News Herald Sun SuperCoach Articles

[anfa18]

It's interesting what they say on Hibberd after round 1 and after round 2...

Round 1 - The early talk from some SuperCoaches about trading Zorko, Nat Fyfe and Michael Hibberd is crazy. Like the old saying goes; it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Round 2 - Another you may want to sideswap is Michael Hibberd from Melbourne. He promised so much early in the game but faded out to finish in the 70s again.


Are they just randomly giving inconsistent advise?

 

[Courtesans]

It's interesting what they say on Hibberd after round 1 and after round 2...

Round 1 - The early talk from some SuperCoaches about trading Zorko, Nat Fyfe and Michael Hibberd is crazy. Like the old saying goes; it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Round 2 - Another you may want to sideswap is Michael Hibberd from Melbourne. He promised so much early in the game but faded out to finish in the 70s again.


Are they just randomly giving inconsistent advise?

Yep. Just like every share trader does. Just as much hit and miss.

 

[KLo30]

It's interesting what they say on Hibberd after round 1 and after round 2...

Round 1 - The early talk from some SuperCoaches about trading Zorko, Nat Fyfe and Michael Hibberd is crazy. Like the old saying goes; it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Round 2 - Another you may want to sideswap is Michael Hibberd from Melbourne. He promised so much early in the game but faded out to finish in the 70s again.


Are they just randomly giving inconsistent advise?

Yep. Just like every share trader does. Just as much hit and miss.

General advice in regards to a single share. Advice to the share within a portfolio is what is required. That is what you have to do with the analysis within this article.

 

[GoGeta]

General advice in regards to a single share. Advice to the share within a portfolio is what is required. That is what you have to do with the analysis within this article.

Can you just tell me where to invest


I feel that Hibberd is a lot like Bitcoin, got people really excited in the beginning but was always going to get regulated.

 

[Presto]

SuperCoach Investor: Expert guide to the rising and falling trade stocks after Round 2
DAN BEGALA, Herald Sun
16 minutes ago
Subscriber only

IT’S market mover week at the SuperCoach Stock Exchange with prices set to soar (and plummet) at the conclusion of Round 3.
This week — more than any other week — is most pivotal in your quest for league and rankings glory.
SuperCoach, much like the stock market, is all about information and it’s integral that you become entrenched in it.
We’ve only had a brief snapshot with two rounds of football, but for the well-trained investors, this can generally be enough to make informed and astute trade decisions.
Our resident expert, Daniel Begala, shares his insights on how to best tackle the season-defining moment that is Week 3 of AFL action.

ROOKIE ROYALTY
The most important tenet of SuperCoach is to ensure you have the appropriate allocation and composition of high-class rookie players.
Buy low. Sell high. That’s the motto.
These are your building blocks and the catalyst for every enhancement you’ll make to your side.
Most, if not all coaches, will boast the services of rookie revelations Tim Kelly ($117K, mid), Tom Doedee ($124K, def), Nick Holman ($102K, mid) and Jeremy Finalyson ($124K, mid/def).
These players have kicked off proceedings in emphatic fashion and loom as lucrative cash cows for the initial stages of Season 2018 and potentially, beyond.
The issue affecting coaches, however, has been the underperformance of a breadth of high-priced rookies (Rayner, Dow and Naughton) who have failed to challenge the scorers at Champion Data across Rounds 1 and 2.
Unless you foresee upside, it’s time to exercise aggression and trade these players to the bargain-basement rookies that you may have overlooked in your initial squad.
The SuperCoach Investor will be waving goodbye to his most expensive bench warmer, Cameron Rayner, and welcoming the services of Lachlan Fogarty ($117K, mid) or Dom Barry ($117K, mid).

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS
There’s no worse feeling in SuperCoach (and investing) than paying full-tote odds for a premium player who fails to live up to their lofty price tag.
They’re the blue chip stock that you expect to yield weekly dividends, but more importantly, fire from the get go.
The issue, however, is that many top-dollar stocks have failed to live up to the scoring standards that have become synonymous with their names.
Michael Hibberd ($541K, Average: 73), Dayne Zorko ($609K, 69), Luke Dahlhaus ($498K, 70) and the list goes on.
They’re guns, no doubt, but they’re sabotaging our rankings pursuit one week at a time.
SuperCoach is a high-performance environment.
We do not, and should not, accept underperformance.
That is why coaches, like yours truly, have some season-defining decisions to make this week.
Trading sideways, or premiums for that matter, has always been fraught with danger.
With no realised “loss” (in price), there’s no better time to part ways with an underperforming star than when they’re on the verge of plummeting.
Can Michael Hibberd — the quarterback of the Melbourne Demons — turn the tide or are we witnessing history repeat itself (Heath Shaw, 2017) with a change of role and personnel (Jordan Lewis and Bernie Vince) tapering his output indefinitely?
It sounds harsh, I know, but being clinical may enable you to preserve the capital required to acquire the likes of Patrick Dangerfield and other premiums down the track.

TAKING THE PUNT
They’re the new kids of the block, awkwardly priced but have exploded onto the scene in the opening stanza of Season 2018.
Riley Bonner ($257K, def), Charlie Curnow ($408K, fwd), Tim Taranto ($366K, mid/fwd).
If you’re experiencing the headache that is an underperforming premium, well guess what, you’re in luck with a breadth of youngsters hammering down the door for selection in your side.
Cast your eyes back to Season 2015 when the young Marcus Bontempelli, a second-year player, burst onto the scene with a sequence of scores including 131, 126 and 142.
Many, including yours truly, overlooked the future star with doubts about his sustained scoring potential as a thinly-framed nineteen year-old.
Taranto, more than any of the above, seems a player destined to recreate this feat with a top-billing draft selection and two games, 113 and 100, that suggest he’s already become a vital cog of the GWS engine room.
It takes a bold decision, but you won’t win SuperCoach sitting on your hands.

 

[Zim^zuM]

It's interesting what they say on Hibberd after round 1 and after round 2...

Round 1 - The early talk from some SuperCoaches about trading Zorko, Nat Fyfe and Michael Hibberd is crazy. Like the old saying goes; it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Round 2 - Another you may want to sideswap is Michael Hibberd from Melbourne. He promised so much early in the game but faded out to finish in the 70s again.


Are they just randomly giving inconsistent advise?

Clearly changed their mind after some more data with Vince and Lewis.

 

[Presto]

SuperCoach formguide: Champion Data’s best trade options and players to watch in Round 3
Champion Data, Herald Sun
an hour ago
Subscriber only

AN out-of-form premium is the stuff of SuperCoach nightmares.
The likes of Tom Rockliff, Taylor Adams, Dayne Beams and Michael Hibberd have all been out of sorts and now boast a break-even score in excess of 170 points. All will plummet in price, but the question is — do you hold or trade?
Trades should be treated like gold in SuperCoach and with 30 at our disposal across the year, it’s very easy to get trigger happy and dump Hibberd for the in-form Kade Simpson.
At this stage of the season, having a full set of rookies appreciating in price is more important, so they should be the No. 1 priority, not trading out Hibberd.
SuperCoaches with Matt Crouch, however, need to move him on this week after he was ruled out for up to three weeks with a hamstring injury.
There is no shortage of viable replacements around his price, with Clayton Oliver, Rory Sloane and Nat Fyfe at the forefront. But a SuperCoach veteran could be the best option of them all.
Scott Pendlebury is the 37th-most selected midfielder and looms as a top unique selection.
His record against Carlton makes for enticing reading, averaging 124 points against the Blues from 19 career games — his best return against any side. Pendlebury has scored 143, 161 and 91 points in his past three games against Carlton.
If money isn’t an issue, then it’s hard to overlook Dustin Martin or Tom Mitchell. Both have started in blazing fashion and look like rivalling Patrick Dangerfield for SuperCoach supremacy this year.
Mitchell has a break-even score of just 69 points, while Martin needs 87 points to keep his price. The two will also go head-to- head on Sunday afternoon at the MCG and we’re all looking forward to the points-fest.

ROOKIE WATCH

SuperCoaches were ruing the poor performance of several rookies in the season opener, but a couple of them bounced back in Round 2, led by Luke Davies-Uniacke.
The North Melbourne midfielder scored 77 points in the win against St Kilda and he’ll now be looking to build on that against Melbourne on Saturday. No. 1 draft pick Cameron Rayner, on the other hand, struggled yet again, managing just 20 points against Melbourne. He has a break-even score of 61 points which looks to be out of reach, which means he will actually fall in price.
That’s not what you want from a cash cow.
With prices changing after Round 3, there are a host of must-have basement price rookies SuperCoaches should be targeting.
If you don’t have Tim Kelly (-166), Nick Holman and Tom Doedee (-128), Jeremy Finlayson (-120) or Liam Ryan (-84) in your side, then you need to address that this week.
Kelly’s start to his AFL career has been eye-catching to say the least, finishing with 27 disposals, 13 contested possessions, seven inside-50s and 117 points against Hawthorn.
He also attended 18 centre bounces, the most of any Cats player behind the “Big Three”. If he can maintain his numbers, then there is every chance he could end up being a long-term option, not just a short-term cash grab.
Starting the wrong rookies caught several SuperCoaches out yet again in Round 2, with both Doedee and Finlayson warming the bench for some. Ryan’s 115 points against Western Bulldogs was also wasted on the bench for plenty, as SuperCoaches opted to start Bayley Fritsch and Zac Giles-Langdon instead.

