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Writer's pictureJonathan Turner

GameDay Squad Rugby League - Round 5 Team To Beat

Join us as JT puts on his general manager cap and selects his dream team going into round 5 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.


Herbie Farnworth, Dylan Edwards and keaon Koloamatangi ahead of round 5 of the NRL

Winger/Fullbacks (WFB)


Dylan Edwards' gold GameDay Squad player card

Dylan Edwards

Penrith Panthers (Average 66, Round 4 Rank – 2nd, Overall Rank – 2nd)

Verses Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra

Friday at 6pm AEST

Edwards was outstanding against the Eels in round four and deserves to be ranked second overall. He averages 250 running metres and 8.5 tackle busts a game, that’s 50 points. What makes this even more impressive is that he has achieved these numbers against the Broncos, Rabbitohs and Eels. With the Raiders on deck this week, we may see him continue clocking up a lot of running metres and tackle breaks. He may even get a few more attacking stats. If he continues this form, you will often see him making my team to beat. I have him scoring 55+ points this week.


Tom Trbojevic's legend GameDay Squad player card

Tom Trbojevic

Manly Sea Eagles (Average 57, Round 4 Rank – 15th, Overall Rank – 5th)

Verses Knights at Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee

Saturday at 3pm AEST

Turbo had a solid outing in a tight affair against the Bunnies and was able to show that he can still put up a decent fantasy score against good opposition. With the Knights allowing an average 41 points to opposition fullbacks, I’m expecting Turbo to show his class and provide fantasy coaches with some great fantasy production this week. I have him scoring 60+ points.


Lachlan Miller's gold GameDay Squad player card

Lachlan Miller

Newcastle Knights (Average 61, Round 4 Rank – 3rd, Overall Rank – 3rd)

Verses Sea Eagles at Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee

Saturday at 3pm AEST

In the last two rounds, Miller has really burst onto the scene with scores of 70 and 80 and become fantasy relevant. He showed promise in a small sample size at the Sharks, and he looks to be the real deal after moving to the Knights. Like Edwards, he offers 40+ points each week in running metres and tackle busts. Now that he has the goal kicking duties, Miller offers even more upside. The match up against the Sea Eagles isn’t the best as they have only allowed an average of 34 points to fullbacks this season. However, Miller has proven that he can score well whether the Knights win or lose. I have him scoring 50+ points this week.


Centres (CTR)


Katoni Staggs' bronze GameDay Squad player card

Kotoni Staggs

Brisbane Broncos (Average 42, Round 4 Rank – 5th, Overall Rank – 7th)

Verses Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday at 7:35pm AEST

Staggs is flying at the moment in the Broncos backline. The Wests Tigers are only allowing 30 points per game to centres this season, but this doesn’t concern me. I have a feeling the Broncos are going to win by 20+ points. If this comes to fruition, we may see a lot of decent fantasy scores coming out of the Broncos backline. I have him scoring 45+ points.


Herbie Farnworth's platinum GameDay Squad player card

Herbie Farnworth

Brisbane Broncos (Average 51, Round 4 Rank – 7th, Overall Rank – 2nd)

Verses Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday at 7:35pm AEST

Farnworth has been the number one centre for me this season. His lowest score is 42 and that’s great for the hardest position to navigate in fantasy. He is providing 30 points per game through base stats and with a great matchup this week, Herbie will be joining his centre partner Staggs in my team to beat this week. I have him scoring 45+ points.



Halves (HLF)


Nathan Cleary's diamond GameDay Squad player card

Nathan Cleary

Penrith Panthers (Average 57, Round 4 – 2nd, Overall Rank – 6th)

Verses Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra

Friday at 6pm AEST

Like Hynes, Cleary is set and forget. He scored 84 points last week and looked back to his fantasy best. With the ceiling he offers, he won’t be missing selection in my team to beat any time soon. I have him scoring 60+ points.


Nicho Hynes' legend GameDay Squad player card

Nicho Hynes

Cronulla Sharks (Average 107, Round 4 – 1st, Overall Rank – 1st)

Verses Warriors at PointsBet Stadium, Sydney

Sunday at 6:05pm AEST

What a 72-minute performance by Nico in his return game. It seems like he hasn’t missed a beat from last season. He won’t be scoring 100+ points every week but I wouldn’t be surprised if he does it more than once this season. Nico is an auto pick for me every week for the foreseeable future. I have him scoring 65+ points.


