NRL Fantasy: Lone Scout's Winners and Losers Round 20

Another jam-packed weekend of fantastic footy with some big upsets and a few key players added to the casualty ward listings just when we needed them to stay on the park. 

It’s time to look beyond the scorecard and see how our players fared, who we need to bring in and who might be on the chopping block as we look back at this round’s NRL Fantasy results.  

Lone Scout's Winners and Losers

Winners

The Panthers once again came up short on a Thursday night at CommBank Stadium. Despite the loss, two Origin forwards fresh off NSW success, Liam Martin (57) and Isaah Yeo (55) were quick to get back to the grind and scored well though on the wrong end of this matchup. Due to some long range brilliance Brian To’o (64) was another star for Penrith. 

A desperate Broncos outfit were determined to find a way on Thursday night which they did against the top of the table Panthers. With his biggest game of the season, Reece Walsh (80) was instrumental as he took control of the game and ignited the upset victory away from home. Walsh is a near must trade-in next week considering his reasonable price tag and the fact many owners will be looking to move on from an injured Tom Trbojevic. One of the top captaincy choices and traded in players in Payne Haas (58) was scoring well but then given a sizable rest which impacted his upside in this one. Hopefully we see an uptick in his minutes on the field as the Broncos look to make a push towards the finals. Haas’ long-term forward partner Pat Carrigan (60) was another who didn’t miss a beat as he returned to club duty after missing many games lately due to injury and Origin. Xavier Willison (60) was a great hold for those owners who bought him for the Origin period and were so impressed they couldn’t let go. He remains in the non-sell column until he scores under 50. Jordan Riki (67) again featured with a strong performance but with so many high performing edges and his price now reaching peak, he will likely be one of the players we will pass on this season. Kotoni Staggs (65) also deserves a mention after out-pointing his Blues teammate Casey McLean and playing a key role in the win.

Friday evening showcased a top-eight battle between Cronulla and Newcastle that again came down to a heart-stopping finish. The home side held out the Knights' late surge and retain their spot in the top four as a result. Nicho Hynes (55) backed up his huge Round 19 score with another strong game despite the difficult conditions. Tom Hazelton (54) was a surprise top performer in the forwards with Cam McInnes (47) starting powerfully but then missed a number of minutes in the middle part of the match. 

The Knights started fast but then were impacted by the wet and failed to get over the line late. The dynamic Kalyn Ponga (57) was on 25 points after 13 minutes but reverted due to the weather and owners will be satisfied he still came through with a strong score. Dylan Brown (60) is in top form and can be maintained as a keeper for his selectors. Another close to must own is Dylan Lucas (63), he appears to be capable no matter who the opponent, what the conditions and how the match is situated. He may be the best EDG to own in fantasy. Phoenix Crossland (51) bounced back after a quieter Round 19 and considering how tricky the HOK position is, he could be a nice back-up to own, or at least hold on to.  

The Roosters came out on top against the injury-ravaged Storm in the latest instalment of a great modern day rivalry. Back on-board on the edge, Nat Butcher (58) was all business as he continues to make the most of his opportunity of his temporary starting gig. A welcome bounceback for Siua Wong (54) and his owners after posting one of his lowest results last week, boosted by a try and a positive matchup. Wong remains a hold with hope he is due for one of his ceiling games soon.. After being shuffled between centre and wing the last few weeks, Billy Smith (65) got to go back to centre and made the most of his opportunities. There is a good chance he wins the left centre role back permanently and would be a great POD for the final seven weeks. Reece Robson (55) and Daly Cherry-Evans (52) are the others to note in this side of the column but neither are relevant unless you are playing draft. 

Melbourne showed a renewed effort and enthusiasm despite missing a number of key players and nearly pulled off an almighty upset away from home. Those opportunistic coaches who nabbed Tyran Wishart (59) with the news of Cam Munster and Jeremy Hughes both being unavailable for a time were given plenty to like by the playmaker’s efforts. He will be close to the most-traded in target this week, and with good reason. Yet another who bounced back to the form showed earlier this season was Stefano Utoikamanu (62). He secured a try which helped but ran hard throughout and received decent minutes. Harry Grant (58) started a little slowly but ended up meeting his quota despite an injury scare part way through the match. Cooper Clarke (63) has been a solid contributor in his opening season in the top grade, if you got on him early – well done for a fantastic under the radar contributor. 

Canberra defeated a South Sydney outfit fresh off a Jai Arrow birthday celebration after an early Green Machine ambush became too difficult to overcome. Halfback Ethan Sanders (58) has kicked on after a mid-season slump and is now looking after those who held him through his rough patch. Owen Pattie (55) crossed for an early try and got plenty of minutes but unfortunately is now likely missing for a week due to a potential suspension. Kaeo Weekes (58) managed two tries but beware jumping on the exciting fullback as he needs a lot of attacking points to be fantasy relevant. Skipper Joseph Tapine (50) started on fire but with coach Ricky Stuart playing the long game, there are stronger options at MID for now. Young gun Noah Martin (53) and second rower cum lock Zac Hosking (49) are intriguing options as they may get more opportunities upcoming. 

