise, Tatola, Paseka (20’s), Eisenhuth, Lolo HOK – Ballin, McIlwrick, Liddle, Marshall-King 2RF – Lawrence, Aloiai, Marsters, Lovett, Chee-Kam, B. Sironen, Eisenhuth LOCK – Taylor, Sue, Edwards, Griffin, Eisenhuth HALF - Brooks, Rankin, Littlejohn 5/8 – Moses, Rankin, Littlejohn CTW – Simona, Idris, Naiqama, Chee-Kam, Heleta, Jacobs, Suli (20’s), Milone WING – Nofoaluma, Naiqama, Rankin, Hunt, Jacobs FLB – Tedesco, Rankin, Hunt

2017 Gains: Jamal Idris (2017), Matt McIlwrick (Cronulla Sharks, 2017), Elijah Taylor (Mid Season: Penrith Panthers, 2018)

2017 Losses: Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm), Jack Buchanan (Widnes Vikings), Tyler Cassel (released), Manaia Cherrington (Cronulla Sharks), Josh Drinkwater (Leigh Centurions), Robbie Farah (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Asipeli Fine (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Dallas Graham (released), Dene Halatau (retired), Lamar Liolevave (released), Billy McConnachie (released), Nathan Milone (released), Jesse Parahi (Rugby Sevens), Chance Peni (rugby union), Curtis Sironen (Manly Sea Eagles)

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Cow



Other)

Tedesco Idris Aloiai Rankin Ballin Heleta Brooks

Lawrence Taylor Simona Liddle Chee-Kam

Moses Edwards

Nofoaluma Felise

Woods Grant

Griffin

Hunt

Littlejohn

Lovett

Marsters

McIlwrick

Naiqama

Seumanufagai

Sue


Esan Marsters – Position: Second Row Height: 187cm Weight: 110kg Outstanding right edge second rower who steps up to the NRL squad after 2016 was his last season in the NYC. Represented Cook Islands in 2015 as well as representing the Junior Kiwi’s in 2016. Very dangerous ball runner who possesses great footwork and ball playing skills close to the line. In 2016 he averaged 127 metres from 14.4 hit ups, 16.8 tackles and 5.9 tackle breaks per game from 17 games, averaging 80 minutes per game. Also had 10 tries, 14 line breaks, 7 try assists and 45 offloads. When he didn’t play NYC in 2016 he spend part of the season playing in the Intrust Super Premiership. Will be very surprised if he doesn’t make his NRL debut in 2017.

Esan Marsters 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/115/playerid/7156/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Taniela Paseka (20’s) – Position: Prop Height: 189cm Weight: 124kg Highly rated prop who in his 1st season in NYC went on to represent NSW Blues in NYC Origin and is still eligible to play NYC in 2017. Won both the coaches and players NYC Player of the Year award in 2016. Has a strong motor, deceptive footwork and a physically imposing frame, and will look to learn from Aaron Woods, Tim Grant, Sauaso Sue and Ava Seumanufagai whilst spending his 1st pre-season with the First Grade Squad. In 2016 he averaged 109.5 metres from 9.7 hit ups and 17 tackles per game from 45.7 minutes per game to go along with 5 tries, 6 line breaks, 1 try assist and 74 tackle breaks.

Taniela Paseka 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/115/playerid/7446/seasonid/44/default.aspx





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Bayley Sironen – Position: Second Row Height: 186cm Weight: 95kg Younger brother of Curtis and son of Paul Sironen, who’s last few season have been hampered by ankle and shoulder injuries. A left edge second rower who was highly rated during his junior days, representing the Australian Schoolboys, NSW U16’s and NSW U20’s. With 2016 being his last season in the NYC, and now spending his 1st pre-season with the first grade squad, his main focus is simply staying fit. In 2016 he averaged 72.8 metres from 8.3 hit ups and 23.6 tackles per game in 9 games limited by injury. If he can stay fit, and if injuries hit at Wests, he could make his NRL debut at some stage during the 2017 season.

