The Phantom’s Trade Talk: While a third-year breakout for St Kilda’s Hunter Clark is on the cards in 2020, he might be worth a punt this season

If Shannon Hurn misses Round 19 with a calf injury, there’s a young, in-form Saint who could replace him in defence. And make you a handy profit at the same time.

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Calf injuries and 31-year-olds don’t usually mix well and, while the club is hopeful, West Coast captain Shannon Hurn is no certainty to return in Round 19.

“He woke up this morning and couldn’t feel it, so we’re hopeful he’ll make a return to play this week,” coach Adam Simpson told 7News in Perth on Monday night.

“It is a six-day break, it’ll be seven days since he hurt it, so he’ll be racing the clock on that one but we think he might be OK.”

But if he doesn’t come up for the clash against North Melbourne, with only four home-and-away fixtures to follow, some SuperCoaches will be in a position where trading is the best option.

Will West Coast captain Shannon Hurn return from a calf injury in Round 19?

In particular, those teams without bench cover in defence and those needing to win the final minor-round match in their head-to-head league to make the SuperCoach finals.

However, if the trades are there, some SuperCoaches might also use this opportunity to make some cash off the move to fund one final upgrade elsewhere.

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And that’s where an up-and-coming Saint comes into the picture.

Although it’s a risk given he’s only played 24 career games, the form — and role — of 20-year-old Hunter Clark means he has to be in the SuperCoach conversation as a point-of-difference in defence.

Especially given a trade from Hurn will make you more than $120k.

After averaging 126 SuperCoach points in the TAC Cup — now known as the NAB League — in his draft year, Clark played 15 games in his debut season, averaging 54 points per game.

He was in-and-out of the St Kilda side to start 2019, playing different roles in the midfield, but after returning from a stint in the VFL in Round 13, Clark found his place at half-back — a spot where he spent most of the previous year.

In Round 15 against the Tigers, the classy right-footer tallied 23 disposals — at 87 per cent efficiency — 12 contested possessions, 11 intercept possessions and 105 SuperCoach points.

Two weeks later, the 186cm Clark’s numbers were even more impressive.

In the 27-point loss to Geelong, Clark finished 25 disposals — at 88 per cent efficiency — four intercept marks, 410 metres gained and 120 points.

Hunter Clark takes possession during St Kilda’s intra-club match during the pre-season.

And the numbers man himself, Champion Data’s Fantasy Freako, agrees.

“I’m a big fan. He reminds me a bit of a young Scott Pendlebury — he’s not a quick player but he always looks like he’s got a lot of time,” he told The Phantom’s Lair Podcast.

While these two performances highlighted Clark’s intercept ability and precisions by-foot off half-back, his eight score involvements and two goals against the Bulldogs last week shows he can still have an impact offensively.

The former Dandenong Stingray, who excels in traffic — a trait which saw many draw the comparison to Marcus Bontempelli ahead of the 2017 draft — ranks inside the top-four at the Saints for a number of key areas over the past four weeks.

After spending 94 per cent of his time in defence during this time, Clark ranks second at the club for uncontested possessions and handball-receives, third for disposals and fourth for metres gained and effective kicks.

And only Rowan Marshall, Luke Dunstan and Jack Billings have scored more SuperCoach points at the Saints in the past month.

Even if you’re not brave enough to take a punt on Clark for the remaining five weeks, put him at the top of your pre-season watchlist for 2020.

He’s definitely one to look at next year — a third year breakout is on the cards,” Fantasy Freako added.

And in more good news for SuperCoaches, Freako hinted that Clark is likely to “just be a defender” in 2019.

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