Tag: SuperCoach

Fantasy Musings from the 2022 Season | MiniMonk

After having my best season across all formats, where I (MiniMonk) ended up in 2nd in Real Dream Team, 39th in AFL Fantasy, and 245th in Supercoach, I wanted to share some lessons I’ve learnt through the season. Fantasy can be a cruel game sometimes, but I love playing it with the competitive nature of it and the sense of community that exists around it. I hope that some of these points will be useful to you for next season or in any other fantasy sports you may play in the future.

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Your starting team won’t be perfect (But it doesn’t have to be):

Looking back at the start of 2022, all the teams I made were far from perfect. I started with relatively bad premiums such as Whitfield in SuperCoach, failed midpricers like Rowell, Milera, and McInerney, and one-week rookies like Baldwin, missing out on value performers such as Brayshaw, English, Smith, Cripps, McCartin, Martin, and Xerri. It’s easy to look at your rank after the first round and be deflated; after round 1, I was just inside 1k in RDT, 15k in Fantasy, and a miserly 53k in SuperCoach. However, you’ve made the decisions for a reason, and there are still 22 rounds in the season to fix them. The early weeks of the fantasy year are to fix these mistakes in your starting squad, and this will allow you to adjust to the players that you might have missed. In both limited trade formats, I went hard early to correct my teams, using a boost in Round 3 to remove Rowell, Milera, and Whitfield. The biggest lesson from this is that you will have made mistakes in your starting squad, but there is always time to recover to a good rank as no one will have a perfect team.

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It’s Cliché for a reason; Role is everything in Fantasy:

Players will change roles at the start of the season and throughout it, whether it be due to a trade, injury, or coaching change. Quickly picking up on these role changes can rocket you up the ranks. Both Brodie and Hewett started playing inside midfield, Xerri started as the primary ruckman, Darcy Cameron got the number one ruck role when Grundy got injured, and Coniglio returned to be an inside midfielder post-coaching change. 2022 was a year where many examples of how much a role can affect their scoring, with good coaches who could pick up on these changes, making huge climbs in the ranks this season. However, it can be scary to take the plunge on players who have changed their roles due to the unpredictability of teams’ structures, especially when these changes come mid-season. 

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Trust your eyes, your gut, and the stats:

The easiest way to know what is happening with players’ roles is to watch the footy and a lot of it. The eye test is important in determining whether a player has had a role change, but sometimes you can’t get to a game; life happens, other important things get in the way, and there are so only so many hours in the day. Digesting information from others in articles or podcasts can help, with plenty of good resources available, but only statistics are truly unbiased. In the era of modern fantasy AFL, there are many good resources for centre bounce attendances, time on ground statistics, and possession heat maps. These can be used to pick a role change before others notice it, including many pundits online. Sometimes you need to wait a week before you jump on if it is due to an injury, and sometimes you might just have to back your gut (and heaven forbid the coach) that the player will get the role you think they will consistently. 

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Mistakes will happen:

Sometimes you make a bad trade, a player gets injured, or they get dropped. You might field the wrong rookie or captain the wrong player, or, like me, reverse a trade and end up with the wrong player on field. I bought in Hall for his injured 12 the week of the Stewart suspension, accidentally captained Laird for his 92 instead of using the VC on him like I had planned, and fielded Sam Hayes over Preuss when rolling back my team. No matter how good of a coach you are, there will be a time where you make a mistake, it’s going to happen to everyone through the season, but learning from the mistakes you make is important and can help you improve not only year-on-year but within the same season. Don’t panic when something goes awry or someone you don’t own pops a big score, just focus on what you can fix in your team and success will eventually come. 

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Target the value:

Jumping on the right premium at the right time is the game’s name, and this applies throughout the entire season. If you think a player will outperform what they are priced at then they are someone you should be targeting. Players can be value due to many different reasons, such as a role change, an injury, building time-on-ground, bad matchups, or a tag. Two perfect examples of value players this year are Callum Mills and Rory Laird; they had performed well in the second half of 2021, been injured late in the preseason, missed early games, and then had low time on the ground which slowly built, with their price bottoming out at round 6. Another example is Clayton Oliver, who had a tough matchup in round 4 against Port Adelaide, dropped 40k whilst still scoring at around 110, and was coming into a run of relatively soft fixtures when his price bottomed out. Getting on a premium at the right time when they bottom out allows you to build team value and get the jump on the teams around you.

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Have fun:

If you like watching a particular player, start or buy them, especially if they play for the team you support! If you can’t stand owning a player in your team, move them on! If you want to go for a point of difference, have fun with it and get them. Fantasy is just a game after all, and even when you’re ranked highly having a little bit of fun with a cheeky POD can make your season. I indulged myself by bringing in Hurn in round 17 in SuperCoach and Ellis in round 21 in AFL Fantasy, both of which turned out quite nicely. Making decisions that you will enjoy will substantially improve your experience with fantasy, and sometimes it might just improve your rank too!

If you have any questions or ever want a chat about anything fantasy related, feel free to hit me up on twitter @MiniMonk10. Hope you all had a good season and bring on 2023!

MJ’s SuperCoach Best For The Rest of ’22

We’re a third of the way through the SuperCoach season, so we asked MJ to create his ideal ‘best 22.’ He believes that these players will be the top-scoring in each line until the season’s conclusion.

DEFENDERS

Sam Docherty 

The return of Sam Docherty has been superb. He will be a top-three defender for the season and outside of Max Gawn is the only non-midfielder currently inside the top 15 total points scorers in SuperCoach. What’s encouraging for us is I still think he could get better. The Blues still have multiple matches against Collingwood and another against the Tigers and Crows. All of these teams are bleeding points to opposition halfbacks. Lock and load post bye if you don’t have him. 

Jayden Short

The addition of Jayden Short should surprise nobody. All preseason he was an obvious selection. However, the departure of Houli meant that he was now the clear and exclusive best user of the footy for the Tigers in defensive 50. 

Beyond one bad weel against the Crows, he’s scored 109+ in the other seven matches. His role, quality ball use, and Richmond’s dependency on him are the perfect combination to make him a clear top-three defender in 2022. 

Scott Pendlebury

The gang at SuperCoach have handed us a genuine gift, with Scott Pendlebury gaining defensive status. While he may no longer possess the monster ceiling of his past, he no longer is competing with the best scoring midfielders. Now an average of 110 is enough to be among the best backs in the game.  

With games against Adelaide, North, Essendon and Gold Coast after the byes, he could explode in the middle portion of the year against what loom to be fellow bottom-six sides. 

I’d love to see some more ceiling games (130 or higher) from him, but I believe they are coming. However, his low scoring variance and the high floor have got him into my best for the rest. 

Tom Stewart 

Tom Stewart continues to be one of the best defenders in the game. His intercepting skills and efficient ball use are perfect for SuperCoach scoring. 

