Each week I’ll bring you some names to consider for your Ultimate Footy side that will hopefully give you the edge you need. To be eligible, a player needs to be available as a free agent in at least 30% of Ultimate Footy leagues.

A short one this week as coaches seem to be getting better at finding these diamonds in the rough pushing their ownership up! A DPP at a top club who is yet to play this year gets a mention and so does a slimmed down Bomber whose centre bounce numbers will surprise you.

Embed from Getty Images

Defenders

Liam Baker – Richmond
% owned – 68%
2021 average – 67.7

If you forget about the round 1 performance against the Blues (a 25 from 78% game time), Baker has been quietly putting together a reasonable season at Tiger land. Just shy of 50 games, Baker has well and truly locked down a spot in this strong Richmond side having only missed one game last year and playing every game so far in 2021. He stood up in a tough loss on the weekend recording a career best 27 disposals and an impressive 7 marks in the wet. Averaging 93 in his last two, Baker should only get better from here.

Become a Patron! Embed from Getty Images

Midfield

Marc Murphy – Carlton
% owned – 69%
2021 average – 69

This is a stretch but the absence of any other solid midfield options means I have had to get creative. Now in his football twilight years, Carlton’s former captain is down on his career averages across the board playing in an unfamiliar role forward of the centre. He hasn’t quite taken to the role just yet but at least in recent weeks has started hitting the scoreboard to help boost his fantasy scoring.

A couple of 80’s in the last few weeks isn’t much to get excited about as a midfield option but, there is a chance he will receive forward status in the upcoming DPP changes. The other bit of upside is the fact that Carlton are struggling in the win/loss column, and the masses are getting restless. The Blues may not persist with this forward line experiment for the whole season which would see Murphy back into a midfield/wing role which would almost certainly help his scoring.

Embed from Getty Images

Forward

Sam Powell-Pepper
% owned – 66%
2021 average – yet to play

This is year 5 for Port Adelaide’s young midfield bull and after 4 seasons of averages in the 70’s, many have been wondering if this is the year Powell-Pepper will add 10-15 points to his scoring average. A broken hand and some time away from the club has meant SPP is yet to feature in the senior side this season and we aren’t any closer to knowing if this will be a breakout year. He has been back at the club for a few weeks now and dominated in the SANFL on the weekend with a 34 disposal, 8 tackle performance. If he gets named this week, his dual position status as a MID/FWD makes him worth a punt.

Jake Stringer – Essendon
% owned – 64%
2021 average – 67.5

Despite having an injury interrupted pre-season that saw him miss the first two rounds, Stringer has been reasonably consistent this season. Apart from a stinker in wet conditions in a big loss to Brisbane, he has scored 70s in every other game.

The former Bulldog slimmed down in the off season to allow him to play more midfield minutes and this has come into fruition as he has attended 72 out of a possible 95 centre bounces this season (minus the Brisbane game). In fact, he attended more centre bounces than any other Bomber on Anzac Day and this, combined with his known prowess in front of goals, makes him a very interesting watch.