UltimateFooty: Round 3 Positional Changes

After rounds 3, 6 & 9 the drafting format of Ultimate Footy awards additional player positions to players that have had a role change in season. As always players are required to have played a minimum of 3 games to be eligible and to be playing the new position as their primary role in the side.

In total 8 players have gained an additional position, five players have gained back status, two gaining centre, and one has picked up forward status. Let’s look at who they are and the relevance to your draft sides and leagues.

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Jack Bowes | Add Back

This is by far the most beneficial inclusion of this round of new dual position players. Jack Bowes, the former first-round pick (I know you can say that phrase for most Gold Coast player) is averaging career-high numbers. Included in that is his five rebound 50’s a game.

An average of 75 in most seasons doesn’t sound too exciting, but in shortened quarters as a backman it is healthy. If we were to rank him against other current backs, only 12 others average higher than him, and he’d be ranked 10th for total points. An 88 last week against the Crows shows he’s also got some nice ceiling about him as well.

The allocation of back status means he transitions from potentially a coaches sixth or seventh best midfielder right up to a possible top-scoring back. This is a huge win for owners!

Ben McEvoy | Add Back

Ben McEvoy has had a drastic role change and is now a key defender. Scores of 45, 39 & 43 are weak, but he’s got the potential to be a highly significant addition. For this to happen, it would require an injury or tactic change to move out Jon Ceglar and for Big Boy to move back into the ruck role. If this happens though, coaches could get a massive reward with a likely 80+ scorer knowing being backline eligible.

Should Ceglar maintain the role, he still is a valuable pick in deeper drafts our category leagues. Given he’s even given the odd centre bounce at the Hawks.

Reece Conca | Add Back

Last year Reece Conca was a staple through the Fremantle midfield core, however, under this new regime, he’s been bumped in favour for the new generation. Before his trade several years back he played an aggressive half back at Richmond and has seemed to slide right back into this role in 2020. A poor round three score of 47 will sour some coaches from selecting him. However, a 68 and 62 in the opening two rounds is a rosterable score in our backlines this year. Like other backs on this list contrast his current averages on what our existing backs are delivering, and he starts to become someone to consider.

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Brennan Cox | Add Back

The dockers are struggling with talls down back with injuries to the key defensive stocks of Joel Hamling and Alex PearceBrennan Cox has been sent down back to try and battle opposition key forwards. With just one score over 40, he’s not a waiver wire target in most leagues. However, depending on the scoring category’s you have turned on, he could be a sneaky waiver wire pick up.

Ben Long | Add Back

The crafty forward has been deployed into a new defensive focussed role for St Kilda in 2020. The correct call from UF is to award a new DPP, but he doesn’t present any relevance for coaches. Scores of 33 and 37 in the past fortnight, while might a score Lachie Whitfield owners would currently desire, are not scores coaches should be settling for on the field. Pass!

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Brett Bewley | Add Centre

The injury to Blake Acres and Stephen Hill late in the preseason opened up a role on the Dockers wing, and Brett Bewley has made the most of his opportunities with scores of 89, 57 and 59. Like any player that gains a centre DPP, it doesn’t help increase the scoring potential of your side but instead just adds to some flexibility.

Lachie Weller | Add Centre

For years the Gold Coast Suns were mocked for parting with pick two (which was used on Andrew Brayshaw) to secure the services of Lachie Weller. However, late last year and now to start 2020 he’s starting to showcase his skill and worth to the Gold Coast. Like any player that gains a centre position, it doesn’t increase any on-field points for you. What it does do, is just add some depending versatility into your squad.

Shaun Burgoyne | Add Forward

Over the past few seasons ‘silk’ has been his teams Mr FixIt around the ground, often filling a need for his club. In 2020 Shaun Burgoyne has been deployed more forward where his damaging foot skills can be used for efficient forward 50 entries. The ability to now move him between the back and forward lines just provides you with some additional security should injuries strike your team. In this role, he’ll be prone to the odd sub 50 scores, but on the right week (like in round one) a 70 as a player who’s just purely picked up for injury insurance is substantial.

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