WHY?
Many predicted Heppell could go top 3 in the 2010 draft, and eventually he was picked up for a steal by Essendon at pick number eight.
One of the biggest decisions in Supercoach is deciding whether young players who had burst onto the scene one year can back it up the following year with as good – or better – performances. Heppell is a classic case-in-point. Can the mop-haired Bomber do it again?
WHY? Many predicted Heppell could go top 3 in the 2010 draft, and eventually he was picked up for a steal by Essendon at pick number eight.
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One of the biggest dilemmas in Supercoach for 2012 is the ruck situation, and a big part of the confusion surrounds returning North Melbourne giant Hamish McIntosh. So, should you or shouldn’t you?
WHY? In 2009, big H-Mac averaged 91 points per game, which fell slightly in 2010 to 81 pts per Following the success in recent years of mature-age rookies James PODSIADLY and Michael BARLOW, AFL clubs have suddenly realised there can be some value in selecting players who may be a little older and a little wiser. Not only can these guys benefit AFL clubs, but they can also be a huge bonus to your Supercoach team – provided you pick the right ones. Listed below are a handful of 2012’s mature-aged rookies – can any of them make YOUR team this year?
(Note : For the purpose of this article the player must be older than twenty and have never played a senior AFL game before) Orren STEPHENSON (Geelong. Ruck. $106,600) At a bargain-basement price, 29 year old STEPHENSON should be a lock in almost every team. Recruited from Nth Ballarat and take _
In years gone by, St Kilda forward Nick Riewoldt was one of the first picks in most SC teams – a ‘must have’ to any lineup, the big blonde captain scored points freely and was super-consistent. Unfortunately, on the back of an injury-riddled 2010, Roo had a terrible 2011, not living up to the huge expectations he had previously set. So, the big question for Riewoldt mirrors that of his beloved Saints – is their best football behind them? Well, let’s look purely at the stats first. Going back to 2006, Riewoldt’s SC averages have With coaches the country-over feverishly tinkering with their SC lineups and awaiting the NAB Cup with bated breath, it seems that in 2012 there is one area of selection that is causing more than a few headaches – that of the ruckmen. For the first time in a few seasons it seems that this year there are three genuine and realistic options in relation to your big men – and how you choose to go about it could seriously affect your sides scoring potential, particularly early on in the year.
Option number one – set and forget with two premiums Very costly but also potentially very rewarding, the ‘set and forget’ method works well as Well, now that the dust has settled a little on the Collingwood betting scandal of last Friday, it’s time to take an objective look at the punishments handed out and whether or not the AFL has kept everything in perspective.
Firstly, the alleged facts. Pies defender Heath SHAW gave inside information to his mate that captain Nick MAXWELL would be starting forward, and together they bet $20 on MAXWELL kicking the first goal. At the same time, Nick MAXWELL mentioned around the So, here we are perched on the edge of round 13 for Supercoach 2011.
It has been a season unlike any other, with the addition of the Gold Coast Suns leading to more bench players and of course, the dreaded bye and multiple-bye weeks. As some sort of twisted solution to this chaos, those in charge decided to issue us with a few more trades for the year, giving us a grand total of 24 trades for the duration. So, with 8 rounds to go until SC finals, just what is the right number to have left? Of course, there is no cut and dried rule. Generally it seems that from talk around the water cooler most coaches have somewhere in the vicinity of 10 to 14 trades left at this stage. The trade issue is a double-edged sword – whilst holding on to trades can be a blessing later in the season, at the same time you also need to identify and recruit those rookies and cheaper players who you know are going to get a consistent run, especially with benches playing a bigger role due to byes and the dreaded “general soreness”. 2011, like the seasons before it, has seen a number of these ‘must haves’ – guys like Heppell, Mzungu, Zac Smith, Krakouer, Swallow, Harris, Petrie, Liberatore, Duigan, Puopolo and Hibberd, just to name a few. If you have been trading wisely a lot of those guys have already been moved on, as you have downgraded them and used the extra cash to gain more premium players on field. That, as they say, is the Supercoach game. Right now though is the key part of the season, where Premiership campaigns can be made or shattered. Holding your nerve now can lead to massive gain later on, and never will this be more evident than this season, with the byes having a huge effect. Generally you are in one of the following situations, and your trading advice alters accordingly. 1. On top, or near the top…cruising nicely. For those lucky enough to be in this position, whether going for the overall win or just their league wins, hold on to as many trades as you can. Check your fixture and be sure to give yourself the best chance at a top 4 finish, remembering 1st has little advantage over 4th. Only trade long term outs or to grab that must have rookie who strengthens your bench. 2. In the mix to make the eight Again, have a close look at your upcoming games and your chance of victory, but if necessary, trade hard and strong to gain that advantage. This is particularly true if you have more than 12 trades and a premium player out for more than 3 weeks. There is no point finishing tenth with 8 trades up your sleeve for finals time…useless. 3. Two or three wins out of the eight Trade, trade, trade! Throw caution to the wind and take a risk – bring in as many form players as you can and try to get on a roll. Trade players down to untried rookies if you must – just get some cash and upgrade NOW.Have a crack! So, in the end it all comes down to your personal situation. Come finals time those Nth Melbourne, Geelong, Carlton and Essendon players will be burdens that you must unload unless your bench cover is sparkling, so most teams should look to head into round 21 with somewhere between 3 and 6 trades to cover for that scenario. Easier said than done! I have been a St Kilda supporter for all of my 40 years, having been through a rollercoaster of a ride in that time. Yesterday, as the current “leaderless” team capitulated embarrassingly after leading Hawthorn by 5 goals to zip, I came to the belated realization that this group of players would never win a Premiership. Having come so close, I grasped the fact that what I call the Saints Curse would continue for some time yet.
