This might be the deepest and most stacked season the halfback position has been since I’ve been playing SuperCoach. There are about 15 options that will do a job for you this year, so let’s run through the best of them.
Fullback Rankings
1. Nathan Cleary
No surprises here, the best halfback in the game as well as SuperCoach. Averaged 84 last season, which includes an injury-affected game against Melbourne. The only downside of Cleary over the years has been his availability, as he tends to miss a bit of footy through Origin and injury. You gotta risk it for the biscuit.
Projected AVG 85 – Overall Pick 1–3
2. Nicho Hynes
Another one that comes with little surprise. Weirdly, I had this thought throughout last season that I don’t think Nicho was at his best SuperCoach-wise in many games and that the partnership with Trindall wasn’t as cohesive as they would have liked, yet he still averaged 76. He is a SuperCoach gun.
Projected AVG 78–82 – Overall Pick 5–7
3. Sam Walker
Very keen on Sammy Walker. Returned from an ACL injury last season and hit the ground running, averaging 70 from eight games, which included an injury-affected game against Parramatta. I think the Roosters improve, and with a full pre-season under his belt, he will be firing on all cylinders. He may even get dual status if DCE wears the 7 jersey.
Projected AVG 70–75 – Overall Pick 12–16
4. Jayden Campbell
Has a superb game for SuperCoach, does ol’ Jayden Campbell. Loves to run, bust tackles, offload, kick goals, and the Titans love to throw it around. I assume he will be in everything the Titans do well.
Projected AVG 70–75 – Overall Pick 12–16
5. Jahrome Hughes
I’m a little conflicted here. I think Hughes is a gun; he may struggle to hit the heights of his previous years with Melbourne losing Papenhuyzen, but more importantly, his right-hand man, Eli Katoa. It wouldn’t surprise me if some bloke no one has ever heard of starts playing on that right edge and absolutely kills it, and Hughes/Melbourne don’t miss a beat. I’d be proceeding with caution here and not going too early – there are a couple of better options than Hughes at halfback this year.
Projected AVG 68–72 – Overall Pick 20–25
6. Dylan Brown
It was a tough year for Dylan Brown last year, on and off the field, but we are backing him for a huge bounce-back to the premium half he has been in SuperCoach in the past. His base is insane for a half, as he’ll tackle all day and loves a hit-up. I expect Holbrook to let him play with freedom, and there should be plenty of attacking stats there for himself alongside the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Bradman Best.
Projected AVG 65–70 – Overall Pick 35–45
7. Isaiya Katoa
A few question marks over regression this year, given how many points the Dolphins scored on some teams last year, but I think he only gets better, and the Dolphins will continue to play the way they do. I have him in the same tier as Dylan Brown.
Projected AVG 65–70 – Overall Pick 35–45
8. Jamal Fogarty
Fogarty comes with an asterisk as he’s only at this ranking on the basis that he’s kicking goals, which we think he does, given his goal-kicking percentage was far better than Reuben Garrick’s last year. I think Fogarty has a chance of some regression, as Manly won’t be nearly as good as the Raiders were last year. Fogarty playing next to Haumole Olakau’atu does excite me, though. Keep in mind the Raiders have a bye in Round 26, which will be a Grand Final for a lot of people, and that is far from ideal.
Projected AVG 62–67 – Overall Pick 45–55
9. Tom Dearden
Tom Dearden is just all heart and is in everything the Cowboys do. When he calls for the ball, he gets it and puts his team on his back and goes all day. Big fan of Dearden, and he is a viable option this season.
Projected AVG 62–67 – Overall Pick 45–55
10. Adam Doueihi
Doueihi has won the halfback spot by all reports and will be kicking goals. He is a great option if you miss out on the premium halfbacks. Given his well-known injury history, you’d be silly to draft Doueihi too early, but he will be a fantastic pick-up when value presents itself.
Projected AVG 60–65 – Overall Pick 60–70
Smokey – Lachlan Galvin
Might seem silly to have Galvin here, given how good he was at SuperCoach for the Tigers, but it was a tough year for Galvin last year. With a whole pre-season for the Dogs to get their structures and combinations in order, I can see him ripping and tearing. Galvin is quite low on the pre-draft list, so he’ll be a forgotten man, and you’ll be able to get him far later in the draft than you should.
Projected AVG 60–65 – Overall Pick 60–70
Avoid – Adam Reynolds
This sounds rough, given he averaged 65 last year with multiple injury-affected games – but that’s just the problem. Another year older, and I expect he’ll be carrying more niggles. I don’t consider him a genuine avoid – I just think I’d be picking all the others on the list before picking Adam Reynolds. If you miss out on all other halfbacks, you could do far worse than him, so don’t stress too much.
Positional Strategy
I think the halfback position is truly stacked – I’ve just named 12 really good options and have left Mitchell Moses, as well as the Tanah Boyd/Luke Metcalf handcuff tactic, off the list. I’m going into the draft with the idea that unless I get a top pick and have the chance to draft Nathan Cleary or Nicho Hynes, I am leaving halfback until way further down the draft. I will stack my side with CTWs, 2RFs and FRFs, and when value presents itself, I will pick someone like Lachlan Galvin, Tom Dearden or Adam Doueihi.
