Join us as JT puts on his general manager cap and selects his dream team going into round 4 of the NRL! He'll have the entire player pool to choose from, which should make selecting 3 winger/fullbacks, 2 centres, 2 halves, 2 edge forwards, 3 middle forwards and 1 hooker weekly easy right? Please note that the round rank is based on where the player ranks within their position. The same applies for the overall rank except the rank is calculated on the players average not total points. Well, let us know who you agree with and who else you might have selected down below on all of our social channels twitter, facebook, instagram, discord.
Winger/Fullbacks (WFB)
Latrell Mitchell
South Sydney Rabbitohs (Average 61, Round 3 Rank – 12th, Overall Rank – 3rd)
Verses Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium, Sydney
Saturday at 7:35pm AEST
Latrell is a set and forget WFB for me this season. With three scores of 50+ points, what else can you ask for? He has come up against three of the best teams in the NRL and with the inform Sea Eagles on deck, I have him scoring 50+ points this week.
Tom Trbojevic
Manly Sea Eagles (Average 62, Round 3 Rank – 1st, Overall Rank – 2nd)
Verses Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, Sydney
Saturday at 7:35pm AEST
How impressive was Turbo last week. It looked like he was back to his best and this is great for coaches that have his card. He has a tough matchup this weekend but Manly are playing well and Turbo is never far from the action. Like many of the top WFBs, Turbo can pull a 25+ point attacking play out of nowhere against any opposition. As we saw last week, he has a very high ceiling, and this is what we want to see as fantasy coaches. If he can score 50+ points this week, he will be an auto pick moving forward. I have him scoring 50+ points.
Reece Walsh
Brisbane Broncos (Average 56, Round 3 Rank – 14th, Overall Rank – 7th)
Verses Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday at 8pm AEST
How electric has Walsh looked in a Broncos jersey. He hasn’t had to do too much defensively but on attack, he’s almost been unstoppable. I think Walsh will continue to show his attacking prowess against the Dolphins and I wouldn’t be surprised if he crosses for a try or two. He has fitted seamlessly in the Broncos spine and his combination with Ezra Mam has been first class. Broncos fans must be excited for this season and the future with these young guns in their side. I have him scoring 50+ points this week.
Centres (CTR)
Kotoni Staggs
Brisbane Broncos (Average 37, Round 3 Rank – 2nd, Overall Rank – 13th)
Verses Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday at 8pm AEST
Staggs had his best game of the season against the Dragons, and he looked to be back to his best. It was a tossup between Staggs and Herbie for me this week as I think the Broncos should win the battle of Brisbane convincingly. I went for Staggs because the Broncos looked to favor the right edge more with Corey Oates being out injured. If they continue to favor the right edge, we may see some big scores from Staggs in the coming weeks against favorable opposition. I have him scoring 45+ points.
Valentine Holmes
North Queensland Cowboys (Average 53, Round 3 Rank – 5th, Overall Rank 2nd)
Verses Titans at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Saturday at 5:30pm AEST
Holmes has been one of the inform centres this season and averages over 50 points. It’s hard not to look past him this week. The Cowboys were upset by the Warriors last week and I hope this gives them the wakeup call they need to kick start their season. I believe this Cowboys team has plenty of points in them and we may just see their attack into gear this week. The Titans have allowed 33 points a game over their last two matches and with Holmes being the Cowboys kicker, this may mean more shots at goal. I have him scoring 45+ points.
Halves (HLF)
Nathan Cleary
Penrith Panthers (Average 50, Round 3 – bye, Overall Rank – 8th)
Verses Eels at CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Thursday at 8pm AEST
Cleary is back after having a week off and I’m hoping he has put his quiet start to the season behind him. The Panthers have looked a little clunky so far this season and this has been reflected in Cleary’s scores. Given Cleary’s fantasy pedigree, he has just edged out the inform Adam Reynolds to start in my team to beat this week. With the ceiling Cleary offers, I don’t want to be caught out not starting him. I have him scoring 60+ points.
