Who’s underrated and under the pump at your club?
WHICH player is underrated at your club, and who needs to deliver? SAM LANDSBERGER has run the numbers and you might be surprised at who’s not up to scratch.
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WHICH player is underrated at your club, and who needs to deliver? SAM LANDSBERGER sits down with Champion Data to find out who is hot and cold.
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ADELAIDE
Underrated: RORY LAIRD – THE PLAYMAKER
The Crows’ halfback general. Laird averages 33 disposals with his lethal ball use capable of ripping Adelaide Oval open like Velcro. From Laird to Atkins to Sloane, the Rory Club goes OK at this mob.
Under the pump: JOSH JENKINS
Big Jerker Jenkins was recently banished to the SANFL – not ideal for a key plank pocketing more than $2.5 million over five years. Have the ‘Joe the Goose’ goals dried up? Jenkins viewed his demotion as a circuit-breaker and took a while to recover from that rib injury earlier this year.
BRISBANE LIONS
Underrated: DAYNE ZORKO
Has been a star for a long time. Has the back-to-back club champion received enough plaudits? Comparing midfielders, he’s equal with Dusty for goals this season (second only to Dangerfield) and the No.1 pressure player. At a powerhouse club he’d at least be in the All-Australian discussion.
Under the pump: JOSH SCHACHE
Schache appears a little disinterested, seemingly keen to keep his head down and eventually creep out the Gabba door. Is he worth $600,000 per season? That fluent set-shot routine and junior brilliance suggest the Seymour boy will make it. Worth a first-rounder back for the Lions.
CARLTON
Underrated: MATTHEW WRIGHT
How many neutral fans could pick Wright out of a police line-up? Wright won Carlton’s goalkicking last year and is second only to Levi Casboult this season, booting 35 majors since arriving from Adelaide. Coach Brendon Bolton pushed to sign him as a delisted free agent and it has worked.
Under the pump: DENNIS ARMFIELD
Elevated to the Blues’ leadership group and then demoted to the VFL after Round 2. Armfield’s pair of games produced only 17 disposals and he has been named in the Northern Blues’ best once from six games. Fan favourite who at 30 needs to rediscover some of that infectious spark.
COLLINGWOOD
Underrated: JEREMY HOWE
The rebound board pimped with powerful springs. Howe’s intercept game is unbelievable – for general defenders he’s No.1 in the AFL for marks and No.2 for possessions. Collingwood’s Easton Wood.
Under the pump: CHRIS MAYNE – VFL’S RICHEST MAN
Mayne is getting paid $500,000 per season to play reserves. It’s not his fault someone at the Magpies deemed that his worth, but with three and a half years to run it’s messy. His Fremantle departure gifted the Dockers an easy trade passage to Bradley Hill, which in turn helped Hawthorn secure Jaeger O’Meara. A bizarre by-product of free agency.
ESSENDON
Underrated: JOSH GREEN
Handy small forward who is simply replicating his form at the Lions. Makes you wonder, why did they chop him? Green is rated above average for score assists and the nifty goalkicker filled a void in the Dons’ line-up, while Anzac Day showed he doesn’t mind many more eyeballs on him.
Under the pump: JOBE WATSON
The footy world would love to see Jobe rediscover his mojo. Averaging his fewest contested disposals in a decade, the least metres gained since the stat was first recorded and is yet to kick a goal. Fingers crossed that damaging touch returns.
FREMANTLE
Underrated: STEPHEN HILL
The dashing wingman likes to be fed the footy, but he can then feasts on teams. Hill is an elite pressure player and often the Dockers’ barometer – just look at their Round 3 win against the premiers. Sizzler with a lot more class than that old buffet restaurant.
Under the pump: NICK SUBAN
Has long been a reliable and versatile Ross Lyon servant, but he’s been relegated to the WAFL since Round 2, when the Dockers flicked their rebuild into overdrive. Worryingly, Suban’s numbers in the reserves are also skinny. Last year he was discussed as a trade target for Victorian clubs. Would there still be interest?
GEELONG
Underrated: MITCH DUNCAN
It’s hard to bask in the love as the third wheel – just ask Poochie after he was parachuted into The Itchy and Scratchy Show. But Duncan is the No.1 Cat midfielder for metres gained (averaging 450m) and has never won more of the footy, enjoying a career-best season. It’s Scott Selwood with a bullet as runner-up, after becoming the first player ever to lay 16 tackles or more in consecutive weeks.
Under the pump: MARK BLICAVS
The steeple-chaser foreshadowed his struggles when he cheekily tweeted: “Officially announcing my retirement from the game effective immediately #threesacrowd” in respond to the new rule banning the third-man up. But it’s become serious, with Blicavs a victim and still finding his feet this year.
GOLD COAST
Underrated: BRANDON MATERA
The perennial whipping boy seems to have come good. Champion Data rates Matera the game’s No.3 small forward – behind Eddie Betts and Toby Greene. He averages 2.6 goals per game, but his pressure game is still a little shallow.
Under the pump: JARRAD GRANT
Recruiter Scott Clayton said after drafting Grant to the Dogs at No.5 in 2005: “If he’s not the best player after (No.1 Matthew Kreuzer and No.2 Trent Cotchin), then I’ll swim to Williamstown from here”. Gave him a second chance at the Suns, but only fair NEAFL form before a knee injury will make it hard to add to his 94 AFL games.
GWS GIANTS
Underrated: ZAC WILLIAMS
This bloke is a jet, and evidence the Giants are more than a team of cherry-picked high draft picks. The tattooed star was plucked from country NSW in the rookie draft, is an elite tackler and doesn’t have a statistical chink in his game.
