Final say: Round 19 tactics, trades, skippers

What goes up, must come down. For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction. Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. 

Choose your cliche because unfortunately they’re all way too applicable this week. Given the circumstances – using two trades, top 2000 spot potentially on the line, carnage everywhere – I think Round 18 2023 will go down as my most disappointing SuperCoach week of all time.

Losing Tom Green, Darcy Cameron and Angus Sheldrick, to go along with Josh Dunkley on the pine, was never a great place to start. Ryan Maric and Cooper Harvey barely getting to 100 points combined at F5-6 was painful, but not entirely unexpected.

Briggsy and Rowan Marshall managing 50 points less than Tim English, and nearly 100 less than Max Gawn was a body blow. Jack Sinclair straight up sucks in any other position but unaccountable half-back (read: SEAGULL). I was already on my knees by the time my three Bombers (Parish, Merrett, Redman) were getting their asses handed to them down at Alphabet Stadium.

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The final ignominious killshot which put my season well and truly to bed was using my precious penultimate trade to flick Tom Green – not to a midfielder, oh no, that would’ve been too simple – to defender James Sicily, who I confidently predicted on Friday morning would notch a double ton against the Roos.

I legitimately could not believe my eyes when checking the scores at quarter time (of course I wasn’t watching Hawthorn v North Melbourne) to see the skipper on single digits.

A disgrace of a week. 2,194 points. A 48,924 ranking and a 1,300 place drop down to 5,600th overall. Onwards and upwards.

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Strategy

One trade left, $197,700 in the bank.

I’m now fully pot-committed on this ragtag team I’ve somehow managed to ruin over the last fortnight. Mason Redman is D6 (I’m playing Nick Daicos in the midfield). Andrew Brayshaw is M8. Briggsy is R2. Darcy Cameron is F6.

On paper it’s alright. In practice, with just three warm bodies on the bench, and those warm bodies being Maric, Harvey and Sam Sturt, it’s pretty dire.

Rory Laird is set to miss this week with a shoulder injury, which again is going to test my depth. All indications are that this is going to be a one week job, so (unlike Tom Green) I don’t think it’s worthwhile burning a trade to get rid of him (especially on the back of a 151).

Extremely tempted to use my final trade to go Marshall -> Gawn, but the way this season is going, one trade is going to be about 6 trades too few to deal with the amount of injuries/suspensions over this last stretch of the season.

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Watchlist

A few guys taking my eye this week! With every trade essential on the run home, the importance of nailing your last upgrade/sideways trades is only getting higher.

Touk Miller ($518k Mid)

It’s really not an ‘if’ question, but a ‘when’ for Touk over these last six weeks. The guy is going to explode and go on a huge run at some point.

The most impressive thing about him this season has been his consistency either side of a major injury, with just the one sub-100 score for the year outside of his injury-affected 40 against the Roos in Round 6.

All arrows – gametime, CBAs, disposals – are pointing upwards for Touk, and with a breakeven of 103, now is the time to strike.

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Jack Viney ($537k Mid)

I’ve seen plenty of chatter around what impact the lack of Clayton Oliver has on the likes of Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw, but what about Jack Viney?

The little tough nut has a 5-round average of 112 and has elevated his ceiling significantly, with 3 110+ scores in that span. The Dees have a friendly run home, playing cellar dwellers Hawthorn, North and Sydney, as well as the Tigers, Crows (who he has a superb record against) and Blues. 

Seriously low ownership at just 1%. Worth a look.

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Sam Flanders ($427k Mid/Fwd)

Perennial tease Sam Flanders is at it again, and for good reason this time may I add!

A four-round average of 108 and a stack of midfield time is more than enough to catch my eye. With rumours circulating about Dew and Flanders not “seeing eye to eye”, the change in Suns coach may have been enough to unlock a clearly disposal-heavy Flanders gamestyle. I’m intrigued.

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Eddie’s Captains

Tim English: While Essendon hasn’t been generous to rucks this season, English has a fantastic record against them, averaging 144 in his last three outings. A lineup of Phillips and Bryan opposing him doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence as a Dons fan.

Marcus Bontempelli: Bont has a five-round average of 132. His three tons in previous matches against Essendon are obviously a positive, but really he’s just a jet, and the Dogs desperately need a win.

Zach Merrett: If you don’t like Bont or English and need a POD VC tonight, Merrett is a decent look. Had been on a tear before stinking it up against the Cats – and he wasn’t alone there. Seriously considering.

Tim Taranto: Taranto got back to scoring 100+ points last week and has a good history against Hawthorn. Seems a safe 120-130 bet.

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James Sicily: Sic Dawg should bounce back after being sat on by Eddie Ford last week, but coaches may want to see a decent score from him before considering him as a VC or C option.

Lachie Neale: Neale had a quiet first half against Melbourne before slowly coming in to the game, but facing the rampaging Cats might not make him the top choice this week.

Errol Gulden: Gulden has become a consistent captaincy option with a five-round average of 131.8. He’s got a great record against Freo, but it doesn’t seem to matter who he plays at the moment.

Nick Daicos: Daicos continues to impress and might be the most  reliable captain choice in the league at the moment. Port’s previous attempt to tag him didn’t work – do they try again with Willem Drew or just let Nicky D off the chain?

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Christian Petracca: Although playing forward is a concern, Petracca destroyed Adelaide last time they played and seems to be scoring well regardless of where he plays.

Max Gawn: If he maintains his solo ruck role, Gawn needs to be in captaincy considerations every week. Reilly O’Brien has been in decent form, so this isn’t a cupcake matchup, but we all know what the Dees skipper can do in any circumstances.

Jordan Dawson: Delivering week-on-week at the moment. With no Laird, will have to shoulder a bigger midfield burden. He’s up for it.

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Vice Captains

1. Tim English
2. Marcus Bontempelli
3. Zach Merrett

Captains

1. Nick Daicos
2. Tim Taranto
3. Jordan Dawson