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[Professor]

Champion Data SuperCoach formguide: Trade and rookie tips for Round 11

Champion Data, Herald Sun

May 31, 2018 2:30pm

Subscriber only

IF YOU didn’t trade out Tim Kelly last round, then this week you have no other choice but to cash in and turn him into a bona fide premium.

Almost 14,700 SuperCoaches jumped ship last round and in hindsight it was the right call as Kelly attended a season-low five centre bounces and scored just 57 points — slightly up on his 48 points the previous round.

INS AND OUTS: SEE ALL THE ROUND 11 TEAMS

FIX MY TEAM: EXPERT SUPERCOACH ANSWERS

Kelly has a break-even score of 136 points this round and once again the smart choice would to turn him into Patrick Dangerfield after he racked up 133 points against Carlton. Gold Coast concede the most points to midfielders and Dangerfield is close to a must-have.

If you’re looking for a point of difference, then how can you pass up Andrew Gaff? He’s in career-best form and has recorded disposal tallies of 33, 36, 36, 36 and 30 from his past five games against this week’s opponent St Kilda. All roads lead to another 30-plus disposal game on Saturday night. Adding the Gaff’s appeal is that the Saints leak the third-most points to midfielders this season.

Scott Pendlebury is also an option this round. It’s hard to remember the last time he was priced under $500k. He is averaging 106 points in full games which is almost identical to Dustin Martin and Joel Selwood. Pendlebury has three 100-plus point scores against Fremantle from his past four games against them.

It’s been a great ride, Tim Kelly.Andrew Gaff has a three-round average of 117.

ROOKIE WATCH

It’s time to pull the trigger and trade in defence, with both Jeremy Finlayson and Sam Murray prime candidates to get the chop.

The Giants named five inclusions for Sunday’s game against Adelaide including two first-gamers, with no sign of Finlayson. Murray has been named on Collingwood’s extended bench against Fremantle but is unlikely to make the final team based on post-match comments from Nathan Buckley last week suggesting that he may have an extended spell in the VFL.

Bailey Rice should be the top defensive target after he played his second match on the weekend. He has done everything right so far, ranking third at the Saints for intercept possessions (14) since Round 9.

Teammate Logan Austin is also an option after he debuted with 23 disposals and 106 points. With Nathan Brown, Dylan Roberton, Sam Gilbert and the suspended Jack Carlisle all missing, jobs security isn’t an issue for either player.

Jordan Ridley is an alternative to the Saints duo, but a return from injury by Michael Hurley could oust him from the Bombers backline. An injury to Patrick Ambrose though could see Ridley remain in the side, but I’d look to the Saints duo ahead of the young Bomber regardless.

Bailey Rice and Tim Smith SuperCoach are this week’s top rookie picks.

The No. 1 trade-in target this round has to be Melbourne’s Tim Smith with his low break-even score (-116) ensuring he booms in price after his next game. He has looked right at home in the Dees’ forward line, scoring 91 and 101 points from two games.

Zac Giles-Langdon has to go this week even though he has a reachable break-even score of 34 points. Jake Waterman (85 BE) and Billy Gowers (71 BE) are also ready to be culled in attack.

SuperCoaches with Charlie Spargo, Nick Holman and Ed Phillips in the midfield face a major selection headache as to which player to field on the ground. If you also own Dom Barry, the closeness of Melbourne and Port Adelaide start times makes it impossible to loophole Spargo. So essentially, you have to make a call and stick with it. Good luck!

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sydney Swans vs Carlton

Lance Franklin kicked 10 goals and had 183 points when these sides last met in Round 23 last season at the SCG. Kade Simpson finished with 29 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 115 points.

Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne

Luke Dahlhaus suffered his fifth consecutive price drop last round after scoring 84 points against Collingwood. Jake Lever’s price spike by $26,200 after scoring 99 points against former side Adelaide Crows.

Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide

Jarryd Roughead finished with 18 disposals, two goals and 89 points when he last played Port Adelaide in Round 11 last season. Travis Boak had 23 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 101 points for the Power.

Gold Coast vs Geelong

Aaron Hall averaged 27 disposals, four tackles, seven score involvements and 101 points at Metricon Stadium last season. Joel Selwood has averaged 28 disposals and 113 points from his four games at the venue.

Essendon vs Richmond

Zach Merrett has scored 100-plus points in two of four games at the MCG this season including 118 against Geelong in Round 9. Alex Rance’s only three-figure score at the MCG came against Hawthorn in Round 3.

West Coast vs St Kilda

Andrew Gaff has had 30-plus disposals in each of his past five games against St Kilda, averaging 34 disposals and 99 points. Jack Steven has averaged 27 disposals and 101 points in these games.

North Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions

Todd Goldstein celebrated his 200th AFL match in style last round against Fremantle, kicking a late goal to score 102 points. Mitch Robinson had a blinder against Sydney, finishing with a career-high 26 contested possessions and 172 points.

Collingwood vs Fremantle

Brodie Grundy is averaging 125 points against bottom-10 sides this season, ranked No. 1 at the Magpies. Nat Fyfe is averaging 130 points against top-eight opposition, ranked No. 1 at the Dockers.

Adelaide Crows vs GWS Giants

With scores of 47 and a season-low 42 points from his past two games, Sam Jacobs’ price has plummeted by $67,500. Jeremy Cameron’s 61 points against Essendon last week was his second-lowest score of the year, falling by $19,700.

 

[Professor]

David King analyses Dreamtime at the ‘G and who Essendon can take down the reigning premiers

DAVID KING, Herald Sun

May 31, 2018 7:00pm

Subscriber only

IT’S crunch time for the Essendon Football Club.

A finals campaign seemed a pipedream a fortnight ago but wins over Geelong and*Greater Western Sydney*have the door slightly ajar now the reigning premiers stand in the way.

The Bombers post Round 8 are a different beast than the dysfunctional and selfish version that wasted the first two months of the season. If Richmond underestimates Essendon, it will pay a price.

MOVES:*BOMBERS TO BE AGGRESSIVE TRADERS AGAIN

STARS:*BOMBERS SET FOR BIG DREAMTIME BOOST

ANALYSIS:*BOMBER TACKLES PRESSURE HEAD ON

LEGEND:*RUTHLESS DRIVE BEHIND FOOTY GENIUS

MILESTONE:*STRINGER’S EMOTIONAL HOPE FOR 100TH

John Worsfold stood defiant, would not accept external views and shouldered the load as the senior coach must, but behind the scenes Dyson Heppell demanded more from the club’s leaders and most importantly, himself.

It’s no coincidence Heppell has played his toughest football since that pow-wow with his teammates. Season-high contested-possession games of 16 (Cats) and 14 (Giants) and a career-high 12-clearances last week stamped his “follow me” rather than “listen to me” adjustment.

It’s dramatic shift from apportioning blame to taking responsibility. No more of Brendon Goddard’s futile finger pointing but a team-first “do your job” mentality.

Dyson Heppell handballs out of the pack against Geelong.

Heppell has become the captain Essendon hoped and the leadership of David Zaharakis cannot be understated.

Heppell’s legacy as captain has elevated significantly over past month but Trent Cotchin is the poster boy for AFL leadership. Who will have a bigger influence on Saturday night?

Essendon can defeat the Tigers. I repeat, Essendon can defeat Richmond despite the disparate

ladder positions - 12th v 2nd.

The Bombers’ pressure game has become a feature of their alterations, highlighted by Mark

Baguley’s shift from defence to attack which has ensured a tackle and harassment level unseen

among “The Walking Dead” Bomber forwards who allowed clean passage for the opposition on counter-attack across the first two months of the season.

A spike in forward-half tackles from an average 29 tackles per match from Rounds 1-8, to 41 over the past fortnight highlights the shift in focus and intent. It’s not he volume of total tackles, but the location in terms of field position that’s critical.

The Tigers’ forward-handball game poses the perfect challenge for the pressuring Bombers — an opportunity that will again be driven by*Devon Smith who’s the league’s best pressure player. What an outstanding off-season acquisition, but he needs others to continue to subscribe.

Dylan Shiel is harassed by Devon Smith.

Essendon is the first team to have three successive games with a Champion Data pressure rating in excess of 200. The AFL pressure rating average is approximately 180 which is exactly the rating the Bombers had for the first seven rounds.

The Tigers thrive on chaos, under constant confrontational pressure and continual

turnover, therefore the challenge is there for the Bombers to embrace but make no mistake, this game will be decided without possession of the football.

Richmond is an average clearance team. It has been outscored by its opposition despite the

star factor and threat of Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Kane Lambert at clearances.

The territory advantage from winning clearances must be Essendon’s. Tom Bellchambers’ connection with Heppell and a reinvigorated Zach Merrett is crucial.

Over the past three weeks the Toby Nankervis tap to Martin has happened only six times,

ranked just inside the AFL’s top 30 combinations.

Bellchambers to Zaharakis (12 times), to Heppell (eight times) and to Smith (six times) illuminates a ruck-to-rover advantage for the Dons. Let alone when Shaun Grigg goes into the ruck.

Bellchambers had 19 hitouts to advantage against the Giants. Expect the same.

The Bombers must “catch and kill their own”, as Ross Lyon would say. If finals mean anything to this midfield core then a brutal approach must be evident.

Jake Stringer looks to break out of the pack.

Shock victories need individual wildcard performances. Think Shaun McKernan’s three-goal first quarter against Geelong. Jake Stringer is in good form and is quietly going about his business in a team-first fashion with nine score involvements last weekend both in the midfield and forward.

Stringer’s*100th game celebration may just be the perfect forum. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

Essendon is a different team with Orazio Fantasia in the line-up. The Bombers have won seven of their last 11 games when Fantasia is in the side, with 18 goals from him in that period.

Fantasia is the class in the Bombers’ forward half and I’m expecting a big performance after three games back from injury.

Defeating Martin is a difficult task. Which way will Worsfold lean?

Trust Adam Saad again or leave Saad to play unrestricted as per the past 2-3 weeks?

Is Andrew McGrath physically capable at this early stage and do you want him on the last line of defence?

I wonder if Goddard would put his hand up for one of the biggest challenges in the game? What a statement that would make to the Essendon playing group.

Would Goddard sacrifice himself for the team gain? Physically there’s no issue, mentally it would be a shift to play a negating role, but Goddard is more than capable.

Is he willing?

If it’s good enough for Scott Pendlebury to tag Patrick Cripps then why not Goddard?

Let’s wait and see how creative and daring Worsfold and his coaches are on Saturday night.

Richmond has won the last six confrontations against the Bombers, but this would be the most significant.

Essendon’s 2018 finals campaign is on the line. Win this and it can dare to dream … Essendon by less than a goal and Heppell to take home the boomerang.

 

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[Maccas marvels]

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[Professor]

Who are the best SuperCoach points of difference for Round 11

Herald Sun

11 minutes ago

Subscriber only

Although we are just 10 rounds in, it is clear that 2018 is the year of POD.

Bulldogs gun Jack Macrae is the prime example, far and away the best SuperCoach scorer of the season with an astonishing average of 135.9 points per game.

The top three averaging forwards – Jack Darling, Robbie Gray and Toby McLean – were all owned by less than 5 per cent of teams at the start of the year.

ROCKY:*HUGE BARGAIN OR SUPERCOACH TRAP?

