Hi Doc, I have three midfielders not playing and I can’t afford the donut. Out of Tony Armstrong, Kane Lucas and Jordan Gysberts who do you think is more likely to get some game time for the remainder of the year? Ablett, Judd, Simpson, Ebert and Mitchell complete my midfield. Who do I bring in, oh wise one? - Brad (four trades, $221,000)
Carlton has declared Lucas a certain starter this week, Brad, so you can avoid the donut and hang onto one of those precious trades if you so choose. But I wouldn’t.
Now is the perfect time to make use of those hefty wads weighing down your bank and complete your midfield, with a host of gun onballers available to you.
I’d let the player you want to bring in dictate this trade, rather than who it is best to let go.
With Lucas the only one of this trio named this week, keeping him is a no-brainer; so let’s look at the options if you trade out Gysberts.
With a kitty of $381,900, you can afford players such as Ryan Griffen (averaging 98), Brett Deledio (93), Travis Boak (92) or Adam Cooney (98). Good players - and respectable averages - but with 21 hundred-plus scores between them in 58 matches they’re not DT game-breakers.
If you decide to ship out Armstrong, however, the options open up significantly. With $457,100 you can recruit Jimmy Bartel (averaging 120), Scott Pendlebury (103), Nick Dal Santo (103) or Lenny Hayes (104). Significantly better DT players, with 34 hundred-plus scores in a combined 60 games.
The numbers rarely lie in Dream Team, Brad, and they’re gospel here. Armstrong for Bartel is the best option for mine. Good luck!
Hey Doc, I've decided to replace Barlow with Montagna this week but I’m torn whether to do this by itself or do the double. Ryan Bastinac's done a great job for me but I think it's time to make some money out of him and I was targeting Jarryd Blair. Do you think he will hold his spot in the Pies team for much longer? Cheers - The Beast (eight trades, $52,700)
Beast, great to hear from you, you animal, and congratulations on holding your nerve with those trades - eight in hand is a terrific position to be in.
The first part of this trade is bang on the money; I think Montagna is your best option, but I’m surprised you didn’t make the move last week and save yourself the $16,300 Joey shot up this week.
Nonetheless, get him in your side this week and you’ll be roaring.
On Blair, I’m not sold after two games, and only because of the side he’s in. Collingwood has incredible midfield depth and it’s not going to take much to squeeze this impressive youngster out of the side.
In his favour, he’s in his second year at the club, he’s got a strong body that’s holding up at the top level and he’s named to start on a wing this week.
If you’re accompanying bench player is reliable, this could be worth the risk, but I don’t think he has the job security to be your No.1 midfield emergency.
Bastinac continues to serve you well in that role - and you can afford to trade Barlow straight to Montagna - so I’d rest on the one trade this week.
Dear Doc, may I please have your help? For the last two weeks, I have been a man down in my defence and with finals approaching I need to solve this. I want to bring in Luke Hodge, and had hoped to trade out Shannon Hurn instead of Matt Maguire, but I can't afford it. Should I make a downgrade trade to free up cash? - TB (five trades, $125,700)
It was an agonisingly close trade, TB, but turns out you’re 200 clams short of a straight Maguire-Hodge swap. Never mind, I think there’s a plausible downgrade option in defence this week.
West Coast youngster Ash Smith played his first game last week and impressed, scoring 79 DT points. Woosha made a point of keeping him in the side this week, and with an aggressive rebuild underway out west, it’s hard to see him going out of the side if he can keep up that form.
Knowing you have Ladson and Strijk on your bench, Ladson is the guy to get rid of and this trade will make you $131,300.
Deferring to Hurn and Maguire’s averages - 65 and 75 respectively - I’d say trade Hurn for Hodge and slot Smith onto your bench alongside Strijk as back-up. This will leave you with some handy cash reserves yet, so spend wisely!
Hey Doc, when Barlow went down I only had two trades left and I bought in Montagna, leaving me with one. I want to bring Chappy in with my last trade but I'm worried about Geelong resting him and his hamstrings before the finals. I think I’m just going to go for it and hope that nothing else happens. Who would you trade out of Lewis Stevenson, Jack Trengove and Nat Fyfe? Cheers, Andrew. (one trade, $285,700)
You’re a DT renegade, Andy, but I’m afraid you’ve taken the risky approach too far - far, far too far!
There are plenty of twists left in this season yet and you only need to think back to last year’s St Kilda-Hawthorn fiasco, which we discussed last week, to get a little shudder.
For the record, with one trade left Stevenson is the player I’d let go of to bring Chapman in, but you’re inviting danger. You’ve come this far though, so heck, why not. Somehow I suspect you’ll be making the move anyway, no? Farewell, brother!
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The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
