Welcome back to Rare Gems 2023. Where we look at low owned players (less than 5%) that may give us a chance to rise up the ranks and achieve SuperCoach success. I must confess I have not started this year as well as I had expected. Taking a punt on players like Flanders and Bruhn over Ziebell and Sheezel has really back fired and put be on the back foot. Captaining Laird round one didn’t help either! Luckily the introduction of boosts last year and some extra trades have made it a bit easier to correct our teams. Alas I’m still ranked around 50k and will need a heap to go right to get back up where I want to be. I’m sure some of you are in the same boat. Have no fear, as I’m here to help you pick a few Rare Gems, and get us get back in the race.
This is just an early season reminder. We are here to look at some PODs but do remember never pick a POD just for the sake of it. Rare Gems need to be good SuperCoach scorers regardless of ownership. Some players that are highly owned like Daicos this year can not be ignored, so only consider a Rare Gem for your side when you already own those “must haves” and are looking for that little bit of difference to spice up your team. It’s not quite upgrade season just yet, but here are a few players you may want to watch list and monitor there roles over the next few weeks. I have also included a few cheaper players they maybe worth a look if you need to plug a few on field holes. So lets get to it..
Name, Price, 3 RD Average, Ownership, BE
Defenders
Adam Saad, $581.800, 118.7, 4.6% , BE 92
In previous seasons Saad has shown promise, yet he has also been quite inconsistent. This year he has been a rock and those few coaches that picked him over Docherty are laughing. His floor seems to have lifted and I could easily see him amongst the top scorers for defenders this year. He is awesome to watch and with North next week, he could be an amazing addition to your SC side. As an added bonus, he is easy to spot as the crowd goes nuts every time he touches the ball.
Tom Cole, $229.600, 69.7, 3.3%, BE 1
Thought I would add a few mid-pricers to my early season Rare Gems and I couldn’t go past Tom Cole. Gunboat Diplomacy our resident captains guru and all round SCT legend talked up Cole all preseason. He has more than delivered. With all the carnage at WC his role only gets better. If you need to fill a hole in defence, it’s not too late to jump on the Cole train.
Max Michalanney, $187.200, 64, 5.1%, BE -23
The Crows picked up this kid as a father son selection in 2022. He has been highly rated internally yet somehow slipped under the SuperCoach radar.He is a good user and is tough for a young player. He showed his class last week with a solid 82 in the showdown. He still has a heap of cash to make and I would be more comfortable with him at D6 than say a Wilmont or Cowan. With Chesser and Constable likely missing for a few weeks at least, maybe the addition of Max would help sure up your backline ?
Midfielders
Scott Pendlebury, $544.500, 117, 1.9%, BE 90
What does age matter when you’re all class? Pendlebury is back in the midfield and playing for probably the best team in the comp. One of 7 players from Collingwood averaging over 100 so far this year, De-Pendlebury looks like he has turned back the clock. Can he maintain the rage you ask? Well, Boak gave up the captaincy a few years ago and had one of his best SuperCoach seasons yet. Maybe Pendles can too?
Tom Liberatore, $574.400, 108.3, 2.7%
Libba is an unlikely SuperCoach premium really. An inside bull with quite good disposal efficiency, he does nothing flashy yet seems to always be around the ball. With Bevo swinging the magnets again this year, Libba seems to be the one favoured at centre bounce. A solid, durable selection that seems to be avoiding the tag at this stage. He doesn’t have that massive ceiling of a Bont, but his floor is high, and he could be more than serviceable SC selection this year.
Ruck
Toby Nankervis, $553.500, 118, 1.8%,BE 75
Nank the Tank seems to be relishing the number one ruck role this year. With Soldo going down, Nank has played 90% ruck time and his scoring has been more than just solid, only English and Witts have outscored him at this stage. With the ongoing Ruck merry go round maybe big Nank can hold down a ruck spot in your side this year ?
Forwards
Dylan Moore, $527.600, 104.3, 2.6% BE 62
What is a Rare Gems post without this man ? Forever going under the radar Dylan is the perfect Rare Gem. But he doesn’t get mid time I hear you say. He plays for the bottom 6 Hawks you say. I say it doesn’t matter. Moore is a jet, and I want him in my forward line at some stage this year. Props to those luck few coaches that started him, it must be nice watching him go big knowing no one else’s has him.
Joel Amartey, $223.00, 100, 1%, BE-72
I just had to mention the Armarty Party. Not for the faint hearted this pick could go very wrong indeed. He has been very good so far as the back up ruck/forward. He could make some very fast cash. He could also go goalless and score you sub 50 on field.I’m not sure how we fit him in to our rather crowded forward lines either. I guess if you need the cash for a D. Cam to English trade, you could take the risk and downgrade a Callahan/ Worpel type and move a forward to the midfield. High risk for high reward.
Well, that’s it for Rare Gems this week. Let me know in the comments if there’s any Pods you started or maybe looking at for your sides.
Thanks for reading
Cheers FT.
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Richards…
Love Richards as a player.
I just find it hard to trust the coach. If he maintains that HB role , he may get a gig as a Rare Gem in the future. Props to those that started him though.
Caleb Serong!
Scores of 70, 101, 146. $512K. 2.0% ownership. Fourth season in the league. This is his breakout year, you read it here first.
Love it Chillo.
He certainly stood up with Brodie out last week. I hope your right but I don’t have the balls to pick him at this stage. He may get a Rare gems gig if he can keep up this form though !
Backing Parish 2.2% of teams
Unfortunate last week with 34 disposals for only 82 points.
Merrett seems to be the one that will be copping the tag
Yeah Nato Parish is such a hard one for me.
He certainly has a ceiling but there’s a heap going on with him atm.
My thought are..
What does him being in his contract year mean ?
You would think he pulls out all stops to impress and get a big deal, But…
If he still hasn’t signed mid year and The Bombers wont make finals, will they push him forward and give a young mid a run. If It looks like he is leaving why give him that midfield time ?
Parish could certainly nuts in the next month as he doesn’t mind a medal to two. I just worry about what may happen longer term this year.
He is already in the team, so I can always sideways trade considering the amount of trades we have.
Definitely a good point you’ve raised, so I better hope he goes big in the next couple of months and Essendon is more of a finals team as Wighty wants 😉
What’s happened to Andrew Brayshaw @Freo Tragic .
Even against Injury depleted Eagles he struggled .
Lost patience so think he makes way this week to LDU
I’m looking at the same trade. Gave him an extra week because of other corrective trades and thought he could turn it around vs Eagles in a derby, but at this point I’m losing too much ground from my supposed M2.
Hey P Buzz.
It’s really hard to say. All the Freo Midfielders have looked down this year. He seems to be waiting more outside the stoppage and getting less contested ball. maybe they’re trying something different with Jaeger now there. His Fantasy scores have been solid so he is finding the ball. It just looks like his DE and contested numbers are down. LDU looks fire this year so I wouldn’t talk you out of making that trade.
I think they’re missing Mundy on field leadership. Having someone in the stoppage that has seen it all before and can just go this is how we need to adjust mid quarter is big with the lack of runners on the field these days.
Thanks FT
Other play is J Kelly as POD but LDU represents value if he gets up
Any thoughts on Matt Flynn as a trade in for Dcam ft?
Hey Tom.
Flynn has been playing and scoring quite well. My worry is he the still the number one ruck when Pruess is fit ? GWS don’t usually play two rucks is I worry he may get dropped or rested at some stage.
If you don’t want to spend up on a Ruck maybe look at Grundy for a month and ride his price rises. Or you could consider old man Goldstein. He is solo rucking at the moment and still putting up decent numbers.