Welcome back to another Team List Tuesday recap from the Such Is Fantasy NRL SuperCoach & Fantasy Podcast. Round 3 is where the cheapie wave hits — points are up, scoring is up, and there are more cash cows on the paddock than we've seen in years. Load up five or six cheapies now and we'll be attacking points from Round 5 or 6, not Round 7 or 8. Here's every cheapie priority, every must-own, and every buy/sell/hold straight from the live show.
Cheapie Priority Order
Buy Suaalii-Fonua — $511k with a break even of minus 110. Projected for a $168,000 price rise this week. He's goal kicking now without a doubt. If you didn't start with him, you're bringing him in. Trade out Drinkwater or Ponga — not Reece Walsh.
Buy Noah Martin — Sasagi named at centre, Timoko 19th man, so Noah's 80-minute role is safe. BE of minus 103, projected $127k rise. Make it happen.
Buy Lasadi — Bloor is the risk to the 80-minute role but he's not in the squad. Another two weeks minimum out of Lasadi before minutes become a concern. $100k rise this week. Lock him in.
Watch Ryan Couchman — $235k, 80k rise incoming thanks to elevated minutes from Dragons injuries. Feels funny trusting a bench forward rotation, but he's next on the list if you want a fourth cheapie. Watch Moses Leo — $235k, fine at centre, but six cheapies is enough.
Hold Jo Chan — if you've got him, great. Wouldn't bring him in. His base is lower than Lasadi's and if the attacking upside doesn't land you're stuck with a 45. Buy Rama Howe and Fa'amanu Brown at the Titans over the Melbourne options — Hau is rebuilding and won't drop these kids.
Watch Helam Luki and Trey Mooney as mid-range cash makers — not priority ads if you don't already have them. Buy Tana Boyd as a pod halfback play if you doubled up cheapies at 7. I'm giving Sam Walker one more week — if he doesn't fire against the Panthers, he's gone to Cleary.
Raiders vs Bulldogs
Ethan Sanders is not a priority ad. If you've got Daniel Atkinson, he'll make cash off the back of a good week and some Dragons attacking stats. Noah Martin we've already locked in — Sasagi retained, Timoko out, easy call. Hudson Young in the back row can stay put, but there's nothing else relevant in the Raiders team.
The Bulldogs haven't played since Vegas and a lot has changed in fantasy since then. Six agains are up, forward scoring is up, and the back upside is massive. Buy Jacob Kiraz this week — I sat out early because of the bye, but it was Val Holmes vs Kiraz vs Cleary in my flex for the Ponga trade and I landed on Kiraz. He offloads, breaks tackles, does the work coming out the back. Jag an attacking stat and you're in for 100+.
Sell Stephen Crichton — never liked his ceiling in SuperCoach or fantasy. Hold Jacob Preston — if you started with him, well done. Huge year incoming. I also think he plays Origin for the Blues.
Roosters vs Panthers
6pm for a blockbuster — well done NRL scheduling. Connor Watson played more minutes last week (likely thanks to the Spencer Leniu warmup injury). Kyne got more minutes but still not relevant enough. Hold Sam Walker one more week. Angus Crichton needs to produce — work rate is down, I want an attacking stat. Buy Siua Wong — huge on him, especially in draft.
Reese Robson returns — not a buy, but draft players who stashed him, check your waiver. For the Panthers, Liam Martin is back which pushes Luke Garner to the bench. Buy Nathan Cleary. Sell Isaah Yeo — word is the plan all season is for him not to play 80 minutes. If he's not out there the full game he's not the second-row value we thought. Hold Brian To'o — be patient. I didn't listen to my own advice and moved to Herbie. And Casey McLean for draft players — don't sleep on him, he's classy.
Storm vs Broncos
Suaalii-Fonua is the must-own. Trent Loiero returns — check draft leagues. Hold Cameron Munster — you started with him for a reason. Watch Nick Meaney on the wing goal-kicking — a "jag", just another guy. Not selling, but I get it if you want him out. Will Warbrick — watch him this week, is he the centre we've all been missing? Hold Jahrome Hughes — be patient, the Storm attack looks great.
Broncos in "crisis" after two losses — it's media nonsense. Ignore it. Hold Reece Walsh — don't sell, VC him every night. Hold Payne Haas. Hold Pat Carrigan. Sell Xavier Savage-style bench-warmer Xavier Va'a… actually, Xavier Savage-equivalent Shiba Sark was dropped from the gameday squad entirely. Not relevant in any format.
