Both teams were missing their marquee big forwards in Brown and Franklin but despite that this was about as entertaining as a Sydney vs North game can get. There were some fascinating one on one contests across the ground and some interesting faces made some interesting cases for selection. Here’s what I noticed while nursing a post-shiva hangover:
Shaun Higgins
AKA Benjamin Button. I reckon he may have improved every year since crossing from the Dogs and he wasn’t bad then either. Even so, you couldn’t possibly pick him in salary formats… could you?
Todd Goldstein
Goldy did what Goldy does. If you had your eye on him as a unique selection, he gave you no reason to change your mind.
Curtis Taylor
Ownership rose from 2% to about 98% (unverified) in all formats after this game and rightly so. Kid looks the goods.
Aaron Hall
Gee it’s great to see him back on the ground again. Loves a cheap possession but can genuinely do some damage with it when he’s in the mood. Plays midfield, kicks goals, third (at best) in line for a tag. AFL Fantasy is calling.
Jack Ziebell
Didn’t spend much time on field and took it at a un-Ziebell-like leisurely pace when he did. Keep an eye on the news but I don’t think there’s much to worry about there.
Jy Simpkin
Played a great game just quietly. This kid is developing very nicely and personifies the changing of the guard for North. Seems like he’s been “almost” an option for a decade but he’s only 22 years old. Recommend you snaffle him in as many keeper leagues as you can.
Josh Kennedy
If Shaun Higgins is Benjamin Button then Kennedy is… I don’t know, Benjamin Button on steroids. Perfectly legal and non-suspendable steroids, of course. I’ll just point out he played less than 70% game time yesterday and still managed 37 disposals, 8 clearances, 10 tackles and a goal. Someone forgot to tell him this was only a practice game.
Jake Lloyd
Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. There’s no logical reason to suggest that his scoring will drop substantially this year but many seem to think it might. 28% ownership in DreamTeam and 27% in Supercoach isn’t exactly unique but it’s extraordinary when he’s rated the outright top scoring defender going into this season.
Lewis Taylor
Played a lot more midfield than I expected he would, but other than maybe Hewett I’m not sure there were too many Swans missing from the round one lineup. Does the former Rising Star finally rise again?
James Rowbottom
I wouldn’t exactly call it a tag but Rowbottom spend a lot of time holding onto Cunnington’s jumper before the Roo was subbed out for the second half. If you’re owning him anywhere you don’t want him tagging but if he’s allowed to run off his man like he did today then there might be something of a breakout on the cards.
Dylan Stephens
Ooooooft. This kid is an absolute jet. Big fan.
Sam Naismith vs Cal Sinclair
Sam Naismith won this one comfortably. If it’s one or the other playing round one, I’d be betting on Naismith. If it’s both, they’ll make a mess of each other especially as neither seem like the answer to Sydney’s forward woes. We had a great discussion about Naismith and other cheap rucks on the podcast Monday night, check that out here:
The Blues
took on the Lions in a scrappy affair at Ikon Park with both sides keen to snag
a win after falling short last time out. It was a tale of two halves with
Carlton looking exceptional for most of the first half before running out of
steam and being completely overrun by Brisbane who went on to post a handsome
45 point win. It was a modest game fantasy wise with Cripps the only player on
the ground to have more than 25 disposals. But there’s still plenty to unpack
as we start finalising our squads for round 1.
Patrick
Cripps: Started on
fire with 11 touches in the first quarter and was in the thick of it throughout
but didn’t look his usual dynamic self. To really elevate himself in the
fantasy world (he’s already done it in Supercoach), he needs to straighten up
his kick to handball ratio. This game was a great example of this as he had 30
touches on the night but only 9 kicks. He has another gear to step into and
we’ll see that Thursday night in a couple of weeks against the Tigers.
Sam
Docherty: What did
we need to see? Looks fit, tick. Taking kick ins, tick. Plenty of game time
(81%), tick. Embracing his love of playing kick to kick, tick. I was having
2017 flashbacks at times in that first half when Docherty was +6’ing his way
all over the back half. Finished with 21 touches and 10 marks and is the
biggest lock in the game. Don’t over think it, pick him!
Ed
Curnow: Has been a gutsy
soldier for the Blues for years now and thankfully his days as a forward look
certain to be over under Teague. Was solid early and spent parts of the night
running with Neale. Just 20 disposals but 7 marks and a goal make his fantasy
scores look better. One for Drafts.
Sam
Walsh: I honestly
cannot believe this guy is only 19 years old, the way he moves out there and
how hard he works, you would swear he’s a seasoned veteran. Started hot with 9
touches in the first quarter but went very cold in the second. Finished with
the second most touches on the field with 25 and everything he did looked good.
Maybe won’t become elite in the fantasy world this season but we’re going to
love selecting him over the next 10 years.
Paddy
Dow: Another Carlton
kid that looks excellent whenever he goes near it. He had modest numbers
tonight and is still a mile off fantasy relevance, but he has a huge future.
Jack
Martin: A fantastic
acquisition for the Blues with his class and precision disposal. He had a great
time roaming up and down the flanks all night recording 23 touches with 9 marks
from just 68% game time. Nice unique for the forward line but there’s possibly
better value on offer.
