News Herald Sun SuperCoach Articles

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An article in the HS
Al Paton, Herald Sun
December 12, 2017 1:29pm
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REMEMBER when Ryan Griffen walking out on the Western Bulldogs was the biggest story in footy?

He was captain and one of the game’s top midfielders. That was three years ago, or an eternity in AFL footy. And it feels like even longer in SuperCoach.

But believe it or not, Griffen could be a value pick in 2018 as he returns from the wilderness. And he’s not the only one. Here’s our motley crew of the SuperCoach forgotten men of 2018.

RYAN GRIFFEN $277,100 MID

The former superstar recruit has played just 16 games in the past two years and none since Round 3 last year. After missing most of the year with an ankle injury he returned in the NEAFL in September and is set to return to full training in the new year. It’s been a little while since he was a SuperCoach premium — he averaged 116 in 2013 — but it was only two years ago he averaged 94 and that is a very, very good price.

DAVID ARMITAGE $310,100 MID

Had a sensational 2015 season when he averaged 110 points a game, then copped some tagging roles the next year — then back and groin injuries hit, which explains why we haven’t seen Armitage at all since Round 2 last year. That results in a big discount. As with most of the guys on this list, watch his pre-season closely before committing.

NICK HOLMAN $102,400 MID

Was delisted by Carlton at the end of 2015 after playing nine games, then starred for Central District in the SANFL, winning the Bulldogs best and fairest this year to earn a second chance with Gold Coast via the rookie draft. Bargain basement price is a big tick for the 22-year-old.

HARLEY BENNELL $254,800 FWD

Traded to Freo at the end of 2016, his first year in purple didn’t work out but Bennell’s talent can’t be disputed. Averaged more than 80 for four straight seasons (2012-15) at the Gold Coast before going amiss, he’s a classy ballwinner and importantly, knows how to use it and kick a goal. If fit his price will only go up.

JARROD GARLETT $117,300 FWD/MID

Another former Sun, Garlett quit AFL footy after 17 matches in two seasons to return home to WA. Now 21, the former first-round pick is more mature and after capable of slotting straight into the senior line-up. Has some special skills and in a rebuilding Blues team, you’d think he’d get a few chances. Dual position a big tick.

TOM BELL $287,000 FWD

Youch. Bell heard his leg “snap” earlier this year, the resulting surgery ensuring he was a spectator at the Lions for most of 2017. But an impressive result in Brisbane’s recent time trial should have potential suitors confident the big-bodied ballwinner can return to make an impact next season. Likes a goal and wins plenty of contested footy, so could make us some early cash.

LACHLAN KEEFFE $123,900 FWD/DEF

Was making his mark at Collingwood before missing two seasons after testing positive to banned drug clenbuterol. Signed as a delisted free agent at GWS in November. Didn’t play a senior game with the Pies this year but he’s 27 and has looked comfortable at AFL level. He’s cheap, so perhaps the key question for SuperCoaches is whether they think he can fit into a Giants side featuring plenty of talented talls.

STEWART CRAMERI $257,300 FWD

The hard-running forward was caught up in the Bombers’ supplements saga and then endured a frustrating run with injury at the Western Bulldogs. After being rookied he’s determined to make a go of it at the Cats, who might be looking for another tall option in attack. He’s 29, so some might think his best is behind him.

ALLEN CHRISTENSEN $267,300 FWD

Christensen’s move to the Lions hasn’t been a success. Managed 22 games in 2015 but just 11 the following season and none in 2017 after two years ruined by shoulder injuries. The good news? He uses the pill well and is finally fit again — and has added considerable bulk to his frame. We’d like to see some pre-season form before taking the plunge.

MATTHEW LOBBE $253,000 RUCK

The former Power big man has Lobbed (see what we did there?) at Ikon Park as a support act to Matthew Kreuzer. Hard to see the two b ig men playing in the same team but if Kreuzer’s injury curse returns he suddenly becomes SuperCoach relevant again.
 
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I would think some of the above might be worth considering if picked Round 1 but you would need to also consider who are the possible alternative picks in the $250-$311k range as well.
 
