Round 24 NRL SuperCoach Positional Averages & Matchups

By Alex Christie - @SuperCoachRealm

How it works

Positional points conceded data is a key SuperCoach tool, but raw averages can be misleading. Goalkicking, HIAs, sin bins, injuries and mid-game role changes can all shift where points are scored.

To make this more accurate, every average in this article has been manually tracked and adjusted to better show where teams are conceding points.

This article looks at season averages, while also using the last three-round average (3RA) and last five-round average (5RA) to highlight current trends.

Front Row Forward has been excluded due to middle-forward rotations making it difficult to accurately assign points conceded.

Colour guide

• Blue – elite
• Green – good
• Yellow – okay
• Orange – not good
• Red – terrible

Team Overview

The Dragons remain at the top of the overall rankings despite dropping from 67.2 to 66.6 points conceded per position. Parramatta have moved back into 2nd after rising from 66.1 to 66.5, leaving just 0.1 points between the top two teams.

The Tigers hold 3rd at 65.9 despite their average remaining unchanged. North Queensland were the biggest slider in the rankings, falling from 2nd to 4th after dropping by 0.5 to 65.8. Only 0.8 points now separate the top four teams.

There was little movement throughout the rest of the table. Cronulla recorded the largest increase of the week, rising by 0.5 to 58.9 and moving above the Dolphins into 13th. Canberra and Penrith both increased by 0.4, while Melbourne recorded the largest drop at 0.7. The Storm remain 6th overall at 63.9.

The directional splits continue to show several major differences. The Tigers remain the leading right side matchup at 66.8, followed by the Dragons at 65.1 and Cowboys at 65.0. Parramatta are comfortably clear at the top of the left side rankings with an average of 70.1. The Titans and Storm share 2nd at 66.0.

The Roosters remain the most restrictive team overall at 55.3 and also have the lowest right side average at 52.1. Newcastle have replaced Penrith as the toughest left side matchup at 53.1, with the Panthers close behind at 53.5.

Fullback

Keano Kini has the standout matchup among the major SuperCoach options. Newcastle concede a competition-high 75.5 across the season and have climbed to 83.3 across three rounds and 90.8 across five. Apa Twidle also deserves attention against North Queensland, whose recent averages have reached 102.0 and 98.0, although that’s majorly thanks to the monster score put on by Tedesco and Ramsey.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow gets another strong recent matchup against Manly. Their season average sits at 65.5 but that has climbed to 77.7 across three rounds and 77.6 across five. Kalyn Ponga faces a steady Titans matchup at 68.0 for the season, 67.0 across three and 68.2 across five.

Reece Walsh’s matchup against the Warriors sits closer to the middle. They concede 64.2 for the season and 65.3 across three rounds but only 56.4 across five. Scott Drinkwater has a far tougher assignment than Parramatta’s 66.3 season average suggests. The Eels have dropped to 38.3 across three rounds and 50.0 across five.

Dylan Edwards or Jaxen Edgar gets the toughest matchup against the Roosters. They concede a competition-low 54.9 across the season with averages of 39.3 across three and 45.4 across five.

Right wing

Jamayne Isaako has the strongest season matchup among the relevant right wingers against Manly. The Sea Eagles concede 68.2 across the season and 67.6 across five rounds, although their three-round average has dropped to 55.0.

Dominic Young faces a Titans side conceding only 53.3 across the season. Their recent averages have risen to 56.3 across three rounds and 62.2 across five, making it more playable than the overall figure suggests.

Brian To’o has a mixed matchup against the Roosters. Their 47.3 season average remains one of the lowest in the competition but they have climbed to 62.2 across three rounds. The five-round average is still low at 44.2.

Jacob Kiraz and Mark Nawaqanitawase face two of the toughest matchups. South Sydney concede only 49.2 across the season with recent averages of 40.0 and 41.6. Penrith sit even lower at 43.1 for the season, 47.7 across three and 48.0 across five. Ieremia has the worst recent matchup against Newcastle, who have fallen to 18.7 across three rounds and 39.8 across five.

