KFC SuperCoach: Who to trade in and out after first bye round
There are superstars for sale but trying to get 18 players on field this week could be a bigger SuperCoach priority. See our experts’ round 13 trades and all this week’s top targets.
SuperCoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s a huge week in KFC SuperCoach, and decisions now could set you up for a rankings charge in the second half of the season – or send your team off the rails.
With a potential shortage of available players due to the round 13 bye but no shortage of trade options,
Add to that the fact we won’t have much time to make decisions after most of the teams are named and the first game of the round begins at7.20pm on Thursday night, and it pays to have more than one plan ready for the toughest round of the year.
See what our experts have planned and scroll down for all this week’s top trade targets.
AL PATON
Patty McCartin, Robbie McComb and Cooper Stephens to Zach Merrett, Jacob Wehr and Mitch Owens
I have money to spend after downgrading Sam Hayes to Brynn Teakle last week, but that move could come back to bite me if Braydon Preuss isn’t named (come on, Spike).
Even so, it’s a very tricky week trying to balance finishing my team for the run home with getting 18 warm bodies on the park for rounds 13 and 14 – and wrestling with the fact I have enough cash to afford Sam Walsh, who I loved owning last year and could dominate the second half of the season.
But at this stage I think I’ll get Merrett instead. He won’t match Walsh’s scoring but hopefully won’t be too far behind – $520k is super value – and the $100k change will be enough to flip an underperforming premo like Christian Petracca to Rory Laird or Callum Mills next week.
TIM MICHELL
Sam De Koning, Patty McCartin and Robbie McComb to George Hewett, Zach Merrett and Jacob Wehr ... or ... Sam De Koning and Robbie McComb to Sam Walsh and Jacob Wehr
Genuinely torn this week. I downgraded Josh Gibcus to Mitch Owens last week so I have $220k in the kitty for a mega move or two. I think Walsh will comfortably outscore Merrett from here but am mindul that I have only 12 trades left before this round. I’ll be getting Touk Miller and Brynn Teakle in the next few weeks, so whether I can afford to potentially use six trades to finish my side rather than five is going to be a decisive factor.
I’ve faded Hewett all year with disastrous consequences and getting him would finish my defence. That means no Tom Stewart, which isn’t a great outcome. I’ll be going with one of these two options, but you’d have to ask me on Friday before the Blues game which I end up going with. If I had to give you an answer now, I’m leaning towards the Merrett/Hewett option. That means I’ll finish the byes with seven trades.
DAN BATTEN
Paddy McCartin, Sam De Koning and Sam Hayes for Jack Sinclair, Max Gawn and Jacob Wehr
With $250k in the kitty, it’s upgrade season – and it means parting way with loyal rookies servants McCartin and De Koning on their bye. Sinclair has been in my sights for the past three weeks, but Gawn’s monster total against Sydney has forced me to go against a KFC SuperCoach rule: trading in a player the week before they have their bye.
Coming up against back-up ruckman Darcy Cameron with a Break Even of 31, the bearded giant is projected to rise $35k this week – and that’s with a modest score of 110. I fear he could produce another huge score which would price me out after his bye. Having one fewer player in round 14 is a small price to pay for missing out on Gawn altogether. Assuming Maurice Rioli is dropped, I’ll have 18 players for round 13 – 15 of those being premiums – with 10 trades left. But if Wehr also faces the axe, I may be in some strife ...
THE PHANTOM
Adam Treloar, Greg Clark and Buku Khamis for Sam Walsh, Mitch Owens and Jacob Wehr
If you’ve been following my season, you’ll know I am deviating slightly from the plan. Last week – with a full premium team – the plan was to trade in Zach Merrett ahead of Round 13, and swing Marcus Bontempelli forward, pushing Zak Butters to F7/M9 post-bye rounds. But this way, I’m stronger in Round 13, can get my preferred upgrade target in Walsh and will use one fewer trade.
