TCT SuperCoach: Your Weekly Guide to Surviving the Season

(League Code: 704791)

Round 8 delivered yet another monster scoring week, and it’s quickly becoming clear that these huge totals aren’t a one-off. With the increased number of six-again calls keeping the game fast and chaotic, SuperCoach points are flowing at a ridiculous rate.

A huge congratulations to Lincoln’s side, The G.O.A.T, which topped the TCT league this week with a brilliant 1,667 points. At the top of the standings, Michael’s THUNDERMACHINE still holds first place, but the gap is tightening fast. After a quieter week by his standards, the lead has been cut down to just 22 points, setting up a cracking race in the rounds ahead.

My Team

I posted 1,515 points this round, and after saying I needed some big performances to avoid falling behind, I’ve responded by averaging 1,500 points across the last three rounds. That’s the exact type of big scores I needed, which has pushed my rank up to 4,490 (top 3%), which I’m very happy with.

It was another strong scoring week across the board, with six 100+ scores doing the heavy lifting. However, it wasn’t without its setbacks. Injuries hurt in a big way, most notably Noah Martin (29 points) and Brandon Smith (10 points), both of whom had their games cut short and left points on the table.

As for my trades, it was a bit of a mixed bag. Bringing in Nicho Hynes via the flex for Tommy Turbo couldn’t have gone much better, with Nicho cruising to 113 points with ease. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Brandon Smith trade. Like many coaches, I brought him in for Reed Mahoney, only for him to re-injure the same calf issue that plagued his start to the season. That one stings.

For my captaincy, I placed the VC on Hynes, and while 113 is a great score, I always felt that I’d only loop something closer to 150 given how big I thought James Tedesco could go. Teddy ended up scoring 108 points. While this is a brilliant captaincy score, it felt slightly underwhelming given how big I expected him to go.

Round 8 Review

Let’s break down the key SuperCoach takeaways from Round 8:

Premium Guns

Dylan Edwards (FLB – $771k – 151 points):

A hat-trick from Edwards and he just keeps delivering. His involvement in attacking stats this season has gone to another level. Now averaging 85.6 points per game and sitting in just 8% of teams, he’s proving to be a serious POD at the premium end.

Tallis Duncan (2RF – $708.1k – 147 points):

Duncan is absolutely flying. He’s now averaging 89.4 points across his last five games, all of which have come in 80-minute roles. A spectacular hat-trick last round against the Storm highlighted his attacking potential. However, the concern for those looking to buy is timing. Souths face a tricky Origin period schedule, and if Duncan maintains this form, he could very well find himself in the Blues mix, which complicates things for potential buyers. Owners, though, will be sitting very pretty.

Tallis Duncan dominated Cameron Munster!

Alex Twal (2RF/FRF – $718.2k – 125 points):

An 80-minute masterclass from Twal, headlined by a ridiculous 89 points in base alone. That sort of workrate is elite, and it gives him one of the safest floors in the game. To top it off, he jagged a rare try assist, his first since 2018, which pushed him to a career-first 100+ score. He is simply a must-have.

Mid-Range Movers

Kayal Iro (CTW – $655.8k – 128 points):

The Sharks finally gave Iro some quality ball, and the result was a hat-trick. He’s quietly been producing strong base scores, with 45 this week. If Cronulla continue to use him like they did last season, Iro could become a serious option, especially sitting in just 8% of teams. With consistent attacking opportunities, he has all the tools to produce big scores week in, week out.

Brian To’o (CTW – $490.6k – 119 points):

Very similar story to Iro. The Panthers have heavily favoured their left edge this season, starving the right of opportunities – until last round. A shift in attack saw To’o bag a double to go with 55 in base and power. The fact Tom Jenkins didn’t cross for a try says it all about where the ball was going. If Penrith start to balance their attack more, To’o becomes an outstanding buy at this price. It also puts Paul Alamoti firmly on the radar, who produced 73 points in base and power alone against the Knights last round.

A firing Brian To’o at sub $500k would be a steal!

Sam Walker (HFB – $663.5k – 117 points):

After a slow start, Sam Walker has well and truly found his groove. He’s now averaging 100.3 points across his last three games, piling on attacking stats week after week. While he is heavily reliant on those attacking numbers, the Roosters’ upcoming run should see that continue, with games against the depleted Broncos, the Titans, the Cowboys, and a shaky Storm outfit. Owned by just 6% of teams, Sam Walker shapes as a high-upside POD, particularly as a cheaper alternative to the likes of Nicho Hynes or Adam Douehi. Sam Walker could also be a natural upgrade target from Daniel Atkinson.

Matt Dufty (FLB – $490k – 109 points):

Dufty has made an electric return to the NRL, backing up an 84 with a 109. He’s slotted seamlessly into Souths’ spine, bringing high involvement and plenty of attacking spark. With a breakeven of -56 and a favourable matchup against the Knights, he looms as a strong short-term cash grab. The risk, however, is job security. With Jye Gray expected back in the coming weeks, Dufty could find himself out of the side just as quickly.