Just one score so far this year under 97 is following the trend of 2021. That year he had just three sub 90 scores all year. The positive news is he’s activated a newfound ceiling this year to go with his good historical floor. 

I’m a big fan of Tom and believe he’ll be a ripping pick for those who get him.

George Hewett

Missing the past two weeks with a corked calf will mean George Hewett is unlikely to be one of the top six defenders overall for points. But this listing isn’t year-round, but rather it’s from this point onwards. 

In the six matches he’s played, he’s gone 110+ in each of them, and given his experience and the current role he’s playing for the Blues, I don’t see that scoring trend slide. 

James Sicily

I was sceptical that James Sicily would bounce back to his premium best after missing so much football. But thankfully, for him, Hawks fans and current owners, he’s bounced back to his best.

Historically, he’s a player that gets hot with his scoring for a few months and then has some cold patches. And while that’s still a potential risk, I don’t see that happening for one major reason. The Hawks are a rebuilding side; the ball will spend plenty of time inside the Hawthorn defensive half giving him plenty of opportunities to get the ball. 

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale

This shouldn’t need too much explanation. He’s had multiple seasons at Brisbane, where he’s averaged 120+. 2022 appears to be no different. I think he’s had a better performance than his Brownlow Medal year. Barring an injury, he’s one of the best SuperCoach players this year. 

Jack Steele

Despite posting his lowest score of the year last weekend, Jack Steele is one of the more reliable premium midfielders. But It’s an outlier. He won’t have ten clangers and four frees against over a regular fortnight, let alone in a single match. What makes him so reliable as a VC/C option is a fact he scores in every possible column. So even if you can dry up his disposal tally, he’ll just get it done through tackles. Steele is one of the most bulletproof premiums in the game. 

Jackson Macrae

I dubbed Jackson Macrae the most relevant player in the preseason because of how reliable a premium midfielder he is. He’s averaging 125 from his eight games, while his scoring floor is a little worse for wear. However, his ceiling is arguably bigger. From the five tons he’s posted this season, his lowest is 133. 

That floor will improve as the Dogs start to get more regular ‘best 22’ options back in the side. He’s a weekly VC/C option, and he has rarely let us down over the past five years. So even with a few poorer games this season, I still want him in my best for the rest. 

Patrick Cripps

He is averaging 140 in his six full games of the year and the lowest score of 119. Patrick Cripps is simply putting together a phenomenal season. He’s gone on hot streak runs similar to this over his career, but there is something noticeably different about him and the Blues this season. 

Cripps isn’t just relying on an insane contested footy volume to score well. He’s also impacting the scoreboard and using the footy well in space. He’s not value anymore, but he is screaming a 115+ average for the rest of the season and is a genuine captaincy candidate. 

Clayton Oliver

In 2020, Clayton Oliver didn’t miss a game and averaged in the low 120s. In 2021 he did it again. Playing every match and averaging in the low 120s… You see where this is going don’t you? So far, he’s averaging in the loew 120s and han’t missed a game. It’s obvious, if you’ve got history and current data that you can average 120 no matter the line your in you make the best for the rest squad. 

Callum Mills

If you don’t own Callum Mills yet, that’s OK. But I’ll be honest with you; you’ve missed his ceiling game of the year. It’s rare for a player to score a 200 once in their career, let alone twice in the same season. 

But regardless, we’ve not got over 20+ games of data over the past 18 months to see that Mills is a genuine top tier SuperCoach midfielder. He’s one of the most well-rounded players in the game scoring through a brilliant mix of inside/outside ball-winning, tackles, and score involvements. To top it off, he rarely wastes the ball.  

Touk Miller

Last year Touk Miller was the surprise packet premium of the season. He went from a good SuperCoach performer to being one of the best. Unfortunately, for various reasons, Miller hasn’t started this year as he ended in 2021. And yet, he’s only had one score below 99 all year and has pumped out three scores above 135. An average of 118 is his basement for the year. I think he’s going to be closer to 125+. 

If you opted not to start Touk, he should be firmly on your target as a trade-in option. But you’ll want to hurry to avoid paying top dollar. He’s already starting to make back some of his lost salary. 

Andrew Brayshaw

For some, this is an obvious inclusion, while it’s less clear for others. Those in the obvious column are doing it simply because what he’s done this season with four scores of 125+ including the 189 is the trend they see that he’ll continue with. While others think his hot stretch is in the past and with matches against Melbourne, Brisbane, Carlton, Port Adelaide and St Kilda between round 11-17, the challenging games are ahead of him. 

While I could’ve included Keays, Boak Bontempelli, Green or even Petracca to round out the final spot in the midfield, I cannot ignore what he’s done, and I can’t see a genuine tagger upcoming or legitimate reason to suggest he doesn’t go 115-125 over the next ⅔ of the year. I just like Brayshaw more than them in my best for the rest. 

RUCK

Max Gawn

This is a no brainer. He’s the clear and supreme top ruck. Barring injury or suspension, nobody is capable of doing what he can in this line. It’s going to be hard to have a successful season without him.

Jarrod Witts

At the start of the year, I would’ve probably laughed myself out of the room for suggesting it, but I think It has to be Witts. Grundy’s LTI mean he’s not a consideration. I have zero trust in Sean Darcy’s body to hold up. Even Braydon Preuss has shown on multiple occasions this year that he’s prone to brain farts and missing games through suspension. Through the power of elimination, I’ve landed with Jarrod. So far, he’s had four scores over 130 and just dipped under 88 once. Given his experience and proven scoring history, I see no reason why this trend stalls. 

FORWARD

Josh Dunkley

Much like Max in the rucks, Josh Dunkley appears to be the clear and supreme top forward in 2022. His combination of inside ball-winning, tackles and score involvements makes him a dangerously good scorer. Good luck going against him! 

Tim English

The breakout of Tim English is finally here! Before his injury, Tim proved to be a dominant scorer and valuable RUC/FWD cover on each line. With him anticipated to be back this round, I expect him to continue on where he left off. 

Tim Taranto

Of all the forwards I’ve added into the ‘best for the rest’, Tim is the one on the shakiest of grounds. That’s not just recency bias where he has a three round average of 81. But rather, he has signs over his career that he has no problems winning the ball. However, he’s also not the most efficient user of the footy. Therefore, his scoring can have a high variation and sometimes struggle.

Nevertheless,  I think he’s going to be good enough. It’s why he’s made a list. But when I make an updated list in another 6-8 weeks, don’t be shocked to see him go. 

Tom Liberatore

We’ve been given a gift via Luke Beveridge! With the bulldogs playing him heavily in the forward over the year’s opening rounds due to building his fitness-based, it forced champion data to give him FWD status. Although Libba is a contested beast, his ability to win in tight footy with high efficiency is a rare combination. 

