The Phantom’s SuperCoach face offs: Verdict on your ruck dilemmas after locking in Max Gawn
MAX Gawn is a lock for the No. 1 spot in the ruck but who slots in at R2 is the question many SuperCoaches are struggling to answer. Here is The Phantom’s verdict on a number of battles that will decide Gawn’s sidekick.
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MAX Gawn is a lock for the No. 1 spot in the ruck but who slots in at R2 is the question many SuperCoaches are struggling to answer.
Here is The Phantom’s verdict on a number of battles that will decide Gawn’s sidekick.
Tomorrow, we’ll be looking at the tough decisions facing all SuperCoaches in the forward line. If you can’t decide between two players, drop The Phantom a line on Facebook or Twitter and he’ll try to help you out.
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Nic Naitanui (WC) $465,900 Yes/No
The Phantom has flown the Naitanui flag all pre-season, even when the reports questioning the state of the star ruckman’s repaired knee began filtering through.
Given Naitanui can influence the game like no other, The Phantom argued we could carry the athletic big man even on limited game-time.
But that was hopeful.
If he wasn’t 100 per cent fit, even if he was playing well, it’s likely the Eagles would look to manage Naitanui over the season.
In a year when the ruck bench options — or forward-ruck dual-position players — are next to none, it was a short-term plan.
And now, after being ruled out of the Eagles’ JTL Series opener against the Power on Sunday, Naitanui is in serious doubt for the start of the premiership season. If he doesn’t play in the club’s second — and final — pre-season game on March 11, it’s unlikely he suits up against the Swans in Round 1.
It’s time for The Phantom to be real and concede Naitanui, who, after rupturing his ACL at the end of 2016, appeared to be flying over summer, might not be the viable starting option we all hoped he would be in 2018.
The Phantom’s Verdict: It’s a NO for now. If the Eagles unleash Naitanui on March 11, without incident, I’ll reconsider.
Sam Jacobs (Adel) $526,300 v Todd Goldstein (NM) $521,400
Jacobs is as reliable as SuperCoach ruckmen come.
The star Crow is durable, missing only four games in the past six seasons and ranking third in the competition for game time and ruck contests attended per game during this period.
Although he’s averaged less than 100 points in the past two years, Jacobs averaged 115 points per game in 2014, finishing the year as the third-ranked player in the competition.
In 2017, Jacobs won 165 more hitouts than any other ruckman in the game, yet finished the year the fourth-ranked overall SuperCoach scorer.
Can he get back to the heights of 2014?
Unless the SuperCoach ruck-scoring rules are reversed to allow one point for every hitout — rather than just those which go to a team-mates advantage — The Phantom believes it’s unlikely.
What appears more likely in 2018 is Goldstein returning to his best.
In a recent interview, Goldstein described the past two-and-half years as the worst of his life as he battled off-field issues and admitted he “just didn’t want to be playing.”
The inconsistent form, which eventually lead to a stint in the reserves and a SuperCoach average of 94 — the first time in five seasons that figure was less than 108 — is easier to understand.
Goldstein, who still posted nine SuperCoach tons, battled with young ruckmen Braydon Preuss for the No. 1 spot in 2017.
But, by all reports, Goldstein is refreshed, the personal issues resolved and he’s only missed one session over the pre-season.
With the 29-year-old declaring “I know that I have still got my best footy ahead of me,” it might be back to the VFL for Preuss.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Goldstein. It all now makes sense. The Phantom is back on-board the highest-scoring SuperCoach player of 2015.
Patrick Ryder (Port) $566,500 v Round 10 bye
From Round 13 last year, Ryder averaged 114 points per game — one more point than No. 1 SuperCoach ruckman Matthew Kreuzer.
But the concern isn’t with Ryder’s scoring, it’s the Round 10 bye, when the Power and Suns — because of their match in China — will have the week off.
And, unlike the other three bye weeks from Round 12 to 14, the best-22 scoring format still applies.
With no rookie-price ruckman putting their hand up to provide bench cover yet, it would appear teams starting with Ryder will be destined for a 0 in Round 10.
While looking elsewhere appears to be the easiest option, if you believe Ryder can hold his form from the back-end of 2017, he may make up the difference by the end of the season and be vital coverage across all three main bye weeks.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Ryder. The bye is something to think about, sure, but if you believe the Power big man will be one of the dominant ruckmen of the year, don’t let the bye turn you off. Plenty can happen in 10 weeks, anyway.
Scott Lycett (WC) $277,100 v Dawson Simpson (GWS) $290,300
With the injury concern over Nic Naitanui and Rory Lobb, who is still being held back due to groin soreness, both Lycett and Simpson have drawn interest from SuperCoaches as value selections in 2018.
Lycett has had his fair sure of injury issues, too. The 202cm big man only managed one appearance last season but in 2016, Lycett played 20 games — eight more than he has in any other season of his career — scoring SuperCoach tons in eight of them.
In six of those, Naitanui was also in the team.
And that’s where the 25-year-old has the upper hand — if he can hold off last year’s main man Nathan Vardy, that is.
Although Simpson, who tallied 91 and 85 points in his two senior appearances last season, will almost definitely assume the No. 1 ruck duties if Lobb isn’t ready for Round 1, once he is ready, Simpson will find himself back in the reserves.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Lycett. Both are very risky selections but Lycett appears to have the better long-term job security which means he would act as a better stepping stone to a premium, such as Ryder after Round 10. And that’s why you would be considering an option like this.
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