The case for and against picking Lachie Neale in SuperCoach

NAT Fyfe is a lock in most SuperCoach teams but one of his teammates has been one of the most reliable scorers of the last three years. His name is Lachie Neale and he continues to fly under the radar. We look at the case for and against picking the Dockers midfielder.

FEW midfielders are as underrated by SuperCoaches as Fremantle’s Lachie Neale.

Playing second fiddle to one of the best players in the game, Nathan Fyfe, will have that effect.

But the ball magnet’s form since the start of 2015 has made him one of the most reliable on-ballers in the game.

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Neale has averaged 104.3, 112.6 and 109 in the past three seasons, numbers which compare favourably to reigning Brownlow Medal winner Dustin Martin (110.9 avg since 2015).

While it’s incredibly unlikely you can fit Fyfe ($597,900) and Neale ($599,300) into the same team, unless you are Ross Lyon, is the 24-year-old worth taking a punt on?

WHY WE SHOULD PICK HIM

Neale is capable of racking up huge SuperCoach numbers as well as plenty of possessions. Last year he posted scores of 140, 119, 124, 147, 129 and 134 in consecutive weeks between Rounds 4-9 and amassed 156 against Gold Coast in Round 20. Those are the type of numbers that win head-to-head matches.

Durability. Neale has featured in a minimum of 21 matches per season since 2014 and is rarely on the sidelines. He battled through knee and groin complaints last year and still only missed one match due to soreness late in the campaign.

Point of difference. Consider this: More than 50 per cent of coaches have Nat Fyfe in their teams. While it seems implausible, should the Dockers captain have a down week, his points will need to go somewhere and Neale looms as a likely beneficiary.

Lachie Neale could be a very handy point of difference in your SuperCoach midfield. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

So while half of the SuperCoach world will ride Fyfe’s score every week, you would be one of only five per cent of coaches with Neale.

He’s in great form. As easy as it is to be sucked in by JLT Series form, Neale’s effort against West Coast was a monster and deserving of your attention.

Neale had 159 points against the Eagles and has already found himself in a few more teams as a result.

WHY WE SHOULDN’T PICK HIM

The Fyfe factor. It’s hard to see a team sitting at the top of the rankings come season’s end which doesn’t have Fyfe. As eye-catching as Neale’s effort was against the Eagles, Fyfe only played 72 per cent game time and still managed 108 points. You could take the risk and pick Fyfe and Neale, but you would need a crafty back-up plan to avoid absolute carnage in Round 14.

That Round 14 bye. It’s a factor which needs to be considered when Neale shares a weekend off with popular players such as Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin, Luke Parker, Rory Sloane and Matt Crouch.

Will Nat Fyfe at his best take too many points off Neale? It is something to consider.

Will Fremantle play finals? Fewer wins means lower SuperCoach scores for its players. Traditionally, the majority of points and the biggest scores filter to the victorious side.

How many Dockers can you fit into your midfield? First-year player Bailey Banfield is in 19 per cent of sides after an impressive pre-season, while No.2 draft pick Andrew Brayshaw has been the pick of the high-priced rookies and figures in 34 per cent of teams. If you’ve got Fyfe, Banfield and Brayshaw, it’s hard to see how you can squeeze Neale in as well.

THE VERDICT

As tempting as he is, the Round 14 bye and likelihood Nathan Fyfe will reassert himself alongside Martin and Dangerfield as one of the game’s best players means Neale will remain a high-scoring and undervalued point of difference this season.

Originally published as The case for and against picking Lachie Neale in SuperCoach