AFTER months of preparation, many coaches have been left feeling disappointed after falling on the wrong end of a few 50-50s that has left them with a pretty ugly ranking.
Don't stress, I am one of them and I have no doubt we can quickly get our season back on track. As I always say (well, I say when I start badly) it's a marathon, not a sprint.
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Moving forward, we can't be too reactionary. For example, I had high expectations for Will Ashcroft (MID, $826,000) to get me off to a flyer, only to leave me well off a par score following a disappointing 66 from an all-important midfield position. Am I disappointed with that? Yes, extremely, but I picked the young gun for a reason and will give him the opportunity to redeem himself. We need to identify and prioritise bad performances like Tim English (RUCK, $1.04M), or questionable roles like that of popular Pies recruit Harry Perryman (DEF, $758,000) who dropped a 49.
Cash generation is vital at this time of year, so we need to focus heavily on any mid-pricers or rookie cash cows that look like outperforming their price tag for the foreseeable future. It is also worth reminding yourself that it will be 'best 18' over the early bye rounds which may give you some wriggle room holding an unwanted player for one more week.
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MOST TRADED IN
- Sam De Koning (DEF, $621,000)
- Xavier Lindsay (MID, $363,000)
- Joel Freijah (DEF, $660,000)
- Levi Ashcroft (MID, $371,000)
- Max Hall (MID/FWD, $280,000)
MOST TRADED OUT
- Harry Perryman (DEF, $758,000)
- Sam Taylor (DEF, $611,000)
- Hugo Garcia (FWD/MID, $435,000)
- Lachie Ash (DEF, $844,000)
- James Leake (DEF, $248,000)
TOP FIVE PRICE RISES
- Sam Taylor (DEF, $611,000) +$83,000
- Will Day (MID, $834,000) +$74,000
- Corey Warner (FWD, $322,000) +$65,000
- Dan McStay (FWD, $547,000) +$57,000
- Sam De Koning (DEF, $621,000) +$57,000
TOP FIVE PRICE FALLS
- Tom Papley (FWD, $622,000) -$79,000
- Scott Pendlebury (MID, $738,000) -$74,000
- Nick Daicos (MID, $1.005M) -$69,000
- Kieren Briggs (RUCK, $870,000) -$68,000
- Sam Frost (DEF, $324,000) -$60,000
LOWEST BREAKEVENS
- Max Hall (MID/FWD, $280,000) - 14
- Lucas Camporeale (MID, $275,000) - 10
- Xavier Lindsay (MID, $363,000) - 8
- Corey Warner (FWD, $322,000) - 6
- Harry Boyd (RUCK, $268,000) - 5
HIGHEST BREAKEVENS
- Rowan Marshall (RUCK, $1.151M) 163
- Lachie Neale (MID, $979,000) 152
- Jack Steele (MID, $1.064M) 136
- Tim English (RUCK, $1.043M) 136
- Luke Ryan (DEF, $1.013M) 135
STOCKS UP
Sam De Koning (DEF, $621,000): It's on like Donkey De Kon! The ruck role was real for the athletic big man, well sort of. It was an untraditional role for a No.1 ruck, he basically took the CBA ruck contest and then floated around the defensive side of the centre square playing like an intercepting midfielder … have we seen one of those before? If we haven't, he could be a trend setter after he scored a whopping 124 from 25 possessions, six marks, four tackles and a goal … with the bonus 18 hitouts as a cherry on top leaving him with a BE of just 16. The small flag is Chris Scott has said their ruck set-up may change depending on the opposition.
Xavier Lindsay (MID, $363,000): Although the temptation is to chase points after a bad round, long-term we need to be looking at cash generation and if you are one of the 90 per cent who don't have the Dees youngster, he is one to consider. He had an amazing debut against a tough opponent, in tough conditions, gathering 22 possessions, three marks and six tackles for 94. He has a BE of -8 and certainly looks worthy of playing on the ground.
Levi Ashcroft (MID, $371,000): A late change removed Levi from the dirty vest position and left him where he should be - on the ground. He certainly showed his worth in a tough match-up, also showing his Norm Smith brother how it's done with 25 possessions and five marks for a score of 84, leaving him with a BE of two leading into a dream run of games against the Eagles, Cats, Tigers and Dogs.
Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $653,000): 30 per cent of the competition took on the Cat's star recruit. If you were one of them, fix it as your main priority. He looked every bit the star he did before being Bevo-ed. Despite missing a large chunk of footy with his knee injury, he dominated with 32 possessions, five marks and five tackles while making sure he kicked a goal on his way to 126. You will need to pay an extra $64K now but he is still a bargain with a BE of just 20.
Joel Freijah (DEF, $660,000): Owners of the 19-year-old were concerned at half-time but a huge second half playing a mix of midfield, half-back and even a few ruck contests saw him pump out over 70 in that time to finish on an impressive score of 103 which gives him a BE of 40. There were concerns about his role with Bailey Dale back in the side but he embraced the CBA's and looked well beyond his years out there.
STOCKS DOWN
Harry Perryman (DEF, $758,000): After scoring 90 in Opening Round, the Pies recruit sealed the deal for 40 per cent of the competition who started him in round one and it was met with instant regret. He played a mix of midfielder, tagger and half-back, managing to collect 13 possessions, one mark and four tackles for just 49 points. It gives him a BE of 92 after dropping $5K and he has a bye on the horizon in round three.
Sam Taylor (DEF, $611,000): Many of the cash-chasing strategists who jumped on the star defender after pumping out 118 in Opening Round are looking to take their money and run. He is one of the best players in the competition but his style isn't conducive to Fantasy points. He had the highest price rise in the competition, going up $83K and has the bye this week.
Lachie Ash (DEF, $844,000): Another player who pumped out a huge Opening Round score and is headed into a bye. Ash made the cash, $50K to be exact, but his disappointing 63 slows up the generation and leaves in a very tradeable position. The conditions certainly didn't suit, and he will be in for some big games against the Eagles and Saints in round four and five.
Rowan Marshall (RUCK, $1.15M): 14 per cent of the competition ignored the interrupted pre-season and inclusion of Harry Boyd to pick the Saints star but it had disastrous results. He was unrecognisable, playing limited ruck time while collecting 11 possessions, four marks and four tackles for 64. He ended the game with his knee iced up and has a BE of 163 after dropping $39K.
Will Ashcroft (MID, $826,000): Coming off a Norm Smith Medal, a full pre-season and an average 100 over the last seven weeks I certainly expected the 20-year-old to come out firing, especially with a hard tag on Lachie Neale. He looked disinterested and didn't go close to taking a mark on his way to 66 from 21 possessions and four tackles. He has a BE of 101 which realistically should be within reach given he has a nice fixture with games against the Eagles, Cats, Tigers and Dogs.
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