There's never been a better time to include North Queensland forward Glenn Hall in your Holden NRL Fantasy team.
At least that's the opinion of the man himself who says that with the prospect of retirement lurking just around the corner he is determined to make 2014 one of the best of his career.
Hall was one of only two Cowboys players to appear in all 25 games for the club last season – the other being Kane Linnett – and with more than 20 games in each of his past seven seasons is on the park consistently playing big minutes.
His average return of 28.33 points per game last year was more than Greg Eastwood and Willie Mason and with a small drop in price this year, Hall believes $209,100 is a small price to pay.
"209,000's a bargain!" Hall told NRL.com.
"Fantasy coaches are going to get a lot of versatility out of me this year. 'Greeny' (Cowboys coach Paul Green) has got me looking at rotating around the forwards and going out on the edge but I'm pretty focused. I know the possibility of it being my last year is getting closer and closer so obviously I want to finish well.
"I know week in and week out what it takes plus I'm there pretty much every week of the year. I think the last six or seven years I've played nearly every game so I'm going to be there and I'm going to get points every week. You've got to pick me! You're crazy not to."
Since joining the Cowboys in 2011 Hall has racked up 71 games in three seasons and was in the starting side for all but six of his 25 appearances last year. The 32-year-old has signed one-year deals for the past two seasons with the Cowboys and said that if the body holds up again to the rigours of the NRL in the first few weeks of the season then he'll put his hand up to go around again in 2015.
"My body's responded really well to the change of coaching staff and training and that's why I've signed one-year deals the last couple of years, listening to the body a bit more," Hall said.
"If the body's still holding up really well into the first couple of weeks then I'd be more than happy to go again.
"You get told as a young fella that preparation is key and to get [to training] early and stretch but as I've got older I've learnt more. I get to training an hour early and stretch and prepare and that's exactly what the new coaching staff have brought in. Everyone has to be in 45 minutes early to start stretching, start strapping and it pretty much works in with the way I did things anyway."
And if Hall isn't enough of a value pick-up for Fantasy coaches, don't be afraid to include former Roosters under-20s player Curtis Rona in your squad. At $107,000 they don't come any cheaper and there have been whisperings out of Townsville that he is pushing hard for one of the wing spots for Round 1.
Rona scored 12 tries for the premiership-winning Mackay Cutters in the Intrust Super Cup last season and from all reports is ready to make the step up to the NRL.
