Rookie Review – 2022

Preliminary final week for Supercoach and just 2 weeks to go for season 2022. What a journey it’s been for 21 weeks of footy. We have been very fortunate this season with 146 players to have played a game that started the season under the JHF line of $207,300 which is a huge amount (including COVID top up players).

There are still some decent rookies getting a game and keeping our benches warm with the likes of Hollands, Burgoyne, Cumberland and Sonsie to name a few of the newer debutants. With a handful more games they would definitely feature in the below All Rookie Team For 2022 but they couldn’t be squeezed in with their limited number of games.

It was a hard team to select due to rookie’s being classed as a success in a number of different ways, points, price increase and job security the focus. The backline picks itself but the forward line is a bit trickier with players not scoring as well consistently or not stringing together games. Not everyone will agree but below is the selected 23 so feel free to comment who you think deserves to be in the line-up.

SCT All-Rookie Team of 2022

FB:	Jacob WEHR	Sam DE KONING	Josh GIBCUS
HB:	Nick DAICOS (c)	Patrick MCCARTIN	Mitch HINGE
C:	Nic MARTIN	Josh WARD	Jason HORNE-FRANCIS
HF	Patrick NAISH	Josh RACHELE	Ben HOBBS
F:	Corey DURDIN	Jack GINNIVAN	Rhylee WEST
R:	Braydon PREUSS	Jackson HATELY	Jake SOLIGO
IC:	Nasiah WANGANEEN-MILERA	Connor MACDONALD	Sam HAYES
	Hugo RALPHSMITH	Dylan STEPHENS (Sub)

DEFENDERS
Wehr has been a preseason favourite and finally got a crack and scored well in his 10 games. De Koning and McCartin have been 2 of the best picks all season long and still feature as great bench cover for some. Gibcus started the year well and was averaging 66 at one point before a role change saw him drop significantly. Hinge was injured in round 4 but prior to that and since returning he has been a strong contributor. Finally, Daicos has been the clear standout with a max price increase of $368,600 which saw him priced over $560,000. He had an ownership over 82% at its peak in one of the best ever rookie seasons.

Honourable mentions to Hough and Perez who both played 14 games this season.

MIDFIELDERS
Since returning from concussion Ward has shown his scoring potential as a true ball winner. The Crows pairing of Hately and Soligo also feature due to decent years with both having a great patch around the byes to give them great cash increases. Martin had seemingly been plucked from nowhere but has been one of the Bombers more consistent players in his first year. Horne-Francis is on a wing although more of a contested player that is his spot ‘on paper’. An up and down year but he has shown a lot of promise as the #1 draft pick.

RUCKS
A lot of carnage in the ruck this season saw Preuss play the most games although suspended or injured for just as many. Before his ankle injury he hadn’t scored under 100 but has not hit that since his return.

Honourable mention to Dixon who made coaches some good money before the byes.

FORWARDS
At centre half forward there is Rachele who started with a bang but received more attention as a main focus up forward for the Crows. Naish started the year very well as a pre-season selection who was averaging 71 before he was handed a vest and then out of the side. Durdin was similar as he has played all but 1 game but his scoring has dipped late in the year. Ginnivan has also only missed 1 game with a great start to the season but has still found a way to have impacts during games. Hobbs should have been in the side for Rd 1, when he has had a decent time in the middle he has scored with ease. West takes the last spot in the forward line with his great form after the bye in a strong midfield.

Honourable mentions to Curtis, Maginness and Windhager who all played at least 14 games.

INTERCHANGE
Wanganeen-Milera has had to play a number of different roles and shown great signs, just needs to increase his TOG. MacDonald has missed the 2 games this year as a mainstay on coaches’ benches. Sam Hayes got his chance and performed very well in his 7 games to get over $300,000. Ralphsmith has been a bit under the radar due to missing some games through the middle of the season but has gotten to 13 games. Dylan Stephens is the sub and has shown why a lot of coaches started with him this year since returning to the side, only had the 1 bad game before being forced to play VFL for 2 months.

Rookie of the Year Award:
3 – Nick Daicos
2 – Elijah Hollands
1 – Mitch Hinge

Rookie of the Year Award After Round 21:
20 – Nick Daicos
12 – Braydon Preuss
11 – Nic Martin

Congratulations to Nick Daicos who has taken out the SCT Rookie of the Year for 2022!

Thanks everyone for reading the Rookie Review this season, it has been a pleasure to take on the role. Looking forward to 2023 but I’m not sure we will be so lucky with this many rookies next year, fingers crossed.

---

Leave a comment / Scroll to bottom