He’s got multiple seasons of 100+ averages in that position. And the dogs look a million times better when he’s at centre stoppages. Lock him in for a triple figure average. 

Luke Parker

We could echo the same sentiments for Luke Parker as we did for Libba. With Buddy Franklin and Tom Papley missing multiple games early, the Swans deployed Parker with a heavier forward role. But he splits his time between midfield and forward and in each position. Before 2022 his lowest seasonal average of the past five seasons was 99. I’m confident he averages 100+ from here and provides super value for coaches. 

Isaac Heeney

Everybody keeps talking about Heeney’s season being his ‘breakout’ year. And while I understand what people are trying to imply, it’s not true. Before 2022, he’s had multiple seasons averaging in the 90s and has shown he’s a reliable premium. 

What he’s shown more this year is a stronger frequency of hitting the ceiling over 130. With Papley & Buddy dominating the forward line, I suspect we’ll see his MID/FWD split continue. 

Possible DPP’s | Round 6

Before rounds 6, 12 and 18, the gang at Champion Data add some new DPP into the game. After round 5 concludes on Monday, the first list of names and positions will be released. Historically, players need a minimum of 35% to be considered for a new allocation in a new position. So, we have in-season DPP additions for the first time in SuperCoach & DreamTeam history. For AFLFantasy coaches, you are an old hand at these. So let’s see which players are locks, close or no chance of getting DPP.

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ADD DEFENDER

Luke McDonald

In the preseason, a popular (and sometimes inaccurate) data narrative is when people remove a game’s score to tell a greater story of what they score. If you did that for Luke McDonald and his 2022 season while removing the round three, 100 points grubbing game from his average, he’d be averaging 109.6 in SuperCoach and 92.6 in AFLFantasy.

The Kangaroos have redeployed him into the backline, where he had his breakout fantasy scoring of 2020. The addition of DEF status is a formality and one of Champion Data’s easiest decisions. The bigger question facing fantasy coaches is where do you rank him amongst the topline defenders? Your answer will determine how quickly or if you prioritise him as a trade target. L-Mac still presents significant value based on his current price vs scoring output.

Brandon Ellis

For years, Brandon Ellis has been a fantasy-relevant player at both Richmond and Gold Coast. He’s also shown he can score well whether he’s on the wing or back to his current role, which is more a rebounder off half-back. Sadly as much as the DPP of DEF/MID should hit, the Sun’s game style isn’t fantasy footy friendly.  

Dayne Zorko

This could be one of the most relevant DPP additions of the entire season. Dayne Zorko has shown his ability to put up 100s and with some serious frequency consistently for multiple years. Coming back from surgery, we’ve seen some of the worst scores and best scores of Zorko. In rounds two and three, he scored 145 & 106 in AFLFanasy and 116 & 105 in SuperCoach. So he’s still got the capacity to go big. The play will be to grab him in a few weeks. By then, last weekends poor score roles out of his price cycle, and he should be nearing full health. Dayne, you are officially on the list!

Angus Brayshaw

The moment Christian Salem went down with an early injury in round one, the Demons deployed Angus Brayshaw as the primary ball mover across halfback. It’s important to note he was already playing in the backline in that game as the Demons had several regular defenders missing. In this role, he’s getting plenty of uncontested marks and possessions. So it’s no surprise that the fantasy points are flowing for him in this role; he’s got history (all be it distant now) of being a genuine proven performer. His DPP addition should be a formality and will add a massive boost to coaches that own him already in drafts.

Jordan Clark

Another good addition for coaches. As a midfielder, only Jordan Clark is only just rosterable for most leagues. However, as a defender, he becomes a genuine on-field option or an emergency in deeper leagues.  

Scott Pendlebury

Two weeks ago the incoming DEF status was a near formality, now I’m not 100% convinced we’ll get him. In the opening two rounds, Scott Pendlebury attended under 40% of centre bounces, but in the previous two games, he’s been at 50% & 43%.

Nick Daicos

Like his skipper, Nick Daicos was a certainty a few weeks ago, but he’s been seen more frequently in the front half of the field over the past two weeks. One of the key DPP criteria Champion Data uses is players’ starting position at the centre bounce. For that reason, I’m optimistic that he should still have done enough over the totality of the year so far to pick it up. He’s often starting at half-back and then pushing up the ground. 

His addition to our backlines couldn’t come fast enough. With low scoring back cows in Sam DeKoning, Mitch Hinge, Paddy McCartin and Sam Skinner all dominating our D6-8, it could be the perfect on-field scoring boost we need.

Josh Battle

Another one for draft coaches to get excited by. While Josh Battle’s relevance is as an FWD listed player, gaining DEF status will add some serious flexibility within your squad. As injuries, suspensions, plus health & safety protocols hit, having the ability to flip players around and not drop quality into the player pool is critical. So having Battle as a DEF/FWD should be a very helpful gain. 

Josh Kennedy

Currently, Josh Kennedy is being eased into and through the season across the Swan’s defensive unit. His average right now makes him irrelevant, even in drafts. BUT, all it takes is a few injuries to the Swans and his relevancy skyrockets. That’s not wishing injuries on anyone but highlighting how quickly a player’s value can change in this game. 

David Swallow

The potential gain of DPP for David Swallow will have more name value than the scoring value in 2022. The former #1 draft pick is currently scoring well below the scores of his past few seasons. The primary factor is the midfielder is spending little to no time through this line. Rather he’s often playing deep inside the defensive 50. If the Suns shake his role up, he could become relevant in drafts. However, in classic, I don’t see him being a viable topline scorer even if he gets his old midfield role back.

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ADD MIDFIELD

Isaac Heeney

The Swans star continues to showcase why he’s one of the best fantasy buys of the year. While Isaac Heeney is still spending a ton of time inside forward 50, he’s getting plenty of time up the ground. At first glance, it might not seem relevant, but as the season goes on, squad versatility is everything and can even be a season winning factor. It’s not an exciting ‘gain’ by name, but my functionality it’s huge!

Zak Butters

Cntrl C & Cntrl V! The exact same sentiment for Zak Butters as it is for Heeney.

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Jack Sinclair

I could almost make it a trio of similar comments, but I won’t. Jack Sinclair is proving to be one of the biggest surprise packets of the fantasy football year. The dashing defender has brought his skills and speed higher up the ground, and as a result, he’s reaping the fantasy scoring rewards. An average of 103 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 116.3 is miles above anyone’s imagination. If he keeps up this scoring trend, he’ll be someone we have to have as a top tier defender. The probable DPP DEF/MID gain is just gravy to what has already been a stunning start to the season.

