The Phantom’s Trade Talk: The aim is to have them all but if you can only bring one in this week, who should it be?

They are the runaway leaders in defence but who do you pick right now? After looking at the scoring, price and fixture, The Phantom gives his verdict on who the priority should be this week.

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Excluding the rookie-price players, Lachie Whitfield, Jake Lloyd and Shannon Hurn are the most traded-in players in SuperCoach this week.

And rightly so given the trio scored a combined 472 points between them in Round 9.

They all boast averages in excess of 115 to sit comfortably clear in defence and inside the top-11 overall.

But you can’t bring in all three this week.

And, unless you’ve been building a warchest of money, you won’t be able to afford two.

So which one should you choose?

SCORING

Hurn and Lloyd have played every game this season and are the top-two defenders for total points after nine rounds, more than 100 points clear of the third-ranked Tom Stewart.

The pair are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the competition for total kicks, while Hurn’s 167 effective kicks for the year is 14 more than any other player.

Lloyd, who leads the AFL for metres gained, has posted SuperCoach tons in all-but one game this season.

In fact, if you take into account Lloyd’s finish to 2018, he’s reached three figures in 18 of his past 20 matches, scoring 120 or more on nine occasions.

The West Coast skipper has recorded seven SuperCoach tons, along with scores of 89 and 99, for the year.

It’s hard to seperate them this season but Lloyd’s recent scoring history has to count for something.

Then there’s Whitfield.

While the star Giant sits 234 points behind Hurn, he boasts an identical average.

And that figure takes into account an injury-affected 45 against the Swans, when Whitfield spent three quarters of the game hidden away in the goal-square after a nasty corky.

If you take that score out, the 25-year-old’s average would be a huge 129 points per game.

The former No. 1 draft pick has posted five SuperCoach tons in the other six matches, two of them in excess of 150, including a 40-disposal, 170-point performance against the Blues in his first game back from a two-week injury layoff.

While there’s no better players in the game across half-back than Lloyd and Hurn, Whitfield, who roams through the midfield, has them covered for disposals, marks, score involvements, goals, goal assists and inside 50s per game and it’s the reason his scoring ceiling remains higher.

PRICE

The aim is to get all three in your final SuperCoach side but at $556k, Whitfield and Lloyd represent greater value this week.

Lloyd is now available for $51k less than his starting price and with a manageable breakeven of 108 is unlikely to get any cheaper.

SuperCoaches were hoping Whitfield’s price would be coming down on the back of his 45 points in Round 6 but after he nearly reached his enormous breakeven of 206 last week, that’s not going to happen.

In a similar story to Lloyd, it’s very likely Whitfield gets his breakeven of 117 against the Demons on Sunday.

If he can pair another big score with his 170 from Round 9, his price will explode.

While Hurn should also take care of his low breakeven of 81 - thanks to the big score last week - the extra $30k you’ll need to spend works against him in this argument.

BYE

Hurn - Round 13 Bye

Lloyd - Round 13 Bye

Whitfield - Round 14 Bye

In terms of bye structure in defence, the current top-10 is spaced out over the three-week bye period.

With some big names missing elsewhere in Round 13, just make sure you can cope with both Hurn and Lloyd, if that’s the way you’re going.

Shannon Hurn looks to pass with Myles Poholke behind30/06/18 - AFL - Adelaide Crows v West Coast Eagles - Round 15 at the Adelaide Oval. . Picture Sarah Reed

THIS WEEK

Hurn heads to Adelaide Oval to take on the Crows, a side he’s scored 116 and 113 against in his past two matches. Going by what we’ve seen at Adelaide this year, it’s unlikely he gets any direct attention.

The Magpies head to the SCG to take on the Swans and Lloyd posted a score of 114 in the corresponding fixture last season.

But, while there’s no reason to suggest Hurn and Lloyd don’t maintain their form, The Phantom thinks it’s Whitfield who will go the biggest of them all again.

The Giants travel to the MCG to take on the Demons, the side who conceded six SuperCoach tons to the Eagles last week, including Hurn’s season-high.

Alex Neal-Bullen did tag Whitfield in Round 23 last season but he’s no certainty to play after suffering concussion over in Perth.

THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT:

Whitfield — Although you need to get them all at some point, the Giant star gets a big tick in every category.

Originally published as The Phantom’s Trade Talk: The aim is to have them all but if you can only bring one in this week, who should it be?