Round 21 SuperCoach trade guide: The importance of three-round averages to deciding your last moves
If you’re low on cash and trades in SuperCoach, don’t despair. There’s enough bargain midfielders for less than $500,000 who can help you achieve finals glory. TRADE GUIDE
It’s time to forget about SuperCoach break evens and season averages.
With three rounds left, the key factors to consider are who’s in red-hot form and who has the best fixture.
If you need to trade to set yourself apart for a semi-final match up, it’s worth keeping in mind point of difference players too.
If you can find players with a favourable match-up who your opponent doesn’t have and who boast an impressive three-round average, you should be on the path to a league preliminary final and a steep rankings surge.
Of course, every SuperCoach wants to target the top scorers in every position.
But with trades and money limited for most teams, it’s best to search for a diamond in the rough.
They don’t need to be the type of player you would rely on to score consistently for an entire season.
They only need to fire for three weeks and you could be celebrating SuperCoach glory.
TOP TARGETS
James Worpel $505,100, fwd-mid, three-round average: 120
So much for the second-year blues. Worpel has been superb for Hawthorn in the absence of Tom Mitchell and his past four scores are 105+ after an incredibly consistent campaign. He’s unlikely to hit 149 again after racking up 37 disposals against North Melbourne, but with a mid-fwd swing and at only $505,100 Worpel is well worth a look. If you brought him in at F6 or F7, you’d have cover in the event a premium midfielder was injured or rested in the run home.
Marcus Bontempelli $562,300, mid, three-round average: 122.7
Few players have the ceiling of Brownlow Medal contender Bontempelli. Four of his past six scores have been 130+ and he has posted 146 or better four times this year. Don’t buy into the school of thought players from the same team can’t accumulate huge SuperCoach numbers. Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley do most weeks.
Elliot Yeo $559,800, mid, three-round average: 118.7
The West Coast Eagles tackle machine has one of the best disposal/SuperCoach points ratios in the AFL at 4.6. He’s in white-hot form with four consecutive scores between 114-128 and 10 of his past 13 totals are hundreds. Yeo is still in less than six per cent of teams and you’d have to be stiff if he went big and your opponent had him.
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Michael Walters, $523,700 fwd-mid, three-round average: 118
Smooth mover Walters has only gone below 80 twice this season and both his low scores were in the opening seven rounds. Since Round 8 his worst score is 81 and he’s amassed seven hundreds. The Dockers take on St Kilda, Essendon and Port Adelaide during the run home. Walters scored 172 the last time he played the Saints and also has a great record against the Bombers.
Dion Prestia, $544,500, mid, three-round average: 118.7
Prestia is only in 1761 SuperCoach teams and has been one of the quiet achievers of the year in midfield with an average of 99.1. The tough Tiger has scored at least 92 in every game since Round 9 and gone 128 and 131 in his past two fixtures. He was a key figure for Richmond in the 2017 finals and appears primed for a big finish this season.
Dustin Martin $489,000, mid, three-round average: 115.3
Successive scores of 104 put Martin back on the SuperCoach radar and his 138 against Melbourne strengthened his claims as a finals X-Factor. He’s had 30, 38 and 34 disposals in the past three games and is shaping as the man to fuel Richmond’s flag tilt.
Bachar Houli $506,400, def, three-round average: 115
How many Tigers is too many? Houli’s history of 100+ scores at the MCG is well known and he’s on a hot streak of four hundreds in as many games. Saturday night confirmed Bachar was back to his absolute best as he had 32 disposals and took seven marks. He’s the perfect D6 to finish your defence if you’re still holding Griffin Logue or Noah Answerth.
Jack Steele $496,200, mid, three-round average: 107
One for the bargain and POD hunters. Steele was forecast as a potential breakout player at the start of the season and although his season average of 96.9 is below premium numbers, his three-round average of 107 is the key number. Steele has three scores 120+ in his past four games and features in one per cent of teams. He scored 144 against Carlton in Round 17 last year and faces the Blues next week.
Shaun Higgins $435,400, mid, three-round average: 102
If you’re short on money but need to finish your midfield, look no further than Higgins. His 140 against Hawthorn was a reflection of his scoring potential. He scored 11 against Gold Coast when he was injured, which is the reason he’s this cheap. He’s the top risk-reward pick for the last three rounds and wouldn’t be a bad option if you have money spare to upgrade a player such as Dylan Clarke and loophole from M9.
Jason Carter, $102,400, def-mid, average: 45
This one is for the Noah Answerth and Xavier Duursma owners. Dockers debutant Carter has the benefit of being a def-mid and his flexibility will enable you to use Answerth or Duursma as cover in two roles for the rest of the campaign. The rookie pair are scoring well enough to be insurance and their job security is strong. Carter should feature for the next two weeks while Luke Ryan is out, but it’s his dual-position status rather than his scoring which should appeal.
CHOPPING BLOCK
Luke Parker $498,500, mid, three-round average: 88.3
Dayne Zorko $548,800, mid, three-round average: 97.3
Scott Lycett $547,500, ruc-fwd, three-round average: 94
Ben Cunnington $461,000, mid, three-round average: 85.3
James Sicily $424,800, def, three-round average: 81.3
Dylan Clarke $310,500, mid, three-round average: 67.7
Mabior Chol $272,000, fwd, three-round average: 57.7
Sydney Stack $425,200, mid, three-round average: 77
It’s time to be ruthless with underperforming premiums or those who miss due to injury or selection. If Lycett spends another week in the SANFL, you can’t afford to have a player with his value sitting on your forward bench. Parker only has one ton in his past five matches and that was a 105. Zorko’s inclusion in this list is based on the possibility he misses due to a hamstring strain. Cunnington’s price went as high as $577,200 but he has four scores of 85 or less in his past seven. Clarke is worth holding if you need midfield cover and you can keep Stack if he returns from a calf injury in Round 21. Prepare for the likelihood Chol is squeezed out with Toby Nankervis due to return after a month in the VFL.
HOLD
Noah Answerth $330,000, def-mid, three-round average: 80.7
Will Setterfield $340,900, fwd-mid, three-round average: 71
Ian Hill $197,800, fwd-mid, three-round average: 57.3
Flexibility is everything in the last month of SuperCoach. If you’ve got rookies who can cover suspension issues or injuries on multiple lines, don’t jettison them. If you do, history suggests the SuperCoach gods will hit you with a donut when you can least afford it. A 60 from Setterfield is much better than a zero.
BARGAIN BIN
Under 500k
Jack Billings $499,300
Jack Steele $496,200
Isaac Heeney $492,300
Dustin Martin $489,000
Tim Kelly $485,600
Matt Crouch $483,700
Seb Ross $482,200
Brodie Smith $475,100
Rory Laird $471,900
Mitch Robinson $467,200
Touk Miller $460,000
Under 450k
Robbie Gray $449,000
Kade Simpson $442,500
Shaun Higgins $435,400
Tom Hawkins $432,200
Dan Houston $401,600
Jeremy Finlayson $384,600
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Originally published as Round 21 SuperCoach trade guide: The importance of three-round averages to deciding your last moves
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