AFL 2024: Relive updates and SuperCoach scores from an action-packed super Saturday
Matt Rowell dominated again, Tom Green went huge and Patrick Dangerfield wound back the clock to sink the Saints. Recap all the big moments and the SuperCoach talking points.
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The first full Saturday of the season didn’t disappoint.
Essendon and GWS outlasted Hawthorn and North Melbourne respectively before Geelong and Gold Coast each held off St Kilda and Adelaide in close finishes.
Relive the updates and SuperCoach points night here!
10:45: SUNS CLAIM VICTORY!
The Gold Coast Suns have held off a desperate Adelaide in a tight finish to go 2-0.
Leading by 29 points at the final change, the Suns let the Crows back into the match and almost lost it in the dying stages.
Fittingly, it was Matt Rowell who cleared the ball from danger in the final seconds.
Rowell finished with an outstanding 163 SuperCoach points while teammate Touk Miller also racked up 141.
That 2-0 feeling! We go again 💪 pic.twitter.com/fd7biapl1j
— Gold Coast Suns (@GoldCoastSUNS) March 19, 2024
THE LEADERS:
Matt Rowell 163
Touk Miller 141
Noah Anderson 131
Rory Laird 125
Sam Flanders 125
10:36: Two in a minute by the Crows
Adelaide Has forced its way back into the match with a flurry of goals.
With three minutes left, the Crows — who have kicked two in 30 seconds through Josh Rachele and Izak Rankine— trail by eight points.
The Suns led the Crows by 29 points at three-quarter time.
10:26: Rowell, Miller on their way to enormous nights
With 10 minutes left in the final term between the Gold Coast Suns and Adelaide, midfielders Matt Rowell and Touk Miller are on their way to enormous SuperCoach nights.
Rowell (26 possessions, nine tackles) has 138 points and Miller (28 possessions, nine tackles) has 141 points.
10:10: Danger sinks the Saints
Patrick Dangerfield has sunk the Saints with a clutch long-range goal.
After St Kilda stormed back into the game, Dangerfield calmly slotted a goal on the paint of 50 to extend the Cats’ lead to eight points with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
The super finish propelled him to a game-high 138 SuperCoach points.
He was joined by teammates Jeremy Cameron (122 points) Max Holmes (117) with big games.
THE LEADERS:
Patrick Dangerfield 138
Rowan Marshall 128
Jeremy Cameron 122
Jack Steele 119
Max Holmes 117
Talk about a captain's goal 🫡#AFLCatsSaintspic.twitter.com/qflVHQG8Fv
— AFL (@AFL) March 16, 2024
10:07: Wilson makes it a game!
Darcy Wilson has kicked another for the Saints, bringing the margin back within a point in Geelong.
Wilson has now kicked two goals.
There’s less than two minutes left.
10:03: The Saints are still in it
St Kilda has refused to give up in Geelong, kicking two goals in a minute to trim the lead from 19 to seven.
Cooper Sharman booted the first before Max King slotted the second.
There’s just three minutes remaining in the match.
10:00 Witts wears falcon of the year
Gold Coast Suns ruckman Jarrod Witts has received one of the great falcons during the third term of the Suns’ clash with Adelaide.
Looking into the driving rain, Witts anticipated the ball to be spoiled for it to only slam into his face.
Former Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton suggested Witts would have a seam mark down his face on Fox Footy’s coverage.
Watch out Wittsy 😅#AFLSunsCrowspic.twitter.com/CHc8X12wjk
— AFL (@AFL) March 16, 2024
9:53: Eight points, 11 minutes
Geelong and St Kilda are set for a captivating finish at the Cattery.
A recent major to Zach Tuohy has the Cats leading the visitors by eight points.
Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield (105 SuperCoach points) is starting to step up as the heat in the match rises.
9:40: Mannagh is in!
Mature-aged rookie Shaun Mannagh is in the game!
The 26-year-old has been injected into the Cats’ clash with the Saints at an important time.
He has replaced fellow-forward Tyson Stengle, who has been removed with cramp.
9:34: Three SuperCoach tons at final break
There are two SuperCoach centuries heading into the final term in Geelong.
Cats speedster Max Holmes has 101 while Saints big man Rowan Marshall has 108.
Holmes is on track for a career-best night, with his previous best score being 115 against Hawthorn last year.
