AFL Supercoach 2026: Timing Is Everything – Who to Trade In and When

Upgrade season is here, and with the byes starting next week, you need premiums who are going to pop off at the right time. On the podcast this week (go check it out if you haven’t already) we talked about our top line players across every position, but picking the right player is only half the job. Timing matters. Getting them before a run of green matchups is how you climb the rankings. Getting them the week before three reds is how you overpay.

Six rounds of DVP data across defenders, mids and rucks. For each position I’ll run through the fixture table, flag the best trade targets, and call out when someone shapes as a captain option. Forwards are off the table. Too inconsistent, not touching one.

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Defenders

Key: 🟢🟢 Super easy | 🟢 Good | ⬜ Neutral | 🔴 Hard | 🔴🔴 Super hard

Team	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16
ADE	🔴 vHAW	BYE	🔴 vGEE	🟢 vWBD	🟢 vMEL	⬜ vPTA
BRL	⬜ vGWS	⬜ vFRE	⬜ vGCS	⬜ vRIC	BYE	🔴 vSYD
CAR	⬜ vPTA	🔴 vGEE	🟢 vESS	BYE	⬜ vGWS	⬜ vWCE
COL	⬜ vWCE	🟢 vWBD	🟢 vMEL	BYE	⬜ vPTA	⬜ vRIC
ESS	⬜ vRIC	⬜ vWCE	⬜ vCAR	🟢 vMEL	BYE	🔴 vNTH
FRE	🟢🟢 vSTK	🔴 vBRL	🔴 vNTH	BYE	🔴 vGEE	⬜ vGCS
GCS	🔴 vNTH	BYE	🔴 vBRL	🔴 vGEE	🔴 vHAW	⬜ vFRE
GEE	🔴 vSYD	⬜ vCAR	🔴 vADE	⬜ vGCS	⬜ vFRE	BYE
GWS	🔴 vBRL	🟢 vMEL	BYE	🟢🟢 vSTK	⬜ vCAR	🔴 vHAW
HAW	🔴 vADE	🟢🟢 vSTK	🟢 vWBD	BYE	⬜ vGCS	⬜ vGWS
MEL	🟢 vWBD	⬜ vGWS	🟢🟢 vCOL	🟢 vESS	🔴 vADE	BYE
NTH	⬜ vGCS	BYE	⬜ vFRE	⬜ vWCE	⬜ vRIC	🟢 vESS
PTA	⬜ vCAR	BYE	⬜ vWCE	🔴 vSYD	🟢🟢 vCOL	🔴 vADE
RIC	🟢 vESS	🔴 vSYD	BYE	🔴 vBRL	🔴 vNTH	🟢🟢 vCOL
STK	⬜ vFRE	🔴 vHAW	🔴 vSYD	⬜ vGWS	🟢 vWBD	BYE
SYD	🔴 vGEE	⬜ vRIC	🟢🟢 vSTK	⬜ vPTA	BYE	🔴 vBRL
WBD	🟢 vMEL	🟢🟢 vCOL	🔴 vHAW	🔴 vADE	🟢🟢 vSTK	BYE
WCE	🟢🟢 vCOL	🟢 vESS	⬜ vPTA	🔴 vNTH	BYE	⬜ vCAR

The standout run belongs to the Bulldogs. Three green matchups in the next five, including the two best defender matchups on the board in St Kilda and Collingwood. Bailey Dale ($571k) isn’t the cheapest option anymore, but averaging 124.8 over the last five with those fixtures incoming, he’s probably a player we’ve all been overlooking.

• Milera ($510k) and Worrell ($455k) are the obvious Adelaide names, but I’m not convinced either cracks a top-6 defence. Add in the Hawks clash and a bye before anything gets going, and it’s a pass.
• Bowey ($500k) is the only Melbourne option worth mentioning given their excellent run. Two games of data isn’t enough to be building around. Pass.
• Daicos ($460k) and Houston ($489k) are fine to hold if you own them given Collingwood’s run, but not recommended buys.
• Whitfield ($571k) had a 79 and got tagged last week, and Ash ($511k) is playing through the midfield. Both are genuine top-6 defenders with a great bye, but probably not this week with Brisbane up first.
• Amon ($493k) is averaging 111.7 over the last three and has a decent run, but a real longshot to hold a top-6 spot by season’s end.
• Roberts ($590k) should benefit from Essendon’s run. Interesting that Richmond and West Coast aren’t the easiest matchups for defenders. Maybe the ball just isn’t in their defensive half enough. Still a solid run for owners.