And I’m not wasting Butters, a player who has posted three consecutive KFC SuperCoach tons, on the bench. With an extra game from this point onwards, I think he can cover Treloar. And Walsh definitely will. Unless the Power young gun does something to put me off on Thursday night, I will now go into this weekend with eight trades and another 15 premiums playing, along with four rookies.
Trade guide: Expert verdict on big three targets
Congratulations – you made it through the first bye round.
Now the fun begins.
Most KFC SuperCoach teams will be riddled with blue dots as the Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Geelong and West Coast head into the bye on round 13.
But the good news is we now have a suite of players from six teams that have already had their bye. So if you trade in anyone from Carlton, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Essendon, St Kilda or the Giants, they should play every game from here until KFC SuperCoach grand final day in round 23.
The perfect play is to trade out a rookie who has made plenty of cash but is about to have their bye and trade in an A-grader who has just had theirs. And there are plenty of both to consider this week.
Fortunately we have three trades – four if you can activate a Trade Boost – but for some coaches even that won’t be enough.
So, who should be in your trade plans this week? Scroll down for our best picks of the top-priced talent, value premiums who could match them for scoring plus rookie downgrades and which of the succcessful crop of Dogs, Swans and Cats cheapies we should say goodbye to now, and who to try to hold on to.
THE BIG THREE
DARCY PARISH $625,800 MID
Essendon’s season might be a train wreck but Parish is one Bomber who can hold his head up in 2022. Heading into the Bombers’ bye he was averaging a career-high 35 disposals, 14.1 contested possessions and 118 KFC SuperCoach points, ranking sixth in the competition for total points since round 4 with an average of 125. Has two scores under 100 for the year – 99 and 97, which both came in the opening three rounds. In just 10 per cent of teams he could be a great point of difference for your midfield in the second half of the season. Imagine how he could score if Essendon starts winning games.
SAM WALSH $629,500 MID
Walsh is one of the form players in KFC SuperCoach, cranking out scores of 149, 133 and 123 in his past three matches. His price jumped by about $20k after posting his third-straight ton in round 11, but is still below his starting price of $637k. Walsh has six scores of 124 or better in 10 matches this year and is a player who has eluded many KFC SuperCoach teams after missing the opening round. There’s a case he could be the No.1 point-scoring midfielder from this point, which is why you might have to pay up.
ZACH MERRETT $520,700 MID
One of the most reliable scorers in KFC SuperCoach has timed his price slump perfectly, bottoming out as the Bombers come off the bye. He is $105,000 cheaper than his round 1 price largely due to one horrendous night against the Swans, when he scored just 57 points. Forget that game (as most Bomber fans would like to) and he has a low of 99 for the season and an average of 113 per week. He has averaged at least 100 every season since 2016 including 115-plus in his past two seasons, and is coming off a 130 against Port Adelaide. He’s also extremely durable, missing just two games in the six seasons before 2022 and coming back quicker than expected from a syndesmosis injury early this year.
Will be all over Zach Merrett next week. Averages from Round 13+ in the last two seasons:#SuperCoach - 127 and 119#AFLFantasy - 105 and 109
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) June 4, 2022
EXPERT VERDICT
TIM SAYS: Pay up for Walsh. He’s in the mix to be the top scorer in KFC SuperCoach from here and is coming off scores of 149, 133 and 123 before the bye. In fact, six of his 10 games have been 124-plus so he’s a captaincy contender every week. Merrett only has one game above 124 so far and although he’s the value option, the extra points you’ll get from Walsh will make the outlay worth it. Don’t get me wrong, I think Merrett is a great buy at his price but I still prefer Walsh if you have the cash – and that’s my Blues bias aside.
AL SAYS: Walsh was just about my favourite KFC SuperCoach player to own last year and he has been in my sights for weeks, and I have the cash to get him. But I do worry about having too many Blues. Patrick Cripps, George Hewett, Sam Docherty and Walsh are all averaging well north of 100 but it could catch you out if Carlton has a bad week – as we saw with the Bulldogs last weekend. And even though I don’t need the money this week, Merrett’s value is fantastic – he reminds me of Jack Steele and Tom Mitchell last year, who turned out to be superb buys around this time of the year. Could that cash help me out of a hole next week? I have some more research to do, but Walsh is in my side right now.
