2019 SuperCoach champion Dwayne Delmenico reveals his five trades for Round 2
Jack Viney is one of the most popular recruits in SuperCoach, but the 2019 winner isn’t buying the hype. See why he’s got another Demon in his sights and who else is on his trade radar.
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Not even the reigning KFC SuperCoach winner is sure how to best use his five trades ahead of the season restart.
Like coaches across the country, Dwayne Delmenico, who finished with the $50,000 SuperCoach prize in 2019, is contemplating a number of moves but is looking to keep it simple.
Having started with most of the best rookies from Round 1, the sideways trades he is considering would be unnecessary in any other season besides 2020.
“I always end up with a bunch of scenarios, obviously that will be dictated by what team news comes out,” Delmenico said.
“All these trades are exactly what you’re not meant to do.
“You may as well burn them all and then if you max them at two a week, you only need to hang on for a couple of weeks at the end.”
While he advocates an aggressive trading strategy, his winning philosophy — only buying premiums and mid-pricers who he believes will be a top-eight scorer — hasn’t changed.
It’s why he isn’t considering Round 1 top-scorer Jack Viney — the third most popular trade-in target ahead of Round 2.
“It’s tough to get (Viney) in given his price point and I doubt he’ll be a top-eight scorer.
“I’m not real big on Viney for some reason, I guess it’s just something I’ve always had in my mind – keen to be proven wrong, though.”
The reigning champion sees upside in unique ruck/forward picks Jon Ceglar and Darcy Fort, with shortened quarters set to boost the stocks of ruckmen, and is hopeful of a rookie defender coming from the clouds.
He is also intent on buying Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield given his promising upcoming draw, and he is holding onto bearded giant Max Gawn for the same reason.
“Now I’ve gone off trading Gawn out (for mid-pricer Sam Naismith) just because of his draw. It’d be a brave call to trade him out but it could pay dividends.”
DWAYNE’S FIVE TRADES
TRADE 1
Dylan Roberton ($260,400, DEF) for John Noble ($215,400, DEF)
Noble was one of the few rookies Delmenico missed in Round 1, which stung given he is a diehard Collingwood supporter. He is a fan of his work for the Magpies and is keen to move on Dylan Roberton after his Round 1 stinker.
TRADE 2
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher ($189,000, DEF) to Stephen Hill ($190,600, DEF/FWD)
Like many SuperCoaches, Delmenico is crossing his fingers and toes that Fremantle veteran Hill will be named. With Zerk-Thatcher likely to be dropped for Round 2 with Cale Hooker and Patrick Ambrose returning for the Bombers, it is the perfect excuse to jump on the Hill train a week early.
TRADE 3
Ben Cavarra ($123,900, FWD) for Matt Conroy ($102,400, RUCK) via DPP swing with Darcy Cameron
Like all good SuperCoaches, last year’s winner sees the vice-captaincy loophole as an essential tactic. That’s why he’s willing to burn a trade on facilitating a permanent option, looking to trade fringe Bulldog Cavarra – likely to face the axe in Round 2 – for basement price ruckman Conroy, by moving Cameron to the forward line. This will allow Cameron to be used as an on-field rookie in his Pies debut.
TRADE 4:
Dan Houston ($484,800, DEF) for Tobe Watson ($123,900, DEF) or any DEF playing rookie
“It says Tobe Watson at the moment but that’s just saying a prayer that a cheap defensive rookie comes in,” Delmenico said with a chuckle.
Last year’s winner has picked the Fremantle mature-ager in the hope that he or another cheap defensive rookie is a surprise Round 2 selection. Delmenico wasn’t too pleased by Houston’s mediocre score in Round 1 against Gold Coast, and is pretty intent on giving him the flick. He conceded he may have to trade Houston to a premium defender if no rookie defenders present themselves.
TRADE 5
Max King ($123,900, FWD) for Christian Petracca ($441,300, FWD)
Forget buzz trade option Jack Viney, it is his teammate Christian Petracca that has Delmenico excited. Having “(banged) the door down” about him during the pre-season, Melbourne’s tough opening fixtures against West Coast and GWS scared him off. But now that the Demons’ draw has opened up, his promising 105-point effort in Round 1 is too difficult to ignore. The casualty is Saints rookie Max King, who is likely to be a slow burn – as most key
forwards are in SuperCoach.
DWAYNE’S PLAN B
If no defensive rookies are named, these are the trades he has planned.
Trade 1: Dylan Roberton to John Noble
Trade 2: Brandon Zerk-Thatcher to Stephen Hill
Trade 3: Dan Houston to Zac Williams
Trade 4: Ben Cavarra to Charlie Comben via Darcy Cameron DPP
Trade 5: Josh Kelly to Patrick Dangerfield
MORE SUPERCOACH:
SuperCoach Round 2 trade guide: Melbourne solves defensive rookie crisis
KFC SuperCoach rookie bible: Every cheapie rated ahead of Round 2 price changes
KFC SuperCoach expert Al Paton reveals how he will use his five trades for Round 2
KFC SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom reveals his five trades ahead of Round 2
The 10 must-have players in KFC SuperCoach for Round 2
Originally published as 2019 SuperCoach champion Dwayne Delmenico reveals his five trades for Round 2
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