PLAYERS TO WATCH IN ROUND 3

CARLTON v COLLINGWOOD
Marc Murphy has averaged 29 disposals, four tackles and 108 points against the Magpies since 2015. Scott Pendlebury has dominated in these games, averaging 33 disposals, six tackles and 136 points from five games.

PORT ADELAIDE v BRISBANE LIONS
Ollie Wines led the Power to victory last round with 35 disposals, 19 contested possessions and a game-high 147 points against the Swans. Allen Christensen booted an equal team-high three goals in his 100th AFL match, scoring 101 points.

MELBOURNE v NORTH MELBOURNE
With scores of 172 and 111 points in his past two games against North Melbourne, Max Gawn will be looking to this round’s battle with Todd Goldstein. Shaun Higgins finished with 28 disposals, one goal and 109 points when these sides last met in Round 19 last year.

GOLD COAST v FREMANTLE
Nick Holman leads the AFL for tackles after the opening two rounds, posting scores of 96 and 92 points. Andrew Brayshaw was a lot more productive last round, finishing with 16 disposals, five tackles and 62 points against Essendon.

SYDNEY SWANS v GWS GIANTS
Lance Franklin has averaged 16 disposals, three goals and 97 points from 10 career games against the Giants. Jeremy Cameron finished with 24 disposals, two goals and 139 points when he last faced Sydney in Round 5 last year.

ST KILDA v ADELAIDE
Jack Billings was one of several Saints that struggled against the Kangaroos, finishing with 18 effective disposals and 79 points. Rory Sloane stepped up after once Matt Crouch went down injured, finishing with 25 disposals, two goals and 141 points.

RICHMOND v HAWTHORN
Trent Cotchin’s last three figure score against Hawthorn was in Round 19, 2013. Tom Mitchell finished with 35 disposals, 10 clearances, four score involvements and 131 points when these sides last met in Round 20 last year.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v ESSENDON
Jack Macrae was one of very few winners in last round’s heavy defeat to West Coast, finishing with 28 effective disposals and a game-high 142 points. Devon Smith battled manfully against Fremantle, finishing with 20 disposals, 13 tackles and 111 points against Fremantle.

WEST COAST v GEELONG
Luke Shuey was important in the win over Geelong in Round 13 last season, finishing with 32 disposals, 16 contested possessions and 114 points. Joel Selwood finished with just 75 points for the Cats, his second-lowest score against the Eagles from 12 career games.


TRADE TRACKER
1. Tim Kelly
2. Jeremy Finlayson
3. Liam Ryan
4. Riley Bonner
5. Kade Simpson

MOST TRADED-OUT PLAYERS

1. Cameron Rayner
2. Matt Crouch
3. Michael Hibberd
4. Aaron Naughton
5. Paddy Dow

MOST POPULAR TRADES

Michael Hibberd to Kade Simpson
Cameron Rayner to Liam Ryan
Aaron Naughton to Riley Bonner
Matt Crouch to Tom Mitchell
Cameron Rayner to Tim Kelly

 

[Presto]

SuperCoach rookie watch: The cheapies with great earning potential
TIM MICHELL, Herald Sun
April 9, 2018 4:56pm
Subscriber only

ARE your SuperCoach rookies starting to make you money?
We’re three rounds into the season, which means most rookies have started to increase in value.
Some prices have risen a lot more than others, while some cheapies haven’t been the cash cows we had expected.
How long should you be holding on to them?
Here is a comprehensive review of how every rookie performed in Round 3.
Carlton v Collingwood
Zac Fisher ($318,400) — 76 points; Breakeven: 3
The last time Fisher can be classed as a ‘rookie’, considering his price is now above $300,000. On a dirty night for the Blues he still delivered 76 points which resulted in a rise of more than $50,000 from his starting price of $263,600. Enjoy the ride for at least the next month if you have him then consider your options when he peaks.
Jarrod Garlett ($158,200) — 64 points; Breakeven: -6
Garlett’s best return in his first three games for the Blues. He’ll gain nicely in price in the next few weeks if he maintains his average of between 50-60 points, but he won’t be a player you can bank on each week. Worth holding, for now, on your bench.
Paddy Dow ($200,400) — 49 points; Breakeven: 24
The No.3 draft pick only eclipsed his breakeven of 33 by 16 points and it is decision time on whether you want to stick with him. If there’s a player carrying the base rookie price who takes your fancy, it’s probably time to bite the bullet and cash in.
Sam Murray ($191,700) — 95 points; Breakeven: -39
A brilliant return from the dashing Magpie which came from 21 possessions, seven marks and four tackles. His breakeven should continue to be negative for a while yet and you would feel comfortable starting him in your defensive six.
Jaidyn Stephenson ($203,600) — 33 points; Breakeven: 24
Stephenson had a breakeven of -20 heading in to Round 3, so he was always destined for a decent price rise. Unless he manages a score of 70 or above in his next few matches, the gap between his breakeven and scores are going to meet quickly. Hold for at least another two weeks then consider your options, especially with someone like Jack Higgins set to be on the bubble.

Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions
Cam Rayner ($203,000) — 63 points; Breakeven: 38
Just hit his breakeven of 61 which means he should earn money for a few more weeks yet. The No.1 pick only had nine disposals but laid four tackles to push his score above 60 for the first time.
Todd Marshall ($241,600) — 69 points; Breakeven: -18
The high-priced rookie forward has started the year promisingly and rewarded 1600 coaches who had him in their side by Round 3 to benefit from his price climb. He’s probably too costly to consider now.
If you don’t have Todd Marshall you may have missed the boat. Picture: AAP
Riley Bonner ($306,700) — 68 points; Breakeven: 38
A rookie in terms of games played despite his elevated price, Bonner averaged will likely end up closer to 70, which he has managed the past two weeks, than his Round 1 score of 119. He’s still going to make plenty of cash though.
Dom Barry ($151,000) — 39 points; Breakeven: -11
Monitor how much longer Barry’s breakeven remains negative, as that will tell you when to push the trade button. His score of 39 on Saturday means he’s averaged less than 50 in his first three games.

Melbourne v North Melbourne
Bayley Fritsch ($164,900) — 56 points; Breakeven: -18
The first time in his career Fritsch did not score 60, but he was still around the same mark. He’s done a few nice things in each game and will continue to gain in price, but don’t expect huge scores from the first-year Dee.
Luke Davies-Uniacke ($194,900) — 23 points; Breakeven: 16
This might be the week to pull the button on LDU. If you saw enough in someone like Richmond’s Jack Higgins, who offers MID-FWD swing, they consider a downgrade. His breakeven was nine before the popular pick struggled to 23 points against the Demons.

Gold Coast v Fremantle
Andrew Brayshaw ($213,600) — 32 points Breakeven: 33
If you have both Brayshaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke, it’s time to consider which you are comfortable parting with early in the season. The coaches who picked both high draft picks haven’t been rewarded with the scores their starting price demanded.
Adam Cerra ($184,800) — 53 points; Breakeven: -4
On the bubble this week. Cerra has done a few nice things in his first two games for the Dockers but has been introduced to AFL playing predominantly as a forward. Can he score enough to justify the price?
Mitch Crowden ($117,300) — 72 points; Breakeven: -31
Crowden will be one of the most popular downgrade options this week. His MID-FWD swing is a bonus and he showed against Gold Coast he can win the footy and be damaging in attack. Strongly consider bringing him in before his price surges. He had 13 possessions and six marks against the Suns.
Bailey Banfield ($172,900) — 69 points; Breakeven: -30
Another reasonable score from Banfield which pushed his three-round average above 60 as he was given the shutdown role on Aaron Hall. Keep him in your side for a while yet, but he’s best served as bench cover.
Nick Holman ($196,100) — 82 points; Breakeven: -57
You missed out on a $94,000 price rise if you failed to trade Holman in before Round 3. The former Blue has been a revelation in the early rounds for the Suns and laid another six tackles in their loss to Fremantle. He’ll continue to climb in price, so consider him if you haven’t already.