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If the rookies are poor like last year I can see a few of these guys in my starting team. Harrison Wigg fractured his ankle so that's probably 1 less to choose from. Not so keen on Armitage or Crameri and Keefe and Lobbe might struggle to get a game but the others are on the watch list.
 
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Christensen interesting, although I wouldn't have thought he would have to bulk up, as he was pretty nuggety to begin with.
 
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Harrison Wigg fractured his ankle so that's probably 1 less to choose from.
The Gold Coast Curse strikes again. That place is like the Bermuda Square (as opposed to triangle) of football. Want to see your career go down the toilet via injury? Get drafted by Gold Coast.
 
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If the rookies are poor like last year I can see a few of these guys in my starting team. Harrison Wigg fractured his ankle so that's probably 1 less to choose from. Not so keen on Armitage or Crameri and Keefe and Lobbe might struggle to get a game but the others are on the watch list.
I hadn't heard about Wigg. When did he do his ankle?
 

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I hadn't heard about Wigg. When did he do his ankle?
Fractured his ankle I believe 2 days ago.

http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/2017-12-11/wigg-suffers-ankle-setback

Wigg suffers ankle setback
goldcoastfc.com.au December 11, 2017 5:10 PM

Gold Coast SUNS recruit Harrison Wigg has suffered an injury setback after sustaining a fracture to his ankle at training on Monday.

Wigg left the track during the session and underwent scans on Monday afternoon.

The medical team will review the injury with specialists in the coming days where the most appropriate course of action to repair the injury will be determined.

Gold Coast secured the young midfielder from the Adelaide Crows during October’s NAB AFL Trade Period.

Originally drafted with pick 35 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft from North Adelaide, Wigg is yet to make his senior debut despite starring at SANFL level and being named an emergency for the Crows on several occasions.

Recruited as a half-back flanker, Wigg made the transition to inside midfielder in 2017 where he averaged 25 disposals.

The left-footer capped off a consistent season by being named in the SANFL’s Team of the Year, while he was Adelaide’s leading vote-winner in the Magarey Medal.

His ability to win the contested ball and dispose of it accurately by foot are big parts of his game, ranking third for inside 50s across the SANFL this season, while he finished second at Adelaide for contested possessions and clearances at reserves level.

In his draft year, Wigg was named in the All Australian team, as well as South Australia’s most valuable player at the Under-18 National Championships.
 
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#9
Gazza (And Others) a SuperCoach No Go

Another HS article
Gary Ablett a SuperCoach no-go, Harrison Wigg, Sam Murray loom as must-haves

Ben Higgins, Herald Sun
December 13, 2017 8:30am
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THE prices are out, so how did some of our trade period SuperCoach fancies fare?

It’s been two months since the trade period and we’re looking back at how some of our predictions have played out as every club returns to pre-season training.

Gary Ablett has been the SuperCoach GOAT but looms as a disaster in 2018 while Brodie Smith’s injury at Adelaide could help Bryce Gibbs’ scoring potential.

We’ve looked back at what we said in the wake of the trade period and how each player projects to fare in 2018 now.

We warned you about Ablett in October and nothing’s changed but it looks brighter for some other SuperCoach prospects.

GARY ABLETT (Mid, Geelong)

Price: $631,100

THEN: Looms as a disaster in SuperCoach. With Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield already entrenched in the Cats’ midfield. Even worse, his arrival could see Dangerfield spend more time forward. Ablett is a no-go in 2018.

NOW: Farewell, Gaz! From a SuperCoach perspective, Ablett has been on the decline for a couple of years - mainly due to injury - and his return to the Cats is the final nail. We highly doubt he’s going to get the midfield minutes at Geelong that he enjoyed at Gold Coast. And at 631k you want someone pumping out 120-plus week-in, week-out. Sorry, Gaz.

TOM ROCKLIFF (Mid, Port Adelaide)

Price: $529,400

THEN: Early whispers suggest Rocky could form a midfield-forward tandem with Robbie Gray. While a potential starting price of around $500k would be tempting, he could be a massive trap.