Jack
Newnes: Potentially
another handy pick up for the Blues as he will bring some experience after 8
years at St.Kilda. He tried hard in this game and was involved throughout with
20 touches but there were a lot of bad ones. He also didn’t lay a tackle and
gave away 3 free kicks. I think his disposal was so poor that we won’t see him
in the seniors in round 1.
Marc
Murphy: Did his part
with 5 kicks and 10 handballs from 60% game time. Even though he finished last
season with a bang, I’m expecting his numbers to decline as Carlton continue to
give more responsibility to the kids.
Nic Newman: I didn’t notice him a great deal, but his numbers weren’t terrible with 19 disposals and 8 marks. I didn’t think Docherty’s return would impact him too greatly as they have a shared love of playing kick to kick but I’m not so sure now. He was quiet in Marsh 1 too.
Charlie
Cameron: Touted as
having the potential to become the greatest small forward of all time by
someone who would know, Eddie Betts, Cameron looks like picking up right where
he left off in his breakout season last year. This was a seriously good
performance with a stat line to back it up, 21 touches, 7 marks, 8 tackles and
5 goals. Despite this, the reality is he is a small forward and they scarcely
find themselves in our fantasy squads. Enjoy watching him this year but don’t
pick him.
Dayne
Zorko: A mature
performance from the captain. He was well held for most of the first half but
slowly got himself into the game. He didn’t have huge numbers with 23 disposals,
but they were quality and with his 6 tackles and 2 goals, he was one of the
most prolific players in the game and a huge catalyst for the turnaround on the
scoreboard.
Lachie
Neale: A far cry
from his 47 disposal beast mode game in Marsh 1 but was still important at
times. He had just the 23 touches this time as he dealt with some mild tagging
throughout the night and even spent a little bit of time deep forward. I
wouldn’t stress if you’re an owner though as I think Brisbane were just
experimenting with ways for him to deal with the expected tags he will cop this
year. He ain’t no Dusty or Fyfe though and he’ll be playing pure mid in the
regular season.
Jarrod
Berry: Did some
really nice things and looks to improve again in his 4th season. He
looked really strong over the ball and used his big body well to take some
great marks around the ground. He kicked a couple of goals to help cap a fine
performance.
Hugh
McCluggage: Like
Berry, looks set to improve again in what is also his 4th season. He
was the Lions best player in the first half and arguably kept them in the game
playing wing and around the ball. Had 22 touches and a goal in 74% game time
but his impact was greater than the numbers suggest.
Alex
Witherden: On the
watch list as a potential break out after a surprisingly poor 2019.
Unfortunately, this game and his Marsh series have done nothing to tempt me and
I don’t think you should be tempted either. He was largely unsighted taking
just 2 marks for the game (70% game time) and looked frustrated as teammates
constantly over looked him, denying him any easy touches in the process.
Perhaps his first two seasons were merely a tease. It’s just a shame, that’s
all.
Brandon
Starcevich: There
were hardly any rookies of interest in this game but Starcevich looked
excellent. He only had 11 touches but everything he did was so clean that he must
be a chance for round 1. Like McCluggage, he was important for the Lions early
in the game against the tide. With Brisbane’s list looking very healthy from an
injury perspective, there’s a tight squeeze for spots but Starcevich may have
done enough to get a spot.
Deven
Robertson: Not sure
he gets a gig in round 1 but he looked good when he got his chance with 11
touches and 5 tackles from 63% game time.
Grant
Birchall: The wily
veteran should have a similarly strong impact at the Lions as Luke Hodge did
and is at an extremely tantalising price. He had 15 touches and kicked a
trademark raking long goal, but I don’t think we can trust his body enough for
our fantasy sides this year.
Cam
Rayner: There’s been
murmurings about Rayner bulking up and potentially breaking out this year. It’s
a no from me. The kid just isn’t there yet.
This was quite an entertaining game – both teams had great periods of
attack and the wind made for an interesting finish too – Lienert covering
himself in glory with the two winnings goals to finished it off. To start with
however, here’s a list to keep in mind of important players who didn’t
play:
Port: Wines
Western Bulldogs: Duryea, Libba, Naughton, Ed Richards
What’s interesting is that basically this was both teams’ best 22’s. The
only players missing are all due to injury, so if you had your eye on someone
and they didn’t play in this game and weren’t injured, it doesn’t bode well for
them.
Connor Rozee
For those looking at the mid-priced forwards this year, Rozee would have been one to look at. Coming off a sensation debut year last year, Hinkley and track watchers have oft-remarked that he is naturally increasing his midfield time this preseason.
He did so again in this game though still wasn’t able to accumulate points strongly through the 2nd half, either tiring of just not getting to where the ball was.
His 81% TOG for 64 points showing him to perhaps still be a year away, however for those who remember it Fyfe had a similar game early in his 2nd season but then kicked on to really break out. Still one to watch but perhaps with a bit less confidence than prior to the weekend.
Dan Houston
It’s gonna be hard to leave this bloke out – running through the
midfield again and getting quite a bit of the ball, he was then rested for the
2nd half. There wasn’t much not to like however, and the role &
the scoring is looking good for the position and the price.
Scott Lycett
The major thing to come out the game for Lycett (and Ladhams?) is that
Lycett went off halfway through the 3rd qtr with ice taped around
his achilles. Later diagnosed as a minor ankle concern, it’s something to
monitor in the lead up to Round 1.
