Read on for a comprehensive analysis of all the NRL action across Magic Round from Suncorp Stadium. Byron & Liam put each game under the microscope and deliver insight designed to assist you with your weekly player selections, trade choices and captain selections. With a multitude of stand-out performances, key injuries and some important NRL Fantasy implications this week, this is a must-read.

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Titans (18) v. Sharks (26)

Suncorp Stadium | Thursday, 9 May 2019

Titans

Despite facing a heavily depleted Sharks side, the Titans weren’t able to find a way to come away with the points and were subjected to a Paul Gallen conversion which would’ve added salt to the wounds.

Whilst he wasn’t able to steer them home to a win, Taylor looked great in patches and came away with 2 try assists and 51 NRL Fantasy points. Due to the omission of Roberts, Taylor’s score was also helped along by taking sole responsibility of the general kicking with 331 kick metres.

If Taylor were to ever find himself partnering Brimson full time, I’d be jumping on. However, Roberts is due back this week and they have a propensity to share the load which makes neither player Fantasy relevant.

Arrow (56) was tipped to score well due to his history of monster scores against the Sharks and he didn’t disappoint. Whilst it wasn’t the 70 that coaches who captained him would’ve hoped for, it could have been a lot worse as we saw in this very game.

Bryce Cartwright failed to crack the 40 again and has now peaked (BE 32). Those looking to hold him beyond Round 12 will likely see him lose a little cash in exchange for an extra number.

Rein come away with a 47 in another solid performance and looks a handy option for the first bye round.

Sharks

The biggest NRL Fantasy talking point from the game was the 6^th minute injury to Andrew Fifita (11). This was a massive blow to many Fantasy coaches, especially for those who slapped the orange armband on the big forward. Thankfully, it looks to be a quick recovery for Fifita who caused major heartache and distress for coaches over the weekend.

Flanagan (48) continues to perform and show why coaches were willing to trade him in for 4-6 weeks and make some quick cash and solid scores.

Coaches who kept Capewell for centre cover for the injured Bateman were treated to a respectable score of 45, however he still maintains as a sell, while Nikora (46) scored another sub-50 score. There is no coincidence that as soon as Johnson got injured, Nikora’s scores have dipped. Hopefully, the return of Johnson in 3-4 weeks will bring his 50+ scores back.

Veteran Fantasy legend, Gallen notched up his best performance of the season with 70 points in an impressive 64 minute display which included a try, 200 running metres and 4 tackle breaks. Given this performance, he could be a handy draft pick-up for your interchange in case the coach decides to demand more out of the Gal-bot moving forward.

Xerri scored a respectable 28 points from base stats and remains a hold, while Gray (59) and Morris (61) both scored doubles.

Tigers (30) v. Panthers (4)

Suncorp Stadium | Friday, 10 May 2019

Tigers

The Tigers produced a dominant display against the hapless Panthers.

2018 Dally M halfback of the season, Luke Brooks has never been a truly relevant Fantasy player, however this season he has improved with a season avg. of 49. His 75 point performance in this one included one try and two try assists, and highlighted his potential to reach the ranks of NRL Fantasy relevancy by seasons end.

Farah (54) owners are becoming concerned due to his shared role with Liddle (playing 62 minutes). Coaches who paid a premium price for the veteran a handful of weeks ago will be devastated to see that his value has dropped nearly $200,000.

Matterson, who has become one of the in-form forwards in recent weeks, produced another Fantasy friendly game with 77 points from 2 try assists, 3 tackle breaks and 38 tackles. Matterson could step up to the premium forward status by the end of the season, and be the player we were hoping Fitzgibbon would be this year!

Marsters (51) remains a premium CTR option if you need a replacement for Bateman with a 46.3 season average.

Panthers

When the head coach tells the media he feels sorry for the members and supporters, you know things are looking pretty dire. And after letting in 5 tries in 17 minutes, you can certainly understand his frustration.

