Tom Green during the GWS Giants pre-season training on January 20, 2023. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only - **NO ON SALES** - ©Phil Hillyard )
There were a host of monster scores in Round 8, including six players going 150+ with Josh Dunkley and Tom Green topping the list, but there was still plenty of carnage, including some frustrating rooks and that dreaded F6 spot.
Carlton v Brisbane
Freak: Dunkley (172)
Flop: Neale (67)
Rookie Roulette: Hollands (86), Cincotta (75), Ashcroft (61), Sharp (56), Wilmot (34)
We’ve all got him, we’ve all been disappointed, our eyes skated past his name when considering VCs and he smacked that in our face. Welcome back Josh Dunkley. At one stage I honestly thought he’d get a double ton.
I can’t continue to ignore Cerra (130) who’s notched up a hat trick of 130s. I still couldn’t bring him in because I’m both stubborn and disrespectful. Although, I would have thought you’ve missed his best scores now. Doch (129) is expensive for a reason but I think he’s a target and a POD now. Walshy (109) continues to score despite limited CBAs.
Richmond v West Coast
Freak: Taranto (117)
Flop: Witherden (68)
Rookie Roulette: Ryan (69), Ginbae (60), Trew (24)
I’m trying not to let the fact that there were a million better captains than TT cloud my judgement. He’s been solid as a rock and in any other week we’d be banking 117 without blinking. The absolute hysterical irony of Sheed (111) coming back and immediately delivering what we all wanted before his throat displacement or whatever is not lost on me. What a brilliant 3.2% ownership POD. Facepalm. Seriously though, there’s no need to bring him in off the back of that. Short (102) tonned up again and this time it wasn’t at the expense of Baker (94). A pretty irrelevant game overall which is why poor old Witho is copping the Flop. It’s a rocket. Call me crazy, his price is becoming incredibly tempting and he’s hovering around on my watchlist. As soon as the Eagles give up and go slow, I think he’ll become a genuine option.
Geelong v Adelaide
Freak: Dawson (116)
Flop: Rachele (27)
Rookie Roulette: Michalanney (64), Knevitt (56), Pedlar (45)
Rory Laird (107) didn’t deliver the drama of last week but still delivered us a good score despite, what, sleepiness problems? Idk. Danger pinged a hammy but, sicko, I don’t think anyone relevant benefits. There were threats of a Stewart tag but that didn’t explain his middling 88. Pedlar reminded us he’s a ‘rookie’ and this was the first sign that F6 was absolutely cursed this week. It was also a bad game for stepping stones. The Chayce (55) ups and downs continue and Rachele came crashing back to earth with low TOG and CBAs. He only outscored Angwin by three for goodness sake and only an idiot would field him…
Gold Coast v Melbourne
Freak: Anderson (132)
Flop: Chandler (37)
Rookie Roulette: Berry (44), McVee (44), JVR (41), Turner (41), Chandler (37), Tsitas (6)
Oml Melbourne nearly lost this and honestly deserved to. No doubt GOAT Fiorini (89) and Atkins (86) are the main reason for nearly dragging the Suns over the line. Oh, and downright superstar Anderson. Is now the moment I disclose I didn’t end up bringing the Goat in? Eurgh, serves me right. Is it too late?
The Suns defenders racked up again via DMac (102), Powell (105) and Ratbag. Turns out Oliver (104) can be vaguely human and Petracca (80) was downright maddening. The Grundy (48)/Gawn (107) score split returned to normalcy. Chandler tricked us into fielding him and therefore got done in by the F6 curse. If you had JVR there that didn’t go much better, especially because he’s been outrageously offered 2 weeks by the MRO.
GWS v Bulldogs
Freak: Green (170)
Flop: Cogs (81)
Rookie Roulette: Jones (49), Angwin (24), Cadman (16)
Doggie CBA watch: Bont (85%), Libba (81%), Daniel (48%), Treloar (44%), Macrae (40%), Smith (0%)
Forget the unelected sponges, the only coronation I’m interested in is crowning Tom Green as M1. I assume I wasn’t alone in rolling VC TT into a Green/English (151) C…..and taking Taranto’s score.
