Round 12 NRL Fantasy teams analysis
The NRL Fantasy form guide and key line-up changes for all 16 clubs ahead of the Telstra Premiership round 12.
Brisbane Broncos v Parramatta Eels, Thursday 7.50pm at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: Jordan Kahu returns in the centres, bumping Tom Opacic to the reserves, while George Fai replaces Korbin Sims (broken jaw, six weeks) on the bench. Josh McGuire is in the squad in jersey 21 while Jack Bird remains on the sidelines. Tevita Pangai jnr played the full 80 for 66 points last week in the second row. Kotoni Staggs scored 48 and is set for a big price rise, although his job security is a risk. Jamayne Isaako and Jaydn Su'A still have price rises in them.
Eels: Clint Gutherson and Corey Norman have switched roles with Gutherson to play five-eighth and Norman moving to fullback, while Siosaia Vave joins a reshuffled pack with Beau Scott out with a season-ending ACL injury. Gutherson's price ($468,000) may have bottomed out after falling by $183,000 this year, and he looms as an interesting option considering he covers the WFB and HLF positions and will play in next week's first bye round. He averaged 44 last season including 47 from eight games at five-eighth, although he's lost his goalkicking duties to Mitch Moses this year.
Canberra Raiders v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Friday 6pm at GIO Stadium
Raiders: Joseph Tapine will miss the next couple of games with a suspension for a shoulder charge, with Josh Papalii moving to the edge, Iosia Soliola shifting to lock, Dunamis Lui starting at prop and Liam Knight joining the interchange. Siliva Havili's price has just about peaked – he's projected to lose money if he matches last week's score of 34 – while NSW candidate Nick Cotric is coming off a strong 55 and could be a keeper at CTR or WFB.
Sea Eagles: Dylan Walker (fractured eye socket, six weeks) and Api Koroisau (suspension, one week) are out but Jorge Taufua is back from injury, bumping Matt Wright to the bench. Trent Hodkinson starts at five-eighth and Lewis Brown starts at hooker. Martin Taupau is averaging 66.6 in his last five games although his $877,000 price tag could start to dip after next week as the effect of his round eight score of 104 wears off. Hodkinson only played 33 minutes last week and did kick three goals but his arrival didn't have any immediate effect on the scoring of Daly Cherry-Evans, who made a rock solid 55.
North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm, Friday 7.55pm at 1300SMILES Stadium
Cowboys: No North Queensland player made 50 last week, although Michael Morgan scored 44 after switching to fullback. They're unchanged this week, meaning Morgan could be in line for a dual position upgrade after round 12 if it looks like he'll be keeping the No.1 jersey long-term. Te Maire Martin has a break even of 9 and has a price tag of $255,000 (a little over half his 2018 starting price) but he did only manage 21 points in round 11.
Storm: Cameron Smith returns from suspension and Jesse Bromwich is back from injury, with Brandon Smith moving to the bench and Ryan Hoffman, Christian Welch and Harry Grant dropping out. Young Tonumaipea replaces the suspended Curtis Scott in the centres. There's not a lot of Fantasy action at the Storm outside of Cameron Smith these days, although Josh Addo-Carr's 32 without a try was actually a pretty encouraging sign for him considering he can score so well when he does cross the stripe.
Inside the NRL - Episode 12
Sydney Roosters v Gold Coast Titans, Saturday 3pm at Central Coast Stadium
Roosters: No changes. Latrell Mitchell still hasn't become a consistent Fantasy scorer, with two 20s in his past three games, but like James Tedesco he is capable of scoring 60 without a try on his day. Ryan Matterson's price is nosediving after his 35 against the Broncos and he could be another $30,000 cheaper ahead of round 13 when the Roosters take on the Wests Tigers.
Titans: Kevin Proctor is back, with Ryan James returning to the front row and Moeaki Fotuaika dropping out of the side. Jai Arrow continues to battle discomfort every week with his back/ribs problem but he also continue to pump out huge Fantasy scores, with 74 in 80 minutes against Newcastle in his first game back from injury. AJ Brimson ($268,000) scored the match-winning try last week on the way to 45 points, has a negative break even and is available at HLF and WFB.
