SuperCoach AFL 2017: Gold Coast Suns’ must-haves, risk and rookies to watch

INJURIES to star Suns have been the bane of Gold Coast on the field and our SuperCoach teams. We look at the must-haves, risks and rookies to watch.

Gary Ablett gets a handball away at Gold Coast training. Picture: Jerad Williams

WHAT do we make of the Gold Coast Suns?

On the field the club has been ravaged by injury to key players and that has impacted our SuperCoach teams.

Can Gary Ablett, David Swallow, Steven May, Jack Martin and Tom Nicholls remains healthy?

Can the additions of Michael Barlow, Jarryd Lyons, Pearce Hanley and the draftees help the Suns move up the ladder and contribute to our SuperCoach success?

All will be revealed when the JLT Community Series begins.

Michael Barlow unveiled as a Gold Coast Sun. Picture: Jerad Williams

PREMIUMS

Gary Ablett ($620,600, Mid)

If there’s ever to be a SuperCoach Hall of Fame, Ablett will be the first man in. The big question is will he play every game in 2017? Another shoulder injury ruined his 2016 and he’s been limited in pre-season training. Monitor closely.

Michael Barlow ($533,200, Mid)

Barlow’s final season at Fremantle was certainly eventful. After a slow start, he exploded, then got dropped, exploded again and got injured. He still managed to average 98 and now as a Sun, expect his role and scoring to be more consistent. Sadly, a midfielder only this year.

Aaron Hall ($519,800, Mid)

Do you brave him? He’s expensive and a midfielder only. Only the most ardent of fans would start him in Round 1. With the addition of several midfielders it will be interesting to see Hall’s role in 2017 and how that will impact his scoring potential.

Tom Lynch ($507,200, Fwd)

An budding superstar in a similar mould to Nick Riewoldt. Can get a bit of footy, takes plenty of marks and is reliable in front of goal. Lynch averaged a career-high 93 in 2016, scoring 90-plus 13 times. Improved service should help him.

Pearce Hanley (right) chats to new teammate David Swallow. Picture: Nigel Hallett

MID-PRICE RISKS

Jarryd Lyons ($490,900, Mid)

A breakout season as a Crow in 2016, Lyons took his average from a lowly 44 in 12 games to an impressive 90 in 18 games. He’ll become a key part of the Suns’ midfield rotation in 2017 and could take his scoring to another level again.

Pearce Hanley ($471,600, Mid)

Hanley has now averaged 86 in back-to-back years after a career high of 103 in 2014. How will a fresh start at Gold Coast impact him scoring. One thing is for sure, he’s better than that average suggests.

Kade Kolodjashnij ($375,400, Def)

We’re you burnt by KK last year? You’re not alone but do you go back to the well in 2017? Kolodjashnij is awkwardly priced but if this is to be his breakout year, he’s cheap. He could thrive in a fully fit Suns team.

David Swallow ($280,200, Mid)

Can he get back on the field. We certainly hope so. Swallow is just $280k and while he’s a midfielder only, he’d be more reliable than the expensive rookies. He gave up his holidays to keep training in order to get his body right and will be very popular if named in Round 1.

ROOKIES

Ben Ainsworth ($198,300, Mid-Fwd)

The Suns’ top pick should walk straight into the team. However, his role could be an issue given his lofty price. Small forwards don’t tend to be the most reliable scorers. Without a doubt he’ll develop into a star but he’ll be hard to pick this year.

Will Brodie ($175,800, Mid)

Brodie’s a midfielder in SuperCoach but projects to play off a half-forward flank in real life. That could be a boon to SuperCoaches if he can pick up a few touches while also kicking goals. That price is awkward but we’ll be watching him closely in the pre-season.

Jack Bowes ($171,300, Mid-Fwd)

Bowes is going to be very popular in 2017. The Suns Academy star is expected to play plenty of AFL in 2017 and is helped by his dual position status. Unlike Ainsworth, he should see a few more midfield minutes

Rodney Eade welcomes Jack Bowes to the Suns on AFL Draft night. Picture: Jonathan Ng

NO-GO ZONE

Rory Thompson ($303,900, Def)

The key defender is a star at the Suns, who has been hard to replace when injured. While he’s one of the first picked by Rodney Eade, it’s the exact opposite in SuperCoach. He averaged just 55 in 2016.

Jarrad Grant ($293,000, Fwd)

The former top-10 draft pick has never really been a SuperCoach standout and while he’ll probably play every game this season, he doesn’t warrant selection in your team. He’s best SuperCoach season was 2013 when he averaged 77 in eight games.

Trent McKenzie ($238,600, Def)

A could-have-been darling of SuperCoach has sadly gone the other way. With his kicking skills, McKenzie could have been the next Heath Shaw or Kade Simpson but he has regressed massively from an average high of 88 in 2013 to just 43 in 2016.

TEAM PREVIEW

It’s hard to predict what the Suns are going to do in 2017.

The club certainly has the cattle to sharply rise up the ladder even without the departed Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia.

Injuries will play a key part - it’s been a negative part in recent years - with Gary Ablett, Tom Nicholls, Michael Rischitelli and David Swallow all missing large chunks of games.

Now with the addition of Pearce Hanley, Michael Barlow, Jarryd Lyons and top draftees Ben Ainsworth, Will Brodie, Jack Scimshaw and Jack Bowes, 2017 might be the Suns’ revival.

With newly appointed co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May, the club has the bookends, now they just need a clear run to see what its best 22 can do.