Sydney v GWS Giants
Daniel Lloyd ($251,300) — 95 points; Breakeven: 0
With little on offer from a bargain rookie perspective in this clash, Lloyd caught the eye with 95 points from 12 possessions, six marks and six tackles. His price was already above $200,000 though and you will find it hard to squeeze him in unless you have plenty of bank up your sleeve.
Jeremy Finlayson ($211,900) — 77 points; Breakeven: -57
Finlayson has been one of the finds of the season and his dual-position status could come in handy this week and you consider your options on high-priced rookies such as Luke Davies-Uniacke or Andrew Brayshaw. He’s played well enough to be a starter in midfield or defence.

St Kilda v Adelaide
Lachlan Murphy ($153,600) — 63 points; Breakeven: -52
Starting the season at the lowest-possible price, Murphy has started his career with two scores above 60 and held his spot long enough to enjoy a price rise. Keep him on your defensive bench until he is squeezed out of Adelaide’s team of his breakeven meets his average score.
Rowan Marshall ($219,400) — 79 points; Breakeven: -28 (one week before price changes)
You have a few more weeks to consider if you want to part with the extra money to trade for Marshall. After 14 disposals, six marks and 18 hit outs, don’t rule a line through him.
Nick Coffield ($171,300) — 66 points; Breakeven: -30 (one week before price changes)
A promising debut from the first-round draft pick and you would expect he’ll hold his spot for a while yet after a difficult start to the season for the Saints. Wait another week until he’s on the bubble before pulling the trigger.
Ben Long ($189,300) — 35 points; Breakeven: 27
Not a prolific enough scorer to be in consideration with the extra cash you would have to part with. There’s better options for cheaper in the forward stocks.

Richmond v Hawthorn
Jack Graham ($276,000) — 38 points; Breakeven: 88
Graham has struggled after his opening-round 100 and the 15,000 coaches who have him in their team need to consider whether he’s worth cashing in on. If you could turn him in to a premium who fell in price, it’s probably worth doing.
Jack Higgins ($130,800) — 63 points; Breakeven: -48 (after one game)
A couple of nice goals, a few fist pumps and plenty to like about the Tigers debutant on Sunday. If he puts in another performance like that, he’ll have to be considered next week when he’s on the bubble.
Wait another week for Jack Higgins. Picture: AAP

Western Bulldogs v Essendon
Ed Richards ($135,300) — 82 points; Breakeven: -50
After two games, Richards should be one of the most popular trade-in options this week. The difficulty is working out how to get him in to your defence with so many other defensive rookies playing well.
Aaron Naughton ($182,400) — 61 points; Breakeven: -1
Hold on to Naughton for a few more weeks after he produced the best score of his first three AFL games in the win over Essendon. His breakeven is still negative and while his scoring won’t be prolific, he has more money to make.
Tim English ($184,900) — 76 points; Breakeven: 1
Another strong showing from the young Bulldogs ruckman which caused his starting price to rise by more than $50,000. His current price would be a lot to pay for a rookie ruckman, but consider if you are desperate for bench cover in the rucks.
Billy Gowers ($152,900) — 43 points; Breakeven: -9
Gowers’ breakeven remains negative which is promising, however he has only averaged 49.7. He might come in to consideration for some coaches though, especially with injury concerns surrounding Liam Ryan and Zac Langdon out for at least a few more weeks.
Josh Begley ($225,100) — 46 points; Breakeven: 36
Begley’s scoring is creeping closer to his breakeven and at the elevated price, there are better options elsewhere up forward.

West Coast v Geelong
Tim Kelly ($231,700) — 90 points; Breakeven: -69
Kelly started slowly on Sunday against the Eagles but was more influential in the second half as the Cats battled back into the contest. Start him in your midfield and enjoy another steep price jump this week. Oh, and if you’re one of the 34 teams who don’t have him, shake your head.
Jack Henry ($123,900) — 93 points; Breakeven: — 46
The injuries are mounting at Geelong and Henry’s job security increased when he had 16 disposals and six marks against the Eagles. There’s not many forward rookies left at this price, but can he back up a breakout performance?
Esava Ratugolea ($123,900) — 74 points; Breakeven: -32
Ratugolea was preferred to Rhys Stanley to ruck against Nick Naitanui on Sunday, suggesting he is firmly in Chris Scott’s plans. He’s an exciting prospect but the question is whether he can score consistently enough to be worth a trade.
Dan Venables ($144,200) — 23 points; Breakeven: 4
Not renowned as a huge possession winner, Venables only had nine disposals and two marks on Sunday and his score reflected this. You’ll likely need to hold him due to injuries up forward.
Willie Rioli ($123,900) — 40 points; Breakeven: 3
Watch the news about Liam Ryan’s injury with interest before deciding whether to bring Rioli in. If Ryan’s ankle keeps him out for an extended period, Adam Simpson could turn to Rioli to fill the small forward role.
Jake Waterman ($181,000) — 72 points; Breakeven: -42
Waterman continues to deliver in the absence of Josh Kennedy up forward, but it is hard to justify a trade when his job security is questionable with Kennedy on the comeback trail.
Liam Ryan ($194,100) — 88 points; Breakeven: -88
Two brilliant weeks and plenty of highlights from Ryan, but like the Eagles 48 per cent of teams will be sweating on scans to determine the extent of his injury. You will have to look at trading him if he’s going to be out for more than a few weeks. A trade to Rioli or Jack Henry could be worthwhile and will make $70,000.

 

[Presto]

AFL SuperCoach Number Crunch: Beware, taggers are back in vogue
AL PATON, Herald Sun
April 11, 2018 12:00pm
Subscriber only

TRACKING the schedule of Ryan Crowley was once essential research for SuperCoach players.
Over the past few years we have been lucky to not have to worry too much about taggers — but those days may be over.
Footy’s “dark arts” have returned in 2018 with two players who can ruin your best-laid SuperCoach plans.
Find out who they are below along with the key numbers from Round 3 as Champion Data lifts the lid on the unique SuperCoach scoring system and why players score what they do in the weekly Number Crunch.
After being well held by Phil Davis for most of the match, Franklin’s huge goal at the 24-minute mark of the last quarter was his most rewarding SuperCoach act of the night, earning him 9.31 points. The goal was boosted by the multiplier that comes into effect late in matches when score are close, designed to reward players who produce crucial matchwinning plays. Franklin’s final goal of the match was only worth 3.56 points as the result was already beyond doubt.

HIBBERD IS BACK ... OR IS HE?
Michael Hibberd was one of the most traded-out players last week after a disappointing first two rounds. He rewarded coaches who kept the faith by posting a season-high 92 points against North Melbourne, but still took only one kick-in. He recorded a game-high 10 intercept possessions and earned 16.71 points from intercept marks; a contested intercept mark was his most productive act of the match, earning 6.23 points. Hibberd also scored 12 points from four effective long kicks.

PADDY WHACK
When Carlton rookie Paddy Dow streamed towards goal on Friday night and his shot skewed off the side of his boot, his SuperCoach owners put their heads in their hands. Miraculously the kick hit the chest of a teammate 20m out from goal. Dow owners may have sighed with relief, but they shouldn’t have — he didn’t get credited with an effective disposal or a score assist. Any time a player is 100 per cent going for goal and that player doesn’t kick the goal, the kick will either be ineffective or a clanger. It’s a clanger if the ball goes out on the full or goes directly to an opponent, otherwise it’s classed as ineffective. So if you want to take a shot, you better nail it.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON
The Western Bulldogs’ winning margin against Essendon was 21 points but the Dogs’ domination on Sunday at Etihad Stadium was obvious looking at the team’s SuperCoach tallies. Eight Bulldogs scored 100 points or more while Essendon’s highest scorer was Devon Smith with 86. Overall the Dogs scored 550 more points, the second-biggest differential of the season. The biggest was by GWS against the Dogs in Round 1, when the Giants racked up 583 more SuperCoach points than their opposition. Adelaide against Richmond (+536 points), Collingwood v Carlton (+492 points) and Port Adelaide against Fremantle in Round 1 (+467 points) round out the top five hidings for 2018 so far.

CATS’ SECOND-HALF SURGE
Owners of Patrick Dangerfield and Tim Kelly would have been feeling ill at halftime of Sunday’s game in Perth, especially those with Dangerfield as captain. With the Cats trailing by 32 points, Dangerfield (36) and Kelly (20) had minimal impact on the game. Both lifted their output in the second half, with Dangerfield adding 68 points to his score compared to Kelly’s 70, of which 52 were scored in the final term. Kelly’s goal at the 12-minute mark of the final term was worth a match-high 9.47 points, with his next possession (a hardball-get) earning him 6.33 points.

TAGGERS ARE BACK
If any of your star midfielders come up against Fremantle or North Melbourne in coming weeks, take note. Docker Bayley Banfield has been handed a defensive role in the midfield, keeping Zach Merrett to 15 disposals from 75 minutes on him in Round 2 and Aaron Hall to just four disposals from 46 minutes on the weekend. Expect him to go straight to Josh Kelly in Round 4. And Kangaroo Ben Jacobs is back to his negating best, restricting Jarryd Lyons to seven disposals from 40 minutes in the season opener, Seb Ross to 16 disposals from 65 minutes and Clayton Oliver to 11 disposals from 59 minutes. A match-up on Patrick Cripps awaits him this week.