Tom Dearden (HFB – $696.3k – 102 points):

Dearden has quietly gone under the radar, averaging 89 points across his last four games. While he has been doing well, I’d prefer Sam Walker in the mid-ranged bracket of halfbacks, who I believe has a much higher upside. To add to this, Dearden is likely to feature during Origin, which adds another layer of complexity for SuperCoach planning.

Players of Concern

Kai Pearce-Paul (2RF – $675.5k – 39 points):

After a wave of owners jumped on following his huge game against the Eels, KPP has cooled off, averaging just 55.7 points across his last three games. To make matters worse, he’ll miss this round due to concussion protocols. For owners, it’s definitely frustrating, and his price will likely reduce further, but I wouldn’t be panicking. With no Origin disruption and a bye already out of the way, he still shapes as a hold, and likely a season keeper. As a non-owner myself, I’ll be looking to pick him up at a reduced price in the coming weeks.

Jaxon Purdue (CTW/5/8 – $610.2k – 33 points):

What once looked like a set-and-forget option at 5/8 is starting to wobble. Purdue now has a three-round average of 44, which is well below what owners would’ve hoped for. The issue is the lack of a standout alternative in the position, which likely forces most owners into a hold for now. That said, a couple more scores like this and the decision may be made for you.

Owners will be hoping Jaxon Purdue finds form sooner rather than later

Braydon Trindall (5/8 – $488k – 6 points):

A score of 6 in an 80-minute performance where his side piled on 34 points. What else is there to say?

Team List Watch

• Marcelo Montoya has been shifted to the bench, with Enari Tuala coming into the starting side.
• Sitili Tuipulotu moves to the edge following Viliame Kikau’s pec injury (12 weeks).
• Zac Laybutt takes over on the wing for Murray Taulagi (concussion protocols).
• Trai Fuller is officially named in the centres, with Jake Averillo set to miss around six weeks due to a hand injury.
• As flagged by Craig Bellamy in his presser, changes have been made: Hugo Peel debuts on the wing in place of Manaia Waitere, Ativalu Lisati returns to the edge pushing Joe Chan to the bench, and Tyran Wishart replaces Jahrome Hughes (concussion protocols).
• Simi Sasagi returns but has been named on an edge — one to watch from a SuperCoach perspective. Jayden Brailey shifts to lock, with Noah Martin (ankle, 6+ weeks) and Zac Hosking (concussion protocols) both unavailable.
• Reece Walsh has been named to return at fullback for the Broncos.
• Pat Carrigan’s return from suspension sees Xavier Willison move to the edge.
• A major boost for the Knights: Kalyn Ponga returns at fullback, Bradman Best in the centres, and Dylan Lucas on the edge. Sandon Smith, Fletcher Hunt, and Francis Manuleleua all shift to the bench.
• Brandon Smith is sidelined, though his inclusion in the reserves suggests the injury may not be serious.
• Keaon Koloamatangi returns to the starting side, lining up on an edge.
• Briton Nikora is back in the starting side at a reduced price. Jesse Colquhoun shifts to the bench, while Cam McInnes is named to start at lock.
• Big changes for the Tigers: with Jahream Bula (shoulder, 3–4 weeks), Api Koroisau (3 match suspension), and Kai Pearce-Paul (concussion protocols) all out, Sunia Turuva moves to fullback, Jeral Skelton shifts to the wing, Tristan Hope starts at hooker, and Tony Sukkar comes onto the edge.

My Trades

Here’s where I’m at this week:

• Noah Martin >>> Saxon Pryke
• Daniel Atkinson >>> Sam Walker

With Noah Martin reportedly requiring surgery on both ankles, I’ll be selling him. At the moment, Saxon Pryke is the option for me. He’s a bottom-dollar cheapie at FRF who looks to have a decent bench role with the Eels, posting scores of 49 and 48 in his first two NRL games – essentially all in base. This trade frees up some much-needed cash for upgrades elsewhere, and ideally Pryke can keep producing and build some value in the process.

Daniel Atkinson simply has to go, so with the money from my above trade, I’m turning him into Sam Walker. I’ve been tossing up all week whether to trade Atkinson to Matt Dufty (via flex), but it could easily end up being a wasted move given there’s every chance he only plays one game before Jye Gray returns. Instead, Sam Walker looks like a really appealing POD at just 6% ownership, especially with a juicy run of fixtures coming up where he could genuinely go bonkers.

Captaincy

Currently, I’m leaning towards placing the VC on James Tedesco against the Broncos. While Brisbane have been playing well despite being depleted, I’m backing Teddy to continue his hot run of form in a big home matchup.

As for the captaincy, I’m weighing up a few options but am leaning towards Latrell Mitchell against the Knights. His form has been incredible, and there’s no reason this can’t continue. The only concern is that Newcastle look close to full strength, which makes me a little hesitant.

I’ll see how the week plays out, but there’s every chance that I pivot to a VC on Herbie Farnworth against the Storm and shift the captaincy onto Teddy instead.

Although I won’t be going this way and don’t own some of these players, I can definitely see the appeal in captaining a few other options:

• Scott Drinkwater vs Bulldogs
• Nicho Hynes vs Tigers
• Nathan Cleary vs Manly

I’m keen to hear your thoughts, trades, and captaincy calls – drop them below! Let’s see who nails Round 9. See you next week!

SC Adrian

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