Fantasy Wrapup 4: the differentials

At the end of every fantasy season, the crap selectors (ie Rauru, Corey, Jason, Nick G, Logan) need to make up quick points on the league leaders and hunt for differentials - that player who has stayed under the radar but have a chance, just a small chance, to pull a big score and upset the table. This hardly ever works, and is a desperate move. But once in a while it works. But it needs a very special type of player:

Spencer
Place: 12th
Goals: 2
Assists: -
Bonus Points: 2
Total Points: 35
Points Per Game: 2.91
Fantasy Alike: Ji Sung Park (blame Jason)

Cometh the moment cometh the man, and indeed Jason, Ji Sung Park is exactly the type of player you look to when looking for that differential - but there is no way he could match Spencer's impact on that final game of the season - enough has been said about that match winning, volley scoring, chump taunting performance ('Let me mark that guy, I was all over him last time.') If you are only as good as your last performance, Spencer was Stallion of the year. He came a long way from here - the saddest footballing photograph ever. A lot to live up next season.
Oh yeah, the photo above reminded me of the last time Spencer played against Lower Hutt when he couldn't stay on his feet at all.

Nick
Place: 16th
Goals: -
Assists: -
Bonus Points: -
Total Points: 22
Points Per Game: 2
Fantasy Alike: Darren Fletcher

Now here was a differential maker. If I was betting on someone turning around a remarkably undeserved minor fantasy season with a big haul in the final game it would have been Nick. Head to head with Spencer going into the final game, Nick did it his way by not showing up. Where those who bet on Spence scored big, those who backed Nick were left to plan for next season.

 Another player often stuck doing the hard work which goes unrewarded in fantasy terms, Nick had a characteristically busy season charging up and down the sidelines, chasing and tackling like a demon. Now thats not to say he didn't have chances - a couple of glaring misses this season - including the last shot in the game vs Nth Wgtn to give us a win! Besides, when the rest of us took days to recover after a match, Nick often took off to diving, where of course he practiced his goal celebrations. We will have to wait until next season to see this again:

Next: The If Onlys ...