SuperCoach AFL 2025: Experts reveal their trades for round 2

Bailey Smith? Sam De Koning? Stick fat and back in your team? SuperCoaches are facing massive questions over what to do after a chaotic Round 1. We ask the experts what their trades will be.

Shopping for Cats is the big priority for SuperCoaches this week, with Bailey Smith and Sam De Koning headlining both scoring and trade-ins after Round 1.

See what the experts are doing this week – who they’re targeting if they’re making moves and who’s sticking fat after a fast start.

AL PATON

IN: Levi Ashcroft

OUT: Elijah Tsatas

No howlers (so far) so this is to set myself up for rookie correction week next week, before prices start to move for most players. I’m confident enough I’ll need Levi so I’m happy to go a week early on him to free up trades for any expected events, and hopefully get some nice points against the Eagles in the bargain. To get him I have to trade out one of my high-priced midfield rookies. Nathan O’Driscoll is safe, so that means one of Elijah Tsatas or Finn O’Sullivan has to go. I’ve flip-flopped on which about a dozen times already (even while writing this sentence) but I’m very nervous about Tsatas’ spot in the Essendon midfield, especially with Darcy Parish only a week away from returning from a back injury. But I expect to change my mind many more times before lockout.

Elijah Tsatas didn’t impress SuperCoaches in Round 1. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

THE PHANTOM

IN: Sam De Koning, Nathan O’Driscoll

OUT: Jacob Blight, James Peatling

I’m not writing off Peatling as a failed pick – he might come into his own when Adelaide’s opposition give it back in the contest – but it’s a trading game and this two-week block is an important one. To give myself flexibility next week, I will jump on one rookie I missed ahead of time and that’s probably O’Driscoll over Levi Ashcroft for now. Ashcroft can be top priotiy next week when I can be sure the sub concern is nothing. D4 was my weakest point, and Blight is listed as a test, so the SDK move is a simple one – the way he won the ball and moved around the ground reminds me of someone, but I just can’t put my finger on it. He can get beaten in the ruck and still score well.

SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON

IN: Sam De Koning, Levi Ashcroft

OUT: Harry Perryman, Elijah Tsatas

I should have backed the eye test and stayed with De Koning despite his score in pre-season. Perryman could hurt me but I’m looking towards bringing Finn Callaghan in next week and this will give me cash. Ashcroft should score enough to make the risk of going early on Tsatas worth it.

HAYDN ‘DOS’ KENNY

NO TRADES

As the best coach on The Lair and architect of a near-flawless starting team, I won’t be trading. When you have the De Koning brothers in your team, what more do you need?

PATCH

IN: Bailey Smith, Ned Long

OUT: Sam Powell-Pepper, Jaxon Prior

Prior isn’t locked in as an out, but Sam Powell-Pepper is up there with quickest I’ve ever yeeted a player from my side. Bye Felicia. Ned Long could become Levi Ashcroft or Xavier Lindsay now news of De Goey’s return has landed, but he’s in for now, while I fortunately had the $250,000 required to turn SPP into Smith sitting in the bank ahead of Round 1. Please don’t ask why I had that cash sitting there instead of … you know, using it to turn SPP to Smith before lockout? Weird.

CHLOE WILLIAMS

IN: Sam De Koning

OUT: Harry Perryman

Look, I could regret it. I said on today’s episode of Breaking Even that first round panic moves are not my forte … but my eyes saw De Koning’s role in a much better light than Perryman’s.

Only time will tell if I’m once again a fool. I’m looking to use one more trade to correct my rookies, ideally to bring in O’Driscoll, but I’m waiting on the final word on Elijah Tsatas’ role before pulling the trigger.

I’d love to hold off trading him or Finn O’Sullivan – and recommend that – but would also love to avoid boosting next week by going early. Xavier Lindsay is also tempting …

Sam De Koning is a popular trade-in option this week. Picture: Michael Klein

TIM MICHELL

IN: Bailey Smith, Sam De Koning and Joel Freijah

OUT: Harry Perryman, Sam Powell-Pepper and Max Gawn/Tristan Xerri

I’ve either gone mad or I am a genius. It’s probably the former. But let me try and justify the madness. If I trade Gawn, who I really needed a 180 not a 129 from in round 1, then I have three of the best mid-pricers of 2025 coming into my team and $151k left to help grab Finn Callaghan next week.

This let’s me have another look at Elijah Tsatas too and if he flops again, he’ll be an easy trade to Xavier Lindsay. That will give me about $175k next week.

Let’s say Max Hall goes well again and I trade Finn O’Sullivan to him for another $80k.

Then I can essentially turn any mid-pricer I want into Callaghan and get him before his price starts to skyrocket.

MATT FORREST

IN: Xavier Lindsay

OUT: Sam Powell-Pepper

I’m a big advocate for not trading after round 1, however Lindsay was super impressive and Powell-Pepper is playing as a pressure small forward despite being named in the guts.

I don’t have Nathan O’Driscoll but he’ll be on the cards next week if he goes again, while Elijah Tsatas is on the chopping block if he can’t produce more gametime.

I was relatively happy with my premium selections, they all had good roles so I’ll persist with them despite disappointing scores from Lachie Neale, Will Ashcroft, Clayton Oliver and Jason Horne-Francis.

Sam Powell-Pepper scored just 18 points in Round 1. Picture: Kelly Barnes

DAN BATTEN

NO TRADES

Call me boring, but I’ll likely be holding fire – barring some Thursday night teams curveballs. Ryley Sanders was so far out of my team halfway through the third quarter on Saturday night, but he managed to rally, so I’m happy to give him another look. Xavier Lindsay and Sam De Koning are in my sights next week and another average score from Sanders will help make way for that duo.

TARQUIN OAKLEY

NO TRADES

Sticking fat with my starting selections after a solid score. Perryman is on the chopping block but I’m happy to give him another chance with a lot of the trade-in options still a week away from increasing in price. Ran out of trades at the end of last year so another round of data to make more informed decisions is my plan at this stage.

Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2025: Experts reveal their trades for round 2