SuperCoach AFL 2024 round 9 trade guide: Top targets, rookies, who to offload
Who are the best cheapies and premium options in SuperCoach this week – and do we need Clayton Oliver at his hugely discounted price? See the experts’ verdict here.
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The moves you make this week could decide your SuperCoach fate for the next two months.
Cash generation is starting to become an issue as the best pre-season rookies are traded out, and the next batch mature.
Where do you find the money to keep adding stars to your side? And which cheapies and premiums are the best buys?
See our experts’ verdict on the 10 most traded in and 10 most traded out players this week, and scroll down for the full round 9 trade guide.
MOST TRADED IN
1. DARCY JONES $123,900 FWD
Al Paton: BUY. The clear No.1 rookie target this week if it works for your team to bring in a cheap forward.
Tim Mitchell: BUY. I don’t think he’s an absolute must-have due to job security concerns but boy, can this kid play. He’s projected to rise by more than $50k this week and it was a great sign that he held his spot despite Toby Greene and Brent Daniels returning last round.
Tarquin Oakley: BUY. The best rookie to jump on this week to make another upgrade with a second trade.
2. CLAYTON OLIVER $476,700 MID
AP: BUY. I’m not sure if Clarry is back to his 120-plus every week levels but there’s a chance he is, which means that price is too good to pass up. Having said that he’s only projected to rise by $20k next week, so you could get another look to be sure.
TM: BUY. Our good friend the SuperCoach Investor Dan Begala used to love telling us that you can’t stare a gift horse in the mouth in SuperCoach. Oliver looked back to near his best last round, is about $200k less than his starting price and good coaches are jumping on. I don’t want to miss out.
TO: BUY. Plenty of SuperCoaches were waiting for one big score to jump on. 141 against the Cats is a big score.
3. LUKE RYAN $644,200 DEF
AP: BUY. History tells us even the best players drop in price at some point, but SuperCoach Plus tells us Ryan will be over $700k in two weeks.
TM: BUY. If you thought his career-best 39 disposals against Richmond were hard to watch as a non-owner, Ryan has St Kilda in round 10. He has scores of 171 and 156 in two of his last three against the Saints. He’s mastered the SuperCoach formula for defenders and looks every bit this year’s D1.
TO: BUY. It’s so painful not owning Luke Ryan.
4. LACHIE SULLIVAN $102,400 MID
AP: CONSIDER. I know picking rookies off one game is risky, but so far this year I’ve got away with it (Sam Clohesy, Riley Garcia). Under consideration if I have to squeeze every last dollar out of my final Trade Boost.
TM: WAIT. Loved what he showed on debut and he should be in the 22 this week due to some key absentees for Collingwood. But you’d hate to pick him and he’s dropped ahead of his third game if the cavalry returns. Trade if it gets you to a Rowell/Merrett type, though.
TO: WAIT. Don’t jump on yet as the Pies could have a host of additions coming in for round 10. Should get a full game this weekend, though.
5. COLBY McKERCHER $309,800 DEF
AP: BUY. McKercher’s role is golden (no more mid time, please Clarko) and the clincher might be that he can inject $100k into my coffers before the Roos’ round 12 bye – perfect timing when I’m parting ways with my best starting cash cows and the next batch are a few weeks’ away from maturing.
TM: CONSIDER. If you’re bringing him back in this week you’re almost committing to him being your D7/M9 to finish. There’s risk Clarko throws him back in the middle, but as long as McKercher stays in defence he can average 90-plus.
TO: CONSIDER. We know he scores well in defence. Feel as though he won’t stay there for the whole season, with Clarko keen to get him up the ground.
6. CALEB SERONG $639,600 MID
AP: CONSIDER. Not cheap but looks a lock to be in the top four midfielders for the year. It’s just a matter of how you want to spend your cash when Oliver is $163k cheaper – what else could that money buy you?
TM: BUY. Not getting cheaper and is the leading disposal winner in the AFL this year. Has the best of the byes in round 13, too.
TO: BUY. The most reliable midfielder in SuperCoach.
7. ZACH MERRETT $636,800 MID
AP: CONSIDER: See my comment above for Serong, although Merrett’s upcoming fixture might put him ahead.
TM: BUY. And if not this week, then next. GWS might be a stern test but after that Merrett has two of the easiest match-ups for a midfielder against North Melbourne and Richmond.
TO: BUY. Has some juicy fixtures coming up against bottom-four opponents.