TEAMS:*SEE ALL THE ROUND 11 INS AND OUTS

ROUND 11:*CHAMPION DATA SUPERCOACH FORMGUIDE

Down back, top five defenders Kade Simpson, Jeremy Howe and Shannon Hurn were all unique selections.

And who could have forecasted Brodie Grundy’s rise to prowess? These players prove looking left field pays handsome dividends.

DAN BATTEN casts his eye over the best points of difference ahead of Round 11, headed by a number of tantalising forward options.

Angus Brayshaw at Melbourne training. Picture: Michael Klein

DEFENDERS

Angus Brayshaw ($422,900, Def-Mid)

Average: 89.9*Ownership: 8.4 per cent

Brayshaw has fought hard and warrants SuperCoach selection after a strong month. The former No.3 draft selection finished with career highs in almost all facets on Sunday, tallying 37 disposals, 14 marks, three goals and 130 points in a dominant display. This was his third ton in his past four games, thanks to a role change seeing him receive greater midfield minutes. Worth the punt.

Luke Ryan ($501,000, Def)

Average: 98.3*Ownership: 4.2 per cent

Luke Ryan appeared in our first batch of PODs in Round 2 and has continued on his merry way ever since. The interceptor has gone bananas in his last three games, amassing scores of 125, 121 and 136. Ryan’s form isn’t unprecedented either, having posted three tons in his last five games in 2017. Has only fallen below 85 twice this season, and the best part is he is remains a hidden gem at 4.2 per cent ownership.

Josh Caddy at Richmond training.

FORWARDS

Josh Caddy ($501,800, Mid-Fwd)

Average: 101.8*Ownership: 6.1 per cent

He was the perfect upgrade last week after posting a whopping 146 SuperCoach points, but it is not too late to jump on. Caddy’s consistency has been a feature despite missing two games through injury and suspension, failing to score below 84 points and booting a goal in every game this season. This could be the year he fires in SuperCoach.

Travis Boak ($485,500, Mid-Fwd)

Average: 97.8*Ownership: 3.7 per cent

Looking for a Port Adelaide upgrade but worried about Gray returning to the forward line? Meet Power skipper Travis Boak. Largely irrelevant in SuperCoach prior to this season, Boak has posted six 95-plus totals in 2018 and appears to be spending more time in the guts. He will guide you through the byes and his dual position status is a bonus. Oh, did I mention he is in just 3.7 per cent of teams?

Jack Ziebell, Jed Anderson and Kayne Turner share a laugh.

Jed Anderson ($461,000, Fwd)

Average: 86.5*Ownership: 1.1 per cent

Free of injury, Jed Anderson is delivering on his potential in his sixth season in the competition. Anderson’s move to the midfield in recent weeks has turned him into a formidable scorer, averaging 22.2 possessions and 95.7 in his last six games. Being able to purchase him as a forward is an added bonus, as is his low 1 per cent ownership. In career best form and if it continues, which it looks like it will, he is a fantastic addition. Round 12 bye is handy.

Michael Walters ($419,700, Mid-Fwd)

Average: 93.3*Ownership: 5.1 per cent

Walters price would be sky-high if not for an injury affected 17 points in Round 6. The livewire returned a fortnight ago with a modest 80 before reaching a mammoth total of 146 against the Roos. He won’t be much of a POD next week, with over 7,000 teams trading him in already. Considering he is averaging 104.1 points discounting his Round 6 score, he is an absolute steal, even with his Round 14 bye.

RUCKS

Paddy Ryder ($501,900)

Average: 84.5*Ownership: 1.7 per cent

Those hunting for a ruck upgrade or sideways should have their eyes fixed on Ryder. The 2017 All-Australian has improved by the week since coming back from injury, returning scores of 108 and 98 in the past fortnight. His meagre 66 in Round 7 came from just 59 per cent time-on-ground as he got back in the swing of things. Fresh off his bye, Ryder is worth every cent.

 

[Presto]

Rage trades: Who you need to get out of your SuperCoach team after Round 11
Paul Dunn, Herald Sun
June 3, 2018 8:48pm
Subscriber only

A TOUGH round for many this week with some popular trade-in targets failing (yes, Tom Rockliff) and some big scores from rookies like Bayley Fritsch and the player many traded out for Rockliff in Tim Kelly.
But the big thing on our minds is the bye rounds which are now upon us. All of our trades need to be considered with the player’s bye in mind as well as your team’s structure in relation to the byes.
But thanks to the “reverse trades” button we can still vent some frustration as soon as lockout ends tonight.

BOOT HIM

Allen Christensen
head knock early in the game saw him leave the field with just one free kick against to his tally. This meant he ended up on negative points, which is a disaster if you had him on the field and, to add insult to injury, will send his break-even sky high. This is the time to trade him as he will plummet in price whenever he plays next.

Tom Rockliff
Just 41 points was a nightmare for the 10,000 coaches who recruited Rockliff in this week - especially all those that traded him in for Tim Kelly. He was used as a tagger (on Tom Mitchell) for the second half and the bad news is he was pretty successful — hopefully Ken Hinkley doesn’t use that tactic too often. You can’t get rid of him after one week but he’s a perfect candidate for a Sunday night rage trade/reverse trades move.

Tim Smith
Like Rockliff you can’t trade him out but last week’s hottest rookie was a total bomb in week one for most of our sides, scoring just 26. Hopefully Simon Goodwin gives him another chance.

Chad Wingard
This was his third week of scoring under 50 this season and he didn’t hit the scoreboard at all and had only 13 touches. He hasn’t had the season many had hoped for and this is just another reason to move him on. The only reason you may want to hold him is that he will play all the bye rounds, but if you can trade him for a Round 12 player in Round 13 then do it.

Jaeger O’Meara
If you are still holding him it is time to let him go. While he has had two good scores over 100 recently he has also delivered a 45 in Round 8 and this week’s 65 and you just can’t hold him with wild scoring swings like this. Consistency is what you want and if you were using him as a stepladder these lower scores will just keep his price stagnant.

Luke Dahlhaus
Just one goal for the whole season for Luke so far and he has only scored over 85 twice since Round 4. He isn’t performing to the level that you were hoping for when you selected him. This week represented his lowest score since Round 2.

Jack Billings
The Rage Trades regular earns another mention. We thought he may have turned the corner with a 52-point second half against Richmond but against West Coast he could manage only 15 touches, no scoreboard impact and 58 points. He’s a must-trade at St Kilda's Round 14 bye and no one would blame you for using one of this week’s three trades to go early especially if you can get a Port Adelaide forward like Robbie Gray or Justin Westhoff.

Ben Ronke
Just keep an eye on Ronke. You need to hold him for his byes but if trading him out helps your bye structure in other ways then you could probably do it. He posted his lowest score of the year this week and his price won’t be growing as much as we would like. So he isn’t a complete boot from your team but just be wary of him and if you need to sacrifice someone from his bye round, he could be the one.

BUY HIM

Tom McDonald
Three scores of 110 or more in the past four weeks will put him on many shopping lists now. Four goals this week and a massive 164 will see many coaches trying to get him into their sides, and a defender-midfielder status that creates a handy swing with James Sicily are good reasons to be considering him. However, he does have just the one game before his bye so keep that in mind.

Marcus Bontempelli
He is on the bye this week but once that is done he will be ripe for the picking. He had one poor score in Round 10 but apart from that he has been great in recent weeks. Four of his past five scores have been over 120 shows us that he is back on track. His price will drop after the next game also as the 47 will still be in his price cycle for one more game, so round 13 or 14 will be the time to grab him.

Clayton Oliver
After two lower scores in Rounds 9 and 10 he smashed it this week with 38 touches as he went back over 100 in convincing fashion. He has been a solid with six of his 11 scores over 120. He should be a hot trade-in target after his Round 12 bye.

Logan Austin
The Saints defender is on the bubble next week after scoring 106 and 92 in his first two games. His Round 14 bye isn’t ideal but his break-even will make him almost a must-have to generate some cash for our other bye trades. And a shoutout to rookies Paul Ahern (84) and Brody Mihocek (97) who will be great downgrade options in the next few weeks.

Dayne Beams
Beams has been impressive in the past couple of weeks and he only seems to be getting better. Five goals this week to go with 32 touches and his low break-even will boost his value and more games like this will see him return to being one of the premier midfielders in SuperCoach.
Dayne Beams kicked five goals in a losing side.

Michael Walters
Despite a calf issue during the game Walters soldiered on to finish on 92. This is now three solid weeks since he has returned from his injury and he is looking like someone we should be getting into our forward lines despite him having the Round 14 bye.

Nic Naitanui
Once he is back from the bye this week Nic Nat should be considered if you have an underperforming ruck like Sam Jacobs. He posted a score of 129 from just 61 per cent game time this week, which was one of the highest time on Ground percentages he has had this season. If it keeps going up, so should his scores.

Shaun Higgins
Once considered a player that would burn you in SuperCoach, he is now a consistent high scorer and was very good again this week with 38 touches at an impressive 81 per cent effectiveness. Four of his five scores over 100 have been 120-plus which shows us that when he has a good game he generally goes big.

Bryce Gibbs
If you’ve been looking to bring him in, this could be the time. He scored his first over 100 for a while and with his price low he could be about to rise fast if he can put in more games like this one. He looked good and slick with his hands on his way to 36 touches and nine tackles against the Giants.

CAPTAINS SCORECARD
A+: —

A: Max Gawn, Tom Mitchell, Marcus Bontempelli, Joel Selwood, Brodie Grundy

B+: Gary Ablett Jnr, Dayne Beams, Rory Laird

B: Jack Macrae, Patrick Dangerfield, Zach Merrett, Dayne Zorko, Adam Treloar

C+: Jack Steven

C: Lance Franklin, Dustin Martin, Andrew Gaff, Scott Pendlebury

D: Patrick Cripps, Nat Fyfe

ROOKIE WATCH
Should have started on field: Tim Kelly (130), Bayley Fritsch (111), Logan Austin (92), Nick Holman (88), Ben Ronke (63), Patrick Kerr (77), Paddy Dow (65), Riley Bonner (70), Jamaine Jones (66), Lachlan Fogarty (73), Matt Guelfi (76), Jack Higgins (67), Tom Cole (70), Ed Phillips (58), Bailey Rice (62), Paul Ahern (84), Cameron Rayner (89), Brody Mihocek (94), Bailey Banfield (79), Andrew Brayshaw (65), Tom Doedee (78), Darcy Fogarty (62), Zac Langdon (88)

Should have started on bench: Tim Smith (26), Charlie Spargo (31), Jacob Heron (34), Jordan Ridley (36), Willie Rioli (46), Jake Waterman (47), Oscar McInerney (53), Flynn Appleby (36), Taylin Duman (54), Scott Jones (49), Stefan Giro (39), Adam Cerra (31), Jaidyn Stephenson (34), Lachlan Murphy (26), Sam Taylor (57)

HiPAGES NAILED IT

Al Paton: Al predicted Max Gawn would have a career-high SuperCoach score against the Dogs. His previous best was only 92. But Al didn’t stop there and suggested that Max would go 130-plus.
Verdict: Nailed It. This was pretty much a slam dunk pick by Al with the Dogs ruck division not being the strongest. Max finished with 139 points and I suspect most that put the VC on him would have taken that score.

