Who should be your first SuperCoach upgrade target?
Rookies have ripened and it’s time to start cashing them in to bring more topscoring stars into your squad. The experts at Doctor SuperCoach name four players who should be on your hit list.
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We are now six rounds in and some of the rookies we started in Round 1 are fully ripened and ready to be cashed in.
This week in Doctor’s Orders, the expert team at Doctor SuperCoach look at several premium upgrade targets to strengthen your squad.
RORY LAIRD $531,200 | Average: 99.7 Break even: 92
Laird’s start to 2019 has been something of a disappointment. He was priced at $587,600 to start the year but the emergence of Wayne Milera, combined with the return of elite rebounding defender Brodie Smith, has seemingly affected his output.
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While he’s been relatively consistent across the first six rounds, he has only managed to ton up 50 per cent of the time, which is unlike the usually reliable Laird. The clear difference this time around is he is simply getting less of the ball out of the backline. In 2018, Laird failed to have 30-plus possessions in just six games across the whole season and this year he has four sub 30-posession performances already.
So why should you bring him in this week? Without the injured Milera, who will miss up to a month, Laird had his best game of the year against St Kilda, eclipsing 33 disposals at 81 per cent efficiency.
Laird is ultra-consistent, coming off a 108.2 average season, and looks on track to return to his best. He has consistently been one of the top defenders in SuperCoach, which is where he will end up in 2019. Laird likely won’t be this cheap for the rest of the year, so hop on him whilst he has bottomed out in price.
JAMES SICILY $564,300 | Average: 106.5 Break even: 84
If you feel Laird is too much of a risk, or you want more of a point of difference, then look no further than James Sicily. After becoming a revelation as an intercepting defender last season, the fiery Hawk has continued to show us he’s a bona fide premium.
It’s astonishing that he is owned by just 13 per cent of teams, despite having the fifth-highest average of all defenders. Champion Data ranks Sicily as elite in an astonishing 13 categories this season, with the most notable being averages of 19.3 kicks, 9.7 rebound-50s, 8.7 marks, 1.5 contested marks and three intercept marks per game.
Like Laird, Sicily is ultra-consistent and although his temper is occasionally volatile, you can almost always bank on him generating a handy score. Bringing in this man seems like a no-brainer, but there is always an underlying risk – his versatility!
Clarkson has hinted at times he may look to play Sicily as a swing man and this, along with his temper (and possible suspensions), remain the only negatives of picking Sicily. But after Sicily has practically saved Hawthorn in the last few weeks with his brilliant intercepting, the scenario of throwing him forward when the game needs to be won appears an empty threat at best.
NAT FYFE $564,000 | Average: 114.4 Break even: 90
Want a cheap uber-premium with the tantalising Round 12 bye? Enter Nat Fyfe. There are few names more synonymous with SuperCoach than this former Brownlow medallist, and it’s time to jump on the bandwagon.
Severely underpriced following a gruesome KO against St Kilda, this superstar midfielder is once again showing us why he is one of the best players in the game.
With Lachie Neale joining Brisbane, Fremantle relies more on Fyfe’s ability to win the contested ball and he is averaging elite numbers once again. Disregarding his injury-affected 63, he has scored 147, 124, 110 and 128 and is yet to accumulate less than 30 possessions in a full game.
The arrival of Rory Lobb and Jesse Hogan means Fyfe isn’t needed in the forward 50 as much and he is reaping the rewards alongside Michael Walters and David Mundy.
His health is always the only cause for concern, but despite this element of risk it’s hard to build a case against trading him in. It’s crazy to think that Tom Liberatore plus $75,800 in the bank will net you Nat Fyfe. A small price to pay for such a large upgrade.
TIM KELLY $476,700 } Average: 96.3 Break even: 62
In terms of pure bargains, you can’t look past the slick-moving Tim Kelly this week. He is ridiculously cheap, has a low break even and is set to skyrocket in price over the next month.
Geelong has gifted its 2017 draftee more midfield responsibility this year and he is proving to be one of the elite midfielders in the competition. Kelly has eclipsed 100 points in four out of six games so far but has been somewhat lacklustre against lockdown taggers — Mark Hutchings holding him to 86 points and Matt De Boer to just 39.
The good news is that Kelly won’t play against these two taggers again this season and he represents top-six forward potential given his change of role. Kelly is averaging 23.5 possessions a game (28.5 without a hard tag), 5.8 clearances, 5.7 tackles and has clocked up 2.4 scoring shots per game. Alongside Patrick Dangerfield, Isaac Heeney and Travis Boak, the next optimal forward option is Tim Kelly.
You can select him with confidence knowing he will average 95-plus minimum – and he won’t get cheaper than this price, so grab him this week!
Get more expert tips from the team at Doctor SuperCoach here and listen to their latest podcast below:
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