AFL 2024: Three SuperCoach takeaways from Brisbane Lions win over St Kilda

Ross Lyon asked this week if Lachie Neale is taggable. Now, we have our answer. Plus, what’s up with Jack Steele? Full SuperCoach takeaways from Brisbane’s win over St Kilda.

Tim Michell

@tim_michell

5 min read

June 14, 2024 - 10:27PM

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Brisbane Lions shook off a determined St Kilda to put further pressure on the AFL’s top eight with victory on Friday night.

It was a game which delivered what most SuperCoaches were hoping for as Dayne Zorko — the most popular vice-captain of round 14 — got off the leash, in particular in the first half.

Scroll down for a full recap of the night’s talking points.

THREE SUPERCOACH TAKEAWAYS

1. NEALE IS VERY TAGGABLE

Ross Lyon asked the question during the week if it was possible to tag Lachie Neale. Tonight Marcus Windhager delivered the answer - absolutely. Neale was on -1 SuperCoach at quarter-time and although he fought back in the remaining three quarters, Windhager won the battle against the dual Brownlow medallist. Surely it’s a tactic other teams will consider now to keep Neale down? He has a history of struggling when tagged and it continued tonight with the close checking from Windhager.

2. ARIE THE KICK-IN KING

How many times is a first-gamer trusted with kick-in duties? While Jack Sinclair was the main man delivering the footy from defence for St Kilda in the absence of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Arie Shoenmaker was riding shotgun for much of the night on debut. The Tasmanian was scoring SuperCoach points at will in the VFL and his precision kicking is exactly what the Champion Data scorers love. His first kick-in went about 70m and his second was a missile which travelled about 20m off the ground the whole way to a target. His output might dip when NWM returns, but Arie is the perfect D7 for the run home.

3. BYE, BYE STEELE

Jack Steele’s red-hot start to the season (119, 120, 126, 142 and 143) seems a lifetime ago. He limped to hundreds in two of the past three weeks before round 14 and struggled again to have a huge impact against Brisbane. With St Kilda on the bye, you’ve got to think seriously about moving him on. If any of the top midfielders have eluded you so far, a sideways trade from Steele would be a winner. It’ll be Steele to Merrett for me.

FULLTIME: BRISBANE LIONS BY 20

St Kilda got as close as seven points in the last quarter but Brisbane’s quality was enough to earn the Lions a victory which keeps their top-eight charge on track.

Fans have been begging for St Kilda to release the shackles and the Saints looked like a completely different team when Ross Lyon pushed the attack button in the last quarter.

Hugh McCluggage was best afield and stole the show with the highest SuperCoach score of the night after Dayne Zorko tailed off in the second half.

Jack Sinclair led the way for the Saints, while Rowan Marshall produced a big last quarter.

10.05pm: GOAL OF THE YEAR CONTENDER

Liam Henry, take a bow.

He danced out of trouble near halfback with the ball, kicked it 45m, kept running and ended up receiving the ball from Brad Hill to kick a running goal which has somehow got St Kilda within seven points with more than eight minutes still to play.

This has been some last quarter by the Saints.

9.55PM: TOUGH NIGHT FOR MARSHALL

Rowan Marshall looks like he will finish well short of a SuperCoach ton after Tom Campbell’s late inclusion in the St Kilda team tonight.

Marshall’s workrate cannot be questioned, but he has spent signficant time forward tonight while Campbell has gone toe to toe with Oscar McInerney.

Marshall features in more than 16,000 SuperCoach teams.

After assisting a goal for Max King early in the last quarter, Marshall was on 61 points.

Dayne Zorko (136), Arie Schoenmaker (67) and Jack Sinclair (113) are also performing strongly.

THREE-QUARTER-TIME: LIONS BY 37

A late goal from Joe Daniher has put Brisbane in firm control with a quarter to play.

Unless St Kilda produces a miracle comeback, the Lions will end the night in 11th, just two points outside the top eight before this round’s other matches.

9.25PM: SINCLAIR IS BACK — FOW NOW

It always seemed likely with Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera out of ther St Kilda team tonight.

But, we can confirm that Jack Sinclair is cooking.

Sinclair has been the main kick-in man for the Saints and with Brisbane already logging 12.8, he’s had a busy night.

He’s not far away from joining Dayne Zorko and Hugh McCluggage in triple figures — no mean feat considering the next best SuperCoach score for St Kilda is Jack Higgins with 61.