Mitch Georgiades
One the forward rookie options that we’ve all been looking at, it just wasn’t there for us on this display. The fact that he played in this game at all is good for his Round 1 selection chances, given it was Port’s strongest team. However, seven disposals from 73% TOG as a forward is a portent of things to come in the regular season. Even if he plays Round 1, is he worth picking as a cash cow?
Bontempelli/Macrae/Dunkley
These guys all did everything you needed to see. They all played
midfield and they all looked as good as ever. The Bont even had seven centre
clearances to further cement that he’s a midfielder this year, and the three of
them all looked like they’d be good options if you were already considering
them.
Tim English
Will you go there? A ruckman on the up, he will no doubt be fantasy relevant sooner rather than later – is this the year? His role and scoring was similar both before and after Lycett went off, although his hitout win % did increase afterwards (a weakness while he still increases his size and strength).
He is certainly mobile and capable of filling out the stat sheet across the board, something which always bodes well for fantasy scoring.
Bailey Williams
More of a draft consideration, the ball seemed magnetised to him at
times (Ten! Intercept possessions), reminiscent of a couple of years ago. Going
late in drafts currently, he could prove to be decent value if this performance
continues into the regular season.
Pat Lipinski
Also spending time in the midfield, Lipinski looked solid again and
should see good worth as a forward pick up in draft leagues. Whether he’s worth
it in salary cap formats or not we will have to wait and see, although he’s
unlikely to see the level of scoring that the aforementioned big three will
have.
It a late afternoon game at Joondalup the Dockers took the Pre Season Derby win over the Eagles by a miserly one point 55 v 54 after a late and spirited fight back.
The Eagles had the game on their terms early playing a high possession kick/mark brand which magnified a few defenders stats, especially that of Liam Duggan’s 32 disposals and 12 marks.
It looked a laydown misere for the Eagles entering the last quarter before a strong fightback by Fremantle, as the tempo lifted albeit for last 10 minutes with both teams appearing keen to get a win.
Chief outs: West Coast: Darling, Allen and Cole Fremantle: Ryan, Aish, Mundy, and the injured Pearce, Hamling, and Acres.
Nat Fyfe:
A game-high 14 contested, owned by 36% in SC and unlikely to drop off this performance, 11 CBA’s and some time forward for his 115 SC points.
Andrew Brayshaw:
If this guy isn’t in your team or not on your watchlist as a forward you’re doing it wrong. He had 25 disposals, 10 contested, 8 tackles, 14 CBA’s priced at 70 in DT and 71 in SC, went at 1.3 PPM in AF for his 120 points.
Adam Cerra:
A tough one to get a gauge on imho, will definitely be unique but will he deliver, had 17 disposals with just the 5 CBA’s, Darcy Tucker may just be ahead of him atm for more midfield time.
Michael Walters:
If he gets enough midfield minutes he will be a very good pick in 2020. Sonny had a sensational 3rd quarter, the problem is he is a very dangerous forward and Freo lack what he brings to their offence. Regardless of the splits, he will definitely end up one of the top forwards of this year.
Lachie Schultz:
A lively forward rook who a few of us may have started in 2019. Unfortunately, his price has blown out in 2020 but he might need to consider after his 2 decent pre-season games and our shortage of low priced rooks atm.
Two rookies to consider if they get named Round 1, with limited game time it’s going to be tough for them.
Stephen Hill:
He was taking the kickins in the absence of Ryan and setting up some creative plays. However, the problem is he’s been diagnosed with some quad awareness and is off for scans this week.
Conner Blakely:
‘Connie B’ didn’t play in the main game but responded to his axing with a BOG in the curtain raiser for Peel Thunder v The Eagles, will that be enough to start Round 1?
Elliot Yeo:
A game-high 33 disposals, 15 CBA’s, 7 tackles, was the top-scoring AFLFantasy player with 126 and he went at 1.4 PPM. His first 7 disposals were kicks but he let himself down a little with 18 of the next 26 disposals being handballs. Kick the ball Elliot.
Andrew Gaff:
Just the 4 CBA’s in his 32 disposals but ended up being the highest SC scorer on the ground with 133 points, also only owned by 2% in SC, an excellent unique option.
Tim Kelly:
He’s a fantastic addition in the midfield for the Eagles, wait until he gets his burners going, 29 with 8 contested, will be one of the best for the Eagles in 2020 imho.
Jarrad Brander:
A fwd/def rookie played a defensive wing type role and looks to have cemented a Round 1 spot, we need these guys.
The usual type of game from Naitanui. Low time on the ground with plenty of points. Nic posted a 100 in SuperCoach, 64 in AFLFantasy. NicNat is currently the 14th most expensive ruck in SuperCoach, can you go there as your R2? He’s in 13% of SC teams.
Dom Sheed:
He was too good not to get a mention, played forward a bit and finished with 23 disposals and 2 goals, 99 SC. Champion Data will be looking very closely into his Fwd/Mid splits early in the year. I’m already expecting a Fwd Status addition in AF and UF
I was punished for not turning up to the latest podcast by being asked to watch the Dees Hawks game so none of our audience would have to watch it. You’re welcome. And sorry MJ, I promise I won’t no-show ever again.
