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- Thread starter Presto
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You Tweet a lot about not owning Jack Steele. Do you think he’s going to be a top-eight midfielder?
It’s hard to see how he won’t be. Steele hasn’t scored less than 119, has made about $95k and is still on the rise after scores of 142 and 143 in the past two weeks. Matt Rowell is the only midfielder with a better average after five rounds. One of the biggest factors in Steele’s favour is the lack of competition for points at St Kilda. Marcus Windhager (round 2) and Seb Ross (round 3) are the only Saints midfielders besides Steele to post SuperCoach tons this season. Rowan Marshall hits triple figures most weeks, but there’s plenty of points for him and Steele in the 3300 allotment from Champion Data for every game.
Steele has improved his numbers across the board this season, averaging 17 per cent more contested possessions, 47 per cent more metres gained, 30 per cent more clearances and 65 per cent more score involvements than in 2023. His kick rating has also jumped from 335th in the AFL to 83rd.
It’s a stacked field, but Steele looks every bit one of the premier SuperCoach midfielders this year – and he has games against Hawthorn and North Melbourne in the next month. In the past three seasons, only nine players have averaged 120 points or more. So the chances of Steele maintaining a 130-average are remote. But he still looks like value at $624k.
I am so tempted by Steele... he just looks amazing - I was very close to picking him to start the year, he is my biggest regret in not taking to start the season tbh, anyone else jumping on this week?
It’s hard to see how he won’t be. Steele hasn’t scored less than 119, has made about $95k and is still on the rise after scores of 142 and 143 in the past two weeks. Matt Rowell is the only midfielder with a better average after five rounds. One of the biggest factors in Steele’s favour is the lack of competition for points at St Kilda. Marcus Windhager (round 2) and Seb Ross (round 3) are the only Saints midfielders besides Steele to post SuperCoach tons this season. Rowan Marshall hits triple figures most weeks, but there’s plenty of points for him and Steele in the 3300 allotment from Champion Data for every game.
Steele has improved his numbers across the board this season, averaging 17 per cent more contested possessions, 47 per cent more metres gained, 30 per cent more clearances and 65 per cent more score involvements than in 2023. His kick rating has also jumped from 335th in the AFL to 83rd.
It’s a stacked field, but Steele looks every bit one of the premier SuperCoach midfielders this year – and he has games against Hawthorn and North Melbourne in the next month. In the past three seasons, only nine players have averaged 120 points or more. So the chances of Steele maintaining a 130-average are remote. But he still looks like value at $624k.
I am so tempted by Steele... he just looks amazing - I was very close to picking him to start the year, he is my biggest regret in not taking to start the season tbh, anyone else jumping on this week?
New Dual Position players
NAME TEAM OLD NEW
Brayden Cook Adelaide Crows Mid Mid/Fwd
Luke Nankervis Adelaide Crows Def Def/Mid
Darcy Gardiner Brisbane Lions Def Def/Fwd
Noah Answerth Brisbane Lions Fwd Def/Fwd
Cam Rayner Brisbane Lions Fwd Mid/Fwd
Elijah Hollands Carlton Mid Mid/Fwd
Matthew Kennedy Carlton Mid Mid/Fwd
Finlay Macrae Collingwood Fwd Mid/Fwd
Will Hoskin-Elliott Collingwood Mid Def/Mid
Jack Crisp Collingwood Mid Def/Mid
Patrick Lipinski Collingwood Fwd Mid/Fwd
Archie Perkins Essendon Fwd Mid/Fwd
Ben Hobbs Essendon Mid Mid/Fwd
Nick Hind Essendon Def Def/Fwd
Jake Kelly Essendon Def Def/Mid
Sam Draper Essendon Ruck Ruck/Fwd
Nic Martin Essendon Mid Def/Mid
Neil Erasmus Fremantle Mid Mid/Fwd
James Aish Fremantle Mid Def/Mid
Hayden Young Fremantle Def Def/Mid
Jack Bowes Geelong Cats Def Def/Mid
Ethan Read Gold Coast SUNS Ruck Ruck/Fwd
David Swallow Gold Coast SUNS Mid Mid/Fwd
Alex Sexton Gold Coast SUNS Fwd Def/Fwd
Jack Lukosius Gold Coast SUNS Fwd Def/Fwd
Sam Clohesy Gold Coast SUNS Def Def/Mi
Tom Atkins Geelong Cats Mid Def/Mid
Max Holmes Geelong Cats Mid Def/Mid
Oliver Dempsey Geelong Cats Fwd Mid/Fwd
James Peatling GWS GIANTS Fwd Mid/Fwd
Cam Mackenzie Hawthorn Fwd Mid/Fwd
Karl Amon Hawthorn Mid Def/Mid
Blake Hardwick Hawthorn Def Def/Fwd
Massimo D'Ambrosio Hawthorn Def Def/Mid
Finn Maginness Hawthorn Mid Mid/Fwd
Xavier O'Halloran GWS GIANTS Fwd Mid/Fwd
Taj Woewodin Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Tom McDonald Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Tom Sparrow Melbourne Mid Mid/Fwd
Jack Billings Melbourne Fwd Mid/Fwd
Christian Salem Melbourne Def Def/Mid
Charlie Comben North Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Colby McKercher North Melbourne Mid Def/Mid
Jy Simpkin North Melbourne Mid Mid/Fwd
Zac Fisher North Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Bailey Scott North Melbourne Mid Def/Mid
Tom Powell North Melbourne Fwd Mid/Fwd
Miles Bergman Port Adelaide Def Def/Mid
Sam Banks Richmond Def Def/Mid
Noah Balta Richmond Def Def/Fwd
Riley Bonner St Kilda Mid Def/Mid
Robbie Fox Sydney Swans Def Def/Fwd
Jake Lloyd Sydney Swans Def Def/Mid
Isaac Heeney Sydney Swans Fwd Mid/Fwd
Justin McInerney Sydney Swans Mid Mid/Fwd
Matt Roberts Sydney Swans Mid Def/Mid
Callum Jamieson West Coast Eagles Fwd Def/Fwd
Luke Edwards West Coast Eagles Mid Mid/Fwd
Jayden Hunt West Coast Eagles Def Def/Mid
Harvey Gallagher Western Bulldogs Fwd Mid/Fwd
Ryley Sanders Western Bulldogs Mid Mid/Fwd
Buku Khamis Western Bulldogs Fwd Def/Fwd
Laitham Vandermeer Western Bulldogs Def Def/Fwd
NAME TEAM OLD NEW
Brayden Cook Adelaide Crows Mid Mid/Fwd
Luke Nankervis Adelaide Crows Def Def/Mid
Darcy Gardiner Brisbane Lions Def Def/Fwd
Noah Answerth Brisbane Lions Fwd Def/Fwd
Cam Rayner Brisbane Lions Fwd Mid/Fwd
Elijah Hollands Carlton Mid Mid/Fwd
Matthew Kennedy Carlton Mid Mid/Fwd
Finlay Macrae Collingwood Fwd Mid/Fwd
Will Hoskin-Elliott Collingwood Mid Def/Mid
Jack Crisp Collingwood Mid Def/Mid
Patrick Lipinski Collingwood Fwd Mid/Fwd
Archie Perkins Essendon Fwd Mid/Fwd
Ben Hobbs Essendon Mid Mid/Fwd
Nick Hind Essendon Def Def/Fwd
Jake Kelly Essendon Def Def/Mid
Sam Draper Essendon Ruck Ruck/Fwd
Nic Martin Essendon Mid Def/Mid
Neil Erasmus Fremantle Mid Mid/Fwd
James Aish Fremantle Mid Def/Mid
Hayden Young Fremantle Def Def/Mid
Jack Bowes Geelong Cats Def Def/Mid
Ethan Read Gold Coast SUNS Ruck Ruck/Fwd
David Swallow Gold Coast SUNS Mid Mid/Fwd
Alex Sexton Gold Coast SUNS Fwd Def/Fwd
Jack Lukosius Gold Coast SUNS Fwd Def/Fwd
Sam Clohesy Gold Coast SUNS Def Def/Mi
Tom Atkins Geelong Cats Mid Def/Mid
Max Holmes Geelong Cats Mid Def/Mid
Oliver Dempsey Geelong Cats Fwd Mid/Fwd
James Peatling GWS GIANTS Fwd Mid/Fwd
Cam Mackenzie Hawthorn Fwd Mid/Fwd
Karl Amon Hawthorn Mid Def/Mid
Blake Hardwick Hawthorn Def Def/Fwd
Massimo D'Ambrosio Hawthorn Def Def/Mid
Finn Maginness Hawthorn Mid Mid/Fwd
Xavier O'Halloran GWS GIANTS Fwd Mid/Fwd
Taj Woewodin Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Tom McDonald Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Tom Sparrow Melbourne Mid Mid/Fwd
Jack Billings Melbourne Fwd Mid/Fwd
Christian Salem Melbourne Def Def/Mid
Charlie Comben North Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Colby McKercher North Melbourne Mid Def/Mid
Jy Simpkin North Melbourne Mid Mid/Fwd
Zac Fisher North Melbourne Fwd Def/Fwd
Bailey Scott North Melbourne Mid Def/Mid
Tom Powell North Melbourne Fwd Mid/Fwd
Miles Bergman Port Adelaide Def Def/Mid
Sam Banks Richmond Def Def/Mid
Noah Balta Richmond Def Def/Fwd
Riley Bonner St Kilda Mid Def/Mid
Robbie Fox Sydney Swans Def Def/Fwd
Jake Lloyd Sydney Swans Def Def/Mid
Isaac Heeney Sydney Swans Fwd Mid/Fwd
Justin McInerney Sydney Swans Mid Mid/Fwd
Matt Roberts Sydney Swans Mid Def/Mid
Callum Jamieson West Coast Eagles Fwd Def/Fwd
Luke Edwards West Coast Eagles Mid Mid/Fwd
Jayden Hunt West Coast Eagles Def Def/Mid
Harvey Gallagher Western Bulldogs Fwd Mid/Fwd
Ryley Sanders Western Bulldogs Mid Mid/Fwd
Buku Khamis Western Bulldogs Fwd Def/Fwd
Laitham Vandermeer Western Bulldogs Def Def/Fwd
Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jordan Butts Hamstring 1-3 weeks
Wayne Milera Knee 2025
Nick Murray Knee 5-7 weeks
Lachlan Murphy Knee 1-2 weeks
Patrick Parnell Shoulder 2025
Harry Schoenberg Achilles Test
Rory Sloane Detached retina TBC
Riley Thilthorpe Knee 10-12 weeks
The Crows appeared to get through the loss to Essendon unscathed
Updated: April 20
Brisbane injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Will Ashcroft Knee TBC
Zac Bailey Ankle 4-6 weeks
Keidean Coleman ACL 2025
Tom Doedee Knee TBC
Oscar McInerney Concussion TBC
Conor McKenna Hamstring Test
Carter Michael Knee 4 weeks
Zane Zakostelsky Groin 2 weeks
Oscar McInerney was concussed in the loss to Geelong
Updated: April 21
Carlton injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dom Akuei Concussion 1-2 weeks
Matt Carroll Groin Indefinite
Adam Cerra Hamstring 1-2 weeks
David Cuningham Calf TBC
Sam Docherty ACL 2025
Lachie Fogarty Hand TBC
Caleb Marchbank Back Test
Jack Martin Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Mitch McGovern Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jesse Motlop Hamstring 4-5 weeks
Adam Saad Hamstring 6 weeks
Jack Silvagni Knee 2025
Billy Watson Concussion 1-2 weeks
Jacob Weitering Cork TBC
Zac Williams Achilles TBC
Weitering and Williams will be assessed following the win over GWS
Updated: April 21
Collingwood injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry DeMattia Finger 1-2 weeks
Josh Eyre Hamstring 4-5 weeks
Nathan Kreuger Calf 1-2 weeks
Daniel McStay Knee TBC
Jakob Ryan Hand 1-3 weeks
Oscar Steene Concussion Test
No new injuries out of Power game.
Updated: April 20
Essendon injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Kaine Baldwin Foot 8-9 weeks
Matt Guelfi Calf 1 week
Jaiden Hunter Knee 2025
Jye Menzie Shoulder 2-3 weeks
Archie Perkins Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Zach Reid Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Jordan Ridley Quad 4-5 weeks
Will Setterfield Knee 1-2 weeks
Peter Wright Suspension Round 7
No reported injuries out of Adelaide match
Updated: April 20
Fremantle injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jye Amiss Concussion TBC
Josh Corbett Hip 2025
Brennan Cox Leg 9-11 weeks
Sebit Kuek Knee 2025
Oscar McDonald Knee 14-16 weeks
Odin Jones Concussion TBC
Pat Voss Calf Test
Corey Wagner Calf Test
Conrad Williams Foot 1-2 weeks
Karl Worner Concussion Test
Sam Switkowski Concussion TBC
Michael Frederick Hamstring Test
Amiss was concussed in the Derby loss to West Coast
Updated: April 21
Geelong injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Mitch Edwards Back 2 weeks
Joe Furphy Ankle 1 week
Cam Guthrie Quad 1-3 weeks
Tom Stewart Concussion TBC
Stewart was concussed in the win over Geelong
Updated: April 21
Gold Coast Suns injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sandy Brock Forearm Test
Jy Farrar Thumb 1 weeks
Lloyd Johnston Hamstring 1 weeks
Malcolm Rosas Hamstring 8 weeks
Lachie Weller Knee 12-14 weeks
No new injuries out of the loss to Sydney
Updated: April 21
GWS Giants injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Stephen Coniglio Knee 2 weeks
Isaac Cumming Calf 2-3 weeks
Adam Kennedy Knee Indefinite
James Leake Quad 2-4 weeks
Sam Taylor Concussion TBC
Nathan Wardius Shin 2-4 weeks
No fresh injury concerns for the Giants following the loss to Carlton
Updated: April 21
Hawthorn injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Josh Bennetts Concussion TBC
James Blanck ACL 2025
Luke Breust Groin 2 weeks
Will Day Foot fracture 1 week
Denver Grainger-Barras Toe 4-5 weeks
Changkuoth Jiath Quad TBC
Mitch Lewis Hamstring Test
Will McCabe Back 8-10 weeks
Ned Reeves Concussion TBC
Nick Watson Ankle 2-4 weeks
Chad Wingard Achilles 2 weeks
Jiath was withdrawn from the VFL with another soft tissue injury - this time a quad strain.
Updated: April 22
Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jake Bowey Collarbone 4-5 weeks
Marty Hore Thumb 1-2 weeks
Shane McAdam Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jake Melksham Knee 9-11 weeks
Clayton Oliver Hand Test
Christian Salem Hamstring 4-6 weeks
Joel Smith Misconduct Indefinite
Charlie Spargo Achilles 3 weeks
Updated: April 17
North Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Miller Bergman Jaw Test
Callum Coleman-Jones Achilles 2025
Kallan Dawson Ankle 2-3 weeks
Eddie Ford Hip TBC
Josh Goater Achilles 2025
Cooper Harvey Syndesmosis 3 weeks
Griffin Logue Knee 7 weeks
Liam Shiels Calf Test
Ford hurt his hip in the defeat against Hawthorn
Updated: April 22
Port Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Travis Boak Back Test
Jason Horne-Francis Hamstring TBC TBC
Hugh Jackson Hip 8-10 weeks
Ollie Lord Knee/tibia 3-5 weeks
Tom McCallum Ankle 2-3 weeks
Horne-Francis went off late with a hamstring injury - seriousness currently unknown
Updated: April 20
Richmond injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Noah Balta MCL 3-4 weeks
Jacob Bauer Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Judson Clarke ACL 2025
Mate Colina Back Long term
Liam Fawcett Back Long term
Josh Gibcus ACL 2025
Jack Graham Quad Test
Dylan Grimes Wrist Test
Jacob Hopper Knee Test
Tom Lynch Hamstring 10-12 weeks
Dion Prestia Hamstring 3 weeks
Jack Ross Foot 8 weeks
Jayden Short Calf 2-3 weeks
Tim Taranto Wrist 8 weeks
James Trezise Ankle 3-4 weeks
Jack Ross and Tim Taranto are set for extended stints on the sidelines
Clarke tore his ACL in the VFL and will miss the rest of the season
Short subbed out with a calf issue against the Eagles and will miss a couple weeks
Updated: April 18
St Kilda injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Matt Allison Knee 2 weeks
Dan Butler Hamstring TBC
Hunter Clark Calf 1-2 weeks
Lance Collard Hamstring Test
Brad Crouch Knee 3-4 weeks
Paddy Dow Knee Test
Max Heath Concussion TBC
Liam Henry Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Max King Knee Test
Ben Paton Pectoral 1-2 weeks
Mason Wood Concussion/collarbone 2 weeks
James Van Es Ankle Test
Jimmy Webster Suspension Round 8
Butler came on as the sub and pinged his hamstring in the last quarter vs. Western Bulldogs
Updated: April 19
Sydney injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry Arnold Back 8 weeks
Callum Mills Shoulder 8 weeks
Luke Parker Arm 1 week
Dane Rampe Hamstring 1-2 weeks
The Swans took the four points and clean bill of health from the win over Gold Coast
Updated: April 21
West Coast injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Oscar Allen Knee 6-7 weeks
Rhett Bazzo Groin 4-5 weeks
Coby Burgiel Appendix Test
Luke Edwards Concussion 1-2 weeks
Matt Flynn Knee 4-5 weeks
Elijah Hewett Foot Mid-season
Archer Reid Knee Test
No fresh injuries out of the win over Freo
Updated: April 21
Western Bulldogs injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Nick Coffield Shoulder 8-10 weeks
Tom Liberatore Concussion TBC
Aiden O'Driscoll Concussion Indefinite
Anthony Scott Ankle Test
Bailey Smith Knee 2025
Lachie Smith Knee 1-2 weeks
No new injuries reported out of the St Kilda match
Updated: April 19
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jordan Butts Hamstring 1-3 weeks
Wayne Milera Knee 2025
Nick Murray Knee 5-7 weeks
Lachlan Murphy Knee 1-2 weeks
Patrick Parnell Shoulder 2025
Harry Schoenberg Achilles Test
Rory Sloane Detached retina TBC
Riley Thilthorpe Knee 10-12 weeks
The Crows appeared to get through the loss to Essendon unscathed
Updated: April 20
Brisbane injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Will Ashcroft Knee TBC
Zac Bailey Ankle 4-6 weeks
Keidean Coleman ACL 2025
Tom Doedee Knee TBC
Oscar McInerney Concussion TBC
Conor McKenna Hamstring Test
Carter Michael Knee 4 weeks
Zane Zakostelsky Groin 2 weeks
Oscar McInerney was concussed in the loss to Geelong
Updated: April 21
Carlton injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dom Akuei Concussion 1-2 weeks
Matt Carroll Groin Indefinite
Adam Cerra Hamstring 1-2 weeks
David Cuningham Calf TBC
Sam Docherty ACL 2025
Lachie Fogarty Hand TBC
Caleb Marchbank Back Test
Jack Martin Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Mitch McGovern Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jesse Motlop Hamstring 4-5 weeks
Adam Saad Hamstring 6 weeks
Jack Silvagni Knee 2025
Billy Watson Concussion 1-2 weeks
Jacob Weitering Cork TBC
Zac Williams Achilles TBC
Weitering and Williams will be assessed following the win over GWS
Updated: April 21
Collingwood injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry DeMattia Finger 1-2 weeks
Josh Eyre Hamstring 4-5 weeks
Nathan Kreuger Calf 1-2 weeks
Daniel McStay Knee TBC
Jakob Ryan Hand 1-3 weeks
Oscar Steene Concussion Test
No new injuries out of Power game.
