Expert Panel: How to generate cash now, the Danger dilemma & nailing your VC/C
Generating cash to make those final upgrades is becoming increasingly hard while Patrick Dangerfield looms large as a value option but is he worth it? We’ve asked the experts for both AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach.
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Honeyball has chatted with 2019 AFL Fantasy 11th-place getter Joel ‘Checkers’ Eyles, who is a 26-year-old DJ/nightclub manager and Saints fan, with his side currently ranked 3,797th.
We’ve also spoken with 21-year-old student and Collingwood fan Mitch Braiden, who is currently ranked 39th overall in SuperCoach and his Braido’s Boys are ready to storm home according to @SuperCoachData.
HB: What would you prioritise at this stage of the season; rookies off field or shuffling underperforming premos? And are there any rookies you can trust on field?
Checkers (AF): Rookies off-field, but there isn’t a lot of options to do downgrades so you can upgrade. I think it’s a perfect time of the season to be looking for those low-medium priced players who have previous AFL experience and have broken into best 22s or filling voids of injuries. Think Sam Mayes of 2020. Nick Haynes was a good example, also tried hopping on Callum Coleman-Jones recently which backfired, but if you can nail a role change or an injury presents opportunities for a player you can find some cheap gems in the back half of the year. Rookie options are starting to become thin.
Mitch (SC): I always want to move rookies off the field, as shown with Coleman-Jones last week, even a somewhat reliable rookie can destroy the weekly score. I made my final upgrade to Patrick Dangerfield last week, now with 3 trades, I am potentially looking to sideways a premo around SuperCoach finals with Parish and a returning Josh Dunkley being two I have my eyes on.
HB: Is having (trading in) Dangerfield essential this round?
Mitch (SC): Dangerfield was always in my sights after the bye and at the juicy price last week, I couldn’t pass it up. Due to the lack of top forwards, I would almost say he is must-have if you are looking to push up the ranks or win league match ups. In previous years, I had risked the last 5-6 weeks with no trades and it paid off a couple of years, while risky I would definitely contemplate it to get Dangerfield.
Checkers (AF): Jezza Cameron out? Is that a concern? Carlton show him attention with Curnow? If you have the coin and it’s viable I’d pull the trigger. He is shaping up perfect but if you have to break your side to do it, just relax and remember Steele Sidebottom/Nat Fyfe/Rowan Marshall all going to be cheap in the next few weeks. Forward options are a plenty.
HB: Who is your VC/C choices this round and why? And what’s your normal VC threshold?
Checkers (AF): Wines in a do-or-die clash for second spot against the Dees at home could be juicy but can’t go past Zac Merrett against the Crows on Friday. He has the ceiling to produce something deadly against a weak and young Crows midfield. Threshold is 110+.
Mitch (SC): I like to back in a safe captaincy score so on form I’m looking at Jack Steele and Marcus Bontempelli this week, with Steele’s worst score in my side being 126 (since Round 11) and Bont being in possible Brownlow form. In previous years I liked to take the punt a bit more but have played a bit safer in recent weeks taking Lyons’ 119 and 123 as vice-captain.
HB: Worst starting pick this year and why?
Mitch (SC): Other than a few injuries at the start of the year, I’d be saying Josh Kelly. Have been a huge fan for years, think I have started him the past 3-4 years even with the injury history. His move forward in the first six rounds wasn’t ideal but has brought it back well. The other could be another underwhelming start of Tom Mitchell who came in for Dangerfield at Round 2.
Checkers (AF): I think the common replies would be Jordan Clark or Tom Phillips etc…but I’m going to say Josh Kelly. Great having him firing now, but I copped an average of 85 in the first five weeks while a lot of premiums around his price were going 110+. Tried to pick him as a POD but it left me 100 points behind other coaches and lost probably $100k also.
HB: Best starting pick this year and why?
Checkers (AF): Ollie Wines. Little slow to start the year maybe but he has been on fire and is still very low ownership.
Mitch (SC): Probably got a couple in the starting side. Zak Butters would have been one, had he not got injured. Another would be Sam Walsh, after his back half of last year felt hard to pass up at that price. But probably the main reason for my jump up the ranks in recent weeks was the starting selection of Luke Ryan, so would land on him to be the best pick.
HB: Brilliant, thanks lads, good luck for the rest of 2021!
Honeyball’s AFL season memberships are on sale for $39.95 (one-off payment) for the entire AFL season or $20 per month! Access to all HB content (insights, news, opinions, club-by-club cheat sheets), Twitter and WhatsApp chat groups with weekly Q&As and debate, and entry into HB members-only AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach comps with SC Champion rings & cash prizes for top ranks! Sign up now!