Weekly Wrap: Highs, lows and shocks, Rd 10

Well that was Magic Round for 2021 and we got a good look at each of the referees palms and fingers as they marched anyone and everyone under the NRL’s new protection of the head rules.

It was a huge weekend of scoring for all that was unfortunately overshadowed by the new rules and the amount of sin-bins handed out over the weekend.

If you’re short on cash this week, go and set up a hot dog stand at the NRL Judiciary. There’s sure to be plenty of money to be made!

Speaking of dollars, the NRL might have a new money stream that could fund the game for years if they decide to get a business on board that sponsors the sin-bin.

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Players could be sent to the SC Playbook sin-bin where they are forced to listen to the Spy talk trade targets for 10 minutes. That will surely get the players into line quick smart.

I feel like I’m repeating myself, but it was another record-breaking weekend! I’ve seen some scores that are in the 1700s. That’s an average of around 100 per player. Surreal!

Nathan Cleary put together the most complete 80 minute performance I have ever seen to not only break the Supercoach record but smash it! 225, a new bar has been set. And he had a try assist to Kikau disallowed!

I think winning Supercoach this year will come down to picking the right captain week in week out be it Turbo, Teddy, Cleary or Fifita.

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Knights v Tigers

Magic Round kicked off with a Ponga-less Newcastle looking very shaky. Owners would have been scrambling for the reverse trade button after he was ruled out and could spend next week out also.

I don’t think he would have made much difference in the end as they were put to the sword by the form five-eighth/centre of the comp Adam Doueihi! Back-to-back 100s after he notched up 114 after being moved to the centres.

Unfortunately for owners I’m tipping he might stay there after a blistering performance. He’s the pick of the five-eighths with round 13 coverage, especially considering Jarome Luai is a strong chance at an Origin call up.

Barnett and Best’s base stats were good, but unless the pair start to find some attacking stats they may not last till round 13, whilst on the other had both Watson and Brailey broke the 70 mark for the Knights.

A lot might not have played Watson, but with a try-assist and contribution he updated to 70 neat, his highest score since his 104 in round 3.

Minute Watch – Liddle 67, Blore 24, Watson 53, Barnett 47, Fitzgibbon 78 (sin-bin)

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Sea Eagles v Broncos

Tommy Turbo, what more can he do? He could kick the Socceroos to World Cup glory the way he is playing. He could even get the Wallabies to within 30 points of the All Blacks! Okay, that’s probably a stretch, he’s not Superman.

Another sublime performance from the form fullback of the competition. Incredible to think Freddy will still pick Tedesco at fullback.

To be fair I’d pick Teddy at fullback too throughout the Origin period… Just for the Roosters and not the Blues.

119 with another early mark and the perfect way to start for those captainers out there which looked like a great move until Sunday.

I think the happiest man since Turbo returned apart from me is Jason Saab! 100 points to back up last week’s 94, he is set to jump in price a fair bit but if Turbo stays fit, Saab seems to benefit. He has a floor as low as a gold mine, but if he’s scoring tries he’s one to keep an eye on.

Schuster knocked out 57 despite a late sin-bin and will likely take the number 6 jersey if Foran is ruled out, although they do take on the Eels next week whose defence has been rock solid.

As for the Broncos, I don’t think many deserve to pick up their matchies after that performance.

TPJ and Haas were kept quiet with neither able to break 53 and for those who took a punt on Gamble, it came up double 00 as he knocked out 8 points with a sin-bin. As they say, Gamble Responsibly.

Minute Watch – Keppie 62, Taupau 57, Turbo 68, Flegler 50, Haas 60, Riki 70 (sin-bin)

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Raiders v Bulldogs

They tended to start each day with a bludger of a match and Saturday was no different.

There weren’t too many popular Supercoach players out there for either team, but cheapie Corey Harawira-Naera knocked out 71 and looks a threat on the edge for the Green Machine. I’d be looking to jump on him in the coming weeks.

Thompson again was solid for his 75 which didn’t include any attacking stats, he has shown in the past month he has the base stats to match any FRF.

The big news out of the match was the pending suspensions to Hodgson, Wighton and Papalii, with the latter set to spend three weeks on the side lines should he take the early plea. Not ideal when the Raiders have the Storm and Chooks in the coming weeks. Just another reason for Ricky to blow up.

Minute Watch – Thompson 68, CHN 80, James 30

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Sharks v Rabbitohs

Another match that despite the score line, it didn’t reflect the Supercoach scores. Cody Walker hit back after he went missing last week to finish with 81, despite scoring two tries.

He still hasn’t hit the heights of 2020 but looks as dangerous as ever sweeping out the back close to the line, whilst Cook finished with 64, his first score over 56 since round 4.

Jai Arrow barged over late to finish up a season high 84. He seems to have settled a bit since joining the Rabbits, but taking Origin into account, he doesn’t shape as a great play until afterwards.

As for the Sharks, they don’t really have too many relevant Supercoach players which makes for funny watching – one of the only times you can sit down and enjoy 80 minutes of footy and not worry about checking live scores every 3 minutes.

