Predicted Line Up
1. Scott Drinkwater, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu , 3. Will Chambers, 4. Curtis Scott, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Brodie Croft, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Joe Stimson, 13. Dale Finucane. Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Christian Welch, 16. Kenny Bromwich, 17. Tui Kamikamica.
Key Player
Cameron Smith – With Cronk and Slater gone, the leadership will now rest solely on the shoulders of Smith.
One to Watch
Nelson Asofa-Solamona – Big Nelson is a man mountain and when he gets running, he’s impossible to bring down.
Rising Star
Scott Drinkwater – This kid is a huge talent. He was way too good for the QLD ISP last season, ranking 2nd for tries (17), 1st for line breaks (21), 1st for tackle breaks (seven per game), 1st for try assists (24) and 5th for hit ups (304). Slater’s #1 jersey is his to lose.
Predicted Top Try Scorer
Suliasi Vunivalu (18)
Goal kickers
1. Cameron Smith, 2. Joe Stimson, 3. Cameron Munster
SuperCoach
The Guns
Cameron Munster ($548,500 | FLB/5/8) – Munster had a poor 2018 for his standards, and still averaged 59 PPG. With a solid base and a huge upside, Munster is one of the top 5/8 options to start the season.
The PODs
Dale Finucane ($432,900 | 2RF/FRF) – Now free from injury, Finucane could return to being a 60-65 minute lock this season. Historically, when Finucane does this, he is a consistent performer who can roll out 55-65 point performances week in week out.
The Cheapies
Scott Drinkwater ($219,400 | FLB) – As mentioned above, Drinkwater tore up the QLD ISP last season, with 17 tries and 24 try assists in 22 games. On his first debut last season, he scored 67 points, and if he can nab the #1 jersey at the Storm, he’s a genuine SuperCoach option.
Joe Stimson ($352,900 | 2RF) – Ok, Stimson isn’t a cheapie, but he is a cash cow. He is priced at only a 38 average, but when starting last season on an edge, he averaged 53 PPG. Surely a full-time starter in 2019, Stimson is set for a huge price rise over the opening stages of the season.
Avoid
Cameron Smith ($594,400 | HOK) – Last season, Smith’s PPM dropped from 0.99 to 0.83, and this saw his average drop to 64 PPG. If you take out his insane form run from rounds 12-17, Smith’s season average drops by 10 points, to a poor 54.6 PPG. We’re definitely not writing him off as a SuperCoach asset, but we could be witnessing the decline of Cameron Smith.