AFL SuperCoach 2024: The Phantom’s burning questions and round 14 trade guide

Is it too late for Zac Fisher? Zorko or Ryan? Who is the best captain option? Time to trade Clayton Oliver? The Phantom answers the big SuperCoach questions head of round 14.

“I had dinner with Ryan Crowley in Perth last week and we just reminisced.”

Yes, you are in the right place. This is still Burning Questions.

That is St Kilda coach Ross Lyon after Marcus Windhager shut down Touk Miller on Saturday night.

The tagger is back, and we have Ross and former SuperCoach nemesis Crowley to blame – sort of.

Dinner with Ross Lyon – now that’d be something.

Anyway, where were we?

Who’s he going to tag this week, Phant?

“I’m trying to figure out, is Lachie Neale taggable? He sort of handles it pretty well now,” Lyon mused on Wednesday.

“He’s a star but we know (they) have got Dunkley as well in there. They have got a lot, and McCluggage we rate highly.”

Ross is the king of mind games, so it’s still likely to be Neale, given the effectiveness of one on the dual Brownlow Medallist before.

Dayne Zorko VC on Friday night? Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

So Dayne Zorko will be fine?

It’s all systems go with Zorko as VC on Thursday night.

Thursday?

Well, it should be!

Moving on.

Zorko is averaging 137 in his five games at the Gabba this season, and the Lions host the Saints there on – rolls eyes – Friday night.

If you’re a regular here, you’ll know Ross’ Saints give up big points to opposition defenders.

I mean, even Suns Bodhi Uwland (157), Sam Collins (126) and Joel Jeffrey (121) went big last week.

It’s safe to say they aren’t household SuperCoach names.

Sam Flanders – one who is – also helped himself to 42 disposals, 13 marks and 152 points.

I don’t have Zorko and his breakeven is 187…

He might get it!

Seriously.

But, if he’s in reach, just pull the trigger. Round 14 isn’t the time to be saving $30k by waiting a week.

Of course, plan out your trades for the next couple of weeks – hopefully something you’ve already done – to see what works, and what doesn’t, but playing the breakeven game isn’t a priority at this stage of the season.

But I don’t have Luke Ryan either?

Unless, as I was about to say, you don’t have Luke Ryan – then the answer isn’t as clear.

If you aiming to get both for the run home – and you probably should be – you might as well take the potential Zorko price drop and go with Ryan first.

It’s a lot to pay, $666k, but it’s unlikely Ryan’s price changes much from here.

After a $32k spike after round 2, the Fremantle defender’s price has hovered between $644k and $686k ever since.

A breakeven of 135 isn’t a lot when you’re averaging 130 points per game.

Luke Ryan is the No. 1 SuperCoach defender. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

I can’t afford Ryan, what about Jordan Clark?

I like it – sort of.

I was going to say he’s the other Docker going quietly about his business over in the west.

But 127, 134 and 151 in your past three matches isn’t going quietly.

Of all SuperCoach defenders, no one has a better three-round average than Clark.

And his 137 points per game is the fourth-highest mark in the competition.

And he’s only in five per cent of teams.

But?

“Hopefully that doesn’t happen… normally Clarky is the one that gets the tag which is good,” Ryan said on SEN on Thursday.

Firstly, Ryan thinking about his own kick-tally should put him straight in the SuperCoach hall of fame.

But, given his creativity and overlap run off half-back, it is always something to think about for opposition coaches, and for those considering Clark in SuperCoach.

That three-game run is huge, but in the game before it started, Clark was kept to just 16 disposals and 63 points by Sydney’s James Jordon.

Fremantle plays the Swans in – checks notes – two weeks.

Ryan Crowley haunting his old side.

What?

Nevermind.

Phant, it’s late in the week, we don’t have time for this…

Point taken, let’s fire through a few more.

Jy Simpkin?

No.

Luke Breu…

No.

Clayton Oliver and Ed Langdon at Melbourne training. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Trade Clayton Oliver?

I’m holding. He wasn’t far off again on Monday against Collingwood, recording a game-high 15 contested possessions and the second-most disposals on the ground.

I’m not going to advocate using two trades, or spending $100k, to, essentially, upgrade Oliver.

If you’re doing that, your team would want to be looking pretty impressive elsewhere.

But I’m not against using some cash in the bank to trade him to a more-reliable midfield premium coming off the bye.

Does Connor Rozee count?

Not yet. He’ll play this week but have a look how he’s travelling first. A breakeven of 182 means he’s coming down, too.

What about trading Touk Miller?

If you’ve allocated a trade for a sideways move in the bye rounds, you have to consider the Gold Coast Skipper.

Is he going to outscore Caleb Serong, playing one less game? Unlikely.

Too late for Errol Gulden?

No.

What about Zac Fisher?

A potential 110-point forward from here? In this economy?

No. Get on.

But Colby McKercher is due back soon?

His updated one-week-away status on North Melbourne’s injury list is good news for the Roos.

But, while he might pinch some of the kick-ins, his return might not effect Fisher’s scoring all that much.

In his past two full games alongside McKercher, Fisher scored 95 and 140.

Arie Schoenmaker will make his debut on Friday night. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Who is the No. 1 rookie this week?

I was hoping you’d tell me.

Unless, we get a surprise at teams, most of the legitimate options have the bye in round 15.

But if you need one this week, I’d go with Billy Dowling, if he’s not the sub, ahead of St Kilda debutant – and junior SuperCoach star – Arie Schoenmaker.

C’mon, Phant, you know you want to…

OK.

Schoenmaker’s SuperCoach scores in the Coates League last year: 234, 119, 86, 121, 108, 157, 205, 144.

But, seriously, he also tallied 26 disposals – 23 of them kicks – 11 rebound 50s, seven intercepts and a season-high 143 points in the VFL last weekend.

Go Ross.

Full circle, I know.

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2024: The Phantom’s burning questions and round 14 trade guide