SuperCoach AFL 2024: Mid-season expert jury reveals best, worst moves of season so far
As we round the home turn in the 2024 SuperCoach season, we asked nine SuperCoach experts what they got right and wrong, and how they plan to finish the year on a high.
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The SuperCoach season is a marathon, not a sprint.
And right now we’re at the 25km mark – time for a drink and a deep breath before digging deep for the sprint to the finish line.
With teams almost finished, trades almost exhausted (remember starting with 40!) and starting strategies vindicated or up in smoke, we surveyed nine SuperCoach experts to discover what went wrong and wrong so far, what they’ve learned and their plans for the final 10 rounds.
1. Who was your best starting pick?
Al Paton: I got a few right this year (Heeney, Butters, Jeremy Sharp, paying $700k+ for the Bont) but I have to go with Jack Steele. At 3am the day of St Kilda’s first game of the season I swapped out Nat Fyfe to James Jordon and Nic Martin to Steele. Having him as a POD for the first five weeks was massive.
The Phantom: George Wardlaw? Ha. Obviously, it wasn’t but he might yet get close to my predicted average of 93. Isaac Heeney and Harry Sheezel were hits, but the low-key starting pick I was happy with was Matt Crouch. Yes, he’s injured now, but a 109-point average for $490k is good buying.
Tim Michell: Matt Roberts. Made about $250k and provided a stack of great on-field scores.
Patch: Caleb Serong was the best pick, and although he’s cooled over his last month he’s still got a season average of 122. That 170 in round 1 was incredible. Honourable mention to Dan Houston.
Dan Batten: Ollie Dempsey after watching him closely down the highway. A rookie that not many started who ended up making around $150k and produced some handy on-field scores early on.
Swiz: Harry Sheezel. Last-minute call to go Sheez over Tom Stewart has turned out to be a terrific decision. Also took him in a couple of keeper leagues, so hopefully can enjoy watching these performances for years to come.
Tarquin Oakley: Isaac Heeney.
Dos (Phantom Jr): Max Gawn. Has made nearly $100k and is averaging 130.1 SuperCoach points, donning the captaincy for my team several times across the season to date.
Chloe Williams: I picked a few good ones, and then it was mostly downhill from there! Flanders, Heeney and Fisher (who I traded out) were great, but I also started Bonner which provided some nice cash early.
2. Who was your worst starting pick?
AP: I thought Cam Mackenzie could average 90. He hasn’t hit that mark in 14 games and is averaging 61.8.
The Phantom: Connor Budarick. Yeah, nah, that’s all I’m saying about it.
TM: Jayden Short. Got absolutely sucked in by opening round and thought Richmond would be worse than it was (at least early in the season). Never again list.
Patch: Cam McKenzie had the role, but not the points to go with them.
DB: James Jordon, who is now ruining SuperCoach teams in a different way.
Swiz: Tom Liberatore. Nothing worse than a premium POD gets injured.
TO: Cam Mackenzie.
Dos: Connor Budarick. The “Jayden Short role” flagged in the pre-season (by himself, from memory) sucked me in, as did the 94 points in Opening Round. He’s played three games total – one of those in my team for a glorious 17 points.
CW: Connor Budarick, enough said. Please don’t remind me. I also didn’t start Harley Reid ... yikes.
3. Best trade?
AP: Getting on Luke Ryan (round 2) and Sam Flanders (round 4) early was big, but in round 9 I picked up Bailey Dale for $532k – he has averaged 109 since – and brought back in Alex Sexton after punting him in round 3. He has been an extra premo (average 95) for $182k with bonus DPP.
The Phantom: Bailey Dale at $457k ahead of round 8. Bargain. And he’s held his form since.
TM: Getting Isaac Heeney in round 2 and Luke Ryan in round 3. I’d seen enough to know both were must-haves.
Patch: I don’t have a singular trade which stands out – Sam Flanders coming in in round 4 was always planned and on paper is the best decision, but the best trade I made was one I didn’t make. As everyone was jumping off Brodie Grundy to Jordan Sweet, I stayed put, meaning I wasn’t left floundering when Sweet missed two weeks. Sometimes it’s the trades you don’t make which are as important as the ones you do.
