SuperCoach AFL 2024 round 21 train guide: Expert verdict on best targets for league finals
Holding trades entering SuperCoach league finals is a huge advantage. But who should go and which players can set you on the path to glory? See the expert verdict here.
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If you have trades in the bank going into SuperCoach finals, you are already one step ahead.
But that advantage is only worth what you do with those trades.
Who can go, and who should you bring in to make the difference in a head-to-head match-up?
See the experts’ verdict on the most traded players in SuperCoach this week – and scroll down for the full trade guide.
MOST TRADED OUT
1. JORDAN RIDLEY $521,100 DEF
Al Paton: TRADE. Tom Stewart or Ed Richards are great replacements – or Jack Sinclair if you have a spare $80k.
Tim Michell: TRADE. Ruled out for three weeks with injury and there are four weeks of SuperCoach left. Try to grab Hayden Young, Tom Stewart or Jeremy McGovern (if you want a POD for league finals).
Chloe Williams: TRADE. Ugh, should’ve seen it coming. If you’re like me and have no trades, good luck! Otherwise, move him on – if I could I’d bring Stewart in as a replacement.
2. BILLY DOWLING $336,800 MID/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. What’s the value of bench cover versus loading up on field? That depends on how many injuries we cop in the run home, so unfortunately we won’t know the answer for a month. If you need to win a final this week then go for broke.
TM: TRADE. Unless you think you’ll need the MID-FWD cover in the last month. He’s made more than $200k and if you have been shrewd with your trades you could flip him to a topliner this week.
CW: CONSIDER. If he’s your ticket to a premium, move him on, but otherwise I don’t see why you’d use that trade yet.
3. SHAUN MANNAGH $339,500 MID/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. See my Dowling verdict above. Ideally I would like to keep one of them as insurance.
TM: CONSIDER. Hasn’t scored less than 73 in the past four weeks and has a Break Even in the 30s. But if downgrading Mannagh helps you turn Billy Dowling into a gun, don’t hesitate.
CW: CONSIDER. Same as Dowling, and once again dependent on trades. If these $300k rookies can get you to your dream team, it should be a done deal! If not, see what other options you have available and save some trades for injuries.
4. ZAC FISHER $473,800 DEF/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. He’s listed as a “test” this week and it’s as simple as if he’s named, keep him, if he’s not, you can pull the trigger.
TM: CONSIDER. Might be back this week and North Melbourne’s next opponent (Richmond) has a habit of giving up big scores to backline ball magnets. My gut says even if he’s fit, he might not get picked. He wasn’t great against Carlton.
CW: HOLD: Wait until teams are announced to make your final decision – his DPP is handy but it’s a lot of money to be tied up if he’s demoted once more. He is listed as a test, though, so you can only hope.
5. ALEX SEXTON $398,700 DEF/FWD
AP: TRADE. Unless you desperately need the cover and he’s named this week. I have a lot more faith in Dowling or Mannagh to post a passable score.
TM: HOLD. Dan Batten held him last week and has now told me that Sexton had 35, 45 and 65 disposals in the VFL. Apparently he kicked 12 goals as well. More accurately, he had 21 disposals, 10 marks and kicked five goals. Surely that’s enough for a recall.
CW: HOLD. If you’ve been tracking our weekly VFL score update, you’d know he had a blinder over the weekend. But now that Bodhi Uwland is free to play, his path back in is not as obvious.
6. CHARLIE COMBEN $415,100 DEF/FWD
AP: TRADE. Cover value has dried up with his scores, and he’s under an injury cloud. Use the cash if you can.
TM: TRADE. Three scores of 75 or less in the last three rounds and with Griffin Logue in the team there’s a real chance he plays forward this week against Richmond. Although maybe he’ll kick a bag. I mean, I traded Sam Darcy before he played the Tigers and that worked a treat ...
CW: HOLD. Although I often hold my players too long, he should give you one last boost against Richmond … sorry, Al.
7. NATHAN KREUGER $239,600 MID/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. I think he’s outside Collingwood’s best 23 now but I might need him if Brodie Grundy is rested over the next four weeks.