Nick Martin

In 2022 we’ve been blessed with so many good cash cows. Nick Martin is just one of a handful of players making significant coin for owners. What makes his likely incoming DPP so helpful is it can help activate some other trade moves and squad flexibility. Don’t just look at the CBA data for projecting DPPs; that’s not the whole story. Especially in the case of Martin. His midfield time isn’t at centre bounces but rather on the wing.

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ADD RUCK

Tristan Xerri

An absolute lock for DPP addition. Tristan Xerri is the clear leader of the ruck division attending between 50% – 70% of centre bounces over the past four weeks. This DPP gain will add hugely relevant flexibility to the link between the RUC/FWD division, especially for those who own Jack Hayes, Hugh Dixon or both.

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ADD FORWARD

Rowan Marshall

This will be touch and go DPP gain for Rowan Marshall. In round one, he was playing primarily as a ruck. But over the past three weeks, he’s increasingly played a role more inside forward 50. So it might all come down to a role this weekend. Where and how he plays might tip his percentage of role either over or under the cut off line.

Luke Parker

If Luke Parker does gain MID/FWD status, he’s someone right in the mix for me to consider. On current scoring, he’s not an option, but on history, he could be a beast for us. As it stands, he’s averaging 79 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 89 in SuperCoach, with just his round one ton across the formats his only triple-digit score. As the wetter months begin to hit, the pace of footy can often start to slow, and contested beasts start to shine. 

If that combines with the price of Parker continuing to slide, we could hit a perfect moment that makes him impossible to ignore. Watch his role over the next few weeks because this could be both a bargain premium and the forward putting him midfield numbers.

Tom Liberatore

The squeeze for midfield minutes at the Bulldogs was always resulting in a midfielder being forced to play out of their preferred position. So far, it appears that Tom Liberatore is the player having the biggest loss of midfield minutes. The contested ball beast spends time at CBA, but only in a secondary capacity. He hasn’t played a game in 2022 with over 40% CBA’s. That likely MID/FWD status will be a huge boost for draft owners, but it’ll require a role reversal and a primary CBA role to make him relevant in classic. If that happens, especially in SuperCoach, then he’s a player to target with a trade. 

Noah Balta

The Tigers have started to have an eye to the future, and it’s clear that Noah Balta as a forward is something the club like the look of. His scoring average isn’t horrible, but it won’t be something to celebrate even in a weakened forward line in many draft leagues. However, it could add some handy squad flexibility in the category scoring leagues or deeper dynasty style leagues.

Todd Goldstein

The rebuild of the Kangaroos is well underway. As a result, some club elders are stepping back into the shadows. In the ruck division, the emergence of Tristan Xerri has allowed them to use Todd Goldstein as the relief ruck and more predominantly inside forward 50. The likely DPP gain could become handy later in the year; we never can fully know what’s ahead. He’s only draft relevant at the moment, but should an injury-hit, then it could be all aboard the Gold train.

Tom De Koning

Before last weekend, Tom De Koning had played a split forward and ruck role. Eventually, the Blues see him as the #1 ruck but are happily taking their time in developing him. The addition of RUC/FWD is a certainty and could be relevant in drafts, especially if Pittonet continues to miss games.

Jason Horne-Francis

Before the 2022 season started, the narrative was that Hornet would be a lock to get MID/FWD status at this point of the season. However, in the past three weeks, he’s had 55%, 59%, and 75% centre bounce attendances last week. So you can kiss his DPP chance right now if he has another game as he did at the Swans. However, if the Roos ease off his midfield minutes back to under 30%, then he’s a ripping chance to get it. I think he’s less likely than likely to get DPP at the current percentage. But there’s still one more game of data to go.

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Darcy Fort

The former Cat is plugging along ok with solid scores, and a reasonable RUC/FWD split at Brisbane. His scoring isn’t amazing, but depending on the depth of your draft league, many are struggling to get decent depth in our forward lines. With Darcy Fort, they could be soon getting some versatility and the potential of looping the odd good score. A potentially more helpful DPP gain than we realize.

Connor Macdonald

The Hawks are in rebuild mode, and as a result, some of the future midfield brigades are getting the education of playing multiple roles beyond just centre bounces. The junior ball magnet plays his role both through the midfield and as a small-medium forward. By the time this DPP hits, coaches will probably be considering moving him on, as his low score from last week has probably stunted his cash generation plans for the immediate future.

James Harmes

Last year the Demons had a staple midfield core of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney and James Harmes. However, this year, Tom Sparrow has surpassed Harmes as the fourth option in what’s a tight CBA rotation for the Melbourne Footy Club. As a result, Harmes and Sparrow have almost flipped roles, and James is often playing a heavy pressure forward 50 roles. It’s not a ‘classic’ relevant gain, but depending on the depth of your draft league on-field, it could be a very helpful addition. 

Bailey Smith

Earlier in the article, I spoke about the fact that a player’s starting position at the centre bounce is a primary decision factor in DPP allocation. For Bailey Smith, he’s playing through the midfield. However, when not at a centre bounce, it’s often with him starting at half-forward and then pushing high up the ground. It’s less likely, but if Bevo goes full ‘Bevo’ and plays him as a heavy forward split this weekend, we might get lucky! 

MJ’s SuperCoach Team Reveal | February Edition

With the practice games about to get underway, we convinced MJ to share what his SuperCoach side currently looks like. Have a look at his SuperCoach team reveal as he explains why he picked them.

Defenders

All preseason I’ve been bullish on a three premium defender structure in SuperCoach. The positive is I believe all the options I currently own are safe, top ten options and each present value. Jake Lloyd was still the highest averaging defender and yet had a ‘down season’ in many peoples eyes. However, he’s one of the most dependable backs available, and I plan to maximise his scoring for 22 games in 2022.

In the fifty most relevant, I looked at Jordan Ridley and saw massive potential upside with the addition of Jake Kelly into the team. His arrival should allow Ridley to be freed up to intercept and not play lockdown footy. At the same time, Lachie Whitfield is my wild card. Although he’s got a 115+ season within him on potential, he needs some luck with his body.

Both Wayne Milera and Keidean Coleman are the best 22 and should be solid stepping stones. I’m more bullish on Milera than Coleman based on his history, so Coleman will likely be the one to go if another strong cash cow emerges. Joshua Sinn has put together a beautiful preseason, and his strengths offer a point of difference to the Power midfield and backlines. I think he plays early. Mitch Hinge is a sneaky one. All reports have him playing on a wing this preseason with Paul Seedsman no certainty to play round one. He could jag some games early on. McDonagh is the spot filler until post community series.

