The Phantom’s Final Word: Jeremy Cameron leads the list of Toby Greene replacements, Scott Lycett’s task gets easier and will Max Gawn play?

Is a returning teammate the best option to replace Toby Greene? Who does Dylan Clarke tag? Is Scott Lycett set to make a statement? The Phantom looks at the last-minute questions ahead of SuperCoach grand final weekend.

Giant Toby Greene will miss the Round 23 clash with the Suns due to a calf injury. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty

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It’s come down to this, SuperCoaches. After eight months of hard work, it’s time - for those good enough - to get their shot at SuperCoach glory.

The Phantom has the final say ahead of the start of SuperCoach Grand Final weekend.

DOCKER RUCKS

When caretaker coach David Hale named his first Fremantle team on Thursday night, the retiring Aaron Sandilands was a notable omission.

At that stage, for the final round clash with the Power, it would, again, be 26-gamer Sean Darcy leading the ruck.

But Darcy was withdrawn from the side on Friday afternoon and it will now be left up to 205cm ruck/forward Scott Jones, who has five career games to his name, and debutant Hugh Dixon.

Scott Lycett at Port Adelaide training ahead of his return to the senior side. Picture SARAH REED

It gives recalled Power big man Scott Lycett a chance, who tallied 19 disposals, 14 contested possessions and eight clearances in the SANFL last week, to make a big statement.

Prior to being sent back to the SANFL earlier this month, Lycett posted six SuperCoach tons – including a 111-point performance against Fremantle in Perth – in his previous eight senior appearances.

Another Toby Greene replacement option, maybe?

Or for if the worst-case scenario eventuates and Max Gawn is a late-withdrawal from the Melbourne side on Saturday afternoon.

GAWN TO TASSIE

Thankfully, however, all signs point to the star big man taking the field, with Braydon Preuss as back-up, for Saturday’s clash with North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena in Hobart. Keep

But if that doesn’t happen, keep this list of ruck replacement options handy.

Keep your eyes peeled on Saturday morning.

Adam Treloar receieves some attention from the trainer at Magpie training. Will he get even more from Bomber tagger Dylan Clarke? Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty

THE CLARKE TAG

Essendon tagger Dylan Clarke is back in the Bomber line-up for Friday night’s clash with the Bombers.

But who will he go to?

Will it be the competition’s No. 1 ball-winner Adam Treloar, who has posted 10 consecutive SuperCoach tons?

Or skipper Scott Pendlebury, who tallied 34 disposals against the Crows last week and torched the Bombers on ANZAC Day this year?

I wish I knew.

But it’s likely to be one of them so maybe temper those point-of-difference captaincy expectations. Ruckman Brodie Grundy is your man.

SEE ALL OF THE PHANTOM’S ROUND 23 CAPTAIN OPTIONS HERE

TOBY GREENE

Are you one of the 23,000 SuperCoaches with Giant Toby Greene?

The Giant star, who is the third-highest scoring forward in the past six rounds, will miss the Round 23 clash with Suns due to calf tightness.

“We gave him every opportunity during the week to come up, but he didn’t train yesterday, and he still has some tightness, so he won’t play which is disappointing,” coach Leon Cameron said on Thursday.

As if GWS and Cameron haven’t caused enough pain for SuperCoaches this season.

In-form Giant Toby Greene won’t risked against the Suns in Round 23. Picture: Matt King/Getty

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The good news is Greene’s six consecutive SuperCoach tons since Round 16 has seen his price skyrocket, to sit as the fourth-most expensive forward in the game after 22 rounds.

If you do have a trade left, there’s plenty of options that won’t cost you anything.

But before we get into those, $13k will get you Saint Rowan Marshall, who boasts the 13th-highest average in the competition.

And with Marshall up against a makeshift Sydney ruck brigade on Saturday, that’s still the best option if you can make it work.

Hawk James Worpel has scored more points than Marshall and Greene in the past five weeks but the Eagles midfield might make it harder for the second-year star on Saturday.

If you can’t, assuming you have popular players Travis Boak, Tim Kelly, Isaac Heeney and Patrick Dangerfield, consider these names …

Jeremy Cameron during GWS Giants training ahead of last home game before finals. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Jeremy Cameron

(GWS) $429,200

One Giant out, one Giant in? With the star forward returning from a hamstring concern to face the Suns, it could be the value move of the week.

In his past five meetings with Gold Coast, Cameron has posted scores of 109, 168, 108, 74 and 143 after kicking 5, 6, 6, 4 and 7 goals in each game respectively.

Retiring forward Jarryd Roughead booted six goals for the Hawks against the Suns last round and Charlie Cameron did the same a week earlier.

With Cameron chasing North Melbourne’s Ben Brown in the Coleman Medal race, SuperCoaches who take the risk could be in for a huge reward.

Michael Walters

(Freo) $520,900

In the Round 13 win over the Power, Walters, who trained away from the main group on Friday, finished with 25 disposals, six goals and a season-high 158 points. And the matchwinning Docker is in-form, too, posting SuperCoach tons in four of his past five matches. Under caretaker coach David Hale, Fremantle is likely to play with more freedom in a match, depending on the other results before it, which might be a dead-rubber.

Hawk Chad Wingard has a had a big influence through the midfield since returning. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Chad Wingard

(Haw) $424,400

The former Power star returned to the Hawthorn line-up in Round 17 and he’s had a big impact through the midfield, especially in the past three weeks. Wingard tallied 29 disposals and 98 points against the Kangaroos in Round 20, 27 disposals and 91 points against the Hawks in Round 21, before following it up last week with a dominant 22-disposal, two-goal, 112-point performance against the Suns. Sure, it will be tough against the Eagles in Perth on Saturday night but the scoring trend is there.

Jack Ziebell

(NM) $455,600

North Melbourne have played at Blundstone Arena in Hobart three times this season with Ziebell recording a SuperCoach in two of them. Playing through the midfield in Round 9, Ziebell tallied 35 disposals, 10 marks and a season-high 140 points before finishing with 24 disposals, two goals and 126 points against the Saints in Round 16. The 28-year-old enjoyed last week’s rout of the Power, helping himself to 33 disposals and 125 points. And his side should be too strong for a disappointing Melbourne outfit down in Tasmania on Saturday.

The form of Brisbane veteran Mitch Robinson has been vital to the side’s rise in 2019. Picture: Dan Peled/AAP

Mitch Robinson

(Bris) $523,600

The tough Lion has posted scores of 127, 69, 101, 132, 123 and 99 in the past six weeks in an impressive run of form, mirroring that of his side. But four of those matches were at the GABBA and, this week, the challenge for Brisbane gets tougher with a trip to take on the Tigers at the MCG — a venue Robinson scored 69 points at in his only match this season. The numbers, however, still warrant consideration.

Originally published as The Phantom’s Final Word: Jeremy Cameron leads the list of Toby Greene replacements, Scott Lycett’s task gets easier and will Max Gawn play?