With three of the four teams set to feature during our Friday Night NRL double header in finals contention, there is plenty at stake in both games. First up, the Dolphins head across the ditch to take on the Warriors, who appear to be reeling with only two wins in their past five games. The Dolphins come in as road favourites and are desperate for the two points. Then, the Broncos look to get back on track as they host the 17th placed Rabbitohs, in a game that looks very one-sided.
Draftstars have several contests on offer for Friday night, including single-match contests, and combined matchups. These include:
NRL $6,000 – Warriors v Dolphins
NRL $6,000 – Broncos v Rabbitohs
NRL $3,000 – Friday Night doubleheader
There are plenty of other contests that will tickle your fancy, so get involved and make the greatest game of all even more exciting. And if you're new to the Daily Fantasy scene, simply join Draftstars via this link!
NRL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 22 Friday
NRL Friday Round 22: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Samuel Healey ($8,080) gets the start in the 9 jumper, with Wayde Egan missing through concussion. With Freddy Lussick sitting on the bench, there’s every chance Healey shifts to the bench and Lussick starts, however I still believe Healey will get 35+ minutes here. In his two games this season, he has managed to score at close to a point a minute, meaning a floor of 30 should be expected here from Healey if he manages those 35 minutes. In 47 minutes, last week against the Sharks, Healey made 27 tackles with only 1 miss, but the more exciting statistics were in attack, as he ran for 71 metres, busted two tackles and popped an offload. I like the upside here for Healey, and at bottom dollar, he’s a definite consideration in one of your FLEX positions.
Oryn Keeley ($9,350) is a nice, cheap option this week to just book 30-40 points with a minimum of fuss. Whilst his defence has been a bit suspect, Keeley has shown he can score points in attack with tackle breaks and offloads, and also scored a try and grabbed a line break last week. With the Dolphins heavy favourites against the Warriors, I would not be surprised to see plenty of points scored by the Dolphins, who are the most exciting attack in the NRL. If Keeley can jag a try, expect close to 50 points, and without, pencil in a solid 30-35 points at almost base price.
NRL Friday Round 22: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Lachlan Hubner ($12,320) has had a breakout season this year, and whilst he has had his difficulties, he has been in some terrific form for the Rabbitohs over the past fortnight. Hubner has six scores this season of 40+, with two of those games coming in the past fortnight. His minutes are solid, and he gets through plenty of work in both attack and defence. With Keaon Koloamatangi out, Hubner’s minutes in the middle should continue to sit near that 60 mark, and if he gets those minutes this week you can expect another 40-50 points from the Bunnies lock forward. Also has zero tries this season, so he is due to get off the nudie run soon. A solid selection in that mid-range price.
Kurt Donoghoe ($14,670) is still underpriced in my opinion and is an obvious pick up at the price. Since Donoghoe has taken over in a more prominent role in the Dolphins’ forward pack, he has averaged 56.6 points per game. This is over 8 games, so no small sample size, and if you look at other averaging around this mark for the season in the forwards (Erin Clark, Pat Carrigan), both are price well higher than Donoghoe. Kurt is a workhorse for the Dolphins, making 40+ tackles in four times this season, whilst he has also shown he can jag some attacking stats, three tries, setting up two, breaking the line twice, and creating three-line breaks. All these stats have come over the past 8 weeks, and I have no qualms in selecting Donoghoe again this week. A great mid-priced pick up, who should score towards the top of all forwards in this slate.
NRL Friday Round 22: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Isaiya Katoa ($19,930) has had his breakout season this year, with all the superlatives being thrown out there about the young Dolphins half. He has been getting it done in Draftstars too, averaging 64.3 points per game. With seven scores of 70+, Katoa has the highest ceiling in the half/hooker position in this slate, whilst also harbouring a terrific floor for a halfback. Katoa’s lowest score this season is 50 on the dot, and he only has three scores under 55 all season. In a huge matchup with the Warriors, I fully expect another masterclass from the young halfback, and another truckload of fantasy points. When these teams met earlier in the season, Katoa scored 66.6 points, with zero attacking stats. Some nice upside this week for the brilliant Katoa.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow ($15,860) has hit form at the right end of the season, coming out of the Origin period looking like a different player. The Hammer doesn’t have the base stats of a Dylan Edwards-type fullback; however, his attacking upside is close to the best in the competition. The Hammer has 16 tries in his last 10 games, including 9 over his past four, whilst also pushing through plenty of base power stats (tackle breaks, offloads). Has two scores of 70+ this season, and if he can jag another here, would be a terrific player to have in your squads. A Dolphins stack in this slate is something to consider, given most will probably stack up on Broncos’ players, given their expected margin of victory. Sometimes it’s worth zigging, whilst others zag.
Here’s Our Suggested Draftstars Lineup for Friday night
NRL Friday Round 22 Betting Markets
Warriors ($2.35) vs Dolphins ($1.60)
Broncos ($1.13) vs Rabbitohs ($6.00)
Also, be sure to check out our full NRL Previews and Betting Tips for each match. Our experts break down each individual game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