 

[Darkie]

Parenthood perfect tonic for Port Adelaide Power star Robbie Gray after cancer diagnosis
Reece Homfray, The Advertiser
32 minutes ago
Subscriber only
WHILE Robbie Gray sat in a chair, hooked up to a chemotherapy drip at the Adelaide Cancer Centre last year, he would read through the messages that had flooded his social media feed.
After surgery to remove a tumour for testicular cancer, Gray had a course of chemotherapy for four hours a day for a week then two more once-weekly visits which gave him plenty of time to reflect on what had just happened.
There were hundreds of messages on his phone, some from people he knew but mostly from people he did not, and they were the ones that strangely resonated with him.
“That was the most overwhelming thing — some of those messages from people reaching out,” Gray told The Advertiser this week.
“From opposition players but also opposition fans — I had Crows supporters telling me they’re an Adelaide supporter but they wished me all the best and that meant a lot to me, that support from the whole public and footy world was amazing.”
Port Adelaide champion Robbie Gray celebrates a goal against the Western Bulldogs at Ballarat last year. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images
Speaking for the first time since a whirlwind three months saw Gray play in Port Adelaide’s heartbreaking extra-time, after-the-siren elimination final loss to West Coast, his shock cancer diagnosis and becoming a father to son Aston, the 29-year-old says the experience has changed his outlook on footy and life — and how could it not?
But on the eve of his 12th AFL season, life for the three-time All-Australian and three-time club champion is almost back to normal and he is itching to get back into footy starting with the Power’s JLT Series game in Perth on Sunday.
“It was a pretty crazy year, finding out we were expecting a baby and the way the footy season finished and the news I got soon after that,” he said.
“But we’re pretty busy now with the little one and it’s been amazing.
“It (fatherhood) was a good distraction through everything, it was a long nine months we were hanging out waiting for it to happen so we’re rapt.”
It was in the days after the elimination final loss last September that Gray started to feel “not quite right”.
“We were together with the boys having a few beers and I just didn’t quite feel right,” Gray said.
“It did feel a little bit strange even over that weekend, but the pain didn’t come on until Tuesday or Wednesday that week.
“So I gave the club doctor a call and went to see him on the Thursday, we had scans and an ultrasound pretty soon after and found out there was something there.”
Robbie and Annabel Gray with their newly born son Aston at their Henley Beach home. Picture: AAP Image/MATT LOXTON
With no history of cancer in his immediate family and given the sudden onset of the pain, Gray said he was shocked by the news.
“We had a fair idea that night that something would need to be done but I wasn’t told exactly what, but then I saw a specialist and worked out the plan going forward,” he said.
“I suppose I was just shocked, you never think something like that will happen to you but we got through the surgery okay and I was feeling fine.
“After that we decided to have some chemotherapy to bring the chance down of anything returning.”
The difficulty he said was ringing his family to tell them the news and his mum came over from Melbourne.
“That was one of the hardest things I suppose, speaking to family and worrying about them because my wife was pregnant at the time and going through a lot herself,” he said.
“And my family are all in Melbourne so it was hard for them being over there but they were all fantastic and the support I had was great.”
Jonas to keep it clean
Gray said the footy club from the top down was “amazing”, teammates gave him space but also made sure he knew they were there if he needed them.
He also heard from his former coach Mark Williams and Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead who have both had fights with cancer.
“Choco gave me a call, we speak occasionally and we’ve always got along well so we had a good chat,” Gray said.
“And I got to know Roughy a couple of years ago during the International Rules Series and he reached out and we exchanged a few texts, and he’s been through a lot himself so it was nice.”
Three weeks after the surgery Gray started chemotherapy at the Adelaide Cancer Centre which he said also gave him a sobering dose of reality.
“That was the most full-on week, then the following Monday and Monday after that,” he said.
“It was one cycle and I got through okay. It did knock me around a little bit at the time but there is medication to help with nausea.
“I was lucky that I was in for one cycle because there are lots of people in there that are doing it so much harder than I was.
“That was a big eye opener and knowing that they’re going through some pretty serious stuff.”
A shattered Robbie Gray, back, and captain Travis Boak, after the elimination final loss to West Coast and just days before his cancer diagnosis. Picture Sarah Reed
As one of the best footballers in the country and living in a football-mad state, it was inevitable Gray was going to be recognised at the centre.
“I had a few people come up and wish me all the best which was really nice, all the staff in there are amazing,” he said.
“You’re in the room where there are lots of other people getting treatment and everyone made it as easy as possible.”
Gray thought he might avoid the hair loss but got on the front foot and shaved his head anyway. Luckily he knew a good barber given he owns The Moon Man Barber Shop in the city.
His new look at least made for a good laugh when Aston Robbie came into the world on December 18 with more hair than his dad, and parenthood was the perfect tonic for Gray and wife Annabel.
“I was really excited all year and had no idea what to expect or if I’d know what to do,” Gray said of becoming a dad.
“But it was just the most amazing feeling when he arrived and the two months since he’s been here, Bel has been amazing and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Robbie Gray, right, on the training track with new Power recruit Tom Rockliff after returning to Alberton in November. Picture: AAP Image/Ben Macmahon) NO ARCHIVING
After 178 AFL games, Gray said the past three months had also put footy and life into some perspective for him.
“Both of those things do big-time, footy is really important but your health and family and kids come first so it does make me sit down and think about things a little differently,” he said.
The experience has motivated him to become a men’s health ambassador for SA Health where he urges men to take their health seriously and see their doctor for regular check-ups.
“It’s mainly to raise some awareness for men out there because we’re probably not the most organised at going and getting check-ups and seeing our doctors,” Gray said.
“If I can bring any awareness and make a little difference in how blokes think and get a check up more regularly then that’s a good thing.
“I was lucky being at a footy club I could call my doctor and see him the next morning and get onto things, so I certainly encourage blokes out there to plan to see your doctor regularly and have those check-ups because things like this or anything can sneak up pretty quickly.
“And the earlier you get onto it the better.”
The mercurial forward took it easy for a few weeks after the chemotherapy but kept moving, doing light weights and jogging laps around nearby Henley Oval before it was time to get back into routine and front for day one of pre-season.
He was on a slightly modified program before Christmas but has been flat out ever since. He put on some weight after the treatment due to fluid intake but is back to his playing weight and looks as fit and strong as ever.
“Funnily enough this has been a lot better than last pre-season, I’ve done a lot more training and am feeling better,” he said.
“This time last year I was struggling a bit and ended up playing only a half of a JLT Game, but this year I’ve done a lot more match practice and once all that stuff (treatment) was out of the way I was keen to get back into things.”
Gray was a late withdrawal from last week’s AFLX tournament — of which he was to captain the Power side — after pulling up sore from training the day before, but he will play against West Coast in the JLT Series game on Sunday.
“The surgeon and doctors said I’d be okay and would get back to full health, so I never really thought that I was in any danger of not getting back to play footy or a delayed start,” he said.
“The club has brought in some guys who have played a fair bit of footy and we think they can help us and I’m looking forward to playing some games and see how we work together.
“The next two games will be important for that before the season starts, but the guys we’ve brought in will help us forward of centre, kick inside 50 and finish a bit better which we had issues with last year.”
Then it’s all eyes on Round 1 where, like last season, Gray expects to play mostly in front of goal after training with the forwards group over summer.
Apart from terrorising opposition defences and helping the Power return to the finals this season, the one thing he really can’t wait for is to walk down the race and into the rooms at Adelaide Oval where Annabel and Aston will be waiting for him.
“That’s what I’m most looking forward to, coming off the track after a game and seeing him (Aston) in the rooms, that will be really cool.”

Bumping this article for anyone considering Gray, like I am.

His health is obviously the most important thing, but it’s actually his role (mentioned late in the article) that had me concluding he was better as a potential upgrade target.

I’m weighing up whether we’ve seen enough to be sensibly confident he will be a consistent high scorer for his position.

 

[Presto]

Champion Data SuperCoach formguide: Trade tips, key match-ups for Round 4
Champion Data, Herald Sun
39 minutes ago
Subscriber only

WHO is worthy of a trade for the GOAT?
Gary Ablett made a flying start to his second coming at Geelong but is a must-trade after pinging a hamstring against the Eagles. Liam Ryan also has to go after suffering a serious ankle injury in the same game.
What are the best trade options? Read on for the best inside information from Champion Data, providers of the stats that power SuperCoach.

