Well Grand Final week is upon us. General soreness (well actually “rested”) has struck down a lot of Hawks. This is a bit of a pity for Buddy owners who may have been tempted to take a punt on him against the Suns. The stats below point to one player standing out as the best choice for giving the captain’s gig to this week …
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Ablett v. Hawthorn

Rd 13 2011: 144 SuperCoach points, 34 disposals
Rd 15 2010: 79 SuperCoach points, 32 disposals
Rd 2 2010: 128 SuperCoach points, 38 disposals
Rd 17 2009: 139 SuperCoach points, 33 disposals
Rd 1 2009: 162 SuperCoach points, 35 disposals
GF 2008: 141 SuperCoach points, 34 disposals
Rd 4 2007: 113 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals

Average is 129 SuperCoach points with 32 disposals.

Note: Great record against the Hawks. Should have a good game this week without Sewell to tag him. May cop the Chance Bateman tag instead in the depleted Hawthorn lineup. In solid form recently averaging 136 over his past four games (125, 145, 134, 138).

Pendlebury v. Geelong

Rd 8 2011: 109 SuperCoach points, 20 disposals
PF 2010: 126 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 19 2010: 110 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 9 2010: 96 SuperCoach points, 18 disposals
Rd 3 2009: 95 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals
Rd 9 2008: 141 SuperCoach points, 26 disposals
PF 2007: 55 SuperCoach points, 13 disposals
Rd 15 2007: 90 SuperCoach points, 20 disposals

Average is 103 SuperCoach points with 21 disposals.

Note: Not a great record against the Cats with only one big score back in 2008. Everyone expected him to be rested at some point late in the season so there might be a question mark over whether he plays the entire game on the ball. Bounced back with a huge 154 last week which followed two below par scores of 108 and 102.

Swan v. Geelong

Rd 8 2011: 98 SuperCoach points, 30 disposals
PF 2010: 159 SuperCoach points, 33 disposals
Rd 19 2010: 131 SuperCoach points, 32 disposals
Rd 9 2010: 106 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals
PF 2009: 79 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals
Rd 3 2009: 116 SuperCoach points, 30 disposals
Rd 9 2008: 109 SuperCoach points, 29 disposals
PF 2007: 80 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals
Rd 15 2007: 67 SuperCoach points, 16 disposals

Average is 105 SuperCoach points with 26 disposals.

Note: Like Pendlebury, not the best record against the Cats. Scored a huge 159 in the Preliminary Final last year but there are also a few low scores in his totals. In fantastic recent form with 126, 132, 156, 136 and 176 in his five most recent games at an average of 145.

Selwood v. Collingwood

Rd 8 2011: 153 SuperCoach points, 29 disposals
PF 2010: 83 SuperCoach points, 21 disposals
Rd 19 2010: 94 SuperCoach points, 23 disposals
Rd 9 2010: 83 SuperCoach points, 27 disposals
PF 2009: 108 SuperCoach points, 29 disposals
Rd 3 2009: 101 SuperCoach points, 26 disposals
Rd 9 2008: 68 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals
PF 2007: 46 SuperCoach points, 15 disposals
Rd 15 2007: 115 SuperCoach points, 23 disposals

Average is 95 SuperCoach points with 23 disposals.

Note: Poor record against the Pies with a big score earlier this season. Has failed to hit the ton in five of the nine games. Has not been in the best recent form with scores of 105 and 87. Prior to those games he scored 145 and 155.

Dal Santo v. Carlton

Rd 7 2011: 117 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 7 2010: 46 SuperCoach points, 12 disposals
Rd 12 2009: 135 SuperCoach points, 34 disposals
Rd 15 2008: 114 SuperCoach points, 20 disposals
Rd 2 2008: 91 SuperCoach points, 21 disposals
Rd 17 2007: 110 SuperCoach points, 26 disposals
Rd 6 2007: 178 SuperCoach points, 30 disposals

Average is 113 SuperCoach points with 24 disposals.

