The first round is done and dusted. Regardless of whether you smashed out a monstrous 908 like our first round leader Philip, or you fell short of that total, the next two weeks could potentially make or break your season.
It’s vitally important to trade in the right rookies before their initial price jump, so you can set yourself up financially for your premium upgrades later in the year.
Let’s take a look at some players you should consider bringing into your side, holding on to or letting go this week, as well as some potential captaincy options.
Buy
George Burgess | FRF | $136,900
The name on every DT coach’s lips after his opening round score of 65. What made this all the more impressive was the fact that it took Burgess just 29 minutes to accrue that total. Not too shabby, I’m sure you’ll agree. Has again been named on the bench, but with brother Sam missing the game against the Sharks through suspension, look for George to spend more time on the field. While he isn’t going to score 65 every week, with a current BE of -78, there’s still a hefty price rise on the way for this young prop.
Scott Moore | HOK | $171,900
Very much an unknown quantity prior to round one, Moore certainly made a strong case as to why he should be your reserve hooker in his NRL debut against the Bulldogs. Capable of playing the full 80 minutes, Moore played 70 minutes in round one. His score of 38 was comprised mostly of base stats, so expect an even healthier DT points return if he can improve his attacking output.
Also consider:
Jack Buchanan | FRF | $101,600 - 42 points in his NRL debut is impressive, but with Woods’ return to the starting side imminent, Buchanan’s game-time might be limited.
Nathan Smith | 2RF | $130,600 - A memorable 47 against the Raiders, but he won’t score a try every week. Still, an absolute workhorse starting at lock for $130,600 gives you something to think about.
Hold
Justin Horo | 2RF | $169,100
Over 14,000 DT coaches would’ve been disappointed with Horo’s round one contribution of 18. But he did play 74 minutes, which hints that his best is yet to come. Monitor his progress in round two - if things don’t improve, start looking elsewhere.
Aaron Woods | FRF | $383,500
If you had Woods for round one, you got him for a reason - he certainly can amass some huge totals. Returning from injury, he was unlikely to score big against the Knights. There’s every chance he could return to the starting side this week, but it remains to be seen if he’ll play the sorts of minutes he was last year. Very likely to drop in price after round three, so if you keep him now you’re in for the long haul.
Sell
Marika Koroibete | WFB | $251,400
Koroibete has the potential to post some monstrous totals (as we saw last year). He also has the potential to finish with 0. In his defence, the Tigers saw very little of the ball, and he’s just as likely to finish with 80 points next week. A tremendous talent, but if you are after a more consistent WFB, consider your options elsewhere.
Kevin Kingston | HOK | $414,500
No longer playing 80 minutes, Kingston is sharing time with the Panthers livewire recruit James Segeyaro. While this is seemingly having a positive effect for the Panthers on the field, Kingston’s DT scoring output has been limited severely. Looks set to drop in value considerably after round three, and there are plenty of other viable alternatives that could also free up some cap room.
Round 2 captains - players to consider
Cameron Smith | HOK | $533,200
Greg Inglis | WFB/CTR | $399,600
Robbie Farah | HOK | $436,100
Daly Cherry-Evans | HLF | $451,400
Johnathan Thurston | HLF | $384,400
Wildcard: Sonny Bill Williams | 2RF | $322,500