NRL SuperCoach Buy, Hold, Sell round 23: It’s POD season as Herbie Farnworth goes down

But the highlight for me, given the Winter Olympics is coming in February, was NRL players doing their best luge and skeleton impressions on slippery surfaces.

Looking at it from a purely practical perspective though, the big SuperCoach stories are the injuries to Herbie Farnworth and Isaah Yeo right as head-to-head finals start.

SELL

* Herbie Farnworth - The best CTW in SuperCoach this season (he has the most points and best average) is out long-term with a hamstring injury and will be the most sold player.

* Isaah Yeo - Continuing the curse of popular buys getting injured, the 7th most popular buy of the week has been sent for scans on a shoulder injury. He’s likely out this coming round, but the Panthers are hopeful he only misses a week or two.

* Taylan May - Popular mid-ranger copped a category one concussion while slipping in a controversial tackle by Stephen Crichton. May will miss the coming week under protocols.

* Jahrome Hughes, Haumole Olakau’atu, Josaiah Karapani - Repeating injuries and axings from last week that SuperCoaches will no doubt only get around to sorting this week for the start of finals.

HOLD

* Payne Haas - Missed the Broncos game after being put on an IV drip for a skin infection. He’s expected to return this week and will likely be a crucial extra number for head-to-head finals.

* Jamayne Isaako - The popular SuperCoach player fought through a groin injury and didn’t kick goals late. One to watch and assess. A late withdrawal on first week of finals would be disastrous.

BUY

* Dane Gagai - Coming off the bye. Playing in the fullback hot seat at the Knights following season-ending injuries to Kalyn Ponga and Fletcher Sharpe. Also kicking goals and averaging 96.3 in his last three games, yet only owned by four per cent of SuperCoaches. With Kiraz, Lomax and co already popular, Gagai looms as the top replacement for Farnworth.

* Jacob Kiraz - It was a strange old day for Kiraz against the Tigers on Sunday. The Tigers really showed up, the weather was horrid and Kiraz played fullback in defence but centre in attack, with Stephen Crichton attacking at fullback. Still, 66 with a try and linebreak was probably not what owners - and prospective owners - were looking at. He’ll still be very popular, no doubt, and I’m a happy owner.

* Zac Lomax - Only 44 on the weekend, which was a complete aberration (he had a 5RA of 90 before that, even with Origin meant to kill his vibe).

* Nathan Cleary - A rough patch through Origin but coming off 96 and 118 in the last two weeks. Now back kicking goals and seemingly recovered from a groin injury. The Panthers are fighting for a top four spot and Cleary has plenty to play for.

* Dylan Edwards - The Cleary-Edwards combo is real and the Panthers are making a massive charge after a slow start to the season. Edwards has averaged a tick under a ton in the last six rounds.

* Reece Walsh - For a “rocks and diamonds” player, Walsh has a sneaky good floor, never scoring below 49 this season (injury game not included). Coming off 134 against the Rabbitohs, but he won’t play the Rabbitohs every week. His match-up this week is tough against Storm.

* Tom Trbojevic - Only scored 47 on the weekend - albeit in a Brookvale bog - but still averaging over 80 since his move to centre. With the Sea Eagles in 10th and in serious danger of missing the finals, a move to his favoured fullback position this week would not surprise.

* Addin Fonua-Blake - After a very rough trot (5RA of 52), AFB switched it on against the Cowboys to notch 87 points including a try. Yes, it was against the Cowboys, but he’s extremely cheap at just over $500K and could step it up at the business end given the Sharks need to win every game.

* More replacements for Yeo - The FRF and 2RF positions have gone from being the backbone of many sides at the start of the season to being pretty rough. The best options remain the usual suspects you don’t already own including Eli Katoa, Hudson Hudson, Jacob Preston and Payne Haas (assuming he’s recovered from a hospital visit).

PODS

* Tallis Duncan - Rocking a 5RA of 80.6. The Rabbitohs have almost no players left (they couldn’t even field an 18th man on the weekend), so he’s basically the only forward Wayne Bennett has.

* Kurt Donoghoe and Jaimin Jolliffe - On the topic of POD replacements for Yeo, Donoghoe is rocking a 5RA of 67 as he cashes in on all the injuries at the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Jolliffe must have waited to hit the showers after that Des Hasler spray - he’s rocking a 5RA over 70 which places him in elite company at FRF.

* Ronaldo Mulitalo - Coming off 103 against the Cowboys and available for under $500K. Next three rounds are great against the Dragons, Titans and Knights.