AFL EASTER SUNDAY $30,000+ CONTEST
Hopefully the Easter Bunny was good to you but if not, well, this lineup could go all the way!
It’s a tricky two-game slate with plenty of premium plays but a dearth of value options available which means nailing your value will be absolutely crucial today.
Plenty of the field will go to the Crows in a big milestone match against the Suns who they have thrashed for years, but 2019 is a new season and the Suns key defence should ensure that game stays pretty close – I’m targeting the value about at Marvel instead.
Here is my team you can consider using, or building around, for Sunday’s $30,000 contest.
FORWARD
Charlie Curnow ($9,000):His average looks, well, average, but a last-start 95pts shows what he is capable of. That is not even his ceiling. Can break the ton here in a free-flowing game against an undersized Bulldogs key defence which is unlikely to follow him up the ground too far.
Tory Dickson ($7,790):Looking at that 100pt game two starts ago and thinking that Dicko can repeat that here against a side who clearly displayed zero desire to cover the leading forward. Carlton love to sweat on the long bomb but that’s not how the Dogs deliver it and Dickson could very well be the beneficiary. Does have a low floor so he carries a risk, but the 10x value game is certainly there as well.
MIDFIELD
Rory Sloane ($14,860):Will be the forgotten man today with Gibbs coming back in and having burnt coaches badly last week (myself included) with a woeful 77pts. That and a Touk Miller tag should keep Sloanes ownership to single digits. Every reason to jump off so i’m going straight back. Crows must win, at home, in two big milestones.
Sam Walsh ($13,870):Likewise Walsh should be pretty low-owned given his ever-increasing price tag. People still see him as that rookie first year kid but he is already the Blues second best player and more importantly for us, his tackles are starting to creep up. 28 disposals, 6 marks and 6 tackles is pretty close to the complete midfield game. Go again Sammy!
Will Brodie ($9,530):My POD play for the day, or one of them anyway. Brodie comes back in for Miles and will get bulk onball minutes here. This kid could be anything. Awkwardly priced at just under 10k, coaches will see his price tag and be reluctant to back him in for a 100pt+ game so again his ownership should be great. Averaged 19 disposals and 4 tackles last season and I expect an improvement on those stats in a game where he will know that a poor showing means another month of NEAFL.
Will Hayes ($5,000):The free-square of the contest for anyone paying attention. Won Footscray’s B&F last season averaging 26 disposals and 6 tackles. Absolute moral for a 12-14x value game.
DEFENDERS
Rory Laird ($14,540):We’ve paid up here so hopefully it pays off. Laird loves the Suns averaging 112pts in his last 4 games against them. I’ll take that here but expect he has a big 125+ game today as 50,000 screaming South Australians demand a big bounce back by their team.
Hayden Crozier ($11,510): No suckers, no Duryea – time to fire up our Crozier. The field will go to JJ and he is a fine play as well, but he can burn out of games very easily whereas Crozier powers through them when he is on. Like him for a 10x value game here at great ownership.
RUCK
Jarrod Witts ($13,840): Must play the big man today, against a rookie ruckman for the Crows who has no real backup with Jenkins missing, Witts will own the middle out there on his way to 50 hitouts. Add a few tackles and he has 60-70pts before he grabs hold of a footy. He may not come near the price tag but he should beat his next ruck opponent by 30+.
THE LINE-UP
FWD: Charlie Curnow ($9,000)
FWD: Tory Dickson ($7,790)
MID: Rory Sloane ($14,860)
MID: Sam Walsh ($13,870)
MID: Will Brodie ($9,530)
MID: Will Hayes ($5,000)
DEF: Rory Laird ($14,540)
DEF: Hayden Crozier ($11,510)
RK: Jarrod Witts ($13,840)
AFL SCORING SYSTEM
Kick = 3 points
Mark = 3 points
Handball = 2 points
Goal = 6 points
Behind = 1 point
Tackle = 4 points
Free Kick For = 1 point
Free Kick Against = -3 points
Hitout = 1 point
AFL