Swaps and Trades
It’s that time of the year again when trade and recruitment windows are closing and the 25 players in your squad are all you have for the impending finals campaign.
It’s time to jettison those players that served you well over the Origin and Bye period, but were never likely to retain their spot once the stars returned.
That is, unless you play in a Dynasty League.
Dynasty, or Keeper Leagues allow you to keep some or all of your players for the next season, giving players a team ‘identity’ within your league, and gives your fantasy team a closer resemblance to an actual club.
This means that in addition to you having to speculate as to which players will get you through the finals this year, you have to try and guess which players will star the following year.
Some of those random guys who filled in and did your team proud, are likely to shine at a different club next season – so do you take the risk and carry their deadweight throughout your finals series? Hard to say.
Hands up if your league has a bloke who makes seven changes to his squad every week, recklessly recruiting every newly named nuffy. I know I have about 2 or 3 transient spots in my squad where players are disposable.
Because I play in a Dynasty League, I have hung onto, and continue to hang onto players who have been ruled out for the season. In addition, our league limits the amount of player changes to 25. This means that I have to be somewhat cautious as to who I cut and keep. Somewhat – not entirely cautious. It averages out to be just over one change a week, so it allows you to gamble a little.
But now, it is the pointy end of the season, and we need to make some very important decisions, and ask ourselves some very important questions.
* Does Darius Boyd’s check-in to a mental health facility means that he has checked-out of footy for the year – or forever?
* Is Young Tonumaipea’s first grade career at the Storm over (pending injury)?
* Does Wayne Bennett’s move to the Broncos mean that Brisbane players should be more highly considered to retain for next year?
* Are the players injured for the rest of the year worth keeping in my squad for next year?
* Will the Brisbane players Reed, Oates, and Vidot redeem themselves and make it back into the starting squad?
* Are Penrith the real deal, and can they continue their success?
* Will Manly-Warringah’s in-fighting and uncertainty derail their season, and what does that mean for their players?
*Is Ben Barba deadweight?
*Sezer and Henry are close to a return for the Titans, will they be rushed back in, and whom will they replace?
There are players (especially front rowers) who start for their club, but because they don’t get big enough stats, languish on the free list. Now may just be the time to pick up one or two – just in case you need blokes to round out your squad. You never know when they might barge over for a try.
Then, there are fringe players that look like they could retain their spot in the first grade like, Nene MacDonald, Dylan Napa, Jake Granville, DWZ, Moses Mbye, Pat O’Hanlon, James Hasson, Sausao Sue, Adam Quinlan, Charly Runciman, and Matt Allwood. They are all potential starters – some even are. All they need is for that one key player to go down injured and they’re in. They get their shot and prove their worth and all of a sudden, they’re their club’s first choice starting player.
But whom do you gamble on…
Ladies and Gentlemen: it’s now Round 20. The finals are imminent. Time to place your bets.
Round 20
Welp – the Coin of Destiny™ was apparently a one-round-deal. It tipped far more losers than winners last week, so to hell with the coin, the Crystal Ballboy is back on deck to foretell this week’s winners.
Knights v Roosters
Round 19’s #RiseForAlex round was a #FailForNewcastle as they couldn’t even beat an average Titans team IN NEWCASTLE. Does anyone actually think they can be competitive against a good team like the Roosters.
Sydney’s backs will run rampant, and Newcastle’s forwards will have to get through a Herculean-like work rate. Clydesdale is a lock for a workhorse try, and Willie Mason will go as close as he ever has this year. Beau Scott is a good chance as well.
I’m predicting a cricket score for the Roosters. No Darius, no Gidley, no chance.
If the Knights can win, this will dethrone any Cronulla win and will be the upset of the year. #ReRiseForAlex?
Broncos v Storm
Coach Griffin is gone at the end of the year, but there is no doubt the rest of this season will go towards his resume for his next club, so you can guarantee that he will be wanting the Bronc’s to be firing on all cylinders.
Melbourne were convincing, but unimpressive in their defeat of Canberra. The Storm give me no reason to assume they are legitimate contenders this year, and if Brisbane take it to them tonight, they can certainly win.
My Crystal Steeden tells me that Melbourne’s forwards will get through a lot of work, and several will score Workhorse Tries.
Hunt v Cronk will certainly be a major battle to this match, and they will be brilliant with the boot and ball. I’m finding it hard to separate both the teams. But because Griffin seems to be fairly well liked amongst his team, I’m predicting that the Queenslanders put in an emotional effort to get them across the line tonight.