FORMGUIDE
Ablett’s hamstring injury will affect close to 15,000 SuperCoaches this week. The prognosis is that he’ll miss a few weeks but considering that it’s his second hamstring injury this year and his age, the smart move is to trade him out.
There is no shortage of viable replacements and in terms of value for money, there is no one better than Stephen Coniglio. He ranks fourth in the competition for points scored among midfielders and costs less than $500,000. He has outperformed teammate Josh Kelly, is currently in career-best form and with a break-even score of just 53 points, he won’t be this cheap for much longer.
If you’re looking for a point of difference, then Jack Macrae stands out like a beacon. With an ownership abound 2900, he has started the year in blazing fashion, piling on scores of 120, 142 and 131 in that order. He currently ranks second behind Tom Mitchell for points scored for his position. Macrae has a break-even score of 88 points ahead of this round’s clash against Sydney.
Another POD to consider is Jarryd Lyons. After being tagged by Ben Jacobs in the season opener, he has responded with 152 and 138 points from his past two games. He ranks equal No. 1 in the competition for contested possessions since Round 2 and second for clearances behind Tom Mitchell. Lyons comes up against West Coast this week — a team that has given up the most SuperCoach points to midfielders this season.

ROOKIES
The form line of the 2018 rookie crop is starting to take shape. We can now trust the likes of Tom Doedee, Sam Murray, Jeremy Finlayson, Tim Kelly and Nick Holman to start on the field and expect a solid score in return, as they all provided SuperCoaches with in Round 3.
Sadly, however, the options in the forward-line are starting to dry up, with Zac Giles-Langdon and now Liam Ryan both going down through injury in successive weeks. In the case of Ryan, he was just starting to find his feet at AFL level, ranking third at the club for scoreboard impact.
Ryan will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks, but in terms of replacements, there really isn’t anyone screaming out ‘pick me’. A sideways trade to team mate Jake Waterman is an option, but Josh J. Kennedy isn’t far from a return and Waterman could make way for him.
Jack Higgins scored two goals on debut last week and showed glimpses of his talent against Hawthorn, but with Josh Caddy returning from suspension, Higgins’ job security isn’t great.
In terms of bubble boys this round, Mitch Crowden, Jack Henry and Esava Ratugolea could potentially be decent options for Ryan. Crowden ranks No. 1 at the Dockers for pressure points per 100 minutes since Round 2 and also has the bonus of dual-position eligibility. Henry, a forward in SuperCoach, hasn’t looked out of place in defence for the Cats, while Ratugolea has been lively in a forward/ruck role.

MATCH-UPS
Zach Merrett owners are advised to hold firm rather than trading now and losing more than $80,000 on their initial investment. But they might have to endure another tough week. Port Adelaide has conceded the fewest points in the comp to opposition midfielders in the first three rounds.
Essendon is conceding the most points to general forwards this season (average 100.9), which is good news for owners of Robbie Gray, Chad Wingard and even Tom Rockliff? Bombers also coughing up the most points in the comp to general defenders — good news for Riley Bonner owners.
Freomantle is No. 2 in that stat, conceding just 77 to opposition mids — thanks in a large part to the work of new tagger Bailey Banfield. Josh Kelly, look out.
Surprisingly, St Kilda is the fourth-best team at restricting opposition midfielders. Maybe Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Co won’t have the day out many are predicting.
And if you took a punt on Tom Lynch, keep the faith. West Coast concedes an average of 102.8 points a game to opposition key forwards — 10 points more than any other team.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Adelaide Crows v Collingwood
Paul Seedsman enjoyed $47,300 price rise after finishing with 26 disposals, two goals and 110 points last round against the Crows. Steele Sidebottom finished with 34 disposals, two goals and 134 points against the Blues.

GWS Giants v Fremantle
Stephen Coniglio ranks fourth for points in the competition among midfielders, averaging 124. Nat Fyfe isn’t too far behind in eight position, averaging 118 points over the first three rounds.

Richmond v Brisbane Lions
Since returning to the side in Round 2 from injury, Bachar Houli has scored 57 and 73 points across the past two rounds. Dayne Zorko has bounced back after a stinker in Round 1, scoring 105 and 92 points.

Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans
Marcus Bontempelli finished with 30 disposals, two goals and 140 points when he last faced Sydney at Etihad Stadium in Round 2 last year. Jake Lloyd had 34 disposals, 20 uncontested possessions and 114 points in that game.

North Melbourne v Carlton
Todd Goldstein was handsomely beaten by Max Gawn in the ruck last round, managing just 57 points. Matthew Kreuzer returned from injury against Collingwood, scoring 86 points.

West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns
Nic Naitanui finished with eight disposals, 15 hit-outs-to-advantage and 112 points when he last played Gold Coast in Round 10, 2016. Jarrod Witts had 14 disposals, 11 hit-outs-to-advantage and 96 points against West Coast in Round 11 last season.

Essendon v Port Adelaide
Zach Merrett’s price has tumbled by $86,100 after averaging 14 disposals, nine contested possessions and 55 points. Tom Rockliff has suffered a similar fate, falling by $75,600 after averaging just 13 disposals and 49 points.

Hawthorn v Melbourne
Cyril Rioli is way off his best after averaging 11 disposals, one goal and 58 points, his worst start to any season since 2008. Michael Hibberd has failed to reach the lofty heights of 2017, averaging 79 points.

Geelong Cats v St Kilda
Patrick Dangerfield averaged 31 disposals, 20 contested possessions and 151 points from six games at GMHBA Stadium last season. Jack Steven finished with 19 disposals, two tackles and 45 points when he last played there in Round 13, 2014.

 

[Crabby Skills]

Really strongly considering Lyons in for Gaz.

 

[Matt]

IT’S the first of many crucial rookie decision weeks in SuperCoach, with big calls to be made on first-round draft picks Andrew Brayshaw, Paddy Dow and Luke Davies-Uniacke.

Brayshaw and Davies-Uniacke both have break-evens they might struggle to reach this week and you hardly want to be losing cash on a rookie this early in the season.

On a more positive note, Jaidyn Stephenson and Cam Rayner delivered great scores to send their break-evens crashing back to negative territory and Tim Kelly and Jeremy Finlayson look like being fixtures in our teams for a long time yet.

Scroll down for our take on how all the rookie-priced players are travelling after Round 4.

ADELAIDE V COLLINGWOOD
Jaidyn Stephenson ($245,100) — 115 points Breakeven: -4

Stephenson bounced back from his 33 last week with a stunning score and a five-goal performance against the Crows. He’ll gain plenty of cash for a few weeks yet thanks to this and owners who loopholed his score on Friday would have been sitting pretty over the weekend.

Sam Murray ($251,200) — 92 points Breakeven: -40

Consecutive 90s for Murray, who has scored above 70 in three of his first four games in black and white. He looms as a reliable option in defence to carry you through to at least the byes and is set for another big price rise this weekend.

Callum Brown ($253,700) — 62 points Breakeven: 2

Brown appears to have decent job security after impressing in the past two weeks, but his price is too high to be considering bringing him in. You probably needed to grab him in the last few weeks to get him in your side.


Ben Crocker ($223,400) — 60 points Breakeven: 27

Crocker shouldn’t be expected to post huge numbers playing the small forward role and his 60 on Friday was his best score of the season. He’s in a similar boat to Brown, where you have probably missed the chance to bring him in due to price rises over the past two weeks.

Darcy Fogarty ($174,000) — 44 points Breakeven: 14

The Crows have faced criticism for being too tall in the wet conditions on Friday and Fogarty could be the fall guy at the selection table this week. His break-even is no longer negative and you would be better served waiting for a player like Jack Higgins to be on the bubble.

Tom Doedee ($276,800) — 57 points Breakeven: 21

The first time Doedee has dipped below 80, but considering his strength has been intercept marking, forgive him for his performance in wet conditions. He’ll still rise nicely in price for at least a month or so yet and we have seen enough evidence to keep him in our starting sides.


GWS GIANTS V FREMANTLE
Jeremy Finlayson ($283,600) — 101 points Breakeven: -11

Finlayson looks so composed in the Giants defence and has taken seamlessly to the top level. His lowest score so far has been 77 and he’s topped 100 twice in four games. You’d be happy to start him in defence or midfield if you swung him into the middle to trade in Ed Richards last week. If he keeps this scoring up, he might even be worth holding until season’s end considering his dual-position status.

Bailey Banfield ($218,100) — 69 points Breakeven: -10

Another score of 69 for the new Dockers tagger, who was sent to nullify Lachie Whitfield. Banfield is unlikely to accumulate huge points in this role, but he’s shown he’s a consistent scorer between 50-70. Expect him to be around this mark and make money for a while yet. He’s preferably a bench option in your midfield.


Is it time for SuperCoaches to cut bait with Andrew Brayshaw. Picture: Getty Images
Mitch Crowden ($159,200) — 61 points Breakeven: -40

Those who traded in Crowden before his price rise would have been happy with his output. He had 15 disposals, five marks and seven tackles and should have done enough to earn an extended run in the Dockers team. If he continues to score 60 or above, it’s worth considering loopholing his score with Bailey Fritsch. The Docker and Demon have been posting similar numbers.

