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KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 11 trade guide
How do you get the biggest score this week while preparing your team for DPP changes and the byes? See what moves our experts are making plus the bargains of the week.
Tim Michell, The Phantom, Al Paton and Dan Batten
Don’t trade this week with only your rkind 11 match-ups in mind.
We need to be looking at least two weeks ahead – and as many as four.
After round 11 a new round of position changes will be activated in KFC SuperCoach, with guns including Marcus Bontempelli and Bailey Smith set to gain MID/FWD status.
When filling the final premium spots in your team, you might need to save some spots in your forward line.
And that’s while keeping one eye on the bye rounds, which start in round 12.
How are our experts juggling their trades this round? Scroll down to find out plus this week’s best bargains.
AL PATON
OUT: Nic Martin
IN: Darcy Cameron
My original plan was to not trade at all this week, but I can’t help myself. Martin has been one of the buys of the season after starting at $102k but he’s now starting to bleed cash and has a Break Even of 116 entering an away clash against Port Adelaide after scores of 59 and 49 in his past two games.
In a perfect world I would jump straight from Martin to Bailey Smith but I don’t have the funds to do that in one trade, and it would leave me in a massive hole in round 13 when I already have a host of players unavailable.
Cameron is a short-term play. He allows me to get maximum value out of Martin, provides strong cover across the first two bye rounds as a FWD/RUC, then I can trade him out at about $500k at round 14, turning him into one of the long list of Dogs forwards coming off their bye. That’s the plan, anyway.
The other move I’m strongly considering – especially if Jacob Wehr doesn’t keep his spot in the GWS team this week – is cashing in Sam De Koning early to pick up Luke Cleary, who could be the best dowgrade we’ll get in defence for a while.
DPP WATCH: STARS SET FOR NEW POSITIONS AT ROUND 12
Jake Bowey still hasn’t played in a loss. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Josh Gibcus and the Tigers have a bye in round 12. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
TIM MICHELL
OUT: Jake Bowey and Josh Gibcus
IN: Bailey Smith and Luke Cleary
I was hoping Jake Bowey could make it to his round 14 bye, but scores of 63, 49, 77 and 41 in the past month have shown he won’t. He’s just going to lose too much value between now and then, and the scoring isn’t there. With that in mind, he becomes Luke Cleary this week, who has made a promising start to his career with the Bulldogs with two scores above 60. I know he might go out soon when a few stars return, but Bevo has shown for years he will back draftees (younger and mature-age) if they’re playing well.
If you’ve read this week’s DPP update, you’ll know Bailey Smith is a strong chance to gain MID/FWD status before round 12. That, plus a match-up with West Coast this week, is why I need Bazlenka. Josh Gibcus is the player I’m likely to sacrifice as he has a round 12 bye. Nic Martin is the other player I could trade but I still think he has decent scoring in him – not many players can rack up 14 disposals in a quarter, as he did against Richmond. The issue here is I might be in some trouble in round 13, but I think Smith will be worth it.
Bailey Smith is likely to gain DPP status. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images
DAN BATTEN
OUT: Nic Martin and Sam De Koning
IN: MarcusBontempelli and Luke Cleary
Two more Bulldogs ahead of a concerning round 13 bye is a risk, but Marcus Bontempelli against a deflated Eagles side is too good to resist.
With dual position status all but confirmed, The Bont will be my F1 after this weekend and it’ll be a tough watch if I don’t grab him with a monster sore looming.
The only downside is fielding a guy like Corey Durdin in the forward line for a week, however, he has had some promising performances of late.
How do you get the biggest score this week while preparing your team for DPP changes and the byes? See what moves our experts are making plus the bargains of the week.
Tim Michell, The Phantom, Al Paton and Dan Batten
Don’t trade this week with only your rkind 11 match-ups in mind.
We need to be looking at least two weeks ahead – and as many as four.
After round 11 a new round of position changes will be activated in KFC SuperCoach, with guns including Marcus Bontempelli and Bailey Smith set to gain MID/FWD status.
When filling the final premium spots in your team, you might need to save some spots in your forward line.
And that’s while keeping one eye on the bye rounds, which start in round 12.
How are our experts juggling their trades this round? Scroll down to find out plus this week’s best bargains.
AL PATON
OUT: Nic Martin
IN: Darcy Cameron
My original plan was to not trade at all this week, but I can’t help myself. Martin has been one of the buys of the season after starting at $102k but he’s now starting to bleed cash and has a Break Even of 116 entering an away clash against Port Adelaide after scores of 59 and 49 in his past two games.
In a perfect world I would jump straight from Martin to Bailey Smith but I don’t have the funds to do that in one trade, and it would leave me in a massive hole in round 13 when I already have a host of players unavailable.
Cameron is a short-term play. He allows me to get maximum value out of Martin, provides strong cover across the first two bye rounds as a FWD/RUC, then I can trade him out at about $500k at round 14, turning him into one of the long list of Dogs forwards coming off their bye. That’s the plan, anyway.
The other move I’m strongly considering – especially if Jacob Wehr doesn’t keep his spot in the GWS team this week – is cashing in Sam De Koning early to pick up Luke Cleary, who could be the best dowgrade we’ll get in defence for a while.
DPP WATCH: STARS SET FOR NEW POSITIONS AT ROUND 12
Jake Bowey still hasn’t played in a loss. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Josh Gibcus and the Tigers have a bye in round 12. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
TIM MICHELL
OUT: Jake Bowey and Josh Gibcus
IN: Bailey Smith and Luke Cleary
I was hoping Jake Bowey could make it to his round 14 bye, but scores of 63, 49, 77 and 41 in the past month have shown he won’t. He’s just going to lose too much value between now and then, and the scoring isn’t there. With that in mind, he becomes Luke Cleary this week, who has made a promising start to his career with the Bulldogs with two scores above 60. I know he might go out soon when a few stars return, but Bevo has shown for years he will back draftees (younger and mature-age) if they’re playing well.
If you’ve read this week’s DPP update, you’ll know Bailey Smith is a strong chance to gain MID/FWD status before round 12. That, plus a match-up with West Coast this week, is why I need Bazlenka. Josh Gibcus is the player I’m likely to sacrifice as he has a round 12 bye. Nic Martin is the other player I could trade but I still think he has decent scoring in him – not many players can rack up 14 disposals in a quarter, as he did against Richmond. The issue here is I might be in some trouble in round 13, but I think Smith will be worth it.
Bailey Smith is likely to gain DPP status. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images
DAN BATTEN
OUT: Nic Martin and Sam De Koning
IN: MarcusBontempelli and Luke Cleary
Two more Bulldogs ahead of a concerning round 13 bye is a risk, but Marcus Bontempelli against a deflated Eagles side is too good to resist.
With dual position status all but confirmed, The Bont will be my F1 after this weekend and it’ll be a tough watch if I don’t grab him with a monster sore looming.
The only downside is fielding a guy like Corey Durdin in the forward line for a week, however, he has had some promising performances of late.
Champion Data player ratings reveal a surprise candidate for mantle of best player in the AFL
Assessing the AFL’s top player can be subjective and swayed by sentiment. SHANNON GILL and ADAM TREACY crunch the numbers.
Who is the best player in the AFL?
Ask the fans and their answers are inevitably skewed by club loyalty, passion and misty water-coloured memories. Ask the experts and they are often influenced by personal and professional allegiances.
To cut through the emotion and subjectivity, we’ve referred to Champion Data’s player rating; the most sophisticated method of assessing player performance in Australian football.
Champion measure all recorded player involvements by evaluating their impact on the current state of play. Players are rewarded for winning the ball out of a contest, consistently moving the ball to a more dangerous position, or disrupting opposition ball movement. Players are penalised for average or negative ball use, including inaccurate shots at goal.
Here’s what the data tells us when evaluating the best player in the game.
Jack ahead of the pack
Jack Crisp. Bet you did not expect to read that name in this story, did you?
To anyone but Collingwood fans, Crisp’s is a name you would swiftly dismiss in this discussion. And while we are not exactly making a case for him, it is worth giving him an honourable mention.
Jack leads the league in Champion Data’s player ratings. He has Clayton Oliver covered by 0.03 rating points this year, an extraordinary feat.
The key for Crisp is his pressure. He has applied the second-most pressure of any player this year and ranks third behind Bailey Smith and Christian Petracca among midfielders for metres gained.
Is Crisp the best player in the AFL? No, but he is having a season that is worthy of greater recognition.
Clarry has tongues wagging
Clayton Oliver was last year’s AFL Coaches Association player of the year and has elevated his game in different ways in 2022.
He is averaging career highs in disposals and clearances, but also in uncontested possessions, score involvements, assists and metres gained. His place at the pointy end of the Champion Data ratings reflects a slight shift to a more outside player in 2022 where his creativity has flourished. His average of 491 metres gained is a sizeable jump from his previous best of 422 in 2021. Which is not to say he is letting his contested game wither – Oliver still sits second in the AFL for contested possessions.
The only possible knock on his season so far is that his one goal is a career low. But when he sits within the top six in the league for assists and score involvements, Melbourne teammates and fans are not complaining.
Patrick Cripps
After a couple of less threatening seasons, Cripps has burst back with a vengeance in 2022 as the Blues have evolved into a bona fide top four team.
Per 100 minutes of game time, Cripps leads the AFL player ratings; an early exit through injury against the Gold Coast Suns the only reason he doesn’t sit above Crisp and Oliver on the overall rankings.
He has slowed over the last two weeks, but his numbers in comparison to Oliver per 100 minutes of game time make for interesting reading: dead level on contested possessions and very close in most others. Oliver is gaining more ground as per the more creative role he is playing.
But the added dimension of Cripps as a goal kicker (he’s already kicked more goals in a season than ever before) outshines Oliver on the scoreboard.
Who are the other contenders?
The players next in line to the throne are names that probably won’t surprise you.
Marcus Bontempelli has had a seriously impressive season. He is the third ranked player in the league and it is hard to find someone who doesn’t rate him as one of the game’s best.
Christian Petracca also deserves an honourable mention. You could argue his best is better than anyone’s but his consistency is ever so slightly down when comparing him with premiership teammate Oliver.