Knights vs Warriors
Knights fan declaration up front. Don't hate the lineup though — Fletcher Hunt is the word out of the Hunter all off-season and he has his chance now that Kailyn is out. If Fletcher Sharp and Sandon Smith are your halves for this season, you'd feel alright. Not a SuperCoach buy but definitely check the waiver in draft. Hold Trey Mooney. Sell Jermaine McEwen as soon as there's a window — mid-range disappointment.
The Warriors are flying but this is a danger game — Knights have half their salary cap on the sideline, McDonald Jones Stadium, and everyone's writing them off. Expect a contest.
Buy Tana Boyd — if I had the balls I would. Go for it. Buy Jackson Ford — face tatt, scores tries, front row. Buy Leka Halasima — yes please. I can't do it because I've got to trust my back row, but if you can, do it. Draft players, check the waiver immediately — he'll be sitting in a lot of leagues.
Sharks vs Dolphins
Sharks assets worth owning: Kayal Iro and Blake Brailey. Hold Niko Hynes — if you started with him, well done. Don't rush him in right now, let him cook.
Dolphins looked horrible in their first two games — surely this is the bounceback week. Hold Herbie Farnworth — 78 just in base is ridiculous. Would love an attacking stat. Max Plath returns at hooker — base stats you'll like. Back row of Lemuelu and Fifita Kaufusi are pod plays, I wouldn't, but they're performing. Hold Thomas Flegler — I've seen him traded out of a lot of teams, just be patient and park him on your bench.
Rabbitohs vs Tigers
The Tigers look unreal. Up and about like a Knights fan. Buy Api Koroisau. Hold Adam Doueihi — base is strong, I just want to see one more week before price rises kick in (they had the Round 1 bye). Sell Terrell May — reduced minutes, stay away until they're back up. Macasini — cheapie, base of 47 last week was fantastic, still ran 17–18 times from centre. Hopefully jags an attacking stat.
Eels vs Dragons
I'd love some Dragons backline assets but it's not going to work out. Eels side: Isaiah Iongi on fire — don't hate the pod, but there are better options. Hold Jonah Pezzet — well done if you held. Might not score huge again this week with the Dragons defending steely. Kelma Tuilagi at back row — had a day out last week, don't be reactive, not sure he backs it up week in week out. Jermaine Hopgood returns — finally get to see the output we missed through the suspension.
Dragons are as advertised. Buy Val Holmes — great pickup this week, they've got a lovely run of form in the schedule. Watch Hamish Stewart and the Couchmans — I'm a fan, I just don't trust the picture. Staying away personally. Lidle returns on the bench in the 14 jumper, which means Damien Cook no longer gets 80 minutes. Watch that.
Cowboys vs Titans
Either the greatest game of rugby league ever played or the worst. Undecided. Could be 100 points or none.
Sell Scott Drinkwater — named but word is he won't play, dealing with rib cartilage. Regardless, he's a sell. He's hurt, he's laboured, he's not himself. Move before he loses more cash. Hold Helam Luki if you've got him, mid-range is doing the job — but don't trade in if you don't. Sell Reed Mahoney — get that garbage out of here. We were promised 80 minutes and 60–70 points. Hasn't materialised. Move quickly. Tommy Chester doing a great job at hooker if you own. Word is Jackson Perdue moves to fullback if Drinkwater is out — if you stashed him at 5/8, good play. Wouldn't rush to bring him in.
Titans: Jayden Campbell is on the extended bench and all reports say he plays — hopefully adds direction. Sell Tino — 46 and 49 minutes across two weeks. Not playing big minutes means not producing. Move on quickly. Buy Rama Howe, great GP. Buy Fa'amanu Brown, great GP. Hold Keanu Kinney — one or two more weeks. Looks ready to explode at any moment.
Round 3 Buy / Sell / Hold Summary
Round 3 is the cheapie cash-grab round. Lock in Suaalii-Fonua, Noah Martin and Lasadi if you don't already own them, resist the urge to run more than six cheapies, and start thinking about which guns you're bringing in from Round 5. Patience on Walker, Pongo swap to Tedesco if you're brave, and back Brailey as the zag while the competition chases Harry Grant. See you next Tuesday.
This Team List Tuesday recap is from the Such Is Fantasy NRL SuperCoach & Fantasy Podcast. Catch every episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and follow Stephen on TikTok.