Updated: April 20
Essendon injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Kaine Baldwin Foot 8-9 weeks
Matt Guelfi Calf 1 week
Jaiden Hunter Knee 2025
Jye Menzie Shoulder 2-3 weeks
Archie Perkins Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Zach Reid Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Jordan Ridley Quad 4-5 weeks
Will Setterfield Knee 1-2 weeks
Peter Wright Suspension Round 7
No reported injuries out of Adelaide match
Updated: April 20
Fremantle injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jye Amiss Concussion TBC
Josh Corbett Hip 2025
Brennan Cox Leg 9-11 weeks
Sebit Kuek Knee 2025
Oscar McDonald Knee 14-16 weeks
Odin Jones Concussion TBC
Pat Voss Calf Test
Corey Wagner Calf Test
Conrad Williams Foot 1-2 weeks
Karl Worner Concussion Test
Sam Switkowski Concussion TBC
Michael Frederick Hamstring Test
Amiss was concussed in the Derby loss to West Coast
Updated: April 21
Geelong injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Mitch Edwards Back 2 weeks
Joe Furphy Ankle 1 week
Cam Guthrie Quad 1-3 weeks
Tom Stewart Concussion TBC
Stewart was concussed in the win over Geelong
Updated: April 21
Gold Coast Suns injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sandy Brock Forearm Test
Jy Farrar Thumb 1 weeks
Lloyd Johnston Hamstring 1 weeks
Malcolm Rosas Hamstring 8 weeks
Lachie Weller Knee 12-14 weeks
No new injuries out of the loss to Sydney
Updated: April 21
GWS Giants injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Stephen Coniglio Knee 2 weeks
Isaac Cumming Calf 2-3 weeks
Adam Kennedy Knee Indefinite
James Leake Quad 2-4 weeks
Sam Taylor Concussion TBC
Nathan Wardius Shin 2-4 weeks
No fresh injury concerns for the Giants following the loss to Carlton
Updated: April 21
Hawthorn injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Josh Bennetts Concussion TBC
James Blanck ACL 2025
Luke Breust Groin 2 weeks
Will Day Foot fracture 1 week
Denver Grainger-Barras Toe 4-5 weeks
Changkuoth Jiath Quad TBC
Mitch Lewis Hamstring Test
Will McCabe Back 8-10 weeks
Ned Reeves Concussion TBC
Nick Watson Ankle 2-4 weeks
Chad Wingard Achilles 2 weeks
Jiath was withdrawn from the VFL with another soft tissue injury - this time a quad strain.
Updated: April 22
Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jake Bowey Collarbone 4-5 weeks
Marty Hore Thumb 1-2 weeks
Shane McAdam Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jake Melksham Knee 9-11 weeks
Clayton Oliver Hand Test
Christian Salem Hamstring 4-6 weeks
Joel Smith Misconduct Indefinite
Charlie Spargo Achilles 3 weeks
Updated: April 17
North Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Miller Bergman Jaw Test
Callum Coleman-Jones Achilles 2025
Kallan Dawson Ankle 2-3 weeks
Eddie Ford Hip TBC
Josh Goater Achilles 2025
Cooper Harvey Syndesmosis 3 weeks
Griffin Logue Knee 7 weeks
Liam Shiels Calf Test
Ford hurt his hip in the defeat against Hawthorn
Updated: April 22
Port Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Travis Boak Back Test
Jason Horne-Francis Hamstring TBC TBC
Hugh Jackson Hip 8-10 weeks
Ollie Lord Knee/tibia 3-5 weeks
Tom McCallum Ankle 2-3 weeks
Horne-Francis went off late with a hamstring injury - seriousness currently unknown
Updated: April 20
Richmond injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Noah Balta MCL 3-4 weeks
Jacob Bauer Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Judson Clarke ACL 2025
Mate Colina Back Long term
Liam Fawcett Back Long term
Josh Gibcus ACL 2025
Jack Graham Quad Test
Dylan Grimes Wrist Test
Jacob Hopper Knee Test
Tom Lynch Hamstring 10-12 weeks
Dion Prestia Hamstring 3 weeks
Jack Ross Foot 8 weeks
Jayden Short Calf 2-3 weeks
Tim Taranto Wrist 8 weeks
James Trezise Ankle 3-4 weeks
Jack Ross and Tim Taranto are set for extended stints on the sidelines
Clarke tore his ACL in the VFL and will miss the rest of the season
Short subbed out with a calf issue against the Eagles and will miss a couple weeks
Updated: April 18
St Kilda injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Matt Allison Knee 2 weeks
Dan Butler Hamstring TBC
Hunter Clark Calf 1-2 weeks
Lance Collard Hamstring Test
Brad Crouch Knee 3-4 weeks
Paddy Dow Knee Test
Max Heath Concussion TBC
Liam Henry Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Max King Knee Test
Ben Paton Pectoral 1-2 weeks
Mason Wood Concussion/collarbone 2 weeks
James Van Es Ankle Test
Jimmy Webster Suspension Round 8
Butler came on as the sub and pinged his hamstring in the last quarter vs. Western Bulldogs
Updated: April 19
Sydney injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry Arnold Back 8 weeks
Callum Mills Shoulder 8 weeks
Luke Parker Arm 1 week
Dane Rampe Hamstring 1-2 weeks
The Swans took the four points and clean bill of health from the win over Gold Coast
Updated: April 21
West Coast injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Oscar Allen Knee 6-7 weeks
Rhett Bazzo Groin 4-5 weeks
Coby Burgiel Appendix Test
Luke Edwards Concussion 1-2 weeks
Matt Flynn Knee 4-5 weeks
Elijah Hewett Foot Mid-season
Archer Reid Knee Test
No fresh injuries out of the win over Freo
Updated: April 21
Western Bulldogs injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Nick Coffield Shoulder 8-10 weeks
Tom Liberatore Concussion TBC
Aiden O'Driscoll Concussion Indefinite
Anthony Scott Ankle Test
Bailey Smith Knee 2025
Lachie Smith Knee 1-2 weeks
No new injuries reported out of the St Kilda match
Updated: April 19
SuperCoach AFL 2024 round 7 trade guide: Top targets and new dual-position players
Rookies and mid-pricers are on the chopping block in SuperCoach this week. Who needs to go and who should stay? Experts rate the most traded players this week.
Al Paton, Tim Michell, Dan Batten, Patch and Tarquin Oakley
17 min read
April 23, 2024 - 12:14PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
There are big decisions to make in SuperCoach, and we don’t have much time.
Round 7 starts on Wednesday night when Melbourne and Richmond meet in the annual Anzac Eve game.
Which rookies should we buy, which value premiums can we trust – and which cash cows are ready to cash in?
See our experts’ verdict on the 10 most traded in and 10 most traded out players, and scroll down for the full round 7 trade guide.
MOST TRADED IN
1. HUGO GARCIA $117,300 MID/FWD
Al Paton: BUY. No.1 rookie target this week. Saints have a few players to come back in but I think Ross will back him in.
Tim Michell: BUY. Twenty-three centre bounces, 16 tackles and 18 contested possessions in five quarters is some way to start your career. Should be coming in to any serious side.
Dan Batten: BUY. Has attended 23 centre bounces in 1.5 games and showed some good signs in a dirty night for his side last week.
Tarquin Oakley: BUY. Role is great. Score of 69 in a side that lost by 10 goals is very promising, and it could have been more if not for an early 50m penalty given away.
Patch: BUY: I don’t think we’ll want Hugo on field, and he’ll be sub here and there I reckon, but by gum he’s the best guy we’ve got this week.
2. SAM WALSH $576,800 MID
AP: BUY. I said I wanted to see one more game to be convinced – consider me sold. Back issues still worry me but value and scoring power are worth the risk.
TM: BUY. I’m too scared of breaking him as a Carlton supporter but you shouldn’t be. He could be $620k next week after scores of 166 and 130.
DB: BUY. Including the finals last year, his past five scores are 111, 134, 121, 166 and 130 at an average of 132.4. Seriously underpriced.
TO: BUY: Backed up his mammoth first game with another big score to make sure you can trust him.
Patch: BUY: I love value and Sam Walsh is value.
3. BIGOA NYUON $123,900 FWD
AP: CONSIDER. We need downgrade options but Biggie might not last long in the Kangaroos side with Kallan Dawson a week or two away.
TM: PASS. I bought him after one game and am not even convinced he holds his spot this week. He looked a bit lost at times against Hawthorn. Gut says Toby Pink comes back in.
DB: CONSIDER. Got better as the game went on but he is no certainty to hold his spot.
TO: PASS: Smart call to have waited a week on Biggy, who put up a score of 46 on the weekend. If he plays he’ll make some money but his job security is shaky.
Patch: PASS: I’ve had a successful season avoiding the entirety of the North Melbourne backline (Sheez excepted). I’ll give Biggy a miss.
4. RILEY GARCIA $125,200 FWD
AP: WAIT. Was putting up huge VFL numbers before cracking the seniors, but with Bevo it always pays to play it safe. Top rookie target for next week.
TM: PASS. Only one game in and he’s got Luke Beveridge as coach. Have another look with Tom Liberatore back.
DB: WAIT. Impressive first game but it’s hard to trust Bevo with anything.
TO: WAIT. Even if he was on the bubble you can’t be sure of anything when Luke Beveridge is coach. So at least wait until after his second match.
Patch: PASS. I don’t want a bar of a Dogs rookie coming off one game. No thank you.
5. JORDAN DAWSON $533,600 MID
AP: CONSIDER. As cheap as he’ll get (Break Even 73) but I would like to see him do it again against * checks fixture * North Melbourne. If you’re a believer, jumping on now could pay off big time.
TM: BUY. But only if you already have Walsh. The 168 was glorious but he didn’t hit triple figures in the first five rounds. Plus, Matt Crouch is back this week to take midfield minutes.
DB: CONSIDER. Walsh looks a better option and I’d want to see how he goes with Matt Crouch back. But he could go large again against North Melbourne.
TO: WAIT: A great game but those who have owned Dawson this year can tell you that it’s only his first ton of the season. If he goes big again with Crouch in the side he will still be a value trade in next week.
Patch: CONSIDER. I think he’s back? Maybe? I’d want one more look with Crouch in the side but admire anyone with the gall to go this week.
6. KANE McAULIFFE $117,300 MID
AP: BUY. Big junior numbers and will get midfield minutes in a decimated onball brigade.
TM: CONSIDER. Want to see the final Richmond team before saying yes with talk Hopper and Prestia could return. If that happens, McAuliffe might be sub.
DB: CONSIDER. Watch team sheets with Jacob Hopper back, but he looks to have done enough to get at least another week.
TO: PASS: Hasn’t put up a decent score as yet. Happy to see how he goes against Melbourne with Jacob Hopper set to return as well.
Patch: BUY. Sure. He seems like he’s got better job security than Garcia and Biggy.
7. JACK MACRAE $480,000 MID/FWD
AP: BUY. Who else are we picking at F4-6? Macrae is a long-time favourite, that’s a great price and I don’t expect Libba’s return to impact his role much.
TM: PASS. I want to see him score well with Tom Liberatore in the side before committing. Happy to pay a bit more next week if need be.
DB: CONSIDER. I’d be tempted to have another look, but $480k is good buying even with Bevo.
TO: CONSIDER: Some thought he would be F1 in pre-season so to pick him up at $480k is worth the consideration. How will he go with Libba back?
Patch: PASS. No thank you dawg. Not yet, anyway. He might be super cheap but you’re handing Luke Beveridge a loaded gun and telling him not to shoot you.
8. DAN HOUSTON $597,600 DEF
AP: CONSIDER. A likely top-six defender but I have the value guys as higher priorities this week.
TM: BUY. He has been my No.1 target for this round for weeks and I threw a tantrum on Saturday when he stuffed my plans by scoring 141. St Kilda pays little attention to half-backs and Houston hasn’t gone below 100 yet. Let’s hope I don’t break him like I did Jack Steele.
DB: BUY. Super consistent and looks a certain top-six defender.
TO: BUY. Takes kick-ins and racks up plenty of ball.
Patch: BUY (AS LONG AS YOUR NAME ISN’T TIM MICHELL). To any friendly souls reading, Dan Houston has been excellent and is coming up against the best team in the comp if you’re a running defender who likes scoring SuperCoach points. To any Tim Michell, Devourer of SuperCoach Premiums reading, there ain’t no Dan Houston here and there never was.
9. NICK DAICOS $577,300 DEF/MID
AP. BUY. Starting without him has proved to be the smart play but I’d be finding a way to get him in STAT.
TM: BUY. Whether it’s because you traded him out or never owned Daicos, now is the time to get on. Back to his best in round 6 and only likely to get better. Anzac Day Medal?
DB: BUY. An absolute bargain at that price.
TO: BUY: Your top priority if you don’t have him.
Patch: BUY. He’s back, in pog form. Get on before he gets too expensive – a priority over anyone else on this list.
10. DAYNE ZORKO $547,100 MID/FWD
AP: PASS. Can’t trust a 35-year-old with a history of soft-tissue injuries.
TM: PASS. Dayne and I have a chequered SuperCoach history so I won’t be going there. I’d much rather Macrae or even Shai Bolton. But when Zorko went on a run of 150s a few years ago I chose Bolton over him, so what do I know?
DB: CONSIDER: Pricey, but in this current role he should be a top-six if he can stay on the park. But as we have seen with Zorko, that’s a big if.
TO: BUY: With a lack of premium forward options, Zorko has a great role off half-back and didn’t get thrown forward even with Zac Bailey out.
Patch: CONSIDER. I’ve been tempted by Zork for a month now and it hasn’t quite lined up to trade him in. This is our last chance to do so before his price is sky-high, but with McKenna back this week and Zorko being 35, I’m still nervous.
Rookies and mid-pricers are on the chopping block in SuperCoach this week. Who needs to go and who should stay? Experts rate the most traded players this week.
Al Paton, Tim Michell, Dan Batten, Patch and Tarquin Oakley
17 min read
April 23, 2024 - 12:14PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
There are big decisions to make in SuperCoach, and we don’t have much time.
Round 7 starts on Wednesday night when Melbourne and Richmond meet in the annual Anzac Eve game.
Which rookies should we buy, which value premiums can we trust – and which cash cows are ready to cash in?
See our experts’ verdict on the 10 most traded in and 10 most traded out players, and scroll down for the full round 7 trade guide.
MOST TRADED IN
1. HUGO GARCIA $117,300 MID/FWD
Al Paton: BUY. No.1 rookie target this week. Saints have a few players to come back in but I think Ross will back him in.
Tim Michell: BUY. Twenty-three centre bounces, 16 tackles and 18 contested possessions in five quarters is some way to start your career. Should be coming in to any serious side.
Dan Batten: BUY. Has attended 23 centre bounces in 1.5 games and showed some good signs in a dirty night for his side last week.
Tarquin Oakley: BUY. Role is great. Score of 69 in a side that lost by 10 goals is very promising, and it could have been more if not for an early 50m penalty given away.
Patch: BUY: I don’t think we’ll want Hugo on field, and he’ll be sub here and there I reckon, but by gum he’s the best guy we’ve got this week.
2. SAM WALSH $576,800 MID
AP: BUY. I said I wanted to see one more game to be convinced – consider me sold. Back issues still worry me but value and scoring power are worth the risk.
TM: BUY. I’m too scared of breaking him as a Carlton supporter but you shouldn’t be. He could be $620k next week after scores of 166 and 130.
DB: BUY. Including the finals last year, his past five scores are 111, 134, 121, 166 and 130 at an average of 132.4. Seriously underpriced.
TO: BUY: Backed up his mammoth first game with another big score to make sure you can trust him.
Patch: BUY: I love value and Sam Walsh is value.
3. BIGOA NYUON $123,900 FWD
AP: CONSIDER. We need downgrade options but Biggie might not last long in the Kangaroos side with Kallan Dawson a week or two away.
TM: PASS. I bought him after one game and am not even convinced he holds his spot this week. He looked a bit lost at times against Hawthorn. Gut says Toby Pink comes back in.
DB: CONSIDER. Got better as the game went on but he is no certainty to hold his spot.
TO: PASS: Smart call to have waited a week on Biggy, who put up a score of 46 on the weekend. If he plays he’ll make some money but his job security is shaky.
Patch: PASS: I’ve had a successful season avoiding the entirety of the North Melbourne backline (Sheez excepted). I’ll give Biggy a miss.
4. RILEY GARCIA $125,200 FWD
AP: WAIT. Was putting up huge VFL numbers before cracking the seniors, but with Bevo it always pays to play it safe. Top rookie target for next week.
TM: PASS. Only one game in and he’s got Luke Beveridge as coach. Have another look with Tom Liberatore back.
DB: WAIT. Impressive first game but it’s hard to trust Bevo with anything.
TO: WAIT. Even if he was on the bubble you can’t be sure of anything when Luke Beveridge is coach. So at least wait until after his second match.
Patch: PASS. I don’t want a bar of a Dogs rookie coming off one game. No thank you.
5. JORDAN DAWSON $533,600 MID
AP: CONSIDER. As cheap as he’ll get (Break Even 73) but I would like to see him do it again against * checks fixture * North Melbourne. If you’re a believer, jumping on now could pay off big time.