Ben Higgins: This week Ben went with Jack Macrae to get smashed in the clearances and for Macrae to score under 80 points based on how well the Demons have been dominating.
Verdict: Failed It. Jack finished with 31 touches and 105 Supercoach points despite Ben being right that the Demons would dominate the game.

 

[Presto]

SuperCoach mid-year jury delivers its verdict on the good, the bad and the ugly
Herald Sun
June 6, 2018 10:30am
Subscriber only

BEFORE Round 1 we regularly surveyed SuperCoach experts to gain some insight into strategy and player intel from people who have been doing this for a long time — and doing it well.
After 11 rounds we’ve called them back for a review of what has gone right, what went wrong and where we go from here.

1. WHO WAS YOUR BEST STARTING SELECTION
AL PATON @al_superfooty: Toby McLean. Tip of the hat to my brother, a Doggies fan, for tipping me off. Give myself a tick for James Sicily and Devon Smith, too.
GILBERT GARDINER @gilbertgardiner: Stephen Coniglio. Honest as the day is long, for the price we paid at the start of the season been a revelation — averaging 107 points.
BEN HIGGINS @ben_higgins84: A thin field to choose from if I’m honest. I’m going to pick Shane Savage. The Saint has teased us with his SuperCoach potential and this year is showing it on a reasonably consistent basis.
DAN BEGALA @danbegala: The quarterback of the Sydney Swans — Jake Lloyd — is my proudest achievement in Season 2018 with a string of standout performances over the past month. He’s currently jostling with Max Gawn (RUC) and Nat Fyfe (MID) for best-and-fairest honours at The Begala Brigade.
PAUL DUNN @pkd73: Excluding the obvious selections of Mitchell, Gawn and Laird it would be Devon Smith. He has been very consistent while averaging 93 as a forward which is very handy. If he can keep it up would be his best SuperCoach average of his career. My second best would have been Riley Bonner as he had a great start to the season and made a lot of cash very quickly while scoring well enough to be trusted safely on the ground.
ALEXIE BEOVICH @LekDogSC: The shining light in my terrible midfield, Clayton Oliver. Started as a POD and has gone on to average 113 for the year despite breaking a thumb, keep it up you handballing beast of a man!
TIM MICHELL @tim_michell: James Sicily. He’s missed a few weeks due to suspension, but it’s hard to argue with an average of 105. He was in the first team I picked and I’m glad he stayed there!
JAMES NICE: Max Gawn.
ANTHONY HACK @ant_hak: Outside of the common players — Gawn, Mitchell, Fyfe, Laird and Coniglio — I’m really happy with my decisions to start both James Sicily and Michael Walters. Even though they have both missed games already this season, they were both solid decisions for the start of the season.

2. WHO WAS YOUR WORST STARTING SELECTION
AP: Jack Billings. Finally traded him out this week after losing nearly $200k. Disaster.
GG: Jaeger O’Meara. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Had reservations going into the season but got sucked in and ultimately paid the price.
BH: I think Tom Bell is the standout candidate. He looked good in the pre-season and I thought I could use him as a stepping stone to a premium. He played one game and hasn’t been seen since.
DB: Jack Billings. Need I say more? The coaching staff at The Begala Brigade are perplexed by Billings’ fall from grace, but lucky for us, we’re only taking the best 18 scores across the byes. With this in mind, it’s integral that you give the young Saint a fortnight to turn it around.
PD: Easy. Jack Billings. Promised so much and simply hasn’t delivered anything except for in Round 1. He edged out a strong field which included Michael Hibberd and Sam Jacobs.
AB: Where do I start, gee whiz. Hard to go past the last minute inclusion of Michael Hibberd but having Gary Ablett go down so quickly hurt too.
TM: Michael Hibberd. I’d had enough by Round 4 and moved him on via Sicily to Isaac Heeney. He’s been a staple of my team in recent years but I feel justified chopping him early enough that he was still worth over $500,000.
JN: David Armitage, Jack Billings, Michael Hibberd, Matt Crouch, Luke Dahlhaus, Christian Petracca … the list goes on.
AH: Take your pick of Michael Hibberd, David Armitage or Jack Billings! Armitage was so cheap that it didn’t matter too much, so it has to be out of the other two and they’re difficult to split. I’m probably most disappointed in picking Hibberd given that I had avoided him all pre-season and only brought him into my side in the last couple of days before lockout. And at least Billings scored a 133 in Round 1 — remember that?

3. BEST TRADE SO FAR?
AP: Hands down Riley Bonner to Jack Macrae in Round 7, a late change of heart from my original plan to bring in Dangerfield. Macrae promptly went berserk with scores of 189, 156 and 177 in the next three weeks.
GG: Toby McLean. Christensen to McLean ahead of Round 8. Wasn’t sold on the breakout Bulldog so wanted to see more exposed form before taking the plunge. Haven’t looked back since despite the blip against the Dees.
BH: I’ll let you know when I make a good one.
DB: The standout acquisition to The Begala Brigade has been Robbie Gray (FWD). He’s the best forward in the game — with daylight a close second — and a must-have selection for those looking to navigate successfully the byes. I’m a big fan of SuperCoach arbitrage, so exercising patience and acquiring Patrick Dangerfield (MID) for $600K also warms the cockles of my heart.
PD: Bringing in Toby McLean in Round 5 just before he went on his five-week 100+ scoring run from Rounds 6-10. This would be closely followed by bringing in Kade Simpson in round 10 only to have him score a 140 in his first game in my side.
AB: There haven’t been many good trades by me this year but jumping off Kreuzer and bringing in Stef Martin after Round 1 was solid … stay tuned for the next question though.
TM: Sam Murray to Jeremy Howe in Round 7. There was only $136,000 between the Magpies teammates at that stage and Howe is now worth more than $520,000. Two scores above 120 since I brought him in.
JN: Matt Crouch OUT, Clayton Oliver IN. A frustrating trade that had to be made due injury so early in the season, but there’s nothing more frustrating than having an elite sitting benched. Despite Oliver being kept to just 75 SuperCoach points in Round 3 by Ben Jacobs the week I bought him, he has been exceptional most weeks since.
AH: I cut my losses with Jack Billings relatively early, trading him out for Toby McLean after just three rounds. At that time they were both priced exactly the same at $493k. McLean has gone on to be the highest scoring forward in the game.

4. WORST TRADE SO FAR?
AP: Tim Kelly to Tom Rockliff is one of my all-time clangers, losing almost 100 points on the deal. Almost makes me forget how backline carnage forced me to trade out Sam Murray early and I chose Jeremy Howe as his replacement. He promptly turned out his worst score of the year then got injured. Fail.
GG: Dead-heat. Naughton to Cumming (Round 3, done solely to be able to use captain’s loophole) and Fritsch to Guelfi. Guelfi hasn’t been terrible but Fritsch has scored 90, 65, 98, 87, 87 and 11 since.
BH: Trading Tom Bell for Aaron Young after he scored a 100 in Round 1. He scored 43 and 52 before I traded him out.
DB: There hasn’t been one — touchwood — to be honest. We have a highly experienced Board of Directors at The Begala Brigade who meticulously scrutinise each and every trade proposal I’ve put forward. Given his penchant for being “tagged”, Zach Merrett (MID) looms as a dubious trade decision however his form of late tends to suggest otherwise
PD: Last week. Bringing in Tom Rockliff instead of Michael Walters. Although this is really the first big fail from a premium (and I am using that term loosely here) in their first week in my team.
AB: Ablett to Pendlebury looks bad in hindsight but I’ve done far worse, Menegola and Lambert out for Coniglio and a soon to be injured Walters in Round 3 stings but it’s still not my worst … Giles-Langdon to Rockliff in Round 11 takes the cake though. Lost a trade, 47 points, my league matches and a whole lot of dignity for “bye coverage,” I think I need a hug.
TM: Bayley Fritsch to Matt Guelfi in Round 5. Fritsch has made more than $200,000 since I traded him to avoid a zero on Anzac Day eve. It’s been hard to watch him excel the past six weeks.
JN: David Armitage out, Jaeger O’Meara in. An early sideways trade gone awry. O’Meara scored just 56 the week I brought him in before suffering a calf injury the following week.
AH: I feel pretty silly trading Michael Walters out after his injury and then trading him back in just four weeks later, albeit about $40k cheaper. Added to that, the player I brought in for Walters in Round 7 was Tom Cole, who hasn’t exactly set the world on fire either.

5. PLAYER YOU HAVEN’T GOT THAT YOU REALLY WANT
AP: I’ve had Dangerfield lined up twice only to abort at the last minute. After his bye it’s happening … somehow.
GG: Gilbert’s Guidance is not about individuals, it is about team success. We want whoever is scoring the best at the time. Next man up.
BH: Was too busy fixing my many pre-season mistakes to pick up Jack Macrae before his price exploded. Now he’s seemingly out of reach.
DB: There’s plenty, but they’re entrenched in my trade crosshairs throughout the byes. Elliot Yeo (DEF) is atop my list, but every time he’s poised to fall in value he responds with a best-on-ground performance and thwarts all trade plans. I’m also scratching my head as to how I managed to overlook the likes of Brodie Grundy (RUC) and Toby McLean (MID/FWD) in my starting squad.
Brodie Grundy has been the standout miss.
Overlooking Elliot Yeo a huge no-no.
PD: Brodie Grundy. I was worried about the Mason Cox effect at the start of the year and played it safe with Sam Jacobs and that has backfired terribly. Grundy is expensive at the moment but I am going to try and get to him somehow before the end of the bye period.
AB: Tom Mitchell but Patrick Dangerfield or Jack Macrae would be nice.
TM: Brodie Grundy. Toby Nankervis has done a great job for me next to Max Gawn, but how can you compete with Grundy’s numbers? A trade in Round 14 is a possibility.
JN: Jack Macrae and Brodie Grundy
AH: Easily Brodie Grundy. My second ruck is Todd Goldstein who has been a bit up and down. Those with both Grundy and Gawn have a big advantage over the rest of us.

6. HOW MANY TRADES HAVE YOU GOT LEFT?
AP: 12 after using three this week but my team is nearly complete. Should have 8-9 left after the byes.
GG: 15 … been busy the past couple of weeks after hot start. Trouble brewing.
BH: I’ll be going into Round 12 with 13. So many corrective trades.
DB: I’ve still got 15 trades remaining, but that could be short-lived, with analysts forecasting frivolous trade activity across the byes. My aim — all things being equal — is to have a fully-fledged premium side post the bye period.
PD: 13. This is a few less than I would like to have at this point but having said that I only have two rookies on field at the moment in my full line-up so from that perspective I believe I am well placed. I expect to come out of the byes with about seven trades left to see me through the last nine weeks of the season with no upgrading left to do. I usually like to have one trade for each week left at that point of the season.
AB: *Coughs to cover shame* 14 … only two premo spots to fill though … if you count Michael Hibberd … which you shouldn’t.
TM: 13. I hoped to have 15 heading into the byes but burned two bringing Lachie Whitfield in after his hot start and then trading him again to bring in Kade Simpson.
JN: 18 for me.
AH: Only 12 trades left for me. As mentioned above, I had some underperforming players I wanted to cut and add to that a few injuries to Matt Crouch, Michael Walters and Liam Ryan. I have also traded aggressively to upgrade my team quickly and as a result I only have two rookies left on field in my best 22 players, both defenders.

