The Phantom’s Final Word: Sloane, Crouch set to go for Crows but tread carefully with Hurn’s replacement at the Eagles

After passing a fitness test on Friday, star Crow Rory Sloane looks set to line-up against the Giants on Saturday night. That’s the good news but what’s up with Eagle Elliot Yeo and can we pick Josh Rotham with confidence? The Phantom has his say.

In a week when SuperCoaches are scrambling to field a full team — 18 players in the three bye-rounds — there’s been some positive team news in the past 24 hours.

Despite suffering a very minor hamstring strain last week, Adelaide co-captain Rory Sloane was on Thursday named in Don Pyke’s 22 for the clash with the Giants.

And the news got even better with Sloane doing everything required of him during Adelaide’s captain’s run on Friday morning.

Rory Sloane has ticked all the boxes at Crows’ training so far this week. Picture SARAH REED

“He did his fitness test and was cleared,” midfield Coach Michael Godden said shortly after.

“He did everything at full speed.”

While the Crows won’t officially give Sloane with final tick until the morning, Godden said “there is no reason he won’t play”.

Adelaide’s SANFL side take on West Adelaide at 2.40pm local time Saturday so we’ll get a definite indication with senior emergencies Hugh Greenwood and Bryce Gibbs set to line up at Richmond Oval.

Non-owners, Sloane’s price could fall well below $500k ahead of the Crows’ Round 14 bye.

The news is even better for teammate Matt Crouch who is locked in after overcoming an ab/hip issue and training with the main group all week.

Mature-age recruit Marty Hore, who posted a SuperCoach ton in his last start, is back in Melbourne’s squad after missing last round with calf soreness.

He’s not the only intercepting defender returning this week with Jake Lever named to play his first senior after a knee reconstruction last week.

Steven May has also been included in the extended squad — which will be trimmed on Saturday — for the Queen’s Birthday clash with the Magpies.

While the expectation is all three will be named in the final 22, will the inclusion of Lever and May affect Hore’s role is any way?

Watch closely on Monday.

At the Eagles, young defender Josh Rotham will replace skipper Shannon Hurn across half-back.

On first look, with scores of 56 and 98 in his two games and a breakeven of -80 — the lowest of all the bubble boys playing in Round 12 — his selection is a huge win for SuperCoaches.

But with Hurn likely to be available in Round 14, after the Eagles’ bye, there’s a chance Rotham goes straight back out.

While he won’t be there this week, The Phantom will still be going with Bulldog Ryan Gardner, whose spot in the side — while still not a sure-thing — appears more certain over the next month.

And there might be more bad injury news at West Coast with reports star midfielder Elliot Yeo failed to make the trip east with his teammates on Friday.

He’s still in the Eagles’ 22 but if you’re one of the 7,739 SuperCoaches with the in-form Yeo, keep your eyes peeled over the weekend ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Swans.

TRADE WARNING

There’s a fair chance your SuperCoach team might unravel over the next three weeks.

In fact, it might’ve started on Thursday night.

But stick to your plan and don’t panic.

If you only have 17 players this week, will a desperate trade to a rookie-price player with shaky job security, who is no guarantee to score more than 50, be worth it in the long-run?

It’s a long year, SuperCoaches, remember that. Playing one less rookie-price player than your opponent won’t ruin your season — it might not even ruin your round — but running out of trades late in the year might.

I’m all for using the nine trades available to you over the next three weeks but only if it’s part of your plan and helps you achieve — or get closer to — a complete team.

Brodie Grundy competes with Mason Cox at Collingwood training.

CAPTAINS

Brodie Grundy will take his place in the heavyweight ruck clash with Max Gawn in the Queen’s Birthday clash, despite an ankle issue.

But will the two big men cancel each other out on Monday?

Because that’s been the case in the previous two meetings.

In the corresponding fixture last year, Grundy (98 points) got the better of Gawn (76) but only just.

And in the final round of 2017 both, again, failed to reach three figures with Grundy finishing with 93 SuperCoach points and Gawn 67.

On recent history, Grundy appears the better captain option but will he be 100 per cent fit?

Two big questions remain unanswered and, despite both players averaging more than 144 points in the past three rounds, that’s enough to put The Phantom off.

If Grundy doesn’t come up, put the C on Gawn without hesitation, otherwise it might be time to consider …

THE OTHER TOP PICKS

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)

V Richmond, Friday night

After missing a week through injury, the star Cat bounced back into form with 130 points — his highest score since Round 2 — against the Swans. And Dangerfield has posted scores of 141, 102 and 132 in his past three home-and-away matches against the Tigers. In a tough week, it’s his chance to reclaim the mantle of go-to SuperCoach captain — or in this case VC — option.

Lachie Neale takes a selfie with Fremantle fans prior to the Round 10 clash with the Dockers. Picture: Will Russell/Getty Images.

Lachie Neale (Bris)

V Carlton, Saturday

Last week, Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell posted a season-high 153 points against the Blues and young midfield teammate Darcy Parish wasn’t far behind with 129. St Kilda midfielders Luke Dunstan and Jade Gresham posted SuperCoach tons against Carlton the previous week and in Round 9, Giants Lachie Whitfield, Tim Taranto and Josh Kelly all passed the 130-point mark.

Oh, and Neale averages 142 points in his past three matches against the Blues and has recorded five scores in excess of 140 this season. VC him if you’ve got him.

Patrick Cripps (Carl)

V Brisbane, Saturday

On the surface, a three-round average of 90 and a score of 93 in his last match against the Lions, won’t fill SuperCoaches with much confidence this week. But if any player is going to lift in the first match for caretaker coach David Teague, it will be his skipper. And, while Brisbane’s midfield has been functioning well, it has conceded big scores to the opposition in the past month with Bulldog Josh Dunkley (136), Docker Nat Fyfe (126) and Crow Rory Sloane (124) and the major culprits.

Josh Kelly (GWS)

V Adelaide, Saturday night

The classy Giant boasts a five-round average of 137 — the equal-highest in the competition with Demon Max Gawn. Kelly has posted scores of 154, 131, 148 and 138 in his past four matches and there doesn’t seem to be a Crow capable of curtailing his influence, especially with the omission of Bryce Gibbs, who shut Clayton Oliver out of the game in the second-half last week.

THE SMOKIES

If you’re trading in Bachar Houli this week, consider him as a Friday night VC option.

Bachar Houli (Rich)

V Geelong, Friday

After recording disposal tallies of 35, 37 and 38, no player in the competition has won more of the ball than the Richmond defender in the past three weeks. And it’s translated into big SuperCoach scores with the playmaking right-footer’s five-round average of 128 behind only Gawn, Grundy, Kelly and Luke Parker. A worthy VC option if your one of the many SuperCoaches trading Houli in for the injured Lachie Whitfield this week.

Elliot Yeo (WC)

V Sydney, Sunday

He’s in form, posting five SuperCoach tons in the past six weeks, and he’s passed the 140-point mark in two of his past three meetings with the Swans. In just four per cent of teams, Yeo is midfield point-of-difference this season but if you’re an owner — and one who is backing in Grundy or Gawn as captain — he’s worth some thought as VC.

THE PHANTOM’S CALL

There’s too many questions marks over the Grundy-Gawn battle for me so I’ll be going with Dangerfield as VC into Cripps as C.

Originally published as The Phantom’s Final Word: Sloane, Crouch set to go for Crows but tread carefully with Hurn’s replacement at the Eagles