TM: BUY. But only if you already have Walsh. The 168 was glorious but he didn’t hit triple figures in the first five rounds. Plus, Matt Crouch is back this week to take midfield minutes.
DB: CONSIDER. Walsh looks a better option and I’d want to see how he goes with Matt Crouch back. But he could go large again against North Melbourne.
TO: WAIT: A great game but those who have owned Dawson this year can tell you that it’s only his first ton of the season. If he goes big again with Crouch in the side he will still be a value trade in next week.
Patch: CONSIDER. I think he’s back? Maybe? I’d want one more look with Crouch in the side but admire anyone with the gall to go this week.
6. KANE McAULIFFE $117,300 MID
AP: BUY. Big junior numbers and will get midfield minutes in a decimated onball brigade.
TM: CONSIDER. Want to see the final Richmond team before saying yes with talk Hopper and Prestia could return. If that happens, McAuliffe might be sub.
DB: CONSIDER. Watch team sheets with Jacob Hopper back, but he looks to have done enough to get at least another week.
TO: PASS: Hasn’t put up a decent score as yet. Happy to see how he goes against Melbourne with Jacob Hopper set to return as well.
Patch: BUY. Sure. He seems like he’s got better job security than Garcia and Biggy.
7. JACK MACRAE $480,000 MID/FWD
AP: BUY. Who else are we picking at F4-6? Macrae is a long-time favourite, that’s a great price and I don’t expect Libba’s return to impact his role much.
TM: PASS. I want to see him score well with Tom Liberatore in the side before committing. Happy to pay a bit more next week if need be.
DB: CONSIDER. I’d be tempted to have another look, but $480k is good buying even with Bevo.
TO: CONSIDER: Some thought he would be F1 in pre-season so to pick him up at $480k is worth the consideration. How will he go with Libba back?
Patch: PASS. No thank you dawg. Not yet, anyway. He might be super cheap but you’re handing Luke Beveridge a loaded gun and telling him not to shoot you.
8. DAN HOUSTON $597,600 DEF
AP: CONSIDER. A likely top-six defender but I have the value guys as higher priorities this week.
TM: BUY. He has been my No.1 target for this round for weeks and I threw a tantrum on Saturday when he stuffed my plans by scoring 141. St Kilda pays little attention to half-backs and Houston hasn’t gone below 100 yet. Let’s hope I don’t break him like I did Jack Steele.
DB: BUY. Super consistent and looks a certain top-six defender.
TO: BUY. Takes kick-ins and racks up plenty of ball.
Patch: BUY (AS LONG AS YOUR NAME ISN’T TIM MICHELL). To any friendly souls reading, Dan Houston has been excellent and is coming up against the best team in the comp if you’re a running defender who likes scoring SuperCoach points. To any Tim Michell, Devourer of SuperCoach Premiums reading, there ain’t no Dan Houston here and there never was.
9. NICK DAICOS $577,300 DEF/MID
AP. BUY. Starting without him has proved to be the smart play but I’d be finding a way to get him in STAT.
TM: BUY. Whether it’s because you traded him out or never owned Daicos, now is the time to get on. Back to his best in round 6 and only likely to get better. Anzac Day Medal?
DB: BUY. An absolute bargain at that price.
TO: BUY: Your top priority if you don’t have him.
Patch: BUY. He’s back, in pog form. Get on before he gets too expensive – a priority over anyone else on this list.
10. DAYNE ZORKO $547,100 MID/FWD
AP: PASS. Can’t trust a 35-year-old with a history of soft-tissue injuries.
TM: PASS. Dayne and I have a chequered SuperCoach history so I won’t be going there. I’d much rather Macrae or even Shai Bolton. But when Zorko went on a run of 150s a few years ago I chose Bolton over him, so what do I know?
DB: CONSIDER: Pricey, but in this current role he should be a top-six if he can stay on the park. But as we have seen with Zorko, that’s a big if.
TO: BUY: With a lack of premium forward options, Zorko has a great role off half-back and didn’t get thrown forward even with Zac Bailey out.
Patch: CONSIDER. I’ve been tempted by Zork for a month now and it hasn’t quite lined up to trade him in. This is our last chance to do so before his price is sky-high, but with McKenna back this week and Zorko being 35, I’m still nervous.
MOST TRADED OUT
1. ZAC WILLIAMS $327,300 DEF
AP: HOLD. With a Break Even of 62 Zac can still make us money. I’m hoping to see his name on the Carlton team sheet so I can keep him for a few more weeks.
TM: TRADE. Has done his job by making more than $100k and although he might play this week, his Break Even is now in the 60s.
DB: WAIT. Will trade if he isn’t named but with Adam Saad out of that backline I’m tempted to hold him.
TO: CONSIDER: Was coming good before that subbing against GWS. If he’s out then trade, but if he’s named you’ve got a tough decision.
Patch: TRADE: If he’s injured then he’s gone.
2. RYLEY SANDERS $294,900 FWD/MID
AP: TRADE. I can see him making money at some stage, but it won’t be for a while. I need the money now.
TM: HOLD. Wish I still had him now he’s DPP. I’d rather be fielding Sanders at F4 or F5 than some of the speculative rookies I’ve got.
DB: CONSIDER. Could prove to be a handy forward rookie if he returns to the 22. But can we trust Bevo?
TO: CONSIDER: If he’s in the 22 it’s fair to hold him, but you might not know that until Saturday night. Then he might be subbed off again.
Patch: CONSIDER. I think there’s a case for holding him, but if you need the cash then cut and run.
3. MASSIMO D’AMBROSIO $348,200 DEF/MID
AP: HOLD. See my comment on Zac Williams above. Massimo’s BE is lower than Zac and is still an on-field option. One thing that makes me nervous is the Hawks play on Sunday so we won’t know the final team until every other side has already played. He couldn’t the sub again, could he?
TM: CONSIDER. Still has one more price rise in him but worth punting if it gets you to Walsh or another gun.
DB: CONSIDER: Torn with what to do with D’Ambrosio. Scored well over the weekend but the fact he was subbed out isn’t exactly a vote of confidence.
TO: HOLD: Hawks were in control when D’Ambrosio was subbed off. Can see him getting back to a full game next week with runs on the board over the previous five rounds.
Patch: CONSIDER. He plays the last game of the round and I can’t be confident he won’t be the sub, which scares me enough to trade him. If you reckon he’s safe then hold.
4. JEREMY SHARP $337,700 MID
AP: HOLD. Probably won’t make much more money so you could consider cashing him in but he’s still a reliable on-field scorer in the midfield – and I suddenly don’t have a lot of those.
TM: CONSIDER. No rush to move him on but another popular starting pick who looks to have just about peaked. Has the great round 13 bye if you think you can carry him that long for cover.
DB: CONSIDER. Another of those players that is horses for courses. Could hold him as an M8 or M9 but if trading him gets the premium you want, then by all means trade.
TO: TRADE. Won’t lose too much cash with a bad game if you hold him, but that Break Even is very close to his average now.
Patch: TRADE: He’s gone for mine, with the highest Break Even of any rookie on my side. Should still score well but I’m all about the cash generation with these guys.
5. JACK CARROLL $233,000 MID
AP: TRADE. Back-to-back scores of 26 and a Break Even over 80. Time to go.
TM: TRADE. Losing value fast after two weeks as the sub.
DB: TRADE. Price is hurtling backwards now and looks to be out of favour.
TO: TRADE. No room in that Blues midfield with Cerra returning as well.
Patch: TRADE. I ain’t having no sub-affected scores in my side if I can help it. Well done for the scores you did put up, but hit the road, pal. We’ll see you as a genuine draft option in a few years.
6. OLIVER DEMPSEY $306,600 FWD/MID
AP: HOLD. Winning dual-position status is a bonus and he seems to like the MCG. Another low score could be the last straw, though.
TM: HOLD. Still annoyed I didn’t get him and unless he is managed I wouldn’t be in a rush to trade him out. It’s a slight concern for owners he’s played more forward than wing in recent weeks, though.
DB: HOLD. His floor seems to be 50 and the addition of midfield status is a bonus.
TO: TRADE. Break Even is above his last two scores.
Patch: CONSIDER: His Break Even is 66, which is achievable but you’d be getting close to flicking him.
7. COLBY McKERCHER $252,000 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. Crazy that a couple of weeks ago I thought I could leave McKercher and Sanders on field until the mid-year byes. Losing cash fast.
TM: HOLD. I’m convinced based on Alastair Clarkson wanting to accelerate Harry Sheezel’s midfield move that McKercher will head back this week. And we all know North Melbourne’s backline is a SuperCoach goldmine.
DB: TRADE. Price is going to continue dropping unless he moves back into defence full time.
TO: CONSIDER. Clarko ruined McKercher’s chances of scoring well against Hawthorn when he played him as a high half-forward in the first half. Spent some time in the second half down back but never recovered – if he stays there going forward he is a hold.
Patch: TRADE. If you haven’t already, Colby’s gotta be traded. North is a miserable place to be right now and I don’t want a bar of it.
8. LUKE JACKSON $530,600 RUC/FWD
AP: HOLD. I think he still does enough to be in the mix for a top-six forward, and ruck cover could be huge if Gawn or Grundy miss a week at some stage.
TM: HOLD. Unless you need to bring Max Gawn in before his annual 150-plus against Richmond on Anzac Day Eve. Jackson’s scoring was always going to take a hit once Darcy returned, but he might still be a top-six forward.
DB: HOLD. Jackson was used as the No.1 ruck with Sean Darcy in the side so I’m willing to hold him for now.
TO: HOLD. Provides good ruck cover and a score of 90 isn’t so bad you need to get rid of him.
Patch: HOLD. Please hold Jackson. We gotta be getting rookies off field, not trading premos. We’ll reassess when we’re at full premium.
9. TOM STEWART $538,100 DEF
AP: HOLD. Don’t waste trades swapping premiums in and out. Hopefully your defensive bench cover is better than mine.
TM: HOLD. Too good a player to be trading out when he’s only missing one week with concussion. Plus, it’ll only hurt more when he starts scoring 120s after other coaches jump on for $510k before round 9.
DB: HOLD. Should only miss the one week.
TO: HOLD: Don’t sideways a premium who should only miss one match.
Patch: HOLD. It hurts, but he’ll only miss a week. Hold.
10. AARON CADMAN $280,100 FWD
AP: HOLD. Break Even of 36 is very gettable but getting close to the edge.
TM: TRADE. Still can’t believe he made more than $150k after averaging about 20 last year but well done if you started him.
DB: TRADE. Been a solid cash cow but now it is time to say adios.
TO: CONSIDER: With Hogan and Greene out he could get some more opportunity up forward this week. Flipside is he could get a tougher opponent as well. Break Even of 36 means you can go either way.
Patch: HOLD. Cadman’s got another week left in him, I reckon, and is one breakout game away from another massive burst in cash. Hold if you can, but if you’ve got to flick someone then Cad’s the man.
1. ZAC WILLIAMS $327,300 DEF
AP: HOLD. With a Break Even of 62 Zac can still make us money. I’m hoping to see his name on the Carlton team sheet so I can keep him for a few more weeks.
TM: TRADE. Has done his job by making more than $100k and although he might play this week, his Break Even is now in the 60s.
DB: WAIT. Will trade if he isn’t named but with Adam Saad out of that backline I’m tempted to hold him.
TO: CONSIDER: Was coming good before that subbing against GWS. If he’s out then trade, but if he’s named you’ve got a tough decision.
Patch: TRADE: If he’s injured then he’s gone.
2. RYLEY SANDERS $294,900 FWD/MID
AP: TRADE. I can see him making money at some stage, but it won’t be for a while. I need the money now.
TM: HOLD. Wish I still had him now he’s DPP. I’d rather be fielding Sanders at F4 or F5 than some of the speculative rookies I’ve got.
DB: CONSIDER. Could prove to be a handy forward rookie if he returns to the 22. But can we trust Bevo?
TO: CONSIDER: If he’s in the 22 it’s fair to hold him, but you might not know that until Saturday night. Then he might be subbed off again.
Patch: CONSIDER. I think there’s a case for holding him, but if you need the cash then cut and run.
3. MASSIMO D’AMBROSIO $348,200 DEF/MID
AP: HOLD. See my comment on Zac Williams above. Massimo’s BE is lower than Zac and is still an on-field option. One thing that makes me nervous is the Hawks play on Sunday so we won’t know the final team until every other side has already played. He couldn’t the sub again, could he?
TM: CONSIDER. Still has one more price rise in him but worth punting if it gets you to Walsh or another gun.
DB: CONSIDER: Torn with what to do with D’Ambrosio. Scored well over the weekend but the fact he was subbed out isn’t exactly a vote of confidence.
TO: HOLD: Hawks were in control when D’Ambrosio was subbed off. Can see him getting back to a full game next week with runs on the board over the previous five rounds.
Patch: CONSIDER. He plays the last game of the round and I can’t be confident he won’t be the sub, which scares me enough to trade him. If you reckon he’s safe then hold.
4. JEREMY SHARP $337,700 MID
AP: HOLD. Probably won’t make much more money so you could consider cashing him in but he’s still a reliable on-field scorer in the midfield – and I suddenly don’t have a lot of those.
TM: CONSIDER. No rush to move him on but another popular starting pick who looks to have just about peaked. Has the great round 13 bye if you think you can carry him that long for cover.
DB: CONSIDER. Another of those players that is horses for courses. Could hold him as an M8 or M9 but if trading him gets the premium you want, then by all means trade.
TO: TRADE. Won’t lose too much cash with a bad game if you hold him, but that Break Even is very close to his average now.
Patch: TRADE: He’s gone for mine, with the highest Break Even of any rookie on my side. Should still score well but I’m all about the cash generation with these guys.
5. JACK CARROLL $233,000 MID
AP: TRADE. Back-to-back scores of 26 and a Break Even over 80. Time to go.
TM: TRADE. Losing value fast after two weeks as the sub.
DB: TRADE. Price is hurtling backwards now and looks to be out of favour.
TO: TRADE. No room in that Blues midfield with Cerra returning as well.
Patch: TRADE. I ain’t having no sub-affected scores in my side if I can help it. Well done for the scores you did put up, but hit the road, pal. We’ll see you as a genuine draft option in a few years.
6. OLIVER DEMPSEY $306,600 FWD/MID
AP: HOLD. Winning dual-position status is a bonus and he seems to like the MCG. Another low score could be the last straw, though.
TM: HOLD. Still annoyed I didn’t get him and unless he is managed I wouldn’t be in a rush to trade him out. It’s a slight concern for owners he’s played more forward than wing in recent weeks, though.
DB: HOLD. His floor seems to be 50 and the addition of midfield status is a bonus.
TO: TRADE. Break Even is above his last two scores.
Patch: CONSIDER: His Break Even is 66, which is achievable but you’d be getting close to flicking him.
7. COLBY McKERCHER $252,000 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. Crazy that a couple of weeks ago I thought I could leave McKercher and Sanders on field until the mid-year byes. Losing cash fast.
TM: HOLD. I’m convinced based on Alastair Clarkson wanting to accelerate Harry Sheezel’s midfield move that McKercher will head back this week. And we all know North Melbourne’s backline is a SuperCoach goldmine.
DB: TRADE. Price is going to continue dropping unless he moves back into defence full time.
TO: CONSIDER. Clarko ruined McKercher’s chances of scoring well against Hawthorn when he played him as a high half-forward in the first half. Spent some time in the second half down back but never recovered – if he stays there going forward he is a hold.
Patch: TRADE. If you haven’t already, Colby’s gotta be traded. North is a miserable place to be right now and I don’t want a bar of it.
8. LUKE JACKSON $530,600 RUC/FWD
AP: HOLD. I think he still does enough to be in the mix for a top-six forward, and ruck cover could be huge if Gawn or Grundy miss a week at some stage.
TM: HOLD. Unless you need to bring Max Gawn in before his annual 150-plus against Richmond on Anzac Day Eve. Jackson’s scoring was always going to take a hit once Darcy returned, but he might still be a top-six forward.
DB: HOLD. Jackson was used as the No.1 ruck with Sean Darcy in the side so I’m willing to hold him for now.
TO: HOLD. Provides good ruck cover and a score of 90 isn’t so bad you need to get rid of him.
Patch: HOLD. Please hold Jackson. We gotta be getting rookies off field, not trading premos. We’ll reassess when we’re at full premium.
9. TOM STEWART $538,100 DEF
AP: HOLD. Don’t waste trades swapping premiums in and out. Hopefully your defensive bench cover is better than mine.
TM: HOLD. Too good a player to be trading out when he’s only missing one week with concussion. Plus, it’ll only hurt more when he starts scoring 120s after other coaches jump on for $510k before round 9.
DB: HOLD. Should only miss the one week.
TO: HOLD: Don’t sideways a premium who should only miss one match.
Patch: HOLD. It hurts, but he’ll only miss a week. Hold.
10. AARON CADMAN $280,100 FWD
AP: HOLD. Break Even of 36 is very gettable but getting close to the edge.
TM: TRADE. Still can’t believe he made more than $150k after averaging about 20 last year but well done if you started him.
DB: TRADE. Been a solid cash cow but now it is time to say adios.
TO: CONSIDER: With Hogan and Greene out he could get some more opportunity up forward this week. Flipside is he could get a tougher opponent as well. Break Even of 36 means you can go either way.
Patch: HOLD. Cadman’s got another week left in him, I reckon, and is one breakout game away from another massive burst in cash. Hold if you can, but if you’ve got to flick someone then Cad’s the man.
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SuperCoach AFL Draft waiver targets for round 7Lowly-owned Pies and Bombers could give your SuperCoach Draft team a big Anzac Day boost. See the 15 players to chase this week.Alexie Beovich
7 min read
April 22, 2024 - 1:26PM
Welcome back to the Waiver Wire Weekly Review, where I help you find the value pick-ups in your SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Primarily, these pick-up suggestions will be players who are in fewer than 60 per cent of SuperCoach Draft leagues, and my advice might not fit every single league. You will need to consider whether one of my suggested pick-ups is worth more than one of your current players or not.
The byes are over … for the next few weeks.
We get to select from the full outfit of AFL teams this week, with Richmond and Melbourne returning to the fold.
That means we are simply looking for value picks who can help us win our SuperCoach Draft match-ups this week, or help us build towards that coveted SuperCoach Draft premiership.
We have 63 new dual-position players (DPPs) in SuperCoach this week, so it’s vital to nail your waiver wire and grab those extra valuable players now!
DEFENDERS
Jack Bowes | 88.3 Average | Picked in 25% of leagues
Bowes has quietly been tearing it up for our SuperCoach Draft teams this season.
