SuperCoach nuggets: Popular rookies Izak Rankine and Hayden Young in doubt for Round 1, injury update on Max Gawn
Top-10 draft pick Hayden Young was tipped to be one of the best SuperCoach defensive rookies this year. But, there’s now doubts whether he’ll be in Fremantle’s Round 1 team. Here’s why, plus the key whispers.
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There is only one forward more popular in KFC SuperCoach than Suns young gun Izak Rankine, and that is Lachie Whitfield.
But there is definitely cause for concern for the uncapped excitement machine, with no guarantees he’ll line up Gold Coast’s second Marsh Series game, putting his hopes of a Round 1 debut in doubt.
He isn’t the only cheapie under an injury cloud either. There’s a rookie down back who we should also be reconsidering – compounding an injury setback to a popular mid-priced defender.
Meanwhile, Max Gawn has provided an update on his recovery timeline and there’s a couple of popular picks set to return for the second round of the Marsh Series.
ALARM BELLS FOR RANKINE
There has been plenty of hype surrounding uncapped youngster Izak Rankine and he has the ownership to match – currently the second most popular forward in SuperCoach. But the exciting forward was left out of Gold Coast’s Marsh Series win due to a shoulder knock sustained in their pre-season practice game against the Lions. The blow isn’t serious but the Suns have said they are taking no risks with the 19-year-old, who had an injury interrupted first season.
“There is no significant injury, but there is also no need to take any risks and we’ll continue to focus on his preparations for the start of the AFL Season,” Suns football manager Jon Haines told the club website.
Gold Coast face the Crows in their next practice game in nine day’s time, and coach Stuart Dew said post-game he is no guarantee to play. If he doesn’t get up for that match, it puts him in serious doubt for a Round 1 debut, meaning we may be forced to look elsewhere. Will they risk him at AFL level without a game under his belt? One of the leading forward replacements is his Suns teammate Connor Budarick ($106,900, FWD/MID), who scored 74 points last weekend and looks up to the level.
RED FLAG ON DEFENSIVE ROOKIE
Hayden Young has been pencilled into plenty of backlines since he joked on draft night about getting some easy possessions to boost his SuperCoach scores. It also helps the defender is already one of the best kicks at the Dockers and was touted as a likely Round 1 starter in a fantasy-friendly role across halfback. But we might need a Plan B after Young joined Fremantle’s rehab group this week.
Details of any injury are sketchy, but Young missed Freo’s intraclub hitout last Friday and didn’t train with the main group on Monday. And football manager Peter Bell wasn’t clear about when he will be available for senior selection: “If not in the Marsh Series, I know that with what he’s done so far he’s put himself in a position where potentially there will be an opportunity early,” Bell said.
One rookie to add to the watch list after that intraclub is No. 8 draft pick Caleb Serong, who starred in the midfield, drawing this from Bell: “He does remind me of Lachie Neale a little bit.” If his SuperCoach scoring is anything like Neale, snap him up quick!
Exciting Dockers draftee Michael Frederick also shapes as a possible pre-season bolter.
SCRATCH DOEDEE FROM DEFENSIVE PLANS
Adelaide defender Tom Doedee was one of the most successful SuperCoach selections of 2018 and shaped as a bargain again in his third year, available for just $273,700. But his comeback from knee surgery has hit a snag and he is now unlikely to play in Round 1.
The young backman landed awkwardly on his reconstructed knee at training last Thursday and while he escaped the worst-case scenario, his planned return has been delayed.
“Tom’s ACL is unaffected, which is pleasing and a testament to the work that he and the medical and high performance team have put into his rehabilitation,” Crows head of football Adam Kelly said on the Crows website.
“There is some minor bone bruising evident on MRI, which is a setback, and it is likely Tom will not be available for selection in our final Marsh Community Series game.”
It makes Round 1 selection unlikely, but The Phantom has earmarked some potential replacements.
Minor setback but nothing concerning long term!
— Tom Doedee (@TDoedee31) February 24, 2020
Already back running around today 🙌🼠https://t.co/C4ZdyzD2mF
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WHO ARE THE MIDDLE MEN?
“More midfield time” is the pre-season mantra we love to hear as SuperCoach players, with a move to the middle of the ground usually bringing a spike in scoring. But how many of those references are empty promises?
We have some data to find the answer thanks to reddit user u/Vusikate, who collated all the centre bounce attendances from week one of the Marsh Series. Among the standouts for SuperCoach players were Dan Houston (24), Christian Petracca (23), Jade Gresham (18 CBAs), Tom Mitchell (20, No. 1 for the Hawks), Chad Wingard (18) and Hugh Greenwood (14).
