NewsBite

The Phantom’s Final Word for Round 4: The Grundy-Macrae debate, last-minute trades, the teams, on-field rookies and more

As the start of Friday night footy nears, The Phantom delivers the final SuperCoach word on the VC debate, last-minute trades, the teams, on-field rookies and more.

The Phantom
5 min read
April 12, 2019 - 4:39PM

As the start of Friday night footy nears, The Phantom delivers the final SuperCoach word on the VC debate, last-minute trades, the teams, on-field rookies and more.

SuperCoach AFL digital promo banner with Mazda logo

If you didn’t go with Max Gawn or Jake Lloyd as VC on Thursday night, there’s two obvious choices.

Collingwood big man Brodie Grundy has bounced back after a quiet Round 1 with scores of 137 and 132 in the past two matches.

And in the only meeting between the Magpies and Bulldogs last season, Grundy tallied 26 disposals, 21 contested possessions, 14 hit-outs-to-advantage and a game-high 152 SuperCoach points against Jordan Roughead and Tom Boyd.

On Friday night footy this week, Grundy will just have young ruckman Tim English to contend with.

He’ll be an influential big man in time but the 21-year-old tallied 15 hit-outs to Jarrod Witt’s 52 in the Round 2 clash with the Suns.

The previous week, Hawk Ben McEvoy won the hitout-count by 16.




Ruckman Brodie Grundy at Collingwood training. Picture: David Crosling
Ruckman Brodie Grundy at Collingwood training. Picture: David Crosling

While the Bulldogs midfield have been impressive with their ability to shark the opposition hit-outs — stifling the scores of Witts and McEvoy — Collingood’s on-ball brigade is far more efficient than that of Gold Coast and Hawthorn.

Expect Grundy to get his hands the ball first and put it to advantage of his midfield team-mates.

Joining Grundy at the centre bounce will be Bulldogs ball magnet Jack Macrae, who, in the past, has shown his ability to push through opposition attention and have a big impact.

But with the omission of Magpie stopper Levi Greenwood, he won’t even have to worry.

After a slow start against the Suns last week, Macrae, again displayed his enormous scoring power, recording 130 SuperCoach points in the final three quarters.

Macrae and Lachie Neale were the only two midfielders to score more than 120 points in each of the first three matches.

But, if we look at his scoring history against the Magpies, Macrae has failed to score more than 104 points in the past three matches.

While he’ll go big again, I think Grundy will have him covered.

VERDICT: Grundy.

Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe on the Gold Coast earlier in the year.
Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe on the Gold Coast earlier in the year.

NAT FYFE

Are you one of the SuperCoaches still trying to convince yourself trading Nat Fyfe is the right call?

Was the “don’t trade me out of your SuperCoach teams” line from the man himself not enough?

If all goes to plan, the Dockers’ skipper will return for the clash against the Giants in Round 5.

As I stressed in my trade warning to all SuperCoaches, You don’t trade your premiums because of a one-week absence.

I’m not buying in to the “Fyfe will be slow to find form when he returns” assumption, either.

If he’s not right, he won’t play next week.

But when he’s out there, he’ll be scoring well.

Missing two matches isn’t ideal but it still doesn’t justify a sideways trade.

As I said earlier in the week, a trade to mid-price Bulldog Tom Liberatore, which will leave you with more than $220k, is the only option The Phantom would consider.

You’re getting a premium scorer in for Fyfe and the money will help you build your team elsewhere.

TEAMS

There’s been another rookie-price casualty with North Melbourne’s Bailey Scott being rested in Round 4.

Although the temptation to trade immediately down to Richmond’s Sydney Stack, I’d still give it another week.

Unless Carlton’s Michael Gibbons fails to make the Blues’ final 22 late Friday afternoon but let’s worry about that if it happens.

In another concern for SuperCoaches, there’s still no Toby Greene for GWS.

The talk was positive throughout the week but the match-winning forward will miss a third game with a calf issue.

If you’ve held him this long, then you’re most likely happy to wait another week.

