coverage) suddenly becomes a huge part of your ability to get over the line. With finals just around the corner, trading or not could make a huge difference – it’s all in your hands.
Next to fall last week was popular Fremantle defender Paul DUFFIELD (Av 89). Selected in 6.5% of SC teams, DUFFIELD forms an important cog in the Freo defensive machine, but he will be missing for at least one week, more likely two. If you have the Duffman in your lineup and you are desperate for a victory, then he may need to go. If that is the case, the best options look to be the much-maligned-in-fantasy-circles Pearce HANLEY (Av 97), or for a left-field choice, GC running man Jarrod HARBROW (Av 86).
WCE dynamic onballer Luke SHUEY (Av 98) missed last weekend’s game with a hamstring niggle – an injury which will keep him out again this weekend, and possibly for the week after that. With most teams midfields really taking shape by now, sitting SHUEY on the pine simply might not be an option if you need a victory. While trades are precious, if you need SHUEY to go the best replacements are Trent COTCHIN (Av 107) or Sam MITCHELL (107). Either are worthy inclusions, but I’d lean toward COTCHIN – just.
Perhaps the most significant injury in terms of the effect in his on his own team – let alone fantasy teams – to come out of last weekend was the cheekbone injury to Bulldog captain Matthew BOYD (Av 100). Still a ball-magnet despite being one of the elder statesmen at the Bulldogs, BOYD has
been a stalwart in 1.6% of SC teams – however he is now due to miss a month, so has to go. Fortunately the options are pure quality – Jimmy BARTEL (110), Josh KENNEDY (111), Andrew SWALLOW (109) or Trent COTCHIN (108). The latter trade to COTCHIN even nets you a valuable
$43,000.
The final player worth mentioning is Kangaroo Lindsay THOMAS (Av 74) – one of a select few to actually get a mention in this article two weeks running. Managing to get over his hamstring niggle last weekend, THOMAS had yet another brain fade, this time blatantly headbutting his GWS opponent. Understandably the MRP took a dim view of this dim act, and gave THOMAS a two week holiday. The difficulty for the 1.5% of SC teams who still have him is this – the options to replace him are very ordinary. Josh JENKINS (Av 74) looks the best – otherwise you might need to utilize THOMAS in a double trade, using cash from elsewhere to bring in a star.
That’s it for this weekend. With most people now looking at single figure trades left, be sure to choose your selections wisely – once they are gone, you can’t get ‘em back.