Right centre

Jack Bostock has the strongest matchup among the relevant players against Manly. Their 58.2 season average sits around the middle but recent figures of 66.3 across three rounds and 67.6 across five make it a much better matchup than it initially appears.

Tom Chester faces Parramatta, who concede 56.4 across the season. That has dropped to 54.3 across three rounds and 50.4 across five. Robert Toia has the toughest matchup of the group against Penrith. The Panthers concede 53.9 for the season but only 35.7 across three rounds and 47.8 across five.

Dane Gagai gets the highest ranked season matchup against Gold Coast at 69.9. Moses Suli faces the best recent matchup against the Tigers, who have climbed to 79.0 across three rounds and 77.0 across five. At the other end, Garrick faces a Dolphins edge conceding just 28.3 across three rounds while Tamale runs into Cronulla’s 39.0 five-round average.

Right half

Jaxon Purdue has the best season matchup among the major options against Parramatta. The Eels lead the position at 68.8 and have climbed to 72.7 across three rounds, although their five-round average sits lower at 60.2.

Nicho Hynes gets a steady Canberra matchup at 62.7 for the season, 61.3 across three rounds and 61.2 across five. Nathan Cleary’s Roosters matchup looks poor through their 53.0 season average but recent form is far more appealing. They have climbed to 76.0 across three rounds and 62.0 across five.

Isaiya Katoa has the standout recent matchup against Manly. The Sea Eagles have surged to 102.7 across three rounds and 76.0 across five. Lachlan Galvin also gets a strong South Sydney matchup at 80.7 across three and 81.6 across five.

Newcastle remain the key avoid. They concede only 32.0 across three rounds and 36.4 across five, giving Lachlan Ilias the toughest matchup of the round. Ethan Sanders also faces a difficult Cronulla side sitting at 35.3 across three and 42.2 across five.

Right second row

Heilum Luki has one of the strongest matchups against Parramatta. The Eels concede 75.5 across the season and have climbed to 79.0 across three rounds. Briton Nikora also gets a favourable Canberra matchup at 68.5 for the season, 77.7 across three and 76.0 across five.

Jacob Preston faces a South Sydney edge that has opened up badly. The Rabbitohs concede 68.5 across the season but have surged to 89.3 across three rounds and 81.0 across five. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki also gets a positive Manly matchup with recent averages of 78.0 and 72.8.

Jack Williams faces a more moderate Cowboys matchup at 67.1 for the season. Their three-round average has dropped to 59.0 before recovering to 69.4 across five. David Fifita’s Bulldogs matchup is also around the middle at 64.7 for the season, 64.7 across three and 66.6 across five.

Haumole Olakau’atu has the toughest matchup among the relevant players. The Dolphins concede only 62.7 across the season and have dropped to 53.3 across three rounds and a competition-low 51.4 across five.

Siua Wong has the standout recent matchup across the position against Penrith at 99.3 across three rounds and 90.4 across five. Jermaine McEwen is not far behind against the Titans, whose recent averages sit at 92.3 and 89.2.

Left wing

Murray Taulagi has the standout matchup against Parramatta. The Eels concede a competition-high 73.0 across the season and have climbed to 78.0 across three rounds and 83.8 across five. Josh Addo-Carr is another major target against North Queensland at 70.1 for the season, 78.3 across three and 69.4 across five.

Alex Johnston faces the 2nd highest season average against the Bulldogs at 70.7. Their three-round average remains strong at 68.7 but the five-round number has dropped to 56.0.

Greg Marzhew gets a solid Titans matchup at 62.2 for the season and 67.3 across three rounds. Ronaldo Mulitalo faces a more moderate Canberra edge conceding 62.6 for the season, 57.3 across three and 59.8 across five.

Lehi Hopoate has a difficult Dolphins matchup at 57.0 for the season and 46.0 across three rounds. Thomas Jenkins lands in an even worse spot against the Roosters. They concede only 49.0 across the season, 39.0 across three and a competition-low 32.8 across five.

