He's the best of the best and Cameron Smith showed why yet again with a masterclass against Manly on Sunday. Here are the success stories, flops and talking points to come out of this week's NRL Fantasy action.
Winners
This week's lesson? Never underestimate the master.
This time last week Cameron Smith was in serious doubt for Melbourne's Round 21 clash with the Sea Eagles due to a pec injury. On Saturday he was declared fit to play, and on Sunday he not only played the full 80 minutes but produced the best score of the round and his best of the season – a brilliant 91 including four try assists in his 350th NRL game. The guy's a freak, and should be your captain for the rest of the season unless you need to gamble in a head-to-head match-up.
Dragons forwards Paul Vaughan (78) and Jack de Belin (73) also impressed this week, getting through a lot of work despite their team losing to Newcastle, while wildcards Matt Gillett (80), Jarrod Croker (79), Sio Siua Taukeiaho (74), Nene Macdonald (70) and Mitch Moses (69) all starred.
Bulldogs prop Aidan Tolman continued an impressive recent run of form with 69, ditto Nathan Brown with 68, while Bevan French (65), Aaron Woods (65), Josh Addo-Carr (63), Angus Crichton (62), Josh Dugan (62) and James Tedesco (61) were other notable scorers.
Losers
The big injury news of the week was a cruel season-ending knee injury to workaholic Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough, which will hurt Brisbane's premiership chances and require a trade for the 20,000 Fantasy coaches who own him.
Sam Burgess also left the field early in the Rabbitohs' loss to Canberra after aggravating the rib injury he suffered last week, making 41.
Dylan Walker was one of a few Manly players to have a quiet performance against the Storm, finishing with just 8 Fantasy points, while his fellow centre Brian Kelly scored 16 and Sea Eagles winger Akuila Uate made just 10.
Robbie Farah made 16 off the bench for the Rabbitohs, and it was a quiet week for popular Cowboys half Te Maire Martin (17) and Knights forward Luke Yates (18).
Fantasy team of the week
1. Josh Dugan (62)
2. Bevan French (65)
3. Jarrod Croker (79)
4. Nene Macdonald (70)
5. Josh Addo-Carr (63)
6. Josh Reynolds (63)
7. Mitchell Moses (69)
8. Paul Vaughan (78)
9. Cameron Smith (91)
10. Aidan Tolman (69)
11. Matt Gillett (80)
12. Sio Siua Taukeiaho (74)
13. Nathan Brown (68)
Interchange:
14. David Klemmer (66)
15. Peter Wallace (66)
16. Aaron Woods (65)
17. Angus Crichton/Michael Morgan (62)
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