Since being the sub in round 3 he has produced scores of 90, 104 and a massive 124 on the weekend against Brisbane.
Bowes played in a different role against the Lions. For the previous two weeks he played primarily as a midfielder and was attending around 70 per cent of centre bounces, but Saturday night saw him play almost exclusively from half-back.
The shift into defence is likely what we will see for the remainder of the year given the return of Patrick Dangerfield and pending return of Cam Guthrie.
I like his kick-to-handball ratio and I love his tackling ability – grab Bowes if he’s on the waiver.
Josh Worrell | 87.7 Average | Picked in 25% of leagues
Worrell has had a really consistent year in terms of SuperCoach scoring and showed us on the weekend that he does have a high ceiling, scoring 122 points against Essendon.
Worrell’s position for the Crows this year has ranged from back pocket to the wing, and he seems to have settled into the coveted half-back role.
Worrell took four kick-ins in Round 6, a 25 per cent increase on his season average of three, and played on from all of them.
Combine those kick-ins with an increased overlap game resulting in 21 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency, and you get yourself one healthy SuperCoach score.
I’m predicting an average of about 80 for the season, so he might only be on the radar for those of you in deeper leagues.
Jeremy Howe | 72.4 Average | Picked in 16.5% of leagues
Howe hasn’t really put his hand up to warrant selection in our SuperCoach Draft sides this year, but I’m keeping an eye on him for his upcoming run of games.
Howe has scored north of 65 on only two occasions this year, a 90 in Round 3 and an 89 in round 4, but I believe he will be scoring closer to that 90-mark over the next three weeks.
Collingwood comes up against Essendon, Carlton and West Coast over the next three games and they are typically sides that Howe likes to play against.
He isn’t amazing against Essendon, but does have a career average of 86 against them.
He loves playing the Blues in recent times, scoring 118, 102 and 92 across his past three matches against them.
And then he has West Coast, who are on a roll, but I suspect may come back down to earth and give up a fair few points to someone who can mark the way Howe can.
CONSIDER
Will Hoskin-Elliott (selected in 3.8% of leagues) gained DPP this week and is now selectable as both a defender and a midfielder.
He was massive against Port Adelaide and helped to set up Collingwood’s victory with two goals to his name.
The fear is that he is too versatile to be a relevant SuperCoach Draft prospect, but he’s worth chucking on the bench in deep leagues.
Conor McKenna (in 2.3% of leagues), is a pre-emptive pick-up because we know he’ll return to the senior side, we just don’t quite know when.
He had a successful return via the VFL on the weekend, producing 18 disposals, and could be a sneaky defensive option for your bench.
MIDFIELDERS
Sam Durham | 82.2 Average | Picked in 32% of leagues
Last week we wanted to know if the Durham midfield experiment was real or not, and it now looks pretty real to me.
With the exception of his poor score in round 3, Durham has been excellent this season and in particular over the past fortnight.
Scores of 101 against the Bulldogs and 98 against the Crows have come from 21 and 22 disposals, respectively.
The past two weeks have seen Durham attend around 70 per cent of Essendon’s centre bounces, and his skills with the ball in hand have been on show. He predominantly relies on a highly efficient handball game, but he has also been laying some tackles to generate serious SuperCoach points.
There’s a chance that returning onballers like Will Setterfield or Dylan Shiel could dislodge Durham from the midfield rotation, but I’m willing to bet that Brad Scott backs in his man and we see Durham as not only a SuperCoach Draft option but also a SuperCoach Classic option.
Justin McInerney | 78.8 Average | Picked in 25.3% of leagues
McInerney doesn’t have the ceiling of a midfield beast but he does provide solid and relatively consistent scoring for deeper SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Available as both a forward and a midfielder in SuperCoach, he is playing mostly as an outside mid for the Swans but they have been giving him stints on the ball.
He attended 30 per cent of centre bounces on the weekend and produced 26 disposals, seven marks and four tackles for 91 SuperCoach points.
We should get a really good look at him in the midfield this week against Hawthorn, and for that alone I believe he is worth picking up and chucking on the bench.
Steele Sidebottom | 57.2 Average | Picked in 21.6% of leagues
Picking up Sidebottom this week is a real coin-flip because he’ll either give you a score that leaves you very happy or one that leaves you asking yourself why you listened to me.
That’s what he does in Anzac Day games.
One in every three games against Essendon sees Sidebottom scoring 116-plus but he can also pump out a poultry 48 at times as well.
He has been really disappointing this season, but the weekend’s win over Port Adelaide showed us that he can still find the ball.
Playing as a bit more of an attacking wing, he was able to produce 21 disposals for 82 points, but it was his shots on goal that I took notice of. If he can convert those on Thursday then he’ll return a really good result.
CONSIDER
Jaspa Fletcher (picked in 10% of leagues) is starting to hit his SuperCoach straps.
He will always be a little capped in terms of scoring due to the outside role he plays, but in the past two weeks he has been able to put up scores of 85 and 82, respectively.
The weather played a part in his poor disposals efficiency against the Cats, but he was still able to take five marks and lay three tackles.
A week earlier we saw how deadly he can be with a disposal efficiency of 94 per cent.
James Harmes (in 12.5% of leagues) was good without being great against St Kilda in round 6.
He had 79 points from 16 disposals, six marks and three tackles.
He’s available as both a midfielder and a forward and we’ve seen him average north of 80 points per game in seasons gone by.
There’s merit in sitting him on your bench this week.
7 min read
April 22, 2024 - 1:26PM
Welcome back to the Waiver Wire Weekly Review, where I help you find the value pick-ups in your SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Primarily, these pick-up suggestions will be players who are in fewer than 60 per cent of SuperCoach Draft leagues, and my advice might not fit every single league. You will need to consider whether one of my suggested pick-ups is worth more than one of your current players or not.
The byes are over … for the next few weeks.
We get to select from the full outfit of AFL teams this week, with Richmond and Melbourne returning to the fold.
That means we are simply looking for value picks who can help us win our SuperCoach Draft match-ups this week, or help us build towards that coveted SuperCoach Draft premiership.
We have 63 new dual-position players (DPPs) in SuperCoach this week, so it’s vital to nail your waiver wire and grab those extra valuable players now!
DEFENDERS
Jack Bowes | 88.3 Average | Picked in 25% of leagues
Bowes has quietly been tearing it up for our SuperCoach Draft teams this season.
Since being the sub in round 3 he has produced scores of 90, 104 and a massive 124 on the weekend against Brisbane.
Bowes played in a different role against the Lions. For the previous two weeks he played primarily as a midfielder and was attending around 70 per cent of centre bounces, but Saturday night saw him play almost exclusively from half-back.
The shift into defence is likely what we will see for the remainder of the year given the return of Patrick Dangerfield and pending return of Cam Guthrie.
I like his kick-to-handball ratio and I love his tackling ability – grab Bowes if he’s on the waiver.
Josh Worrell | 87.7 Average | Picked in 25% of leagues
Worrell has had a really consistent year in terms of SuperCoach scoring and showed us on the weekend that he does have a high ceiling, scoring 122 points against Essendon.
Worrell’s position for the Crows this year has ranged from back pocket to the wing, and he seems to have settled into the coveted half-back role.
Worrell took four kick-ins in Round 6, a 25 per cent increase on his season average of three, and played on from all of them.
Combine those kick-ins with an increased overlap game resulting in 21 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency, and you get yourself one healthy SuperCoach score.
I’m predicting an average of about 80 for the season, so he might only be on the radar for those of you in deeper leagues.
Jeremy Howe | 72.4 Average | Picked in 16.5% of leagues
Howe hasn’t really put his hand up to warrant selection in our SuperCoach Draft sides this year, but I’m keeping an eye on him for his upcoming run of games.
Howe has scored north of 65 on only two occasions this year, a 90 in Round 3 and an 89 in round 4, but I believe he will be scoring closer to that 90-mark over the next three weeks.
Collingwood comes up against Essendon, Carlton and West Coast over the next three games and they are typically sides that Howe likes to play against.
He isn’t amazing against Essendon, but does have a career average of 86 against them.
He loves playing the Blues in recent times, scoring 118, 102 and 92 across his past three matches against them.
And then he has West Coast, who are on a roll, but I suspect may come back down to earth and give up a fair few points to someone who can mark the way Howe can.
CONSIDER
Will Hoskin-Elliott (selected in 3.8% of leagues) gained DPP this week and is now selectable as both a defender and a midfielder.
He was massive against Port Adelaide and helped to set up Collingwood’s victory with two goals to his name.
The fear is that he is too versatile to be a relevant SuperCoach Draft prospect, but he’s worth chucking on the bench in deep leagues.
Conor McKenna (in 2.3% of leagues), is a pre-emptive pick-up because we know he’ll return to the senior side, we just don’t quite know when.
He had a successful return via the VFL on the weekend, producing 18 disposals, and could be a sneaky defensive option for your bench.
MIDFIELDERS
Sam Durham | 82.2 Average | Picked in 32% of leagues
Last week we wanted to know if the Durham midfield experiment was real or not, and it now looks pretty real to me.
With the exception of his poor score in round 3, Durham has been excellent this season and in particular over the past fortnight.
Scores of 101 against the Bulldogs and 98 against the Crows have come from 21 and 22 disposals, respectively.
The past two weeks have seen Durham attend around 70 per cent of Essendon’s centre bounces, and his skills with the ball in hand have been on show. He predominantly relies on a highly efficient handball game, but he has also been laying some tackles to generate serious SuperCoach points.
There’s a chance that returning onballers like Will Setterfield or Dylan Shiel could dislodge Durham from the midfield rotation, but I’m willing to bet that Brad Scott backs in his man and we see Durham as not only a SuperCoach Draft option but also a SuperCoach Classic option.
Justin McInerney | 78.8 Average | Picked in 25.3% of leagues
McInerney doesn’t have the ceiling of a midfield beast but he does provide solid and relatively consistent scoring for deeper SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Available as both a forward and a midfielder in SuperCoach, he is playing mostly as an outside mid for the Swans but they have been giving him stints on the ball.
He attended 30 per cent of centre bounces on the weekend and produced 26 disposals, seven marks and four tackles for 91 SuperCoach points.
We should get a really good look at him in the midfield this week against Hawthorn, and for that alone I believe he is worth picking up and chucking on the bench.
Steele Sidebottom | 57.2 Average | Picked in 21.6% of leagues
Picking up Sidebottom this week is a real coin-flip because he’ll either give you a score that leaves you very happy or one that leaves you asking yourself why you listened to me.
That’s what he does in Anzac Day games.
One in every three games against Essendon sees Sidebottom scoring 116-plus but he can also pump out a poultry 48 at times as well.
He has been really disappointing this season, but the weekend’s win over Port Adelaide showed us that he can still find the ball.
Playing as a bit more of an attacking wing, he was able to produce 21 disposals for 82 points, but it was his shots on goal that I took notice of. If he can convert those on Thursday then he’ll return a really good result.
CONSIDER
Jaspa Fletcher (picked in 10% of leagues) is starting to hit his SuperCoach straps.
He will always be a little capped in terms of scoring due to the outside role he plays, but in the past two weeks he has been able to put up scores of 85 and 82, respectively.
The weather played a part in his poor disposals efficiency against the Cats, but he was still able to take five marks and lay three tackles.
A week earlier we saw how deadly he can be with a disposal efficiency of 94 per cent.
James Harmes (in 12.5% of leagues) was good without being great against St Kilda in round 6.
He had 79 points from 16 disposals, six marks and three tackles.
He’s available as both a midfielder and a forward and we’ve seen him average north of 80 points per game in seasons gone by.
There’s merit in sitting him on your bench this week.
RUCKS
Marc Pittonet | 74 Average | Picked in 9% of leagues
The Blues are going with a dual-ruck setup which sees Pitto focusing on the contested stoppage and clearance stuff while Tom De Koning is there to jump over tired opponents and push forward to hit the scoreboard.
Against GWS Pittonet took 66 per cent of the ruck contests, despite only being on the ground for 68 per cent of game time, produced 17 disposals, 25 hitouts and three much-needed marks for 99 SuperCoach points.
It doesn’t always work but when it does, Pitto can be a viable backup for your SuperCoach Draft teams.
FORWARDS
Josh Treacy | 80.8 Average | Picked in 31.1% of leagues
Treacy has had an impressive fortnight of footy despite the results not going Fremantle’s way.
He has been contributing in the front half of the ground, hitting the scoreboard and even giving us a little bit of value via the ruck.
He has kicked five goals over the past two weeks and has returned scores of 135 and 89.
If he maintains his strong marking then there’s no reason to think he can’t provide value to our SuperCoach Draft forward lines, which are looking pretty bare in deeper leagues right now.
Jade Gresham | 71.8 Average | Picked in 28.1% of leagues
I am over invested in Gresham stock across my various SuperCoach Draft leagues, but he finally gave me something to celebrate over the weekend.
He was able to generate 26 disposals, four marks, two tackles and a goal for 94 SuperCoach points.
I think that’s probably where his ceiling sits right now, but I like the prospect of grabbing him ahead of the biggest game of his career, a packed-out Anzac Day crowd.
I’m not sure if he will stand up under the pressure of the occasion but I saw just enough against Adelaide to reaffirm my belief in him.
Grab him if he’s available in your league.
CONSIDER
Matt Kennedy (in 32.2% of leagues) was in last week’s waiver report but it’s worth highlighting that he now has forward eligibility as well.
He scored 103 points in his milestone game and should be able to hold onto his midfield role for at least another week.
Jack Gunston (in 1.1% of leagues) scored seven points in round 2 and was subbed off with an injury but he returned in round 6 and was able to pump out 92 SuperCoach points.
It has been a long time since Gunston was relevant and I’m not even suggesting that he is now, but for deep leagues it can be quite difficult to find forwards.
At last we have recent proof that Gunston can score.
Marc Pittonet | 74 Average | Picked in 9% of leagues
The Blues are going with a dual-ruck setup which sees Pitto focusing on the contested stoppage and clearance stuff while Tom De Koning is there to jump over tired opponents and push forward to hit the scoreboard.
Against GWS Pittonet took 66 per cent of the ruck contests, despite only being on the ground for 68 per cent of game time, produced 17 disposals, 25 hitouts and three much-needed marks for 99 SuperCoach points.
It doesn’t always work but when it does, Pitto can be a viable backup for your SuperCoach Draft teams.
FORWARDS
Josh Treacy | 80.8 Average | Picked in 31.1% of leagues
Treacy has had an impressive fortnight of footy despite the results not going Fremantle’s way.
He has been contributing in the front half of the ground, hitting the scoreboard and even giving us a little bit of value via the ruck.
He has kicked five goals over the past two weeks and has returned scores of 135 and 89.
If he maintains his strong marking then there’s no reason to think he can’t provide value to our SuperCoach Draft forward lines, which are looking pretty bare in deeper leagues right now.
Jade Gresham | 71.8 Average | Picked in 28.1% of leagues
I am over invested in Gresham stock across my various SuperCoach Draft leagues, but he finally gave me something to celebrate over the weekend.
He was able to generate 26 disposals, four marks, two tackles and a goal for 94 SuperCoach points.
I think that’s probably where his ceiling sits right now, but I like the prospect of grabbing him ahead of the biggest game of his career, a packed-out Anzac Day crowd.
I’m not sure if he will stand up under the pressure of the occasion but I saw just enough against Adelaide to reaffirm my belief in him.
Grab him if he’s available in your league.
CONSIDER
Matt Kennedy (in 32.2% of leagues) was in last week’s waiver report but it’s worth highlighting that he now has forward eligibility as well.
He scored 103 points in his milestone game and should be able to hold onto his midfield role for at least another week.
Jack Gunston (in 1.1% of leagues) scored seven points in round 2 and was subbed off with an injury but he returned in round 6 and was able to pump out 92 SuperCoach points.
It has been a long time since Gunston was relevant and I’m not even suggesting that he is now, but for deep leagues it can be quite difficult to find forwards.
At last we have recent proof that Gunston can score.
SuperCoach AFL 2024: key stats insights from round 6
Al Paton and Fantasy Freako
With Tom Liberatore unavailable, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had several options to fill his midfield void.
Three-time All-Australian ball magnet Jack Macrae? Pick 6 in last year’s draft Ryley Sanders? Possibly another promising youngster Harvey Gallagher, or even Cody Weightman, who had been trialled in the midfield over pre-season.
But Beveridge is nothing if not original.
He turned to half-back Ed Richards, who was at 22 centre bounces against St Kilda on Thursday night after not attending a single CBA in the first five rounds.
Richards didn’t exactly dominate, finishing with 18 disposals and two centre clearances, but given the result who are we to question the premiership coach?
Other notable CBA moves this week included:
SAM Walsh played on a wing for periods of last year, recording a CBA percentage for the season of 55 per cent. In his two games back this year he has hit 70 per cent and then 83 per cent against GWS, attending one more centre bounce than skipper Patrick Cripps.
JORDAN Dawson was the main man in the Crows midfield, attending 80 per cent of CBAs against Essendon, up from 48 per cent the week before. He responded with a season-high SuperCoach score of 168.
LUKE Jackson’s CBAs took a predictable hit, down 44 per cent with Sean Darcy returning to the Dockers line-up.
JY SIMPKIN has been pushed out of the centre square at North Melbourne this year, but he was back in the guts against the Hawks, attending a season-high 18 CBAs. Will Phillips attended 17 while George Wardlaw was rested.
Magnet moves within games also caught out SuperCoaches last weekend. After having 100 per cent game time as a centre bounce midfielder in the first half against Adelaide, Zach Merrett spent 51 per cent of game time in attack in the second half. Then on Sunday, Charlie Comben spent 100 per cent of game time in defence in the first half, then 12 per cent in the ruck and 88 per cent forward after halftime. He had just one disposal in the second half.
Secret SuperCoach stats
Each week Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako lifts the lid on the SuperCoach scoring system by analysing key moments from the weekend games. Here are the numbers you need to know from round 6.
Good kicking is good SuperCoach
Bailey Dale was given far too much space by the Saints last Thursday night, and he cut them to shreds. He had 29 kicks for the match, of which only two were ineffective. He had 12 long kicks, 12 short kicks, and two backward kicks for a kicking efficiency of 93.1 per cent.
In contrast, only six of Marcus Bontempelli’s 12 kicks were effective. Thankfully, none was a direct turnover.
Harley explodes
It was a faultless opening term for Harley Reid against the Dockers. He had four disposals (all effective), four contested possessions, one score assist and two goals that were worth 21 of his 71 points for the quarter.
