SuperCoach AFL 2025: Experts reveal trades for round 12

Max Holmes or Nick Daicos? Which rookie do we trust? See how the SuperCoach experts are preparing for the byes, including two huge but risky bargains.

Once upon a time, accepted SuperCoach wisdom was to not make any trades at all the week before the mid-season byes.

Forget all that.

As injuries hit teams hard on the eve of the byes, many coaches need to make moves to get 18 scoring players on field – while getting to a finished team as quickly as possible.

Here’s how the experts are dealing with the round 12 drama.

AL PATON

IN: Campbell Gray, Max Holmes

OUT: Zach Reid, Conor Stone

I contemplated using four trades (yes, I somehow have a Trade Boost left) to get an extra cheapie like Angus Sheldrick or Kane McAuliffe who can deliver solid points on field and make some desperately needed cash. But I can’t get there in one trade and I’m not sure it’s worth burning two when my overall count is getting worryingly low (14 after these moves) with half a season still to play. Hopefully next week we’ll have a good rookie crop with some promising debutants this round, a second game from Bomber Angus Clarke and recruits from the mid-season draft. So I’m trading out two players who aren’t playing, and likely won’t for a while, for two who will play this week at least. I don’t love Gray’s job security but if he continues his form from last week Adem Yze will have to find a spot for him when Noah Balta returns. Holmes is good value at $519k and the Cats have an incredible fixture that includes West Coast this week and two match-ups against Richmond in the run home.

Max Holmes is averaging 104 points a game. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

THE PHANTOM

OUT: Zach Reid and Caleb Daniel

IN: Lachie Whitfield and Kane McAuliffe

Young Tiger Kane McAuliffe might be the key to unlocking the much-needed cash gen as we enter the bye rounds. I want the best, so Lachie Whitfield is the man to replace cash cow of the year so far, Zach Reid. But, like many SuperCoaches, I don’t have much to play with on the bench. Enter McAuliffe. A trade from Caleb Daniel – with the Roos on the bye – to the 20-year-old Tiger, who has rejoined Richmond’s on-ball rotation, gives me the money to turn Reid into Whitfield. And with back-to-back scores in the 90s, on top of eye-catching spurts last year and big junior numbers, McAuliffe appears a solid on-field option through the bye rounds.

Kane McAuliffe could be a mid-season cash train. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

CHLOE WILLIAMS

IN: Campbell Gray, Max Holmes, Kane McAuliffe

OUT: Luke Trainor, Zach Reid, Conor Stone

A mix between culling the dead weight, and upgrading ... at least for now, that’s what I’m looking to do. I’d love to grab Daicos this week, but with the Hawks incoming it makes me uncertain, plus Holmes had the later bye. I’m not too worried about trading in players whose byes are to come, because I have so many premos missing this week who can cover for them.

I still need to find a way to Gawn, though, so I’m hoping McAuliffe can help keep the money train moving.

TIM MICHELL

OUT: Harry Sheezel, Matt Flynn and Luke Trainor

IN: Dayne Zorko, Lachie Ash and Campbell Gray

Trading in Lachie Whitfield the week he became a wingman was the cherry on top for what has been a horrible year of trading. So to numb the pain, I might as well grab Ash before he plays the Tigers. Sheezel is a player I would like to hold but realistically at 24k overall, I don’t have a lot to lose moving him on. Flynn might have an easy match-up this week but I think I’d rather hold Levi Ashcroft.

HAYDN ‘DOS’ KENNY

IN: Nick Daicos, Jye Caldwell, Angus Clarke

OUT: Zach Reid, Cooper Simpson, Caleb Daniel

There are players you hate not to own in SuperCoach. Nick Daicos is one of them, and I thank my lucky stars I got away with fading him this long, but that stops now. I’m choosing not to ‘Gray and pray’ this week, instead going early on Angus Clarke for job security. Finally, let’s talk about Jye. He averages 109 SC points with 60 per cent or more CBAs (centre bounce attendances) across the past two seasons, and has hit that attendance rate in four of his six games this season – despite injury setbacks. Caldwell looked back to his fiery best against the Tigers and I’m taking a punt at $429K.

Jye Caldwell is very cheap. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

MATT FORREST

IN: Angus Clarke, Kaleb Smith, Campbell Gray

OUT: Saad El-Hawli, Henry Hustwaite, Cooper Simpson

Trying to fix my cash flow this week. I don’t love bringing in Angus Clarke this week considering he’s not on the bubble, but he’s got the best job security of those available. Smith impressed after a stint of games as a sub and is still very cheap, while Campbell Gray I’m not sold on, but he’s on the bubble and scored well – whether he holds his spot is anybody’s guess. El-Hawli is out for 4-6 weeks, Simpson might not play again this year and Hustwaite has disappeared into the VFL nether. I’m not making a whole heap of cash out of these trades, but I’m more interested in resetting the cash flow than making bank or trading in a premium. Every player has a bye in the coming weeks, so I’m not a fan of trading heading into the first bye round, but I need to make cash to finish my team.

SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON

In: Max Holmes, Jye Caldwell, Campbell Gray

Out: Zach Reid, Luke Trainor, Riley Bice

I’m going to attack these byes hard after having a poor week last week. Geelong’s clash with West Coast and the run home has me going Holmes over Lachie Whitfield, who still could play forward. Caldwell was one of my unique names earlier this season but he then got injured and his price now is too good to pass up.

Tom Stewart is also available for a big discount. Picture: Alison Wynd

DAN BATTEN

IN: Tom Stewart, Nick Daicos and Campbell Gray

OUT: Jason Horne-Francis, Luke Trainor and Zach Reid

Is Tom Stewart’s knee 100 per cent? I’m not sure. But he is cheap as chips, looked good last week, and he went on a ton run in the back half of last season after his price dipped. There are no tags this time, either, with Max Holmes and Bailey Smith in the opposition’s sights, and Geelong’s run to finish the year is very favourable. I could go for another premium but this gives me $200k in the bank to upgrade Matt Flynn to either Tom Liberatore or Tom De Koning off their bye. I have faded Daicos until now but $536k is too good to pass up coming off 28 second-half disposals last round. I liked Gray’s game and Adem Yze has said he wants to keep playing him. Hopefully that is as a defender.

Originally published as SuperCoach AFL 2025: Experts reveal trades for round 12