Luke Breust has always been a footy player not a fantasy player, concentrating on quality possessions rather than quantity with a starting position too deep to be an accumulator. Even when he has been asked to roam upfield to bolster the midfield he has never been one to cheat out the back for cheap stats, preferring to maximise his hurt factor. Even in Supercoach that rarely translates to premium scoring, except on those rare days where he kicks a bag of goals. Might his 250th against the resurgent Magpies be one of those days? A brave daily fantasy coach may think so.
Luke Breust has always been a footy player not a fantasy player, concentrating on quality possessions rather than quantity with a starting position too deep to be an accumulator. Even when he has been asked to roam upfield to bolster the midfield he has never been one to cheat out the back for cheap stats, preferring to maximise his hurt factor. Even in Supercoach that rarely translates to premium scoring, except on those rare days where he kicks a bag of goals. Might his 250th against the resurgent Magpies be one of those days? A brave daily fantasy coach may think so.
Breust is a ghost
Coming off his second 50+ goal season, Luke Breust dropped almost 20 majors off his tally in 2019 as his role shifted further up the ground to contribute around the flanks and in midfield. He booted 34 goals and added 18 goal assists, suffering a decline in disposal, mark, goal and tackle averages as the club struggled competitively. He kicked multiple goals on eight occasions, down from 15 the year before. Now competing in his peak footballing years, Breust has shown at his best that he can be a solid starter with the occasional huge day, as long as he is allowed to play a forward pocket role rather than the HFF position he was asked to play last campaign. He is a watchlist candidate in preseason to see whether the coaches have relented and will play him deeper to suit his natural game.
Breust stays deep
A prolific goal kicker throughout his career, Luke Breust’s 2018 campaign proved no different with 54 goals at a clip over two a game. The Hawk enjoyed a career best season as he produced a notable spike in disposals, marks and goals per game. Finishing sixth in the Peter Crimmins Medal, Breust is heading into preseason with a clean bill of health as he prepares for his ninth season as a first team regular. Following several seasons of queries to whether this is the year for the skilful player to be sent into the middle, it appears coach Alastair Clarkson has decided that Luke’s value lies within the forward fifty. Following the injury to Tom Mitchell, the Hawks forward line may have less supply than they became accustomed to throughout last year. The talented forward is an option coaches can look for towards the latter third of a draft.
Luke Breust is now the brightest hope for Hawthorn in their small forward line with Cyril Rioli retiring this week and Paul Puopolo seemingly in the twilight of his curtailed career. He can be a bit of a weathervane player for fantasy purposes, scoring well when the Hawks are in control but going missing when the team is getting beaten. If you think Hawthorn is finals-bound then he is an interesting POD option in Supercoach in particular, as he is a specialist in that competition's scoring format.
Rockets misfire for Breust
For the first time since his rookie season, Luke Breust failed to reach the 40-goal mark in 2017. In a team that struggled to reach the lofty standards of the premiership sides, the small forward was starved of the goal mouth opportunities that his playing style craves. Minimal opportunities surprisingly had little effect on his role, with Breust still limited to the occasional centre bounce, eventuating in a six-year low in disposal output. Additions to the Breust highlight reel came in dominant outings against the Crows and Tigers, in which he managed four goals on each occasion. Unfortunately the 2017 season helped cemented the belief that he is a player limited to the quality of those around him. He should not be selected before the bench fodder rounds, and his lack of upside may still have you questioning the decision.
