Defenders are like herpes, they are the gift that just keeps giving. So after a fuck load of research here is a small overview of my thoughts on them.
Heath Shaw being the most expensive, but probably the most reliable. But at 6% of your total cap I find it too much of a risk. Don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt he will be the highest scoring defender at the end of the year. But I am certain we will be able to pick him up sub 500k, well I hope!
When I really started looking into defence I honestly believe there is a plethora of “cheap” options down back, some which I think will become premiums and other just pure cash cows. So my plan this year is to load up on a dick load of “mid pricers”, rookies and one “premium”. So I’m writing this not only for my own benefit but I am also hoping it will help the community sort through the mine field of defenders to hopefully unearth some gold.
Rory Laird: The little garden Nome. I am a massive fan of this kid!! In his third year on the fulltime playing list he flourished. He shone as an intercept/rebounding defender to score 9 hundreds on his way to avg 93.81 last year.
His 2 NAB Cup matches to date have been outstanding. His disposal efficiency has been a standout hitting 92% of targets from about 85% of game time to score 92 and 121 points respectively.
There was a question mark over the position he would play this year, but with Seedsman being the pile of shit he always was, Jaensch retiring (probably due to another indiscretion), Brodie Smith playing higher up the ground and Luke Brown being, well Luke Brown. I see no reason whatsoever Laird can’t increase his avg to at least 100+. At $506k he will be the most expensive player by far in my side.
Kade Kolodjashni: What a star this kid is!! I had him locked and loaded in my side until I saw him deliver absolute fucking shit in NAB 1, he was fucking pathetic. I would have to see something solid from him in NAB 3 if I was to slot him in.
But he is the designated user of the ball in the back half. He lead the Gold Cunts in meters gained, hand-ball receives and intercept possessions. He is an absolute ball magnet getting the pill 20 times or more in 19 games! These games also saw him register 9 hundreds and a season avg of 89.36.
My concern is we saw nothing from him in NAB 1, actually we saw less than nothing. He was shithouse only scoring 45 points and a handful of disposals. I might end up regretting this decision but I can’t see myself spend $482k on a player I can only take on trust. I only pray he puts in a nice score of 40 to 60 at some stage so we can bring him in cheap.
Sam Docherty: This poor cunts major problem is he plays for Carlton. Carlton will be lucky to win a hand full of games, which means the major slice of the supercoach pie goes to their opposition.
Besides playing for Carlton he only managed to score 3 hundreds all year. This is simply not good enough to spend $473k on. What is the most he is going to average? 90 again? Probably. I would rather spend the extra coin on getting KK or Laird in, two players that can average 100.
Jimmy Bartel: The best looking footballer in the land, he is also 86. He should have averaged over 90 last year if it wasn’t for hurting his knee. I have some major issues with him, age, score ceiling, soft melon and the fact he will get rested at some point.
I can’t really see him averaging above 90. There are so many Geelong players that will score well. Dangerfield, Sellwood, Duncan, Motlop, Smith, Guthrie, Blicavs, Caddy, then you have Borris and Jimmy. How many of these blokes can honestly avg 90+? My money won’t be tied up on Jimmy. Good luck to you that do.
Tom Langdon & Marley Williams: I really fucking hate Collingwood, they just really piss me off. But they do have 2 jets here.
Langdon in his 3rd year plays well beyond his years. He is elite one on one, intercepts (above his head and below his knees). The issue I have with him is his kicking, it just isn’t reliable. If he sharpens that up he will become a VERY good scorer.
Williams is so good below his feet but as soon as the ball hits his boot it’s fucking horrendous. The beauty of him is he takes the game on and no matter how many times he turns it over, he does it again and again. With his style of game you will get some big hundreds and some sub 60 games.
Out of the two I can see Marley averaging more. I will just be a bigger roller coaster, a ride I won’t be hopping on.
Dane Rampe and Daniel Rich: Both these boys remind me of strippers, they tease you and get you very excited every year but they never finishes the job. Is this the year for them?
Rampe will not get a better opportunity to become a premium defender. Malsexy last year and Shaw this year has left the perfect gap for him to slot straight into.
Last year every aspect of his game improved except his kicking. Going off his 2 NAB cup games, it hasn’t improved during the off season and neither will his scoring. I just can’t pull the trigger on him. His output will be almost exactly the same as last year. Avg of 80-90
From the day Daniel Rich stepped into the doors at Brisbane he has promised to become elite. Well he hasn’t, he is a solid b grader. But with DPP eligibility now he is defiantly food for thought.
A major concern is they are another side that will win stuff all games but have a heap of “premiums” to feed points too. Martin, Beams and Rockcliff are the clear premiums. Then you have Robinson, Zorko, Rich, Greene, Bell and Christensen all to share the small portion of the pie.
If I am going to spend 300-400k I want to be spending it on players who can “potentially” avg 95+
Matt Rosa looked solid in NAB 1 gathering the 2nd most disposals of any suns player and scoring 98 points. BUT there was no GAJ, Prestia, Swallow, O’Meara to take midfield time from him. I Have no doubt he will see more midfield time at the Suns, but it worries me he has never averaged over 90 in his life. His ball use has always been suspect.
He may score better but by how much? I highly doubt he will avg 95, therefor I can’t see him finishing the year a top 6 let alone a top 10 defender.
Jasper Pittard or Shittard. Port supporters must have a real love hate relationship with this guy. Read what I wrote about Marley Williams, it all applies to him. Enjoy the rollercoaster if you have him!!
Bachar Houli is a dead set gun. The tigers love the ball in his hands, he takes the game on and normally makes the correct decisions. He averaged 95.62 last year and I can see him averaging every little bit of it. I major downside with Bachar is those 4 weeks of fasting. I admire him for doing it, but fuck he can fuck you in SuperCoach world. He doesn’t fit into the structure I am rolling with, but I don’t blame anyone for taking him.
Jeremy McGovern is the jack of all trades and master of all of them. He is a dead set GUN. With Mitch Brown going down again (poor bastard) I can see him improving. If he gets any Ruck time which has been suggested he could push his average to 90+.
Brodie Smith: The kid with a booming kick. Let’s just hope his melon can stay out of harms way. It’s a big night for him tomorrow night, if he posts 90+ everyone will be on him. Me personally I hope he puts in a stinker. He is locked and loaded in my defence, he was one of the most sought after defenders last year.
With more midfield time expected, we can only see him push his average to potentially 95+. We just need him to stay safe.
Nick Malceski what a piece of shit he was last year. He burnt just about everyone, asshole. This year may be different. He is super cheap, but still untrustworthy. He is no spring chicken at 32 and has only averaged 100+ twice in his life. At 383k he is definitely worth some thought.
Tommy Sheridan has breakout written all over him. He played 17 games last year averaging 65.06 with 3 sub affected games. If we take those out of there he averages 73.5. Ok still not that impressive. The last 5 games of the year is where it starts to get impressive, avg of 92.4 (minus the injury game) scoring 2 tons and a 98.
The love the ball in his hands, he gets stupid amounts of handball receives. GET ON HIM COMMUNITY, GET ON HIM.
Jesse Lonergan has only enterer calculations late, but he has come with a burst. Rocket giving him nothing but glowing praises, injuries in the engine room only indicating some midfield time. He is well and truly locked in at D3.
So out of the above players I will be selecting Rory Laird, Brodie Smith, Jesse Lonergan and Tommy Sheridan. All have major upside, I see zero point in paying big money for guys that probably won’t increase their average.
There are a fuck load of other defenders to look at, but I just can’t be fucked writing about. Please feel free to ridicule me or do whatever. Cheers
