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Newcastle Jets
What to expect: After another tumultuous season, new manager Phil Stubbins will look to bring some stability to the Jets. The early signs are that he is going to have a tough time doing so, however. Already he has a ‘midfield crisis’ on his hands with key players injured and the likes of Brillante and Taggart departed. Zenon Caravella (yet to be added) has even come out of retirement to help the Jets out. I think the Jets may struggle this season, at least initially, so keep this in mind when considering their players.
Returning guns:
David Carney (MID, $250k, 5ppg) enjoyed some success late in the season and led the Jets in points per game, however he’s now a MID so no more 4 point clean sheets, he’s more expensive, and word is he’ll be playing left back so he’s the ‘bad’ out of position.
Joel Griffiths may have once been a fantasy gun, however now he may be more of a middling player – I think it’d be risky to pick him expecting him to start banging in the goals again. It’s not impossible, but I suspect Jeronimo will lead the line with him playing on the right.
New faces:
Jeronimo arrives from Adelaide with a point to prove, having been made second choice by Gombau despite his popularity with the fans. Jeronimo at his best is an exciting and dangerous player, however he also has the ability to frustrate his owners and fans. He failed to score away from home for Adelaide in the A-League until last season, and as noted above he’s already been sent off in preseason. He’s awkwardly priced too, and has big boots to fill after Taggart’s superb season last campaign.
Marcos Flores (MID, $250k, 4.8ppg) started brightly for the Mariners last season, before suffering a season-ending injury. After a lengthy recovery, Flores looks to start again at the Jets. Flores played 45 minutes in the Jets’ most recent hit out suggesting he may play a part from Round 1, but given both the length of time out and his form since leaving Adelaide in 2011 he must be considered a risky pick.
Edson Montano (FWD, $225k) is an interesting signing for the Jets. He’s young and judging from his record hardly prolific in terms of goals, though he has four caps for Ecuador so he must have some quality. He may find himself behind Jeronimo in the pecking order initially, though unlike Jero he has already scored against A-League opposition.
Jonny Steele (FWD, $200k) will probably play on a wing or midfield, chipping in with the odd assist and goal. He has 3 caps for Northern Ireland and has spent a fair chunk of his career playing in North America. He’s cheap enough to look at but there are probably far better options, especially if you think the Jets won’t have a great season.
Billy Celeski (MID, $175k) returns to the A-League to bolster the Jets’ midfield, however he’s currently injured and even when fit is not a fantasy player. So there’s no reason to pick him.
Adrian Madaschi (DEF, $100k) also makes an A-League return and should slot straight into the Jets’ defence. He’s a cheap player you can expect to get significant minutes.
Josh Barresi (MID, $100k, 0ppg), Allan Welsh (DEF, $100k) and Brandon Lundy (FWD, $125k) are three youngsters who may struggle for minutes, though Welsh may play early on (in midfield) given the Jets’ injury struggles.
Perth Glory
What to expect: After a tumultuous season Perth look to rebuild under Kenny Lowe, who took over after Ali Edwards was turfed out. Lowe will play a 4-4-2 diamond, with up to 6 new signings likely among the starters. Five of them however have already played in the A-League, with the other – Keogh – being a preseason standout. It’s clear Perth see experience and familiarity as being the key to returning to the top. A major question is whether all the new components will gel once the season starts.
Returning gun:
Danny Vukovic (GK, $250k, 4ppg) was second only to Reddy in points per game among ‘keepers, and that is with Perth having a poor season. Should the Glory improve, he could easily become the best keeper in the game.
New faces:
Youssouf Hersi (MID, $300k, 3.6ppg) struggled to match his output from his first season with Western Sydney, and now finds himself at Perth. I get the feeling the time to have him was 2 seasons ago, and that price doesn’t help his fantasy prospects either.
Mitch Nichols (MID, $275k, 4.9ppg) is on loan from Cerezo Osaka after a brief stint with the Victory. Despite the inflated price he may be worth a look – though often criticised in terms of playing ability by fans, he is a reliable point scorer. Pick him if you want to be different. Be wary however he may be competing with the cheaper but less prolific Nebosa Marinkovic (MID, $175k, 2.8ppg) for a staring spot.
Richard Garcia (MID, $275k, 3.6ppg) is a quality player, however I doubt he will score as highly as Nichols – yet they are the same price, so I wouldn’t pick him. Garcia may keep Sidnei (FWD, $275k, 3.2ppg) out of the side, but he’s a player I wouldn’t be looking at anyway.