NOW: Gazza and now Rocky. It’s a changing of the SuperCoach guard. Sadly, the Power mid-forward rotations could have negative consequences for Rockliff, Gray and Chad Wingard. Port Adelaide’s midfield will certainly be flexible in 2018 and that doesn’t always translate well to SuperCoach scoring. Pre-season will be crucial.

HAYDEN CROZIER (Fwd, Western Bulldogs)

Price: $341,400

THEN: If the Bulldogs can successfully turn him into a playmaking half-back — ala SuperCoach favourites Matthew Boyd and Bob Murphy — he could be a mid-price success.

NOW: Are you the type that likes a mid-price gamble? Crozier could be the man for you! He’s come in 20k cheaper than forecast and is set to take over a half-back role at the Dogs, that has been a SuperCoach goldmine in the past. The forward line looks a little thin in 2018, so if you’re going to take a risk that’s the line to do it.

SAM MURRAY (Def, Collingwood)

Price: $123,900

THEN: Murray was targeted specifically by Collingwood, so expect to see him in Round 1. While he’s only played NEAFL, he took his disposal average from 14 to 22 per game.

NOW: We predicted a Mid-Fwd designation but Murray has been labelled a Defender only for 2018. While the dual position status would have been handy, cheap defenders are notoriously hard to come by, so we’re counting this as a win. If he does suit up for Collingwood in Round 1, don’t miss out.

HARRISON WIGG (Mid, Gold Coast)

Price: $123,900

THEN: The Crow-turned-Sun could be in more than 80 per cent of teams if he can bring his SANFL form to the Gold Coast. Wigg averaged 25 disposals, 5 tackles and 98 SuperCoach points this season.

NOW: We were going to name him a must-have cash cow but then there was some bad news. Wigg has fractured his ankle at training and is set to be sidelined for some time. He could still be back in time but if not the silver lining is we’ll have a handy mid-season downgrade option.
Harrison Wigg at Gold Coast pre-season training.

NATHAN WILSON (Def, Fremantle)

Price: $417,300

THEN: Wilson will walk into the playmaking half-back role at Fremantle. According to Champion Data, Wilson’s possession stats are trending nicely; averaging 11.7, 16.9 and 17.4 in the past three years.

NOW: The good news is Wilson is more than 30k cheaper than predicted in October. That makes him the 50th ranked defender on price. We reckon he’s under-priced and will be a popular pick entering the pre-season competition. With all bar four of the top 50 priced within 100k of Wilson, he’ll be an easy upgrade if he bombs.

MATTHEW KENNEDY (Mid, Carlton)

Price: $356,000

THEN: He’ll replace Bryce Gibbs. While his scoring hasn’t set the world on fire in his first two years, it’s to be expected in a stacked GWS midfield. Awkward price, though.

NOW: We were right, that is an awkward price. As such, we’ve cooled on the new Blue a bit. We’ll be watching the pre-season closely to see how Kennedy fares. Undoubtedly, there will be more opportunities in the Carlton midfield, it’s up to the Collingullie product to take them.

LACHIE WELLER (Mid, Gold Coast)

Price: $394,300

THEN: He’ll be the No.1 man at the Suns but it’s hard to see him reaching triple figures — or even a 90-plus average for that matter. What Weller could be is a handy early-season stepping stone.

NOW: Hello, Patrick Dangerfield. At least that’s what we hope to say after about four or five weeks of 2018. This might be a brave early call but as we predicted in October, Weller could be an ideal stepping stone and with Dangerfield a ridiculous $749k, those starting without him will be planning the easiest way to bring him in as early as possible.

DEVON SMITH (Fwd, Essendon)

Price: $439,100

THEN: Injuries haven’t been kind to Smith in the last two years, limiting him to 12 and 16 games and a SuperCoach average of 81 and 79. Previous to that he managed 21 and 20 games for a SuperCoach average of 91 and 89.

