We’re firmly back into the swing of things, and with two rounds of SuperCoach in the books, it’s now time for some tough decisions!

Two rounds of data means one thing in the SuperCoach world; it’s time for price changes. Get ready for a week buried in the spreadsheets.

How greedily will you chase points with your trades this week? Are you pulling the pin on any underperforming premos, or moving heaven and earth to get the likes of Cripps, Hewett, Brayshaw, Docherty or Keays?

Before you can make any big decisions, it pays to look back at the week that was. Let’s get into the Weekly Wrap.

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Carlton v Western Bulldogs

In a mindblowing turn of events, it appears Carlton are an entertaining team to watch in 2022. Whodathunkit.

Like last week, there weren’t many losers across the ground for the Blues. Patty Cripps was simply magnificent with two goals and 162 SC points. Priced at $452k, 35% ownership and currently averaging 147 in two games, he needs to be trade priority number one for coaches this week.

Matt Kennedy was again brilliant, turning in as good a last quarter as you’ll see on his way to 107 SC. Sam Docherty proved last week wasn’t a fluke with another tonne, while George Hewett ($399k) is trade-in priority number 2 after putting up a 117 SC to go with his 131 last week.

Sam Walsh (90 SC) is a prime upgrade candidate, not missing a beat after returning from a syndesmosis injury three weeks ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Charlie Curnow repaid patient owners faith with a dominant 5.0 and 113 SC.

Mitch McGovern was the major negative for the Blues’ SuperCoach contingent, finishing with a dour 40 SC points on 13 disposals – a couple of frees against hurt, but overall that score is a worry whichever way you frame it.

On the Dogs side of things, Adam Treloar was arguably their best with 111 SC and, importantly, four tackles. He looked awesome. Jack Macrae did what Jack Macrae does with a lazy 35 possessions and 142 SC.

Tim English (99 SC) is thriving with no Stefan Martin to compete with, but it should be noted that he was pretty comprehensively beaten by Marc Pittonet with the game on the line in the third/fourth quarters. Don’t be surprised if Martin comes back in as a result.

Josh Dunkley (97 SC) had a strange role, moving to tag Cripps in the second half, but it didn’t slow him down. His score could’ve been a lot higher too had he converted a couple of goalscoring opportunities late. Bont owners would be reasonably happy with his output; 105 SC was not a bad return for the champ.

The Ed Richards breakout I flagged last week may have to wait; his 43 SC was supremely underwhelming and the role as a lockdown small defender is not good.

Injuries

Oscar McDonald was subbed off at half time with a back injury.

Hayden Crozier fainted at half time in quite scary scenes and was subbed out; he’s apparently going to be fine for this week. Aaron Naughton was sore in the third quarter but returned after a corky to the left calf.

Reports

Nervous wait for McGovern after an off-the-ball bump.

ALL HAIL THE KING!

Lance Franklin kicks goal 1,000!#FootyOhWhatAFeeling | #Buddy1000 pic.twitter.com/E4rjVcoV4l
— AFL (@AFL) March 25, 2022

Sydney v Geelong

Buddy. That is all.

Completely bizarre viewing experience, with the result seemingly secondary to Buddy’s quest for 1,000, but somehow the Swans managed to keep their cool and ran out easy winners over a lacklustre Cats outfit.

While Buddy isn’t particularly SuperCoach-relevant at this point in his career, the 2% of teams who own him would’ve loved watching him go about it at the SCG.

Isaac Heeney IS a relevant SuperCoach option and is starting to make those who doubted him (a.k.a. me) look stupid, with another 5.0 and 140 SC to go along with his 141 SC in Rd 1. He’s still in just 20% of teams; that will change this week.

Callum Mills (149 SC, 29 possessions) has become a genuine top-line AFL midfielder and showed it again by towelling up Patrick Dangerfield (59 SC, 13 possessions) and taking BOG honours. Errol Gulden (114 SC) is a budding superstar; he’s now averaging 105 for the season, and at just $415k and in 1% of teams, you could do worse than look his way. Jake Lloyd dispelled any concerns about his role, busting out a 102 in his first game of the year and racking up the usual abundance of cheap stats.

