SuperCoach Round 6 POD watch: Dustin Martin, Zach Merrett, Adam Treloar and Matthew Kreuzer among unique picks to watch

His early form had thousands of coaches on the nose, but can Dustin Martin be the ultimate SuperCoach POD of 2019? DAN BATTEN rates the top unique picks for Round 6.

Dustin Martin available for less than $500,000 seems too good to be true. Picture: AAP Image/Daniel Pockett.

It is shaping as the year of the SuperCoach POD.

From West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn to Collingwood ball magnet Adam Treloar, those who went against the norm have been handsomely rewarded.

Of course, every point of difference pick comes with an element of risk.

If your unique selection bombs and the most-popular picks fire, then your ranking is going to take a hit.

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But if you nail the POD selections most weeks, it can be what sets you apart.

Several of this year’s PODs are shaping as premiums, posting huge numbers in the opening five rounds.

Whether they can continue their barnstorming form will determine how long they remain a POD for as coaches clamour to jump on.

Shannon Hurn is shaping as one of the best SuperCoach defenders of the season. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

DEFENCE

Shannon Hurn ($562,700)

Avg: 113.2

Ownership: 9.5 per cent

POD HQ will continue to put Shannon Hurn on this list until he gets the respect he deserves from the SuperCoach community. The Eagles skipper remains in less than 10 per cent of teams, but will surely be outside POD status (under 10%) after his impressive 121 SuperCoach point effort in his side’s shock loss. He could be a top three defender at the end of the year and only Jake Lloyd and Lachie Whitfield have scored more defensive points to date.

Luke Ryan ($541,600)

Avg: 103.6

Ownership: 2.6 per cent

Another ton for the skilful Docker after recording a profitable kick-to-handball ratio and going at 82 per cent disposal efficiency against GWS. His new hair style might be questionable, but his SuperCoach scoring certainly isn’t. Ryan may be a touch expensive now, but he is a player who looms as a top eight SuperCoach defender.

Kade Simpson ($479,100)

Avg: 83.2

Ownership: 5.1 per cent

One of the most reliable SuperCoach scorers of the past decade, Simpson has made a slow start to 2019 and been serviceable, more than reaching premium status. He’s available for almost $100,000 less than his starting price and his ownership should start to rise soon as a result. He’s not the pick of the fallen premiums but scores of 107 and 92 in the past two weeks would have him back on the radar of bargain hunters. Carlton’s Round 14 bye is ideal.

Jack Crisp ($464,800)

Avg: 89.8

Ownership: 7.0 per cent

Crisp has had an inconsistent start to 2019 but showed just how damaging he can be on Thursday night against Brisbane. The dashing defender finished with 27 touches at 85 per cent efficiency, nine marks and 116 SuperCoach points. He sits at a tantalising price under $500k, and the Pies have a favourable month of footy ahead. With a break even of 83 he should start rising again from Anzac Day.

Jack Crisps’ price is about to jump after a quality outing against his old side Brisbane. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

MIDFIELD

Zach Merrett ($603,200)

Avg: 117.4

Ownership: 4.2 per cent

We flagged Zach Merrett in last week’s edition of POD trade-ins and you would have been laughing if you pulled the trigger. Merrett punched out his fourth-straight ton and has averaged 130 SuperCoach points in the past month. Teams appear to be letting him roam free with Dylan Shiel in the side, and his price won’t fall under $600k for a while. Jump on while you can.

Ignore Zach Merrett at your peril after his brilliant start to 2019. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

Adam Treloar ($561,700)

Avg: 111.2

Ownership: 9.2 per cent

Two 80-point scores on the trot frustrated Treloar’s owners but his dominant performance against the Lions more than justified him as a starting selection. Treloar finished with a game-high 35 disposals and 150 SuperCoach points. The Pies gun fell just shy of his Round 5 breakeven and his price is set to shoot up in the coming weeks. The winning team took a punt by naming him captain on Thursday night but it paid off in spades. Like Merrett, it would be wise to make the move ASAP.

Dustin Martin available for less than $500,000 seems too good to be true. Picture: AAP Image/Daniel Pockett.

Dylan Shiel ($525,300)

Avg: 108.8

Ownership: 6.9 per cent

Three scores of 115 or better for new Don Dylan Shiel and a low score of 92 in the opening five rounds of the season. Shiel was a bargain at $487,000 and has wasted little time making his mark in red and black ahead of his first Anzac Day outing. He’s only averaging above 100 once but is pumping out career-best numbers at his new club.

Dustin Martin ($492,900)

Avg: 87.5

Ownership: 9.0 per cent

Dusty as a POD? You better believe it. The Brownlow medallist’s poor form in the early rounds and one-week suspension caused thousands of coaches to move him on. Those who held firm were rewarded when he pumped out 115 in the Tigers’ victory over Sydney. His breakeven is 111 so you can afford to wait another week but it’s unlikely he’ll stay at under 10 per cent ownership for long.

Matthew Kreuzer returned to Carlton’s team with 106 SuperCoach points. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones.

RUCK

Matthew Kreuzer ($432,900)

Avg: 106

Ownership: 0.5 per cent

WARNING: This is purely a ‘watch this space’. Kreuzer played his first game of the season on Sunday and showed plenty of promise, tallying 14 disposals, 25 hit-outs and 106 SuperCoach points. However, we know how injury prone the Blues big man has been, so approach any trade with caution. You would be wise to see how he fares against a stronger ruck opponent in Ben McEvoy this week. But remember, Kreuzer averaged 109.8 SuperCoach points across 21 games in 2017.

Caleb Daniel has been firing in a halfback role for Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

FORWARD

Michael Walters ($513,000)

Avg: 104.2

Ownership: 3.0 per cent

Renowned as a SuperCoach ‘burn man’, Walters has amassed four hundreds to Round 5 and is in red-hot form. He’s prone to the odd stinker (see Round 2 when he scored 50), but there’s no questioning his high ceiling. He’s one of the top risk-reward PODs.

Caleb Daniel ($478,400)

Avg: 102.6

Ownership: 3.2 per cent

It’s time to declare Caleb Daniel as the real deal. Five scores of 93 or better and a season-high of 120 suggest the Bulldog has found the perfect role across halfback. His precise ball use makes him a weapon for the Dogs out of defence and the frequency with which they play through Daniel has elevated him to an elite scorer. He might have never averaged above 80, but he’s also never played such a SuperCoach-friendly role.

Tom Papley ($421,400)

Avg: 86.4

Ownership: 1.5 per cent

If only Sydney played at Docklands every week. Papley has two hundreds this season, both of which have come under the roof at Marvel Stadium against Carlton and Richmond. He’s playing a more advanced role than we have become accustomed to seeing him in, but the jury is still out about whether he can be consistent enough to warrant spending more than $400,000 on.

Rowan Marshall’s owners had their first cause for concern in Round 5. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross.

WARNING SIGNS

Rowan Marshall ($426,100)

Avg: 98.5

Ownership: 7.3 per cent

Don’t make any swift decisions on Marshall just yet, remembering he went up against Max Gawn in Round 5. After three hundreds, he was restricted to 50 points against the Demons. But this type of yoyo scoring should have been expected from a developing ruckman and he takes on another inexperienced big man in Reilly O’Brien on Saturday.