Brisbane’s Lachie Neale is another player in scintillating form. The midfielder is back to his Brownlow-winning best and will take some beating this year. Neale is averaging 31.4 disposal disposals, 16.8 of which are contested. Add 7.8 clearances to that mix and you get a mix of elite numbers. There is no doubt Neale belongs in this conversation.
So, what’s the verdict?
It’s no surprise the coaches rate all four highly, sitting within the top eight vote getters.
It’s splitting hairs but the combination of offensive spark, high possession numbers and winning the contested ball places Oliver and Cripps ahead of the pack so far.
Specifically, Cripps’ fightback to again be one of the most dominant players in the game in parallel with Carlton’s rise is a wonderful redemption story.
The added punch of his goalkicking gives him just a slight edge over Oliver as at Round 10.
But beware: Oliver seems to be gaining momentum as the season wears on.
Perhaps this argument won’t be settled until they meet head-to-head in September.
Assessing the AFL’s top player can be subjective and swayed by sentiment. SHANNON GILL and ADAM TREACY crunch the numbers.
Who is the best player in the AFL?
Ask the fans and their answers are inevitably skewed by club loyalty, passion and misty water-coloured memories. Ask the experts and they are often influenced by personal and professional allegiances.
To cut through the emotion and subjectivity, we’ve referred to Champion Data’s player rating; the most sophisticated method of assessing player performance in Australian football.
Champion measure all recorded player involvements by evaluating their impact on the current state of play. Players are rewarded for winning the ball out of a contest, consistently moving the ball to a more dangerous position, or disrupting opposition ball movement. Players are penalised for average or negative ball use, including inaccurate shots at goal.
Here’s what the data tells us when evaluating the best player in the game.
Jack ahead of the pack
Jack Crisp. Bet you did not expect to read that name in this story, did you?
To anyone but Collingwood fans, Crisp’s is a name you would swiftly dismiss in this discussion. And while we are not exactly making a case for him, it is worth giving him an honourable mention.
Jack leads the league in Champion Data’s player ratings. He has Clayton Oliver covered by 0.03 rating points this year, an extraordinary feat.
The key for Crisp is his pressure. He has applied the second-most pressure of any player this year and ranks third behind Bailey Smith and Christian Petracca among midfielders for metres gained.
Is Crisp the best player in the AFL? No, but he is having a season that is worthy of greater recognition.
Clarry has tongues wagging
Clayton Oliver was last year’s AFL Coaches Association player of the year and has elevated his game in different ways in 2022.
He is averaging career highs in disposals and clearances, but also in uncontested possessions, score involvements, assists and metres gained. His place at the pointy end of the Champion Data ratings reflects a slight shift to a more outside player in 2022 where his creativity has flourished. His average of 491 metres gained is a sizeable jump from his previous best of 422 in 2021. Which is not to say he is letting his contested game wither – Oliver still sits second in the AFL for contested possessions.
The only possible knock on his season so far is that his one goal is a career low. But when he sits within the top six in the league for assists and score involvements, Melbourne teammates and fans are not complaining.
Patrick Cripps
After a couple of less threatening seasons, Cripps has burst back with a vengeance in 2022 as the Blues have evolved into a bona fide top four team.
Per 100 minutes of game time, Cripps leads the AFL player ratings; an early exit through injury against the Gold Coast Suns the only reason he doesn’t sit above Crisp and Oliver on the overall rankings.
He has slowed over the last two weeks, but his numbers in comparison to Oliver per 100 minutes of game time make for interesting reading: dead level on contested possessions and very close in most others. Oliver is gaining more ground as per the more creative role he is playing.
But the added dimension of Cripps as a goal kicker (he’s already kicked more goals in a season than ever before) outshines Oliver on the scoreboard.
Who are the other contenders?
The players next in line to the throne are names that probably won’t surprise you.
Marcus Bontempelli has had a seriously impressive season. He is the third ranked player in the league and it is hard to find someone who doesn’t rate him as one of the game’s best.
Christian Petracca also deserves an honourable mention. You could argue his best is better than anyone’s but his consistency is ever so slightly down when comparing him with premiership teammate Oliver.
Brisbane’s Lachie Neale is another player in scintillating form. The midfielder is back to his Brownlow-winning best and will take some beating this year. Neale is averaging 31.4 disposal disposals, 16.8 of which are contested. Add 7.8 clearances to that mix and you get a mix of elite numbers. There is no doubt Neale belongs in this conversation.
So, what’s the verdict?
It’s no surprise the coaches rate all four highly, sitting within the top eight vote getters.
It’s splitting hairs but the combination of offensive spark, high possession numbers and winning the contested ball places Oliver and Cripps ahead of the pack so far.
Specifically, Cripps’ fightback to again be one of the most dominant players in the game in parallel with Carlton’s rise is a wonderful redemption story.
The added punch of his goalkicking gives him just a slight edge over Oliver as at Round 10.
But beware: Oliver seems to be gaining momentum as the season wears on.
Perhaps this argument won’t be settled until they meet head-to-head in September.
KFC SuperCoach AFL: Players set to gain dual-position status at Round 12
Some of KFC SuperCoach’s best scorers are on the cusp of gaining dual-position status after Round 11. We break down what a host of key players must do this weekend.
WHAT KEY PLAYERS NEED IN ROUND 11 TO HAVE DPP ADDED
Note: % are based on the average time on ground for each individual player this season and what they’ll need in Round 11 to receive a DPP.
Marcus Bontempelli – Lock to gain FWD status.
Bailey Smith – 1% of time FWD to gain status.
Max Gawn – 99% of time FWD to gain status.
Rowan Marshall – 49% of time FWD to gain status.
Robbie McComb – Lock to gain FWD status.
Jayden Short – 65% of time MID to gain status.
Darcy Cameron – Lock to gain RUC status.
Ben Hobbs – Lock to gain FWD status.
Tom Mitchell – 114% of time forward to gain DPP status.
Connor Rozee – Lock to gain MID status.
Travis Boak – 94% of time FWD to gain status.
Sam Walsh – 111% of time forward to gain DPP status.
Mark Blicavs – Lock to gain RUC status.
Jason Horne-Francis – 54% of time FWD to gain status.
Isaac Heeney – 4% of time MID to gain status.
Some of KFC SuperCoach’s best scorers are on the cusp of gaining dual-position status after Round 11. We break down what a host of key players must do this weekend.
WHAT KEY PLAYERS NEED IN ROUND 11 TO HAVE DPP ADDED
Note: % are based on the average time on ground for each individual player this season and what they’ll need in Round 11 to receive a DPP.
Marcus Bontempelli – Lock to gain FWD status.
Bailey Smith – 1% of time FWD to gain status.
Max Gawn – 99% of time FWD to gain status.
Rowan Marshall – 49% of time FWD to gain status.
Robbie McComb – Lock to gain FWD status.
Jayden Short – 65% of time MID to gain status.
Darcy Cameron – Lock to gain RUC status.
Ben Hobbs – Lock to gain FWD status.
Tom Mitchell – 114% of time forward to gain DPP status.
Connor Rozee – Lock to gain MID status.
Travis Boak – 94% of time FWD to gain status.
Sam Walsh – 111% of time forward to gain DPP status.
Mark Blicavs – Lock to gain RUC status.
Jason Horne-Francis – 54% of time FWD to gain status.
Isaac Heeney – 4% of time MID to gain status.
KFC SuperCoach AFL: Burning questions ahead of Round 12
Can I trade in Round 12? What do I do with McCartin and De Koning? How soon do I need Tim English? It’s a bumper week of KFC SuperCoach burning questions ahead of the first bye round.
What a weekend for Tims.
Tim English finally returned for my KFC SuperCoach side and despite my reservations, he dominated against West Coast.
That’s left KFC SuperCoaches with a huge question about when to bring the No. 1 averaging forward of 2022 into their teams.
Do you jump on now or after the Round 13 bye?
There’s new DPPs to think about, the first bye round and the mid-season draft this week too.
It’s going to be a huge week as KFC SuperCoaches plan to navigate the first of three byes.
The Phantom is still away — did we mention he’s now 131st overall?
Hopefully this bumper edition of Burning Questions can help solve all your Round 12 dilemmas.
How many should I have playing this week?
Obvious answer, but a minimum of 18. If you have the bare minimum in the bye rounds, it’s crucial to nail your vice-captaincy loophole or captaincy choice in case you are carrying players who get injured or score poorly. Round 12 is traditionally the toughest of the byes as coaches ideally don’t want to be trading in players who will then have a bye in Round 13 or 14. If you’ve planned ahead, hopefully you have 19 or 20 available this round and you can drop the worst two scores out of your best 18. That might give you an extra 50-100 point edge over other coaches.
Can I trade in Round 12 if I don’t have 18?
Of course you can, but you’re best advised not to — especially if trades involve premiums. Say you bring in Max Gawn ahead of Round 12, just because his price has all but bottomed out, you’ll then have a hole you need to fill in Round 14 when he has a bye. If you have 16 or 17 and have rookies who have peaked in price, they’re the most expendable. Think Josh Gibcus or Nic Martin who both have Round 12 byes. You could fill your bank to grab premiums coming off the bye in Round 13 by trading Gibcus and/or Martin to rookies playing in Round 12. Rookies will be much easier to cover come Round 13 or 14 than a missing premium you sideways swapped into your side.
Should I still have boosts available?
Seriously, how good are boosts? Many KFC SuperCoaches have told me it’s the best change to the game in years and I can’t disagree — although I do love an in-season DPP switch. Many KFC SuperCoaches have used their five boosts to aggressively upgrade their team and reach full premium status (or close to) before the byes. Others have played conservatively and held at least 1-2 for a rainy day. As it stands there’s no perfect answer. If carnage hits one week and four popular players miss, then coaches who held a boost will be laughing. But there’s no guarantee that will happen (touch wood) and until it does, I’d rather be in the group of coaches who have full-premium sides.
You’re tempting fate by taking about carnage.
Yes, I am.
Why then?
If the mighty Blues can be a top-four challenger at the midway point of the season then anything is possible, even a KFC SuperCoach season without premium carnage.
You barrack for Carlton – why isn’t George Hewett in your side?
