The Phantom’s Trade Talk: A warning to all SuperCoaches ahead of the final seven rounds of the season

Every SuperCoach wants a complete team but it shouldn’t come at all costs. If the final seven weeks of 2018 are anything to go by, exhausting all trades early will bring you unstuck. Recap The Phantom’s live chat.

The goal SuperCoaches work towards for most of the year is building a complete team, full of premiums.

Some, however, get themselves into big trouble in the back-half of the year by exhausting all trades in doing so.

Even SuperCoaches with complete teams leave themselves short in the trade department by tinkering and dumping an underperforming premium in what’s known as a ‘luxury’ trade.

But as Round 16, with the no Max Gawn and the late withdrawal of Travis Boak, reminded the community, SuperCoach carnage can — and will — happen in the final two months of the season.

RECAP THE PHANTOM’S LIVE CHAT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

You will need the trades.

A big climb in the rankings now won’t mean much when you fall even further when you’re unable to cover an injury or suspension in the final few weeks.

And if head-to-head leagues are your main aim, the extra trade or two might be the difference between grand final glory and disaster.

It’s not just The Phantom trying to scare you either, history suggests there will be plenty of big names who will miss a game — or more — before the minor round is over.

In terms of team selection, here’s how the final seven weeks of last year panned out.

For different reasons, Nic Natanui and Andrew Gaff didn’t appear for the Eagles in the final stretch of 2018.

ROUND 17

To kick things off, out of the blue, Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli was rushed to hospital to have appendix surgery. He’d miss two weeks.

ROUND 18

Defenders Jimmy Webster (2 weeks) and Bachar Houli (3) were ruled out but the big story was the season-ending knee injury to Eagle Nic Naitauni (season), who had just found form and his way into many SuperCoach teams. Carlton big man Matthew Kreuzer (3) and Michael Hibberd (4) were also out injured.

ROUND 19

The following week provided some relief for SuperCoaches but it was about to get a lot worse.

ROUND 20

North Melbourne’s Shaun Higgins (1) and Giants Tim Taranto (1) and Dylan Shiel (1) were out for a week, while defenders Jeremy Howe (4) and Tom Stewart (1) would also miss. Stewart, who wasn’t as popular last year, was back the following week but Howe wouldn’t return until the finals.

ROUND 21

Eagle Andrew Gaff (season), who was averaging 108 points per game at the time, was suspended for the rest of the year after striking Docker Andrew Brayshaw. Breakout Tiger ruckman Toby Nankervis (1) also joined Gaff on the sidelines for a week. And, while it won’t come as a huge surprise, Toby Greene (season) wouldn’t play again in 2018.

Josh Kelly who missed Round 22 last season is in doubt for this week after injuring his calf against the Lions.

ROUND 22

Yep, it keeps getting worse. Giant star Josh Kelly (1) was ruled out for one match with concussion while Jesse Hogan (season), who was a point-of-difference in the forward line for many teams, would miss the rest of the year.

ROUND 23

While Kelly returned, the frustrating SuperCoach prospect that is Michael Walters wouldn’t take his place in the Dockers’ side for the final round of the year. And if you had Alex Witherden — and some did — your team was in even more trouble.

Docker Michael Walters on the Gold Coast earlier this season. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Catch my drift?

Bontempelli, Kelly, Gaff, Walters, Taranto, Howe, Naitanui, Webster, Greene, Hogan, Nankervis, Higgins, Shiel, Stewart.

All relevant SuperCoach names who missed at least one match in the final seven rounds of the year.

It will happen again, SuperCoaches — and it could start with Kelly this week — so make sure you keep trades up your sleeve.

RECAP THE PHANTOM’S LIVE CHAT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW