Fixture
Friday, April 8
Collingwood vs Carlton (MCG) @ 7:50pm
Saturday, April 9
Wester Bulldogs vs Gold Cast (Etihad) @ 2:10pm
Adelaide vs Fremantle (AAMI) @ 2:40pm
Richmond vs Hawthorn (MCG) @ 7:10pm
West Coast vs Sydney (Patterson) @ 6:10pm
Sunday, April 10
Melbourne vs Brisbane (MCG) @ 1:10pm
Geelong vs Port Adelaide (SS) @ 2:10pm
St Kilda vs Essendon (Etihad) @ 4:40pm
Teams
Click here http://bit.ly/gVtuxJ for your final 22-man squads (courtesy of AFL.com.au).
Key Team Changes (As of 9am Friday; ‘*’ denotes Sunday Games)
INS: Leon Davis (COLL), Brian Lake, Lindsay Gilbee (WBD), Maverick Weller, Michael Coad (GC), Kurt Tippett, Brodie Martin (ADE), Jayden Pitt (FREO), Jared Polec (BRIS)* and Joel Selwood (GEEL)*
OUTS: Simon Buckley (COLL), Josh Fraser, Josh Toy (GC), Jason Porplyzia (ADE), Cyril Rioli (HAW), Addam Maric (MELB)* and Lenny Hayes (STK)*
Captain’s Corner
Round 2 Review: Swan (152), Goddard (102), Judd (117), Dal Santo (107) and Sandilands (101).
All got over 100, but hopefully you went with SuperCoach cyborg Dane Swan, who, after a quiet first term against the Kangaroos, went on to accumulate a 150+ score, thanks mostly to his 18-possession second quarter. On the other side of the spectrum, Saints players were disappointing – and I’m not just speaking from a fantasy footy perspective. Only time will tell if they’re the top four side we all predicted they would be prior to Round 1…
Round 3 Selections
Dane Swan (COLL)
Did someone say permanent captain? Two games into the season and the man with the tattooed sleeves has notched up a pair of scores over 150. Although this week should be a tougher task against the Blues, the stats indicate that Swany should be your first choice for skipper again in Round 3. Since the start of 2009, the midfielder has averaged 123 against Carlton which, when you combine with the fact he averaged 129 at the MCG last year, make for a pretty compelling argument to give him the big ‘C.’ Again the number one candidate for your SuperCoach skipper this week.
Scott Pendlebury (COLL)
The disparity between your two best captaincy options this week is by no means gulfing; so much so that the argument for Pendles as your #1 choice for skipper is an easy one to make. The Collingwood Vice Captain actually has a better record against the Blues in recent history than his older teammate. His last four games against the Carlton have seen him register scores of 139, 115, 131 & 150 for an average of 134. And while Swan has him covered when it comes to scores at the MCG, Pendlebury still averaged an elite 110 at the ground last year. Although I feel Swan has the slight edge, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Pendlebury was to overhaul him this week.
Paul Chapman (GEEL)
Chapman’s SuperCoach numbers, both at Skilled Stadium and against Port Adelaide, are scary. Although the Geelong dynamo has only squared off twice against the Power in the last two seasons, he’s made the most of his limited opportunities against Matthew Primus’ men, pumping out 140 & 155. His record at Skilled Stadium last year was also exceptional; racking up 772 points from six games there, at an average of 129. After scoring 112 last week, Chappy will be looking to make up for lost time after his Round 1 absence. A strong choice if you’re worried about the Pies v Blues game.
Brendan Goddard (STK)
While the game’s most versatile player hasn’t quite recaptured his SuperCoach form of 2010, you can’t help but feel he’s not too far away from it, with scores of 119 and 102 coming from his first two games. While the loss of the their spiritual leader in Hayes is a massive blow, we’ve seen as recently as last year that the Saints are capable of galvanising together in the face of on-field adversity. In a game where many are tipping an upset, this week against the Bombers could be the stepping stone that allows Goddard to elevate his SuperCoach scoring. The Saints return to their Docklands fortress this week; a venue where Goddard loves to rack up SuperCoach points (averaged 134 SC ppg at the venue last year!). And while the Bombers have had the wood over the boys from Moorabbin of late, you wouldn’t know it from Goddard’s record against them; registering scores of 133, 147, 93 & 117 against the start of 2009. Always a contender for SuperCoach captaincy.
Aaron Sandilands (FREM)
Still recovering from that hit Steve Johnson put on him, Sandilands’ 101 was a little disappointing last week from a SuperCoach perspective. Having said that, his record against the Crows in recent times cannot be ignored, having pumped out scores of 130 and 124 from his last two games against Adelaide. A solid captain selection.
Matthew Boyd/Daniel Cross/Brian Lake (WBD)
As we saw last week, Carlton’s better players dominated the AFL’s newest franchise, both on the scoreboard and in terms of SuperCoach scoring. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume the Bulldogs better players are capable of the same feat this week, especially at Etihad.
I won’t be advising a ‘smokie’ selection this week, given that my Round 2 choice, Jack Riewoldt, still can’t remember the ten minutes of the game he did play before being concussed. Sorry Jack!
