NRL Fantasy Team Reveal – Lachlan’s Round 1 Squad
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Round 1 is done and dusted, and after a chaotic Team List Tuesday (TLT), my squad has taken shape. This season, I’ve focused on targeting offload-heavy forwards with value, avoiding the classic trap of picking low-impact plodders under the new rules. TLT threw a few curveballs—Wong and Bateman both needed adjustments, and while I considered Hosking, I was set on a 65-minute role and opted for similar-priced alternatives. Here’s where I landed.
Hooker
Peter Mamouzelos (319k)
A pretty straightforward pick. Hooker is a scarce position this year, and Mamouzelos should push high 30s in big minutes. His workload in Round 1 might even get a slight bump with Sullivan on the bench, but long-term, he’s a solid cash cow.
Middles
Terrell May (670k), Corey Horsburgh (550k), Alex Seyfarth (475k)
I was on the fence with Horsburgh, but with the late team list confirming his role and no Tapine for the first two rounds, he became a lock. Terrell May is a no-brainer—I hope everyone has him. He’s an elite work rate forward who fits my offload-heavy strategy. Seyfarth has impressive edge stats in a small sample size and offers handy DPP flexibility, which is crucial given my limited cover at EDGE.
Edges
J’maine Hopgood (743k), Dylan Lucas (672k)
Hopgood somehow retains EDGE DPP, despite only playing there once in three years, which is an absolute gift. He should be close to, if not the best EDGE in Fantasy this season, with upside to push a 60 average.
Lucas was a late upgrade after moving Bateman out. With cheap centres looking risky, I wanted someone reliable at CTR. Lucas has some minor value upside, plays a key role for Newcastle, and has only one bye in the first 17 rounds, making him a potential season-long hold.
Halves
Nathan Cleary (880k), Luke Metcalf (441k)
Cleary was a solid but unspectacular captain, but with a good bye schedule through Origin, he should be a season-long hold.
Metcalf’s role looked great, but the points didn’t eventuate. He has value potential with increased kick metres and goal-kicking, but he could be an early trade-out if better mid-range halves like Brimson emerge.
Centres
Reuben Garrick (583k), Robert Toia (230k)
A mix of premium and budget here. Garrick has natural upside from last year’s HIA-affected scores, plus WFB dual position and a strong bye schedule. The goal is for Garrick and Lucas to lock down CTR for the season, with Garrick potentially shifting to WFB later if needed.
Toia’s reserve-grade stats are elite, but there’s some risk to his job security, which is why I wanted additional CTR cover throughout my squad.
Winger Fullbacks
Jayden Campbell (722k), Greg Marzhew (481k), Isaiah Iongi (350k)
I’ve been high on Campbell all preseason—he plays like a dominant half but is available at WFB. A successful loop with Tamale’s 49 points means I’ll have at least one of Brimson or Campbell in my final team.
Marzhew had his worst season last year but has had a full, injury-free preseason and a favourable early draw. Hoping he can get some boom scores early to kickstart his price rise. Iongi is a no-brainer as one of the best cheap WFBs.
Interchange
Connor Watson (663k), Cameron Munster (589k), Tom Duffy (250k), Lachlan Hubner (250k)
Watson is another easy pick with his value at hooker. The only slight concern is his bench utility role, which might see him finish games at lock and impact some of the other middles’ minutes.
Munster has been in my team since the price reveal—historically a mid-50s scorer, and while there’s plenty of value at half, I see no reason to waver.
Duffy is a dominant, goal-kicking half at basement price, making him another no-brainer selection.
Hubner was a TLT special, though I do have concerns when Aitken returns. This came down to a 2-mid-ranger strategy (Gilbert & Whyte, who suffers when Leniu returns) vs a gun and cow. I went with the latter.
Emergencies
Jack Cole (250k), Sandon Smith (250k), Savelio Tamale (300k), Jaxon Purdue (250k)
Jack Cole is mispriced by at least 200k, so I had to pick him despite his uncertain role. If he plays regularly, I’d expect mid-30s scores as a safe emergency option.
Sandon Smith is in a similar boat—averages mid-30s in 80 minutes and is a goal-kicking half with a relatively stable role.
Tamale was one of the standouts from the Vegas games and now raises the question—does he need to be in my 17 each week? Given how shaky CTR options are, he might be a starter for me moving forward.
Purdue is the CTR cheapie with the most secure role, playing outside an attacking edge, so hopefully, he can jag some early tries and generate cash.
Final Thoughts
This season, I’ve leaned into offload-heavy forwards, a mix of proven Fantasy guns, and high-value cash cows. TLT forced some adjustments, but overall, I’m happy with how the squad has landed.
A few key takeaways:
- Terrell May is a must-own (I hope you all have him).
- Cleary should be a hold all season with a great bye schedule.
- Campbell and Garrick give me great flexibility across WFB and CTR.
- Duffy, Mamouzelos, and Smith are easy basement-price picks.
- Jamie Humphreys is a must-have, but Dodd’s return could impact his kick metres.
Now, onto Round 2! Let’s hope for some big scores and no early disasters. How did your team go? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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