Welcome back to the Such Is Fantasy Round 4 review show. Trent Robinson has been shown the door three games into a two-year extension — absolutely wild — and that's only the start of it. The Panthers look like grand finalists already, the Tigers look legit, a kid named Aramahau dropped a 116 that looked like prime Sonny Bill, and the front-row scene finally gave us some real options. Here's every game, every score that mattered, and every buy/sell/hold call straight from the pod.
Eagles vs Roosters
We all know what happened with Seibold at the end of this one — the board decided three games into a two-year extension was enough. Strange timing, but nobody's arguing it wasn't his time. Onto the SuperCoach side.
Robert Toia keeps producing (122 in SuperCoach, 61 in Fantasy) and should not be sitting on any waiver. Sua'ali'i looks unreal — 77 in SuperCoach, potentially a mid-range second row play. Connor Watson popped a 69 in Fantasy after coming on very early for Egan Butcher's HIA and never leaving the field — wait one more week to see what his real minutes look like, except in draft where he's a legitimate waiver hooker grab. Marky Mark back scoring tries (68 Fantasy). Sell Angus Crichton — work rate isn't there, 50-60 range is not getting it done. Sell Sammy Walker — this is the DCE show now; if Sammy isn't getting the bulk of the touches he shouldn't be in your team. James Tedesco produced a 46 — new owners hate it, but if you brought him in you probably have to hold and live with it. Good news: the Roosters have a bye next week, so you can get off Crichton and Sammy easily.
Seagulls Watch
Tommy Turbo managed a 76 despite two tries — typically a two-try Turbo is a ton-plus game, but Manly were awful. New owners still happy. Ola Kuatu a solid 61. And Haumole Olakau'atu produced a 44 — a lot of owners brought him in to cover the front-row carnage and were burned. Manly's front-row rotation had something like 15-16 runs for the whole match. Not a typo. Interesting to see how they roll out with Foz in the head coaching chair.
Warriors vs Tigers
Huge for Tigers fans. The Warriors looked like running away with it, then the Tigers dug in, got to half-time down 12-0, and ran away with it the other way. I had Adam Doueihi missing this match — I was wrong. He not only played, he absolutely killed it with a 112. Lesson: always check team lists 24 hours out and 90 minutes out.
Buy Alex Twal — this was the big front-row call of the week. Three options were Twal, Ulakamanu or Jackson Ford. Twal won. He's playing the first 60, working his butt off, one and two runs a set, getting the arm free, even has an offload. 97 in SuperCoach, 78 in Fantasy. Buy Kai Pierce-Paul — as a Knights fan it hurts to watch him play this well in another jumper. 90 in SuperCoach. Green Bull an 88. May is interesting but not yet — minutes and workload aren't there after an interrupted pre-season, so if you started with him look at jumping to one of the front-rowers actually producing. Horace 52, cheapie Macasini 35 with limited minutes — very talented, but the errors are there right now.
Warriors — Back Down to Earth
The high-flying Warriors got brought back to earth. Ali the Avoid an 84 — new owners very happy. Tanah Boyd continues to produce an 84. Luke Metcalf had a couple of tries for an 83. Jacob Laban a 74. Taine Tuaupiki should not be on waivers — should be in your team (a 60, not SC/Fantasy relevant yet). Watch Axel Forward (excellent forward) only 60 — base is there but we were hoping 70-plus. Kurt Capewell 47 working back into minutes. Leka Halasima just 28 — if he doesn't get the attack his base is pretty low.
Broncos vs Dolphins
This was a game. Intensity high, skill level high, ball-in-play was nuts. I don't know how it finished 26-12 — could have been 30-30 on any other night. The Broncos' scramble defence was incredible.
