KFC SuperCoach Plus Article: 11 things you need to know for Round 16

The best Round 16 captain options, a bargain defender’s return to form and the breakevens you need to know. Here are 11 secret stats to help with your trades.

Some big injury news has, again, thrown KFC SuperCoach trade plans into disarray.

And it means you need to make the most of your money and final trades.

Everyone can look up the top averages in KFC SuperCoach, but to get the edge you need the extra nuggets you can get your hands on.

SuperCoach Plus provides a wide range of tools and exclusive access to weekly analysis articles just like this one.

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From price and score projections to the best captain options and a bargain defender’s return to form, here are 11 things you need to know for Round 16.

TRADE GUIDE: THE BEST OPTIONS FOR YOUR FINAL UPGRADE

Are you trading in Patrick Dangerfield this week? Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

1. Top trade target Patrick Dangerfield ($495k, FWD) has increased his game-time in each match after returning in Round 13. In his first appearance after recovering from injury, Dangerfield played 73 per cent of the game against the Power. The following round against the Bulldogs it was up to 78 per cent and in last week’s loss to the Lions, the star Cat was on the ground for 83 per cent of the game. His centre bounce numbers have gone the other way, however, with Dangerfield attending 20, eight and seven in the past three matches. The latter appeared to be as a result of the 31-year-old spending plenty of time forward when the game was out of reach for Geelong. Is Round 16 when it all comes together?

2. More than 8000 KFC SuperCoaches believe it will be, with Dangerfield the No. 1 traded in player as of Thursday afternoon. Almost 2000 teams have opted for Dangerfield as their replacement for injured Hawk Jarman Impey, who is likely to miss the rest of the season.

3. Can’t afford to go after a big name for the final spot in the midfield and have Rory Laird in defence? Consider swinging the star Crow into the middle, and going after Bomber Jordan Ridley. There has been no 120-point score, like there was in each of the first four rounds, but the reigning best-and-fairest was back playing the KFC SuperCoach-friendly, attacking role last week. After locking down against the West Coast and Richmond forwards, Ridley took a game-high eight kick-ins and played on from each of them in Round 15. The skilful defender finished with 28 disposals – 25 of them effective – in what was his highest tally since Round 4.

Jordan Ridley recorded his highest disposal tally since Round 4 last week. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

4. Looking for a point of difference? North Melbourne midfielder Ben Cunnington boasts a five-round average of 124 – the 10th-highest in the competition. His ownership percentage of 4.1 is the lowest of the top-10. Gold Coast’s Touk Miller (7.1%) and Bomber Darcy Parish (9.4%) are two others owned by less than 10 per of KFC SuperCoaches, despite their outstanding form.

5. There’s outstanding form and then there’s Max Gawn against GWS. In his past three matches against the Giants, the Melbourne big man has posted scores of 150, 149 and 156. His 154-point average is 19 points clear of the second-ranked player, Lachie Neale, on the top 10 list of three-game averages against this week’s opponent. GWS veteran Shane Mumford played in the past two, will Leon Cameron recall him this week – or go with the duo of Matt Flynn and Kieren Briggs again? It may not really matter.

6. In terms of other VC/C options, if he plays, Neale’s 135-point three-round average against the Crows is significant and Jake Lloyd has posted scores of 132, 136 and 119 in his past three against the Eagles, who gave up seven KFC SuperCoach tons to the Bulldogs last round. Magpies big man Brodie Grundy scored 135 points on return last week but he scored just 103 in last year’s match-up with St Kilda pair Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder.

7. If you’re considering an early-round VC play, just remember Tiger Dustin Martin has failed to reach three figures in his past three against the Suns. Miller, however, scored 124 points against Richmond in Round 12 last year, and he’s posted eight consecutive KFC SuperCoach tons since Round 5 this season.

8. Speaking of Briggs, the three-game Giant has the fifth-lowest breakeven in the league despite a $50k price rise in Round 15. The 21-year-old tallied 14 disposals, 10 contested possessions, two contested marks, a goal and 77 KFC SuperCoach points, in a ruck-forward role alongside Matt Flynn. If you need some bench cover, and he holds his place in the side, Briggs is still worth considering as a downgrade option ahead of Round 16.

9. St Kilda’s Tom Highmore has played seven games, and had five price changes, but his Round 16 breakeven of -54 is the second-lowest in the competition - No. 1 of all playing cash cows if given Hawk Ned Reeves is again left in the VFL. He’s posted scores of 111 and 91 in the past two matches so given dwindling trade counts, and the increasing KFC SuperCoach injury toll, he might end up being your D6. And, for now, be OK with that.

Tom Stewart is set for a price drop in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Alison Wynd

10. After recording a 10 intercept marks – the most by any player in any game this season – against the Bulldogs, Geelong defender Tom Stewart set another record in Round 15. Unfortunately for owners, it wasn’t a good one. Stewart’s 11 first-half KFC SuperCoach points against the Lions was his lowest tally of his 100-game career. He has a breakeven of 146 as a result and is set to lose another $20k off his price tag even with a 102-point score this week. And it could be a similar story the following round. Keep an eye on his price, non-owners.

11. Another rookie-price option to watch is Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp. The 19-year-old finished with 76 points in his game for the season last week, following a 33-disposal, 124-point display in the VFL. First-choice midfielder David Swallow is back in but Noah Anderson and Hugh Greenwood will be missing against the Tigers on Thursday night, paving the way for Sharp’s appearance in the midfield again.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach Plus Article: 11 things you need to know for Round 16