Zach Merrett dives for the ball during the match between Essendon and North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in round 12, 2023. Picture: Getty Images

WE'VE nearly made it through the dreaded bye rounds and Fantasy coaches knew that the final two weeks were going to be the toughest. There are a lot of premiums resting in round 15 which will make it tough for some to field a full 18 players. Using three trades for the last time this season to maximise the number of players on our field is still crucial, but don't forget to maintain a long-term view to improve your team in the process.

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The majority of the top scorers from last weekend will put their feet up, forcing us to lean on the players from the other 12 sides to get us through. Returning from their week off, anyone who has some extra dollars at their disposal could make a play at Zach Merrett (MID, $994,000), Clayton Oliver (MID $990,000) or Rory Laird (MID, $948,000) with the Adelaide maestro putting a slow start behind him with three scores over 120 in his last four matches. It would be ideal to land one of these players without having to axe another premium as coaches try to 'complete' their team by adding the best Fantasy players in the game.

Clayton Oliver handballs during Melbourne's clash against Hawthorn in round nine, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

If you can't get to the top of the food chain, there are still players on the rise that are worth considering, including St Kilda's Brad Crouch (MID, $853,000). At the start of the year we thought that Jack Steele was the Saint Fantasy coaches would covet, but Crouch has overtaken his rugged teammate by reeling off scores of 109, 123 and 114 in his last three contests. Even cheaper still, Ben Keays (MID/FWD, $675,000) and Darcy Cameron (RUC/FWD, $691,000) are emerging as popular targets now that they're fresh off the bye.

To grab one of these aforementioned players, it makes sense to flick out a player who will be out of action in round 15. North Melbourne pair Harry Sheezel (FWD/DEF, $758,000) and Jack Ziebell (FWD/DEF, $802,000) are the leading candidates to offload as their numbers start to decline. If you only need to move one on, I'd hold onto the cash cow sensation and future Michael Barlow Medallist in Sheezel and give Ziebell the flick. The Bull has had some unbelievable scores so far this season, but a three-round average of 80 isn't going to get it done.

MOST TRADED IN

  • Kai Lohmann (FWD, $233,000)
  • Ryan Maric (FWD, $218,000)
  • Elliot Yeo (DEF, $605,000)
  • Marcus Windhager (MID/FWD, $375,000)
  • Jaspa Fletcher (MID, $296,000)

MOST TRADED OUT

  • George Wardlaw (MID, $469,000)
  • Jack Ziebell (FWD/DEF, $802,000)
  • Alex Cincotta (DEF/MID, 396,000)
  • Sam Walsh (MID, $828,000)
  • Harry Sheezel (FWD/DEF, $758,000)
01:40

On the chopping block: The Traders' early R15 moves

Calvin and Warnie reveal their early trades for round 15

TOP FIVE PRICE RISES

  • Trent Cotchin (MID/FWD, $562,000) +$62,000
  • Angus Sheldrick (MID/FWD, $275,000) +$62,000
  • Cody Weightman (FWD, $528,000) +$54,000
  • Callum M. Brown (DEF, $428,000) +$53,000
  • Kieren Briggs (RUC, $729,000) +$52,000

TOP FIVE PRICE FALLS

  • Jack Bowes (DEF, $514,000) -$62,000
  • Cooper Sharman (DEF/FWD, $437,000) -$55,000
  • Callum Ah Chee (MID, $352,000) -$50,000
  • Nick Haynes (DEF, $622,000) -$46,000
  • Hugo Ralphsmith (DEF, $336,000) -$55,000
Cooper Sharman celebrates kicking a goal during the match between Sydney and St Kilda at the SCG in round 14, 2023. Picture: Getty Images

LOWEST BREAKEVENS

  • Angus Sheldrick (MID/FWD, $275,000) -21
  • Harvey Harrison (FWD, $256,0000) -2
  • Kai Lohmann (FWD, $233,000) 6
  • Callum M. Brown (DEF, $428,000) 7
  • Sam Sturt (FWD, $284,000) 12

HIGHEST BREAKEVENS

  • Errol Gulden (MID/FWD, $937,000) 139
  • Sam Walsh (MID, $828,000) 133
  • Zak Butters (MID/FWD, $941,000) 133
  • Tom Green (MID, $910,000) 133
  • Andrew Brayshaw (MID, $963,000) 131
Andrew Brayshaw in action during the match between Greater Western Sydney and Fremantle at Giants Stadium in round 14, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

STOCKS UP

Brad Crouch (MID, $853,000): I've briefly talked about the form St Kilda's gun midfielder has displayed in recent times, making him ripe for the picking this week. A lull in scoring earlier this season caused Crouch's price to dip almost under the $800K mark, but with a breakeven of 84 and a Fantasy-friendly stretch of fixtures to come, there's nothing wrong with making a play for the star Saint ahead of their matchup with Brisbane at Marvel.

