Superlative: Rate My SuperCoach 2010 v1

Now that the SuperCoach competition has opened, let’s take a look at some typical fan-made squads.

I probably haven’t done enough of this in years past. I have a particular way of rating Dream Teams and SuperCoach squads, which starts with a perfect 10/10 and lops points off for bad players, bad structures and overall mediocrity. I give out very few 10s, especially early doors.

(There is an AFL Dream Team version of this post.)

Let’s rip right into it with three teams from the Rate My SuperCoach forum on this very site. plugger36’s squad is first under the microscope with $1,300 in cash left over:

Luke Hodge, Sam Fisher, Andrew Carrazzo, Corey Enright, Tadhg Kennelly, Marcus Drum, Jackson Trengove
Matt Maguire, Jake Carlisle

Dane Swan, Bernie Vince, Brad Sewell, Shaun Burgoyne, Brent Prismall, Dustin Martin
Ryan Bastinac, Koby Stevens

Darren Jolly, Shane Mumford
Matthew Lobbe, Wayde Skipper

Ryan O’Keefe, Nick Riewoldt, Lance Franklin, Brad Johnson, Brent Harvey, Brent Staker, Phil Davis
Scott Gumbleton, James Podsiadly

Typical line and length first up, with one rookie in each position. Wait, what is Mummify doing in the rucks (-1)? Bad, bad plugger36. Never pick a #2 ruck in his own side to start as your fantasy ruck. Mumford’s numbers from last year were bloated by getting easy kicks during big Geelong wins, he’s going to have to work a lot harder for possessions at the Swans. I personally don’t like Sewell this year due to him returning to a strictly defensive role with Sam Mitchell‘s return to midfield, so I don’t think he has upside (-0.5). The forward line is too old, with Johnson, Harvey and Staker all probably on the downward slide, so I’ll dock (-1) for tending on the geriatric side. 7.5/10

Next victim…. I mean candidate is Jugganaut, who didn’t record his cash reserves.

Brendon Goddard, Brian Lake, Michael Johnson, Andrew Mackie, Harry Taylor, Nick Malceski, Daniel Talia
Phil Davis, Jake Carlisle

Gary Ablett jnr, Joel Selwood, Ryan O’Keefe, Bryce Gibbs, Rhys Palmer, Tom Scully
Anthony Morabito, Ryan Bastinac

David Hille, Robert Warnock
Jackson Trengove, Nathan Vardy

Adam Goodes, Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Jarrad Waite, Barry Hall, Kyle Reimers, Gary Rohan
Trent Dennis-Lane, James Podsiadly

Okay, maybe a few too many key position backmen but in SC that’s not so bad. Another trio of rookie starters spread over three positions, I sense a trend forming here. Eurgh… what is that smell coming from the ruck division? That is godawful. Warnock (-1) is not startable at this stage given the uncertainty over the ruck depth chart at the Cardboard Cave. Reports from the Essendon intra-club match speak of Hille (-1) swearing like a trooper (presumably from pain) with a visibly reddened knee while playing at full forward. He’s not a fantasy factor early this season as he rides the rollercoaster down, though he may be a good “buy low” target later. Similarly, Waite (-1) is unlikely to burst out of the gates even if he does play early, and he’s best left as a midseason pickup. Reimers… hmm, maybe I’ll let that one through to the keeper. Rohan (-1), though, will not play early and may not play this year at all according to coach Roos. Finally, there is no good reason for ROK to be in the centres (-0.5). 5.5/10

Last of all from the forums, we have Aidans Blues who also didn’t record his salary cap remainders.

Chris Newman, Corey Enright, Lindsay Gilbee, Luke Hodge, Tadhg Kennelly, Rick Ladson, Brad Sheppard
Lukas Markovic, Phil Davis

Bryce Gibbs, Scott Pendlebury, Bernie Vince, Brock McLean, Dustin Martin, Jack Trengove
Luke Shuey, Ryan Bastinac

Matthew Kreuzer, Aaron Sandilands
Matthew Lobbe, James Craig

Colin Sylvia, Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Kurt Tippett, Jarrad Waite, Patrick Dangerfield, Jack Ziebell
Scott Gumbleton, Luke Tapscott

Not a hell of a lot wrong with this side. Its captain options are numerous but perhaps not at the highest possible level, though maybe he’ll get lucky with his choices. This squad is a little too solid, in that a number of its keepers aren’t quite at absolute premium status and aren’t likely to get there. I still don’t like Waite (-1) and Tippett (-0.5) to start with. It’s asking a lot of Ladson and Sheppard to hold up in the first eight games or so. Otherwise, this is a side set up to win a league and not to challenge for any broom-broom cars. 8.5/10

Now let’s move to the Fanplanner and pick three teams at random from the last 50 completed teams. The first one has $57,500 left.