Nicho Hynes
Cronulla Sharks (First game of the season)
Verses Dragons at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
Sunday at 6:15pm AEST
Finally last year’s Dally M Medal winner returns to fantasy. How good is it to have him back! Even though it's his first game back for the season, Hynes is an auto pick for me. Especially after we saw the score Adam Reynolds got against the Dragons last weekend. Hynes was last year’s top fantasy player and he only had one score less than 45 points. In his two matches against the Dragons last year, he scored 92 and 93 points. He may be a little slow out the blocks but with him being named to start, the Sharks must be confident that he is close to 100%. I have him scoring 60+ points.
Edge Forwards (EDG)
J’maine Hopgood
Parramatta Eels (Average 57, Round 3 Rank – 32nd, Overall Rank – 2nd)
Verses Panthers at CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Thursday at 8pm AEST
Hopgood had an off game last week and spent some time on the sideline after rolling his ankle. He is named to start again at lock, and I think he will be raring to go against his old club. He should once again make 40+ tackles and run for around 150 metres, this works out to be 55 points. With this sort of base, he will remain in my team to beat for the foreseeable future. With Ryan Matterson returning from suspension this week, Hopgood’s role is a little uncertain moving forward. Even with Matterson back, I’ll still be starting Hopgood because of his early season form. I have him scoring 60+ points.
Keaon Koloamatangi
South Sydney Rabbitohs (Average 62, Round 3 Rank – 1st, Overall Rank – 1st)
Verses Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium, Sydney
Saturday at 7:35pm AEST
Koloamatangi is having a breakout season and deserves to have the best points average of any edge forward. He has scored 45+ points in base in every game this year and with this consistency, it gives me the confidence to start him this week. There are more explosive players in the edge position, but they haven’t really hit their straps this season. Because of this, his consistency, and his attacking upside, Koloamatangi deservedly gets the call up to my team to beat this week. I have him scoring 55+ points this week.
Middle Forwards (MID)
Cameron Murray
South Sydney Rabbitohs (Average 54, Round 3 Rank – 3rd, Overall Rank – 8th)
Verses Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium, Sydney
Saturday at 7:35pm AEST
Murray started off slowly in the opening two rounds but last week he showed us why he was the top MID in fantasy last year. One slight concern I have are his minutes, as they haven’t been consistent this year. Hopefully he can be on the field for 70+ minutes against a good Sea Eagles team. Because of the ceiling he offers I can’t see him not making my team to beat every week. I have him scoring 60+ points this week.
Payne Hass
Brisbane Broncos (Average 65, Round 3 Rank – 2nd, Over Rank – 1st)
Verses Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Friday at 8pm AEST
Like Murray, Haas is an auto pick every week. Last week he sat on the pine longer than I liked but man was he devastating when he came back on with 10 minutes to go. Off the back of two of his rampaging runs, the Broncos dotted over for a couple of tries and were able to make a close game into a blowout win. Hopefully he can do more of the same this weekend and I can’t see any reason why he can’t. I have him scoring 60+ points his week.
Tohu Harris
New Zealand Warriors (Average 62, Round 3 Rank – 13th, Overall Rank – 3rd)
Verses Bulldogs at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Sunday at 2pm AEST
Harris has been great this season and with the Warriors first game back in Auckland, I’m expecting him to lead by example. His tackle count has been off the charts this season and he has made 152 tackles with only 4 missed tackles. That’s 50 points right there! I’m not sure if can continue with this sort of tackle count for the entire season but I believe he can achieve it this weekend. Tohu should again run for around 140 metres and this, together with his tackles, provides him with a great base for a MID.
Hooker (HOK)
Harry Grant
Melbourne Storm (Average 69, Round 3 Rank – 2nd, Overall Rank – 1st)
Verses Tigers at AAMI Park, Melbourne
Friday at 5pm AEST
Even though the Storm haven’t seemed themselves over the last couple of games, Grant has still been very impressive. With Munster back this week and Hughes out due to suspension, I can’t really see any change to Grant’s fantasy production. His attacking production may even improve against the Wests Tigers who sit in last place on the NRL ladder. I have him scoring 65+ points. Fringe players that just missed out on the starting 13. Reuben Garrick WFB – Sea Eagles
Dylan Edwards WFB – Panthers
Herbie Farnworth CTR - Broncos
Adam Reynolds HLF - Broncos
David Fifita EDG - Titans
Patrick Carrigan MID - Broncos
Joseph Tapine MID - Raiders
Reece Robson HOK - Cowboys