2018 The Initial OG Draft

The Initial Draft is Finally upon us! The Snake Draft order was decided at the Sydney Rugby 7s competition as detailed in the last post. The Snake Draft means we pick 1st to 8th, then 8th to 1st, 1st to 8th and so on until we complete our full team of 23 players.

Our end team lists are below, with player orders above, and formatted teams below:

Draft Players 1-4

Draft Players 5-8

Initial OG Draft Highlights:

Best 1st Round Pick: Malcolm Marx went at number 4, on the fox sports draft last year he topped the table for average points, making him the best 1st round pick. Our system rewarded McKenzie, but given that we didn't use our scores last year his performances weren't good enough to take out the top gong. Blake built his team around this machine.
Worst 1st Round Pick: Agustín Creevy went 6th in our 2018 Draft, but ranked 147th overall by the end of the year. Averaged only 26.5 for the year, a massive 27.7 points per game less than Marx! I'm ashamed to say this was my blunder (Harrison). Needless to say his dead to me in fantasy rugby.
Biggest Balls up: Jaco Kriel went 17th this year (1st of the 3rd round). Lower than you'd normally expect, but an off season shoulder op meant he wasn't due to play until Rd 4. Sadly for Nelson he bagged the biggest balls up as Kriel reinjured his shoulder, needed ANOTHER operation missed the entire season. Surely there is a lesson in this one for Nelson... But I doubt he'll learn anything.
Value Pick (Snuck through late): Solomon Alaimalo went in the 17th round as the 133rd pick. With a 2017 average of only 18 points you could forgive us for all letting him go so late. However he finished as the 6th highest Average overall in 2018 with a monstrous 49.3pts per game. That is outrageous value from the speedster, he know doubt had a huge influence on Cargie's run to the title!
Most predictable: Damian McKenzie (who else!) On our system he has now been the top ranked player three years running. 2018 saw him as first overall pick, with an average if 53.4 points per game for his 15 games. It really is tough picking first isn't it Nelson...
Best Smokie: Damian Willemse (13th overall, 40.7 points average from 11 games). No one knew quite what to expect from the young flyhalf that only played two games in 2017, but it was still enough to get us excited that his 54.5 point 2017 average might not have been a fluke. Well for Cargie to think so anyway. He rolled the dice with the 124th overall pick, in the 16th round. Meaning he was taken as a substitute flyhalf but finished as the 2nd ranked behind only Richie Mo'unga.
Missed Opportunity: Michael Little (7th overall, 49 point average). Not even drafted in our league! You can imagine how dumb we all felt when it took us until after round 5 of Super Rugby to work out what a Fantasy Rugby legend he was! Nice pick Garry!

Average Points Value per team ranked 1-8

Looking at the full squad of 23 we found the total value of each team from 2017's stats to see who should be favourite this year.
(Note all new players were given the score of the VOLP or an average sub if they wont start games)

1st. 3rd pick Harry Tucker 712
2nd. 2nd pick Alex Pagonis 703.05
3rd. 7th pick Harrison Dale 693.7
4th. 1st pick Nelson Henry Dale 656.5
5th. 5th pick Alexander James 643.5
6th. 6th pick David Carr-Gregg 628.9
7th. 8th pick James Wylie 628.2
8th. 4th pick Blake Palmer 558.73

Our picks as per the Pick order was:

Good luck with your 2019 picks, here is our full 2018 draft order, hopefully it might give you some insight into how Rugby Union Super Nerds might draft.