Midfielders

Three perm-captain options in SuperCoach feel like an absolute no-brainer selection to me. Jackson Macrae is the highest-scoring player in the past four years. And coming off the back of 2021 when his lowest score of the year was 97, I just can’t ignore him and am worried for other coaches that do. I play SuperCoach not just out of a desire to win the $50k but also for enjoyment. And after going for parts of 2020 and 2021 without Jack Steele and Clayton Oliver, I’ve learnt my lesson. SuperCoach is much more enjoyable with both these boys. Eliminate the stress of generating the cash in the season to get them, so I’m starting with them.

Lachie Neale should be in 100% of serious teams. Before his multiple season injury year in 2021, he’s been going full beast mode at Brisbane. All the noise is that he’s back to his physical peak. And we even started to see traits of old Neale late in the season anyway. To secure him at $150k cheaper than Macrae is a crime, and I’m more than happy to get away with it. Speaking of value, the players at M5 & M6 are both just ridiculous value. Matt Rowell has limited game data, but the scoring ceiling is phenomenal for his price point. While two seasons ago, Jarrod Berry had put together an average north of 90. At only $60k more than the top-priced cash cow, it’s ridiculous value, especially now that the club has confirmed he’s fully fit.

Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos pick themselves on the field, and with the ability to gain DPP, both are possible candidates to gain a position in the year. While the bench feels settled for the correct opinions, it’ll ultimately decide based on round one selections.

Rucks

My R1 and R2 haven’t changed since the team pickers launch late last season. I find the value of Brodie Grundy impossible to pass up. Of all the current or potential premium rucks available, he feels the safest candidate to land inside the top two in the line. R2 has been the pressure point for many sides in the preseason. As it stands, I’m very comfortable with Preuss. As discussed in our latest strategy podcast episode, I’ll make a simple adjustment if he doesn’t hold the #1 ruck mantle. Comben is linked to F6 and DPP strategies.

Forwards

The news earlier in the week of Mitch Duncan suffering a calf injury has caused a structure tweak, but I believe it’s created a deeper and stronger forward line. Josh Dunkley, to me, is one of the best forward premiums of the season, and I suspect his scoring trend this year will be more closely mirrored towards how he started in 2021. Isaac Heeney is one of the biggest preseason boost guys, and if the hyped midfield role is evident in the preseason games, I don’t see how in SuperCoach I can go against him.

All of Jade Gresham, Stephen Coniglio and Charlie Curnow present fantastic value. And if their recent injury niggles are a thing of the past, then all could be among the best value stepping stones of the year. Bailey Williams will get games early with Oscar Allen out injured and Jack Darling unavailable to be considered. He becomes the relief ruck option for the Eagles and should provide a key target up forward. His DPP R/F with Comben provides flexibility on my side and some insurance if Preuss does get a rest early in the year. Finally, Elijah Hollands and Josh Rachele look safe best 22 guys and should be primed for early selections.

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Team In Full

The good news is I still have $83,000 sitting in the kitty, so if required, I’ve got myself some flexibility to get some more expensive bench cover if needed.

For those curious, fifteen of the thirty players featured were covered in my 50 most relevant preseason series.

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Klopp’s SuperCoach Cash Cow Watchlist

With SuperCoach open, it’s time to start getting serious and looking at the cash cows that we can have in our starting squad. So check out Klopp’s cash cows that should be on your preseason watchlist.

If you love this article from Klopp you can follow him on Twitter here.

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Dylan Stephens | MIDFIELD (SYDNEY)
$167,800

Starved of consistent opportunity, but with Jordan Dawson moving to the Crows, there’s a vacant spot on the wing & Stephens could be the one to benefit. Won the club’s first 2km time preseason trial averaged 104 SuperCoach points in 8 VFL games in 2021.

Charlie Dean | DEFENDER (COLLINGWOOD)
$102,400

A mature-age intercept defender who won the VFL’s best young player. The ready-made Dean averaged EIGHT intercepts & 85 SuperCoach points for Williamstown & made it all the way through to Collingwood in the rookie draft, meaning a basement price tag in 2022.

Garrett McDonagh |DEFENDER (ESSENDON)
$117,300

Another mature-age draftee to keep an eye on. Dodoro post-draft stating the defender “could possibly play very early” A terrific runner who is a great ball user, averaged 21 disposals, five intercepts, five rebound-50s & 84 SuperCoachpoints in the VFL 2021.

Sam Skinner | DEF/FWD (PORT ADELAIDE)
$123,900

A switch to defence saw him dominate the back-half of the SANFL season for South Adelaide. Averaged 19 disposals, 11 intercepts – 7 of them marks – & 113 SuperCoach points between Rounds 16 & 21. Another who is ready to step in, if Port needs.

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Jason Horne-Francis | MIDFIELD (NORTH MELBOURNE)
$207,300

He played the mid-fwd role at senior level for the past 18 months & averaged 16 disposals, 9 contested possessions and 88 SuperCoach points, while also booting 15 goals, in 20 matches last season. Keep an eye out for in-season MID/FWD addition.

Nick Daicos | MIDFIELD (COLLINGWOOD)
$193,800

Daicos is another who looks worthy of the rookie price tag. Averaged 36 disposals, 2 goals & 159 SuperCoacah points in 5 NAB League games in 2021 & despite his ability to win a lot of the ball, he should still score well early in his career with fewer touches.

Greg Clark | MIDFIELD (WEST COAST)
$117,300

In a phenomenal WAFL season, Clark averaged 27 disposals, 11 contested possessions, 7 tackles & a huge 128 SuperCoach points in 18 non-injury-affected matches. Capped off the year with a 181-point outing to win the medal as best afield in the WAFL Grand Final.

Josh Ward | MIDFIELD (HAWTHORN)
$180,300

Finished the NAB League season with scores of 136, 124, 174 & 140. In a game that displays his many avenues of scoring, Ward tallied 34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, 8 clearances, 8 tackles, 5 intercepts & 5 score involvements in the final game of 2021.

Matthew Roberts | MIDFIELD (SYDNEY)
$117,300

Would have to be the first rookie picked in most SuperCoach sides if we’re picking on numbers alone. In his 10 U18 matches in the past 2 years, Roberts posted scores of 240, 188, 175, 139, 208, 146, 120, 125, 160 & 104. Very appealing price tag too.

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Finlay Macrae | MIDFIELD (COLLINGWOOD)
$206,800

It was a tough first season for Macrae but he showed in spurts his elite ball-winning ability, displayed by his 20-disposal outing in just 61% TOG vs Hawks in Rnd 21. A consistent mid role for Macrae could bring a serious SuperCoach spike, quickly.

Jackson Mead | MIDFIELD (PORT ADELAIDE)
$123,900

Finished 2021 strongly at the state league level, tallying 27 disposals & 6 clearances through the midfield in Rnd 15 & SuperCoach scores of 107 and 93 in the final 2 rounds. Averaged 106 points for his state during his draft year as an onballer. One to watch.