Despite both teams rolling out something very very close to their best 22 and conditions being reasonable, skills were poor with turnovers aplenty and this was a hard game to watch. Despite that, there is still plenty we can take from this game across the fantasy formats. Here are my observations on a few key players:
Max Gawn
Eased his way back from injury by playing the first half only, and looked fine doing it. That’s really all you need to know.
Luke Jackson
Looked a lot more at home this week. Played the second half after Gawn was rested and moved really well.
Jack Viney
Well well well. Being stripped of the co-captaincy appears to have lit a fire under him. Both Marsh games have yielded big scores but more importantly, Viney has shown aggression and intent that we haven’t really seen from him in some time. A little reminder that Jack averaged over 100 DT back in 2016. However, that aggression may already have him in trouble with the match review panel for a sling tackle on Stratton – watch this space.
Christian Petracca
Freako confirmed that Petracca chalked up more CBA’s than any of his teammates. Remember the golden rule of preseason games – role over points. If you were red hot after last week, then you should still be now.
Adam Tomlinson
Ran up and down the wing all night doing as he pleased. And boy did he run hard. The role is there and Melbourne presumably brought him in for a reason. Will you?
Clayton Oliver
Played the majority of the game and didn’t get injured. Tick.
Tom Mitchell
Played the majority of the game and didn’t get injured. Tick.
Chad Wingard
As with Petracca, Wingard played the right midfield role for those who were keen last week, even with Mitchell Scully O’Meara Worpel all in the team. It didn’t translate into as many points as last week but holding that role in a full-strength midfield is a great sign. Does need to keep his feet as he seemed knocked off the ball a lot tonight.
James Worpel
Worpel started strong but faded through the second half. Reckon he had more handball receives from Mitchell than anyone else (unverified stat) which is a positive indicator. His disposal was awful but he did remind us all that he can certainly find it.
James Sicily
The vision of him kicking trick goals prematch had me concerned but was relieved to see him marching straight to the backline where he stayed all game. Half the Melbourne midfielders must have thought he was on their team and kicked straight to him with alarming regularity. In fairness, Sicily must have thought the same because he often gave it right back. He accumulated marks and possessions and had the right role, but also single-handedly gave Melbourne at least four goals that I counted.
Harry Morrison
Played kick to kick with Sicily and also with the Melbourne forwards. He scored well but there must be question marks on his role and indeed his place in the best 22 after a shocking display of how not to dispose of the footy.
Jonathon Patton
Heat maps aren’t available on the AFL app yet but if you took the oval template and a red marker and coloured in the attacking goal-square, you’ve got Patton’s heat map. Scoring will be hugely dependent on marks and goals this year.
Jonathon Ceglar
Held his own against Gawn and naturally exploited his advantage against Jackson. Certainly appears to have the primary ruck role locked now and thus makes an interesting mid-price option for those looking at something different.
The Crows
hosted a reinvigorated Suns outfit fresh off their trouncing of the Cats last
week. Gold Coast picked up right where they left off two weeks ago and were the
dominant team. Adelaide looked like a side still getting use to the huge
changes over the Summer and almost pinched this one albeit with some help from
the Suns poor goal conversion. The visitors held on for a 7 point win in what
was at times a feisty and entertaining dress rehearsal for Round 1.
Brodie
Smith: Wow.
Completely dominated the game from start to finish, playing mostly in the
midfield, and was clearly best on ground in a losing side. Used his speed to
burst out of packs and was very clean by foot and hand. He had 20 touches by
half time and finished with 34, with 9 marks and a goal. Playing like this,
Smith is more damaging than anyone in the side (including Sloane) and won’t be
given the same freedom every week. Pick him with confidence but beware of the
taggers.
Brad
Crouch: Solid
performance and much of what we have come to expect from last year’s best and fairest.
28 touches mostly by hand, 8 tackles and a goal. Nice unique if you’re looking
for something different and when someone is playing for a big contract, they
often play out of their skins. This guy wants a million bucks!
Matt Crouch: Just like his brother, solid performance and no surprises to see him amongst the highest disposal winners with 27 along with 5 tackles. He just never stops hunting the pill. Gun.
Rory Sloane: The new solo captain was industrious without being dominant. 19 touches and 7 tackles and looking very much to be a quality over quantity type. Not what we want (except for Supercoach of course).
Chayce
Jones: Has had a big
pre-season with the expectation that he’ll play a lot more midfield this year
and even though he goes hard and is handy around the ball, still looks a little
lost at the coalface. Could only manage 12 touches from 79% game time. Probably
still a year early for him to be relevant in fantasy circles.
Fisher McAsey: The top 10 draft pick has well and truly put his hand up for round 1 and I think we’ll see him there. Showed great poise and positioning all game in an entertaining battle with Sam Day. He had 12 touches which is probably as much as we can expect for a key position, but I think as he gets used to the tempo, he’ll increase his marking tally and won’t score terribly. With that said, I still wouldn’t be putting him on the field.
Wayne
Milera: Was busy
early and you could see they wanted it in his hands but he really faded after
the first quarter finishing with just 14 touches. He looked off his game all
day even though he was in his usual spot at half back. It looked like he was
matched up on Swallow at times and was being held more accountable than usual.
Still set for a big year but bad timing to put in a stinker with decisions to
be finalised very soon for our starting squads.