It only ever takes one good score for me to start thinking about Whitfield (130). I usually like to bring him in immediately prior to a concussion. So, I’ll keep you posted about that and about which rookie I get, because I literally get them injured every week. This time it was another F6 curse recipient Angwin.
Bont (129) is trying to win the Brownlow and that Jelly (109) score was fortunate because he got pretty much all his points in Q4. JJ (92) has proved a good pick, and actually everyone stood up except Cogs and usual suspect Jackson Macrae (90). Heartbreak for Treloar (76) and his hammy. This should mean Macrae will go huge next week, so Bevo will probably put Arty Jones in the middle or something instead.
Freo v Hawthorn
Freak: Brayshaw (157)
Flop: Sicily (70)
Rookie Roulette: Mitchell (54), Weddle (43), Greene (6)
Andy Brayshaw is back, baby, and yet another missed captain in favour of that haunting 117. The relevant observation is that teams seem to now be tagging Serong (97), who still scored well considering.
What I can’t explain is Jackson’s 117 vs Seany Darce’s 76, especially when Darcy got 38 hit outs and the bulk of the CBAs. Hawthorn trio Day (85), Worpel (78), and Sic (70) were pretty substandard particularly for those who did the Long Day hold. Just when I thought Angwin was the worst of a bad bunch the Curse upped the anti and took down Fergie, who has started to undo all his hard work. Get him out asap.
Port v Essendon
Freak: Butters (111)
Flop: Stringer (62)
Rookie Roulette: Williams (92), Davey (34), Evans (20), Menzie (14)
Cracking game which produced a host of good scores from popular picks including Butters, Merrett (116), Parish (117), Rozee (98) and rollercoaster JHF (96). Williams for some reason is only in 2.5% of teams and therefore the only F6 who avoided the curse.
Hopefully, unlike me, you took my advice and brought in Houston (102). Setters (70) disappointed again and since we’re struggling to do traditional one up one downs, you can let him go. A few brought in Stringer but that flopped when his CBAs trended down and took his scoring with them. I won’t bother talking about McGrath (75). Davey looked like he might pull one out of the bag after a 20 point Q1 and a 31 point half, but then remembered he was at F6 and returned three points in the remainder of the game and missed his BE.
Collingwood v Sydney
Freak: Gulden (161)
Flop: Titch (69)
Rookie Roulette: Sheather (21)
Sydney deployed the anti-Daicos (84) tactic, accidentally forgetting to win the game in the process. Daics still came through with a good Q4 score but the small flag is the question as to whether Sydney have set the blueprint.
Errol played like it was the NAB cup and put up a monumental 161, which is unbelievably the fourth best score of the round. This one is easier to let go captaincy-wise as he was never really in the running. Is now the time for Millsy (107)? Is Parker (117) a cheap option returning to his 2022 form? Both are risky options but I don’t mind either of them at all.
North Melbourne v St Kilda
Freak: Ziebell (168)
Flop: Steele (81)
Rookie Roulette: Phillipou (70), Bergman (57), Drury (53)
I’m not bothering to include Sheez (98) in the rookies any more. He’s like a top three defender. Ziebell on the other hand was an excruciating watch as a non-owner. Especially when there was some mythical injury cloud days earlier, and St Kilda decided to win the game by kicking predominantly behinds. Sweet baby Sheezus I hope you didn’t trade out stepping stone Stocker (122) this week.
Have you ever taken the train to flop central? That’s what the rest of this game was. What a revolting way to round out the weekend. Where to begin? RoMar’s (83) ankle? Or the genuine Floppers? Line ‘em up. Ok, STEELE wot the actual HECK was that. Heaps of people traded him in! Against North! Simpkin (54), LDU (69), Crouch (83), Sinclair (79), take you’re pick. What a load of old Flop.
Drury is the obvious rookie pick and I shall be bringing him in. That’s a bit of a KOD, you’ve been warned.
Bring them in: Drury, Sharp, Parker
Cop it on the chin: Sicily, Day, Coniglio
Put them in the bin: Greene, JVR, Wilmot
Read our Round 8 injury report, with updates on Rowan Marshall, Zak Butters etc
Read our Round 8 CBAs, kick-ins & TOG% analysis for trends & scoring correlations