The Cats lead by 10 points at the last change and are yet to activate sub Shaun Mannagh.
THE LEADERS:
Rowan Marshall 108
Max Holmes 101
Patrick Dangerfield 98
Tom Atkins 91
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera 89
9:20: Sub made in Geelong
St Kilda has activated rookie Lance Collard.
He replaced Seb Ross, who had scored 58 SuperCoach points from his 10 disposals.
9:16: Suns midfielders take command
Midfielders Touk Miller, Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell have produced a superb opening half to lead the Suns into the main break.
The trio are all on fire in the slippery conditions at home against the Crows.
THE LEADERS:
Matt Rowell 87
Touk Miller 86
Noah Anderson 86
Brayden Fiorini 69
Rory Laird 68
9:13: WILSON!
To the delight of he, his family, his friends ... and SuperCoaches, St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson has kicked his first goal in footy.
Wilson — one of the most popular rookies in this year’s crop — has collected 41 SuperCoach points in his debut.
9:10: Flanders finds his feet
SuperCoaches across the country will be breathing a sigh of relief after the impressive revival of Sam Flanders.
Flanders didn’t get his hands on the footy in the first half of the opening term but has since burst into the match and already collected 21 possessions.
He’s quickly grabbed 56 SuperCoach points with three minutes left in the second quarter.
8:53: Blood for both teams
Sun Nick Holman and Crow Luke Pedlar were both in the hands of the doctors at quarter time.
Pedlar left the ground with a blood nose while Holman has required stitches to his lip after a high tackle from Lachlan Murphy.
Both players have since returned to the field.
8:50: Damn Dempsey
Geelong forward Oliver Dempsey has created a headache for majority of SuperCoaches with a blistering first half at the Cattery.
Dempsey — who costs $148,400 and is owned by 4.3 per cent of SuperCoaches — has kicked three goals to half time in Geelong’s clash with St Kilda.
He has already recorded 65 points, which is 31 more than his break even.
THE LEADERS:
Max Holmes 79
Jack Steele 68
Oliver Dempsey 65
Jeremy Cameron 63
Rowan Marshall 59
8:41: Berry blitz
Gold Coast Sun Thomas Berry has already cracked the half ton in just one term of football.
His nine disposals and a goal has the Suns youngster with 53 SuperCoach points.
1600 SuperCoaches are rapt with Berry’s start, particularly because his break even is -1.
Tom Berry's best score in six games last year was 57.
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) March 16, 2024
He's on 52 in the first quarter. #supercoach
THE LEADERS:
Thomas Berry 53
Noah Anderson 41
Brayden Fiorini 41
Rory Laird 40
8:31: Here comes the rain
Rain has set in on the Gold Coast, quickly changing the pace and style of the game.
Noah Anderson is the player currently enjoying the conditions the most, racking up eight disposals, a goal and 39 SuperCoach points with four minutes left in the first term.
8:21: The Suns are hot but a pair of SuperCoach locks are cold
The Gold Coast Suns have kicked two unanswered goals but it’s not off the back of largely-owned SuperCoach favourites Sam Flanders and Alex Sexton.
With 12 minutes left in the first term, Flanders is yet to touch the footy while Sexton has only had one disposal.
Flanders is owned by 40 per cent of SuperCoaches while Sexton is owned by 63.5 per cent.
8:18: Danger, Cameron assert dominance in Geelong
Patrick Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron have had their say in Geelong, swiftly extending the Cats’ lead on the Saints.
Cameron (57points) and Dangerfield (48) have played a huge hand in the Cats booting five goals in a row.
8:10: Underway at Heritage Bank Stadium!
Ben Ainsworth has the Suns’ first in their important clash with Adelaide.
Rain is also expected to hit in the next 20 minutes which could change the way some SuperCoach favourites perform.
The Suns are kicking with the wind in the opening term.
8:01: A Jezza stunner on cusp of quarter time
Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron has sprinkled some trademark magic on this contest with a superb goal from tight in the pocket.
It came late in the term to give the Cats the lead at the first change.
Max Holmes leads all comers with 46 SuperCoaches while captains Patrick Dangerfield and Jack Steele have also made an impact early.