Buy Finnia Fuiyaku — he's your must-own moving into next week. 99 in SuperCoach, 76 in Fantasy. Yes, the Dolphins have a bye the week after next, but I'm grabbing him and sitting him. I'm not watching another week of him getting shot out of a cannon for 20 runs a match. Jermaine Osaka 111 with a couple of tries. Jacob Averillo keeps producing nice scores (66 Fantasy) — not relevant yet but ticking. Herbie Farnworth an 82 with no attack — once some attack comes, a 140 is sitting right there. Tommy Flegler 50 — that's what I meant about Jackson Ford: you'd have taken 50 from Flegler if you played him. Sell Sua Kobbo — we thought more tries outside Herbie, hasn't happened, and with the bye the week after, now is the time to move on.
The Broncos Are Back
Someone tell Goody. Kotoni Staggs a 98 — this is our house. Reece Walsh a 95 — another bloke where a 150 is not far away. Patty Carrigan 66 in Fantasy. Those are the only SC/Fantasy-relevant Broncos. Not much more to say.
Bulldogs vs Knights
Knights fan confession: we're up and about. In what world were the Knights picked bottom two with that back line, even without Ponga and Brown? Forward pack was the question — how's the forward pack travelling now? The Bulldogs looked awful. Clunky attack, pedestrian, easy to read — and that's been the story across all their matches. I'd be worried if I had Bulldogs attacking assets.
Matty Burton took matters into his own hands — 102, looked like himself. Jacob Kirizos 86 in SuperCoach — I sold him to Reece Walsh (95), so not disappointed, but take away one lucky try and that score was really a ~55. You have to be patient at centre/wing. Lachie Galvin 74 — trying hard, not happening yet. Jake Preston a 43. Shout out Sotili Tupinua — 70 after Josh Curran's HIA elevated his minutes.
Knights side: Dominic Young hat-trick — pod option for SC/Fantasy, more relevant for draft, don't leave him on waivers. 75 in Fantasy. Dylan Lucas scored a nice try and an 86 despite getting sin-binned. Big watch on Fletcher Sharp coming back from his PCL — NRL physios' Magic Sponge pod called out the high aggravation factor on PCL returns and you could see it: at one point he punched the ground after stepping awkwardly on his left leg. I'm waiting another week or two before bringing him in.
Panthers vs Eels
What a fisting. After the first three sets of six, you knew what was coming. Who's stopping the Panthers this year? Pencil them in as a grand finalist. Nathan Cleary 117 in SuperCoach, 75 in Fantasy — well done to the captains. Tommy Jenkins 122 SC, 75 Fantasy — unreal. Isaiah Yeo 76 with a try. Paul Alamoti 59. Casey McLean 71 Fantasy. Katoa 60 Fantasy. Big one: Nawaqanitawase dropped 112 and played 80 minutes — last week he didn't; if he's playing 80 he is a buy. Big, big watch on his minutes into next week.
Sell Dylan Edwards — 39. New owners won't be happy; he didn't get any of the attack that the Panthers had. Sell Brian To'o — just a 21. He's not the Brian To'o from two or three years ago when he was taking 22-23 runs a match; you can cut ties.
Eels side: Kelly 86, Sean Russell 82, Ellie Symons 77, Josh Addo-Carr 75, Dylan Walker 60 — none SC/Fantasy relevant. Jonah Pezzet a 52 — most of us had to play him this week and we'll take it, because we were all expecting a 26 flex out.
Cowboys vs Storm
How did the Storm blow this one? Drinkwater looks unbelievable again — 93. Burns 110. Jake Clifford 92. Heilum Luki 78 (got a try right at the end to elevate). Jackson Purgeu 68 — new owners in the 5/8 position, happy.