Charlie Constable | MIDFIELD (GOLD COAST)
$213,400

Still only 22. Given a lifeline by the Suns & will help fill the Greenwood void. Averaged 113 in Geelong’s reserves side during his debut season & finished his time at the Cats with scores of 175, 132 & 146 before the VFL season was called off in 2021.

Braydon Preuss | RUCK (GWS GIANTS)
$204,700

Heavily discounted for 2022. Injured all of 2021 but the cheap R2 strategy could be back on. In the 3 games he played without Gawn at the Dees, Preuss posted scores of 84, 85 & 140. In his 2 at North without Goldy, he scored 111 & an injury-affected 39.

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Big Changes to SuperCoach 2022

Today’s the day! SuperCoach is now open to the public, so log in and start picking your teams. However, some significant changes have hit the format.

MORE TRADES

We’ve been granted five additional trades more than we had in 2021. With the 35 trades now available to coaches, the strategies will need to adjust how best to use them over the 23 round home-and-away season.

IN SEASON DPP CHANGES

For those who play AFLFantasy or Ultimate Footy, you’ll be familiar with the notion of in-season DPP changes. SuperCoach has confirmed that they’ll be joining the party with multiple allocations happening during the season. No longer will coaches have to wait until the new season for a player to be awarded a position. It may now only be a matter of weeks. For example, Aaron Hall would’ve spent most of the year as a DEF/FWD, not just FWD. No confirmed dates or rounds have yet to be confirmed for the DPP additions.

MID ROUND REVERSE TRADES

Ever made a trade then, as the rolling lockout commences, find yourself stuck with no avenue of changing it? Not in 2022! You’ll be able to reverse changes right through the round as long as the players involved haven’t played or you haven’t gone over your salary cap.

GET BOOSTED

Ever wished for just one more trade in a round to pull off the perfect trade plan? Well, in 2022, the magic genies of SuperCoach will allow that to come out of your 35 trades. They are introducing the trade boost. Up to five trade ‘boosts’ can be used in any round to gain an extra trade for that round. That means in a standard round; you could have up to a maximum of three trades per round while that increases to four during the byes.

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COVID PROTOCOLS

Over the past few seasons, AFL & BBL SuperCoach players have gotten accustomed to being awarded additional trades during the season. While nothing has been officially announced, either way, I firmly believe that the trade boost & increase in trades will be seen as sufficient support to help coaches through 2022.

QUICK TAKE

Like with any change in life, some are super excited by something new, others not so much. For SuperCoach traditionalists, these are some big navigations to make your way through, and a combination of these new game features means an adaptation to some strategies will need to occur. We’ll discuss what these changes mean and their implications on our coaching strategies for 2022. Until then, login, pick your team and join the Coaches Panel, Official group. Join it by clicking here.

Team Reveals | MJ’s Preseason SuperCoach | Patreon Exclusive

It’s here! For SuperCoach gold subscribers, you can now start picking your initial squad. So on day one of the picker opening, we asked MJ to select his team. As a Patreon, he’s given you exclusive first viewing. Enjoy!

DEFENDERS

I’m lighter on premium options in this line, and when you see the rest of the team, you’ll understand why I’ve structured this way. I believe Jake Lloyd and Lachie Whitfield are the best two premium defenders to start. Both are consistently strong scorers and rarely let coaches down when on the field. Wayne Milera is insane value. He’s got multiple seasons over averaging in the high 70’s, and as long as he gets through the pre-season, he’s an easy pick. From there, I hit the cash cows quick. Josh Sinn should be a popular pick and adds speed to the pear. Josh Worrell, I think, gets the first crack at Jake Kelly’s old spot in the Crows backline. At the same time, it wouldn’t be pre-season without Will Gould in your squad. Both Wilmont and Skinner fill needs in their sides best 22 but aren’t walk upon selections. I’ve gone an extra midfield premium heavy in the structure. So if required, I can easily reposition one of them into the backline to beef this area up if more MID cows/value appears.  

MIDFIELD

Are you looking for where I’ve spent the salary cap? Well, this is the line, but I’ve also picked four genuine weekly captain candidates. The ‘double Jack’ of Jack Steele and Jackson Macrae helps me start with two of the most reliable and rounded scorers in the game. Against an opponent, you feel confident they can push a 120+ score. I expect both to be in the top five midfielders of the year. Clayton Oliver is coming off two consecutive seasons, averaging over 120. I see little reason that changes into 2022. He’ll get the captaincy armband if the other two fail me. Andrew Brayshaw is potentially unique, but I expect big things from him. Don’t worry, we’ll talk plenty about him in the preseason. Lachie Neale is the no brainer pick that if fit, everyone will have. Neale is my fourth captaincy option in the midfield. Remember, before last year, he was safe as houses for the better part of two years. His teammate Jarrod Berry averaged over 95 just twelve months ago, and like Neale with an uninterrupted preseason, he should be on the radar of all coaches. It’ll come as no surprise to see Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos in starting squads. Both have excellent job security. I’m less sold on the scoring potential of JHF with a crowded midfield, but at worst, I cash him out for a cheaper cow if required. On the bench are Ward, Hately and Wanganeen-Milera. All are under $200k and should get plenty of games. 

RUCKS

This line is possibly the most on-field vanilla side, but in reality, the value of Braydon Preuss at R2 is immense. He’s the top ruck option at GWS when available, and with him being cheaper than JHF, you just can’t say no to him. Brodie Grundy is the premium ruckman I trust the most for scoring, health and role consistency, so he’ll lead my ruck division into battle. While Sam Hayes could see plenty of games with the departure of Peter Ladhams. 

FORWARD

We’ve been given some forward gifts from Champion Data, and I have zero intent to reject them. Josh Dunkley pre shoulder injury was one of the best scoring players in the game. I believe the role he held that produced his scoring is normative. Therefore I cannot resist starting him. Mitch Duncan comes with many injury history worries, but with players like these, you start them or pass entirely. Between 2017-2020 his lowest seasonal average was 103. He averaged 99 last year, which included an injury impacted 10. I’m going to bank every game I can get out of him and hope that it’s a full 22. FYI, in 2019-2020 he missed just one game, so maybe the injury history might be getting overplayed. If Tim Taranto were a MID only, I’d not consider him, but as a FWD, it’s a whole new story. He’s one of the safest 95-100 MID/FWD’s I’ve seen in recent years. Speaking of safe, starting with Stephen Coniglio is near immovable. He’s got multiple seasons of averaging 100+ at this price point, and his likely ownership numbers mean you can select with confidence. Rounding out the side is Charlie Curnow. I’m not sold on starting him. But he’s a value option if fit. My last forward spot goes to Elijah Hollands. Anytime you get a basement price player who’s DPP and in a team best 22, you pick them. The bench rounds out with a DPP Crow pair who’ll see many games in 2022.

