Weekly wrap: Round 20 studs & duds

Just when I thought my season was back on track, it’s now time for me to throw in the towel.

It’s virtually impossible to climb the ranks when you’ve got blokes like Mason Redman and Nic Martin stinking up the whole place week in, week out.

Is it a coincidence that they both play for Essendon too??

This week, Elite Dadds scored a measly 2448 which moved me down 1075 spots to 4093^rd.

Anyway, let’s get into the wrap!

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Collingwood v Carlton

• Darcy Cameron (127) has not only turned his own season around, but also his coaches who have been put through the ringer since his Round 10 return. Sub-100 scores and injury scares were enough of a reason to trade him out, but he’s definitely hit his stride in the past two weeks and his owners are certainly benefiting
• Tom Mitchell (98) managed to play out the whole game without any substitutions
• Nick Daicos (82) copped a little bit of attention throughout the match, but certainly not enough to excuse his worst score since Round 8
• Nic Newman (137) has been the one benefiting from Sam Docherty’s (93) slightly more permanent move into the middle

• Charlie Curnow (137) backed up his performance against the Eagles with 6 goals to add to his rapidly growing tally. He has a five-round average of 121
• Similar to Sam Walsh two weeks ago, Adam Cerra (104) was on track to break SuperCoach records. After racking up 20 touches in the early stages of the third quarter, he was subbed off with hamstring tightness
• Patrick Cripps (100) had a game-high 10 tackles
• George Hewett (58) was the most traded-in player in Round 20 but could only muster up 19 touches and 4 tackles. The old adage of “you don’t play the Eagles every week!” once again holds true

Geelong v Fremantle

• Tom Stewart (101) managed to avoid the Michael Frederick (54) tag, but couldn’t avoid the seven clangers that he accumulated
• Patrick Dangerfield (65) was tagged by Hayden Young (69)
• Jeremy Cameron (57) converted just one of his six shots on goal
• Andrew Brayshaw (137) had 11 tackles to go along with his 28 disposals

• Luke Ryan (112) did his usual thing
• Corey Wagner (110) tonned up for the first time in his career
• Caleb Serong (110) led the game in contested possessions with 17
• Luke Jackson (87) was clearly the solo ruck for the Dockers

Western Bulldogs v GWS

• Tim English (163) dominated to take his season average up to 130, making him the highest averaging player in 2023
• This was vintage Adam Treloar (144), racking up disposals and goals for fun
• Bailey Dale (139) wasn’t put off by the return of Jason Johannisen (68)
• Tom Liberatore (133) and Jack Macrae (122) both found plenty of the footy in midfield
• Marcus Bontempelli (101) was on fire early, causing the Giants to throw Callan Ward (86) onto him in a tagging role. Plot twist: It actually worked!

• Scans have confirmed that Josh Bruce (26) unfortunately ruptured his ACL for the second time
• Lachie Whitfield (128) has a three-round average of 128
• Stephen Coniglio (122) collected 34 touches and 9 tackles
• Sam Taylor’s (107) incredible – and frankly criminally underrated – run continues. His five-round average has leapt up to 119
• Kieren Briggs (104) had a monstrous last quarter
• I’ve never thought of Josh Kelly (98) as an overly contested player, but he notched up 14 tackles!

Gold Coast v Brisbane

• Jarrod Witts (134) has finally lived up to the expectation that many coaches (including myself) had after bringing him in for Sean Darcy post-bye
• Matthew Rowell (109) started at half forward then moved into the midfield in the second quarter
• Touk Miller (106) played one of the best lockdown roles of the year on Lachie Neale (87)
• Sam Flanders (85) had 30+ disposals for the second week in a row
• Josh Dunkley (133) delivered as one of the most popular captaincy options
• Jaspa Fletcher (45) was subbed off in the last quarter and can be cashed in now permitted you have enough trades

Essendon v Sydney

• Zach Merrett (139) led the charge for the Bombers in the last quarter and looks like the best captain choice this against the Eagles
• Mason Redman (56) certainly did NOT capitalise on the absence of Jordan Ridley
• Does it come as a surprise that two of Nicholas Martin’s (53) three lowest scores this year have come after I brought him in? Not. At. All.
• Errol Gulden (152) bounced back incredibly well from his 66 against the Dockers

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• Jake Lloyd (127) tonned up for the first time since Round 14
• Callum Mills (50) had a shocking game, probably as a result of just four CBAs
• And, after putting up his highest score of the season last week, Luke Parker (45) just came out and dished up his lowest score of the season
• Lance Franklin (9) was subbed off in the second quarter with a calf injury and has since retired effective immediately. You never know what you’ve got until it’s gone 🙁

Adelaide v Port Adelaide

• I’m really not sure if I’ve seen a better goal this year than that outside-50 left foot BOMB from Taylor Walker (157). He plays the Eagles in the last game of the season, a team he kicked 10 and scored 208 points against in Round 13 this year…
• Matt Crouch (144) has found his way back into the team and for the first time in two years looks actually looks relatively fit and fast?? Would be an awesome POD for the run home if you’ve got the trades
• Rory Laird (129) shrugged off any injury issues he might have had in the build-up to this game

• Jordan Dawson (119) had 34 touches and kicked 0.3
• Luke Nankervis (47) is on the bubble this week
• Zak Butters (134) put up his biggest score since Round 10
• Dan Houston (122) now ranks as the fourth highest scoring defender this season
• Connor Rozee (104) has only dropped below 90 once this year

Hawthorn v St Kilda

• Will Day (118) had 22 touches and 11 marks while also going at 90% DE
• James Worpel (116) has a three-round average of 115
• Cooper Sharman (61) paid some close attention to James Sicily (102) early on
• Brandon Ryan (40) certainly passed the eye test on debut
• Brad Crouch (117) had 32 touches and kicked 3 goals

• Typically Hawthorn have been quite restricting to opposition ruckmen, but that didn’t faze Rowan Marshall (113)
• Jack Sinclair (113) was tagged in the first quarter but exploded when he was freed up
• Jack Steele (108) has a four-round average of 128. He’s well and truly back
• Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (107) will 100% be in my starting team next year

Richmond v Melbourne

• Ivan Soldo (128) has a three-round average of 111
• Dustin Martin (108) kicked 3 snags
• After averaging 119 throughout the first 14 matches of the season, Tim Taranto (75) has just one ton in his last five games
• I said it on last week’s podcast that not only is Max Gawn (174) the best POD available, he’s also just the best player available in general. He has an insane three-round average of 170 and has one of the most friendly draws to finish off the year

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• Christian Petracca (141) is thriving with Clayton Oliver out of the team
• Not entirely SuperCoach relevant, but Harrison Petty (135) kicked 6 goals
• Jack Viney (124) had 32 disposals and 9 tackles

West Coast v North Melbourne

• Andrew Gaff (91) looks like a great M9 with a three-round average of 97
• This is Luke Davies-Uniacke’s (127) lowest score in the last four weeks
• Harry Sheezel (114) played predominantly at half back until the last quarter when North were desperate for goals