The Phantom’s Round 4 Review: The good, the bad and Robbie Gray’s role

OVER the pre-season, The Phantom was concerned the forward-heavy role we saw Robbie Gray play in 2017 would continue this year. But the Power star is the highest-averaging SuperCoach forward at the completion of Round 4. LISTEN to the latest episode of The Phantom’s Lair Podcast now.

The Phantom's Round 4 SuperCoach Review

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POWER star Robbie Gray is the highest-averaging SuperCoach forward after four rounds.

While he ranks 22nd for total points, after missing the opening round through suspension, Gray’s average of 120 is four points better than second-ranked Lance Franklin.

Should we be surprised?

Not really. There was never any questioning Gray’s scoring ability.

This is the guy who averaged more than 108 in three consecutive years between 2014 and 2016, before an inconsistent 2017 saw the figure fall to 92.

To put that in perspective, only one eligible SuperCoach forward averaged more than 100 points in 2017 and that was Geelong’s Sam Menegola.

The concern was about Gray’s role in the Port Adelaide side. Last season, the 30-year-old spent plenty of time forward, which resulted in fluctuating SuperCoach scores.

With the inclusion of Tom Rockliff as another ball-winning midfielder into the Power side, the pre-season thought was Gray, who is arguably Port’s most dangerous player around goal, would spend even more time inside 50 in 2018.

But that hasn’t been the case.

Gray ranks second at the club for centre bounce attendance since Round 2 and has averaged 29 disposals, 14 contested possessions, six clearances and six tackles playing predominantly as a midfielder so far this season.

If this continues, and it should at least in the short-term, with Rockliff struggling with a calf issue and the addition of goalkicking options in Jack Watts (7) and Steven Motlop (5), Gray should be the No. 1 scoring SuperCoach forward in 2018.

THE GOOD

Elliot Yeo owners, I hope you stuck with him because, if you did rage trade the Eagle utility after his 27-point performance against the Cats, you would’ve struggled to watch Yeo tallied a game-high 150 points against the Suns on Saturday night. In another reassuring note, Yeo stated his role against Geelong a week earlier was due to the late-withdrawal of Liam Duggan.

Second-year Cat Brandan Parfitt, centre, was huge against the Saints in Round 4.

In his 16th game of AFL footy, 19-year-old Brandan Parfitt scored a round-high 168 SuperCoach points, on the back of 28 disposals, 16 contested possessions, seven tackles, three goals and four score assists. It was almost the complete game and, as his scores of 104 and 92 in the opening two rounds showed, it wasn’t a complete one-off.

However, Parfitt’s price has already risen by $94k so I think we’ve all missed the boat and at, $389k, I’d wait to see if his scoring continues before jumping on.

Nicholas Coffield has been a shining light for the Saints. Picture: Michael Klein

Prior to this season, Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy had only scored 120 points or more in five of his 82 games, with a high of 135 coming in Round 2 last year.

Grundy started 2018 with 95 but in the past three matches, posted scores of 139, 154 and 141 to sit as the fourth-highest SuperCoach scorer after four rounds.

The 24-year-old is doing it all. His ball-winning and ability to follow up around the ground has always been outstanding but his ruck work has improved significantly and he’s scoring well in the same side as Mason Cox.

He’s answered all of our pre-season questions.

One of the few shining lights to emerge from a disappointing fortnight for the Saints has been the introduction of first-round draftee Nick Coffield. After 18 disposals and 66 points on debut, Coffield tallied 17 disposals and 80 points in a composed display against the Cats.

Coffield is looming as a great rookie inclusion this week, maybe at the expense of Docker Andrew Brayshaw, who has a break-even of 54 — six points higher than his average — in Round 5.

In the same game, fourth-year outside midfielder Jordan Cunico, playing just his second game of senior football after a number of injury issues, posted a SuperCoach ton, on the back of 21 disposals, five marks and two goals. Add him on the rookie-price watchlist.

THE BAD

The Phantom is backing in Jack Billings despite another disappointing display against the Cats.

JACK BILLINGS. Yes, the caps were deliberate. After an impressive opening-round score of 133, Billings’ form, just like his team’s, has fallen off a cliff, with the 22-year-old registering scores of 79, 54 and 65 in the past three games.

And it’s on the back of time spent up forward. In a year when most of us thought Billings would transition into a full-time midfielder, he’s spent 94 per cent of game-time in the forward-half this year, up from 82 per cent last season.

Get him up the ground, Richo!

While this isn’t good for The Phantom, it’s great for non-owners of superstar Patrick Dangerfield. Dangerfield’s price fell by $48k this week and, with another break-even in excess of 200 in Round 5, it’s likely to fall again. Get your trading plans in place.

North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein wasn’t much better. And, unfortunately, it wasn’t because of a role. Goldstein struggled to have a significant influence on the game, despite rucking against an unfit Matthew Kreuzer. After an impressive opening two rounds, Goldstein has posted scores of 57 and 75 in the past two matches.

It will be an interesting match committee meeting at North Melbourne — and in The Phantom’s Lair — ahead of Round 5.

While he still made another $41k, Gold Coast mature-age recruit Nick Holman struggled against the Eagles, tallying just 32 points after attended only three centre bounces.

Hold firm this week, though, given his break-even is still only 25 and his average for the year is 75.

Originally published as The Phantom’s Round 4 Review: The good, the bad and Robbie Gray’s role