The Phantom’s Round 3 preview: Captains, rookie selections and all you need to know
It’s almost time for Round 3, SuperCoaches and The Phantom is here to help you with your trades, captain selection and rookie decisions.
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It’s almost time for Round 3, SuperCoaches and The Phantom is here to help you with your trades, captain selection and rookie decisions.
THE TEAMS
THE GOOD
Tiger Jack Higgins, who averaged 144 SuperCoach points across his junior career, breaking Tom Rockliff’s longstanding record, will debut for the Tigers on Sunday. However, this means Higgins, if he stays in the side, will be on the bubble at an awkward time ahead of Round 5. But, let’s worry about that later. For now, enjoy the future SuperCoach star’s first game in the competition.
St Kilda’s Nick Coffield, who left some SuperCoaches stranded when he didn’t line up in Round 1, will also debut this weekend.
Matthew Kreuzer is back for the Blues on Friday night after a groin issue kept him out of his side’s Round 2 game against the Suns. Fingers crossed for no late change.
Popular pre-season selection, Pearce Hanley is back earlier than expected from a dislocated shoulder. He’s not relevant right away but monitor his form going forward.
THE BAD
The return of Tom Lynch to the Crows’ side has seen popular SuperCoach pick Darcy Fogarty dropped. While he will be back at some point because he’s done nothing wrong, if there are no further injuries in Adelaide’s forward line, unfortunately, it might be a while. If you’ve got cover this week, re-assess ahead of Round 4. A Fogarty to Higgins trade could be on the cards in a few weeks’ time.
Fellow rookie-price players Hunter Clark (StK), Cam O’Shea (Carl) and Robbie Fox (Syd) have also been ommited from their respective sides.
And once again, no Toby Greene for the Giants as he battles hamstring soreness.
RUCK-OFF
Round 3, 2016, down in Hobart, was the last time Max Gawn and Todd Goldstein went head-to-head in the ruck. The result was an enormous 344 points between them, split evenly at 172 apiece. Gawn had 17 contested possessions, 25 hitouts-to-advantage and booted two goals while Goldstein tallied 15 contested possessions, 13 hit-outs-to-advantage and five goals.
Will we see a similar battled at the MCG on Saturday?
OFF THE BENCH
DEFENCE
Rookie-priced Tom Doedee (Adel) and Jeremy Finlayson (GWS) are the eighth and 14th-ranked defenders in the game so, if you haven’t already, put them on your field and leave them there.
Despite a 58-point return last week, Magpie Sam Murray can still be played on the field with confidence. The 20-year-old was slow out of the blocks against the Giants and should begin to have a bigger influence as he settles in Collingwood’s back six.
The Crows should be too good for the Saints at Etihad on Saturday night so small forward Lachie Murphy might be in the points. Start him over Bulldog Aaron Naughton who will have Cale Hooker, Joe Daniher andJames Stewart to deal with in the clash with the Bombers.
MIDFIELD
Yes, The Phantom is stating the obvious here but Tim Kelly (Geel) and Nick Holman (GC) are on-field locks in the midfield.
After that, I like Dom Barry (Port) at home against the Lions. Although he didn’t post big numbers, the 24-year-old played his part in the win over the Swans last week and should see more of the footy if the game opens up on Adelaide Oval.
Otherwise, back Andrew Brayshaw (Freo) and North Melbourne’s Luke Davies-Uniacke, who showed just why we were raving about him during the pre-season with an impressive 77 points from 16 disposals against the Saints.
FORWARD
If you are holding injured Giant Zac Giles-Langdon – who will miss a month with a broken hand – use him as an emergency loophole this week.
If you can’t decide between Bayley Fritsch (Melb) and Liam Ryan (WCE) for an on-field spot, start Fritsch on the bench as an emergency and Giles-Langdon on the field. If Fritsch scores well in the Saturday afternoon game, leave it as is and his score will count. But if Fritsch struggles, bring Ryan, who plays against the Cats on Sunday, on in place of Giles-Langdon.
It also works with Jaidyn Stephenson (Coll) and Jarrod Garlett (Carl) on Friday night.
If you simply have to choose, here is my rookie forward order; Ryan, Todd Marshall (Port), Stephenson, Daniel Venables (WC), Fritsch, Cam Rayner (Bris), Garlett, Jake Waterman (WC).
TRADE TALK
This is a very important trading week, SuperCoaches. It’s time to make sure you have all of the right rookie-price players and make any other corrections to your team before prices start changing at the completion of Round 3.
The Phantom covered all the moves you need to make in Wednesday’s Trade Talk
CAPTAINS
AVERAGE LAST 3 V OPPONENT
Todd Goldstein (NM) Ruck 154
Nat Fyfe (Frem) Mid 150
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) Mid 133
Scott Pendlebury (Coll) Mid 132
Gary Ablett (Geel) Mid 129
THE PHANTOM’S PICK
We all like a Friday night VC and Patrick Cripps is an ideal candidate against the Magpies, while his midfield opponent Scott Pendlebury, who averages 135 in his past six matches against the Blues, is also worth some thought.
In the Saturday afternoon games, Gawn, who should edge out Goldstein in the battle of the big men at the MCG, and Nat Fyfe, who has scored 140, 157 and 151 in past three meetings with the Suns, are two other great VC options to consider.
But, if you’re after a left-field selection, Power star Robbie Gray, who scored 111 points in his first game of the season against the Swans, averages 127 in his past four matches against the Lions.
Then the big guns come out to play on Sunday.
Dustin Martin and Tom Mitchell clash in the early fixture, before Patrick Dangerfield’s Cats take on the Eagles in the final game of the round. The Phantom has Dangerfield ahead of Martin and then Mitchell as the best captain option for Round 3.
THE PHANTOM’S MOVE
Vice-captain: Patrick Cripps
Captain: Patrick Dangerfield
Trade 1: Michael Hibberd to Lachie Murphy
Trade 2: Hunter Clark to Dustin Martin
Originally published as The Phantom’s Round 3 preview: Captains, rookie selections and all you need to know
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