KFC SuperCoach 2021: Experts have their say on the big Round 6 trades and reveal their moves
Rookie carnage. Donuts in defence. Early upgrades. There is plenty of reason to trade in KFC SuperCoach. To help, our experts have revealed their Round 6 trades.
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There are plenty of big calls to make in KFC SuperCoach this week.
Do you trade to cover a donut in defence or move forward with an early upgrade?
Are the popular cash cows ready to be culled or do they need more time?
To help you make the final decision on your Round 6 trades, here is what our experts are doing.
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The Phantom
MY TRADES: Zero. (Dark, we’ve only got 30)
I’d love to make an upgrade, but I would be forcing it. If I could get to Clayton Oliver from Errol Gulden, I’d consider going early. I’m more than happy keeping the young Swan, though, it’s probably the right move. My cash cows need more time. But Oliver is still well-and-truly on the cards next week, along with Mapies rookie Finlay Macrae, who I’ve also considered this week to ensure I’m not short of cash ahead of Round 7. I was struggling to find a way for Lachie Jones, anyway, so his injury hasn’t really changed my plans. It’s a long year, but 12 hours is a long time in KFC SuperCoach this season so we’ll see. Really, I’m just lucky I’m not forced to trade - not yet anyway.
Tim Michell
MY TRADES: Depends on Jacob Koschitzke, Braeden Campbell and Sam Berry.
I think Kozi plays after arguably his best game of the season last week - and I really need him to. With Tom Highmore a long shot to play against Port Adelaide, I’ll have no choice but to burn a trade or play Koschitzke to avoid a donut in defence. That’s before I even look at my midfield, where Braeden Campbell, Sam Berry and Harry Sharp could all be missing. If all of them miss, as I’m suspecting may happen, I might need to trade one to Finlay Macrae just to avoid a midfield donut. So I could end up doing two trades - Koschitzke to Mansell and Berry to Macrae - or I could do none. It’s all going to come down to selection this round and as we know, team releases on the night before games truly are the worst thing that has happened to KFC SuperCoaches.
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ROOKIE GUIDE: WHICH CHEAPIES TO BUY, HOLD AND SELL THIS WEEK
Al Paton
MY TRADES:Jordan Clark to Rhyan Mansell (probably)
After bringing in Jordan Ridley last week I need to trade in defence to avoid a zero unless Jordan Clark is recalled. Lachie Jones was locked in but I don’t mind Mansell as a Plan B - Dimma loves his mature-age battlers and he could be the Jake Aarts of 2021. And he’s $37k cheaper than Jones. If Clark is named by the Cats I’ll probably give him another week to make a bit more cash (his break even is only 36), pass on Mansell and enjoy my first non-trading weekend of the season. No last-minute crazy moves this week.
Dan Batten
MY TRADES: Depends whether Hunter Clark is named.
I thought I had dodged all the selection carnage as a non-Jordan Ridley owner and had planned to just trade in bubble boy Lachie Jones. Then came the news that Jones requires ankle surgery and Hunter Clark is in doubt with illness. Clark and failed rookie buy Chris Burgess – who was moved from the ruck into a key defensive post - could leave me with a zero if both miss. In that scenario, I will trade either Burgess or injured Crow Sam Berry to Tiger Rhyan Mansell as coverage, and I think he can provide solid cash generation until Nick Vlastuin returns. I have considered bringing in Finlay Macrae, but the Jones blow is a stern reminder that buying rookies a week early comes with risk.
TRADE GRADES: THE VERDICT ON YOUR ROUND 6 MOVES
Injuries, upgrades and everything in between — welcome to the KFC SuperCoach trade train.
It’s too late for correction trades but there are plenty of KFC SuperCoach players hitting the trade button for a host of issues leading into Round 6.
Which is the right move this week? Our experts give their take on the most traded players.
TRADED OUT
JORDAN CLARK
Al Paton: TRADE — He’s on the chopping block for me this week unless he can win his spot back in the Cats side. Timing of the games isn’t ideal, though — we’ll have to trade him before we know if Lachie Jones keeps his spot in the Port Adelaide team.
Tim Michell: TRADE — Easy to say when I moved him on two weeks ago but the signs are even worse now. Save yourself the stress of whether he’ll be medical sub again.
Dan Batten: TRADE — Even if he is recalled, he is stuck in KFC SuperCoach no-man’s land. Better off downgrading to a rookie bubble boy like Lachie Jones.
The Phantom: TRADE — Last week’s omission from the 22 is not a good sign. This is your path to Lachie Jones.
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BRAEDEN CAMPBELL
AP: HOLD — Lost money last week and looks like he needs a rest, but he has made only $54k and could earn a lot more. Just needs one big game to reset his price movements.
TM: HOLD — And use him as a loophole this week to get the best rookie scores if you can. I’m convinced he’s about to be managed due to his diminishing time on ground.
DB: TRADE — Hard to score well when you’re on the pine. He has been given enough chances by coaches, and his low time-on-ground numbers suggest he may be given a rest soon.