THE PHANTOM SAYS: Sam Walsh. That’s it, that’s the verdict. Well, almost. Merrett is great buying, and a terrific way to complete your midfield. Just take a look at his finish to the past two seasons. But I’m tipping Walsh to have him – and a few others – covered on the run home. If you have the cash, go with the big gun.
BEST OF THE REST
JOSH KELLY $619,800 MID
Just mentioning the name of the injury-cursed Giant is enough to send shudders down the spines of KFC SuperCoaches who have been burnt before. But his recent scoring is why we can’t help rolling the dice – four scores above 125 in his past five games including two over 150 for a five-round average of 130, ranked No.1 in the comp before round 12. In just 9 per cent of teams, he’s an undisputed KFC SuperCoach scoring machine who could derail your season – or set you on the path to glory.
SAM DOCHERTY $531,100 DEF
If you were waiting until after round 12 to finish your defence, it’s likely to be a choice between the next two players (if you don’t have George Hewett, grab him ahead of both!). Docherty’s season has been remarkable even if you don’t consider the fact he was having cancer treatment just months before the season started. He has played every game, averaging a career-high 28.1 disposals and scoring 100-plus KFC SuperCoach points in all but three matches. His recent games haven’t been quite as dominant as early in the year but that has resulted in a very appealing price for a player averaging over 109 points a game.
JACK SINCLAIR $562,400 DEF/MID
The hot defender in KFC SuperCoach coming off scores of 138 and 140 before the bye. The mulletted Saint has been one of the surprise packets of the season and one of the most consistent premiums down back, with nine tons from 11 games, plus two scores in the 80s. You’ll have to pay $93k more than the smart coaches who started with him, but with a Break Even of just 54 he’s not getting cheaper any time soon.
OLLIE WINES $575,800 MID
The reigning Browlow medallist has five consecutive tons and a score of 99 since missing a game in round 5. Wines has long been a player overlooked in the uber premium discussion but showed last year he can match the best scorers when he averaged 112. Impressively, he has only had one blemish on the season, when he was subbed out in round 4 due to a heart issue when on 53. Wines has otherwise been very consistent and his scoring floor makes him an attractive option. Wines scored 189 against Port Adelaide’s next opponent, Richmond, back in 2020. He’s still in less than 5 per cent of teams if you need a point of difference to jump up the rankings.
PATRICK CRIPPS $548,000 MID
The Blues skipper bounced back from a couple of quiet weeks with a 114-point outing before the bye. But scores of 83 and 78 in the previous weeks caused his price to drop to $548k, which seemed very unlikely a month ago when he was hurtling toward $600k. Sam Walsh is the hot player in the Carlton midfield based on three-round averages, but he’ll set you back almost $90k than Cripps. If you don’t have that money available, Cripps is a more than adequate fall-back option. The only downside with buying this week is Cripps doesn’t have a great record against Essendon, but he’s a different player this year to 2020 and 2021.
TRAVIS BOAK $489,800 MID
The Power veteran seemed like he would be unattainable for most when he opened the campaign with totals of 149, 156, 133 and 117. But a mixed role in recent weeks has caused Boak to drop to what is likely be his cheapest price of the season. Boak is only this cheap due to a 36 in Round 9 when he played mostly as a forward against North Melbourne. Barring a disaster, that just won’t happen again. If you’re bargain hunting this round, it’s hard to pass up a player of his quality, who’s averaging 110.9, for less than $500k.
JADE GRESHAM $475,100 MID/FWD
Gresham was one of the best mid-price buys at the start of the season and has jumped by almost $200k to be $475k entering round 13. He has stepped up in the absence of injured St Kilda skipper Jack Steele, posting scores of 115, 115 and 99 in his past three matches. That’s lifted Gresham to a season average of 93.7 and although Steele will return in about a month, he recorded tons in four of the opening five matches playing with his skipper. Don’t be guilty of sleeping on Gresham like many KFC SuperCoaches have.
CALLUM WILKIE $491,000 DEF
I know what you’re thinking. And yes, that Callum Wilkie. The same player that has averaged between 70-76 in his first three AFL seasons has come from nowhere to be a relevant option coming off St Kilda’s round 12 bye. Wilkie has scored 117, 102, 121 and 118 in the past month and his three-round average of 113.7 prior to Round 12 ranked seventh of all defenders. The only player within $50k of Wilkie and ahead of him prior to last round on that stat was Dan Houston. Wilkie has averaged nine marks and almost nine intercepts in his last four matches. Featuring in less than 1000 teams, he would be the ultimate POD buy.
DOWNGRADE OPTIONS
JACOB WEHR $123,900 DEF Ave: 55.5 BE: -38
MITCH OWENS $117,300 MID Ave: 45.5 BE: -22
SAM DURDIN $123,900 DEF Ave: N/A
Two bubble boys are on offer this week in Owens and Wehr.
It’s difficult to get a read on their job security, but Owens’ eye-catching two-goal return in round 11 should buy him at least a couple of weeks in the side.
Mature-ager Wehr has been starting games slowly but has managed scores of 51 and 60 in his first two matches.
The shortage of rookie defenders and the likes of Sam De Koning and Paddy McCartin missing this week the bye means Wehr is a higher priority from a cheapie perspective.
If Wehr doesn’t hold his spot, keep an eye out for mid-season draftee Sam Durdin, who is set to play an immediate role in the depleted Carlton backline.
The 198cm key-defender has season averages of 52.3 (2017, eight games) and 52.6 (2019, 10 games) and 36.3 (2020, three games) while playing with North Melbourne so don’t expect off-the-charts scoring, but he is a warm body who should keep getting games.
ROOKIE RATINGS
Trade or hold?
THE ORIGINALS
Nick Daicos DEF-MID
Verdict: HOLD. His remarkable performance in the wet means he is worth holding onto – at least until the Pies’ round 14 bye.
Paddy McCartin DEF
Verdict: HOLD/TRADE. Put up a 95 with a strong second half in the Swans’ upset win over the Demons but with Sam Docherty and Jack Sinclair coming off the bye this week and McCartin on it, you can be forgiven for moving him on.
Sam De Koning
Verdict: TRADE. A similar case to McCartin with the bye this week. If you have to choose between the two, trade out SDK.
Nic Martin $368,700 BE: 76
Verdict: TRADE/HOLD. If you’re round 13 bye situation isn’t look great, you can afford to hold considering he already has had his bye.
THE REST
Robbie McComb FWD-MID
Verdict: TRADE. Has done his job and may not be back after his round 13 bye after a quieter game against the Cats.
Malcolm Rosas FWD
Verdict: HOLD. Has the bye but was super impressive against North Melbourne, scoring 83 points from nine disposals, seven tackles and two goals.
Greg Clark MID
Verdict: HOLD. Had what KFC SuperCoach Investor Dan Begala calls an octopus (ten tackles) against the Crows. Not scoring like we expected after his ton on debut, but should still have cash to make.
Joel Jeffrey FWD
Verdict: HOLD. Plenty of money still to be made after back-to-back 90s and a 64 in his last three.
Brady Hough MID
Verdict: HOLD. Is there much point trading? You’ll only make about $70k tops via a downgrade.
Buku Khamis DEF
Verdict: HOLD. Hit his break even and a downgrade will get you peanuts.
Hugh Dixon FWD-RUC
Verdict: TRADE. Looks to be down the pecking order and has the bye this week.
Cooper Stephens MID
Verdict: HOLD. Has splinters from the bench, but you are better off hoping for more games post-bye then settling for a small downgrade.
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.