7. BEST TIP FOR HOW TO ATTACK THE RUN HOME
AP: Using a lot of trades during the byes is OK as long as you come out the other end with good bench cover including a few dual-position players to cover for injuries in the run home.
GG: Pick on form not reputation.
BH: This one goes out to the SuperCoaches low on trades. Finish your team ASAP and cross everything injuries or the dreaded “managed” don’t bite.
DB: Get 18 players — at a minimum — on the field for each week of the byes. That’s the immediate priority. Your focus after the byes, however, should be to have your side completed (premiums in every position) as soon as possible. Don’t be afraid to pull the trade trigger, but keep in mind that the season’s final weeks are traditionally replete with selection carnage. With that in mind, it’s integral that you hold 3-4 trades as a contingency plan and to ensure you team continues to rocket up the ranks up until Round 23.
PD: Upgrade your team to a premium side as quickly as you can to maximise your chance at points. Don’t be afraid to use trades where you need to. There is no prize for finishing the season with trades left in the bank.
AB: Find out who I’m trading in and then don’t trade that player in. Other than that, trade hard through the byes and then hold onto your remaining trades for dear life.
TM: Nail the captain’s loophole. You can’t afford to spurn your opportunity for double points and two cracks at it is too valuable to miss out on. There are about 25 players averaging 105 or more, so make sure you slap the VC on someone whose points you can double if they score big.
JN: Utilise the ability to make up to three trades a week over the bye rounds. Use this week’s trades (Round 12) to bank some cash by downgrading some of your rookies for players on the bubble (eg. Sam Murray to Logan Austin) and then trade hard over Round 13 and 14 for players who have already had their bye. Use as many trades necessary to have your side as close to full-strength as possible come Round 15 and hope finish the season on fire. It’s still possible to make it through the remainder of the year with 10 trades or less post-byes.
AH: The two main aims at this stage of the season should be to only trade in players who have already had their bye and to fully upgrade your team as soon as possible to premium players in all on-field positions. Then, once you’re fully upgraded, just ride the wave home to the end of the season using whatever trades you have left to tinker here and there when need be. If you have enough trades for the run home, it can also be handy to upgrade a bench position on each line and ensure you have non-players too, so that you can loophole your PODs every week as emergencies.

 

[Professor]

The SuperCoach Investor: How smart planning can help you jump up the rankings during the byes

Dan Begala, Herald Sun

an hour ago

IF YOU hadn’t noticed already, the byes have arrived and it’s going to rock the*SuperCoachStock Exchange with the trading halted on all stocks originating from West Coast, Carlton, Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs.

And that’s only the beginning, the “easy” week of the byes.

STATS INSIDE: MELBOURNE’S SUPERCOACH SCORING ISSUE

EXPERTS: SUPERCOACH MID-SEASON REVIEW

Compounding matters is the unexpected absence of Nat Fyfe and the chance that proven stars*Rory Laird*and*Stephen Coniglio, may each miss with their own injury concerns.

Distressed coaches have been left scampering for scoring players — literally anyone with a heartbeat or a pulse — to line up for duty for their starting squad of 18.

Our resident, Daniel Begala, casts his eyes across the ins-and-outs of negotiating the dreaded bye period.

TRADE PIPELINE

The byes should be rejoiced, not feared, as a carefully planned strategy can fast-track your rise up the SuperCoach rankings.

There are extra trades, rookies aplenty and an opportunity to expedite your team’s transition to the premium-filled portfolio that only the best investors could envisage.

The SuperCoach Investor preaches planning, but most importantly, having an accurate “pipeline” of investments.

Every coach — whether they’re novice or expert — should forecast every trade they expect to execute across the byes and, just as importantly, beyond.

Using the Begala Brigade as an example, I my priority is filling in the missing pieces of the premium puzzle over the coming weeks with Elliot Yeo (Round 13), Toby McLean (Round 13), and Michael Hurley (Round 14) high on my wish list.

The SuperCoach Stock Exchange, funnily enough, has been inundated with the recent IPOs of penny stocks including Paul Ahern (MID/FWD), Brody Mihocek (DEF) and Logan Austin (DEF) who offer investors a timely downgrade target and, vitally, some depth across the byes.

The acquisition of these rookies and missing premiums, however, should only be executed once they’ve served their bye and trading has resumed at the exchange.

Make a list of the premiums you need to finish your side and target them after their bye round. Michael Hurley is a great candidate after Round 13.BULLS AND BEARS

If you’re entrenched in the rankings pursuit — let’s say top 500 — it’s time to make a crazy, but calculated, decision on the playing stocks of Nat Fyfe (and to a lesser extent, Laird and Coniglio).

He’s been suspended and will now miss two weeks, including the Fremantle bye (Round 14), which is perceived to be the week where coaches are most likely to fall short of 18 starting players.

The “bull” among us will see the opportunity.

The “bear” will stress the importance of conserving trades, fret about the thought of trading Fyfe and ultimately languish among the herd.

A leopard never changes its spots, so whichever camp you reside in, I will leave the trade decision up to you.

The SuperCoach Investor believes there are two players from Port Adelaide and capable of producing the dividends etched among the top-tier of stocks.

They’ll be popular acquisitions this week, but Robbie Gray (FWD) and Justin Westhoff (MID/FWD) could be the perfect “downgrade” target if you consider doing the unthinkable and trading Nat Fyfe.

It’s the coaches in the past who have made these moves that have enjoyed a rankings surge — and maybe, just maybe — scooped the SuperCoach prize pool as the overall winner.

The Begala Brigade will have at least 20 playing stocks available for “selection” in Round 12, so the notion of “shorting” the Fyfe stock is currently out of scope from our investment committee.

AUSTIN POWERS

The International Man of Mystery, Logan Austin, is this week’s no-brainer decision for coaches as we embark on the challenge that is the byes.

Who is the best trade candidate for the Saints interceptor?

Again, it’s driven by your portfolio’s make-up, but given that Austin will serve the Round 14 bye it’s integral that you consider a like-for-like trade such that you’re not “robbing Peter to pay Paul”.

Noting that he’ll miss Round 14 — the most challenging bye — it’s integral that you do not erroneously move on a player (such as Tom Cole) who will be ready for service and capable of becoming your biggest ally in the absence of Austin.

 

[Professor]

The Phantom’s Trade Talk: All the premium bye-round targets

The Phantom, The Advertiser

June 6, 2018 1:40pm

Subscriber only

To successfully navigate through the bye rounds, you need to plan ahead and identify which premiums you are going to trade in and when.

SCROLL DOWN TO JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

The Phantom takes a look at who you should target after their bye.

ROUND 12 BYE

Elliot Yeo (WC) $521,400, defender

Average: 100, Ownership: 30%

The star Eagle has scored the fourth-most SuperCoach points of all defenders in 2018, despite the 27-point disaster in Round 3. Yeo has posted SuperCoach tons in eight of his 11 matches this season, equal to Crow Rory Laird.

If you already own Yeo, teammate Shannon Hurn, who is almost $50k cheaper, is worth considering, after five scores of 100 or more and only one of less than 83 in 2018.

At $495,500, so is Carlton’s Kade Simpson, who has posted three scores in excess of 140 this season.

Andrew Gaff (WC) $554,900, midfielder

Average: 109, Ownership: 4 %

Gaff’s 85 points in Round 11 was his first score of less than 92 in 2018. In fact, prior to the clash with the Saints, the ball magnet had posted nine consecutive SuperCoach tons. The 25-year-old has always been an elite outside ball winner but he’s has improved the contested side of his game considerably over the past few seasons. Gaff, who is the seventh-ranked midfielder in the game, is averaging nine contested possessions per game — up from seven in 2017.

Marcus Bontempelli (WB) $542,300, midfielder

Average: 104, Ownership: 11%

With Jack Macrae facing a huge breakeven of 215 in Round 13, consider teammate Bontempelli while you wait — and hope — for a price drop with the No. 1 scorer in the game.

Bontempelli, who is more than $150k cheaper than Macrae, has passed the 120-point mark in four of his past five matches, with a 47-point performance against the Magpies in Round 10 keeping his price down. And it’s not surprising considering - despite still spending some time inside 50 - we’ve seen more of the 22-year-old in the midfield over this stretch.

Tom Mitchell (Haw) $603,200, midfielder

Average: 124, Ownership: 61%

If you don’t - and you should - have the second-ranked SuperCoach midfielder, he’s still available with a $50k discount on his starting price.

Nic Naitanui (WC) $513,700, ruck

Average: 102, Ownership: 24%

As season-high 129 points against the Saints was no surprise, given the athletic big man’s time on ground passed 60 per cent for the first time in three weeks. Despite the Eagles managing Naitanui’s game-time carefully this season, Naitanui has scored more than 85 in all-but one match, with six SuperCoach tons to his name. If you’re not happy with your second ruckman, Naitanui, whose game time should only increase in the second half of the year, is your man.

Toby McLean (WB) $538,900, forward-midfielder

Average: 107, Ownership: 26%

Even after season-low 63 points against the Demons, McLean is the highest-scoring SuperCoach forward after 11 rounds. The tough, creative midfielder posted eight SuperCoach tons in the first 10 rounds, seven them in excess of 110. The 74 per cent of teams who don’t own the 22-year-old Bulldog should be looking to trade him in after this week’s bye, despite the high breakeven of 138.

Do you have in-form Eagle Andrew Gaff in your line-up? Pic: Getty ImagesROUND 13 BYE

Tom McDonald $538,600, defender-forward

Average: 111, Ownership: 5%

Projected post-bye price: $548k

As The Phantom mentioned earlier in the week, McDonald, who has scored 164, 80, 118 and 135 in the past four weeks, is the perfect trade-in candidate to open up the dual-position swing with fellow defender-forward James Sicily. It also helps that McDonald — while he’s only played six games - boasts the highest average of all forwards and defenders.

Jack Crisp $503,200, defender

Average: 95, Ownership: 2%

Projected post-bye price: $506k

After moving to defence in the second half of 2017, Crisp averaged 91 SuperCoach points in the final 10 games of the year. While his name was mentioned throughout the pre-season, his JLT Series was underwhelming, as was his start to the year, with the 24-year-old scoring 78 or less in three of the opening five rounds.

But he’s bounced back in a big way, posting scores of 89, 86, 119, 112, 97 and 115 since.

Adam Treloar $546,500, midfielder

Average: 111, Ownership: 8%

Projected post-bye price: $551k

The Phantom thought it would happen in 2017 but it looks as if this is the season Treloar takes over from skipper Scott Pendlebury as the SuperCoach king at Collingwood. The 25-year-old is the sixth-ranked midfielder in the game after posting nine SuperCoach tons in the opening 11 rounds, four in excess of 120. Treloar’s price increased from $557k to $605k by Round 7 but a 73-point display in Round 9 has seen the figure drop again and the game-breaking midfielder might be available for less than his starting price tag after the Round 13 bye.

Dayne Beams $524,800, midfielder

Average: 95, Ownership: 2%

Projected post-bye price: $550k

It’s been a tough year for Beams off the field and it his form reflected this in the opening five rounds of the season, when Beams scored 73 or less in three games.

