The Phantom’s Round Trade Talk: Scoring history against Round 23 opponent and at the venue the key to making the final move
To help you make the final, premiership-winning — or $50k-winning — move, The Phantom looks at the scoring history of this weekend’s fixture, as well as at the venues.
With one round left in SuperCoach for 2019, it doesn’t matter what your team has scored to this point, all that counts is what your 22 players score in Round 23.
For some, it will be in a grand final. Others will be just trying to improve their overall ranking one last time.
And for the best SuperCoaches of the year, it’s all about the $50k with only 266 points separating the top-10 in the world.
REVIEW THE PHANTOM’S ADVICE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW
So, if you do have a trade or two left, it’s all about picking the best option for this week, even if it means ignoring the leading scorers for the year.
Recent form is vital but so is scoring history against this week’s opponent and recent scores at the Round 23 venue.
And Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury tops the list against recent opponents, averaging 142 points in his past three matches against the Bombers.
Pendlebury has posted scores of 138 and 163 in most-recent meetings with Essendon, tallying 38 disposals on ANZAC Day this season and 34 in Round 18 last year.
The classy left-footer only managed 89 points, despite finishing the game with 34 disposals, against the Crows last week.
But Pendlebury tallied 24 uncontested possessions and 10 marks in more of an outside role which has developed in 2019.
Another interesting Round 23 trade-in option is Giant star Josh Kelly, who returned from a five-week injury layoff against the Bulldogs last week.
Kelly didn’t set the game alight, finishing with 25 disposals and 82 points from 75 per cent game-time but the Giants travel to Metricon Stadium to take on Gold Coast this week, a team Kelly has posted scores of 138, 146, 120 and 119 in his past four matches against.
There’s the threat of defensive Gold Coast midfielder Touk Miller, who blanketed Brisbane’s Lachie Neale in Round 21.
But coach Stuart Dew led Hawks James Worpel and Chad Wingard run riot in the middle last week.
Todd Goldstein’s 122-point three-round average against the Demons confirms his status as the No. 1 replacement option for Max Gawn, if he fails to overcome hamstring tightness.
PAST 3 v ROUND 23 OPPONENT
Scott Pendlebury (Coll) 142
Brodie Grundy (Coll) Ruck135
Josh Kelly (GWS) 135
Max Gawn (Melb) 134
Lachie Neale (Bris) 133
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) 123
Todd Goldstein (NM) 122
Clayton Oliver (Melb) 112
Zach Merrett (Ess) 112
Nat Fyfe (Frem) 107
And what about the top-scorers in the past three matches played at the Round 23 venues this season.
MCG
A.Treloar (Coll) 142.9
D.Martin (Rich) 124.6
P.Cripps (Carl) 123.8
D.Prestia (Rich) 122.4
B.Houli (Rich) 120.3
OPTUS STADIUM
M.Walters (Frem) 130.9
J.Darling (WC) 126.9
N.Fyfe (Frem) 122.5
D.Sheed (WC) 117.5
E.Yeo (WC) 115.2
ADELAIDE OVAL
B.Smith (Adel) 101.5
R.Laird (Adel) 100.2
B.Crouch (Adel) 98.3
T.Rockliff (PA) 97.3
D.Byrne-Jones (PA) 93
GMHBA
P.Dangerfield (Geel) 127.4
T.Kelly (Geel) 106.9
M.Duncan (Geel) 102.0
G.Miers (Geel) 98.0
M.Blicavs (Geel) 97.3
BLUNDSTONE ARENA
T.Goldstein (NM) 119.1
J.Ziebell (NM) 116.8
J.Macmillan (NM) 112.0
J.Anderson (NM) 98.1
B.Cunnington (NM) 91.8
SCG
J.Kennedy (Syd) 114.5
G.Hewett (Syd) 106.4
J.Dawson (Syd) 100.0
I.Heeney (Syd) 97.3
D.Rampe (Syd) 96.8
METRICON STADIUM
J.Witts (GC) 118.8
T.Miller (GC) 96.5
D.Swallow (GC) 93.4
A.Miles (GC) 92.3
C.Burgess (GC) 87.9
L.Weller (GC) 83.6
MARS (Total score from 1 game)
J.Dunkley (WB) 136
J.Macrae (WB)135
J.Trengove (WB) 124
S.Lloyd (WB) 123
L.Hunter (WB) 113
Live stream the 2019 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on KAYO SPORTS. Every match of every round. Live and any time on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14-day free trial >