Do you plump up the cash and start with Harry Grant or risk going without the standout hooker and get inventive in NRL Supercoach?
That’s the major question for the beginning of 2024 with two separate modes of thinking around whether salary cap cash can be better spent elsewhere, as a number of cheapies and mid-rangers could fill in this season, or to back Grant to the tune of $750,000.
MORE: The position-by-position guide to NRL Supercoach this year
Why Harry Grant is the premium pick at hooker for NRL Supercoach 2024
Grant is undoubtedly the safest option in a tricky HOK position this season with his hefty price tag offset by his guaranteed high scores.
MORE: NRL Supercoach - Analysis on the most expensive players in the game
The Melbourne No.9 averaged 73.5PPG last year, which was almost 10 points better off than his closest rival in Damien Cook, who is priced at $663,200 this season.
Since establishing himself as a force in 2020, Grant has averaged 71.5, 73.5 and 77.6PPG to create a four-year period of consistency.
Also in his favour is his rare ability, within the position, to record big scores with 101, 105, 138 and 149 showcasing an improvement across the years in each season that has gone by for his highest totals.
Grant's time on the field has always been impacted with Craig Bellamy trying to manage the workload of his star along with a position share with Brandon Smith in the past, but this doesn't translate to negative scores.
However long Grant is out there for, the recently revealed new Storm skipper will post his points with a vast array of attacking stats, as he goes about his work for the side which regularly finishes inside the top four.
Could Jeremy Marshall-King be the next best hooker option?
Jeremy Marshall-King, who is priced at $639,100 this year, racked up plenty of attacking stats during the Dolphins’ inaugural season in the NRL.
In fact, the former Bulldog was deadly out of dummy-half with his evasive running style allowing him to clock 100 points in total for hit ups over eight metres.
In an impressive range of output, he also made five linebreaks and gained 72 points for linebreak assists to go with his 46 points for tackle busts and 12 points for offloads in 2023.
His service in the red zone was also particularly eye-catching as he posted eight try assists to be one of the best performing No.9’s in the game despite being in a side which missed the finals.
Although while posting positive numbers, the 28-year-old was also the source of plenty of frustration as he featured just 15 times, with a persistent shoulder injury interrupting and then eventually prematurely ending his season.
Marshall-King managed to string together six consecutive matches during the early stages of the season and showcased how consistent he could be if he is able to stay fit and healthy this season, recording scores of 53, 89, 72, 68, 78 and 69 during this stretch.
Why is Jayden Brailey so popular in NRL Supercoach this year?
The Newcastle hooker is currently sitting at 40 per cent ownership with his low price of $330,000 proving almost impossible to turn down as plenty run with him as their second dummy-half.
Brailey has had a horrific time with injury recently which is the main contributor for his near basement level price. In the last four seasons, he has managed just 37 matches as injuries have curtailed his career.
When he has managed to play, he has showcased a steady output that puts him firmly in the middle of the road for HOK options in Supercoach.
In 2021, which was his most recent complete campaign, he managed 22 games and posted 50 or more points on 15 occasions in that period.
He presents as a great low-priced option to start the season, especially as he returns to an exciting Knights side that looked the best that they've ever been in attack under Adam O'Brien in 2023.
If Brailey can get in on some of this action with additional attacking stats like try assists and linebreaks to go with his strong defensive output, it's easy to see the appeal.
Are Wayde Egan and Api Koroisau being overlooked?
Wayde Egan ($576,100) and Api Koroisau ($572,200) are both currently owned by just three per cent of Supercoach players.
Egan is coming off his career-best season where he averaged 56.4PPG. However, will the Warriors rake be able to re-produce his impressive form in 2024?
The 26-year-old crossed the stripe six times last year, while laying on five assists to regularly post scores in the 60-70 range.
Although it's worth mentioning he has scored 12 tries in total during his previous five seasons and has failed to register five or more try assists in all of his prior campaigns expect in 2021.
There is also the worry around his injury and concussion issues to factor in as well with the No.9 regularly sidelined for one to two games after failing to see out matches.
Meanwhile, Koroisau proved he has the ability to rack up the points through tries and assists as he posted over 200 points for the second successive season.
The Tigers skipper amassed 102 points for four-pointers last year while also gaining 128 for try assists and contributions. This followed his final year at Penrith where he scored 68 for tries and 176 for assists and contributions.
In the twilight of his career and with the added pressure of leading a struggling side, Koroisau has undoubtedly raised his game.
With the new regime under Benji Marshall and a new halves partnership after Luke Brooks' exit to contend with though, he is a gamble with his NSW counterparts Blayke Brailey ($579,800) and Reece Robson ($561,100) pitched at a similar price in more settled line-ups.
Are Brendan Hands and Joey Lussick legitimate options?
All eyes will be on Brad Arthur's team list for the opening round of the season as the fight for Parramatta's No.9 jersey heats up.
Brendan Hands ($342,300) held the job for the majority of last season following Josh Hodgson's injury but appeared to have lost it to Joey Lussick ($313, 700) by year's end.
Hands averaged 33.5PPG compared to Lussick's 38.4PPG, which was taken from a much smaller sample size.
The duo are currently popular Supercoach picks with Hands sitting at 13 per cent ownership and Lussick at four per cent.
Yet for a similar price, Brailey stands out as the much safer and more productive cheapie option with neither man really a factor in the Eels' attack as Mitch Moses, Dylan Brown and Clint Gutherson dominate proceedings.
Meanwhile, for just over $100,000 more, some mid-rangers with far more upside are also available with the likes of Jacob Liddle ($458,100), Sam Verrills ($463,200) and Brandon Smith ($471,300) there after they all averaged in the mid 40's last year.
NRL Supercoach Guide to 2024
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Cheapies to watch for new season
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Most expensive players in the game
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Comprehensive guide on how to play, how to score points, strategies and more
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Who to buy in the hooker position
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Who to buy in the halfback position
- NRL Supercoach 2024: Who to buy in the fullback position