Taylor
Walker: Many would
have scoffed at the suggestion Tex could play wing this year but even though
I’m not expecting him to do a Richo (nearly won the Brownlow off a wing in
2008!), I think a new position is just what he needs and possibly makes him
more relevant in Draft leagues at least. I nearly fell off the couch when I saw
him playing as back up ruck in this match, but I loved it. Nothing to see here
from a fantasy perspective but it was entertaining, nonetheless.
Reilly
O’Brien: Probably
had his colours lowered against Zac Smith despite having a decent game with
plenty of touches (21) around the ground. He played 87% game time and looked
tired with Tex as his only back up. I expect one of Himmelberg or Frampton to
play in round 1 but think this will actually help O’Brien’s scores as he’ll get
more of a rest and be able to get to more contests.
Rory
Laird: Looked
excellent and amazingly looms as a unique option! 32 touches running all over
the back half and will thrive with the Crows new short kicking game plan that
we saw in this game. Should find himself in more teams after this performance.
Paul
Seedsman: It’s such
a shame he doesn’t have DPP like he did a few years back because he would be
very tempting. Doesn’t offer much value but geez he looks good when he plays
like this. He had 29 touches with 7 marks and was all over the ground even
kicking 1.2
David
Swallow: Looked like
he was playing off half forward but was brilliant, particularly in the second
half when the game was in the balance. 33 touches and 7 marks and with more
support around him, he could be set for a big year. One for Drafts.
Darcy
MacPherson: I’ve
been surprised not many have been talking about this guy but after a terrific
2019, he looks set to explode this year. Was huge in Marsh 1 and backed it up
again here with 31 touches and 5 tackles playing forward and roaming up the
ground.
Will
Brodie: He is
developing very nicely and was very busy in this game showing plenty of strength
over the ball. He had 15 touches at halftime and went on to finish up with 28
along with 6 tackles. He’s one of many young Suns starting to mature in that
midfield but he really stood out in this game.
Zac
Smith: Was super
impressive and arguably won his battle with O’Brien but he’s just keeping the
seat warm for new captain Witts who will be back.
Brandon
Ellis: The former
Tiger is one to watch for the Suns this year and looked good in this game.
Played a familiar role roaming around the ground collecting plenty of ball (27
touches) and providing good run. He’ll be a great asset to the young side but
probably isn’t going to carry too much relevance in anything other than Draft.
Lachlan
Weller: Was huge for
the Suns in the second half with his pace and smarts proving crucial as many of
his teammates were tiring late in the game. He was buzzing around the ball for
most of the game and was good value for his 27 touches.
Jack Lukosius: Looked excellent reading the ball expertly at half back and took plenty of intercept marks. He was moved forward late in the game after Sexton went off injured. This hurt his stats but he still finished with 17 touches and a game high 10 marks.
Hugh
Greenwood: Not as
prolific as Marsh 1 and appeared to be running with Sloane at times and playing
half forward at other times. He had a serviceable game and was involved in the
hard stuff laying 6 tackles, but he only had 16 touches and my concern is that
he could be more suited to a tagging role than just being a pure ball winner.
Matthew
Rowell: 14 touches
and 4 tackles from just 41% game time. I’m not sure anything else needs to be
said about this kid. I’m looking forward to watching him dominate from round 1!
Noah
Anderson: Like
Rowell, was put on ice at halftime to manage his load after a big pre-season.
And also, like Rowell, will be playing round 1.
Jeremy
Sharp and Connor Budarick: Both came on at half time and looked good, especially Sharp who had 14
touches and 7 marks from just 46% game time! The concern with these two is with
how good the rest of the young Suns are looking, they may only be emergencies
in round 1.
It was a warm 32 degree day with gusty winds at the infamous Norm Minns Oval in Wangaratta. The Tigers were without Dusty, Cotchin, Houli, Tommy Lynch, Riewoldt and Edwards. Whilst the Pies had Grundy, Pendles, Sidebottom, Moore and Howe missing. Was a good hit-out for both teams, low tackling affair where the Pies had it pretty much on their terms before running out 40 point winners.
Adam Treloar:
The biggest and the most unfortunate story was Adam going down late with what appeared to be a mid-low grade hammy which puts him in serious doubt for Round 1 action. With scans on the way it may be best to find a replacement. And if he misses Round 1, he’ll be super unique going into Round 2.
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Serieshere.
Darcy Cameron:
Rookie Fwd/Ruc Did everything possible to put his name in contention for Round 1. A ratio of 11:1 from 12 disposals with 10 contested, 2 goals and 4 tackles is what really sets apart the men from the boys. Finished the day on a game high 127 SC points.
Jack Crisp:
The reliable and durable defender got amongst it early with 28 disposals and 12 marks, went at a high 1.6 AF points per minute before resting late.
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Serieshere.
John Noble:
Rookie defender racked them up at will sweeping across half back with 23 possessions, all but 3 uncontested. One to watch again in M2.
Mark Keane:
Rookie Irish defender who had 14 with 10 intercepts, May not make Round 1 but one that could get some games in season.
Jay Rantall:
Rookie mid with basketball background, was injected into the game in the last quarter. Racked up 9 disposals and looked a lively type.
Chris Mayne:
One for the draft or keeper league enthusiast, does a lot right and knows how to score in fantasy, 31 disposals with 10 marks./
Liam Baker:
Started his career as a forward but is fast turning into a slippery fast defender, had 30 with 12 contested.
