The case for an against selecting Matthew Kreuzer in your 2018 SuperCoach team

HE WAS the topscoring ruckman of 2017 and started this year on fire, but Matthew Kreuzer is almost unwanted in SuperCoach. That could be a big mistake.

“SET and forget,” they say when deciding upon your SuperCoach ruck options.

When the game opened for 2018, many coaches used their first two selections on Max Gawn and Nic Naitanui with the plan of not touching them again for the rest of the year.

Gawn has shown in his two JLT Series outings he will be well worth his $503,700 starting price, but things haven’t gone quite so smoothly for Naitanui.

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He is yet to feature in West Coast’s pre-season, making his comeback from more than a year out of the game in a WAFL practice match this weekend.

He could still play in Round 1 but coaches are scrambling for alternatives, with Todd Goldstein, Stef Martin and even Tiger Toby Nankervis among the options being considered.

How the No.1 ranked ruckman from last year, Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer, is being left out of the discussion boggles the mind.

Kreuzer rolled his ankle early in Carlton’s JLT Series win against Hawthorn yesterday but the Blues say he’ll be OK to play in Round 1. If he’s named, there are lots of very good reasons to pick the Blues big man, and some reasons to look elsewhere.

WHY WE SHOULD PICK HIM

KREUZER was a class above all other ruckmen in 2017. His average of 109.8 was good enough to make him the 11th highest-scoring player across the whole competition.

A HIGH SCORE of 146 in 2017 came in Round 10 against North Melbourne. The Blues lost that match at Etihad Stadium by 17 points, and Kreuzer himself only managed 18 disposals. However, his score was boosted by 46 hitouts, and more importantly an outstanding nine tackles. When the going gets tough, Kreuzer clearly gets going.

DESPITE his most impressive year to date, Kreuzer still finished ninth in the competition for total hitouts, proving his value around the ground, and not just for his work at the stoppages. With an average of 15.3 disposals per game last year, including 9.8 kicks and 5.5 handballs, his most rewarding stat is his average of 4.5 clearances a game; behind only Stef Martin (5.1) as a ruckman and not that far behind competition leader Gary Ablett (7.7). It’s a truly invaluable asset to his game.

IMPORTANTLY, Kreuzer was incredibly consistent and became a reliable performer in 2017. His high-scoring potential meant he could be considered a genuine option for SuperCoach captaincy each week. From his 21 games, Kreuzer cracked the ton an incredible 14 times, and on 11 of those occasions, he scored upwards of 120.

A DETERMINED athlete with extraordinary endurance, Kreuzer has become the ultimate professional when looking after himself and his body off the field. Kreuzer has set himself for an even bigger 2018 — with kicking more goals a focus — and he won’t give up the No. 1 ruck spot easily despite the returns Gawn and Naitanui and a potential challenge from a rejuvenated Goldstein.

AS IT STANDS, Gawn is currently selected in a whopping 58 per cent of teams (that’s higher than the competition’s No. 1 ranked player, Patrick Dangerfield, who is currently in 48 per cent of teams), while Naitanui finds himself in 21 per cent of SuperCoach sides; and you can expect that number to rise if he does manage to line up in Round 1. It’s staggering that after last season’s efforts Kreuzer has only managed to convince a mere 8 per cent of teams that he’s worth a spot in their starting line-up. He could be an incredible unique pick, even if the same value isn’t there as last year. If he can repeat that form, those with Kreuzer in their sides will have a distinct advantage over their opponents who don’t choose to field him.

NAMED in Carlton’s leadership group for 2018 it’s quite clear that Kreuzer — once nicknamed “Humphrey” due to his unwillingness to speak — has made significant inroads last season, and it’s unlikely he’ll be backing down now. Kreuzer picked up where he left off in 2017 in his first JLT Series game, collecting 15 disposals, two goals and 119 points against St Kilda.

WHY WE SHOULDN’T PICK HIM

KREUZER’S steep starting price is his clear concern. At $603,700, he is almost $40K more expensive than second-ranked ruckman Patrick Ryder. Any player up and around the $600,000 mark is a big investment to make, and if Kreuzer doesn’t live up to his 2017 form, it could be a costly one. By the time we realise it’s too late, his price will have dropped dramatically and it may be hard to trade up to the highest-performing player in the same position.

HIS history with injuries also makes him a somewhat unpredictable option — but none more so than any of the other aforementioned ruckmen. He missed only one game in Round 5 of last year due to general soreness, Kreuzer’s previous ailments have been well documented, having been plagued by injuries throughout his career. Between 2013 and 2015, he managed only 30 games through various injuries, but is finally starting to find some consistently late in his 20s.

THE recruitment of former Power ruckman Matthew Lobbe creates an interesting situation. Kreuzer last season benefited from playing as the sole ruckman at Carlton, with Levi Casboult stepping in only when needed. Kreuzer’s scoring was down dramatically the season prior when he and Andrew Phillips rotated through the ruck, finishing the year with an average of 73.1. With the addition of Lobbe in 2018, and depending on their new roles, Kreuzer’s scoring ability could be in danger once more.

RUCK scoring is notoriously hard to predict. The last player to hold the mantle of topscoring SuperCoach ruckman two years in a row was Dean Cox in 2011-12.

THE VERDICT

James Nice: There is so much potential value in the Gawn and Naitanui combination that I can’t fault those who choose to go down that road. But if either fails to line up come Round 1, look no further than Kreuzer as a replacement. Set and forget.

Al Paton: Coming around to just spending the cash for 100-plus points every week. Question marks on every other ruck option — Nic Nat (injury), Goldy (Preuss?), Ryder (bye?), Martin (Archie Smith?), Grundy (Cox?) etc etc.

Gilbert Gardiner: 103rd rule of SuperCoach. Don’t spend up big on ruckmen.