So that’s the team, line by line. It’ll almost certainly change, but hopefully, it gives you the ideas of how I plan to attack the season early on. Here’s what it looks like in full.  

SuperCoach Weekend Wrap | Round 23

What a final round of football! Some close contests, some percentage boosting performances, a kick after the siren to claim the minor premiership, and even a draw. As for our Supercoach results, I hope you were able to take out your GF or at least make the most of the points on offer for a solid rankings boost.

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At this time of the season it’s all about being able to field a full team, particularly considering the volatility of coaches and their selection panels. We were certainly his with that last week, but this week was a little more kind to us. Having said that, if you were banking on Josh J. Kennedy, Tim Kelly, Harris Andrews, Josh P. Kennedy, Jack Bowes, or Jack Ziebell in any way then you would’ve been disappointed. For those of us running close to the line in terms of emergencies then this would have meant you were eating a donut or two. 

The weekend began with a cracker as Port Adelaide solidified their top four position with their sixth win on the trot. The Bulldogs have a little work to do to stay in contention now, which we realise they’ve done before, but it is a concern when Bontempelli is spending time in the ruck! Jackson Macrae topped the Bulldogs with a 113, his lowest score in 10 weeks. This was followed by Caleb Daniel (110) and Bailey Dale (101). For Port though it was Ollie Wines with a monster 161 top off an excellent run since the bye rounds. Travis Boak (134) and Robbie Gray (126) rounded out the top three and showed their experience in important games. 

Richmond v Hawthorn made a game of it despite it not meaning much at all for either side. To be fair, it did have a couple of retirements and it was the final match for Alistair Clarkson as the Hawks coach. It seems then a draw was the ideal result. The Tigers showed they’ve got work to do over the preseason but Jayden Short led the scoring for them this week with a 117. If he was your in for Tom Stewart last week then you made the right choice, he’s ended the season well. While Tom Mitchell hasn’t had his best season he finished off well here with a 127. Jaeger O’Meara (120) and Chad Wingard (117) followed close behind. A little irony there with those three being Clarkson trade targets over the past few years. 

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With some big Sydney in’s including Callum Mills, Jake Lloyd, and Lance Franklin, it gave many coaches the defensive reprieve they needed. While Mills perhaps wasn’t the wisest choice after still dealing with his achilles tendon issue, the other two were very helpful with 154 for Lloyd and 127 for Franklin. Jordan Dawson’s 158 can’t not be mentioned either. He has had a great season and moved into the fifth best ranked defender with this score. A bit more consistency and he’d be owned by more than 2% of coaches. As for Gold Coast, Touk Miller (148). Enough Said. 

For Brisbane it was all about percentage to nab that top four spot and they did it in style with 30 seconds to go before the final siren. A behind has never meant so much. Familiar names of Lachie Neale (133), Daniel Rich (119), and Jarryd Lyons (113) all scored well for the Lions. For the Eagles, NicNat had a monster 165, while Luke Shuey (123) and Alex Witherden (103) made up the top three. If Witherden can get right for next season over the summer then he will be a well priced defender to look out for in 2022. 

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With the minor premiership up for grabs for Melbourne it was somewhat surprising to see them down by up to 44 points against Geelong. But what became more surprising was that they were able to claw that back and win byond the final siren with the last kick of the game. A huge win and a significant one for the team and their supporters. It was also significant for coaches too, particularly if you managed to put the VC or C on the likes of Clayton Oliver (159) or Max Gawn (159). While for Geelong Mark Bicavs (128), Joel Selwood (118) and Cam Guthrie (115) headed their team scoring list.  

Also on Saturday night GWS defeated Carlton. Callum Ward (150) and Josh Kelly (124) led from the front, and Nic Newman (128) and Ed Curnow (113) for the Blues. The main commentary out of this game is all about the poor treatment of David Teague and everyone feeling for him as the Carlton board dilly-dally around. 

On Sunday things weren’t so tense or significant. While Fremantle put up an insipid performance St Kilda finished off their season well in the end with a 58 point victory. Hayden Young (112) and Andrew Brayshaw (112) got the numbers for the Dockers, and it was the familiar names of Jack Steele (129) and Rowan Marshall (120) for the Saints. Steele continued his form from last season, ranking as the second best midfielder and topping his teams numbers time and time again. 

The Dons did a number over the Pies, well and truly solidifying their eighth position. Devon Smith had a terrific 148, followed by Zac Merrett (120) and Jake Stringer (105). Jamie Elliott (113) and Chris Mayne (110) topped for the Pies as they firm up 17th position, begin mad Monday, and select a new coach. 

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The final game of the season was between Adelaide and North Melbourne. Not a particularly inspiring game, however Ben Keays had the score of the round with a 173, followed by Rory Laird (148) finishing off a terrific season. Aaron Hall and Tarryn Thomas both managed 139 for the Roos and sailed off to the season’s sunset. 

And so that’s a wrap for season 2021. In a few days time I’ll knock out an overall season wrap-up, but I hope you’ve had some success in the midst of the ups and downs. Thanks for reading and thanks for joining me. Well done to those who had an improved season compared with other years, and congratulations to anyone who won a GF this past weekend. Make sure you stick it to your mates! 

SuperCoach Weekend Wrap | Round 22

When it’s carnage before the round starts you know it’s going to be an interesting round for. In the lead up to Friday night we were notified of Toby Greene, Jake Lloyd, Shannon Hurn, Callum Mills, Reilly O’Brien, and Tom Stewart. What a mess, especially for our defences.

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In Friday night’s do or die match-up the Giants delivered the knockout blow to the Tigers. GWS put up a great performance, including the choice of holding the match at Marvel. Jayden Short (126), Nick Vlaustin (118), and Liam Baker (115) were the top for the Tigers. But it was Josh Kelly’s 148 that provided the platform for the Giants. Tim Taranto, even playing forward at times, knocked up 138, and the young Jacob Hopper rounded it out with 114. 

The penultimate match of Clarkson’s reign was a sweet and surprising victory over the Bulldogs. The usuals of Jackson Macrae (136), Tom Liberatore (132), and Marcus Bontempelli (114) all headed the Bulldogs scores. While for the Hawks Chad Wingard (130), Dylan Howe (129), and Tim O’Brien (125) scored were the Hawks top performers. 

In Geelong’s win over the Saints they had half their team score over 90, there were certainly plenty of points on offer. Of significance was Patrick Dangerfield’s monster 169. If you had him as a VC/C option then congratulations to you. Sam Menegola (145) and Rhys Stanley (143) also had some huge numbers and pleased their coaches. Jack Steele, which is commonplace now, headed up the Saints with a straight 100.