Marlion Pickett:
Rookie mid who will be in all good fantasy teams this year, only had the 14 but looked really good, took the 1st clearance of the day, and gave De Goey a big bump early. He’ll be a whole lot better with the big guns back on board too.
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Serieshere.
Riley Collier Dawkins:
Rookie mid who started slow and couldn’t quite get into the tempo of the game. With spots limited it’s fair to say he may have given up ground to other contenders for Round 1. Will need a huge M2 game.
Callum Coleman Jones:
Rookie ruc/fwd, didn’t get a lot of it but what he did get was quality, soon enough he’ll be pushing for one of those ruck spots, can play.
Sydney Stack:
The type who loves to get involved, a very decent late draft pickup as a defender Just be aware it is M1, and plenty of quality was out in this game, you can never read much into Marsh Round 1
An interesting fantasy game this one – there were plenty of watchlist
players running around for their first formal match practise of 2020. To start
with however, here’s a list to keep in mind of important players who didn’t
play:
Fremantle: Fyfe, Hill, Mundy, Walters, Pearce, Wilson, Hayden Young
So when reviewing players, their role, their performance & the match
just keep the above in mind.
Rory Lobb
Lobb needs mentioning because he had such a big game, however there are some important things to note. The first is that Darcy didn’t play the second half due to a precautionary injury resting (per coach afterwards he should be fine) & the second is that Kreuzer didn’t play the second half either (Kreuze looked good in the first half too) so Lobb basically played ruck against Pittonet for half a game.
Having said that, he looked much better than Darcy in the first half anyway. He was more mobile, took more marks, looked more dangerous – it wouldn’t surprise if Freo again play Lobb as their main ruck and leave Darcy in the WAFL at times as happened last year. It makes for an interesting dynamic for draft leagues.
Andrew Brayshaw
Brayshaw played midfield and he got a lot of it when he was on. An
excellent sign for those keen on him as a breakout ‘forward’ this year. Keep in
mind the above players who didn’t play though so it’s hard to read anything
definitive into his role & likely scoring just based on this game. He does
look to be on the up though.
Blake Acres
Per Brayshaw above, had the midfield role we were hoping for (he’s another ‘forward’ this year) however, again, look at the list of outs above. We’ll want to see this role and output again in their 2nd match when Fyfe, Walters, Mundy etc are back.
Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Connor Blakely
It’s like a record on repeat here – per Brayshaw & Acres above, Blakely certainly played a lot around the ball and through the midfield. Once again though, we need to see who stays in there when everyone’s playing. I will also note that his disposal wasn’t quite as clean as the other two, although he’s certainly a big lad in there and knows how to find it.
Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Adam Cerra
Cerra certainly played a good chunk of the game in midfield and looked
very solid. He was also around half-back at times. A clean ball user who was
going at a high disposal efficiency throughout, he’s someone they’ll want to
give the ball to as well. Role will be important when we get to the next praccy
match again though.
Lachie Schultz
Probably too awkwardly priced to really be of note, it was still a
really good game from the young forward. His disposal and decision making
weren’t always clean but he got involved and threw himself into contests. Four
goals straight was also an excellent return.
Caleb Serong
Looked really good, clean and promising. Probably too much in the
midfield depth chart ahead of him to be worth his price tag this year but one
for the future certainly.
Sam Walsh
Just the lazy 28 touches for Walsh in this game – obviously going to
have the 2nd year Blues… But seriously, he looked as good as ever in
this game. Too high a price to really be salary cap relevant this year but he
will be in future years.
Sam Docherty
Let’s be honest, this is the Carlton player that most fantasy footy players wanted to see in this game. Given his discounted pricing & his previous averages, fitness & form were things that needed ticking off. Well, he’s certainly back to fitness – playing pretty much the whole game (albeit he suggested post-game that he did cramp late).
As for form? He did seem rusty early however grew into the match as it went on and really started to get some of those mark-kick combos in defense and up onto the wing. An excellent first up game for him all things considered.
Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Mark Pittonet
Had a decent game but only played the 2nd half and that up
against Lobb & High Dixon in the ruck. Kreuzer looked really good in the
first half so doubtful that Pittonet plays unless Kreuzer gets injured (which,
let’s be honest, does happen from time to time). A cheap ruck option for us but
unless he’s named Round 1 it seems a premium price too far at this stage.
It was a dirty day at Blacktown. Not just for the young Swans but also for coaches that had targeted a unique Tim Taranto as a premium in 2020.
Tim Taranto
Please make no mistake about it. This is the key takeaway from the match. The shoulder injury to Tim Taranto is a game-changer in fantasy footy. While we need to await the full medical report, the clubs initial forecast being a minimum of 10 weeks on the sidelines.
All eyes will be on next week’s Marsh Community Series to see just how Leon Cameron plans to cover one of his star midfielders. Thankfully, for him, he does not lack in options. All of Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Zach Williams, Jye Caldwell, Jackson Hately, Tom Green and many more are candidates for the additional midfield minutes now vacant.
Sam Jacobs
Across the preseason the former Adelaide Crows ruck has been a popular R2 selection. Even though he wasn’t coming up against the strong ruck opposition, it was good to see ‘Sauce’ lead the Giants midfield brigade. He had 23 hitouts and scored in the ’60s across all formats from 70% game time.