Bayley Sironen 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/115/playerid/7238/seasonid/44/default.aspx

Junior Tatola – Position: Prop Height: 186cm Weight: 118kg Promising young front rower whose 2016 season was ended when playing for the Junior Kangaroos, when he sustained a foot injury which required surgery ruling him out for the remainder of the 2016 season. In all 9 games in the NYC in 2016 he ran for over 100 meters. He is eligible for the NYC again in 2016, so will likely make the step up to the Intrust Super Premiership at some stage. In 2016 he averaged 145.6 metres from 14.3 hit ups and 19 tackles and 3.8 tackle breaks in 49.8 minutes per game. Expect to see him make his NRL debut at some stage during the 2017 season.

Junior Tatola 2016 NYC Stats http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/115/playerid/7153/seasonid/44/default.aspx


Gun – James Tedesco

Sleeper – Mitchell Moses

Bust – Chris Lawrence

Wacko’s Whispers Rookie – Esan Marsters


� Jamal Idris – left ACL (April 15’ – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Matt Ballin – left ACL (15/6 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Rod Griffin – broken arm (18/8 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Tim Simona – shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � JJ Felise – shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Bailey Sironen – shoulder surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Nathan Milone – left ACL (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Junior Tatola - ankle surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � James Tedesco – nose surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA)/ jaw surgery (TBA –

confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA/ knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � David Nofoaluma – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Ava Seumanufagai – left elbow surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – Pre Season – TBA)





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� Luke Brooks – left knee surgery (TBA – unconfirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Josh Aloiai – broken jaw (25/11 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA) � Ryland Jacobs - knee surgery (TBA – confirmed – Pre Season – TBA) � Jamal Idris – hamstring injury (8/12 – confirmed – REHAB Group – TBA)


� Matt Ballin (ACL) � Rod Griffin (arm) � Tim Simona (shoulder) � JJ Felise (shoulder) � Bailey Sironen (shoulder) � Nathan Milone (ACL) � Junior Tatola (ankle) � Luke Brooks (knee) � Jamal Idris (hamstring) � Josh Aloiai (jaw) � James Tedesco (nose/jaw/knee)

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

� 2017 – John Aloiai, Rhys Armstrong, Matt Ballin, Luke Brooks, Michael Chee-Kam, Darcy Cox, Joel Edwards, Matt Eisenhuth, Jordan Grant, Tim Grant, Rod Griffin, Watson Heleta, Blake Higgins (20’s), Justin Hunt, Jamal Idris, Ryland Jacobs, Corey Kurneth (20’s), Connelly Lemuelu (20’s), Jack Littlejohn, Wesley Lolo, Kyle Lovett, Kelepi Lui (20’s), Jeremy Marshall-King, Matt McIlwrick, Tom Mikaele (20’s), Nathan Milone, Mitchell Moses, Kevin Naiqama, Ash Nisbet, David Nofoaluma, Liam Pakau (20’s), Peter Pakoti (20’s), Jordan Rankin, Ava Seumanufagai, Jack Siejka, Tim Simona, Eli Roberts, Bailey Sironen, Moses Suli (20’s), Junior Tatola, Kereti Tautaiolefua (20’s), James Tedesco

� 2018 - JJ Felise, Jacob Liddle, Taniela Paseka (20’s), Sauaso Sue, Elijah Taylor (PO) � 2019 - Chris Lawrence

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Aloiai, Josh 2RF / FRF $208,100 24 31.0 39.0 0.79 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Aloiai debuted in round 1 2016, and actually went on to play every game, which surprised me when researching this. A season average of 31 is not awe-inspiring, however he could be an interesting

proposition in 2017, with a year of experience under his belt. He will need to be playing 45+ MPG to become relevant (especially at the inflated starting price), however here’s hoping that he falls in value early

on in the season. I think he is worth keeping an eye on in the pre-season.C


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Ballin, Matt HOK $143,600 2 17.0 29.0 0.59 22 43.2 71.0 0.61


2017 SC Rating Ballin only played the 2 games in 2016, and as such his price did not change from its starting value of $273k. He missed the start of the season as he was coming off an ACL injury in 2015, and then re-injured his knee again in his 2nd game, and missed the rest of the season. Prior to 2016 his durability has been quite good, having played in excess of 22 games every year for the past 8 seasons. Looks likely to start

round 1, and priced at only $143k he will come under consideration for a number of sides. The options at hooker this year and quite plentiful, but if you do want to go rookie priced then Ballin is worth a look. He won’t make that much money as he appears destined to share the hooking role with Liddle or McIlwrick,

but cheap starting hookers may be limited.