Left centre

Valentine Holmes has the strongest matchup among the relevant players against the Tigers. Their 64.6 season average has climbed to 71.0 across three rounds and 72.6 across five.

Bradman Best faces a Titans edge conceding 62.7 for the season but only 52.7 across three and 52.6 across five. Leka Halasima’s Brisbane matchup is also tougher than it first appears at 55.8 for the season and 51.0 across five.

KL Iro faces a restrictive Canberra edge conceding 57.2 for the season and around 50 across both recent samples. Tolu Koula gets a similar matchup against the Dolphins at 54.6 for the season, 51.7 across three and 56.8 across five.

Tallis Duncan and Herbie Farnworth sit near the bottom. The Bulldogs have dropped to 37.0 across three rounds and 41.6 across five ahead of Duncan’s matchup. Manly concede a competition-low 47.6 for the season against left centres. Their three-round average has risen to 61.3 but the five-round figure remains low at 46.6 for Farnworth.

Left half

Fletcher Sharpe faces the highest ranked left half matchup against Gold Coast. The Titans concede 70.6 across the season and 65.2 across five rounds, although their three-round average has dropped to 56.0.

Cody Walker has a reasonable matchup against the Bulldogs at 60.0 for the season. Their recent averages of 56.3 and 56.2 are slightly less appealing.

Jayden Campbell faces one of the toughest matchups against Newcastle. The Knights concede only 46.5 across the season and 46.4 across five rounds. Sam Walker gets the lowest ranked season matchup against Penrith at 45.6. The Panthers have loosened recently though, rising to 66.0 across three rounds and 56.4 across five.

Volkman has the standout recent matchup against North Queensland. The Cowboys have surged to 94.7 across three rounds and 79.4 across five. At the other end, Cogger faces a Roosters side conceding only 29.7 across three and 42.0 across five.

Left second row

Teig Wilton gets the standout matchup against Canberra. The Raiders concede a competition-high 75.9 across the season and have climbed to 93.0 across three rounds and 86.8 across five.

Isaiah Papali’i has a steady Roosters matchup at 69.0 for the season, 65.3 across three and 66.2 across five. Zac Hosking faces a similar Cronulla edge sitting at 66.0 for the season, 66.7 across three and 65.6 across five.

Connelly Lemuelu’s Manly matchup has improved recently. The Sea Eagles concede 64.3 for the season but have risen to 68.7 across three rounds and 69.8 across five.

Beau Fermor faces one of the lowest season averages against Newcastle at 59.5. Their recent numbers are more promising at 75.3 across three rounds and 63.2 across five. Hamish Stewart faces a Tigers edge conceding 66.6 for the season but only 53.0 across three rounds.

Hooker

Apisai Koroisau has the standout hooker matchup against the Dragons. They concede a competition-high 72.9 across the season and have climbed to 84.7 across three rounds and 73.0 across five.

Damien Cook and Jacob Liddle also get a strong matchup against the Tigers. They concede 71.2 across the season and 72.0 across five rounds, although the three-round average has dropped to 60.7.

Brandon Wakeham and Jake Simpkin face a Dolphins side conceding 64.9 across the season. That has climbed to 74.3 across three rounds and 74.8 across five, making it one of the better recent hooker matchups. Bailey Hayward and Jake Turpin also get a strong recent matchup against South Sydney at 71.0 across three and 77.4 across five.

Jeremy Marshall-King faces a Manly side conceding only 62.3 across the season. Their recent numbers are more appealing at 75.0 across three rounds and 64.8 across five.

Blayke Brailey has a tougher matchup against Canberra at 59.8 for the season. Their recent averages have improved slightly to 64.3 across three rounds and 63.6 across five. Oliver Pascoe and Sam Verrills also face a restrictive Newcastle side conceding 62.0 across the season and 54.8 across five.

Billy Walters and Blake Mozer have the hardest matchup against the Warriors. They concede a competition-low 56.4 across the season, 44.7 across three rounds and 52.4 across five.

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