NRL Fantasy

We kick off Friday night NRL with the Bulldogs hosting the Warriors at Accor Stadium, with the Warriors looking to snap their three-game losing streak against a Bulldogs team that has looked much better the past fortnight.

Then, the main event kicks off, as the Panthers take on the Roosters in Penrith, in a clash of two premiership heavyweights. In what could be a brutal contest with two of the most physical forward packs in the NRL, where will we find the value for our DFS teams this week?

Draftstars has numerous contests this Friday night, with the biggest being a $10,000 prize pool in the Panthers vs Roosters contest. Don’t forget the $8,000 prize pool for the Bulldogs vs Warriors contest and the $5,000 prize pool for both Friday Night matchups. Whatever your style, there’s a contest for you this Friday night, so let’s dive in and find some value selections.

Draftstars

Team News

The Bulldogs receive a massive boost, with Josh Addo-Carr returning on the wing, replacing Declan Casey. The only other change sees prop Sam Hughes dropped for Harrison Edwards, who joins the bench.

The Warriors have made a raft of changes, starting with Edward Kosi (knee) missing out. Marcelo Montoya shifts to the wing, with Rocco Berry named at centre. Ronald Volkman has been named at five eighth, with Dylan Walker dropping to the bench, as Josh Curran is promoted to start with Jackson Ford out. No other changes.

The Panthers have named an unchanged team from their victory over the Warriors last week. Liam Martin looks likely to again miss out, named amongst the reserves. If he plays, I’d expect Lindsay Smith to drop out.

Finally, the Roosters lose Egan Butcher (concussion), with Angus Crichton promoted to start on the edge. Fletcher Baker joins the bench in the only other change to the squad.

Betting Markets

Canterbury Bulldogs ($2.00) vs New Zealand Warriors ($1.80)

Points total – 41.5 points

Penrith Panthers ($1.50) vs Sydney Roosters ($2.60)

Points total – 37.5 points

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Overview

Despite their strong start to the season, the Warriors now sit on the outside looking in for a top 8 spot. Their three straight losses see them in 11th, 2 points out of the 8. This week, they get a side whose form is on the upswing, however they’ve hard a far easier draw. The Warriors get a huge drop in level of opponent here, and should win this game if they are serious about a finals spot come seasons end.

The Panthers have had the wood over the Roosters since 2019, and I don’t see it changing here. Whilst I wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers win comfortably, I expect a tight battle for the majority of this matchup, with minimal points scored. Should be a hell of a forward battle, and I’m looking forward to it. Panthers 22-14.

Love It – Stephen Crichton - $13,340

Crichton has been in tremendous form over the past 3 weeks, as he pushes for a spot in the NSW Blues backline. This week he will match up against Suaalii, who has been floundering the past couple of weeks. Crichton always seems to step up against the big teams, and I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Crichton cross the line for a try or two in this one. Even if he can’t manage a try, Crichton has shown over the past couple of weeks that he can still score 40+ in base statistics. An easy choice for me this week. If you aren’t a fan of Crichton, consider Brian To’o on the wing.

Shaun Johnson - $22,630

Two of the best halfbacks in DFS are available in this slate, and realistically you can’t go wrong with either SJ or Cleary. Both are averaging over 71 this season, with Johnson a slight discount on the monstrous $24,000 price tag on Cleary. I’ve made the decision to prefer Johnson in this situation, as I am predicting a far more open contest between the Warriors and Bulldogs, with more points being scored. With more points, there will be more opportunities for Johnson not only to be involved in attacking plays, but also to kick goals, a crucial part to Johnson and Cleary’s appeal in DFS.

Love It – Tohu Harris - $18,660

Ok, so the downside to Harris is obvious, he is a walking injury report who is always a chance of not finishing a game. So, we are selecting Harris in the hope he can play the entire 80 minutes. In games Harris has managed to not be carted from the field this season, he has averaged 62 points per game, only slightly down on the average of Isaiah Yeo (64.8). There are some fantastic options in the forwards in this slate, with Addin Fonua-Blake in tremendous form, the aforementioned Yeo being like a metronome, and Jacob Preston scoring tries for fun. But I’ll take Harris and be confident if he gets through the game, he will serve me well.

Hate It – James Tedesco - $17,400

Tedesco is still priced as a premium option at outside back, currently the second most expensive OB in this slate. Tedesco is not worth this outlay, despite his years of dominance in DFS. With a high score this season of 57.6, and only two scores above 50, you simply cannot outlay this amount of capital on a player with such a small upside. Contrast his form with the number 1 OB in this slate Dylan Edwards, and I know where I’d prefer to spend premium dollars on an outside back. Added to all this, Tedesco gets to face the Panthers, who are the number 1 defensive team in the competition. Pass.

Hate It – Addin Fonua-Blake - $20,850

The most expensive forward in this slate, and the one in the best form, this could come back to bite me. However, a deeper dive into AFBs recent numbers shows it may not be sustainable. In the past 3 weeks, his minutes have gone through the roof, however on each occasion this was necessary due to injuries in the forward pack for the Warriors. If the Warriors can get through a game without any injury concerns, then AFBs minutes should revert to the mid 50’s again. With this, his points will likely revert to his average from earlier in the season. Added to this, AFB has 3 tries over the past 4 games. Whilst he is a particularly good crash play option, it’s unreasonable to believe he can score a try in 75% of games. Overpriced for mine.

Who Knows – Josh Addo-Carr - $14,590

A huge inclusion for the Bulldogs, with Josh Addo-Carr making his return from an ankle injury this week. JAC was in great form prior to the injury, averaging 48.6 points in the 4 games leading up to his injury, scoring 4 tries in that time period. If he can pick up where he left off, he’s a decent price ($14,590), however there’s a chance he’s not quite 100% with that ankle injury, and if that’s the case he might struggle to hit top gear. I much prefer two Panther players at the same price point (Crichton and To’o); however, you never know what this man can do.

Draftstars Suggested Lineup

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