After his career-best season in 2018 where he spent some very lucrative time in ruck, Justin Westhoff reverted to his old half forward role and largely returned to his previous fantasy scoring patterns, frustratingly variable and dependent on events elsewhere on field with a 17-point discrepancy in wins versus losses. As the Port hierarchy got desperate post-bye with the dysfunction of the forward line, the Hoff was tried in defence where his scoring floor crumbled. Reversion to the mean is a powerful effect in mathematics, and the restoration of Westhoff's natural position was always highly likely to result in his pumpkinisation. The complication going forward is that Port's structural woes aren't getting any easier to fix, and it appears in preseason that he's going to start in defence again where his numbers (on an admittedly small sample) were execrable. The cliff beckons for the Hoff, so try not to be holding on when he plummets.
Hoff stuck in reruns
After his career-best season in 2018 where he spent some very lucrative time in ruck, Justin Westhoff reverted to his old half forward role and largely returned to his previous fantasy scoring patterns, frustratingly variable and dependent on events elsewhere on field with a 17-point discrepancy in wins versus losses. As the Port hierarchy got desperate post-bye with the dysfunction of the forward line, the Hoff was tried in defence where his scoring floor crumbled. Reversion to the mean is a powerful effect in mathematics, and the restoration of Westhoff's natural position was always highly likely to result in his pumpkinisation. The complication going forward is that Port's structural woes aren't getting any easier to fix, and it appears in preseason that he's going to start in defence again where his numbers (on an admittedly small sample) were execrable. The cliff beckons for the Hoff, so try not to be holding on when he plummets.
Justin Westhoff is coming off his best statistical season in the big league, forced to play ruck for large parts of it due to a persistent injury to Patrick Ryder. This year the Power have loaded up on ruck depth with Scott Lycett, so he should revert to a more traditional role... except with the Hoff, nothing is traditional because he floats about to contribute for the team wherever the need is greatest, especially in defence when the opposition gets a run on. Perhaps the 6-6-6 rule will prevent some of his tactics this year, which will keep fantasy coaches' eyes on him.
Westhoff goes off
Like Matthew Richardson a decade before, Justin Westhoff registered his best fantasy average late in his career. Instead of moving to a wing like Richo, the Hoff added a kick, two tackles and eight hit outs in average by helping out in ruck when Patrick Ryder was absent, including two as lead ruck early in the season. His game was otherwise unchanged, contributing a goal per game from just on 20 disposals and zoning back as defensive sweeper when the opposition gets a run on. Richo's fate was to only play a handful more games after his banner year as soft tissue problems claimed him, but in Westhoff we have a workhorse well past the age of 30 who has shown about as much versatility and endurance as anyone in the league. The recruitment of Scott Lycett, however, means that the Hoff may very well turn back into the middle-of-the-road pumpkin of previous seasons. Still draftable in middle rounds, but not early as his downside is considerable.
No worries, no hassle
The elimination final last September was Justin Westhoff's 101st in a row for the Power, with his role still nominally CHF even though he gets more of his footy in the back half these days. His 2017 goal tally of 15.12 was the worst of his career, though he hit 19 disposals for the first time. Westhoff's role is kind of a reverse spitter... a swallower? Anyway, with Jack Watts arriving the Hoff might as well now be named at half back, as he is likely to be found there more often in future. He is a solid if unspectacular fantasy scorer, though he can put in some random shockers.