Kikau (20) was very disappointing from an NRL Fantasy perspective after getting very limited opportunities, whilst Fischer Harris still managed 47 points despite playing on an edge to cover the injury of Yeo.

Cleary (57) is about the only other Fantasy relevant player from the Penrith side at the moment and he looks to be able to continue scoring like a keeper irrespective of his team’s form.

Manly (10) v. Broncos (26)

Suncorp Stadium | Friday, 10 May 2019

Manly

The Sea Eagles succumbed to a revitalised Broncos in front of their fans at Suncorp Stadium.

Last week’s NRL Fantasy heroes; Garrick (22) and Elgey (18) came crashing back to reality. This is what experienced NRL Fantasy coaches would have expected, especially with Elgey who has never been Fantasy relevant. .

Taupau (50) got more minutes, however he is still getting less than 50 minutes per game, much to the frustration of owners.

Fainu (35) loomed as great pick-up ehad of Round 9 due to being named as starting hooker and his recent form (consecutive 60+ displays), however a late change seen him switch to the interchange before kick-off. As a result, Fainu now looks like one to avoid – especially given the early return of Croker.

Trbojevic (67) showed strong leadership, and could be a serious Blues captain in the future with a monstrous 50 tackles.

Coaches will be monitoring the returning Walker, but there isn’t any Fantasy relevant players from the Sea Eagles at the moment.

Broncos

In a much needed win, the new-look Broncos produced a number of NRL Fantasy scores that would have owners rejoicing.

We’ll start with the cheapies of the week. Both Dearden (39) and Turpin (49) had excellent games and did more than enough to get their prices rising.

Dearden has already made over 60k, however if you didn’t jump it’s not too late. With a break even of (-4) ahead of Round 10 and long-term job security, Dearden is the pick of cheapies again this week.

Haas has already made the transition from cash cow to keeper with an enormous 77 points in 61 minutes this week. The young prop had 20 hit ups for over 200 metres, 32 tackles and 9 tackle busts. Given he’s producing these numbers with a full-strength Broncos pack, all question marks over Haas are gone and he is near enough a must-have.

And what about the form of Anthony Milford?!

His Round 9 performance boasts a try, 2 try assists, 5 tackle busts and over 500 kick metres. This well-rounded NRL Fantasy game saw his 3 round average push above 70 and he looks like an exceptional buy given his recent form.

Finally, on a more somber note, Jack Bird (37) suffered a serious ACL injury and looks set to miss the season.

Bulldogs (10) v. Knights (22)

Suncorp Stadium | Saturday, 11 May 2019

Bulldogs

After making wholesale changes to the Bulldogs squad, Dean Pay’s men still weren’t good enough to beat a resurging Knights outfit.

Only one player scored more than 42 points which tells you all you need to know about the Bulldog’s NRL Fantasy quality. Tolman who has easily been the Bulldogs most consistent Fantasy player this season topped the scoring charts with 51. Other than maybe having Tolman already in your squad, you wouldn’t be looking to acquire anyone else.

Kieran Foran (28) returned to the halves with a quiet game. Foran is similar to Cooper Cronk where whilst he is an incredible player in actual NRL, it simply doesn’t translate to Fantasy scores.

Rhyse Martin looked like a great cut-priced pick-up last week leading up to Origin, however after being dropped for the second time this season he is now one to cross off your list.

Okunbor (10) has been very underwhelming after his first two eye-catching performances. With a break even (33) already being more than his average (29.7), he is a potential trade-out option this week.

Knights

Plenty jumped on Pearce this week and it looks to have been a great move. Another 50+ score sees him reach a 3 game average of 65.8 and he is still under priced by some 70k for those looking for a discounted keeper.

Known keepers in Kalyn Ponga (58) and David Klemmer (64) both had big games and Lachlan Fitzgibbon finally hit a 50+ score with 41 tackles and a try.

I may be alone on this, but he’s one I’ll be watching given he’s lost a staggering $183k and would be an absolute steal should he bounce back to form.

