13 potential stars available at a discount price in SuperCoach

Need to upgrade to a SuperCoach premium but don’t have the cash for Lachie Whitfield or Josh Kelly? Here are 13 stars in hot form who could turn your fortunes around.

Brandon Ellis of the Richmond Tigers.

The SuperCoach trade plan this week is simple.

Offload rookies who have run their race like Saint Matty Parker or Blue Michael Gibbons and use the cash to grab a superstar like Lachie Whitfield or Josh Kelly.

There’s only one problem.

A double trade featuring the two rookies mentioned above — or others in a similar situation such as Jordan Clark, Jack Petruccelle or Jack Scrimshaw — will net you about $450,000. That’s well short of the cash required to buy a player like Whitfield ($556,400), Shannon Hurn ($585,300) or Kelly ($615,300), even if they are at the bottom of their price cycle.

Unless you’re sitting on a pile of cash from previous weeks, you’ll have to wait — and use more trades — to get a rolled gold premium. Or you could make a play for value.

There are a number of players putting up premium scoring numbers with a price tag that should be within reach for most teams.

There is an element of risk involved with all the players below, but getting a discount gun — especially one that hardly anyone else has picked — could be the turning point of your season.

And they are all pretty much guaranteed to score more than Gibbons or Parker this week.

DEFENDERS

Brandon Ellis $444,400 | Average: 92 | Break even: 46

Damien Hardwick has admitted he judged Ellis too harshly and is now appreciating what the defender does for the team, and that’s run until the final siren to get the pill. Richmond’s injuries have put more responsibility on Ellis and he has responded with three 100-plus scores in the past month.

Bachar Houli $473,800 | Avg 101 | BE 75

Another Tiger who is having a very good, and largely unnoticed, season down back. Houli has four triple-figure scores and two in the 70s from his six games. Richmond has a friendly Round 14 bye, too. The only worry is the potential for soft-tissue injuries at age 31.

Brandon Ellis is playing a key role for the undermanned Tigers.

Heath Shaw $489,300 | Avg 89 | BE 45

Is the one-time SuperCoach king back in business? Heater has a three-round average of 114 largely on the back of a 144 two weeks ago, but his lowest in the past four is 94. High risk, high reward?

Shane Savage $490,100 | Avg 92 | BE 75

The rebounding Saint has been a popular pick in the past but is in just 1 per cent of teams this year despite averaging the best SuperCoach numbers of his 10-year career. Two of his next three games are against Carlton and Gold Coast.

Daniel Rich $491,700 | Avg 100 | BE 100

Can the perennial SuperCoach burn man finally be trusted? He has only dropped below 89 once this season as the Lions make the most of his raking left boot. And, incredibly, he could be playing for a top-four team.

MIDFIELDERS

Brad Crouch $468,100 | Avg 96 | BE 61

Has been a frustrating player for the 50,000 coaches who started with him but if you are really short of money he can be relied upon to score 90 or more most weeks. Did he turn the corner with a 119 last weekend?

Tom Rockliff $469,400 | Avg 100 | BE 55

Clearly the standout of the bargain options in terms of his ability to post huge scores, including a 138 and a 140 so far this year. Has thrown in a few stinkers as well so be prepared to ride the Rocky rollercoaster if you jump on.

James Harmes $484,100 | Avg 95 | BE 54

The bolter of the week, he seems to have taken Angus Brayshaw’s role — or at least his SuperCoach points. Harmes finished last year like a house on fire and started this season slowly but has hit form in a big way, averaging 117 in his past three. In 1 per cent of teams.

James Harmes has hit a purple patch in recent weeks.

Dustin Martin $503,800 | Avg 96 | BE 73

Is Dusty back? He looked a lot like the 2017 version against the Hawks, racking up 37 disposals and 128 points. The hunger was there and he was also the unexpected beneficiary of Ivan Soldo’s expert tap work, with the nine-gamer putting the ball down Martin’s throat seven times on the weekend (Toby Nankervis managed the same feat 10 times in the previous eight matches). Available for $60,000 under his starting price.

Dane Zorko $520,200 | Avg 99 | BE 75

The Brisbane captain has always run hot and cold, and he’s red hot right now, scoring 128, 114 and 121 in his past three. The Lions’ fixture is pretty friendly, just factor in a meeting with Matt de Boer in Round 16.

FORWARDS

Rowan Marshall $447,900 | Avg 98 | BE 85

Fears the young ruckman would wilt or lose his spot to Billy Longer or Lewis Pierce have proven unfounded as he continues to power along, scoring a very respectable 90 against Brodie Grundy last weekend. A Max Gawn-inflicted 50 is his only blemish in a season that has featured four 100-plus scores. Shapes as a likely top-six forward.

DR SUPERCOACH: STARS FOR YOUR SHOPPING LIST

SUPERCOACH DRAFT: TRADES TO SPICE UP YOUR LEAGUE

RAGE TRADES: SWAN IS THE BUY OF THE WEEK

TRADE GUIDE: THIS WEEK’S TOP TARGETS

Jack Ziebell $462,300 | Avg 86 | BE 68

A move back into the Kangaroos midfield has been the catalyst for a scoring surge from Ziebell, whose 140 against the Swans was his third ton in four games. His price is about to head north.

Jeremy Cameron $496,400 | Avg 99 | BE 159

The Coleman Medal leader’s price has dipped back under $500k after kicking 0.8 in the past two weeks, although he still tonned up against the Blues thanks to 27 disposals and eight marks. His price will take another hit this week with a high break even but jump on before he plays Gold Coast in Round 11.

Originally published as 13 potential stars available at a discount price in SuperCoach