He spent a decent amount of time off the ground after copping a knee to his head from Sam Naismith. If you were keen on starting him before this game, he would’ve done nothing to change your mind.
Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Jackson Hately
With a plethora of star teammates absent, Jack Hately thrived with the additional responsibility. He attended plenty of centre bounces and with Taranto now out for an extended period he looms as a likely beneficiary.
Heath Shaw
Played the majority of the game and just swooped up the loose ball with ease. Honestly, the Giants had it all their way in this match at Heath just enjoyed plenty of easy marks and possesions.
He will still give coaches a few good games this season, but I do think he’s past his prime now for fantasy coaches to consider.
Tom Green
What an absolute bull! Yet against the GWS Giants academy has delivered a future star. 15 of his 21 touches were contested and kicked two goals. COuldn’t have done much more to push his case for round one with a performance like that.
As discussed a few times now, the real indicator of his role and potential debut will come next week when the State of Origin star return.
Lachlan Ash
His line-breaking speed and clean ball use were on display throughout the match. In time will be a star of the Giants backline but will find it challenging to break in without more injuries occurring.
Jye Caldwell
He was rotated through the midfield while also having some stints inside the Giants forward line. Will be one to watch next week when the Giants stars return to see if he can take some of the Tim Taranto roles.
His ownership numbers much like Christian Petracca, could skyrocket after this week. The Forward/Defender eligible selection dominated the backline for the Swans. ‘JD’ was excellent in this game amassing 19 disposals and five marks, but there is still one primary reason not to get too overhyped.
In this match, the Swans were missing two of their best defenders in Callum Mills and Jake Lloyd. Without seeing how Dawson functions with these two back in the side, we could be getting a slight distortion on his role and potential scoring.
Oli Florent
Was one of the Swans best today. While he still has some parts of his game to work on, he showed he’s capable of winning the contested ball, not just being an outside option.
It’ll take a few seasons, but Oli is going to be a star of the competition. Lock him away in a keeper league now if you can.
Sam Naismith
Even with Callum Sinclair in the side, Naismith was given the lead ruck responsibility. From just over 50% game time he ended up leading winner of hitouts (28). If you’re prepared to spend a little bit of cash for insurance at R3, then you may have just found your man.
Will Gould
He played only 68% of game time, but from his ten disposals, he went at 100% efficiency. In time Gould will be a popular fantasy player given his ability to intercept and clean foot skills. However, being on a side with that has Jake Lloyd and Callum Mills along with Jordan Dawson he might it hard to break into. The only exception would be if one or two of them started to get more permanently used higher up the ground.
Dylan Stephens
He gave coaches the glimpses of why as a junior he drew parallels to Jackson Macrae and Lachie Whitfield. Dylan did some nice things off the wing in this game. He’s right in consideration for round one for the Swans.
Justin McInerney
Cash Cow Alert! I liked what I saw from Justin. He showed a great balance of composure, presence and high footy IQ. Does he find his way permanently into the Swans backline? I’m not sold, but games like that will keep his name in front of mind for his coaches.
The Eagles welcomed the Bombers to Perth and to some strange weather for an entertaining pre-season clash which saw the visitors impress early and hold on for an 8 point win. There was a 20 minute break early in the second quarter due to safety concerns amid lightning storms in the area meaning the game was played in mostly wet conditions.
Both sides were missing a bevy of stars opening the door for some lesser lights to shine and shine they did! Whether some of these players get the same opportunities when both sides are at full strength remains to be seen and must be considered when assessing these performances.
Tim Kelly:
This was our first look at the young gun in blue and gold and I honestly expected him to blitz it causing everyone to scramble to rush him into their fantasy sides (like Bont and Petracca last week). He started very slowly though, and with the likes of Gaff and Yeo missing, it was strange to see him playing so much off half forward early.
Essendon’s mids were well on top in the first half so it wasn’t surprising to see Kelly move into the preferred midfield role in the second half. This is when he really started to sparkle, getting his hands on it 13 times in the 3rd quarter, and finishing the game with 27 disposals and a goal. Set for a big year once he finds his groove at his new home.
Luke Shuey:
Looking for a POD mid? The new Eagles captain just always gets it done and with Kelly’s arrival, should say goodbye to taggers for good. Had 31 touches and 4 tackles in this game and like Kelly, will thrive at the feet of Naitanui. Gun.
Dom Sheed:
Deceptively good. Played midfield most of the night and was his usual busy self with 28 touches but I still feel when the full Eagles midfield is on the park, he’ll spend more time forward. Worth a look late in Drafts and I’m tipping he will be in everyone’s forward line in 2021.
Shannon Hurn:
Started very slowly due in part to the heavy conditions but warmed into the game quickly. Took 7 marks on a wet night and even though he is a year older, looks set for another big year in fantasy. Will be a solid option again.
Nic Naitanui:
It is so nice to see the big fella in full flight again and we all have our fingers crossed he can have a healthy season. As expected, his minutes were limited, and his first bench rotation came within 5 minutes of the start of the game! His time on ground was 51% but when on the field, he commanded the stoppages and looked solid with 11 touches and 28 hit outs. Should be a popular R2 option but will be frustrating to own as it’s difficult to accumulate points while warming the bench!