Though on the wrong end of the scoreboard there were plenty of strong Fantasy achievers for Souths. Euan Aitken (61) rewarded patient coaches who had to put up with an early exit last week and Aitken should continue to grow as Souths run the gauntlet of staying in the top eight. Skipper Cam Murray (69) put up a huge performance now back in the middle throughout, with his forward partner Keaon Koloamatangi (59) not far behind him, although Koloamatangi seemed to suffer a knee injury late on. One to attract coaches attentions yet again was Brandon Smith (51), who pulled out his best game of the season straight after his worst in many years. The former Storm and Roosters hooker is known to have a good couple of games a season however, and still not worth the concerns long term. Tallis Duncan (57) is becoming an every week must start despite playing out of position at centre and is now a great chance of adding the CTR to his positional spots in the Fantasy game in a great boon for his owners. 

Doing just enough to hold on, the Warriors escape with the win at home against the Dragons who were heartbroken again with narrow losses plaguing their 2026 campaign. The home side’s heavy hitters were remarkably quiet in this one with only Tanner Stowers-Smith (54) able to crack the half-century for the Warriors even though they took the win.  

The Dragons were strong in the effort department and received their reward via the Fantasy scores rather than on the competition ladder. Hamish Stewart (74) has been a revelation since moving to left edge, and is potentially a re-purchase for those that moved on during the Origin period after wrongly thinking the young forward had peaked. After recording his lowest score this season in their last game, owners who kept the faith with Ryan Couchman (69) were more than rewarded for their troubles. His brother Toby Couchman (82) amazingly topped the game and round in pure base stats, playing 80 minutes in a herculean effort. Daniel Atkinson (57) and Dylan Egan (53) were others worth a mention with Egan remaining a hold unless you have a specific player in mind to upgrade him to.  

The Bulldogs bounced back after a poor loss at home last week with a much more committed effort against Wests Tigers. Incredibly six Canterbury players cleared the 50-point milestone during the one-sided affair with stand-in five-eighth Sean O’Sullivan (54) kicking two 40/20’s and the resolute Max King (50) dominating the middle third. With Stephen Crichton out, Lachlan Galvin (58) reverted to type with another big score and remains a firm hold for his owners. 

Another loss for Wests Tigers to work past this week, with the Bulldogs inflicting 32 unanswered points. Among the three top captaincy options, Terrell May (67) wins this round despite playing 61 minutes. The only other notable was Adam Doueihi (51) who, without the kicking tee, still cleared plenty of work in his shift but is facing suspension for a high tackle.

The Titans prevailed in a high-scoring and entertaining affair over Manly. With plenty of points on the scoreboard it also meant many Fantasy-relevant scorelines including Jojo Fifita (71) who has come back from Queensland camp in as good as form as ever. Tino Fa’ausuamaleaui (74) has also pushed past the Origin period with revitalisation and he could be a sneaky POD buy considering his price is still below his usual. Oliver Pascoe (72) has played the full 80 minutes twice in as many weeks and the fear of needing to leave him outside your scoring 17 is probably now past. Jayden Campbell (60) saved his best for later in the game, while a nervous watch for his owners, they have to be happy with his final output. 

Manly stayed in this contest throughout but just lacked that one big play to really take the game down to the wire. Haumole Olakau’atu (71) was barely seen in the first 20 minutes but when his side really needed him, he stood up and is seemingly the most important EDGE to own in overall. Ethan Bullemor (63) filled in for the injured Ben Trbojevic with aplomb but is likely heading back to the bench next week. Similarly Reuben Garrick (64) polled well but isn’t one to consider for our line-ups. On the flip side, Joey Walsh (66) is still on the up-and-up and for those with enough trades left, they could get him as a cash cow for the next few matches. Jake Simpkin (53) again went well for his owners while Tolutau Koula (50) hit the half-century with a late try and will have admirers if he wins the fullback position next week. 

The Dolphins came from behind to defeat their Queensland rival and move back into the winners' circle after a tough couple of weeks. The home side enjoyed the return of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (71) at the back as he worried the Cowboys defence all afternoon long. Herbie Farnworth (60) got his points in clumps but at least ended up on a score befitting the top centre in the game. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (57) is a cut priced version of the top edges in the game and a great pick-up for those who need to save the cash. His edge partner Connolly Lemuelu (58) had a high-output performance while Max Plath (52) split time at lock and dummy-half and racked up the base stats as a result. Jamayne Isaako (58) was the main beneficiary for the points onslaught that occurred from the 30-minute mark but as the Phins now have the bye, he won’t be considered in our line-ups. 

The Cowboys started well but then lost their way and ended up on the wrong end of the scoreline. Tom Dearden (62) returned from injury and led the way but few others were with the North Queensland captain and none win mention on this side of the column. 

Losers

After the Panthers' shock loss to the Broncos there was an even greater surprise with Nathan Cleary (34) posting his lowest 80-minute score since 2019. A complete disaster to those who had flicked their captaincy back to Cleary while waiting for his trademark breakout play to skyrocket his points. Those liking Casey McLean (2) would have to rethink their actions after the young outside back spent most of the game in the negatives thanks to a huge 22 demerits. After a nasty head knock whilst attempting a tackle, Brendan Piakura (6) failed his HIA check and will be unavailable during the mandatory 11-day stand-down.  

