SuperCoach market watch: The dual-position stars who can save your team with trades running low

If you had to cope without Patrick Cripps, Travis Boak and Max Gawn in Round 16, you’ll understand the importance of dual-position players to SuperCoach success. MARKET WATCH.

Josh Dunkley is the topscoring dual-position player in SuperCoach this year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Injuries to three of the most popular and reliable SuperCoach picks of Round 16 — Travis Boak, Max Gawn and Patrick Cripps — emphasised the importance of dual-position players.

Unless you were prepared to trade Gawn, who has an average of 125 points, Boak or Cripps, you would have been left with a donut without cover in your rucks or forward line.

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That might have come in the form of Reilly O’Brien at R3 or Jarrod Cameron at F7, although this week’s top-five teams had the Todd Goldstein-Brodie Grundy ruck combination (which yielded 293 points).

But what will you do if trades are low and you run into another injury blow and are forced to shuffle the decks?

This is where dual-position players become crucial.

If you’ve got a player with fwd-mid eligibility on your midfield bench, such as Cameron or Sydney rookie Sam Wicks, you can swing them onto your forward bench and use a premium such as Patrick Dangerfield or Tim Kelly to cover a midfield injury.

Josh Dunkley is the topscoring dual-position player in SuperCoach this year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Say you had Robbie Gray at M8 and a premium forward-mid was suspended for a week.

You could swap Gray with that player, preserve a trade and use your midfield cover to compensate for the missing player.

That would mean come the end of the season, when players are rested for finals or start being sent for surgery to be ready for pre-season, you will have trades up your sleeve.

In Round 16, coaches with Port Adelaide pair Justin Westhoff (125) and Scott Lycett (109) benefited from Max Gawn’s absence thanks to their dual-position status.

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The greatest cover this year has come from the fwd-mids, who are headlined by Josh Dunkley, Dangerfield and Kelly.

If you started with West Coast rookie Patrick Bines, the ruck-fwds have provided cover and increased trade options.

For example, many coaches swung Bines onto their forward bench and traded in Reilly O’Brien before his price started to climb.

Although none of the def-fwds haven’t scored premium numbers, Darcy Moore — in particular — has been a source of valuable points as many coaches chose to alternate him and Gold Coast’s Chris Burgess.

Fellow Sun Lachie Weller has been a quiet achiever and is the pick of the def-mids, not scoring less than 82 in his past 10 matches.

If you’re in need of dual-position cover for the run home, here’s the best options:

Scott Lycett has relished the responsibility of being a sole ruckman at Port Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed.

ROUND 16 STARS

Stephen Coniglio — 158

Clayton Oliver — 158

Lachie Neale — 151

Todd Goldstein — 148

Patrick Dangerfield — 146

Marcus Bontempelli — 146

WEEKLY TOP SCORERS

Bec FC, Rebecca 2759

BenMcDonald, Ben 2733

Johnsbluboys, John 2710

Shhhhhcots Team, Scott 2697

T-Mc’s Hunters 2692

OVERALL SCORES

Ryder2Gray, Adam, 36,061

Rexwells Crumbers, Dwayne 36,035

Froff, Alex 35,984

Wet Bandits, Brayden, 35,980

Sledbomber Stars, Robert, 35,945

THIS WEEK’S WINNING TEAM

Bec FC, Rebecca — 2759 points

Defenders

Brodie Smith 97

James Sicily 141

Tom Stewart 103

Rory Laird 98

Jake Lloyd 122

Zac Williams 112

Griffin Logue 50

Patrick Naish 0

Midfielders

Dylan Clarke 55

Brad Crouch 89

Adam Treloar 100

Marcus Bontempelli 146

Lachie Neale 151

Clayton Oliver 158

Josh Kelly 106

Jack Macrae 116

Patrick Cripps 0

Nick Hind 46

Brett Bewley 0

Rucks

Todd Goldstein 148

Brodie Grundy 290 C

Jordon Sweet 0

Forwards

Isaac Heeney 134

Jack Billings 144

Tim Kelly 74

Josh Dunkley 103

Rowan Marshall 126

Patrick Dangerfield 146

Ryan Gardner 0

Robbie Young 0

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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephen Coniglio

A team and round-high 158 SuperCoach points from Coniglio wasn’t enough for the Giants — with 103 points scored in the first half. He had 34 disposals, 20 contested possessions, 11 tackles, nine clearances and five inside 50s from 87 per cent game time. He also had two score assists and was involved in five scoring chains.

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Dustin Martin

Martin didn’t spend as much time at centre bounces against the Suns and his score suffered as a result — posting his lowest SuperCoach score (78) since Round 3. He was fifth in line at the Tigers for centre bounce attendances with 12, finishing with 19 disposals, 229 metres gained, seven contested possessions and an equal season-low one clearance.

Patrick Dangerfield

Dangerfield shrugged off a hip injury to score a game-high 146 points from 23 disposals and two goals, of which 130 points were scored after quarter time. He also had team-highs of 16 contested possessions, seven tackles and six inside 50s from 86 per cent game time.

Justin Westhoff

Westhoff made a statement after being dropped — racking up his highest SuperCoach scored (125) since the season opener. He found plenty of the ball and finished with 23 disposals, 21 uncontested possessions, three tackles and three inside-50s. He also had an impact on the scoreboard with one goal and three score assists.

James Rowbottom enjoyed a breakout game against Essendon. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

YOUNG GUN: James Rowbottom

Rowbottom thrived with the added responsibility in the midfield against Essendon, finishing with season-highs of 24 disposals and 99 SuperCoach points. He also had 11 contested possessions, 14 uncontested possessions, three tackles, four inside 50s and one score assist from 85% game time.