Lone Scout's Fantasy Q&A: Round 20

As the finals kick off for many Fantasy leagues, owners are targeting trades which could be the difference between them bowing out early or keeping the dream alive in 2022.

From Matt Burton's trade value, to David Fifita's prospects for the rest of 2022, Lone Scout is here with his weekly dose of advice. 

Lone Scout's NRL Fantasy Q&A

Is Koroisau a good pickup this week? - @aronaemau_

With Damien Cook far and away the best Fantasy hooker this year, Koroisau is part of the next best group who average in the high 40s to early 50s, and at $702k is one of the cheaper options in that group. No Mitch Kenny on the bench for the Panthers means Koroisau could play the full 80 minutes this Friday against the Eels – as he did last week – and he looks a solid pickup.

Should I trade Moses for Burton? - @jaiden_ramm0619

This move would see you shelling out an extra $107k for minimal advantage, so I'm not a fan. The pair have the same last three-game average (57 points) and across the season there is very little to separate them, with Moses averaging 51.8 and Burton 53.9. While the Eels do have a tough run home, that’s the case for the 12th-placed Bulldogs too. I'd rethink this one. 

Is David Fifita a buy? - @alan_wng

Back-to-back scores of 63 have reignited interest in David Fifita, but his up and down Fantasy form in 2022 worries me. Even when playing 80 minutes Fifita has had scores of 30 and 42 this year, and while his ceiling is high, he struggles for consistency.  At $660k I think there are better options right now in that price range. If you don’t need an edge forward specifically, HLF Jamal Fogarty ($652k) averages 54 points in his last three games, while among EDG players I like the look of Jeremiah Nanai ($674k), who plays the Dragons, Bulldogs and Warriors in the next month, or reliable Warriors captain Tohu Harris ($673k), who has a last three-round average of 61.7.

Is Koula a sell? - @leo.hunter_

One on hand Koula is a red-dot liability this week who at $512k has probably peaked in terms of making money, so depending on your situation could be a sell. But he’s also a CTR option who has averaged 42.6 in his last five games, which unless you are stacked with cash to upgrade to someone like Matt Burton ($781k), is pretty good. If you have the trades spare then I’d flick him, but if you can cover his spot for a week or are down to your last trade or two, it’s not a disaster if you keep him in your squad.

Is Cotter a buy this week? _ @calhayz

Unless we get a clear answer on whether he will play on Sunday – with Cotter currently listed among the reserves and no guarantee of taking the field – then I wouldn’t be trading him in right now. The Cowboys play in the last game of round 20, so it is a huge risk to bring him in and hope he makes the final 17, given you won’t be able to reverse your trade (unless the player you have traded out for Cotter plays for the Dragons or Cowboys).

Even if he does play, the Cowboys will likely give him reduced minutes in his injury return, meaning he’d be unlikely to go much over his break even of 48 this week anyway. 

Moses Mbye, is he a cash out trap? - @lachymacd

Yes, stay away. While Mbye’s ability to play almost anywhere on the field is an asset to the Dragons, it contributes to him being a terrible option in Fantasy. Mbye will likely have the fullback role for just a couple of weeks before Cody Ramsey returns, which will see him go back to centre – or worse, the bench – where he struggles to hit double digit scores. Even in his six games as a starting fullback this year Mbye only averaged 23 points.

Should I sell Joseph Manu now that he's back at centre? - @twin_arsh

After a stunning run while playing in the halves, Manu’s value has skyrocketed to make him the second-most expensive centre option in Fantasy at $778k. When he’s actually playing centre on the field it’s likely his scores will match that value, and for $3k extra Matt Burton, who is listed at CTR in Fantasy but plays five-eighth, is likely to give you better output for the run home. Even someone like Euan Aitken ($646k) probably presents as a better use of your money. That is of course assuming that you have enough trades up your sleeve to make what is really a luxury move.  

I can only bring in one for the run home, DCE or Burton? - @lukeblaylock1

Definitely Cherry-Evans. The Manly skipper has a higher floor than Burton due to his capacity to rack up base stats and lose far less points through demerits around defence (DCE has lost just eight points in the last four weeks through missed tackles, compared to Burton who has lost 52 points in the same period due to missing 26 tackles). As well as being more consistent, the Manly skipper can bust out some big scores as well, with 10 scores above 60 in 16 games this year.