8. DAYNE ZORKO $559,600 MID/FWD
AP: PASS. I’ve been avoiding him all year which looks like a mistake but the Lions have a bye in round 12 so they are all off the trade target list until then.
TM: CONSIDER. Trading in a 35-year-old with a history of soft-tissue injuries is asking for trouble. But then again, he looked like Luke Ryan in the QClash.
TO: BUY. The Lions won’t make the mistake of moving him up the ground again, will they? A lock to be a top-six forward, if he stays back.
9. NIC MARTIN $593,100 DEF/MID
AP: BUY. I saved a couple of trades by not starting Martin, but the problem is I don’t have Martin. Looks like a must-have in a great role, especially with the Bombers’ upcoming fixture run.
TM: BUY. Why don’t you have him yet? Most of us have burned two trades on Martin already, haven’t we?
TO: BUY. Has now scored six tons on the trot. Has to be in your team at the end of the season.
10. TOM STEWART $523,400 DEF
AP: CONSIDER. Good value for a reliable 105 points every week, and no doubt a spike game will come. But I prefer Hayden Young and Jack Sinclair for not much more.
TM: BUY. Gut tells me he’s going to go close to his 132 Break Even against Port Adelaide, so you won’t save much by waiting the extra week.
TO: PASS. Hasn’t been prolific enough to be a must-trade in at this point. Still has a high Break Even, so I’d pick another premium option this week.
MOST TRADED OUT
1. MATT ROBERTS $416,000 DEF/MID
AP: CONSIDER. That cash could be very useful in a trade but I’d much rather have him on field than Darcy Jones or Hugo Garcia. See what your team looks like overall before committing.
TM: TRADE. Been one of the best rookies of 2024 but there’s no room for sentiment in SuperCoach. Played wing for most of the second half against GWS, which isn’t ideal.
TO: SELL. Might have reached his peak in price so jump off and grab yourself another premium.
2. MASSIMO D’AMBROSIO $348,200 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. Lucked out of this one when I had to trade him last week. Has hit his 94 Break Even only twice this season.
TM: TRADE. Can’t move him on quickly enough after he spent 20-plus minutes on the bench in the last quarter against the Western Bulldogs and his score went backwards.
TO: SELL. Those who held the Hawk would have been disappointed with his poor score against the Bulldogs. Break Even is now 90 so time to go.
3. CHARLIE COMBEN $297,800 DEF/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. Will we ever learn not to be seduced by a massive 100-plus score from a cheapie in their first game? Unlikely.
TM: SELL. Hasn’t lived up to the hype after a promising start in defence. Take the small profit and run.
TO: CONSIDER- If you have the two rookies above I’d trade them ahead of Comben, who won’t lose much price if any if you hold another week. Not a pick we can trust on-field, though.
4. SAM DARCY $314,900 FWD
AP: TRADE. Wouldn’t surprise me if he kicks a bag against the Tigers but the Darcy to Darcy downgrade (Sam to Jones) is the most obvious move this week.
TM: CONSIDER. Is this the week he’s managed by Luke Beveridge? I wouldn’t be surprised. His Break Even is 42 and the Bulldogs have Richmond this week, so you can afford to wait one more week.
TO: CONSIDER. Similar to Comben. Not a must-trade this week but one you can ditch if there aren’t other bigger problems.
5. ELLIOT YEO $602,400 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. If you started him an average of 113 and $155k profit is a massive win.
TM: TRADE. His injury has come at a perfect time with so many fallen premiums. Take a $130k profit from turning Yeo into Oliver and use the money to bring a second premium in this week.
TO: CONSIDER. Might only be out for a week and Yeo has been one of the form players in the game. If you don’t trust he’ll get back quickly and to the level he was pre-injury, it’s not a silly move to trade either.
6. ZAC WILLIAMS $325,600 DEF
AP: TRADE. His Break Even of 47 is gettable but can you handle the stress of waiting for him to be subbed out at any moment?
TM: TRADE. Might be injured, which could take the decision out of your hands. The difference between his first and second half scoring this year has been stark, and was again highlighted against Collingwood.
TO: TRADE. Injury prone and repeatedly doesn’t step out of the square when taking kick outs.
7. TOM GREEN $541,400 MID
AP: HOLD. I’m only trading if he’s out for a month.
TM: CONSIDER. But he might play this week, in which case he’s a hold. Good SuperCoaches will tell you any money lost in the next few weeks due to Green’s score of 5 doesn’t matter if you’re holding him. He might be back to $600k in a few rounds.
