Well, if I'm being honest, last week's edition of the Podfather was riddled with bad luck. Only one of the listed players scored above 100, with most having a poor game. Still, we push on. PODs are risky for a reason.
This week, we'll be seeing a couple of players return from the first edition. Players that have performed pretty well in the last few weeks and can still play a part in our seasons, no matter what you're aiming for. With news of a shock retirement out west, which will no doubt be pane-ful for the Eagles, we may start to see some key forwards featuring here in the next few weeks.

Stefan Martin (BL) - Ruc/Fwd - $242,700 - 112 - 1.57%
Playing his first game of the season, Martin was impressive against Will Minson, recording 32 hitouts, 17 possessions and 4 tackles. He loves playing as a ruckman and relishes the opportunity to play as the main man. In 2011, he averaged 85.9SC over the season's entirety however this increased to 94.93SC in matches he recorded 10 or more hitouts. I think it's unlikely the Lions will risk playing Archie Smith, leaving Martin as the only fit ruckman on the list. As a result, it's not unfair to expect an average pushing 90 until Leuenberger returns. His DPP status makes him a good trade-in option as cover for Sandilands if you have Thurlow as your R3/R4. Chuck him up forward or in the ruck. He'll do the job.

Rory Sloane (Adel) - Mid - $553,300 - 111.55 - 3.22%
Sloane is one of the most consistent SC performers this season. Having scored below 100 just once and with a top score of 136, he has locked himself into the premium category of midfielders. Yet he is still owned by only 3.22% of people. Halfway through the season, he has outscored teammate Patrick Dangerfield; a feat not many would've picked at the start of the season. He doesn't rack up huge numbers, but his enormous work ethic and gut running ability has him in the thick of the action more often than not. Would be up there in Adelaide's best and fairest at the moment. While there are more appealing names that are cheaper than Rory, there aren't many more consistent players in the game.

Kieran Jack (Syd) - Mid - $587,200 - 110.10 - 3.25%
It's unbelievable to think that pretty much no one has been talking about Kieran Jack. With Sloane, at least people have started to recognise him in SC circles in the past couple of weeks. The captain of the dominating Swans, Jack seems to be playing more forward this season. It hasn't hurt his scoring ability though, not going below 110 since round 4. With JPK and Hannebery receiving a lot of attention, Jack has enjoyed quietly going about his business, averaging more marks and goal assists than he ever has. As long as Sydney keep getting the job done, expect the captain to lead from the front. We only condone sideways trades when premiums are injured. Perfect replacement for Jobe Watson.

Mathew Stokes (Geel) - Mid - $519,700 - 105.30 - 0.81%
Stokes featured in the first edition of the Podfather and gets another gig this round. Since then, he has gone down $200 and averaged 106. Stokes is an underrated part of the Geelong midfield with his run and possession gathering ability having an impact on the players around him. He finally got back on the scoreboard against Carlton, kicking 3 goals on top of his 3 goals assists and 22 possessions (134SC points). Chris Scott loves having Stokes playing and it's highly unlikely he'll be rested during the season. While he is around the same price as Steve Johnson now, I believe he can still be a valid choice if you want a consistent performer with a low-ish ceiling rather than an inconsistent player, like his counterpart. Maybe a little pricey but will maintain his average for the rest of the year.

David Zaharakis (Ess) - Mid - $469,300 - 86.73 - 2.65%
Finally, we've seen some good form from Essendon's cult hero. Having started the season off poorly, Zaharakis is up to an average of around 124 from his last 3 matches. He's hitting the scoreboard, running hard around the ground and racking up the possessions while also recording tackles; a perfect mix for SuperCoach. Contrary to what some of the TS community may believe, he isn't featured here as a way of chasing points. No, I believe his relevance has just skyrocketed with news Jobe Watson is out for 3 months. This means there'll be more pressure on Zaharakis to lead from the front and get involved in a lot of midfield work. The taggers will go to Goddard, Heppell or Stanton meaning he almost has a free run over the next few weeks. Really cheap for the output he can produce.

Andrew Walker (Carl) - Def - $470,100 - 88.56 - 6.53%
When looking at PODs, you want to be getting in players that can outscore others in their positions. Walker started the season as the equal most expensive defender and has responded poorly. I feel, however, that the match against Geelong was a turning point. His efficiency was a little scratchy, but I saw enough run and carry to suggest he is back to somewhere near his best. While Carlton lost, he was able to have an impact and begin many a scoring chain. Teammate Kade Simpson has clearly been the star for the Blues, but Walker is over $100k cheaper than he was at round 1 and can produce similar output. He's the man if you need to fill in your D6 position. Affordable and should average 95 from here on in.

Jack Grimes (Melb) - Def/Mid - $320,000 - 73.3 - 4.18%
What has happened to Jack Grimes? He has been playing almost exclusively in the defensive 50, seemingly in a lock-down sort of role. While Paul Roos has been magnificent for Melbourne, Grimes' SC scores are suffering as a result. There were promising signs in the opening quarter and a half on Queen's Birthday, but he faded dramatically and finished with just 73SC. Still, he has scored 80+ in five of his matches thus far. While it's not necessarily enough to warrant a spot in our starting line-up, I think $320k for a guy that has a history of being able to score pretty well is great for a bench spot. He can be used as a solid loophole option. If you still have McDonald, Langdon, Langford or Kolodjashnij on the bench, you could downgrade them to Grimes. Need considerable guts.

That's all for this edition of the Podfather. If you have any comments, other players to consider or you yourselves are considering/have considered any players featured, chuck them down below.

Best of luck this week and we'll see you in time for next round.