Andrew Brayshaw ($218,400) — 42 points Breakeven: 54

We’ve seen enough of Brayshaw now to question whether his big JLT Series scoring was a tease. Tempting to hold him for another few weeks as a big score would smash his break-even, but there is a risk he could start losing money as soon as this week. If there’s a downgrade target you like, it’s time to cash in.

Adam Cerra ($202,600) — 34 points Breakeven: 32

Cerra was only in one per cent of teams before his price rise and is unlikely to be on many radars this week. No doubt he will mature in to a fine player for the Dockers, but he doesn’t appear to have much Supercoach relevance this year.

RICHMOND V BRISBANE LIONS
Jack Graham ($261,100) — 54 points. Breakeven: 62

If you hadn’t already pulled the pin on Graham, now might be the time. He lost $7000 in price last week and fell further after his 54 points failed to meet his break-even of 88. If you don’t have him, watch closely for when his price bottoms out in case he’s in your plans. He might become available for about $220,000 at some point.

Zach Bailey ($139,800) — 15 points Breakeven: 52

Bailey was on a few radars after his impressive NEAFL form won him a debut and shouldn’t be completely scratched off your list just yet. He could hardly have debuted in tougher conditions against the reigning premier and in a team which was well beaten. His output will need to increase significantly in game two to convince us to part with his higher rookie price though.

Cam Rayner ($230,300) — 97 points Breakeven: -25

How frustrated would you be if you traded Rayner out after Round 2? His break-even was 38 before he cranked out a career-best 97 against the Tigers and he’s going to make a lot more money with that score factored in for the next few weeks. Enjoy the price rise if you held on to last year’s No. 1 draft pick, who certainly looks to have rewarded your loyalty.

WESTERN BULLDOGS V SYDNEY
Ed Richards ($188,100) — 67 points Breakeven: -38

One of the most popular downgrades options of the season to date, but Richards would have had a few coaches worried when his score was about 20 at halftime. He lifted after the main break and delivered a total which will keep his break-even negative for a week or two yet. Richards would ideally be a bench option in defence.

Aaron Naughton ($218,400) — 78 points Breakeven: -11

How often do you hear people talk about the importance of patience in Supercoach? After an underwhelming start, Naughton has delivered consecutive scores above 60 and appears a decent source of cash generation. His score against the Swans was boosted by seven marks to go with 15 disposals. Like Ed Richards, you’d prefer to have him on your bench than have to field him.


Tim English ($220,100) — 78 points Breakeven: -25

English is now in more than 30 per cent of teams and with good reason. He’s scoring well, has been thrown plenty of responsibility and has a respectable average of 67.5. There’s starting to be a few question marks hanging over some of the premium ruckmen. Could you consider downgrading, fielding English and using your bank to upgrade elsewhere?

Billy Gowers ($179,100) — 48 points Breakeven: 14

Gowers is going to be a slow burn for his owners and while his price might get to $200,000 eventually, you might need to consider a downgrade if a higher-scoring option becomes available up forward such as Jack Higgins.

Aliir Aliir ($218,100) — 32 points Breakeven: 64

Too expensive to be under consideration when he has averaged 67 or less in the two seasons he’s featured for the Swans.

NORTH MELBOURNE V CARLTON
Paddy Dow ($208,600) — 41 points Breakeven: 32

Dow still features in a quarter of teams, but how long can he stay there? He’s only got a bit more cash left to make and it’s time to start weighing up whether to use your bank to turn him into a premium on-baller or taking a small profit for a cheaper rookie.

Cam O’Shea ($166,000) — 45 points Breakeven: 4

O’Shea will be on the bubble if he holds his spot this week, but do you really want to be parting with $166,000 for a player who has been in and out of the side and scored 48 and 45 in his two appearances to date?

Lochie O’Brien ($162,300) — 46 points Breakeven: 3

Our first look at O’Brien, who won’t rise in price for at least another two weeks. He tallied 11 possessions, four marks and two tackles in game one, respectable enough in a team which was walloped. Still prefer Nick Coffield who is a similar price, but both are worth consideration if you have Jeremy Finlayson in midfield and want to be able to swing him to defence.

Jarrod Garlett ($193,300) — 71 points Breakeven: -22

You’d be reasonably pleased if you started with Garlett, who appears capable of pushing his price toward $250,000 and making a tidy profit. Keep him as bench cover up forward until his break-even gets closer to his average, currently 53.7.

Luke Davies-Uniacke ($205,000) — 37 points Breakeven: 60

See Paddy Dow.

WEST COAST V GOLD COAST
Willie Rioli ($144,700) — 48 points Breakeven: -3

Rioli was on the bubble this week and while his job security appears strong enough considering Liam Ryan’s long term injury, you needed to get him at his starting price to make a trade worthwhile.

Dan Venables ($170,500) — 61 points Breakeven: 16

Some questioned whether Venables would keep his spot after an underwhelming game last week, but he did and produced his best Supercoach score yet. The early evidence suggests he won’t be a heavy scorer, but he has more money to make.


Jake Waterman ($228,100) — 61 points Breakeven: 1

Stayed in the side despite Josh Kennedy’s presence, a welcome sign for his owners. He averaged 67 without Kennedy in the team and still accumulated 61 points with him. There’s a lot to like about Waterman and his price will keep rising steadily for at least another month.

Nick Holman ($237,000) — 32 points Breakeven: 25

Our first disappointment from Holman, who just before halftime looked headed to the main break with a doughnut next to his name. Hard to know whether this was a one off and we can expect a return to his strong scoring next round. Gold Coast plays Brisbane this Sunday, so you won’t have the option of loopholing him from your bench either.

ESSENDON V PORT ADELAIDE
Todd Marshall ($271,300) — 46 points Breakeven: 44

Marshall’s lowest score of the season to date on what was a difficult day for the Power. This will sit in his price fluctuations for the next few weeks and while he’s worth holding if you are among the 4000 teams who have him, don’t be trading him in at that price.

Riley Bonner ($317,500) — 60 points Breakeven: 58

Has the Bonner bubble burst? He was so good in the first three rounds, we can forgive him for one down week. Ideally he will rise to about $400,000 before you would consider trading him out for a fallen premium, but he needs a massive score in the next few weeks. He had 14 disposals but only one mark and one tackle, compared to his average of seven marks per game in rounds one to three.

Matt Guelfi ($117,300) — 72 points Breakeven: -75

The first signs on the big stage from Guelfi were promising. We get another week to have a look at him before his price jumps, but he looms as an ideal downgrade option for a player such as Dan Venables or Bayley Fritsch. If you still have Liam Ryan, you might want to consider getting the Bomber in too. Guelfi had 17 possessions and three marks against the Power.

Josh Begley ($221,900) — 27 points Breakeven: 57

This was Begley’s lowest total in 2018 and failed to meet his break-even of 36. He doesn’t attract enough possessions to be traded in to your Supercoach side, especially when other rookie forwards can be snapped up $100,000 cheaper.

HAWTHORN V MELBOURNE
David Mirra ($102,400) Breakeven: -94

The 9000 teams who had Mirra pencilled in before he made a long-awaited debut in brown and gold would have been thrilled with what they saw. If he produces another effort like his debut 77 in game two, he’ll be hotly sought after when the lockout is over after Round 5.

Bayley Fritsch ($199,600) — 58 points Breakeven: 3

Talk about consistency! Fritsch has posted scores of 60,60, 56 and 58 in the first four matches of his Demons career. You’d ideally love him to achieve a score above 80 in the next few weeks to continue his cash generation, but he’s a reasonably reliable option in your last forward spot. At least you know what you’re going to get.

GEELONG V ST KILDA
Jordan Cunico ($188,600) — 109 points Breakeven: -107

Hard not to be impressed by Cunico’s performance against the Saints, which featured 21 possessions, five marks and two goals. You probably want to see him produce similar numbers in his second game to consider paying a top rookie price for him though.

Tim Kelly ($303,600) — 89 points Breakeven: -1

Kelly continues to deliver the goods, with 89 impressively his lowest score to date. The tricky question in coming weeks will be how long you let his price rise before you trade him to a premium. Or, could Kelly be the rookie you hold on to for the entire campaign?

Lachlan Fogarty ($217,600) — 80 points Breakeven: -22

Fogarty is averaging about 70 points and has proven to be one of the top cash cows in midfield. His break-even remains negative which is a bonus for his owners, but it’d be a brave call to part with more than $200,000 to bring him in now.

Esava Ratugolea ($165,800) — 60 points Breakeven: -37

You’ve missed the opportunity to bring Ratugolea in at his cheapest price, but he’s done enough in recent weeks to justify his spot in Geelong’s team. If you are keen on him, make this the week you bring him in before his price heads close to $200,000.

