Last Word: NRL SuperCoach round two

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PICKING the best cheapies is THE single biggest key to SuperCoach glory. Here are the five bargain buys you simply cannot live without:

1. Dale Copley

Price: $102,500

Position(s): Centre/wing

Produced a brilliant 89 on the weekend and currently has the best break even score in the competition (-114). That means, at this early stage, he is set to see the biggest price rise of all players. Prices rise after a players' third game, meaning you must jump on after their second game to get them at bottom dollar (ie: next week in most cases). SuperCoach Gold predicts Copley's price will rise by $80,000 in round three.

2. Manu Ma'u

Price: $87,500

Position(s): Back row

Played 70 minutes on Sunday for 64 points, including two linebreaks. Ma'u is a devastating ball runner with great footwork and will cause plenty of havoc on the edges for the Eels. SuperCoach Gold predicts his price will rise by $54,000 after round three – and there'll be plenty more rises after that.

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3. Tinirau Arona

Price: $105,400

Position(s): Back row

Arona scored a brilliant 80 on the weekend, including a try, a linebreak and five tackle busts. The former Rooster should continue to build on his round one tally of 60 minutes given the absence of Paul Gallen (ankle, round eight), Andrew Fifita (suspension, round four), Luke Lewis (shoulder, round five) and Anthony Tupou (knee, mid-season). Predicted to see a $33,000 rise in round three.

4. Nathan Peats

Price: $102,500

Position(s): Back row, front row

Peats is the most popular player in SuperCoach for a reason. He is well on track to become buy of the year after notching 64 in 80 minutes on the weekend. He may even be a keeper for the entire season, although he misses this week through a disciplinary suspension.

5. Ben Hampton

Price: $145,800

Position(s): Five-eighth, fullback

The star youngster played a huge part in Melbourne's second half comeback, notching 81 points to get the Storm home. Predicted to see a $37,000 increase after round three.

Jason Taumaloloon the charge. Source: Getty Images

BUY

Jason Tuamalolo

The boom North Queensland back rower is a potential keeper at just $190,800. He played 80 minutes on the weekend (up from last year's average of 40) and runs off Johnathan Thurston.

$190,800

HOLD

Andrew Fifita

The star prop is suspended for two weeks, but will be essential once he returns given Cronulla's forward injury crisis, which includes Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis and Anthony Tupou.

$384,400

SELL

Paul Gallen

The Cronulla workhorse is out for six weeks with a knee injury - far too long to hold – and will miss a heap of games over Origin almost as soon as he returns to the paddock.

$388,300

Sonny Bill Williams. Source: Getty Images

WINNING TIPS

"With six of the most popular players suspended, injured or underperforming, it's important not to overreact. Gallen and SBW are sells as having $350K-plus players out for three weeks or more is too costly. However, Fifita is a hold as he will be very valuable following Gallen's injury."

-Matt Mullen (2009 winner)

"Try not to panic trade yet. Johnson is a perfect example. Give him and others a second week before hitting that trade button."

-Martin Bigg (2011 winner)

"With a high number of high profile injuries and suspensions, think about squad depth before panic trading the likes of SBW and Fifita. Work out whether you can carry these guys for a few weeks, as you'll need to use additional trades to get these guns back in."

-Darren Thompson (2013 winner)

MITRE 10 CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN: Five picks as skipper this week

1. Parker, Corey

Price: $421,500

Average v this week's opponent: 95

2. Gallen, Paul

Price: $388,300

Average v this week's opponent: 87.62

3. Kelly, Albert

Price: $282,100

Average v this week's opponent: 86

4. Thurston, Johnathan

Price: $364,000

Average v this week's opponent: 73.44

5. Fensom, Shaun

Price: $320,700

Average v this week's opponent: 72.75

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Roy Higgins farewelled at Flemington

ROY Higgins has been remembered as an inspiration, an icon for Australian racing and a champion bloke.

Many of horse racing's biggest names, past and present, turned out at Flemington racecourse on Thursday to farewell the champion jockey who died last weekend aged 75.

An inaugural member of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Higgins was described as a loving and kind-hearted man, generous with his time and support.

Jockey Damien Oliver said he was honoured when Higgins' family asked him to speak at the service.

He said he would be eternally grateful to the man who took him under his wing and was an inspiration and sounding board for many.

"Some of the words I'd use to describe Roy would be humble, natural, generous, kind, thoughtful and caring. Most of all genuine," Oliver said.

"These are the best qualities that a man can possess and Roy had them in bucket loads."

Higgins won a record-equalling 11 Melbourne jockeys' premierships.

One of only seven riders to have captured Australian racing's Grand Slam, he won more than 2300 races during a stellar riding career.

"On behalf of all Australian jockeys, Roy has been an inspiration, an icon and a legend. His legacy will live on forever," Oliver said.

In a final tribute, Higgins was taken on a last lap of the Flemington course where he had been so successful.

Melbourne Cup winners Subzero, Rogan Josh and Brew led the way down the famous straight as the hearse followed.

The handlers of Rogan Josh and Brew were dressed in the colours of Light Fingers and Red Handed, who gave Higgins his two Melbourne Cups in 1965 and 1967.

Jockeys and trainers formed a guard of honour as the man with a racing record most could only dream of emulating crossed the winning post one final time.

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Stop the pack, limit Folau

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STOP the NSW Waratahs' forward pack and you'll stifle try-scoring machine Israel Folau.

The Brumbies might be outnumbered two to one by their grudge rivals in forwards with Test experience but, in a case of never outgunned, the ACT Super Rugby franchise will launch an all-out assault up front.

It's only fitting that a match featuring 15 Test forwards and 13 Wallabies backs will give either side an early lead in the Australian conference.