A question I ask myself every week. Easily my worst move this year has been continuing to fade him. I tell myself it’s because I don’t want to jinx him for Carlton’s sake. But really, his price is just out of reach now. Hewett and Will Brodie have been two of the great bargains in KFC SuperCoach history.
You have appointed yourself the DPP guru – who’s the best trade option of the pre-Round 12 additions?
Can I name three? Tim English is No. 1, followed very closely by Bailey Smith and Marcus Bontempelli. English was incredible on his return against West Coast, scoring 160 to have a break even of 55 this week. He could be as much as $630k come Round 14 when Western Bulldogs come off the bye. If you’re still going to have 18-19 players next round, grab one of Bontempelli, English or Smith before their prices gets out of reach.
Wait, didn’t you say don’t trade this round?
I did.
But now we can?
Ideally no, but if you have the cash and are in the market for an extra premium, English, Bontempelli and Smith are going to be must-haves as forwards.
I’m confused Tim.
Me too.
Let’s get back on track. Should I plan to hold Patty McCartin through his bye?
Didn’t you ask a variation of this question last week? McCartin has not scored less than 75 in his past four matches, producing a KFC SuperCoach average of 82.3 from rounds 8-11 — 94, 75, 85 and 75. Reborn as a defender after overcoming concussion issues to be drafted by Sydney, McCartin has all but peaked in price at more than $350k. He might have another $10-$15k to make, but that is largely irrelevant on whether you plan to trade or not. If you think you’re going to need DEF-FWD cover during the run home, find a way to hold. The aggressive play – which most coaches are likely to take – will be to say thanks for the memories and punt him Round 13. That’s what I am leaning towards.
What about Sam De Koning?
Likely gone at the Round 13 bye as well. You might be able to trade McCartin and De Koning to an uber premium coming off the Round 12 bye and a rookie — think GWS’ Jacob Wehr or St Kilda’s Mitch Owens (more on his below). That’ll boost your numbers by two players for Rounds 13 and 14 and give you an extra premium for the run home.
What’s happened to Isaac Heeney? Should I persist?
It always seemed likely Heeney’s score would revert to his norm of a 90-100 average after an incredible start to 2022. Heeney opened the year with scores of 141, 140, 131 and 112 in his first five matches and looked to have made the jump to uber-premium status. Was it a false dawn? Maybe. He only has one ton in his last six games, which have included scores of 81, 75, 92, 94 and 53. The Swan star had less than 30 points with about 10 minutes to play against Richmond before a late goal boosted him above 50. He’s one of the players who has gained DPP and has a huge ceiling, so I would stick fat for this round. If you’re still frustrated at Round 13 and don’t have the full set of Bontempelli, Smith and English, then make the move then.
How soon do I need Tim English?
Didn’t we already talk about him? OK, I’ll indulge you a bit more. Let’s say Round 14 at the latest. English’s 160-point return against West Coast vindicated the six weeks (months?) of holding him. Whether you’re fielding him as a RUC or FWD, he should be in every serious KFC SuperCoach side. You just risk losing too much ground without the big guy.
Is Jarrod Witts going to be this year’s No. 1 ruck?
He’s in the top-five points scorers of the year full stop at this stage. Who saw that coming? Witts has jumped by $236k, has not scored less than 113 in his last six games and has 73 more points than Max Gawn after Round 11. I’m backing Max to reel him in, but it’s going to be close. Witts’ career-best season coming off an ACL has been incredible. If you started him, well done.
Will Touk Miller be the best buy of the byes after Round 13?
Wow. Say that five times quickly. He’s projected to be about $549k, although it’s worth noting he takes on North Melbourne this round. If you don’t have him, I’d still try and hold off until post-bye due to that 173-point break even — famous last words! Miller will be one of the great fallen premiums to grab in coming weeks but there’s going to be no shortage on offer.
Mitch Owens scored 2 on debut. I can’t really get him in Round 13 can I?
Let’s talk next week – but on Sunday’s evidence it’s a yes.
How many trades should I plan to have when the byes finish?
History has proven you will likely need somewhere from 8-10. Remember last year, when many coaches were caught out in the last round when Mr Durable Tom Stewart and Jack Ziebell were unavailable? You might have reached full premium by Round 12 — with Will Brodie, Greg Clark and a few reliable cheapies thrown in – but there’s almost no doubt you’ll need to sideways a premium or two during the run home. Keeping a few trades up your sleeve for a gun rookie or two who emerges in the second half of the season is always wise too.
When is the Phantom back?
That, my friends, is still a great question. You’re stuck with me for the byes (unless he makes a cameo appearance). After that – and likely with a full premium side to boot – The Phantom will be back for the run home in KFC SuperCoach. With no boosts left and my trades dwindling, I’m glad it won’t be me answering the tough questions in the last eight weeks of the campaign. I’ll have enough to worry about with my own side.
Can I trade in Round 12? What do I do with McCartin and De Koning? How soon do I need Tim English? It’s a bumper week of KFC SuperCoach burning questions ahead of the first bye round.
What a weekend for Tims.
Tim English finally returned for my KFC SuperCoach side and despite my reservations, he dominated against West Coast.
That’s left KFC SuperCoaches with a huge question about when to bring the No. 1 averaging forward of 2022 into their teams.
Do you jump on now or after the Round 13 bye?
There’s new DPPs to think about, the first bye round and the mid-season draft this week too.
It’s going to be a huge week as KFC SuperCoaches plan to navigate the first of three byes.
The Phantom is still away — did we mention he’s now 131st overall?
Hopefully this bumper edition of Burning Questions can help solve all your Round 12 dilemmas.
How many should I have playing this week?
Obvious answer, but a minimum of 18. If you have the bare minimum in the bye rounds, it’s crucial to nail your vice-captaincy loophole or captaincy choice in case you are carrying players who get injured or score poorly. Round 12 is traditionally the toughest of the byes as coaches ideally don’t want to be trading in players who will then have a bye in Round 13 or 14. If you’ve planned ahead, hopefully you have 19 or 20 available this round and you can drop the worst two scores out of your best 18. That might give you an extra 50-100 point edge over other coaches.
Can I trade in Round 12 if I don’t have 18?
Of course you can, but you’re best advised not to — especially if trades involve premiums. Say you bring in Max Gawn ahead of Round 12, just because his price has all but bottomed out, you’ll then have a hole you need to fill in Round 14 when he has a bye. If you have 16 or 17 and have rookies who have peaked in price, they’re the most expendable. Think Josh Gibcus or Nic Martin who both have Round 12 byes. You could fill your bank to grab premiums coming off the bye in Round 13 by trading Gibcus and/or Martin to rookies playing in Round 12. Rookies will be much easier to cover come Round 13 or 14 than a missing premium you sideways swapped into your side.
Should I still have boosts available?
Seriously, how good are boosts? Many KFC SuperCoaches have told me it’s the best change to the game in years and I can’t disagree — although I do love an in-season DPP switch. Many KFC SuperCoaches have used their five boosts to aggressively upgrade their team and reach full premium status (or close to) before the byes. Others have played conservatively and held at least 1-2 for a rainy day. As it stands there’s no perfect answer. If carnage hits one week and four popular players miss, then coaches who held a boost will be laughing. But there’s no guarantee that will happen (touch wood) and until it does, I’d rather be in the group of coaches who have full-premium sides.
You’re tempting fate by taking about carnage.
Yes, I am.
Why then?
If the mighty Blues can be a top-four challenger at the midway point of the season then anything is possible, even a KFC SuperCoach season without premium carnage.
You barrack for Carlton – why isn’t George Hewett in your side?
A question I ask myself every week. Easily my worst move this year has been continuing to fade him. I tell myself it’s because I don’t want to jinx him for Carlton’s sake. But really, his price is just out of reach now. Hewett and Will Brodie have been two of the great bargains in KFC SuperCoach history.
You have appointed yourself the DPP guru – who’s the best trade option of the pre-Round 12 additions?
Can I name three? Tim English is No. 1, followed very closely by Bailey Smith and Marcus Bontempelli. English was incredible on his return against West Coast, scoring 160 to have a break even of 55 this week. He could be as much as $630k come Round 14 when Western Bulldogs come off the bye. If you’re still going to have 18-19 players next round, grab one of Bontempelli, English or Smith before their prices gets out of reach.
Wait, didn’t you say don’t trade this round?
I did.
But now we can?
Ideally no, but if you have the cash and are in the market for an extra premium, English, Bontempelli and Smith are going to be must-haves as forwards.
I’m confused Tim.
Me too.
Let’s get back on track. Should I plan to hold Patty McCartin through his bye?
Didn’t you ask a variation of this question last week? McCartin has not scored less than 75 in his past four matches, producing a KFC SuperCoach average of 82.3 from rounds 8-11 — 94, 75, 85 and 75. Reborn as a defender after overcoming concussion issues to be drafted by Sydney, McCartin has all but peaked in price at more than $350k. He might have another $10-$15k to make, but that is largely irrelevant on whether you plan to trade or not. If you think you’re going to need DEF-FWD cover during the run home, find a way to hold. The aggressive play – which most coaches are likely to take – will be to say thanks for the memories and punt him Round 13. That’s what I am leaning towards.
What about Sam De Koning?
Likely gone at the Round 13 bye as well. You might be able to trade McCartin and De Koning to an uber premium coming off the Round 12 bye and a rookie — think GWS’ Jacob Wehr or St Kilda’s Mitch Owens (more on his below). That’ll boost your numbers by two players for Rounds 13 and 14 and give you an extra premium for the run home.
What’s happened to Isaac Heeney? Should I persist?
It always seemed likely Heeney’s score would revert to his norm of a 90-100 average after an incredible start to 2022. Heeney opened the year with scores of 141, 140, 131 and 112 in his first five matches and looked to have made the jump to uber-premium status. Was it a false dawn? Maybe. He only has one ton in his last six games, which have included scores of 81, 75, 92, 94 and 53. The Swan star had less than 30 points with about 10 minutes to play against Richmond before a late goal boosted him above 50. He’s one of the players who has gained DPP and has a huge ceiling, so I would stick fat for this round. If you’re still frustrated at Round 13 and don’t have the full set of Bontempelli, Smith and English, then make the move then.
How soon do I need Tim English?
