Two bye weekends out of the way, and thankfully only one to go. How have you fared over this difficult SC time? What has been your trade strategy? There are a million different combinations, and only time will tell if you have made the right decision with your team. Unfortunately there are a number of injury and suspension issues again this coming weekend, which might just force your hand in regards to how many trades you look at making for round 10.
Blake ACRES - St Kilda - $162,100 Av 51
The Saints can’t take a trick on the injury-front this year, and this time it is promising recruit ACRES who has succumbed to a leg injury and will be out for the next six weeks. The young fella was showing a lot too, scoring 91 in just over a fortnight ago, leading to him being traded into 22% of SC teams – only to see him then get the vest, finally come on and proceed to score 4 pts before getting injured. It doesn’t get much worse than that. The big dilemma is, having only made a small amount of cash, to you trade him or hold him?
Blake ACRES - St Kilda - $162,100 Av 51
The Saints can’t take a trick on the injury-front this year, and this time it is promising recruit ACRES who has succumbed to a leg injury and will be out for the next six weeks. The young fella was showing a lot too, scoring 91 in just over a fortnight ago, leading to him being traded into 22% of SC teams – only to see him then get the vest, finally come on and proceed to score 4 pts before getting injured. It doesn’t get much worse than that. The big dilemma is, having only made a small amount of cash, to you trade him or hold him?
Options : Billy HARTUNG (Haw) - $117,300 Av 48
Cameron SHENTON (St K) - $155,300 Av 73 (Bye)
Verdict : I really like the look of SHENTON, and in a depleted Saints backline he is sure to get plenty of game time. However, if you need coverage this week (even if it is only 30 or 40 pts from a possibly-vested HARTUNG), then Billy makes you the most cash and gets you a player to combat the bye.
Steve JOHNSON - Geelong - $599,100 Av 116
Seriously, who would consider trading Sevie J? Well, if you are desperate for a win this week and have plenty of trades up your sleeve, maybe it’s a decision you have to make. Don’t forget he only scored 53 last weekend, so his value will drop significantly in the coming weeks – possibly allowing you to trade him back in. Suspended for a week for another stupid, undisciplined act, JOHNSON must surely drive the SC coaches who have him around the twist.
Options : Nick Dal SANTO (Nth) - $577,200 Av 117
Rory SLOANE (Adel) - $574,000 Av 112
Tom LIBERATORE (Bull) - $563,900 Av 113
Verdict : Any of these guys will serve you well, but for mine its Nicky DAL who has his nose in front, especially given the juicy draw the Kangaroos have during SC finals – Bulldogs, Crows and Melbourne. With HARVEY playing so well and copping the tag, DAL is free to rack them up.
Nick VLASTUIN - Richmond - $359,600 Av 68
Selected in a somewhat surprising 6% of SC teams, VLASTUIN has continued Richmond’s horror run in recent times by sustaining a finger injury that will see him on the sidelines for 3 to 5 weeks. Averaging 68 pts a game, VLASTUIN has been a solid performer in a team under siege, however it must be time now to move him on.
Options : Kade KOLODJASHNIJ (GC) - $353,200 Av 79
Steven MAY (GC) - $352,600 Av 78
Verdict : Not a lot on offer here, but I think the younger, more elusive KK has the better prospects going forward. With a nice average of 79 pts so far this year, expect that to rise just a touch as his belief grows.
Josh GIBSON - Hawthorn - $476,500 Av 93
One of the premiere defenders in the game, GIBSON is the spoil king – something that doesn’t usually correlate with decent Sc scoring. However, with an average of 93 ppg this year, he has been very dependable for the 3% of SC teams who have him. Not any more though – the injury curse continues at the Hawks, with GIBSON injuring his shoulder and missing the next 10 weeks. That’s gotta hurt.
