KFC SuperCoach 2022: Expert trades revealed plus The Phantom’s Round 3 trade advice and burning questions

As a trade frenzy reaches its crescendo, our experts reveal their big moves ahead of round 3. See who’s in and who’s out plus The Phantom answers this week’s burning questions.

Has there ever been a trading week like this in KFC SuperCoach?

Last year’s AFL player movement period was a fizzer – they need to take a lesson from KFC SuperCoaches.

By 4pm Thursday thousands of trades had been performed with Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps the most popular recruit, added to more than 25,000 teams. Isaac Heeney, George Hewett, Jake Bowey, Tristan Xerri and Luke Jackson have also been added to at least 10,000 teams each, while Lachie Whitfield is the man in the gun – he’s been traded out by more than 22,000 KFC SuperCoaches.

With value on offer everywhere you look, which are the best moves? Here is what our experts are doing.

Scroll down to see The Phantom’s answers to this week’s burning questions.

AL PATON

OUT: Lachie Whitfield, Mitch Owens, Brady Hough

IN: George Hewett, Dylan Stephens, Patrick Cripps

I’m using my first ever Trade Boost this round and discovered it opens up a world of possibilities – almost too many.

I’ve got about a dozen screenshots on my phone of different trade combinations I’ve experimented with but I think this is where I’m going to land.

I’ve made a slow start this season (due to some bad luck – and captain choices) and I’m not going to make up those points in one week. But I can generate as much cash as possible to make some big plays when it comes time to upgrade our rookies.

So non-playing bench cheapies Mitch Owens and Brady Hough are out, and the one rookie I missed, Dylan Stephens, is in. Having cash reserves from a Dustin Martin to Tristan Xerri trade last week has allowed me to keep Jarrod Berry, who I still think will turn a handsome profit and deliver some good scores on field – starting against North Melbourne this week.

I toyed with the idea of letting Patrick Cripps and/or George Hewett pass – Carlton aren’t going to play like this for the entire season, are they? – but then I remembered when Steven May fell to around $400k last year I couldn’t trade him in fast enough. So why pass up value like that now, especially when both players are owned by most of my opponents.

LATE MAIL: SELECTION WHISPERS AND SUPERCOACH ADVICE

George Hewett has been a key member of Carlton’s midfield in the first two rounds. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

DAN BATTEN

OUT: Max Gawn, Lachie Whitfield, Brady Hough

IN: Tristan Xerri (via Jack Hayes DPP), Aaron Hall, Patrick Cripps

It’s not just a two-week slump for Max Gawn.

Gawn has scored just four 110-plus totals in his last 14 matches (including finals), and his first two games against opposition he would generally dominate – Tim English and Jarrod Witts – resulted in two sub-100 scores.

The Gawn of old looks to have passed us and while he should be among the top ruckmen this year, his cash allows me to bring in three players who could be keepers.

The obvious risk is leaving Jack Hayes at R2, but the 193cm recruit is mobile enough to hold his spot when Paddy Ryder returns, and he only needs to play for another three weeks until Xerri receives ruck/forward status after round 5.

Xerri will make a truckload of cash and as a No.1 ruckman and has the potential to follow Max Gawn and Stefan Martin – who were both cheap forwards way back – in becoming KFC SuperCoach revelations.

It isn’t just a flash in the pan for Cripps, and his mouth-watering fixture over the next weeks makes him a runaway train that I need to jump on before its too late.

I could go for George Hewett over Hall to save some cash for a ruckman if I need it, but the reliable Roo is underpriced for what he produced last year, and I had him locked away in my team during the pre-season.

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Aaron Hall is on track to be the topscoring defender in KFC SuperCoach this year. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

TIM MICHELL

Heath Chapman to Jake Bowey

Josh Ward to Tristan Xerri (via Josh Rachele DPP)

These trades are essentially an admission of two mistakes in my starting team, rather than bolstering my side.

I toyed with Chapman or Jake Bowey for most of pre-season and inevitably chose wrong – remarkably because I thought Chapman had a higher points ceiling (Bowey scored 151 at the weekend for those who missed it).

Our KFC SuperCoach group chat spends much of the weekend raving about Bowey and I am looking forward to enjoying that even more as a Bowey owner. Chapman just doesn’t win enough disposals to rack up big KFC SuperCoach points and there were alarm bells ringing when he was sent forward against St Kilda.

I don’t love trading Ward, especially when he posted a 120-plus score in pre-season – which believe it or not was only three games ago. But, Tristan Xerri has emerged as a must-have and will allow me to cover my big two ruckmen from Round 6 (when he gets RUC/FWD status) in the case of injury or Covid.

As for my potential Trade Boost, while Lachie Whitfield to Patrick Cripps or George Hewett is tempting, Whitfield has an incredible record against Gold Coast. I’ll give him one more chance then reassess. I’m happy to just enjoy the form of Hewett and Cripps as a Blues fan more than anything else. Who knows when I might need that extra trade many coaches are burning this week?

Jake Bowey was incredible against Gold Coast in round 2. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Phantom answers this week’s burning questions

– The Phantom

What are you selling for Patrick Cripps and George Hewett and why isn’t it the farm?

That was my question after the Carlton duo combined for 279 KFC SuperCoach points – all for $853k – on Thursday night.

But, now, after another big weekend of scoring, Cripps and Hewett aren’t the only standout trade targets ahead of the first round of price rises.

I was ready to sell said farm on Thursday. I even had young Demon Jake Bowey earmarked for the Hewett trade.

Two days, 34 disposals, 18 contested possessions, 16 intercepts and 151 points later, that’s not happening.

So, what is happening? Let’s find out.

How do I get Cripps, Hewett, Isaac Heeney, Tristan Xerri, Bowey, and all of the gun rookies I didn’t start with, in three trades?

You can’t. Not this year.

Not last year.

You can’t land every big score in the opening two rounds. If you did, you’re probably already $1000 richer.

Sure, you absolutely need to chase the value, and jump on the right money trains when you can, but the biggest part of this game we love is building a team.

Work towards having all the best scorers quicker than others, not just swapping one out for another.

What about Will Brodie?

Speaking of money trains … 26 disposals, seven tackles and 102 points in 61 per cent game-time – I told you he doesn’t need a full game.

C’mon, Phant, stop asking yourself questions. Who should be priority?

I was trying to avoid this one, because it’s tough.

Firstly, if you don’t have Jack Hayes ($102k FWD-RUCK, breakeven -135) or Nic Martin ($102k FWD, -73), they need be at the top of your list.

Josh Rachele ($184k FWD-MID, -68), Paddy McCartin (DEF-FWD, -68) and Dylan Stephens ($157k MID, -56) are three other sub-$200k cheapies who are going to make serious cash.

Then it gets interesting.

It’s Cripps for me. He confirmed he absolutely is back against the Bulldogs, tallying 35 disposals, 23 contested possessions and two goals in Round 2.

FULL TRADE GUIDE: ALL THE ROUND 3 OPTIONS TO CONSIDER

Patrick Cripps is back. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

The Blues skipper has now recorded 16 inside-50s and 1184 metres gained in the first two matches to back up my suggestion last week that he could now be a better player than he ever has, with more midfield support and an injury-free run.

At $454k, his value is undeniable. And, from what we’ve seen so far, he’s well-and-truly in the mix to finish as a top-10 KFC SuperCoach midfielder.

And that’s the key.

Zach Merrett was the 10th-ranked midfielder last year, finishing with an average of 115. Cripps averaged 119 and 117 in 2018 and 2018 – and he’s, arguably, in better form than that.

Oh, and Carlton’s fixture – Hawks, Suns, Power, Dockers, North and Adelaide in the next six.

So, I should trade Jack Steele to him?

It’s a good question because given the thought above, making $230k by cashing in on Steele before his likely price drop, and receiving a player who can produce similar scores, is definitely worth some thought.

Yes, it’s swapping one good scorer out for another, like I half talked you out of earlier, but that $230k means you could bring in another premium scorer elsewhere.

That is the difference, not just one for one.

But for the many of you who had already made the trade in your head on Thursday night, before Steele recorded 13 tackles and 111 points against the Dockers – yes, I was one of them – the Saints play the Tigers, Hawks and Suns, teams that have given up big KFC SuperCoach scores to midfielders so far this year, in the next three rounds.

Ideally, you go up to Cripps from someone like Jarrod Berry, who attended four centre bounces in Round 1 and then was shadowing Bomber Zach Merrett in the second half on Saturday. His cash generation might not be as significant as some would’ve hoped for.

Just quickly on the price range, are we sleeping in Jye Caldwell?

Yes.

The young Bomber has posted scores of 91 and 90 in the opening two rounds and is priced at $266k. He only attended 11 centre bounces and finished with 21 disposals against the Lions, but he had 14 contested possessions and nine score involvements.

And Zach Merrett, who had 23 centre bounces attendances in Round 2, will miss up to eight weeks with an ankle injury.

If you have all other bases covered, consider.