Didn’t we already talk about him? OK, I’ll indulge you a bit more. Let’s say Round 14 at the latest. English’s 160-point return against West Coast vindicated the six weeks (months?) of holding him. Whether you’re fielding him as a RUC or FWD, he should be in every serious KFC SuperCoach side. You just risk losing too much ground without the big guy.
Is Jarrod Witts going to be this year’s No. 1 ruck?
He’s in the top-five points scorers of the year full stop at this stage. Who saw that coming? Witts has jumped by $236k, has not scored less than 113 in his last six games and has 73 more points than Max Gawn after Round 11. I’m backing Max to reel him in, but it’s going to be close. Witts’ career-best season coming off an ACL has been incredible. If you started him, well done.
Will Touk Miller be the best buy of the byes after Round 13?
Wow. Say that five times quickly. He’s projected to be about $549k, although it’s worth noting he takes on North Melbourne this round. If you don’t have him, I’d still try and hold off until post-bye due to that 173-point break even — famous last words! Miller will be one of the great fallen premiums to grab in coming weeks but there’s going to be no shortage on offer.
Mitch Owens scored 2 on debut. I can’t really get him in Round 13 can I?
Let’s talk next week – but on Sunday’s evidence it’s a yes.
How many trades should I plan to have when the byes finish?
History has proven you will likely need somewhere from 8-10. Remember last year, when many coaches were caught out in the last round when Mr Durable Tom Stewart and Jack Ziebell were unavailable? You might have reached full premium by Round 12 — with Will Brodie, Greg Clark and a few reliable cheapies thrown in – but there’s almost no doubt you’ll need to sideways a premium or two during the run home. Keeping a few trades up your sleeve for a gun rookie or two who emerges in the second half of the season is always wise too.
When is the Phantom back?
That, my friends, is still a great question. You’re stuck with me for the byes (unless he makes a cameo appearance). After that – and likely with a full premium side to boot – The Phantom will be back for the run home in KFC SuperCoach. With no boosts left and my trades dwindling, I’m glad it won’t be me answering the tough questions in the last eight weeks of the campaign. I’ll have enough to worry about with my own side.
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SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for round 12 of the AFL season
Can Tim English keep up his incredible KFC SuperCoach scores? Who should be your captain this week? Get 11 nuggets from SuperCoach Plus to get you through week one of the byes.
The dreaded blue dots are back, highlighting players missing with the bye this week.
As KFC SuperCoach players try to get 18 scoring players on field this week and plan ahead for the following two rounds, SuperCoach Plus comes into its own as a tool to help you navigate the trickiest period of the season.
As well as a bye planner that highlights players available and unavailable each round, SuperCoach Plus subscribers can access a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, the new Trade Assist button and lots more.
Can Tim English keep up his incredible scoring? What went wrong for Christian Petracca and Dayne Zorko last round? And who should you be nominating as your captain and vice-captain in the season-defining round 12?
Find out all that and more below.
ENGLISH PATIENCE REWARDED
Tim English missed five weeks with a hamstring injury then a severe case of the flu but the Bulldogs didn’t hold him back in his return game. English was named in the same team as young ruckman Jordan Sweet but spent 89 per cent of game time in the ruck and just 11 per cent forward. English won eight hitouts to advantage but did his real damage around the ground, picking up 25 disposals (22 effective), 15 contested possessions, eight clearances, four tackles, two score assists and a goal – and a season-high 160 KFC SuperCoach points. He increased in value by $25,000 after lockout, and is set to rise further with a Break Even of just 55 against Geelong on Friday night. Well played to the 21,000 coaches who held him through his stint on the sidelines – and the brave 10,000 who traded him in last week. He is the most traded in player ahead of round 12 after being added to almost 7000 teams at time of publication.
CLUTCH MOMENTS COUNT
Isaac Heeney and Josh Gibcus showed the value of standing up when the game is on the line in KFC SuperCoach in round 11. Neither posted high scores but they would have been a lot lower if not for key acts in the tense final minutes at the SCG. Gibcus scored 19.8 points for his lead mark, effective long kick and goal that got the Tigers within six points with only minutes on the clock. Moments earlier, Heeney netted 22.3 points for winning a free kick then nailing the goal that put the Swans 12 points up – what turned out to be a matchwinning lead.
THAT HURTS
Owners of Christian Petracca and Dayne Zorko had a tough weekend after season-low scores from both high-priced stars. Petracca finished with 53 points from a career-low 10 disposals, of which only four were effective. Demons coach Simon Goodwin said the Norm Smith medallist “woke up a bit crook” on the day of the game and he appeared to hit the wall at three-quarter time, scoring just one point in the final term, from a smother. Zorko had slightly more of the ball, recording 14 disposals, but only half were effective and he lost 17.8 points from negative acts to finish with 37 KFC SuperCoach points. He spent a season-high 71 per cent of game time up forward and scored just three points in the second half, from two effective disposals. It was Petracca’s lowest score since round 7, 2019 and Zorko’s lowest total since round 5, 2018.
KICK-IN KINGS
Tom Stewart has the second-highest five-round average in the competition (behind only Lachie Neale) after scoring a massive 174 points against the Crows. Stewart recorded 40 disposals for the second time this season and took 16 marks, and has the extra scoring avenue of behind kick-ins – but they made only a minor contribution on Saturday. Stewart took five kick-ins and played on from four of them, slightly up on his season average of playing on from 75.8 per cent of kick-ins, ranked 21st of the top-25 kick-in players. The highest-rated players for play-on percentage this year are Nick Blakey (100 per cent), Darcy Moore (100), Bailey Dale (96.7), Steven May (96.2) and Daniel Rich (95.8). Stewart added $26,600 to his price tag and is now valued at $618,600 – SuperCoach Plus predicts he’ll be worth over $700k by round 16.
FROM PARISH WITH LOVE
Darcy Parish might not have as many medals in his trophy cabinet as last year but he is putting together another brilliant season, and great numbers for 10 per cent of KFC SuperCoach players. He leads the competition for disposals, handballs, uncontested possessions, handball-receives and ranks fourth for contested possessions. He is also averaging a career-high 35 disposals, 14.1 contested possessions and 118 KFC SuperCoach points. Since round 4, Parish ranks sixth in the league for total points scored with an average of 125. Has finished in the top-three ranked Essendon players on the ground nine times, well ahead of next best Bomber Zach Merrett (four).
HATELY BREAKOUT?
Jackson Hately has been on the KFC SuperCoach watch list ever since he scored 95 and 85 in his first two games for GWS in 2019. He has battled to break out ever since – averaging 52.8 in 17 games to round 9 this year – but it is finally happening after being given more opportunities in the Adelaide midfield. In the past three rounds he has scored 110, 88 and 108 points – on the back of 27, 18 and 27 disposals – to rocket in value more than $166,000 from his $188,700 starting price. He faces West Coast this week with a Break Even of 13 and is projected to jump another $50,000 in the next two rounds.
ROOKIE ROULETTE
The 14,000 coaches who picked Gold Coast forward Joel Jeffrey before his third game were the clear winners of this week’s rookie lotto. Cooper Stephens was the preferred choice of 17,000 coaches and they will be hoping he keeps his spot in Geelong’s best 22 after scoring 46 points and rising by $45,900 in value. Jeffrey backed up his 95 points in game two with 93 against the Hawks, jumping in value by $61,500 and heading into a clash against North Melbourne with a Break Even of -77. Jeffrey should make a lot more money, something we can’t be so confident about with Buku Khamis. After posting 41 and 66 in his first two matches, the Bulldogs forward has managed just 12 and 26 in his next two, resulting in a modest price rise of $27,300 and a real prospect of losing value if he lines up against Geelong on Friday night with a Break Even of 53.
MISSING BUBBLE BOYS
If you’re looking for a bottom-priced player about to rise in value after their third game, it’s thin pickings this week. But there are some likely prospects on the bye who will (hopefully) play game three in round 13. Jacob Wehr has a Break Even of -38 after scoring 51 and 60 in his first two games for GWS, and Mitch Owens has jumped into KFC SuperCoach calculations after being recalled to St Kilda’s team for round 11. Owens made his AFL debut in round 1 when he scored just 2 points from six disposals. He had a much bigger impact against the Kangaroos, recording 14 disposals, 10 tackles, two goals and 89 KFC SuperCoach points. He was selected in more than 20,000 teams at the start of the year and some of those coaches will be looking to trade him back in with a BE of -22.
CAPTAINS CORNER
The bye rounds give everyone the chance to utilise the vice-captain loophole, with no shortage of zero-scoring players available to nominate as captain on if your VC scores big (note that players in teams with the bye are all available to be traded, substituted or named as captain or vice-captain until the final lockout of the round on Sunday). Lachie Neale is an ideal get-out option in that final game – he has a five-round average of 137.8 and the last time he faced the Dockers, in 2020, he scored 171 points. The five earlier games throw up a range of possibilities. Tim English scored 65 against Geelong last year but is in red-hot form, Marcus Bontempelli averages 120.2 in his past five games against the Cats, Max Gawn averages 125 in his past three against a Sydney side that could be missing Tom Hickey (Clayton Oliver averages 114 over the same period) and Touk Miller averages 121.3 in his past three against the Kangaroos, who have given up some big scores to opposition midfielders in recent weeks including Seb Ross (127), Clayton Oliver (178), Ollie Wines (155).
CAPTAINS CORNER (2)
Two per cent of coaches put the C on James Sicily in round 11 and were rewarded with a season-high 147 points, and the Hawks defender could be a sneaky VC pick this weekend. He is in incredible form with a five-round average of 131.6 and hasn’t scored below 113 since round 3. He also loves playing against Collingwood, averaging 132.6 in his past three against the Magpies. One player to avoid is Christian Petracca, who has never scored over 100 points against Sydney and averages 79 in his past three against the Swans.
BEWARE THE VC TRAP!
One thing to avoid is using a player as your loophole captain who actually plays. Roughly 1500 coaches fell into the trap last round when they put the C on Carlton’s Jack Carroll in a bid to bank a big score from a VC like Lachie Neale (164 points). Carroll was dropped from the team and named as an emergency, and about an hour before Sunday’s game he was nominated by the Blues as their medical sub. He was called into action when Jacob Weitering suffered a shoulder injury, managing eight disposals and 15 points – doubled to 30 for those who had him as captain. Pick a player from any of the six teams on the bye this week to avoid a medi-sub disaster, and watch the late teams announcements for the rest of the season!
