Who to buy and who to avoid in SuperCoach this year

WE reveal the five must-haves, the five bargains, the five smokies and the five land mines of SuperCoach in 2013. A must-read for all SuperCoaches.

LeCras training

WE reveal the five must-haves, the five bargains, the five smokies and the five land mines of SuperCoach in 2013. A must-read for all SuperCoach enthusiasts.

FIVE MUST-HAVES

1. DANE SWAN (Coll, $675,300) 2012 Ave: 126.2
HE’S fit, firing and a fair bit cheaper than Gaz. Lock him in and start the big C on him.


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2. DEAN COX (WCE, $600,700) 2012 Ave: 112.3
NIC Nat could miss the first month and that spells good news for big Cox’s scoring. He’s also dual-position as a ruck-forward. Tasty.

3. BRENDON GODDARD (Ess, $541,500) 2012 Ave: 101.2
NEW club, more midfield time already flagged, dual position and costs you less than $600k. Lock BJ in.

Brendon Goddard

4. LANCE FRANKLIN (Haw, $618,000) 2012 Ave: 115.5
IMAGINE not having Buddy the day he goes berserk and scores 200 and your opponent has him, perhaps as captain. That equals a loss. Plonk him in the forward line.

5. JACK VINEY (Mel, $109,500) 2012 Ave: N/A
THIS kid is a beast and will tear it up from Round 1. Forget putting Viney on the bench as a cash cow, he deserves a place in the starting 22.

Jack Viney

FIVE BARGAINS

1. JAEGER O’MEARA (GC, $115,900)
SOME at the Suns regarded this kid as the best teenage talent on their list last year. After two AFL pre-seasons the Jaeger Bomb will be an instant hit.


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2. BRAD CROUCH (Ade, $115,900)
LIKE O’Meara, Crouch is a ready-made midfielder. He’s got a tougher side to crack, but after a year impressing at SANFL senior level it shouldn’t be an issue. And Sando loves this bloke.

3. BRENT MACAFFER (Coll, $128,000)
BACK after a knee reconstruction, his price has plummeted to an irresistible level. Will make you a stack of cash as a forward.

Brent Macaffer

4. SAM DOCHERTY (BL, $115,900)
WHO? You’re unlikely to remember, but this kid was a No. 12 draft pick who had his first AFL season ruined by hip issues. But he hasn’t missed a beat this summer and should debut early. A hot prospect as a bargain defender.

5. MATTHEW LEUENBERGER (BL, $301,100) 2012 Ave: 70.3
HE’S dirt cheap after an achilles injury floored him for most of 2012. Won’t play until March, but track his NAB Cup form. If he’s on-song, fang him in your rucks and sprinkle the $200k you saved on a star-studded midfield.

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FIVE SMOKIES

1. GREG BROUGHTON (GC, $441,900) 2012 Ave: 82.6
INFURIATED SuperCoaches last year under Ross Lyon, but if he can return to his best at the Suns he could wind up a pearl. Dual position as a def-fwd adds to the attraction.


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2. MATT JONES (Melb, $109,500)
YOU don’t draft a 25-year-old unless you think he’s going to make an instant impact. And Jones has done just that on the training track. A midfield cash cow option.

3. DYLAN VAN UNEN (Ess, $109,500)
SEE above. Mature-age VFL recruited to fit a needs basis. Worry is he might not be a massive points scorer.

4. MARK LECRAS (WC, $369,200)
CAN the Frenchman rediscover his mercurial best after 12 months out? Still a touch pricy, but if he can it’ll pay off instantly.

LeCras training

5. BRENT MOLONEY (Melb, $362,400) 2012 Ave: 67.7
THE clearance king has slotted into life up north beautifully. Busts packs opens, wins contested footy and should make you $200k in the first half of the year.

FIVE LAND MINES

1. TRAVIS CLOKE (Coll, $436,300) 2012 Ave: 81.6
HE can bag you 150 points or, seemingly just as easily, 30. And last year it was the latter far too often? The gloves are off, can Cloke stay consistent?

2. SHAUN HIGGINS (WB, $425,200) 2012 Ave: 79.5
HIS body is as trustworthy as Lance Armstrong. But, finally, it’s been an injury-free summer. The talent is there, but he’s burnt us so many times before.

Shaun Higgins

3. DANIEL MENZEL (Gee, $235,500)
The crafty forward underwent a secret third knee reconstruction in December, but remains in Round 1 contention. If his dodgy knees hold up he could be a secret weapon. Massive risk.

4. BEAU WATERS (WC, $526,500) 2012 Ave: 100.3
WHEN Beau fires he delivers tons with ease. When he runs through a pack overzealously he gets weeks. Can Beau toe the line?

5. COLIN SYLVIA (Melb, $433400) 2012 Ave: 81
HASN’T Col been pencilled in for a breakout year every season? His best is freakishly good, his worst sees him relegated to the VFL. What does 2013 have in store for the No. 3 draft pick?

AND... two names to watch come the back half of the NAB Cup.

Matthew Pavlich and Adam Goodes. They’d usually find themselves pushing for selection in the “must-have” category. But back and knee surgeries respectively have ruined their pre-seasons.

Matthew Pavlich