https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...s/news-story/3c41556f6f7a6c770803ed1c81eb1a3b
*2021 price projections courtesy of Brice Mitchell.
Sam Draper (Approx price: $382k)
The young Essendon ruckman will be
primed to take on the No. 1 ruck responsibilities after featuring in eight games during his debut campaign. He showed encouraging signs during those matches, although an average of two free kicks against each game hindered his KFC SuperCoach scoring. He was a great cash cow for thousands of coaches, reaching $341,800 before most moved him on. His standout game was in Round 13 when he had 13 disposals, 14 hit outs and took six marks against Richmond. The ‘set and forget’ combination of Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn will be popular again next season — for good reason — but if I need to save money I’ll consider Draper as a stepping stone to one of the big two. Especially if he’s available for about $400,000 after a full pre-season.
Liam Stocker (Approx price $200k)
Assuming he gets the regular 30 per cent discount applied to players who miss a full season, the No. 19 draft pick will be available for about $170,000 next year. He was listed as a SuperCoach defender this year and is likely to retain that position due to a lack of action in 2020 — Stocker left the Blues hub to return to Victoria in July. He played five games in 2019, averaging 49.6 with a top score of 64.
Carlton is crying out for midfielders to support Patrick Cripps and if Stocker can take the next step in 2021, he shapes as a great cash cow. $170k sounds like a lot to pay, but thousands of coaches paid $20k more than that to start with Brandon Zerk-Thatcher this season. As a Blues fan, I’ll have eyes on Stocker during pre-season for two reasons — SuperCoach and Carlton’s 2021 prospects.
Nic Newman will be cheap in KFC SuperCoach after battling injury in 2020. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
Nic Newman (Approx price: $420k)
After scores of 39 and 8 in his two games of 2020, the Blues defender will come at a significant discount on his 2020 price of $524,800. Newman injured his knee in Round 2 and was ruled out for the rest of the year after surgery. If he’s fit for Round 1 in 2021 and shows promise in the pre-season, he needs to be considered. The ex-Swan averaged 96.7 two years ago and his importance to
Carlton’s defence will only grow after Kade Simpson’s retirement. With Jake Lloyd and possibly a DEF-MID Rory Laird at D1 and D2, Newman could be a value D3 selection.
Wayne Milera (Approx price $361k)
The highly-talented Crow
played just two matches in 2020, after suffering a stress fracture in his foot. An inconsistent previous season – he wasn’t alone at West Lakes – meant Milera started the year at $408k. That appeared great value, too, given he averaged 95 points per game from Round 17 onwards in 2018 – his third year in the competition – and posted scores of 82, 105, 109 and 86 in the opening month of 2019 before a shoulder injury. And those numbers alone put Milera on the watchlist, regardless of whether he plans in the midfield or across half-back.
Jackson Hately (Approx price: $314k)
Adelaide is keen on Hately and if the young midfielder does make the move back home to South Australia in this year’s trade period, he’ll shoot straight to the top of KFC SuperCoach watchlists. It will mean consistent opportunity in the midfield, something he hasn’t had in his two years in the competition. Hately, who averaged 108 points at the 2018 national under-18 carnival, has played just 13 senior game since being drafted at pick No. 14 in 2018 and he was a late inclusion to the Giants side for three of them. But he still posted KFC SuperCoach scores of 95 and 85 in the opening two games of his career in 2019 and 108 in his first appearance in Round 3 this year. The smart, ball-winning midfielder wasn’t picked in Round 1, desptite a standout pre-season, which saw him average 115 points in the Marsh Series. And in 2021, he’s likely to priced at $314k.
Hunter Clark (Approx price: $441k)
Maybe I went a year too early. In his second season, Clark, who averaged 126 KFC SuperCoach points in the TAC Cup in his draft year, settled across half-back following the bye and averaed 86 points – the seventh-most of any Saint – from Round 15 onwards. The 186cm left-footer couldn’t maintain this form consistently through 2020,
but there were still plenty of signs. There was dash off half-back and clean hands at ground level as Clark posted five KFC SuperCoach tons, with his 124-point performance in Round 17 his best for the season. Is 2021 his year?
Tom Green (Approx price: $355k)
If you break Champion Data’s contested possession record at the under-18 championships in your draft year and then tally 30 disposals, 20 contested possessions and 119 KFC SuperCoach points in your fifth career game, you have to be on this list. Even if 2021 will be your dreaded second-year, and you’ll be awkwardly-priced at $355k. Remember Clayton Oliver’s 2017?