Welcome to part three of our positional previews. Today we will be going over the projected top five hookers (HOK). Each position will be broken down into three tiers, Guns, Mr Reliable and Dark Horse. The projected ranks provided for these players will be based on projected fantasy points per game.
Guns
Everyone in this tier should be able to average 55+ points.
Damien Cook - Rabbitohs
Projected 2023 Rank 1
Last year Cook was the number one hooker in fantasy and this year he keeps that spot in my rankings. He is always a threat from dummy half and arguably the best hooker in the game at the moment. Cook has shown his durability over the last five seasons and averages 24 games a season, this doesn’t include rep duties. Now entering his 11th season in first grade, he is no longer a young man and turns 32 this year. I don’t believe that we will see a decline in his performances due to age though. I have Cook projected to average 58-62 points per game this season. He is likely to have Origin duties once again.
Things to consider from the 2022 season.
· Averaged 77 run metres, 44 tackles and 1.3 missed tackles a game. This comes to 48 points in base per game.
· Averaged 16.5 points per game in attack. This was up on his 2021 average of 13.5 points per game.
· Averaged 5 points more per game against teams that didn’t make the finals.
The Bunnies have a horrific start to the season with four of their first five games against the Sharks, Panthers, Roosters and Storm. Cook isn’t too dependent on matchups as he has such a good base but don’t be surprised if his scores are slightly down over the first five weeks.
Cook is a must-start. Yes, he may not be the top-performing hooker each week but his consistency over the past five seasons can’t be argued with.
Harry Grant - Storm
Projected 2023 Rank 2
Prior to the 2022 season, there were questions surrounding how many minutes Grant would have with Brandon Smith at the Storm. From the outset, he was used as an 80-minute hooker and averaged 76 minutes a game. This season without Smith in the picture we are likely to see the minutes increase for Grant and that may just be worth another point or two per game. If anyone is to take the number one ranked fantasy crown off Cook, it is Grant. He might have a chance too if his tackle count increases and his missed tackle count decreases. Going by the 2021 numbers he has the upper hand over Cook in kicking metres, running metres and most attacking categories. Durability has been a concern and has only averaged 17 games a season over the last three years. Grant is likely to be the Maroon's number 9 again in 2023 and we may see him given some rest as the season goes on.
Things to consider from the 2022 season.
· Averaged 92 run metres, 40 tackles, 3.6 missed tackles and 70 kicking metres a game. This comes to 41 points in base per game.
· Averaged 18 points per game in attack. His numbers were basically the same as the 2021 season.
· Averaged 5 points more per game against teams that didn’t make the finals.
The Storm have a tough start to the season against the Eels before three more favourable matches against the Bulldogs, Titans and Wests Tigers. Like Cook, Grant isn’t too dependent on matchups. One thing to monitor will be his missed tackle count. Last year he missed 4+ tackles on seven occasions, six of these games were against teams that made the finals.
Grant will be a must-start for a lot of teams this year. If you do have him and Robson, Robson may have the odd week where he has a more favourable match-up. If you are concerned about Grant’s demerits, Robson may be your preferred starter every now and then.
Mr Reliable
Reece Robson - Cowboys
Projected 2023 Rank 3
Robson is the only player in this tier for me based on last year’s fantasy production. Other players may fall into this tier as the season goes on. Last season Robson had a career year in fantasy and averaged 49 points in a much-improved Cowboys outfit. Robson won the starting hooker role last season and from round 6 onwards, he was an 80-minute hooker in every game except on two occasions. In the 19 games he played as an 80-minute hooker, he averaged 55 points. Jake Granville was often lurking in the interchange and that may happen again this season. This shouldn’t be a concern as he didn’t really eat into Robson’s minutes from round 6 onwards. I’m projecting Robson as an 80-minute hooker and to average 53-57 points. This year, he may also be in the mix for an Origin call-up if his good form continues.
Things to consider from the 2022 season based on 70+ minute performances.
· Averaged 78 run metres, 44 tackles and 2.2 missed tackles a game. This comes to 45 points in base per game.
· Averaged 13 points per game in attack. His numbers were basically the same as the 2021 season.
· Averaged the same points per game against teams that made the finals and against teams that didn’t.