Just another week and another disastrous game for the Blues and their coach David Teague while Port certainly solidified their top four aspirations. It didn’t help that Patrick Cripps was a late out, but that wouldn’t have changed the result much. But for us Supercoaches it would have allowed another on field. Matt Kennedy (130) and Sam Walsh (115) were the only tons for Carlton. And for Port Adelaide it was Aliir Aliir (137), Peter Ladhams (118), and Travis Boak (106). 

Brisbane also did a number over Collingwood and in doing so gave coaches plenty of points. Jarryd Lyons had a big, and familiar, 152. Oscar McInerney had 131, and Dayne Zorko a solid 117. Jack Crisp (124), Jordan DeGoey (119), and Tayor Adams (116) were the tons for the Pies. There’s a few names here to consider for our teams come 2022. 

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The final match of Saturday was Sydney’s solid win over North Melbourne. Luke Parker (148), Will Hayward (135), and Harry Cunningham (111). Aaron Hall the only hundred for North, 127. There’s not much more to say really. Mills, Lloyd, and Lance Franklin all being out for the Swans mean our teams were most likely thin on the ground with Sydney players. 

Come Sunday there were more outs, including Steven May for Melbourne. The Dees did the job over Adelaide, with Bailey Fritsch (132), Christian Petracca (126), and Ed Langdon (109) getting among the points. Ben Keays (125), Paul Seedsman (122), and Rory Sloane (122) for the Crows. 

Gold Coast managed to scrap 30 points against Essendon, with Jake Stringer continuing his terrific form and bringing coaches a 147. Nick Hind (133) and Darcy Parish (112) made the top three pack with a long trail of tons following. Brayden Fiorini (119) and Touk Miller (103) were the only decent scores for the Suns. It defies logic why anyone has anyone other than Miller in their team. Perhaps a POD option for this week’s grand finals, if you have the trade! 

In the battle for the West Fremantle made the most of a hapless West Coast, again. Sean Darcy continued his ripper season with a 150. Caleb Serong contributed a great goal and a 135 for those few coaches that have him, and David Mundy got to 134 by the end of it. NicNat (130) led from the front again, followed by Jack Redden (125) and Andrew Gaff (116). 

For all of us this coming week, whether we’re playing for rank or for a league final, it’s a matter of trades available, outs, and those precious POD’s performing well. All the best to those in a granny this week, well done on getting through. And good luck to those fighting it out at the top of the rankings, or those looking to make one last big jump. 

SuperCoach Weekend Wrap | Round 21

There was no way we were getting an easy run to close out the season was there? Something was always going to pop up as we headed toward the end of the home and away rounds. For Victoria it was being plunged back into a strict lockdown after a week of easing and good numbers, in Supercoach it began with Josh Kelly being a late out, a significant injury to Patrick Dangerfield, and then what looks like a suspension for Toby Greene. What a good way to start the weekend. Hmm. 

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Of course, I allude there to the GWS v Geelong match on Friday night where the Giants took a surprising scalp, particularly considering the run they’ve had with injuries and outs. I’m not sure it was the prettiest of games, but they got the job done. While certain coaches were reeling with the Kelly and Danger issues almost immediately it was good Isaac Cumming (135), Tim Taranto (118), and Lachie Whitfield (107) all tonned up for their respective coaches. There weren’t too many highlights for the Cats, but Rhys Stanley (111), Tom Stewart (107), and Jed Bews (102) topped their scoring. 

I’m not sure if we call it an upset when a lower-placed team defeats Carlton but Gold Coast at least did. Touk Miller (155) again staring and showing he is something else amongst the rest of the 43 on-field. His teammate, Will Powell, also racked up a 153 and pleased over 2000 coaches. For the Blues, Nic Newman’s 126 was the only relevant high score in our Supercoach world, but has such low ownership (744 teams) that perhaps he’s not that relevant right now anyway. 

In perhaps one of the hardest games to watch all weekend the Tigers, a shell of themselves right now, managed to overcome the Kangaroos. In the end there were a few hundreds in this one with Jack Graham (154), Nick Vlastuin (123), and Liam Baker (122) for the Tigers. On the other side of the fence, Luke Davies-Uniacke (119), Aaron Hall (116), and Todd Goldstein (115) were the main contributors. 

In the Showdown Port Adelaide just got over the Crows, who competed well considering the week that’s been going on there. Paul Seedsman (120) and Rory Laird (119) managed some fine tons, while Allir Allir (126), Will Drew (126), and Dan Houston (116) led the Power numbers. 

To add to the already painful round for many coaches Callum Mills was a late out for the Swans. St Kilda seemed to take full advantage of that, and just a poor performance, to take the win in what has to be one of the great rollercoaster seasons of recent time. Jack Steele (155) was again magnificent and a definite VC or C option for any coach. And as Rhyder continues to be out Rowan Marshall made the most of it with a 126. Jake Lloyd (112) and Luke Parker (108) top scored for the Swans but the midfield was really missing this week. 

Clearly Alistair Clarkson is still the top coach in the league so having him finish up at Hawthorn at season’s end will do wonders for them. It all makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Umm. He’s certainly coaching well right now as the Hawks did a number over the Pies with Tom Mitchell in full-beastmode (150). Jack Scrimshaw (127) and Blake Hardwick (125) also brought the points for respective coaches too. On the other hand, the Pies really battled to score points at all and so we’re left with an underwhelming 107 from Brodie Grundy to deal with. 

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In what might’ve been the game of the round the Dons knocked off the Bulldogs. Jackson Macrae (154), Marcus Bontempelli (123), and Tim English (123) led the Bulldogs numbers, and such a shame to see Josh Bruce do his ACL right towards the end of the game. But for the Dons it was two-metre-Peter Wright who put on a stunning forward performance with 7 goals and 146 SC points. Unsurprisingly, Zac Merret was in the mix with a 123 and Sam Draper a competitive 109. The fight for the eighth position is still on for the Dons! 

Brisbane trounced Fremantle and in doing so solidified their finals berth. Dayne Zorko led from the front with a 146, pulling along Harris Andrews (123) and Daniel Rich (122). For the Dockers Sean Darcy continued to top their scoring with a 120 and then Caleb Serong (115) the only other ton.  

To wrap up the round on Monday night the Dees did what was expected, although not without some competitive periods from the Eagles and a lightning storm that put a pause on the match for half an hour. While West Coast look to be giving away their finals spot to a team more competitive, Jack Redden (125), Elliott Yeo (117), and NicNat (107) did top tons for us. And for Melbourne it was Alex Neal-Bullen (138), James Harmes (123), and Christian Petracca (111) who topped scored and helped numerous coaches make it through to another stage of finals. 

As for me, the Kelly and Mills outs really killed my chances. In my only cash league where I had the double chance I’ve been done in straight sets. Disappointing. However, with so few coaches still in the hunt in finals I hope you’re one of them and looking to make your move this week to capture that GF spot! Till next week.