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Mids

Key: 🟢🟢 Super easy | 🟢 Good | ⬜ Neutral | 🔴 Hard | 🔴🔴 Super hard

Team	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16
ADE	🔴 vHAW	BYE	🔴 vGEE	🔴 vWBD	⬜ vMEL	⬜ vPTA
BRL	⬜ vGWS	⬜ vFRE	🟢 vGCS	🟢🟢 vRIC	BYE	🔴 vSYD
CAR	⬜ vPTA	🔴 vGEE	🟢🟢 vESS	BYE	⬜ vGWS	⬜ vWCE
COL	⬜ vWCE	🔴 vWBD	⬜ vMEL	BYE	⬜ vPTA	🟢🟢 vRIC
ESS	🟢🟢 vRIC	⬜ vWCE	⬜ vCAR	⬜ vMEL	BYE	⬜ vNTH
FRE	⬜ vSTK	⬜ vBRL	⬜ vNTH	BYE	🔴 vGEE	🟢 vGCS
GCS	⬜ vNTH	BYE	⬜ vBRL	🔴 vGEE	🔴 vHAW	⬜ vFRE
GEE	🔴 vSYD	⬜ vCAR	⬜ vADE	🟢 vGCS	⬜ vFRE	BYE
GWS	⬜ vBRL	⬜ vMEL	BYE	⬜ vSTK	⬜ vCAR	🔴 vHAW
HAW	⬜ vADE	⬜ vSTK	🔴 vWBD	BYE	🟢 vGCS	⬜ vGWS
MEL	🔴 vWBD	⬜ vGWS	🔴 vCOL	🟢🟢 vESS	⬜ vADE	BYE
NTH	🟢 vGCS	BYE	⬜ vFRE	⬜ vWCE	🟢🟢 vRIC	🟢🟢 vESS
PTA	⬜ vCAR	BYE	⬜ vWCE	🔴 vSYD	🔴 vCOL	⬜ vADE
RIC	🟢🟢 vESS	🔴 vSYD	BYE	⬜ vBRL	⬜ vNTH	🔴 vCOL
STK	⬜ vFRE	🔴 vHAW	🔴 vSYD	⬜ vGWS	🔴 vWBD	BYE
SYD	🔴 vGEE	🟢🟢 vRIC	⬜ vSTK	⬜ vPTA	BYE	⬜ vBRL
WBD	⬜ vMEL	🔴 vCOL	🔴 vHAW	⬜ vADE	⬜ vSTK	BYE
WCE	🔴 vCOL	🟢🟢 vESS	⬜ vPTA	⬜ vNTH	BYE	⬜ vCAR

Only two teams crack two or more green matchups across the next five rounds, so timing is everything here.

• LDU ($549k) – a great time to be an owner. Wouldn’t be buying now, but if you’ve got him, well done on a good pick. Don’t trade him out at the bye. Rounds 15 and 16 are going to be special.
• McCluggage ($466k) – I bought him for this run and it’s been a huge fail so far. Still has a nice run ahead though.
• Neale ($550k) – one of my favourite trade targets this week alongside Merrett. A handy differential captain option in Round 14 against Richmond.
• Heeney ($630k) – tough to bring in this week against the Cats, but a genuine captain option the following week against Richmond. Worth considering whether you save some cash this week and grab him a little cheaper next round.
• Bont ($611k) – still a great price, but the matchups aren’t easy and he’s playing sore. I prefer others right now.
• Baz ($628k) and Holmes ($578k) – not the ideal entry point this week against Sydney, but otherwise a solid run. I’d prefer to wait a week, but wouldn’t talk anyone out of pulling the trigger now.
• Daicos ($532k) – crazy low price for the player he is, but a breakeven of 161 and could cop a tag against West Coast. A must-have post-bye with Richmond in Round 16. Grab him later and save the cash.
• Merrett ($555k) – great buy this week. Richmond is a top-2 mid matchup and you’re getting a potential top-8 player at a genuine price. One I’m looking at very closely.

