2019 Team Preview – Gold Coast

Written by Schwarzwalder on January 26 2019

(Written & Created By Ben)

 

DEFENDERS

Feeling Lucky:

Tipped by many to have a breakout season in 2018, Lachie Weller ($403,900) didn’t quite reach breakout level, however all signs point towards 2019 being the year he finally takes the next step.

He averaged a mediocre 74.4 in 2018, however this was not due to inconsistency. He only had 2 scores above 100 and 3 below 60, with most of his scores coming in the 65-85 range. This could mean one of two things:

1 – He simply isn’t that good of a scorer and isn’t supercoach relevant

or

2 – If moved into a more important role, with more involvement with the game, his consistency would lead him to average somewhere in the 85-90 range.

I’m more inclined to believe the latter, I think if he was moved closer to the middle, or even on a wing, he could average a healthy 90 in your backline. He scored both of his tons not because he had more possessions than usual, but because he was more involved with the overall game and had more inside 50’s, tackles, goals etc., which he would get more of if he was moved closer to the middle of the ground. And besides, someone has to score at GC. One to watch in JLT for his role.

Money Maker:

There are two money makers in Gold Coast’s backline that should be very strongly considered for every Supercoach side.

First, mature-ager Sam Collins ($189,500) should be in every Supercoach side if he starts round 1. This isn’t exactly a hot take, but Sam Collins will be this year’s Doedee, mark my words.

He plays a very Supercoach friendly style of play, with intercept marks his bread and butter. According to Champion Data, he took 110 intercept marks in 2018, the most they’ve ever recorded in any competition.

Although it’s certainly possible he doesn’t, Collins has the potential to average in the 85-90 range. A steal at 189k.

Harrison Wigg ($102,400) was on many people’s benches to start last season, until he broke his ankle in the preseason.

Now back and with a brand new position, Gold Coast seem committed to playing him, and should start round 1.

It’s unclear how he’ll score, as he’s never played an AFL game, but a rookie that’s likely to play round 1 at that price is something you don’t turn down.

MIDFIELD

Lock and Load:

After being traded from Richmond, many were salivating at the prospect of Anthony Miles ($342,000) being unleashed into a Gold Coast midfield that desperately needed mature age talent.

A talented midfielder who struggled to break into the supremely talented midfields of GWS and Richmond, there is much less competition in Gold Coast’s middle, meaning Miles is a walk-up start round 1.

Miles is a proven scorer, averaging 99.9 and 97.5 in 2014 and 2015, and scoring 90 in his single game last year, so with more responsibility and less competition, Miles has the ability to average somewhere in the 95-105 range. Must be strongly considered.

 

Feeling Lucky:

Another player struggling to break into his old side, George Horlin-Smith ($270,300) is now going to get plenty more opportunities in a relatively weak GC side.

He showed his high scoring potential in his first game last year, scoring 120 off of 26 disposals, 8 tackles and 2 goals. However, once Tom Hawkins came back from injury, his role was significantly diminished, hence why his scoring dropped.

I doubt he can consistently score 120 every week, but I believe he can average a good amount of points if put in the right role. Another one to watch for in JLT.

RUCK

There aren’t really any rucks you should be looking at from Gold Coast. Jarrod Witts ($480,900) had a down year last year, and only has a career high average of 94.3. There are better options around his price.

FORWARD

Money Maker:

The number 2 and 3 picks in this year’s draft, Jack Lukosius ($202,800) and Izak Rankine ($198,300) looks to be good rookie choices for your forward line.

Both play very Supercoach friendly styles of footy, and are walk-up starts for round 1. The question is, do you have enough cash to start both?

If you have to pick one, I’d prefer Rankine, as he may get a run in the midfield and it’s unclear where Lukosius will play.

Either way, both appear to be solid choices, but keep an eye on Luko’s role in JLT.

Thanks for reading my preview of Gold Coast for this upcoming Supercoach season! If I missed anyone GC fans, make sure to let me know!

