DESPITE suffering a significant knock early in the match, Lachie Neale (MID, $993,000) showed his veteran prowess with a remarkable performance against the Crows, earning the title of Pig of the Week.
The 32 year old ball magnet racked up 42 disposals, 13 marks and two tackles, achieving an impressive score of 159 which elevates his season average to 105. With a low breakeven of just 69 ahead of a favourable schedule, we can expect an increase in his current ownership of four per cent.
In a similar vein of nostalgia, Scott Pendlebury (MID, 813,000) delivered a stellar Anzac Day performance, adding yet another medal to his collection at the age of 38. He dominated the Bombers with 43 disposals, 10 marks and two goals for a total of 153 points.
Tristan Xerri (RUC,813,000) wasted no time reestablishing himself as a top tier ruckman showcasing his skills with a commanding score of 145 following his return from suspension. He recorded 25 disposals, laid an impressive 12 tackles, grabbed five marks and racked up 25 hitouts, and heads into an easy matchup against the Cats where he is every chance to repeat this epic performance.
Docker star Shai Bolton (MID/FWD, $803,000) rebounded from three games in the 60s with a strong performance of 138, accumulating 33 disposals, eight tackles and two goals, giving him a breakeven of 71.
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The leaderboard was rounded out by a three-way tie at 135 points, showcasing some outstanding performances at the top.
This week, the traditional downgrade/upgrade trade is the play. It looks like we have had a good run with injuries and suspension this week and the timing is great given there are a number of fattened cash cows and appropriate downgrade targets to ensure we can upgrade to a premium.
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MOST TRADED IN
- Patrick Retschko (MID, $338,000)
- Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (MID/DEF, $1,013M)
- Christian Petracca (MID/FWD, $958,000)
- Jason Horne-Francis (MID/FWD, $941,000)
- Charlie Edwards (DEF/MID, $294,000)
MOST TRADED OUT
- Lachie Jaques (DEF, $586,000)
- Tom Blamires (DEF/MID, $549,000)
- Sam Grlj (DEF/MID, $572,000)
- Deven Robertson (MID/FWD, $511,000)
- Jagga Smith (MID, $619,000)
TOP FIVE PRICE RISES
- Milan Murdock (MID, $559,000) +$76,000
- Patrick Retschko (MID, $338,000) +$76,000
- Angus Anderson (MID, $440,000) +$75,000
- Lincoln McCarthy (FWD, $571,000) +$69,000
- Archie Roberts (DEF, $1,084M) +$60,000
TOP FIVE PRICE FALLS
- Stephen Coniglio (MID/FWD, $683,000) -$63,000
- Aaron Naughton (FWD, $640,000) -$63,000
- Anthony Caminiti (DEF, $380,000) -$61,000
- Tom De Koning (RUC, $678,000) - $57,000
- Matt Kennedy (MID, $957,000) -$54,000
LOWEST BREAKEVENS
- Patrick Retschko (MID, $338,000) - 29
- Angus Anderson (MID, $440,000) - 12
- Louis Emmett (RUC, $316,000) - 5
- Charlie Edwards (DEF/MID, $294,000) - 1
- Lachlan Smith (RUC, $256,000) 0
HIGHEST BREAKEVENS
- Dayne Zorko (DEF, $1,056M) 166
- Tim English (RUC, $1,051M) 150
- Max Gawn (RUC, $1,120M) 145
- Tim Taranto (MID, $882,000) 141
- Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1,009M) 132
STOCKS UP
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (DEF/MID, $1,013,000)
'Naz' remains one of the hottest targets in the game. He remains under priced on the back of an impressive 119 against the Eagles and his match ups remain favourable in the next few weeks with games against the Blues, Suns and Tigers. His price will continue to rise with a BE of 82 and he is currently down $150K on his original asking price.
Christian Petracca (MID/FWD, $958,000)
Most forward lines need some strengthening at the moment and you can do much worse than bringing the star Sun back in. He hasn't missed a beat since his return from injury with scores of 97 and 106 in his most recent outing in a tough match up with the Hawks. He has another tough one this week against the Giants but he is a player we all need sooner rather than later.
Jason Horne-Francis (MID/FWD, $941,000)
Another forward who demands attention is the 22-year-old Power star. JHF is in outstanding form with a three game average of 114 on the back of last week's impressive 120 against Geelong. He heads into the showdown with a BE of just 74 which reflects his value and he has some great match ups on the horizon.
Archie Roberts (DEF, $1,084M)
I'm on repeat here but the reality is, if you don't have him, it gets harder by the week to remain competitive. He racked up another 130 on the weekend from a lazy 42 disposals and nine marks from deep in the backline where no opposition player bothers him. It's an incredible stretch of form and as long as the Bombers keep playing this way, he will remain one of the top players in the game.
Patrick Retschko (MID, $338,000)
The pick of the downgrade targets is the 20 year old Tiger who is coming off an impressive performance against the Dees where he collected 26 disposals, four marks and three tackles for 91. He had four inside-50s, three rebound-50s, five intercepts and a team-high 503m gained which reinforces his contribution and job security. It leaves him with a BE of just -24 heading into a great match up with the Eagles where he has the chance to record another good score.
STOCKS DOWN
Lachie Jaques (DEF, $586,000)
The 19-year-old Dog has been outstanding, averaging 72 over the course of his six games. His scores of 46 and 57 in his last two have left him with a BE of 73 leading into this week game against the Dockers and he is being used by a large number of coaches as part of traditional downgrade/upgrade trade to bring in a premium.
Tom Blamires (DEF/MID, $549,000)
Unfortunately the 23-year-old was omitted last week, which has elevated him early to the chopping block given his BE sits at only 39. If he forces his way back into the team, he would be worth holding given his outstanding consistency.
Sam Grlj (DEF/MID, $572,000)
Despite having a nice match up with the Eagles this week, a large number of coaches are trading out the young Tiger. Unfortunately he hasn't been able to recapture his round one form where he recorded a season high 90 and is boasting a three game average of 58.7 with a BE of 62.
Jagga Smith (MID, $619,000)
The Blues young gun recaptured top form on the weekend against the Dockers with 19 disposals and eight marks for 89. He is now at a nice price to upgrade, however he has also kick started some cash generation, increasing by $20K this week and dropping his BE to 54. It's a unique case where both a hold or fold are viable plays.
Caleb Serong (MID, $941,000)
As far as rage trade go, Serong is the most traded out premium player this week. His 66 against the Blues was his third game under triple figures on the trot and it leaves him with a big BE of 137. He has a couple of tough weeks ahead against the Dogs and Hawks before his fixture opens up against the Bombers.
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