Doctor’s Orders: Four overlooked SuperCoach trade targets

None of them are in this week’s top 10 trade targets, but they should be. The experts at Doctor SuperCoach name four underrated fantasy guns who can power your team in the run home.

The final bye round is here and now is the time when you should be finalising your last upgrades.

The expert team at Doctor SuperCoach have put together a list of the finest premium upgrade targets coming off the bye, across the midfield, forward and defence, that aren’t already in everyone else’s team!

TOM STEWART $496,800 DEF | Avg: 101.3 | Break even: 102

Stewart is quietly establishing himself as one of the premier defenders in our game. After being plucked at pick 40 in the 2016 draft, he has shown vast improvement each year, not only as a player, but in SuperCoach as well.

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The attacking flair that Stewart has added to his game in 2019 has been the main catalyst in his rise to premium status. His game is of the Shannon Hurn mould and he is ranked as elite in eight different categories by Champion Data. Key stats include averages of 24 disposals, 7.4 marks and 515 metres gained — all at a disposal efficiency of 80% per game.

This reliable Cat sits in just 11 per cent of teams despite averaging over 100 points per game and being one of the more consistent options across the league. He has dipped below 88 points just once in 2019, with behind kick-ins increasing his bottom-line scoring.

Tom Stewart is an underrated star. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Andrew Gaff is ultra-consistent. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Considering Geelong’s favourable draw for the second half of the year, where the Cats play just two current top eight sides, Stewart firms as one of the best defensive upgrades for the week – and at a cheap price tag to boot!

ANDREW GAFF $564,600 MID | Avg: 108.7 | BE: 108

Many of us thought Gaff would be somewhat of a one-hit wonder (no pun intended) after a stellar SuperCoach year in 2018, but he is once again dishing out premium calibre numbers. Although his 2018 season was cut short through suspension, the All-Australian midfielder averaged a career high 108 SuperCoach points, which just happens to be his current average in 2019 as well.

Gaff ranks as elite in five different disposal categories and scores purely by racking up massive numbers. His ball use is questionable at times, but he has managed to ton up in 80 per cent of games this season, including his past six, which is the consistency that we crave.

The main concern with Gaff is that although he is remarkably consistent, he doesn’t tend to produce exceptionally large scores. Of his 10 games, only two of these have produced scores greater than 110. If you want a reliable, cheaper midfielder coming off the Round 13 bye, then Gaff is certainly an option. The bonus is he currently sits in just 3 per cent of teams.

CLAYTON OLIVER $539,300 MID | Avg: 106.8 | BE: 85

Much like his team, Oliver has been one of the biggest disappointments of the year to date. The usually ultra-consistent midfielder began the season priced at $622,600 but hasn’t lived up to the hype, despite his numbers remaining very similar to last year.

The main reason for this downfall comes down to a rapid decline in his ball use and efficiency numbers. When comparing his 2019 season with his career averages, Oliver is now registering 2.5 more clangers per game and his overall disposal efficiency has dropped below 70 per cent.

Clayton Oliver has returned to his best form in recent weeks. Picture: Michael Klein

Despite the negatives, the 21-year-old has turned it around over the past five games, averaging 115 points during this time. Thankfully, Oliver won’t come up against master tagger Matt De Boer again, but it is slightly concerning that he still has the likes of Ed Curnow and Mark Hutchings to contend with. With saying this, given his scoring history and very low price tag, Oliver could be a handy player to round out your midfield.

TOM HAWKINS $511,500 | Avg: 97.8 | BE: 115

As a general rule of SuperCoach, you never pick a key forward unless their name is Buddy Franklin. Well, in the past two years, Hawkins has torn this rule to shreds and is a now a bona fide premium option. It’s quite remarkable just how good Hawkins has become in the latter stage of his career and he is averaging a healthy 97.8 SuperCoach points in 2019, after a season where he had just averaged 101.8.

Hawkins is more than just a stay at home target for the Cats. He is above average for his position when it comes to disposals, kicking efficiency, tackles and total clearances. What is most extraordinary about his game though is his scoring statistics — he ranks as elite in five separate categories; the key SuperCoach contributors being 2.9 goals, 1.4 goal assists and a whopping 8.3 score involvements per game.

Tomahawk has been very consistent in 2019 and with an easier fixture for Geelong in the second half of the year, get ready for this big Cat to explode. He sits in just 3 per cent of teams and firms as an amazing point of difference to round out the year.

Get more expert tips from the Doctor SuperCoach team here and listen to their latest podcast below.