Gather Round: where we’re all brought together to scream at the MRO. Plus Andy Brayshaw continues to under-deliver but Jordan Dawson provided the real answer to the Sam Docherty-Will Day Dilemma.
Adelaide v Carlton
Freak: Dawson (133)
Flop: Cowan (39)
Rookie Roulette: Michalanney (50), Hollands (49), Pedlar (47), Cowan (39)
A fraught game where the Doch/Day Dilemma was ever-present. Traders had to pull the trigger early to get Dawson. He looked ridiculously good and it could’ve been even bigger. Laird (118) finally came through, and he could’ve been bigger too if not for some dodgy umpiring.
Walsh (102) returned to brilliance immediately. Everyone was desperate for the rookies to perform in this game to help patch the carnage, but none of them delivered. I don’t like awarding the Flop to a rookie but we needed you this week, Lachie. Hollands and Cowan are close to trades and we thank them for their service. Cowan’s also in danger of being a red dot.
Fremantle v Gold Coast
Freak: Serong (125)
Flop: Brayshaw (72)
Rookie Roulette: Johnson (55), Wagner (54), Sturt (43), Moyle (34), Humphrey (29)
Que Serong, Serong, whatever will be will be, my failure to start Caleb’s annoying me. He is the underpriced premium pick of the year. On the flipside Andy Brayshaw’s output was nearly as disappointing for WA viewers as this game’s ludicrous timeslot. Honestly he just looked flat. Young (83) saved his score for the second week in a row and depending on if you’re glass half full or empty, a big hundred or a 50 is just around the corner. Anderson (107) backed up last week’s performance. Macpherson (90) was a good solution for the Doch/Day Dilemma.
Witts owners will be grumpy with Gold Coast who were clearly fibbing. He’s missed two games with what would be the worst bout of ‘general soreness’ ever. The Moyle handcuff was a failure this week and he was towelled up by Darcy (118). The rookies weren’t quite there in this one either.
Richmond v Sydney
Freak: Baker (122), Legend Will Gould (35)
Flop: Mills (91)
Rookie Roulette: Roberts (64), Ryan (51), Young (48), Gould (35), Corey Warner (32)
Baker was a great solution to the Dilemma. At 9% ownership only a few nailed it. They got both the points and the cash gen. Meanwhile, Taranto’s (109) consistency has been really impressive, and Gulden (96) was good, although hasn’t gone big yet. Mills (91) is unlucky to cop the Flop but this is a body-of-work call. He didn’t attend even one CBA, which continues to mystify me. His versatility has been his downfall and he’s only notched up a single hundred.
Ryan was a Witts patch job for some and his score was actually a little flattering. Roberts looks like the downgrade option for this week. Plus, he’s only $213K because he’s copped so many vests.
Brisbane v North
Freak: Sheezel (96)
Flop: LDU (76)
Rookie Roulette: Ashcroft (94), Comben (77), Phillips (62), Wilmot (57)
North had a shocking return to their 2022 form. Luke Davies-UNeedAKick will be on the end of a spray from many coaches. I wouldn’t trade, but his scores are more variable we were expecting. Ziebell (87) was only alright but I’m still considering bringing him in. We just need to keep an eye out for Aaron Hall, who played a blinder in the VFL.
Dunks (102) could’ve cashed in more, but Ashcroft (94) has kickstarted a new cash gen cycle. Neale (116) bounced back and can consider himself very stiff not to get the Freak, but I can’t look past Sheezel. He got 96 despite a corkie, a hand injury and low Q3 TOG. Sheez no lady, Sheez my wife. I’m hoping there isn’t a dreaded (managed) coming on the same week he gets DPP. That’s delete team territory, but unfortunately I think there’s every chance.
Essendon v Melbourne
Freak: Merrett (119)
Flop: Angus Brayshaw (45)
Rookie Roulette: McVee (46), Chandler (41), JVR (21), Menzie (9)
A classic ‘one of my mids is tagging the other’ debacle could’ve unfolded here. Clarry (108) non-owners were breathing a sigh of relief. That is until the Setterfield (100) tag was released in Q4. Oliver notched up an absolutely insane 53 Q4 points. I’ve gotta say that score from Setters is pretty wild given he was tagging.