A special mention also needs to go out to Herman Ese’ese who managed 53 points in 26 minutes thanks to a barnstorming stint off the bench that saw him bust 8 tackles. Whilst he is only worth consideration if he were to crack the starting team, that PPM statistic was too good to ignore!

Warriors (26) v. Dragons (18)

Suncorp Stadium | Saturday, 11 May 2019

Warriors

A second half comeback saw the Warriors defeat the Dragons in a spirited performance for Magic round.

RTS (40) had a quiet Fantasy game for his standards. For non-owners, this would be very satisfying as his break even is 69 this week and could become a discounted acquisition next week.

Cheapie CTW option, Herbert (25) provided a try assist and also had his first game as the primary goal kicker. He might be a slow burner in gaining cash, but could become a useful emergency player for your squad throughout the season while he matures as a cash cow.

Nikorima (25) made his Warriors debut, and if this performance is any indication he will remain non-Fantasy relevant.

2019 NRL Fantasy surprise package, Lachlan Burr (28) looks to have plateaued. Burr hasn’t scored more than 44 points over the last three rounds, and is now a trade-out option for your squad with a break even of 49. Take the $350,000 in price rises and run!

Other than the RTS, there isn’t any real trade in targets worth considering over the coming rounds.

Dragons

McInnes has fast become both a leader at the Dragons and a target for savvy NRL Fantasy coaches for their final teams. Another no fuss performance saw him churn out 61 NRL Fantasy points after making 41 tackles in the middle.

In a promising display, Lomax managed 33 points despite being forced from the field half way through the second half and Jai Field nudged 40 in his first game of the year. Reports are that Norman is only a couple of weeks away, so I don’t have Field as a buy due to the limited stint in first grade he looks set to secure. Look to Dearden for a safer cash cow option in the halves this week.

Despite being a night to forget for Ben Hunt, he did still manage 63 NRL Fantasy points after kicking for over 400 metres and making 29 tackles.

Paul Vaughn (54) had another solid score, however remains a rung below the likes of Fifita, Klemmer and Haas at this stage of the season.

Storm (64) v. Eels (10)

Suncorp Stadium | Saturday, 11 May 2019

Storm

What a complete performance from the Storm to dismantle the Eels in such emphatic fashion. As you know, we have been singing the praises and potential of Munster since pre-season and he hasn’t disappointed this year. Like Latrell last week and CHN the week before, this was a masterclass and something that would get any neutral fan excited.

Munster (95) scored two tries, provided a try assist, 8 tackle breaks and 174 running metres. He was unstoppable, and showed why he could become the best HLF in the competition by the end of the season.

Cameron Smith continues to show no signs of slowing down with 63 points in 64 minutes, while getting a well-deserved rest towards the end of the game.

K.Bromwich (62) and Finucane (60) are still surprising coaches with their impressive form. It doesn’t seem too long ago that everyone had Stimson in their squad before round 1. Currently, he can’t even make the interchange due to how good his replacement have performed this season.

Croft (56) and Scott (68) both had impressive games, each bagging a try. Unfortunately for the returning Scott, he has suffered a fracture which will see him sidelined for a while. That is the second Blues centre contender injured within 24 hours, which will be a concern for selectors and fans alike.

Eels

Unsurprisingly, the NRL Fantasy score-sheet for the Eels left a lot to be desired this week.

Shaun Lane (50) was the only player to crack 50 points in this one and Reed Mahoney managed just 28 points after spending the first 20 minutes of the game on the interchange in a late switch for Coach Brad Arthur.

Mahoney owners will be hoping this was a one off as he was shaping up as one of the better players to own ahead of the Round 12 bye.

In encouraging signs, Moses still managed 39 points despite next to no attacking opportunities and remains a hold at least until Round 13.