THE LEADERS:
Max Holmes 46
Jack Steele 37
Riley Bonner 36
Patrick Dangerfield 33
Seb Ross 31
7:57: Holmes, Steele start hot
Geelong’s Max Holmes and St Kilda’s Jack Steele have made impressive starts in a rather quiet affair.
Holmes has burst away to 44 SuperCoach points while Steele isn’t far behind with 36.
The Cats’ speedster will set SuperCoaches back $446,000 while the Saints’ skipper costs $529,500.
7:50: Final teams for Suns, Crows
Gold Coast Suns and Adelaide have confirmed their substitutes for the later game, with Darcy Macpherson and Jake Soligo named for the Suns and Crows respectively.
Neither teams have had a late change
7:45: Bruhn under assessment
Geelong youngster Tanner Bruhn is being assessed for a left-ankle injury after an innocuous hit involving St Kilda’s Jack Steele.
Cats’ legend Joel Selwood didn’t suspect there was much in the contest on the Channel 7 coverage.
7:39: Membrey sinks Geelong’s strong start
After the ball lived inside Geelong’s forward half for no reward, St Kilda forward Tim Membrey has broken the four-minute drought with a long-range bomb.
The conversion was the Saints’ first inside 50 for the night.
Max Holmes has started well, collecting 19 SuperCoach points in quick time.
7:24: Selwood celebrated
Geelong’s season opener will be in front of a packed GMHBA Stadium courtesy of the Joel Selwood stand.
Geelong’s four-time premiership champion will watch on tonight as his beloved Cats look to start 2024 in style.
Shaun Mannagh will start as sub for the Cats while Lance Collard will be the Saints’ sub.
Follow all the action from this one as well as the following game between the Suns and Crows right here!
7:25pm: Hogan the hero as Giants score big
Jesse Hogan will almost be a lock in most teams after his performance in SuperCoach against North Melbourne. He led all players with 165 points after kicking six goals. Those with Giants midfielder Tom Green will also be pleased after he scored 150. He’s a lock as well. Harry Sheezel was the best for North Melbourne with 130, which will please those who took a risk on the Kangaroo at the price. He was joined by Luke Davies-Uniacke who scored 123 in the midfield. Is this the year he takes his game to the next level? In terms of the young Roos, Colby McKercher (88) and Zane Duursma (71) had solid debut matches and will be valuable in a few weeks as their price rises. In relation to those who underperformed, Lachie Ash, with 47, struggled to repeat his round zero heroics with Charlie Lazzaro (42) not as efficient as his teammates.
7:15pm: GWS remain unbeaten with big win
North Melbourne tested the Giants throughout but GWS ended up on top. Jesse Hogan kicked six goals and the Giants scored a big score again. The Orange Tsunami continues to impress. Score: 17.19.(121) to 13.4.(82).
7:03pm: Goater down with serious injury
The stretcher is coming out for Josh Goater who has gone down with a serious knee injury. He moved towards a contest in the defensive 50 and his knee just buckled and he went down on the ground. Goater ends up getting up on his own accord but is limping off the ground with trainers around him.
6:55pm: Hogan breaks record
Jesse Hogan kicks his sixth goal and is now the first player to score 150 points or more in a SuperCoach match this year. He becomes the first to do it, in a major game for him.
6:45pm: Teams locked in for Geelong and St Kilda
Debutants Shaun Mannagh (Geelong) and Lance Collard (St Kilda) will start as the respective substitutes in the following game between the Cats and Saints. At $117,300, the mature-aged Mannagh is owned by nearly half of this year’s SuperCoaches. There has been no late changes to either side.
6:42pm: Hogan’s big quarter
Jesse Hogan is now the leading SuperCoach player after scoring 60 points in the third term to go from 76 to 136. He now has five goals for the game and could add more in the final term. GWS midfielder Tom Green is also having a good SuperCoach game and now has 118 points. Harry Sheezel (98), Lachie Whitfield (95) and Josh Kelly (89) all look likely to get to 100. Meanwhile, Cameron Zurhaar had 10 disposals in the third term to move to 59 SuperCoach points.
