SuperCoach AFL 2024: Best rookies, value trade targets for round 11
Could the most popular trade in SuperCoach this week be a big mistake? The experts rate all this week’s big moves.
SuperCoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Trades should always be made with more than one week in mind, but that applies now more than ever.
The mid-season byes are just around the corner, and getting the best team on the park in those challenging weeks should help guide your moves for round 11.
When it comes to rookies, staying in the best 22 can be more important than scoring points this weekend.
Our experts give their verdict on the 10 most traded in, and 10 most traded out, players this week.
MOST TRADED IN
1. JOE RICHARDS $123,900 FWD
Al Paton: BUY. Two more Pies debutants this week makes me feel a bit more confident about his spot in the best 22.
Tim Michell: BUY ... and pray he stays in the side until round 15 for an extra number during the byes.
Patch: BUY? Yeah, sure, I guess. I don’t feel good about it but he’s probably the best option we’ve got this week.
Chloe Williams: BUY: The lowest Break Even of the round. It will be interesting to see how debutant Ed Allan goes – one of Richards, Sullivan or Allan are bound to hang around for while with the Pies’ injury toll mounting. I’m happy to take my chances.
Dos: BUY. The No.1 rookie target this week with a super low Break Even but, most importantly, has passed the eye test in his two games at league level.
2. JOEL FREIJAH $117,300 MID/FWD
AP: BUY. If you need a midfielder or some DPP. Has the last bye, too, which is handy.
TM: BUY. I am likely to, so it’d be hypocritical of me to tell you not to. He kicks it will and Bevo seems to rate him more than an All-Australian in Caleb Daniel.
Patch: BUY: I feel slightly more confident in Freijah than I am in Richards and can’t explain why. Don’t love either.
CW: BUY. His DPP status will be a big help in the byes, especially if you’re moving on the likes of Hugo Garcia or Darcy Wilson to fit him in your side. The Dogs don’t have a huge injury list, so it would just be a Caleb Daniel return that could threaten his place. It’s a yes from me.
Dos: BUY. Bear, friend of The Phantom’s Lair Podcast, says this guy is the greatest player of all time, so I’m contractually obliged to say buy (has looked good, though!).
3. ETHAN PHILLIPS $102,400 DEF
AP: PASS. Extremely shaky job security.
TM: PASS. Might not even stay in the side with Sicily and Scrimshaw due back.
Patch: PASS: Wait one more week.
CW: PASS. A solid debut performance, but the looming return of James Sicily means his role is far from ideal. If he plays one more game, it will be a nice little reward for those who held if anything.
Dos: WAIT. Sicily isn’t far away from a return and they play similar roles. Need to see one game of them playing together before jumping on board.
4. ALEX SEXTON $277,100 DEF/FWD
AP: BUY. Cheap, scoring well and has DPP.
TM: BUY. He still has at least three weeks of good cash gen while Wil Powell is suspended. Might even be a keeper as a floating D7/F7.
Patch: BUY: I also hate this option but I think it’s the one I’m doing this week. I think he’s got the best job security through the byes.
CW: BUY. I spent too long thinking about whether to buy Zorko, and now he’s slowly becoming out of reach. Just buy him if you’re considering. Remember why we had him in the first place? The role has returned and is bound to stay over the byes with Powell suspended.
Dos: BUY. Incredible role and scoring potential for the price. It’s a short-term play but he could make us $100k before his bye.
5. DAN HOUSTON $578,600 DEF
AP: BUY. Will be a top-six defender.
TM: BUY. Won’t get him cheaper than this and he’s got the best of the byes in round 13.
Patch: BUY: He’s great.
CW: BUY. Who to target in the backline has been a bit of a waiting game, and now we have a chance to swoop.
Dos: BUY. Probably should have been in Dossy’s Double Dozen. Looking like a strong candidate to be a top-six defender and he’s available at under $600k.
6. DAYNE ZORKO $616,700 MID/FWD
AP: PASS. Brisbane has the bye next week – grab him after that.
TM: BUY. The role behind the ball is absolutely filthy. Won’t play Richmond every week but should still score well seagulling.
Patch: BUY: You’ve missed the boat price-wise but if you can afford him, get him in.
CW: BUY. I was tossing up between Tom Green and Zorko last week, but I made the wrong decision. Zorko off half-back is a SuperCoach miracle. Try to find room for him or make plans to target him after his bye – as long as he isn’t out of reach by then!
Dos: WAIT. One more game then the bye. I’ve waited this long so I’m not jumping on until at least after this week.