Jack Henry ($165,800) — 46 points Breakeven: -42

Fluctuating performances are always likely from some rookies and Henry appears one of those. His 93 last week was promising and he’s in 10 per cent of teams as a result, but he also scored 27 on debut. Don’t pay the extra money for him now.

Nick Coffield ($171,300) — 80 points Breakeven: -45

The time has come to consider whether to bring Coffield in before his price ends up above $200,000. Scores of 66 and 80 have been a promising start to his burgeoning career and his MID-DEF swing is ideal when he can be directly swapped with Jeremy Finalyson. Expect his ownership to rise from 15 per cent to above 20 per cent this week.

Rowan Marshall ($219,400) — 39 points Breakeven: 11

Marshall spent more time forward this week with Tom Hickey in the side and his scoring reflected a lack of centre square duties. His scoring is going to rely largely on how much time he spends in the ruck.

Ben Long ($207,300) — 65 points Breakeven: 22

If you wanted to bring Long in, you needed to have traded him in by now. The Saint forward’s ceiling isn’t high enough to part with more than $200,000.

 

[Presto]

Some of SuperCoach’s best scorers to be available at big discounts in the coming weeks
Ben Higgins, Herald Sun
April 17, 2018 12:45pm
Subscriber only
START saving, SuperCoaches.
Some of the game’s best scorers are going to be available with big discounts in the coming weeks.
We’ve looked at a handful but there are plenty more available if you’re willing to be patient.
Patrick Dangerfield is the name on every SuperCoach’s lips while others are simply out of form or suffered early-game injuries.
The midfield is where you can save the most money.
With big prices, comes big price drops and if you’re willing to take a punt that a star can turn it around in the second half of the season, you can gain a huge advantage on your rivals.

PATRICK DANGERFIELD ($701,600, Mid)
Breakeven: 209 Predicted R8 price: $630k
The game’s highest priced player fell $48,000 after his third game and is projected to lose another $30,000-$40,000 this week. If you can hold out to Round 8, you might just save $100k on the superstar Cat. Scores of 130, 100, 103 might have some concerned but surely he’s just warming into the season after an interrupted pre-season.

RORY SLOANE ($553,700, Mid)
Breakeven: 188 Predicted R8 price: $475k
The Crows star has had an up-and-down start to the season, scoring 89, 141, 78 and 59. He might not be 100 per cent right now but that can only be a benefit to savvy SuperCoach’s down the track. A predicted price of $475 come Round 8 is almost too good to pass up if it comes to fruition.

JOSH KELLY ($602,400, Mid)
Breakeven: 155 Predicted R8 price: $565k
Of course, this is predicated on the Giants star returning from a groin injury in a timely manner. However, a slow start (by his standards) has many pencilling him in as a prime upgrade option. The Giants face St Kilda and Brisbane in the next fortnight, which is the perfect opportunity for Kelly to run himself back into form.

ZACH MERRETT ($493,300, Mid)
Breakeven: 130 Predicted R8 price: $418k
Perhaps the most disappointing premium so far this season. Merrett has tumbled more than $100,000 in the opening month after suffering concussion in Round 1 and struggling to break a tag. The Bombers star broke triple figures for the first time in Round 4, posting 107, but is still predicted to fall another $80k unless he pulls out a monster score.

MICHAEL HIBBERD ($479,400, Def)
Breakeven: 116 Predicted R8 price: $420k
Is Hibberd this year’s Heath Shaw? His scores in the first month would suggest so and its seen him fall $65,000 already. There’s more pain to come for owners but those without him should definitely be adding him to their watchlists. Given his All-Australian season in 2017, Hibberd’s role change is puzzling and hopefully Simon Goodwin sees the error of his ways.

JACK BILLINGS ($451,900, Fwd)
Breakeven: 146 Predicted R8 price: $420k
The Saints forward has been on the receiving end of plenty of rage trades over the past fortnight after posting 54 and 65. Given Billings is spending the majority of his time as a forward, he needs his teammates to get the ball to him and it’s simply not happening. If he drops below $400k, he could be a straight upgrade from a cash cow.

JEREMY HOWE ($492,800, Def)
Breakeven: 149 Predicted R8 price: $450k
The high-flying Magpie is only in 5 per cent of teams but that could explode once his price drops and he rediscovers his 2017 form. Howe has been serviceable so far this season but a 48 in Round 4 will see his price drop dramatically. Only dropped below 80 six times in 2017, which is pretty good going for a intercepting defender.

MATTHEW KREUZER ($543,300, Ruck)
Breakeven: 173 Predicted R8 price: $448k
Haven’t got your rucks set? Kreuzer could be the ideal addition. After starting the season as the top-priced ruckman, the big Blue has missed one game with injury and scored 75, 86 and 60 in his three games. It’s seen his price fall $60k and there’s more to come. Injuries can impact the rucks more than other positions, you’ll never know when you need a replacement.

 

[Herbie66]

thanks Presto for continuing to post these articles.

 

[Lost In The Sky]

Champion Data reveals how players can score SuperCoach points when they are off the ground

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...d/news-story/cc8a00be50c91cda25e3cf24805e7fa9

HOW can a player score SuperCoach points when he’s off the field injured?

It happened to West Coast rookie Daniel Venables on Saturday, and he isn’t the first.

Scroll down for an explanation as Champion Data lifts the lid on the unique SuperCoach scoring system and how it impacted our players in Round 4.


HOW TO INJURED PLAYERS SCORE POINTS?

It’s not uncommon for a SuperCoach score to steadily increase once a player goes off injured and remains out of action for the rest of the match, as we saw with West Coast forward Daniel Venables on Saturday.

There are many variables that come into play, ranging from the state of the game at the time of the injury to what the player had done while he was on the ground.

Although there are 3300 ranking points assigned to every game, scores are rescaled at the end of each match to take into account when the game was at its closest. In blowouts in which one team leads the entire game, as West Coast did on the weekend, the rankings assigned in the opening quarter of the match will be scaled up at the completion of the match — as that is effectively when the game was won.

In the case of Venables, his second term was his most productive, collecting seven disposals and 36 points — more than half of his score for the match.


TOM ROCKLIFF’S NOSEDIVE

Tom Rockliff is a shadow of the player he was at Brisbane. One of the great SuperCoach scorers — averaging 109 points a game since 2011 — is currently in the worst form slump of his career, averaging 12 disposals, four contested possessions, two clearances, two tackles and just one inside-50 entry.

He is averaging 44 SuperCoach points a game with two scores under 30 in four games, including 29 against Essendon on Sunday. Rockliff ranks 127th in the competition among permanent midfielders.

What’s going on? He has been starved of midfield time, spending 41 per cent of games up forward, ranking fifth at the club for his centre bounce involvement.

After starting in more than 9000 teams, Rockliff has been traded out by almost 6000 coaches since Round 1.


BACK THE BOUNCERS

Running bounces are a bonus in SuperCoach as it keeps the points ticking over. Each running bounce is worth two points, and the leaders in that category this year are Billy Hartung, Heath Shaw and Conor McKenna with 14 apiece. Popular SuperCoach picks, Shane Savage and Kade Simpson aren’t too far behind with 12 each.


LIONS’ GOAL DROUGHT

The scoreboard was Brisbane’s enemy in SuperCoach last round, as the Tigers piled on the opening 12 goals of the game before the Lions got their first through Dayne Zorko. At the time of Zorko’s goal, the margin has ballooned out to 74 points, subsequently his goal was worth only 5.4 points.

Cameron Rayner was Brisbane’s only other goalscorer at the 15-minute mark of the final term, with his goal earning him 5.4 points as well.

Eric Hipwood and Hugh McCluggage were the only two Brisbane players to record a score assist. Hipwood’s score assist was worth 3.28 points as it was recorded at the six-minute mark of the second term, while McCluggage’s assist was worth 4.77 points at that point in the match in the opening term.


SLAM DUNK? DOG’S COSTLY FUMBLE

Josh Dunkley has proven a smart buy this season, averaging 88 after starting the season priced at $296,900. His 107 against Sydney was his best score, but it could have been more.

A dropped mark is a negative stat in SuperCoach and results in four points being deducted from your score. Magnifying the pain for Dunkley’s 5000 SuperCoach owners, his fluffed chest mark late in the final term came at a critical time of the game, resulting in a fall of five points from his score. Had he taken the mark and then converted the goal he would have earned close the 17 points — that’s a swing of 22 points in total.


STAT OF THE WEEK

No ruckman has scored more than 75 points against Melbourne this season.

