Trade Talk: Keep or Sweep?
Welcome to another edition of Trade Talk.
Have you been busy in the trade market? Or are you holding back because you’re just not sure when to pull the trigger?
Follow the Doctor’s advice, or he’ll stalk you on Twitter.
The Doctor will see you now…
Players to Trade In
Jamie Buhrer
Yes, I know what I said last week. No I don’t care what you think!
Buhrer got my wake-up call and returned to form with a strong 52 involvements in a loss to the Panthers. The reason I liked Buhrer in the first place is he is the only NRL-level forward in a sorry Manly pack and it seems Geoff Toovey might be realising this too.
Buhrer has been a dud and part-time coaches might have soured on him to give him up a little too cheaply. He is worth at least a subtle enquiry.
Waqa Blake
This one is simple – Idris is done for the year and the Panthers are a finals-quality team once their injury crisis is resolved. If Blake is a free agent in your league, nab him now. Tall and athletic you won’t regret having him in your side. Blake is also likely to play on the left with Mansour and you know the Panthers are going to try their hand down that edge.
Lachlan Coote
Lachlan Coote has started to show glimpses of form at fullback for the Cowboys. North Queensland look like a team on the march and with each game Coote is looking better and better.
Watching last week, Coote was constantly sniffing around as a support runner. With a dominant pack like the Cowboys have, and the games classiest half in Thurston, I expect his numbers to pick up in coming weeks. His price should be low and for now he is only a backup fullback for now, but Coote has potential. Get him while you can.
Jake Trbojevic
Jake Turbo (above left and looking nothing like his brother Tom; right) has been Manly’s best forward so far this year after debuting off the bench in round 2. He is working his way into the starting side and has seen his minutes increase each week.
Turbo has scored workhorses in two of his last three matches, and I only see him improving.
He is still a relative unknown and may be a free-agent in some leagues, but otherwise I suggest putting in some nibbling offers. I can’t see his numbers going backwards given the ineptitude of the rest of Manly’s forwards and the club’s need to look to the future.
Players to Trade Out
Curtis Rona
Rona was the leading tryscorer coming into last weekend and still sits in second place with eight tries in the seven games he has played.
So why am I down on Rona? The Bulldogs are missing Brett Morris, who is their main attacking weapon and their halves aren’t playing with any particular flair. Josh Morris, Rona’s inside man who had rediscovered some form for the first time in two years, is also under an injury cloud.
I don’t think Rona looks any more attractive to Rivals at any stage this year and trading him now may be trading him at his peak value.
Peta Hiku
Peta Hiku has two tries through seven rounds, after scoring seventeen last year. This is a poor return for a player I expected another strong performance from this year.
Hiku generally plays on the wing outside Jamie Lyon, who is aging, injury prone and down on form which limits opportunities. For now though, Hiku is playing fullback whilst Brett Stewart is out. He has never developed a strong attacking game from fullback and I’d be surprised to see him even score this week.
Luke Douglas
Douglas has been an NRLCEO stalwart this year, scoring workhorses in five of his six appearances. He is still a player I’m happy to have in my squad, but his numbers have been down the past two weeks. He has recorded 26 & 40 involvements in the last two weeks after averaging 50 through the first four rounds.
Douglas still holds value as he won’t play Origin and should score big numbers when Myles and Bird leave town for camp, but he does have some risk now that he didn’t look to have a fortnight ago. Consider trading him if you can get a strong return.
Luke Keary
Keary is the most overrated player in the NRL. Why anyone gives a hoot about his Origin eligibility is beyond me.
In NRLCEO terms, Keary has managed one measly point in the last four weeks. This is despite having the opportunity to be the lead playmaker with Reynolds out last week.
If you have any Souths fans in your league, try and offload Keary before they too wake up to how ineffective he is.
Ryan
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