Minute watch – Rudolf 36, Wilton 0, Arrow 54

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Roosters v Cowboys

Ahh the sight of J Tedesco being back! Like getting dug out of the Suez Canal, it’s all smooth sailing from here for owners!

As one that held, this was a performance that was owed to us all. Which I’m sure he cares little about, but Supercoach is a funny game that changes week-to-week. Owing Turbo and Teddy 2 weeks back was criminal, now it appears to be the winning combo in the FLB spot.

Angus Crichton was superb notching up 119 with two tries. He has looked as dangerous as ever on the left edge which he may just be keeping warm for Cordner. He was priced at $556k last week and will now be as cheap as he probably gets for season 2021 if you didn’t already jump on. Origin may knock him around, but he is a season keeper, especially at that price.

Sam Walker finished with 63 despite scoring a try. He had a Munster day with the boot and was used as a speed hump for a few Cowboys players for most of the night.

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For the Cowboys, Val Holmes and Taumalolo were busy but didn’t score as well as owners would have hoped as the pair finished with 63 and 53 respectively, whilst hooker Reece Robson was electric! In a Hooking position that has struggled for points most of the year, he has been pretty consistent and is an attacking threat.

Granville does tend to eat into his minutes, so if he can get the full 80, he’s a great POD.

Minute Watch – Tupouniua 70 (sin-bin), Radley, 71, SST 35, Taumalolo 64

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Warriors v Eels

Oh Gutho, where art thou?? That’s the question on every owner’s lips as he thundered back to earth with 58 to go with last week’s 47.

His three 100+ scores in a row seem a distant memory and now the Eels take on Manly and Souths in the coming weeks with Origin after that.

Matterson was solid again scoring 74 in his 80 minutes. He is one that will appreciate the crackdown on high shots – he might be able to swing five games together without a HIA! Despite being an outside chance, he looks set to miss Origin so it’s a great time to get the back-rower in.

Isiah Papali’i finally, and I mean finally, had a quiet game! He only managed 52 for those who brought him in for Fifita. As a non-owner it was nice to see him only just break 50. He won’t lose you any money this week but at $780k, will need to be better than that. He now has a breakeven of 134.

As for the Warriors, Josh Curran looked set to go big with an early try, but was forced from the field with an injury. Despite this he did score 64, a blessing for those who were forced into playing him.

RTS was kept quiet and with the absolute guns we have a FLB, he doesn’t look a good play unless you are a Warriors tragic which for that, I’m sorry.

Minute Watch – Tevaga 53, Sironen 80, Curran 33 (injury), Papali’i 59, Matterson 80, Cartwright 44

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Storm v Dragons

Tyrell Fuimaono. Who would have thought you would have such a bearing on this week’s head-to-head matches!! Owners of R Papenhuyzen breathed a sigh of relief after he was named in the 19 for his return, but that lasted a whole 13 minutes after Fuimaono took it upon himself for every non Papi owner and took him out.

Ugly scenes and I’m guessing we won’t be seeing him for the next week or two at least. Unlucky for all you out there that held him!!

Thankfully for Melbourne their production line just keeps churning them out with Nicho Hynes turning into some sort of hybrid Turbo/Teddy/Papi clone banging out a massive 182! Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but he should be considered in everyone’s 17s no doubt about it.

Hughes and Addo-Carr backed up last week’s performance with another good showing with Addo-Carr scoring three tries to finish with an even 100, whilst Hughes scored 74.

Hughes won’t be playing Origin if someone out there wants to trade either Cleary or Walker out of their sides.

Minute Watch – Panenhuyzen 13 (HIA), Hynes 69, Welch 48, Dufty 43 (Injured)

Magic hat-trick 🎩

Nathan Cleary scores his third!#TelstraPremiership #NRLTitansPanthers pic.twitter.com/lru6kOGF6A

— NRL (@NRL) May 16, 2021

Panthers v Titans

We have a new king! Nathan Cleary is the new Supercoach God after the halfback completed the most perfect performance seen in a number 7 jumper since Nero took home gold wearing the famous XII linen in ancient Greece.

Those willing to wait until Sunday night for their captain to play would have been on cloud 225 as everything he touched turned to gold. He finished with three tries, two assists, a contribution and seven goals.

He must have also been given 15 points for winning the coin toss. I’m just a salty owner/non-captainer.

225 is a massive mark to try and beat, but we have seen how quickly points in Supercoach can accumulate, so it will take a special performance to beat the record.

What that performance did though was take away any attacking ability from Luai who finished with only 23 after the Panthers five-eighth was a popular trade target after Munster went down.

To’O too (Microsoft word did not like that sentence) was quiet as a lot of the attack went to the right with Charlie Staines crossing for two tries and 72 points. No concerns there for owners.

Minute Watch – Fa’asuamaleaui 60, Fermor 80, Peachy 52, Martinn 64,  Kikau 54,JFH, 46