Will it be doom and gloom for the Blues this season? Or will these players inspire the Blues and could they inspire your SuperCoach team too?
Blue Chip Investment
Sam Docherty – DEF – $591,600 – Player Ownership: 22.9%
Yes, he’s expensive and he may even lose money to start the season but the question you have to ask yourself is if you are going for the best overall rank possible, can you afford not to start him? The ball is going to be spending a lot of time down that end of the ground and Docherty will usually be the first link in Carlton’s chains from defence too attack. Two decent scores in the two JLT games he has played eased my concerns and he will be one of the first picked in my team.
JLT SC scores: 95, DNP, 116
Mid Price Potential
Marc Murphy – MID – $432,500 – Player Ownership: 8.9%
After practically missing the second half of last season with concussion it was good to see the Carlton captain back out on the field in two of the three JLT games. Murphy has never been this cheap since 2007, his third season of footy, and up until last season had averaged 100+ every year. There is not much risk if named Round 1, as he will definitely increase in price but will he be top 10 by the end of the season?
JLT SC scores: 74, DNP, 64
Point of Difference
Patrick Cripps – MID – $585,500 – Player Ownership: 5.1%
Cripps is a future star of the competition and could catapult himself into SuperCoach stardom this season. A pre-season injury has slowed down his preparations for Round 1 but in his last 5 games of the season last year, Cripps averaged a ridiculous 130 and scored more than 100 in the last 8 games. Low scores in JLT will put people off but he didn’t spend a whole lot time on the ground. A decent POD for your midfield.
JLT SC scores: DNP, 41, 69
Rookie
Jarrod Pickett – MID/FWD – $123,900 – Player Ownership: 45.3%
A highly touted youngster who was drafted Number 4 overall in the 2014 AFL Draft but has yet to make his AFL debut looks a likely type for almost all SuperCoachers. There will be plenty of opportunities down at Ikon Park and, barring injury, I can see him playing all 22 games. A definite cash cow from Round 1.
JLT SC scores: 26, 41, 86
Stay Away
Billie Smedts – MID/FWD – $217,100 – Player Ownership: 5.9%
After a number of disappointing years at Geelong, Smedts made the move to Carlton in the offseason and will be hoping for a new start. Having never averaged more than 53 in a year, I think that says everything about whether or not you should pick him.
JLT SC scores: 45, 67, 67
