Hey Eagling,
First of all let me say, well done on building such a formidable line up having only used 15 trades!!!
You have as many as 19 or 20 players that could be considered Keepers/Starters, so we really are looking at building better coverage, Building some DPP links, and upgrading some of the "lower" starters.
Tradeable Rookies
[table="width: 600"]
[tr]
[td]
Player[/td]
[td]
Price[/td]
[td]
B/E[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ellis-Yolman[/td]
[td]$368,300[/td]
[td]100[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]McIntosh[/td]
[td]$309,100[/td]
[td]91[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Tarrant[/td]
[td]$290,200[/td]
[td]76[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Saad[/td]
[td]$389,300[/td]
[td]66[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Krakouer[/td]
[td]$268,500[/td]
[td]54[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Cripps[/td]
[td]$464,600[/td]
[td]42[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]McKenzie[/td]
[td]$207,800[/td]
[td]13[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
I think you are in the quit enviable position, that you can afford to overpay for players, just because you think they will be the best scorers. Not too much mind you, but you can. With that in mind, I think you can only make one upgrafe this week, but can build a bank for more upgrades next week. You could make two, if you took a "lesser" player, but I think I'd wait a week for a better player.
I'd be looking at:
Tarrant to McLean/Lambert/Byrne - Obviously Byrne would leave you with a donut this week, assuming McKenzie doesn't make the cut. He's still worth considering getting in at some stage. While you have the Higgins/McGovern DPP swing-set, it is important to note, they only provide cover for each other. If you add Byrne to the equation, you can cover more than just the players in the swing-set. Given the strength of your Fwd line, Byrne might be better suited sitting at D8, and coming in when Hamling or A Pearce go out. You should definitely consider a link that will provide more coverage than just Higgins and Mcgov covering each other. Lambert is the bigger risk, as far JS goes, but also, on paper, offers the greatest potential reward, as well as being the cheapest. Even if he has the Green vest, it is worth strongly considering him over McLean.
Given the state of your Defs, I don't think you need another Rookie down there with a low game count. That being the case, I would downgrade CEY to a Rookie
CEY to Kavanagh/Lambert/Steele - As with Byrne, Steele has the donut downside attached, but potentially might be the best of the 3 going further into the season. Realistically it is probably Lambert or Kavanagh.
That leaves McIntosh to the Def of your choice. Looking at your team, it looks like you are a careful shopper, play a bit on the conservative side, and don't like to overpay. That to me says get Houli. I myself, would probably get Hodge. Yes, he will miss games, and get managed, but you have the depth and quality of bench to cover it, or you will have late in the season, when it is likely to happen.
I would say, if it was my team, I would be going:
Tarrant/CEY/McIntosh to Lambert/Kavanagh/Hodge.
I could fully understand if you went to McLean/Lambert/Houli though.
That would leave you around $300k to go shopping next week, and to upgrade Oxley to Heppell/Hannebery by restoring your DPP D/M link.
Which ever way you jump, I hope it works out for you.