SuperCoach 2017: Al Paton reveals his first draft line-up

INSANE. Crazy. Out of his mind. These were just some of the responses SuperCoach guru Al Paton received after posting his team. Here’s why.

INSANE. Crazy. Out of his mind. This is the kind of thing I’m seeing on Twitter after posting my initial SuperCoach team.

Then again, those comments could be about Donald Trump, who has dominated my social media feed over a short summer break from the SuperFooty office.

The launch of SuperCoach 2017 was a welcome distraction from the madness unfolding in the White House, but the reactions to both (or my team at least) were similar.

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So allow me to explain. In fact, I think the Donald has unwittingly influenced my selection policy this season.

The new US president is leaving in his wake a trail of established norms — unwritten rules that might not be actual laws (although he’s in some serious grey areas there too) but which have kept the western world pretty much on the right path for a couple of hundred years.

Critics have accused me of doing the same thing in SuperCoach this year. Too much risk. Too many mid-pricers. But my initial line-up is exactly the opposite.

Marc Murphy is injury-free for the first time in a while. Picture: Colleen Petch

Paddy Ryder is available at a major discount. Picture: Sarah Reed

DEFENCE

Heath Shaw has his knockers after a few poor scores towards the end of last year, but he still averaged 106 for the season — the 11th year in a row he has posted an average of 90 or more. GWS will probably win the flag. That will do me.

I find it hard to fork out the big bucks for players off the back of one huge season (Sam Docherty), or who just don’t show a huge scope for improvement (Kade Simpson, Alex Rance). So a player like Michael Hibberd, who averaged 95+ in 2013-14 but is priced at 74, is a no-brainer.

I’ve given Rory Laird my D1 position on a coin toss over Taylor Adams on the back of two solid years in the 90s and the prospect of more midfield time, and Nick Vlastuin is a bit of a punt after an impressive intra-club match when he played on the ball (winning lots of clearances) with rests at full-forward (kicking two goals). I’ll watch his JLT series closely.

I see No. 1 draft pick Andy McGrath as the Callum Mills of 2017. Also a highly-rated half-back, Mills started last year at the exact same price, played 20 games with a 77 average, rising in price by just under $200k. I’ll take that again, thanks.

Heath Shaw is the star defender in Al Paton’s line-up.

MIDFIELD

Dangerfield, Pendlebury, Ablett and Fyfe. Does that need any further explanation?

Actually, it seems the Ablett selection does given many seasoned SuperCoach players are jumping off the great man this time.

That’s heresy. Remember last year, when he started to battle with age and injuries and had the fourth-highest average of anyone in the competition?

If he goes down with another season-ending injury, that’s what trades are for.

Marc Murphy is a bargain at $432k — he averaged 112+ for four straight years before injuries hit him hard and David Swallow is a risk but is capable of three-figure scores.

He got through Gold Coast’s intra-club game OK and he’s very, very cheap.

Josh Caddy was a standout in Richmond’s intra-club game. Picture: Mark Dadswell

RUCK

I can’t go past leviathan Max Gawn, who’s scores could improve after the third-man up was banned.

The R2 slot is one of the toughest to pick this year with Todd Goldstein, Brodie Grundy and Stef Martin all worth strong consideration, even Jarrod Witts (just $217,600 and every chance to be Gold Coast’s No. 1 ruck) could pay off.

I landed on Aaron Sandilands. He’s just $308,200 and the last time Sandi returned from a serious injury (in 2014) he averaged 119 over the first 12 rounds — perfect for a huge price bump then a trade to whichever of Goldy, Grundy or Martin turns out to be the real deal.

Luke Strnadica is a certainty as a floating doughnut to make the most of the vice-captain loophole.

UPDATE: I picked this team before Sandilands suffered a calf injury. He will be back later in the pre-season comp and could still make my team, but if there’s any doubt I’ll probably jump to Martin (or Witts if he dominates the JLT).

You can’t go past Max Gawn in the ruck. Aaron Sandilands? Maybe.

FORWARDS

The forward line is similar to my defence with few real standout premiums that give me confidence to fork out the big bucks.

Luke Dahlhaus, who has three years of 90-plus averages under his belt, is the exception while Josh Caddy is possibly (OK, definitely) influenced by some Richmond bias, but he averaged 90 last year and 94 the year before and will play a lot more midfield minutes at Punt Rd. He did everything right in his first hitout in black and yellow.

Paddy Ryder is underpriced and provides some handy ruck cover while Jarryd Roughead is a steal at $367,100. Both should average 90-plus.

Matt White is in my team purely for cash generation. He should play from Round 1 and increase in value quick enough for an early upgrade.

I’ve just heard Willie Rioli could miss three months with a hamstring injury, but all the bench spots are really placeholders until we see who is likely to get a game in Round 1.

And they won’t be the only changes between now and March 23.

I’ll be keeping a very close eye on all those players coming back from injury to ensure they are cherry ripe for Round 1.

As Mr Trump says, the carnage stops now.

Originally published as SuperCoach 2017: Al Paton reveals his first draft line-up