TO: HOLD. Could play this week but even if he doesn’t, keep him. Proven he’s one of the best mids in the game.
8. NAT FYFE $418,400 MID/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. Will be fresh this weekend but his cash generation has halted and he’s bound to be the sub again at some stage. Trade when it suits your upgrade plans; a $135k profit makes him a successful starting pick.
TM: HOLD. He scored 130 a few weeks ago. You surely knew when you picked Fyfe he would be managed at some point.
TO: HOLD. Fyfe has had a rest game now as the sub, so should be able to put full games together for a period of time now.
9. CONNOR ROZEE $521,700 MID
AP: TRADE. Surely Port will take the cautious approach this time around which means we might not see him for a few weeks.
TM: TRADE. Felt sorry for those who held last round when Port declared Rozee was right for the Showdown. He clearly wasn’t. He should be on your midfield shopping list for under $500k after Port’s round 13 bye.
TO: CONSIDER. A tough pill to swallow last week, so you could jump off. But if you picked him as a season-keeper then holding for a week or two is still an option.
10. SAM CLOHESY $291,400 DEF/MID
AP: HOLD. SuperCoach Plus projects he’ll be worth almost $400k by the Suns’ round 14 bye. I might not keep him that long but I’m backing him in to get past $300k at least.
TM: HOLD. Conditions didn’t suit him at the Gabba and his score suffered due to an early 50m against and kick out on the full. Give him at least one more week (the Suns play North Melbourne this round) then consider cashing in.
TO: HOLD. Has North this week and the Break Even is well and truly beatable.
Trade guide: Best premium, rookie targets for round 9
– Al Paton
The injury gods came for SuperCoaches in a chaotic round 8, forcing a rethink of trade plans.
Tom Green (ankle), Elliot Yeo (groin) and Zac Williams (glute) were all hurt, and Connor Rozee’s hamstring injury flared again.
At time of printing there is hope Green could play in round 9, but the sudden appearance of some cut-price options has come at the perfect time.
Meanwhile, cheapies like Matt Roberts and Sam Darcy could be ready to trade with rising Break Evens after poor round 8 scores.
If you need a replacement for an injured star or are ready to upgrade a maxed-out rookie or mid-pricer, these are the players who should be on your radar this week.
CHEAPIES
DARCY JONES $123,900 FWD
Job security was the big question mark over the small forward after his action-packed debut, but in a promising sign he held his spot in the best 22 after Toby Greene and Brent Daniels returned to the GWS line-up. Even more promisingly, he produced another eye-catching performance (14 disposals, one goal) on a disappointing day for the Giants. That should ensure he stays in the team for a few weeks at least, and makes us a lot of money with a Break Even of -75, the lowest in the game this week. Downgrading Sam Darcy to his namesake will be a popular move.
RILEY HARDEMAN $117,300 DEF
Also on the bubble this week but scores of 50 and 37 don’t scream ‘pick me’. And have we not learned our lesson picking North Melbourne defenders? Fellow bubble boy Docker Cooper Simpson is in a similar boat after scoring 17 points in his second game.
LACHIE SULLIVAN $102,400 MID
Hopefully Collingwood coaches follow Fantasy Freako on X. Champion Data’s SuperCoach guru pointed out Sullivan’s impact after starting as the sub on Friday night, which was a lot more than a fairytale goal on debut for the 26-year-old inside midfielder (as great as that was). Sullivan, who was offered a rookie contract by the Pies over summer after winning Footscray’s best-and-fairest award in the VFL in 2022 and 2023, finished with 10 disposals, five tackles and 75 points. Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell missed the Blues blockbuster, so keep an eye on teams, and we have another week to move before Sullivan’s price changes, but he’s at the front of the queue to be traded in for round 10.
Lachie Sullivan was the 6th ranked player on the ground after coming on as the sub last night. Immediate impact. #SuperCoach#AFLBluesPies
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) May 4, 2024
JACK HAYES $228,000 FWD
Hayes was one of the feel-good stories of the AFL and fantasy in 2022 when he was given a chance by the Saints and scored two SuperCoach tons in his first four games before missing the rest of the season with injury. It’s been a long road back but Hayes looked fantastic in his first game for the season against the Kangaroos on Saturday, finishing with 17 disposals, six marks, four tackles, two goals and 115 SuperCoach points. He’s another we get another week to look at but he could be a great mid-season money train if Ross Lyon backs him in.
