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SuperCoach isn’t all about who you pick.
While nailing that crucial breakout and grabbing all the money-making rookies early is important, you’ve also got to make sure you miss the players who’ll drag your team down.
Jack Macrae hurt plenty of coaches last season, as did Lachie Whitfield before he turned his form around.
Here are the players I’ve dubbed the Dangerous Dozen, players who should give you pause before ramming them into your side.
At this stage I’m giving these 12 guys a miss, but reserve the right to bring them in down the line if circumstances change in practice matches.
Sam Flanders has Max Stainkamph’s tail tingling as a starting SuperCoach selection. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images via AFL Photos
SAM FLANDERS ($494,200 MID-FWD)
Flanders will miss round three with a Round Zero-induced bye, where while the competition goes to Best 18, you’ll also be missing any other Suns and Giants players — and covering them with a rookie will set you behind anyone who isn’t missing premium options.
The other reason to avoid 2023’s breakout star, and the other is the Dimma effect.
Damien Hardwick was never known for fostering a system which fostered huge scores in his innings at Richmond – Dustin Martin aside – and it’s given your humble correspondent pause.
With a heap of options including Touk Miller, Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, new draftees in Jack Rodgers and co., and more, is there still room for him in the guts?
We do get to see him and what role he has in Round Zero, which is a plus, but then that means he has that bye in round three, which is bad. But he came home like a house on fire last season, which is good. But it came while Touk Miller was on the comeback trail from injury, which is bad. But, his name lets you make Simpsons references! (That’s good).
SHAUN MANNAGH ($117,300 MID-FWD)
Beware the ghost of Greg Clark.
The Werribee mature-ager – and arguably the VFL’s best footballer – was the talk of the town when he was plucked from Michael Barlow’s Werribee in last year’s National Draft, and he very quickly became the talk of SuperCoaches all over.
It’s a trajectory shared by one of the WAFL’s brightest stars in Greg Clark.
While I hope Mannagh avoids the fate of Clark, who was the starting sub five times for the Eagles and was never given the crack as a centre-bounce midfielder he proved he was at state level.
In non-sub affected games last season, Clark scored 19, 39, 30 and 4 in 2023, and he only ended up with 21 games across two seasons before the Eagles let him go.
Mannagh may well prove to have more strings to his bow than Clark did, but I’m avoiding for now and will jump on in round three should he prove to be unmissable.
HAYDEN YOUNG ($525,100 DEF)
As former US President George W. Bush famously said, “There’s an old saying in West Australia — I know it’s in South Australia, probably in West Australia — that says, burn me in SuperCoach once, shame on — shame on you. Burn me — you can’t get burned again”.
Wiser words have never been spoken by a wiser man.
Anyway, I was saying something about Hayden Young.
Oh yes, he’s tearing up the track and set to move into the midfield, alongside Nat Fyfe, Neil Erasmus, Matthew Johnson and David Mundy’s socks which he left in his locker when he retired.
Hayden Young is a good footballer and about the best kick in the AFL. Will I be selecting him in SuperCoach? I will not.
Not everyone can get thrown into the midfield and become a star. I’d want to wait and see if he ends up on a wing — which is probably where he’s more naturally suited, and where he’d not be as valuable in SuperCoach. It’s a pass for me.
Does the risk outweigh the reward when selecting Zac Williams? Picture: Carlton Media
ZAC WILLIAMS ($216,100 DEF)
Eleven. Fourteen. Nine.
They’re the match totals from Zac Williams from his last three seasons, and while the three before that were all seasons of 20 games, he also endured a tricky patch from 2013-15 where he averaged 10 games a season.
Williams may be like a “new recruit” for the Blues in 2023, and might be the missing piece of the puzzle in Carlton’s push for a 17th premiership.
He may also be back in rehab by round three.
If we get 10 games in a row from Williams before he’s inevitably back on the injury list, you could argue he’s worth the selection.
You’d probably be right, and I hope he does get through every game, but Williams surely has to be approached with caution considering that injury history.
TOBY PINK ($123,900 DEF)
SuperCoaches were tickled pink – if you’ll pardon the pun – by the signing of the SANFL’s full back of the year by North Melbourne as a delisted free agent.
However, fast forward a few months and the former listed Swan isn’t locked in to play for the Roos by any means, despite their lack of depth in the key defensive posts.
Charlie Comben has been thrown into defence over the pre-season – and has been seen taking kick-outs – while Kallan Dawson and Bigoa Nyuon are also firming to partner Aidan Corr down back.
Buyer beware.
Will Jack Billings play enough games in 2024 to be a valuable SuperCoach option? Picture: Brendan Beckett
JACK BILLINGS (243,900 FWD)
Do you like selecting players who’ll play VFL more than they’ll play AFL? Then go ahead and select Jack Billings.
If you like your mid-pricers playing consistent AFL football and scoring well, then I would pick someone else.
Jack Billings seems like a nice guy, but I remember being very keen to pick Luke Dunstan when he made the swap to Melbourne, and that didn’t work out.
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