SuperCoach late mail: All the news you need to know for Round 2
David Swallow, Tom Liberatore and Lachie Neale were among the heroes on Sunday, although not all the big names lived up to expectation in Round 2. Get the latest SuperCoach information here.
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After a rollercoaster Round 1, it’s vital you have all the information at your fingertips when making selection calls for Round 2.
Do you hit the trade button? Who should you trust as captain? Which rookies should you start on the field and who should be on the bench?
FORMGUIDE: SHOULD WE PANIC ABOUT THE RUCK?
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HIT LIST: TOP ROUND 2 TRADE TARGETS
Fortunately, our reporters have their ears to the ground to get you all the info you need to know.
Bookmark this page and check in across the weekend to see any late changes before every game, and our heroes, villains and analysis after the final siren.
RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD
Final teams: No late changes
LATE MAIL: SuperCoach players hoping Noah Balta earned a late reprieve had their hopes dashed.
Balta was selected in more than 68,000 SuperCoach teams when he made his debut in Round 1, but was dropped after gathering just five disposals and 18 SuperCoach points against Carlton.
Balta was one of Richmond’s four emergencies, along with Connor Menadue, Ivan Soldo and Jack Ross.
All four players are listed on the team sheet for the Tigers’ VFL practice match against the Collingwood at Punt Rd starting at 4pm.
The #38 is out there.
— Richmond VFL (@RichmondVFL) March 28, 2019
Heroes: Brodie Grundy was back with a vengeance, making those who moved him on after a Round 1 flop look foolish. The Collingwood big man posted 137 points, the most on the ground. This score will mean his price fall after Round 3 won’t be as dramatic. Collingwood had an incredible 10 players score triple figures, with Adam Treloar (135), Scott Pendlebury (133) and Chris Mayne (130) the next best.
Villains: Richmond was dominated around the ground and that reflected in its SuperCoach scoring. No Tiger made it to 100, with Jayden Short (91) the only Richmond player to reach 90. Dustin Martin was arguably the let down of the night, only making it to 66 points. With prices due to change after next week, Dusty will be on the chopping block.
Hot take: The theory too many dominant Supercoach players in one team will lower overall scoring has been blown out of the water. If you like a few players from the same team, just pick them. Although, be mindful of how you will manage their bye.
SYDNEY v ADELAIDE
Final teams: No late changes
LATE MAIL: The teams are in, and both the Sydney Swans and Adelaide will both go in as named for the crunch Round 2 clash — and all eyes will be on some of SuperCoach’s most-popular picks.
Crows defenders Rory Laird, Brodie Smith and Wayne Milera are in thousands of SuperCoach teams but were somewhat subdued in their side’s disappointing loss to Hawthorn.
Rory Sloane (155) was a beast against the Hawks and will have coaches ready to pounce if he can again produce tonight.
F2 staple Isaac Heeney was only so-so against the Bulldogs last week, managing 85 points in his side’s first-up loss. The Swans — and SuperCoaches — need more tonight.
And Lance Frankoin (55) struggled to get into the game last week but should be better for the run ahead of a likely price drop in coming weeks.
Heroes: Josh Kennedy (136) was back to his contested-ball winning best, gathering a heap of the footy in tough situations to be the night’s highest scorer. Jake Lloyd (124) paid off for his legion of admirers while Aliir Aliir (101) continues to show why he’s a shrewd SuperCoach selection. Wayne Milera (105) was the highest-rated Crow with Rory Sloane (105), and the prolific Brad Crouch (104) was the only other player for the winners to reach three figures.
Villains: Isaac Heeney (67) was one of the pre-season must-haves with his dual-position status but his early-season form — like his team — is a cause for concern. Swans coach John Longmire later revealing he has been carrying a sore ankle. Callum Mills (49) and rookie Nick Blakey (36) also struggled. Crows Sam Jacobs (48) and Eddie Betts (46) didn’t have their best nights but both looked sore at times.
John Longmire tells SEN Isaac Heeney has had ankle soreness since JLT2. Has to be a #supercoach hold, will bounce back.
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) 30 March 2019
Hot take: You don’t need big SuperCoach scores to win games of footy. It was an even display from the Crows with nine players scoring above 90. But three Swans scored more than the highest-rating Crows. Plenty of coaches will be evaluating which Swans they have in their side as the early-season woes of John Longmire’s team are being reflected in SuperCoach.
ESSENDON v ST KILDA
LATE MAIL: Mature-age recruit Matt Parker (87) swiftly became a cult hero after a fine debut display against Gold Coast last weekend for St Kilda. In more than 80,000 SuperCoach teams, all eyes will be on Parker and defensive rookie Callum Wilkie, who scored 70 in his first outing for the Saints, as they look to back up their debut efforts. One of the popular trades this week has been Gold Coast’s Sam Collins, who scored 27 in Round 1, to Wilkie. More than 1600 coaches have pocketed $60,000 by making that move. Adam Saad was Essendon’s top scorer in Round 1 with 114 points, while Zac Merrett battled to 67.