 

** Great work, Ben! – Schwarzwalder **

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11 thoughts on “2019 Team Preview – Gold Coast”

  1. Nicely done Ben, I currently have Collins and Wigg locked in (pending selection), and strongly considering Miles as he’s about underpriced by at least 150K.

    The other guy on the radar is Josh Corbett, who was picked up as a mature age recruit and took plenty of contested grabs in the VFL last season. He should slot straight into the Lynch-less forward line.

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  2. Great review! A very SC relevant team in 2019.

    Do Corbett & Burgess look like playing Round 1? I’ve got these 2 in my team along with Miles, Wigg & Collins.

    Every year I pick a 300-350k midfielder and every year they burn me. Armitage, O’Meara, Crouch….I said never again. But this year is different, isn’t it? Miles is not coming off a serious injury.

    On another note, it won’t happen in 2019 but IF Gold Coast can retain these players (at least the good ones) they will finally turn the corner. To able to replace Lynch with Lukosis, May with King & still get Rankine was huge.

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  3. Nice one again, Ben.
    Have 4 at this stage: Collins, Wigg, Miles and Corbett.
    A veritable and movable feast; let’s see what time and the JLT series throw up.

    Sounds like they had a lot of hard yakka and fun (bonding) on their NZ trip. I think like last year, they may be competitive early. Let’s hope competitive enough to make a heap of cash before off-loading them all.

    Long-term looks bright if they can hold onto their golden draft picks. Am looking forward to hearing what our LGCS has to say 🙂

    Great stuff Ben.

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  4. Great analysis Ben and thanks for sharing . I am in one of your leagues and can see you are going to be very competitive . Agree with your Gold Coast choices especially mature age selections Collins Corbett and Wigg . Will watch Burgess dual status could go well with Connor Rozee. Will also strongly consider Miles depending on rookies in JLT

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  5. Thanks for all the kind words everyone!

    As for Corbett and Burgess, I think they’re both fantastic rookie selections at this point, especially Burgess, I just didn’t mention them because I wrote this review about 2 weeks ago, and they weren’t really on my radar just yet. My only concern is that is you have Collins and Wigg, how many Suns rookies is too many, especially in the one line?

    Additionally, Jez McLennan looks good in the backline as well, and from what I’ve heard he is pushing for a round one start as well. Another one to watch.

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      1. Thought (actually hoped) so, re: Corbett 😉

        I actually don’t think FOUR is too many ON ONE LINE. Two will certainly be gone by Rd8 (corrections and peaking) another before the byes (peaked) and one during the byes (maximising players on field before GCS’s bye). Worst-case you might still have one come the Rd14 bye. But that in itself will be a good thing because it means they’ve performed well enough to keep!!

        Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter who rookies play for, the only thing that does matter is the relative # of byes per line for those you’re planning on keeping THEOUGH the byes. And we won’t know that until at least Rd9 or later (a lot can happen in a week).

        I recall people worrying about the # of MEL players we all had as the byes approached last year. It’s largely irrelevant. Six Rd12 WBD keepers is the same as six spread across STK, HAW, WBD, ESS, PTA and FRE leading into Rd12 … so long as you only have six, it’s irrelevant who they play for. Six from one or one from each, makes no difference to your bye structure and SC scoring.

        Rant over. But my point is, don’t worry if you start with even 8 from the one club:
        – especially rookies (likely non-keepers)
        – particularly if they’re spread across lines, and
        – magnificently, if they have the Rd14 bye
        Thank you GCS. If enough show themselves to be up for it in JLT and look like they have decent JS, I won’t be afraid to start ALL of them (particularly the proven mature-agers). Happy days 🙂

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  6. So glad to see someone mention George Horlin-Smith. Apparently a great team man, who just couldn’t find a niche at Geelong. Hope he smashes it out at the GCS.

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  7. Not sure why Wigg is so popular, maybe because he is so cheap? Checking out the GC fan boards and not 1 fan has selected him in their round 1 side. I’ve haven’t really seen his name mentioned in training reports either. I must be missing something. Witts did have a down year last year so there is some value there, he is at the right age to break out for a ruck man and has no competition for his spot. He played all 22 games last year so is very durable. Definitely think he is a ruck option.

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