Al Paton and Tim Michell rate the 10 most popular trades of Round 8 as coaches target Noah Answerth and Jackson Hately

SuperCoaches only want to know about two players this week — Noah Answerth and Jackson Hately. Al Paton and Tim Michell rate the 10 most popular trades heading into Round 8 as coaches plot a double downgrade. TRADE VERDICTS.

Noah Answerth has made a promising start to his career with Brisbane. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Waugh.

SuperCoaches only want to know about two players this week — Noah Answerth and Jackson Hately.

The plan to double downgrade to Brisbane Lions Def-Mid Answerth and GWS midfielder Hately makes sense, opening the door to target two fallen premiums in Round 9 and boost your team in readiness for the byes.

The only issue could be team selection, with Hately potentially squeezed out at the Giants by the return of Josh Kelly and Lachie Whitfield.

But, if he holds his spot, he’s projected to make $80,000 this week. You won’t want to miss out.

Noah Answerth has made a promising start to his career with Brisbane. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Waugh.

AL PATON AND TIM MICHELL RATE THE MOST POPULAR TRADES OF ROUND 8

Michael Gibbons to Noah Answerth (3682 trades)*

Al: The Brisbane defender is the most popular trade this week, already brought into more than 31,000 teams. After scoring 69 and 72 in his first two games, he’s set to jump in value by more than $60,000. If he’s named by the Lions I’ll be grabbing him.

Tim: You could get away with holding Gibbons for one more week, that is presuming Brendon Bolton doesn’t swing the axe after Carlton’s 58-point loss to North Melbourne. I favour the idea of nabbing Answerth as a midfielder for team flexibility, especially if you have Xavier Duursma or Jay Lockhart in defence. If Gibbons is the man to go, so be it.

Tom Liberatore to Noah Answerth (3438 trades)

Al: Suspect the real trade here is a defender to Answerth then Libba out for a premium midfielder. It’s a tough call on the Bulldogs gun, who has posted a 150 this year, but after 98, 71 and 58 in his past three games and with Josh Dunkley stealing some of his midfield time, swapping for a genuine premo like Nat Fyfe could be the way to go. Don’t do it unless you’re bringing in a rolled-gold superstar.

Tim: I’m sticking fat with Libba, but this really depends on how you are placed with trades. I’ve already used eight and need Libba to return to his form of the opening rounds as I burned one of them to get him. If you have 24+ trades left and get a premium as a result, make the move.

Zak Butters to Noah Answerth (3258 trades)

Al: Butters has hit the wall hard and it’s time to cash him in. You can trade Answerth in as a midfielder or a defender and walk away with $136,000.

Jackson Hately is averaging 90 points per game but his job security is a concern. Picture: AAP Image/Daniel Pockett.

Tim: Butters should hold his spot as a result of Ollie Wines’ injury, but that’s no guarantee on his form of the past few weeks. He’s played like he needs a rest and has hit his maximum price with a breakeven of 72. Unless you need him for a loophole if he’s dropped, this is the week to cash in.

Jack Petruccelle to Noah Answerth (2851 trades)

Al: Petruccelle’s 100 against Port Adelaide has slipped out of his three-game price cycle and his break even is now higher than his average, so goodbye Jack.

Tim: You’d be facilitating this trade by swinging a player such as Tim Kelly from midfield to your forward line. The forwards are where the greatest issues have been this year and with his 100 against Port Adelaide out of his cycle it’s hard to see Petruccelle making more profit. Either upgrade him or look at a trade like this. You certainly want him gone before his Round 13 bye.

Michael Gibbons to Jackson Hateley (2309 trades)

Al: Like Petruccelle, we’ve got about all the benefit we’ll get from Gibbons’ surprise SuperCoach 100 in Round 5. Hateley is one of the best rookie prospects this season — assuming he can stay in the GWS team.

Tim: The double downgrade to Hately and Answerth will be popular this week, with good reason. The only concern about Hately is his job security, considering his debut was praised and he still missed out the next week. He’ll score well when he plays but how often that is will be the worry when you’re limiting your downgrade profit by paying $148,800.

Jordan Clark to Jackson Hateley (2175 trades)

Al: It happens around this time every year — first-year players who started with so much promise start to find the going tougher and score 40s instead of 70s. Clark is no exception and if you can facilitate a trade to cash him in and bring in Hateley, go for it.

Tim: Clark’s break even (55) is just lower than his average of 56.3 and he’s behind Butters and Petruccelle on the list of players to downgrade. If you’ve already moved one or both of that pair on, then trading Clark via either a Xavier Duursma or Jay Lockhart swing to defence would be a smart play.

Zak Butters to Jackson Hateley (1921 trades)

Al: This one is pretty straightforward. Butters has maxed out in price, Hateley is on the bubble. A classic SuperCoach move.

Tim: You’re only looking at a $104,500 profit via this trade, but take it and run. Butters has reached his maximum price and Hately is projected to rise by more than $80,000 if he scores 90. The young Giant has an ideal Round 14 bye and looks capable of filling an on-field spot at M7 or M8.

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Tom Liberatore to Jackson Hateley (1744 trades)

Al: The priority should be to get rid of rookies before dealing with a player who could score 100 this week, but the SuperCoach community has apparently lost patience with the mid-price madness strategy. I wouldn’t be trading Libba to a rookie but if he gets you to Marcus Bontempelli or Lachie Neale it’s a different story.

Tim: Not sold on this one. My gut says those who jump of Liberatore now might get burned. He still spent 59% of the game in midfield against Richmond.

Willem Drew to Noah Answerth (1715 trades)

Al: Drew hasn’t quite reached the ‘must trade’ level of some other rookies but he isn’t too far behind. Safe to hold for another week or two but if you can turn him into a forward line superstar like Travis Boak or … are there any others this year? … it could pay off.

Tim: Don’t trade Willem Drew! News of Ollie Wines’ ankle injury will increase the young on-baller’s midfield minutes and there’s a good chance he could reach $400,000 by the Power’s Round 12 bye. In the opening two rounds before Wines returned only Tom Rockliff (36) attended more centre bounces for Port Adelaide than Drew (29) There’s better ways to get to Answerth, despite the urgency to add him before his price rise.

Sam Collins to Jackson Hateley (1425 trades)

Al: Collins lost $11,100 last week and is set to tumble again if he can’t make his 63 break even. A double trade involving Answorth and Hateley would build a big bank for next week’s trades.

Tim: hesitate in trading with Collins if you can use a player with Def-Mid eligibility to turn him into Hately. Collins has done his job by generating profit in the first seven rounds but cash in now and bring in a more reliable scorer in Hately.

* No. of trades as of 4pm Wednesday.