Elliot Yeo (DEF, $605,000): It feels like a lifetime ago since we were building our preseason squad and Elliot Yeo was a popular pick. Fast forward to the present and injury issues are once again prevalent when it comes to discussing Yeoy's Fantasy upside. However, recent scores of 84, 94 and 95 leading in to his bye round has put West Coast's versatile star well and truly on the radar for coaches. Yeo now sits in just six per cent of teams and trading for him may help you get a rookie off the field.

Angus Sheldrick (MID/FWD, $275,000): Now that he's shrugged the pesky substitute vest, Sydney prospect Angus Sheldrick is making cash at a rapid rate. Against Brisbane last round, Sheldrick filled up the stat sheet with 19 possessions, four tackles and two goals for a healthy score of 82. Most would've already jumped on the cygnet and are reaping the rewards, but if you've missed the boat it's not too late to jump on board.

Tom Mitchell (875,000): His Royal Swineness hasn't produced in Magpies colours the same way that he has at his other clubs, but Mitchell is starting to get on a roll. He sat for round 14 thanks to Collingwood's bye, however the prestigious scorer recorded back-to-back 120's in the two games before his break. A date with Adelaide is another chance for Mitchell to keep building momentum and I'm confident his snout will be on full display this weekend.

Tom Mitchell is tackled by Hugh Greenwood during the match between Collingwood and North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in round 11, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Ben Keays (MID/FWD, $675,000): So far, Ben Keays' 2023 season has been a story of two tales. At times he has been used as a forward or a tagger which has severely hampered Keays' scoring ability. However, leading in to his week off the Crows utility found himself closer to the footy in a midfield role and his points totals benefitted greatly with a three-round average of 110-plus. If he's given the opportunity to once again feature in the engine room, Keays should continue to put numbers on the board.

STOCKS DOWN

Jack Ziebell (FWD/DEF, $802,000): It was highly likely that Jack Ziebell wasn't going to survive the entire season in our Fantasy sides and now that the North Melbourne veteran is absent from round 15, it's a good excuse to move him on. With just one triple-figure score in his last five games, Ziebell's versatile FWD/DEF status means you can chase an upgrade in multiple lines by trading him out of your side.

Sam Walsh (MID, $828,000): Currently the fourth most traded-out Fantasy player, Sam Walsh's owners have had enough. Carlton's ascending star hit the ground running when he made his season debut, reeling off scores of 102, 131 and 128 to start his 2023 campaign. Unfortunately, Walsh has hit a cold streak with his last three scores of 82, 91 and 55 unacceptable from a player of his calibre. He could still right his wrongs and get his Fantasy season back on track, although a lot of coaches will use his bye round as an excuse to move him on.

Jy Simpkin (MID, $626,000): There have been times this season when Jy Simpkin has flirted with Fantasy relevance and a few unlucky coaches have taken a chance on the Roos' co-captain only to be bitterly disappointed. An injury-affected score of seven drags his average down, but even when you exclude that number Simpkin is still only averaging 81 points, making him hard to trust going forward.

Matt Rowell (MID, $836,000): A large number of coaches got sucked into the RatPasta combo thanks to their convenient round 13 bye, with a handful of coaches making a move for Matt Rowell as well. Either side of his week off, Rowell has produced two duds and as a result there are some looking to move him on. Matching up with the Hawks this round should see Gold Coast's phenom return to his triple-figure self, but I'm not as confident in Rowell as I was before.

Matt Rowell in action during the match between Gold Coast and Adelaide at TIO Stadium in round 12, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Jack Steele (MID, $794,000): What the heck is going on with Jack Steele?! Niggling injuries aside, the Saints skipper looks like a shell of his former Fantasy self with a pedestrian average of 93 so far this year. That average was negatively impacted by his worst performance of the season against Richmond, with Steele recording just 21 possessions and failing to take a mark for the entire game. In some circumstances, I'd suggest holding onto your premium player and waiting for them to bounce back. This isn't one of those circumstances and the sooner you ditch Steele the better.

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