NRL $1000+ Broncos v Dragons Line-Up

The Broncos are red-hot at the moment and will be tough to stop this Friday night as they take on the Dragons in a blockbuster match up at Suncorp Stadium. The Dragons currently sit ninth on the ladder and must keep winning to keep their finals hopes alive, while the Broncos can all but guarantee a top two finish with a victory.

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $1,000+ Broncos v Dragons competition

Front Row Forward

Korbin Sims ($9,900)

Sims has worked hard all season and has produced some consistent football for the Broncos as a result. Since reviving his career under Wayne Bennett, Sims has been able to become a consistent ball runner who can eat metres and also create scoring opportunities with strong, tackle breaking runs. The result on Friday night will be heavily influenced by the contest through the middle and Sims will be crucial for Brisbane.

Herman Ese’ese ($8,300)

The props in this contest have all been underperforming their price tags in recent weeks, so saving money and going with a combination of Sims and Ese’ese could be a good option. Ese’ese has come off the bench in the last two weeks as he works his way back from injury, playing just 26 and 33 minutes respectively. His workload should be back to usual this week which will give his scoring a boost with more time to make tackles, metres and tackle breaks.

Hooker

Kodi Nikorima ($9,650)

Nikorima extended his perfect streak at halfback with another win last week. The diminutive playmaker ended up with a try assist in the Broncos routing of the Sharks, continuing the form that will likely see him become the full-time halfback next season. He reads the play well, puts himself in good positions and has the footwork to slice through the opposition’s defence. Given Cameron McIness’s hefty price tag and Ben Hunt’s limited minutes, Nikorima is a great option at hooker.

Second Row Forward

Matt Gillett ($16,650)

Gillett was great against the Sharks last week, crashing over for the first try of the game. He ended up with six tackle breaks and 118 running metres as well, which resulted in 60.8 Draftstars points. The Broncos have been playing through Gillett more frequently since Origin and he has now scored five tries in the last seven matches. Given he’s also made over 45 tackles on four occasions this season, it is clear that Gillett has a massive upside which makes him a great option in this contest.

Alex Glenn ($10,300)

Glenn is great value at just over $10k, as he plays 80 minutes every week and consistently produces reasonable scores. Since round twelve, Glenn has played the full game on eight occasions and has averaged 44.8 Draftstars points in this time. He ends up with consistent metre and tackling numbers in each contest. Last round he outscored all of the other options apart from Joel Thompson and Jack de Belin – both of whom are at least $4k more expensive.

Centre

Tautau Moga ($11,300)

While James Roberts gets all the credit, Moga has quietly become one of the better centres in the competition this season. He’s scored eight tries this season, including a handy double last week, showing his increased maturity and comfort level in first grade. His running game is tough to stop and has led to nine line breaks this season as well as a handful of tackle busts per game. The Dragons’ right edge defence has been inconsistent this season and Moga could be the perfect man to take advantage of any lapses.

Half

Gareth Widdop ($12,600)

Widdop has been phenomenal for St. George Illawarra this season, putting himself into Dally M calculations on the back of some wonderful performances. He’s really found his feet again after struggling to readjust to the NRL after an injury layoff. This has seen him improve his Draftstars scoring on the back of multiple line break assists, try assists and line breaks in the last couple of weeks. He also has one of the best kicking games in the competition which only adds to his impressive upside.

Wing/Fullback

Kurt Mann ($12,000)

Mann moved to halfback last week for just the second time this season and was close to best on ground. Replacing Josh McCrone, Mann gave the Dragons an added element in their attack with his strong ball running causing issues for the Titans defence. He ended up with four line breaks, two tries and five tackle breaks, backing up his two line breaks, one try and nine tackle breaks in the week prior. Although the Broncos’ defence is stronger than anything Mann has come up against so far, he has proven to have the ability to put in a massive performance.

Matthew Dufty ($7,450)

Despite a heavy win for the Dragons last week, Dufty had minimal impact on the contest. He ended the game with just 66 metres from eleven runs and one tackle break, but he did manage to assist on a try. Given his price tag and his massive ceiling, he’s still a great option and there is every chance he outscores the more expensive options.

The Line Up

FR-F: Korbin Sims ($9,900)

FR-F: Herman Ese’ese ($8,300)

HOOK: Kodi Nikorima ($9,650)

2R-F: Matt Gillett ($16,650)

2R-F: Alex Glenn ($10,300)

C: Tautau Moga ($11,300)

HALF: Gareth Widdop ($12,600)

W/FB: Kurt Mann ($12,000)

W/FB: Matthew Dufty ($7,450)

Salary Remaining: $1,850