But the star midfielder has found form, posting scores of 130, 109, 63, 109, 140, and 119 since Round 6. Beams, who stepped down as Brisbane captain prior to the Round 10 clash with the Swans, has averaged 33 disposals, six marks and booted eight goals in the past three weeks.

Jesse Hogan $470,600, forward

Average: 99, Ownership: 12%

Projected post-bye price: $499k

The Melbourne forward exploded out of the blocks, averaging 111 points in the opening month of 2018 to send his price soaring towards $500k. But an injury-affected 36 in Round 6 saw it fall almost as fast as it climbed. No need to doubt the 23-year-old, though, SuperCoaches because with three scores of 120 or more in the past five weeks, Hogan has reaffirmed his position as a top-6 forward candidate this season.

Joel Selwood seems a SuperCoach must-have. Picture: Alison WyndROUND 14 BYE

Luke Ryan $523,100, defender

Average: 98, Ownership: 5%

Projected post-bye price: $527k

Out of all defenders, only Jake Lloyd and Tom McDonald have scored more points in the past four matches than the second-year Docker. Ryan has scored 92 points or more in eight of his 11 matches this season, passing the 100-point mark on five occasions. And don’t forget the intercepting defender posted three SuperCoach tons in the final five games of his debut season in 2017.

Joel Selwood $515,100, midfielder

Average: 108, Ownership: 7%

Projected post-bye price: $533k

There are 40 players in the competition more expensive than Selwood. But there are only 10 players who have scored more SuperCoach points than the Geelong skipper in 2018.

Enough said.

Dustin Martin $483,700, midfielder

Average: 105, Ownership: 62%

Projected post-bye price: $467k

If he maintains his five-round average, the Brownlow Medallist’s price will fall even further ahead of the Tigers’ Round 14 bye. If I told you during the pre-season Martin would only post two SuperCoach tons — neither in excess of 105 — between Rounds 5 and 11 and lose more than $170k off his starting price tag, you would’ve laughed in my face.

But, unfortunately, that’s what has happened.

Surely it’s only a matter of time before he bounces back so watch him closely over the next two weeks.

Patrick Dangerfield $603,000, midfielder

Average: 115, Ownership: 35%

Projected post-bye price: $600k

While we are still yet to see Dangerfield in full flight in 2018, the Geelong star has still scored 100 points or more in 10 games this season, to sit as the seventh-ranked player in the game after 11 rounds.

Jump on after the Cats’ Round 14 bye before he does take flight.

Sam Menegola $501,800, forward-midfielder

Average: 99, Ownership: 8%

Projected post-bye price: $518k

After a quiet opening two rounds, when more than 4000 SuperCoaches traded him out, Menegola is averaging 106 points per game, posting five scores of 120 or more in the next nine matches. The 26-year-old has scored well with Dangerfield, Selwood and Gary Ablett in the team and with one or more of them out, dispelling most of the pre-season concerns the SuperCoach community had.

Originally published as*Bye-Round trade guide: The premium options

 

[Professor]

One that may have been missed.

Al Paton, Herald Sun
June 6, 2018 5:47pm
Subscriber only

A WEEK ago Tom Bellchambers had three disposals and scored 119 SuperCoach points. This week Angus Brayshaw had 39 touches and a goal and scored 89 points. What gives?

SuperCoach threw up some other quirks in Round 11 as Max Gawn recovered from a disastrous start in the same game, Allen Christensen finished in negative points and Patrick Cripps fell victim to the silent SuperCoach assassin.

BYE TRADES: PREMIUMS TO PUT ON YOUR WATCHLIST

EXPERTS: SUPERCOACH MID-YEAR REVIEW

Scroll down to find out more as Champion Data lifts the lid on the unique SuperCoach scoring system.
SUPERCOACH PROBLEM: DEMONS ARE TOO GOOD

Melbourne’s dominance in second halves since Round 6 has been evident, winning every quarter and outscoring its opposition by 210 points — ranked No. 1 in the competition. This has had an impact on SuperCoach scores, with their value diminished as the margin has blown out. This was the case again last Saturday against the Bulldogs.

Angus Brayshaw is in career-best form and tallied 39 disposals last week, but he could manage only 89 points despite the dominant display. In breaking down his score, he lost 19 points from seven disposal clangers. He also won just seven contested possessions and 32 uncontested possessions, while defensively he offered very little, applying one tackle. Brayshaw also won 22 of his disposals after halftime as the Demons ran away with the match.
Angus Brayshaw gets some SuperCoach tips off Max Gawn. Picture: Michael Klein
MAX HITS BACK

It wasn’t the greatest start for Max Gawn against the Dogs, with his first four hit-outs of the match sharked by the opposition, resulting in negative points for each hitout. He also gave away one free kick and was -6.5 points with his first five involvements in the game.

Thankfully, he turned that around to collect 44 points in the latter stages of the quarter to go into the first break with a respectable score courtesy of four hit-outs-to-advantage, one free kick for, two contested knock-ons, one effective spoil, three tackles and four disposals.
THE FIRST-HALF SPECIALIST

Zac Langdon played a key role in the Giants’ win against Adelaide with a season-high 88 SuperCoach points. It was a game of two halves however, scoring 62 points in the first half and just 26 in the second, including a game-high nine points via his goal in the final term.

Langdon has been a first-half specialist in his debut season, averaging 37 points compared to just 17 after halftime.
GEORGE THE SUPERCOACH SNIPER

There have been plenty of plaudits for the defensive roles that Ben Jacobs has performed on a weekly basis, but there is another tagger that has been just as effective with his negating.

Sydney’s George Hewett has shut down Lachie Whitfield (14 disposals), Joel Selwood (12 disposals) and Tom Michell (11 disposals). More recently, he completely nullified Patrick Cripps on Friday night and kept him to just nine disposals in the time they were matched up. Keep him in mind when picking a captain coming up against the Swans.
It wasn’t a great day for Tom Rockliff (right) and Port Adelaide.
TOM TAGS OUT

It was a forgettable afternoon for SuperCoaches who jumped on Tom Rockliff after Port Adelaide’s bye, and for those that already had him in their side. He was ineffectual in the first half against Hawthorn with just 26 points and it didn’t get any better after halftime, adding only 15 points to his score.

Tom Mitchell can partly be blamed for the poor score after he ran riot in the first half with 21 disposals and 88 points. Ken Hinkley sent Rockliff to Mitchell in the second half and he kept Mitchell to just eight disposals in the 55 minutes they were matched up.

Despite playing the close-checking role, Rockliff had only one tackle in the second half and lost 10 points from free kicks that were given away.
LION GOES BACKWARDS

Close to 25,000 SuperCoaches had to take Allen Christensen’s -3 points after his match ended early against North Melbourne. He earned points for a handball-receive but also gave away a free kick in his 12 minutes on the ground to finish in the negatives.

It’s not the first time a player has been in deficit, with Esava Ratugolea suffering a nasty leg injury against Carlton in Round 10 to finish with -2 points.

 

[Professor]

Champion Data SuperCoach formguide: trade and rookie tips for Round 12

Champion Data, Herald Sun

June 8, 2018 11:28am

Subscriber only

GETTING through the bye rounds successfully is all about careful planning and diligent trading, which makes the next three rounds crucial for SuperCoaches.

With Carlton, Hawthorn, West Coast and Western Bulldogs all having the week off, SuperCoaches should be again be looking to Gold Coast or Port Adelaide players as trade in options this week.

But in saying that, there aren’t many meaningful options to consider from either club, with the exception of Justin Westhoff and Robbie Gray that is.

INVESTOR:*EXPERT SUPERCOACH BYE SURVIVAL ADVICE

ADVICE:*RE-CAP OUR SUPERCOACH FIX MY TEAM BLOG

ROUND 12:*SUPERCOACH CASH COW BIBLE

Almost 10,500 SuperCoaches jumped on the Tom Rockliff bandwagon last round, but that wagon was derailed after he scored a mediocre 41 points. Ouch.

The*smart move for SuperCoaches this week*would be to cash in the dead wood and stockpile the cash for a later time.

This would then enable you to strategically target players coming off the Round 12 bye, with the likes of Ed Curnow, Kade Simpson, Tom Mitchell, James Sicily, Elliot Yeo and Toby McLean all prime targets ahead of Round 13. Jack Macrae shouldn’t be forgotten either, but he has a massive breakeven score of 215 points, so waiting for him to drop in price would be wise.

Jack Macrae battles Bailey Dale at training. Picture: Michael Klein

ROOKIE WATCH

The fantasy gods worked against SuperCoaches last round after two of the most sold rookies in the competition,*Tim Kelly*(130) and*Zac Langdon*(88) came back to haunt sellers with excellent performances.

Kelly (breakeven of 52) and Langdon (20) will reward SuperCoaches who kept the faith with another price rise after Round 12.

As we enter the first of three bye rounds,*managing cash cows*- that is, trading in and trading out - is of utmost importance.

If we look to the “bubble boys” this week, atop of the list is*Logan Austin*with a massive breakeven score of -133 points. He has been excellent in his two games and ranks equal No.1 in the competition for marks among defenders with 22 since Round 10.

He also ranks third at the Saints for intercept possessions with 13. Austin has a Round 14 bye to contend with.

Basement price rookie*Jacob Heron*is also an option in defence this week and as a Gold Coast has the added bonus of already serving the bye.

Logan Austin at Port Adelaide training last year. Picture: Sarah Reed

He has struggled to get scores on the board though, posting 54 and 34 in his two games. I’d definitely pick Austin over Heron even though Austin will miss with the bye.

First-gamers,*Brody Mihocek*and*Paul Ahern*are likely to be among the most traded-in players this week, but in the case of Mihocek it’s buyer beware.

Nathan Buckley has stated that he doesn’t believe that both Mihocek and Ben Reid can play in the same forward line alongside Mason Cox, which makes Mihocek a risky pick.

Mihocek is likely to eventually make way for the return of Reid, but, in saying that, Reid’s durability isn’t a strong point.

Ahern on the other hand is a SuperCoach lock.

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A dual-position player, he starred on his debut with 29 disposals, the fifth-most ever-recorded by a debutant since 1999. He also attended the third-most centre bounces (24) of any Kangaroos player and looks for a prolonged run in the side.

The only caveat with Ahern is that he’ll miss the following round with the bye, so being patient may be the way to go. Otherwise, lock him in.

Champion Data's key SuperCoach numbers for Round 12

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Port Adelaide vs Richmond

Tom Rockliff was handed a tagging role on Tom Mitchell after half time and scored just 41 points for the match, his lowest score in any full game this season. Shane Edwards starred against Essendon with a season-high 142 points.

Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne

Patrick Dangerfield has averaged 164 points in his past three matches against North Melbourne, ranked No.1 at the club. Shaun Higgins had 27 disposals and 130 points when these sides last played in Round 2 last season.

Greater Western Sydney vs Gold Coast Suns

Dylan Shiel has struggled at Spotless Stadium this season, averaging just 76 points, his fewest there since 2013. Jarrod Witts had 17 disposals, 27 hitouts (nine to advantage), five clearances and 100 points when he last played there in Round 2 last year.

St Kilda vs Sydney Swans

Jimmy Webster’s price rise of $137,800 is the highest of any St Kilda player, averaging a career-high 103 points. Ben Ronke has enjoyed a spike of $202,200 after averaging 81 points in his debut season.