TP: TRADE — If you’ve got the cash, he’s the perfect rookie to upgrade this week. He could be in line for rest, too.
JEREMY HOWE
AP: TRADE — Injury isn’t as bad as it first looked (thank goodness) but it’s still too long to carry him on the bench especially in defence.
TM: TRADE — No shortage of good options in defence or midfield if you can swing the DPP. I’d downgrade a rookie and then use the extra $100k to get Zach Merrett or Clayton Oliver.
DB: TRADE — Will be sidelined for a month, which means he must be traded.
TP: TRADE — 3-4 weeks on the sidelines pushes Howe close to the must-trade threshold. Luke Ryan and Tom Stewart the safe picks. Alex Witherden and Jake Lever the value moves.
TOM HICKEY
AP: TRADE — Where have all the cheap rucks gone? Matt Flynn, Lloyd Meek and now Hickey are out, and the big Swan won’t be back for a while. He has to go but finding a replacement is really tough — Toby Nankervis at $469k?
TM: TRADE — Dump an underperforming mid-pricer and use the cash to jump on whichever of Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn you don’t have.
DB: TRADE — Spare a thought for Flynn R2 owners who traded to Hickey … Will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a PCL blow – the real question is, who will you bring in, if Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy are out of reach?
TP: TRADE — It was good while it lasted but Hickey will miss up to two months. Don’t try and be cute here, it’s time to bring in the big boys.
JORDAN RIDLEY
AP: HOLD — I only traded him in last week so there’s no way I’m getting rid of him now. Hopefully you have defensive cover to sit him on the bench for a week.
TM: HOLD — Every part of me wants to say trade but if you’re like me you’re going to run out of trades way too early. The only justification would be if you’re flush with trades and didn’t start Lachie Neale.
DB: HOLD — Did you start with 35 trades? Will probably miss just the one game through the AFL’s concussion protocols.
TP: HOLD — No comment. Just do it.
JORDAN DE GOEY
AP: TRADE — Disaster on Friday night with a score of just 4 and a $57k price drop. Unless you can somehow get to Josh Dunkley or Dustin Martin I would trade him to Pies rookie Beau McCreery and use the cash elsewhere.
TM: TRADE — Sounds harsh but not sure why you started him.
DB: TRADE — Will miss this week with concussion, which is the perfect excuse to discard the underperforming Pie.
TP: HOLD/TRADE — Might only miss one so you could hold if you have other issues. If not, this is the perfect excuse to trade a failed mid-pricer.
TOM PHILLIPS
AP: TRADE — Another poor score after a couple of OK weeks and he’s not making any money. He’s not losing much either so only move this week if you have no other issues.
TM: HOLD — Won’t be a top-six forward like you hoped but I’m betting you have bigger issues. He’s had three 80-plus scores in five games.
DB: TRADE — Averaging just 73.2 points per game with two scores in the 50s. In saying that, good luck finding a promising forward premium option.
TP: HOLD — For now, anyway. Shouldn’t be your biggest on-field issue at this point but he’s not a keeper.
PADDY DOW
AP: TRADE — Paddy has actually made a (very small) profit this year, but he’s not playing, so get a rookie who is.
TM: TRADE — Then think about that glorious pre-season game against Essendon and why you’ll never trust a pre-season tease again.
DB: TRADE — Fortunately, he didn’t come on as the medical sub on Saturday night. Trade him to one of the forward rookies that are presenting themselves
TP: TRADE — It should’ve been last week after he was the sub.
MATT FLYNN
AP: HOLD — His break even is -34 so he has a lot more money to make.
TM: HOLD — What are you doing? He might play this week!
DB: HOLD. Price should skyrocket, with the Giants confirming he will be recalled this week. Scored just the 71 points against Callum Sinclair in the VFL over the weekend, though, so the duo of Stefan Martin and Tim English will be a big test.
TP: HOLD — He’s back — and the cash inject will be significant. But if he’s your R2, start planning your upgrade because it could happen again.
Flynn's in!
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) April 21, 2021
Leon Cameron has confirmed @mattflynn30 will take on the Bulldogs at Manuka Oval this Friday night. pic.twitter.com/cfrxFOcBW1
LLOYD MEEK
AP: TRADE — If he’s in your starting 22. Sean Darcy has scored 129 and 105 the past two weeks, not a good sign for Meek’s chances of a comeback especially with Rory Lobb in the team. If he’s on your bench that’s not a big problem, if he’s on field you’ll need a lot of cash to get a playing replacement.
TM: HOLD — Who would you even trade him to? Just sit him at R3 and hope he dominates in the WAFL to earn a recall.
DB: TRADE — Rory Lobb’s return means he will have to push Sean Darcy out as the Dockers’ No.1 ruck, which would take some strong WAFL form.
TP: HOLD/TRADE — Might be a good R3 loophole for some. There’s not a lot of trade options, unless you’ve been saving.
TRADED IN
LACHIE JONES
AP: BUY — Has looked right at home in his two games and clearly the top trade target this week especially with issues in defence. But his job security still worries me.
