NRL $5,000+ Saturday Line-Up

Four top eight teams will play this Saturday, with a blockbuster Manly vs St George game headlining the action. With plenty of controversy surrounding the Tigers’ big four, the Cowboys will be looking to put in an assertive performance to solidify their top four position. Add to this the plucky Titans coming up against the Raiders and you have an exciting pool of talent to pick your Draftstars team from!

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

Front Row Forward

Jason Taumalolo ($15,100)

Against the Bunnies last week, Taumalolo picked up where he left off prior to his two suspension. His score of 56.70 might have been his lowest this season, but it was mainly due to his minutes being reduced from 70 and 78 in the first two rounds to 56, which was roughly the amount he played last year. With Ethan Lowe demonstrating an ability to play lock and the continued development of Coen Hess, it seems likely that Taumalolo will continue to play 50-60 minutes a game. Don’t let this stop you from picking him though, as his running game and tackle breaking give him an enormous upside.

Jarrod Wallace ($9,900)

Wallace has been a rock for the Titans amidst the raft of injuries that have derailed their season. His Draftstars scoring has reflected his consistency, with Wallace scoring between 42.20 and 57.80 points in all five games and laying between 34 and 43 tackles. The consistency in his numbers has come from his consistent minute load, with Wallace playing at least 63 minutes in each game. His minutes won’t change any time soon with the injury crisis on the Gold Coast and is especially impressive considering this is his first year starting full-time.

Hooker

Cameron McInnes ($15,100)

With the lack of decent options at dummy-half, it may pay dividends to fork out the cash for the reliability of McInnes. Whilst McInnes sometimes forces his forwards into tough situations due to his tendency to take his time before passing, his tackling numbers are second to only Andrew McCullough which results in some massive scores. Considering he is the only option consistently playing 80 minutes and producing such impressive tackling numbers, McInnes is worth the extra money.

Second Row Forward

Tyson Frizell ($13,550)

Frizell has played the full 80 minutes in the last two rounds after his workload fluctuated over the first four rounds. With Origin spots on the line, Frizell hasn’t been afraid to throw his weight around, especially with the Dragons asking him to carry the ball more in the last few games. On the defensive end, he’s been solid as well, consistently laying tackles when teams attack his edge. Expect another solid performance from Frizell, who will be relied upon to stand up in a big match against Manly.

Curtis Sironen ($8,250)

After a slow start to the season, Sironen has really found his feet on the Northern Beaches, with two standout performances in the last two rounds. The big back-rower has been carrying the ball more in recent weeks, with his 13 carries last week seeing him gain 149 metres. Sironen (and Frank Winterstein) will face a tough test against Frizell and Joel Thompson, but based on their performance last week against the Roosters’ second-row pairing of Boyd Cordner and Mitch Aubusson, there is no reason to believe they won’t produce similar output.

Centre

Jarrod Croker ($13,550)

Croker is the barometer for the Raiders; when he plays well, they generally win. He’s scored in both of the two wins he’s played in this season, whilst he gets an obvious uptick in high-scoring games due to his goal kicking. The Raiders will be looking to stamp their authority on the lowly Titans in their quest for the finals and if the result is a blowout, Croker will undoubtedly be the pick of the centres available.

Half

Ben Hampton ($5,000)

Hampton will get his first start for the season in place of Jake Granville who is out with a broken leg. Hampton has been scoring at just under 0.5 points per minute in a utility role off the bench, which has seen him spend time in the backline as well as at hooker. With Kalyn Ponga taking over his utility role and being more suited to the backline, Hampton should take over Granville’s workload of roughly 60 minutes, which will see him score at least 30 points. Assuming his tackle numbers get a boost as well, Hampton may even crack the 40s. If you prefer the likes of Cherry-Evans or Thurston, Hampton is available at hooker as well.

Wing/Fullback

Jordan Rapana ($13,950)

Rapana is practically a must-have this round due to his incredible scoring spree so far this year. His ability to fill up the attacking stats is second-to-none in this matchup, with Rapana having found the try line four times this year whilst also picking up three assists. His role as a ball runner has seen him gain impressive metres and he remains one of the best in the league at busting tackles. Against the lowly Titans, there is every chance that he is the highest scoring player in this contest.

Nick Cotric ($5,000)

We’re loading up on Canberra backs this week, with Cotric joining Croker and Rapana in our team for this contest. Whilst his price tag is appealing, his on-field performances have been so impressive that he almost picks himself. Cotric has recorded at least four tackles breaks in every game and with the Raiders looking to play wider through Josh Papalii and Elliott Whitehead in the back-row, Cotric has found himself being used as a ball runner more often. Don’t be surprised if he finds the try line in the potential blowout victory for Canberra.

The Line Up

FR-F: Jason Taumalolo ($15,100)

FR-F: Jarrod Wallace ($9,900)

HOOK: Cameron McInnes ($15,100)

2R-F: Tyson Frizell ($13,550)

2R-F: Curtis Sironen ($8,250)

C: Jarrod Croker ($13,550)

HALF: Ben Hampton ($5,000)

W/FB: Jordan Rapana ($13,950)

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

Salary Remaining: $600