7. ZAC FISHER $443,300 DEF/FWD
AP: BUY. Playing half-back for the Kangaroos is a ticket to SuperCoach points – ask Jack Ziebell, Harry Sheezel and Co.
TM: BUY. The role is even filthier than Zorko’s. Hardly marks or tackles but just racks up points. Sheezel going into midfield has made him relevant again and he had 34 disposals in round 9 with Colby McKercher playing.
Patch: BUY. I hate it but he’s value and has a lucrative role. KMart Aaron Hall is sadly a good option this week.
CW: BUY. SuperCoach is a game of chance, and the chances of trading Fisher for McKercher – who had the better role – only for Fisher to take over both he and Sheezel’s role, seemed quite low, but here we are. Another player I will need to welcome back with open arms despite feeling foolish.
Dos: WAIT. I’m happy to wait another two weeks on Fisher until after his bye. Need more info on the McKercher timeline and if Clarko has some new grand plans for half back.
8. LUKE JACKSON $499,100 RUC/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. Don’t go chasing last week’s points but he could be a good option to cover the rucks over the byes.
TM: BUY. Possible top-six forward with the round 13 bye and can cover your main rucks when they have a week off.
Patch: PASS: Why are you buying now? Sean Darcy is back, he’ll be back to scoring 70s.
CW: BUY. The forward coverage will be integral to surviving the byes, and with the Dockers taking a cautious approach to Darcy, his scoring should stay on the higher side a while longer.
Dos: CONSIDER. He’s still in the mix for a top-six forward spot in a tough year at the position, and is at a nice price. He won’t play without Sean Darcy every week, though, so temper expectations on the ceiling scores.
9. MATT ROWELL $566,600 MID
AP: BUY. This is as cheap as he’ll be for a while. Fun player to have in your team.
TM: BUY. But not if it leaves you too exposed in the round 14 bye. Fifth-ranked MID for points but 20th most expensive this week.
Patch: BUY: Who I really want this week. Incredible price for what he can offer.
CW: CONSIDER. Slightly controversial considering this is an insane price for his output, but he’s projected score is sitting at 116 which would see him decrease by another $30k. That was the situation I found myself in with Tom Green and I bought him anyway, but this time I’m hoping to ride one more price fall to pick up the ultimate bargain … and it has nothing to do with manifesting a Blues midfield resurgence …
Dos: BUY. Contested beast at the right price. A couple of down games has him ripe for the picking.
10. ISAAC HEENEY $623,900 FWD/MID
AP: PASS. This marks 10 weeks in a row Heeney has been in the charts. But it doesn’t really make sense to get him the week before his bye.
TM: PASS. If you’ve waited this long you can wait until after his round 12 bye. Break Even is 122 so he might even be a bit cheaper post-bye.
Patch: BUY: I ... I guess?
CW: PASS. If you don’t already have Heeney, you better start planning how to bring him in fresh off his round 12 bye. It really is a must at this point.
Dos: WAIT. Heeney has the bye next week. A Break Even of 122 is achievable given his form, but I’d wait until the Geelong match-up post-bye if you can.
MOST TRADED OUT
1. DARCY WILSON $416,700 MID/FWD
AP: HOLD. Understand the temptation if it gets you to a player like Rowell but a reliable on-field scorer with DPP will be gold during the byes.
TM: HOLD. But sell if it’s your only way to the premium you want this week. Wilson could be very handy from rounds 12-14 before his bye.
Patch: HOLD: If you can hold Darcy then do so, for at least one more week.
CW: HOLD. Wilson has been more than serviceable and his DPP status will be handy during the byes. It’s tempting to upgrade him, but his BE of 76 is achievable and his scoring should be higher than the cheaper rookies available.
Dos: TRADE. Incredible season to date but I feel he’s finally maxed out his price tag.
2. DARCY JONES $182,200 FWD
AP: TRADE. Out for two months with a hamstring injury. Rotten luck.
TM: TRADE. But not as a priority. Hopefully you can use him this week to loophole a score from your bench as it’s a waste of a trade to only make $60k.
Patch: TRADE: Poor guy. That sucks.
CW: TRADE. The latest injury news means the promising rookie will be sidelined during the bye rounds . A trade to a playing rookie will help you field scoring players while also generating cash.
Dos: TRADE. Out 6-8 weeks with a hamstring injury.
3. WILL GRAHAM $277,800 DEF/MID
AP: CONSIDER. If he’s not playing feel free to trade away, although factor in how your team looks over the byes without that valuable DEF/MID link.