6:40pm:Top scorers at three-quarter-time
Jesse Hogan - 136
Tom Green - 118
Harry Sheezel - 98
Lachie Whitfield - 95
Josh Kelly - 89
Jack Buckley - 79
Sam Taylor - 71
Jake Riccardi - 71
Tom Powell - 71
Connor Idun - 67
6:36pm: Giants kick away
The third term belonged to the Giants as they kicked five goals to two to extend their margin to 37 points at the final term. The Kangaroos have been gallant but the class of the Giants is taking the game away from them. Score: 15.11.(101) to 10.4.(64).
6:33pm: Sub made for the Giants
Xavier O’Halloran has been taken out of the game for the Giants with Nick Haynes on as the sub. O’Halloran scored 44 points for the Giants before he was subbed out.
6:30pm: Sub made for the Kangaroos
Callum Coleman-Jones has been subbed for the Kangaroos with Liam Shiels brought on for more run. He was the Roos lowest SuperCoach scorer with 23 points before he was subbed out.
6:28pm: Brown and Larkey rise up in SuperCoach
Callum Brown is continuing his great start to the season in SuperCoach. He is now on 58 points and has had a great third term. Can he crack the century again? Kangaroo gun forward Nick Larkey is also having a good term and is now on 49 points after kicking three goals.
6:25pm: Top five SuperCoach point scorers
Jesse Hogan remains in the lead with 113 with Tom Green on 107. Luke Davies-Uniacke is now up to 90 with Lachie Whitfield on 87 and Harry Sheezel on 86.
6:18pm: Top five SuperCoach point scorers
We’ll keep updating the top five SuperCoach players while the site is down. 1. Jesse Hogan - 105, 2. Tom Green - 102, Harry Sheezel - 80, Luke Davies-Uniacke - 79, Lachie Whitfield - 77.
6:15pm: SuperCoach down
We are aware that the SuperCoach app and the website is down right now. To keep an eye on SuperCoach scores either stay here, or head to the match centre here.
6:10pm: Giants on top now
GWS has kicked the opening three goals of the third term and now lead by 36 points. The contest is almost over if North don’t respond in the next five minutes. Jesse Hogan has kicked two of those goals and has now scored more than 100 SuperCoach points. He is the first player to get there this game.
6:03pm: Others of note in SuperCoach
Kangaroos’ first gamers Colby McKercher (51) and Zane Duursma (47) will please SuperCoach coaches with their first-up performances with George Wardlaw (48) also scoring well. Josh Kelly in his 200th game is on track for 100 points with 56 already. Lachie Ash has struggled to half time with 14 points.
5:55pm: Those who impressed in SuperCoach
It’s been a high scoring game for SuperCoach coaches with 15 players on track to score 95+ points in the game. The star has been Tom Green with 86 to half time. The Giants midfielder scored 59 points in the second term and has 22 disposals in the game and kicked a goal. Joining him as a leading scorer is Harry Sheezel with 79. He might be a high price at $556,200 but with his output so far he is worth it. Others who have impressed are Jesse Hogan (76) and Luke Davies-Uniacke with 65. Hogan is turning into a must-have forward. He had eight games with more than 80 last year and is on track for two this year already. And with the way the Giants are scoring, he’ll get plenty of chances to kick goals. Davies-Uniacke is also impressing despite more talent in the midfield now. He’s had 16 disposals but only five kicks.
5:50pm: Top scorers at half-time
Tom Green - 86
Harry Sheezel - 79
Jesse Hogan - 76
Luke Davies-Uniacke - 65
Lachie Whitfield - 58
Josh Kelly - 56
Jack Buckley - 54
Connor Idun - 53
Sam Taylor - 52
Stephen Coniglio - 52
5:46pm: Accuracy key for Kangaroos
The first half for the Kangaroos was their most accurate in five years. In round one, 2019, the Roos kicked six goals straight to half time against Fremantle. This time against the Giants it has been eight straight goals.
5:44pm: Giants lead at half time
GWS steadied late in the second term, kicking two goals, to lead by 19 points at the main break. The Kangaroos have been impressive against one of the most fancied teams for the premiership this year. The young midfield has held their own and first-games Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma have done some nice things in the first half. Score: 10.7.(67) to 8.0.(48).
5:36pm: Margin closes again
The Kangaroos continue to impress and kick two goals to reduce the margin to four points. The young Roos midfield has not been over-rawed by the Giants and have punished GWS when the team has made a mistake. The Roos have also kicked straight, 8.0.(48), and it’s their best start to a contest with accuracy since round one, 2019.
5:30pm: Kangaroos fighting hard
The Giants might be on top and have led throughout but the Kangaroos have bounced back well after being dominated early. The team has matched the Giants and reduced the margin to 10 points at one stage during this term.
5:23pm: Green storms to the lead
In the space of 10 minutes, GWS midfielder Tom Green has doubled his score. He leads all-comers with 55 and has 15 disposals for the match. In the first term he scored 27. In this quarter alone he has kicked one goal and had four touches. More than half of SuperCoach coaches will be happy right now as they have Green in their team.
5:10pm: Dream start for coaches
SuperCoach coaches will be happy with the start to Harry Sheezel ($556,200) and Colby McKercher ($202,800). Both look locks at the moment for the future after their first quarter. Sheezel has started like he did last year and has 34 points to quarter time. McKercher is not only getting a lot of ball, with nine disposals, but he’s scored 32 points as well. Tick, tick, tick from him. George Wardlaw ($365,400) has also been impressive for SuperCoach players with 31 points at quarter time. For GWS, Tom Green ($621,500) has started with 27 with Jake Riccardi ($293,700) leading with 44 after his three goals in the first term. After his heroics last week with 131 last week, Lachie Ash ($468,500) has just three for the Giants after the first term. Another player struggling is Toby Greene ($508,600) who has just four SuperCoach points.
5:07pm: Top scorers at quarter-time
Jake Riccardi - 44
Harry Sheezel - 34
Sam Taylor - 34
Colby McKercher - 32
Kieran Briggs - 31
George Wardlaw - 31
Lachie Whitfield - 30
Jesse Hogan - 29
Luke Davies-Uniacke - 28
Tom Green 27
5:05pm: Quarter time as Giants lead
The Giants lead at quarter-time by 15 points despite an impressive comeback from the Kangaroos. It didn’t look good early for the Kangaroos with the Giants kicking the first three goals. But two goals to the Roos has given them a chance to get back into the contest. Score: 4.3.(27) to 2.0.(12).
5:00pm: Riccardi leads SuperCoach early
Last week he couldn’t kick a goal despite everyone else around him hitting the scoreboard. This week GWS Giants forward Jake Riccardi has bounced back. He has 41 points already in the first term after kicking three goals. Last week, in round zero, he scored three points all game. Some turnaround from the forward.
4:52pm: Kangaroos on the board
Giants kicked the first three goals of the game but the Kangaroos have responded. Zane Duursma kicks his first goal in his first game, getting the ball near the goal square and making no mistake despite being under pressure. He is one of five Kangaroos young players that SuperCoach players are keen on in round one. Colby McKercher is the most popular player picked in the game with 64.3 per cent of SuperCoach coaches having him. Duursma has 32.2 per cent who have selected him. Meanwhile, Toby Pink, in his first game, has 13.6 per cent of SuperCoach players selecting him with Charlie Lazzaro getting 18.3 per cent. The second-most popular player in the game in Kangaroo Rising Star Harry Sheezel with 50 per cent of players picking him.
Roos debutant Zane Duursma gets on the end of one for his first-ever and North's first of the game! 🙌
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 16, 2024
📺 Watch #AFLGiantsNorth LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/c5VwhmeFbG
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/bTvigPS2FB
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/wv5JzQDMTdpic.twitter.com/E5YPZw13i6
4:45pm: GWS on top early
The Giants are not relenting from what they did last week. GWS has already kicked the first two goals of the game and could have added a couple more. It might be a long day for the Kangaroos.
4:35pm: SuperCoach first game wrap
It was a record breaking game for Essendon’s Archie Perkins and new Hawk Massimo D’Ambrosio. Against his previous club, D’Ambrosio scored 122 points, the most he’s ever scored in a game. Perkins scored 124, the most he’s ever scored, beating his previous best of 114 in the first round last year. While both could be great options at $368,900 for Perkins and $224,900 for D’Ambrosio, most coaches might wait to pick them based on sample size of large scores. The leader overall was Andy McGrath who scored 131. It was his best score since round one in 2021. SuperCoach coaches with Zach Merrett will be happy with 127 points from him. Former dominant SuperCoach player Dyson Heppell had a return to form, scoring 106. On the other end of the spectrum, Nic Martin disappointed with 63 with Jai Newcombe only getting 66. James Sicily with 43 was poor and his first half would have SuperCoach players who have him worried. He might be one of the most traded players out for next week. Finally, Elijah Tsatas might be one to look out for in the future. He scored 62 points in a half as a sub. If he starts, he might be added by a few teams.
4:30pm: Next game coming up
We’ll wrap up the first game for SuperCoach in a second but the next game starts soon and the subs have been locked in. The GWS Giants and North Melbourne have put veterans as their subs for this afternoons clash. The Giants have put Nick Haynes as their subs with Liam Shield with the vest on for the Kangaroos.
4:22pm: Bombers win a gruelling contest
Essendon kicked away in the final term to secure a valuable first round win over Hawthorn. Essendon will be happy to claim the four points but there were plenty of positive signs for the Hawks with the players they have out and the impressive debut matches for Jack Ginnivan and Massimo D’Ambrosio. Score: 17.5.(107) to 11.17.(83)
4:11pm: Bombers back on top
The Hawks fought hard to get back into the contest but the Bombers immediately respond with goals to Kyle Langford and new recruit Jade Gresham. Margin is out to 19 points with eight minutes to go on the game clock.
The new Bomber launches a long bomb that might just be the nail in the coffin! 💣⚰ï¸
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 16, 2024
📺 Watch #AFLDonsHawks LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/c5VwhmeFbG
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/EBRp6UUXUf
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/3lN7eYH2VZpic.twitter.com/P1hPKwmtov
4:07pm: Game on again
Hawthorn has kicked the last two goals and the margin is back to seven points. James Worpel has been dominant in the final term with six disposals and is now on 105 SuperCoach points.
4:05pm: Maginness tags straight away
Hawthorn player Finn Maginness looks to be tagging Essendon captain Zach Merrett in the final term when he is on the ground. Merrett has been one of the best for the Bombers and is on 108 points in SuperCoach. Most coaches with him will be pretty happy with how his game has gone.
4:00pm: Bombers kick opening two goals of final term
Jake Stringer kicks his fourth goal for the game and Essendon leads by 20 points, the largest margin of the game, in the final term. The Bombers are just starting to get on top of the contest.
3:57pm: Sub made for the Hawks
Mabior Chol has been subbed out of the game for Hawthorn. Finn Maginness is on for the final term. Chol had a good first game for the Hawks and was unlucky to be subbed. He was in the top-ten of SuperCoach players before he was taken off.
3:49pm: SuperCoach wrap at final change
Essendon duo Andy McGrath and Archie Perkins leads overall and are the first two players to 100 points. The third term belonged to Perkins who kicked two goals and had six disposals. Jake Stringer has gone from being inside the top-10 to outside after being quiet in the third term. Massimo D’Ambrosio is the leading player for Hawthorn with 89 points and is on track for his highest ever score in SuperCoach. His best is 98. Meanwhile, SuperCoach players with Nick Cox and James Sicily will be thinking about changes to both of them. Cox is only on 41 and is playing as a key defender with Sicily on 26 after a quiet first half.
3:47pm: Top scorers at three-quarter-time
Andy McGrath - 102
Archie Perkins - 102
Zach Merrett - 94
Will Setterfield - 93
Massimo D’Ambrosio - 89
Jack Ginnivan - 85
James Worpel - 80
Dyson Heppell - 79
Karl Amon - 74
Mabior Chol - 73
3.45pm: Three quarter time update
How crucial could that late goal be? Matt Guelfi kicks a goal with a couple of second left in the quarter to give Essendon a seven-point lead at the final change. It’s been a cracking contest with it going goal for goal at times during the third quarter. Can the Bombers hold on or will the Hawks run over the top of them? Score: 12.3.(75) to 9.14.(68)
3:40pm: Ginnivan back on the ground
Hawks livewire forward Jack Ginnivan is back on the ground after an injury scare. Hawthorn has not made its sub yet.
3:36pm: Perkins is a round one specialist
There must be something about round one for Archie Perkins. As one top-ten draft pick struggles with injury for Essendon, Zach Reid, another is shining for the Bombers. Perkins last year scored 114 points in the first round in SuperCoach and is on track to do better this year. He is currently on 97 points and has kicked two goals this quarter. He has 18 disposals for the game.
3:34pm: Ginnivan on the bench with an injury
It’s been a great debut for Jack Ginnivan but he’s limped off the ground with an injury. He currently has 87 points in SuperCoach and is being assessed by doctors.
3:30pm: Close contest
It’s goal for goal right now between the Hawks and the Bombers. Hawks forward Dylan Moore gave his side the lead before Bombers player Jye Caldwell boots a goal from almost 50 metres out to give Essendon the lead again. This is a tight contest with no clear leader right now.
3:25pm: D’Ambrosio haunts former club
Essendon didn’t want to let him go and now Massimo D’Ambrosio ($224,900) is proving why the Bombers wanted to keep him. He’s currently second in SuperCoach for the Hawks with 74 points and has had 18 disposals, three marks and laid eight tackles. He’s been one of the best for the Hawks, in his first game for them.
3.10pm: Reid officially out
Essendon’s Zach Reid has been subbed out of the game with a hamstring injury. Elijah Tsatas is now on the ground. It’s a nightmare result for more than 50 per cent of coaches. And if you had Richmond player Josh Gibcus in your team you now have two players ruled out of the game before half time. Some coaches have had a tough start.
3.05pm: Small forwards star in SuperCoach
Andy McGrath might have the most points in the game but all the focus has been on livewire forwards Jake Stringer and Jack Ginnivan. Ginnivan, with 80 points, has been dominant and involved in everything. He has two goals and 14 disposals. Stringer has also been influential for the Bombers with three goals. He has 60 SuperCoach points. For players with Zach Merrett they will be pleased with the midfielder on 66. The SuperCoach points leader is McGrath with 21 disposals, three marks, one tackle and 87 points. He already has the points required to breakeven with his price - $485,500. On the other end of the scale, Nic Martin is on 41 points at half time with 18 disposals and 43 per cent disposal efficiency, which is hurting his score. Hawk Jai Newcombe has also struggled early to be on 34. SuperCoach players with both of those players would have been hoping for more. James Sicily for the Hawks has been poor for SuperCoach players, scoring only eight points to half time.
Only 8 of Nic Martin's 18 first half disposals have been effective. #SuperCoach
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) March 16, 2024
WHAT #SuperCoachpic.twitter.com/MzAk6B4LhK
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) March 16, 2024
2:56pm: SuperCoach top performers
Andy McGrath - 87
Jack Ginnivan - 80
Zach Merrett - 66
Jake Stringer - 60
Mason Redman - 55
Will Setterfield - 54
Dyson Heppell - 54
James Worpel - 54
Archie Perkins - 51
Karl Amon - 51
2:52pm: Bombers hold narrow lead at half-time
Essendon kicks the final two goals of the second quarter and lead by four points at the main break. The Hawks will rue missed chances in the first and second term, which could have got them out to a handy lead. Instead, accuracy from the Bombers in front of goal gives them a valuable lead at the main break. But they have big concerns with Zach Reid who will be assessed at half-time. He looks to have done a hamstring injury again. Score: 7.3.(45) to 5.11.(41).
2:44pm: Reid concern for Bombers
Bomber Zach Reid has come off with what looks like an injury. Elijah Tsatas, the sub, is warming up. This would he a nightmare for more than 50 per cent of SuperCoach coaches with Reid only scoring 15 points in the contest before he went off.
2:39pm: Hawks inaccurate in second term
Hawthorn takes the lead but could have be leading by a couple of goals. The Hawks have been inaccurate, kicking three goals and 10 behinds, including three behinds this term already. Jack Ginnivan ($294,200) though is starring, leading the disposals for Hawthorn with 12 and being influential in the contest. He is on 57 SuperCoach points and is starting to be a major consideration for SuperCoach coaches.
2:30pm: Is Redman in trouble?
Mason Redman hits Jai Newcombe in the face after making contact with the jumper originally. Could he be in trouble for it? Or will he just get a fine, like George Hewett and Lachie Neale last week?
'That might be worth something.'
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 16, 2024
Anything in this contact from Mason Redman?
