Buy, Sell, Hold – Round 10

How good’s Magic Round?

Clint Gutherson – $753,100 – FLB – BE 26

Gutho has quietly put together a pretty handy season. The only reason it’s taken him this long to get noticed by all those outside of the savviest of us SuperCoaches (I am not in the 4% who own) is that he hadn’t had a truly big score until last week’s 113. He actually sits just 6^th on the highest averaging fullbacks list but has one thing over the guys in front – an outstanding bye schedule. He won’t play Origin (though could be in camp) and will play all three of the big byes (13, 16, 19). The Parramatta spine will also be settled during that Origin period which becomes incredibly helpful against sides where Origin will decimate them. The soft run actually continues on for at least a couple of months – the only ‘tough’ opponent he’ll face over the next 6 games is the Bunnies in R12. Been a model of consistency so far so a pretty risk-free throw at the stumps in a position that’s proving far too tricky.

Tyrone Peachey – $289,000 – 2RF – BE -11

Peachey has been shifted to the centres due to the Panthers’ injuries and should hold the spot for a while given Tago is a R16 return. At a low breakeven and with two solid scores to start his year (though these were try-assisted), he’s a reasonable prospect this week. Though he will only provide you with round 16 bye week coverage (assuming he’s still there somewhere if Tago returns by then), he’ll fill in for those weeks in between where often the tired Panthers’ players get given a rest. At best, Peachey should give you around 40 points a game and make $100k which is probably enough to make him one of the more viable downgrade options this week.

Dylan Brown – $679,000 – 5/8 – BE 27

He’s $150k cheaper than Cody Walker and has a dream bye schedule with no Origin risk (like a Munster). Like Gutho, a pretty safe play here given his high floor.

Jahream Bula – $200.8k – FLB – BE -38

There’s some odd stuff going on at fullback this season. Normally you’d never suggest throwing a Tigers’ rookie in there for the same of some short-term cash grab but in fairness he’s looked as good as any of them have this season over his first two games. The win last week should ensure that Sheens doesn’t toy with this backline any more than he needs to, at least for a month. That’s all you’d need to make some decent value.

Ronaldo Mulitalo – $716,400 – CTW – BE 50

Mulitalo hasn’t dipped below 60 since round 1. Almost unheard of stuff for a winger. This one’s for those who’ve got so few fires to put out that they can spend up big in the CTW as the cream is starting to rise to the top in that position pretty quickly.

Corey Horsburgh – $544,000 – 2RF / FRF – BE 3

Horse has been on a 3-game run that has featured 70+ minutes a game, 30+ tackles, 5 offloads (all last week…), 15 runs a game and just the one error. There’s no real way that a score like 98 gets repeated (though he did have a 95 earlier in the year with *checks notes* two tries?), but he plays the next 6 weeks straight and is a long-shot for Origin duties. His dual flexibility across that period mean he’ll come in handy when the Origin players or bye players need a rest. Not a spectacular trade-in and his PPM occasionally leaves a bit to be desired but he’ll do a job for you at a decent price.

Ryan Matterson – $723,000 – 2RF – BE 68

Last week’s late out due to the flu was a blow (I was indulging in a few Friday ales and missed the mail after intending to loop Nicho – I need to hang around Stilesy in person more often) and that’s continued on with a benching in this week’s team lists. It’s hard to get a read on just what Arthur has in mind for these forwards as the rotation gets changed every single week. And the benchies haven’t exactly performed poorly when getting on the field either way. See Gutho above for comments on scheduling and hold onto Matto.

Sunia Turuva – $387.5k – CTW / FLB – BE 43

Turuva has shown glimpses of exploding with a big score across his first 8 games but hasn’t quite kicked on yet. Just two tries (in the one game) seems remarkably low for a player in the side he’s in and on the left wing of the field where the ball tends to shape in this game. You just feel like there’s more to come, though hopefully he shakes off the ankle injury he picked up a couple of weeks ago. He’s far too involved as a rookie winger for this to not lead to bigger points at some stage down the line, and the downgrade options aren’t screaming must-haves.

Josh Schuster – $271.2k – 5/8 / 2RF – BE 33

Unless he’s clogging up a 5/8 spot, you might as well park him in your 2RF until he gets back on the park (if). Could provide some value later in the year.

Tyrell Sloan – $511,000 – CTW / FLB – BE 45

Many traded him in last week for a cash grab and he served up a very ordinary game in a home loss against the Dogs. Few saw that coming. He has the Tigers, Cowboys, Roosters (put 90 on them just a fortnight ago) and then the Dolphins in the R13 bye week. Worth a hold. Does look a little rocks and diamonds given he’s had 3 scores over 78 and also 3 in the teens so far this year.

Reece Walsh – $725,500 – FLB – BE 156

The Broncos’ rails run to start the season is beginning to get a little tougher. Or at least it will after an ‘away’ game against Manly concludes this Friday. Walsh has had a blistering start to the season and put himself well in contention for an Origin spot. It makes his prospects as a SuperCoach hold tougher given he’ll definitely be in the Origin camp (though may always get released if he’s not selected in the 18). With a massive breakeven and a run of games that includes Melbourne (A), Penrith (H), Warriors (A – bye week) and Sharks (A), Walsh has likely reached his peak at least for now. Last week’s game was the first all season where he hasn’t put on a try assist and has looked a little vulnerable. He should by all rights go quite well this week, but thinking longer-term, this is a great round to trade him in for a player trending the other way.

Nathan Cleary – $885,200 – HFB – BE 161

Two guns in a row in the list. Cleary can be considered in the same vein as Walsh. Cleary has fallen in a heap the last couple of weeks (by his very lofty standards of course) and cancelling out two games where he beat up on Canberra and Manly over a fortnight, has found scoring a lot tougher than in previous seasons. Likely a sign of the Panthers’ shakeup of their premiership-winning side since last year and having to play in some pretty ordinary conditions for a few games. Origin looms in less than a month and with still no certainty over whether he’ll be reclaiming the goalkicking duties, this could be a decent week to move him on. The caveat with these sorts of trades is that you should keep trades up the sleeve to bring these guys back in after their rough run comes to an end. It’s likely most are moving him on to Mitch Moses who has rarely shown season-long-hold qualities.

Tevita Pangai – $494,300  2RF / FRF – BE 80

I stupidly traded him in a couple weeks ago and he’s proceeded to do absolutely nothing. His one try assist for that stretch was for the other team courtesy of one of the worst offloads you’ll see last week. There are only 3,230 SuperCoaches who are with me in owning him but I’m sure many would like to rectify this one quickly…

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – $550,300 – CTW / FLB – BE 87

Ran the gauntlet one too many weeks with the Hammer. He couldn’t deliver in a decent matchup last week so has to be bid farewell this week as you upgrade in either the FLB or CTW position.

Jacob Preston – $534,100 – 2RF – BE 58

Preston couldn’t finish the game last week but has been named here, so not sure if that was injury-related or just getting a fresher player out there (EDIT: thanks to those who have rightly pointed out, Preston copped an HIA that he did return from). Since tearing up the Cowboys a while ago, Preston has flattened a little bit and failed to go over 60 points since then. He’s made a massive $333k for us since starting the year but it’s not a bad time to trade up to a genuine gun if you can make the space. Not an urgent trade given the low breakeven and given the stack of injuries across the forwards at the moment making full 17s a bit of an issue, but a comfortable trade out if you do make the call.