Simon Goodwin, Greg Broughton, Sam Fisher, Luke Hodge, Beau Waters, Matt Maguire, Jackson Trengove
Jeromey Webberley, Stewart Crameri

Gary Ablett jnr, Brendon Goddard, Ryan O’Keefe, Jobe Watson, Daniel Kerr, Jack Trengove
Dustin Martin, Michael Barlow

Dean Cox, Aaron Sandilands
Matthew Lobbe, Ayce Cordy

Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Brent Harvey, Lance Franklin, Sean Rusling, Trent Dennis-Lane, James Podsiadly
Jack Watts, Scott Gumbleton

I’m glad this team came out of my random picks because it illustrates a point where I think the mainstream of fantasy footy thought is a bit wrong-headed. Apart from playing Goddard and ROK out of position for no good reason (-0.5 and -0.5), the centres are too top-heavy which means way too many unreliable cheap and rookie options left to start in the backs and forwards. I’d rather have the likes of Martin starting than TDL or Trengove. Sure, you can look at that Ultimate Dream Team from this year’s Prospectus and how it started with four 90+ premiums and two mid-pricers, but that’s with the benefit of hindsight. Here in the real world of the present, I don’t think you need more than two 100-or-over-priced premium centres for captaincy purposes, and the rest should be mid-pricers. Under the above structure, you’re relying on the highly unstable Waters and Maguire along with a couple of kids to fill three starting spots, and similarly in the forwards with the oft-injured Rusling and too many talls for comfort. I know the mid-priced centres are a bit light on this year, but surely there is better value in moving ROK and BJ to their natural position, which is not the centre. I have to dock for starting Waters (-1), Maguire (-1), Rusling (-1) and Podsiadly (-1). 5/10

Brendon Goddard, Corey Enright, Shannon Hurn, Nick Maxwell, Luke Hodge, Nick Suban, Levi Greenwood
Phil Davis, Jeromey Webberley

Joel Selwood, Brett Deledio, David Armitage, Callan Ward, Jack Trengove, Dustin Martin
Jake Melksham, Ryan Bastinac

Matthew Kreuzer, Shane Mumford
Robert Warnock, Matthew Lobbe

Nick Riewoldt, Shaun Higgins, Mark LeCras, Kurt Tippett, Patrick Dangerfield, Jack Ziebell, Chris Yarran
David Astbury, Luke Tapscott

No, I still don’t like The Mummy (-1) in there and a slightly more expensive premium as prime captain would be handy (-0.5). This side has some interesting uniques though, so I like it on the whole. LeCras and Yarran… hmm. Not sure about them. Worth a shot though. I am sure some people will see Maxwell in there and expect me to arc up about it, but he’s fairly solid as a back keeper in SC. 8.5/10

Last but not least, this one has $24,000 in the bank.

Brendon Goddard, Corey Enright, Tadhg Kennelly, Colin Garland, Rick Ladson, Josh Hunt, Brad Sheppard
Mitch Farmer, Jackson Trengove

Gary Ablett jnr, Bryce Gibbs, Chance Bateman, Bradd Dalziell, Rhys Palmer, Jack Trengove
Dustin Martin, Ryan Bastinac

Darren Jolly, Matthew Kreuzer
Robert Warnock, Matthew Lobbe

Adam Goodes, Nick Riewoldt, Shaun Higgins, Brent Harvey, Cyril Rioli, Barry Hall, Austin Wonaeamirri
Phil Davis, Trent Dennis-Lane

I don’t expect Wona (-1) to play early. Other than that there’s a lot to recommend this sort of side. The NAB Cup AFL Record, via their anonymous expert Mr Fantasy, is a big supporter of Garland (-0.5) for some reason. I can’t see it myself. Sure, he scored well in his one game last year before getting injured and he’s got a generous 40% discount, but his 2008 was terrible for fantasy purposes with full TOG. I suppose if Jack Grimes is going to move into midfield then someone needs to take up the slack, but is it going to be a tall? Big call based on one game. Along with Bateman (-0.5) there are still some non-premium players whose upside I would question. 8/10