The Stock Market Rd 9: Izzy Gone? You Better Believe It

To start this week I just want to recap a couple picks from last week's article. I hope you heeded our advice.

The first bit of advice was to pick up "Blue Chip" Jean-Luc du Preez and this week he will make his return to the Sharks lineup via the bench. As last years 2nd top averaging backrower, if you didn't pick him up, chances are someone else did.

"One Weeker" Sevu Reece sure fulfilled that role, taking out Fantasy Man Of The Week with 99 points! If you were lucky enough to scoop him up, you'd be thrilled to see he has been named to start again this week.

Blue Chips:

Kwagga Smith (LIO) BACKROW: Kwagga is sitting in 5th for backrowers and 11th over all for averages this season, with 48 points per game.

With form like this you would expect him to be snapped up in every draft, however a round 5 groin tear, originally suspected to keep him on the sideline for 6 weeks, would see him unavailable until after the Lions round 12 bye. Resulting in managers would be unable to hold him for that length of time.

Listen to me closely people, if he is available. Pick. Him. Up!

He may still slip under the radar as he wasn't named to play this weekend, however he is in the Lions' touring squad. Meaning we will likely see him in some capacity in Round 10 or 11.

Rising Stocks:

Rob Thompson (HIG) CENTRE: 6th in last years Centre averages, an ankle injury in Round 2 saw Thompson spending 5 rounds on the sideline before returning from the bench last week.

A solid line runner, he busted 66 tackles, threw 16 offloads and made 25 line breaks in 2018. Not a bad man to have in your centres.

Josh Ioane (HIG) FLYHALF:The top scoring flyhalf in Round 1 with 33 points, he backed that up with 34 points in round 2 before falling out of favour as the Highlanders' first choice flyhalf.

Marty Banks' broken foot will likely keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks meaning Ioane should hold down that first five spot and hopefully be able to regain that early season form.

ONE WEEKER:

Telani Seu (CHI) BACKROWER: With 2 starts this season for 45 and 50 points, Seu is the perfect 1 weeker.

The absence of stand-in skipper Michael Allardice in round 9 with a slight back injury has seen Ardron shift back into lock, allowing Seu back into the starting side.

A solid 1 week pickup.

SELL SELL SELL!

Israel Folau (WAR) OUTSIDE BACK: The perennial top 3 fantasy legend will be MIA indefinitely.

After a second social media incident in which he stated "hell awaits" homosexuals and other "sinners", he has doubled down by avoiding all contact by his employers, Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby.

RA and NSW Rugby have since released a joint statement signalling an intent to terminate Folau's multimillion-dollar four-year contract.

If someone is silly enough to trade him with you, take what you can get...

Written by Nelson Dale