Zerrett went bigger but will be rubbed out for one, and Parish (105) was good. Melbourne were astonishingly bad in this game and Grundy’s (81) performance was below par and his time is nearly up. He is up against a ruckless Richmond next so I’d hold one week unless Gawn is back. Both Brayshaws let us down, but Angus’s numbers were absolutely shocking. He’s dropped an truckload of cash.
Hopefully in all the carnage you didn’t have to field JVR. I am predicting red dot rookie madness next week and I think JVR will be one of them.
Port v Bulldogs
Freak: English (123)
Flop: Macrae (86)
Rookie Roulette: Williams (46), Jones (32)
Doggie CBA watch: Treloar (86%), Libba (82%) Bont (77%), Macrae (55%)
Macrae (86) and Bont (100) did their now-usual trick of performing well in the first half and tailing off in the second. In Bont’s case this was explained by a late tag. Macrae on the other hand just stopped. I guess there was no CBA bump for him despite Smith’s absence because Smith wasn’t getting anywhere near them anyway.
Rozee (108) bounced back and Butters was exceptional in both a fantasy and footy sense (110). He’s on my watchlist given his bad start to the year and low price. I love Tim English. About 30 seconds before round 1 in 2022 I brought him in and I’ve never looked back. He’s now proved he can score against anyone, anywhere. Set and forget R1 and your captaincy.
Geelong v West Coast
Freak: Tim Kelly (100)
Flop: Duncan (55)
Rookie Roulette: Long (56), Ginbey (43)
The Stewart (98) Dilemma solution paid off, while Hunt (69), Witho (68), Bowes (49) and especially Duncan (55) failed to deliver. At least Hunt is on the up price-wise and it won’t be too hard to get him straight back to Day soon. TK somehow managed to ton up despite the one-sided start and he’s taken a cash jump too. Anyone who went early on Yeo (44) would be spewing, although this week he took some CBAs late.
It’s a shame so much rests on superstar #Ginbae in both fantasy and real life. He got subbed adding to the Dilemma, and at some stage Simmo will wave the white flag and rest him. Probably next week. I think he’ll be one of those red dot rooks.
GWS v Hawthorn
Freak: Cogs (115)
Flop: Kelly (79)
Rookie Roulette: Greene (75), Mitchell (64), Cadman (29), Mackenzie (20)
The MRO has flummoxed me many times but Day’s tackle worse than Rohan’s? Equal to Pickett? Unreal. Sam Mitchell then poured fuel on the fire by vesting Mackenzie on a week where Day wasn’t there. Aggravating. It now means Mackenzie’s cash gen is stalled and you can consider trading him, although he has fwd status now.
Greene added a good score to his cycle so you can hold. He nearly beat Jelly who forgot he was there to play football after half time. Sicily (78) backed up his shocker with another one. If you haven’t had the chance to move Callaghan (61) on yet, do so now. Worps (114) on the other hand benefitted from the lack of Day and I’d hold him at least a week, you deserve the cash rise after the pain from him. Tom Green (100) is going the way of Day I fear, but Cogs finally gave you what you paid for.
Collingwood v St Kilda
Freak/s: Daicos (136), Marshall (134)
Flop: Stocker (64)
Rookie Roulette: Phillipou (70), Caminiti (38)
Gather round ended with two thrillers and a couple of stonking scores in this game.
Collingwood lost another makeshift ruckman to injury and RoMar (134) made up for Ross’s outrageous subbing last week. Wasn’t this the week that Daicos was supposed to be at biggest risk of tag? Anyway he got a whopping score and I hope he was your Dilemma solution.
You can add Caminiti to the long list of rookie trade out candidates but strike Phillipou off it. He’ll keep going up for a little while now.
Bring them in: Roberts, Serong
Cop it on the chin: Andy Brayshaw, LDU
Put them in the bin (with thanks!): Cowan, Hollands, Mackenzie, Caminiti