Bargain options Dylan Stephens (95 SC) and Paddy McCartin (80 SC) were both superb and should be locked in to your team for the foreseeable future; both are capable of taking D6 / M8 on-field roles if needed.

Disappointing night overall for the Cats. Brad Close (138 SC) is a fine footballer; I’m not sure if he’s SuperCoach-relevant yet, but at $348k and in less than 1% of teams it’s one to keep an eye on. Tom Stewart (103 SC) battled hard, Cam Guthrie (96 SC) wasn’t horrible, Mitch Duncan (74 SC) was okay, but in general you’d be pretty flat if you owned any Cats players.

Tyson Stengle (120 SC last week, 13 SC this week) was abysmal and it’s the kind of performance that may bring repercussions; he looked completely disinterested. Tom Hawkins (148 SC last week, 33 SC this week) also crashed back to earth in dispiriting fashion.

Injuries

Neither medical sub was activated, although Mark Blicavs strained his shoulder in the second quarter; he did return and seemed fine.

Reports

Nick Blakey (79 SC) was reported for lightly tapping Jeremy Cameron’s stomach in a marking contest. If he ends up missing games, I will personally be rioting outside of AFL headquarters.

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Collingwood v Adelaide

Another bizarre set of circumstances at the MCG, with the stadium partially evacuated after a false fire alarm, but amongst it all the Magpies ran out comfortable winners against a plucky, but outclassed, Crows side.

Jack Crisp, come on down! The defender-cum-forward made a mockery of those bagging his role/output last week, pulling out 26 classy midfield possessions and 121 SC. Another tick in the “never rage trade” column. Jordan De Goey battled through an ankle knock early doors to put up an 95 SC to go along with his 111 last week. It’s getting hard to see a world in which he doesn’t finish the year as a top six forward.

Brodie Grundy (101 SC) had a good battle with Reilly O’Brien (102 SC), while Pat Lipinski crashed back to earth with a 76 SC on – concerningly – 24 disposals.

Most surprising was the performance of Jack Ginnivan ($199k forward, 110 SC, 1% of teams) who will now go into Round 3 with a breakeven in the -60s. Baldwin -> Ginnivan looks mighty tempting. Nick Daicos had 22 touches but his efficiency wasn’t great, which meant he finished with just 50 SC – don’t panic, he’s still a jet.

For the Crows, Ben Keays ($560k Mid, 1% of teams, 135 SC) was again magnificent after scoring 128 SC last week. Jordan Dawson (90 SC) doesn’t appear to have a great role – he was stuck deep forward at times – but seems good enough to work his way through it.

The Crows’ trio of popular rookie options – Mitch Hinge (74 SC), Josh Rachele (49 SC) and Luke Pedlar (35 SC) – all had their moments. Hinge in particular looks like a great investment and – given where their list is at currently – I’d be surprised if Rachele and Pedlar aren’t in the side for most of the season.

Injuries

Rory Sloane hurt his right quad late and was subbed out.

Nathan Kreuger hurt his shoulder in the third and did not return. De Goey’s ankle looks fine.

Reports

N/A

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Essendon v Brisbane

Much improved performance from the Bombers but ultimately the Lions had too much firepower under the Dome at Marvel.

Lachie Neale. Wow. The diminutive star could not have been more impressive, finding the ball 41 times, kicking two goals (very nearly three) and finishing with a monstrous 198 SC. He will be firmly in calculations for top scoring player come the end of the season.

Dayne Zorko ($595k Mid) somehow had 33 touches and 115 SC despite appearing unable to put any weight through his left Achilles. He will get Def status at some point and with a Rd 1 score of 28 in his season average, could be an enticing option. Daniel Rich bounced back after a disappointing opening round with 29 touches and 124 SC, but Cam Rayner (48 SC) did not – he needs to be traded out.

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Jarrod Berry (76 SC) will give coaches headaches this week. The scoring is good, but probably below expectations, while the role – he successfully tagged Zach Merrett (117 SC) in the second half – is puzzling.