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Rucks

Key: 🟢🟢 Super easy | 🟢 Good | ⬜ Neutral | 🔴 Hard | 🔴🔴 Super hard

Team	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16
ADE	🔴 vHAW	BYE	🟢🟢 vGEE	⬜ vWBD	🔴🔴 vMEL	⬜ vPTA
BRL	🟢🟢 vGWS	⬜ vFRE	🔴🔴 vGCS	🟢 vRIC	BYE	🔴 vSYD
CAR	⬜ vPTA	🟢🟢 vGEE	🔴🔴 vESS	BYE	🟢🟢 vGWS	🟢🟢 vWCE
COL	🟢🟢 vWCE	⬜ vWBD	🔴🔴 vMEL	BYE	⬜ vPTA	🟢 vRIC
ESS	🟢 vRIC	🟢🟢 vWCE	🟢🟢 vCAR	🔴🔴 vMEL	BYE	🟢 vNTH
FRE	🔴🔴 vSTK	🔴🔴 vBRL	🟢 vNTH	BYE	🟢🟢 vGEE	🔴🔴 vGCS
GCS	🟢 vNTH	BYE	🔴🔴 vBRL	🟢🟢 vGEE	🔴 vHAW	⬜ vFRE
GEE	🔴 vSYD	🟢🟢 vCAR	⬜ vADE	🔴🔴 vGCS	⬜ vFRE	BYE
GWS	🔴🔴 vBRL	🔴🔴 vMEL	BYE	🔴🔴 vSTK	🟢🟢 vCAR	🔴 vHAW
HAW	⬜ vADE	🔴🔴 vSTK	⬜ vWBD	BYE	🔴🔴 vGCS	🟢🟢 vGWS
MEL	⬜ vWBD	🟢🟢 vGWS	🟢 vCOL	🔴🔴 vESS	⬜ vADE	BYE
NTH	🔴🔴 vGCS	BYE	⬜ vFRE	🟢🟢 vWCE	🟢 vRIC	🔴🔴 vESS
PTA	🟢🟢 vCAR	BYE	🟢🟢 vWCE	🔴 vSYD	🟢 vCOL	⬜ vADE
RIC	🔴🔴 vESS	🔴 vSYD	BYE	🔴🔴 vBRL	🟢 vNTH	🟢 vCOL
STK	⬜ vFRE	🔴 vHAW	🔴 vSYD	🟢🟢 vGWS	⬜ vWBD	BYE
SYD	🟢🟢 vGEE	🟢 vRIC	🔴🔴 vSTK	⬜ vPTA	BYE	🔴🔴 vBRL
WBD	🔴🔴 vMEL	🟢 vCOL	🔴 vHAW	⬜ vADE	🔴🔴 vSTK	BYE
WCE	🟢 vCOL	🔴🔴 vESS	⬜ vPTA	🟢 vNTH	BYE	🟢🟢 vCAR

Rucks are the most volatile position on the board this week. The double reds are brutal and the double greens are genuinely exciting.

• Grundy ($685k) – the best captain option this week, full stop. Amazing matchup against Essendon, backs it up with another easy game against Richmond. It gets considerably harder from there, but you might bank enough in the next two that it doesn’t matter. Too expensive for me to get to right now, but if you can, it’s a great buy. I won’t be watching Sydney’s next two games.
• Xerri ($667k) – breakeven of 196 and not the easiest matchup this week. A great option post-bye though, and someone I’m strongly considering in Round 13 or 14.
• Gawn ($607k) – tempted this week, even with Heath playing. That cannot continue forever, right? GWS and Collingwood after this week, and the Bulldogs should be easier without English. Great price.
• Jackson ($639k) – three of the hardest matchups in the next six, but has shown he can still dominate in tough games. Not a buy for me.
• Cameron ($408k) – I started with him, which is part of why my season has gone so badly. Why am I thinking about it again? Now a solo ruck, West Coast this week, cheap as chips. Huge risk. Proceed with caution.
• McAndrew ($400k) – what a player he has been for us this season, but with a tough matchup against the Hawks this week and a bye to follow, now might actually be the right time to move him on. Part of me wants to hold until Round 14 and go straight to Xerri though.

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My Plan

Marshall and Blamires are gone this week. Ryan and Ison come in, banking the cash and keeping the powder dry.

The plan is Heeney next week and Xerri shortly after. Rushing into premiums this week burns both options, and I’m not doing that. One move now, then execute properly over the next fortnight.

Jealous of anyone bringing in Grundy this week. Your rank will thank you. I’ll be watching on enviously while I save my cash.