Friday Night Football in Round 6 delivers another strong two-game NRL Draftstars slate, with one matchup projecting as a more open attacking contest and the other carrying the feel of a physical grind with plenty of base stat opportunity. The early game sees the Sea Eagles travel to Wollongong to take on the Dragons, with Manly bringing a new lease on life under Interim Head Coach Kieran Foran, after putting 50 on the Dolphins last week, coming up against a Dragons’ side reshuffling key spine positions after the loss of Clint Gutherson. That creates fantasy appeal at both ends of the pricing spectrum, with Manly outside backs capable of piling up points through yardage and attacking stats, while Dragons edge forwards and middles should be forced into a heavy defensive workload.
The late game sees the Cowboys head to Suncorp to face the Broncos in what looks like the highest upside fantasy environment of the slate. Jesse Arthars takes over at fullback after Reece Walsh was ruled out for a month, while Patrick Carrigan again anchors Brisbane’s middle with Payne Haas named but still carrying concern around his shoulder after recent injury issues. With Adam Reynolds named but needing to get through the captain’s run, there is also some late mail uncertainty that could shape attacking roles and usage. Across both games, the winning Draftstars builds are likely to come from balancing strong base producers with outside backs and playmakers who can turn one attacking moment into a slate breaking score.
With multiple premium options and several key value plays emerging through role changes and early season form, lineup construction will be critical. Draftstars contests on offer include:
NRL $6,000 – Sea Eagles v Dragons
NRL $8,000 – Broncos v Cowboys
NRL $3,000 – Friday Night doubleheader
NRL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 6 Friday
NRL Friday Round 6: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Reuben Garrick ($8,200) looks underpriced for a player with his upside against this poor Dragons’ edge defence, especially on a short slate. Named at centre for Manly, Garrick still brings strong yardage involvement and elite attacking upside, and he also has the added benefit of kicking goals, which is always gold for Draftstars. The Dragons are missing Clint Gutherson and have reshuffled their spine, which increases the chance of defensive issues on the edges, and Garrick only needs one line break or try contribution to smash this salary. At close to bottom dollar, he is one of the cleaner salary savers on the board.
Jesse Arthars ($9,200) shapes as one of the better value options after being named at fullback to take over from Reece Walsh. After Walsh went off last week, Arthars stepped in successfully, with 40 points in after switching from the wing to fullback at halftime. Fullbacks at this price with strong carry volume are always relevant. Arthars showed last year that with quality ball he can be fantasy relevant, and for the price here you can’t go wrong as a FLX.
NRL Friday Round 6: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Luciano Leilua ($12,660) is a very solid mid-range forward play because his minutes and output are trending the right way. He is currently sitting on 847 running metres for the season, which places him among the top 20 in the NRL, and in Round 4 he piled up over 200 metres with 33 tackles, exactly the sort of stat line that translates beautifully to Draftstars. Against a Manly side that can generate plenty of edge traffic through shape and offloads, Leilua should again be busy defensively while still carrying upside through tackle busts, line-breaks and try scoring upside.
Jaxon Purdue ($12,890) continues to look like one of the stronger mid-priced OB selections thanks to his blend of base and attacking upside. He has shown his attacking upside over the past 3 weeks, with three tries, four-line breaks, four try assists, and four-line break assists. He has shown decent base stats, making him a nice blend of base stats and attacking upside for a very nice price. Brisbane’s outside backs can score quickly, but they can also concede chances if the Cowboys shift well and create early ball for their centres, and Purdue has already shown he can produce in big moments. At under $13k, he has a very real path to 40+ through metres, tackle breaks and one line-break or try.
NRL Friday Round 6: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Patrick Carrigan ($17,300) is expensive, but he remains one of the strongest premium anchors on the slate because his role and base are so secure. He is again named at lock, and with Payne Haas returning but still managing a shoulder concern, there is a realistic chance Carrigan is asked to shoulder even more of the middle workload than usual. That matters in Draftstars because Carrigan’s value comes from tackles, run metres, offloads and huge minutes, and he has already been producing strong numbers in those areas this year. In a game expected to be physical through the middle, he offers one of the safest 55-point floors on the board with enough upside to be a genuine slate winner if the Broncos dominate possession.
Tolutau Koula ($16,700) is the premium OB ceiling play of the slate. He is averaging 182 running metres per game, five tackle breaks per game, and 1.5-line breaks per game. He has been absolutely electric on the left side for the Sea Eagles, and if you take away his one poor score this season (9.08 against the Knights in round 2), he is averaging an astonishing 70.8 points per game. He has the speed to turn even half chances into line breaks and tries, which is exactly the sort of profile you want to chase in tournaments. The Dragons are reshuffled at the back with Tyrell Sloan at fullback and Gutherson out, so there is clear scope for Manly’s centres to find space if their shapes click. Koula is not cheap, but if you are paying up at OB, you are doing it for the chance at a 60+ score, and he absolutely has that in this matchup.
Suggested NRL Friday Draftstars Lineup
NRL Round 6 Friday Match Info & Betting Odds
Dragons ($2.90) vs Sea Eagles ($1.42)
Line: Sea Eagles (-8.5)
Points: 49.5
Broncos ($1.65) vs Cowboys ($2.25)
Line: Broncos (-3.5)
Points: 48.5
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!