Peter Wright (120 SC) was probably Essendon’s best but barely touched it after quarter time. Jordan Ridley owners (18 possessions, 102 SC) will be fairly happy with his output, as will those with Jye Caldwell (21 touches, 90 SC).

Most encouraging for Essendon owners will be how impotent the Bombers looked going forward, particularly with Aaron Francis playing Kaine Baldwin’s role. Both Baldwin and Nick Martin, as well as Tex Wanganeen, are likely to slot in next week.

Injuries

Merrett did an ankle late – by all accounts he will be okay. The news is less promising for Nik Cox, who also hurt an ankle, and will likely be out long-term.

Zorko’s Achilles looks horrible but he continues to play through it.

Reports

N/A

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Port Adelaide v Hawthorn

One of the weirder statistical games you’ll see, with Port thrashing their opponents in basically every key statistic – e.g. 416 disposals vs. 342, 58 inside 50s to 46 – but getting pumped on the scoreboard by a tenacious Hawthorn outfit.

Two Hawks – Dylan Moore (103 SC) and Jack Scrimshaw (106 SC) – had SC scores above 100, in a team which won by 11 goals. Bizarre. Tom Mitchell’s 82 SC came on 28 possessions, which is a bit of a “yikes” feeling for owners. James Sicily (84 SC) should be a priority trade-in option, with his role looking exceedingly SC friendly.

The rookie trio of Josh Ward (20 possessions, 53 SC), Connor Macdonald (18 possessions, 55 SC) and Finn Maginness (10 possessions, 40 SC) were all decent, even if their scores don’t reflect it.

Meanwhile, three Port players – Travis Boak (156 SC), Karl Amon (134 SC) and Zak Butters (136 SC) – had scores above 130 SC. Butters is a genuine star, with 11 tackles (ELEVEN!) rounding out a 29 possession outing in which he was clearly Port’s best.

Dan Houston played through a hamstring injury to end up with 93 SC, while Ollie Wines (96 SC) was also good but let himself down by going at 61% DE.

Tough night for debutantes Josh Sinn (11 possessions, 24 SC) and Sam Skinner (10 possessions, 45 SC). Both will be in the team moving forward. Jackson Mead started as medical sub and finished with just 18 SC after Trent McKenzie was subbed out in the third.

Injuries

McKenzie hurt his head, then his knee (again), then his ankle and was eventually, mercifully, taken out of the game. Houston’s hammy is one to monitor. Jeremy Finlayson has a quad issue but played through it.

Chad Wingard was subbed out early with hamstring tightness.

Reports

N/A

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Gold Coast v Melbourne

The Suns are a competitive football side at the moment, but a lack of forward structure ultimately cruelled them in a game which the reigning premiers were a step off their usual pace.

Christian Petracca (129 SC) had a career-high 40 possessions and Clayton Oliver (121 SC) was excellent as the Dees mids did what the Dees mids do. The story of the game from a Melbourne perspective, though, was 21-year-old R/F Luke Jackson ($389k, 21 disposals, 2.0, 137 SC), who completely dominated through the midfield and half forward.

His emergence is a massive red flag for Max Gawn owners (88 SC), with the Melbourne captain at times relegated to a supporting role as Jackson put the team on his shoulders. Monitor this situation with interest.

Jake Bowey ($265k, 7% of teams) was the big ticket SC item out of this game, with his 151 SC on 34 (!!) touches leading all-comers. With Christian Salem out, Bowey is seeing a stack of ball in the back-half and his name is going to be pulsing in the trade-in column all week, particularly if the likes of Heath Chapman fail to deliver again.

Touk Miller (38 touches, 140 SC) was again magnificent for the Suns, with Noah Anderson (106 SC) the only other Gold Coast player to reach triple figures.

Jarrod Witts (75 SC) held his own against the league’s premier ruck outfit, while on paper Matt Rowell’s 71 SC looked average, it should be tempered by the fact he played an interesting lockdown role on Oliver and gave away 5 free kicks as well.

I pumped up Alex Davies ($202k Mid, 66 SC) last week and he again delivered in spades this week; the kid is a serious footballer.

