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AFL SuperCoach 2016: Our experts rate their teams, identify good and bad trades plus who to target next

IF you’re finding the going tough in SuperCoach this season you are not alone ... our so-called experts have made their fair share of blunders. Best and worst trades revealed

Gold Coast Suns midfielder Aaron Hall picked up where he left off last year. Picture: David Clark
Gold Coast Suns midfielder Aaron Hall picked up where he left off last year. Picture: David Clark

IF you’re finding the going tough in SuperCoach this season you are not alone ... our so-called experts have made their fair share of blunders too

The gap between the contenders and pretenders is widening as every round passes.

No wonder given injuries, erratic form and nightmares at the selection table.

But don’t despair. SuperCoach is a marathon not a sprint.

There have been bumps in the road so far and you can bet your bottom dollar there will be more to come.

Injuries to Tom Rockliff, Brad Crouch and Nat Fyfe have forced us to trade early — and often.

Alex Rance was the highest scoring defender in the competition before a brain explosion last Sunday night resulted in the Tigers star handed a two-match ban for striking Jack Watts.

WHAT ARE YOUR TRADE WINS AND LOSSES? HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW

Oh and don’t forget those filthy rage trades — Tom Papley, Toby Greene and Michael Barlow — that look like coming back to haunt those of us with itchy trigger fingers.

And it hasn’t helped that our pre-season bolters — refer Zac Smith, Matthew Lobbe Tommy Sheridan, Jesse Lonergan and Mitch Brown — have basked in mediocrity through the early rounds.

But all is not lost.

We can take one step back — resist the temptation of fear-driven trades — in order to take two steps forward ... it works, just ask Richmond coach Damien Hardwick.

SUPERCOACH AUDIT

GILBERT GARDINER

Overall Rank after Round 5: 4213

Pre-season success: Aaron Hall

Pre-season failure: Tom Rockliff

Best trade: Tom Rockliff to Luke Parker (Round 3)

Worst trade: Jade Gresham to Tom Papley (Round 3)

Top trade target: Dustin Martin

Never been one to worry about overall ranking too much — might have something to do with the fact I’m not eligible to win the $50,000 cash prize — so banking league wins is priority No. 1 at Team Gardiner. Well placed with 25 trades in the bank and bit of hard-earned in reserve for any rage trades.

THE PHANTOM

Overall Rank after Round 5: 6355

Pre-season success: Rookie Selections (Adams, Papley, Ben Kennedy, McGovern, Weitering), Spending big in the rucks (Goldy & Gawn)

Pre-season failure: Ryan Harwood. Ignoring Aaron Hall

Best trade: Connor Menadue to Aaron Hall

Worst trade: Although it had to be done, trading out Brad Crouch was hard. If he stays fit, he could average 110+ over the remainder of the year.

Top trade target: A fallen Dustin Martin in the next few weeks

A 2279 in Round 5 has finally kickstarted The Phantom’s season after a slow opening four rounds. Ryan Harwood was a mistake but the squad as a whole — the cash cows in particular — is in good shape. Robbie Gray over Luke Parker has hurt at times but the Power midfielder will bounce back. As always, patience is the key. Don’t trade on small sample sizes and try to avoid chasing last week’s points. It was highlighted in Round 5 with Michael Barlow, Toby Greene and Jordan de Goey all repaying the faith.

Cats ruckman Zac Smith getting work in at training. Picture: Mike Dugdale
Cats ruckman Zac Smith getting work in at training. Picture: Mike Dugdale

JON RALPH

Overall Rank after Round 5: 6367

Pre-season success: Lachie Hunter

Pre-season failure: Zac Smith.

Best trade: Aaron Hall

Worst trade: Not worst, but started with Christian Petracca, and then traded him into Papley and might eventually get him back again

Top trade target: Nic Naitanui

Hunter was a nice point of difference. I was happy I kept both Cal Mills and Clayton Oliver in my side. Smith had a great pre-season and started Round 1 on fire but they keep playing him forward. And he’s not really a forward. Need Nic Nat in the ruck as it’s time to bite the bullet on Smith, after which Rhys Stanley will invariably get injured and Smith will start knocking out 100-plus scores again.

