Taylor Adams moved from Collingwood to Sydney in part because he was frustrated with being shifted to a half forward flank, and wanted more rotations through the centre. He has joined the ladder-leading Swans at just the wrong moment if his goal was more centre bounce attendances, because the Bloods have three legitimate contenders for All-Australian guernseys and two for the Brownlow Medal. He does appear occasionally in the middle and certainly joins midfield from a flank, so it's not as if he is starved of leather-fondling opportunity. Plus.... maybe a premiership!
Taylor Adams moved from Collingwood to Sydney in part because he was frustrated with being shifted to a half forward flank, and wanted more rotations through the centre. He has joined the ladder-leading Swans at just the wrong moment if his goal was more centre bounce attendances, because the Bloods have three legitimate contenders for All-Australian guernseys and two for the Brownlow Medal. He does appear occasionally in the middle and certainly joins midfield from a flank, so it's not as if he is starved of leather-fondling opportunity. Plus.... maybe a premiership!
Taylor Adams has been scoring for his fantasy owners like a champ in the first part of the season, perhaps not coincidentally in a period when Adam Treloar has been on the sidelines. The received wisdom about Adams is that his statistical output has a reverse correlation with the presence of Treloar, and a look at the figures during their shared time at Collingwood bears that out. Plenty would have got on board the Adams train early in the season, but if the historical trend holds then it is time to cash out while his value is at its peak.
Taylor on the mend
A round 7 groin injury meant that Taylor Adams couldn't gain momentum to churn out consistent 100+ scores, ending up with a mirrored average of his previous season. The tough midfielder's output was still more than serviceable, delivering impressive tackling and contested possession numbers. Adams provides the grunt that locks him into Nathan Buckley's 22 when fit. He has three seasons with a fantasy ton average in his past, so a bounce back of at least five points is very much on the cards if he has a full preseason. While Adams won't be the first Magpie chosen, he'll still be drafted early.
Adams earns the apple
Following a phenomenal 2017 campaign, Taylor Adams’ first half of 2018 was underwhelming, culminating in a hamstring tear at training that was part of a spate of soft tissue injuries at Collingwood. Toward the latter part of the year and including finals, Adams came home like a house on fire. While his statistics in all areas were down due to his slow start, his finish to the season matched the competition’s elite. He ranked second at the club in tackles and kicks, and was top three in disposals. Adams is as tough as they come and has the ability to win his own ball. It came out during the year that Adams had prepared last preseason to play in defence instead of midfield, which was perhaps a contributing factor to his slow start and injury woes. Magpie coaches won't make that mistake again, and he won’t be on any opposition coach’s tagging radar. The ex-Giant is in the prime of his career and will be a formidable member of any fantasy midfield. Pick him in early rounds.
Adams will run to you
It took six seasons to find the real Taylor Adams, and he delivered last year with a full slate of games averaging just on 30 touches, five marks and six tackles. His stat lines are remarkably similar to Mitch Duncan - a little more inside, a little less polish. He gets a bit of stick for his skills, and he was top six for clangers, but the five above him are all gun mids as well so that is overblown. 55% of his disposals being in the back half was a shift towards midfield from recent years. When Adams lined up on a HFF on Anzac Day and proceeded to have a quiet one, fantasy owners could have been excused for biting their nails, as he looked poorly suited. Thankfully, Nathan Buckley saw the light and kept him in the guts for the rest of the season. The loss of back designation turns him into just another midfielder, though at his rate of scoring he's still likely to go very early in your draft, probably the first round. He may not have much potential left at this point. With these sort of numbers, who needs upside?