TM: TRADE. Even if he’s picked this week which I don’t think he will be, he’s unlikely to be on your field.
CW: TRADE. Downgrade and take the cash – McStay has answered the Pies’ forward prayers. Even if they go tall against the Blues, I can’t say his role is secure.
8. JOEL FREIJAH $291,200 MID/FWD
AP: TRADE. Don’t see a lot of value in holding him.
TM: TRADE. Didn’t realise people still had him.
CW: TRADE. The Bulldogs are flying and are still regaining troops. Thanks for your SuperCoach service, Joel.
9. LOGAN EVANS $314,200 DEF
AP: TRADE. Unlike Dowling and Mannagh, he can cover only one position. It’s a great result to make more than $200k out of him.
TM: HOLD. Has a Break Even of 21, so you can squeeze some more cash out of him. Carlton has been a tough team for defenders to score against most of the year, so it’s no surprise he dropped off a bit last round.
CW: HOLD. One of my favourite selections of the year and he still has a little more to give. If you’re on limited trades, keep him for a while longer.
10. CHAD WARNER $500,300 MID
AP: TRADE. Was outscored by his brother last weekend. Take a flyer on huge POD Tim Kelly ($507k).
TM: TRADE. In the form he’s shown in the last few months he could be a serious liability in SuperCoach finals.
CW: CONSIDER. It would be a luxury to trade him, but if you have this luxury - take it.
MOST TRADED IN
1. DYLAN MOORE $504,600 FWD
AP: BUY. Prone to a 70 but the Hawks have a great run home.
TM: BUY. Almost used my last trade on him in round 20, but went for Tom Stewart instead. Hawthorn plays Richmond and North Melbourne in the last two rounds, which could be bumper outings for Moore.
CW: BUY. If there’s one player I wish I could go back in time and buy before I used my last trade, it’s Moore. He already boasts a huge ceiling and has a dream run home.
2. ADAM TRELOAR $611,700 MID
AP: BUY. I was tossing up Treloar or Zach Merrett after the byes and went the safe route, which I now regret.
TM: BUY. Only one score under 91 for the year and only five matches where he hasn’t registered 30 disposals. Got to be All-Australian, doesn’t he?
CW: BUY. If you have money and moves to make, this is the one. Basically every week bar one he’s been pushing for POD of the Round credentials. A three-round average of 141. Are you sold yet?
3. TOM STEWART $552,400 DEF
AP: BUY. Incredible role and now putting up some big ceiling scores.
TM: BUY. Used my last trade on him last week. He has the best role in SuperCoach. A centre bounce midfielder who then plays loose man. It doesn’t get any better than that!
CW: BUY. Especially if you own Ridley … but his current role is superior for SuperCoach scoring!
4. CHARLIE CURNOW $431,500 FWD
AP: BUY. What’s that rule about key forwards and SuperCoach? Ignore it with three rounds left and join me on the rollercoaster!
TM: BUY. West Coast coming up in a few weeks and Curnow kicked 19 goals in two games against the Eagles last year.
CW: BUY. There’s been a buzz for a while, but you heard it here first … this is the week his tear begins.
5. KYNAN BROWN $102,400 MID/FWD
AP: CONSIDER. Useful for loopholes and DPP if you don’t need the bench cover.
TM: BUY. More for DPP than anything else. Might mean you can swing Sam Flanders or Isaac Heeney into your midfield if needed in case of emergency.
CW: BUY. If you need a DPP doughnut.
6. LACHIE WHITFIELD $597,600 DEF
AP: BUY. Defender ranks for the past five weeks are interesting reading – Harry Sheezel is No.1 with Whitfield No.2. Nick Daicos is No.7 and Luke Ryan comes in at No.22.
TM: BUY. Since I traded him at the round 12 bye he has scored a ton every week and I have cried every week. I still cannot fathom how many easy set shots get missed against GWS, or the fact no one seems to play on him.
CW: BUY. He has just celebrated his eighth consecutive SuperCoach ton … I’m sure if Jacob Gaynor gets wind of this there will be a bottle of champagne popped when he reaches 10 in a row, right?