Panthers v Sharks
Hey – the Sharkies have gained another new sponsor! Good for them. There’s a lot to like about Cronulla – for next year. They have some potential, but it is no avail until they gain some stability. Getting Gallen back will help, getting their coach back next year will help even further.
But that doesn’t help them this week.
Penrith will be smarting from last round’s defeat, and despite being the home team at Bathurst, they should beat the Sharks.
Michael Lichaa has been a find for NRLCEOs this year, and I foresee that he will get himself involved enough to score a Workhorse Try again. Moylan is an absolute superstar, and will again shine, and the return of Wallace to the Panthers’ halves will ensure that their backs score several tries.
Titans v Eels
Despite the Titans being considered ‘battlers’ for 2014, they’re still a strong possibility of making the finals. However, if they are to be legitimate finals contenders, this is a must-win match against the Eels.
If Parramatta were playing at home, I’d predict that they would win easily. Because they’re at the Gold Coast, I’m predicting that they’ll win, but much much less easily.
The Titans will take the fight to them, and their forwards will get through a great deal of work. Play them if you have them! Earlier in the year I predicted that Paul Carter would be a NRLCEO star. At the moment he isn’t getting the minutes to get him over the Workhorse line, but as soon as he does, he will. So many in the Titans pack are tackling machines, meaning someone has to miss out. Bailey and Minichiello will have to retire some day (you’d assume!) and when they do, it will be blokes like Carter that will step up.
The Eels’ Moeroa will also be a future superstar. Though that could happen sooner rather than later.
Parra to win. Just.
Bulldogs v Cowboys
The Cowboys FINALLY managed to get an away win last week, but that was against last placed Cronulla. So it’s hard to imagine that they can do it two weeks in a row, especially against third placed Canterbury-Bankstown.
North Queensland aren’t a terrible team, but the monkey remains firmly stuck to their back. It makes you wonder, that without the talent that is Thurston, would they be a spoon contender?
The Dogs were a last start shock loser to a Tigers team that blew them out of the park. There is no way in hell that the Dogs will let that happen two weeks in a row.
Jackson back in the pack should strengthen the forwards, and at least 3 of them will score workhorse tries, despite their backline scoring tries as well.
The Cowboys are starting to look a little ragged, and their forwards will have to perform out of their shells to stay in the match.
Warriors v Sea-Eagles
Manly are on the verge of disarray. The Crystal Steeden predicts that the Warriors will get the win on Sunday, and the Sea Eagles will snap. BAM!
For one, we have all seen how much more dominant NZ are at Mt Smart. Secondly, the Warriors are essentially at full strength. Thirdly, Manly are not. Their team is slowly coming back in dribs and drabs, but until Glenn Stewart is back, they’ll always be incomplete.
Shaun Johnson is going from strength to strength, and I see no reason for that trend not to continue. The NZ backs are really heating up, and the trys could come from anywhere – so play them if you have them.
Tigers v Dragons
Oooh… Benji is playing his old club! Who cares.
If the two teams from last week showed up again, the Tigers would thrash the Dragons – a complete reversal from Round 1.
Benji was very suspect in defence last week as the Sea Eagles ran in several tries on his side of the field. So I don’t foresee the match-up that promoters would be hoping for.
The Tigers’ backs have been a revelation of late (except Chris Lawrence who is just abysmal this season) and there is every chance that they can exploit Benji’s dodgy defence.
But, if Mary has had the boys watching the tape, they’ll see that their tackling was lax, and will tighten up out wide. This should be a relatively high scoring and close affair, but I’m predicting that while the focus is on Marshall, Widdop will be too much for the Tigers.
Raiders v Rabbitohs
As the Moneyball guys discussed earlier this week, the Rabbitohs are starting to look like big pretenders. Their arguments will be further strengthened by a loss the Raiders.
Sydney has been fairly cold lately, with the mercury dropping below 10 regularly. This is in contrast to Canberra where it is actually cold, and the thermometer rarely gets above 13 in the middle of the day, and the nights are dipping down to -4! The Rabbits are f#%@ed!
The Canberra forwards will lay a decent platform, but I’m yet to drink the Raiders backline kool-aid. For mine, Milford and Robinson have shown potential, and there is a lot of talk about them, but I’m yet to see any true consistent form from them.
Inglis is the real gamebreaker here. If he plays well, Souths win. If not, the Green Machine gets the points.
South Sydney are the better team. They have the better players, better coach, more ability, and more talent. But Canberra love to upset a team on a Monday night. Any other day, at any other time, at any other stadium, you give the win to the Rabbitohs without thinking. But I’m not so certain.
If I were a gambling man, I’d take the Raiders/Rabbitohs halftime/fulltime double.
The Crystal Ballboy
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