With each AFL Fantasy team price reveal, Peter from aflratings.com.au takes a look at five potential targets from each club. Click here to read Calvin’s look at the Crows over on AFL.com.au.
Sam Jacobs RUCK $533K
If you are looking for durability and a lower cost option to the big money Rucks then Jacobs could fit your roster very nicely, depending on your Ruck roster strategy this season you could focus your trades in other areas other than the Ruck position in 2016 by selecting the big Crow Ruckman. Jacobs has missed just 2 games in the last 4 years whilst averaging 96.4pts last season and 97.1pts in 2014, he exceeded 100pts or more in 11 games last year with 2 exceeding 120pts or more. Looking back at the 2014 season Jacobs exceeded 100pts or more in 15 games with just 2 exceeding 120pts or more, getting to 100pts doesn’t seem to be an area of concern for Jacobs but converting only 4 games of 26 in to 120pts or more is something to be aware of. With the elimination of the sub rule and reduced interchanges in 2016 does provide the possibility for Jacobs to improve his scoring and break the 100pt average for the first time in his career, given his excellent job security and a good healthy status your return on investment could work out quite nicely at the end of the season.
Scott Thompson MID $538K
Thompson is entering his 16th AFL season and is likely to be a unique option given his age and a hefty price tag that places him in amongst the premium options to begin the season, he has missed 3 games in each of the last 2 years but generally has been very durable over the entirety of his career. Thompson began his 2015 campaign scoring 100pts or more in 7 of his opening 10 games finishing with a 97.3 average for the season, given the absence of Dangerfield his output should not diminish in 2016. Keep an eye on any injury news over the summer for Thompson, if he is fit going in to Round 1 then consider him as an option for your midfield.
Rory Sloane MID $527K
The question for AFL Fantasy coaches regarding Sloane is what impact will Dangerfield leaving have on the star midfielder, there are arguments either way such as he will be first tagged or more responsibility and opportunity in various roles therefore more points. But one of the certainties is that Sloane has copped a double whammy with a premium co-midfielder departing and a new head coach which makes his AFL Fantasy score more uncertain, last year he began averaging 119.7pts from his first 3 games and 116.0pts from his final 4 games with quite a bit of junk in the middle averaging just 77.8pts from the remainder of his interrupted season. Selecting Sloane is one of the risker decisions to be made in 2016, but given that he will be a unique option it could pay off handsomely with a great point of difference if he exceeds over a 100pt average.
Rory Laird DEF $489K
Laird was one of the few good Defender stories of the 2015 season, in just his third AFL season he averaged a career high 88.3pts. Laird finished the 2015 season strongly averaging 94.6pts from his final 9 games, 7 of his 21 games exceeded 100pts or more (Heath Shaw finished with 8) with a season high 123pts in Round 20 vs Essendon. Finding quality Defender options will be one of the tougher decisions facing AFL Fantasy coaches in the pre-season, given what we know about Laird in his short career he could be one of the less risky options to set up your backline at Round 1.
Brad Crouch MID $415K
Crouch was likely to be a popular starting option for many AFL Fantasy coaches to begin last year prior to injuring his foot and completely wiping out his 2016 season, he began his career averaging 92.1pts in 2013 & 92.5pts in 2014 and looks a very solid option as an under-priced midfielder that given a healthy status could break through the 100pt average this year. Crouch has only played 25 AFL games limiting our knowledge on what he can deliver, but when you consider that only 5 of those games fell short of 20 Disposals and 12 games exceeded 25 Disposals or more it makes you more aware that he can definitely find the ball at AFL level. Despite missing last year Crouch will again be a popular option in the pre-season, if all is good news surrounding his fitness then he is a must play at Round 1.
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First Name
Surname
Club
Position
Games
Average
Price
Scott
Thompson
Adelaide
MID
19
97.26
$538000
Sam
Jacobs
Adelaide
RUC
21
96.38
$533000
Rory
Sloane
Adelaide
MID
16
95.19
$527000
Tom
Lynch
Adelaide
FWD
21
88.71
$491000
Rory
Laird
Adelaide
DEF
21
88.29
$489000
Richard
Douglas
Adelaide
MID
14
82.86
$459000
Taylor
Walker
Adelaide
FWD
21
82.1
$454000
Matthew
Jaensch
Adelaide
DEF
7
89.14
$449000
Eddie
Betts
Adelaide
FWD
21
76.048
$421000
Brad
Crouch
Adelaide
MID
$415000
Ricky
Henderson
Adelaide
DEF/MID
15
74.27
$411000
Matt
Crouch
Adelaide
MID
15
71.53
$396000
Brodie
Smith
Adelaide
DEF/MID
19
70.74
$391000
Mitch
Grigg
Adelaide
FWD/MID
6
78.17
$381000
Nathan
Van Berlo
Adelaide
DEF/MID
18
68.06
$377000
Cam
Ellis-Yolmen
Adelaide
MID
11
68
$376000
Josh
Jenkins
Adelaide
FWD
19
67.89
$376000
Kyle
Cheney
Adelaide
DEF
10
63.7
$353000
Paul
Seedsman
Adelaide
DEF/MID
12
63.75
$353000
David
Mackay
Adelaide
MID
18
60.06
$332000
Jake
Lever
Adelaide
DEF
12
54.17
$300000
Charlie
Cameron
Adelaide
FWD
20
53.85
$298000
Riley
Knight
Adelaide
FWD
9
53.22
$286000
Jake
Kelly
Adelaide
DEF
10
49.8
$276000
Luke
Brown
Adelaide
DEF
21
48.81
$270000
Rory
Atkins
Adelaide
MID
7
52.57
$265000
Troy
Menzel
Adelaide
FWD
14
47
$260000
Daniel
Talia
Adelaide
DEF
20
44.9
$248000
Jarryd
Lyons
Adelaide
FWD/MID
12
44.67
$247000
Curtly
Hampton
Adelaide
DEF
5
48.2
$227000
Kyle
Hartigan
Adelaide
DEF
16
38.88
$215000
Andy
Otten
Adelaide
DEF
$205000
Wayne
Milera
Adelaide
FWD
$199000
Tom
Doedee
Adelaide
DEF
$177000
Sam
Shaw
Adelaide
DEF
2
38.5
$162000
Alex
Keath
Adelaide
DEF
$125000
Dean
Gore
Adelaide
MID
$125000
Harrison
Wigg
Adelaide
DEF
$125000
Harry
Dear
Adelaide
FWD
$125000
Hugh
Greenwood
Adelaide
FWD/MID
$125000
Jonathon
Beech
Adelaide
FWD/MID
$125000
Keenan
Ramsey
Adelaide
FWD
$125000
Luke
Lowden
Adelaide
RUC/FWD
$125000
Mitch
McGovern
Adelaide
FWD
$125000
Paul
Hunter
Adelaide
RUC
$125000
Discuss any of the Crows’ prices, positions and prospects in the comments below.