THERE’S one bolter in the top 10 most popular SuperCoach picks.
Hawthorn recruit Jaeger O’Meara has rocketed into No. 9 after being outside the top 20 before the JLT Community Series kicked off a fortnight ago.
O’Meara wasn’t even expected to play this pre-season but now looks almost certain to feature in Round 1 after overcoming his well-documented knee injuries.
Meanwhile, the most popular cash cows are starting to make themselves know with Tom Stewart, Brett Eddy, Aaron Black and Mitchell Hibberd entering the top 20.
We were dealt a blow with Essendon’s David Myers suffering a serious finger injury and being placed on the long-term injury list while Lion Jarrod Berry is also hurt.
Injuries have also seen Dayne Beams and Aaron Sandilands fall out of the top 20.
1. Nat Fyfe ($573,500, Mid) Fremantle
Ownership: 50.8%. Previous: 1 (54.4%)
The Dockers superstar remains the No. 1 pick after two rounds of the JLT Community Series. Fyfe posted a promising 93 in his first hit-out in 84 per cent ground time against West Coast.
2. Patrick Dangerfield ($716,900, Mid) Geelong
Ownership: 49.0%. Previous: 3 (48.9%)
The Brownlow Medallist moves up one position after a strong start to his pre-season campaign, scoring 117 in 82 per cent time on ground in Week 1.
3. Max Gawn ($645,000, Ruck) Melbourne
Ownership: 47.0%. Previous: 4 (45.7%)
Gawn has been sharing ruck duties with Jake Spencer during the JLT Series, seeing him underwhelm with scores of 94 and 78. We don’t expect that to continue come Round 1.
4. Luke Dahlhaus ($520,700, Fwd-Mid) W. Bulldogs
Ownership: 40.6%. Previous: 8 (38.5%)
The most popular forward after a massive 143 in his only pre-season appearance so far. A SuperCoach gun that can win possessions, loves to tackle and kicks goals.
5. David Swallow ($280,200, Mid) Gold Coast
Ownership: 39.5%. Previous: 7 (39.0%)
Early signs are positive for Swallow with scores of 80 (53 per cent game time) and 82 (70% TOG) in his two JLT games. Due to a lack of obvious midfield cash cows, he looms as a must-have.
6. Hugh McCluggage ($202,800, Mid-Fwd) Brisbane
Ownership: 38.3%. Previous: 6 (41.2%)
The No. 3 draft pick has had one game this pre-season, scoring 67, which is enough to suggest he’s firmly in the frame for Round 1. That price tag is off-putting but midfield cash cows look hard to find at this point.
7. Jarryd Roughead ($367,100, Fwd) Hawthorn
Ownership: 39.7%. Previous: 11 (32.0%)
The new Hawks skipper looks back to his best after scores of 63 in 83 per cent time on ground and 95 (85% TOG)
8. Sam Powell-Pepper ($135,300, Mid) Port Adelaide
Ownership: 36.4%. Previous: 12 (31.8%)
Port’s top draft pick’s first outing was full of promising moments. In his 67 per cent game time, SPP managed 56 points. We’ll hopefully have two more looks at him before Round 1.
9. Jaeger O’Meara ($318,900, Mid) Hawthorn
Ownership: 33.4%. Previous: N/A
The boom Hawks recruit has certainly made a splash in his two games and has rocketed into the top 10 most popular picks. Has posted 44 (47 per cent game time) and 90 (81% TOG).
10. Andrew McGrath ($211,800, Def-Mid) Essendon
Ownership: 32.5%. Previous: 5 (43.6%)
The No. 1 draft pick has dropped sharply in popularity after two pre-season games. Perhaps due to his price or the rise of cheaper cash cow options. Scores of 35 and 54.
11. Taylor Adams ($527,800, Def-Mid) Collingwood
Ownership: 31.3%. Previous 10 (32.2%)
12. Luke Ryan ($117,300, Def) Fremantle
Ownership: 29.6%. Previous: 9 (34.5%)
13. Heath Shaw ($576,500, Def) GWS Giants
Ownership: 28.7%. Previous: 17 (30.1%)
14. Isaac Heeney ($433,400, Fwd) Sydney
Ownership: 28.1%. Previous: 18 (28.5%)
15. Mitchell Hibberd ($123,900, Def-Mid) North Melbourne
Ownership: 27.4%. Previous: N/A
16. Tom Stewart ($117,300, Def) Geelong
Ownership: 26.3%. Previous: N/A
17. Brett Eddy ($102,400, Fwd) Port Adelaide
Ownership: 25.7%. Previous: N/A
18. Jarrod Pickett ($123,900, Mid-Fwd) Carlton
Ownership: 25.4%. Previous: 20 (26.9%)
19. Nathan Freeman ($123,900, Mid) St Kilda
Ownership: 24.8%. Previous: 15 (30.5%)
20. Aaron Black ($137,100, Fwd) Geelong
Ownership: 24.3%. Previous: N/A
INS: Jaeger O’Meara (9), Mitchell Hibberd (15), Tom Stewart (16), Brett Eddy (17), Aaron Black (20)
OUTS: David Myers (2), Jarrod Berry (13), Dayne Beams (14), Aaron Sandilands (16), Sam Docherty (19)
(Written by Ben Higgins, originally appeared on heraldsun.com.au on 28/2/17)
Leave a comment / Scroll to bottom
Very helpful, the big surprise 4 me is Dalhause ownership I thought it would be around the 75% mark. Also McGrath ,Adams and Heeney jump out because there not in my plans so if they have a killer start it could have me on the back foot rather quickly. Cheers Schwarz
Cookie Cutter Team Update (by most selected)
DEF: Shaw, Adams, Laird, McGrath, Hampton, Hibberd (Ryan, Stewart)
MID: Dangerfield, Pendlebury, Bontempelli, Fyfe, Watson, O’Meara, Swallow, Powell-Pepper (Myers, Pickett, Freeman)
RUC: Gawn, Sandilands (Strnadica)
FWD: Dahlhaus, Heeney, Ryder, Roughead, McCluggage, Bowes (Black, Eddy)
Bank: $138k
Could make for a tricky Technical League team. Start with the most common picks and see who can nail the PODs as the season progresses.
Got 17/20
I have 14/20. Think I need to read FDs POD article again before I go making crazy changes to my team.
Why 20? I’m only 10/22.
Dooooh, I get it now, I was looking at my team .
ive got 17/20 of those blokes and 4 out of 5 of those on the out haha gold!
Has freeman player much JLT Series?