Can Tim English keep up his incredible KFC SuperCoach scores? Who should be your captain this week? Get 11 nuggets from SuperCoach Plus to get you through week one of the byes.
The dreaded blue dots are back, highlighting players missing with the bye this week.
As KFC SuperCoach players try to get 18 scoring players on field this week and plan ahead for the following two rounds, SuperCoach Plus comes into its own as a tool to help you navigate the trickiest period of the season.
As well as a bye planner that highlights players available and unavailable each round, SuperCoach Plus subscribers can access a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, the new Trade Assist button and lots more.
Can Tim English keep up his incredible scoring? What went wrong for Christian Petracca and Dayne Zorko last round? And who should you be nominating as your captain and vice-captain in the season-defining round 12?
Find out all that and more below.
ENGLISH PATIENCE REWARDED
Tim English missed five weeks with a hamstring injury then a severe case of the flu but the Bulldogs didn’t hold him back in his return game. English was named in the same team as young ruckman Jordan Sweet but spent 89 per cent of game time in the ruck and just 11 per cent forward. English won eight hitouts to advantage but did his real damage around the ground, picking up 25 disposals (22 effective), 15 contested possessions, eight clearances, four tackles, two score assists and a goal – and a season-high 160 KFC SuperCoach points. He increased in value by $25,000 after lockout, and is set to rise further with a Break Even of just 55 against Geelong on Friday night. Well played to the 21,000 coaches who held him through his stint on the sidelines – and the brave 10,000 who traded him in last week. He is the most traded in player ahead of round 12 after being added to almost 7000 teams at time of publication.
CLUTCH MOMENTS COUNT
Isaac Heeney and Josh Gibcus showed the value of standing up when the game is on the line in KFC SuperCoach in round 11. Neither posted high scores but they would have been a lot lower if not for key acts in the tense final minutes at the SCG. Gibcus scored 19.8 points for his lead mark, effective long kick and goal that got the Tigers within six points with only minutes on the clock. Moments earlier, Heeney netted 22.3 points for winning a free kick then nailing the goal that put the Swans 12 points up – what turned out to be a matchwinning lead.
THAT HURTS
Owners of Christian Petracca and Dayne Zorko had a tough weekend after season-low scores from both high-priced stars. Petracca finished with 53 points from a career-low 10 disposals, of which only four were effective. Demons coach Simon Goodwin said the Norm Smith medallist “woke up a bit crook” on the day of the game and he appeared to hit the wall at three-quarter time, scoring just one point in the final term, from a smother. Zorko had slightly more of the ball, recording 14 disposals, but only half were effective and he lost 17.8 points from negative acts to finish with 37 KFC SuperCoach points. He spent a season-high 71 per cent of game time up forward and scored just three points in the second half, from two effective disposals. It was Petracca’s lowest score since round 7, 2019 and Zorko’s lowest total since round 5, 2018.
KICK-IN KINGS
Tom Stewart has the second-highest five-round average in the competition (behind only Lachie Neale) after scoring a massive 174 points against the Crows. Stewart recorded 40 disposals for the second time this season and took 16 marks, and has the extra scoring avenue of behind kick-ins – but they made only a minor contribution on Saturday. Stewart took five kick-ins and played on from four of them, slightly up on his season average of playing on from 75.8 per cent of kick-ins, ranked 21st of the top-25 kick-in players. The highest-rated players for play-on percentage this year are Nick Blakey (100 per cent), Darcy Moore (100), Bailey Dale (96.7), Steven May (96.2) and Daniel Rich (95.8). Stewart added $26,600 to his price tag and is now valued at $618,600 – SuperCoach Plus predicts he’ll be worth over $700k by round 16.
FROM PARISH WITH LOVE
Darcy Parish might not have as many medals in his trophy cabinet as last year but he is putting together another brilliant season, and great numbers for 10 per cent of KFC SuperCoach players. He leads the competition for disposals, handballs, uncontested possessions, handball-receives and ranks fourth for contested possessions. He is also averaging a career-high 35 disposals, 14.1 contested possessions and 118 KFC SuperCoach points. Since round 4, Parish ranks sixth in the league for total points scored with an average of 125. Has finished in the top-three ranked Essendon players on the ground nine times, well ahead of next best Bomber Zach Merrett (four).
HATELY BREAKOUT?
Jackson Hately has been on the KFC SuperCoach watch list ever since he scored 95 and 85 in his first two games for GWS in 2019. He has battled to break out ever since – averaging 52.8 in 17 games to round 9 this year – but it is finally happening after being given more opportunities in the Adelaide midfield. In the past three rounds he has scored 110, 88 and 108 points – on the back of 27, 18 and 27 disposals – to rocket in value more than $166,000 from his $188,700 starting price. He faces West Coast this week with a Break Even of 13 and is projected to jump another $50,000 in the next two rounds.
ROOKIE ROULETTE
The 14,000 coaches who picked Gold Coast forward Joel Jeffrey before his third game were the clear winners of this week’s rookie lotto. Cooper Stephens was the preferred choice of 17,000 coaches and they will be hoping he keeps his spot in Geelong’s best 22 after scoring 46 points and rising by $45,900 in value. Jeffrey backed up his 95 points in game two with 93 against the Hawks, jumping in value by $61,500 and heading into a clash against North Melbourne with a Break Even of -77. Jeffrey should make a lot more money, something we can’t be so confident about with Buku Khamis. After posting 41 and 66 in his first two matches, the Bulldogs forward has managed just 12 and 26 in his next two, resulting in a modest price rise of $27,300 and a real prospect of losing value if he lines up against Geelong on Friday night with a Break Even of 53.
MISSING BUBBLE BOYS
If you’re looking for a bottom-priced player about to rise in value after their third game, it’s thin pickings this week. But there are some likely prospects on the bye who will (hopefully) play game three in round 13. Jacob Wehr has a Break Even of -38 after scoring 51 and 60 in his first two games for GWS, and Mitch Owens has jumped into KFC SuperCoach calculations after being recalled to St Kilda’s team for round 11. Owens made his AFL debut in round 1 when he scored just 2 points from six disposals. He had a much bigger impact against the Kangaroos, recording 14 disposals, 10 tackles, two goals and 89 KFC SuperCoach points. He was selected in more than 20,000 teams at the start of the year and some of those coaches will be looking to trade him back in with a BE of -22.
CAPTAINS CORNER
The bye rounds give everyone the chance to utilise the vice-captain loophole, with no shortage of zero-scoring players available to nominate as captain on if your VC scores big (note that players in teams with the bye are all available to be traded, substituted or named as captain or vice-captain until the final lockout of the round on Sunday). Lachie Neale is an ideal get-out option in that final game – he has a five-round average of 137.8 and the last time he faced the Dockers, in 2020, he scored 171 points. The five earlier games throw up a range of possibilities. Tim English scored 65 against Geelong last year but is in red-hot form, Marcus Bontempelli averages 120.2 in his past five games against the Cats, Max Gawn averages 125 in his past three against a Sydney side that could be missing Tom Hickey (Clayton Oliver averages 114 over the same period) and Touk Miller averages 121.3 in his past three against the Kangaroos, who have given up some big scores to opposition midfielders in recent weeks including Seb Ross (127), Clayton Oliver (178), Ollie Wines (155).
CAPTAINS CORNER (2)
Two per cent of coaches put the C on James Sicily in round 11 and were rewarded with a season-high 147 points, and the Hawks defender could be a sneaky VC pick this weekend. He is in incredible form with a five-round average of 131.6 and hasn’t scored below 113 since round 3. He also loves playing against Collingwood, averaging 132.6 in his past three against the Magpies. One player to avoid is Christian Petracca, who has never scored over 100 points against Sydney and averages 79 in his past three against the Swans.
BEWARE THE VC TRAP!
One thing to avoid is using a player as your loophole captain who actually plays. Roughly 1500 coaches fell into the trap last round when they put the C on Carlton’s Jack Carroll in a bid to bank a big score from a VC like Lachie Neale (164 points). Carroll was dropped from the team and named as an emergency, and about an hour before Sunday’s game he was nominated by the Blues as their medical sub. He was called into action when Jacob Weitering suffered a shoulder injury, managing eight disposals and 15 points – doubled to 30 for those who had him as captain. Pick a player from any of the six teams on the bye this week to avoid a medi-sub disaster, and watch the late teams announcements for the rest of the season!
THE BIG THREE
DARCY PARISH $625,800 MID
Essendon’s season might be a train wreck but Parish is one Bomber who can hold his head up in 2022. Heading into the Bombers’ bye he was averaging a career-high 35 disposals, 14.1 contested possessions and 118 KFC SuperCoach points, ranking sixth in the competition for total points since round 4 with an average of 125. Has two scores under 100 for the year – 99 and 97, which both came in the opening three rounds. In just 10 per cent of teams he could be a great point of difference for your midfield in the second half of the season. Imagine how he could score if Essendon starts winning games.
Darcy Parish has been a shining light for the Bombers this year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
SAM WALSH $629,500 MID
Walsh is one of the form players in KFC SuperCoach, cranking out scores of 149, 133 and 123 in his past three matches. His price jumped by about $20k after posting his third-straight ton in round 11, but is still below his starting price of $637k. Walsh has six scores of 124 or better in 10 matches this year and is a player who has eluded many KFC SuperCoach teams after missing the opening round. There’s a case he could be the No.1 point-scoring midfielder from this point, which is why you might have to pay up.
Sam Walsh could storm home. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
ZACH MERRETT $520,700 MID
One of the most reliable scorers in KFC SuperCoach has timed his price slump perfectly, bottoming out as the Bombers come off the bye. He is $105,000 cheaper than his round 1 price largely due to one horrendous night against the Swans, when he scored just 57 points. Forget that game (as most Bomber fans would like to) and he has a low of 99 for the season and an average of 113 per week. He has averaged at least 100 every season since 2016 including 115-plus in his past two seasons, and is coming off a 130 against Port Adelaide. He’s also extremely durable, missing just two games in the six seasons before 2022 and coming back quicker than expected from a syndesmosis injury early this year.
