It looks like Teddy is back to his best, but can he continue this form? Can we play Josh Papali’i as a POD? Should we consider Reed Mahoney as a starter? These are some of the questions that will be answered in the round 22 preview of buy, sell and hold. It’s essential to keep in mind that GameDay Squad is a dynasty fantasy football platform and that will be heavily taken into consideration in this article. Let us know your thoughts on who we have included below on all of our socials - twitter, facebook, instagram, discord.
BUY!
James Tedesco
Sydney Roosters - Winger/Fullback (WFB)
It looks like Teddy is back to his best and the Roosters need him to be if they have any chance of making it to the finals. Teddy has only played 6 games for the Roosters since round 12 but has averaged 67 points, this includes a score of 8 in round 17. This makes him one of the inform WFBs in GDS. With the inform Broncos up next in Brisbane, the Roosters might have their work cut out for them. However, since round 12 the Broncos have allowed an average of 60 points to fullbacks. They are currently one of the better match ups for fullbacks and this may come as a surprise to a lot of GDS coaches. If you don’t have Teddy yet, I believe he’s a buy. This would be a play for now and the future as he plays Origin. His card is quite valuable in the Origin competition as well as the NRL.
Cameron Murray
South Sydney Rabbitohs - Middle-Forward (MID)
Murray hasn’t lived up to a lot of coaches’ expectations this season following a terrific 2022 season. Over his last three games he’s averaged a solid 54 points at a PPM 0.82. I believe this PPM will either stay as it is or increase as the season continues. The only concern for me is the minutes he will be on the field for. Ideally, he will be on the field for around 70 minutes, but the Bunnies do have a relatively easy draw for the remainder of the regular season. With this being the case, Murray may spend more time on the pine at the back end of the game, if the Bunnies have the game well under control. In saying this, he is a dynamic lock forward that runs great lines and can put teammates through the opposition's defensive line. In these weaker match ups, he offers great attacking upside even if he might not be on the field for as long as we like. He is still a buy for me as it looks like many coaches are undervaluing him on the TM at the moment.
SELL
Joseph Suaalii
Sydney Roosters - Winger/Fullback (WFB)
Suaalii is a huge sell coming off the back of a season high 68 points. The only reason for this is his departure to rugby union at the end of the season. Many GDS coaches know this, but he may be able to be sold or traded. It really depends on other coaches' needs at WFB for the remainder of the season. The value he holds at this moment may not get any higher. However, we do know that all transitions to rugby union don’t always work out and we might see him back in the NRL in the future. He is contracted to the ARU until the end of 2027. If you are willing to take the chance on holding the 19-year-old talent, you might be waiting a while for a possible NRL return. If he was to return to the NRL at the end of his ARU contract, he would only be 24 years old and likely still to be a great asset for any squad.
Josh Papali’i
Canberra Raiders - Middle-Forward (MID)
Like Suaalii, Papail’i’s value in GDS might not be any higher than it is right now. The 31 year old is currently in his 13th season at the Raiders and nearing the end of his career. He is contracted to the Raiders until the end of the 2024 season but after his last few performances, the time to sell might be now. Excluding the round 17 game when he was injured early, his average since round 13 has been 55 points. That’s 13 more than his season average. He currently ranks as the 21st MID in GDS based on average points but he is a better player than this indicates in my opinion. He has been a great servant to fantasy coaches over the years but if you don’t want his card as a collectible in the near future, I’d be taking what value I can get from him now as he does still hold some name value.
HOLD...
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Melbourne Storm - Middle-Forward (MID)
NAS is going to miss this weekend’s match against the Eels due to injury, but he is a hold. He is not one of the elite MIDs in GDS but holds value in buy rounds and can be a solid POD option any week. He is a risky POD but if you are looking for a player who can offer a very high ceiling, NAS might be your man. He is a huge man with great ball skills that can break multiple tackles on any run. If your squad lacks depth in the MIDs, you might be able to find some good deals for him on the TM.
Reed Mahoney
Canterbury Bulldogs - Hooker (HOK)
After changing clubs, this season has been a roller coaster for Mahoney. Last season he was the 7th ranked hooker in GDS with an average of 36 points. This season he has dropped to the 10th ranked hooker with an average of 37 points. This season demerits have the name of his game, and he has been losing an average of 22 points a game through these. Over the last three games he has improved in the demerit department and has only been losing 15 points a game through them. It’s not pretty reading but with the Bulldogs getting healthier, hopefully they can be stronger defensively through the middle. If this does happen, we should see his missed tackle count drop. I won’t be starting him at this stage but in a favorable matchup this week against the Dolphins, I’ll be watching him to see if his defensive and attacking game improves. The Bulldogs should be better on attack with Kikau returning from injury. Mahoney may be able to pick up his running game off the back of some of Kikau barn storming runs. With the choice of hooker being a lottery at the moment, Mahoney may become a starting option down the line and is a hold for now.