But, given there’s no guarantee, I’m all for jumping ship now.

ON-FIELD ROOKIES

IF yo’ve got him, you have to start Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee on the field after his big performance last week.
IF yo’ve got him, you have to start Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee on the field after his big performance last week.

DEFENCE

1. Connor Rozee

2. Sam Collins

3. Xavier Duursma

4. Jordan Clark

5. Jack Scrimshaw

MIDFIELD

1. Charlie Constable

2. Sam Walsh

3. Zak Butters

4. James Cousins

5. Sydney Stack

FORWARD

1. Willem Drew

2. Gryan Miers

3. Will Setterfield

4. Matthew Parker

5. Jack Petruccelle

I’m backing in young Power midfielder Willem Drew to bounce back, despite more forward time, against an undermanned Richmond.

And, despite just 36 points in Round 3, I’ll be playing Blue Will Setterfield ahead of Matthew Parker and Jack Petruccelle.

CAPTAINS

If you’re VC doesn’t work out, here are The Phantom’s captain options for Round 4

PATRICK DANGERFIELD (GEEL)

Saturday v GWS

The Geelong star averages a huge 156 points in his past three matches against the Giants and we know he loves playing down at the Cattery, with a 154-point performance against the Demons in Round 2 the latest piece of evidence. The ideal captain option after a Thursday/Friday night VC.

LACHIE NEALE (BRIS)

Saturday v Essendon

The Bombers midfield like to go head-to-head so it’s unlikely a direct tag comes Neale’s way, despite a blistering start to the year. If you include his final four games at Fremantle, Neale has a seven-round average of 138.

Patrick Cripps, pictured tackling team-mate Jack Silvagni, scored 137 SuperCoach points in his last match against the Suns.
Patrick Cripps, pictured tackling team-mate Jack Silvagni, scored 137 SuperCoach points in his last match against the Suns.

PATRICK CRIPPS (CARL)

Sunday v Gold Coast

While the Suns won, the Bulldogs midfielders had a field day, with Macrae, Tom Liberatore and Marcus Bontempelli tallying 413 SuperCoach points between them. And in Carlton’s last meeting with the Gold Coast, Cripps recorded 37 disposals, 11 tackles and 173 points.

TRAVIS BOAK (PORT)

Saturday v Richmomd

If you need a left-field option, with scores of 119, 123 and 136 in the opening three rounds, the former Power skipper, who is back in the midfield, is in some serious form. And after giving up SuperCoach tons to five Collingwood midfielders in Round 2, the Tigers conceded another four against the Giants.

THURSDAY NIGHT WASH-UP

Melbourne’s final teamsheet on Thursday night provided a pleasant surprise for SuperCoaches with popular rookie-price option Marty Hore getting a late reprieve.

And the mature-age recruit, who was dropped after Round 1, made the most of it. Hore had a big first quarter and finished with 20 disposals, nine marks, eight rebound 50s and 86 SuperCoach points. If he keeps his spot, he’s due for a significant price rise after Round 5.

If 137 points wasn’t enough against the Blues last week, Isaac Heeney made those SuperCoaches, who traded him out, hurt again with an equal-game-high 130 on Thursday night.

Despite his side’s victory, Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver recorded his third score of less than 100 in the opening four rounds. The 21-year-old tallied 33 disposals and a game-high 20 contested possessions but eight clangers and a disposal efficiency of just 57 per cent hurt his final score. His price will continue to fall.

Demon ruckman Max Gawn had a field day against Callum Sinclair to finish with 113 points as his team’s highest scorer. But if you had him as VC, it’s just not quite enough.

And Jake Lloyd just keeps winning the football, tallying another 34 disposals and 109 points.

Originally published as The Phantom’s Final Word for Round 4: The Grundy-Macrae debate, last-minute trades, the teams, on-field rookies and more

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/supercoach-news/the-phantoms-final-word-for-round-4-the-grundymacrae-debate-lastminute-trades-the-teams-onfield-rookies-and-more/news-story/ce6141765ecaede9bbfa0bad9f3317f3