Note: Huge score back in 2007. Terrible score in Rd 7 2010 when he was tagged out of the game by Carazzo. Solid average against the Blues. Has not been in the best recent form with scores of 115, 97 and 100 (but he had averaged 148 in the seven games prior to that).

Goddard v. Carlton

Rd 7 2011: 86 SuperCoach points, 16 disposals
Rd 7 2010: 117 SuperCoach points, 26 disposals
Rd 12 2009: 129 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals
Rd 15 2008: 64 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 6 2007: 76 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals

Average is 94 SuperCoach points with 22 disposals.

Note: Poor record against the Blues. Two scores over 100 and three poor scores below. Finding late form in the season with recent scores of 135, 122, 87 and 100.

Judd v. St Kilda

Rd 7 2011: 99 SuperCoach points, 27 disposals
Rd 7 2010: 106 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 12 2009: 99 SuperCoach points, 20 disposals
Rd 15 2008: 120 SuperCoach points, 30 disposals
Rd 2 2008: 71 SuperCoach points, 19 disposals
Rd 21 2007: 31 SuperCoach points, 10 disposals

Average is 88 SuperCoach points with 22 disposals.

Note: Terrible record against the Saints. Poor score in 2007 was when he played injured with groin injury. Spent the fourth quarter on the bench. Shocking most recent game this season (prior to the bye) of 69. This followed scores of 125, 163, 88 and 197.

Murphy v. St Kilda

Rd 7 2011: 90 SuperCoach points, 24 disposals
Rd 7 2010: 75 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals
Rd 12 2009: 105 SuperCoach points, 16 disposals
Rd 15 2008: 45 SuperCoach points, 15 disposals
Rd 2 2008: 142 SuperCoach points, 23 disposals
Rd 17 2007: 68 SuperCoach points, 14 disposals
Rd 6 2007: 63 SuperCoach points, 12 disposals

Average is 84 SuperCoach points with 17 disposals.

Note: Like Judd, a terrible average against the Saints. Consistent but not spectacular recent form with scores of 112, 118 and 110.

Cox v. Adelaide

Rd 12 2011: 114 SuperCoach points, 14 disposals, 35 hitouts
Rd 15 2010: 101 SuperCoach points, 23 disposals, 23 hitouts
Rd 9 2008: 83 SuperCoach points, 12 disposals, 19 hitouts
Rd 2 2008: 146 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals, 35 hitouts
Rd 13 2007: 134 SuperCoach points, 25 disposals, 28 hitouts

Average is 116 SuperCoach points with 20 disposals and 28 hitouts.

Note: Solid record against the Crows. Only one score below 100 back in 2008. Scored a poor 49 in his most recent game which followed scores of 107, 124 and 78.

Sandilands v. Western Bulldogs

Rd 5 2011: 122 SuperCoach points, 19 disposals, 53 hitouts
Rd 17 2010: 45 SuperCoach points, 8 disposals, 29 hitouts
Rd 18 2009: 95 SuperCoach points, 15 disposals, 26 hitouts
Rd 1 2009: 93 SuperCoach points, 18 disposals, 25 hitouts
Rd 8 2008: 98 SuperCoach points, 17 disposals, 42 hitouts
Rd 12 2007: 98 SuperCoach points, 14 disposals, 25 hitouts

Average is 92 SuperCoach points with 15 disposals and 33 hitouts.

Note: One good score against the Bulldogs which was his only score above 100. Five scores below 100 is a bit worrying. Playing with a decimated Dockers lineup. He is finding form after returning from injury with 124 last week which followed scores of 109 and 94.


My opinion: The stats clearly point to Ablett. I would stay clear of the Collingwood and Geelong players because I would expect a close contest with no player getting a big slice of the Supercoach pie. This seems to be confirmed by the relatively low averages by both Collingwood and Geelong players when the teams play against each other. For the same reason, I am a bit wary of Carlton and St Kilda players who will be matched up against each other.

In my opinion, Ablett is the clear choice. Following Ablett I would pick Mitchell (who should have the ball on a string against the Suns) followed by Dal Santo, Swan and then Pendlebury.

Good luck to all!!