NRL $20,000 Dragons v Broncos Team Tips

The 2018 NRL season is upon with a huge opening night clash between the Dragons and the Broncos. The Dragons will be looking to improve on their ninth placed finish last season and have been busy in the offseason, adding James Graham and Ben Hunt to their team. The Broncos finished third on the ladder last year, before being knocked out of the finals in an embarrassing performance by the eventual premiers, Melbourne. They will be looking for another top four finish. There is huge $20,000 up for grabs on Draftstars, with the top 385 getting paid.

PLAY NOW

Here is a team you may consider for the $20,000+ Dragons v Broncos

Front Row Forward

Tariq Sims ($10,800)

Sims was really consistent for the Dragons last season, averaging just a tick under 40 DS points per game. Sims is a strong tackler and hit up machine, registering as a top 50 player in the league for tackles and hit ups. Sims will be getting plenty minutes on the field as well as plenty of the ball, making him a good mid-priced selection.

Matthew Lodge ($5,900)

The troubled youngster is making his debut for the Broncos and comes with pretty big wraps about his on field ability. Lodge is a physical monster who is more than capable of running it straight at the defense, so he should see plenty of points for metres gained, broken tackles and offloads. Lodge will be highly owned in this game, and for good reason, it is not often that you see a starting prop forward for under $6,000. He is a must pick.

Hooker

Cameron McInnes ($14,450)

McInnes is without a doubt, one of the best young players in the league. He is a machine when it comes to tackling leading the league last year. Tackles are the best stat to focus on when picking your NRL team as it is an easy way to score big. He also runs a lot from playing the ball which is a good way to get easy points for metres gained and line break assists. McInness and his opposite number, McCullough are two quality players, but McInness looks like the better option as he is slightly cheaper.

Second Row Forward

Jack de Belin ($16,000)

Speaking of young guns, de Belin is one of the best young forwards in the game. de Belin is just entering his prime in the NRL and was rewarded last season with a call up to State of Origin. de Belin was in the top 15 in the league for tackles last season as well as top ten for hit ups. de Belin is a workhorse who is worth every bit of his high salary. If you can afford him, he is a must pick.

Sam Thaiday ($9,100)

Although he is approaching the twilight of his career, Thaiday remains a force for the Broncos. Picking Thaiday early in the season definitely the way to go, before the wear oand tear of the brutal season catches up to him. There have been reports of Thaiday playing as a backup hooker, which will also boost his scoring potential. He looks as though he will get a good run in the team due to how inexperienced the rest of the forward pack is, at his salary, Thaiday looks be a good value pick.

Centre

Timoteo Lafai ($13,500)

Normally we wouldn’t suggest paying such a high price for a centre, but Lafai is well worth paying up for. Lafai was second in the league in offloads last year, in the top twenty in the league for hit ups and try assists. Lafai is also the goal kicker for the Dragons, so if this game is a shootout, he could be in for a busy night.

Half

Kodi Nikorima ($10,750)

Nikorima is a dynamic young player for the Broncos who will finally be settled into the one position after being shuffled around the Bronco backline over the last couple of years. Nikorima will be the club’s starting halfback replacing Ben Hunt who will be lining up for the Dragons in this match. Nikorima is set for a huge year and will most likely not be this cheap for the rest of the season. Look for him to have a statement game in his new role for the Broncos.

Wing/Fullback

Jordan Kahu ($8,150)

Kahu is a prolific scorer for the Broncos, scoring the third most tries for the Broncos last year, with nine tries for the season. Kahu is also the goal kicker for the Broncos and if this match is high scoring, he will be required to do a lot of kicking. Kahu is a good value selection due to his cheap salary.

Darius Boyd ($9,800)

The experienced general at full back is going around for another season. Boyd has been consistently good for the Broncos for a long time and there is no reason to doubt that he will have a good 2018. Boyd isn’t the highest scorer, but often created tries for his teammates, finishing with nine try assists last season. Boyd will also play a full eighty minutes, giving him the best opportunity to score well.

The Line Up

FR-F: Tariq Sims ($10,800)

FR-F: Matthew Lodge ($5,900)

HOOK: Cameron McInnes ($14,450)

2R-F: Jack de Belin ($16,000)

2R-F: Sam Thaiday ($9,100)

C: Timeteo Lafai ($13,500)

HALF: Kodi Nikorima ($10,750)

W/FB: Jordan Kahu ($8,150)

W/FB: Darius Boyd ($9,800)

Salary Remaining: $1,550