SuperCoach AFL 2024: Late mail, captain advice for round 1

SuperCoaches have been thrown a late curve ball with round 1 teams creating rookie chaos — both good and bad. Get all the late mail here.

Chris Scott has kept St Kilda — and SuperCoaches — guessing about whether mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh will debut as the sub on Saturday.

The Cats have confirmed the former Werribee star will play his first AFL game on Saturday, but he has been named on the bench.

One of Mannagh, Zach Tuohy, Jake Kolodjashnij, Tom Atkins and Gryan Miers will be sub.

Asked on Friday whether Mannagh would be sub, Scott said: “Maybe. Ross (Lyon) and Corey Enright and those guys are too good for us to give them any more than we need to. We’ll try to make a habit of not announcing that before we have to.”

Will you pick Shaun Mannagh if he's named as sub? #SuperCoach

— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) March 14, 2024

Meanwhile, Jeremy Sharp will play his first game for Fremantle on Sunday after being elevated into the starting side on Friday.

The former Gold Coast Sun has replaced Jaeger O’Meara, who the Dockers said was withdrawn due to medical reasons.

Sharp currently features in more than 54,000 SuperCoach teams.

And there could be another debutant from the west, with $123k FWD Tyrell Dewar on the plane to Adelaide with West Coast.

West Coast rookie Tyrell Dewar is on the plane to Adelaide. Board member Nicole Moody and chair Paul Fitzpatrick also heading over. #AFLpic.twitter.com/H5ANrEek3G

— Mitchell Woodcock (@Mitch_Woodcock) March 15, 2024

THURSDAY TEAM NEWS: HORE BACK FOR DEES, MANNAGH SUB RISK

Geelong has named SuperCoach favourite Shaun Mannagh to debut on Saturday — but with the very real threat he is listed as the sub.

Mannagh is the fifth player named on the bench for the Cats, with veteran Zach Tuohy the only other logical sub.

Jake Kolodjashnij, Tom Atkins and Gryan Miers are the other bench Cats.

Round 1 selection has left SuperCoaches with a host of rookie dilemmas, including whether to start Marty Hore in defence.

The former Demon — who was delisted then redrafted by Melbourne — will play his first AFL game since round 23, 2019.

Hore, a $123k DEF, has been named a halfback flank for the Demons’ clash with Western Bulldogs.

Finlay Macrae ($152k FWD) has also been named with Tom Mitchell out of Collingwood’s team.

The news is not as good for coaches who planned on starting Henry Hustwaite ($184k MID) and Ethan Phillips ($102k DEF) who have been named as emergencies by Hawthorn.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL ROUND 1 TEAMS

THE BIG QUESTION SUPERCOACHES ARE ASKING

When will Sean Darcy return?

It’s the question thousands of SuperCoaches would love to have an answer to before deciding whether to select Luke Jackson in their teams.

When Darcy was out injured last year Jackson dominated as Fremantle’s No.1 ruckman, averaging 119 points a game – a bump of 40 points from his average playing alongside his Dockers teammate.

Darcy had an arthroscope on his left knee after pulling up sore from Fremantle’s two pre-season hitouts, and there have been conflicting reports about how long he will be sidelined, with some suggestions he might not return for up to eight weeks.

The official word from Fremantle is the club hopes he won’t miss more than a month.

“The plan is to have Sean back up and out there playing in 3-4 weeks,” high performance manager Phil Merriman said.

That would have Darcy out for games against Brisbane, North Melbourne and Adelaide, with a possible return in round 4 against Carlton or round 5 against Port Adelaide.

The timing could be crucial for SuperCoaches hoping Jackson will help cover for Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn when they have byes in rounds 5 and 6 respectively.

Sean Darcy (right) had knee surgery. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

NEALE RULED OUT OF CLASH WITH OLD SIDE

Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale is out of Sunday’s clash against his former side Fremantle.

This masthead’s Jon Ralph is reporting that Neale has been ruled out with hamstring tightness.

Neale currently features in more than 7000 SuperCoach teams.

Lachie Neale is officially out against Freo with hamstring tightness. Gets the week off with the round 2 bye then should be back against Collingwood @heraldsunsport

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) March 14, 2024

JACK OUT, BONNER BOOST

All-Australian Saint Jack Sinclair has been ruled out of round 1 and a return date has not been locked in.