TM: HOLD. But only if he’s named. If he’s left in the VFL again, accept missing out on $30-40k of cash gen and trade him.
Patch: TRADE: Won’t be coming back in any time soon. See ya, buddy.
CW: TRADE: Moving on Graham to a cheaper rookie will bank you some nice upgrade cash, especially if he isn’t running out with the AFL side on Saturday. If you also have an influx of Suns, it’s not a bad move to make sure you’re well set for the round 14 byes.
Dos: TRADE. I wouldn’t be opposed to holding if you can, given his low Break Even, but it seems that Graham is now on the fringes of best 22 and could be bound for a longer stint in the VFL.
4. CALEB WINDSOR $352,700 MID/FWD
AP: TRADE. A $172k profit is a big win.
TM: TRADE. Made far more profit than I expected but his job is done. Break Even of 96 this week and has only gone above 73 once.
Patch: TRADE. With a Break Even of 96, he’s outta here.
CW: TRADE. He’s almost at the price where he can be a perfect stepping stone, but if not, he’s made a generous $172K profit. Hold if you need the DPP coverage for the byes, but with what else is out there, you shouldn’t need to.
Dos: TRADE. Caleb’s 96 Break Even likely means he’ll be in the red this week for the first time in 2024. Time to move on.
5. SAM CLOHESY $320,500 DEF/MID
AP: CONSIDER. Might need to trade him this week but will hold if I can to make a bit more cash. Probably a bench player now, though.
TM: TRADE. Cash gen is just about done and he looks to be tiring. Still a rookie revelation, though.
Patch: HOLD: One more week.
CW: HOLD. With a BE of 31, I’m holding. I also have bigger fish to fry, though. If trading him will secure you the likes of Houston or your last mid premo, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if you already own a host of Suns. But I think he has one last push left in him to drag you through the first of the byes.
Dos: HOLD. For a wingman who finds space at will, Clohesy is yet to play at Marvel or Optus Stadium – two of the more free-flowing grounds. Four of his next six games are at these two venues.
6. NAT FYFE $357,700 FWD/MID
AP: CONSIDER. I’m firmly in the ‘not a keeper’ camp, so he’s tradeable, but you could wait a couple of weeks to get an extra number in the first bye then trade him when Freo has a week off.
TM: HOLD. Has the round 13 bye and still had 23 disposals and 12 CBAs last round.
Patch: HOLD. Hold Nat through the byes is my thought – or at least through the first week.
CW: HOLD. I want to say trade so badly, but so far, that hasn’t worked for me this year. He’s capable of big scores and has the role (if he isn’t sub/subbed). A big game this week, too. It’s a better option than fielding a rookie for best 18, then reconsider post-bye.
Dos: HOLD. Two must-win games against Collingwood and Melbourne and the bye just around the corner should see Fyfe play some solid minutes before the break.
7. HUGO GARCIA $215,100 FWD/MID
AP: CONSIDER. Wait for teams. It’s a revolving door at the Saints right now and he has more money to make (Break Even 3) if he gets back in.
TM: HOLD. He’ll be back in this week after 29 disposals and 11 tackles in the VFL.
Patch: TRADE. Same logic as Graham, get him outta here if you can.
CW: HOLD. A team-high 11 tackles for Sandy, I have a feeling we’ll see him back this week. His bye isn’t until round 15 and his DPP coverage will be handy as always, as long as he plays. With a BE of 3, there’s still cash to be made.
Dos: HOLD. Paddy Dow is in and Brad Crouch might play this week. But spots are still up for grabs this year at the Saints. Garcia had 29 disposals and 11 tackles in the VFL and will push his case to make us some more cash sooner rather than later.
8. BLAKE HOWES $286,900 DEF
AP: TRADE. Has done his job.
TM: TRADE. Probably still having nightmares about being turned inside-out by Harley Reid.
Patch: CONSIDER: He could last one more week, but also could go.
CW: TRADE. Howes it possible that people have held him? To be fair, he’s played every game and has chipped away for an average of 59. There’s plenty of rookies who can reach that score, though, so I’d personally take the $163K.
Dos: TRADE. The newest victim on Harley Reid’s highlight reel, he’s served us well but it’s time to go.
9. COLBY McKERCHER $379,400 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. I would love to hold but North Melbourne hasn’t set a return date from his foot injury and we need all bodies on deck over the byes. Nearly a straight swap to Fisher in the same role.
TM: HOLD. Still a chance to play this week and I could probably score 100 points if I played in North Melbourne’s defence.
