Patrick Lipinski is looking for a much better 2024 after a disappointing campaign.
Patrick Lipinski is looking for a much better 2024 after a disappointing campaign.
Get on team Lipinski
Following six consecutive 20+ disposal showings for Footscray, Luke Beveridge gave Patrick Lipinski the nod in round 10 and the youngster didn't look back, becoming a mainstay across the midfield and half forward rotations. It was an undisputed third-year breakout with averages of 22 touches, four tackles and almost a goal a game as a clinical link-up player, leading the club for goal assists per game. On the back of his stellar season-ending form, Lipinski easily earns his spot in the 22 come round 1, even though the forward depth charts are a bit crowded at the Bulldogs with the arrival of Josh Bruce. Still a relatively unknown name, the former Eltham product could effortlessly slide into the latter stages of the draft and be one of the steals of 2020. Smokey alert!
Patrick Lipinski is suddenly of great interest to a small cadre of switched-on fantasy coaches this week off the back of 30 touches in the VFL, especially for daily fantasy competitions. The history of fringe players trying to recreate their scoring patterns in the seniors off big numbers at the lower levels is littered with disappointments - witness Ryan Clarke's gargantuan totals in the NEAFL versus his middling scores at AFL level. Lipinski looks like a classic case of a bloke who can score heavily if in midfield but is usually asked to play deep in the seniors. But hey, hope springs eternal!
Team Lipinski gains fans
Greater opportunity during 2018 gave Patrick Lipinski the chance to demonstrate his ability in the attacking 50. The former second-round pick provided immediate scoreboard impact, kicking eight goals in his first four appearances, but only four from his remaining 13. Positioned as a high forward, Lipinski begun to increase his disposal count as the season progressed, twice reaching 20. An efficient decision maker with ball in hand, the Bulldogs number 27 will be tasked with improving his endurance to increase his impact further from goal. Entering his third season, the lifelong Bulldog fan will aim for continued development alongside a youthful forward line. The youngster will not warrant fantasy thought for the upcoming year, as his floor is still too low to balance out the good days.
Room on team Lipinski
Collarbone and hamstring injuries interrupted Patrick Lipinski's debut VFL season, and he managed one senior game in round 23 where he missed three gettable shots. At the lower level, he booted four goals on debut and rotated between midfield and half forward for 19 disposals and 74 fantasy points per game. Lipinski will join the fight to replace Jake Stringer on a HFF for the senior team, and plenty of salary cap coaches who liked what they saw last year will hope that he wins the positional battle. It's too early to draft him, as that role is not likely to produce consistently startable scores at this early stage of his career.