Final Teams: No late changes.
Heroes: The little guys did the job for St Kilda, with Jack Sinclair (118) and Jade Gresham (121) their leading scorers as the Saints went 2-0 in 2019. Shane Savage (94), Rowan Marshall (114), Jack Steele (100) and Josh Bruce (97) were other notable contributors, while popular rookie pick Matt Parker (89) is set for a huge price spike next week. Tom Bellchambers (118) and Dylan Shiel (116) were the top Bombers, while Adam Saad hit triple figures (104) for the second week running. Zac Merrett bounced back with 108.
Villains: Forward premium Devon Smith (78) has failed to reach 80 in the first two rounds, logging scores of 77 and 78. The 28,167 teams who started with him will have a big call to make this week as he’s set to drop significantly in price after Round 3. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (28) and St Kilda’s Daniel McKenzie (24) were the lowest scorers on the ground.
Hot take: Mature-age recruit Matt Parker could be the best forward rookie this year. He scored 87 in Round 1 and backed that up with 89 against Essendon. Start him on field with confidence.
PORT ADELAIDE v CARLTON
LATE MAIL: Port Adelaide has named an unchanged side as it looks to replicate its stunning win over Melbourne in its first home game of the season. Power rookie quartet Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Willem Drew and Xavier Duursma have held their spots, while Hamish Hartlett and Ollie Wines are yet to return from injury. Tom Rockliff amassed 44 disposals for 138 Supercoach points in Round 1 and has an outstanding record against Carlton. Milestone man Justin Westhoff, who plays his 250th game, had 149 points after kicking five goals against the Demons. Patrick Cripps opened the campaign with 126 against Richmond, but Nic Newman was the Blues top scorer when he tallied 134.
Final teams: No late changes.
Heroes: Premiership ruckman Scott Lycett was the dominant player on the ground, leading all comers with 167 points from 25 disposals and 34 hit outs. Tom Rockliff continues to prove his form resurgence is no flash in the pan, producing a monster first half when he racked up 89 SuperCoach points. The prolific Power onballer finished the game with 36 possessions which translated to 116 points, while Travis Boak had 123. Sam Petrevski-Seton (108) played one of his best games for Carlton, while Patrick Cripps maintained his hot start to the season and was the best of the Blues with 116.
Villains: Karl Amon (7) and Charlie Curnow (7) both sustained knee injuries early in the match. In his 250th match, Justin Westhoff only managed 47 points, 102 less than last week when he bagged five goals.
Hot take: Tom Rockliff is a legitimate contender to be one of the topscoring midfielders come season’s end. Any doubts coaches might have had about the sustainability of his JLT Series scoring have been dispelled in the first two rounds of 2019. Find a spot on the already crowded bandwagon if you can this week.
GEELONG v MELBOURNE
LATE MAIL: Can Geelong big man Rhys Stanley replicate his efforts from Round 1 and take down Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn? Stanley got the better of Brodie Grundy last weekend, finishing with 108 points compared to Grundy’s 81. Gawn was double-teamed by Port Adelaide’s two rucks last week and the Demons sought clarification about the treatment he copped from the AFL during the week. Clayton Oliver was restricted to 71 points in the loss to the Power, while Tim Kelly will be out to emulate his flying start after posting 106 against Collingwood.
Final teams: No late changes
Heroes: Patrick Dangerfield — you star! Players were faced with wet and miserable conditions down at GMHBA Stadium but it didn’t matter for Danger, who posted a whopping 154. Meanwhile, his team struggled but Clayton Oliver likes playing at Geelong. This is now two games in a row he has had 40 touches on the Cats’ home deck.
Villains: Gary Ablett broke the 100-point barrier 10 times last year. However, he is yet to reach those heights in 2019. After two games, the Little Master is averaging 73. If he fails to average over 100, it would be the first time he has fallen short of that mark since 2006.
Hot take: Everyone who traded out Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn after one week should be feeling very silly. After Grundy’s domination of the Tigers on Thursday night, Gawn followed that up with 116 against Geelong. You can’t make a snap judgment on players with that price tag after one week.
WEST COAST v GWS GIANTS
LATE MAIL: Is Dom Sheed the real deal? After a dominant JLT Series, the grand final hero amassed 144 points and had a night out despite the reigning premier’s defeat to Brisbane Lions in Round 1. Tom Rockliff will be a popular trade-in before prices rise next week, but Sheed has been on the radar of plenty of coaches as well. Stephen Coniglio went 10 points better than the Eagles on-baller against Essendon, finishing with 154 points. Jacob Hopper (129), Tim Taranto (112) and Sam Taylor (108) were others who stepped up.
