The POD: Round 27 Point-of-Difference Picks

Welcome back to The POD, your weekly rundown of point-of-difference picks across every position in GameDay Squad Fantasy. If you're looking to break away from the crowd and climb those leaderboards, these are the under-the-radar selections worth a serious look in Round 27.

Let's dive in.

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Hooker - Jeremy Marshall-King

JMK might not be your typical POD, but with Blayke Brailey a regular starter in many squads, I see him as a point-of-difference. Since Round 17, JMK has averaged 56 points across eight games, scoring 60+ in five of them.

The main concern is his minutes—he doesn't always play the full 80. That said, I think he should manage 70+ here looking at the Dolphins' bench.

The Raiders are also a favourable matchup for hookers:

| Timeframe | % Beating Average | Points Above Average |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------|
| Last 3 weeks | 100% | +19 points |
| Last 5 weeks | 100% | +14 points |
| Season-long | 68% | +6 points |

With Brailey posting back-to-back scores in the 40s, GDS coaches might be looking for an alternative. In my opinion, JMK is one of the better options out there.

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Middle Forward - Corey Horsburgh

Horsburgh looks to be the leader of the pack this week with Tapine and Papali'i both missing. He's averaged 70 points over his last two games, including one try.

With the Raiders' bench set-up, I expect him to see 55+ minutes, though there's some risk—if Stuart decides to ease him given the Raiders have nothing to play for, he could spend more time on the pine.

Still, Horsburgh racks up points through base stats, and with the Dolphins leaking plenty lately, there's upside for attacking stats too.

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Edge Forward - Tallis Duncan

Duncan has spent time between edge and centre this season, but this week he's named on the edge—a big plus for GDS coaches. He averages 54 points at edge compared to 43 across the season, with five tries (including two doubles) in that role.

It's not just the attacking upside—he averages 40 net base points (run metres + tackles - missed tackles) when starting edge.

The Roosters aren't a standout matchup overall, but in their last two games, they've allowed left edge forwards to average +14 points above the league average. If Duncan crosses the line again, a 60+ score looks very realistic.

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Half - Daly Cherry-Evans

This may not feel like a POD after back-to-back scores of 97 (v Dolphins) and 100 (v Dragons), but context matters. This will be DCE's final game for Manly at home after more than 350 appearances.

I expect Manly to send him off in style, and if they pile on the points like they've been doing the past few weeks, DCE could easily post another monster score.

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Centre - Will Penisini

Let's be clear—Penisini isn't in my top 10 centres this week. He averages just 31 points on the season with only two 50+ scores. But he does have the best matchup for any centre this round.

The Knights are the softest defence for right centres:

| Timeframe | % Beating Average | Points Above Average |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------|
| Last 3 weeks | 100% | +10 points |
| Last 5 weeks | 100% | +19 points |
| Season-long | 55% | +6 points |

The Knights have been awful over the past month, and with the Eels big favourites at home, Penisini could surprise. He's produced squad-of-the-round scores before. Risky, but intriguing.

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Wing - Zac Lomax

Lomax is usually in the starter conversation, but patchy recent form (35-point average over his last five, including three scores under 25) has him flying under the radar.

On the season he averages 46, and this week he gets the Knights—the 4th-best matchup for right wingers:

| Timeframe | % Beating Average | Points Above Average |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------|
| Last 3 weeks | 33% | +7 points |
| Last 5 weeks | 60% | +11 points |
| Season-long | 45% | +2 points |

It doesn't look elite on paper, but when right wingers do go big against Newcastle, they go very big. The Eels are heavy favourites, and Lomax's goal-kicking could give him 15+ points through kicks alone, providing a safe floor with big upside.

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Fullback - Dylan Edwards

With Walsh, Fuller, Turbo, and Teddy all firing, Edwards may be overlooked due to his patchy form and Penrith resting stars last week. But he has shown a huge ceiling—most notably 120 points in Round 20 against Souths (without Cleary).

The Dragons are the 3rd-best matchup for fullbacks:

| Timeframe | % Beating Average | Points Above Average |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------|
| Last 3 weeks | 100% | +18 points |
| Last 5 weeks | 80% | +9 points |
| Season-long | 68% | +8 points |

The Panthers are fresh and the Dragons look ready for the season to end. Edwards isn't your classic POD, but he could be overlooked—and that makes him dangerous.

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Final Thoughts

Round 27 gives us another chance to zig while others zag. With several popular players missing or in tough matchups, the opportunity to take advantage of form players and elite DvP spots is there.

Fade the crowd. Play the matchup. Trust your gut.

Let's make it count this week.