COLBY McKERCHER $309,800 MID/DEF
Can we trust Clarko? That’s the question SuperCoaches have to answer – and it’s not an easy one – after a massive 135 point score against the Saints. After starting the season at half-back for SuperCoach returns of 88, 95 and 74, the No.2 draft pick was tried in the centre square and his scores tanked. But in the past two rounds he’s been back in defence, and with Harry Sheezel up the ground, the Tasmanian left-footer has taken over as the Kangaroos’ back half distributor. His stats on Saturday read 30 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency, and he now has a Break Even of -61. If the role holds McKercher could be a brilliant mid-season mid-price option. But Clarko could send Sheezel back, or McKercher into the guts, at any time. How brave are you?
PREMIUM TARGETS
CLAYTON OLIVER $476,700 MID
That price is not a misprint. The Demons champ, who was worth close to $700k before round 1, was back to his damaging best against the Cats, racking up 31 disposals, 17 contested possessions, four tackles, eight score involvements and 141 SuperCoach points. Those sort of numbers are normally familiar territory for Oliver, but it is just his second 100-plus score for 2024, and his best this season by 36 points. The question for every SuperCoach is: can we expect this every week now? If the answer is yes, Oliver could be one of the steals of the century. His value crashed all the way to $466k but he has bottomed out, gaining $10,5000 after lockout and entering round 9 with a Break Even of just 48. If you believe, this is as cheap as we’ll get him – possibly for years.
Clayton Oliver is back #SuperCoach
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) May 4, 2024
Who's this Clayton Oliver mid-pricer guy? #SuperCoach
— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) May 4, 2024
DYLAN MOORE $521,600 FWD
Who says there aren’t many premium forwards in SuperCoach this year? If we look at the last two rounds in isolation, Moore is scoring as well as just about any player in the comp – 136 and 140 SuperCoach points. Throw in a 116 the week before and he’s clearly in red-hot form. The worry is he had two scores in the 50s in the three weeks before that, and Hawthorn’s midfield is full of constantly moving magnets as Sam Mitchell looks for the right mix with so many young guns. Moore attended eight centre bounces against the Dogs and finished with 24 disposals, five tackles and a goal. It’s also less than ideal that his price has surged almost $100k in that hot streak. Sorry we didn’t mention him a month ago.
TOM STEWART $523,400 DEF
Stewart’s Break Even of 138 looked in serious danger at halftime against Melbourne but he slowed up to finish with 104 points, his third total between 101 and 110 for the year. Stewart’s ceiling doesn’t seem as high as previous seasons with teammates like Max Holmes winning more of the footy out of defence, but he’s about a safe a pick as you can get. He’s great buying now at over $100k under his starting price, but with a Break Even of 132 you could wait another week and get him even cheaper.
BAILEY DALE $532,400 DEF
Dale looks the real deal in defence after an unusual five-week scoring run that reads like this: 47, 12, 175, 132, 116. Being named the sub in round 5 (which explains the 12-point score) was clearly the rocket Dale needed, and importantly he was still the Bulldogs’ main outlet out of defence with Tom Liberatore returning to the side – a move that some feared could have sent Ed Richards back to defence. Picking any player coached by Luke Beveridge is a risk, and Dale is a lot pricier than he was three weeks ago, but with a Break Even of 55 he’s still going up, and he’s one of the best options down back at his price.
DARCY PARISH $528,600 MID
Parish’s 125 points against Collingwood can be attributed to the Anzac Day factor – we know he loves a big game with a medal on the line. Can we write off another huge game because it was against West Coast? Parish tallied 36 disposals, 11 marks, five tackles and 148 SuperCoach points in a best-on-ground performance on Saturday night, and represents huge value in SuperCoach after dropping below $500k entering round 8. He’s back above that mark after smashing his Break Even, but is still great buying with a BE of just 28 entering round 9. The Bombers’ next four games are GWS, North Melbourne, Richmond and Gold Coast.
CHRISTIAN PETRACCA $551,800 MID
Petracca was on the top of many shopping lists for this week entering last round with a sky-high Break Even, but after another slightly underwhelming performance (94 points, his third in a row under 100) we can afford to wait a bit longer. Getting Petracca for under $600k looked like a bargain but he’s going to get a fair bit cheaper than that – SuperCoach Plus projects he’ll bottom out at $511k just before the mid-season byes. Is his Demons mate Oliver a higher priority in SuperCoach right now?
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Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2024 round 9 trade guide: Top targets, rookies, who to offload
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