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The opening round of the Pre-Season Challenge gave NRL Fantasy coaches their first proper look at players ahead of the 2024 season.
With the majority of clubs opting not to field full-strength squads, it was a great opportunity to check out possible cash cows and players who could make an impact if given a chance during the season.
Here's the key stuff you need to know from a Fantasy point of view.
Fantasy takeaways: Pre-Season Challenge Rd 1
Bulldogs 24 Storm 12 at Belmore Sports Ground
Bulldogs: There was already plenty of excitement surrounding Bronson Xerri in his NRL return and even more will be looking to him as a cut-price keeper at CTR now, after he hit 42 against the Storm. He did score a try, but it was pleasing to see him have 16 carries for 161 metres too. The updated thinking is more negative on Matt Burton though, after he seemed to be restricted to one side of the field with the bunch of new playmakers around him and had just 12 Fantasy points to show for it.
Storm: While 31 points in a game in which he scored a try is nothing flash at all, Ryan Papenhuyzen looked good and reaffirmed that he’s well worth a punt at $495k. Don’t read too much into Trent Loiero only scoring 15 at lock – if he does manage to beat Josh King to that spot then he’s likely to be a big scorer come regular season games.
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Papenhuyzen impresses in return
Knights 44 Sharks 18 at Industree Super Stadium, Gosford
Knights: After a strong finish to last year, EDG Dylan Lucas picked up right where he left off in the pack for the Knights, with a first half double helping him to 48. There’s enough evidence now that Lucas is a good Fantasy prospect, and at $558k there’s value in him, but he still needs to beat out the likes of Jed Cartwright, Brodie Jones and Kai Pearce-Paul to that starting spot.
Sharks: Cronulla had very few likely NRL regulars take the field in this game and the most impressive one from a Fantasy point of view, Cameron McInnes, will almost certainly be an interchange player in the regular season so isn’t a great option at his current price. Jack Williams was handy in his stint, making 29 tackles on his way to 33 points, but at $477k he might be at about max price already unless he can improve on last season’s 34.7 average.
Roosters 36 Sea Eagles 22 at Industree Super Stadium, Gosford
Roosters: The halves looked far more balanced than they did last year, which is very good news for the Fantasy prospects of Roosters backline members. James Tedesco had a busy day at the back and broke 10 tackles en route to 49, while Sam Walker scored 45 without doing anything too spectacular. With Tedesco starting the year at $670k he’s underpriced if he can rediscover somewhere close to top Fantasy form, while there could be value in Walker at $685k if you are looking for a point of difference at HLF.
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Top ranked WFB: James Tedesco
Sea Eagles: We mostly got evidence of who we’ll probably want to stay away from in the Sea Eagles here, with Ben Trbojevic registering a modest 19 and Brad Parker, who is interesting because he’s listed as a CTR but will play as an interchange back-rower this year, managing just six. It’s unlikely we will see any of their frontline players in action now with the Sea Eagles expected to field a young side in week two of the Pre-Season Challenge as the NRL group prepare for Las Vegas.
Eels 16 Raiders 38 at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Eels: A couple of very promising performances from Fantasy relevant players, with Brendan Hands having a big game at hooker and Kelma Tuilagi impressing in his first outing for Parra. Hands looked a real running threat on his way to 41 points, but it remains to be seen if he ends up the preferred No.9 over Joey Lussick, while his opportunities to attack might be more limited once he has to share the ball with Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown and co as well. Tuilagi scored 57, but he’s got his work cut out for him to earn a big-minute role in a side that also contains Ryan Matterson, Shaun Lane and Bryce Cartwright. Sean Russell (CTR/WFB, $381k) was solid and could be a nice POD option.
Raiders: Possible cash cow Ethan Strange (CTR, $250k) looked comfortable in the halves and kicked for 198 metres, with his running game producing 51 metres from five carries. The battle to see who partners Jamal Fogarty in Round 1 remains wide open, but from this game Strange appeared to gain the inside running over Kaeo Weekes, who scored a try and had 33 Fantasy points himself. Centre James Schiller finished with 58, which included a length of the field try, while cheapie MIDs Pasami Saulo and Peter Hola had 41 and 47 respectively, but likely won’t get so many minutes come the start of the season proper.
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NRL Fantasy focus: Ethan Strange
Rabbitohs 28 Dragons 6 at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Rabbitohs: Good signs from $290k MID Davvy Moale who had 49, albeit with a try. He’s well worth a punt if you’re looking for a MID who could make some cash through the opening rounds. EDG Jacob Host and HOK Peter Mamouzelos scored well too, but they are both unlikely to feature at NRL level unless injuries hit.
Dragons: Kyle Flanagan had a fairly quiet night with only 25 Fantasy points, but he’s still very much in the frame as an underpriced HLF. He finished with exactly half the kick metres of Ben Hunt, which might be a good indicator of how things will be split up come Round 1. Zac Lomax is a stay away in his new role as a winger, scoring just 11, as is Jack Bird who played in the centres and had 21.
Warriors 16 Wests Tigers 18 at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch
Warriors: Take their top scorers with a grain of salt, with Jacob Laban (66) highly unlikely to feature much at NRL level in 2024 and Bunty Afoa, Freddy Lussick and Tom Ale (all 51) playing much bigger minutes against the Wests Tigers than they’ll typically get during the NRL season. Ali Leiataua (WFB, $300k) had some nice touches that ended in 32 Fantasy points and he will be one to watch if he gets a shot at some stage.
Wests Tigers: Aidan Sezer looked good and is in the mix to be a low level money maker or decent back-up HLF at $477k, but he probably needs to win the goalkicking job for that to come to fruition. If Solomona Faataape gets a chance at some stage this year he’s going to be worth grabbing, with his powerful running game sure to make him a good scorer. He had 39 against the Warriors.
Cowboys 20 Broncos 46 at BB Print Stadium, Mackay
Broncos: Brendan Piakura (EDG, $399k) showed why he is close to a must-have EDG with a 50, but he also picked up an injury which could throw a spanner into the works depending on the prognosis. In his first game at centre Selwyn Cobbo looked fairly comfortable and scored a try. At $568k and a good chance of dropping in value through the early rounds, he's probably one to watch for a while before considering picking him up. Corey Jensen put a good case forward to assume the vacant starting prop spot and if he can score in the mid to high 30s you could get some value out of him given he starts the year at $466k.
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Brendan Piakura Try
Cowboys: On his day Semi Valemei is right up there in terms of second-tier WFB options and on Sunday he had one of those days. An intercept try to go with 198 run metres gave the Fijian 46 in Fantasy, but he’s likely to remain a rocks or diamonds player in terms of big stats, so buyer beware. As we’ve already discussed, the Cowboys have too many back-rowers on their roster right now for us to be able to trust any of them in Fantasy, which is a shame because Kulikefu Finefeuiaki’s 53 against the Broncos shows he has real potential as a scorer if he gets decent minutes.
Dolphins 26 Titans 14 at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Dolphins: Herbie Farnworth reinforced the thinking that he could be the best CTR in Fantasy this season with a 53 that included a try and it'll be tempting to pick up his edge partner Jamayne Isaako, who had two line breaks, as well, given how much traffic the Dolphins will send their way. Jarrod Wallace had a huge day out with 67, but his minutes will likely drop come the season.
Titans: A side made up almost entirely of players who won't be frontline options come the season proper, but a couple are interesting from a Fantasy point of view. Titans players have been telling anyone who'll listen how good Josiah Pahulu has been through the pre-season and his 38 on Sunday shows he'll have some Fantasy potential if he does get a run. Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui was really busy as well, registering 12 carries on his way to 37.