He scored 33 and 39 points in the next two quarters, before ending the match with just four in the final term.
Bombers hero
Nic Martin boosted his score by 14.6 points in the final term against the Crows with one play made up of a handball-receive, effective long kick and goal.
Green has the blues
For the fourth time this season Tom Green posted a kicking efficiency under 60 per cent. One of those was against the Blues, and alarmingly it was his most outside game of the year (32 per cent contested possession rate).
He had four ineffective kicks and three direct turnovers by foot.
After starting the season with three scores over 130, Green has an average of 87.7 from his past three – and faces Brisbane this round, historically his worst opponent to score against.
More than one way to skin a SuperCoach score
We saw contrasting game styles from Carlton teammates Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh on the weekend, with Cripps winning 24 contested possessions compared to Walsh’s 11.
Walsh was damaging on the outside with 24 uncontested possessions, of which 22 were handball-receives (worth 24.7 points). He also scored 31.2 points for his contested work.
Cripps, on the other hand, scored 61.9 points from contested possessions, with another 19.2 coming from tackles.
Stat of the Week – Disposals vs Possessions
We often get the question why disposals and possessions don’t add up all the time. Quite simply, they are two different stats.
A disposal is legally getting rid of the ball via a kick or a handball, while a possession is when a player grabs the ball with a reasonable amount of time to dispose of it. This includes groundball-gets, marks, handball receives, effective contested knock-ons and frees for.
For a disposal to be awarded there must be clear intent. If we use ground kicks as an example, if the contact by foot is incidental then a ground kick won’t be paid. The ball must also travel a certain distance for a ground kick to be credited. The only exception to this rule is if a goal is awarded to the player who makes contact with the ball, in this case, a ground kick will be paid.
Handballs can also be grey. There are times when it seems as though the player gets a handball away, but a contested knock-on is awarded instead as the act didn’t meet the handball criteria. This falls under the contested possession umbrella.
For a contested knock-on to be credited, the ball must be directed to the intended target. The receiving player will then be credited with a gather, which is an uncontested possession.
Then we have smothered disposals. If the ball is immediately smothered by the defending player, then no disposal is awarded. If the attacking player was able to get a disposal away from their body before the defending player smothered the ball, then a disposal shall be awarded.
Some examples of disposals and possessions not adding up are when a player takes an uncontested mark and then the siren sounds. Unless the player is within realistic kicking distance and they have a shot at goal, the quarter will end, and no disposal will take place.
Similarly, if the player earns a free kick right before the siren sounds, then they are credited with a contested possession for the free for but no disposal as the quarter has ended.
Knowing the difference between a disposal and possession can improve your SuperCoach viewing experience.
Al Paton and Fantasy Freako
With Tom Liberatore unavailable, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had several options to fill his midfield void.
Three-time All-Australian ball magnet Jack Macrae? Pick 6 in last year’s draft Ryley Sanders? Possibly another promising youngster Harvey Gallagher, or even Cody Weightman, who had been trialled in the midfield over pre-season.
But Beveridge is nothing if not original.
He turned to half-back Ed Richards, who was at 22 centre bounces against St Kilda on Thursday night after not attending a single CBA in the first five rounds.
Richards didn’t exactly dominate, finishing with 18 disposals and two centre clearances, but given the result who are we to question the premiership coach?
Other notable CBA moves this week included:
SAM Walsh played on a wing for periods of last year, recording a CBA percentage for the season of 55 per cent. In his two games back this year he has hit 70 per cent and then 83 per cent against GWS, attending one more centre bounce than skipper Patrick Cripps.
JORDAN Dawson was the main man in the Crows midfield, attending 80 per cent of CBAs against Essendon, up from 48 per cent the week before. He responded with a season-high SuperCoach score of 168.
LUKE Jackson’s CBAs took a predictable hit, down 44 per cent with Sean Darcy returning to the Dockers line-up.
JY SIMPKIN has been pushed out of the centre square at North Melbourne this year, but he was back in the guts against the Hawks, attending a season-high 18 CBAs. Will Phillips attended 17 while George Wardlaw was rested.
Magnet moves within games also caught out SuperCoaches last weekend. After having 100 per cent game time as a centre bounce midfielder in the first half against Adelaide, Zach Merrett spent 51 per cent of game time in attack in the second half. Then on Sunday, Charlie Comben spent 100 per cent of game time in defence in the first half, then 12 per cent in the ruck and 88 per cent forward after halftime. He had just one disposal in the second half.
Secret SuperCoach stats
Each week Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako lifts the lid on the SuperCoach scoring system by analysing key moments from the weekend games. Here are the numbers you need to know from round 6.
Good kicking is good SuperCoach
Bailey Dale was given far too much space by the Saints last Thursday night, and he cut them to shreds. He had 29 kicks for the match, of which only two were ineffective. He had 12 long kicks, 12 short kicks, and two backward kicks for a kicking efficiency of 93.1 per cent.
In contrast, only six of Marcus Bontempelli’s 12 kicks were effective. Thankfully, none was a direct turnover.
Harley explodes
It was a faultless opening term for Harley Reid against the Dockers. He had four disposals (all effective), four contested possessions, one score assist and two goals that were worth 21 of his 71 points for the quarter.
He scored 33 and 39 points in the next two quarters, before ending the match with just four in the final term.
Bombers hero
Nic Martin boosted his score by 14.6 points in the final term against the Crows with one play made up of a handball-receive, effective long kick and goal.
Green has the blues
For the fourth time this season Tom Green posted a kicking efficiency under 60 per cent. One of those was against the Blues, and alarmingly it was his most outside game of the year (32 per cent contested possession rate).
He had four ineffective kicks and three direct turnovers by foot.
After starting the season with three scores over 130, Green has an average of 87.7 from his past three – and faces Brisbane this round, historically his worst opponent to score against.
More than one way to skin a SuperCoach score
We saw contrasting game styles from Carlton teammates Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh on the weekend, with Cripps winning 24 contested possessions compared to Walsh’s 11.
Walsh was damaging on the outside with 24 uncontested possessions, of which 22 were handball-receives (worth 24.7 points). He also scored 31.2 points for his contested work.
Cripps, on the other hand, scored 61.9 points from contested possessions, with another 19.2 coming from tackles.
Stat of the Week – Disposals vs Possessions
We often get the question why disposals and possessions don’t add up all the time. Quite simply, they are two different stats.
A disposal is legally getting rid of the ball via a kick or a handball, while a possession is when a player grabs the ball with a reasonable amount of time to dispose of it. This includes groundball-gets, marks, handball receives, effective contested knock-ons and frees for.
For a disposal to be awarded there must be clear intent. If we use ground kicks as an example, if the contact by foot is incidental then a ground kick won’t be paid. The ball must also travel a certain distance for a ground kick to be credited. The only exception to this rule is if a goal is awarded to the player who makes contact with the ball, in this case, a ground kick will be paid.
Handballs can also be grey. There are times when it seems as though the player gets a handball away, but a contested knock-on is awarded instead as the act didn’t meet the handball criteria. This falls under the contested possession umbrella.
For a contested knock-on to be credited, the ball must be directed to the intended target. The receiving player will then be credited with a gather, which is an uncontested possession.
Then we have smothered disposals. If the ball is immediately smothered by the defending player, then no disposal is awarded. If the attacking player was able to get a disposal away from their body before the defending player smothered the ball, then a disposal shall be awarded.
Some examples of disposals and possessions not adding up are when a player takes an uncontested mark and then the siren sounds. Unless the player is within realistic kicking distance and they have a shot at goal, the quarter will end, and no disposal will take place.
Similarly, if the player earns a free kick right before the siren sounds, then they are credited with a contested possession for the free for but no disposal as the quarter has ended.
Knowing the difference between a disposal and possession can improve your SuperCoach viewing experience.
Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sam Berry Foot Test
Jordan Butts Hamstring Test
Wayne Milera Knee 2025
Nick Murray Knee 4-6 weeks
Lachlan Murphy Knee Test
Patrick Parnell Shoulder 2025
Harry Schoenberg Achilles Test
Brodie Smith Back Test
Riley Thilthorpe Knee 9-11 weeks
Sloane has retired while on the comeback trail from surgery on a detached retina
Updated: April 29
Brisbane injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Callum Ah Chee Hamstring TBC
Will Ashcroft Knee TBC
Zac Bailey Ankle 4-5 weeks
Keidean Coleman ACL 2025
Tom Doedee Knee 2025
Oscar McInerney Concussion TBC
Carter Michael Knee 3-4 weeks
Deven Robertson Shoulder 4 weeks
Zane Zakostelsky Groin 1 week
Ah Chee suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to GWS
Updated: April 26
Carlton injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dom Akuei Concussion Test
Matt Carroll Groin Indefinite
Adam Cerra Hamstring 1 week
David Cuningham Calf 1 week
Sam Docherty ACL 2025
Lachie Fogarty Hand TBC
Caleb Marchbank Back TBC
Jack Martin Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Mitch McGovern Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jesse Motlop Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Adam Saad Hamstring 5 weeks
Jack Silvagni Knee 2025
Billy Wilson Concussion Test
Updated: April 29
Collingwood injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry DeMattia Finger Test
Josh Eyre Hamstring 4 weeks
Nathan Kreuger Calf Test
Daniel McStay Knee TBC
Jakob Ryan Hand Test
Oscar Steene Toe 12 weeks
The Pies appeared to get through the Anzac Day draw unscathed
Updated: April 26
Essendon injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Kaine Baldwin Foot 8 weeks
Matt Guelfi Calf Test
Jaiden Hunter Knee 2025
Harry Jones Nose TBC
Jye Menzie Shoulder 2-3 weeks
Archie Perkins Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Zach Reid Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Jordan Ridley Quad 4 weeks
Will Setterfield Knee 2 weeks
Jones was subbed off on Anzac Day after a knock to the face
Updated: April 26
Fremantle injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jye Amiss Concussion TBC
Josh Corbett Hip 2025
Brennan Cox Leg 8-10 weeks
Josh Draper Hamstring TC/td>
Sebit Kuek Knee 2025
Oscar McDonald Knee 13-17 weeks
Odin Jones Concussion 2 weeks
Conrad Williams Foot 1-2 weeks
Sam Switkowski Concussion Test
Updated: April 29
Geelong injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Patrick Dangerfield Hamstring 6-8 weeks
Mitch Edwards Back 3-4 weeks
Phoenix Foster Concussion TBC
Joe Furphy Ankle 2 weeks
Tom Stewart Concussion TBC
Dangerfield's sixth career hamstring strain should see him sidelined for up to 2 months
Updated: April 29
Gold Coast Suns injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sandy Brock Forearm Test
Connor Budarick Hamstring 1 week
Jy Farrar Thumb Test
Lloyd Johnston Hamstring Test
Malcolm Rosas Hamstring 7 weeks
Lachie Weller Knee 12-14 weeks
Updated: April 29
GWS Giants injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Stephen Coniglio Knee 1-2 weeks
Isaac Cumming Calf Test
Toby Greene Suspension Round 8
Adam Kennedy Knee Indefinite
James Leake Quad 2-4 weeks
Sam Taylor Concussion TBC
Nathan Wardius Shin 2-4 weeks
Cumming is expected to return via the VFL this week
Greene misses a week with suspension
Updated: April 26
Hawthorn injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Josh Bennetts Concussion 1 week
James Blanck ACL 2025
Luke Breust Groin 1-2 weeks
Sam Butler Broken leg TBC
Denver Grainger-Barras Toe 2-4 weeks
Changkuoth Jiath Quad 2-3 weeks
Mitch Lewis Hamstring Test
Will McCabe Back 7-9 weeks
Ned Reeves Concussion Test
Nick Watson Ankle 2-4 weeks
Updated: April 29
Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jake Bowey Collarbone 3-4 weeks
Jake Melksham Knee 7-9 weeks
Christian Salem Hamstring 3-5 weeks
Joel Smith Misconduct Indefinite
Charlie Spargo Achilles 3-4 weeks
No fresh injuries from the win over the Tigers
Updated: April 25
North Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Callum Coleman-Jones Achilles 2025
Kallan Dawson Ankle 2-3 weeks
Wil Dawson Shoulder Test
Eddie Ford Hip Test
Josh Goater Achilles 2025
Cooper Harvey Syndesmosis 1 week
Griffin Logue Knee 6-7 weeks
George Wardlaw Managed Test
Updated: April 29
Port Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Aliir Aliir Concussion 1-2 weeks
Hugh Jackson Hip 7-9 weeks
Ollie Lord Knee/tibia 2-4 weeks
Tom McCallum Ankle 2-3 weeks
Trent McKenzie Quad 3-4 weeks
Quinton Narkle Foot 6-8 weeks
Sam Powell-Pepper Knee TBC
Connor Rozee Hamstring TBC
Tom Scully Calf Test
Josh Sinn Hip 1-2 weeks
The Power will likely be without Rozee, Aliir and Powell-Pepper for next week's Showdown against Adelaide
Updated: April 27
Richmond injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Noah Balta MCL 1-2 weeks
Jacob Bauer Hamstring 2 weeks
Judson Clarke ACL 2025
Mate Colina Back Long term
Liam Fawcett Back Long term
Josh Gibcus ACL 2025
Tom Lynch Hamstring 8-10 weeks
Dion Prestia Hamstring 2 weeks
Jack Ross Foot 8 weeks
Jayden Short Calf 1-2 weeks
Tim Taranto Wrist 6-8 weeks
James Trezise Ankle 1-2 weeks
Hopper was subbed out with a hamstring injury against the Dees.
Updated: April 25
St Kilda injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dan Butler Hamstring 4-6 weeks
Hunter Clark Calf 1 weeks
Brad Crouch Knee 3 weeks
Angus Hastie Knee TBC
Max Heath Concussion TBC
Liam Henry Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Max King Knee Test
Rowan Marshall Knee Test
Mason Wood Concussion/collarbone 1 week
James Van Es Ankle Test
Marshall looked proppy throughout the game after hurting his knee
Updated: April 27
Sydney injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry Arnold Back 7-8 weeks
Callum Mills Shoulder 7-8 weeks
Luke Parker Arm Test
Dane Rampe Hamstring 1 week
Sam Reid Quad 1 week
Updated: April 29
West Coast injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Oscar Allen Knee 5-6 weeks
Tom Barrass Suspension Round 8
Rhett Bazzo Groin 4-5 weeks
Matt Flynn Knee 3-4 weeks
Elijah Hewett Foot Mid-season
Callum Jamieson Hamstring TBC
Updated: April 29
Western Bulldogs injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Nick Coffield Shoulder 8-10 weeks
Tom Liberatore Concussion Test
Aiden O'Driscoll Concussion Indefinite
Bailey Smith Knee 2025
Lachie Smith Knee Test
Cody Weightman Elbow 6 weeks
Weightman is set for an extended period on the sidelines after aggravating an existing elbow injury
Updated: April 29
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sam Berry Foot Test
Jordan Butts Hamstring Test
Wayne Milera Knee 2025
Nick Murray Knee 4-6 weeks
Lachlan Murphy Knee Test
Patrick Parnell Shoulder 2025
Harry Schoenberg Achilles Test
Brodie Smith Back Test
Riley Thilthorpe Knee 9-11 weeks
Sloane has retired while on the comeback trail from surgery on a detached retina
Updated: April 29
Brisbane injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Callum Ah Chee Hamstring TBC
Will Ashcroft Knee TBC
Zac Bailey Ankle 4-5 weeks
Keidean Coleman ACL 2025
Tom Doedee Knee 2025
Oscar McInerney Concussion TBC
Carter Michael Knee 3-4 weeks
Deven Robertson Shoulder 4 weeks
Zane Zakostelsky Groin 1 week
Ah Chee suffered a hamstring injury in the loss to GWS
Updated: April 26
Carlton injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dom Akuei Concussion Test
Matt Carroll Groin Indefinite
Adam Cerra Hamstring 1 week
David Cuningham Calf 1 week
Sam Docherty ACL 2025
Lachie Fogarty Hand TBC
Caleb Marchbank Back TBC
Jack Martin Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Mitch McGovern Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Jesse Motlop Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Adam Saad Hamstring 5 weeks
Jack Silvagni Knee 2025
Billy Wilson Concussion Test
Updated: April 29
Collingwood injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry DeMattia Finger Test
Josh Eyre Hamstring 4 weeks
Nathan Kreuger Calf Test
Daniel McStay Knee TBC
Jakob Ryan Hand Test
Oscar Steene Toe 12 weeks
The Pies appeared to get through the Anzac Day draw unscathed
Updated: April 26
Essendon injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Kaine Baldwin Foot 8 weeks
Matt Guelfi Calf Test
Jaiden Hunter Knee 2025
Harry Jones Nose TBC
Jye Menzie Shoulder 2-3 weeks
Archie Perkins Hamstring 1-2 weeks
Zach Reid Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Jordan Ridley Quad 4 weeks
Will Setterfield Knee 2 weeks
Jones was subbed off on Anzac Day after a knock to the face
Updated: April 26
Fremantle injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jye Amiss Concussion TBC
Josh Corbett Hip 2025
Brennan Cox Leg 8-10 weeks
Josh Draper Hamstring TC/td>
Sebit Kuek Knee 2025
Oscar McDonald Knee 13-17 weeks
Odin Jones Concussion 2 weeks
Conrad Williams Foot 1-2 weeks
Sam Switkowski Concussion Test
Updated: April 29
Geelong injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Patrick Dangerfield Hamstring 6-8 weeks
Mitch Edwards Back 3-4 weeks
Phoenix Foster Concussion TBC
Joe Furphy Ankle 2 weeks
Tom Stewart Concussion TBC
Dangerfield's sixth career hamstring strain should see him sidelined for up to 2 months
Updated: April 29
Gold Coast Suns injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Sandy Brock Forearm Test
Connor Budarick Hamstring 1 week
Jy Farrar Thumb Test
Lloyd Johnston Hamstring Test
Malcolm Rosas Hamstring 7 weeks
Lachie Weller Knee 12-14 weeks
Updated: April 29
GWS Giants injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Stephen Coniglio Knee 1-2 weeks
Isaac Cumming Calf Test
Toby Greene Suspension Round 8
Adam Kennedy Knee Indefinite
James Leake Quad 2-4 weeks
Sam Taylor Concussion TBC
Nathan Wardius Shin 2-4 weeks
Cumming is expected to return via the VFL this week
Greene misses a week with suspension
Updated: April 26
Hawthorn injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Josh Bennetts Concussion 1 week
James Blanck ACL 2025
Luke Breust Groin 1-2 weeks
Sam Butler Broken leg TBC
Denver Grainger-Barras Toe 2-4 weeks
Changkuoth Jiath Quad 2-3 weeks
Mitch Lewis Hamstring Test
Will McCabe Back 7-9 weeks
Ned Reeves Concussion Test
Nick Watson Ankle 2-4 weeks
Updated: April 29
Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Jake Bowey Collarbone 3-4 weeks
Jake Melksham Knee 7-9 weeks
Christian Salem Hamstring 3-5 weeks
Joel Smith Misconduct Indefinite
Charlie Spargo Achilles 3-4 weeks
No fresh injuries from the win over the Tigers
Updated: April 25
North Melbourne injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Callum Coleman-Jones Achilles 2025
Kallan Dawson Ankle 2-3 weeks
Wil Dawson Shoulder Test
Eddie Ford Hip Test
Josh Goater Achilles 2025
Cooper Harvey Syndesmosis 1 week
Griffin Logue Knee 6-7 weeks
George Wardlaw Managed Test
Updated: April 29
Port Adelaide injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Aliir Aliir Concussion 1-2 weeks
Hugh Jackson Hip 7-9 weeks
Ollie Lord Knee/tibia 2-4 weeks
Tom McCallum Ankle 2-3 weeks
Trent McKenzie Quad 3-4 weeks
Quinton Narkle Foot 6-8 weeks
Sam Powell-Pepper Knee TBC
Connor Rozee Hamstring TBC
Tom Scully Calf Test
Josh Sinn Hip 1-2 weeks
The Power will likely be without Rozee, Aliir and Powell-Pepper for next week's Showdown against Adelaide
Updated: April 27
Richmond injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Noah Balta MCL 1-2 weeks
Jacob Bauer Hamstring 2 weeks
Judson Clarke ACL 2025
Mate Colina Back Long term
Liam Fawcett Back Long term
Josh Gibcus ACL 2025
Tom Lynch Hamstring 8-10 weeks
Dion Prestia Hamstring 2 weeks
Jack Ross Foot 8 weeks
Jayden Short Calf 1-2 weeks
Tim Taranto Wrist 6-8 weeks
James Trezise Ankle 1-2 weeks
Hopper was subbed out with a hamstring injury against the Dees.
