NRL SuperCoach 2026: POD play of the week round 18
Point of difference selections (PODs), strategies and plays are a hugely important part of any SuperCoach player’s season, whether it is chasing head-to-head wins or climbing the overall rankings week to week.
It is always important not to make too many POD plays, but you will always need some to be successful — balance is key.
Each week when reviewing the NRL matches for a round, there will inevitably be POD players among the top dozen scorers, as well as several POD strategies such as benching a highly owned player or captaining someone few coaches are considering.
This week marks the week is our final major bye round of the season and, with State of Origin about to finish for another year, the last time to make a huge push up the rankings before the run home begins.
There is some big names playing in round 18 and some with big ceilings, but none are as low owned as the man dubbed ‘Turbo’ and he could be the ticket to supercharge coaches seasons.
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Tom Trbojevic/ CTW / $557,300 / 6% owned
Tom Trbojevic shapes as one of the most fascinating SuperCoach POD options heading into the final major bye round, with the Manly superstar currently sitting at just 6% ownership despite a potentially season-defining run looming.
That ownership is likely to rise significantly after trades this week and could push beyond 15%, but even at that level Turbo would still remain a genuine point of difference capable of separating teams from the pack.
His 71 season average is also very misleading, as he has averaged more than 80 points per game when removing his injury affected matches.
Priced at $557,300, Trbojevic now presents a rare opportunity to buy one of SuperCoach’s most elite players at a manageable price just as Manly’s draw begins to open up beautifully.
The Sea Eagles face Parramatta this week in a golden three-game stretch against the Eels, Cowboys and Titans, with all three matchups carrying serious attacking upside for Manly’s strike weapons.
Turbo’s high scores against those three opponents are 179, 229 and 208. No, that is not a typo.
For head-to-head focused players, the appeal becomes even greater with Manly drawing the Dragons during the key Round 26 grand final week, giving Turbo massive upside when it matters most.
Against Parramatta alone, Trbojevic shapes as a genuine captaincy option, sporting a career average of 82 points per game against the Eels with a monstrous high score of 179, coupled with the fact the Eels are currently struggling and conceding 31 points per game to opponents — the second-worst defence in the NRL.
History also strongly favours Turbo in major bye rounds, with the Manly fullback featuring in the final big bye round three times across the last five years and producing monster scores of 123, 119 and 144.
Few players in SuperCoach possess the ceiling of Trbojevic when fit and firing, and his ability to single-handedly win rounds makes him one of the most dangerous POD plays when it is a reduced bye round with fewer options.
There is always risk with Turbo given his injury history though, which is a valid concern, but also what has kept many coaches from pulling the trigger.
To be fair as well, he has not looked like he is in career-best form, so expecting his feats of history past is likely asking a bit much, but even at a reduced performance that still looks like value and opportunity.
If he stays healthy and the Sea Eagles attack clicks over this favourable stretch, the upside could be enormous and the only downside is you may need to burn a trade on the run home if he gets hurt.
Sounds like a small price to pay for one of SuperCoach’s elite options.
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