The Phantom’s Trade Talk: Don’t ingore the value in the midfield
BLOG RECAP: JACK Macrae had been unbelievable so far in 2018 but, as good as he’s been so far, there is better value in the midfield this week. The Phantom tells you who it is and the other players to jump on ahead of Round 8.
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Jack Macrae had been unbelievable so far in 2018.
The Bulldog midfielder, who averaged 107 SuperCoach points in 2017, has scored 130 points or more in four of his seven matches this season with a career-high 189 points coming against the Suns in Round 7.
Macrae, who is the top-ranked SuperCoach scorer after seven rounds, is averaging 32 disposals, 13 contested possessions, six marks and six tackles per game, while also botting five goals in the opening seven rounds.
With a breakeven of 45, this is your last week to jump on before his price shoots above $650k and, at the time of writing, more than 4000 SuperCoach teams have done just that.
But as good as he’s been so far, there is better value this week.
If you’re in the market for a midfield upgrade, Crow Matt Crouch, for almost $100k less, should be at the top of your shopping list.
The money saved will be valuable for future upgrades and Crouch can match the scoring of Macrae from this point onwards.
The reigning Adelaide best-and-fairest wasn’t the standout in his second game back from a three-week hamstring injury against the Blues but still tallied 32 disposals and 122 SuperCoach points.
And that was following on from a score of 100 points in his return against the Suns in Round 6.
Unlike a number of other fallen SuperCoach premiums – Dayne Zorko and Josh P. Kennedy, in particular – there is no concern about Crouch’s form.
The 23-year-old’s discount price is a result of an injury-affected 51 points in Round 3, when the ball magnet raced to 13 disposals before leaving the ground late in the first quarter.
Yes, the first quarter.
In 2017, Crouch posted SuperCoach tons in 12 of his final 13 games and averaged a huge 125 points in the final 10 rounds.
The only downside is Crouch’s Round 14 bye.
But you can’t ignore the value.
Jack Macrae (WB) $628,400
Average: 132, Breakeven: 45
Matt Crouch (Adel) $533,400
Average: 94, Breakeven: 96
JUMP ON
James Sicily (Haw) $498,000
Average: 113, Breakeven: 29
Sure he’s frustrating but Sicily has proven he is a terrific SuperCoach scorer. After scoring 87 points or more in eight of the final 10 games of 2017 – including five SuperCoach tons – the forward-turned-defender has passed the 120-point barrier in three out of his five games this season. A very low breakeven means he won’t be available for less than $500k after this week.
Charlie Spargo (Melb) $117,300
Average: 79, Breakeven: -89
The Phantom has the Melbourne draftee well ahead of the other bubble boys Ben Ronke and Kobe Mutch as the best downgrade option this week. The 18-year-old has posted scores of 81 and 78 in his first two games in the competition and has fit seamlessly into the Demons’ side.
WAIT
Dayne Zorko (Bris) $425,700
Average: 80, Breakeven: 44
As discussed earlier in the week, was Zorko’s 164 the turning point in his SuperCoach season? Give it another game to be sure.
Robbie Gray (Port) $574,700
Average: 115, Breakeven: 148
The Round 10 bye is getting closer so, again, hold off from trading Gray in this week – or the next – especially given his breakeven of 148.
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
Average: 112, Breakeven: 168
Usually, we would be praising a player with 112-point average but we all know what Dangerfield is capable of at his best. And he clearly isn’t at the moment. Be patient non-owners, he may get closer to $600k in the coming weeks.
Originally published as The Phantom’s Trade Talk: Don’t ingore the value in the midfield
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