KFC SuperCoach Round 17 late mail: Sam Docherty succumbs to calf injury leaving coaches with horror score
Sam Docherty went into Round 17 with an injury cloud and KFC SuperCoaches worst nightmare became a reality when he went down early against the Crows. And it’s set to have ramifications for 100,000 teams.
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Pinch yourself KFC SuperCoaches, your worst nightmare has become a reality.
A calf injury to Sam Docherty in the first quarter of his clash with Adelaide has left close to 100,000 coaches stranded with a score of 12 on their field.
He was ruled out by the club during the second quarter.
Docherty entered the game under an injury cloud after scans confirmed a calf strain earlier in the week.
Gibbons to Setterfield ends in a much-needed major, and our first of the day.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 13, 2020
Co-captain Sam Docherty won't return due to a calf injury. CAR 8 ADE 34.#OwnTheFuture #AFLBluesCrows
Coach David Teague declared days later that the running defender was adamant he would play, with the Blues naming him in their team on Saturday night.
It was a call that will have significant ramifications for SuperCoaches in do-or-die preliminary finals or gunning for the grand prize.
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Docherty is the second most popular player for coaches sitting inside the top 5000, selected in a whopping 94 per cent of teams, behind Lachie Whitfield (98 per cent).
SuperCoaches who were able to emergency loophole rookie defenders Trent Rivers (112 points) or Tobe Watson (90) have dodged a bullet.
The injury leaves coaches depleted ahead of Round 18, especially those who have run out of trades.
POPULAR GIANTS FORWARD LEFT OUT
SuperCoaches will welcome two giant inclusions with Josh Kelly and Zac Williams both named to take on Melbourne on Saturday.
But Leon Cameron has thrown a spanner in the works, sensationally dropping skipper Stephen Coniglio and opting to manage rookie sensation Jake Riccardi.
Riccardi is in 72 per cent of teams inside the top 5,000 after posting scores of 82 and 94 in his first two matches, and his resting could hurt teams playing him at F6.
Kelly had missed the Giants’ past two matches with concussion while Zac Williams was ruled out with an Achilles injury last round.
The pair are set to return for a crucial weekend in the context of the SuperCoach season with coaches battling it out in league preliminary finals and vying for a late ranking surge.
Meanwhile, thousands of KFC SuperCoaches have avoided another big headache with North Melbourne midfielder Jy Simpkin named to play against the Dockers on Saturday.
In the Round 16 clash against the Power, the young star was hit with a solid bump from Zak Butters which left him concussed.
Simpkin was ruled out of the game even without undergoing a concussion test and finished with 48 points.
But in good news for those KFC SuperCoach teams who took a hit themselves, despite last week’s concussion, coach Rhyce Shaw confirmed Simpkin was “good to go” in Round 17.
“We’ve done everything we possibly can to make the right call with Jy and he’s passed all his tests, he did another this morning (Friday),” Shaw told reporters.
“So he’s good to go and we’re really happy with where we sit in terms of the protocols and the procedure we took.”
Elsewhere, Fremantle cheapie Tobe Watson has earned a recall and could be a handy in for those with Sam Docherty, who isn’t a certain starter in Round 17.
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DOCHERTY IN DOUBT WITH CALF ISSUE
Sam Docherty has sent a scare through the KFC SuperCoach world after it was revealed he had scans for a suspected calf strain.
Fortunately, it is a low grade strain and he is nowhere to be seen on Carlton’s injury list, which is a positive sign.
Reports on Wednesday suggested the Blues still expect their co-captain to play in Round 17 against Adelaide.
The 26-year-old will have a fitness test later in the week.
With Jack Martin already set to be sidelined, Carlton co-captain Sam Docherty also underwent scans earlier today.
— Ayrton Woolley (@AyrtonWoolley) September 9, 2020
Club says a “low grade†calf injury, but not ruling him out. Will test him later in the week. @9NewsMelb
Docherty is unlikely to be rested, given they must win their last two games to have any chance of making the finals.
If he missed, it would be a massive blow as he’s the fourth most popular player in KFC SuperCoach, featuring in 94 per cent of the top 5000 teams.
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He doesn’t believe Williams’ Achilles issue is significant after being ruled “unlikely” on Thursday and Friday.
“(Williams) has to tick a few things off. His Achilles flared up. We don’t think it’s a significant amount of time he’ll miss out. If he gets through on Thursday-Friday, he’ll come back in.”
The pair could make a significant difference to both the Giants and SuperCoaches, with their game a do-or-die hitout in the consequence of their season – just like coaches in league preliminary finals.
BRAYSHAW TO DEBUT
Those looking for an extra-cheap rookie in Round 17 are in luck with big-bodied midfielder Hamish Brayshaw set to make his West Coast debut.
Brayshaw, the brother of Angus and Andrew, was a later selection in the 2017 draft and put up some impressive numbers in the WAFL last season.
The inside midfielder averaged 23 disposals, six tackles, five clearances and 97 SuperCoach points in the Eagles’ reserves, and is set to fill the void of injured midfielders Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo.
Priced at $102,400, he shapes as the perfect downgrade from Sam Wicks or Brad Close if you are looking to squeeze as much cash as you can to facilitate a final upgrade.
Hamish Brayshaw will debut for @WestCoastEagles on Thursday night against @stkildafc.
— Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) September 8, 2020
Club has confirmed.
(First reported by @cleary_mitch last night).
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach Round 17 late mail: Sam Docherty succumbs to calf injury leaving coaches with horror score