Welcome back! The 2024 NRL season is set to kick off with a bang, with a Las Vegas double header set to welcome US fans to the greatest sport in the world! We kick things off with the South Sydney Rabbitohs taking on the Manly Sea Eagles, followed by a massive clash between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos. Two cracking matchups, and what better way to get involved in the games than playing Draftstars!
Draftstars has a $10,000 contest for the double header, as well as separate contests for each matchup, with a $12,000 contest for Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs, and a massive $15,000 contest for Roosters v Broncos. With several other contests also available, there’s something there for everyone to get involved.
NRL FANTASY TIPS 2024: VEGAS DOUBLE HEADER
Markets
Game 1
Manly Sea Eagles - $2.05
South Sydney Rabbitohs - $1.78
Total O/U – 41.5
Game 2
Sydney Roosters - $2.35
Brisbane Broncos - $1.60
Total O/U – 40.5
Outside Backs (OB)
Top Gun - Tom Trbojevic - $16,040
Tom Trbojevic comes into the season in good health and injury free, and the NRL will be put on notice early this season. I expect Trbojevic to have his hands in everything in this game and be amongst the top scorers for the double header. As the cheapest fullback in this slate, Trbojevic is not only terrific value, but my top gun at outside back for the slate.
Value Buy – Tolutau Koula - $9,460
Koula ended the 2023 season on fire, scoring tries for fun in the final two months of the season. With speed to burn, I like Koula to be a dangerous part of the Sea Eagles backline this season. With the Rabbitohs without several backline players to start the season, Koula could be coming up against an unfamiliar defensive pairing on the edge, and with his explosiveness I like him to get across the line.
Steer Clear – Selwyn Cobbo - $12,570
Cobbo shifts to the centres this season and gets a rough first up matchup with Joey Manu. Whilst Cobbo could find his home in the centres, I’m not sure it will correlate immediately to results in fantasy. I believe he will play on the left side, which is the Broncos’ weaker edge, and at this price I need to see how he looks in the centres before ponying up this sort of coin.
Halves / Hookers (HH)
Top Gun – Damian Cook - $17,440
Cook is the third most expensive HH in this slate, and in my opinion, he is both a safe pick, and one with high upside. With Cherry Evans more than likely giving up some of the general play kicking to Luke Brooks, his ceiling isn’t as high, and at the price isn’t a buy until we see what Brooks’ role is. Hopefully Cook is given free rein to run from dummy half, and with the big middles blowing hard in the second half, a few Cook darts could really push his score up this weekend.
Value Buy – Ezra Mam - $9,460
Mam showed in last years Grand Final that he is a man for the big occasion, and what bigger occasion than playing Rugby League in Las Vegas in front of 65,000 fans. Mam does have a low floor, so in that regard is a risk, however his ceiling is fantastic. If he is given the chance to run the ball at tired forwards, there is every chance Mam can reward you with attacking stats this weekend.
Steer Clear – Cody Walker - $12,610
Walker is always going to be a rocks or diamonds Draftstars player in the NRL, however given the fact he has been battling a calf injury through pre-season makes me think he won’t be as involved as he otherwise would be this weekend. With his running game even slightly compromised, Walker doesn’t have the solid base of other halves to consider him in this slate.
Forwards (FWD)
Top Gun – Patrick Carrigan - $17,660
The Broncos have two of the best workhorses in this slate, with Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan both playing big minutes and getting through mountains of work. Whilst the ceilings aren’t as high on guys like this, their floors are tremendous, and if you’re going to spend up big in the forwards you need a building block with a high floor. Carrigan is over $2,000 cheaper than Haas, hence why he is picked here, but I love both the Broncos forwards to do well this week.
Value Buy – Corey Jensen - $12,060
Jensen showed at the end of last season how well he could play when starting. Putting up big numbers in the final two games of the season, Jensen has earnt his spot in the starting lineup this weekend. Jensen played big minutes and was heavily involved on both sides of the ball when starting, and If the big man can eek out 50 minutes regularly, he is well underpriced, and you need to take advantage of his price whilst you can.
Steer Clear – Cam Murray - $19,220
Murray has generally struggled against the Sea Eagles, and I’ve got a feeling he may struggle to justify his price tag this weekend. Murray will be a buy throughout the season, however this week I do think I will fade Murray. It’s always a concern, given his ability to cross the line, however I believe with the narrower field of play, the matchup will condense in the middle, making it harder for the likes of Murray to poke holes in the Sea Eagles defence. Much prefer the two Broncos big boys, as well as edges Haumole Olakau’atu and Keaon Koloamatangi around the same price.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