Brisbane Lions vs Essendon

Dayne Beams scored four goals and had 59 of 118 points in the final term last round against North Melbourne. Devon Smith had 23 of 77 points in the final term against Richmond, collecting nine disposals and one goal for the term.

Fremantle vs Adelaide Crows

Lachie Neale bounced back against Collingwood to score 104 points last round, his sixth 100-plus score from his past seven rounds. Bryce Gibbs reached three figures (116) for the first time since Round 4.

Melbourne vs Collingwood

Max Gawn averages 130 points in wins this season, ranked sixth in the competition of anyone to play in at least three wins. Adam Treloar’s average of 110 points in wins ranks second at the club.

 

[Professor]

Carlton pair Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow to sign multi-year contract extensions

JON RALPH, Herald Sun

June 13, 2018 6:46pm

Subscriber only

CARLTON will*lock away its two brightest prospects in coming weeks*with Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow to sign multi-year extensions.

Cripps will sign a two-year extension and Curnow will extend his deal by four years.

It’s understood both will be paid more than $800,000 a season, accepting less than $1 million a year that would be on offer elsewhere, to ensure the Blues have room to build a premiership list.

The*Herald Sun revealed last monthCripps would back in the club’s direction, ignoring interest from West Australia to sign a two-year deal that will take him up to free agency.

SUPERCOACH:*THE ROOKIES TO TRADE IN + OUT

FOOTY TIPPING:*SEE WHO THE EXPERTS ARE PICKING

TEAMS:*WATTS AXED AS DOGS DUMP FLAG STAR

FRONT FOOT:*LIONS BAT AWAY BEAMS RUMOURS

Cripps has been the heartbeat of the Blues midfield and despite copping a physical battering he has never considered leaving the club that drafted him.

Charlie Curnow and future captain Patrick Cripps will stay in navy blue. Pic: Getty Images

His leadership has been so inspiring in recent years in the absence of captain Marc Murphy he will be a legitimate contender along with injured half back Sam Docherty to lead the club into 2019.

Curnow, considered one of the AFL’s most exciting key forwards, recently met with his manager Robbie D’Orazio of Connors Sports.

Cripps’ commitment to Carlton was critical to Curnow’s future, with his uncontracted brother Ed Curnow having a brilliant season for the Blues.

Murphy is just coming back from the club’s mid season bye and will soon consider his future after the Blues made clear they were desperate to keep him on a likely two-year contract.

The Blues would love to secure midfield support for Cripps, managed by Stride’s Matt Bain, to bolster a young midfield but will likely finish bottom three on the ladder.

Charlie Curnow’s brother Ed (right) had had a superb 2018. Pic: Getty Images

There area likely to be a handful of exceptional key position players in that part of the draft, including twins Ben and Max King and likely No.1 pick Jack Lukosius.

Geelong Falcons midfielder Sam Walsh is also considered a likely top-five draftee if the Blues finish in that part of the draft.

The Blues take on Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, hopeful they can put together a late-season surge after recording just one win so far this year.

 

[Professor]

The experts from The Lair deliver their verdict on the good, the bad and the ugly

The Phantom’s Lair, The Advertiser

June 13, 2018 3:08pm

Subscriber only

WE are just over the halfway mark of the season and it’s been a big year in The Lair. The Phantom, The Eradicator, The SuperCoach Hipster and Mr. SuperCoach take your through their best and worst of 2018 and how they will attack the run home.

1. WHO WAS YOUR BEST STARTING SELECTIONOnly the SuperCoach Hipster starting with Bulldog Toby McLean

The Phantom*(@ThePhantomSC):*Patrick Cripps. At $538k, starting with of The Phantom’s favourites was a no-brainer for me. Some thought otherwise but he’s the seventh-highest averaging midfielder after 12 rounds. Riley Bonner was fun while it lasted.

The Eradicator*(@TheEradicatorSC):Stephen Coniglio. He totally lived up to his potential value in the early rounds and was among the top scorers until Josh Kelly went down. Great to get some premium output at a non-premium price.

The SuperCoach Hipster*(@MattTurner1986):*Toby McLean. He’s like that band you once loved and saw in a venue smaller than some wardrobes that eventually got big, played Splendour and appeared on Sunrise. McLean was in five per cent of teams before round one but he’s now in 26 per cent (averaging 106 points per game) and a trade-in option for many others after his bye.

Mr. SuperCoach*(@antimoiannella):Apart from the obvious (Gawn/Fyfe/Laird), probably Stefan Martin. He’s proved a consistent scorer week-to-week, who has, so far, managed to avoid serious form or injury issues.

2. WHO WAS YOUR WORST STARTING SELECTIONJack Billings isn’t in The Phantom’s good books.

The Phantom:*That’s a tough one. Actually, no it’s not. Jack Billings.

The Eradicator:*Marley Williams. I could’ve said Mason Cox here as many tried to talk me out of that selection. I do stand by at least trying it, although it didn’t work. Williams was worse because it was a classic case of not on my radar until the preseason … posts one big score and I got sucked in. That’s not good enough, Eradicator!

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Marley Williams. Reeked of being a point-of-difference in 2018 during pre-season. What I didn’t smell was an average of 58 over the first three rounds.

Mr. SuperCoach:*Unfortunately, there’s too many contenders for this position. A toss up between Callum Mills (ended up injured anyway), Christian Petracca (inconsistent and underperforming), Matt Crouch (two hamstring injuries) and Patrick Dangerfield (overpriced at the start), all for differing reasons.

3. BEST TRADE SO FAR

The Phantom:*I’m still yet to make it. However, I’ve been pretty happy with trading Allen Christensen, at top price, to James Sicily at $498k. Although I should’ve taken the Hipster’s advice and started with him.

The Eradicator:*I haven’t knocked anything out of the park yet this year, but I was pretty happy with trading in Angus Brayshaw two weeks ago. Looks set to be a high-possession winner in my defence. Finger crossed.

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Upgrading Marley Williams to Shannon Hurn. “Bunga” Hurn is averaging 100 for me and is still a point-of-difference, in only 4 per cent of squads. Starting with Williams is still giving me nightmares.

Mr. SuperCoach:*Loved the output of Jake Lloyd, Toby McLean and James Sicily since their arrival into Ant’s Army.

4. WORST TRADE SO FAR

The Phantom:*The Tim Kelly and Zac Langdon to Tom Rockliff and Tim Smith double trade looked like a disaster after one week. Thankfully Rockliff bounced back against the Tigers but it’s still a loss at this point. The Rory Lobb trade is edging its way up the list.

The Eradicator:*While I haven’t smash anything big in trades, I haven’t really bombed on any either. Nothing facepalm worthy, yet, but I was halfway through a mid-round double trade when I realised I was $7k short of bringing in Brodie Grundy. I went Stefan Martin as next best but it’s just no the same.

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CONTENT RESUMES ON SCROLL

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Going from Josh P. Kennedy to Ed Curnow hasn’t hurt me too badly score wise but, in hindsight, it was just unnecessary. I jumped off Kennedy without really needing to, given Curnow hasn’t outperformed him since the trade and cost me about $70,000. Also, Kennedy hasn’t been going around touching umpires and getting suspended for it.

Mr. SuperCoach:*After the first week, Tom Rockliff to Tim Kelly wasn’t looking good.


5. PLAYER YOU HAVEN’T GOT THAT YOU REALLY WANTThe SuperCoach Hipster just can’t get his hands on Collingwood star Brodie Grundy.

The Phantom:*Toby McLean. The plan was to always trade him in after the Round 12 bye but the carnage of last week ruined that and Robbie Gray came in instead.

The Eradicator:*I have one across each line … just need to make them happen over the byes — Elliot Yeo (DEF), Jack Macrae (MID) Brodie Grundy (RUC), McLean (FOR)

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Brodie Grundy. I started with Matthew Kreuzer alongside Gawn then dumped the big Blue and got English (the player, I already spoke the language). I eventually upgraded to Callum Sinclair because I couldn’t afford Grundy and while the Swans ruckman has been decent, Grundy has been next-level all season.

Mr. SuperCoach:*Jack Macrae. Last two matches notwithstanding, he’s been unbelievable all season. Brodie Grundy a close second, despite my contentment with Stefan Martin.

6. HOW MANY TRADES HAVE YOU GOT LEFT?

The Phantom:*10 before any moves this week. But there will be some. I’ll have 5 or 6 coming out of the bye rounds with a complete team. It’s low, I know, but I’ve been playing catch-up

The Eradicator:*12 before Round 13 trades. I’ll be going hard in the next two weeks and hopefully my team is together after that.

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Not enough. 12 (likely 10 or 11 after this round).

Mr. SuperCoach:*12. Will be less in two weeks’ time …

7. BEST TIP FOR HOW TO ATTACK THE RUN HOME

The Phantom:*I’m all about the value when it comes to upgrading, especially if it helps you complete your team earlier. If you can do two upgrades, rather than target Jack Macrae in the midfield for example, I’d do it.

Keep some trades up your sleeve or set up some bench cover for the run home because you will need it. And it could help you make up ground late in the season when other SuperCoaches have been caught short.

The Eradicator:*Wherever possible, keep one decent rookie on each bench line, open up some dual-position links and have at least six trades up your sleeve, coming out of the bye rounds.

The SuperCoach Hipster:*Head to a country with next to no internet. For me, one of the best finishes to a Supercoach season came in 2016 because I had stacks of trades leftover. I’d been on holiday in Cuba where there was very little internet and none in homes. The downside was I could barely access my team and thus loopholes, captaincy changes and tinkering fell by the wayside. The positive was I barely traded and had plenty left in the can when I came back to Australia. So I was able to use them on the run home and overtake lots of teams that spluttered towards the finish line.

Mr. SuperCoach:*Make sure to look for value in upgrades (ie don’t overpay for guns), trade in as many DPPs as possible, and as always, avoid the sideways trade until the finals. Good luck!

Originally published as*The Phantom’s Lair mid-season SuperCoach review

 

[Professor]

Tom Lynch re-signs*

 

[Professor]

Tom Lynch re-signs with Adelaide Crows putting an end to rumours of a Melbourne move

Ben Broad, adelaidenow

an hour ago

ADELAIDE’S grim 2018 has finally taken a turn for the good with star forward Tom Lynch*re-signing with the Crows*- turning his back on a potential move back to Victoria.

The sought-after Lynch has signed a new three-year deal which means the 27-year-old will almost certainly finish his career in Adelaide.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Club since arriving here at the end of 2011 and am excited to continue to call Adelaide home,” Lynch said in a statement.

“I’ve made some life-long friends since then and every day I’m surrounded by a committed playing and coaching group who are always trying to get better.”

The positive news for the Crows comes in the wake of the club’s horror season on-field and rumours of player disharmony off it.

The Crows are still waiting to learn if star midfielder Rory Sloane will re-sign, the former Victorian among a host of in-demand free agents and subject to lucrative offers from rival clubs.

Tom Lynch is staying at the Crows Picture Sarah Reed

Adelaide has also had to hose down speculation forwards Eddie Betts and Mitch McGovern want out of the club.

Lynch has been a big hit since joining the Crows six years ago.

