The Phantom’s Trade Talk: The best options in every position under $500k to finish your SuperCoach team
It’s make-or-break for many SuperCoaches this week so it’s important to use your final trades wisely. The Phantom looks at the best options under $500k in every position.
- The biggest SuperCoach scores this decade
- Round 20 Review: Stars shine but clangers take their toll
- Tex tips Keath to be right for Eagle heavyweights
- Round 21 SuperCoach trade guide
If you’re sitting pretty with two or less trades, hold them if you can.
So much can — and will — happen over the next three weeks.
But if you’re in a position to trade, whether that be as you head into a knockout SuperCoach final or you’re still fielding a rookie-price player, The Phantom is here to help.
It’s unlikely you can afford to use more than one trade in any move so here are the best options in every position under $500k.
DEFENCE
1. Rory Laird (Adel)
$471,900
Three-round average: 98
Opp: WC (Optus), Coll (AO), WB (Mars)
While the Adelaide playmaker hasn’t replicated the influence of the past two seasons, Laird is still averaging 28 disposals and 98 points per game — the sixth-highest average of all defenders. And his 38 disposals, 12 marks and 124 SuperCoach points against the Saints last week were all season highs.
2. Tom Stewart (Geel)
$441,900
Three-round average: 82
Opp: NM (GMHBA), Brisbane (Gabba), Rich (GMHBA)
The Geelong star has only failed to reach the 80-point mark three times this season, with 13 scores of 90 or more, including six SuperCoach tons. But two of the three sub-80 scores have come in the past three weeks. Stewart’s recent form is a little shaky, just like that of the Cats, but his first 16 matches this season — and his price-tag — keep him at No. 2 on this list.
3. Brodie Smith (Adel)
$475,100
Three-round average: 104
Opp: WC (Optus), Coll (AO), WB (Mars)
Smith’s recent form, however, has been anything but shaky. After moving to a role forward-of-centre, the dashing defender-turned-attacking-wingman, has been influential. In the past five matches, Smith has posted scores of 97, 98, 127, 91 and 95 to sit as the sixth-ranked scorer since Round 15.
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4. Daniel Rich (Bris)
$460,900
Three-round average: 92
Opp: GC (Gabba), Geel (Gabba), Rich (MCG)
The damaging left-footer scored 97 points or more in 10 of his first 14 matches this season but in the past five matches, Rich’s scoreline reads 66, 88, 94, 111 and 71. The Lions host the Suns in Round 21 but then it’s two huge clashes against the Cats and Tigers. Can we trust the 29-year-old?
5. James Sicily (Haw)
$424,800
Three-round average: 81
Opp: GWS (Canberra), GC (Marvel), WC (Optus)
Trust is something, unfortunately, we cannot relate to Sicily in SuperCoach in 2019. On his day, he can score as big any — the 141-point performance in Round 16 the most-recent example — but he can also give away more free kicks than any other player and, this year, spend time on the opposition’s deepest forward.
ONE UNDER $400
Heath Shaw (GWS)
$374,200
Three-round average: 93
Opp: Haw (Canberra), WB (Syd), GC (Metricon)
If you’re desperate, the GWS veteran has posted scores of 95, 94 and 89 in the past three matches and the Giants play the Suns in SuperCoach grand final week.
MIDFIELD
1. Dustin Martin (Rich)
$489,000
Three-round average: 115
Carl (MCG), WC (MCG), Bris (MCG)
Is Dusty back? Three SuperCoach tons on-the-trot, including a season-high 138 points, on the back of 34 disposals and 17 contested possessions, would suggest so. And the Tigers play the Blues in Round 21, a side Martin has scored 109, 139, 121 and 159 in his five meetings with.
2. Luke Parker (Syd)
$498,500
Three-round average: 88
Opp: Port (AO), Melb (MCG), StK (SCG)
The star Swan still boasts the 12th-highest average of all midfielders this season but three scores of 83 or less in the past month has seen his price fall by more than $130k since Round 14. Parker, who is only in 4.3 per cent of teams, averaged a huge 127 points per game between rounds 8 and 15, can he recapture this form? It’s speculative but it’s worth the punt, given the 26-year-old has reached three figures in his last meeting with the Swans’ next three opponents.
