KFC SuperCoach: Round 5 trade guide, top Renegades targets

Forward planning is crucial in KFC SuperCoach — but sometimes the best-laid plans can go awry. Check out our best trade targets for Round 5.

Kane Richardson is one of the few Renegades KFC SuperCoaches can trust.

Michael Klinger and Aaron Finch aren’t the only ones tearing their hair out about the batting woes of Melbourne Renegades.

KFC SuperCoaches who planned ahead for the Round 6 double have been stashing Renegades or Sydney Sixers to prepare for a points bonanza.

But after the Renegades were routed for 60 and 80 in recent games, there are serious worries about whether that forward planning will backfire.

The usually ever-reliable Shaun Marsh has scored 13, 1 and 3 for an average of five points in the past three rounds, while Finch has posted scores of 40, 22 and 20 in his three BBL matches.

The ability to pick up a player at their lowest price is the difference between the elite KFC SuperCoaches and the challengers.

Marsh’s price is continuing to tumble, while Finch will almost certainly be available for less than $150,000 for Round 6.

A spike will come at some point and the Renegades’ form will turn — but will it be soon enough for KFC SuperCoach teams eyeing some of their bargains for Round 6?

Sixers such as Josh Philippe and Ben Dwarshuis will be popular selections, but most coaches will need to sacrifice one of their stars to grab one — or both — of that duo.

That’s why many KFC SuperCoaches will be desperate to see a sign of positivity from the Renegades in Round 5 to provide some confidence heading into Round 6, which shapes as one of the most important KFC SuperCoach rounds of the summer.

TOP TARGETS

Aaron Finch’s KFC SuperCoach BBL price is still falling.

Aaron Finch (Melbourne Renegades) BAT

How cheap is cheap enough to take a punt on the Renegades and Aussie skipper? His price is still falling after scores of 40, 22 and 20 in three BBL10 games but there will come a point where Finch will be a must-have. That could well be Round 6, when the Renegades share a double with Sydney Sixers. You sense Finch will be smarting after the Renegades were routed for less than 100 again by Sydney Thunder.

Kane Richardson (Melbourne Renegades) BWL

Any thoughts of getting Richardson for under $150k for the Renegades’ Round 6 double were dashed when he took two wickets and pulled off a run out in one over against Sydney Thunder. The Aussie seamer only just fell short of his Round 4 break even of 89 when he scored 84 and KFC SuperCoaches will have to be prepared to pay about $170k for him — this round or next.

Oliver Davies has made a huge impression in two BBL games.

Oliver Davies (Sydney Thunder) BAT

The buzz batsman of the BBL is surging in price after making a huge impression in his first two games for Sydney Thunder. Davies has posted scores of 71 and 83 — the second of those boosted by his incredible five consecutive sixes. You’ve missed out on getting him for a bargain price now but the early indications are he’s still good value.

Daniel Sams (Sydney Thunder) BAT-BWL

Round 8 will roll around before we know it and Daniel Sams will be the top captaincy choice for Sydney Thunder’s double. The issue for KFC SuperCoach teams now will be when to pay top dollar for him. He was already $225k before Round 4 and will jump again after scoring 70 to beat his break even of 37. If he keeps batting at No. 5 he’ll be irresistible.

Usman Khawaja is still cheap despite turning his form around against the Renegades.

Usman Khawaja (Sydney Thunder) BAT

Khawaja reached what is likely to be his lowest price at $87k in Round 4. He won’t rise a lot after a score of 59 against the Renegades. He raced to 34 from 18 balls before getting out and if that was a sign of things to come he could be a great buy for less than $100k. In a perfect world you’d use the emergency loophole to decide whether to take his score or not.

Josh Philippe (Sydney Sixers) WKP-BAT

Coaches who chose to wait an extra week to grab Philippe breathed a sigh of relief when he only scored 22 against Melbourne Stars. If he’d gone any bigger, he might have been unattainable for many due to a break even of -7. It’ll be dangerous going without him for the Sixers’ double in Round 6, but you might even get away with holding off for one more round.

Carlos Brathwaite (Sydney Sixers) BAT-BWL

Brathwaite seems to have found his niche in the Sixers team as a bowling all-rounder. He hasn’t been a big contributor with the bat so far but already has hauls of 2-12 and 2-23 in four BBL10 outings. He’s batting at No. 8 so treat any batting points as a bonus.

Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars) BAT-BWL

Can you really afford to be without Glenn Maxwell? Almost 10 per cent of coaches traded the Stars captain in for Round 4 and were rewarded when he hammered 71 from 47 balls and finished with a KFC SuperCoach score of 143. The Stars don’t have another double until Round 10 but Maxwell can outscore most double game week players in one match anyway.

Andrew Tye hasn’t had much luck so far in BBL10.

Andrew Tye (Perth Scorchers) BWL

An Australian T20 bowler for less than $100k? Yes please. Tye has been one of the most unlucky bowlers in BBL10 so far. He should have had Usman Khawaja out in Round 3 and scored 0 against Melbourne Stars when Perth’s game was washed out. His scores of 21, 0 and 11 in the opening three rounds clearly don’t reflect his ability and his drop in price has presented KFC SuperCoaches with a mid-season steal. He won’t get as cheap as the $42k projections suggest but anything less than $100k is a great price for Tye.

Mitch Marsh (Perth Scorchers) BAT-BWL

The Scorchers have indicated Marsh will be back bowling in Round 5 and he’s dropped to an attractive price after opening BBL10 with KFC SuperCoach scores of 27, 0 and 67. That 0 was only due to a wash out against Melbourne Stars. After suffering an ankle injury, beware he might ease into his bowling workload. SuperCoaches will get a better indication of whether he will bowl the three overs required to be eligible for the economy rate bonus when the Scorchers name their team for Round 5. If someone such as Aaron Hardie misses out, Marsh will have an increased bowling role.

KFC SUPERCOACH ROUND 5 FIXTURES

Renegades v Sixers — Tuesday, December 29, Metricon Stadium, 6.10pm

Thunder v Stars — Tuesday, December 29, Manuka Oval, 7.15pm

Hurricanes v Heat — Wednesday, December 30, The Gabba, 7.15pm

Strikers v Scorchers — Thursday, December 31, Adelaide Oval, 7.15pm