#Actual Pick1Damian McKenzie (CHI)2Israel Folau (WAR)3Bernard Foley (WAR)4Malcolm Marx (LIO)5Amanaki Mafi (REB)6Agustín Creevy (JAG)7Richie Mo'unga (CRU)8Samu Kerevi (RED)9Ngani Laumape (HUR)10Waisake Naholo (HIG)11Rieko Ioane (BLU)12Ardie Savea (HUR)13Beauden Barrett (HUR)14Michael Hooper (WAR)15David Havili (CRU)16Seta Tamanivalu (CRU)17Jaco Kriel (LIO)18Brodie Retallick (CHI)19Julian Savea (HUR)20SP Marais (STO)21Rohan Janse van Rensburg (LIO)22Ben Smith (HIG)23Kwagga Smith (LIO)24Scott Higginbotham (RED)25Marika Koroibete (REB)26Allan Alaalatoa (BRU)27Akira Ioane (BLU)28Codie Taylor (CRU)29Pieter-Steph du Toit (STO)30Siya Kolisi (STO)31Andries Coetzee (LIO)32Elton Jantjies (LIO)33Dillyn Leyds (STO)34TJ Perenara (HUR)35Rob Thompson (HIG)36Isi Naisarani (BRU)37Charlie Ngatai (CHI)38Warren Whiteley (LIO)39Jack Goodhue (CRU)40Liam Coltman (HIG)41Aaron Smith (HIG)42Dane Haylett-Petty (REB)43Shaun Stevenson (CHI)44Akhito Yamada (SUN)45Kurtley Beale (WAR)46Makazole Mapimpi (SHA)47Ricky Ricciteli (HUR)48Jordie Barrett (HUR)49Augustine Pulu (BLU)50Luke Whitelock (HIG)51Jesse Kriel (BUL)52Kenki Fukuoka (SUN)53Melani Nanai (BLU)54Vaea Fifita (HUR)55Pablo Matera (JAG)56Handré Pollard (BUL)57Henry Speight (BRU)58Lionel Mapoe (LIO)59Vince Aso (HUR)60Patrick Tuipulotu (BLU)61Joaquín Tuculet (JAG)62Ross Cronje (LIO)63Sonny Bill Williams (BLU)64Franco Mostert (LIO)65Peter Samu (CRU)66Matt Todd (CRU)67Travis Ismaiel (BUL)68Jordan Taufua (CRU)69Anton Lienert-Brown (CHI)70Sam Whitelock (CRU)71Jean-Luc du Preez (SHA)72Sam Cane (CHI)73Sekope Kepu (WAR)74Brad Weber (CHI)75Taniela Tupou (RED)76Rob Valentini (BRU)77Ryan Crotty (CRU)78Philip van der Walt (SHA)79Matt Philip (REB)80Nizaam Carr (STO)81Nathan Harris (CHI)82Raymond Rhule (STO)83RG Snyman (BUL)84Sam Lousi (HUR)85Jordan Uelese (REB)86George Bridge (CRU)87Sam Carter (BRU)88Scott Barrett (CRU)89Lukhan Tui (RED)90Taleni Seu (CHI)91Martin Landajo (JAG)92Tom Banks (BRU)93Liam Squire (HIG)94Tom Franklin (HIG)95Tomás Lezana (JAG)96Izaia Perese (RED)97Ofa Tu'ungafasi (BLU)98Tevita Li (HIG)99Willie Britz (SUN)100Steven Kitshoff (STO)101Tomás Lavanini (JAG)102Toby Smith (HUR)103Kotaro Matsushima (SUN)104Dillon Hunt (HIG)105Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (HUR)106Lodewyk de Jager (BUL)107Lima Soapaga (HIG)108Will Genia (REB)109Scott Sio (BRU)110Matt Proctor (HUR)111David Pocock (BRU)112Christian Lealifano (BRU)113Adam Coleman (REB)114Nicolás Sánchez (JAG)115Tom Robertson (WAR)116Lwazi Mvovo (SHA)117BEAST (SHA)118Asafo Aumua (HUR)119Adriaan Strauss (BUL)120Sergeal Petersen (STO)121Jack Dempsey (WAR)122Robert du Preez (SHA)123Matt Duffie (BLU)124Damian Willemse (STO)125Joe Powell (BRU)126Josh Mann-Rea (BRU)127Tevita Kuridrani (BRU)128Reece Hodge (REB)129James Tuttle (RED)130Aki Seiuli (HIG)131EW Viljoen (STO)132George Moala (BLU)133Solomon Alaimalo (CHI)134Michael Fatialofa (HUR)135Ramiro Moyano (JAG)136Jono Lance (RED)137Ned Hanigan (WAR)138Thomas du Toit (SHA)139Pauliasi Manu (BLU)140Kane Hames (CHI)141Brynn Gatland (BLU)142Jason Jenkins (BUL)143Keita Inagaki (SUN)144Caleb Timu (RED)145Michael Alaalatoa (CRU)146Kobus van Wyk (SHA)147Daniel Lienert-Brown (HIG)148Brad Shields (HUR)149Jed Holloway (WAR)150Guido Petti (JAG)151Matias Alemanno (JAG)152Tolu Latu (WAR)153Izak Rodda154Jake Gordon (WAR)155Harold Vorster (LIO)156Dominic Bird (CHI)157James Parsons (BLU)158Harumichi Tatekawa (SUN)159Ash Dixon (HIG)160Frans Malherbe (STO)161Jack Debreczeni (REB)162Louis Schreuder (SHA)163Ben Funnell (CRU)164Rory Arnold (BRU)165JP Du Plessis (STO)166Stephen Perofeta (BLU)167Bongi Mbonambi (STO)168Lukhanyo Am (SHA)169Toni Pulu (CHI)170Damian de Allende (STO)171Tomas Cubelli (JAG)172Michael Ruru (REB)173Dewaldt Duvenage (STO)174Pierre Schoeman (BUL)175Nic Mayhew (BRU)176Stephan Lewies (SHA)177Franco Marais (SHA)178Scott Scrafton (BLU)179Jano Vermaak (STO)180James Slipper (RED)181Shota Horie (SUN)182Lappies Labuschagne (SUN)183Jacques van Rooyen (LIO)184Fumiaka Tanaka (SUN)

Written by Harrison Dale.