The 5 top trade baits of 2015
My ‘Trade-Bait’ candidates are players who I expect to perform well early in the season, but for one reason or another expect to tail off as the season goes on.
Reasons can range from Origin, to injury, to rule interpretations or contract issues.
These are all players I’d love to have in my squad come Round 1, but would definitely consider trying to flip when I expect their value to peak.
Paul Gallen:
Most keen NRLCEO players are now keenly aware that Paul Gallen is injury prone and not getting any younger. This may see him slip a little in some drafts as everyone looks for safer picks.
Gallen barely plays, but when he does he is something special. I’d rate Gallen as a player who will look amazing in the first few rounds of the Sharks redemption season as he looks to lead the club forward. He is the ideal ‘trade bait’ candidate and should be quickly traded before your rivals remember State of Origin and his apparent disdain for club football are things.
Shaun Fensom:
Shaun Fensom is a great NRLCEO player is you like watching a bloke get 70 involvements with dick-all metres. You’ll hear all sorts (including our very own Commish) bang on about how great he is, but the end of the day despite his gaudy tackling numbers he is worth about 4 points a week (albeit consistently). Fensom has failed to finish a season in recent memory with the punishment he puts his body through with all that defence catching up with him about round 18. He is a great pickup in that he is never in the Rep conversation and will be available through origin, but he is rarely there come NRLCEO finals time. If you draft him, trade him before his body breaks down.
James Segeyaro:
Early indications are that the ruck is going to be heavily policed this season to the great benefit of dummy half runners. Segeyaro is one of the best at this and should be an NRLCEO points machine early in the season. Whilst he likely retains some longer term value, I’d anticipate once the policing of the ruck dies down come round 5 the early superman-like numbers I am predicting go with it. NRLCEO coaches can gamble that he keeps it up or extract trade value whilst they can.
Trent Merrin:
Despite being an absolute Workhorse machine who actually provides quality impact on a football field, Merrin’s minutes were on the decline late last season. He only managed 5 workhorses in his 9 appearances last year after a rampaging start. The Dragons aren’t competing for anything this year and if Merrin does sign elsewhere I wouldn’t be surprised to see his minutes (and fantasy value) plummet.
Dale Finucane:
Finucane is both a great late-round draft stash and a Trade Bait candidate. If Cameron Smith misses early time as predicted, Ryan Hinchcliffe likely moves to hooker, freeing up more minutes in the Storm back-row. Whilst I think Finucane remains a strong candidate for workhorses all year, his involvement numbers are likely to drop off once Smith returns. NRLCEO coaches should be attentive to his numbers over the first couple of weeks and if he isn’t clearing 40 by a wide margin flip him to an unsuspecting rival.
Ryan
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