Doctor’s Orders: Which luxury upgrades should you consider before SuperCoach finals?

Brad Crouch is in more than 50,000 SuperCoach teams and has an average of 99. If you want to contend in finals, do you need to upgrade the Crows on-baller? DOCTOR’S ORDERS

Bachar Houli has dropped off in the past month after emerging briefly as a top SuperCoach defender. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

There are three more rounds remaining until SuperCoach finals, with just seven remaining for the entire season. Most coaches are either full premium or one acquisition away from being so, however, there are a number of highly owned players who toe the line between being a premium or not.

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In this week’s instalment of Doctor’s Orders, the experts from Doctor SuperCoach will identify some underperforming premiums that if traded, could be the key to taking home your league’s flag or achieving your goal in the overall rankings.

Bachar Houli has dropped off in the past month after emerging briefly as a top SuperCoach defender. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

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DEFENCE: IS CRISP THE PLAYER TO FINISH YOUR BACKLINE?

BACHAR HOULI $464,600 | AVERAGE: 99.5 OWNERSHIP: 16 per cent

Houli opened the season with a strong performance scoring 112, however, that was quickly forgotten when he sustained an injury that kept him out until Round 5. Not relevant to coaches at that stage, Houli managed a 72 in his return game, before going on to average 117 in his next six games. This purple patch had coaches flocking to the point of difference option, as Houli reached the lofty price of 564K. Unfortunately for buyers, the last month has not lived up to expectation as Bachar boasts a four-game average of just 77, which includes scores of 68 and 60! Some attribute the drop in form to the return of Jayden Short, but only two of Houli’s subpar scores have come with Short in the team. On the positive side, Houli has a run of seven straight games at the MCG and perhaps a more settled Tigers line-up, as the injured Tigers slowly return from their respective injuries, will help with some consistent output from Houli. Now priced $100,000 cheaper with a breakeven of 129, it could be time for coaches to swallow their pride and look elsewhere in defence.

Brad Crouch has been on the cusp of premium numbers this year, averaging 99 points. Picture Sarah Reed.

BRAD CROUCH $528,700 | AVERAGE: 99 OWNERSHIP: 25 per cent

Those who took the plunge and started an injury plagued Brad Crouch this season were buying an upside of a player capable of averaging premium numbers and praying his body made it through the year. Brad hasn’t sustained any injuries as of yet, however, he is only offering an unexceptional average of 99. With only six SuperCoach tons from 15 matches this year, it has become evident Crouch may need to be moved on for a player who can secure you 10 or more points per week — a premium average from a true premier midfielder. Interestingly, Crouch is eighth in the AFL for average disposals per match and fourth for total disposals. Unfortunately, for owners of the ball magnet, SuperCoach rewards impact and more often than not, Brad doesn’t have enough of this to contend with the high-end premiums. The Crows have a great run of games in the next month, playing Gold Coast, Essendon, Carlton and St Kilda, and therefore Brad Crouch should truly be your final luxury trade.

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JAMES WORPEL $434,000 | AVERAGE: 88.3 OWNERSHIP: 22 per cent

After opening the season with a score of 110, James Worpel owners would have felt good about their forward point of difference having a breakout season. Since then, Worpel has managed to crack the SuperCoach ton just once, in Round 5 against Geelong. With that being said, this season has been frustrating for owners, but not a failure, as Worpel has offered strong consistency in the forward line. He has produced 10 scores between 80 and 90 while having a season low of 70 and season high of 110. It’s safe to say that owners would have mix feelings about keeping Worpel through the latter weeks of the year, but considering the strength of the top-six forwards in 2019, there are potentially 20 points per week to be gained by trading out the young Hawk.

Jeremy Cameron has had a disappointing run in the past month. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

JEREMY CAMERON $398,700 | AVERAGE: 90.9 OWNERSHIP: 11 per cent

With Cameron, we have one of the most frustrating players, let alone forwards, to own this season. We have seen his high ceiling with scores of 163 in Round 3 and 134 in Round 7, coupled with his low floor with scores of 29 in Round 8 and more recently, a 54 in Round 13. If the up-and-down nature of Cameron’s scoring wasn’t frustrating enough for owners, since his most recent ton in Round 11, Cameron has averaged 66 points. The Giants have a somewhat difficult run home and it is hard to see Cameron turning his form around with fixtures in the next month including Richmond, Collingwood, Port Adelaide and Sydney. Now priced below $400,000, it may be difficult to find a strong replacement without breaking the bank, but in order to excel in your league or ranking goals, it is something that requires strong consideration. If this is not possible, moving him to an F7 position so that you are able to loophole him with an F6 should be strongly considered.