Tristan Xerri looks to have taken over as North Melbourne’s No. 1 ruckman. Picture: Michael Willson

I’ve already got Cripps, who’s next?

Back to the list.

After 120 KFC SuperCoach points in Round 2, and a Round 3 breakeven of -77 – the second-lowest in the competition – it’s probably Xerri.

We saw it during the pre-season, and now we’ve seen it in the real thing – the 23-year-old is the Kangaroos’ No. 1 ruckman, veteran Todd Goldstein is his back-up.

Against the Eagles, Xerri tallied 14 contested possessions, seven hitouts-to-advantage, six groundball-gets and five clearances.

In the AAMI Series, he recorded 96 points, on the back of 17 disposals and 14 contested possessions. And in his six VFL appearances last season, Xerri posted scores of 110, 105, 102, 125 and 209.

He averaged 21 disposals and 15 contested possessions in those matches to further underline his ball-winning ability.

So, given he doesn’t rely on ruck contest dominance to score well, the fact he’s only played against Max Lynch/Ned Reeves and Bailey Williams might not be a big issue.

Xerri is going to make fast cash and will surely be a RUCK-FWD by Round 6.

He’s an outside top-eight chance in the forward line and he could be a handy R2 after the dual-position status is added, as we wait to figure out just exactly what is happening with the premium ruckmen this year.

Or just better than Mitch McGovern in KFC SuperCoach.

Should we be worried about the big men?

Ignoring the rookies, the most-popular KFC SuperCoach ruckmen scored 88 (Gawn), 101 (Grundy), 75 (Witts), 99 (English), Dnp (Preuss), 67 (Marshall), 137 (Jackson), 98 (Draper) and 72 (Darcy) in Round 2.

Some solid numbers, Luke Jackson in particular, but the first two weeks are of some concern.

Ask me again next week.

Stop avoiding another question, do we trade Gawn?

The Jackson influence is real – and it’s why I didn’t start the Melbourne skipper in 2022. I’m not saying it will continuing for every game this year, but we might see more sub-100 games than we’ve seen from Gawn before.

Even consecutive scores of 105 in the next two weeks and his price will fall by almost $70k.

I like the idea of ‘shorting’ Gawn, as the KFC SuperCoach Investor would put it, and using the money elsewhere for now, but who comes in?

I think we need more time.

Isaac Heeney booted five goals against the Cats. Picture: Mark Jesser/AFL Photos

Heeney?

He’s just behind Xerri at this point.

The midfield move is there, he’s still as dangerous as ever forward of centre and he wins so much footy in a contest.

But is he going to score 140 every week? Unlikely.

Another one that big would really hurt, but he’s one I’m happy to build towards.

It’s also partly because I’m not looking to jump off any of my forward premiums. It’s different if you started Dustin Martin or Tarryn Thomas – Heeney looms as the perfect replacement, if you’re not going the big cash grab with Xerri.

Hewett?

I’m looking at jumping off Lachie Whitfield in defence, and that’s where Hewett comes in.

Heeney might be a better bet to finish in the top-six forwards but, on current evidence, the Blues recruit might also be a keeper down back.

Sure, we are yet to see him play in a full-strength Carlton midfield, given Adam Cerra’s stint in the AFL’s health and safety protocols, but you could argue he’s as important as any player in there, given his work at the contest.

Hewett was clean and terrific in tight against the Bulldogs, recording 18 contested possessions – second only to Cripps – and seven clearances. He had 32 disposals and zero clangers.

What is up with Whitfield?

Not his KFC SuperCoach scores, that’s for sure.

He doesn’t seem to be covering the ground as well he usually does, and there aren’t as many follow up possessions.

I’m not writing him off and I’d like to watch him closely again, but I’m not sure I can let Hewett the midfielder go.

Could I trade him to Bowey, Phant?

Firstly, how good was he in just his ninth game?

He was so clean at ground level, and brilliant with his decision making by hand.

And, as usual, terrific by foot. In his first two games, Bowey has hit the target with 25 of his 32 kicks. As I said in the pre-season, good kicking is good KFC SuperCoach.

I’m not expecting 151 every week, but, at the same time, I’m also not expecting his scoring to fall off a cliff when Christian Salem returns.

I prefer Bowey as a semi-corrective trade from a Heath Chapman-type but another three figure score in the next month and he should get to $400k, meaning he’ll be an easy upgrade. In the meantime, that $250k could get you Cripps. It’s why I don’t mind the big play, either.

Just remember, 35 trades, while more this year, will still go quickly.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: Expert trades revealed plus The Phantom’s Round 3 trade advice and burning questions