3. Jack Steele (StK)
$496,200
Three-round average: 107
Freo (Marvel), Carl (MCG), Syd (SCG)
Many SuperCoaches jumped on at the start of the season, expecting Steele to take the next step. And after four SuperCoach tons in the opening five rounds, it appeared they were right in doing so. But inconsistency and then an injury saw Steele’s ownership, price and scoring fall dramatically after the 103-point performance in Round 5. However, it might be time to jump back on after three scores of 120 or more in the past four weeks.
4. Matt Crouch (Adel)
$483,700
Three-round average: 95
Opp: WC (Optus), Coll (AO), WB (Mars)
In the previous three seasons, only Tom Mitchell and Patrick Dangerfield have scored more points than Crouch in the final month of the year. The Adelaide ball-magnet’s 118-point performance, on the back of 35 disposals and two goals, last week shows the trend might continue, especially given Crouch has posted scores of 126 and 146 in his past two matches against the Eagles.
5. Seb Ross (StK)
$482,200
Three-round average: 110
Opp: Freo (Marvel), Carl (MCG), Syd (SCG)
Speaking of finishes to the year, there weren’t many better performers than Ross in the final month of 2018. The hard-running midfielder averaged 135 from Round 20 onwards last year and he’s posted scores of 159 and 100 in his past two matches this season.
ONE UNDER $400k
Paul Ahern (NM)
$351,300
Three-round average: 81
I’m not recommending you make such a move in the midfield but if you’re stuck, Ahern has scored 92 and 108 in the past two weeks after returning to the side across half-back.
FORWARD
Assuming you’ve got Tim Kelly and Isaac Heeney...
1. Mitch Robinson (Bris)
$467,200
Three-round average: 101
Opp: GC (Gabba), Geel (Gabba), Rich (MCG)
If you’re in a must-win final this week, Robinson, who is in only two per cent of teams, could be your man. The 30-year-old has recorded consecutive SuperCoach tons, including a season-high 132 points in Round 20, and he faces the Suns this week, a side Robinson scored 125 points against in Round 6.
2. Jack Billings (StK)
$499,300
Three-round average: 97
Opp: Freo (Marvel), Carl (MCG), Syd (SCG)
The creative St Kilda midfielder has, again, been slightly inconsistent in SuperCoach this season but scores of 169 and 144 prove his ceiling is as high as any. Billings’ year can be summed up by his scoreline over the past three weeks: 113, 65 and 101.
3. Tom Lynch (Rich)
$464,200
Three-round average: 109
Carl (MCG), WC (MCG), Bris (MCG)
The power-forward couldn’t make it four SuperCoach tons on-the-trot last week but a score of 80 against the Demons wasn’t a disaster. An underdone Lynch scored 58 points in Round 1 against Carlton — the Tigers’ Round 21 opponent — but in Round 2 last season, while he was still at the Suns, the 26-year-old finished with 21 disposals, eight goals and 180 points against the Blues.
4. Tom Hawkins (Geel)
$432,200
Three-round average: 110
Opp: NM (GMHBA), Brisbane (Gabba), Rich (GMHBA)
Against the Dockers last week, Hawkins looked as if he was on-track for a 180-point performance with three goals and more than 80 SuperCoach points to his name early in the second term. The Cats struggled from that point and the key-forward finished the game on 87, after failing to add to his goal tally. But he might do so in the run-home with two more matches to come at the Cattery.
5. Jack Darling (WC)
$498,600
Three-round average: 110
Opp: Adel (Optus), Rich (MCG), Haw (Optus)
In his past three matches at home, Darling has posted scores of 123, 75 and 100, after booting a combined nine goals. In between those fixtures, Darling scored 125 against the Demons in Alice Springs and 83 against the Blues at Marvel. A huge clash with the Tigers at the MCG is looming but he’s likely to be on the scoresheet against the Crows in Perth this week.
ONE UNDER $400k
Chad Wingard (Haw)
$387,100
Three-round average: 86
Opp: GWS (Canberra), GC (Marvel), WC (Optus)
Really, Phantom? Again, avoid going this low but, if you need, Wingard is slowly building with scores of 88, 81, 79 and 98, playing through the midfield in the past month.