For me, the curse reared its head in 1997. Prior to the 1990s the Saints were a joke, losing games with regularity and often finishing on the bottom of the ladder throughout the late 70s and 80s. In 1997 however, the stars had aligned and the Saints finished top of the ladder and were clearly the best team in the competition. In the week leading to the Grand Final the curse hit – two significant senior players had major personal issues which were not, and are still not, widely known. Despite that, the Saints looked in the box seat at half time against a Crows outfit that had finished 4th, with a 13pt lead. Enter Darren Jarman and in an instant the curse reappears – 5 goals to him in the last quarter and the Crows run out easy winners. Just like that. Fast-forward to 2004 and again the Saints are serious challengers with a great lineup including spearhead Fraser Gehrig. In the Prelim Final against Port Adelaide the Saints were on fire early, then the G-Train kicked his 100th and the field was invaded by elated fans. By the time it was cleared, Port had collected themselves and got back into the game. Even still, with only minutes on the clock all Brent Guerra had to do was kick the ball off the ground in the goal square and the Saints looked home – no such luck. Port win by 6 pts, then take on an injury-ravaged Brisbane Lions team at the end of an era and win the flag. Still, the Saints were thereabouts – surely a breakthrough would come soon? 2009 saw them dominate the competition, the outstanding team of the year, finishing on top, including winning perhaps the best home-and-away game in decades against Geelong in round 13. Grand Final day comes against the Cats and the curse hits again – it pours rain, severely hampering the effect of Saints weapon Nick Riewoldt. Nevertheless the Saints play all over the Cats in the first half but miss several gettable goals. To compound that, Cats forward Tom Hawkins gets credited a goal for a shot that clearly deflects off the goal post. Nice one, curse. In the dying seconds, with the game in the balance, a disputed ball in the centre of the ground leads to an unbelievably lucky Matthew Scarlett “toe-poke” to Gary Ablett, and a resulting goal to Paul Chapman. Cats win narrowly, Saints lose again. 2010 saw Collingwood emerge from the pack to be the best team, but after rolling Geelong in a titanic first final, the Saints see off the Bullies and again make the big day. No one gives them a chance against the rampaging Pies, and after a lacklustre first half the games looks headed toward a comfortable Collingwood win. However, a few personnel changes saw the Saints fire in the second half and, with one of the marks of the year, Brendan Goddard put them in front with under five minutes to play. Surely this was it? Oh no, don’t be so hasty. The footy gods were still watching, and they weren’t about to let the curse end just yet. The Pies scramble a goal in their goalsquare to regain the lead then, with only seconds to go, the ball bounces favorably for Stephen Milne before taking a heart-breaking right turn, tumbling though the points and rendering the game a draw. The Saints returned the following week and barely fired a shot, their only chance to upset the cocky Pies being the previous week. Collingwood ran out Premiers comfortably, the Saints left to lament what could have been once again. Now it seems 2011 will signal the end of the era for this group of players. Having already lost spiritual leader Lenny Hayes for the season and with “stars” Nick Riewoldt and Brendan Goddard performing well below standard, the Saints season is shot. They are a team without confidence, without desire, and sadly, without the skill to execute as required in this ever-improving game. With no leadership on or off the field, they are a team in a huge downward spiral – one that could take some time to recover from. There will be no Premiership for Hayes, Riewoldt, Goddard and Co. They had their chance, came so close, but must realise that it has now gone forever for them – at least in the red, white and black. Sadly, there will be no Premiership for the weary supporters either. It will be a long road back – one that we have experienced before, but didn’t think we would have to travel for a little while yet. That road may have been eased if we were walking it whilst tasting the spoils from a premiership Cup, but alas, that isn’t to be. Footy hurts some times, even when you don’t run out on the field. Righto, the time has come for me to tee off on the Match Review Panel. And the general football media. And the general football public. And anyone else that wants to get in the way!
