The Phantom’s Round 2 review: The good, the bad and how I’ll get Dusty

AFTER two rounds, The Phantom has realised there is a glaring omission in his SuperCoach squad. Here is his take on Round 2 and how he will go about getting Dustin Martin. Plus, hear the latest Phantom’s Lair podcast.

The Phantom's Round 2 Review

• The four SuperCoach rookies you must have
• Rage trades: Players you need to dump now
• SuperCoach: How you can still win big

IT’S time for Operation: Get Dusty.

As The Phantom sat at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night, watching Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin do as he pleased, on his way 25 disposals, five goals and 160 points, I knew I couldn’t go without him any longer.

Not that I was surprised the way Martin won the ball with ease before finishing with precision — a combination unmatched in the competition.

It just reaffirmed my post-Round 1 thought that maybe I shouldn’t have started without him.

But there is still time.

It’s one of the most important weeks in our great game, SuperCoaches.

After Round 3, the price changes will start to occur, meaning this is the week to make any correctional changes to your team. Most importantly, you need to make sure you have all of the best rookie-price players before they shoot up in value.

Given The Phantom started with all of the must-have rookies, it’s Dusty time but how am I going to do it?

Sideways trade a midfield premium player?

No. Only consider this option if you have an injured Matt Crouch — who will miss up to a month with a hamstring injury — or a severely underperforming Tom Rockliff or Dayne Beams.

Sure, with a breakeven of 241, Bomber Zach Merrett’s price is going to take a tumble on the back of his opening-round score of 17 but you have to back him in now. He still managed 95 points against the Dockers, the week after a head knock and despite a heavy tag.

Trade Stephen Coniglio to Martin?

No. No. No. Just no.

It’s Melbourne defender Michael Hibberd who will make way.

The 28-year-old has struggled to have an influence, posting scores of 74 and 72 in the opening two rounds. Hibberd, who averaged 27 disposals last season, has tallied just 20 possessions in each game and taken only one kick-in, with Jordan Lewis and Bernie Vince taking on similar roles in Melbourne’s defence.

I’m not usually a fan of jumping off premiums but, in certain situations, it makes sense.

Tom Doedee, Jeremy Finlayson and Sam Murray have all shown they can occupy an on-field spot in defence, behind Rory Laird, Michael Hurley and Riley Bonner, and will all be great cash cows in 2018.

Michael Hibberd, centre, will make way for Dustin Martin in The Phantom’s team.

But after Tim Kelly and Nick Holman in the midfield, it’s a bit of a raffle with The Phantom fielding Docker Andrew Brayshaw, who has scored 58 and 62, in the first two weeks.

It’s also hard to see Saint Hunter Clark holding his spot long-term or, even if he does, making money quickly with scores of 40 and 26 in the opening two games leading to a breakeven of 37.

Speaking of breakevens, after an impressive two-goal, 80-point performance against the Tigers, Crow Lachie Murphy’s breakeven of -52 is the ninth-lowest in the competition. Besides Kelly and Holman, that figure is better than my four other rookie-priced midfielders in Brayshaw, Clark, Dom Barry and Bailey Banfield.

So in defence, it’s Hibberd ($545,200) OUT and Murphy ($102,400) IN.

Then, in the midfield, it’s Clark ($175,800) OUT, Martin ($656,000) IN.

And it looks so much better.

THE GOOD

1. The return of Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield. Although he spent more than half the game in the forward 50, Dangerfield still managed 130 points, on the back of a huge last quarter against the Hawks. In another positive, the big three — Dangerfield, Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood — all broke the 130-point mark, dispelling any concern about their scoring ability in the same team.

2. In the same game, mature-age recruit Tim Keeper — sorry, Kelly — starred once again, registering 27 disposals and 117 points, after his 118-point performance on debut. If you don’t have Kelly, who has a breakeven of -166 — the lowest in the game — this is your No. 1 priority ahead of Round 3.

3. This week’s rising star nomination Tom Doedee (breakeven -128) and Jeremy Finlayson (-120) are two other must-have cash cows in defence after both recorded SuperCoach tons in Round 2.

4. Gold Coast midfielder Nick Holman (-128), who has laid five more tackles than any other player in the game after two matches, is another who should be at the top of your list this week.

5. Speaking of breakevens, Eagle Liam Ryan sent his crashing into the negative with an impressive display against the Bulldogs. The mature-age recruit tallied 14 disposals, six marks, 3.3 and 115 points. Of course, after last week’s 38, most SuperCoaches had him on the bench.

Ollie Wines, right, was key to the Power’s victory over the Swans in Round 2.

6. Young Power star Ollie Wines was instrumental in his side’s victory over the Swans, tallying 35 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 12 clearances and a game-high 147 points. Is this the year he starts posting these numbers on a regular basis to become an elite scorer?

7. Nat Fyfe responded after a quiet start against the Power with a 120-point performance against the Bombers in Round 2. I don’t feel sorry for any of you who traded him out after one game.

8. Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch booted eight goals against the Blues on his way to a round-high 180 SuperCoach points but don’t go jumping on and chasing last week’s points just yet. We know he’s capable of it, we just need to see Lynch have a similar influence more often.

THE BAD

1. While we are yet to receive any official confirmation, a hamstring injury to All-Australian Crow midfielder Matt Crouch will see him miss an extended period. If you are a Crouch owner, it’s time to trade and this could be your opportunity to get Martin or Dangerfield, if you have the cash. Otherwise, if you’re still without Giant Stephen Coniglio, who scored another 120 points at the weekend, make some money on the trade before Coniglio’s price shoots up after Round 3.

More in The Phantom’s Trade Talk tomorrow.

2. If Tom Rockliff owners were disappointed with his opening-round score of 55 against the Dockers, they would’ve been distraught with his 17 in Round 2. The former Lion, who has spent majority of his time in the forward-half, has struggled to get involved in his first two games at the Power, registering just nine disposals at 22 per cent efficiency against the Swans. If you’ve got all of the right rookies and no issues elsewhere, consider trading Rockliff.

3. If James Sicily’s 61 points against the Cats wasn’t frustrating enough, he could be in trouble for an incident with Joel Selwood. However, I don’t think many are surprised.

Sam Menegola has had little influence for the Cats in the opening two rounds,

4. Sam Menegola, the most expensive SuperCoach forward in the game, is the 78th-ranked scorer in the position after two rounds. I’d like to say back him in but I’m not sure we can.

THE PHANTOM’S MENACE

James Sicily (Haw)

*Rolls eyes*.