Stepping Up: By The Bushranger

Which Players might Step Up due to a Teammate's Injury?

Tony Armstrong has been impressive for the Swans in the NAB Cup

The Bushranger admits you should never hope an AFL footballer goes down injured, even if it does gives you an advantage over an opponent. But The Bushranger also knows that injuries do happen, and when they do an AFL Club often relies on a ‘lesser’ player to step-up and take the injured players place.

Of course stepping up normally means a player will be earning more Supercoach points than they were expected to average, which may mean that Supercoach coaches out there can pick up a bargain. So which clubs have players at the moment that may have to make that important step-up? The Bushranger explores the injury lists and then makes his decisions... and yes there is a bargain or two to be found.

Adelaide: Nil

Brisbane: The Lions already have two players that look like they might be missing some time through injury. The first of concern is Simon Black (MID - $497,300) who has the dreaded ‘indefinite’ next to his name on the injury list. So who will Michael Voss ask to step-up to replace Black? The good news is he certainly has some options. There is always a chance that Andrew Raines (MID - $307,500) will be asked to shift from his traditional tagging role or there is the much slimmer possibility that Jared Polec (MID - $287,600) or James Polkinghorne (MID - $307,600) may get the nod, but for me the much better option is that Voss will have a word in the ear of the newly arrived Brent Moloney (MID – $362,400). He really struggled with The Demons last year but the word out of Brisbane is that he is rejuvenated and ready to go. The fact that he kicks more often than handpasses will see him become a focal point as the Lions push forward and I’m thinking that his average of 67.73 last season will certainly be raised this year.

The Lions other big injury worry is ruckman Matthew Leuenberger (RUC - $301,100). At the moment the club don’t have him listed on their injury list but the whispers are that he still isn’t ready to go for Round 1 despite the modified pre-season program he has been on. If Leuenberger is to miss games than Brisbane’s ruck stocks are pretty thin. Billy Longer (RUC - $280, 300) is an option but he has struggled for form in the NAB Cup, so you would have to think that Stefan Martin (RUC - $377, 700) isn’t a bad option, he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in the NAB Cup but may step up if Leuenberger is out. The other benefit of having Martin in your team is that he’ll also be used to fill any gaps in The Lions’ forward line should they emerge during the year.

Carlton: Nil

Collingwood: Nil

Essendon: Nil

Fremantle: When Aaron Sandilands (RUC - $602,400) tore his hamstring it was obvious that it dashed the plans of some Supercoach coaches, after all it’s always been simple to just slide Sandilands in alongside Dean Cox (RUC - $600, 700). Now The Dockers are saying that Sandilands will be out for a shorter period of time, but it is still believed that he will be out until at least Round Five. The good thing is it is easy to see who will have to step up at The Dockers, that’ll be Jonathan Griffin (RUC - $491,400). Griffin was a great replacement when Sandilands missed matches last year with his toe injury, and ended the year with an average of 91.85, which coincidentally is only 20 points a game less than Sandilands. Plus selecting Griffin to fill Sandilands spot on your team will also mean some extra coin in the bank... just over $100,000.

Geelong: Another player to get the dreaded indefinite return put alongside his name has been Geelong defender Josh Hunt (DEF - $414,800) who is currently suffering from glandular fever. Keep in mind that this is a virus that can leave somebody feeling sluggish even after they have shaken themselves from it (The Bushranger is speaking from personally experience there), so it could be a while before Supercoach coaches see Hunt back to his consistent best that saw him average 77.53 points a game last year. Those that could replace could be Jordan Murdoch (DEF - $306,100) or Jackson Thurlow (DEF - $124, 500) who may not have set the world on fire in NAB Cup but have shown potential. The other option is for the Geelong coaching staff to do a little bit of reshuffle and find a way to bring in George Horlin-Smith (MID - $198,000) who is champing at the bit to be made a regular in the Geelong Seniors. He was a premiership player in their reserves last year and placed fifth in the Liston Trophy (the VFL’s highest honour). Again he hasn’t looked brilliant in the NAB Cup but there are whispers that the Geelong coaching staff have been impressed with his pre-season work and he looks like he could average between 70-80 points a game.

Gold Coast: With all the pre-season talk going on it seems that everybody has forgotten the Suns hard-nut Campbell Brown (FWD - $286,400) is suspended until Round 7, so who can step up and fill in his role? Even worse for The Suns is the fact that nobody who looks capable of filling in for Brown has done exceptional well in the NAB Cup either. Sam Day (FWD - $226,900) and Jacob Gillbee (FWD - $172, 300) have completely misfired during the pre-season games the best option for The Suns may be to shelve the plans of newly arrived Docker Greg Broughton (FWD/DEF- $441,900) going into defence and instead play him on the forward line. He is more than capable, and his new found leadership role amongst the kids may see him lift his average of 82.60 from last year.

