K2G
18-12-13, 04:12 PM
From Couriermail website (http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-supercoach-offseason-study-guide-gold-coast-titans-essential-over-rep-period/story-fniabrr8-1226785835256)
DESPITE offering few options over opening rounds, the Titans loom as an essential SuperCoach team later in the season due to their great bye schedule.
Along with the Roosters, Rabbitohs and Bulldogs, the Gold Coast feature arguably the best bye schedule in the competition, with both byes (rounds 12 and 16) falling on easy weeks.
Non-Origin Titans with half-decent averages will therefore be prime buys over the representative period, with Jamal Idris, Dave Taylor and Aidan Sezer at the top of the list.
Conversely, Origin players from the Titans miss five of eight weeks over the rep season, ruling out Nate Myles and Greg Bird as SuperCoach buys.
BEST OF THE PLAYER MOVEMENT
In: Maurice Blair (Storm), Paul Carter (Bulldogs), Christian Hazard (Rabbitohs), Siuatonga Likiliki (Knights), Kalifa Faifai Loa (Cowboys)
Out: Marmin Barba (Broncos), Hymel Hunt (Melbourne Storm), Luke O'Dwyer (retired), Mark O'Dare (Sea Eagles), Jordan Rankin (Hull), Matthew Russell (Warrington)
New contracts: Albert Kelly (2015), Luke Bailey (2014), Greg Bird (2017), Ashley Harrison (2015), Mark Ioane (2015)
Future to be decided: Jordan Atkins, Beau Henry, Anthony Don, Jahrome Hughes, Sam Irwin
A genuine lack of quality player movement will mean the Titans feature very few SuperCoach opportunities from round one. A predicted top 17 for 2014 (see below) features just one new face in former Storm centre Maurice Blair, who will start expensive following a great end to 2013. SuperCoaches will therefore be forced to wait for the rep season to load up on Titans.
PREDICTED BEST 17:
William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Jamal Idris, Maurice Blair, David Mead, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Bailey, Matt Srama, Luke Douglas, Nate Myles, Greg Bird, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: David Taylor, Ryan James, Beau Falloon, Mark Minichiello
BARGAIN BASEMENT: CHEAPIE ANALYSIS
The Titans may have produced one of the cheapies of the season in Albert Kelly last year, but there is literally nothing to get excited about this year. The lack of player movement means cheapie slots are unlikely to open unless there are mass injuries. Kelly will start at an expensive price following his breakthrough season, while Gold Coast's best Holden Cup player, Hymel Hunt, has been poached by the Storm.
SLEEPING GIANT
Dave Taylor:
The Gold Coast man mountain produced a poor 2013, but could step it up in 2014 based on past SuperCoach performances. Taylor averaged just 57 last year, way down on his 79 from 2012, 69 from 2011 and 64 from 2010. While he is a risk for round one given inconsistency, Taylor is a definite option over the bye period - provided misses out on Queensland selection (which is likely given the emergence of Josh Papalii, Matt Gillett etc.)
KEEPER
Jamal Idris:
Idris was Gold Coast's best-performing player last year, averaging 62 before going down with a broken leg. He is a risk for round one given he's backing up from a career year, but will be a definite option over the byes, hopefully at a reduced price.
Aidan Sezer:
The young five-eighth averaged 60 last year, which doesn't quite place him among the elite SuperCoach playmakers. But with great base stats due to his dead-eye goalkicking, Sezer is a steady option over the byes.
NO GO ZONE: PLAYERS TO AVOID
Nate Myles and Greg Bird:
The back row duo are undoubtedly great players, but their SuperCoach averages don't quite place them among the best forwards in the game (55 for Myles, 60 for Bird). And with a poor bye schedule that will see them miss five of eight matches over the Origin period, neither will be an option in 2014.
DESPITE offering few options over opening rounds, the Titans loom as an essential SuperCoach team later in the season due to their great bye schedule.
Along with the Roosters, Rabbitohs and Bulldogs, the Gold Coast feature arguably the best bye schedule in the competition, with both byes (rounds 12 and 16) falling on easy weeks.
Non-Origin Titans with half-decent averages will therefore be prime buys over the representative period, with Jamal Idris, Dave Taylor and Aidan Sezer at the top of the list.
Conversely, Origin players from the Titans miss five of eight weeks over the rep season, ruling out Nate Myles and Greg Bird as SuperCoach buys.
BEST OF THE PLAYER MOVEMENT
In: Maurice Blair (Storm), Paul Carter (Bulldogs), Christian Hazard (Rabbitohs), Siuatonga Likiliki (Knights), Kalifa Faifai Loa (Cowboys)
Out: Marmin Barba (Broncos), Hymel Hunt (Melbourne Storm), Luke O'Dwyer (retired), Mark O'Dare (Sea Eagles), Jordan Rankin (Hull), Matthew Russell (Warrington)
New contracts: Albert Kelly (2015), Luke Bailey (2014), Greg Bird (2017), Ashley Harrison (2015), Mark Ioane (2015)
Future to be decided: Jordan Atkins, Beau Henry, Anthony Don, Jahrome Hughes, Sam Irwin
A genuine lack of quality player movement will mean the Titans feature very few SuperCoach opportunities from round one. A predicted top 17 for 2014 (see below) features just one new face in former Storm centre Maurice Blair, who will start expensive following a great end to 2013. SuperCoaches will therefore be forced to wait for the rep season to load up on Titans.
PREDICTED BEST 17:
William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Jamal Idris, Maurice Blair, David Mead, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Bailey, Matt Srama, Luke Douglas, Nate Myles, Greg Bird, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: David Taylor, Ryan James, Beau Falloon, Mark Minichiello
BARGAIN BASEMENT: CHEAPIE ANALYSIS
The Titans may have produced one of the cheapies of the season in Albert Kelly last year, but there is literally nothing to get excited about this year. The lack of player movement means cheapie slots are unlikely to open unless there are mass injuries. Kelly will start at an expensive price following his breakthrough season, while Gold Coast's best Holden Cup player, Hymel Hunt, has been poached by the Storm.
SLEEPING GIANT
Dave Taylor:
The Gold Coast man mountain produced a poor 2013, but could step it up in 2014 based on past SuperCoach performances. Taylor averaged just 57 last year, way down on his 79 from 2012, 69 from 2011 and 64 from 2010. While he is a risk for round one given inconsistency, Taylor is a definite option over the bye period - provided misses out on Queensland selection (which is likely given the emergence of Josh Papalii, Matt Gillett etc.)
KEEPER
Jamal Idris:
Idris was Gold Coast's best-performing player last year, averaging 62 before going down with a broken leg. He is a risk for round one given he's backing up from a career year, but will be a definite option over the byes, hopefully at a reduced price.
Aidan Sezer:
The young five-eighth averaged 60 last year, which doesn't quite place him among the elite SuperCoach playmakers. But with great base stats due to his dead-eye goalkicking, Sezer is a steady option over the byes.
NO GO ZONE: PLAYERS TO AVOID
Nate Myles and Greg Bird:
The back row duo are undoubtedly great players, but their SuperCoach averages don't quite place them among the best forwards in the game (55 for Myles, 60 for Bird). And with a poor bye schedule that will see them miss five of eight matches over the Origin period, neither will be an option in 2014.