Cheapies are the most important players in your KFC SuperCoach team because they start at bottom dollar and have the most potential to increase in value.
While scoring points is where KFC SuperCoach is won and lost, in order to keep growing your team and trading in the gun pointscorers, you need cheapies to generate extra cash.
Below we run through the merits of some of the most popular early bargain buys.
Round 1
2023 KFC SUPERCOACH NRL CHEAPIE BIBLE Alofiana Khan-Pereira CTW $200,800 The Titans are set to blood one of the fastest players in the NRL, with flying winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira bolting in the box seat for a round 1 debut. Khan-Pereira, 21, scored a stunning 25 tries in 19 games for Burleigh last season on his way to being named winger of the year in the Hostplus Cup. He was last year clocked at a top speed of 36.5km/h by the Titans in internal testing, but has been working on his speed this pre-season and could be even quicker when he graces the NRL. The Titans are lacking backline depth which has opened the door for Khan-Pereira to press his round 1 claims in next month’s trial matches. Winger Greg Marzhew was released to Newcastle late last year, while Brian Kelly (suspension) and Patrick Herbert (knee) are unavailable for selection in the opening rounds. Holbrook has settled on his backline heading into the trials, with Tanah Boyd and Kieran Foran in the halves and Brimson reverting back to his favoured position at fullback along with Khan-Pereira and Fifita on the wings. Bulldogs recruit Aaron Schoupp will start at right centre while ex-Queensland winger Phil Sami has been training at left centre next to Khan-Pereira. —Travis Meyn Jayden Sullivan 5/8 HOK $319,200 With Talatau Amone in doubt for the season due to police charges, the five-eighth spot at the Dragons is Sullivan’s to lose. He played a mixture of bench hooker and halves last season at just 41 minutes a game and therefore starts cheap. But he should up his game time to 80 minutes as the Dragons’ first-choice No. 6. The Dragons are hardly screaming tries for 2023, but the maths makes sense. JAN 19 UPDATE: Sullivan has suffered a hamstring and is set to miss most of the remaining pre-season. While he’ll probably be right for Round 1, he likely won’t have any trial games under his belt and struggled with hamstring injuries in 2022. Bailey Hodgson, Knights, $200,800, FLB/CTW The fullback spot could be open at the Knights due to Kalyn Ponga’s mooted switch to five-eighth. While Dane Gagai is heavily-backed to score the role, Hodgson is also a leading candidate. He’s at bottom dollar so let’s hope the young Englishman, the nephew of Josh Hodgson, gets a look in. JAN 19 UPDATE: Lachlan Miller’s likely move from Cronulla to Newcastle could mean Hodgson once again misses out on the fullback role. Soni Luke, Panthers, $234,800, HOK Mitch Kenny, Panthers, $310,200, HOK The hooking spot at the Panthers is a position of extreme interest for KFC SuperCoach. The exit of Apisai Koroisau to the Tigers creates 70 minutes of game time in a key spine spot in one of the best attacking teams in the competition. Kenny is the favourite, but costs slightly more than Luke. Bench hookers are proven KFC SuperCoach poison so whoever gets the bench spot is a definite avoid, but the starter will be very hard to leave out. Stefano Utoikamanu, Tigers, $319,200, FRF Started last season as one of the more popular props after averaging 52 for 2021, which increased to the mid-60s over the back half of the year. Injury ruined his 2022 and he managed just nine games at 33 minutes per match, meaning he starts in borderline cheapie range. It’s a very good price for one of the most hyped young props in the game. Scores at a PPM over one for his career, which is very handy for a prop. Tommy Talau, Wests Tigers, $301,600, CTW There are backline jobs up for grabs at the Tigers and Talau is right in the mix. Talau played 22 games in 2021 (scoring 11 tries and averaging 41PPG) but an ACL injury meant he missed the entire 2022 season. Available for a tiny bit more than $300K if Talau makes the round one team he profiles as a good buy.