Sinclair missed St Kilda’s two practice matches with a calf issue.

“(Sinclair) is on track,” coach Ross Lyon said on Thursday morning.

“As always we have a contingency approach to rehab: tick the box and move forward, miss the box or get ahead, bring him forward. At this stage he’s on track, but he just needs to keep jumping those hurdles.”

Lyon confirmed draftee Darcy Wilson will make his debut against Geelong on Saturday night, and recruits Riley Bonner and Liam Henry will also be in the team.

Bonner, a potential midfield bargain priced at $284,500 in SuperCoach, will assume extra responsibility with Sinclair and suspended veteran Jimmy Webster both missing from the Saints defence.

“Wilson’s clearly playing, Bonner will play and Henry was a great trade-in acquisition, we believe,” Lyon said.

Jack Sinclair is battling a calf injury. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

BOMBER WARNING?

SuperCoach bargain hunters have flocked to Bomber Nic Martin after his move to the backline in the pre-season. But will he stay there?

Martin averaged 88 points a game playing on a wing last season but starred in Essendon’s community series game against Geelong, running out of defence to pick up 28 disposals, two goals and 109 SuperCoach points.

He now sits in 25 per cent of SuperCoach teams.

“It’s an interesting time. I think with my whole career I have sort of been thrown around a little bit, especially my AFL career,” he said on 6PR radio in Perth.

“I probably started forward, moved (to the) wing, now half-back. Definitely keep my eyes open, my options available. Not putting a pigeonhole on where I can play in 2024 and sort of be that utility that Brad can throw to different roles, different options in role.

“Looking at that wing, half-back and half forward. It’s a tough one to put a label on, my position.”

Nic Martin has been a pre-season standout. Picture: Michael Klein

BUTTERS GOOD TO GO

Port Adelaide has given Zak Butters the all clear to take on West Coast in round 1 after a pre-season injury scare.

Butters sprained his right ankle in the Power’s AAMI Community Series game against Fremantle on March 1.

“Lock in Butters, definitely,” Power assistant coach Josh Carr said on Monday.

“I don’t think you can really hold him back. He has done all the work and all the preparation, he’s ready to go.”

RUCK ROCKED

Options for a bench ruckman in SuperCoach have all but dried up after Richmond omitted Sam Naismith for its clash against Carlton on Thursday night.

Naismith scored 93 points in opening round but now appears unlikely to return to the senior team unless Toby Nankervis suffers another injury, or the Tigers have a change in coaching philosophy and opt to play two ruckmen.

Naismith is sitting in 33 per cent of SuperCoach teams, while $102,400 bench options Finnbar Maley and Coen Livingstone are in 20.9 per cent and 20.3 per cent respectively.

ROOKIE WATCH

Bulldog Ryley Sanders, Hawk Nick Watson and Kangaroos defender Toby Pink are among the players already confirmed for their first AFL appearance in round 1.

See the full list of debutants here.

CAPTAINS CORNER

In the scramble to finalise squads picking a captain can almost be an afterthought in round 1. But it’s a great chance to get a jump on the competition.

Nick Daicos will be a popular vice-captain choice on Friday night, although his record against the Swans isn’t the best. In two career encounters against Sydney he scored 62 and 81 points.

But it’s worth bearing in mind that Daicos – owned by 78 per cent of coaches – was shadowed in those games by Ryan Clarke, who was delisted at the end of last season.

Max Gawn and Tim English are both good options in Sunday’s Melbourne v Bulldogs game – they both have a three-round average of 126 against each other. Marcus Bontempelli (125) isn’t far behind.

Max Gawn will be a man on a mission after lowering his colours last week. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/Getty Images

Many coaches will look to the Giants’ clash against North Melbourne for a potential game-busting score. Surprisingly, Tom Green’s scored only 77 points against the Kangaroos last season. Teammate Stephen Coniglio loves playing against North, averaging 130 in his past three against them.

Zak Butters scored 94 points when Port Adelaide last played West Coast, in round 6 last season. Connor Rozee was the star that day with 29 disposals, two goals and 126 points.

Nat Fyfe would be a very brave pick in the final game of the round but his last three scores against the Lions are 122, 143 and 126 ... although he hasn’t played them since 2021.

Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2024: Late mail, captain advice for round 1