New Zealand Warriors v South Sydney Rabbitohs, Saturday 5.30pm at Mt Smart Stadium
Warriors: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns, Peta Hiku moves to centre and Gerard Beale drops out while Simon Mannering has been named to start with Isaiah Papali'i on the bench. Shaun Johnson won't be back until after next week's bye. Tohu Harris is a cut-price keeper option at $659,000 after last week's 59 – take out his injury-affected 8 in round 7 and he averages 53.6 – while Peta Hiku will keep his spot in more than 36,000 Fantasy teams after scoring 52 at fullback last week.
Rabbitohs: Alex Johnston (hamstring) is out but Sam Burgess (glute) has been named, with Greg Inglis shifting to fullback, Adam Doueihi starting at centre and Mark Nicholls joining the interchange.
Damien Cook was easily the best scorer of round 11 and remains the Fantasy player of the year so far. Cameron Murray made 46 off the bench after Burgess left injured but looks set for limited minutes again if Burgess plays. Angus Crichton came back down to earth a little with 41 last week and he's one to look at for next week if he misses Origin.
Penrith Panthers v St George Illawarra Dragons, Saturday 7.35pm at Panthers Stadium
Panthers: No changes, with cash cow sensation Viliame Kikau again on the bench. James Maloney exceeded expectations alongside the returning Nathan Cleary with 47 last week, including goal-kicking duties and the bulk of the kick metres, while many Fantasy coaches are considering whether it's worth upgrading James Fisher-Harris and Kikau to established 55-point players like Andrew Fifita, Jason Taumalolo or Martin Taupau.
Dragons: Unchanged. Jack de Belin scored a season-high 74 (including a try) last week and is one of several Dragons in Origin contention. Matt Dufty had a try, a try assist and two line breaks last week but still managed "only" 52 Fantasy points.
Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks, Sunday 2pm at McDonald Jones Stadium
Knights: Brock Lamb (cheekbone) is out for a month in a major blow for Fantasy coaches who picked him up last week (yours truly included) while Jacob Saifiti will miss 12 weeks with a fractured shoulder. Jack Cogger and Jamie Buhrer are their replacements, with Herman Ese'ese promoted to the starting side after impressing from the bench last week. A brilliant solo long-range try helped Kalyn Ponga to 77 points against the Titans but Connor Watson was arguably a bigger winner with 64 points and a $76,000 price boost. At $554,000 he's now a tricky price for a cash cow and he's not a likely keeper – plus the Knights will be taking on three strong defensive sides in the next month in the Sharks, Roosters and Storm (although some points may be on offer against Parramatta next week).
Sharks: Luke Lewis and Wade Graham return from injuries in the second row, bumping Kurt Capewell and Jack Williams out of the side. Paul Gallen may have returned last week but Andrew Fifita still scored 65 in 65 minutes and his price is up to $930,000 and still rising. Gallen meanwhile has dropped $226,000 on his starting price and needs to score 60 to avoid another price drop this week (he's now cheaper than Siliva Havili and costs about the same as James Maloney and James Fisher-Harris).
Wests Tigers v Canterbury Bulldogs, Sunday 4.10pm at ANZ Stadium
Wests Tigers: Changes galore at the Tigers this week with Mahe Fonua and Tui Lolohea starting at centre and fullback respectively, Jacob Liddle starting at hooker, Michael Chee-Kam switching to the second row, Elijah Taylor shifting to lock, Matt Eisenhuth moving to the interchange and Josh Reynolds returning via the bench. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak and Robbie Rochow drop out. Fonua has a negative break even and is averaging 40 from three games, and he could be set for dual position status as early as next week if he looks set to become a full-time centre at the Tigers. Taylor is also on track to become a DPP 2RF/HOK in the post-round 12 updates.
Bulldogs: John Olive replaces Josh Morris (knee, six weeks) in the centres and Raymond Faitala-Mariner returns in the second row, bumping Adam Elliott to the bench and Asipeli Fine to the reserves. Rhyse Martin has been a sensational mid-season cash cow, playing the full 80 minutes last week for 60 points, and he still has a negative break even after $215,000 in price rises. Jeremy Marshall-King played the full 80 last week for the first time since switching to hooker. Moses Mbye has been the fourth-best fullback in Fantasy this year but is in only half as many teams as the third-best, Tom Trbojevic.