Updated: April 25
St Kilda injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Dan Butler Hamstring 4-6 weeks
Hunter Clark Calf 1 weeks
Brad Crouch Knee 3 weeks
Angus Hastie Knee TBC
Max Heath Concussion TBC
Liam Henry Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Max King Knee Test
Rowan Marshall Knee Test
Mason Wood Concussion/collarbone 1 week
James Van Es Ankle Test
Marshall looked proppy throughout the game after hurting his knee
Updated: April 27
Sydney injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Harry Arnold Back 7-8 weeks
Callum Mills Shoulder 7-8 weeks
Luke Parker Arm Test
Dane Rampe Hamstring 1 week
Sam Reid Quad 1 week
Updated: April 29
West Coast injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Oscar Allen Knee 5-6 weeks
Tom Barrass Suspension Round 8
Rhett Bazzo Groin 4-5 weeks
Matt Flynn Knee 3-4 weeks
Elijah Hewett Foot Mid-season
Callum Jamieson Hamstring TBC
Updated: April 29
Western Bulldogs injury list
Name Injury Estimated Return
Nick Coffield Shoulder 8-10 weeks
Tom Liberatore Concussion Test
Aiden O'Driscoll Concussion Indefinite
Bailey Smith Knee 2025
Lachie Smith Knee Test
Cody Weightman Elbow 6 weeks
Weightman is set for an extended period on the sidelines after aggravating an existing elbow injury
Updated: April 29
Stats insider: Full round 7 centre bounce numbers, key SuperCoach intel
Alastair Clarkson’s midfield shake-up produced mixed results for North Melbourne’s SuperCoach guns. See every centre bounce attendee for round 6 and the big movers and sliders.
Al Paton and Fantasy Freako
Sometimes you have to look for subtle clues to explain a sudden spike or drop-off in player output and SuperCoach scores.
And sometimes the answer smashes you over the head.
Young Kangaroos ball magnet Tom Powell is averaging 22 disposals, five clearances and almost five tackles a game this year, and 87 SuperCoach points.
On Saturday against Adelaide he had just 10 disposals, two clearances, one tackle and a season-low 49 SuperCoach points.
A look at the Kangaroos’ centre bounce numbers reveals the culprit. After attending at least 76 per cent of CBAs over the first six rounds (in round 2 that number was 93 per cent), he was at just 14 per cent in round 7.
Alastair Clarkson threw his midfield around, with Powell playing 75 per cent of game time as a forward. Harry Sheezel played 65 per cent in defence, 15 per cent midfield and 20 per cent as a forward. Small forward Paul Curtis (26 per cent CBAs) was given a run in the centre square, Will Phillips a staple at centre bounces until he was subbed off and Jy Simpkin has been getting a lot more mid time over the past two rounds.
While the magnet moves might have hurt Powell, they clearly worked for one young Roo. Colby McKercher had zero CBAs and spent 100 per cent of the game in defence, where he amassed a season-high 32 disposals, seven marks and 102 SuperCoach points.
Other notable CBA moves this week included:
LUKE Beveridge persisted with his Ed Richards midfield experiment, with the former defender attending 24 CBAs against Fremantle. It’s worth noting that Tom Liberatore was missing again.
JORDAN Dawson’s CBA percentage dropped from 80 per cent to 60 per cent with Matt Crouch returning to the team. Izak Rankin’s centre bounce numbers took an even bigger hit, dropping from 76 per cent to 26 per cent.
JAKE Stringer was at 75 per cent of CBAs for the Bombers on Anzac Day, replacing Jye Caldwell.
WILL Day attended 50 per cent of CBAs in his first game of the year for Hawthorn.
LUKE Jackson’s CBAs dropped again from 43 per cent to 27 per cent as Sean Darcy gains fitness. Jackson spent 75 per cent of game time as a forward.
CHRISTIAN Petracca’s CBAs fell to 57 per cent against Richmond, his second-lowest figure for the season.
ISAAC Heeney was at 81 per cent of CBAs against Hawthorn, his highest figure for the year.
JACK Petruccelle took Harley Reid’s midfield minutes at West Coast, attending 76 per cent of CBAs against Gold Coast. He managed only 14 disposals but laid a team-high 10 tackles.
Secret SuperCoach stats
Each week Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako lifts the lid on the SuperCoach scoring system by analysing key moments from the weekend games. Here are the numbers you need to know from round 7.
MY FAVOURITE MARTIN
Nic Martin shared his time between defence and attack in the final term on Anzac Day, playing played 69 per cent of game time for the quarter as a forward.
He kicked an important goal and scored 15.2 points from his handball-receive, effective short kick and the goal. He also scored 3.9 points for his goal assist soon after.
FREE KICK ROWELL
Rowell won seven free kicks on the weekend – the most by any player in a match this season. A free for is classified as a contested possession and he won a total of 23 points from free kicks.
Rowell has 26 frees for this season, ranked No.1. Brodie Grundy is ranked No.1 for frees against with 22 for the season.
NO KNOCK ON BONT
Marcus Bontempelli showed on the weekend that you don’t have to take possession of the ball to influence the match, or score SuperCoach points. He scored 2.9 points for an effective knock-on and 3.4 for a goal assist when he cleverly tapped a loose ball to Aaron Naughton for a crucial goal on Saturday night.
GREEN’S NEW MATE
Tom Green had an effective and unexpected partnership with first-gamer Darcy Jones on Anzac Day. The two players combined twice – one for a goal and the other for a behind. No one has combined three times in a match this year.
Stat of the Week – First possessions and clearances
Below is a definition of the two stats:
First Possessions
The initial possession that follows a stoppage, including a loose ball-get, hardball-get, intended ball-get (gather), free kick or ground kick.
Clearances
Credited to the player who has the first effective disposal in a chain that clears the stoppage area, or an ineffective kick or clanger kick that clears the stoppage area.
We often get asked, How many SuperCoach points you get for a clearance? The simple answer is none. The clearance is an action whereby you clear the stoppage area – so no SuperCoach points are attached to it.
You do earn points for how you win the ball, whether that be a gather from a ruckman’s hitout-to-advantage, or a loose ball-get or hardball-get when the ball is in dispute.
If you clear the stoppage area via a kick (short and effective or long) then you are positively rewarded for this with SuperCoach points. If the kick is ineffective then you get zero points, while if you turn the ball over by foot then you lose points off your score.
While there are no points attached to a clearance, the one exception to this rule is a hitout smash which generates a clearance. This is a hitout that clears the stoppage area, and this is worth five SuperCoach points.
On the weekend, Caleb Serong generated a career-high 17 clearances, but he only got points for his gathers and hard and loose ball-gets. He did have six gathers from a hitout which netted him 9.4 points.
Patrick Cripps leads the gathers from a hitout stat with 24 across the year, slightly ahead of Christian Petracca (23) and Nat Fyfe and Tom Liberatore (20).
If we look at the best ruck-rover combinations in the league, Max Gawn and Christian Petracca have combined 21 times – three ahead of Kieren Briggs and Tom Green.
Alastair Clarkson’s midfield shake-up produced mixed results for North Melbourne’s SuperCoach guns. See every centre bounce attendee for round 6 and the big movers and sliders.
Al Paton and Fantasy Freako
Sometimes you have to look for subtle clues to explain a sudden spike or drop-off in player output and SuperCoach scores.
And sometimes the answer smashes you over the head.
Young Kangaroos ball magnet Tom Powell is averaging 22 disposals, five clearances and almost five tackles a game this year, and 87 SuperCoach points.
On Saturday against Adelaide he had just 10 disposals, two clearances, one tackle and a season-low 49 SuperCoach points.
A look at the Kangaroos’ centre bounce numbers reveals the culprit. After attending at least 76 per cent of CBAs over the first six rounds (in round 2 that number was 93 per cent), he was at just 14 per cent in round 7.
Alastair Clarkson threw his midfield around, with Powell playing 75 per cent of game time as a forward. Harry Sheezel played 65 per cent in defence, 15 per cent midfield and 20 per cent as a forward. Small forward Paul Curtis (26 per cent CBAs) was given a run in the centre square, Will Phillips a staple at centre bounces until he was subbed off and Jy Simpkin has been getting a lot more mid time over the past two rounds.
While the magnet moves might have hurt Powell, they clearly worked for one young Roo. Colby McKercher had zero CBAs and spent 100 per cent of the game in defence, where he amassed a season-high 32 disposals, seven marks and 102 SuperCoach points.
Other notable CBA moves this week included:
LUKE Beveridge persisted with his Ed Richards midfield experiment, with the former defender attending 24 CBAs against Fremantle. It’s worth noting that Tom Liberatore was missing again.
JORDAN Dawson’s CBA percentage dropped from 80 per cent to 60 per cent with Matt Crouch returning to the team. Izak Rankin’s centre bounce numbers took an even bigger hit, dropping from 76 per cent to 26 per cent.
JAKE Stringer was at 75 per cent of CBAs for the Bombers on Anzac Day, replacing Jye Caldwell.
WILL Day attended 50 per cent of CBAs in his first game of the year for Hawthorn.
LUKE Jackson’s CBAs dropped again from 43 per cent to 27 per cent as Sean Darcy gains fitness. Jackson spent 75 per cent of game time as a forward.
CHRISTIAN Petracca’s CBAs fell to 57 per cent against Richmond, his second-lowest figure for the season.
ISAAC Heeney was at 81 per cent of CBAs against Hawthorn, his highest figure for the year.
JACK Petruccelle took Harley Reid’s midfield minutes at West Coast, attending 76 per cent of CBAs against Gold Coast. He managed only 14 disposals but laid a team-high 10 tackles.
Secret SuperCoach stats
Each week Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako lifts the lid on the SuperCoach scoring system by analysing key moments from the weekend games. Here are the numbers you need to know from round 7.
MY FAVOURITE MARTIN
Nic Martin shared his time between defence and attack in the final term on Anzac Day, playing played 69 per cent of game time for the quarter as a forward.
He kicked an important goal and scored 15.2 points from his handball-receive, effective short kick and the goal. He also scored 3.9 points for his goal assist soon after.
FREE KICK ROWELL
Rowell won seven free kicks on the weekend – the most by any player in a match this season. A free for is classified as a contested possession and he won a total of 23 points from free kicks.
Rowell has 26 frees for this season, ranked No.1. Brodie Grundy is ranked No.1 for frees against with 22 for the season.
NO KNOCK ON BONT
Marcus Bontempelli showed on the weekend that you don’t have to take possession of the ball to influence the match, or score SuperCoach points. He scored 2.9 points for an effective knock-on and 3.4 for a goal assist when he cleverly tapped a loose ball to Aaron Naughton for a crucial goal on Saturday night.
GREEN’S NEW MATE
Tom Green had an effective and unexpected partnership with first-gamer Darcy Jones on Anzac Day. The two players combined twice – one for a goal and the other for a behind. No one has combined three times in a match this year.
Stat of the Week – First possessions and clearances
Below is a definition of the two stats:
First Possessions
The initial possession that follows a stoppage, including a loose ball-get, hardball-get, intended ball-get (gather), free kick or ground kick.
Clearances
Credited to the player who has the first effective disposal in a chain that clears the stoppage area, or an ineffective kick or clanger kick that clears the stoppage area.
We often get asked, How many SuperCoach points you get for a clearance? The simple answer is none. The clearance is an action whereby you clear the stoppage area – so no SuperCoach points are attached to it.
You do earn points for how you win the ball, whether that be a gather from a ruckman’s hitout-to-advantage, or a loose ball-get or hardball-get when the ball is in dispute.
If you clear the stoppage area via a kick (short and effective or long) then you are positively rewarded for this with SuperCoach points. If the kick is ineffective then you get zero points, while if you turn the ball over by foot then you lose points off your score.
While there are no points attached to a clearance, the one exception to this rule is a hitout smash which generates a clearance. This is a hitout that clears the stoppage area, and this is worth five SuperCoach points.
On the weekend, Caleb Serong generated a career-high 17 clearances, but he only got points for his gathers and hard and loose ball-gets. He did have six gathers from a hitout which netted him 9.4 points.
Patrick Cripps leads the gathers from a hitout stat with 24 across the year, slightly ahead of Christian Petracca (23) and Nat Fyfe and Tom Liberatore (20).
If we look at the best ruck-rover combinations in the league, Max Gawn and Christian Petracca have combined 21 times – three ahead of Kieren Briggs and Tom Green.
SuperCoach AFL Draft waiver targets for Round 8
It was a weekend of misfiring premium players, over-performing rookies and inconvenient injuries for draft SuperCoaches. These are the waiver wire gems to target and get your squad back on track.
Welcome back to the Waiver Wire Weekly Review where I help you find the value pick-ups in your SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Primarily, these pick-up suggestions will be players who are in less than 60 per cent of SuperCoach Draft leagues and my advice might not fit every single league.
You will need to consider whether one of my suggested pick-ups is worth more than one of your current players or not.
It was a week of misfiring premium players, over-performing rookies and inconvenient injuries.
As a result, there are plenty of waiver wire gems to consider for your SuperCoach Draft team.
Let’s dive in and find the players who could be the difference between winning and losing this week.
Defenders
Jase Burgoyne - 69.3 Average - Picked in 4.5 per cent of leagues
Jase Burgoyne has been very good over his last three games.
He is averaging 99.3 since being elevated from the sub to what appears to be a permanent starting wing role.
He has scored 93, 88 and 117 in Port Adelaide’s last three matches, accumulating at least 21 disposals, five marks and two tackles in that time.
He set his high-water mark against St Kilda in Round 7 with 27 disposals, eight marks, four tackles and 117 SuperCoach points.
He won’t be on waiver wires for long, grab him now if you can.
Liam Jones is in a decent vein of form right now, averaging 88 across his last three games and 79 across his last five.
Jones has recorded at least seven intercept possessions and five marks across his last three games and it’s reflected in his scoring.
He seems to be taking on the game a bit more than he did in the early rounds and we’ve seen an uptick in both his kick totals and his kick-to handball ratios as a result.
Combine all of the above with a really strong disposal efficiency, 100 per cent against Fremantle in Round 7, and you get yourself a decent depth scorer for your SuperCoach Draft defence.
Colby McKercher - 64.7 Average - Picked in 29 per cent of leagues
North Melbourne is struggling at the moment and we’ve seen Alistair Clarkson start to spin the magnets already.
The positive out of this on the weekend was Colby McKercher returning to his role in defence.
We’ve seen him score well in the cushy halfback position this season, he has posted scores of 88, 95, 74 and now 102 down there.
McKercher was one of the few shining lights for North on the weekend, he delivered 32 disposals (23 by foot) and seven marks for 102 SuperCoach points.
I’m willing to back him in while the Roos rejig other parts of the ground.
Consider
Alex Witherden, selected in 19 per cent of leagues, appears to have regained his spot in the West Coast side.
While he hasn’t been amazing by any stretch with scores of just 47, 60 and 70 since his return, I do think there’s some upside in him as an option.
West Coast take on Essendon this week and Witherden averages 107 against them across six games.
He has recent scores of 107, 63 and 170 against the Bombers.
John Noble, selected in 24.8 per cent of leagues, is someone who should be on benches in deeper leagues.
Scores of 105, 73, 77 and 92 since returning to the Pies side.
He takes on Carlton this week who he averages 95 against across seven career matches.
Midfielders
Cam Guthrie - 82 Average - Picked in 38 per cent of leagues
We probably saw Cam Guthrie’s floor in his return game against Carlton.
At worst, I think he maintains an average around 80 SuperCoach points per game but at best he has clear upside.
He started off in defence but was able to push up the ground against the Blues which gives me hope that he could take a role in the midfield with Patrick Dangerfield potentially out injured.
Even if he doesn’t reclaim a spot in Geelong’s midfield I think he’s a solid pick.
Guthrie was able to produce 27 disposals (18 by foot), seven marks and two tackles for 82 SuperCoach points.
In a worst-case scenario I think Guthrie mirrors his 2023 and averages around 84 points but in a best-case scenario we could see him get back to his 2022 output where he averaged 99 points per game.
Will Graham - 79.7 Average - Picked in 15.5 per cent of leagues
Will Graham probably won’t be a consistent scorer in his rookie year but I do think his DEF/MID status makes him a valuable selection for deeper leagues.
