The Phantom’s Round 9 Free Agency targets: Two intercepting defenders who could be flying under your league’s radar

The Round 9 waiver period might be over for this week but there still could be a number of great free agency targets available in your league. The Phantom looks at five names to consider.

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The Round 9 waiver period might be over for this week but there still could be a number of great free agency targets available in your league. The Phantom looks at five names to consider.

Dan Houston (Port, Def)

Three-round average: 95

Champion Data rank the 22-year-old as an elite general defender and the eighth-best in the game. While he shut star Adelaide forward Eddie Betts out of the game, he also won plenty of the ball himself, finishing with 25 disposals and seven marks in Showdown 46.

Houston passed the 80-point mark in five of the first seven games this year but his 125-point performance against the Crows was his first SuperCoach ton for 2019. And that’s why he might be flying under-the-radar in your Draft league, despite averaging 20 disposals, 11 effective kicks, eight contested possessions, 7 intercept possessions and two intercept marks per game.

Is Josh Battle the next James Sicily?

Josh Battle (StK, Fwd)

Three-round average: 92

He’s available as a forward in SuperCoach but Battle is starting to make his name as an intercepting defender, after transitioning from a key-forward role — in same way Hawk James Sicily did.

On Saturday night against the Eagles, the 20-year-old tallied 21 disposals — at 95 per cent efficiency — nine marks, seven intercept possessions and a career-high 114 points — his second score of 110 or more this season.

He’ll make handy bench cover for now with potential for another big scoring spike.

Lachie Weller (GC, Def/Mid)

Three-round average: 101

It’s possible the former Docker was dumped in your league after a hamstring injury in earlier in the year.

If he’s still there after a 106-point performance on return against the Demons in Round 8, jump on immediately.

Prior to his injury, Weller tallied a season-high 26 disposals and 103 points in Round 3 against the Bulldogs, playing across half-back.

The returning Luke Brown is one for deep SuperCoach Draft leagues.

Luke Brown (Adel, Def)

Round 8 Score: 87

After missing two months with an ankle injury, the Adelaide defender make his first senior appearance for 2019 in Saturday’s Showdown. And, despite just playing 70 per cent game-time in the SANFL the previous week, Brown appeared as if he’d missed no footy at all.

The 26-year-old recorded 18 disposals — at a game-high 94 per cent efficiency — four marks and 87 points against the Power.

He’s never been a big SuperCoach scorer but four scores of 89 or more in the opening six rounds last season shows he’s capable.

Brown is more for those in deep SuperCoach Draft leagues given the return of Brodie Smith and the emergence of Wayne Milera as ball-winning defenders at the Crows.

Sean Darcy (Freo, Ruck)

If you’re a Toby Nankervis owner, you’ll need to find a replacement given the premiership Tiger will miss two months.

If you can’t strike a trade with another coach in your league, keep an eye on Fremantle’s teamsheet this week with young ruckman Darcy close to a re-call, which will allow Rory Lobb to move back into the forward line.

He doesn’t have too many runs on the board just yet but the scoring potential is there after posting four scores of 87 or more in the first eight games of his career.