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2018 NRL Fantasy guide: Bulldogs

NRL Fantasy 2018

Des Hasler has moved on, as has James Graham, with the new Kieran Foran era at the club beginning under Dean Pay. It's interesting times for a Canterbury team that defended stoutly in the NRL last season but struggled with the worst attack in the league. That does mean they have a lot of room for improvement, which could be good news for Fantasy coaches on the lookout for a bargain.

Fantasy gun: Aiden Tolman

The Bulldogs may have lost one hard-working, fair-haired prop but they do still have the underrated Tolman, who actually outscored former skipper James Graham in Fantasy last season. Tolman doesn't have the ball-playing skill of Graham but he's great at the meat and potatoes of getting big tackle counts and making a lot of run metres. He averaged a tick under 50 points a game in 2017 to be Canterbury's best Fantasy performer, although he'll have some help up front again in the form of Kangaroos front-rower Aaron Woods.

Canterbury hooker Michael Lichaa in action against Manly.
Canterbury hooker Michael Lichaa in action against Manly. ©Robb Cox/NRL Photos/NRL Photos

Value buy: Michael Lichaa

It's all about minutes for Michael Lichaa. At his best, he's an 80-minute hooker with a solid defensive game and a (rarely seen) running game. But for much of 2017 he was instructed to keep it simple out of dummy half, and was often restricted to limited minutes off the bench. When he played more than 70 minutes last season Lichaa averaged 45 points a game (including bumper scores of 67 and 56 in the final fortnight of the season) but in the nine games he played fewer than 70 minutes he averaged just 20. His $533,000 price tag is based on a season average of 38, so he is undervalued if he resumes his usual 80-minute running role next year.

Bulldogs winger Brett Morris looks for open space against Parramatta.
Bulldogs winger Brett Morris looks for open space against Parramatta. ©Nathan Hopkins/NRL Photos/NRL Photos

Wildcard: Brett Morris

The Bulldogs might not have any brand new faces in their starting side in Round 1 but one old head suddenly looks good value after one of his quietest seasons in years. Morris usually averages close to 40 points a game in Fantasy but managed just 28 a game last season, scoring just six tries in his what was the leanest season of his career in that regard. Canterbury are set to take a new attacking mindset under coach Dean Pay in 2018, and if it clicks and Morris starts finding the tryline again he could earn $100,000 in price rises.

2018 NRL Fantasy player prices

Aaron Woods: FRF, $716,000

Aiden Tolman: FRF, $703,000

David Klemmer: FRF, 2RF, $640,000

Josh Jackson: 2RF, $621,000

Will Hopoate: WFB, CTR, $607,000

Moses Mbye: HLF, WFB, $558,000

Kieran Foran: HLF, $543,000

Michael Lichaa: HOK, $533,000

Brenko Lee: CTR, $508,000

Adam Elliot: 2RF, $464,000

Josh Morris: CTR, $459,000

Kerrod Holland: CTR, WFB, $441,000

Marcelo Montoya: WFB, $429,000

Matt Frawley: HLF, $429,000

Brett Morris: WFB, $423,000

Raymond Faitala-Mariner: 2RF, $389,000

Fa'amanu Brown: HLF, HOK, $372,000

Danny Fualalo: 2RF, $365,000

Clay Priest: FRF, $364,000

Greg Eastwood: 2RF, $317,000

Francis Tualau: FRF, $268,000

Asipeli Fine: CTR, $228,000

Andy Saunders: FRF, $228,000

Rhyse Martin: 2RF, $228,000

Renouf Toomaga: CTR, 2RF, $212,000

Josh Cleeland: HLF, $212,000

Zac Woolford: HOK, $212,000

Reimis Smith: WFB, $212,000

Mason Cerruto: CTR, $212,000

*2018 salary cap: 9.4m. Fantasy squad size: 21

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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