And while Wallabies stars will be strewn across the paddock, Brumbies forwards Scott Fardy and Ben Alexander have little doubt on where the match in Canberra come Saturday night will be won.

"They (backs) might think they win the games but it's always won at the breakdown and the set piece," Fardy said.

"That's definitely where this will be decided."

Including replacements, the Waratahs pack features a whopping 10 players with international experience.

That includes the well balanced all-Wallabies back row of Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu and Dave Dennis.

There's also South African international Jacques Potgieter and Wallaby Kane Douglas locking down in the second row.

And then, just to top it off, they have four Wallabies front-rowers, as well as comeback king Stephen Hoiles on the bench.

The Brumbies pack on the other hand has just five forwards boasting Test experience, as star flanker David Pocock was last week ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Test prop Alexander admits his side will have their hands full against the undefeated Waratahs, who have also had the luxury of a bye in the lead-up.

"The first two games they've played, the work rate of their pack has been outstanding," Alexander said.

However just like Fardy, Alexander believes that if his side can get on top of the Tahs up front, they'll limit the damage of Folau, who has scored five tries in the Waratahs' first two games this season.

"The guys out wide won't get the ball if you do a job on their forwards," he said.

"You try and stifle their attack, and the ball never gets to blokes out wide.

"We've just got to focus on doing a job at the coal face."

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Lions struggle to replace Browny

Lions coach Justin Leppitsch looks down at his board during practice match against Sydney. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: Mark Calleja / News Corp Australia

THE reason Brisbane threw a truckload of cash at Richmond superstar Jack Riewoldt last year was brutally highlighted by Sydney at Burpengary on Saturday.

After unsuccessfully chasing Riewoldt, Kurt Tippett and Lance Franklin in recent years, the Lions still lack a legitimate money man in the forward line to be a long-term replacement for Jonathan Brown.

Sydney only had two more inside 50 entries (43-41) than Brisbane in blustery conditions on Saturday but had seven more scoring shots on their way to a comfortable 27-point win.

Brisbane had more possessions (371-367), more hardball gets (44-42), more marks (95-78), more hit-outs (54-41) and only three less clearances (43-46) than Sydney so they achieved parity with the AFL powerhouse across most of the ground.

But the faltering forward line failed to convert the good work further afield as the Swans created contests, won the ball and swept it out of defence with relative ease.

Brown did not sugar-coat Brisbane's deficiencies.

"At the end of the day, we just aren't scoring enough or getting enough marks inside 50,'' he said.

"Conditions weren't great and we weren't getting a lot of clean entries either but there's no doubt we need to improve.

"It is no good winning a lot of the stats if you don't finish off with goals.

"We also have to keep the ball inside 50 for longer. The Swans are elite at transferring the ball out of defence and they made us pay the price for not putting enough pressure on.

"We have to be a lot more diligent with all of those things when we come up against Hawthorn in Round 1.''

The ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck and turn half chances into goals is lacking at the Gabba. There is not a great deal of X-factor.

The Lions have recruited a host of promising young key forward prospects but they will not give Brisbane much in 2014.

Only Brent Staker and Ash McGrath were missing from the near full-strength forward line on the weekend and Aspley thrashed the Lions reserves by 53 points in the NEAFL practice match on Saturday.

Brown, 32, is fighting back from a serious foot injury and had two touches in two quarters on Saturday. He should not have to carry most of the goalkicking load.

He said he pulled up well from his first competitive hit-out for 2014. While Lions coach Justin Leppitsch said Brown's progress will be closely monitored over the next two weeks, the former skipper declared he was ready for Round 1.

"The body feels good. I wanted to play the first two quarters when there was heat on the game so I could get a feel for Round 1,'' Brown said.

The Lions play Hawthorn in Launceston on March 22 to open their premiership campaign.

The Hawks completed their pre-season schedule on Saturday with a 110-point win over Melbourne to go with comprehensive victories over Brisbane (131-point win) and North Melbourne (65 point win) in the NAB Challenge.

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Lions’ mids match Swans

Brisbane midfielder Brent Moloney in action against Sydney., Picture: Getty Source: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images

HIS numbers made beautiful reading but Brisbane on-baller Brent Moloney was more impressed by how the Lions midfield unit fought the good fight against a star-studded Sydney in the club's final practice match at Burpengary on Saturday.

Moloney was clearly Brisbane's best in the 27-point loss to the Swans, finishing with an equal game-high 34 disposals, eight clearances, eight inside 50 entries and one goal.

Apart from Adam Goodes and Luke Parker, Sydney fielded its strongest possible midfield against the Lions with Jarrad McVeigh, Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Ryan O'Keefe, Tom Mitchell and Daniel Hannebery among the Bloods' best.

However, Brisbane did not take a backward step against their vaunted opponents with Moloney, Daniel Rich, Jack Redden, Ryan Lester, James Aish and Sam Mayes doing well for Brisbane.

Moloney was encouraged by what he saw, especially after the main break.

"We were competitive the whole day in the middle. We just couldn't get the points on the board in the first half. In the second half we started to see some reward for the effort,'' Moloney said.

"We can take some confidence out of that because we were good with the contested ball and stoppages which are real strengths of Sydney and we will need to be good again when we play Hawthorn in Round 1.

"If you are going to be a good side, you need a contribution from everyone. We got that against one of the best midfields in the AFL so that's a real positive for us as a group.''

Fellow midfielder Claye Beams will have scans today after suffering a foot injury against the Swans. Brisbane hope the scans will determine if he has bone or ligament damage.

Any time spent on the sidelines would be a cruel blow for Beams given he missed most of 2013 with a knee reconstruction.

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