NRL $5,000+ Roosters v Broncos Line-Up

The finals are here and they kick off with a blockbuster qualifier between the Roosters and the Broncos. The Broncos are in good form, having won eight of their last twelve matches, however their four losses have all come at the hands of top four teams, which puts into doubt how their style translates against the best of the best. With Darius Boyd and Andrew McCullough missing, their spine is radically different, so they will need a special performance from their playmakers to overcome an excellent Roosters outfit.

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $5,000+ Roosters v Broncos competition

Front Row Forward

Joe Ofahengaue ($9,900)

Ofahengaue was good in his return to first-grade last week, racking up 28 tackles without miss and running 69 metres with two tackle breaks. An injury to Korbin Sims opened up a spot for him, and an injury to Tevita Pangai Junior will only make him more crucial this week. This could result in a minutes increase, or just a few extra runs when he’s on the park – both of which would see a handy rise in his Draftstars scoring. Given the quality of Sydney’s pack, Ofahengaue will have to give the Broncos plenty of spark off the bench, through the middle of the park.

Herman Ese’ese ($8,900)

Ese’ese was the biggest beneficiary of the Korbin Sims injury, with his minutes rising to 41 against the Cowboys after he was seeing just 30 per game from rounds 22 to 25. He was solid in this time, giving Brisbane 98 metres from ten runs and making 27/27 tackles. Scoring for Ese’ese is basically linear with the minutes he plays, so with the Broncos starved for middle forwards, he should once again see plenty of minutes and score well.

Hooker

Ben Hunt ($14,400)

Hunt played 80 minutes at hooker for the first time in his career last week, and he will be required to do this again this week due to the Broncos ever diminishing forward stocks. He handled himself well, making a solid 40/44 tackles, which he undoubtedly would be happy with given his inexperience defending through the middle. In attack he was solid but unspectacular, ending the game with a try assist and two offloads. His kicking and passing games were solid, but he still struggles to read when to run the ball out of dummy-half. However, he’s talented enough to make anything happen and he has a bigger upside than Jake Friend.

Second Row Forward

Boyd Cordner ($15,100)

Cordner is tailor-made for finals, so much so that he was rushed back for the 2013 Grand Final after breaking his ankle late in the season. The Blues’ captain has had another consistent season this year, with his hard running always pressuring the defence and creating opportunities for his backline. His leadership and finals experience will be pivotal for a young Sydney team this Friday, so you can be sure that Cordner will be involved in plenty of the action.

Alex Glenn ($12,250)

Glenn has been a pillar of consistency for Brisbane this year, playing heavy minutes and rarely making a mistake. Usually his combination of solid runs and plenty of tackles makes him a solid contributor in Draftstars, but recently he’s been even better thanks to a handy try-scoring streak. He scored a double against the Dragons and followed it up with another against the Eels, which allowed him to take his scoring to new heights. In finals football, tries are hard to come by, but Glenn’s ability to do the dirty work makes him a fantastic option nonetheless.

Centre

James Roberts ($11,350)

Roberts hasn’t been at his best in the last few weeks, but he showed some promising signs against the Cowboys. He ended the game with a try, a try assist, three tackle breaks and two offloads in a more than handy performance. At his best, Jimmy the Jet is a frightening beast due to his incredible speed and footwork. The Roosters’ left edge defence will have to be at their very best to contain him, as his ball running can change the course of the game in one run.

Half

Benji Marshall ($8,200)

After playing half a game due to Darius Boyd’s injury last week, Benji will return to the starting line-up for just the fifth time this season. In his four previous starts, he has averaged 41.55 Draftstars points, which makes him great value at just over $8k. His big game experience will be crucial to the Broncos given their reshuffled backline, and it was clear that his cool head and kicking game were desperately needed last week. Marshall is clearly good value given he’s almost half the price of guys like Pearce, Milford and Hunt, so lock him in and spend the extra cash elsewhere.

Wing/Fullback

Latrell Mitchell ($11,000)

Similarly to James Roberts, Mitchell is a guy that can change the course of a game with a single break. He hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, and this was highlighted with an error-ridden game against the Titans. However, finals are a different ball game and Mitchell has risen to every challenge thrown at him so far in his young career. He’s one of the most prolific try scorers in the league, so don’t be surprised if he’s a catalyst in a potential Roosters victory.

Kodi Nikorima ($8,900)

After copping plenty of criticism for his performances in recent weeks, Nikorima bounced back to produce one of his better games last week. He started in the halves but moved to fullback at half time, where he looked surprisingly comfortable. He ended the game with two try assists, two line breaks and five tackle breaks in a fantastic offensive performance. Mitchell Pearce and Luke Keary will undoubtedly target him with plenty of high balls, so if Nikorima can keep his head, he should see a boost to his running metres as well.

The Line Up

FR-F: Joe Ofahengaue ($9,900)

FR-F: Herman Ese’ese ($8,900)

HOOK: Ben Hunt ($14,400)

2R-F: Boyd Cordner ($15,100)

2R-F: Alex Glenn ($12,250)

C: James Roberts ($11,350)

HALF: Benji Marshall ($8,200)

W/FB: Latrell Mitchell ($11,000)

W/FB: Kodi Nikorima ($8,900)

Salary Remaining: $0