AFL SuperCoach 2024: The Phantom’s burning questions and round 10 trade guide

Dayne Zorko or Izak Rankine this week? Is Clayton Oliver still worth it? Time to trade Harley Reid? The Phantom answers the big round 10 SuperCoach questions.

Clarry still for $495k at M8, yeah?

That’s what I posted on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter on Thursday night after Clayton Oliver finished with 26 disposals and 86 points against the Blues.

“Absolutely not” was the first reply I received.

Then the more rational: “Ideally not, but we all have to compromise somewhere”.

Then, completing the full circle, came “absolutely”.

It’s fair to say there was a differing of opinion in the SuperCoach community over the weekend.

Clarry still for $495k at M8 next week, yeah?

I think so.#SuperCoach

— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) May 10, 2024

What’s your opinion?

I’m still sitting somewhere between “we all have to compromise” and “absolutely”.

Oliver only had nine contested possessions – his equal-second-lowest tally for the year.

But Carlton is the AFL’s contested king, boasting a +10 contested-possession differential – No. 1 in the league by some way.

The Blues midfield was all over Melbourne’s for most of the night but Oliver lifted and the Demons got back into the game late.

Clayton Oliver scored 86 SuperCoach points against the Blues. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Carlton has also conceded, on average, the fourth-least SuperCoach points per game this season.

Three of Melbourne’s next five opponents – West Coast, St Kilda and North Melbourne – are at the other end, ranking in the top five for giving up SuperCoach points.

Yes, Oliver at his best scores against anyone, but softer match-ups – if you like – will help an Oliver who is still building back to his best

He didn’t get close to eclipsing the previous week’s numbers, but Oliver was, again, moving well and getting to plenty of contests.

“Did he pass your eye test?” another replied later.

He did.

A better option than Petracca?

A Melbourne fan did tell me this week he trusted Oliver more than Petracca from a fantasy point-of-view for the rest of the year.

As good as Petracca is, that $60k could be handy.

So you’re trading him in then?

Umm.

Phantom …

Yeah, but, you know, Dayne Zorko and all.

In last week’s trade plan, you told us it was after the bye for Zorko …

I did, yes.

But then I watched Richmond play on Saturday night.

Sorry, Tigers fans.

If anyone is going to dine out on a hapless team, it’s Zorko.

This year, Zorko is averaging 124 in Brisbane wins and 99 in losses.

Last season, that difference was +16.

In 2021, when he averaged 106 on the year, he was 32 points better off when the Lions won.

And this year, with Daniel Rich retiring and Keidean Coleman doing another ACL, he’s playing at half-back, taking more kick-ins than any other Lion since round 2.

Dayne Zorko faces the Tigers on Saturday night. Picture: Jason McCawley/AFL Photos

Richmond could just have 26 fit players to pick from on Saturday night. Then it’s Hawthorn, the Bulldogs and, after the bye, St Kilda, a side who often give up big scores to defenders.

In the past five matches, attacking defenders Bailey Dale (175), Colby McKercher (135), Lachie Ash (122) and Lachie Whitfield (109), Karl Amon (118) and Dan Houston (107) have all posted SuperCoach tons against the Saints.

And his breakeven is 45.

Oliver’s is 53, but low $500k might still be good buying for the Melbourne star if he can prove he’s really back on the weekend.

So, Zorko over Rankine?

This week, yes.

I am know I am straying from the trade plan path again, but, really, I am just flipping the order.

The star Crow was huge against Zorko’s side in Sunday’s draw and is now the fifth-ranked SuperCoach forward after a season-high 142.

His CBAs remained steady at 33 per cent, but Rankine still had 14 contested possessions – the equal-second-most for the Crows – and five clearances.

He booted another three goals, taking his tally to 10 in the past three matches.

Importantly, the sublimely-skilled Rankine recorded 0 clangers against Brisbane.

At 65, Rankine’s breakeven is low, too, but with Adelaide travelling to the MCG for a date with Collingwood, his price is unlikely to rise as much as Zorko’s this week.

West Coast, Hawthorn and Richmond in the three rounds after that and it might be a different story.

Zorko or Rankine this week?

Yeah, but he’s more likely to not get injured …

That appears to be true, yes.

Zorko still comes with the most risk.

While durability might not be Zorko’s thing, as his 40-disposal, 15-mark, 160-point performance in the QClash shows, going big is.

But over summer, he did say his body is in as good a shape as it has been for years.

“How old’s LeBron? Forty-odd?” Zorko asked when speaking about how much he’s got left in the tank in January.

Maybe a bit much, Dayne.

You didn’t want to go near Elliot Yeo for durability reasons?

If Yeo was a forward, I’d probably trade him in this week – and he’s probably not even playing.

Colby McKercher won’t play this week. Picture: Linda Higginson/AFL Photos

Speaking of injured, do I trade Colby McKercher?

If you missed the news late yesterday, scans have confirmed the Rising Star nominee has bone stress in his foot and will miss at least this weekend’s clash with Essendon.

With the Roos travelling to Hobart the following round and then having a week off, will we see McKercher before the bye?

I’m no doctor, but a 19-year-old with a stress-related bone injury? I’d say we won’t.

Given his huge three weeks across half-back, and another low breakeven of -10, it’s frustrating, but if I was an owner, I would trade, especially if it helps you get to a rolled-gold star.

Even if you only traded him in last week – remember, you still made $70k.

You could always wait a week to be sure, and maybe even give yourself more options at the same time. All pending your bench cover, of course.

Trade McKercher over Harley Reid then?

If we’re playing purely the money game, then you’re probably trading Reid this week, coming off back-to-back 59s with a breakeven of 134.

You’re probably trading Reid and keeping McKercher, who won’t lose any value.

Most other rookies and we’d pull the trigger without thinking.

As his 147-point score in round proves, though, Harley Reid isn’t most other rookies.

If you can turn Reid into Zorko, Rankine or maybe even Luke Ryan, if you don’t have him ahead of a meeting with the Saints, then you’re probably not going to lose.

Just don’t look back.

Don’t ever look back.

But if you hold Reid, while you might not be selling him for quite $443k at the Eagles’ bye, you’ll probably be rewarded with another good score in between.

Right now, I’m very much in between the “absolutely” and “absolutely not” on that one.

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2024: The Phantom’s burning questions and round 10 trade guide