This week brings absolute carnage for SuperCoach with mass player restings hitting plenty of sides – special shout out to Ivan Cleary for sitting out virtually the entire Panthers team.
This is an even bigger hit at this point of the season with limited trades left and many teams also navigating both injury, such as Adam Doueihi, or suspension, like Harry Grant.
While that means headaches for some, it also creates a chance for sharp coaches to find value, nail a point of difference, and gain ground before the season ends.
Here are some players who could be genuine difference makers for Round 26 in SuperCoach.
MORE: NRL SuperCoach: Shark week
Guns
Reece Walsh | FLB | $815k | 11%
Walsh has been electric of late with scores of 147, 155 and 134 in three of his last four games – numbers that are hard to ignore.
He is the in-form player of the SuperCoach competition right now with a three-round average of 109 points per game and a five-round average of almost 105.
It is rare you can get someone of Walsh's calibre at just 11% ownership, and even better – at this point of the year many will not have the trades to bring him in.
A good matchup against the Cowboys coupled with the fact he is an instant captaincy option makes him one of the biggest upside trades this week.
Hudson Young | 2RF | $595k | 25.1%
Young has not been in great form of late and at 25% ownership is far from a POD – but sometimes it is just about banking points and playing the numbers.
He is a prolific try scorer as far as edge forwards go, yet hasn't crossed the line since Round 13 – that screams opportunity.
Between Rounds 5–7, Young scored two tries in each game – the only forward to achieve that this year outside of maybe David Fifita.
Over that streak he averaged 115 points, and with the Tigers and Dolphins as his final two opponents there’s a decent chance for a strong end-of-season run.
Tom Trbojevic | FLB | $676k | 11.4%
Turbo has had a stop-start year but looks to be building some momentum again with a throwback SuperCoach performance last round netting an incredible 180 points.
That was a demolition job the Sea Eagles put on the Dolphins at home though, and also a complete outlier compared to what Turbo has produced this year, averaging just 70 points per game – his worst in years.
The Dragons could provide another opportunity for Manly to pile on points, but playing away does slightly curtail the appeal.
At just 11.4% ownership though, if you already have Reece Walsh and are sitting on Dylan Edwards who isn’t playing, it’s a very tempting trade that could pay off.
PODs
Ronaldo Mulitalo | CTW | $635k | 6.7%
Mulitalo is a guy we’ve written about plenty before – and he has delivered with one of the best CTW five-round averages available at 80.4 points per game.
The Knights are conceding around 40 points per game over their last half dozen matches, and with their coach reportedly sacked and Cronulla at home, things could get worse for Newcastle.
Mulitalo averaged 92 points per game during the final third of last year’s SuperCoach season and looks to be doing it again, with a try this week almost a guarantee and a double a real possibility.
If you are a head-to-head only player it makes even more sense, because you avoid the last round clash against a tougher Bulldogs outfit, while Sharks at home against the Knights could be the best matchup of the round.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | CTW | $620k | 6.6%
RTS has rediscovered form with the Warriors and during a soft schedule he has shown consistently strong scoring.
There is always a question mark on just how big he can go, but he alleviated those concerns last round, punching out a season-best 109 SuperCoach points.
RTS has now scored five tries in his last six games and while the Eels are improving, travelling to New Zealand is no easy task.
With base + power stats in the 50s, RTS only needs a linebreak try to post a big score, and that seems likely this week.
Value
Jamayne Isaako | CTW | $462k | 20.7%
Isaako’s price has plummeted after a quiet patch, but his goal-kicking keeps him relevant with the right matchup.
With the Dolphins needing to win to keep their finals hopes alive and facing a Titans side that leaks points to wingers, it looks like the perfect week for Isaako.
His career record against the Titans is immense – a 74 average (equal best opposition average) and a career-high 156 point outing.
Earlier this season Isaako managed a 114-point explosion against them, and repeating that Round 5 performance looks very possible.
At his price point he may well be the best value pick of the round.
Lehi Hopoate | CTW | $464k | 8%
Hopoate has been largely unimpressive of late so you wouldn’t have traded him in for output before last week.
However, last round’s 160-point explosion warrants interest at just 8% ownership and $464k.
There are likely much better trades than Hopoate this week, but if you are a team with limited bank or spending power, he does come into calculations.
If Manly can reproduce even part of last week’s form there are points to be scored against the Dragons, and at least one try looks a good chance.
As a best-case scenario though, last week does serve as an example of just how high Hopoate’s ceiling can be in the right matchup.
Lachlan Galvin | 5/8 | $450k | 5.5%
Galvin has been solid at times but still hasn’t fully hit top gear SuperCoach-wise as a Bulldog.
He scored 75 points last round though and passed the eye test with plenty of running and involvement in the Bulldogs attack.
There are two reasons to consider Galvin this week: price and matchup. At $450k he is cheap, and if you believe what is essentially a Penrith Panthers NSW Cup side could get slaughtered by the Bulldogs, then someone like Galvin could be a huge POD play.
Uber POD
Braidon Burns | CTW | $636k | 0.3%
Burns is the definition of an Uber-POD at just 0.3% ownership – almost no one owns him – yet he has been producing much better than many other SuperCoach picks of late.
He scored 92 SuperCoach points last week and comes into Round 26 with a three-round average of 82, scoring tries in three consecutive games.
Despite the Broncos not being an easy matchup for the Cowboys, it is one where they could concede tries out wide – and that left wing spot is the Cowboys’ favourite channel to attack.
If you believe Drinkwater can carve up the Broncos defence, you could double down on that theory by grabbing the winger who benefits most from his cut-out passes.
KL Iro | CTW | $713k | 1%
Iro is returning from injury to take on the Knights after scoring a try in nine consecutive contests previously.
Getting a player back from a long layoff is always a concern, but before going down he was one of the best CTW options available – and he has the best matchup this round.
At just 1% ownership he is the ultimate Uber-POD, but unlike Burns above, he has the pedigree of a SuperCoach gun hitting a great matchup.
If he returns with his pre-injury form he could turn into the POD of the round - and also the match winner for your team in round 26.
Final Word
With mass restings creating holes in plenty of squads, it’s the brave POD and value selections that could make the difference in rankings and head-to-head finals.
If you have multiple trades left, it is a huge opportunity week with keepers like Dylan Edwards easily tradable, along with even Nathan Cleary if you are a head-to-head player only.
At this point of the season, it is often the case that much of what we have seen and known throughout the year is thrown out the window, and it is the brave SuperCoaches who end up scoring the biggest.