The Phantom’s Round 4 preview: Captains, rookie selections and Josh Kelly’s injury

THE countdown to Round 4 is on SuperCoaches and there is one question dividing the community; Mitch Crowden or Jack Henry? The Phantom gives his verdict, plus captains, rookie selections and the Josh Kelly injury.

The Phantom's Round 4 SuperCoach Preview

• Champion Data SuperCoach formguide
• Fix my team: How to replace Ryan, Gaz
• The Phantom’s Round 3 trade talk
• Media All-Stars League update

THE countdown to Round 4 is on SuperCoaches and there is one question dividing the community; Mitch Crowden or Jack Henry? The Phantom gives his verdict.

CROWDEN v HENRY

At the time of writing, Docker Mitch Crowden ($117k mid-fwd) and Geelong’s Jack Henry ($123k fwd) are the most popular replacements for injured Eagle Liam Ryan.

The Henry for Ryan trade has been made 3,837 times, while 3,776 SuperCoaches have made the Ryan to Crowden move.

Crowden, who dominated the under-18 championships in both years he played, averaging 31 disposals and 141 SuperCoach as a bottom-age player in 2016 and 109 points last year, leads the Dockers for pressure points per 100 minutes since Round 2.

And that’s sure to get a big tick from coach Ross Lyon.

While we were talking about Crowden over summer, Henry, the former decathlete, barely received a mention.

But, from all reports, he’s highly rated at Geelong and it’s not hard to see why with the 191cm 19-year-old, who has transformed himself into a defender, recorded an equal team-high nine intercept possessions and 92 SuperCoach points against the Eagles.

Ignore his 27-point performance on debut; Henry only spent 35 per cent of the match on the field after a concussion.

While Henry’s job security may come into question once both Lachie Henderson and Harry Taylor return, he should, like Crowden, remain in the side long enough to make SuperCoaches enough cash.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Crowden, just.

Both seem to have reasonable short-term job security but, despite Henry’s impressive score of 92 in Round 3, The Phantom sees Crowden winning more and more football — and, in turn, tallying more SuperCoach points — as he establishes himself in the Fremantle side.

KELLY OUT

Giant star Josh Kelly has been ruled out of his side’s Round 4 match with groin soreness. But will it be longer?

In big news, Giant star Josh Kelly, who is in more than 49,000 SuperCoach teams will miss this weekend’s clash due to groin soreness.

And, while the absence of Toby Greene — who, in a positive, is back this week — may have also been a contributing factor, it may explain Kelly’s lower-than-usual output over the past two weeks.

While the 23-year-old is expected to miss just one week, hearing the term ‘groin soreness’ is always a concern. The Giants won’t take any risk with their smooth-moving star and, with St Kilda and Brisbane up next in Rounds 5 and 6, do they need to rush him back in?

Yes, The Phantom is thinking of the worst-case scenario here but it’s happened before.

As an owner, even as one of his biggest fans, I’d be lying if a Kelly to Tom Mitchell trade hasn’t already crossed my mind.

REVERSE TRADES

Kelly isn’t the only SuperCoach relevant player who will be missing in Round 4, with Tiger Jack Higgins omitted after just one game with the return of Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy. If you went with Higgins as your Liam Ryan replacement, you will be thankful for the reverse trades button.

Matt Guelfi will make his debut against the Power. Picture: Michael Klein

ANOTHER MATURE-AGE RECRUIT

Bomber Matt Guelfi ($117k, fwd), who averaged 85 SuperCoach points in the WAFL last season, will debut against the Power in Round 4. The 20-year-old, who boasts a great mix of speed and endurance thanks to a junior track-and-field career, has great versatility so watch closely for his role on Sunday.

OFF THE BENCH

DEFENCE

It was here last week when The Phantom backed Collingwood defender Sam Murray, after showing glimpses in the opening two rounds, to have a bigger influence in his third senior match.

And he did, posting 95 points, on the back of some game-breaking run from defence.

It will be tough for the Magpies in Adelaide on Friday night but back him in again this week alongside Tom Doedee (Adel) and Jeremy Finlayson (GWS).

If you’ve traded in Bulldog Ed Richards this week, play him over Aaron Naughton, if required.

Tim Kelly at Cats training. Picture: Alison Wynd

MIDFIELD

Same story again in the midfield this week; Tim Kelly (Geel) and Nick Holman (GC) are locks after both, again, scored in excess of 80 points.

Kelly started slow against the Dockers but a 52-point last quarter saw him finish with 90 points and a competition-high price rise of $114k.

Dom Barry (Port) survives, despite another underwhelming display against the Lions but keep him on the bench this week.

Same goes with Dockers Andrew Brayshaw and Bailey Banfield, who has become the No. 1 tagger at Fremantle — more on that later.

If you’re holding Josh Kelly, I’d give Brayshaw another crack on the field, if you can’t swing Mitch Crowden into the middle.

FORWARD

With no Liam Ryan or Zac Giles-Langdon this week, Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch appears the obvious rookie-price player in the forward-line.

However, for an on-field spot, The Phantom prefers Crowden or Jack Henry (Geel) if you are trading either of them in this week.

TRADE TALK

If you missed The Phantom’s trade talk on Wednesday, catch up with all of my Gary Ablett and Liam Ryan replacements here.

CAPTAINS

AVERAGE PAST 3 v OPPONENT

Todd Goldstein (NM) Ruck 143

Max Gawn (Melb) Ruck 134

Lachie Neale (Frem) Mid 132

Zach Merrett (Ess) Mid 125

Marcus Bontempelli (WB) 124

THE PHANTOM’S PICK

Patrick Dangerfield could go big against the Saints at home on Sunday.

Firstly, don’t consider Carlton’s Patrick Cripps and Giant Stephen Coniglio for the captaincy this week because the taggers are coming. North Melbourne’s Ben Jacobs is likely to go to Cripps on Saturday afternoon, while Docker Bailey Banfield should give Coniglio plenty of attention in the absence of Josh Kelly.

R ory Laird against the Magpies tonight and Dustin Martin in the Tigers’ Saturday afternoon clash with the Lions are great VC option before looking to Tom Mitchell and Patrick Dangerfield on Sunday.

If you’ve got Dangerfield, he’s your man. The Cats are back at Kardinia Park — hosting the Saints — for the first time this year and the star midfielder averaged 151 points at the venue last season