KFC SuperCoach 2020: Jordan Dawson, Luke Ryan and the rookies headline the Marsh Series week 2 standouts in defence
Missed any of the Marsh Series? Don’t worry, The Phantom has you covered. Here are the standout defenders and their SuperCoach scores from the second weekend of pre-season action.
Supercoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from Supercoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The second weekend of Marsh Community Series action is in the books and there was plenty of reason to take notes. The Phantom looks at the standout defenders from week 2 of the pre-season competition.
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Ess)
$189,300
61 points
The current Essendon injury list means the 21-year-old, who was the No. 1 player for intercept possessions in the VFL over the past two seasons, will see more senior action in 2020. And, despite Josh Kennedy’s six goals, Zerk-Thatcher showed enough to keep his name on the rookie watch-list, finishing with an equal-game-high nine intercept possessions and 13 effective disposals against the Eagles.
Jordan Dawson
$467,800, Fwd
125 points
His team was convincingly beaten but the 22-year-old showed why there’s been so much talk about him in SuperCoach circles over summer, scoring a team-high 125 points as his side’s chief playmaker, in the absence of Jake Lloyd, across halfback. The damaging left-footer, who took more than half of Sydney’s kick-ins, tallied 19 disposals, seven intercepts, seven rebound 50s and seven tackles, in an impressive display.
Lachie Ash
$193,800, Mid
88 points
All of Ash’s traits were on show in the Giants’ Marsh Series opener on Saturday with the No. 4 pick from last year’s draft breaking the game open from halfback with his speed and precise foot skills. The 18-year-old finished with 19 disposals – 18 of them effective – in an assured performance which keeps his name in the Round 1 mix, even with a number of stars to return.
Isaac Cumming
$245,000
86 points
He’s had a number of injuries over the past two seasons and he’s failed to push past the plethora of skilful runners at the Giants but could this be Cumming’s year? On Triple M’s halftime show, former skipper Callan Ward spoke very highly of the 21-year-old rebounding-defender, who finished with 23 disposals, seven intercept possessions, four score involvements and 86 points on Saturday.
Will Gould
$117,300
68 points
Within the first 10 minutes of his first appearance for the Swans, the 18-year-old flattened Matt de Boer with a fair, but very solid, bump, forcing the Giants’ tagger from the ground. After doing it in the SANFL last year, Gould is ready to match it with the big boys at the top-level. But he wasn’t just tough in Sydney’s pre-season opener, Gould was composed – and efficient – hitting the target with each of his 10 disposals on his way to 68 points in 68 per cent game-time.
Adam Cerra
$338,900
89 points
Most of the pre-season attention has been on Andrew Brayshaw but Cerra, a fellow 2017 draftee, is also set for a midfield spike this year. The classy 20-year-old, who finished with 19 disposals and seven marks, featured in the centre and on a wing, and his ball-use was a highlight.
James Aish
$353,000
138 points
The former Magpie was the dominant midfielder on the ground to halftime, tallying 13 disposals, eight contested possessions and five clearances in the opening two quarters. Aish spent more time outside the contest and in defence after halftime but he was still prominent, finishing with 24 disposals and a game-high 138 points. Coach Justin Longmuir was pleased with the recruit’s first match as a Docker but also confirmed he will be used in multiple roles in 2020 when the full side returns.
Luke Ryan
$520,400
113 points
Ryan, who took most of the Dockers’ kick-ins, was at his rebounding best against the Blues on Saturday, finishing with 26 disposals, 11 rebound-50s and seven intercepts, reminding SuperCoaches he averaged 99 points per game before hurting his hamstring in the Round 19 clash with the Bulldogs.
Connor Blakely
$411,500
75 points
He was the player earmarked for Lachie Neale’s midfield spot at the start of last summer before a serious hamstring injury saw him miss three months and then return to defence. But Blakely, while wasteful at times, was back in the midfield against the Blues, attending the fourth-most centre bounces for the Dockers and tallying 21 disposals, six marks, three inside 50s, three rebound 50s and 75 points in 70 per cent game-time.
Tobe Watson
$123,900
62 points
After averaging 17 disposals in the WAFL during his first year on the Dockers’ list, the 190cm defender has put himself in the Round 1 mix after an impressive pre-season which continued against Carlton. The mature-age recruit finished with 13 disposals, five marks and 62 points. Add him to your rookie watchlist.
Jayden Short
$349,300
113 points
The skilful defender, whose day started with a booming 60-metre goal – the first of the match – was the go-to man out of defence for the Tigers, recording 25 disposals – at 88 per cent efficiency – 21 uncontested possessions, eight marks, five inside-50s and five rebound-50s. Will Short return to his breakout season form of 2018 or will the return of Bachar Houli again stifle his output?
Liam Baker
$403,900, Fwd
120 points
It was a similar story for Baker, who was even more prolific than Short. The 22-year-old tallied a team-high 30 disposals, 11 intercept possessions and nine rebound-50s in an impressive performance in a role across halfback which he played late last season.
Jack Crisp
$482,800
118 points
The running defender posted just four SuperCoach tons last year and lost seven points off his season average. But, like he showed against the Tigers, his ball-winning ability as a defender is a strong as any. In just 63 per cent of the game, Crisp tallied 28 disposals, 12 marks and the Magpies’ firs major of the game. Can he do it consistently this season?
John Noble
$215,400
79 points
The mid-season draftee averaged 20 disposals in his three home-and-away matches last season before recording tallies of 19 and 16 in Collingwood’s two finals. Noble can find the ball and he proved it again on Sunday, finishing with 23 disposals and six marks as the Magpies played high-possession football in their opening Marsh Series fixture.
Nathan Murphy
$123,900 Def
58 points
Injury restricted the classy 20-year-old defender to just three VFL appearances last season but in his final game, Murphy tallied 20 disposals, seven intercepts – four of them marks. And in just 45 per cent game-time against the Tigers, Murphy had 10 disposals – all of them effective – seven marks and four intercepts. A Round 1 smoky.