NOW: He’s still very much on the watchlist. He could be the new Robbie Gray or Toby Greene if he can regain his scoring form of old. If he does, he’s underpriced, so watch him closely during the pre-season. The Bombers certainly play a style suited to Smith.

BRYCE GIBBS (Mid, Adelaide)

Price: $630,000

THEN: The question will be, is there enough ball to go around? Gibbs has averaged more than 95 in eight of the past nine years but we’d caution picking him in 2018.

NOW: With Brodie Smith’s unfortunate injury, Gibbs could fill the breach at half-back and continue his elite SuperCoach scoring. “I’ve played a lot of half-back and back pocket in my career, so it’s certainly not a new position for me, ” Gibbs said. However, at $630k, you’ll be wanting a super-premium, so maybe wait until his price drops.
 

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#10
What is he doing bringing up Hayden Crozier and Bryce Gibbs? So many relevant players and they get mentioned?
 
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#11
The Fallen Premium

Ben Higgins, Herald Sun
December 18, 2017 11:22pm
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THE fallen premium. Alongside the cash cow, the most valuable commodity in SuperCoach.

Delivering premium output at a discount, these are the players to watch heading into 2018.


Playing the SuperCoach stockmarket can be a tough task but put your trust in the right player and reap the rewards.

Do you take the risk?

SCOTT PENDLEBURY (Mid, $586,500)

One of the greatest SuperCoach scorers of all time. “Pendles” is the cheapest he’s been since 2011 after averaging 106 in 17 games in 2017. It’s the first time he’s averaged under 110 since 2009. The Magpies skipper still scored 90-plus in 12 games with six scores of 120-plus.

PATRICK CRIPPS (Mid, $537,300)

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton is excited by Cripps’ pre-Christmas training with the star Blue finally injury free heading into the new year. Cripps looms as a must-have in 2018. Outside of his debut season, Cripps has averaged 96 or more.

DAN HANNEBERY (Mid, $535,100)

The Swans superstar was a beast in 2016 but was always behind the eight ball this year after copping a knee injury in the Grand Final loss to the Dogs. Hannebery is the cheapest he’s been since 2014 after averaging less than 100 for the first time since 2013. Was the No.3 and No.4 SuperCoach scorer in 2015 and ‘16 respectively.
Heath Shaw at GWS training.

HEATH SHAW (Def, $458,100)

Has “Heater” fallen off the cliff? Hard to argue he hasn’t after a poor 2017 as Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams took on larger roles off half-back. The star defender is the cheapest he’s been since 2011 after averaging under 90 for the first time in SuperCoach history, which dates back to 2006.

MAX GAWN (Ruck, $503,700)

Was in a huge number of teams at the start of 2017 but wasn’t able to recreate his blistering 2016. An early injury and form issues later in the year conspired against his SuperCoach owners as the big Demon went from the No.3 scorer in 2016 to 278th in 2017.

AARON SANDILANDS (Ruck, $480,000)

Yes, he’s injury-prone. Let’s try and look past that for now. When he’s on the park, “Sandi” is a SuperCoach beast. The Dockers veteran played nine full games in 2017 and scored 90-plus in seven of them. Youngster Sean Darcy is breathing down his neck so monitor closely in the pre-season.
Aaron Sandilands has battled injury in his later years. Picture: Daniel Wilkins
Robbie Gray played more as a permanent forward in 2017.

ROBBIE GRAY (Fwd, $504,300)

Gray had averaged 111, 110 and 108 in the previous three years but that came to a screeching halt in 2017 as he became a permanent forward. This year was the first time the Power star had averaged under 100 since 2013. We wait to see what role he’ll play in 2018 with the addition of Tom Rockliff and Steven Motlop to the Port line-up.

LUKE DAHLHAUS (Mid-Fwd, $498,500)

The Dogs struggled in 2017 and Dahlhaus wasn’t immune. The positive news is he retains his dual position eligibility and is the cheapest he’s been since 2014. The Dogs star scored 90-plus in nine games but was struck by injury late in the season, posting 72, 88, 66, 79 and 69 in the final five games.