Patch: TRADE. This makes me sad, but he’s gotta go. Roos (rightfully) being conservative means we probably won’t see him for a while.
CW: HOLD. If you held last week, continue to hold – there’s no point trading now. With no official return timeline, it makes for an anxious wait, but the payoff could be huge.
Dos: HOLD. Wait for the injury news to come through. If he’s in the clear he’ll make a stack more cash and be a fieldable option through the byes.
10. MATT ROBERTS $388,600 DEF/MID
AP: TRADE. Will lose money if he plays, and his bye is coming up. So long, Matt.
TM: TRADE. Horse cooked him when he moved Roberts to a wing. No guarantee to get back into the team, either, with the Swans going so well.
Patch: CONSIDER. Break Even of 128 isn’t great, but he can score better than most other rookies.
CW: HOLD. If you can. It’s hypocritical because I traded him out weeks ago, but he no longer has Parker on his tail, and Fox will need replacing at a minimum … I think Roberts survives in the side for a while longer, and could be handy for those later bye rounds. Has a high ceiling (if he’s played off half-back). Keep your eye on the team sheet.
Dos: TRADE. Did not play on the weekend. Take the cash and run.
Trade guide: Rookies, bargains to power up your SuperCoach team
– Al Paton
It’s time for a rethink.
Until now the winning strategy in SuperCoach has been to move heaven and earth to get the tearaway scorers of 2024.
Isaac Heeney? Caleb Serong? Luke Ryan? Just pay up for the points.
But the pitfalls of racing at breakneck speed to upgrade teams became clear in round 10, especially to anyone who had to play Darcy Jones (8 points) on field.
Meanwhile, some sky-high priced stars like Ryan and Zach Merrett dropped some lower scores.
As we wait for their prices to drop, and with the mid-season byes are just one week away, a change of strategy may be required.
Forget those top-end superstars – for now. Instead focus on getting some playing bench cover and some value picks who can see us through the byes and climb in value.
If the plan works, those players can help us pick off the best scorers as they come off their byes.
So, who should we target leading into round 11?
ROOKIES
JOE RICHARDS $123,900 FWD
He didn’t crack the ton in game two but Collingwood’s mature-age rookie did enough to be the clear No.1 pick of the round 11 bubble boys.
Twelve disposals, five tackles and a goal in 74 per cent game time against Adelaide resulted in 60 SuperCoach points and a Break Even of -95 this round; SuperCoach Plus projects a $65k price rise after his third game.
Collingwood’s selection is still a slight concern with a long list of players due to return in coming weeks, but a Friday night clash against Walyalup means we’ll know if he’s in the starting 22 before committing to the trade.
JOEL FREIJAH $117,300 MID/FWD
Unfortunately, few rookies who show up at this time of year arrive without any question marks.
The Bulldogs teenager brings the obvious Luke Beveridge warning, but we can only go on what we’ve seen from the 45th pick in last year’s draft, and that has been pretty good.
Scores of 62 and 51 playing down back in two strong wins, and dodging the sub in both games, are positive signs Freijah can stay in the team and make some decent money.
Ideally, he’ll keep playing until the Dogs have a week off in the final bye round, providing valuable cover until we can cash him in before round 15.
DANTE VISENTINI $143,100 RUC
The Power rucks have been a wild ride for SuperCoaches over the past month.
After Ivan Soldo went down injured thousands of SuperCoaches traded in Jordon Sweet, only for the rookie big ban to miss the next game through illness.
Three-gamer Visentini stepped up in his place and did well enough to keep Sweet out of the team against Hawthorn even after he recovered. And based on Visentini’s performance against the Hawks – 11 hitouts to advantage and 94 SuperCoach points – Sweet might be stuck in the SANFL for a while.
We were planning on much more than an $86,000 profit from Sweet, but coaches could swap Sweet to his Port Adelaide teammate, pocket $100k and hope for a similar price bump from his replacement.
He could be even more valuable if he can provide cover during the bye rounds for ruck picks like Brodie Grundy (round 12) and Max Gawn (round 14).
The problem might be what happens when Soldo returns. He is listed as 2-3 weeks away on the Power injury list.
VALUE PICKS
ZAC FISHER $443,000 DEF/FWD
We raised Fisher as a high-risk trade option last week, and around 5500 coaches took the punt before round 10. They were rewarded with 116 points at the bargain price of $384k.
Now the rest of us have to decide if we are prepared to pay close to $450k for the rebounding defender.