EXPERT VERDICT
TIM SAYS: Pay up for Walsh. He’s in the mix to be the top scorer in KFC SuperCoach from here and is coming off scores of 149, 133 and 123 before the bye. In fact, six of his 10 games have been 124-plus so he’s a captaincy contender every week. Merrett only has one game above 124 so far and although he’s the value option, the extra points you’ll get from Walsh will make the outlay worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I think Merrett is a great buy at his price but I still prefer Walsh if you have the cash – and that’s my Blues bias aside.
AL SAYS: Walsh was just about my favourite KFC SuperCoach player to own last year and he has been in my sights for weeks, and I have the cash to get him. But I do worry about having too many Blues. Patrick Cripps, George Hewett, Sam Docherty and Walsh are all averaging well north of 100 but it could catch you out if Carlton has a bad week – as we saw with the Bulldogs last weekend. And even though I don’t need the money this week, Merrett’s value is fantastic – he reminds me of Jack Steele and Tom Mitchell last year, who turned out to be superb buys around this time of the year. Could that cash help me out of a hole next week? I have some more research to do, but Walsh is in my side right now.
THE PHANTOM SAYS: Sam Walsh. That’s it, that’s the verdict. Well, almost. Merrett is great buying, and a terrific way to complete your midfield. Just take a look at his finish to the past two seasons. But I’m tipping Walsh to have him – and a few others – covered on the run home. If you have the cash, go with the big gun.
DARCY PARISH $625,800 MID
Essendon’s season might be a train wreck but Parish is one Bomber who can hold his head up in 2022. Heading into the Bombers’ bye he was averaging a career-high 35 disposals, 14.1 contested possessions and 118 KFC SuperCoach points, ranking sixth in the competition for total points since round 4 with an average of 125. Has two scores under 100 for the year – 99 and 97, which both came in the opening three rounds. In just 10 per cent of teams he could be a great point of difference for your midfield in the second half of the season. Imagine how he could score if Essendon starts winning games.
Darcy Parish has been a shining light for the Bombers this year. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
SAM WALSH $629,500 MID
Walsh is one of the form players in KFC SuperCoach, cranking out scores of 149, 133 and 123 in his past three matches. His price jumped by about $20k after posting his third-straight ton in round 11, but is still below his starting price of $637k. Walsh has six scores of 124 or better in 10 matches this year and is a player who has eluded many KFC SuperCoach teams after missing the opening round. There’s a case he could be the No.1 point-scoring midfielder from this point, which is why you might have to pay up.
Sam Walsh could storm home. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
ZACH MERRETT $520,700 MID
One of the most reliable scorers in KFC SuperCoach has timed his price slump perfectly, bottoming out as the Bombers come off the bye. He is $105,000 cheaper than his round 1 price largely due to one horrendous night against the Swans, when he scored just 57 points. Forget that game (as most Bomber fans would like to) and he has a low of 99 for the season and an average of 113 per week. He has averaged at least 100 every season since 2016 including 115-plus in his past two seasons, and is coming off a 130 against Port Adelaide. He’s also extremely durable, missing just two games in the six seasons before 2022 and coming back quicker than expected from a syndesmosis injury early this year.
EXPERT VERDICT
TIM SAYS: Pay up for Walsh. He’s in the mix to be the top scorer in KFC SuperCoach from here and is coming off scores of 149, 133 and 123 before the bye. In fact, six of his 10 games have been 124-plus so he’s a captaincy contender every week. Merrett only has one game above 124 so far and although he’s the value option, the extra points you’ll get from Walsh will make the outlay worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I think Merrett is a great buy at his price but I still prefer Walsh if you have the cash – and that’s my Blues bias aside.
AL SAYS: Walsh was just about my favourite KFC SuperCoach player to own last year and he has been in my sights for weeks, and I have the cash to get him. But I do worry about having too many Blues. Patrick Cripps, George Hewett, Sam Docherty and Walsh are all averaging well north of 100 but it could catch you out if Carlton has a bad week – as we saw with the Bulldogs last weekend. And even though I don’t need the money this week, Merrett’s value is fantastic – he reminds me of Jack Steele and Tom Mitchell last year, who turned out to be superb buys around this time of the year. Could that cash help me out of a hole next week? I have some more research to do, but Walsh is in my side right now.
THE PHANTOM SAYS: Sam Walsh. That’s it, that’s the verdict. Well, almost. Merrett is great buying, and a terrific way to complete your midfield. Just take a look at his finish to the past two seasons. But I’m tipping Walsh to have him – and a few others – covered on the run home. If you have the cash, go with the big gun.
KFC SuperCoach AFL: Best trade targets off round 13 bye
There is one bye round left, injury headaches, and a host of KFC SuperCoach stars ready to trade in after their bye. See which guns and rookies should be on your shopping list.
Two bye rounds down, one to go.
And round 14 could catch some KFC SuperCoaches out with most midfields featuring several of Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Andrew Brayshaw.
Add the most popular ruckman in the game, Max Gawn, continuing uncertainty about Braydon Preuss (who played in the VFL on Sunday) and injuries in round 13, and it makes for a tricky week.
Hopefully you have some money in the bank to get through the final round of the byes and set up your squad for the race to the KFC SuperCoach finish line.
Scroll down for our best trade targets, rookies and who to trade out this week.
TOP TRADE TARGETS
Marcus Bontempelli $583,700 FWD/MID
The Western Bulldogs skipper became a must-have as soon as he gained FWD status, and for most coaches it was only a matter of whether to jump on before or after his bye. If you were tossing up between Bontempelli and teammate Bailey Smith, that call has been made for you with Smith not returning until at least round 16. Bontempelli had the third-best average of any forward at 110.8 and ranked fifth for total points after round 12 despite playing one fewer game than Josh Dunkley, Luke Parker, Will Brodie and Tom Liberatore. He’s been carrying a shoulder issue but the week off should have helped with that ailment. Bontempelli has long been one of the fastest scorers in KFC SuperCoach and reminded coaches of his ability with 60-plus points in the last term against Geelong.
Rory Laird $623,500 MID
Many thought Laird’s days of KFC SuperCoach stardom would be over when he lost DEF status, but he has become one of the most reliable midfield scorers in the game. Laird’s first score this year was a 93 but he has since scored below 116 only once – which was a 105. His consistency is highlighted by his price fluctuations – or lack thereof. Laird started the season at $632k, peaked at $637k and his current price is as cheap as he’s been. He’d be a perfect way to finish your midfield if you need to polish off the middle of the park.
Callum Mills $622,600 MID
Effectively the same price as Laird, KFC SuperCoaches shopping for an uber premium midfielder should have Mills high on their priority lists. Either side of a score of 60 in round 8, Mills has gone 130, 117, 214, 139, 167, 102, 117 and 113. It’s worth remembering too that he produced that 117 while spending most of the game at full-back. The gun Swan has emerged as one of the midfielders with the biggest ceilings in the game and this could be what launches you to rankings or league glory. Mills has back-to-back tons in his past two against Sydney’s next opponent Port Adelaide.
Touk Miller $575,700 MID
The value pick of the uber premium midfielders this round, assuming you aren’t among the 60,000 teams who already have Miller. He’s not going to get any cheaper than this after pumping out a 167 against North Melbourne and is projected to be back above $600k before round 15. Miller is ranked elite for disposals, contested possessions, clearances and kicks this year – among a host of other impressive stats. That’s KFC SuperCoach gold. Oh, and don’t worry about those two games where he uncharacteristically didn’t register a tackle. Since then Miller has laid 45 tackles across seven matches.
Tim English $609,000 RUC/FWD
The big Bulldog became another of Rhys Stanley’s victims in his last outing but has otherwise been near-faultless in KFC SuperCoach this year. That 80 was English’s first score of less than 96 and in four of his seven games he has registered scores of 123 or higher. English (121.1) has the best average of any forward by more than eight points a game from Josh Dunkley (112.3). He ranks elite for disposals, clearances, score involvements, marks and metres gained, and has a favourable draw after the bye, facing either Braydon Preuss or Matthew Flynn, Ned Reeves, Oscar McInerney and then either Tom Hickey or Peter Ladhams in the next month.
Luke Parker $548,000 FWD/MID
Parker has proven to be one of the great buys of the season for those who jumped on at about $480k. His score of 39 in round 4 is long forgotten and since round 5, the gun Swan has averaged 111.5. Those are elite numbers for a midfielder in KFC SuperCoach, let alone a forward. Parker has the No.3 ranked forward for total points heading into his round 13 bye, behind only Josh Dunkley and Will Brodie. It’s somewhat surprising he’s in only 22 per cent of teams. If you’ve been waiting for his bye to pass, you don’t need to wait any longer.
Jarrod Witts $617,900 RUC
Witts gave up his No.1 ruck mantle to Max Gawn last round, but will have a chance to continue his career-best campaign when he takes on Reilly O’Brien and Sam Hayes/Jeremy Finlayson in the next two rounds. Witts is a legitimate captaincy option, posting seven successive scores of 113 or better before the byes. Witts has been the dominant big man in KFC SuperCoach this year, and his current average of 119.5 is almost 20 points higher than his previous best. Paying $617,900 seems significant for a player who started the year at $380k, but Witts has made than justified his premium price tag.
Jordan Dawson $566,800 DEF-MID
Another of The Phantom’s favourites, Dawson has been one of the most consistent defensive scorers this season, with eight of his 12 scores between 94 and 107. The Crows’ star off-season recruit is currently at his highest price for the year after reeling off five consecutive tons leading into the Crows’ bye. Dawson is averaging more than eight marks a game in his past four matches and more than three intercept marks a game. Combine that with his elite kicking efficiency and you go a long way to premium numbers in KFC SuperCoach. Don’t underestimate how important his DPP could be during the run home.
Bailey Dale $541,800 DEF
If you can’t afford Dawson but want a defender with the same consistency, Dale is your man. The Bulldogs half-back has not scored less than 86, boasts eight tons in 12 games and has seven games between 111-121. What might scare of many KFC SuperCoaches will be already having Macrae, Bontempelli, English, Dunkley and potentially Tom Liberatore. The common theory is only so many Dogs can score big, but the performances of so many other star teammates have not hampered Dale’s season. He has elevated his average from 95 last year into true premium figures, averaging 105.8.