The Bulldogs stuck with a winning formula with Marcus Bontempelli (24), Josh Dunkley (22) and Jack Macrae (21) the only players in double figures.
MAX GAWN INJURY UDDATE
Melbourne is holding back new captain Max Gawn in his return from a pre-season knee scare.
Gawn says he’s a certainty for Round 1 and is targeting the Demons’ pre-season fixture against Hawthorn on March 6 to work up his match fitness.
“We’ve got a game against North Melbourne this week, just a scratch match, that I tried to play in but Goody (Goodwin) told me no,” Gawn said after being named skipper.
“The next one after, which is Hawthorn down at Launceston, I think I should be a chance and then go into Round 1.”
The news isn’t as positive for Gawn’s new teammate Harley Bennell, who is a long way off making an AFL return at his third club.
“He’s settled in really well to our group, clearly he’s training and rehabbing,” coach Simon Goodwin said of Bennell, who hasn’t been seen at AFL level since 2017.
“We’ve got no expectation on Harley playing early in the season.
“We want to get him back into full training first off. When that happens we’ll be guided by our high performance team and our medical team.
“In an ideal world, when would we see him? Middle of the year would be a really good-case scenario for us.”
CONIGLIO CONCERNS
Giants star Stephen Coniglio ($549,500, MID) proved to be a goalkicking presence last season and that may be to the detriment of SuperCoaches. Coach Leon Cameron has flagged more time up forward for the prolific midfielder in 2020 after averaging a goal a game a last season.
“Coniglio’s more your 50-50 or 60-40 (midfield-forward) because when he plays forward, we love what we see with him,” coach Leon Cameron told the AFL website.
His impact in the forward 50 along with the continued improvement of emerging ball-winners Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper is likely to see Coniglio’s SuperCoach output reduced.
Also, don’t forget that returning veteran Callan Ward could be back in the Giants midfield early in the season.
Coniglio’s is in 10 per cent of SuperCoach sides and owners might
The Giants’ midfield squeeze will also impact Toby Greene, who is set to spend most of his time in the attacking 50 despite a purple patch in the midfield to end last season.
MORE EXPERT ADVICE:
KFC SuperCoach Rookie Bible: Every potential cash cow for season 2020
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SuperCoach: The leading point-of-difference defenders
ROOKIE BOLTERS STAKE THEIR CLAIM
With rookie options seemingly dropping like flies, a young Hawk was the saving grace. Second-year defender Damon Greaves ($117,300, DEF) showed promise in their opening Marsh Series clash, finishing with 17 disposals and 77 points across halfback. Greaves has entered Hawthorn’s Round 1 mix and is one to watch in their next practice game for our defensive bench.
Another surprise performer was developing Roos tall Tristan Xerri ($123,900, FWD/RUCK) who scored 98 points – second only to Todd Goldstein – and booted two playing in the ruck and up forward. Could he serve as a replacement for the injured Ben Brown?
Yet to make his senior debut, Damon Greaves did his chances no harm with an impressive outing against the Saints. 👀
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) February 23, 2020
17 disposals, three tackles and a team-high eight rebound 50s for the 19-year-old. 👌 pic.twitter.com/gsjlLrX2p3
POPULAR DUO BACK FOR MARSH TWO
They are no longer teammates but Dylan Roberton ($260,400, DEF) and Jack Steven ($361,700, FWD/MID) have been sighted together in plenty of SuperCoach teams in 2020. The pair are set to play in their next Marsh Series clash, with Roberton’s return marking his competitive match since his heart scare in the 2019 pre-season.
Meanwhile, new Cat Jack Steven is expected to join Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan as inclusions for their second pre-season hitout.
Roberton is also a possibility to feature in the St Kilda’s bushfire relief charity match in Morwell against Hawthorn on Friday.
Both Roberton and Steven are in more than 25 per cent of teams and loom as fantastic value if their scoring mirrors previous seasons.
BOMBER CASH COW SET TO BENEFIT
In some more positive cash cow news, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher ($189,00, DEF) is primed as the replacement for injured Patrick Ambrose, who is set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines with a PCL blow. . He made his debut last season and scored 58 points in his only AFL game, but is a noted interceptor which bodes well for SuperCoach. The 21-year-old will have to score better than that for us to consider him at his high price-tag, though.
Another Bomber to add to the watch-list is Irish defender Cian McBridge ($102,400, DEF), who is set to be given an opportunity in their Marsh Series clash against West Coast on Friday night – a week after his first competitive AFL hitout in a practice match.
Originally published as SuperCoach nuggets: Popular rookies Izak Rankine and Hayden Young in doubt for Round 1, injury update on Max Gawn