NRL $5,000+ Storm v Eels Line-Up

The Storm have lost just four matches all season, and haven’t lost one in the last seven games they’ve played. In fact, the last time they lost was way back in round eighteen, when they lost to none other than the Parramatta Eels – their opponent this week. The Eels will get plenty of confidence from that game, which was right in the middle of their current streak of nine wins from their last ten games. Take that result with a grain of salt, though, because the Storm were missing all their stars to Origin, so expect a much improved performance from them this Saturday.

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

Front Row Forward

Daniel Alvaro ($11,900)

Alvaro has been a big reason for the Eels’ late season charge, with his production through the middle matching some of the best props in the competition. In the last six weeks, he’s averaging over 37 tackles and is running 108.3 metres per game as well. This has led to a Draftstars average of 55.7 points per game in this time – better than more expensive options such as Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona ($9,750)

Asofa-Solomona is really starting to dominate first-grade after showing plenty of signs earlier in his career. His massive frame makes him so tough to bring to ground, which allows him to gain plenty of metres, break tackles and get off the offload when possible. He’s run over 170 metres in two of the last three weeks, and he was great when these two teams met in round eighteen. He ended up with 67.1 Draftstars points on the back of 131 metres, 28 tackles, seven tackle breaks and two offloads. Clearly the Eels have trouble stopping this man, so lock him in at a cheap price.

Hooker

Cameron King ($9,850)

King has retained his spot despite Kaysa Pritchard being named on extended benches for the last few weeks. This is largely due to his impeccable defensive work rate which has seen him accumulate 47 tackles per game in the last five weeks. King is always working to ensure he’s involved in the game as much as possible defensively, and this allows him to rack up numbers that belie his price tag.

Second Row Forward

Tepai Moeroa ($12,200)

After being reduced to just 31 minutes against the Broncos, Moeroa picked up where he left off against the Rabbitohs, ending the game with 36 tackles and 115 metres. The right side combination of Moeroa, Mitchell Moses and Michael Jennings has proven to be crucial for Parra, with plenty of attack being generated on that side of the park. Moeroa’s uncomplicated brand of play should translate beautifully to finals and should allow him to approximate the scoring of some of the more expensive guys.

Felise Kaufusi ($11,200)

Kaufusi has been a standout for Melbourne this season, staking a claim to be one of the most improved players in the competition. His defensive work has been consistently good, with his average of 33.5 tackles per game being a testament to that. It’s in attack that he’s made strides though, scoring an impressive eight tries this season, including one last week against the Raiders. His running on the right edge will be crucial in deciding this one.

Centre

Will Chambers ($9,750)

Chambers comes into this contest at almost $2k cheaper than Michael Jennings despite averaging just 0.2 points less per game this season. Immediately, that screams value. Chambers is a big game player, there’s no doubt about it. In Origin this season, he was one of Queensland’s best, racking up massive metre totals and looking dangerous in attack. He’s now had plenty of experience in finals, Origin and Tests, so expect a cool head under pressure and plenty of impact from Chambers.

Half

Corey Norman ($11,350)

Norman’s composure in the halves has been crucial to the Eels recent success, with his decision making and kicking game going up a level this season. His running game and instinctual play has always been strong, but he is really rounding out his game nicely with pinpoint accuracy on his passing and kicking. If the Eels are to have a shot at defeating the Storm, Norman will have to be firing on all cylinders, which means he will be looking to be involved in as much action as possible.

Wing/Fullback

Billy Slater ($12,300)

Slater is a great option in this contest due to his incredible ability to turn his game up a notch in the big matches. Whether it’s breaking the line with his devastating footwork or setting up his teammates with pinpoint passing, Slater has every trick in the book and he will be using them all against the Eels. If it’s a close game, you can guarantee that Billy will be wanting the ball in his hands in the clutch moments and if it’s a blowout, there’s every chance that he will have contributed with a try or two. It’s a win-win.

Josh Addo-Carr ($11,450)

With Vunivalu and Radradra in ridiculous form in recent weeks, their prices have skyrocketed to the point where it becomes a risk to select them. The last thing you want to be doing is blowing $15k on a winger who doesn’t score a try and ends up costing you most of your budget on a subpar score. Addo-Carr is a nice alternative; he’s a guy with the ability to pile on huge scores (such as 66.4 points against the Bunnies) and he is the second cheapest option in his position.

The Line Up

FR-F: Daniel Alvaro ($11,900)

FR-F: Nelson Asofa-Solomona ($9,750)

HOOK: Cameron King ($9,850)

2R-F: Tepai Moeroa ($12,200)

2R-F: Felise Kaufusi ($11,200)

C: Will Chambers ($9,750)

HALF: Corey Norman ($11,350)

W/FB: Billy Slater ($12,300)

W/FB: Josh Addo-Carr ($11,450)

Salary Remaining: $250