With a heavy rainfall hitting Ocean Protect Stadium, especially in the second half, many players from both the Sharks and Knights scored lower than normal. KL Iro (31) had an unprecedented five missed tackles and might be a trade out target this week. Braydon Trindall (25) came in much shorter than we’ve seen the past few outings and this shows why he isn’t a suggested purchase even after strong rounds. Addin Fonua-Blake (28) suffered a low grade pec strain during this encounter and did get back on the field late but this vastly reduced his usual minutes. Though busy throughout Bradman Best (31) had a few errors that impacted his Fantasy score and also had quite a few tries go begging that would have lifted his day significantly.  

Another game impacted by rainy weather was the Roosters and Storm clash on Friday night. Mark Nawaqanitawase (33) was limited in his regular line breaks due to the risk of being too close to the sideline. Sualauvi Fa’alogo (33) was likely a straight up start in most coaches teams this week however they were hit hard by Fa’alogo unable to make his late running blitz that usually pushes him above 50 each week.   

The Raiders got the win against the Rabbitohs at home but suffered a major injury blow with Hudson Young (35) rupturing his Achilles and will need to be replaced in squads for those who jumped on as he will take no further part of this season. Matthew Dufty (30) had his lowest score outing since gaining the fullback gig and the worry will be he is again switched out for Jye Gray next week. David Fifita (45) returned to his normal base average but with a potential suspension hanging over his head, owners may want to move on if their trades allow.  

The Warriors had a tough win against the Dragons with the game not going all their way despite starting heavy favourites. Their usual Fantasy elites were well handled in Te Maire Martin (40) and Erin Clark (39) as both become trade-out options considering the stronger performances of some of their contemporaries. Jacob Laban (26) had a down week after having a recent run of strong form, it didn’t help he was subbed off early by Leka Halasima (20). Dragons centre Valentine Holmes (13) is another who recently experienced a purple patch but now is mired in scores not even worthy of a 21st man in your squad and must be traded out immediately. 

The Bulldogs blanked the Wests Tigers in another battle of Western Sydney on Saturday night. Leo Thompson (32) was only allotted 45 minutes after his second stint was cut short thanks to the free interchange earnt that saw Latu Fainu (13) binned after a poor defensive choice seeing Thompson flip onto his head. This week it was the recently returned Alex Twal (41) who underwhelmed thanks to a hot-headed action that resulted in a sin binning, however luckily for his owners was just hit with a fine by the Match Review Committee. Any still holding hopes for Heamasi Makasini (20) were left disappointed with the young gun again not able to get going and then departing early with another niggle. 

The Gold Coast were very strong in their upset win at home over the Sea Eagles however one that didn’t quite translate to Fantasy points was Keano Kini (40) who could move into the sell column if he can’t get firing next match-up. Opposing fullback Tom Trbojevic (20) started hot but then suffered another hamstring injury, this time to his right side after missing several games due to a left hamstring tear earlier in the season. It remains to be seen the extent of the damage but any length of time out should mean an obvious sell.  

With the Dolphins returning to the winners circle against the Cowboys it was only Jeremy Marshall-King (33) who found himself on this side of the column after he once again split time at dummy half. Scott Drinkwater (31) couldn’t take advantage of the strong match-up and needs a bounceback game for his owners next week or he could face the axe. Tom Chester (30) should already be off people’s team lists but if they didn’t he is almost becoming a hold due to his price nearing rock-bottom. Reed Mahoney (21) left the game early with Soni Luke (21) replacing him, however it is unclear if this was injury related or not, therefore merely keep an eye on team lists when they come out on Tuesday. 

Round 20 NRL Fantasy Team of the Week 

1. Reece Walsh (WFB) – 80 points 
2. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (WFB) – 71 points 
3. Billy Smith (CTR) – 65 points 
4. Kotoni Staggs (CTR) – 65 points 
5. Jojo Fifita (CTR/WFB) – 71 points 
6. Joey Walsh (HLF) – 66 points 
7. Tom Dearden (HLF) – 62 points 
8. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (MID) – 74 points 
9. Oliver Pascoe (HOK) – 72 points 
10. Toby Couchman (MID/EDG) – 82 points 
11 Haumole Olakau'atu (EDG) – 71 points 
12. Hamish Stewart (MID/EDG) – 74 points 
13. Cameron Murray (MID) – 69 points 
14. Ryan Couchman (MID/EDG) – 69 points 
15. Terrell May (MID) – 67 points  
16. Jordan Riki (EDG) – 67 points 
17. Reuben Garrick, (CTR/WFB), Brian To'o (WFB) – 64 points  

With teams announced Tuesday afternoon, my Q&A column and trade tier list will be released Thursday so get your questions in at thelonescout@nrl.com.au and stay tuned to the source of truth for your NRL Fantasy news and updates at NRL.com.