The Fantasy King: Round 16
By Mick Adams
You never know how long it’s going to last in this competition, but round 16 of the NRL saw a return to normality in fantasy circles. The Sharks and Warriors had the bye, meaning no Gallen and Carney, but most of the usual suspects were otherwise present and in form. The weekend also threw up a number of surprises and potential trade options. Injury-wise, it’s all about the Raiders. Their already depleted pack was further decimated, potentially meaning big minutes for Bronson Harrison, while anybody silly enough to own Josh Dugan will be cursing their luck yet again. Will he ever string together enough games in a row to fulfil his undoubted talent?
Vintage Hindy
I don't think there's anyone in league who wouldn't love Nathan Hindmarsh to get a better finish than the dreadful Eels are likely to provide him. And it seems he is not going to accept the spoon without a fight, turning back the years with a starring role in the Eels' win against the Panthers, their main rivals for last place. His fantasy score was highest of the round by some distance, demonstrating that despite some uneven returns this year he has not lost his fantasy touch.
Special mention must also go to Hindy’s backrow partner Matt Ryan, who scored well despite the recent return of Ben Smith to top grade. Smith wasn't too shabby either, and his dual position availability makes him a worthwhile trade option at a reasonable price.
Justin Poore
While we're talking Parra, it was good to see Poore get a bagful of points against the Bunnies. It's easy to indulge in a bit of schadenfreude when players make the big cash grab and switch clubs, and so it was when Poore went all "Imma take my talents to Church Street" a couple of years back. We all know the story since, the former Dragon going from an Origin player to a fringe first grader within two seasons, and he is unlikely to get another contract at Parra. In fact by some reports he'll have been shipped off elsewhere by the time this column is posted. It is worth remembering however that Poore didn't choose to go through the injuries that have made him a shadow of his former self. And if Parra wanted to pay such ridiculous overs for his services, Poore can't be blamed for signing on.
With this in mind I've been highly pleased to see him improving of late. His fantasy scores have been pretty good in the last couple of months, capped off with his highest score this year on Saturday night. This resurgance has come at the perfect time too, as he has been a very useful Origin/bye cover.
Darius Boyd
As a Dragons fan, I couldn't mention schadenfreude without discussing the fortunes of Darius Boyd and the Knights. Wayne Bennett is forever beyond reproach in my books. He brought the Premiership back to Kogarah, a feat no other coach in my lifetime could manage.
Boyd is a different story. He seemed to check out mentally from the Dragons shortly after the inevitable announcement that he would be following his mentor to the Knights, and was barely sighted as the Dragons’ season faded away. It was at the same point that his fantasy stocks began to diminish, before going into free fall this year. He has been abysmal, with an average in the low 20s (in Supercoach) for most of the year.
His last two starts however have been sensational, and despite big price rises as a result, he remains dirt cheap considering his class. Dragons bias aside, I am hoping that he is getting back to his best, and will definitely be considering bringing him into my squad post Origin. You do get the sense though that Boyd won’t be scoring well unless the Knights get on a roll, so a wait and see approach is probably required.
Peter Wallace
Desperately unlucky to not be lining up for the Blues next week, Wallace is in career best form. His fantasy returns, while admittedly inconsistent, have also been impressive, and he pulled another big haul on the weekend. I’m not suggesting anybody buy him at this point- there is absolutely zero value for money there. In fact, Wallace owners should probably strongly consider selling him off for some extra coin. I just felt it important to mention that he’s really stepped up this year. If NSW can’t break the Queensland domination at Lang Park next week, surely selectors must move on from Pearce. Wallace is the logical successor.
Tautau Moga
Along with Konrad Hurrell, Moga was the most hyped of the rookie class of 2012. Like Hurrell, he was slow out of the gates despite showing glimpses of what he could do. He had his best game so far on the weekend, and had a promising fantasy return. It will be interesting to see if he goes on with it as Hurrell has. With Adam Reynolds on the slide, the title of fantasy rookie of the year appears to be Hurrell’s, but I’m banking on Moga to give it a good shake.