He has produced scores of 67, 91, 61 and 87 so far in his career.
Four of the next five games for Gold Coast are in the northern states and they seem to perform better in the heat and, coincidentally, Graham’s two scores of 87-plus have come at the Suns’ home ground.
Grab this tackling beast while he is available on the waiver wire.
Miles Bergman - 79.6 Average - Picked in 20.7 per cent of leagues
Miles Bergman is delivering some strong SuperCoach scores on the wing for Port Adelaide this year.
For coaches considering a pick-up, he is available as both a defender and a midfielder so will provide depth across two positions.
Bergman has scored at least 88 in four of seven games this season, and produced scores of 101, 75 and 96 across his last three games.
His 96 against St Kilda came from 19 disposals, nine marks and a tackle.
His teammates are looking for him and that’s evident in the 25 marks he has taken over the last three games.
Consider
Callan Ward, picked in 16.9 per cent of leagues, looks like he is returning to full match fitness after a lengthy injury to start the season.
He had 22 disposals, six marks and four tackles for 83 points on the weekend.
Heading into the Battle for the Bridge this weekend, or whatever silly name they give the Sydney derby these days, he is primed for a big score.
Ward averages 99 against Sydney across 24 games and most recently delivered a 96 in Round 21 2023.
Thomson Dow, picked in 5 per cent of teams, is here because Richmond have no other midfielders left.
The injury-ravaged Tigers list has given Dow an opportunity to cement his place in the side which I believe he did against Melbourne in Round 7.
22 disposals and eight tackles for 110 points is a promising sign for those trying to find midfield depth in their SuperCoach Draft leagues.
It was a weekend of misfiring premium players, over-performing rookies and inconvenient injuries for draft SuperCoaches. These are the waiver wire gems to target and get your squad back on track.
Welcome back to the Waiver Wire Weekly Review where I help you find the value pick-ups in your SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Primarily, these pick-up suggestions will be players who are in less than 60 per cent of SuperCoach Draft leagues and my advice might not fit every single league.
You will need to consider whether one of my suggested pick-ups is worth more than one of your current players or not.
It was a week of misfiring premium players, over-performing rookies and inconvenient injuries.
As a result, there are plenty of waiver wire gems to consider for your SuperCoach Draft team.
Let’s dive in and find the players who could be the difference between winning and losing this week.
Defenders
Jase Burgoyne - 69.3 Average - Picked in 4.5 per cent of leagues
Jase Burgoyne has been very good over his last three games.
He is averaging 99.3 since being elevated from the sub to what appears to be a permanent starting wing role.
He has scored 93, 88 and 117 in Port Adelaide’s last three matches, accumulating at least 21 disposals, five marks and two tackles in that time.
He set his high-water mark against St Kilda in Round 7 with 27 disposals, eight marks, four tackles and 117 SuperCoach points.
He won’t be on waiver wires for long, grab him now if you can.
Liam Jones is in a decent vein of form right now, averaging 88 across his last three games and 79 across his last five.
Jones has recorded at least seven intercept possessions and five marks across his last three games and it’s reflected in his scoring.
He seems to be taking on the game a bit more than he did in the early rounds and we’ve seen an uptick in both his kick totals and his kick-to handball ratios as a result.
Combine all of the above with a really strong disposal efficiency, 100 per cent against Fremantle in Round 7, and you get yourself a decent depth scorer for your SuperCoach Draft defence.
Colby McKercher - 64.7 Average - Picked in 29 per cent of leagues
North Melbourne is struggling at the moment and we’ve seen Alistair Clarkson start to spin the magnets already.
The positive out of this on the weekend was Colby McKercher returning to his role in defence.
We’ve seen him score well in the cushy halfback position this season, he has posted scores of 88, 95, 74 and now 102 down there.
McKercher was one of the few shining lights for North on the weekend, he delivered 32 disposals (23 by foot) and seven marks for 102 SuperCoach points.
I’m willing to back him in while the Roos rejig other parts of the ground.
Consider
Alex Witherden, selected in 19 per cent of leagues, appears to have regained his spot in the West Coast side.
While he hasn’t been amazing by any stretch with scores of just 47, 60 and 70 since his return, I do think there’s some upside in him as an option.
West Coast take on Essendon this week and Witherden averages 107 against them across six games.
He has recent scores of 107, 63 and 170 against the Bombers.
John Noble, selected in 24.8 per cent of leagues, is someone who should be on benches in deeper leagues.
Scores of 105, 73, 77 and 92 since returning to the Pies side.
He takes on Carlton this week who he averages 95 against across seven career matches.
Midfielders
Cam Guthrie - 82 Average - Picked in 38 per cent of leagues
We probably saw Cam Guthrie’s floor in his return game against Carlton.
At worst, I think he maintains an average around 80 SuperCoach points per game but at best he has clear upside.
He started off in defence but was able to push up the ground against the Blues which gives me hope that he could take a role in the midfield with Patrick Dangerfield potentially out injured.
Even if he doesn’t reclaim a spot in Geelong’s midfield I think he’s a solid pick.
Guthrie was able to produce 27 disposals (18 by foot), seven marks and two tackles for 82 SuperCoach points.
In a worst-case scenario I think Guthrie mirrors his 2023 and averages around 84 points but in a best-case scenario we could see him get back to his 2022 output where he averaged 99 points per game.
Will Graham - 79.7 Average - Picked in 15.5 per cent of leagues
Will Graham probably won’t be a consistent scorer in his rookie year but I do think his DEF/MID status makes him a valuable selection for deeper leagues.
He has produced scores of 67, 91, 61 and 87 so far in his career.
Four of the next five games for Gold Coast are in the northern states and they seem to perform better in the heat and, coincidentally, Graham’s two scores of 87-plus have come at the Suns’ home ground.
Grab this tackling beast while he is available on the waiver wire.
Miles Bergman - 79.6 Average - Picked in 20.7 per cent of leagues
Miles Bergman is delivering some strong SuperCoach scores on the wing for Port Adelaide this year.
For coaches considering a pick-up, he is available as both a defender and a midfielder so will provide depth across two positions.
Bergman has scored at least 88 in four of seven games this season, and produced scores of 101, 75 and 96 across his last three games.
His 96 against St Kilda came from 19 disposals, nine marks and a tackle.
His teammates are looking for him and that’s evident in the 25 marks he has taken over the last three games.
Consider
Callan Ward, picked in 16.9 per cent of leagues, looks like he is returning to full match fitness after a lengthy injury to start the season.
He had 22 disposals, six marks and four tackles for 83 points on the weekend.
Heading into the Battle for the Bridge this weekend, or whatever silly name they give the Sydney derby these days, he is primed for a big score.
Ward averages 99 against Sydney across 24 games and most recently delivered a 96 in Round 21 2023.
Thomson Dow, picked in 5 per cent of teams, is here because Richmond have no other midfielders left.
The injury-ravaged Tigers list has given Dow an opportunity to cement his place in the side which I believe he did against Melbourne in Round 7.
22 disposals and eight tackles for 110 points is a promising sign for those trying to find midfield depth in their SuperCoach Draft leagues.
Rucks
Jordon Sweet - 102 Average - Picked in 14 per cent of leagues
First it was Dean Cox, then it was Max Gawn and now it is Jordon Sweet.
That might be a tad hyperbolic but Sweet was elite in his first run as Port Adelaide’s number one ruckman.
Sweet produced a huge score of 136 SuperCoach points from 11 disposals, three marks, six tackles and 36 hit-outs.
Of those 36 hit-outs, 15 were to the advantage of his teammates.
With Ivan Soldo out for the next month with a knee injury, Sweet is locked in for big minutes in the senior team and should be a lock for your side.
Forwards
Tyson Stengle - 79.6 Average - Picked in 37.9 per cent of leagues
Tyson Stengle is flying for Geelong at the moment and he’s rewarding anyone who took the punt on him in their SuperCoach Draft side.
He has scores of 86, 100, 78, 113 and 90 across his last five games for an average of 93.4
He has been able to register 17 disposals in each of the last two games and at least two tackles and marks in both of those games.
He is laying strong foundations for his SuperCoach scoring and the goals he kicks are a cherry on top, taking him from a decent forward option to a really good one.
Hayden McLean - 68.3 Average - Picked in 28.7 per cent of leagues
Hayden McLean’s ruck attendances and centre bounce attendances have increased over the last three games and it has resulted in an increased scoring opportunities.
McLean doesn’t just benefit from hitout scoring when he’s around the ball but he also delivers more tackles and more disposals.
Across the last three games McLean has delivered scores of 88, 70 and 97 SuperCoach points.
McLean offers FWD/RUC eligibility and while he’s on-song, should be in your side.
He averages 80 points against GWS and I think he’ll repeat his 125 point effort from Round 21 2023.
Consider
James Peatling, picked in 0.9 per cent of sides, was given the full game on the weekend and scored 85 points as an outside midfielder.
He has a history of producing big scores when he is given full game time, that just doesn’t happen a lot of the time.
Worth a punt for your last bench spot given he has FWD/MID status and can occasionally pump out a triple figure score.
Jordon Sweet - 102 Average - Picked in 14 per cent of leagues
First it was Dean Cox, then it was Max Gawn and now it is Jordon Sweet.
That might be a tad hyperbolic but Sweet was elite in his first run as Port Adelaide’s number one ruckman.
Sweet produced a huge score of 136 SuperCoach points from 11 disposals, three marks, six tackles and 36 hit-outs.
Of those 36 hit-outs, 15 were to the advantage of his teammates.
With Ivan Soldo out for the next month with a knee injury, Sweet is locked in for big minutes in the senior team and should be a lock for your side.
Forwards
Tyson Stengle - 79.6 Average - Picked in 37.9 per cent of leagues
Tyson Stengle is flying for Geelong at the moment and he’s rewarding anyone who took the punt on him in their SuperCoach Draft side.
He has scores of 86, 100, 78, 113 and 90 across his last five games for an average of 93.4
He has been able to register 17 disposals in each of the last two games and at least two tackles and marks in both of those games.
He is laying strong foundations for his SuperCoach scoring and the goals he kicks are a cherry on top, taking him from a decent forward option to a really good one.
Hayden McLean - 68.3 Average - Picked in 28.7 per cent of leagues
Hayden McLean’s ruck attendances and centre bounce attendances have increased over the last three games and it has resulted in an increased scoring opportunities.
McLean doesn’t just benefit from hitout scoring when he’s around the ball but he also delivers more tackles and more disposals.
Across the last three games McLean has delivered scores of 88, 70 and 97 SuperCoach points.
McLean offers FWD/RUC eligibility and while he’s on-song, should be in your side.
He averages 80 points against GWS and I think he’ll repeat his 125 point effort from Round 21 2023.
Consider
James Peatling, picked in 0.9 per cent of sides, was given the full game on the weekend and scored 85 points as an outside midfielder.
He has a history of producing big scores when he is given full game time, that just doesn’t happen a lot of the time.
Worth a punt for your last bench spot given he has FWD/MID status and can occasionally pump out a triple figure score.
AFL SuperCoach 2024: The Phantom’s burning questions and round 8 trade advice
Is it Jordon Sweet at all costs? What about Jordan Dawson? Is Bailey Dale a trap? Who is the best fallen premium? The Phantom answers the big questions ahead of round 8.
The Phantom
It doesn’t get much sweeter.
Really, Phant?
Sorry, I’m a bit rusty after a couple of weeks off.
But, in SuperCoach, it really doesn’t get much sweeter than trading in a rookie-price ruckman who scores 136 on-field, allowing you to move Luke Jackson back into the forward line and stop your side from being exposed at the bottom-end.
And, after it was confirmed Ivan Soldo would miss at least a month with a knee issue, that’s exactly what I did with Port Adelaide big man Jordon Sweet.
I didn’t exactly expect 136, but he was ready.
Including the first two games of the SANFL season, Sweet has averaged 133 SuperCoach points in his previous 14 state leagues matches.
We get it, you had a win. Do we have to bring him in this week?
Yes.
After 15 hitouts-to-advantage, six score involvements and six tackles, the 26-year-old has a round 8 breakeven of -113 – the lowest in the competition.
So, not only are you getting a player at $158k with great scoring potential as a No. 1 ruckman, you are getting a serious money train.
Even with an 85-point average, Sweet will hit the $400k mark by the Power’s round 13 bye.
So I could just get him at R3 then?
If you’re on-field rucks are set, absolutely you still can – ride that train and cash him in when Soldo returns.
Is Grundy at R2 set?
Good question.
I traded him a few weeks ago because Tim English is where I want to get to there.
And, despite the 158-point performance against the Suns in round 6, I am still for trading him to Sweet and using the cash to make an upgrade – or two, if you can – elsewhere.
But look for alternative trades first.
Could you trade a Massimo D’Ambrosio or Zac Williams via DPP?
What about Tom Powell?
On the surface, after the young Roo’s season-low 49 points against the Crows, that trade makes sense, too.
But just consider who you will be playing on field in your forward line instead.
Overall, does it leave you more exposed?
If you’re turning Powell into a rolled-gold star like, say Tom Green at $579k, then you don’t have to be as worried.
But, as good as he was last week, and as good as the opportunity is over the next month, Sweet is not a rolled-gold star.
Just on Powell, I’ll be having one more look.
Because, let’s face it, which other top forwards can we trust much more at the moment?
North Melbourne’s No. 2 centre-bounce midfielder behind Luke Davies-Uniacke, Powell attended a season-low 14 per cent in round 8 as George Wardlaw returned to the centre-bounce mix alongside Will Phillips and Jy Simpkin, both who have had an increase midfield role over the past two rounds.
Powell played forward and booted the first goal instead.
But Phillips was subbed out with eight touches to his name and Simpkin had just nine effective disposals.
C’mon, Clarko.
Is Xerri at R2 set?
Sorry, back to the Sweet spot of this article.
**Rolls eyes**
Although I’d look just as hard to find another option first, I’m not against trading the North Melbourne big man either.
As long as you’re setting your team up by doing so, and if you had plans to trade him up to English or Max Gawn at some point, anyway.
There is another safeguarding strategy if you are a Xerri or Grundy owner, though.
As my old friend @Rainman has suggested on X, trade in Sweet via DPP and put the E on him for Thursday night’s Showdown against the Crows.
If it’s another on-field worthy score – let’s say anything above 90 – trade Xerri/Grundy to another premium elsewhere. If Sweet struggles against Crow Reilly O’Brien, keep Xerri/Grundy at R2 and just enjoy Sweet’s cash injection on the bench.
Back to Tom Green, is he the best fallen premium option this week?
He’s at the top of my list – $579k is great buying for a player who has scored 130 or more in four of his seven matches this year.
Of the top six SuperCoach midfielders through seven rounds, the top five are priced at $620k or more.
Green, despite scoring just five points less than the fifth-ranked Zak Butters, is available for a $51k discount on the Port star.
At $558k, Jordan Dawson is a very, very close second. The Crows skipper is back to his best after scores of 168 and 127.
He was in the 80s at half-time against North Melbourne, too, before fading and eventually being rested when the game was done late in the final quarter.
There will be no resting in the Showdown this week – and the former Swan has won the medal in two of his four meetings against the Power as a Crow.
After the prime time fixture, Dawson comes up against Brisbane, Hawthorn, West Coast and Richmond – all at home except for the Hawks – before the bye.
Wait at least a week on Christian Petracca ($594k, breakeven: 188) and returning Cat Tom Stewart ($538k, breakeven: 138) – but both should be in your trade plans.
No, Bailey Dale?
Oh, yes, Bailey Dale.
But after only averaging 91 points last season, is he technically a fallen premium?
I guess if you look back to his 13-ton, three-figure year in 2022, he is.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is he’s scored 175 and 132 in the past two rounds – a lot more than any other player in the competition.
I can’t find him anywhere near the top of the three-round average tab?
Yeah, if you haven’t been following his season, Dale scored 12 as the sub in the game before that.
Yes, the same player who has tallied a combined 69 disposals in his past two matches started as the sub in round 5.
Because, well, Bevo.
You’re trading in a player who scored 12 three weeks ago, Phant?
I think so, yes.
He seemed to have taken the demotion personally, even admitting that maybe he needed it.
He looks like that player who averaged 102 in 2022 – maybe even better.
Not only is the 27-year-old getting some easy ball in the back-half with Caleb Daniel outside the best-22 and Ed Richards in the midfield, but he’s getting in some great spots to win the ball back off the opposition – and then hit the scoreboard himself.
Dale has recorded nine intercept marks among 19 total intercept possessions and booted three goals in the past two weeks.
And this is a player priced at $457k – the 36th most expensive defender in SuperCoach.
The reward is huge. And, at worst, if something changes, you can – almost – sideways trade him to a premium you might want in your final team instead.
Because, as good as he’s been, Matt Roberts is unlikely to get you to $550k.
And I love Roberts more than most.
You’re trading Roberts?
I’m thinking about it. He still has money to make and is a rock solid on-field option. It’s not for everyone.
But with a breakeven of -45, this is it for Dale, and Roberts just doesn’t have the same ceiling.
For context, I’ve already moved on D’Ambrosio and Williams. If you haven’t, they are appear more suitable trade options.
If Dale keeps it up, even to some extent, and turns into a keeper in defence, it doesn’t really matter what Roberts does from here.
I’m worried about you. Please just tell me this – Riley Garcia or Jake Rogers?
If it leaves you with enough money to execute the other trade you want, go with Rogers.
He’s not coached by Luke Beveridge. And that same Luke Beveridge revealed that Rogers would’ve been sub if Tom Liberatore played.
As good as his nine contested possessions and second-half was against Fremantle, it’s Garcia you should be worried about – not me.
Is it Jordon Sweet at all costs? What about Jordan Dawson? Is Bailey Dale a trap? Who is the best fallen premium? The Phantom answers the big questions ahead of round 8.
The Phantom
It doesn’t get much sweeter.
Really, Phant?
Sorry, I’m a bit rusty after a couple of weeks off.
But, in SuperCoach, it really doesn’t get much sweeter than trading in a rookie-price ruckman who scores 136 on-field, allowing you to move Luke Jackson back into the forward line and stop your side from being exposed at the bottom-end.
And, after it was confirmed Ivan Soldo would miss at least a month with a knee issue, that’s exactly what I did with Port Adelaide big man Jordon Sweet.
I didn’t exactly expect 136, but he was ready.
Including the first two games of the SANFL season, Sweet has averaged 133 SuperCoach points in his previous 14 state leagues matches.