Under the pump: STEVE JOHNSON
When the Giants assemble their best 22, is Johnson in it? His pressure has dropped away and Deledio, Lobb, Smith, Coniglio, Griffen, Coniglio and Haynes are all slated to return in the next two months. Would be a tough call to overlook his premiership knowhow when the season cranks up.
HAWTHORN
Underrated: BEN McEVOY
Has kicked more goals than any other No.1 ruckman and would be in the All-Australian mix at the halfway mark. Plenty of Hawks have dropped away, this one has lifted. Ricky Henderson looking a smart pick-up from the Crows’ trash can, too.
Under the pump: TYRONE VICKERY
Perhaps still learning the Hawthorn way, but two goals from six games and time spent at Box Hill is not what you want from a big-money recruit playing as a key forward. For Richmond fans it’s like watching your ex-wife downgrade after you.
MELBOURNE
Underrated: NEVILLE JETTA
Lockdown defender has played on Eddie Betts, Paul Puopolo, Cyril Rioli and Josh Green this year – conceding only two goals, both to Betts. Blossomed under Paul Roos and is often the heartbeat of the Demons’ backline.
Under the pump: BERNIE VINCE
At 31 Bernie’s wheels have started to slow. Tagging jobs breathed fresh life into Vince as he helped blanket Rory Sloane and Shaun Higgins, and so it’ll be interesting to see if Simon Goodwin persists with negating roles. Credit to Vince for that turnaround.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Underrated: NATHAN HROVAT
Feels like Hrovat has been around for ages, but in reality he’s just getting started. He’s 22, averaging 18 disposals and applying strong pressure – and the Kangaroos basically got him for free. Mature head with a streak of leadership which is valued internally.
Under the pump: TODD GOLDSTEIN
Perhaps a little rough, but other ruckmen in the game have gone past him. Can Goldy reclaim his mantle as the AFL’s No.1? His ruck work and ball use has dropped off a little bit, but the Kangas are very keen to make his partnership with Brayden Preuss work. Enough has been said about ex-skipper Andrew Swallow.
PORT ADELAIDE
Underrated: JACK HOMBSCH – THE ROCK
Full-back who takes the gorillas – has played on Peter Wright, Tom Hawkins and Sam Reid this season – but can also play smaller. Hombsch is good one-on-one, only 24 and placed third in the 2015 best-and-fairest. How many would know he played nine games at the Giants?
Under the pump: TRAVIS BOAK
Boak’s ball use has declined, with his kicking efficiency (56 per cent) the lowest it’s been for four years. The skipper is spending more time forward in a bit of a role change but to be honest, everyone at this club is flying. Powerful and settled line-up.
RICHMOND
Underrated: DAVID ASTBURY
No-frills defender who provides nervous moments but generally gets it done. Kept Josh Kennedy to two goals and beat Levi Casboult in Round 1. Shaun Grigg another Mr Consistent at Tigerland, while Toby Nankervis was the trade of the year – crazy to think he’s just 22.
Under the pump: DION PRESTIA
It’s alarm bells when Prestia gets the footy. His kicking efficiency is 47 per cent – the worst of any midfielder in the AFL averaging at least 20 disposals. Tigers need their prized recruit to scrape off the layer of rust, which set in after Round 1. How sore are those knees?
ST KILDA
Underrated: SAM GILBERT
The Saints’ Mr Fix It. Ability to pinch-hit in the ruck grows the team’s flexibility and the arrival of Nathan Brown and Jake Carlisle have freed him up a bit, along with magnet Dylan Roberton. Brown, too, has been superb.
Under the pump: MAVERICK WELLER
Honest footballer, but would like more reward on the scoreboard. His goalkicking accuracy is just 35 per cent, rated poor by Champion Data. Work-rate has long been his strength and so you would back him to lift.
SYDNEY
Underrated: ZAK JONES
Released onto a wing and now a revelation at the recharging Swans. Brother of Melbourne skipper Nathan is lightning quick, averaging 21 disposals and out of contract – can they keep him?
Under the pump: KURT TIPPETT
When a bloke is getting paid close to a million you’d expect more than an average of eight disposals and just three goals from five games. This year he’s pinch-hitting in the ruck and playing predominantly forward, whereas the reverse worked a treat in the first half of last season.
WEST COAST EAGLES
Underrated: ELLIOT YEO – COACH’S PET
The ex-Brisbane Lion is sitting second in the AFL coach’s award – ahead of Joel Selwood, Dustin Martin, Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Pendlebury and Gary Ablett. That’s some platinum praise. Yeo plays with punch and is a great contested mark.
Under the pump: JACK DARLING
Time for Jack Darling to step up. He averages just 11 disposals and too often goes missing when the big moments roll around. With Josh Kennedy sidelined, this is his chance to arrive. Eight disposals and 0.0 yesterday not a good start.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Underrated: LUKE DAHLHAUS
Maybe it’s time to bring back the dreadlocks. Champion Data rates this guy elite for disposals, contested and uncontested possessions, score assists and involvements. Magic hands and he’s the midfield wrecking ball you’d love to run out with, but perhaps caught in Marcus Bontempelli’s shadow.
Under the pump: TOM LIBERATORE
Libba’s offensive game has vanished. He’s the same tackling beast and inside engineer we’ve always known, but outside of that he was failing to contribute. Seems certain to get his hands dirty again, with a return to the AFL side surely only a matter of time.
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