The Phantom’s SuperCoach pre-season: The ruckmen who caught the eye in week 3 of the JLT Series

THE countdown is on. The JLT Series is over and it’s time to start finalising your team. Here are the ruckmen who caught The Phantom’s eye in the final week of JLT Series action.

The Phantom SuperCoach: JLT Ruck 3

• JLT Week 2 standouts: Forwards
• Ultimate cash cow guide
• JLT Week 3 standouts: Defenders
• JLT Week 3 standouts: Midfielders

The countdown is on. The JLT Series is over and it’s time to start finalising your team. Here are the ruckmen who caught The Phantom’s eye in the final week of JLT Series action.

Max Gawn $503,700

JLT2: 126, JLT1: 145

The Melbourne big man is in 58 per cent of SuperCoach teams, making him the most-popular player in the game.

But it should be higher.

After a huge 145-point performance in the first week, Gawn dominated St Kilda’s Billy Longer, finishing with 18 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 43 hitouts and 126 points in the Demons final JLT Series match.

North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein, left, and Tiger Toby Nankervis battle it out at a ruck contest during the JLT Series clash.

Toby Nankervis $488,300

JLT2: 132, JLT1: 0 (Inj)

Nankveris, who enjoyed a breakout season in his first year at the Tigers in 2017, failed to trouble the SuperCoach scorers in the JLT Series opener after a concussion issue.

But the 23-year-old went big against North Melbourne in Richmond’s final pre-season hitout, taking on both Todd Goldstein and Braydon Preuss, to finish with 21 disposals, seven tackles, 13 contested possessions, 17 hitouts and 132 points. Nankervis stays involved in the play around the ground, meaning he can score well, even if he’s beaten in the ruck. Consider.

Todd Goldstein $521,400

JLT2: 81, JLT1: 82

Goldstein shared the ruck duties with Braydon Preuss against the Tigers but, given Goldstein played the first half and Preuss the second, it appears coach Brad Scott may not be looking to work a tandem come Round 1. Well that’s what The Phantom is hoping anyway. The No. 1 SuperCoach scorer in 2015 tallied 81 points in just 42 per cent game-time. It now all comes down to North Melbourne’s Round 1 teamsheet.

Zac Smith (Geel) $501,800

JLT2: 98, JLT1: 35

Geelong’s No. 1 ruckman played on 35 per cent of the club’s opening JLT Series clash against the Suns and his game-time wasn’t much higher on Sunday. Smith sat out the first quarter against the Bombers but still managed to post an impressive 98 SuperCoach points in just 61 per cent game-time. After a strong finish to 2017 and, arguably, the competition’s best midfield to hit to, Smith is a nice point-of-difference selection at R2.

Aaron Sandilands, right, took the points against Eagle ruckmen Scott Lycett.

Aaron Sandilands (Fre) $480,000

JLT2: 111, JLT1: 69

It would be brave call but the 35-year-old Docker showed he’s still more than capable of big SuperCoach scores in the pre-season derby against the Eagles. In just over a half of footy, Sandilands recorded 21 disposals, 24 hitouts, nine contested possessions and 111 points.