TM: BUY — My No.1 target this week but how I make it happen is another question. Too soon to cash Kozi in?
DB: BUY — Looks at home at AFL level and should be a steady scorer. Rookie defenders are a rare breed this year, so jump on.
TP: BUY — No.1 downgrade option this week. Rates elite for intercepts, contested possessions and groundball-gets. Will stay in the Port side.
FINLAY MACRAE
AP: PASS (THIS WEEK) — Showed plenty of promise in his first game but wait until after his second game before jumping on.
TM: BUY — If it’s him or McCreery. Both are going to play plenty of footy this year but I much prefer a midfielder with DPP status over a small forward.
DB: WAIT — Should improve on his 41 on debut, but you’re better off buying ahead of Round 7.
TP: BUY/WAIT — Don’t mind the idea of going early if it helps you execute an upgrade next week, especially after that last quarter on debut. But, ideally, you give him another week.
BEAU McCREERY
AP: BUY — Drafted as a 19-year-old, McCreery has become a handy member of the Pies’ forward line — laying 11 tackles in his two games — and should hold his spot for a while. Don’t expect huge scores, though.
TM: BUY — But not before Macrae.
DB: BUY… if you already have Jones. A tackling machine which bodes well for his scoring, and the Pies are likely to stick with him.
TP: BUY — Not a must-have but job security is solid and break even is low ,so he’s a solid option if needed.
LACHIE NEALE
AP: PASS — Can’t talk about this guy after my brain explosion last weekend, trading him out before his best game of the year. I will note that he spent much of the night going head-to-head with third-gamer Archie Perkins.
TM: WAIT — An Ed Curnow tag is coming. If he shakes that and dominates again his price isn’t going up much anyway.
DB: PASS … for now. It was one big score and a date with Ed Curnow looms large. Even if Neale goes large again, he has a break even of 90, so he shouldn’t climb above $600k.
TP: BUY/WAIT — With a 98-point breakeven, this could be the cheapest he’ll get all year. Clayton Oliver is worth a look first, though, given Ed Curnow could go to Neale. Seeing him back up last week’s return to form would be nice, too.
ROOKIE GUIDE: CASH COWS TO BUY, SELL, HOLD
TOM STEWART
AP: BUY — Somehow $1700 cheaper than his starting price. If you can get him, go for it (I wouldn’t be side-swapping Ridley, though).
TM: BUY — I assume these are Howe owners. Stewart is one of the safer bets in defence.
DB: BUY — Started slowly but looks to have found his groove. Still great buying for a player expected to be a top-six lock.
TP: BUY — He’s available for less than his starting price which was already unders, given the injury-affected score last year. A safe upgrade or Howe replacement.
JACK ZIEBELL
AP: BUY — Don’t know why you wouldn’t have him already, but still worth getting as he’s likely to end a top-six forward.
TM: BUY — How are there still teams that don’t have him? Crazy.
DB: BUY. Has made $220k on his starting price, but considering the dearth of options up forward, it is never too late.
TP: BUY — Should’ve done it three weeks ago — or before Round 1 — but there’s still value given his likely place in the top five scorers in the forward line.
JOSH DUNKLEY
AP: BUY — The No.1 ranked forward and No.2 ranked midfielder after five rounds. What a gun.
TM: BUY — He’s the year’s No.1 forward.
DB: BUY — The No.1 forward spot is his to lose.
TP: BUY — You’re buying high but you need him.
ALEX WITHERDEN
AP: PASS — A one-game average of 133 is hard to ignore but let’s see a few more games before committing.
TM: PASS — It’ll be frustrating viewing watching Shannon Hurn take kick-outs in a few weeks if you jump on.
DB: PASS — He produced a 170-point outing on return last year and was out of the side again four weeks later. You can afford to wait a week. If he goes big again, he may be too difficult to resist.
TP: BUY/WAIT — You know I’d love to jump on but it might be better to wait and see how he goes down at the Cattery first.
LACHLAN SHOLL
AP: PASS — The Crows backman backed up his 160 against North Melbourne with 103 against the Dockers but he also has a 63 and 78 this year. Better options out there.
TM: PASS — Ticks plenty of KFC SuperCoach boxes but will he be a top-six or top-eight defender? I wouldn’t think so.
DB: CONSIDER — Will he be a top 8-10 scorer in a defensive class that bats deep? It’s hard to say, and with a break even of -2 he is certainly tempting.
TP: PASS — Another great score from a KFC SuperCoach star of the future. But I still don’t think he’s a legitimate top-eight contender
SAM WALSH
AP: BUY — I admit I was a bit surprised to see Walsh is fourth for total points among midfielders — ahead of Clayton Oliver, Marcus Bontempelli and Zach Merrett. Has only gone up $25k and at $568k presents great value for a likely top-eight mid.
TM: BUY BUY BUY — I won’t be as I’m scared of cursing him but Walsh is the real deal. If only his teammates had as much impact!
DB: BUY — Presents as a reliable and extremely affordable midfield premium option.
TP: BUY — Get on while there’s still some value in his price.
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