Injuries

No injury worries for either side, with neither medical sub being activated.

Reports

Jack Viney hit Nick Holman off the ball in the last quarter and that will be scrutinised.

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North Melbourne v West Coast

This game was… quite something. Let’s just say it won’t be going in to any time capsules. Ultimately, North Melbourne – yes, that North Melbourne – had slightly too much AFL talent for a West Coast side gutted by Covid / injuries.

Shock, horror; without Callum Coleman-Jones anchoring them down, the Tristan Xerri (120 SC) and Todd Goldstein (70 SC) ruck combination looked decent. Xerri is going to be a very popular option this week after playing a superb game.

Aaron Hall (123 SC) is another who will attract some interest; his role looks as SC-friendly as usual, and he appears to be enjoying his footy. Jason Horne-Francis (98 SC) played primarily midfield and was fantastic, despite copping a boot to the head in the second half.

Not sure where to start with the Eagles. Willie Rioli (117 SC) kicked 4.0 and was their best. Naish (90 SC) looked okay on the outside. Tim Kelly (61 SC) and Jack Darling (36 SC) were very average.

Injuries

Luke Davies-Uniacke dislocated his shoulder in the second quarter and didn’t return. Tarryn Thomas hurt his ribs, was taken to hospital and did not return after half time. Horne-Francis will be fine after a knock to the head, as will Josh Walker after tweaking a hammy.

Brayden Ainsworth was subbed off with an ankle injury.

Reports

N/A

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Richmond v GWS

Another entertaining, free-flowing game, with the Tigers staving off a number of Giants rallies to run out five-goal winners.

Good week for our premium defensive options; Jayden Short (33 touches, 136 SC) bounced back in a big way. Trent Cotchin (103 SC) was Richmond’s best, while Hugo Ralpshmith (83 SC) and Josh Gibcus (48 SC) both showed enough to confirm they belong at the top level.

Josh Kelly (117 SC) again starred for the Giants through the midfield, but was well supported by Tim Taranto (88 SC), Tom Green (106 SC) and Stephen Coniglio (99 SC). Cogs in particular is a must-own this point; if you don’t have him in your side you need to find a way to get him.

In less positive news, Lachie Whitfield (70 SC) has a SC-friendly role but just isn’t playing good footy. He’s going to be a tough one to deal with this week.

In more positive news – for Brayden Preuss owners anyway – Matt Flynn crashed back to earth and was smashed by Noah Balta, Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo. Preuss will surely play next week.

Injuries

Daniel Lloyd appeared to break an arm in a big collision early and was subbed off. Phil Davis tore his hammy in the second quarter.

Thomson Dow was subbed off in the last quarter. Tom Lynch copped a finger to the eye but played out the game.

Reports

N/A

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Fremantle v St Kilda

Despite a herculean effort from Andrew Brayshaw, the Saints managed to pull off a gutsy win away in the West.

Brayshaw (180 SC) was unbelievable. Encouragingly, though, so was midfield running mate Will Brodie (99 SC), who may have just cemented his spot through the Dockers engine room for the foreseeable future.

Luke Ryan bounced back from a horror start to the year with a 145 SC, but popular POD picks Caleb Serong (62 SC) and Heath Chapman (55 SC) really battled and will find themselves on the trading block this week.

Sean Darcy (5% of teams) hurt his ankle and was subbed out, which is a body blow for those who started with him.

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The most impressive part of St Kilda’s win was how even the contributions were. Jack Sinclair (116 SC), Jack Steele (111 SC) and Brad Crouch (100 SC) were all excellent.

Jack Hayes (67 SC) proved last week wasn’t a fluke, with another impressive display, but unfortunately for Rowan Marshall (61 SC) owners, that means it’s getting severely clogged in St Kilda’s ruck/forward rotation.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera showed some great flashes in his 52 SC debut and will be an enticing downgrade option in a couple weeks’ time.

Injuries

Darcy’s ankle looked bad – monitor this situation.

Clean bill of health for the Saints.

Reports

N/A

Weekly wrap: Round 2 studs, duds, injuries

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