KFC SuperCoach: Dan Batten reveals his 5 trades for Round 2

We have been given a clean slate by the KFC SuperCoach gods, but that doesn’t mean we have to go overboard. Dan Batten reveals his 5 moves ahead of Round 2, and has a warning for those jumping on high scorers from the opening round.

KFC SuperCoaches have been given a clean slate to right the wrongs of our pre-season mistakes, but throwing the baby out with the bath water could prove costly.

Five Round 2 trades – up from the usual two – gives us the luxury of using what we learnt from shortened quarters in the first round, adjudging who has a favourable opening month of the restart and nabbing rookies on the bubble.

It was a very small sample size, but it was evident those around the ball more often – namely ruckman – and high-impact players, like Dustin Martin, will be extra damaging in shortened quarters.

But despite this and prices changing for most at the completion of Round 2, we shouldn’t read too much into round one scores and trade for the sake of it.

A combination of the above factors has left me reluctant to move on Max Gawn for cheapie Sam Naismith – a popular move among coaches – with Gawn’s next four games looking very favourable.

Similarly, I’m not going to jump on the Jack Viney bandwagon after he topped the charts in Round 1, nor Pies defender Jeremy Howe (at this stage).

Most of our five trades will be used to facilitate cash flow but the rookie situation is likely to be even worse in Round 2 than the opening round – and the rookie well was dry then.

But moving on underperforming premiums like Josh Dunkley and Jake Lloyd for Viney and Howe for the short term cash grab could end of making your side worse in the long run.

If they underperform in the weeks to come, you may only gain a slight price appreciation and be stuck with below par scoring, until you are able to upgrade them to a premium.

Howe at least has had proven scoring besides 2019 – where he averaged just 79.5 points per game – but Jack Viney has never averaged above 100 points across a season.

Don’t feel obliged to use all fives trades, either. Keeping one in the bank to use down the track could be extremely handy,

Here is how I’m planning to use my five trades.

Jack Viney has never averaged above 100 points across a season. Picture: Getty

Trade 1

Out: Luke Ryan ($520,400)

In: Tom Doedee ($273,700)

This is undoing my last minute decision to go with Luke Ryan over Andrew McGrath, which left me at least 60 points in arrears in Round 1. His 52-point effort against the Bombers left a bit to be desired, and I can see plenty of upside in Tom Doedee, at a cheap price after injury wiped out his 2019 campaign. Ryan is an intercept king and I can’t see him having the same impact in scrappy conditions up at Metricon Stadium, where he plays his next four games of the season. Doedee averaged 82 points per game in 2018 and will serve as a cash generator and a potential keeper.

Trade 2

Out: Darcy Fort ($264,800)

In: Sam Sturt ($123,900)

Hang on, didn’t you say ruckman were likely to score well? Yes, but I am assuming (and sort of hoping?) that Darcy Fort is dropped for regular first ruck Rhys Stanley. His performance first up was encouraging, scoring 94 points despite Sam Jacobs being well on top, but Fort’s inclusion in Round 1 over Stanley was a shock to many. His omission for the second round would make my decision a lot easier, and Sam Sturt is the logical rookie to take with the lowest break-even of any player (-53). Even if Fort picked in Round 2, one bad game from the ruckman and he could be straight out of the Cats line-up. Sturt is a chance to miss Fremantle’s first game back with injury, in which case Fort becomes Suns youngster Izak Rankine. This downgrade also allows me to upgrade to one of his teammates, which we’ll get to later.

Tom Doedee looms as a solid mid-price option. Picture: Sarah Reed

Trade 3

Out: Dylan Roberton ($260,400)

In: Stephen Hill ($190,600)

OR

Out: Brandon Zerk-Thatcher ($189,000)

In: Will Gould/any playing defence rookie ($117,300-$123,900

For this trade to work we need a defensive rookie candidate, with pre-season favourite Stephen Hill looming as the hot favourite. I would prefer to trade out Brandon Zerk-Thatcher if possible, who is likely to be axed with Bombers defenders returning, but I may have no choice if no cheaper rookies emerge. The Saint is due to fall in price after scoring just 26 points in Round 2, but I wouldn’t mind keeping him if I can. After two years out of the game with his heart issues, he was never going to set the world on fire in his return.

Trade 4

Out: Tom Green ($166,800)

In: Patrick Dangerfield ($625,500)

What you’ve all been waiting for: the mega-upgrade. The three downgrades allow me to turn Tom Green, likely to be dropped for the Giants’ second round clash, into superstar Patrick Dangerfield. The SuperCoach stud is set to explode with four irresistible match-ups to restart the season, three of those at Kardinia Park, a stadium he has made his own since joining the Cats. Dangerfield is close to a must-have in my books, and my team looks a lot better with him in it.

Patrick Dangerfield has a favourable run over his next four games. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

Trade 5

Out: Ben Cavarra ($123,900)

In: Izak Rankine ($123,900)

OR

Out: Any non-playing rookie

In: playing rookie

Ben Cavarra managed just three disposals in his AFL debut in Round 1 and I expect him to be pushed out come selection. It gives me an excuse to trade in exciting Sun Izak Rankine, who could prove to be one of the best rookies of the lot in 2020. The former No. 3 draft pick has been hampered by injury since he was drafted at pick No. 3 in 2019 – missing the opening round with a minor issue – but is a lock in the Suns side if fit. If Cavarra is picked, or I need to fill a rookie hole elsewhere, I’ll plan to use my fifth trade on that.

MORE EXPERT ADVICE:

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KFC SuperCoach jury answers five key questions ahead of AFL return on June 11

Tim Michell reveals his five Round 2 trades for KFC SuperCoach

KFC SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom reveals his five trades ahead of Round 2

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach: Dan Batten reveals his 5 trades for Round 2