AL PATON

Overall Rank after Round 5: 6910

Pre-season success: Max Gawn, Joel Selwood

Pre-season failure: Corey Ellis

Best trade: Michael Barlow to Aaron Hall

Worst trade: Brad Crouch to Caleb Daniel

Top trade target: Luke Parker, Brett Deledio

Three trades down and I wish I could hit “reverse” on all of them. Getting rid of Tom Rockliff and Michael Barlow made sense at the time but both are now back and firing, although I don’t regret grabbing Aaron Hall — I just should have had him before Round 1. Trading Brad Crouch looks a huge error given his replacement, Caleb Daniel, scored only 67 in week one and is now injured himself. Overall the approach of loading up on rookies down back and stacking the midfield with guns was on the money, and I’m very happy I went with a “set and forget” ruck pairing of Goldstein and Gawn instead of toying with mid-price risks (shout out to Matthew Lobbe owners). Nearly time to start shopping for fallen premiums to replace Ben Kennedy and Co.

Caleb Daniel sidelined with a calf injury. Picture: Colleen Petch
Caleb Daniel sidelined with a calf injury. Picture: Colleen Petch

BEN HIGGINS

Overall Rank after Round 5: 11,192

Pre-season success: Zach Merrett

Pre-season failure: Nick Graham

Best trade: Nick Graham to Aaron Hall

Worst trade: Jack Billings to Tom Papley

Top trade target: Any Swans midfielder

Couple of wins, couple of losses on the selection front and a bad Round 5 has seen me slide but still happy with how the team sits overall. Still relying on rookies too much in defence and attack but that will change in the coming weeks.

SAM LANDSBERGER

Overall Rank after Round 5: 12,874

Pre-season success: Max Gawn

Pre-season failure: Christian Petracca (I was overseas!)

Best trade: Out: Petracca, In: Marcus Adams

Worst trade: I never miss

Top trade target: Todd Goldstein

IT has been a Ross Lyon-type shift in strategy in 2016 except it is working like a charm. The overall ranking has taken a hit, but let’s be honest — my eyes were never on the $50,000 overall prize. League glory is what I crave and that’s why I’m keeping my head low, watching competitors pull pistols from their holsters and shoot themselves in the feet. After Round 5 I’ve got 28 trades and 12 premiership points in the bank. See you in August.

JORDAN MCARDLE

Overall Rank after Round 5: 15,066

Pre-season success: Marcus Adams

Pre-season failure: Matthew Lobbe

Best trade: Luke Parker

Worst trade: Bringing Clayton Oliver in (not too many trades to complain about, yet)

Top trade target: Todd Goldstein

I’ve exceeded my modest expectations in the opening five rounds, with the help of some gun rookies. Enough is enough with Matthew Lobbe though — it’s time for Todd Goldstein.

Richmond star Brett Deledio set to return after quad injury. Picture: Colleen Petch
Richmond star Brett Deledio set to return after quad injury. Picture: Colleen Petch

JOHN BRUYN (2013 SuperCoach winner)

Overall Rank after Round 5: 21,514

Pre-season success: Aaron Hall

Pre-season failure: Corey Ellis

Best trade: Too early to tell but at this stage Ben Kennedy out prior to Round 5

Worst trade: I’ve had to burn a few correction trades — the starting picks were the problem!

Top trade target: The ~$600k forwards: Dahlhaus, Zorko and Deledio

A woeful 1954 in Round 5 saw my ranking fall from an improving 9,000 odd all the way to 21,514 ... not ideal! Some risky starting selections and a couple of underwhelming premiums also caused some early damage. Smart trading is needed if I’m to start the climb back up the rankings. The key to this will be not to be tempted by too many ‘value players’ and focus on bringing in true top-8 type players on each line. This can take a lot patience which, unfortunately, I’m going to need in spades if I’m to salvage something from 2016.

ELIZA SEWELL

Overall Rank after Round 5: 33,539 but who cares, I beat Jay last week!

Pre-season success: Not Einstein stuff, but happy I spent big bucks in the ruck with Gawn and Goldstein.

Pre-season failure: Tommy Sheridan

Best trade: Heath Shaw dropped almost $30k, I grabbed him and he scored 132. Tick

Worst trade: Papley. Scored 24 the week I brought him in. Has improved again, so he’s forgiven

Top trade target: Dan Hannebery

I’m playing for the now ... in the past I’ve saved trades and not made the finals, so I’m being aggressive in 2016 like North Melbourne. The window is open.

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2016: Our experts rate their teams, identify good and bad trades plus who to target next

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/afl/supercoach-news/afl-supercoach-2016-our-experts-rate-their-teams-identify-good-and-bad-trades-plus-who-to-target-next/news-story/b0064fdc05d83e744d40c9c1faf48c9b