His role is clear – taking eight kick-ins on his way to 31 disposals at 87 per cent efficiency against Essendon on Sunday – and a stellar SuperCoach cast from Jack Ziebell to Harry Sheezel to Colby McKercher have shown how productive that role can be for fantasy.
The question mark here is if it holds. There is understandable caution given Alastair Clarkon’s magnet moves this year – including starting Fisher as the sub in round 7. But with Sheezel improving every week in a new mid-forward role and McKercher injured, Fisher surely has a lock on the defensive distributor job – and all the points that come with it – for the foreseeable future. His dual-position status could also be extremely valuable, especially with coaches who can swing him with a player like Alex Sexton.
One word of caution – North Melbourne has a bye in round 12, so check how many players you have out that week before bringing in another Kangaroo.
ALEX SEXTON $277,100 FWD/DEF
It’s a similar story for Sexton, who experienced a $54k price jump after lockout on Sunday night but still represents value given his very lucrative scoring role.
Thursday night’s game against Geelong was vindication for all the coaches who started the former forward based on his stellar pre-season in a new role in defence. Unfortunately, about 60,000 of them traded him out after a slow start to the year and a stint in the VFL.
But a suspension to Will Powell opened the door for Sexton’s return, and he made it very hard for Damien Hardwick to drop him again by gathering 32 disposals and taking 10 marks for 118 SuperCoach points.
Playing that role at least until Powell’s return would get us through to the Suns’ bye in round 14 with a reliable on-field scorer, then you can make a call on keeping him (the DPP on the bench could be a great asset in the run home) or cashing in what is sure to be a big profit (-40 Break Even).
Here’s a big round 11 play – buy both Fisher and Sexton this week as a DPP pair at each end of the ground.
CLAYTON OLIVER $524,800 MID
Is Clarry back? That turned out to be a question without a simple answer. Or at least an immediately obvious one. But a month after bottoming out we’re confident in saying he will be a top-line midfield asset for the rest of the year. And that this price still represents excellent value for one of the best SuperCoach scorers of the past half a dozen years.
Oliver isn’t at that level in 2024 but after 20 contested possessions and 124 points against the Eagles he has a better three-round average than Jordan Dawson, Jack Steele, Zach Merrett, Sam Walsh or Matt Rowell. That sounds like a more than handy M7 or M8.
And despite gaining almost $60k in value since bottoming out, as The Phantom would say, $524k is still great buying.
Clayton Oliver’s hands well and truly back âš¡ï¸#SuperCoach#AFLEaglesDees
— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) May 19, 2024
LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE $549,300 MID
LDU bottomed out in price four weeks ago but now we’re ready to jump on board after a season-high 152 points against Essendon. The star North Melbourne onballer now has a five-round average of 112.8 with just one score below 100 in that time (90). That followed a run of three scores of 88 or lower from rounds 3-6 that had his owners pulling their hair out.
We know this guy can play – he averaged over 120 in the back half of last year – and he’s ready to become a genuine A-grader with 94 games under his belt at age 24.
The pieces seem to be falling into place, including that very tasty price – still $86k under his round 1 value. Unfortunately, we might have to pay a bit more to grab him after the round 12 bye. Pencil him into your little black book.
ROWAN MARSHALL $588,100 RUC
He’s a long way from the bargain bin but Marshall is still undervalued based on his current form. The Saints ruckman dropped all the way to $504k two weeks ago – $135k under his starting price – but unfortunately we’ll be paying well above that now following scores of 164 and 169 in the past two rounds.
Marshall’s numbers in those two games have been insane for a ruckman – 59 disposals, 20 tackles, 20 clearances, 22 hitouts to advantage. He has outscored Tim English by 155 points and Max Gawn by 109 in that time.
The Saints have the last bye and play eight of their last nine games at Marvel Stadium. If you’re in the market for an R2 to partner Gawn, look no further.
HARLEY REID $443,100 MID/FWD
Just kidding. We couldn’t, could we?
More Coverage
Can we trade Harley Reid back in?#supercoach
— Al Paton (@al_superfooty) May 19, 2024
Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2024: Best rookies, value trade targets for round 11
Five moves that won me $50,000 in SuperCoach
The 20-year-old winner of SuperCoach AFL 2024 reveals the tactics that led him to the game’s top prize, beating out more than 180,000 players across the country.
SuperCoach wrap: Norm-worthy stars and grand final flops
Who stood up on the biggest SuperCoach stage and who disappointed when it counted most? Check out round 24’s heroes and villains – and some hot tips for 2025.