Drafted by St Kilda with pick 13 in the 2008 national draft, Lynch struggled to make an impact in his early years before shooting to prominence after earning his chance with the Crows.

Crows General Manager List Management and Strategy Justin Reid said Lynch’s commitment was a great result for the Club.

“Tom is an important member of our playing group and to have him sign on for a further three years is a significant boost,” Reid said.

“He has taken his game to another level in recent seasons and his position at the Crows is reflected by his inclusion in the Club’s Senior Leadership Group.”

This season has been a forgettable one for last year’s grand finalist.

Injury has derailed the Crows’ finals hopes while the under-siege club has also copped criticism after an off-season camp riled some players.

Yesterday Adelaide called a press conference in which the club announced it was severing ties with the company that ran its pre-season camp (Collective Mind).

Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >

Originally published as*Massive coup for Crows as Lynch re-signs

 

[Professor]

SuperCoach Rookie Bible: Which cash cows to keep and who to trade after Round 14

Tim Michell, Herald Sun

an hour ago

Subscriber only

AS WE bid farewell to the bye rounds for another year, you should also be waving goodbye to most of the cash cows in your SuperCoach team.

Players such as Tom Doedee, Bayley Fritsch, Matt Guelfi and Sam Murray have served their purpose and you should be aiming to turn them into premium selections as soon as you can.

Doedee still features in more than 40 per cent of teams, which is understandable when his season average is 81.8 and most of his Adelaide teammates are injured.

MARKET WATCH: CRISP TRADES THE WAY TO GO

RAGE TRADES: TIME TO GET THE HOTTEST SUPERCOACH SCORER

Fritsch is in 33 per cent of sides, but with a high break-even, the time has come to look at moving him on as well.

With trades at a premium for most coaches, you need to be selective about which rookies you upgrade and who will serve as cover for the rest of the year.

The name of the game is turning cash generated from rookies into points on field and the way to do that is by trading cash cows who have made the most money.

There is little point parting with the likes of Logan Austin, Paul Ahern or Tim Smith, who have only been recent additions to many sides and are early in their cash generation.

While their scores might not be in the range of Fritsch or Doedee, this trio can still offer handy bench cover and might be the difference between fielding a full team or bombing out of finals when injuries and late-season surgeries inevitably strike.

HOLD

Matt Guelfi ($308,900, FWD) — 63 points Breakeven: 51

Guelfi is one of the most consistent scorers of the season and his reliability makes him a viable candidate as your bench cover up forward for the reason of the season. In eight games, he’s scored between 61 and 76. You could get away with trading him this week if you are willing to risk Jack Billings or Jack Riewoldt at F7.

Reminder Jack Riewoldt is $324k in*#supercoach. Cheaper than Holman, just $100k up from Tim Smith. Would love to get him as F7 and loophole with Fritsch but I have $400 in bank

— Al Paton (@al_superfooty)*June 25, 2018

Paul Ahern ($175,200, FWD-MID) — 49 points BE: 0

The longer he stays in North Melbourne’s side, the better. Ahern will be decent cover should an injury issue arrive in midfield or up forward and could stop you burning a trade to cover a short-term absence. His score on the weekend was his lowest yet, so forgive him for it.

Tim Kelly ($435,800, MID) BE: 98

I know what weekly readers of the rookie bible are thinking. You’ve swung more times than a pendulum in a hurricane on what to do with Kelly! If you held him through his bye, it makes sense for the Geelong onballer to be your last midfield upgrade. Wait until you have enough cash to turn him into an uber-scorer like Josh Kelly. If that’s this week, go for it.

Tim Smith ($224,200, FWD) — 68 points BE: 42

Smith was back in the Demons’ side last week, nudging out Cam Pedersen for the role providing support to Max Gawn. He might be on the fringe of the best 22, but don’t move him on yet unless you need to.

Matt Guelfi has cemented a place in Essendon’s team.Jaidyn Stephenson is favourite for the Rising Star Award.

Jaidyn Stephenson ($318,600, FWD-MID) — 70 points BE: 30

As if Collingwood fans needed more to gloat about! Stephenson is a beauty and his SuperCoach owners would have enjoyed him pushing his break-even back to 30 last week. His scores have been up and down throughout his debut campaign and you’d be best served using a loophole to bring him off the bench in midfield or attack if possible.

Logan Austin ($271,400, DEF) BE: 37

Unless his form wavers in the second half of the season, Austin would be unlucky to lose his place in the St Kilda side. He’s a young defender in a team destined to finish down the bottom and you would expect he’ll be given time to form a partnership with Jake Carlisle. That makes him an ideal option to mature in value on your defensive bench and make on-field appearances in case of emergency.

Brody Mihocek ($162,200, DEF) — 63 points BE: -1

Mihocek managed to keep his break-even in the negative, which was a positive for his ownership of more than 18 per cent. He’s not going to score well enough to be an on-field option but hold on to him until Ben Reid returns. That will be the time to see how Nathan Buckley uses them both in the same side or whether Mihocek is squeezed out.

Liam Ryan ($257,600, FWD) — 31 points BE: 80

Ryan’s two scores have been underwhelming since he returned from injury to the West Coast side. As a result, his break-even has skyrocketed from -88 to 80 in just two weeks. That will be of some concern for his owners, but it makes little sense trading him if you only opted to bring him in two weeks ago. Another who should be on the bench rather than on field.

Ben Ronke ($324,100, FWD) BE: 60

I have Ronke in the same discussion as Matt Guelfi. You could trade both of them this week if you are flush with trades, but they have done enough to keep serving as forward cover. Ronke is averaging 77.8 and I’d prefer to keep him at F7 than taking a risk on someone like Jack Billings, who has performed below expectations this year.

Bayley Fritsch has been on of the best rookie picks of 2018. Picture: Michael KleinTRADE NOW

Bayley Fritsch ($425,100, FWD) — 76 points BE: 96

Fritsch has been one of the rookie picks of the season but the time has come to move him on. He’s capable of hitting his break-even this week, but it will cost you only about $30,000 to turn him into Toby McLean or $60,000 to go to Lance Franklin. An upgrade should be very appealing.

Tom Doedee ($394,500, DEF) BE: 98

Coming off the bye, the only reason to hold Doedee any longer is if you are struggling for fit players in defence. He’s almost certain to lose value this week and although his average of 81.8 is strong, there’s better options in defence within striking distance of his value. Think Michael Hurley or Jeremy Howe unless you plan on holding off until Jimmy Webster returns.

Riley Bonner ($324,700, DEF) — 70 points BE: 37

Bonner provided his owners with an on-field player in defence for each week of the byes, but he’s the perfect downgrade option to Joel Smith this week. His past two scores have been better, but he’s averaging only 69 and that hardly screams ‘keep me’. Cash him in and use the money to take a step closer to finishing your team.

Nick Holman ($353,900, MID) — 45 points BE: 85

Holman’s price dropped by about $20,000 at the weekend and is set to plummet again. There are very few downgrade options in the midfield, so you should be aiming to use your bank to turn him into a blue-chip onballer unless you can trade him out, shift a DPP player like Ahern to the midfield and bring in a forward.

Charlie Spargo ($238,000, FWD-MID) BE: 61

Out of the Demons’ side and has a break-even higher than his average. Unless you need his forward-midfield swing for versatility on your bench, it is time to wave goodbye to Spargo.

Riley Bonner’s form has picked up in recent weeks. Picture: Sarah ReedON THE BUBBLE

Mason Redman ($113,200, DEF) — 73 points BE: — 94

Scratch Redman from your plans after the Bombers confirmed he will miss eigtht weeks with an ankle injury he suffered in the final five minutes against the Eagles. Bad luck if you’re one of the 12,000 coaches who went early. Jordan Ridley had 31 disposals in the VFL on Sunday and could be in line to replace him as they play a similar role.

Joel Smith ($152,500, DEF-MID) — 34 points BE: -33

Smith’s final tally against the Power would only have figured in sides where he was the 18th player in the last round of the byes. Owners will be hoping he can push closer to his opening score for the year of 91 if Simon Goodwin gives him a reprieve at the selection table.

Josh Battle ($123,900, FWD) BE: -66

Battle might be one of the beneficiaries of the Saints’ struggles after impressing up forward in the past few weeks. While Josh Bruce might take his place later in the season, his scores of 77 and 64 so far at least make him worthy of consideration.

SHOULD BE GONE

Sam Murray ($334,000, DEF)

Jeremy Finlayson ($321,600, DEF-MID) — 50 points

Ed Phillips ($226,400, MID)

Cameron Rayner ($284,200, FWD-MID) — 25 points

Lachlan Murphy ($204,800, DEF)

Nick Coffield ($252,500, DEF-MID)

POSSIBLE TRADES

Matt Guelfi to Jack Billings ($333,800)

Matt Guelfi to Jack Riewoldt ($324,100)

Bayley Fritsch to Michael Hurley ($449,400) via James Sicily

Bayley Fritsch to Toby McLean ($454,700)

Tom Doedee to Michael Hurley

Tom Doedee to Jeremy Howe*

 

[Professor]

Rage trades: The players you need to trade out of your SuperCoach team after Round 15
JAMES NICE, Herald Sun
an hour ago
Subscriber only
SUPERCOACH was finally back to normal this week as playing nine games across the round resumed and we returned to fielding a full teams from players from all 18 clubs.
Some huge individual scores from popular picks across the round brought a smile to many coaches’ faces, who were likely thrilled to be scoring upwards of 2000 again.
Though most of us have likely burnt most of our trades scrambling to accommodate for the bye rounds, it won’t stop us from making a couple more rage trades, if only for a few days before reversing.

THE TACKLE: BOOK YOUR TIGERS v PIES TICKETS NOW
TRADE GUIDE: SHOULD PIES LET MOORE WALK?
TRADE SPECIAL: THE 10 BEST TRADES OF ALL TIME

BOOT HIM
There was another big injury blow this week, with Nat Fyfe hobbling from the field midway through the second term in his side’s thrashing at the hands of the Lions. Depending on the diagnosis — and how many trades you have left — Fyfe might have to be traded, especially if you are still holding an injured premium like Jack Macrae or Isaac Heeney (who may miss with concussion this week).
BIG BLOW: DOCKERS SWEAT ON FYFE, SANDI INJURIES
Anyone who traded in returning Eagle Liam Ryan as cover over the bye rounds will be bitterly disappointed with the small forward’s efforts since his return, with scores of 45, 31 and 37 over the last three weeks. He is now losing value.
Boot rookies accordingly depending on their break-even and your remaining salary, ensuring to upgrade to premium players — now is not the time for sideways trades.

Nat Fyfe injured his hamstring against the Lions. Picture: Michael KleinBUY HIM
Dayne Beams has now broken the triple-figure barrier in seven of his last nine matches. It was a season-low score of 37 against the Bombers in Round 12, however, that has seen his price drop to $490,100 prior to change this week.
Despite an excellent game from the former skipper again this week, Beams’ break-even sat at a hefty 160, so will continue to drop slightly in price. It’s a tough run home for the Lions but Beams could be an excellent addition to bulk-up your midfield.
With few enticing players on the bubble, keep an eye on this week’s debutants, including Collingwood’s Brayden Sier and Geelong’s Quniton Narkle, who both had solid first outings and could be good cash grab options in the coming weeks if they can hold their spots.