DB: Jumping back on Zac Fisher at $380k. Bringing in Harry McKay at $390k for a big 130 in round 3 was also a highlight, but he quickly returned to his starting price.
Swiz: Sam Flanders. Got him after the Suns’ first bye and has been brilliant all season.
TO: Errol Gulden in round 13.
Dos: Isaac Heeney in round 2. I didn’t trust the midfield role to start with, but quickly corrected that mistake. Costing just $483.7k at the time, rectifying that error early was easily my best decision of the season.
CW: Bringing in Serong as my first upgrade and Ridley a week early both worked out very nicely (for now).
4. Worst trade?
AP: Tom Berry was always a short-term play but moving him on after one week for a $44k profit wasn’t great.
The Phantom: Trading Matt Roberts in round 8 was the right call, but trading him to Tom Green at $579k wasn’t, it seems. I traded Brodie Grundy out in round 5, too and, while it made sense in money terms and allowed me to set up my team, the Sydney big man is going OK now. Clayton Oliver rising up the list fast.
TM: How long have you got? Paying $620k for Jack Steele when he was averaging 130 only for him to average 97 in my team. Or paying top dollar for Jordan Dawson the week he scored 55. Or getting Sam Berry in round 13 to help with round 14 numbers only for him to be sub and get injured. I think what trumps all that is trading out Sam Darcy instead of Mykelti Lefau before Darcy’s ton against Richmond. Cost me about 200 points and $100k after a few weeks.
Patch: Sheezel to McKercher. I tried to be too cute and too smart and too edgy and here I am, two trades poorer for it.
DB: I’m going to go with worst non-trade here. Not trading Nic Martin to Dan Houston last round when Tom Powell was my 18th player = 130 points down the drain. Trading Brodie Grundy before his first bye is also up there.
Swiz: Where do I begin? Brodie Grundy, Harley Reid, Nic Martin, Alex Sexton.
TO: Tom Green in round 4.
Dos: Brodie Grundy to Jason Horne-Francis. I thought banking $70k from Grundy via DPP at the Swans’ round 5 bye and playing Jordon Sweet at R2 was a genius play. It was not. Grundy has averaged 124.5 since.
CW: Just one? I burnt two or three trades on McKercher … but bringing in Tom Green over Dayne Zorko about a month ago absolutely stings. And don’t forget the Sweet experiment!
5. How many trades do you have left?
AP: Nine before round 15, probably six after.
The Phantom: Eight before round 15 – almost definitely five after.
TM: Seven – so not enough. Paying the price for Nic Martin in and out and taking punts on Jordon Sweet and Ned Moyle at R2.
Patch: See below.
DB: Nine, and looking at using two or three this week.
Swiz: Seven.
TO: Nine before trades this week.
Dos: Eight. Thankfully, I have a “full premium” midfield.
💩 #SuperCoachpic.twitter.com/xZsZRW7qRc
— Phantom Jnr (Dos) (@HKdos) June 16, 2024
CW: I have 10, but wish I used some earlier. In a weird spot waiting for some more cash generation and some of my targets have the bye, so may even hold those over this round.
6. Who is one player you can’t get that you wish you had?
AP: Izak Rankine.
The Phantom: There’s no one I’m longing for really. Zach Merrett is in this week and Izak Rankine will come in after the Crows’ bye. Caleb Serong might be the one that got away, though.
TM: Zach Merrett. Bring on the tags in the last 10 rounds. I don’t even think he’s been at his best in the past month and he’s still scoring tons.
Patch: I’d love Colby McKercher as bench cover but can’t quite get there. Izak Rankine and Adam Treloar are two premiums I’d consider if I had the trades and the cash.
DB: Brodie Grundy. Brought in Tim English a fortnight ago and I’m losing points by the minute.
Swiz: I was going to say Dayne Zorko, but he’s likely to come in this week so I’ll say Jeremy McGovern.
TO: Luke Jackson. Missed out on points earlier in the season when Darcy was out and would have made ruck coverage a lot easier through the byes.