C


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Brooks, Luke HFB $296,000 21 44.0 78.0 0.56 23 41.4 80.2 0.52


2017 SC Rating Brooks was nothing special from a SuperCoach perspective in 2016, averaging only 44 PPG, and actually only 31 PPG over the final 7 weeks of the season. With most Super coaches likely to go for the gun/rookie

combination at halfback in their initial side, Brooks is likely going to be left out in the cold, with minimal upside. He may break out one day, but with only 1 score over 65 in 2016, the explosive scoring is just not

there.E


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Chee-kam, Michael

2RF / CTW $200,500 5 30.0 39.0 0.77 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Chee-kam has been the great hope for Super coaches for a number of years now, however he has failed to deliver on that hope year after year. Going into 2017 we have him outside the Tigers best 17, although his

versatility is a huge plus, and he could be an option either in the centres or the back row. In limited minutes (likely if playing in the forwards) I would like to see that PPM creep up closer to 1.00, however if he gets

an extended run in the centres then he will be worth a real look - will need injuries for that to occur. Not a round 1 option but may become one down the track.

D

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Edwards, Joel 2RF / FRF $207,200 8 31.0 38.0 0.82 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Edwards did not play NRL at all in 2015, before finding his way to the Tigers for the 2016 season, where he was in and out of the side, playing 8 games in total. Appearance wise his career peaked from 2011 to 2014, playing 84 games in total for the Knights and the Raiders, however from an SuperCoach perspective he has

never been particularly strong, averaging 42 PPG in 2013, 36 PPG in 2014, and 31 in 2016. Well and truly on a downward trajectory, and north worth considering this year.

E


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Felise, JJ 2RF / FRF $151,200 8 23.0 23.0 1.00 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Big JJ will only be turning 21 in February, and I can see him having a much increased role in the side this year. A strong ball runner, he is likely to have a high PPM, however just how many minutes he can play

fitness wise is the real question. If he could get to 40 MPG then there is some value to be made here. Will need some injuries to strike first to even get a shot, but look for him as an option at some stage, if the

minutes look like going upwards.D


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Grant, Tim FRF $290,800 22 44.0 50.0 0.88 20 36.7 35.2 1.04


2017 SC Rating Grant played more minutes than both Sue and Ava in 2016, which is surprising. The 3 of them will likely rotate through in similar roles in 2017, with Grant’s minutes potentially decreasing slightly. We have him pencilled in for another 40-45 PPG season, right in the middle of that mid-pricer range that we all try to

avoid. Not worth considering, especially with the poor byes this season.E


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Griffin, Rod 2RF / FRF $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Griffin has just turned 30 years old, and you would have to think unlikely to play NRL now, especially as he would be taking opportunities from younger players. Has played 10 tests for PNG, however will likely play

NSW Cup again in 2017.E

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Heleta, Watson CTW $122,600 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Heleta is likely to push for an NRL debut in 2017, and is comfortable anywhere from centre through fullback. Coming off a strong year in the NSW Cup, he could see time if any of the outside backs get

injured, or potentially in relief of Tedesco over the Origin period. Definitely one to watch, won’t be in many starting side but there’s a fair chance we will own him as a cash cow at some stage this year.C


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Hunt, Justin CTW / FLB $144,400 1 27.0 80.0 0.34 7 38.0 80.0 0.48


2017 SC Rating Hunt is likely on the outside looking in again to start the year, and will have Heleta challenging him for game time in 2017. His game is not suited to SuperCoach, as his work rate is very low, and as such he is not

worth considering.E


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Idris, Jamal 2RF / CTW $263,600 0 - - n/a 6 56.3 69.7 0.81


2017 SC Rating He’s back in the NRL again, and if the summer reports are to be believed, has been “training the house down” and looking “super fit”. Missed the entire 2016 season as he took a gap year, but with 131 NRL

games behind him, he will really be challenging the likes of Naiqama and Simona for a starting spot in the centres, and could also be used as an impact player off the bench to start the season. He has been priced in at a 40 average, which is fair considering his prior season numbers. An option could be to leave him out of your initial side, and get a look at him for 2 weeks before his price potentially shifts. Either way that first

price rise probably won’t be huge so you may even have 3 weeks to make a decision.