7. DAYNE ZORKO $565,000 MID/FWD
AP: BUY. How have you gone this long without him?
TM: BUY. Touch wood, it’s a miracle that Zorko has got this far into a season at 35 without any injury concerns. St Kilda coming up this week and they pay about as much attention to half-back flankers as I have the equestrian at the Olympics.
CW: BUY. He just keeps on giving, with back-to-back Marcus Ashcroft medals and a huge ceiling. Lachie Neale usually cops the tag, too, so he’s free to roam around the backline and create scoring chains.
8. SAAD EL-HAWLI $102,400 DEF/MID
AP: BUY. Would be playing for the Bombers if he wasn’t injured, but can still be useful as a link between the midfield and defence.
TM: BUY. Assume it’s just for his DEF-MID swing as he’s still injured and unlikely to play this year despite Essendon’s awful showing against St Kilda.
CW: BUY. Another option for a DPP doughnut … mmm, doughnuts.
9. MATT ROBERTS $380,200 DEF/MID
AP: BUY. The Phantom’s SANFL under-18 numbers don’t lie. Great bargain pick.
TM: BUY. I almost did last week. Seriously. I was going to trade Nathan Kreuger to him before I decided I needed Tom Stewart. With so many injuries in the Sydney backline, Roberts suddenly has the keys to be the man behind the ball. And he’s DPP, so he can carry you through the last month of the season. Who cares if you traded him out mid-year, his role is better than ever now.
CW: CONSIDER. It’s tempting, and would be more tempting if most of us hadn’t used trades on him already. I will err on the side of caution as Dane Rampe is listed as a test, Lewis Melican seems to be fine and Luke Parker is still hovering … you’d think he’s in their best line-up, though.
10. JYE CALDWELL $559,200 MID/FWD
AP: PASS. Am I biased because I missed him? Probably. A very good player but I think (hope?) his hot streak is over – his CBAs last week with Darcy Parish back were his lowest since round 12.
TM: BUY. Essendon couldn’t have been worse and he still scored 92. Enjoy him as a forward while you can before he’s MID only next year.
CW: BUY. Someone has to lift the Bombers, and with Zach Merrett often tagged, it’s falling on Caldwell. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to do it all, but he will score points while trying!
Trade guide: Top targets for SuperCoach finals
– Al Paton
Now things get serious in SuperCoach.
After 20 crazy rounds, head-to-head finals in most leagues start next week.
Whether you are sitting pretty with the double chance or are the underdog in an elimination final will determine your trade strategy this week.
If you’re in the category of going for broke, this is the place to start.
Check out the bold and potentially lucrative moves you can make with those crucial final trades.
MATT ROBERTS $380,200 DEF/MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 0.3 per cent (47 coaches)
Anyone with the foresight to bring in Roberts after consecutive scores of 95 and 114 in rounds 18 and 19 pulled off one of the season’s biggest trade heists. After a stint in the VFL, one of the most successful rookies of the first half of the season is back in a massive way. Injuries in Sydney’s defence have opened the door for a fantastic role for the long-kicking left-footer, and he has grabbed it with both hands – his 161 points against the Bulldogs was the highest score for the round. There’s no reason to see that role changing over the next four weeks and although it would have been great to grab him for $288k last week, this is still a great price especially if you’re still holding a Zac Fisher type.
ADAM TRELOAR $611,700 MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 5.8 per cent (1054 coaches)
The Bulldogs are arguably the competition’s form team right now and they have a dream SuperCoach finals run for midfielders, facing Melbourne, Adelaide, North Melbourne and GWS in the next four rounds. Treloar is the Stealth SuperCoach premium – still somehow flying under the radar despite averaging 117 points a game for the season; his three-round average of 141 is the best in the comp. With five scores over 140 this year he’s a great captain or vice-captain option – starting this Friday night against the Demons.
ED RICHARDS $546,200 DEF/MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 4 per cent (732 coaches)
Can’t afford Treloar? Richards is much more affordable, comes with DPP and a five-round average of 109, and is slightly more of a POD (4 per cent owned compared to Treloar’s 5.4 per cent). His move to the midfield has been a huge winner – well played, Bevo – and he has outscored Marcus Bontempelli in each of the past two weeks.