 

[Two_If_By_Sea]

I'm not sure I understand why these articles are being posted. I have to pay money to see these. hmmm

 

[Presto]

SuperCoach Investor: Trade, stock market tips for Round 5
Daniel Begala, Herald Sun
18 minutes ago
Subscriber only

THE SuperCoach gods turned on us in Round 4.
After three weeks of abnormally high scores and strong performance of the SuperCoach Stock Exchange (‘SSX&#8217, we were hit with underperforming rookies, surprising outs (Josh Kelly) and Tom Mitchell’s first blemish of season 2018.
Our resident expert, Daniel Begala, shares his insights and fullproof strategies for ensuring this week’s disappointment remains a once-off occurrence.

CATTLE FARMING 101
There are many coaches — including yours truly — who have become increasingly frustrated with scoring and dividend yields of our high-priced rookie selections.
We’re looking at you Andrew Brayshaw, Paddy Dow, Luke Davies-Uniacke and the rest of your top 10 cohort.
Investors may feel short-changed having acquired these stocks at a premium, only to experience performances that are no better than their “penny stock” counterparts who offered an initial starting price of $102K or $117K.
Those players are the value and they’re the real MVPs.
Some trigger-happy coaches may swing the axe at the selection table, attracted by this week’s “bubble boy”, Nick Coffield ($177K, MID/DEF), who has scored 66 and 80 in his first two games and is poised to rise in price after the Saints play GWS.
But buyer beware. In the eye of The SuperCoach Investor, Coffield potentially epitomises another overpriced stock.
High draft pick Nick Coffield has impressed in his first two games for St Kilda.
Coffield will receive opportunities aplenty at St Kilda, but at $177K he faces the same low-value problem we’ve seen in the players listed above. I will steer clear unless there is significant upheaval when teams are named.
The SuperCoach Investor will continue to ripen his cattle, exercise patience and turn his attention to the bottom-priced and, more importantly, mature-aged rookies that will be ripe for the picking on the eve of Round 6.
Here’s to you, David Mirra ($102K, DEF) and Matthew Guelfi ($117K, FWD), who kicked off their SuperCoach careers — respectively — in style over the weekend.

THE BARGAIN BASEMENT
“Grand sale, grand sale, grand sale”.
He may have been a humble furniture magnate, but Franco Cozzo’s famous words are becoming increasingly relevant to coaches and investors across the SuperCoach Stock Exchange.
There are stars — literally the best in our game — heading for the bargain basement bins who will shortly be entrenched within most astute coaches’ sides.
All it takes — given their lofty price tags — is a head knock or the influence of a pesky tagger to trigger a major price fall.
The SuperCoach Investor has his eyes set on Zach Merrett ($493K, BE 130), Elliot Yeo ($509K, BE 122), Patrick Dangerfield ($702K, BE 209) and maybe, just maybe, Tom Rockliff ($388K, BE 125) if he can rekindle the flame.
The decision to acquire should be driven predominantly by a player’s break even (and likelihood of achievement) alongside the composition and immediate requirements of your squad.
If you’re fielding rookie revelation Tim Kelly at M7 or M8 you will instead need to turn your attention to your defensive ranks, where Elliot Yeo is fresh from a monster weekend at the office (150 SC) that will ensure his price drop is only brief.
His acquisition will ensure you can reinforce your backline stocks and relegate one of your prized rookies to the bench for the sole purpose of “fattening” them up before a trade to next week’s “bubble boy”, David Mirra.

THE BARGAIN BASEMENT: DANGERFIELD
The elephant in the room, without a shadow of doubt, is Patrick Dangerfield.
Those brave souls who chose to start the year without the game’s most prolific scorer would have shared some sleepless nights.
He’s a blue chip stock but, unfortunately, a victim of his own success and coaches are set to reap the benefits of his initial three performances (130, 100, 103) which have failed to reach the roaring heights that have become synonymous with Patrick Dangerfield.
One investor — who chooses to remain anonymous — has coined the new nickname, “Safetyfield”, given the nature of his scoring during the initial phases of season 2018.
All jokes aside, The SuperCoach Investor will be hatching a cunning plan within the next fortnight to free up sufficient capital to facilitate the acquisition of Dangerfield — likely via Andrew Brayshaw, Nick Holman or Riley Bonner.
Taking into consideration his break-even and the art of forecasting, The SuperCoach Investor expects to pocket Dangerfield for a discounted price of circa $630,000.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the phenomenon we refer to as SuperCoach “arbitrage”.

 

[Beijing_Sting]

Probably could have enjoyed reading this prior to Mitchell fiasco.

The Phantom, The Advertiser
April 23, 2018 2:36pm

It’s not quite round review time but we don’t need to see any more football to know the tagger is back and having a big impact on SuperCoach teams.

And SuperCoach public enemy No. 1 is North Melbourne’s Ben Jacobs.

On Sunday, the competition’s new master stopper held Hawthorn ball-magnet Tom Mitchell, who averaged 40 disposals in the first four weeks, to just 12 disposals in the 85 minutes he was directly opposed to him.

Mitchell finished with 19 disposals for the match – the first time the former Swan has failed to register 20 or more disposals in his 27 games as a Hawk.

Mitchell’s 24 disposals against the Demons the previous week, thanks to a tight-checking Nathan Jones, is his second lowest tally in the brown and gold.

But Mitchell owners don’t need to be too concerned given the 24-year-old showed on numerous occasions last year his ability to work through opposition attention.

Mitchell is not Jacobs’ only victim for the year, though.

Round 1: Jarryd Lyons (GC)

Seven disposals in the 40 minutes opposed to Jacobs, 21 disposals and 66 SuperCoach points for the match.

Round 2: Seb Ross (StK)

16 disposals in the 65 minutes opposed to Jacobs, 23 disposals and 98 SuperCoach points for the match.

Round 3: Clayton Oliver (Melb)

11 disposals in the 59 minutes opposed to Jacobs, 20 disposals and 75 SuperCoach points for the match.

Round 4: Patrick Cripps (Carl)

16 disposals in the 79 minutes opposed to Jacobs, 19 disposals and 92 SuperCoach points for the match.

Round 5: Tom Mitchell (Haw)

12 disposals in the 85 minutes opposed to Jacobs, 19 disposals and 75 SuperCoach points for the match.


Gold Coast’s Touk Miller won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal in Sunday’s Q Clasha after restricting Lion Dayne Zorko to just 10 touches.
The other tagging casualty of the weekend was Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko, who failed to break free from Gold Coast’s Touk Miller.

The Brisbane star, who has struggled to deal with close attention in the opening month, could only manage a season-low 10 disposals and 37 SuperCoach points.

But there is also another player to worry about.

Mature-age Fremantle recruit Bailey Banfield has spent time on Jack Macrae and Lachie Whitfield in the past two weeks after restricting Zach Merrett to 15 disposals in the 75 minutes he spent on the Bomber star in Round 2 and Aaron Hall to just four disposals from 46 minutes the following week.

So here is your tagger guide leading up to the bye rounds.

While Melbourne and Gold Coast might not apply a hard tag every week - like North Melbourne and Fremantle - they have shown so far this season they are willing to do so if required.

LIKELY TARGETS
ROUND 6

Robbie Gray, right, could get some close attention from Ben Jacobs in Roud 6.
Ben Jacobs (NM): Robbie Gray

Bailey Banfield (Fre): Andrew Gaff

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones (Melb): Zach Merrett

Touk Miller/Nick Holman (GC): Rory Sloane, Bryce Gibbs

ROUND 7
Ben Jacobs: Luke Parker, Isaac Heeney

Bailey Banfield: Andrew Gaff

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Seb Ross, Jack Steven

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter

ROUND 8
Ben Jacobs: Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin

Bailey Banfield: Seb Ross, Jack Steven

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Jarryd Lyons

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: Clayton Oliver

ROUND 9

Popular SuperCoach midfielder Stephen Coniglio, right, could be the target in Round 9, if Josh Kelly isn’t back in the side.
Ben Jacobs: Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio

Bailey Banfield: Luke Parker, Isaac Heeney

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Patrick Cripps

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: Robbie Gray

ROUND 10
Ben Jacobs: Nat Fyfe

Bailey Banfield: Shaun Higgins

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Rory Sloane

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: bye

ROUND 11
Ben Jacobs: Dayne Zorko

B ailey Banfield: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Jack Macrae

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield

ROUND 12
Ben Jacobs: Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield

Bailey Banfield: Rory Sloane

Bernie Vince/Nathan Jones: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar

Touk Miller/Nick Holman: Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio

ROUND 5 SCORE CHECK

With two games still to come, The Phantom is 1707 with six players to come.

Patrick Dangerfield was great as captain with 135 points, while Patrick Cripps is my highest scoring player so far, posting 151 points against the Eagles.

Allen Christensen’s 54 points on Sunday was the let-down of the weekend.

How is your team tracking? Let The Phantom know in the comments below!

Originally published as SuperCoach public enemy No. 1: Ben Jacobs

 

[Maccas marvels]

Any more updates from the Herald Sun articles? Love seeing these columns in the forum, gives some great insight