Al Paton told us all week Sinclair was about to get going and as usual the king of SuperCoach (ranked top 250 if you don’t mind) was on the money.

Nice night to bring in Zorko. Snuck in Jack Sinclair a few weeks ago as well who has been quality, just need Steele to get going #Supercoach
— Dan (@Danza109) June 14, 2024

9.20PM: SAINTS MAKE THEIR SUB

Zaine Cordy has been taken out of the game, with Zak Jones in for the Saints.

That’s a boost for Schoenmaker owners that he’ll get a full game on debut.

Apologies for the delay between posts, I was busy watching Dayne Zorko first-half highlights.

8.30PM: SCHOENMAKER TAKES A KICKOUT

As Brian Taylor would say, boy oh boy wowee.

Arie Schoenmaker has been quiet in the last 20 minutes, with Jack Sinclair being preferred on kick-ins.

But with Sinclair about 30m away when Brisbane kicked a point, the first-gamer took his opportunity midway through the second quarter and drilled a kick-in about 75m.

He followed up with a handball a few seconds later and was quickly above 30 points as one of the best scoring Saints in this game.

This sort of disposal efficiency (and disposal to points ratio) is just SuperCoach gold.

Arie might be our finishing D7.

That left boot is glorious. #supercoach
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) June 14, 2024

HALFTIME: ZORKO PASSES TON, NEALE KEPT QUIET

It’s shaping as a very long round for those SuperCoach teams who didn’t vice-captain (or captain) Dayne Zorko.

The former Lions captain is on at the main break and has been everywhere across half-back, amassing 106 points to halftime.

The umpires are closely watching the battle between Lachie Neale and Marcus Windhager, with Neale getting a few freekicks while being held that quarter.

The other story of the first half was debutant Arie Shoenmaker, who is a chance to hit triple figures in his first AFL game.

He took two pinpoint kickouts in the second quarter and is 47 points at halftime — an amazing result for more than 8000 SuperCoach teams who took the plunge.

8.20PM: UMPIRE OFF AFTER COLLISION

Umpire John Howorth (number 17) has left the field after being collected by Paddy Dow as players battled for possession after a centre bounce.

The full compliment of four umpires is on the field though after the emergency umpire was activated quickly.

QUARTER-TIME: ZORKO HITS FIFTY, NEALE IN NEGATIVES

Let’s call it a tale of two Lions.

All those SuperCoaches with Dayne Zorko will be jumping for joy after he racked up a monster 56 points in the first quarter.

But the Marcus Windhager take has taken full effect on Lachie Neale, with the Brisbane superstar on a score of -1 at the first break.

Will Ross release the shackles with Brisbane on top?

Hugh McCluggage has two goals and he did flag him as an option for Windhager.

Seen enough 23 minutes into the first quarter, Cheers VC Zorko pic.twitter.com/jMWs2gSvaa
— Supercoach Loch (@SupercoachLoch) June 14, 2024

8.05PM: HUGE NUMBERS OF ZORKO VICE-CAPTAINERS

While St Kilda’s planning focused on stopping Lachie Neale, for SuperCoaches it was about making sure Dayne Zorko was their vice-captain.

St Kilda has given up huge points to half-backs all season and with five minutes to go in the first quarter, Zorko had already lived up to the billing with 36 SuperCoach points.

More than 54 per cent of coaches ranked in the top 5 per cent in SuperCoach slapped the VC on Zorko.

Meanwhile, Dan Butler has gone on report for tripping Ryan Lester.

Dayne Zorko scores at the Gabba this year:

105, 127, 130, 160, 161

Half-backs v StK this year (a sample):

Bodhi Uwland 157
Sam Flanders 152
Jordan Clark 151
Colby McKercher 135
Bailey Dale 175

Think I know where I'll be putting the VC this week.#supercoach
— Al Paton (@al_superfooty) June 12, 2024

7.45PM: EXCITING START BY DEBUTANT

Arie Schoenmaker produced some huge numbers in the VFL — thanks largely to his raking left boot.

And it took less than two minutes of his debut to show it off, producing an inside-50 and score assist which the 8400 coaches who traded the Tasmanian in this round would have loved.

At this rate, Schoenmaker might become a must-have rookie for the run home if he can hold his spot in the St Kilda team when Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera returns.