Final teams: No late changes
Heroes: The entire pre-season was spent looking for quality ruck options without the massive price tag of Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy. However, even with all that debate, there wasn’t much talk about Tom Hickey. That could prove to be a mistake, with the Eagles big man putting on a clinic against the Giants. Hickey finished with a game-high 139 points. He still carries a reasonable price-tag of $485,600 but if he is going to post scores like this, he is absolutely one to keep an eye on.
Villains: He might be the biggest free agent in the game but this was a dirty night for Stephen Coniglio. The Giant finished with just 52 points and was well down on his usual output. Elliot Yeo’s 72 was also less than what you’d want from a premium midfielder.
Hot take: Can Dom Sheed continue to score like an elite premium when Andrew Gaff returns? After a dominant JLT Series, Sheed has opened the home and away season with 144 and 100. However, his midfield minutes might be about to take a hit. I’m nervous!
NORTH MELBOURNE v BRISBANE LIONS
LATE MAIL: North Melbourne has pulled a last-minute change, with Trent Dumont replaced by Tarryn Thomas. Dumont will miss with calf tightness. It is not yet known how long he will be on the sidelines for. Thomas was taken with pick eight in the 2018 draft.
Heroes: Lachie Neale has made a flying start to his career in Brisbane and posted a huge 140 against the Roos. But he was pipped for top scorer in the game by contested beast Ben Cunnington, who logged 159 points. Second-year player Luke Dabies-Uniacke shone with 118 points while a scintillating first half inspired Aaron Hall’s 111. Daniel Rich was the other star on the ground with 127.
Villains: Todd Goldstein had 51 points at quarter-time in Round 1. He scored 66 overall against Brisbane. To make matters worse for those who picked him over Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn, the expensive SuperCoach rucks both fired this weekend. Rising Star winner Bailey Scott ended up on the field for many coaches and only scored 24 after his debut 103.
Hot take: Lachie Neale’s Supercoach — and general — brilliance went undetected for too long while he was playing for Fremantle. Now a leading light in a team shaping as one of the AFL’s big improvers, it’s time we appreciated just how good he is.
HAWTHORN v WESTERN BULLDOGS
LATE MAIL: Tom Scully has moved to temper expectations surrounding his long-awaited AFL comeback after his debut for the Hawks was confirmed.
“I’ve had a really good last six weeks in terms of my preparation in training,’’ he said.
“But I have missed 12 months of football, so there’s no doubt I’m probably not going to be at my very best.
“But I’ll certainly bring my best effort and play my role — I’ll be striving to do that as best I can.”
How many SuperCoach points are you expecting from Scully?
Final teams: Bailey Williams replaced by Lewis Young
Heroes: Tom Liberatore (128) was a crucial figure in the Bulldogs’ last-quarter surge, while top-priced midfielder Jack Macrae (127) delivered the goods again. Caleb Daniel (120) is averaging 112 after two superb games to open 2019. Ricky Henderson (136) was huge for Hawthorn, with Jack Gunston (110), Ben McEvoy (104) and Jaeger O’Meara (104) the other Hawks to pass 100.
Villains: Most of the expected top scorers fired in this game, although Josh Dunkley played a variety of roles and only scored 76. Tom Scully only posted 48 in his Hawthorn debut, while Liam Shiels was injured early in the contest and was the lowest scorer with 14 points.
Hot take: If you paid the high price for Jack Macrae, well played. He’s worth every cent.
GOLD COAST v FREMANTLE
LATE MAIL: Brayden Fiorini, Charlie Ballard and Touk Miller will be out to replicate their efforts from Round 1 after passing 100 in Gold Coast’s loss to St Kilda, while Nathan Fyfe monstered North Melbourne with 147. Cam McCarthy scored 121 against the Roos but it remains to be seen how Jesse Hogan’s inclusion will impact the rest of Fremantle’s forwards.
Final teams: Former Cat George Horlin-Smith is a late out for the Suns, replaced in their side by Jesse Joyce.
Heroes: David Swallow was the best player on the ground by some distance, inspiring his side’s comeback victory and finishing with a match-high 140 points. Brad Hill delivered for the second week for the Dockers with 133 points, while Nathan Fyfe didn’t disappoint with 124. Jack Martin (118), Jarrod Harbrow (115), Jack Bowes (111) and Alex Sexton (104) were others in triple figures.
Villains: You can forgive a second-gamer but Jack Lukosius only had 16 points for the Suns. Cam McCarthy was unable to back up his dazzling start with 49, while Michael Walters only scored 50.
Hot take: Welcome back Sam Collins. The key defender gave his owners a few concerns in Round 1 but rebounded with 86 points and a match-saving mark in the dying moments.
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