Tom Liberatore $544,100 FWD/MID
We’ve all asked the question a few times in recent weeks – how many Bulldogs is too many? Well, now their bye is over, it’s a much less relevant question. Yes, they can only score so many points as a team each week. But history has proven the Bulldogs big guns can all put up big numbers, Libba included. He’s been the odd man out for most KFC SuperCoaches in their planning, due to Tim English and Josh Dunkley being so popular as forwards and Marcus Bontempelli recently gaining DPP status. But with Bailey Smith scratched from our plans, Libba becomes a contender as the no.4 ranked forward before Round 13 (av 103.2).
Nick Blakey $487,800 DEF
The POD in defence that only Robbo (OK ... and a few others) were onto at the start of the year. With Jake Lloyd’s average dropping, Blakey has been the man to pick up the slack in the Swans backline. He’s become a regular kickout taker – which was so often Lloyd’s domain – and lifted his average from 52.7 last year to 92.1. That doesn’t sound premium considering how big some defenders have scored this year, but Blakey deserves recognition for his last four games. He’s peeled off scores of 116, 106, 106 and 102. We’ll be talking seriously about him as a starting pick next year.
Isaac Heeney $449,400 FWD/MID
Heeney had the best average of any player available for less than $450k at 100.5 heading into his round 13 bye. Before round 13, the next best in that price range was Stephen Coniglio at 92.6. It’s his recent form which has caused many KFC SuperCoaches to jump off though, and a reason to be cautious about bringing him in. Heeney was averaging 115.5 after six rounds but then averaged only 85.5 in his past six. There’s no doubting his scoring potential, but if you’re bringing him in it would hopefully be for F7/M9 swing cover. That way you can deploy Heeney’s score on the weeks he goes big and skip any below-par totals.
There is one bye round left, injury headaches, and a host of KFC SuperCoach stars ready to trade in after their bye. See which guns and rookies should be on your shopping list.
Two bye rounds down, one to go.
And round 14 could catch some KFC SuperCoaches out with most midfields featuring several of Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Andrew Brayshaw.
Add the most popular ruckman in the game, Max Gawn, continuing uncertainty about Braydon Preuss (who played in the VFL on Sunday) and injuries in round 13, and it makes for a tricky week.
Hopefully you have some money in the bank to get through the final round of the byes and set up your squad for the race to the KFC SuperCoach finish line.
Scroll down for our best trade targets, rookies and who to trade out this week.
TOP TRADE TARGETS
Marcus Bontempelli $583,700 FWD/MID
The Western Bulldogs skipper became a must-have as soon as he gained FWD status, and for most coaches it was only a matter of whether to jump on before or after his bye. If you were tossing up between Bontempelli and teammate Bailey Smith, that call has been made for you with Smith not returning until at least round 16. Bontempelli had the third-best average of any forward at 110.8 and ranked fifth for total points after round 12 despite playing one fewer game than Josh Dunkley, Luke Parker, Will Brodie and Tom Liberatore. He’s been carrying a shoulder issue but the week off should have helped with that ailment. Bontempelli has long been one of the fastest scorers in KFC SuperCoach and reminded coaches of his ability with 60-plus points in the last term against Geelong.
Rory Laird $623,500 MID
Many thought Laird’s days of KFC SuperCoach stardom would be over when he lost DEF status, but he has become one of the most reliable midfield scorers in the game. Laird’s first score this year was a 93 but he has since scored below 116 only once – which was a 105. His consistency is highlighted by his price fluctuations – or lack thereof. Laird started the season at $632k, peaked at $637k and his current price is as cheap as he’s been. He’d be a perfect way to finish your midfield if you need to polish off the middle of the park.
Callum Mills $622,600 MID
Effectively the same price as Laird, KFC SuperCoaches shopping for an uber premium midfielder should have Mills high on their priority lists. Either side of a score of 60 in round 8, Mills has gone 130, 117, 214, 139, 167, 102, 117 and 113. It’s worth remembering too that he produced that 117 while spending most of the game at full-back. The gun Swan has emerged as one of the midfielders with the biggest ceilings in the game and this could be what launches you to rankings or league glory. Mills has back-to-back tons in his past two against Sydney’s next opponent Port Adelaide.
Touk Miller $575,700 MID
The value pick of the uber premium midfielders this round, assuming you aren’t among the 60,000 teams who already have Miller. He’s not going to get any cheaper than this after pumping out a 167 against North Melbourne and is projected to be back above $600k before round 15. Miller is ranked elite for disposals, contested possessions, clearances and kicks this year – among a host of other impressive stats. That’s KFC SuperCoach gold. Oh, and don’t worry about those two games where he uncharacteristically didn’t register a tackle. Since then Miller has laid 45 tackles across seven matches.
Tim English $609,000 RUC/FWD
The big Bulldog became another of Rhys Stanley’s victims in his last outing but has otherwise been near-faultless in KFC SuperCoach this year. That 80 was English’s first score of less than 96 and in four of his seven games he has registered scores of 123 or higher. English (121.1) has the best average of any forward by more than eight points a game from Josh Dunkley (112.3). He ranks elite for disposals, clearances, score involvements, marks and metres gained, and has a favourable draw after the bye, facing either Braydon Preuss or Matthew Flynn, Ned Reeves, Oscar McInerney and then either Tom Hickey or Peter Ladhams in the next month.
Luke Parker $548,000 FWD/MID
Parker has proven to be one of the great buys of the season for those who jumped on at about $480k. His score of 39 in round 4 is long forgotten and since round 5, the gun Swan has averaged 111.5. Those are elite numbers for a midfielder in KFC SuperCoach, let alone a forward. Parker has the No.3 ranked forward for total points heading into his round 13 bye, behind only Josh Dunkley and Will Brodie. It’s somewhat surprising he’s in only 22 per cent of teams. If you’ve been waiting for his bye to pass, you don’t need to wait any longer.
Jarrod Witts $617,900 RUC
Witts gave up his No.1 ruck mantle to Max Gawn last round, but will have a chance to continue his career-best campaign when he takes on Reilly O’Brien and Sam Hayes/Jeremy Finlayson in the next two rounds. Witts is a legitimate captaincy option, posting seven successive scores of 113 or better before the byes. Witts has been the dominant big man in KFC SuperCoach this year, and his current average of 119.5 is almost 20 points higher than his previous best. Paying $617,900 seems significant for a player who started the year at $380k, but Witts has made than justified his premium price tag.
Jordan Dawson $566,800 DEF-MID
Another of The Phantom’s favourites, Dawson has been one of the most consistent defensive scorers this season, with eight of his 12 scores between 94 and 107. The Crows’ star off-season recruit is currently at his highest price for the year after reeling off five consecutive tons leading into the Crows’ bye. Dawson is averaging more than eight marks a game in his past four matches and more than three intercept marks a game. Combine that with his elite kicking efficiency and you go a long way to premium numbers in KFC SuperCoach. Don’t underestimate how important his DPP could be during the run home.
Bailey Dale $541,800 DEF
If you can’t afford Dawson but want a defender with the same consistency, Dale is your man. The Bulldogs half-back has not scored less than 86, boasts eight tons in 12 games and has seven games between 111-121. What might scare of many KFC SuperCoaches will be already having Macrae, Bontempelli, English, Dunkley and potentially Tom Liberatore. The common theory is only so many Dogs can score big, but the performances of so many other star teammates have not hampered Dale’s season. He has elevated his average from 95 last year into true premium figures, averaging 105.8.
Tom Liberatore $544,100 FWD/MID
We’ve all asked the question a few times in recent weeks – how many Bulldogs is too many? Well, now their bye is over, it’s a much less relevant question. Yes, they can only score so many points as a team each week. But history has proven the Bulldogs big guns can all put up big numbers, Libba included. He’s been the odd man out for most KFC SuperCoaches in their planning, due to Tim English and Josh Dunkley being so popular as forwards and Marcus Bontempelli recently gaining DPP status. But with Bailey Smith scratched from our plans, Libba becomes a contender as the no.4 ranked forward before Round 13 (av 103.2).
Nick Blakey $487,800 DEF
The POD in defence that only Robbo (OK ... and a few others) were onto at the start of the year. With Jake Lloyd’s average dropping, Blakey has been the man to pick up the slack in the Swans backline. He’s become a regular kickout taker – which was so often Lloyd’s domain – and lifted his average from 52.7 last year to 92.1. That doesn’t sound premium considering how big some defenders have scored this year, but Blakey deserves recognition for his last four games. He’s peeled off scores of 116, 106, 106 and 102. We’ll be talking seriously about him as a starting pick next year.
Isaac Heeney $449,400 FWD/MID
Heeney had the best average of any player available for less than $450k at 100.5 heading into his round 13 bye. Before round 13, the next best in that price range was Stephen Coniglio at 92.6. It’s his recent form which has caused many KFC SuperCoaches to jump off though, and a reason to be cautious about bringing him in. Heeney was averaging 115.5 after six rounds but then averaged only 85.5 in his past six. There’s no doubting his scoring potential, but if you’re bringing him in it would hopefully be for F7/M9 swing cover. That way you can deploy Heeney’s score on the weeks he goes big and skip any below-par totals.
WHO’S ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK?
Darcy Parish
A shocking result for the coaches who traded Parish in last week. One of the top-scoring midfielders of the season so far scored just 51 points on Friday night before being subbed off with a calf injury. A multi-week injury would be a disaster but Bombers coach Ben Rutten said post-match that Parish had avoided a tear and would be monitored throughout the week ahead of Essendon’s clash against Sydney. “He (Parish) is pretty good,” Rutten said. “He had a pretty significant corkie pretty early on in the game and he’s battled through it for a while. We’ll just have wait to see how it settles. Corkies, they’ll be pretty sore for about two or three days and then we’ll start to get it moving. We’ll get a better idea as the week goes on.” Our verdict: Hold.
Dayne Zorko
It could be a different story with Zorko after the veteran put the tracksuit on after hurting his hamstring against the Saints on Saturday night. Coach Chris Fagan didn’t shed a lot of light on the injury post-match, saying “I know only that Zorks has got a sore hamstring and obviously we’ll find out a little bit more about that”, but soft-tissue injuries and 33-year-olds don’t go well together. The bad news for Zorko owners – aside from his underwhelming score this week – is he’s due for a substantial price drop so you’ll likely need to find around $150k to turn him into a top-line defender to avoid a doughnut this round.
