Final say: Round 8, trade plans + tactics

Ahh… Life comes at ya pretty fast. One week, I’m raving about how I’m taking a risk and going Preuss and Hayes at R1 and R2; the next, I’m dropping 6,000 rankings and desperately trying to figure out a way to get Gawn in.

It was an absolutely MASSIVE week for coaches, with various 2500+ scores out on show (thanks largely to a VC on Gawn).

It’s surprising that we were all able to score so well given the carnage we had to face on Friday when it was revealed that George Hewett would be out with a calf strain.

Still, everyone soldiered on, and I’m sure that most people owe a huge thank you to either Josh Gibcus or SDK. Legends!! 

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GAME PLAN

This week I scored 2,340 which moved me down 6,000 spots to 11,684^th. 

This was my worst weekly ranked score of the year, and I don’t think I’ve ever been closer to deleting my team.

It’s hard to say I don’t deserve it though. Last week I was an arrogant, stupid, d***head regarding my ‘HUGE GROUNDBREAKING NEWS’ that I wasn’t going to bring Gawn in and instead be “BRAVE” and “TAKE A RISK” and pick Hayes at R2. 

To usually help with anger, I find it therapeutic to ask myself a question and answer it. So:

“Do you want a bloody medal for picking Hayes at R2?”.

Even though I haven’t earnt one, a medal would be a nice consolation, so yes please 🙂

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Honestly, if I were an AFL player, I think I’d average close to 15-20 clangers a game purely based off my inability to make common sense decisions in SuperCoach.

Anyway, enough rambling…

This week, believe it or not, is a tricker week to navigate for me. I put out a poll on Twitter asking which of these three options I should take:

Option 1:

G. Clark (M8) + Parker 

Option 2:

G. Clark (Bench) + Touk

Option 3:

G. Clark (M8) + Gawn

69% of the votes went to option 3 (which I totally agree with), so I think that’ll be the way I go this week. 

Of course, I’m desperate to pick up a bottomed-out Touk, but the way I see it is that all my rookies that I have on-field are going to score considerably less than Clark so I really can’t afford to have him sitting on my bench.

Here are my most likely trades for this week:

Rachele -> McComb

NOD -> Clark

Xerri -> Gawn

It’s annoying that I have to use a boost, but you may as well use them while you can! 

I’ve got two left, and I’m definitely aiming to use them during the byes to upgrade my last two rookies. 

$125,800 and 22 trades left will let me ‘hopefully’ upgrade Dixon to Taranto and get SDK off field next week, fingers crossed this game doesn’t abuse me for the fifth week in a row.

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PODs & SUPER PODs

Generally, PODs are anyone who is owned by less than 10% of the competition, and Super PODs are anyone owned by less than 2%. 

Here’s my top three for each (based on who I think is the best to take a punt on).

Top-3 PODs

1.     Callum Mills ($678,800, 128.7, 5%) – Mills’ ownership and scoring are both skyrocketing! In just three weeks, not only is he averaging 156.7, but his ownership has gone from 1.4% to 5%. He’s currently the highest priced player in the comp, and with a matchup against the Suns this week, that price is expected to rise by another $41k. Get him while you can!

2.     Sam Walsh ($607,900, 113, 3.2%) – Walshy got it done again on the weekend with a 129, and this is seriously now the cheapest you’ll be able to get him. He’s only scored under 100 once this year, and it was his first game back from his syndesmosis injury. Get him in ASAP.

3.     Luke Parker ($518,800, 104, 5.1%) – Parker makes his way into the top 3 off the back of his vintage 150. He’s now bumped up his season average to 104, and if you take out his uncharacteristic 39 against the Roos, he’s averaging 114. In all small batch of elite Forward options, he seems like the #1 trade option.

Top-3 Super PODs

1.     Rory Laird ($632,700, 119, 1%) – Mr. Reliable… Laird has only dropped under 116 once this year, and it was his first game back from a broken hand. There’s no real rush to get him in because he’ll probably just float around this price for the rest of the season, but if you’re looking for an ultra-consistent uber-premo, he’s your man.

2.     Isaac Cumming ($538,500, 105.8, 0.5%) – Whitfield has made his way out of the GWS defence and look who is making a name for himself! Cumming has taken on the role of main distributor out of the defensive 50 and looks amazing while doing it! In his last three games, he’s scored 119, 87, and 135, and for as long as Whitfield is playing up forward, Cumming will continue to rake in a heap of points.

3.     Dylan Moore ($495,000, 102.4, 0.7%) – You really wouldn’t have heard about it, but Dylan Moore has only dropped under 90 once, and he’s coming off a whopping 147. It looks as though he is epitomising consistency, and now he’s proven that he’s also got a ceiling. Great pick. 

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KEEP AN EYE ON THEM

Here’s my top 3 players that you shouldn’t be buying JUST yet, but should definitely have an eye on for the weeks to come:

1.     Greg Clark ($117,300, 104, 4.7%) – A 104 on debut? That’s all I needed to see from Clark to lock him in at M8. He’s not on the bubble until next week so there’s no rush to get him in just yet, but wowee what a player!!

2.     Touk Miller ($592,100, 117.7, 26.7%) – TOUK IS BACK! This will be the cheapest he gets all year, but I’d probably like to see one more 120+ score before I jump on him. Super exciting though!

3.     Sean Darcy ($568,000, 89.5, 2.3%) – There’s no real need to rush with this one; in fact, I’ve included Darcy in my bye round plans so there’s still at least another 5 weeks before I’d consider him. The reason is though, he’s already down $74.6k for the season, and considering he averaged 118 last year, that is seriously under-priced.

He didn’t start the year in red hot form largely due to a pre-season injury, but in his last two games he scored 121 and 94 which might indicate a change in form. If Darcy replicates even a fraction of the form he had last year, he could absolutely be the #2 ruck in the game.

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CHARLIE’S ANGELS – CAPTAINS

Hope you all enjoyed a Maxy Masterclass on the weekend because I certainly did not. This weekend though, we’ve got another Friday night double header, so let’s run through some captains! 

Despite their poor form, I expect Jack Macrae and Bailey Smith to bounce back against Port, a game where Josh Dunkley will absolutely dominate. 

Andy Brayshaw will have a field day against the Roos. Carrying a three-round average of 156.7, Mills is a great POD option against the suns (and could even still be used as a VC). In all seriousness, I genuinely think Lachie Neale will score 250+ against the Eagles who have had to bring up another top-up player. 

Gawny and Clarry will once again dominate against the Saints, and Patty Cripps will put on another clinic against the Crows.

Top-3 Vice Captains

1.     Callum Mills

2.     Andrew Brayshaw

3.     Josh Dunkley

Top-3 Captains

1.     Lachie Neale

2.     Patrick Cripps

3.     Max Gawn

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