St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster heads best unique SuperCoach picks for Round 9

TAKING risks can pay off big time in SuperCoach — ask the 1613 players who took a punt on Jack Macrae eight weeks ago. This week a Saints defender could be a left-field winning play. BEST PODS

St Kilda head coach Alan Richardson talks to Jimmy Webster.

IT PAYS to take a risk in the game of SuperCoach.

Take the 1613 SuperCoaches who started Jack Macrae at $587,800. Nine weeks later the Bulldog midfielder is the highest-scoring player in the game, priced at $676,400 and averaging a whopping 135 points per game. He is now owned by over 26,058 coaches.

INSIDER: CHAMPION DATA SUPERCOACH FORMGUIDE

JACKPOT: TOP PERFECT 9 PICKS FOR ROUND 9

ROOKIE BIBLE: WHO TO TRADE, WHO TO KEEP

It is these sorts of point-of-difference plays that can see your side rise above the rest. You would have been thrilled if you took our advice in nabbing Tiger Kane Lambert last week, who chimed in with 113 points against the Roos.

This week’s selection features last year’s No. 1 scoring ruckman and some ultra-unique players — those owned by under one per cent of the competition — including two underrated defenders who have been overlooked for too long.

Dan Batten runs the microscope over the Round 9 POD options

DEFENDERS

Jimmy Webster | $495,600 | Average: 105.2 (6 games) | Ownership: 0.7 per cent

We have been keeping a close eye on Webster at POD watch over the past few weeks and he looks to be the real deal. The Saint is playing the high-possession rebounding role that many thought would be left to Shane Savage, averaging 24.7 disposals and 105.2 SuperCoach points from his six games. Webster managed a career high in possessions (31) and points (132) last week against the Dockers, and his low score of 81 came in Round 1. He’s at a great price for a defender who could average 100-plus for the year but with a break-even of 62, this is the week to jump on.

Saints coach Alan Richardson talks to defender Jimmy Webster.

Tom Jonas | $476,900 | Average: 99.3 | Ownership: 0.5 per cent

You would be forgiven for not knowing who this man is. The underrated Power defender is in fantastic form, ranked second in the league for marks and third for intercepts. This has seen Jonas come from nowhere to average a tick under 100 points per game, failing to fall below 80 once this season. It would take a brave SuperCoach to pull the trigger, but he is flying under the radar far too much for my liking.

MIDFIELD

Lachie Hunter | $506,300 | Average: 105.9 | Ownership: 1.8 per cent

While Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae have stolen the spotlight at Whitten Oval, Hunter is quietly putting together an impressive SuperCoach season. Hunter has gathered over 25 disposals in all but one game, when he was tagged by Harry Cunningham. Like the Bulldogs themselves Hunter had a 2017 season to forget, averaging just 82 points per game. Now he is back to his ball-winning best and must be considered, especially with a handy Round 12 bye.

Dayne Zorko | $459,000 | Average: 84.9 | Ownership: 5.7 per cent

We wanted to see another week from the great Dayne and he delivered in spades, reaching triple figures despite a tag from Mitch Honeychurch. Zorko collected 24 touches and booted four goals on his way to 121 SuperCoach points. Perhaps the most encouraging thing about his resurgence has been his tackling numbers, averaging 8.5 over the past fortnight. The beast plays five of his next seven games at the Gabba, a venue he averages 103 points per game at throughout his career.

Dayne Zorko is back in form.

Matthew Kreuzer looks to finally be over his injury problems.

FORWARD

Jack Darling | $500,700 | Average: 102.8 | Ownership: 2.1 per cent

Champion Data told us to jump on Jack Darling last week but it is not too late to trade in the soaring Eagle. Darling has booted two or more goals in all but one game and has thrived with Josh Kennedy back in the side, amassing four tons in five games. The outlier was his 42-point mare against the Blues, but that is a small blip on his scintillating season to date. His 2.1 per cent ownership is set to rise again this week.

Rory Lobb | $382,800 | Average: 80.3 (4 games) | Ownership: 0.6 per cent

Lobb returned after a month on the sidelines and produced a formidable total of 107 SuperCoach points as the Giants’ first-choice ruckman. Admittedly, he was playing a West Coast line-up without Nic Naitanui, but Scott Lycett is no slouch. Lobb had a poor game in Round 2 but his Round 3 score of 59 was injury-affected. Take those two games out and he averages 102. Cheap ruckmen able to be purchased in the forward line have been a godsend over the years. Comes up against an out-of-form Goldstein on the weekend

RUCK

Matthew Kreuzer | $471,800 | Average: 82.2 (5 games) | Ownership: 2.0 per cent

Remember the highest scoring ruckman of 2017? He is now sitting at under $500k. Injury has kept Kreuzer to just five games this season, visibly affected in a couple of those. Kreuz posted his first SuperCoach ton since Round 1 last weekend, tally 20 disposals, 31 hitouts and 127 points. The big man screams value at his current price, and he appears to be over his injury woes (touch wood).

Last week’s PODs

Shannon Hurn (83) — Cross

Zach Tuohy (75) — Cross

Matt Crouch (92, now injured) — Cross

Josh P. Kennedy (72) — Cross

Kane Lambert (113) — Tick

Jack Gunston (102) — Tick

Brayden Crossley (53, stayed in Gold Coast side) — Tick

MORE SUPERCOACH NEWS

LIVE stream every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week trial & start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >