SuperCoach AFL 2024: Selection whispers, late mail for round 4

SuperCoaches need a hero. And in the face of crumbling defensive benches, Gold Coast has come to the rescue. See all the details plus injury news and teams whispers for round 4.

Gold Coast has come to the rescue in SuperCoaches’ hour of need.

But solving the backline rookie crisis could come at a cost in the form of one of the popular forward cheapies in the game.

The Suns announced this week three players will make their AFL debut in Sunday’s Gather Round clash against GWS Giants.

One of those is Ethan Read ($171,300 RUC), a 202cm key position player taken with pick 9 in last year’s draft. The names SuperCoaches need to know are Will Graham ($117,300 DEF/MID) and Sam Clohesy ($102,400 DEF).

Graham was recruited with pick 26 last November after being part of the all-conquering Allies squad in 2023.

Clohesy is in a different category, earning his AFL chance as a 21-year-old, snapped up from Werribee in the VFL in the rookie draft.

He won the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the most promising young talent in the VFL in 2023 – an award familiar to fantasy watchers with previous winners including SuperCoach rookie success stories Michael Barlow, Luke Ryan and Nic Newman.

The rebounding half-back plays the most fantasy-friendly role of the trio, comes at a bargain basement price and could be the right player at just the right time as defence rookie stocks are decimated by injuries.

Sam Clohesy was drafted after starring for Werribee last season. Picture: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Young Gold Coast tall Ethan Read. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Melbourne’s Marty Hore was the latest to fall victim to the 2024 curse after suffering a broken thumb that will sideline him for the three weeks.

The news follows long-term injuries to popular SuperCoach picks Nick Coffield, Zach Reid and Josh Gibcus in the opening two rounds.

Coaches have two weeks to assess the Suns’ new faces before their prices change in SuperCoach but given the state of many defences in a best 22 scoring round, you could be forgiven for taking the risk and trading one in sight unseen.

The Suns are set for a selection squeeze with Jarrod Witts, Bailey Humphrey and Malcolm Rosas also likely to be available. That could put the heat on Alex Sexton, the 13th-most selected player in SuperCoach, featuring in almost 90,000 teams.

WINES SELLERS

Ollie Wines’ almost start to the season has been put on hold with the Brownlow medallist set to miss Gather Round with a hamstring injury.

Wines has scored in the 90s in the first three rounds, enough to add $10,700 to his price tag – handy butt not the sharp price increase his 19,000 owners would have hoped for.

More than 6000 of them have already traded Wines out on the back of the injury news, with Sam Flanders, Jack Steele and Tom Green popular replacements.

Wines is listed as one week on Port Adelaide’s injury list and could be covered if you have a strong midfield bench.

Ollie Wines will sit out Gather Round. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

DARCY CLOSES ON RETURN

Luke Jackson owners, enjoy this week. It might be the last time he is solo ruck at the Dockers for a while.

Sean Darcy is expected to return after a month out with a knee injury in the Dockers’ round 5 clash against Port Adelaide.

And coach Justin Longmuir says there is room for both in the best 22.

He said there would be a “transition period” in which Jackson would continue to play strong ruck minutes while Darcy builds his fitness. But even after that, they can both be weapons for Freo.

“We want to try and get back to using them the same way we used them in the period last year when they were both playing really well in the four games leading into the bye, before Sean got hurt,” Longmuir said on Wednesday. “I think they were both in almost career-best form in that period.

Jackson spent 43 per cent of game time in the ruck, 8 per cent in the midfield and 49 per cent forward in those four matches, and scored 126, 119, 81 and 106 SuperCoach points. They are promising numbers for his 78,000 owners in SuperCoach who have enjoyed a 129.7 average to start the season.

Meanwhile, Carlton ace Sam Walsh is back in full training and is listed as 1-2 weeks away on the Blues’ injury list. His return could impact rookie Jack Carroll, who has attended 52 and 46 per cent of centre bounces the past two rounds.

Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2024: Selection whispers, late mail for round 4