Shawn Blore (EDG): WESTS TIGERS

Priced at only $250’000 with a break even of 17, the bar is set incredibly low for Blore to be an effective cash cow, but what output can we realistically expect?

Like most talented juniors (at least it seems that way), Blore was a Panthers junior before making his way to the Tigers and debuting off the bench in 2020. A limited sample in his career thus far with just 18 appearances, including only 6 back row starts and very few reserve grade appearances in the past three years doesn’t give us a lot of data to work with. The good news is, the bar is set quite low for Blore and the starts he has had thus far have been quite encouraging. In his six starts in 2021, Blore posted an average of 44 (new scoring) in 75 minutes with no tries or linebreaks. There is little sign of PVL ball inflation either, with his attacking stats and his base stats of 31 tackles and 90 metres per game, all fairly replicable for an 80 minute edge back rower. Even scaled down to account for the possibility of Blore, playing his first competitive football in over a year, being a 50-60 minute edge, it would still put Blore in a low to mid 30s average, more than enough for the required 10 points of value.

The analysis for Blore as a scorer isn’t particularly in depth because it simply doesn’t need to be. If he’s on the bench, stay away! If he’s the starting edge back rower, and seemingly in that role for the short term future, then he’s a screaming buy and a likely reliable top 17 scorer if playing 80 minutes most weeks. The biggest question mark if he was to start in the role is how long will he hold it? In a side stacked with big minute middles as well as Bateman and Matamua more than capable of filling the role, is Blore’s job security too risky? Well game theory would suggest that fantasy in the early rounds is all about taking risks. If a player with definite big upside like Blore flops, it is only 1 trade to get them out. However if you were to spend a trade on a risk a few rounds in, only to spend another getting them out you’ve now spent 2 trades. A big tick in the Blore column is the Tigers are seemingly a much improved side with games against the Titans, Knights and Bulldogs to start the year and no bye until round 7, just far enough along for Blore to make his money. Ultimately, this may prove one to keep an eye on throughout the preseason. How does Bateman’s visa situation unfold? How does Blore look in the trial games? Does Bateman play any edge in the trial games?

If we get some ticks to these questions then it is wheels up for the potential best cash cow of the year.

AMATEUR (REGULAR) RYAN