Dos: Adam Treloar. Unsure I’ll be able to add him to my already high injury-risk roster featuring the likes of Elliot Yeo, Dayne Zorko, and Izak Rankine.
CW: I almost rolled the dice on Leek Aleer, and if I could go back in time and bring him in, my team would be much better off cash wise. I don’t think I can get to LDU now, but I wish I had him.
7. Who is one player you can’t get rid of that you wish you could?
AP: I couldn’t wait for a defender off the round 14 (Ridley) or 15 (Sinclair) byes, so went early on Jordan Clark – and already regret it.
The Phantom: Tom Powell will be Izak Rankine soon enough, but the thought of being stuck with Tom Green, if he can’t bounce back, is a difficult one.
TM: Only one? Probably Nic Martin – again. He looks a shell of his early-season scoring since Jordan Ridley’s return.
Patch: Tom Green. I thought he was the next big thing but he’s fallen off a cliff. I’m hoping he has a second coming.
DB: Tom Green. Probably just have to ride that one out.
Swiz: Tom Powell and Nat Fyfe both might finally go this week.
TO: Tom Green. But another couple weeks or so of mediocrity and he might have to go.
Dos: Tom Green. His 120 average from the first seven rounds seems like a distance memory. He’s scoring 70s and 80s and his price is plummeting, but there’s always a chance he turns it around.
CW: Just one? I will group together Steele and Green for this one … it feel like I’m stuck in a toxic relationship, if I swallow my pride for a sideways trade, they’ll finish the season averaging 120.
8. Will you try to get a 23rd premium?
AP: If I can make my trades work – and he doesn’t lose his role when Wil Powell returns – Alex Sexton will be floating cover on my DEF and FWD bench.
The Phantom: Yes! I am trading Kane McAuliffe to Connor Rozee at $418k ahead of round 15. So, once Izak Rankine comes in after Adelaide’s bye, I will have Rozee/Clayton Oliver cover on the bench.
TM: With seven trades? Does Bruce Reville count?
Patch: I’ll manage to squeeze a King Charlie on the bench as a 23rd option, and ride him and Billy Dowling the whole way home.
DB: Tom Powell was meant to be... It will depend if Alex Sexton holds his spot. If he does, I can hopefully get Powell to Izak Rankine and Sexton will be the 23rd man.
Swiz: Yes – but my 20th, 21st and 22nd aren’t playing like premiums.
TO: Colby McKercher will be my 23rd next week after the byes.
Dos: Not at this stage. I’m looking to fix my on-field fake premiums before hunting for bench cover.
CW: Try, yes, but it is looking impossible both in terms of cash and time. I’m hoping some of my more random holds in Williams and Darcy can produce decent enough scores otherwise.
9. What is the biggest lesson of 2024?
AP: Don’t get spooked by the byes. Starting Tom Green paid off massively and if the fixture looks similar next year I’ll take a punt on one or two more high-ceiling guns from those early bye teams.
The Phantom: Jump on the value when it’s there – even if it means culling a rookie early. The rear view mirror is not your friend in SuperCoach. Don’t look at it!
TM: I have three. Don’t get fooled by Jordon Sweet again and don’t trade anyone before they’re about to play Richmond (at least while the Tigers are bad). But most importantly if you think a player is being overscored, just buy them. It’ll save you a lot of pain. I’m looking at you, Jeremy McGovern.
Patch: Cash is king, always. I hopped off the gravy train far too early and it’s hurting now.
DB: It is OK to trade in a player that you traded out, except when it isn’t. I have already brought Nic Martin, Hayden Young, Zac Fisher and Alex Sexton back after saying adios, and should have given Grundy a second chance.
Swiz: Don’t discount older, injury prone players. Yeo, Zorko, Treloar, McGovern have showed the young guys how it’s done.
TO: Don’t trade for expensive premiums at their price peak. Steele and Green have been tough owns.
Dos: Don’t bother trading basement-priced rookies. Limited trades means it’s generally worth holding strong with failed or injured rookies through thick and thin, even if it means riding a red dot for several weeks.
CW: Don’t burn trades, let that cash generate and hold players one more week than you think you should. Oh, and if a premium falls … once again, think before bringing them in. I do say this at the end of every year, though!
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