NRL Supercoach 2023: Who to buy – analysis of the fullback position
There is plenty of talent at full-back this season, but not all of the most popular picks offer the best value for money. A number of guns are on the comeback trail after injury-plagued campaigns, but should they be on your team?
Under, The sports news executes full-back position rule for NRL Supercoach in 2023.
The best 5 full-back options for Supercoach to start the 2023 season
| player | Price | Break even |
|---|---|---|
| Latrell Mitchell | $889,100 | 84 |
| James Tedesco | $836,300 | 79 |
| Scott Drinkwater | $746,600 | 71 |
| Clint Gutherson | $717,300 | 68 |
| Tom Trbojevic | $577,700 | 55 |
James Tedesco and Tom Trbojevic are the most popular full-back pairing in Classic and with good reason
Fullback is a prime position at Supercoach and one of the main routes to high scores, which explains why many are pinning their hopes on the two guns once again producing the goods.
MORE: NRL Supercoach 2023 – Comprehensive guide to playing, scoring and strategies
James Tedesco just keeps going. The Roosters skipper posted four triple-digit scores and racked up 99 points in two games on his way to a 79.5-point average last season.
Since 2019, when he started at $689,000 and ended up being worth $843,300, Tedesco has remained consistent in both his points and value.
The opportunity to make some money is there, but everyone who chooses Teddy – over 40% of people have – does so because of his reliable score.
He has an unrivaled history, having posted season averages of 73.6, 84.1, 95.2, 86.7 and 79.5 to be the long-reigning king of Supercoach.
In fact, you have to go back as far as 2017 to find a campaign where Tedesco finished with an average of under 70 PPG.
Meanwhile, Tom Trbojevic is available for $577,770 – say no more.
Last year he started with $1.25 million after his record-breaking 2021 season, but that price was lowered after an injury-plagued 2022.
In his seven games last year, Turbo failed to crack a century after doing so 11 times during his Dally M medal-winning season.
However, if the male talisman can stay fit and on the field in 2023, it’s hard to imagine a world where he doesn’t post the kind of results that sicken anyone who doesn’t jump up early in the season.
Is Latrell Mitchell worth the high price?
After returning from America, where he had worked with renowned refit specialist Bill Knowles, Mitchell was incredible.
His first game back since being knocked out injured in Round 5 got him a 99-point performance, which was just a hint of what was to come.
As of round 17, he had totals of 93, 136, 99, 52, 152, 115, 105, 76, and 45, explaining his hefty price tag to start 2023.
Mitchell averaged 84.5 PPG over his 14 games, while in 2021 he averaged 82.2 PPG over 17 rounds.
However, the Bunnies have the toughest opening games of any team in the competition. You compete against sharks, panthers, roosters, sea eagles and storm in the first five weeks.
Yet Mitchell has shown in the past that he can score big regardless of the competition he faces.
Mitchell could also boost his weekly totals with more accurate shots on goal after finishing at just 73% last season.
Can you make money with Kalyn Ponga?
Kalyn Ponga became a significant factor at Supercoach after earning doubles status as a full-back and five-eighth, making him a particularly handy option in the draft.
The Newcastle captain poses a huge risk due to his injury woes but could also offer great value at $530,600.
He finished 2021 with an average of 68.4 PPG, while 2020 was an impressive 79.9 PPG.
In 2018 and 2019, his season average ended in the 60-point range. He could be comfortably $100,000 short of his value at the start of the season.
Could it make sense to pick a reliable full-back in a volatile position?
If you’re looking for a dependable choice at full-back, with the constant injury worries surrounding the likes of Ryan Papenhuyzen – who isn’t an option given his likely return date – and Trbojevic, you’ll struggle to find anyone better than Clint Gutherson.
The Parramatta captain has missed just a single game in his last four seasons while averaging 57.3 PPG, 69.7, 74.7 and 68.2 over those campaigns.
He doesn’t have the same high ceiling as some of the elite no. 1, but its durability and consistency is also boosted by Parramatta’s draw. They are the only team to cover all three major bye-rounds, making Gutho an option to keep throughout the season.
Another full-back who doesn’t miss many games when he’s fit is Scott Drinkwater, who finished last season with a 71-point average.
Also in his favor, the Cowboys have one of the softest draws in the comp, covering two of the big byes and really establishing himself as a focal point in North Queensland’s attack.
Though Drinkwater, after making the No. 1 jersey his own in the fifth round of 2022, was the definition of rocks and diamonds in the supercoach, he recorded seven points in the 90s or above while going under the in six games 50 point mark fell.