BEST FIRST YEAR PLAYER:
Josh Thomas – 1421 points @ 78
OK, I will admit he isn't a 'true' first year player, however, the first time footy fans have seen him on the park delivering on his potential was 2013. Despite having been at the club for a couple of years, foot injuries have sidelined Josh for long periods making a senior birth difficult to reach. After a solid preseason, Josh came out of the blocks with 18 touches in round 1. He was a great pick for your 8th midfield spot or bench position this year increasing his value from $115K to $405K by years end. He played 19 games and booted 11 goals running through the midfield. I award him the 'best first year' title ahead of teammates Brodie Grundy and Kyle Martin!
MOST IMPROVED:
Paul Seedsman – 1262 points @ 78
Seedsman and Thomas play very similar roles and shared a lot of the footy. Seedsman played 11 games in his first year and 17 this year increasing his overall price by approximately $190,000 where he cracked the supercoach tonne in rounds 10, 14 and 22….but that all depends on how you look at ‘improved’. After a horrid 2012 season with a knee reco, Luke Ball was in great shape in the later stages of 2013 increasing his overall price by more than $170,000. However we tend to look at youngsters who have taken leaps and bounds, much like Paul Seedsman.
Josh Thomas – 1421 points @ 78
OK, I will admit he isn't a 'true' first year player, however, the first time footy fans have seen him on the park delivering on his potential was 2013. Despite having been at the club for a couple of years, foot injuries have sidelined Josh for long periods making a senior birth difficult to reach. After a solid preseason, Josh came out of the blocks with 18 touches in round 1. He was a great pick for your 8th midfield spot or bench position this year increasing his value from $115K to $405K by years end. He played 19 games and booted 11 goals running through the midfield. I award him the 'best first year' title ahead of teammates Brodie Grundy and Kyle Martin!
MOST IMPROVED:
Paul Seedsman – 1262 points @ 78
Seedsman and Thomas play very similar roles and shared a lot of the footy. Seedsman played 11 games in his first year and 17 this year increasing his overall price by approximately $190,000 where he cracked the supercoach tonne in rounds 10, 14 and 22….but that all depends on how you look at ‘improved’. After a horrid 2012 season with a knee reco, Luke Ball was in great shape in the later stages of 2013 increasing his overall price by more than $170,000. However we tend to look at youngsters who have taken leaps and bounds, much like Paul Seedsman.
BEST BUY:
Scott Pendlebury – MID – 2786 @ 126
The ‘best buy’ for Collingwood is also their best player in my eyes, Scott Pendlebury. While Pendles dropped in price from $667K down to $594K you really can’t look past his performances. After all, only the most ELITE of midfielders can crack the 150 point mark and Pendles managed that feat an incredible SIX times this year. His highest score was 161 vs STK. He averaged 135 after the first 3 rounds and finished the year brilliantly. He is silky clean with his disposal which, in my opinion, is why he’s the better choice over Swan.
WORST BUY:
Quinten Lynch – FWD – 1234 points @ 68
Some pies fans were happy and some were angry with the struggling form and departure of Chris Dawes. In comes his replacement; enter ‘Q-stick’ from West Coast. Unfortunately big man TravCloke hogged the spotlight up forward taking record contested marks in the air with Lynch snapping a few goals here and there. Overall, his price dropped by about $50,000 and was never really able to deliver satisfactory supercoach scores in the 80’s (or more) and was a letdown to those who may have selected him as the tall forward X-factor.
2014 PROSPECTS:
TRADE – Taylor Adams: The Pies have secured a very tough in and under midfielder to help out the likes of Luke Ball and Pendlebury in 2014. I would suspect the likes of Swan, Sidebottom, Ball and Pendles will all get the better opponents allowing former Giant in Taylor Adams off the leash to cause some damage. Not only do you have this young gun to keep an eye out for, but the number of first-round draft picks Collingwood secured, means there's a lot to smile about if you're a Pies fan come March 2014.
TRADE – Jesse White: Life’s easy when you’re recruiting for Collingwood Football Club at times – especially when quality players indicate they wish to be traded to your club. Jesse White has been in the shadows of Kurt Tippet this year and has been competing with Everitt and resting Ruck/Forwards Pyke and Mumford for that 2nd tall spot in the absence of LRT. He has great athleticism, takes quality marks overhead and can kick goals from a long way. I suspect Cloke will get all the attention, which means Jesse should be able to pull in some big Supercoach scores.
MOST PROLIFIC:
1) Scott Pendlebury – MID – 2786 @ 126
2) Dane Swan – MID - 2580 @ 117
3) Steele Sidebottom - MID - 2265 @ 103
4) Travis Cloke – FWD – 1999 @ 95
5) Heath Shaw – DEF – 1841 @ 96
Scott Pendlebury – MID – 2786 @ 126
The ‘best buy’ for Collingwood is also their best player in my eyes, Scott Pendlebury. While Pendles dropped in price from $667K down to $594K you really can’t look past his performances. After all, only the most ELITE of midfielders can crack the 150 point mark and Pendles managed that feat an incredible SIX times this year. His highest score was 161 vs STK. He averaged 135 after the first 3 rounds and finished the year brilliantly. He is silky clean with his disposal which, in my opinion, is why he’s the better choice over Swan.
WORST BUY:
Quinten Lynch – FWD – 1234 points @ 68
Some pies fans were happy and some were angry with the struggling form and departure of Chris Dawes. In comes his replacement; enter ‘Q-stick’ from West Coast. Unfortunately big man TravCloke hogged the spotlight up forward taking record contested marks in the air with Lynch snapping a few goals here and there. Overall, his price dropped by about $50,000 and was never really able to deliver satisfactory supercoach scores in the 80’s (or more) and was a letdown to those who may have selected him as the tall forward X-factor.
2014 PROSPECTS:
TRADE – Taylor Adams: The Pies have secured a very tough in and under midfielder to help out the likes of Luke Ball and Pendlebury in 2014. I would suspect the likes of Swan, Sidebottom, Ball and Pendles will all get the better opponents allowing former Giant in Taylor Adams off the leash to cause some damage. Not only do you have this young gun to keep an eye out for, but the number of first-round draft picks Collingwood secured, means there's a lot to smile about if you're a Pies fan come March 2014.
TRADE – Jesse White: Life’s easy when you’re recruiting for Collingwood Football Club at times – especially when quality players indicate they wish to be traded to your club. Jesse White has been in the shadows of Kurt Tippet this year and has been competing with Everitt and resting Ruck/Forwards Pyke and Mumford for that 2nd tall spot in the absence of LRT. He has great athleticism, takes quality marks overhead and can kick goals from a long way. I suspect Cloke will get all the attention, which means Jesse should be able to pull in some big Supercoach scores.
MOST PROLIFIC:
1) Scott Pendlebury – MID – 2786 @ 126
2) Dane Swan – MID - 2580 @ 117
3) Steele Sidebottom - MID - 2265 @ 103
4) Travis Cloke – FWD – 1999 @ 95
5) Heath Shaw – DEF – 1841 @ 96