Storm side: Buy Will Warbrick — I tipped him as a waiver grab two weeks ago. 135 this week. Jerome Hughes 105 — looks great as a pod option at halfback. Hold Sua Fa'alogo — forever. He is not leaving anyone's team this year. We thought he'd make a couple of hundred grand then we'd move him on to a gun fullback. Guess what? He's become a gun fullback. Season-long keep. He came off the far side of the field at pace, hit a set play perfectly and found Warbrick for the try — just phenomenal. Harry Grant's pass to Warbrick was unreal — the Grant vs Brailey battle is well and truly on. Joe Chan 57 — cash is the point, still working back into minutes. Stefano Utoikamanu just a 49 — we were high on him through the week, not what we wanted. Cam Munster — if you started with him, don't trade out at 5/8 to Purgeu, just wait for form or Origin. Moses Leota really disappointing — the scores have been putrid since the Parra game; he's made the cash you wanted, it's time to move on. Not sure he even keeps his spot.
Sharks vs Raiders
Apology to the Sharks fans who keep telling me I'm crazy for not having them in the top eight — I know. Nothing this season had made me pause. This one did. They came out high intensity, big intent — a big game, and they got it done. Drawing the next three weeks, they need at least two wins out of three. Fantastic. Canberra are in the opposite boat at 1-3 — good young team, not converting.
Raiders: Sasagi 97, craved at centre. Xavier Savage 85. Tamele 84 — check your waiver wires. Hudson Young 79. Kale Weeks 79 — very nice. Joseph Tapine a high-score-of-the-year 69, good to see. Noah Martin — the GP, still making cash, playable every week at 62.
Buy Nico Hynes — 100. This is the move. You're either running a Cleary/Hynes or Cleary/Jerome Hughes combo at halfback (or some combination of the three) through the year. If you have Hynes in the HB1 position you've got to get to him as quickly as possible. Braden Trindall Jesus-looking good, 95. Will Kennedy popped an 80 — the most vanilla player in SuperCoach and Fantasy. Sell is the wrong word — just don't buy him. It's nothing personal, Will.
KL Iro — if you were patient, well done (67). I said to be patient. Cole Hoon grabbed a try at the end to elevate to 62. Brailey 59 — Harry Grant takes the chocolates this week, but that battle is going to be great all year.
Titans vs Dragons
Honest confession: I watched the first five minutes, put the kids to bed, came back for the last 15 and saw nothing that changed my mind. Then I chucked on the KO Mini before this podcast. Thank God that's the last Titans-Dragons game of the year. Congratulations to the Titans on their first win — that'll do wonders for the young squad. On the other side, accountability: I was way too high on the Dragons. I pointed at the camera and said "they're better than you think." Wrong. No success across a soft period of the draw. I don't know how long Flanagan can last in that chair.
Titans — The Hero We Didn't Know We Needed
Buy Aramahau — pronounced "Rama-HO," shout out Darsh. 116 in SuperCoach and two tries, 87 in Fantasy. It looked like prime Sonny Bill Williams. Unbelievable performance. Fortunate to have played him in both formats. He's going to rise in cash — that's all win. Jayden Campbell 97 SC, 71 Fantasy — I spruiked him as a possible pod halfback through the week and new owners are happy. Phillip Sami 64 — a big Sami guy, always floats under the radar. Sell Keanu Kennea 55 — you should have cut ties last week; we warned you. Tino just a 44 — we knew two weeks ago they were taking a conservative approach with his minutes and the production isn't there. If you're still holding Tino it's your own fault. AJ Brimson a 35 — RIP my draft team.
Dragons — Cut Ties
Buy Hamish Stewart — I'm so high on him as a purchase. 85 SC, 71 Fantasy. Val Holmes 75 — team-proof; doesn't matter how bad the team is, he still scores with limited opportunity. Damien Cook 74 SC / 60 Fantasy with a try. Jaden Sullivan 66 — big popular pod second-rower; will likely keep scoring well for the Dragons particularly over the next few weeks. Sell Zeb Olodude — opportunities haven't come, work rate isn't there, cut ties in every format.
Round 4 Buy / Sell / Hold Summary
This Round 4 review is from the Such Is Fantasy NRL SuperCoach & Fantasy Podcast. Catch every episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and follow Stephen on TikTok.