BBL star D’Arcy Short reveals his first AFL SuperCoach team for 2019

The name D’Arcy Short is synonymous with BBL SuperCoach stardom, but does he have AFL SuperCoach abilities to mate? The Aussie masterblaster reveals his first draft team for 2019.

He’s the most popular player in SuperCoach BBL, but how does Big Bash master blaster D’Arcy Short go in the AFL version of the game?

Short, the Big Bash’s leading run-scorer, averages 95.4 in his SuperCoach endeavours with the Hobart Hurricanes — behind only Melbourne Star Marcus Stoinis — and has taken a second chance approach to his AFL team, the Buddha Honkies.

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D’Arcy Short tees off for the Hobart Hurricanes against the Melbourne Renegades on his way to a big SuperCoach BBL score. Picture: Getty Images

The 28-year-old, who is celebrating his recall to the Australian squad to tour India later this month, has a number of players in his side who have changed clubs in the off-season.

Dan Hannebery, Chad Wingard, Lachie Weller, Jack Scrimshaw and Will Setterfield are all part of the second chance saloon club.

“I think, people who change clubs, it’s obviously a fresh start for them and I guess they probably had to, not prove something, but obviously do well and impress for their new team,” Short said.

The Darwin native has been a Hawthorn supporter since he was a child and, while he knows you play SuperCoach with your head and not your heart, there is a distinct brown and gold flavour in Short’s team, with no less than six Hawks.

“Being from Darwin, we didn’t have a team to follow, so we got to choose our own team and, when I was nine or 10, I had a good mate following them (the Hawks) and thought I’d just go with him,” he said.

Darcy Short’s first draft AFL SuperCoach team.

“Good choice in the end, really, because they’ve had great success.

“A lot of people say I jumped on a bandwagon, but they can say what they want. I was only going for them because my mate was and it’s worked out well.

“Footy’s massive up there.”

He believes Hawthorn star Jaeger O’Meara will take the next step in 2019 and is a great point of difference midfielder.

“I just think that O’Meara’s come back from injury a couple of years ago, had a good start last year and is probably getting a bit more confident in his body this year,” he said.

“He’s one the Hawks are going to rely on more now that (Tom) Mitchell’s out (broken leg),” he said.

Darcy Short believes Hawthorn star Jaeger O’Meara is set for a huge season. Picture: Getty Images

While SuperCoaches normally see mid-pricers as no-go zones, Short believes a number of awkwardly-priced players will be big improvers in 2019.

“I think Andy McGrath is one who probably will take a big step in terms of he’s had a bit of experience last year, he has another preseason under his belt and I think he will get more midfield time, even with Dylan Shiel’s arrival,” he said.

“Matt Suckling’s just a good all-round player. He’s a great kick and he probably hasn’t done as well as what he would have liked — or the team would have liked — but I really think he is one who is going to come through this year.

“Tim Kelly, I just think he’s a guy coming through in his second season who is probably going to play a pivotal role for the Cats, especially with Ablett going forward.”

Once Short decided he was only going to take one of the two best ruckman in the game, the decision to go with Brodie Grundy over Max Gawn was easy.

“I think Grundy is a better pick,” he said.

Darcy Short chose Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy over fellow big man Max Gawn. Picture: Michael Klein

“He scored more last year and the way he moves around the ground and being able to collect balls off the ground, there’s no one else who can do what he does.”

As far as the cheapie rookies and cash cows go, Short believes it’s a bit like throwing darts this far out and expects to make a number of changes after the JLT Cup and Round 1 teams are released.

The 28-year-old has a group of mates who play in a SuperCoach draft competition every year.

“We’ve done that for the last three or four years,” he said.

“Basically we just have a draft night and have a game to start with or pick it out of a hat, 1-10 who goes first in draft order.

“A couple of the boys get right into it and have their info all done up and ready to go, they take it quite seriously.

“I generally go in and wing it. I normally have a version of my team in my head, but have to make adjustments when things change and they pick players I want.”

Short is a gun with the bat and becoming a weapon with the ball. Picture: AAP

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Originally published as BBL star D’Arcy Short reveals his first AFL SuperCoach team for 2019