C


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Lawrence, Chris 2RF $315,400 22 47.0 75.0 0.63 19 39.2 72.0 0.54


2017 SC Rating Lawrence played the entire 2016 season in the backrow, and looks to have made the shift permanently now. Most pundits thought that this shift would result in a decent increase in SuperCoach output, and

whilst his PPG did increase from 29 in 2015, to 47 in 2016, it was not the 55+ that many were hoping for. Coming into 2017 he looks set to start again however with poor bye coverage and a below average PPM,

he is not particularly appealing.D

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Liddle, Jacob HOK $234,000 1 50.0 34.0 1.47 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Likely only a Ballin injury away from earning significant time in the NRL, with some pundits listed him as a bench chance from round 1, in relief of Ballin for maybe 20-30 minutes per game. At $234k there’s no way you can include him initially, but he might drop in price and could be an option if Ballin goes down at some

stage during the season.D


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Littlejohn, Jack HFB / 5/8 $170,500 3 28.0 80.0 0.35 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Littlejohn will be a solid backup to Moses and Brooks, and look for him to slot straight in if either of them are to go down injured this season. For round 1 though he should not be considered for your side, and even

if he does get a bigger role down the track he is unlikely to be a huge SuperCoach scorer.E


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Lovett, Kyle 2RF / CTW $263,700 22 39.0 53.0 0.74 21 40.5 57.8 0.70


2017 SC Rating Lovett played the majority of the 2016 season, missing only 2 games in total, and will start 2017 either in the #12 jersey, or coming off the bench behind Aloiai. Work rate is not high enough to really be a

SuperCoach gun, especially if he is only going to average 53 MPG again. Not worth including in your side this year. Coming off an off-season drug incident also, which doesn’t helpE


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Marsters, Esan TBC TBC 0 - - n/a - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Marsters graduates from the Under 20’s side in 2017, and has recently signed a 2 year deal with the Tigers. Comfortable at either second-row or lock, he will have his work cut out to crack the top side this year, with the Tigers boasting some impressive depth in the forwards. Playing significant enough minutes to become

SuperCoach relevant may be unlikely though, or reliant on injuries.E

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McIlwrick, Matt HOK $143,600 2 12.0 24.0 0.50 7 22.9 35.4 0.65


2017 SC RatingAlthough he did play 2 games at the Sharks in 2016, McIlwrick is likely the 3rd hooker for the Tigers, behind

both Ballin and Liddle, at least to start the season. Unlikely to be SuperCoach relevant this year.E


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Moses, Mitchell 5/8 $371,100 23 56.0 80.0 0.70 24 37.8 80.4 0.47


2017 SC Rating Averaged 39 for the first 11 games in 2016, then a massive 70 over the last 12 weeks of the year. A great stat from @sire_dad on twitter, Moses averaged 87 PPG without Farah and with Tedesco in 3 appearances

in 2016 (rounds 20, 21 and 22, excluding round 23 when Tedesco’s jaw was broken). After Farah was dropped for the last 8 games of the year, Moses averaged 76 PPG. I’ll just leave those stats here. Is it a risky selection? Sure, maybe, but priced at a 56 average there is certainly some upside to be had for the

brave.B


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Naiqama, Kevin CTW $347,000 23 52.0 80.0 0.65 24 40.0 79.7 0.50


2017 SC Rating Naiqama was able to rediscover some of this 2014 form, returning to a 50+ average after only averaging 40 PPG in 2015. It will be interesting to see where Idris fits into the Tigers side in 2017, as he could be

battling with Simona and Naiqama for a starting centre spot, which could potentially push Naiqama out to the wing. Either way I don’t think I could touch Naiqama priced at a 50+ average, with the potential of some

regression.D


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Nofoaluma, David CTW $400,200 23 60.0 80.0 0.75 10 52.2 76.3 0.68


2017 SC Rating Nofoaluma has been on the improve each of the last 3 seasons, going from a 47 average in 2014, to 52 in 2015, to 60 in 2016, the first year where he was really injury-free, and able to string together a run on consecutive, consistent appearances. 14 tries in 23 games is not a huge strike-rate, and with a average base points per game of juts under 28, he would have to be one of the more hard working wingers in the NRL. Can he emulate this form in 2017? Potentially he could, especially if Moses and Brooks continue to

develop as they have been. He could be worth a look as a premium CTW POD option.B