Finally, Sivo owners have been flying high in the past couple of weeks but a high-shot on Jerome Hughes will see him miss a week with an early guilty plea. With a break even of 26, it certainly makes sense to stick him in your emergencies and continue to bank the price rises from Round 11 and through the Round 12 bye round.

Roosters (30) v. Raiders (24)

Suncorp Stadium | Sunday, 12 May 2019

Roosters

A heavily injury affected Roosters side did just enough early on to fend off a fast-finishing Raiders outfit that very nearly had an opportunity to send the game to golden point if a wayward pass from Cotric went to hand.

From an NRL Fantasy perspective, there were a few standouts and everyone’s favourite WFB seems like a great place to start.

Tedesco notched up 81 NRL Fantasy points with a try and 3 try assists. He simply is a must-have in your back three by years end. If you don’t currently own him, it may be worth waiting until after Origin. However, get a plan together to pounce on him the second the representative duties come to a close as he can make or break your head to head match up.

After a quiet week last week, Taukeiaho put together another superhuman effort with 67 points off the back of over 250 metre run metres. As we said a couple of weeks ago, he would not look out of place alongside Fifita, Taupau, Klemmer and Haas as a point of difference option up front.

Latrell Mitchell (44) nearly gave Brad Fittler a heart attack after leaving the field in all sorts, only to return to finish the game seemingly unaffected. After another career double, Latrell put up another keeper-like score in just 51 minutes on the field. Angus Crichton is probably the only other guy in this team that has been an out-and-out keeper in previous years, however after another sub-50 score I’m second guessing him as a final 17 option this year.

Raiders

CNK (53) remains a hold with a solid display including a try and 6 tackle breaks. If he can maintain an average in the mid-40’s he could be a hold for the rest of the season, unless your upgrading to a premium WFB such as Turbo/Ponga/RTS/Teddy.

Wighton (63) has been impressive recently and could pose as a potential POD option, especially due to his R12 availability. With a 3-game average of 57 and price of $634,00, he is one to consider.

Papalii has been one of the most underwhelming players this season (avg. 47), but scored well in this one with a 62.

Rookie Hudson Young replaced Bateman and had a solid game with 47 points. If he can maintain the starting spot throughout Bateman’s recovery period, he will make some serious cash for your squad. If you didn’t select him for Magic Round, it’s not too late and you can still pick him up this week at $271,000 with a BE of (-14). 

Rabbitohs (32) v. Cowboys (16)

Suncorp Stadium | Sunday, 12 May 2019

Rabbitohs

Damien Cook put on an absolute clinic against the Cowboys in the final game of Magic Round and notched up a round-high score of 98.

Those, like me, who chose to captain Fifita over Cook would be wondering what could’ve been after seeing Cook lay on 3 try assists and score 1 of his own in one of the best individual performances of the season.

It’s safe to say the captains arm band will be going straight back on Cook this week for a number of savvy NRL Fantasy coaches.

Outside of Cook, Reynolds (53) put together his fourth straight score in the 50s and Cody Walker seems to keep finding his way to the try line and solid 50 plus NRL Fantasy scores with ease.

Cameron Murray went above a point a minute with a score of 57 and Sam Burgess again failed to crack the half century despite crashing over for a trademark try. I’d have Sam Burgess earmarked as a sell straight after the Round 12 bye.

Cowboys

For those coaches who kept the faith with Morgan now have to deal with the cold hard facts – he is a sell. I thought Morgan (33) was a potential keeper after Round 1, however his form has dipped and plateaued ever since. Even in convincing victories, his scores haven’t improved by much and he has only managed a season average of 43.8.

Baptiste (55) was a surprise swap for Granville and was impressive in his maiden start. With a price-tag of $266,000, he could be a potential cash cow option worth considering should he nail down the starting spot.

However, the only player you should be seriously considering from the Cowboys at the moment is Jason Taumalolo (52). With a tough break even for Magic Round, he has dropped to $738,000. Therefore, with R12 availability and no Origin duties, he is a must-have player in your squad.

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