Options : Alex RANCE (Rich) - $465,500 Av 89
Andrew MACKIE (Gee) - $459,700 Av 93
Grant BIRCHALL (Haw) - $447,800 Av 89
Verdict : Three fairly formidable backmen there, but my vote goes to the recently-returned-from-injury RANCE. Extremely consistent and a guy who can get plenty of the ball, RANCE could be a great POD for the rest of this year.
*Mark LeCRAS and Jarryd ROUGHEAD are two others missing this weekend through suspension – check out last week’s Trade Winds to see a few possible replacements for them. If you are looking for guys who are playing this weekend, I’d swap LeCRAS for SCHULZ, and ROUGHEAD for MARTIN or JENKINS.
So finally the bye weeks are gone for another year. Tune in next week – with your team back to its regular appearance – as we tackle all the injuries and suspensions that arise from round 10.
Cameron SHENTON (St K) - $155,300 Av 73 (Bye)
Verdict : I really like the look of SHENTON, and in a depleted Saints backline he is sure to get plenty of game time. However, if you need coverage this week (even if it is only 30 or 40 pts from a possibly-vested HARTUNG), then Billy makes you the most cash and gets you a player to combat the bye.
Steve JOHNSON - Geelong - $599,100 Av 116
Seriously, who would consider trading Sevie J? Well, if you are desperate for a win this week and have plenty of trades up your sleeve, maybe it’s a decision you have to make. Don’t forget he only scored 53 last weekend, so his value will drop significantly in the coming weeks – possibly allowing you to trade him back in. Suspended for a week for another stupid, undisciplined act, JOHNSON must surely drive the SC coaches who have him around the twist.
Options : Nick Dal SANTO (Nth) - $577,200 Av 117
Rory SLOANE (Adel) - $574,000 Av 112
Tom LIBERATORE (Bull) - $563,900 Av 113
Verdict : Any of these guys will serve you well, but for mine its Nicky DAL who has his nose in front, especially given the juicy draw the Kangaroos have during SC finals – Bulldogs, Crows and Melbourne. With HARVEY playing so well and copping the tag, DAL is free to rack them up.
Nick VLASTUIN - Richmond - $359,600 Av 68
Selected in a somewhat surprising 6% of SC teams, VLASTUIN has continued Richmond’s horror run in recent times by sustaining a finger injury that will see him on the sidelines for 3 to 5 weeks. Averaging 68 pts a game, VLASTUIN has been a solid performer in a team under siege, however it must be time now to move him on.
Options : Kade KOLODJASHNIJ (GC) - $353,200 Av 79
Steven MAY (GC) - $352,600 Av 78
Verdict : Not a lot on offer here, but I think the younger, more elusive KK has the better prospects going forward. With a nice average of 79 pts so far this year, expect that to rise just a touch as his belief grows.
Josh GIBSON - Hawthorn - $476,500 Av 93
One of the premiere defenders in the game, GIBSON is the spoil king – something that doesn’t usually correlate with decent Sc scoring. However, with an average of 93 ppg this year, he has been very dependable for the 3% of SC teams who have him. Not any more though – the injury curse continues at the Hawks, with GIBSON injuring his shoulder and missing the next 10 weeks. That’s gotta hurt.
Options : Alex RANCE (Rich) - $465,500 Av 89
Andrew MACKIE (Gee) - $459,700 Av 93
Grant BIRCHALL (Haw) - $447,800 Av 89
Verdict : Three fairly formidable backmen there, but my vote goes to the recently-returned-from-injury RANCE. Extremely consistent and a guy who can get plenty of the ball, RANCE could be a great POD for the rest of this year.
*Mark LeCRAS and Jarryd ROUGHEAD are two others missing this weekend through suspension – check out last week’s Trade Winds to see a few possible replacements for them. If you are looking for guys who are playing this weekend, I’d swap LeCRAS for SCHULZ, and ROUGHEAD for MARTIN or JENKINS.
So finally the bye weeks are gone for another year. Tune in next week – with your team back to its regular appearance – as we tackle all the injuries and suspensions that arise from round 10.