LUKE PARKER (Mid, $546,000)

Similar to Hannebery and Swans captain Josh Kennedy. Parker started above 600k last year but saw his price plummet and his average of 99.3 was his lowest since 2013. It was a consistent season for Parker without the big scores of 2016. A big finish to the season (90, 134, 126, 75 and 119) saved him.

STEPHEN CONIGLIO (Mid, $452,400)

After a breakout season, the Giants star could only manage seven games in a season ruined by injury. However, once he did return there was only one score below 80. The bigger question remains ... was 2016 a one-off? Coniglio’s previous best average was 91.
 
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LUKE DAHLHAUS (Mid-Fwd, $498,500)

The Dogs struggled in 2017 and Dahlhaus wasn’t immune. The positive news is he retains his dual position eligibility and is the cheapest he’s been since 2014. The Dogs star scored 90-plus in nine games but was struck by injury late in the season, posting 72, 88, 66, 79 and 69 in the final five games.

This is what I thought but haven't seen anything to confirm it. If this is true he is high on my list.
 
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HEATH SHAW (Def, $458,100)

Has “Heater” fallen off the cliff? Hard to argue he hasn’t after a poor 2017 as Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams took on larger roles off half-back. The star defender is the cheapest he’s been since 2011 after averaging under 90 for the first time in SuperCoach history, which dates back to 2006.
You could not pay me enough money in the world to go near this bloke ever again, completely and single handily ruined my season and led me to by far my worst ever rank.

LUKE DAHLHAUS (Mid-Fwd, $498,500)

The Dogs struggled in 2017 and Dahlhaus wasn’t immune. The positive news is he retains his dual position eligibility and is the cheapest he’s been since 2014. The Dogs star scored 90-plus in nine games but was struck by injury late in the season, posting 72, 88, 66, 79 and 69 in the final five games.

This is what I thought but haven't seen anything to confirm it. If this is true he is high on my list.
You kind of suspected he might have been injured, but I think it was just a total lack of midfield minutes that killed his scores, was just left to rot in the forward line.
 
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I think the only ones I would consider taking from that list are Pendlebury and Dahlhaus.

Dahlhaus for his M/F and Pendles cause he has the runs on the board.

Pendlebury is a pretty safe bet for a 90+ average I reckon, could be one to look at.
 
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I think the only ones I would consider taking from that list are Pendlebury and Dahlhaus.

Dahlhaus for his M/F and Pendles cause he has the runs on the board.

Pendlebury is a pretty safe bet for a 90+ average I reckon, could be one to look at.

You're not getting Pendles to average 90 though.

He'd want to average 105+

Hanners a prime example of this last year.
 

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You're not getting Pendles to average 90 though.

He'd want to average 105+

Hanners a prime example of this last year.
Pendlebury's stats didn't decline last year as far as I can tell but his kicking efficiency was probably down as he had more inside 50's and less rebound 50's. This indicates that he had not deteriorated and he has barely been injured throughout his career, so I expect him to go to the 110-115 area.
 
G

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#17
I am seriously considering H.Shaw again this year, ohh boy, things could get ugly..:eek:

Max Gawn is the so called lock i worry about, seems like a no brainer but this guy has an awful injury history and one almost
super hero type year which could well be an outlier.
 
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GoGeta

#18
You could not pay me enough money in the world to go near this bloke ever again, completely and single handily ruined my season and led me to by far my worst ever rank.



You kind of suspected he might have been injured, but I think it was just a total lack of midfield minutes that killed his scores, was just left to rot in the forward line.



But surely Wilson's departure helps Shaw? and the risk is much less this year at 450k.
 
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#19



But surely Wilson's departure helps Shaw? and the risk is much less this year at 450k.
He may be cheaper, but after burning me so bad last season... I'm not going anywhere near him ever again.

They used him less and less last season in the back half and at 32 years of age and even with Wilson departing... The odds aren't in his favor of improving. The likely reality is he continues to drop off, and his body starts breaking down.

If he burns me by not having him, then so be it... I can very happily live with that.
 
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