Trading Dayne Beams into your team could be a big move. Picture: GettyCAPTAINS REPORT CARD
A+: Josh Kennedy, Sam Jacobs, Tom Mitchell, Max Gawn (140+)

A: Jake Lloyd, Joel Selwood, Kade Simpson, Marc Murphy, Matt Crouch, Andrew Gaff, Brodie Grundy, Callan Ward, Dayne Beams (120-139)
B+: Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Laird, Stephen Coniglio, Zach Merrett, Lachie Neale (110-119)
B: Gary Ablett, Patrick Cripps, Patrick Ryder (100-109)
C: Marcus Bontempelli, Robbie Gray, Ollie Wines, Elliot Yeo (80-99)
D: Lance Franklin (70-79)
F: Dustin Martin, Isaac Heeney, Clayton Oliver, Nat Fyfe (below 70)
BENCH CALLS
Should have had on field: Jack Higgins, Ben Ronke, Ed Richards, Billy Gowers, Tim Kelly, Quinton Narkle, Tom Doedee, Brayden Sier, Brody Mihocek, Nick Holman, Bailey Fritsch, Hunter Clark, Josh Battle, Paul Ahern, Cameron Rayner (70+)
Should have left on the bench: James Rose, Tom McCartin, Jordan Cunico, Lachlan Fogarty,
Cameron Polson, Brayden Ainsworth, Flynn Appleby, Liam Ryan, Darcy Fogarty, Charlie Ballard, Wil Powell, Harrison Petty, Zac Giles-Langdon, Sam Taylor, Darragh Joyce, Bailey Rice, Matt Guelfi, Tom Murphy, Bailey Banfield, Ryan Nyhuis (below 50)

Ben Ronke has been a reliable scorer. Picture: Phil HillyardNAILED IT
Reviewing Thursday night’s predictions on the SuperCoaches Box podcast (watch live from 6:15pm every Thursday or catch up on iTunes):
Al Paton: Perfect 9: Callum Sinclair, Gary Ablett, Patrick Cripps, Rory Laird, Brodie Grundy, Tom Mitchell, Max Gawn, Shaun Higgins, Nat Fyfe
Verdict: Failed It. Though 3/9 isn’t a bad effort after nailing the selections of Brodie Grundy, Tom Mitchell and Max Gawn. In fact, all of Al’s picks had good games, except for Nat Fyfe; his “certainty” to top-score in his side’s game against the Lions, having succumbed to a hamstring injury in the second quarter.
Chris Vernuccio: Jordan De Goey to score 100
Verdict: Failed It. Chris’ new recruit only managed a score of 64; still a long way off his prophecy of him cracking the ton. He unfortunately went a week early with his prediction from last week of Melbourne’s Bailey Fritsch kicking four goals and scoring 100. Though he managed just 82 points from his four majors against the Saints, this would have been some tip from Chris had it come in the right week.

 

[Professor]

Fremantle sweat on scans after Nat Fyfe and Aaron Sandilands suffer injuries in loss to Brisbane
EDITOR ON DUTY:
an hour ago
FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon has refused to blame the loss of Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe for his team’s insipid display in their 55-point AFL loss to lowly Brisbane.
Sandilands succumbed to a right calf injury just minutes before the opening bounce on Sunday, while Fyfe injured his right hamstring midway through the second term.
MATCH REPORT: BOLD LIONS MAKE A STATEMENT

The Dockers will await the results of scans to determine how long the pair will be sidelined.
Brisbane made the most of the injuries by running rampant in the 18.11 (119) to 9.10 (64) win at Optus Stadium, stunning the 41,674-strong crowd.
RECAP THE SUNDAY ACTION IN OUR BLOG BELOW
Lions ruckman Stefan Martin dominated in the absence of Sandilands, finishing the match with 46 hit-outs, 19 disposals and seven clearances in his 150-game milestone.
Fyfe struggled to assert his influence on the match opposed to tagger Jarrod Berry.
The Fremantle skipper received some treatment on his hamstrings early in the match and ended the first quarter with just five disposals and one clearance.

Nat Fyfe leaves Perth Stadium after the loss with ice on his hamstring.
Fyfe tallied just three more disposals in the second term before pinging his right hamstring while leaning forward to collect the ball on the wing.
“He got checked and (as is the way) it was a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ answer and it was ‘yes’ and then he’s gone on to do it,” Lyon said.
“He (later) said ‘look, I’m not sure, it’s in the hammy’.
“It’s not ideal but soft-tissue injuries happen. Our sports science team are very good for a long period of time and these things happen — some things are out of your control.”

 

[Professor]

Will Nat Fyfe’s injury force us to trade the Fremantle superstar? Who are the main targets?
Ben Higgins, Herald Sun
37 minutes ago
Subscriber only
NAT Fyfe sent shockwaves through the AFL (and SuperCoach) world on Sunday when he went down with a hamstring injury.
How serious Fyfe’s ‘string is we don’t know but if the Fremantle captain is out for more than two weeks he must be traded out.
So who is capable of filling in and in the worst case scenario who are the best trade targets.

If you’ve got Paul Ahern, you’d be confident of the young Kangaroos producing ... if he keeps his place in the team. He impressed in the loss to Essendon and should hold his spot.
Fyfe’s Dockers teammate Stef Giro is another popular cash cow who should see a spike in midfield minutes with the skipper out but a 63 in Round 15 doesn’t fill us with confidence.
Finally, if you’re well prepared you might still have the likes of Tim Kelly or Nick Holman and while Holman can be up and down, they are both strong fill-ins until Fyfe returns.

Nat Fyfe suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday.
But what if we need to trade?
CLAYTON OLIVER ($545,200, Mid)
A season-low 59 against St Kilda saw Oliver’s price drop this week and it will continue to do so for a couple of weeks to come. However, he’s a proven scorer and is still in only 25 per cent of teams.
ANDREW GAFF ($524,200, Mid)
The Eagles star is pretty cheap for his output. An impressive 136 in West Coast’s loss to Adelaide showed what he’s capable of after a couple of down weeks. He remains in just 6.7 per cent of teams.
SUPERCOACH: FYFE LEADS ROUND 15 RAGE TRADES
BIG MOVES: TOP 10 TRADES OF THE CENTURY
THE TACKLE: ROBBO’S ROUND 15 LIKES AND DISLIKES
LACHIE NEALE ($568,300, Mid)
Neale could be a double-edged sword. He’ll get more of the ball but also more of the opposition’s attention. A three-week average of 127 is sure to attract many and see his ownership of 7 per cent skyrocket.
JOEL SELWOOD ($523,300, Mid)
On this list purely for reliability. Selwood has played every game this season and averaged 107 along the way to be the eighth best scorer overall. The Cats’ captain is capable of going big as Dangerfield and Ablett draw rival taggers.
JOSH KENNEDY ($549,900, Mid)
The Swans captain has been on a tear in recent weeks, averaging 123 in the past month. A showdown against Geelong looms, a clash which should be a contested ball-fest, something Kennedy thrives in. In 6.7 per cent of teams.

Josh Kennedy at Sydney training. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Joel Selwood at Geelong training. Picture: Alison Wynd
TOP PLAYERS
181 - Tom Mitchell
145 - Max Gawn
145 - Sam Jacobs
142 - Stef Martin
140 - Josh Kennedy
TOP TEAMS
2639 - Superbads, TJ
2629 - Speed of the Sash, David
2628 - Acidtrip, Matt
2600 - Rockets Rabble, Rodney
2598 - skin flutes, Steven
2598 - Ericas Warriors, Erica
OVERALL LEADERS
33,501 - SnowSky, Callan
33,469 - Throbbing Hotspurs, Robert
33,397 - Chrispys Critters, Chris
33,353 - Team Prochard, Richard
33,346 - tankasawraus, Mark
ROUND 15 TEAM OF THE WEEK
DEFENDERS
Kade Simpson 139
Jake Lloyd 136
Rory Laird 111

Angus Brayshaw 104
James Sicily 90
Zach Tuohy 89
Mason Red man -
Jordan Ridley -
MIDFIELDERS
Tom Mitchell 362 (c)
Luke Parker 123
Joel Selwood 122
Touk Miller 115
Lachie Neale 113
Scott Pendlebury 108
Jack Steven 99
Tom Rockliff 92
Angus Brayshaw 55
Joel Smith 53
Dom Barry -
RUCK
Max Gawn 145
Toby Nankervis 122
Scott Jones -
FORWARDS
Chad Wingard 122
Jesse Hogan 114
Toby McLean 104
Robbie Gray 85
Lance Franklin 73
Ben Ronke 71
Allen Christensen 71
Paul Ahern 80

Tom Mitchell at Hawthorn training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
CHAMPION DATA MARKET WATCH
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: TOM MITCHELL
Mitchell reached the 50-disposal mark for the third time in his career, amassing a season and round-high 181 SuperCoach points. He had 31 uncontested possessions, 18 contested possessions, nine clearances, seven inside 50s and 13 tackles. Mitchell also recorded one score assist and eight score involvements in a best-afield display.
MARKET WATCH
KADE SIMPSON
Simpson celebrated his 300-game milestone in style, recording game-highs of 37 disposals and 139 SuperCoach points. He won 23 of his possessions in an uncontested manner and gained 628 metres, both game-high tallies. Simpson also won eight intercept possessions and had two inside 50s.
STEFAN MARTIN
Martin made the most of Aaron Sandilands’ late withdrawal, finishing with 142 SuperCoach points, his highest score since Round 3. He had 19 disposals, 10 contested possessions, seven clearances, three tackles and one score assist. He also won the ruck battle comfortably, winning 16 hitouts-to-advantage.
ZACH MERRETT
Merrett continues to pile on the scores adding a further 118 SuperCoach points last round in the win over North Melbourne. He hit the target with 28 of 32 disposals and also had 16 contested possessions, seven tackles, 12 clearances, two score assists and one goal from 75 per cent game time.
YOUNG GUN: JACK HIGGINS
Higgins had a season-high 109 SuperCoach points in last round’s win over the Swans, spiking in price by $22,100 in the process. He hit the target with 15 of 20 disposals and also had eight ground ball-gets, two tackles, two inside 50s and a game-high three score assists from 72 per cent game time.

 

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Did it copy the pics and formatting over @Professor or did you manually do it? Either way thanks, it looks great!

One thing that stood out was the weekly prize winner’s team did not look too outrageous like they sometimes do.

ROUND 15 TEAM OF THE WEEK
DEFENDERS
Kade Simpson 139
Jake Lloyd 136
Rory Laird 111
Angus Brayshaw 104
James Sicily 90
Zach Tuohy 89
Mason Red man -
Jordan Ridley -
MIDFIELDERS
Tom Mitchell 362 (c)
Luke Parker 123
Joel Selwood 122
Touk Miller 115
Lachie Neale 113
Scott Pendlebury 108
Jack Steven 99
Tom Rockliff 92
Angus Brayshaw 55
Joel Smith 53
Dom Barry -
RUCK
Max Gawn 145
Toby Nankervis 122
Scott Jones -
FORWARDS
Chad Wingard 122
Jesse Hogan 114
Toby McLean 104
Robbie Gray 85
Lance Franklin 73
Ben Ronke 71
Allen Christensen 71
Paul Ahern 80