COOPER SHARMAN $342,000 FWD
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 0 per cent (1 coach)
Can that one coach please contact us and explain why he traded in the Saints forward? Perhaps they spotted another role opening up when Max King went down with a knee injury. Sharman played the game of his life against Essendon, pulling in 10 marks and booting three goals for 129 SuperCoach points. But it wasn’t totally out of the blue after scoring 88 and 82 the two previous weeks (kicking two goals in each game). A match-up against Brisbane is much tougher on paper but the Saints have hit form and love playing under the Marvel Stadium roof. And he’s very cheap.
NASIAH WANGANEEN-MILERA $521,900 DEF
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 15 per cent (2746 coaches)
A more established Saint who presents a lot less risk than Sharman but still has huge upside. Wanganeen-Milera is one of the unsung improvers of 2024, boosting his SuperCoach average from 85 to 102, with his 134 points against the Bombers (from 31 disposals and a goal) his best of the year. Wanganeen-Milera is an up and coming star who relishes the conditions at Marvel, where St Kilda plays all four of its remaining matches, including a meeting in two weeks with Richmond in two weeks, which has given up huge scores to defenders all season.
WILL DAY $549,800 MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 2.9 per cent (528 coaches)
One of those coaches is The Advertiser’s Simeon Thomas-Wilson, who picked Day as a POD coming off Hawthorn’s mid-season bye. He hit the mark with that shooting from the hip pick, with Day not dropping below 92 in his past 10 games – and averaging 114 in that time. He hasn’t had too many high ceiling games in that time but he won’t let you down (something we can’t say for many other mids) and 136 points against the Crows shows he can go big. And the Hawks finish the year against GWS, Carlton, Richmond and North Melbourne.
GEORGE HEWETT $405,100 MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 0.1 per cent (13 coaches)
Connor Rozee was one of the bargains of the season when he dropped to $410k. Could Hewett deliver similar value? He is even cheaper despite scoring back-to-back hundreds as he is once again a regular in the Blues midfield. He outscored Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh on Friday night and has recorded 14 tackles over the past two rounds. Add 14 contested possessions and it’s a great base for SuperCoach scoring, as we saw in 2022 when Hewett averaged 111 points a game.
ANDREW BRAYSHAW $580,200 MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 3.3 per cent (591 coaches)
While some Dockers slow down in the back end of the season, Brayshaw is picking up the pace. Back-to-back scores of 137 in the past two rounds takes his average from his past six to 120.6. After his centre bounce numbers dropped to the 50s earlier in the season, he has been consistently in the 70-80 per cent range since Fremantle’s mid-season bye. His game is built on volume, racking up 36 and 41 touches in his past two games. Freo’s run home is tricky – Essendon (away), Geelong (home), GWS Giants (away) and Port Adelaide (home), but in the form Brayshaw is in, it might not matter.
TIM KELLY $507,400 MID
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 0.0 per cent (3 coaches)
An uber POD at a great price with a proven high ceiling, Kelly has hit form in the past month with SuperCoach scores of 91, 106, 97 and 139. The Eagles’ finals run includes match-ups against Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Carlton and Kelly’s former team Geelong – playing at GMHBA Stadium shouldn’t hold any fears for him.
REILLY O’BRIEN $503,800 RUC
Ownership in top 10 per cent: 0.0 per cent (5 coaches)
This is a Hail Mary option if you need to pull something totally out of left field to win a final next weekend. O’Brien is in good form, scoring 115 and 124 in his past two outings, but this is all about his direct match-up in round 21. The Crows face Geelong on Saturday afternoon, and the Cats have been giving up enormous ruck scores as they run a mix of Sam De Koning, Shannon Neale and Mark Blicavs at centre bounces. Ruck scores against the Cats in recent weeks include 151 (Tristan Xerri), 139 (Tim English), 131 (Darcy Cameron) and 176 (Tom De Koning). ROB has spent time in the SANFL this year but has shown the ability to post monster scores in the past, scoring 175 against the Cats in 2022 and 181 against Richmond back in 2019.
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