NRL Saturday Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 25, 2025
Last updated: Aug 23, 2025, 4:22AM | Published: Aug 20, 2025, 9:23AM
Draftstars Australia's NRL Saturday Round 25 DFS contest starts at 3:00pm AEST on August 23, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player on the slate to help you build winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for NRL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' NRL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 25.
Featured NRL Games
Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate includes these matches:
- Parramatta Eels vs Sydney Roosters
- Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Dolphins
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to deliver some of the most accurate DFS projections available.
With the latest NRL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more NRL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We've reviewed every player from every team to help you find the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaiya Katoa (DOL, FLEX/HH) | $19,330 | 66.1 | 3.4 |
| Value | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (WAR, OB/FLEX) | $9,530 | 44.8 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL, FWD/FLEX) | $11,550 | 20.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Marata Niukore (WAR, FWD/FLEX) | $8,130 | 36 | 4.4 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For those needing to stay under the salary cap, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
OB (Outside Back)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | James Tedesco (SYD) | $17,560 | 61.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (WAR) | $9,530 | 44.8 | 4.7 |
| Fade | Isaiah Iongi (PAR) | $12,300 | 33.2 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (WAR) | $8,180 | 35.1 | 4.3 |
HH (Half/Hooker)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Isaiya Katoa (DOL) | $19,330 | 66.1 | 3.4 |
| Value | Hugo Savala (SYD) | $14,110 | 56.8 | 4 |
| Fade | Jayden Campbell (GOL) | $23,480 | 63.7 | 2.7 |
| Cheapie | Luke Brooks (MAN) | $9,670 | 37.7 | 3.9 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Erin Clark (WAR) | $16,740 | 57.3 | 3.4 |
| Value | Marata Niukore (WAR) | $8,130 | 36 | 4.4 |
| Fade | Klese Haas (GOL) | $11,550 | 20.7 | 1.8 |
| Cheapie | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (DOL) | $9,580 | 38.6 | 4 |
Conclusion
When building your NRL Saturday Round 25 teams, consider starting with a value player like Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Isaiya Katoa is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Marata Niukore.
On the other hand, according to our model, Klese Haas is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' NRL Saturday slate closes at 3:00pm AEST on Saturday. ENTER NOW!
As with all NRL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven NRL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the NRL Saturday Round 25 slate. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your NRL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised NRL Saturday line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