Andy Keogh arrives with 30 caps for the Republic of Ireland and 2 goals, having spent most of his career in England. As mentioned above he’s had a good preseason, so at $250k he’s certainly worth considering.
Dino Djulbic (DEF, $175k) should join Michael Thwaite (DEF, $225k, 3.2ppg) in the centre of Glory’s defence following the departure of William Gallas. He’s certainly cheap enough to look at. Joshua Risdon (DEF, $150k, 1.1ppg) may be the value pick in Glory’s defence, however.
Ruben Zadkovich (MID, $150k, 2.7ppg) is the new heir to Jacob Burns’ throne. Don’t be fooled by the cheap price – he’s absolutely not a fantasy player.
Diogo Ferreira (MID, $150k, 1.3ppg) is a squad player who can do a job in a few different roles. Which means he’s not someone to pick in fantasy football.
Sydney FC
What to expect: Sydney FC begin a new era with Alessandro Del Piero gone and Graham Arnold as the new manager, returning to the A-League after an unsuccessful stint in Japan. Arnold likes his teams to build their success on defence, an area where Sydney struggled last season. The early signs in preseason haven’t been good in that respect, but otherwise they look like a side that will challenge for the title. Four attackers have been recruited to rebuild Sydney’s forward line after the departures of ADP and Ranko Despotovic.
Returning guns:
Terry Antonis (MID, $225k, 4ppg) leads Sydney’s returning players in points per game from last season, following a successful comeback from a problematic injury. However, despite his quality, this season he will probably play deeper in midfield and therefore won’t be a big scorer. Squad rotations may be an issue also. At $225k, there are better options out there.
Seb Ryall (DEF, $225k, 3.8ppg) was Sydney’s best defender in terms of points per game last season, his 5 goals probably helping him there. I’d want to see Sydney improve as a defensive unit before picking him or any of their other defenders / goalkeeper. Sasa Ognenovski (DEF, $250k, 3.4ppg) will miss the start of the season through injury.
New faces:
Alex Brosque (FWD, $275k) returns to Sydney after stints in Japan and the UAE. His price doesn’t really tempt me, and he’ll probably play on the left meaning he’ll be setting up goals rather than finishing them off.
Bernie Ibini (FWD, $250k, 3.7ppg) moves from Arnie’s former employers to his new ones. His switch from MID to FWD doesn’t really tempt me, also he’ll probably play wide on the right of midfield which will hurt his goal scoring chances. He’s away with the Socceroos to start the season anyway, so you shouldn’t be picking him in your initial sides.
Shane Smeltz (FWD, $225k, 2.5ppg) joins from Perth where he’s struggled with injury problems and form of late. His record can’t be disputed, but there are a lot of questions on whether he can reach the same levels again. I suspect he will not be the main man when it comes to scoring for Sydney this season.
Marc Janko (FWD $200k) is Sydney FC’s new marquee and far less of a ‘name’ signing than ADP. His goal scoring record of late hasn’t been the best, but he’s scored against both the Victory and the Roar in preseason, and his price makes him tempting. Of Sydney’s new attackers, I think he’s the one to pick – he’s the cheapest and he’ll be the one scoring the goals out of the four. Keeping that in mind, he’s also the captain of the Austrian national team, and will likely miss Rounds 1 and 2.
Alex Gersbach (DEF, $100k) is a talented young defender who may get some game time, especially with others missing the start of the season. I wouldn’t pick him just yet, but keep an eye on his progress.
Wellington Phoenix
What to expect: Much like Adelaide, Wellington recovered from a slow start to play some impressive football, before falling away again at the end of the season. The Nix ultimately finished 2nd bottom with the worst defensive record in the league (51 goals conceded, 8 worse than Melbourne Victory), so there is clearly still work to do. Carlos Hernandez and Stein Huysegems were Wellington’s top fantasy scorers last campaign – both have moved on, leaving a large gap in the Phoenix’s attack.
Returning guns:
Glen Moss (GK, $200k, 3.4ppg) is Wellington’s highest returning scorer this season, an impressive – or concerning – feat considering Wellington’s terrible defensive record. At $200k, he’s extremely cheap for a starting ‘keeper, however if you pick him you’ll be wanting Wellington to greatly tighten up at the back. Surely they can’t be worse than last season though…
Kenny Cunningham (FWD, $225k, 3.2) had a stretch of games where he scored for fun, ultimately notching 7 for the season. If he can perform consistently over a whole season – and that’s a big if – he could be an interesting choice. I wouldn’t pick him though.