We get it, you had a win. Do we have to bring him in this week?
Yes.
After 15 hitouts-to-advantage, six score involvements and six tackles, the 26-year-old has a round 8 breakeven of -113 – the lowest in the competition.
So, not only are you getting a player at $158k with great scoring potential as a No. 1 ruckman, you are getting a serious money train.
Even with an 85-point average, Sweet will hit the $400k mark by the Power’s round 13 bye.
So I could just get him at R3 then?
If you’re on-field rucks are set, absolutely you still can – ride that train and cash him in when Soldo returns.
Is Grundy at R2 set?
Good question.
I traded him a few weeks ago because Tim English is where I want to get to there.
And, despite the 158-point performance against the Suns in round 6, I am still for trading him to Sweet and using the cash to make an upgrade – or two, if you can – elsewhere.
But look for alternative trades first.
Could you trade a Massimo D’Ambrosio or Zac Williams via DPP?
What about Tom Powell?
On the surface, after the young Roo’s season-low 49 points against the Crows, that trade makes sense, too.
But just consider who you will be playing on field in your forward line instead.
Overall, does it leave you more exposed?
If you’re turning Powell into a rolled-gold star like, say Tom Green at $579k, then you don’t have to be as worried.
But, as good as he was last week, and as good as the opportunity is over the next month, Sweet is not a rolled-gold star.
Just on Powell, I’ll be having one more look.
Because, let’s face it, which other top forwards can we trust much more at the moment?
North Melbourne’s No. 2 centre-bounce midfielder behind Luke Davies-Uniacke, Powell attended a season-low 14 per cent in round 8 as George Wardlaw returned to the centre-bounce mix alongside Will Phillips and Jy Simpkin, both who have had an increase midfield role over the past two rounds.
Powell played forward and booted the first goal instead.
But Phillips was subbed out with eight touches to his name and Simpkin had just nine effective disposals.
C’mon, Clarko.
Is Xerri at R2 set?
Sorry, back to the Sweet spot of this article.
**Rolls eyes**
Although I’d look just as hard to find another option first, I’m not against trading the North Melbourne big man either.
As long as you’re setting your team up by doing so, and if you had plans to trade him up to English or Max Gawn at some point, anyway.
There is another safeguarding strategy if you are a Xerri or Grundy owner, though.
As my old friend @Rainman has suggested on X, trade in Sweet via DPP and put the E on him for Thursday night’s Showdown against the Crows.
If it’s another on-field worthy score – let’s say anything above 90 – trade Xerri/Grundy to another premium elsewhere. If Sweet struggles against Crow Reilly O’Brien, keep Xerri/Grundy at R2 and just enjoy Sweet’s cash injection on the bench.
Back to Tom Green, is he the best fallen premium option this week?
He’s at the top of my list – $579k is great buying for a player who has scored 130 or more in four of his seven matches this year.
Of the top six SuperCoach midfielders through seven rounds, the top five are priced at $620k or more.
Green, despite scoring just five points less than the fifth-ranked Zak Butters, is available for a $51k discount on the Port star.
At $558k, Jordan Dawson is a very, very close second. The Crows skipper is back to his best after scores of 168 and 127.
He was in the 80s at half-time against North Melbourne, too, before fading and eventually being rested when the game was done late in the final quarter.
There will be no resting in the Showdown this week – and the former Swan has won the medal in two of his four meetings against the Power as a Crow.
After the prime time fixture, Dawson comes up against Brisbane, Hawthorn, West Coast and Richmond – all at home except for the Hawks – before the bye.
Wait at least a week on Christian Petracca ($594k, breakeven: 188) and returning Cat Tom Stewart ($538k, breakeven: 138) – but both should be in your trade plans.
No, Bailey Dale?
Oh, yes, Bailey Dale.
But after only averaging 91 points last season, is he technically a fallen premium?
I guess if you look back to his 13-ton, three-figure year in 2022, he is.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is he’s scored 175 and 132 in the past two rounds – a lot more than any other player in the competition.
I can’t find him anywhere near the top of the three-round average tab?
Yeah, if you haven’t been following his season, Dale scored 12 as the sub in the game before that.
Yes, the same player who has tallied a combined 69 disposals in his past two matches started as the sub in round 5.
Because, well, Bevo.
You’re trading in a player who scored 12 three weeks ago, Phant?
I think so, yes.
He seemed to have taken the demotion personally, even admitting that maybe he needed it.
He looks like that player who averaged 102 in 2022 – maybe even better.
Not only is the 27-year-old getting some easy ball in the back-half with Caleb Daniel outside the best-22 and Ed Richards in the midfield, but he’s getting in some great spots to win the ball back off the opposition – and then hit the scoreboard himself.
Dale has recorded nine intercept marks among 19 total intercept possessions and booted three goals in the past two weeks.
And this is a player priced at $457k – the 36th most expensive defender in SuperCoach.
The reward is huge. And, at worst, if something changes, you can – almost – sideways trade him to a premium you might want in your final team instead.
Because, as good as he’s been, Matt Roberts is unlikely to get you to $550k.
And I love Roberts more than most.
You’re trading Roberts?
I’m thinking about it. He still has money to make and is a rock solid on-field option. It’s not for everyone.
But with a breakeven of -45, this is it for Dale, and Roberts just doesn’t have the same ceiling.
For context, I’ve already moved on D’Ambrosio and Williams. If you haven’t, they are appear more suitable trade options.
If Dale keeps it up, even to some extent, and turns into a keeper in defence, it doesn’t really matter what Roberts does from here.
I’m worried about you. Please just tell me this – Riley Garcia or Jake Rogers?
If it leaves you with enough money to execute the other trade you want, go with Rogers.
He’s not coached by Luke Beveridge. And that same Luke Beveridge revealed that Rogers would’ve been sub if Tom Liberatore played.
As good as his nine contested possessions and second-half was against Fremantle, it’s Garcia you should be worried about – not me.
SuperCoach AFL 2024 consensus rankings: Experts predict topscoring players in every position
The dust is starting to settle on a manic SuperCoach season. Who will be the topscoring defenders, midfielders, rucks and forwards for 2024? See our expert rankings.
The aim when planning trades in SuperCoach is to fill your team with the topscoring players in each position.
That requires a lot of foresight, a slice of luck and a large amount of cash – thank you, cash cows.
So, what would a perfect team look like in 2024?
With seven rounds of evidence to go on, our experts are putting their necks on the line to name who will fill the top six slots in defence, the top eight in the midfield, top six forwards and top two rucks.
The forward line is wild ride, illustrated by the fact Eagle Jake Waterman – selected in 1 per cent of teams – is currently the sixth-highest scorer for total points.
It’s no surprise many coaches have put off upgrading that end of the ground, but at some point we’re going to have to make a call on who to target.
Check out the full consensus rankings below. Note that these rankings are based on total points over all 23 home-and-away rounds.
Daicos and Ryan were neck and neck for D1 with Sheezel and Houston slightly further back but forming a clear top four down back. Whitfield, Martin and Yeo all featured in every experts’ top 10 – after that a number of names were thrown up including Tom Stewart, Jeremy McGovern, James Sicily and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
TIM SAYS: I expect Daicos will make a charge in the second half of the year and even stake a claim to finish as D1. I bumped Yeo down the ranks as history tells us he will be injured or managed and I have more faith in Hayden Young than Nic Martin to finish top six as he has more scoring avenues.
AL SAYS: Daicos is lurking after cruising to a 114 average so far - he will go on a tear of 140-plus scores at some point. Sheezel could be D1 if he stays in defence, but Clarko seems intent on trying him in the midfield and even up forward. Sicily has dropped totally off the SuperCoach radar this year. He’s currently averaging 92 points a game but some big scores will come and push him up the list.
PHANTOM SAYS: It would be an almighty effort, but Tom Stewart is good enough to make up for a slow start - he’ll be a bargain next week. Bailey Dale is another who might come with a bullet. Luke Ryan’s game is SuperCoach foolproof, but will Elliott Yeo play every game from this point? That’s still my concern.
PATCH SAYS: Throw a blanket over the top five, I reckon they’ll be hard to split come season’s end. Andy McGrath a real smoky who’s real value, and I think Yeo drops away because he won’t be able to sustain the rage and because history shows us he’ll pick up a niggle of some sort.
TARQUIN SAYS: I reckon Nick Daicos can bridge the gap and claim top spot. Sheezel may be thrown forward at times later in the year so that will affect his scoring. Yeo surely won’t play every week, hence why he drops down to seventh overall.
It’s tight at the top. Eight votes separated the top four and all of them received at least one vote for M1 at the end of the year. Zak Butters, Zach Merrett and Christian Petracca were a clear second tier, making a super seven – and leaving one spot left in a perfect SuperCoach midfield. Seven more players received votes and the last spot on the consensus list was a three-way tie between Jack Steele, Jordan Dawson and Noah Anderson. We gave Steele the nod based on his current lead on total points.
TIM SAYS: If Rowell is scoring 130s on his down weeks like in round 7 it’s hard to see how he doesn’t finish as M1. Merrett is absolutely flying and looks Rowell’s most likely threat. I really like Caleb Serong and Bont but with his huge ceiling I can see Tom Green making a charge. Touk Miller was outstanding against West Coast but I’m not completely sold on his scoring yet. Swap Jordan Dawson in for Rory Laird if Matthew Nicks keeps Laird at half forward. If we were talking averages and not total points Sam Walsh would be top 4.
AL SAYS: We saw from his opening few games Rowell would one day be the king of SuperCoach, and it’s time for a coronation. With his elite contested work he just never plays a bad game, and he’s getting more involved on the outside and around goals this year, too. The top five is pretty exciting with the younger guys perhaps liable to a random low score as we have seen with Green this year. I would love Dunkley as a POD – maybe after Brisbane’s round 12 bye if our teams aren’t finished by then.
PHANTOM SAYS: The next gen is certainly here, but that Marcus Bontempelli bloke can still play – when he gets going again, I think he can reel the likes of Matt Rowell and Caleb Serong in. Tom Green might prove harder to pass, and Christian Petracca and Jordan Dawson should push their way in. Sam Walsh will be top 5 for points per game from here.
PATCH SAYS: Who else thought Dimma would be bad for SuperCoach scoring? How wrong we turned out to be. Rowell and Green will be neck and neck, and hopefully Steele’s knee isn’t a season-long issue. Josh Dunkley is the one I’m looking at post-bye.
TARQUIN SAYS: Serong’s consistency over the course of the whole season may just edge out Rowell, who’s still a very young player. Petracca and Dawson push into the top 10 despite inconsistent starts to 2024.
The dust is starting to settle on a manic SuperCoach season. Who will be the topscoring defenders, midfielders, rucks and forwards for 2024? See our expert rankings.
The aim when planning trades in SuperCoach is to fill your team with the topscoring players in each position.
That requires a lot of foresight, a slice of luck and a large amount of cash – thank you, cash cows.
So, what would a perfect team look like in 2024?
With seven rounds of evidence to go on, our experts are putting their necks on the line to name who will fill the top six slots in defence, the top eight in the midfield, top six forwards and top two rucks.
The forward line is wild ride, illustrated by the fact Eagle Jake Waterman – selected in 1 per cent of teams – is currently the sixth-highest scorer for total points.
It’s no surprise many coaches have put off upgrading that end of the ground, but at some point we’re going to have to make a call on who to target.
Check out the full consensus rankings below. Note that these rankings are based on total points over all 23 home-and-away rounds.
Daicos and Ryan were neck and neck for D1 with Sheezel and Houston slightly further back but forming a clear top four down back. Whitfield, Martin and Yeo all featured in every experts’ top 10 – after that a number of names were thrown up including Tom Stewart, Jeremy McGovern, James Sicily and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
TIM SAYS: I expect Daicos will make a charge in the second half of the year and even stake a claim to finish as D1. I bumped Yeo down the ranks as history tells us he will be injured or managed and I have more faith in Hayden Young than Nic Martin to finish top six as he has more scoring avenues.
AL SAYS: Daicos is lurking after cruising to a 114 average so far - he will go on a tear of 140-plus scores at some point. Sheezel could be D1 if he stays in defence, but Clarko seems intent on trying him in the midfield and even up forward. Sicily has dropped totally off the SuperCoach radar this year. He’s currently averaging 92 points a game but some big scores will come and push him up the list.
PHANTOM SAYS: It would be an almighty effort, but Tom Stewart is good enough to make up for a slow start - he’ll be a bargain next week. Bailey Dale is another who might come with a bullet. Luke Ryan’s game is SuperCoach foolproof, but will Elliott Yeo play every game from this point? That’s still my concern.
PATCH SAYS: Throw a blanket over the top five, I reckon they’ll be hard to split come season’s end. Andy McGrath a real smoky who’s real value, and I think Yeo drops away because he won’t be able to sustain the rage and because history shows us he’ll pick up a niggle of some sort.
TARQUIN SAYS: I reckon Nick Daicos can bridge the gap and claim top spot. Sheezel may be thrown forward at times later in the year so that will affect his scoring. Yeo surely won’t play every week, hence why he drops down to seventh overall.
It’s tight at the top. Eight votes separated the top four and all of them received at least one vote for M1 at the end of the year. Zak Butters, Zach Merrett and Christian Petracca were a clear second tier, making a super seven – and leaving one spot left in a perfect SuperCoach midfield. Seven more players received votes and the last spot on the consensus list was a three-way tie between Jack Steele, Jordan Dawson and Noah Anderson. We gave Steele the nod based on his current lead on total points.
TIM SAYS: If Rowell is scoring 130s on his down weeks like in round 7 it’s hard to see how he doesn’t finish as M1. Merrett is absolutely flying and looks Rowell’s most likely threat. I really like Caleb Serong and Bont but with his huge ceiling I can see Tom Green making a charge. Touk Miller was outstanding against West Coast but I’m not completely sold on his scoring yet. Swap Jordan Dawson in for Rory Laird if Matthew Nicks keeps Laird at half forward. If we were talking averages and not total points Sam Walsh would be top 4.
AL SAYS: We saw from his opening few games Rowell would one day be the king of SuperCoach, and it’s time for a coronation. With his elite contested work he just never plays a bad game, and he’s getting more involved on the outside and around goals this year, too. The top five is pretty exciting with the younger guys perhaps liable to a random low score as we have seen with Green this year. I would love Dunkley as a POD – maybe after Brisbane’s round 12 bye if our teams aren’t finished by then.
PHANTOM SAYS: The next gen is certainly here, but that Marcus Bontempelli bloke can still play – when he gets going again, I think he can reel the likes of Matt Rowell and Caleb Serong in. Tom Green might prove harder to pass, and Christian Petracca and Jordan Dawson should push their way in. Sam Walsh will be top 5 for points per game from here.
PATCH SAYS: Who else thought Dimma would be bad for SuperCoach scoring? How wrong we turned out to be. Rowell and Green will be neck and neck, and hopefully Steele’s knee isn’t a season-long issue. Josh Dunkley is the one I’m looking at post-bye.
TARQUIN SAYS: Serong’s consistency over the course of the whole season may just edge out Rowell, who’s still a very young player. Petracca and Dawson push into the top 10 despite inconsistent starts to 2024.
Gawn is a unanimous choice as R1 this year – not surprising considering he is currently the No.1 scorer in the game with a 136 average, more than 20 points clear of the next-best ruckman. English was everyone’s choice at R2 and Marshall comes in third despite no one picking him in their top three. That’s consensus for you.
TIM SAYS: Gawn is that far ahead of the other rucks this year it isn’t funny. English has a huge ceiling and will almost certainly hold on to the No.2 spot, but Tristan Xerri is coming with a bullet. He wasn’t as cheap of Kieren Briggs last year, but his breakout reminds me of Briggs as Xerri has a game built on tackles and contested possessions.
AL SAYS: How lucky were we to get Gawn for $583k before round 1? English should do enough to be No.2 but he’s a step behind his dominant 2023 numbers. After that it’s wide open; if Grundy can stop giving away free kicks he can average 115 – but that’s a big if. Toby Nankervis didn’t quite make my top five but he is having an underrated career-best season (av 108), but the biggest surprise is Kieren Briggs averaging 88, a 20-point drop from last year.
THE PHANTOM SAYS: Not much to say here – but I think the top 2 will eventually put considerable space between third spot.
PATCH SAYS: Thankfully this list arrived at the time it did to quell any thoughts I had about trading Grundy.
TARQUIN SAYS: Gawn looks as good as ever and English is the clear favourite for R2. Grundy and Xerri will go neck and neck. Throw a sheet over a handful that could finish fifth, but I’ve got Marshall pipping Witts, Nankervis and Briggs.
The top two are easy – then it’s choose your own adventure. There was a chasm in consensus votes to Carlton forward pair Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow, who tied for F3. Our experts like Izak Rankine’s move into the midfield and have Luke Jackson finishing just outside the top six forwards despite averaging 130 over the first three rounds.
TIM SAYS: Picking the Lotto numbers is probably easier than trying to predict how this line is going to finish. I like Liam Baker to make a top-10 charge if he continues to play midfield. Charlie Curnow still has matches against North, Richmond, Hawthorn and West Coast to come and I like him for at least two big scores to rocket into the top three. I’ve left Jeremy Cameron out as Geelong has already shown it is going to manage its veterans and missing 1-2 matches will make it hard to crack the top 10. I am avoiding trading in forward premiums for as long as possible until some convince me.
AL SAYS: Being asked to name 10 players here was a cruel task - after two I threw my hands in the air. Charlie Curnow will have a 180-point game at some stage which could be enough for a top-three finish while Harry McKay has been remarkably consistent for a full-forward. Jackson is a frustrating player to own but is good enough to stay in the top bracket in by far the weakest line on the field.
THE PHANTOM SAYS: This list is the reason you’re probably having one more look at Tom Powell and why Luke Jackson can still do enough, even with Sean Darcy in the side. Jye Caldwell is the smoky and I’ll be going after Izak Rankine soon.
PATCH SAYS: What a miserable excuse for a line. Might be the season to load up on key forwards when they bottom out – or really load up on anyone. Harley Reid could honestly finish in this list, but I’ve got Daylight at F3. How cheap can I get him in for? Apparently he’s a good disinfectant, and god knows my forward line needs some of that.
TARQUIN SAYS:A very obvious one and two, then total guesswork. Dylan Moore has had a big two weeks and is getting more time in the midfield so I like him to make a top-six charge. Nat Fyfe holds on to tenth spot as he will likely be rested again this year, but his points per minute will be up there with the top few forwards.