Wow, what it week it was for scoring last weekend! Some huge individual scores, with the overall winner cracking the mythical 3,000pt mark for the first time ever. Incredible. Fortunately the added bonus was that there weren’t any significant injuries to major players either – something that is vitally important come this time of year. There are couple of small concerns though, including the alleged hamstring strain of one Mr G Ablett Jnr and the club suspension of a popular SC bench-warmer. Short and sweet this week though.
Gary ABLETT (Gold Coast. Value $514,300. Alleged Hamstring strain – one week or more?)
One of the premiere players in the comp, selected in a massive 35% of SC teams and averaging 123 pts per game, Lil Gazza has been back to his best of recent times, wearing the captaincy badge in most teams and doing it well. This week he was due to face his old team Geelong in their backyard – something we all would’ve enjoyed watching. It seems Gazza wasn’t so happy about it, and is out for at least this week with a hamstring injury. Two questions arise here. Firstly, he looked okay slamming through a 50+ goal in the alst quarter last weekend against the Saints en route to 34 possessions, so is it just a ruse? Or is it worse than we think and might he miss a vital couple of SC weeks? With trades a precious commodity, the choice is yours – do you really need to win this weekend?
Possibilities : Dane SWAN (Coll) - $508,500. Av 120 My Choice – A star
Nathan FYFE (Freo) - $506,000 Av 111
Sam MITCHELL (Haw) - $500,000 Av 112
Andrew SWALLOW (GC) - $485,700 Av 111
Tom ROCKLIFF (Bris) - $484,500 Av 107
Michael BARLOW (Freo) - $446,800 Av 77 Value Pick – On the rise
Michael HIBBERD (Essendon. Value $298,200. Indefinite Club suspension due to off-field incident)
A popular and solid bench contributor in 16% of SC teams, HIBBERD has been a success story for the Bombers in 2011. Averaging 74 pts per game, his price has risen a healthy $194,600 as either a midfield or defensive option. However that has all ended a little prematurely, with HIBBERD implicated in a Police investigation involving a possible assault. It would be difficult to see him come back before SC season’s end, which poses a problem – trade him for another bench player who will play, or downgrade completely and use the cash elsewhere? In you choose the downgrade option, select any rookie for $91,700 and maximize your dollar return – just make sure you have other bench coverage. If however you need someone to play, these are your best options.
Possibilities : As a Defender
Mark NICKOSKI (WCE) - $297,700 Av 73 My Choice - In form
James FRAWLEY (Melb) - $291,100 Av 74
*Jeremy LAIDLER (Carl) - $289,900 Av 72
Brady RAWLINGS (Nth) - $283,300 Av 78
As a Midfielder
*Jake MELKSHAM (Ess) - $285,400 Av 60
*Leroy JETTA (Ess) - $272,900 Av 72
Lyndon DUNN (Melb) - $258,00 Av 59 My Choice – Good run in finals
David ARMITAGE (St.K) - $229,800 Av 71
There were other injuries to the likes of Jay SCHULTZ and Brent PRISMALL last weekend, however they are both in less than 1% of SC teams at this stage of the season, as they should be. This week you should be assessing your side and making any upgrade changes you need to gain the maximum points – don’t forget you can only make two trades a week, so don’t find yourself stuck with a few trades up your sleeve that you can’t use come the first week of Finals. Make the trade this week if you can, and get that step closer to settling your team for Finals action - then hit it hard.
Hopefully the good weather on the injury front continues – and that the dreaded “general soreness” doesn’t rear it’s ugly head in the next month or so.
Gary ABLETT (Gold Coast. Value $514,300. Alleged Hamstring strain – one week or more?)
One of the premiere players in the comp, selected in a massive 35% of SC teams and averaging 123 pts per game, Lil Gazza has been back to his best of recent times, wearing the captaincy badge in most teams and doing it well. This week he was due to face his old team Geelong in their backyard – something we all would’ve enjoyed watching. It seems Gazza wasn’t so happy about it, and is out for at least this week with a hamstring injury. Two questions arise here. Firstly, he looked okay slamming through a 50+ goal in the alst quarter last weekend against the Saints en route to 34 possessions, so is it just a ruse? Or is it worse than we think and might he miss a vital couple of SC weeks? With trades a precious commodity, the choice is yours – do you really need to win this weekend?
Possibilities : Dane SWAN (Coll) - $508,500. Av 120 My Choice – A star
Nathan FYFE (Freo) - $506,000 Av 111
Sam MITCHELL (Haw) - $500,000 Av 112
Andrew SWALLOW (GC) - $485,700 Av 111
Tom ROCKLIFF (Bris) - $484,500 Av 107
Michael BARLOW (Freo) - $446,800 Av 77 Value Pick – On the rise
Michael HIBBERD (Essendon. Value $298,200. Indefinite Club suspension due to off-field incident)
A popular and solid bench contributor in 16% of SC teams, HIBBERD has been a success story for the Bombers in 2011. Averaging 74 pts per game, his price has risen a healthy $194,600 as either a midfield or defensive option. However that has all ended a little prematurely, with HIBBERD implicated in a Police investigation involving a possible assault. It would be difficult to see him come back before SC season’s end, which poses a problem – trade him for another bench player who will play, or downgrade completely and use the cash elsewhere? In you choose the downgrade option, select any rookie for $91,700 and maximize your dollar return – just make sure you have other bench coverage. If however you need someone to play, these are your best options.
Possibilities : As a Defender
Mark NICKOSKI (WCE) - $297,700 Av 73 My Choice - In form
James FRAWLEY (Melb) - $291,100 Av 74
*Jeremy LAIDLER (Carl) - $289,900 Av 72
Brady RAWLINGS (Nth) - $283,300 Av 78
As a Midfielder
*Jake MELKSHAM (Ess) - $285,400 Av 60
*Leroy JETTA (Ess) - $272,900 Av 72
Lyndon DUNN (Melb) - $258,00 Av 59 My Choice – Good run in finals
David ARMITAGE (St.K) - $229,800 Av 71
There were other injuries to the likes of Jay SCHULTZ and Brent PRISMALL last weekend, however they are both in less than 1% of SC teams at this stage of the season, as they should be. This week you should be assessing your side and making any upgrade changes you need to gain the maximum points – don’t forget you can only make two trades a week, so don’t find yourself stuck with a few trades up your sleeve that you can’t use come the first week of Finals. Make the trade this week if you can, and get that step closer to settling your team for Finals action - then hit it hard.
Hopefully the good weather on the injury front continues – and that the dreaded “general soreness” doesn’t rear it’s ugly head in the next month or so.