NRL $2,500 BRONCOS V RAIDERS Line-Up

Eighth plays ninth in the second of Friday Night’s doubleheader, but the Raiders opened their account with a thumping 46-6 win over Wests Tigers. Can they back it up against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium? And who makes the cut for your Draftstars team?

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $2,500+ Broncos v Raiders competition

Front Row Forward

Josh McGuire ($14,350)

The Broncos have dropped their last two games which makes this week’s clash with Canberra pivotal. McGuire is a seriously good player and considering the Broncos are at risk of falling to 1-3 if they lose, McGuire should see plenty of playing time. Not that this has been an issue, since moving to lock this season he’s averaged nearly 67 minutes which has resulted in some excellent running and tackling numbers. In what could be a congested game, these tackling numbers will remain enormous and will result in a good score.

Shannon Boyd ($9,000)

Don’t be put off by Boyd scoring just 13.50 points last week; the Raiders won 46-6 against the Tigers and Boyd was only used for 24 minutes. In what looks to be a big game for both teams, it is unlikely that Boyd will play less than 40 minutes. Considering Sims, Paulo, Thaiday, Blair and Bateman are all slightly more expensive and won’t produce more than 35-40 points, Boyd is a good option to save a few dollars. We just need Boyd to get minutes so that he can go back to his tackling ways of the first two weeks, luckily this is likely considering the Raiders won’t have the ball the whole game like they did last week.

Hooker

Andrew McCullough ($14,100)

Last season Josh Hodgson averaged nearly 51 Draftstars points, played the full 80 minutes and was a borderline contender for the Dally M. So why pick Andrew McCullough who is more expensive and averaged four points less last year? Firstly, Hodgson was forced to split time with Adam Clydesdale last week and only played 68 minutes, which is concerning considering McCullough is playing the full 80. More importantly, McCullough is in hot form and has been an absolute freak when it comes to tackling. In the last two weeks he’s laid 115 tackles without a single missed tackle.

Second Row Forward

Josh Papalii ($13,750)

Papalii has been a delight early this season, returning to the form that saw him touted as one of the best forwards in the game in 2015. He has the best attacking stats of any forward available and perhaps the best of any in the league as he is constantly recording line breaks, tackle breaks and even try assists. Add to this that he made 42 tackles in the first round and ran 225 metres last round and it is clear that Papalii can build a score in a multitude of ways. This gives him a huge ceiling, which is pivotal in Draftstars.

Matt Gillett ($13,600)

After suffering concussion against the Cowboys, Gillett bounced back to play the whole game against the Storm, dispelling any concerns about lingering effects of the concussion. In his two full games, Gillett has made 87 tackles to lay the foundations for his scores while also chipping in with solid metres and the occasional tackle break.

Centre

Tautau Moga ($5,400)

In order to afford the quality in other lines, there needs to be a sacrifice somewhere. Tautau Moga is a good, cheap option to make that sacrifice with, currently averaging 29.80 points for the season. Having a centre that will consistently run over a hundred metres, tackle and break tackles is a good option at the best of times, which makes Moga a bargain at just over $5k.

Half

Ben Hunt ($15,300)

Selecting the ultra-consistent Hunt is a process of elimination. Anthony Milford could bounce back after a terrible game last week, but is highly risky in what could be a low-scoring game. Blake Austin doesn’t have the ceiling and Aidan Sezer doesn’t have a fantasy-friendly game. This leaves Hunt, who is a safe bet to score well due to his kick metres and tackles. Unlike Milford who relies on attacking stats, Hunt scores more consistently in losing teams. In a game that could be quite congested, Hunt will be relied upon to get kick metres for the Broncos to score which only incentivises selecting him.

Wing/Fullback

Corey Oates ($9,650)

The beauty of Oates this season is the role he’s played for the Broncos. So far, we’ve seen him almost play like an extra second-rower, with the Broncos frequently getting him to run the ball in the second or third tackle. This means that Oates will get run metres, his usual supply of tackle busts and potentially a try, considering Brisbane’s best chance to score will be in the corner.

Nick Cotric ($5,000)

Cotric is cheap enough to take a risk on given that he can usually approximate the output of the more expensive backs. While Jordan Rapana and Jack Wighton had a field day last week, the Raiders almost certainly won’t win by 40 points again which will lead to lower scores for the outside backs. Cotric has been pretty consistent with tackle breaks and running metres, so if he can chip in with a try, you will have saved over $7k for a similar scoring output.

The Line Up

FR-F: Josh McGuire ($14,350)

FR-F: Shannon Boyd ($9,000)

HOOK: Andrew McCullough ($14,100)

2R-F: Josh Papalii ($13,750)

2R-F: Matt Gillett ($13,600)

C: Tautau Moga ($5,000)

HALF: Ben Hunt ($15,300)

W/FB: Corey Oates ($9,650)

W/FB: Nick Cotric ($5,000)

Salary Remaining: $400