2020 Team Preview – Fremantle

Written by Huttabito on January 13 2020

Defenders

Lock and Load: There is a lot of value to be had in SuperCoach this season and defence is no different. If you are looking for a solid POD defender to build this line around but don’t want to pay up for the likes of Lloyd, then you need not look any further than Luke Ryan ($520,400). Ryan’s 2019 season was cut short in Rd18 due to an injury but up until then, he lead the league in intercept possessions (avg 8+ per game) and was one of the most accurate disposers of the football in the game (top 30 for 15+ games) twice finishing with a perfect 100% disposal efficiency which are two stats that SuperCoach loves. Being the number 1 man out of the defensive fifty, Ryan is always amongst it and finished 2019 with an average of 20 disposals, 5 marks and 96 SuperCoach points with 14/17 full games exceeding 80 points with a season high of 156.

Feeling Lucky: Connor Blakely ($411,500) finds himself back on the feeling lucky list after 2019 was cut short due to injury, which seems to be a common trend for Blakely. He finished 2017 off with an average of 109 from 10 games before being injured and just hasn’t got back to full flight. He has managed to hit the tonne 5 times since then but between his body breaking down and Ross the ex-Boss forever changing his position, he hasn’t been as SuperCoach reliable as one would need. He has the ability to hit 90+ and be a worthwhile end of season D6 at a discounted price tag. There are so many questions though. Where will the new coach play him? How will is body hold up? Is he cheap enough to take a punt with all the other value options this year? A pre-season watch and wait.

Money Maker: What’s better than having a Luke Ryan on your AFL team? Having a second, through the likes of Hayden Young ($180,300). Young was one of Fremantles three top 10 picks in last years draft and is one of the most likely to debut early. He was said to have the most damaging foot in the entire draft with penetrating left boot that consistently opens up the play and he ranked first for intercept possessions in the U18s carnival along with being named in the U18s AA team ranking first for general defenders. His game style seems a perfect fit for SuperCoach and he and Ryan could form a deadly duo coming out of defence for many years to come, the only stick on him would be his staring price tag.

Midfielders

Lock and Load: A guy that needs no introduction, Nat Fyfe ($651,600). Every year, the same conundrum comes around whether you should start him or not and 2020 is no exception, given the hefty price tag coming off his second Brownlow season. The truth is, if you don’t have Fyfe, SuperCoach just isn’t fun and you always feel like you are chasing points trying to get him in. Fyfe was one of three midfielders to average 120 last season which included 6 games of 144 or more, 6 games 124 or more and another 5 more than 100 – can you really afford not to have him? I’m going to give the same advice as I did last year – lock him in your starting team, collect multiple 130+ captain scores and save a trade for a potential injury or late season suspension.

Money Maker: Fremantles has never been too kind with the rookies except the odd exception, and you can’t blame them with Ross at the helm. With a new coach coming halfway into a rebuild, things could change. Keep an early eye on Caleb Serong ($175,800) who was drafted at pick 8 in last years draft and Luke Valente ($123,900), who was picked up in the 2018 draft but failed to break into the seniors last season.

Rucks

Now that Sandilands has retired, the mantle has been passed onto Sean Darcy ($402,800). Darcy is probably a couple of more years away before really breaking out into being a premier ruckman in the competition as he is still only 21 years old.

Forwards

Lock and Load: Last I wrote Michael Walters ($547,200) as a feeling lucky pick as he “has never played 22 games or averaged more than 90” and for the first time in 11 years, he finally did just that. Walters was one of the many players affected by their coaches changing positions on them and given how damaging he is as a small forward, Ross Lyon would often park him in the forward line. In 2019 however, he was finally given much more freedom and played all 22 games at an average of 100.8 points. These days, averaging 20 disposals and 2 goals a game is a once in a decade occurrence and Walters was only 4 goals short of doing so in 2019 (21.7 disposals, 1.8 goals). Another big year is on the cards for Walters with the additions made to team over the last few years, the only question is how do you squeeze him in next to Whitfield and the cheaper Dusty.

Feeling Lucky: A third year SuperCoach breakout is a thing and Andrew Brayshaw ($382,800) would be one of the third year players at the shortest odds in doing so. Playing all 22 games in 2019, he has no trouble getting into the thick of it averaging 17 disposals, 8 contested possessions and 5 tackles in his second year. He will feature heavily in the midfield in 2020 and should take his game up another notch. His FWD status is a bonus and makes him much more SuperCoach relevant as he will only need to lift his average to 90 to be a successful pick, compared to 100+ if he was MID only.

Money Maker: It’s not often you look towards a 29yo senior player to be a cash cow but after having issues getting his body right over the last few seasons, Stephen Hill ($190,600, DEF) comes into 2020 sub 200k. When fit, Hill is locked into the best 22 and there is no doubting his football ability and averaged 90 points over 2013-17 from 94 games before breaking down. If being cheap with huge potential isn’t quite enough, he also has very handy DEF/FWD dual position. If he has a full pre-season and gets through unscathed, he will be a very popular pick at either end of the ground, depending on how the rookie structure looks Rd1.

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9 thoughts on “2020 Team Preview – Fremantle”

  1. Nice write-up Hutta. I can’t believe Stephen Hill is $190k!

    Looking forward to a league with no Ross Lyon. FURL!

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  2. Great Stuff.
    Thanks for the write up.

    Freo is very relevant this year, doubly so since Ross “I hate Supercoachers” Lyons won’t be in effect.

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  3. I’m starting 3 forward premos this season, with Whitfield and Dusty being the first two picked. The third will be either Heeney or Walters, and I honestly can’t decide on which one.

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  4. Great write-up Hutta.

    Bye bye FURL, hello FREo! I also prefer the Rd13 bye this year.

    Definitely starting FYFE, and S HILL IF he gets through to Rd1 unscathed.
    Possibly Brayshaw as I like his durability (stay away Gaff!) but there are a few, less risky mid-price options for me.
    Will be watching pre-season with interest: esp. Acres, Bewley and rookies.

    Thanks again Hutta.

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  5. Great work.

    Hill is a very big if, but should he be fit for round 1 he is an absolute lock at rookie prices.

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  6. *Hill (if fit) is a massive lock for me.

    *Brayshaw interests me, but I’m not picking breakout players this year and also his brother didnt breakout till his 4th year taken at a similar draft pick (which is a ridiculous reason i know)

    *Fyfe. 50/50. It’s only the durability that worries me, but he does tend to start well.

    *Young: watchlist

    *Blakey: no

    *Ryan: probably not

    *Walters: Upgrade Target for me

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  7. Great write-up Hutta! The only problem with you blokes having so many first round picks is all of your rookie options are very expensive!

    Personally, I have Hill locked in if he’s had a full pre-season, and Fyfe a maybe as he’s on a rotating carousel with about 8 other mids that keep on going in and out of my team.

    Ryan I’d definitely not start, since he likes to throw up a stinker every now and again which causes his price to drop.

    Brayshaw does intrigue me though, I’ll definitely be starting one of him, Lynch or Smith, I’m just not sure which one yet.

    Lobb is another one I’m keeping an eye on (for draft anyway), do you think he’ll be no. 1 ruck with Sandi gone or is that spot firmly the fridge’s with Lobb playing forward?

    Just quietly Bewley is also very interesting to me. Probably a tad too expensive though.

    All in all Freo will be a very interesting team in SC this year, especially with the departure of FURL.

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