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2:23pm: SuperCoach quarter time wrap
A lot of high scores in the first term with three players on track to score 160+. Jack Ginnivan ($294,200) was everywhere and had a great first term in Hawks colours with 52 points. If he continues this form, he’ll be an option for a lot of teams. Essendon midfielder Will Setterfield ($475,000) led the Bombers with 47 and had seven disposals and three tackles. Hawks ruckman Ned Reeves ($375,500) also had a great first term with 41 points. He had three disposals and 10 hitouts. It was a tough quarter for James Sicily ($637,400) with just two SuperCoach points with Zach Reid ($123,900) only getting five. Both will be causing headaches for SuperCoaches early.
2.20pm: Top scorers at quarter time
Jack Ginnivan - 52
Will Setterfield - 47
Ned Reeves - 41
Mason Redman - 38
Jake Stringer - 36
James Worpel - 34
Andy McGrath - 32
Matt Guelfi - 32
Luke Breust - 29
Zach Merrett - 28
2.16pm: Quarter time at the MCG
Essendon lead by seven points at quarter time after making a red-hot start. The Bombers led by 15 points at one stage before Hawthorn came back late. The Hawks, with missed chances, were unlucky to not lead or be closer to the Bombers at quarter time. Score: 4.2.(26) to 2.7.(19)
2:10pm: Stringer on fire early
In good signs for Bombers fans, Jake Stringer ($361,600) has started the season well. He’s only had the ball three times but he’s kicked two goals to extend the Bombers lead to 15 in the late stages of the first term. He is now on 38 points in SuperCoach.
2:00pm: First goal for Ginnivan
New Hawk Jack Ginnivan ($294,200) gets mobbed by his teammates as he kicks his first at the club and the teams first for the day. He’s been great early on for his new club, been involved in a fair few contests and has scored plenty of SuperCoach points. He is the leader right now on 33.
1:48pm: Sicily’s poor start
SuperCoach fans will be frustrated at the start for Hawks captain James Sicily. He concedes a free kick, which leads to the first Essendon goal. Then there is a biff between the players and Sicily concedes a second free kick for the melee. He is currently on -1.
Guelfi puts through the opening goal, and it is ON ALREADY🔥
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 16, 2024
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1:45pm: Game is underway
Essendon will kick to the Punt Road end at the MCG.
1:40pm: SuperCoach look out for the match
All eyes will be on luckless Zach Reid ($123,900) as he plays his first game in a year and a bit. He is in 52.3 per cent of teams, so most will be looking for a good output from him and hope his price rises. The other major watch is Nic Martin ($494,800). He is in more than a quarter of squads and is expected to play at half back. Will he stay there all game? Or head on the wing at some stage? SuperCoaches won’t care as long as he gets plenty of the ball. The other Bomber to look out for is Zach Merrett ($650,100). With Darcy Parrish out he might get more of the ball but there is a risk the Hawks might target him and tag him in the match. For the Hawks the major focus on SuperCoaches will be on captain James Sicily ($637,400). The defender is in 18 per cent of teams and players will be hoping he can dominate at the back for the Hawks. My focus will be on Jai Newcombe ($549,200). He is in 10 per cent of teams and to me can be the player who takes his game to the next level. He could average more than 110 a game. Finally, there is a focus on Hawks young players Nick Watson ($189,300) and Ethan Phillips ($102,400) who are in more than 15 per cent of teams.
1:35pm: Subs named for the clash
SuperCoach coaches will have to wait a while to see what Essendon young gun Elijah Tsatas ($245,900) does with the first round draft pick selected to be the sub. Around six per cent of coaches have Tsatas in their squad. Hawthorn have named Finn Maginness ($210,700) as their sub.
1:25pm: Welcome to the SuperCoach blog for this afternoon and the night.
Full subs announcement and what to look out for are coming before the game.
Earlier: Essendon and Hawthorn kick off a huge Saturday of AFL action when both play their first match of 2024 for premiership points at the MCG.
Four teams have already played twice but Saturday is the season opener for Bombers and Hawks fans plus five other teams.
Essendon’s line-up will feature recruits Todd Goldstein, Jade Gresham and Ben McKay, plus virtual recruit Zach Reid. A top 10 pick from the 2020 national draft, Reid played eight games in his first two seasons then none last year as his season was wiped out by a back issue and hamstring surgery. He has been a standout across the pre-season and is a popular pick in defence for thousands of SuperCoach teams.
Originally published as AFL 2024: Relive updates and SuperCoach scores from an action-packed super Saturday
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