GWS: Nil

Hawthorn: There were more than a few Supercoach coaches out there that thought that Matthew Suckling (DEF - $442,400) was a worthy pick this year, that went out the window though with an injury forcing him out for the year. The player normally asked to step-up would be Brendan Whitecross (FWD/MID - $453,300) but he is also out for an extended period of time. Despite the internet chat it is hard to imagine that The Hawks will slot Matthew Spangher (FWD - $128,000) into Suckling’s normal position, it is more than likely than Ryan Schoenmakers (DEF - $365,300) or Josh Gibson (DEF - $420,700), who will be freed up by the arrival of Brian Lake (DEF - $430,700), may be given the rebounding task, especially Schoenmakers who has a brilliant kick on him. Outside chances are that perhaps Kyle Cheney (DEF - $250,600) or Bradley Hill (MID - $152,000) may do the big step-up.

I should probably address the Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin (FWD - $618,000) issue while I’m about it as well. He isn’t officially listed as injured by the club and did play one blinder in the NAB Cup, but still the rumours persist about some niggling injuries that may see him sitting on the pine at some time during 2013, certainly one poor pre-season game and sitting out another did nothing to stop those rumours. If Buddy was to miss weeks though then it is pretty cut and dry who would have to replace him, either David Hale (RUC/FWD - $511,600) or Jarryd Roughead (RUC/FWD - $554,800) would have to spend more time on the forward line and that would certainly bolster their scoring potential.

Melbourne: Perhaps one of the most obvious step-up (or should that be fill-in) roles of 2013 will be who will replace The Dees’ spearhead forward Mitch Clark (FWD - $449,900), who it seems will be missing until Round 4 or Round 5. A certain former Magpie Chris Dawes (FWD - $344,800) will obviously take the spot, and that may also mean that Cameron Perdersen (DEF/RUC - $278,200) may spend some more time on the forward line.

North Melbourne: Another who will be watching from the stands because of suspension will be the heart and soul of the Kangas, Brent Harvey (FWD/MID - $511,000). While it will be impossible to replace the influence that Harvey has on the team in six weeks he will miss the team still needs to field a full side. Perhaps the coaching staff will simply use the space left by Harvey to experiment with playing both Daniel Currie (RUC $109,500) and Majak Daw (RUC - $115,900) but then again they may look to bring in a dangerous forward seeing Harvey’s midfield role will easily be replaced by the young brigade that shown there last season. The forwards to have put their hands up in the NAB Cup have been Aaron Black (FWD - $212, 600) and Kieran Harper (FWD - $275,500) both of which who have looked good enough to take that next step up.

Port Adelaide: Nil

Richmond: Injury prone midfielder Nathan Foley (MID - $550,000) is already on the injury list down at Tigerland, and is scheduled to stay there until perhaps Round 8, so who will Tigers allow to fill their elusive midfield role left by him? Well Sam Lonergan (MID – 386,800) looked good in his hit outs during the NAB Cup but he is currently on The Tiges’ rookie list so unless he is upgraded before the start of the season he certainly doesn’t look like he will be given a chance. Also showing good poise in the NAB Cup were Matthew Arnot (MID - $115,900) and Nick Vlastuin (DEF/MID - $159,500), although the latter’s attack on the football perhaps shows that he is more ready for the Seniors than Arnot.

St Kilda: Nil

Sydney: When Alex Johnson’s (DEF - $348,500) knee snapped during the Swans game against The Suns it probably didn’t worry too many Supercoach coaches, after all he isn’t a popular pick. But it has caused a conundrum for the Swans that has opened up some interesting choices for Supercoach coaches. Johnson has been The Swans’ run and carry back-man, so that is a role that needs filling. The likely choice to take on the role is going to be former Crow Tony Armstrong (DEF - $244,100) who has been more than impressive in the NAB Cup with statisticians calculating he could average around the 90-100 points mark per game.

The second problem Sydney faces is the fact that it seems that Gary Rohan (FWD - $264,800) still hasn’t recovered from his broken leg and faces more time on the sideline. Now the Swans have just elevated Dane Rampe (MID - $96,200) off the rookie list but he certainly didn’t show enough in the NAB Cup to suggest he will get game time in the Seniors. Likewise the much-praised Dean Towers (MID - $114,500) was below expectations as well, so you have to wonder whether Harry Cunningham (MID - $109,500) will get the nod ahead of them both. In last year’s NAB Cup he tore up St Kilda so badly that he was elevated onto The Swans senior list, and while it was felt after his first hit out that he wasn’t quite right for Senior footy he has bulked up a little and again shone in this year’s NAB Cup showing that he could easily average at least 80 per game. He is certainly one to watch.

West Coast: Nil

Western Bulldogs: Nil