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Bailey Williams:
A round 1 bolter and a real option for our R3 spot. He did some nice things and stayed involved throughout even capping the performance with a goal. Can he leapfrog Vardy and Hickey to be the Eagle’s back up for NicNat? I think he can!
Josh Kennedy:
Had a huge night kicking 6 straight and relishing the space and attention with Darling and Allen missing. He is looking sharper and more agile than he has in years but for context, he was up against the single gamer in Zerk-Thatcher. At his price, he could be a good cash maker early in the year.
Jarrod Brander:
I’d heard great things about this kid and, with it being suggested he could play on the wing this year, he was firmly on my watch list. The role on the wing was there but for a 6 foot 4 winger, I must say I didn’t notice him a great deal. He didn’t get a lot of ball collecting 11 disposals but did look clean and composed. He’s still very young and if he keeps that role, remains relevant as a rookie, particularly with that handy DEF/FWD dual status. Let’s have another look at him in Marsh 2 when some of the other midfielders return.
Lewis Jetta:
He looked good and provided great run and carry off half back, but he turned 30 last year and I can’t see him suddenly becoming relevant for us.
Devon Smith:
He did enough to suggest he’s going to be one of the big improvers this year, but I don’t think I was the only one worried early as he only attended 1 centre bounce in the first half. He was tackling hard (finished with 6) and was throwing his weight around a bit as he looked up and about and pleased to be fit again. But he needs to convert that into more fantasy points if he’s going to come even close to replicating his 2018 season.
Thankfully, he had a big second half as he was given more midfield opportunities attending 8 centre bounces and collecting 14 touches. Will be better for the run as this was his first game since round 8 last year.
Ultimately with Devon, the test we needed to see is did he add defensive pressure and tackle? The answer to that is he did!
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Darcy Parish:
I absolutely loved his game as he was solid throughout the 4 quarters and played a fantasy-friendly game. He was never far from the ball and even snagged a nice snapped goal in the 1st quarter. Finished with 29 touches and 4 tackles from just 65% game time. Fits the bill for a breakout perfectly.
William Snelling:
Could be one of the stories of last years mid-season rookie draft (after GF hero Marlion Pickett) as he looked very much at home on the big stage albeit a pre-season stage. He looked fantastic playing high half forward and was all over the ground laying tackles and taking important marks. He only played 65% of the game but still had 20 touches, 7 marks, 7 tackles and kicked 2.2. I’m not sure the same opportunities will be there in the season proper, but this performance has made me take notice.
Jordan Ridley:
Very much under the radar in fantasy circles perhaps after not quite delivering on his potential last season. He looked the real deal in this game though, as he commanded the half back line dashing up and down the ground and even took some of the kick in duties.
He had a good spread of stats with 21 touches, 7 marks and 5 tackles and could be a nice unique option. The only concern is the impact of Saad and Mckenna on his role and scoring output when they return. One to watch.
Dylan Shiel:
He is so great to watch when he’s on, but I just wish he got more involved on the outside. His lack of +6’s makes him hard to consider with the competition for midfield premo spots is so tight. Had 27 touches, 6 tackles but no marks and is probably more relevant in the sense that when he plays this well, the taggers should go to him and leave Merrett alone.
Zach Merrett:
Speaking of Merrett, he barely got out of second gear and had lowish time on ground at 65%. He was very busy early with 8 touches in the first quarter but wasn’t heavily involved beyond that. It doesn’t matter though, he’s a proven fantasy jet. If he was in your side before this game, just keep him there and enjoy him.
Read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.
Andrew McGrath:
What an absolute shame he has lost dual position status! He looked brilliant tonight playing big midfield minutes and getting involved in everything, particularly early. Had a massive first half with 16 disposals and even though he slowed down after that, would definitely be in the votes (if there were any). I don’t think I can pick him in the midfield, but Bombers fans can get excited because I think this will be his year.
Kyle Langford:
After being in and out of the senior side last year, it’s hard to know where Langford’s at. If this performance is anything to go by, he can say goodbye to his VFL days for good because he was excellent.
Playing mid-forward, he was all over the ground and stayed involved all night with 25 touches and a goal. It’s hard to see him being trustworthy enough for salary based comps but one to watch in Drafts.
Andrew Philips:
One to consider if you don’t trust Jacobs or Naitanui. He looked ok and held his own against his more fancied opposite ruck in NicNat. I’m not sure he’s worth the risk though and not convinced he’ll keep a healthy Bellchambers out.
Michael Hurley:
Acting captain for the night and like Hurn started slowly in the rain. Worked into the game well but was put on ice at 3 quarter time and was even seen with ice, strapped to his leg. Hopefully, just a precaution as the Bombers have enough players battling to be fit for round 1. Finished with 12 touches and 5 marks.
Jacob Townsend:
The former Giant and Tiger barely got a look in as he played forward for the first 3 quarters with little impact. Had a great chance to finish off some good work with a goal in the third quarter but fluffed his shot. He was given a good run on the ball in the last quarter attending nearly every centre bounce and was very involved but didn’t look confident when dropping a sitter in his defensive 50.
Finished the game hobbling off with a proppy knee which thankfully didn’t look too serious. It’s hard to see him getting a permanent spot in the midfield with some of the performances of others but his price point keeps him relevant. Wait and see.
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