Edge Forwards (EDG)


Zac Hosking's platinum GameDay Squad player card

Zac Hosking

Penrith Panthers (Average 98, Round 4 Rank – 1st, Overall Rank – 1st)

Verses Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra

Friday at 6pm AEST

How good was this man last Thursday! He probably won’t be scoring 98 points every week but with scoring 65 points of these in base, Hosking is an auto pick for me. Hopefully we see him earn himself a regular starting spot as his game is much more fantasy relevant than Martins or Garners. If Hosking does surpass Garner in the pecking order, just note that he will likely play on the left edge outside Luai and not on the right outside Cleary. While he is outside Cleary, it’s wheels up for me. I have him scoring 60+ points.


Keaon Koloamatangi's platinum GameDay Squad player card

Keaon Koloamatangi

South Sydney Rabbitohs (Average 57, Round 4 Rank – 16th, Overall Rank – 2nd)

Verses Storm at Accor Stadium, Sydney

Friday at 8pm AEST

Koloamatangi just edges out Papali’i for the second edge spot in my team to beat this week. The only reason I have Koloamatangi slightly ahead is because he only has a season low of 52 points compared to 30 for Papali’i. I would rather have a good player on a good team, compared to a good player on a bad team. Also, the Storm have allowed four tries in down the right edge compared to one by the Broncos. We may see Koloamatangi cross for his third try of the season, if the Bunnies continue to attack down the right. I have him scoring 55+ points this week.



Middle Forwards (MID)


Cameron Murray's bronze GameDay Squad player card

Cameron Murray

South Sydney Rabbitohs (Average 51, Round 4 Rank – 12th, Overall – 13th)

Verses Storm at Accor Stadium, Sydney

Friday at 8pm AEST

So far this season Murray hasn’t lived up to my expectations. I believe he is at his best when he doesn’t play the full 80 minutes but due to the injuries in the Bunnies forward pack, he has been shouldering a heavy workload. He hasn’t offered much in attack this season and is only providing fantasy coaches with 7.5 points per game in attack. The Storm have looked a bit underdone this season and we may see Murray have an uptick on attack. In my opinion, Murray remains one of the elite MIDs in fantasy and provides the upside of scoring 75+ points. I have him scoring 60+ points this week.


Payne Haas' silver GameDay Squad player card

Payne Hass

Brisbane Broncos (Average 64, Round 4 Rank – 6th, Overall Rank – 3rd)

Verses Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday at 7:35pm AEST

Haas has made my team to beat every week. He is averaging 61 minutes per game this season and with scoring over one PPM, what else can you ask for in a MID forward. If you think the Broncos will put on a big score against the winless Wests Tigers this week, Haas may be given more rest than usual. Even taking this into consideration, Haas is an auto pick for me this week. I have him scoring 60+ points his week.


Isaah Yeo's gold GameDay Squad player card


Isaah Yeo

Penrith Panthers (Average 64, Round 4 Rank – 6th, Overall Rank – 2nd)

Verses Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra

Friday at 6pm AEST

Yeo has a very similar fantasy skill set to the likes of Murray. He is averaging 60+ points per week in running metres and tackles alone. Imagine what he can do when he chalks up some attacking stats. This week I’m expecting him to continue his work horse role through the middle and add to his attacking stats in a favorable matchup against the Raiders. I have him scoring 60+ points this week.


Hooker (HOK)


Harry Grant's diamond GameDay Squad player card

Harry Grant

Melbourne Storm (Average 61, Round 4 Rank – 4th, Overall Rank – 1st)

Verses Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, Sydney

Friday at 8pm AEST

There is only 4 points per game that splits Grant, Cook and Robson. Grant gets my vote as the top hooker again this week as he has been the most consistent of these three. Will this be the week that we see who the top hooker moving forward will be? Grant already has this tag in my book but it’s going to be great seeing him go up against Cook. I have him scoring 60+ points. Fringe players that just missed out on the starting 13:

Reuben Garrick WFB – Manly Sea Eagles

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow WFB – Dolphins

Valentine Holmes CTR - North Queensland Cowboys

Adam Reynolds HLF - Brisbane Broncos

Isaah Papali’i EDG – Wests Tigers

Patrick Carrigan MID - Brisbane Broncos

Joseph Tapine MID - Canberra Raiders

Damien Cook HOK - South Sydney Rabbitohs


 



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