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Rankin, Jordan CTW / FLB $265,900 22 40.0 80.0 0.50 - - - n/a


2017 SC Rating Rankin was a solid cash cow in 2016, missing only the 2 games all year, and assuming goal kicking duties on a number of occasions also. He will start the year already priced in at a 40 average, which significantly

limits any upside that he may have had. We have him making way for Idris to start the season, with Naiqama sliding out to the wing, although you never quite know with the Tigers what they will do. Either

way, he is worth a miss this season.E


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Seumanufagai, Ava FRF $260,100 24 39.0 44.0 0.89 23 35.0 32.4 1.08


2017 SC Rating Another Wests Tiger forward plodder, Ava is likely to produce more of the same this year, around a 40 PPG average in approx. 40-45 MPG. It will be hard for any of these players to play big minutes with Woods in the

side, and as such he is not an option. Look for someone at rookie price who can score the same.E


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Simona, Tim CTW $269,900 21 40.0 79.0 0.51 20 44.0 74.2 0.59


2017 SC Rating Simona can be flashy and score well at times, but he is very inconsistent, injury prone, and likely to have his position in the side heavily challenged by Idris this season. He scored less than 40 in 12 of his 21 games

last year, which is not what you want from a starting CTW, even just for bye coverage. Similar output should be obtained from a rookie price player, and as such Simona is not an option in 2017.E


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Sue, Sauaso 2RF / FRF $301,800 21 45.0 44.0 1.02 23 41.5 49.7 0.83


2017 SC Rating Sue has been plodding along for a few years now, although he managed to increase his PPM from 0.80 each of the past 2 years, up to 1.02 in 2016. He looks likely to start in the front row for the Tigers in 2017,

however will likely pay 40-45 MPG again, especially with Woods commanding the bulk of the front row minutes on offer. A mid-pricer with no upside, not really an option.D

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Taylor, Elijah HOK / 2RF $307,100 17 46.0 63.0 0.73 20 49.7 70.3 0.71


2017 SC Rating After going largely unwanted at Penrith in early 2016, Taylor jumped across to the Tigers mid-season, playing every game from his debut in round 10 onwards. Most though he would be an 80 minute player, and if you remove his first 2 games for his new side, and the injury affected 13 minutes in round 22, he averaged 71 MPG for the rest of the year, which at the same PPM of 0.73 would bump his average up over 51. Looks

likely to start the year at lock in 2017, and being priced at only a 46 average, he could see some upside, if the can average 55-60 for the first 8 weeks or so. Will need to be sold before the byes, but hopefully he might have increased in value by $50-100k by then. Worth considering as your 4th or 5th 2RF to start the

year.

C


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Tedesco, James FLB $466,300 17 70.0 76.0 0.92 24 74.3 80.4 0.92


2017 SC Rating Another huge year for Tedesco in 2016, averaging 70 PPG, backing up from averaging 74 in 2015. With RTS starting the 2017 season so cheap, it will be interesting to see if people go with both Tedesco and RTS, or RTS and a rookie option. Tedesco surely has to play Origin this year, which will only take him out of action for 3 weeks. Super premium fullback option, and I would have no issue with anyone who wanted to start

with both he and RTS in 2017.B


2016 GP

2016 Avg

2016 Avg Mins

2016 PPM

2015 GP

2015 Avg

2015 Avg Mins

2015 PPM

Woods, Aaron FRF $404,600 19 61.0 57.0 1.07 20 58.5 55.8 1.05


2017 SC Rating Woods has been very consistent over the past 3 years, averaging 61 in 2014, 59 in 2015, and 61 again in 2016, so you know what you are going to get from him. Could this increase this year? Potentially, he did

average 69 and 72 in 2012 and 2013 respectively, and obviously if he can get back to those levels then he becomes a super premium FRF option, whereas at the current level he is solid, but borderline keeper. Bye

coverage for Tigers Origin players is good so there’s no issue there. He’ll go well again this year, but unlikely to emerge as a 70+ PPG player.

B

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