Heath SHAW (Collingwood. Value - $411,200. Suspended for 8 matches for gambling)
The enigmatic Magpie defender has been solid this year, posting some good and not-so-good scores along the way, as is his reputation in SC. With an average of 101 pts per game, he has nevertheless dropped $27,800 in value for the hefty 22% of teams who have selected him. What a frustration it is, to lose a player (and waste a trade) for something so stupid. He will (conveniently) be back for the Finals, but that’s no use to us – SC will be all over by then.
Possibilities : *Harry TAYLOR (Geel) - $393,900 Av 82
Josh GIBSON (Haw) - $392,800 Av 90 My Choice – Has a good run home
Beau WATERS (WCE) - $386,200 Av 82
Shannon HURN (WCE) - $385,800 Av 85
*Heath GRUNDY (Syd) - $383,300 Av 90 Value Pick – In form.
(Another option is to try and find an extra $25,000 in cash to upgrade SHAW to one of these three guns – BIRCHALL, SUCKLING or NEWMAN. Go for SUCKLING I reckon) Note - Suckling ruled out for Round 18
James GWILT (St Kilda. Value - $383,100. Knee reco – out for a year)
One of the reasons for the Saints improvements in recent seasons, GWILT has been a revelation off half-back, very rarely playing a bad game. After a slightly off start to 2011, he was finding some form lately, averaging 82 pts for the 3% of teams who had chosen him. Unfortunately for those coaches and for the Saints, GWILT when down in a fairly innocuous incident last weekend, and will now be out of footy with an ACL reconstruction for the best part of the next 12 months.
Possibilities : *Andrew MACKIE (Geel) - $374,000 Av 79
Sam GILBERT (St K) - $369,200 Av 83 My Choice–Vital with GWILT gone
*Alex RANCE (Rich) - $363,200 Av 85
*Bret THORNTON (Carl) - $363,000 Av 83
Paul DUFFIELD (Freo) - $361,100 Av 83
*Pearce HANLEY (Bris) - $360,200 Av 84 Value Pick - Very Impressive
Jonathan BROWN (Brisbane. Value - $339,500. Season-ending facial injury)
What a season the big guy is having – he just can’t take a trick. Not long back from an horrific facial injury, big BROWNY copped it again on the weekend, this time from friendly fire. Again, his face has been smashed, this time with such force that it bent one of the metal plates inserted last time. Ouch. Still in 5% of SC teams, and averaging 73 pts per game, the courageous BROWN must now be replaced for good, as he won’t reappear for 2011.
Possibilities : *Michael HURLEY (Ess) - $337,000 Av 79 My Choice – Can Play
*Jay SCHULTZ (Port) - $335,100 Av 67
*Eddie BETTS (Carl) - $328,000 Av 74
Adam SCHNEIDER (St.K) - $326,300 Av 77 Value Pick – Good run home
Jack RIEWOLDT (Rich) - $322,200 Av 79
Ben McGLYNN (Syd) - $320,100 Av 73
Thankfully there were no other serious injuries to key players in round 17 – let’s hope that stays the same for the next few weeks, as injuries can kill a decent SC team at this time of the year. If you are lucky enough to still have enough trades on your side, the obvious downgrade target this week is Adelaide’s Daniel TALIA. The young utility is valued at $110,200 with an average from his two games of 86 points – snap him up and make some much-needed cash if you can spare the trade.