Team Preview – Kangaroos
Stocked up with top ten draft picks, a couple of trade ins and some positional switches, it will be interesting to see if the Roos will more relevant to the AFL competition. One thing is certain, they should be more relevant to supercoach with options a plenty and a brace of players you could feel like taking a risk on.
Defenders
Lock and Load
Harry Sheezel $556,200 Given we’ve seen him in his customary half back role during the practice games, it is hard to ignore the ball magnet in his second season. Don’t feel like you have to take the second year blues into account because he continues in the same vein as his 99.5 ave from last season. An extra preseason and a bit more experience probably irons out a couple of those 50s to see his average move into three figures. Should be a reliable scorer despite the plethora of running backs in the Roo mix likely sharing points in defence.
Money Makers:
Toby Pink $123,900 was a strong preseason candidate given he was drafted for a role following an excellent season in the SANFL averaging 73 points and 6.3 intercepts possessions and 2.8 intercept marks. Will play a role but others have emerged as stronger defensive options, likely to score more.
Midfield
Lock and load
Luke Davies-Uniacke $$635,100 I think we forget the woeful 36 points
and 6 x FA and focus on the positives here. Coming off an injury interrupted 2023 where he still averaged 113.6 bearing in mind that was bolstered by his post bye average of 121 before his season finally finished in round 22. Generally high ceiling and reliability with ten of his fourteen games yielding scores of 100 plus and two in the nineties. Still in my team at this stage as I have a feeling he will go large. Still a POD at 8.4% ownership.
Feeling Lucky
A couple of mid price breakout candidates in Dylan Steven ($324,100) and George Wardlaw ($365,400) who both scored 63 points in the AAMI game. Stevens did look much better in the practice match and I think his role at the Roos is more guaranteed so it should give him confidence to perform. Fit as, and I think priced at least 17 points under. The Warlord possesses the game to score heavily given a consistent run, and probably will as I have taken him out of my side for balance. 9% of coaches have him.
Money Maker
Colby McKercher $202,800 Only scored 55 in the AAMI but racked up plenty more in the practice game to showcase his scoring potential. Averaged 150 ranking points at the U18 carnival, then followed that up with a Coates League average of 140. Supremely skilled left footer with a plum role off half back that will make sqillions despite the high draft pick pricing.
Ruck
Feeling Lucky
Tristian Xerri $407,400 If you are looking for a cheaper R2 option, Big X is the way to go according to more than 10,000 coaches currently. Coming off a modest 73 average in 2023, he does however now find himself as the clear number one ruck for the Roos. In the two games played without Goldy in the side he scored 102 and 75 giving some support to his potential. Add the 99 from the AAMI against a quality premo and the trend is looking pretty good.
Forwards
Feeling Lucky
Zac Fisher $378,600 I say feeling lucky despite him locked into more than 30% of teams at this point. Never a consistent scorer at the Blues, and not a constant there in recent times. Since the turn of the decade, he has season high average of 73.5 points. Granted, his role was never as defined as what it appears now. It did trend up at the back of last year playing back for four games and sneaking the ranking points up to 84 in that time. A couple of monster possession counts coming from a low accountability role is probably a good indication of the lower risk factor in my “feeling lucky” tag, despite looking like sharing the back half space with both Sheez and McKercher.
Money Makers
Zane Duursma M/F $193,800 Despite not a lot of game time in the preseason, it did not take long for this bloke to showcase his skills and scoring ability when he got the opportunity against the Saints. 84% game time saw him nab 81 points off the back of some good grabs and a couple of snags. High impact game scores well as the these points came from only fourteen possessions. The number five pick Scored 191 last year from 22 possessions, four goals and six goal assists
Charlie Lazzaro M/F $181,100 A better praccy match than AAMI where he eased his way to 68 points which is more than double his break even. Not much of a season last year where he had a few sub affected games but could not get the breaks he desired to win consistent game time. Worth noting he scored a 74 and 87 in full games so can do it if he gets the nod. Has had a “break out” preseason and is rearing to go and seems to have a role at this stage despite the plethora of young mids at the Roos. In 15% of teams.
Bigoa Nyuon $123,900 New club, new role could work for Bigoa. Displayed a self assurance in defence against the Saints, pulling down some good intercept marks and racking up 17 possessions on his way to a score of 87 points. With the Roo’s lack of tall defensive options to start the season, he could find a spot and make it his. Worth considering.
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My question with North is how many guys are supposedly playing across half-back? Sheezel, Fisher and McKercher? Then there’s Goater and Scott. They’re going to cannibal each other surely.
dont forget mcdonald maaz!
I’ve had Sheezel from the start.
Duursma passed the eye test, convincingly. I’ve also got Lazarro in, but that may change if I need more cash.
Call me silly but I’ve dropped Lazz for Fyfe – still could change, got a couple more days !!
With a few good options at North, any thoughts on what approach / who might get the vest at North. … Any thoughts?
Vests are set to be the bane of our SC lives Catostomybag. I think with McDonald less likely to play the defence will all play, and it would be likely the two draftees named already (McK and Duursma) will play. That leaves the likes of Taylor, Phillips and Lazaro if you look at the side holistically
I think Lazaro gets rewarded for his great pre season so that probably leaves Taylor or Phillips.
But hey, who have thought Billings/Wicks/McPherson etc start as Sub ? Gonna be a lottery methinks, especially as they now don’t have to come from the bench.