SuperCoach: In-form Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett a perfect replacement if Max Gawn misses Round 16 with injury

How you deal with Max Gawn’s potential absence could define your SuperCoach season. In-form Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett’s dual-position status could be the key to holding the star Demon.

Sydney’s mid-season draftee Michael Knoll could help you fill the possible void left by Max Gawn. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Every year in SuperCoach, there comes a defining moment of a season where the choices that coaches make can determine whether or not they will finish the season strongly or if it will spiral out of control.

If Max Gawn misses one or even two weeks, this could be that moment.

Even if Gawn does play this week, it’s a good time to revise our strategies if ever the two widely chosen ruckmen (Gawn and Grundy) have to sit out.

The expert team at Doctor SuperCoach is here to lay out the options for you to consider.

TRADE GUIDE: EVERY TOP SELECTION FOR ROUND 16

TRADE HQ: WHICH SAINTS ARE RIVAL CLUBS CHASING?

ADVICE: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM TOP SUPERCOACHES

— Using a premium ruck/forward for cover (Scott Lycett — $568,600 — RUC/FWD — 100.4 Average)

If you need to finish your forward line or are looking for a Caleb Daniel (hamstring) replacement, Scott Lycett needs to be in consideration.

Scott boasts a massive 125-point five round average and an even more spectacular three-round average of 152.

Since Patrick Ryder was dropped from the starting line-up two weeks ago, Lycett has excelled as the sole ruckman, collecting more than 20 disposals and 40 hit-outs in both matches — on his way to scores of 180 and a 165.

This has coincided with the return of Charlie Dixon, who spends a smaller share of time in the ruck than Ryder.

However, keep in mind that last weekend, against Western Bulldogs, the game was played in heavy rain.

These conditions were ideal for a player like Lycett and would have heavily contributed to his extra SuperCoach output.

With Westhoff collecting 37 touches and kicking three goals in the SANFL, there is every chance he makes his way back into the side to replace Peter Ladhams, moving ahead of Ryder in the pecking order.

Lycett offers extreme flexibility with his forward-ruck dual eligibility.

With Max Gawn a doubt for this weekend’s match, having Lycett forward and a player such as Patrick Bines (102k, Ruck-Fwd) on your ruck bench would allow for Lycett to be deployed in the rucks for a week to cover Gawn.

This allows the opportunity to use Lycett in the ruck as cover, should Grundy or Gawn miss a game.

A player such as Jordan Roughead would give you cover in the rucks and up forward. Picture: Michael Klein.

— Trading in a cheaper playing F7 ruck/forward for cover

Using a player that can cover both your forward line and your rucks sounds perfect in principle.

However, Jordan Roughead ($355,500), Justin Westhoff ($373,600), Jonathan Ceglar ($359,000) and Nathan Vardy ($311,500) hardly inspire much confidence.

Each boasts an average of less than 73 points, with Westhoff and Vardy having additional concerns about their place in the best 22.

Sometimes you need to consider if it is worth spending a trade and the extra money on a player for your bench.

But when the options are the four names listed above, you shouldn’t need to think about it for very long.

— Trading Max Gawn out to another ruckman

Outside Lycett at 100.4 points per game, Brodie Grundy and Gawn, only Todd Goldstein averages more than 100 points.

Goldstein ($528,300 — 103 average) has only dipped below 90 points on two occasions this season, making him the safest replacement option — but is it worth it?

With eight games remaining in the season, it is conceivable that Gawn should outscore Goldstein when fit by over 20 points per game.

That means if Gawn only misses one week, there are 140 reasons as to why you should keep him over a trade to the Roos ruckman.

In terms of money management, looking at Riley O’Brien ($509,200) for a one or two-week punt could pay heavy dividends.

O’Brien has a break-even of just one and is projected to rise $45,000 this week and hold a firm price for a few weeks thereafter.

With Gawn looking at a hefty price drop upon his return, there is money to be made by swapping Gawn out for O’Brien and then back again in a few weeks time — assuming you have the trades to burn to do so.

Scott Lycett also boasts a break-even of -8.

Sydney’s mid-season draftee Michael Knoll could help you fill the possible void left by Max Gawn. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Zac Clarke is set to be the beneficiary of Tom Bellchambers’ injury. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

— Trading in a rookie ruck

With injuries to Tom Bellchambers and Callum Sinclair, Round 15 was not kind to ruckmen. Bellchambers is expected to miss about six weeks with a calf injury, which could open the door for kindly-priced former Fremantle big man Zac Clarke ($182,200).

Clarke has only managed an average of 57 points in his three matches of 2019 and may not appear to be a great option.

But keep in mind that those scores were not playing as a sole ruck — an opportunity he should be afforded during this stretch of games.

Since he has already played three matches, Zac may also make coaches a little bit of money, making him a worthwhile consideration for R3.

It is yet to be determined how long Sinclair will be sidelined for with a shoulder injury.

But given the unavailability of both Sam Naismith and Darcy Cameron, the ruck responsibility could fall to mid-season draftee Michael Knoll ($102,400) if the Swans decide Aliir Aliir is needed in defence.

Braydon Preuss ($239,900) should come in to replace Gawn if he misses this week and the ex-Roo is someone who has a decent scoring history when featuring as a sole ruckman.

The benefit of having Preuss as a R3 is whenever Gawn misses, he should be the inclusion — which is great as long as Brodie Grundy isn’t out as well.

Originally published as SuperCoach: In-form Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett a perfect replacement if Max Gawn misses Round 16 with injury