The Cowboys have one of the easiest schedules and only have 10 games this season against teams that made the finals in 2022. Going by last year’s performance, Robson is consistent across all matchups. He will either have a heavier workload in defence against strong opponents or his attacking stats go up against weaker opponents.
Robson is a must-start if you have neither Cook nor Grant. His attacking stats may receive a boost due to the schedule the Cowboys have. He should be more comfortable and confident in his role this season with the number 9 jersey secured. This season the spine for the Cowboys should remain the same, this can only be a positive for Robson’s game.
Dark Horse
All the players mentioned in this tier are fantasy-relevant players that can do a decent job for your team. If your team isn’t stacked with ‘Gun’ or ‘Mr Reliable’ players, then these players should be able to average 45+ points and do a job for you.
Blayke Brailey – Sharks
Projected 2023 Rank 4
Brailey enters the 2023 campaign off a career year in fantasy. He averaged 44 points per game and this was five points better than any other season. Brailey has the ability to be a decent fantasy contributor and may take his game to the next level this season under the guidance of Michael Innes who has signed on as the Shark's Development Manager. This will be Brailey’s fifth year in first grade and he averages 21 games a year since he debuted in 2019. The Sharks have made minimal changes to the squad for the 2023 season and this is great for Brailey as he will be running with the same spine as last year. He is an 80-minute hooker and is likely not to be required for rep duties.
Things to consider from the 2022 season.
· Averaged 42 run metres, 43 tackles and 2.4 missed tackles. This comes to 41 points in base per game.
· Averaged 8.3 points per game in attack. This was up on his 2021 average of 6.5 points per game.
· Averaged 7 points more per game against teams that made the finals.
Unlike the higher-ranked hookers, Brailey seems to be at his best against the top teams. He is more of a defensive hooker but if he can increase his attacking numbers slightly, he may become a great fantasy asset. This year he will have every opportunity to work on his attacking game as the Sharks have 14 games against teams that didn’t make the finals in 2022.
Brailey is a great young hooker in a contending team. He should be able to do a decent job for your team. I have him averaging 46-49.
Reed Mahoney – Bulldogs
Projected 2023 Rank 5
Last season Mahoney had his worst fantasy season over the last four years and only averaged 35 points per game. This year he joins the Bulldogs and I believe he has a great chance to bounce back in fantasy terms. One of the top contributors to his decrease in fantasy output was his missed tackle count. It increased from 1.8 missed tackles per game in 2021 to 3.6 in 2022, that’s 6 less points a game right there. His kicking metres also decreased from 75 per game to 42, that’s another point lost. His try assists also took a hit and went from 0.7 per game in 2021 to 0.25 in 2022. He is an 80-minute hooker and averaged 77 minutes per game last season. He should have similar game time this season but the Bulldogs have signed Fa’amanu Brown. Just keep an eye on the team list for round one to see if Brown is named in the 17 as he might steal some minutes from Mahoney. Durability isn’t really a concern as he has averaged 23 games a season over his last four. He is also likely not to be required for Origin duties this year.
Things to consider from the 2022 season.
· Averaged 31 run metres, 43 tackles, 3.6 missed tackles and 42 kicking metres a game. This comes to 37 points in base per game.
· Averaged 9.6 points per game in attack. This was down on his 2021 average of 14.5 points per game.
· Averaged 8 points more per game against teams that made the finals.
Like Brailey, Mahoney is another hooker that benefits from matchups against top teams. If Mahoney can get back to his 2021 numbers or even close to them, he should be a decent starter for your team most weeks. He was one of the bigger signings in the NRL ahead of this season and he may play a bigger role for the Bulldogs than he did at the Eels. I’m not going to say that the increase in demerits in 2022 was a blip on the radar but I do believe he can halve these numbers. He should be able to improve on his 2021 fantasy output and I have him averaging 44-47 points even though this is his first year at a new club.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the below players as they are all situational and match-up dependent. Any of them may slip into my top five from week to week.
Jayden Brailey – Newcastle Knights
Apisai Koroisau – Wests Tigers
Brandon Smith - Sydney Roosters
Josh Hodgson - Parramatta Eels