Twal — the quiet achiever alongside May. Averaging 64 at lock with a low of 47 and a high of 87, and he does it all through base with barely an attacking stat to his name. A genuinely safe floor.
Utoikamanu — coming off the bye well rested and shaping as the Storm's dominant middle. He's been strong leading in, averaging 61 across his last five off the back of an 81 in R13 and a 68 in R16, and he should get his usual 50 to 60 minutes. The matchup is the sweetener. The Titans are leaking 50 a game to middle forwards this year against a league average of 44, so there's a soft spot to attack.
Edge
Olakau'atu — is flying, averaging 76 across his last five with a high of 101, and one of the best edge forwards in the game. The Cowboys are the one worry, conceding just 42 to right-edge forwards against a 48 league average, and they held him to 48 in R7, one of only two times he's gone under 50 all season. But he comes in fresh and fired up after sitting on the NSW bench without a run in Origin Game 3, so I'm backing another big one despite the draw.
Lucas — has been superb, averaging 77 across his last five with tries in bunches, 7 for the season now. He's on the Knights' left edge and gets through a mountain of work. Genuinely one of the form edges going around.
Halves
Hynes — the class option here. He's averaging 59 with a monster 102 already this year, and the goal kicking plus playmaking gives him a floor and a ceiling most halves can't match. Set and forget.
Fogarty — the base-points half. His running game is quiet but he racks up enormous kicking metres, over 600 in a game more than once, and he's now got the goal kicking duties back, which lifts his floor again. Averaging 57 and about as consistent as they come from the halfback role.
Centre
Doueihi — the standout value in the squad. He carries centre eligibility in GDS but runs the Tigers from the halves, so you're getting a halfback's workload in a centre slot. That's why he's averaging 68 with a ceiling as high as 102, big kicking metres, goals and 6 tries. As long as he keeps the No. 7 duties he's a genuine point of difference at the position.
Farnworth — elite for a centre, averaging 68 with a high of 114 and 8 tries. The tackle-break and metre numbers are outstanding and he rarely has a quiet game. An auto pick at the position.
Wing
Burns — a genuine try-scorer on the right wing, with 9 in his 11 games and a high of 81. He's averaging 50 for the season and 52 across his last five, a steady option who keeps crossing. The try rate is the draw, and it makes him a chance to go big any week he finds the line a couple of times.
Faalogo — has been electric, and technically a winger in GDS though he's playing fullback for the Storm. He's averaging 77 across his last five with a 100 and a 96 in there, and he's crossed for 12 tries. He may lose the goal kicking with Meaney back for the Storm, so the output may not be a good as it has been recently.
Fullback
Ponga — the premium fullback and he's named to start. He's averaging 67 across his seven games with a 96, a 91 and an 89 showing the ceiling, though the quiet 39 in R17 is the risk. Pure class and the highest ceiling of the fullback options.
Bench
Curran — starting on the edge this week, and a genuine point of difference. Look at his last four starts in the second row for the Bulldogs and the case makes itself. He put up 52 against the Eels and 58 against the Panthers without scoring a try, then went 57 against the Cowboys and 78 against the Titans when he did cross. He banks a good score off his work-rate alone, and goes to another level when he finds the line. A great opportunity to grab points at a thin spot.
Aitken — a handy body with a genuine ceiling, earned a recall to the starting side this week. He's averaging 55 with a 78 in R17, and across a full 80 he does a job. A solid inclusion now the minutes are locked in.
Campbell — the spicy, boom-or-bust pick, and the swings tell the story with a 101 and a 72 sitting alongside a 35 and a 39. He's dangerous running the ball from five-eighth, but the Storm are a tough watch defensively, so this is more a ceiling play than a safe one.
Tom Trbojevic — after returning from injury his form has tailed off, down to 43 across his last five, but the Cowboys are leaking 52 a game to fullbacks against a 47 league average, so there's a soft spot to target. The ceiling is still there when he's right, with a 79 earlier in the year.
Fuller — the deep option, named to start and averaging 53 across a small four-game sample at fullback this season, but with a 70 in R16 flashing the upside. He gets through big metres from the back and can score, though the floor is the concern given the limited body of work.
