The SuperCoach Hipster’s team reveal includes several left-field selections

ONE of the most intriguing and frustrating things about SuperCoach is that despite more than 200,000 teams being registered each season, tens of thousands of them hit round one with near identical line-ups.

Lions star Dayne Zorko poses for a photograph out side the GABBA in Woolloongabba. Lions star Dayne Zorko changes his boots at the halftime of every game. Tuesday February 13, 2018. (AAP image, John Gass)

• The Phantom’s team reveal: Midfielders
• The Phantom’s team reveal: Defenders
• The Eradicator team reveal
• Every JLT Series SuperCoach score
• Ultimate mid-pricer guide

ONE of the most intriguing and frustrating things about SuperCoach is that despite more than 200,000 teams being registered each season, tens of thousands of them hit round one with near identical line-ups.

I don’t see much fun in that.

Trying to find players with high scoring potential who have been overlooked by the masses — or points of difference (PODs), as they are known in Supercoach — has always interested me a lot more.

Midfielders Clayton Oliver, Lachie Neale and Dayne Zorko were some of my left-field success stories from last season.

All three started 2017 in fewer than 5 per cent of teams — even though Neale (112.6) and Zorko (109) were coming off huge 2016 campaigns, and Oliver was well priced ($382,500) and averaged 109 during the JLT pre-season series.

Yet they were eventually them in plenty after finishing among the top 14 best scorers in the competition.

Few Supercoaches are bigger fans of Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko than the Supercoach Hipster.

But guess what?

Oliver (7 per cent), Neale (6 per cent) and Zorko (9 per cent) are in fewer than 10 per cent of teams going into 2018 as higher-profiled names with lower 2017 averages such as Marcus Bontempelli (12 per cent) remain more popular.

Of course, smattering your squad with too many PODs can be fraught with danger and has burnt me in the past.

Pre-season stars can become minor round strugglers and peculiar choices are sometimes unfashionable for a reason.

But having several PODs can also the difference between winning and losing league games because the result can come down to a dozen players’ scores, rather than a handful.

This year I have taken on a challenge from the Phantom — who came up with my Supercoach Hipster moniker — to choose a team featuring no more than two premium or mid-priced players from each line in at least 10% of teams.

In the ruck, I have just one — the league’s most popular selection, Max Gawn (61.2%).

Below, I’ve gone through the key members of my 2018 squad and the reasons behind their selections.

The percentage of teams players have been chosen in is listed in brackets.

DEFENCE

RORY LAIRD (47 per cent), MICHAEL HIBBERD (29 per cent)

Starting last season with Heath Shaw and Kade Simpson as my 10 per cent-plus premiums instead of Laird, Taylor Adams or Sam Docherty proved costly.

Laird is not the most popular Rory at the Crows so that makes him something of a left-field selection, while Hibberd’s moustache is a point of difference to Gawn’s beard in Melbourne’s facial hair stakes.

SHANE SAVAGE (9 per cent)

A star of this year’s JLT series and a player who ended 2017 with five hundreds from his last eight games to finish with career-high season average of 87.

Also like the fact his name is alliterative.

MARLEY WILLIAMS (1.3 per cent)

Was lacking tattoos — and a mid-pricer with potential to significantly increase his scoring — in my backline.

The Supercoach Hipster’s most left-field selection, North Melbourne’s Marley Williams, who is only in 1.3% of teams.

MIDFIELD

PATRICK DANGERFIELD (20.9 per cent)

Wise Supercoach veterans — namely the Eradicator, the Phantom and Mr Supercoach — have convinced me that not having the will-he-or-won’t-he-play Geelong superstar is akin to going to Antarctica without warm clothes.

You might survive for a little while but eventually you’ll either need to find a way to get them or you’re stuffed.

DAYNE ZORKO (8.3 per cent)

Just like Adelaide is a haven for players called Rory and Brisbane is where Daynes with a Y hang out, my team will be a home for this underrated nugget until further notice.

LACHIE WHITFIELD (4.7 per cent)

Smells like a year where he averages 105 plus.

Getting plenty of opportunities across half-back in the absence of the injured Zac Williams and departed Nathan Wilson.

GWS Giants midfielder/half-back Lachie Whitfield looks set for a big season.

JOSH P. KENNEDY (3.5 per cent)

Wanted one of the league’s Josh Kennedys or Tom Lynchs in my team just so league opponents might confuse them with their namesakes.

Was burnt by the Gold Coast star last year so went with the Swans’ Mr Reliable.

WILL BRODIE (9 per cent)

Always reluctant to trust a player with two first names but should get plenty of opportunities this year, particularly after the thumb injury to Aaron Hall.

RUCK

TOBY NANKERVIS (8.9 per cent)

Don’t have the cash to go up to Matthew Kreuzer or Stef Martin but Nank is not a bad third choice because unlike Martin, he is unlikely to face competition as his club’s No. 1 ruckman.

FORWARDS

TOBY MCLEAN (4.3 per cent)

Few non-Bulldogs fans could probably pick him out in a crowd but if he was more well known, his finish to 2017 of 98, 86, 123, 115, 97, 61, 129, 77, 100 and 86 would probably ensure he was in more teams right now.

Could you pick Bulldog Toby McLean out of a crowd?

SAM MENEGOLA (5.8 per cent)

Like the ruck, where Kreuzer is in 5.5 per cent of teams, the highest-priced forward is a POD.

Reckon the return of Gary Ablett does not affect the scores of a dual-position player who smashed out 10 tons last season, including a 143 and 141, while averaging 100.4.

DARCY FOGARTY (23.3 per cent)

I’m optimistic the Crows’ No. 12 draft pick, who I’ve dubbed “Snoop Fog” for no particular reason, will play in round one and keep his spot in the side even when Taylor Walker returns.

BUDDY FRANKLIN (21.7 per cent)

Have never had Buddy in one of my sides. Thought I’d buck that trend and pick him. One of the most well known players in the league is the 17th most popular player in my team, in terms of ownership. His Swans teammate Isaac Heeney is in 35.5 per cent of squads.

JAMES SICILY (18.1 per cent)

Been on him like punters on Winx, including talking him up in our first Phantom’s Lair podcast in December, which raised some eyebrows.

Since then his ownership has risen from a mere 3 per cent and he has lost his POD status.

The Hipster's SuperCoach team 2018