2012 was a year of career best highs and unexpected lows for young gun Tom Rockliff. After starting the season off in blistering form coming off his 2011 best and fairest year, averaging 123 SC points in the first five rounds and keeping his average above 110 until round 14. The 22 year-old was being touted as one of the finest up and coming midfielders in the competition until coach Michael Voss made the obscure decision to play Rockliff in the forward line for the final six rounds, where he averaged just 68.5 SuperCoach points.
Tom Rockliff – Midfielder/Forward - $520,500 – Brisbane 2012 was a year of career best highs and unexpected lows for young gun Tom Rockliff. After starting the season off in blistering form coming off his 2011 best and fairest year, averaging 123 SC points in the first five rounds and keeping his average above 110 until round 14. The 22 year-old was being touted as one of the finest up and coming midfielders in the competition until coach Michael Voss made the obscure decision to play Rockliff in the forward line for the final six rounds, where he averaged just 68.5 SuperCoach points. This puzzling move frustrated many coaches who had looked upon him for big scores for much of the season, only to be destroyed by him come finals time. The one positive to come about from this is that in 2013 he can be selected as both a midfielder and forward, which will make him one of the most popular picks in 2013. At 23 years of age come round one and 62 games of experience, Tom Rockliff is nearing the peak of his powers and has the potential to score massive. In his past two years he has posted nine scores of 130+ with a high of 179, showing his capabilities to score as high as any. Up until his positional move to the forward line in 2012 his stats read as followed: He averaged 26.7 disposals, 4.6 tackles, 108.1 SC points while also hitting the scoreboard with 15 goals and 11 behinds. Very impressive numbers, in comparison his final six rounds were horrible, averaging 18.2 touches, 3.5 tackles and 68.5 SC points, but most notably he only kicked 3.6, playing up forward, which suggests he is no goal kicking forward. A player of Rockliff’s class is simply wasted sitting up forward, the lions have a great brigade of young on-ballers coming through with the likes of Redden, Rich, Beams and Zorko surrounded by the experience of Black and now ex-demon Brent Moloney. I can’t see him playing forward in 2013; his greatest value to the side is doing what he does best, racking up touches through the middle. His ability to win the ball on the inside and out while also impacting the scoreboard allows him to produce such big, consistent scores. Rockliff’s DPP status makes him an irresistible option. Keep a close eye on where Voss uses him during in the NAB Cup, if he is back to his familiar midfield position, jump on.
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Daniel Short
A fanatical Cats fan and avid SuperCoach lover, here to give you advice on everything SuperCoach and talk anything football Archives
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