The first major bye round is done and dusted, and if you survived with your squad intact, congrats. 

However, there's no time to celebrate! NRL Round 13 is a tricky mini bye round with three teams sidelined, Origin stars potentially being rested, and breakevens shifting faster than a Reece Walsh sidestep. 

Before you lock in your trades and captain, here are the eight most important talking points heading into NRL Supercoach Round 13.

NRL Supercoach 2026 – Round 13 Tips and Picks 

1. Three Teams on the Bye

The Dolphins, Rabbitohs and Titans all have the weekend off. That means popular keepers like Jamayne Isaako and Latrell Mitchell are unavailable, so your bench cover and trade priorities need a rethink.

2. Origin Hangover Risks

With State of Origin played on Wednesday night, expect coaches to manage minutes or rest backing-up stars over the weekend. 

Watch Tuesday team lists like a hawk – a late omission could torpedo your round.

3. The Injury Watch List

A handful of key names have changed status this week:

Jacob Preston (Bulldogs) – fractured forearm, around six weeks out.

Connor Tracey (Bulldogs) – hamstring, three weeks.

Jaydn Su'a (Dragons) – calf, at least a month.

Ben Trbojevic (Manly) – concussion, one week.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors) – suspected ACL, likely season-ending.

4. Cash Cows on the Rise

The low-breakeven brigade is led by Te Maire Martin (-95) at just $235,600, alongside rookies Latrell Siegwalt, Liam Sutton and Talanoa Penitani. 

These cheapies are the fuel your squad needs for upgrades down the track.

5. Fallers to Move on From

Some big names are bleeding value. Jamayne Isaako (BE 155), Kayal Iro (151), Luke Metcalf (151) and even Latrell Mitchell (149) all face huge breakevens. If they're not delivering, it might be time to cut your losses.

6. Most Traded In

Coaches are flocking to Te Maire Martin (2,439 trades in), with Reece Walsh, Jacob Kiraz, Kai Pearce-Paul and Terrell May also among the most popular pickups. 

Following the herd isn't always right – but the smart money is on form players returning from the bye.

7. Most Traded Out

Unsurprisingly, injured Jacob Preston tops the trade-out list, followed by Jonah Pezet, Sua Fa'alogo and Jaxon Purdue. 

James Tedesco is also being shown the door by 509 coaches – not surprising considering his recall to the Origin arena. 

8. Captaincy Contenders

Jackson Ford is the runaway favourite with 24% of the armband, ahead of Scott Drinkwater (14.5%) and Nathan Cleary (13%). 

For the brave, Sua Fa'alogo leads VC loophole picks at 20.4% – a high-ceiling Friday night punt if you back the Storm flyer to fire.

Got your trades sorted? Head to Sportsbet for the latest NRL Round 13 markets, head-to-head odds, try-scorer specials and everything in between.