NRL SuperCoach 2020 Team Preview - Newcastle Knights

Predicted Line Up

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Edrick Lee, 3. Gehamat Shibasaki, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Kurt Mann, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Mitch Barnett, 13. Tim Glasby. Interchange: 14. Connor Watson, 15. Sione Mata'utia, 16. Herman Ese'ese, 17. Aiden Guerra

Relevant Injury/Team news

Bradman Best (foot) and Starford To’a (finger) will both be fit for the trials.

Mason Lino (shoulder reconstruction) is ahead of schedule and should be ready for the trials.

Rookie Phoenix Crossland (bruised/inflamed pubic pone) is expected to be unavailable until early in the regular season.

Connor Watson has been training as a ball playing lock in pre-season, and could find himself playing there throughout the season.

Gehamat Shibasaki and Tautau Moga are battling it out for a centre position.

Goal kickers

1. Mason Lino, 2. Kalyn Ponga

The Guns

Kalyn Ponga ($634,300 | FLB) – Ponga averaged 73 when playing FLB last season, scoring 60+ points in 71% of his games. Although Ponga has a lower base (19 PPG) and lower ceiling (max score of 118) than Tedesco and Trbojevic, he makes up for it with his goal kicking so his output will be similar. Also, he costs around $100k less.

David Klemmer ($617,400 | FRF) – Klemmer has no upside, but he will get you a safe 60-70 points each week, depending on his minutes. He made 34 tackles and 17 hit ups (78% 8m+) per game last season, and this workrate makes him biggest base stat beast in SuperCoach.

The PODs

Mitch Barnett ($578,000 | 2RF) – Barnett averaged 68.1 PPG as a 70+ minute edge backrower last season. An attacking powerhouse, he scored 6 tries and provided 4 try assist in his 16 games playing 70+ minutes. Despite being an edge backrower, Barnett achieved solid base stats, averaging 48 base PPG thanks to 35 tackles per game. Scoring 50+ in 12/16 games, Barnett is a surprisingly safe option with attacking upside.

The Players of Interest

Lachlan Fitzgibbon ($443,400 | 2RF) – Fitzgibbon’s average plummeted from 58 PPG in 2017 and 62 PPG in 2018, to only 48 PPG in 2019. This can be attributed to a decline in try scoring (9 in 2018 and 5 in 2019), a drop off in base stats (44 base PPG in 2018 and 40 base PPG in 2019), and a decline in evasive stats from tackle breaks, offloads and line breaks (13 evasive PPG in 2018 and 4 evasive PPG in 2019). If he can rediscover his dangerous connection with Kalyn Ponga on the left edge, Fitzgibbon can average around 60 PPG again.

Connor Watson ($506,700 | 5/8/HOK) – Watson is reportedly training at lock in pre-season. Although it is likely he will start the season from the bench, if/when he starts at lock, Watson will become a great option. He has the defensive workrate to deliver solid base points as a forward, as he averaged 51 base PPG when playing at #9 last season. Moreover, he averaged 19 PPG from tackles breaks, offloads and line breaks when playing in the forwards last season. Pair these factors with his passing game, he could be the top averaging player in the 5/8 slot in SuperCoach.

The Cheapies

Kurt Mann ($287,100 | FLB/CTW) – Mann is reportedly leading the race to wear the #6 jersey. If this occurs, Mann will be a great cheapie option. His average base PPG when playing 5/8 over the last 2 seasons is 34, meaning that he will only need an attacking stat to push him up to a score around 60.

Phoenix Crossland ($184,900 | 5/8) – Crossland is injured and when he returns, will face stiff competition from Kurt Mann and Mason Lino for the #6 jersey. He might have to bide his time.

Tautau Moga ($245,400 | CTW) – With a full pre-season under his belt, we might see an improvement in Moga’s stats this season. However, he still doesn’t offer enough to be relevant.

Bradman Best ($240,700 | FLB/CTW) – Best has been locked into a starting left centre position at the Knights to start the season. Being the only confirmed cheapie starter so far, get him in!

Gehamat Shibasaki ($286,400 | CTW) – He averaged 31 PPG in base when playing at centre last season, but Mann and Best offer greater upside and security.

Avoid/Be wary of

Jayden Brailey ($424,300 | HOK) – 2019 was Brailey’s best SuperCoach season, and he only averaged 46 PPG. His PPM of 0.69 isn’t the best, so Brailey will need to be playing 80 minutes each week to be even remotely relevant. Over his career, he averages 53 PPG as an 80 minute hooker. Even then, it’s hard to make a case for Brailey given the other options at hooker.

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