Now, firstly let it be made clear. I don’t have Jack TRENGOVE or Patrick DANGERFIELD in my SC team, so there are no hidden agendas here. But THREE WEEKS FOR THAT???? Are you serious? A young guy (who, even though it is irrelevant, is clearly a ball player) lays the perfect tackle on his opponent, pinning his arm and throwing him to the ground in a manner taught to player’s right through their career, from the moment they are permitted to tackle in junior footy. The balls spills free, he completes the tackle taking DANGERFIELD to the ground, where his head collides with the turf, knocking him out for a short time. And for that he gets three weeks? That has to be some kind of joke. There are hundreds of those tackles laid in every game of footy around Australia every weekend that result in no report. The simple fact that DANGERFIELD’s head hits the turf with enough force to knock him out means the tackler gets three weeks? Ridiculous, and it sets a very dangerous precedent (not that the AFL ever cared about precedents!). Do we now start reporting players whose twisting tackle unfortunately results in the player being tackled suffering a serious leg or knee injury? Does that same crazy “duty of care” notion not apply equally to them? And similarly if you are perched in front of the full forward on the lead and he leaps up to contest the mark, slamming his knee into the middle of your back resulting in you sustaining a serious back injury, should that player not also be reported for not exercising “due care”? This rubbish has gone too far. Appeal it Demons, and appeal it hard. Secondly (and again, I don’t have Ed CURNOW or Leigh MONTAGNA in my SC team but I do support the Saints) , I take issue with this incident also. CURNOW seems to get injured in a tackle – yes. Montagna (another ball player, but irrelevant again) runs in to contest the stoppage, which occurs right where CURNOW is. On the way to the stoppage they collide – the slightest of contact made, intentionally, most likely. There are no trainers immediately with CURNOW, he is jogging off of his own volition and within a few metres of the contest, which is ongoing. He goes off, gets strapped, and COMES BACK ON. Clearly, the medicos at Carlton were not overly concerned about the severity of his injury, yet suddenly the opposition players are meant to be – even before he has been examined, whilst he is still on the field? What is this game coming to? And as for all the bleeding heart media and supporters labeling Montagna a “weak dog” and the like, I don’t remember seeing a similar reaction when a pack of Brisbane Lions players led by Mal Michael set upon an injured Nick Riewoldt several years ago. No, Nick was labeled as weak and a sook for not “taking it like a man”. Funny how attitudes change – or is it just because the jumpers change? Similarly, I didn’t hear the outrage when Jack RIEWOLDT punched Tayte PEARS injured hand in a game last year – yet Steven BAKER was the devil incarnate for having a crack at Steve JOHNSON’s supposedly injured hand. Very strange. I understand I may be in the minority and am prepared to take that, but surely CONSISTENCY of thought, opinion and resultant punishment isn’t too much to ask for? A quick look at the leading SC scorers of 2011 so far predictably see’s Collingwood ball-magnet Dane Swan at the top of the tree. Picked in over 53% of teams, SWAN is a must have if you a serious about getting somewhere this season, much like Gary ABLETT and Aaron SANDILANDS have been in recent years. Averaging 139 points per round, it’s not hard to see why SWAN is so popular. At number three on the list, also fairly predictably, is fellow Collingwood midfield gun Scott PENDLEBURY, who is averaging 127 points per game having just taken home another Anzac Day medal. In almost 30% of SC teams, PENDLES is also a very popular selection, despite this meaning many teams have both Collingwood midfield stars in their lineup – something that might hurt in round 7 when they have the bye. So, who is the second ranked player then? Well, wedged between these two goliaths of the game is a Fremantle Docker who has quietly been going about his business in 2011 with a very handy average of a touch under 129 points per game. David MUNDY, the heartbeat of the young Freo midfield, has been on fire so far this season with scores of 138, 113, 132, 121 and 140! He is a unique pick who seems to have flown under many people’s radar (including the greater football media, it must be said), only being selected in 2.6% of SC teams – an amazing figure compared to the other two Collingwood stars. Supercoach Gold predicts that MUNDY will score over 100 in all but 2 of the remaining games of the season, and with a breakeven of just 87 pts against Richmond in round 7 (after their bye this week), expect his value to rise even further from the $66,800 it has already gone up. The subbing of MUNDY by the SC world is quite surprising, given that in 2010 he averaged a huge 126 points per game in a much-improved Freo lineup that appears just as ominous this season. With games against Richmond, West Coast, Port, and St Kilda over the next month, MUNDY looks set to continue his good form and reward those coaches who selected him as a unique midfielder. Maybe it’s time he got the recognition he deserves after such a scintillating start to 2011 – and maybe it’s time you got on the bandwagon too? NOTE : The fourth player in SC ranking is MUNDY’s Freo team mate Nathan FYFE, who has really stepped up this year averaging 116 pts and rising $123,800 in value. Who said the purple haze were finished??? |
The only thing sadder than a SuperCoach tragic? A St.Kilda supporting SuperCoach tragic.
After another pre-season full of off-field scandal, it's time to scale the dizzy heights of SuperCoach glory once again. Tips, trades, stats and stars, I'll provide a bit of everything here at SCHQ. Previous Blogs:
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