Fantasy coaches are stressing over reduced interchanges.
It’s a curve ball.
Pre-season fantasy preparation is hard enough, but the NRL’s decision to reduce interchanges from ten to eight makes this year’s build-up even spicier.
So let’s solve the problem.
The rule has been implemented to help out the small players, but in fantasy world, it’ll have more impact on the performance of the bigger bodies – the forwards.
While rotational changes will obviously help a number of the hard workers, it’ll hurt others.
It sees a number of forwards sporting slimmer figures ahead of the new season. They’re preparing to take on more game time in 2016.
Which forwards will thrive and whose minutes will nose dive?
Josh McGuire is already a trusted work horse, but after spending the second half of the season rehabilitating a serious achilles injury, he’s trimmed down, ready to keep pace. That spells concern for the game time of Adam Blair, promising youngster Jarryd Wallace and evenSam Thaiday, who’s a big chance of shifting back to the second row.
The form of recruits Chris McQueen and Agnatius Paasi in Auckland give Titans fans something to get excited about. The former Rabbit will embrace additional responsibility up on the coast in a bid to reignite his Origin career, while Paasi could be a late-round smokey, applying starting spot pressure at the club. Neither Greg Bird nor Ryan James spends much time on the bench either, so it’s hard to seeLuke Douglas or David Shillington enjoying consistent workhorse territory.
Jack de Belin looks tuned up to build on his outstanding 2015. The backrower looks even sharper this year and will certainly benefit from the departure of Panther Trent Merrin. Provided his back holds up after off season surgery, Tyson Frizell, as well as second row partner Joel Thompson, will also demand bulk game time.
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Ben Matulino’s progression continues. He’s becoming one of the comp’s premier props. He sizzled in the Nines and we can expect additional improvement to his running game, with Kiwi team mate and Souths recruit Issac Luke now steering play from the ruck. Andrew McFadden would be crazy to have big Ben spending any less time on the park this season. The only concern is the side’s ultra-fit backrow, which won’t burn too many subs.
Robbie Rochow has now spent two seasons in fantasy wilderness, but he’s cutting a trimmer physique and impressed in Auckland. It’s now or never for the promising Knight to salvage his reputation.
Tim Grant fell off the face of the earth in Redfern, but at Concord he has the opportunity to re-cement a first grade starting spot and find that long-lost Origin form. The Tigers backrowers aren’t renowned 80 minute players, so it could mean both Aaron Woods and Grant, who looks fitter than ever, enjoy a wealth of game time up front.
I’m all in on Josh Jackson. Injury is the only thing that’ll see coach Des Hasler pulling him off the park. It could be a different story for his team mates, though. There are clouds circling around future fantasy Hall of Famers James Graham and Aiden Tolman. Both are capable of big minutes, but with David Klemmer, Tim Browne and Sam Kasiano all on the bench, Hasler has too much interchange artillery at his disposal.
Tohu Harris will go the full 80 most weeks. That’s a simple solution to Craig Bellamy’s interchange issues. Equally, it’s hard to imagine the Storm’s other Kiwi monster Jesse Bromwich will see a drop in game time, even if Belly is forced to explore a new rotational method with his engine room.
The rise of Jake Granville will reflect more minutes this season, too, after proving his star power to coach Paul Green in 2015.
The impact this rule will have on forward packs is case-by-case. It’s likely that at most clubs, front row rotations will remain reasonably similar to last season, but the backrow and hooker positions will yield more fantasy gold.
You can take it to the bank – more forwards’ stocks will climb in 2016.
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