Rookie Watch
Before you spend your trades on bring in that expensive premium you missed out on, consider bringing in one (or even two) of the following rookies into your team this week. Rookies or bench players should serve two main roles in your SuperCoach side; 1. Function as a ‘cash cow,’ that scores reasonably well whilst appreciating in price over the space of 6-10 rounds that can be later upgraded to a premium that has fallen in price, or 2. A first year player who scores so well that they are good enough for an on-field position in your team (e.g. Michael Barlow last year and Daniel Rich in 2009). How you best utilise these players are up to you; either way, here are the top five performed players under $160,000 who you should look to get into your side this week, before their price soars up!
Ed Curnow (CARL) – scores of 118 (vs RICH) and 112 (vs GC).
Will face tougher opposition over the coming weeks, starting tonight against the Pies, however, this guy’s a must have in your team, purely because of his great start to the year, where he’s averaged 25 possessions over his first two games. Set to jump to $220,000 if he can notch up 100 points this week.
Luke Tapscott (MELB) – scores of 113 (vs SYD) and 91 (vs HAW).
Could be that rookie that turns into a SuperCoach keeper. Has a body ready made for AFL and has been already been entrusted with the kick-in duties along with Grimes. Averaging 16 kicks per game so far and looks to have excellent job security.
Tom Liberatore (WBD) – scores of 73 (vs ESS) and 127 (vs BRIS).
Looks like he’s been playing in the Bulldogs midfield for four to five years. More than capable of winning his own ball, as demonstrated by the 23 contested possessions he’s amassed over the first two rounds.
Dyson Heppell (ESS) – scores of 90 (vs WBD) and 81 (vs SYD)
Looks to be play-maker, but perhaps more importantly, he looks like he’s in Essendon’s best 21-22. If he maintains his average of 86 SC ppg, then the Dale Thomas lookalike should reach $350,000+.
Jack Darling (WCE) scores of 80 (vs KANG) and 70 (vs PORT)
Looks set to play most games this season, and should produce scores between 65 and 90 each week. Like Tapscott, at 191cm and 87kgs, this kid is a ready-made AFL unit. The long term injury to Mark LeCras will also aid his SC scoring output, with more goal assist/scoring opportunities likely to come about.
Don’t forget to sub out any North Melbourne players this week, as they have the bye.
Good Luck and I hope your team wins this week!
(*Statistics courtesy of ‘fanfooty.com.au,’ ‘tooserious.net.au’ and ‘afl.com.au’)
Friday, April 8
Collingwood vs Carlton (MCG) @ 7:50pm
Saturday, April 9
Wester Bulldogs vs Gold Cast (Etihad) @ 2:10pm
Adelaide vs Fremantle (AAMI) @ 2:40pm
Richmond vs Hawthorn (MCG) @ 7:10pm
West Coast vs Sydney (Patterson) @ 6:10pm
Sunday, April 10
Melbourne vs Brisbane (MCG) @ 1:10pm
Geelong vs Port Adelaide (SS) @ 2:10pm
St Kilda vs Essendon (Etihad) @ 4:40pm
Teams
Click here http://bit.ly/gVtuxJ for your final 22-man squads (courtesy of AFL.com.au).
Key Team Changes (As of 9am Friday; ‘*’ denotes Sunday Games)
INS: Leon Davis (COLL), Brian Lake, Lindsay Gilbee (WBD), Maverick Weller, Michael Coad (GC), Kurt Tippett, Brodie Martin (ADE), Jayden Pitt (FREO), Jared Polec (BRIS)* and Joel Selwood (GEEL)*
OUTS: Simon Buckley (COLL), Josh Fraser, Josh Toy (GC), Jason Porplyzia (ADE), Cyril Rioli (HAW), Addam Maric (MELB)* and Lenny Hayes (STK)*
Captain’s Corner
Round 2 Review: Swan (152), Goddard (102), Judd (117), Dal Santo (107) and Sandilands (101).
All got over 100, but hopefully you went with SuperCoach cyborg Dane Swan, who, after a quiet first term against the Kangaroos, went on to accumulate a 150+ score, thanks mostly to his 18-possession second quarter. On the other side of the spectrum, Saints players were disappointing – and I’m not just speaking from a fantasy footy perspective. Only time will tell if they’re the top four side we all predicted they would be prior to Round 1…
Round 3 Selections
Dane Swan (COLL)
Did someone say permanent captain? Two games into the season and the man with the tattooed sleeves has notched up a pair of scores over 150. Although this week should be a tougher task against the Blues, the stats indicate that Swany should be your first choice for skipper again in Round 3. Since the start of 2009, the midfielder has averaged 123 against Carlton which, when you combine with the fact he averaged 129 at the MCG last year, make for a pretty compelling argument to give him the big ‘C.’ Again the number one candidate for your SuperCoach skipper this week.
