A Friday night double header in NRL 2024 kicks off in Auckland, with the Sharks heading across the ditch to take on the Warriors in round 1, in a clash between two finalists from last season. To close out the Friday night doubleheader, we are treated to a heavyweight showdown between the reigning premiers, the Penrith Panthers, heading south to take on the Storm.
Draftstars have several contests on offer for Friday night, including single-match contests, and combined matchups. These include:
- NRL $12,000 - Storm v Panthers
- NRL $6,000 – Warriors v Sharks
- NRL $5,000 – Friday Night doubleheader
There are several other contests that will tickle your fancy, so get involved and make the greatest game of all even more exciting.
Betting Markets
Warriors ($1.55) vs Sharks ($2.45) – Odds thanks to PlayUp
Line: Warriors (-4.5)
Points: 39.5
If you’re looking to bet on the NRL this season, then you can bet with PlayUp! by using the same account that you have at Draftstars. PlayUp are Australian owned and offer a vast range of NRL betting markets and offers, including Same Game Multis.
Additionally, we have full betting previews for both games, which you can access via the following links:
- Warriors v Sharks betting preview
- Storm v Panthers betting preview
Top Fantasy Plays
VALUE
Luke Sommerton ($8,880) has taken over as the starting hooker this week for the Panthers, with Mitch Kenny suspended for round 1. Sommerton started in round 27 last season against the Cowboys, where he looked dangerous, playing 50 minutes, and scoring a try. He didn’t shirk the work, making 32 tackles and running the ball 7 times. With Peachey on the bench, he should get 50+ minutes this week, and if Peachey is forced to cover an injury, Sommerton could easily play 70+ minutes. For close to bottom dollar, Summerton is a great pickup in your FLEX positions.
Lindsay Smith ($8,550) looks set for an increased role with the Panthers this season, with Spencer Leniu having moved to the Roosters in the off-season. After starting off slowly last season, Smith regularly saw 50+ minutes in the middle for the Panthers last season, and towards the end of the year when Leniu was out, started for the Panthers. At near bottom dollar, Smith is the kind of worker you can stick in as your third forward and enjoy a solid floor for your score.
MID PRICE
Ryan Papenhuyzen ($11,600) is back this season and looked fit in pre-season. Whilst he is an injury concern every week he plays; he has one of the highest ceilings in this slate of two games. Whilst he won’t kick goals with Nick Meaney in the squad, at fullback and playing 80 minutes, Papenhuyzen has shown in the past he can take over a game. Gets a tough matchup in round 1 against the Panthers, but with Cam Munster out, expect Papenhuyzen to be heavily involved in any offensive raid the Storm initiate in the redzone.
Ronaldo Mulitalo ($10,760) is coming off a career year with the Sharks, scoring 20 tries in 22 games last season. With four tries in his past three games against the Warriors, Mulitalo has great upside against a Warriors right edge defence that can leak tries. I do believe the Sharks v Warriors clash will see the higher points total of the two Friday night games, so looking at Sharks and Warriors outside backs is a solid ploy in my opinion.
PREMIUM
Nicho Hynes ($22,590) showed last season that he is, along with Nathan Cleary, the best fantasy rugby league player in the NRL. With Cleary set to take on the Storm, I’ll be looking to select Hynes in my squads this Friday if choosing between the pair. There has been concerns over Hynes’ fitness coming into round 1, with a quad injury hampering his pre-season, but he has been confirmed to play this weekend. Hynes does it all, running, tackles, setting up tries, kicking goals, and general play kicking. His base is extraordinary for a half, and with his playmaking upside, he will once again finish among the very best this season.
Shaun Johnson ($18,340) comes into his 14th season in the NRL off the back of one of the best years of his illustrious career. Johnson absolutely dominated the Sharks in the two games these teams played last season, and with the same left edge named for the Sharks this season, I expect Johnson to be terrorising them all game. With a try, six try assists and six line-break assists in two games, Johnson seems to enjoy playing his old team. At over a $4,000 discount on both Cleary and Hynes, Johnson is a definite consideration for those looking to move from a mid-range up to a premium elsewhere by saving money here.
Suggested Drafstars Lineup
