Just $25,000 separates Nat Fyfe, Scott Pendlebury, Zach Merrett and Marcus Bontempelli in SuperCoach. How do you chose between them?
JUST $25,000 separates cut-price superstars Nat Fyfe, Scott Pendlebury, Zach Merrett and Marcus Bontempelli in SuperCoach. How do you choose between them?
Supercoach
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THEY are Supercoach’s answer to the Oarsome Foursome.
Normally the price difference between two premium Supercoach options can help sway your decision on which makes your final cut. But not in 2018.
Those considering pouncing on Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe will have noted Zach Merrett, Scott Pendlebury and Marcus Bontempelli can be snapped up at similar prices.
What is it they say about too much of a good thing?
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Merrett is the most of expensive of the star-studded quartet at $600,600, followed by Fyfe ($597,900), Pendlebury ($586,500) and Bontempelli ($577,800).
Considering less than $25,000 separates Merrett and Bontempelli, you will essentially be making a judgment on which of this group you expect to join Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin, Tom Mitchell, Gary Ablett and Josh Kelly as an elite Supercoach scorer in 2018.
Pendles has been in that company before, averaging more than 120 points per game in four consecutive seasons from 2011-14.
The Magpies skipper is difficult to assess after a 12-point drop per game off last year and a mooted role playing more across halfback than in midfield. His first JLT Series performance (60 points) didn’t inspire confidence, but Pendles barely got out of third gear.
It seems ridiculous, but Pendlebury and Merrett will be the points of difference from this prolific bunch.
Fyfe has been all the rage since he dominated against Ireland in the International Rules Series and the widely-held expectation is he will return to the heights of 2014 and 2015 when he cranked out averages of 122.3 and 124.3.
If you’re worried about missing the boat more than making a unique selection, then Fyfe has to be your man.
All eyes have been on Jake Stringer and his potential move to midfield at Tullamarine during the off-season.
While Stringer might be about to fill the void left by Jobe Watson, you would expect Merrett will assume even greater responsibility in Essendon’s on-ball brigade than previous seasons.
He emerged during a season from hell for the club with an average of 111.5 in 2016 despite having little support, and impressed again by racking up disposals, and Supercoach points, last year.
Can he turn his solid 110-point average from 2016-2017 into the huge numbers his price tag demands? Hard to ignore the fact he had six scores of 120-plus by Round 14 last year.
Bontempelli was a popular selection at the start of last season after the Western Bulldogs’ breakthrough premiership success and he delivered with four huge scores to start 2017.
His ceiling is as high as just about any player in the game and he had nine scores above the magical 120-mark in 2017.
But 11 scores below 100 kept the Bont’s season average to 105.1, 2.6 points fewer than in 2016.
THE VERDICT
Almost impossible to overlook Fyfe and at his best he is capable of punching out similar scores to Dangerfield, Martin and Mitchell each week to put himself in elite company.
Can you afford one more of the awesome foursome?
If you want a tried and true performer, Pendlebury is your man. If it’s a point of difference you are after, lock in Bontempelli. The Bulldog will have a point to prove this year, just like his team. Most considered his 2017 a below-par campaign yet he still averaged 105. If the only way is up, then the Bulldogs dynamo is set for a huge campaign.
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