Scott Pendlebury (COLL)
The disparity between your two best captaincy options this week is by no means gulfing; so much so that the argument for Pendles as your #1 choice for skipper is an easy one to make. The Collingwood Vice Captain actually has a better record against the Blues in recent history than his older teammate. His last four games against the Carlton have seen him register scores of 139, 115, 131 & 150 for an average of 134. And while Swan has him covered when it comes to scores at the MCG, Pendlebury still averaged an elite 110 at the ground last year. Although I feel Swan has the slight edge, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Pendlebury was to overhaul him this week.
Paul Chapman (GEEL)
Chapman’s SuperCoach numbers, both at Skilled Stadium and against Port Adelaide, are scary. Although the Geelong dynamo has only squared off twice against the Power in the last two seasons, he’s made the most of his limited opportunities against Matthew Primus’ men, pumping out 140 & 155. His record at Skilled Stadium last year was also exceptional; racking up 772 points from six games there, at an average of 129. After scoring 112 last week, Chappy will be looking to make up for lost time after his Round 1 absence. A strong choice if you’re worried about the Pies v Blues game.
Brendan Goddard (STK)
While the game’s most versatile player hasn’t quite recaptured his SuperCoach form of 2010, you can’t help but feel he’s not too far away from it, with scores of 119 and 102 coming from his first two games. While the loss of the their spiritual leader in Hayes is a massive blow, we’ve seen as recently as last year that the Saints are capable of galvanising together in the face of on-field adversity. In a game where many are tipping an upset, this week against the Bombers could be the stepping stone that allows Goddard to elevate his SuperCoach scoring. The Saints return to their Docklands fortress this week; a venue where Goddard loves to rack up SuperCoach points (averaged 134 SC ppg at the venue last year!). And while the Bombers have had the wood over the boys from Moorabbin of late, you wouldn’t know it from Goddard’s record against them; registering scores of 133, 147, 93 & 117 against the start of 2009. Always a contender for SuperCoach captaincy.
Aaron Sandilands (FREM)
Still recovering from that hit Steve Johnson put on him, Sandilands’ 101 was a little disappointing last week from a SuperCoach perspective. Having said that, his record against the Crows in recent times cannot be ignored, having pumped out scores of 130 and 124 from his last two games against Adelaide. A solid captain selection.
Matthew Boyd/Daniel Cross/Brian Lake (WBD)
As we saw last week, Carlton’s better players dominated the AFL’s newest franchise, both on the scoreboard and in terms of SuperCoach scoring. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume the Bulldogs better players are capable of the same feat this week, especially at Etihad.
I won’t be advising a ‘smokie’ selection this week, given that my Round 2 choice, Jack Riewoldt, still can’t remember the ten minutes of the game he did play before being concussed. Sorry Jack!
Rookie Watch
Before you spend your trades on bring in that expensive premium you missed out on, consider bringing in one (or even two) of the following rookies into your team this week. Rookies or bench players should serve two main roles in your SuperCoach side; 1. Function as a ‘cash cow,’ that scores reasonably well whilst appreciating in price over the space of 6-10 rounds that can be later upgraded to a premium that has fallen in price, or 2. A first year player who scores so well that they are good enough for an on-field position in your team (e.g. Michael Barlow last year and Daniel Rich in 2009). How you best utilise these players are up to you; either way, here are the top five performed players under $160,000 who you should look to get into your side this week, before their price soars up!
Ed Curnow (CARL) – scores of 118 (vs RICH) and 112 (vs GC).
Will face tougher opposition over the coming weeks, starting tonight against the Pies, however, this guy’s a must have in your team, purely because of his great start to the year, where he’s averaged 25 possessions over his first two games. Set to jump to $220,000 if he can notch up 100 points this week.
Luke Tapscott (MELB) – scores of 113 (vs SYD) and 91 (vs HAW).
Could be that rookie that turns into a SuperCoach keeper. Has a body ready made for AFL and has been already been entrusted with the kick-in duties along with Grimes. Averaging 16 kicks per game so far and looks to have excellent job security.
Tom Liberatore (WBD) – scores of 73 (vs ESS) and 127 (vs BRIS).
Looks like he’s been playing in the Bulldogs midfield for four to five years. More than capable of winning his own ball, as demonstrated by the 23 contested possessions he’s amassed over the first two rounds.
Dyson Heppell (ESS) – scores of 90 (vs WBD) and 81 (vs SYD)
Looks to be play-maker, but perhaps more importantly, he looks like he’s in Essendon’s best 21-22. If he maintains his average of 86 SC ppg, then the Dale Thomas lookalike should reach $350,000+.
Jack Darling (WCE) scores of 80 (vs KANG) and 70 (vs PORT)
Looks set to play most games this season, and should produce scores between 65 and 90 each week. Like Tapscott, at 191cm and 87kgs, this kid is a ready-made AFL unit. The long term injury to Mark LeCras will also aid his SC scoring output, with more goal assist/scoring opportunities likely to come about.
Don’t forget to sub out any North Melbourne players this week, as they have the bye.
Good Luck and I hope your team wins this week!
(*Statistics courtesy of ‘fanfooty.com.au,’ ‘tooserious.net.au’ and ‘afl.com.au’)
