AFL Supercoach: Final Word Round 3, trades, skippers, strategy

When it rains it pours.

If you thought last week’s injuries were bad, it gets worse.

Much, much worse.

Connor Rozee will spend at least the next 12 weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, while Christian Petracca can use the next month to work on perfecting his coq au vin recipe.

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Further to that, Todd Marshall has just been sent for scans after rolling his ankle at training – and Jordan Dawson will miss a week with calf soreness.

And there’s not even any reprieve. No light at the end of the tunnel. Because our rookie saviour Milan Murdock also did his hammy and won’t be back until next month.

It’s only Round 3 and I feel like giving up. 

But with only a couple hundred points separating the wheat from the chaff – the top 10k to 50k – there is still hope.

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Trade Talk

Much to my surprise, Trade Talk turned out to be a resounding success last week.

Caleb Serong did what Caleb Serong tends to do… fail.

Avoiding his 68 – unlike the 15% of coaches who unfortunately thought he was God’s gift – was, ironically, a gift from the Gods.

This week though, trades are a little less complicated and, for the most part, a little less controversial.

I will gladly swallow my words when it comes to Tristan Xerri – who is proving that with fewer ruck contests somehow comes greater SuperCoach scoring. Make that make sense. Please. Make it make sense.

Xerri man-handled a helpless Matt Flynn on his way to a career-high 199, and now gets one of the all-time juiciest matchups against Lachie Blakiston.

ICYMI, Blakiston stinks – and even though you’re paying top dollar for the North ruckman, it’s bound to be money well spent. 

It’s operation get Xerri at all cost.

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It’s also operation get the hell away from Blakiston at all cost. 

That just leaves me with filling the gaps left by Rozee and Petracca and, given there are literally no forward premium options within a thousand miles, I’m holding the latter.

At least for this week.

In defence there’s a litany of options, and I’ve settled on three as my pick of the bunch:

Josh Worrell

Dan Houston

Dayne Zorko

Zorko has a dream matchup this week against St Kilda – who rank as one of the best Supercoach scoring opponents for designated kickers.

I think, despite being surely on the verge of turning 50, Zorko is the go.

I’ve got nearly $300k left in the bank after trades and will use that as a way to bring in Bont next week – whether via Parish or Trac.

TDK -> Xerri

Blakiston -> Watkins

Rozee -> Zorko

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Skippers

Vice Captains:

1. Sinclair
2. Holmes
3. Zorko
4. Nas

Captains:

1. Xerri
2. Sheezel
3. Butters
4. Jackson