Doctor’s Orders: Think outside the box with these four SuperCoach smokies

Thinking outside the box is a key to SuperCoach success. Here are four players who will set your team apart and could set you on the path to SuperCoach glory in 2019.

One of the keys to SuperCoach success is to look outside the square. For example, those who selected Jack Macrae last season were rewarded with an initially low ownership player who ended up being one of the highest scoring players of the year.

In the second instalment of ‘Doctor’s Orders’ by the expert team at Doctor SuperCoach, players with a low ownership across every position will be put under a microscope to see if they are worth considering in 2019.

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LUKE RYAN $489,500, DEF — OWNERSHIP 3 PER CENT

The intercept-marking star from Fremantle had a breakout season last year, managing to achieve an average of 90 in just his second season of AFL football. Ryan’s scoring is largely reliant on defensive plays and intercept marking, however in the eight games where he surpassed 20 disposals last season he managed to average a massive 118 points.

A downside of starting Ryan is that his role can produce inconsistent scoring, which led to eight scores of 80 or below last season. However, the introduction of the new kick-in rule may help increase his floor of lower scores.

Last year Ryan was Fremantle’s primary kick-in taker and he played on just 4 per cent of the time. With the man on the mark now being pushed back 10m from the square, coupled with the requirement of kicking it to yourself to indicate playing-on being abolished, kick-in takers are expected to play on more often. If this is the case, then Ryan will likely see a large scoring boost, making him a tough option to pass up on.

It is important to tune into the JLT series to see who is given kick-in duties, as the lightning fast Nathan Wilson may acquire a larger share to take advantage of the new rule change.

Seb Ross is a key cog of St Kilda’s midfield. Picture: Ian Currie

SEB ROSS, $558,400, MID — OWNERSHIP 1 PER CENT

St Kilda playmaker Seb Ross knows how to find the football. He amasses 30 possessions a game on a regular basis and is the perfect player to complement rugged midfielders Jack Steven and Jack Steele.

Despite being an accumulator, Ross tends to struggle with consistency at times with a lot of uncontested football and poor disposal efficiency being the main catalyst in his low scores. In 2018 he had seven scores below 80, but also achieved six scores above 125. Another contributor to his inconsistencies was spending portions of his time on the wing rather than on the ball. With the acquisition of Dan Hannebery, expect Seb to play primarily in the middle in 2019.

A promising statistics from last year is that Seb averaged 118 across 12 games at the what is now known as Marvel Stadium. The Saints will have 11 games there in 2019, including four of the first six rounds. To follow this positive stat, Seb finished the year averaging 111 in his last 10 games of the season. If he can carry over this form into 2019, he could find himself sitting alongside the elite scorers of the competition.

STEFAN MARTIN $573,300 RUCK — OWNERSHIP 9 PER CENT

A lot of coaches this pre-season are looking to pair Brodie Grundy with a mid-priced ruckman. If you are looking for an alternative option, then Martin could be your man.

He is coming off a stellar scoring season, managing to average over 105 points per game. Martin is one of the most unique big men in the game as he is essentially an extra midfielder with his ability to rack up possessions and dominate clearances out of the centre square.

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Although new ruck rule changes may prompt teams towards to play two ruckmen, Martin owners need not to worry as Oscar McInerny played 16 games for the Lions last season without impacting Martin’s scoring.

Brisbane is expected to be a team on the rise in 2019, which bodes well for Martin’s scoring potential. Over the past three seasons, Martin has averaged over 110 points per game when the Lions win. Assuming the Lions take their game to another level in 2019, Martin will be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Toby McLean started the 2017 season on fire.

Stefan Martin is a consistent SuperCoach scorer. Picture: Annette Dew

TOBY MCLEAN $514,000 FWD/MID — OWNERSHIP 6 PER CENT

Mclean was a solid point of difference last year as he started 2018 in blistering fashion. Tom Liberatore went down with an ACL injury in the opening minutes of the season and this paved the way for Mclean to play in the midfield.

He averaged 110 across his first 10 matches and looked set to be one of the highest-scoring forwards for the season. Unfortunately, he then injured his shoulder in the Round 13 clash against Port Adelaide, and from Round 13 onwards he only managed to average 82 points per game, reaching 100 on just two occasions. Josh Dunkley was also unleashed into the midfield during this time, which may have affected McLean’s midfield rotations.

McLean’s role is very important in determining his scoring potential for the upcoming season. With Liberatore back in the midfield, as well as the recruitment of mature-age half-forward Ben Cavarra, there are many unknowns in where McLean will spend majority of his time in 2019. Expect a similar output to last season, but carefully watch his positioning in the JLT.

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Originally published as Doctor’s Orders: Think outside the box with these four SuperCoach smokies