New faces:
Michael McGlinchey (MID, $300k, 3.9ppg) has finally been allowed to join Wellington after a lengthy contract dispute with his parent club Central Coast. After being a star for the Mariners, he comes to the Nix with a point to prove. At $300k though he’s pricey, so I can see coaches going for the premium MID options at the teams expected to be at the top of the table instead.
Nathan Burns (MID, $275k, 3.8ppg) arrives after a torrid time at Newcastle last season (while on loan from his Korean club) where very little went right for him. If he can put it together this season he could be one of the better MIDs to have. The price will put people off at first, I think, so you can afford to wait and see with him unless you want to gamble.
Alejandro Rodriguez Gorrin (MID, $275k) is another new premium MID in the Nix line-up and a former Sunderland reserves player. He’s expected to play alongside McGlinchey, so expect him to chip in with assists and the occasional goal, such as the one he scored against West Ham. Again the price may put people off, and the fact he plays for ‘unfashionable’ Wellington.
Roly Bonevacia (MID, $175k) is a defensive midfielder, so he’s probably not the sort of player you should be picking.
Tom Doyle (DEF, $100k) is a young left back with a lot of potential. Word is he will be in the starting XI from Round 1. Potentially a handy cheapie for your bench.
Western Sydney Wanderers
What to expect: After two strong seasons we can expect the Wanderers to keep the same style, basing their success on their defensive structure. Last season only Brisbane conceded less goals, while only the Mariners and Perth scored less (and the Jets the same amount). Two key players in Hersi and Ono have left, though the rest of the squad largely remains the same. Popa’s squad rotations caused more than a few headaches for coaches last season, meaning picking Wanderers players may not be as safe as it seems, especially with 2 ACL finals and potentially a Club World Cup ahead of them.
Returning guns:
Nikolai Topor-Stanley (DEF, $250k, 3.9ppg) was a rock in defence for the Wanderers again last season – his 12 clean sheets were the most picked up by any player. Though Shannon Cole (DEF, $200k, 4.2ppg) led the (returning) Wanderers in points per game, his opportunities were limited by squad rotation, meaning he only picked up 50 points, while ‘Hyphen’ –unaffected by rotation – had 109. Of course, he’s missing for Round 1 and possibly 2 thanks to his selection for the Socceroos.
Ante Covic (GK, $300k, 3.7ppg) was the Wanderers’ second highest scorer, unsurprising given their success stems from defensive solidarity. It is worth considering though that both Liam Reddy and Danny Vukovic averaged more points per game than Covic, and both are $50k cheaper this season.
New faces:
Vitor Saba (MID, $200k) already has fans talking with his hipster beard and mannerisms, and on-field antics in the ACL. Expected to be the creative force in place of the departed Ono and Mooy, he really could be anything. He’s cheap enough to consider too, because he could be a premium player. I have no doubt he’ll frustrate opposition fans one way or another, just be hopeful that he spends more time scoring and assisting goals rather than picking up bookings.
Romeo Castelen (MID, $175k) was originally listed as a DEF, where he would have produced out of position fantasy gold, however as a MID he’s still worth a look. He’s Hersi’s direct replacement, and if he fires like Hersi did two seasons ago you’ll have to have him.
Antony Golec (DEF, $150k, 0ppg) was technically with the Wanderers last season, though only in their ACL squad. Now a part of the A-League squad, he will feature at left back and is a cheap link into the Wanderers defence. But, as it’s the Wanderers, be wary of any squad rotations – so if you pick him, make sure you have cover.
Daniel Mullen (DEF, $150k), like Golec, joins the A-League squad having played in the ACL. He’ll feature at right back.
Brendan Hamill (DEF, $100k) adds depth to the Wanderers defensive stocks, though I think he’ll be third choice centre back behind Topor-Stanley and Matthew Spiranovic (DEF, $225k, 3.9ppg), and others like Mullen, Golec and Iacopo La Rocca (MID, $225k, 3.1ppg) can all fill in at centre back as well. I’d expect him to line up in Round 1 and perhaps 2 in place of the absent Topor-Stanley nonetheless.
Dean Bouzanis (GK, $100k) is Covic’s new understudy, following the departure of Jerrad Tyson.