Mitch Owens
The most popular rookie trade last week was attacking the ball ferociously early against the Lions – too ferociously when he cannoned face-first into the back of Lincoln McCarthy’s head. He was subbed out just before halftime with a score of 26 and won’t line up against Essendon on Friday night. That is likely to cost more than 18,000 coaches an on-field player but with a modest price rise expected after his third match, the only solution would be to find a playing rookie – and there aren’t a lot of those around. We probably have to hold and hope he returns soon, although with several big names ready to come into the team, we might have to wait a while.
Nick Daicos
The top-10 draft pick’s ownership peaked at more than 130,000 and had dropped to just over 80,000 before round 13 – still a lot of coaches who will be looking to move on one of the best rookies of the season before he sits out round 14. He would be great bench cover for the run home but with a Break Even of 48, Daicos should make a bit more cash after playing the Demons making him the perfect player to trade up to one of the premiums listed above.
Christian Petracca
Almost 60,000 coaches could be pondering moving the Norm Smith Medallist on after scores of 53 and 70 in his past two games. If you are battling to get 18 scoring players on field this week it’s something you could consider, but it is fraught with danger. Aside from going against the rule of never trading out premiums, you would need a lot of spare cash to swap him to an A-grader like Laird or Mills, with Petracca likely to be valued at about $485k after Queen’s Birthday. The idea of KFC SuperCoach is to trade players out at the top of their price, not the bottom, and remember this is a guy who averaged 124.3 after Melbourne’s bye last season.
ROOKIE GUIDE
Jai Culley $102,400 MID/FWD
Only 10 disposals on WAFL debut for the No.1 pick in the mid-season draft, which suggests a debut might not come as soon as KFC SuperCoaches had been hoping. Culley will surely get an opportunity before the end of the season at the struggling Eagles. It’s just a matter of whether that comes too late for him to be a trade target or not.
Judson Clarke $117,300 MID/FWD
KFC SuperCoaches who took a punt on the Richmond debutant were rewarded when he scored a respectable 63 in his first game. Clarke was very lively, kicking two goals in the opening term before finishing with 11 disposals, three marks and three tackles. If he’s playing as a small forward/wingman, his ceiling is going to be limited. But he covers Round 14 and has DPP. Those are both big ticks.
Sam Durdin $123,900 DEF
The former Roo seems the man likely to come into Carlton’s team to face Richmond if the Blues decide Caleb Marchbank isn’t ready off a six-day break. Durdin finished with an average in the 50s in best two KFC SuperCoach seasons and seems like to play as a stopper for Carlton. His cash generation might be limited with Jacob Weitering due back in about a month, but if Carlton cops one more key-defensive injury he’ll become a first 22 player.
Massimo D’Ambrosio $102,400 DEF
Exciting signs for D’Ambrosio in the VFL on Saturday, talling 32 disposals for Essendon. The mid-season draft pick has the right attributes to be a strong scorer in KFC SuperCoach and it was his precise kick and dash off half-back which put him on the draft radar. If D’Ambrosio gets an opportunity in round 14, he’s a player most coaches will be happy to take a punt on. The Bombers aren’t going to play finals, so regular opportunities might arise during the run home.
Luke Cleary $117,300 DEF
On the outer since round 10, Cleary is still on the bubble in KFC SuperCoach. He has a Break Even of -67 after scores of 61 and 75 to open his career and could get another opportunity if he’s called up to replace Bailey Smith. Cleary featured predominantly on a wing in his first two matches, a role Smith has played in at times this year. Watch the Western Bulldogs team with interest. Cleary was an emergency for their clash against Geelong in round 12.
Luke Strnadica $102,400 RUC
The former Docker is another player still on the bubble after scores of 56 and 76 in his two appearances for the Eagles back in rounds 6-7. Strandica has been out with injury but pressed his case to return with 29 hitouts and 13 disposals in the WAFL at the weekend. Most coaches would prefer Brynn Teakle for DPP, but if you have no interest in adding a RUC/FWD Strandica could be the player you downgrade Sam Hayes to.
Jacob Wehr DEF
Wehr will cost you more than the rest of the rookies on this list after playing his third game for GWS against North Melbourne. He finished with 12 disposals and seven marks with a disposal efficiency of 75 per cent. His impressive left boot has meant Wehr hasn’t need big possession numbers to accumulate points. His haul of 66 against the Roos translates well. Well enough to pay an elevated price for though? Probably only if you’re desperate and no other rookies are named for round 14.
Darcy Parish
A shocking result for the coaches who traded Parish in last week. One of the top-scoring midfielders of the season so far scored just 51 points on Friday night before being subbed off with a calf injury. A multi-week injury would be a disaster but Bombers coach Ben Rutten said post-match that Parish had avoided a tear and would be monitored throughout the week ahead of Essendon’s clash against Sydney. “He (Parish) is pretty good,” Rutten said. “He had a pretty significant corkie pretty early on in the game and he’s battled through it for a while. We’ll just have wait to see how it settles. Corkies, they’ll be pretty sore for about two or three days and then we’ll start to get it moving. We’ll get a better idea as the week goes on.” Our verdict: Hold.
Dayne Zorko
It could be a different story with Zorko after the veteran put the tracksuit on after hurting his hamstring against the Saints on Saturday night. Coach Chris Fagan didn’t shed a lot of light on the injury post-match, saying “I know only that Zorks has got a sore hamstring and obviously we’ll find out a little bit more about that”, but soft-tissue injuries and 33-year-olds don’t go well together. The bad news for Zorko owners – aside from his underwhelming score this week – is he’s due for a substantial price drop so you’ll likely need to find around $150k to turn him into a top-line defender to avoid a doughnut this round.
Mitch Owens
The most popular rookie trade last week was attacking the ball ferociously early against the Lions – too ferociously when he cannoned face-first into the back of Lincoln McCarthy’s head. He was subbed out just before halftime with a score of 26 and won’t line up against Essendon on Friday night. That is likely to cost more than 18,000 coaches an on-field player but with a modest price rise expected after his third match, the only solution would be to find a playing rookie – and there aren’t a lot of those around. We probably have to hold and hope he returns soon, although with several big names ready to come into the team, we might have to wait a while.
Nick Daicos
The top-10 draft pick’s ownership peaked at more than 130,000 and had dropped to just over 80,000 before round 13 – still a lot of coaches who will be looking to move on one of the best rookies of the season before he sits out round 14. He would be great bench cover for the run home but with a Break Even of 48, Daicos should make a bit more cash after playing the Demons making him the perfect player to trade up to one of the premiums listed above.
Christian Petracca
Almost 60,000 coaches could be pondering moving the Norm Smith Medallist on after scores of 53 and 70 in his past two games. If you are battling to get 18 scoring players on field this week it’s something you could consider, but it is fraught with danger. Aside from going against the rule of never trading out premiums, you would need a lot of spare cash to swap him to an A-grader like Laird or Mills, with Petracca likely to be valued at about $485k after Queen’s Birthday. The idea of KFC SuperCoach is to trade players out at the top of their price, not the bottom, and remember this is a guy who averaged 124.3 after Melbourne’s bye last season.
ROOKIE GUIDE
Jai Culley $102,400 MID/FWD
Only 10 disposals on WAFL debut for the No.1 pick in the mid-season draft, which suggests a debut might not come as soon as KFC SuperCoaches had been hoping. Culley will surely get an opportunity before the end of the season at the struggling Eagles. It’s just a matter of whether that comes too late for him to be a trade target or not.
Judson Clarke $117,300 MID/FWD
KFC SuperCoaches who took a punt on the Richmond debutant were rewarded when he scored a respectable 63 in his first game. Clarke was very lively, kicking two goals in the opening term before finishing with 11 disposals, three marks and three tackles. If he’s playing as a small forward/wingman, his ceiling is going to be limited. But he covers Round 14 and has DPP. Those are both big ticks.
Sam Durdin $123,900 DEF
The former Roo seems the man likely to come into Carlton’s team to face Richmond if the Blues decide Caleb Marchbank isn’t ready off a six-day break. Durdin finished with an average in the 50s in best two KFC SuperCoach seasons and seems like to play as a stopper for Carlton. His cash generation might be limited with Jacob Weitering due back in about a month, but if Carlton cops one more key-defensive injury he’ll become a first 22 player.
Massimo D’Ambrosio $102,400 DEF
Exciting signs for D’Ambrosio in the VFL on Saturday, talling 32 disposals for Essendon. The mid-season draft pick has the right attributes to be a strong scorer in KFC SuperCoach and it was his precise kick and dash off half-back which put him on the draft radar. If D’Ambrosio gets an opportunity in round 14, he’s a player most coaches will be happy to take a punt on. The Bombers aren’t going to play finals, so regular opportunities might arise during the run home.
Luke Cleary $117,300 DEF
On the outer since round 10, Cleary is still on the bubble in KFC SuperCoach. He has a Break Even of -67 after scores of 61 and 75 to open his career and could get another opportunity if he’s called up to replace Bailey Smith. Cleary featured predominantly on a wing in his first two matches, a role Smith has played in at times this year. Watch the Western Bulldogs team with interest. Cleary was an emergency for their clash against Geelong in round 12.
Luke Strnadica $102,400 RUC
The former Docker is another player still on the bubble after scores of 56 and 76 in his two appearances for the Eagles back in rounds 6-7. Strandica has been out with injury but pressed his case to return with 29 hitouts and 13 disposals in the WAFL at the weekend. Most coaches would prefer Brynn Teakle for DPP, but if you have no interest in adding a RUC/FWD Strandica could be the player you downgrade Sam Hayes to.
Jacob Wehr DEF
Wehr will cost you more than the rest of the rookies on this list after playing his third game for GWS against North Melbourne. He finished with 12 disposals and seven marks with a disposal efficiency of 75 per cent. His impressive left boot has meant Wehr hasn’t need big possession numbers to accumulate points. His haul of 66 against the Roos translates well. Well enough to pay an elevated price for though? Probably only if you’re desperate and no other rookies are named for round 14.