Koop 2021

[Koop]

Back to SC after a year off, picked a fair few POD's in a last-day team and worked through team announcements so my rookies are cooked, but off to an alright start. Felt given what happened in 2020 this was the year to trust my gut a bit more with picks.

Round 1 Score: 2'099
Round 1 Rank: 5'939
Overall Rank: 5'939

DEF: Rory Laird, Tom Stewart, Jayden Short, Lachie Sholl, Jordan Clark, Tom Highmore (Jacob Koschitzke, Kieren Briggs)
MID: Lachie Neale, Nat Fyfe, Matt Rowell, Tim Taranto, James Rowbottom, Willem Drew, Tom Powell, Errol Gulden (Braeden Campbell, Connor Downie, Tanner Bruhn)
RUC: Max Gawn (c), Paul Hunter (Matt Flynn)
FWD: Josh Dunkley, Dustin Martin (vc), Zak Butters, Tom Phillips, Jack Ziebell, Paddy Dow (Anthony Scott, Alec Waterman)

Cash Remaining: $78'900

Good/Bad

So as you can see, 3 major bad decisions/luck spots:

-Trusting Gawn when I had the loop option for Dusty
-Rowell getting injured
-Playing Hunter over Flynn

What a round it could've been, eh?  ::)

On the bright side, my POD's performed as expected. Expecting Rowbottom to make the jump to premium status this year leading that Swans midfield, while Sholl and Drew scored very well for their price-point. Not worried about Neale yet.

Trades

Waterman > Rowe
Rowell > Walsh/McGrath (or Stepho via Dusty, I haven't fully settled yet, I loved Stepho's role/game yesterday and genuinely think he'll be there at the pointy end of the season)

[Koop]

Round 2 Score: 2'232
Round 2 Rank: 13'507
Overall Rank: 5'225 (+714)

Good: Butters, Laird, Short, Gawn, Gulden (on field), Campbell (on field), Dunkley, Martin, Walsh
Bad: T.Phillips, Neale, Fyfe (inj), Sholl

Stroke of luck with Rowbottom's injury forcing me to field Campbell when I otherwise wouldn't have. Not too many low points this week. Fyfe will (hopefully) swap out for Rowbottom on the bench. While the early indication is I may have picked wrong in the mid-price defender stakes. Markov was a serious consideration leading into the season, and has started very well.

I'm not worried about Neale quite yet, Phillips though looks like he needs to go. Moreso due to the amount of cheaper forward options who are going to make a LOT of cash.

Probably looking at doing

Downie > Jordon
Phillips > T.Walker

With a slight rejig, team would look like the following

D: R. Laird, T. Stewart, J. Short, L. Sholl, J. Clark, T. Highmore (J. Koschitzke, K. Briggs)
M: L. Neale, S. Walsh, T. Taranto, J. Rowbottom, W. Drew, T. Powell, E. Gulden, J. Jordon (N. Fyfe, T. Bruhn, A.Scott)
R: M. Gawn, K. Briggs (P. Hunter)
F: J. Dunkley, D. Martin, Z. Butters, T. Walker, J.Ziebell, B. Campbell (P. Dow, J. Rowe)

Would mean that Warner is probably the only obvious rookie I'm missing. The temptation is there to bypass Walker and go straight down, but unsure. Team obviously isn't as top-heavy as some others, but I like how balanced it looks.

[Mat0369]

Rowbottom is out injured again. He is an awkward price and injured, I'd personally look at dumping him. I'd keep Phillips for the week and turn Rowbottom into Walker instead.