The stars aligned and Danny McBreen reaped the benefits, but more importantly so too did his teammates, the message, the Mariners have some fantasy clout.
Like Green Moon, I-m back baby! Beaten favourite one week to a top 15 per cent performer. Round Four was but a blip on the radar, an abomination, and about as relevant as a One Direction song to anyone over the age of 14.
Round Five saw The Scout promise resurgence and I delivered along with another veteran of the game.
Saturday saw us stop the presses and rub our eyes in disbelief as a magical Mariners outfit belted seven past Sydney FC and were led by Daniel McBreen, yes that reads Daniel McBreen, who bagged a hat-trick and sent Fantasyland into shock with a season-leading 42-point display.
McBreen-s astonishing performance aside, it proved to be a week for the punters who were willing to take a chance on some lesser lights, because while fantasy guns Dario Vidosic, Nigel Boogard, Eugene Galekovic and Archie Thompson all prospered, the real winners were some players who fail to make many teams.
McBreen has only been selected in 105 teams but even he is more popular than the Jets- Josh Mitchell, who managed to make Team of the Week despite being a part of just 69 teams. It goes to show there are still some points of difference out there if you want to take the risk on a couple of unpopular picks.
And talking of taking a risk, perhaps it-s time to take one on some Mariners players.
Yes, the Sky Blues- defence is frequently horrible and they sunk to a new low at Bluetongue, but the Mariners were also inspired and served a reminder that when let loose they can play attacking football.
This isn-t the first time they have done it either – remember Tianjin Teda in the AFC Champions League, and before that in the second leg of their qualifying final against the Roar last season?
They are usually boring by choice, not because they are a poor quality team.
Which brings me to my next point get some Mariners in your team. I-m not saying McBreen is going to score every week – or, as history suggests, at all – but players like Michael McGlinchey and Tom Rogic are both going to give assists, be part of teams that keep clean sheets and score the occasional goal, while defenders, Bojic (1), Rose (2), Sainsbury (4) and Zwaanswijk (8) are all in the top ten defenders in the game thus far.
Also this week they take on the Phoenix, a team who similarly have no budget and can be about as inspiring as CNN-s coverage of the US Election… Is it over yet?
But more importantly the Nix despite having Mark Paston at the back haven-t kept a clean sheet since round one, so put a Mariner or two in your team and enjoy reaping the benefits all season long.
BuyNigel Boogard – Adelaide United: Has played all but one match for the Reds in an impressive start to the season and is relatively cheap at $146k, his price will go up if the Reds keep their current roll going, they look organised in defence, have Galekovic in goal and their defenders are known to be unholy terrors for opposition defences to handle on set pieces.
SellBen Halloran – Brisbane Roar: It doesn-t take a genius to tell you the Roar haven-t been great, but what is alarming is that a young man who was expected to reap the benefits of playing in a ‘good- side hasn-t, and unlike last year he hasn-t even helped a ‘poor- side out of the doldrums. At $180,000 and dropping in price, sell him now!
Team of the Week:
This is the cheapest possible, highest scoring team in a valid formation, it may not actually be possible to select this team. Formation 3-5-2
Total points = 296
Eugene Galekovic 14 (AU), Josh Mitchell 18 (NJ), Nigel Boogard 14 (AU), Antony Golec 14 (AU), Michael McGlinchey 24 (CCM), Tom Rogic 32 (CCM), marco Rojas 30 (MV), Jeremy Brockie 26 (WP), Dario Vidosic 20 (AU), Daniel McBreen (C) 84, (CCM), Archie Thompson 20 (MV).
Congratulations to this week-s top scorer who will receive a $100 VISA Moneycard. Rosalind who manages the Roslettes reaped the benefits of having a team stacked with Reds, Victory and Mariners players and had 7 of the 11 players selected in Team of the Week.
