IT'S ROUND 11 and the teams have dropped and there were plenty of big names missing.
Clayton Oliver (MID, $990,000) and Josh Kelly (MID, $908,000) topped the list after injuring their hamstrings last week. Both need to be traded and at their price, there are plenty of options.
Heading into the bye rounds is hard enough, especially when we are losing rookies … left, right and centre.
Popular picks in recent weeks have been shown the door with Harry Sharp (MID, $332,000) and Cameron Fleeton (DEF, $220,000) now red dots on the bench. This is not ideal.
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Defenders Campbell Chesser (DEF/MID, $257,000) and Sydney's Will Gould (DEF, $219,000) also didn't make the cut. Along with Essendon's Alwyn Davey jnr (MID/FWD, $300,000) and Kaine Baldwin (FWD, $317,000).
Finally, just when we didn't think it could get any worse, Darcy Wilmot (DEF/MID, $410,000) has been named on the extended bench for the Lions, but we will learn his position in the team when teams are finalised tonight at 5pm … we think he'll be right!
Roy's best buys
How will you use your two trades this week? Here are Roy's best buys for the round ahead.
Zach Merrett (MID, $921,000) – Merrett's 158 last week reminded everyone that he is still one of the best premium midfielders in the game. He has a great draw coming up which is an added bonus.
Zak Butters (MID/FWD, $842,000) – His last three games have been exceptional with scores of 148, 118 and 111. Butters has found his grove and meets Richmond and Hawthorn over the next two weeks.
Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $836,000) – A move back into the midfield has seen Smith score 121 and 102 over the last two weeks. If this role remains … he could finish off the season in style.
Ben Hobbs (FWD, $559,000) – There are holes in the Bombers' midfield and Hobbs has been stepping up to the plate. His recent scores of 85 and 92 are what we can expect leading into his bye.
Lachlan McAndrew (RUC/FWD, $230,000) – The Sydney ruckman debuted on the weekend with 20 hitouts, nine possessions and 66 points. A great replacement for any "red dot rookies" on the bench.
ALL THE TEAMS Check them out
Live teams show
The Traders are back live and cover all the important ins and outs as teams are announced. They break down the popular trades, discuss captains and answer all your burning questions. Watch the Live Teams Show every Thursday night on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App and ask your questions in the comments.
Most traded in
- George Wardlaw (MID, $327,000)
- Zach Merrett (MID, $921,000)
- Zak Butters (MID/FWD, $842,000)
- Ben Hobbs (FWD, $559,000)
- Bailey Humphrey (MID/FWD, $423,000)
So far this week, George Wardlaw (MID, $327,000) has come into over 16,000 teams after he scored 82 on debut. The former pick No.4 in the NAB AFL Draft was outstanding with 16 disposals and nine tackles from just 63 per cent of game time. He's a very popular trade target for a very good reason.
For a little more cash, it's also worth considering Bailey Humphrey (MID/FWD, $423,000) who is coming off scores of 90 and 94. He has now cemented his position in the Suns' best 22 and will be a handy player over the bye rounds.
Most traded out
- Clayton Oliver (MID, $990,000)
- Ollie Hollands (MID, $515,000)
- Reuben Ginbey (DEF/MID, $499,000)
- Luke Pedlar (FWD, $493,000)
- Josh Kelly (MID, $908,000)
Injuries to Clayton Oliver (MID, $990,000) and Josh Kelly (MID, $908,000) have forced the hands of thousands of coaches this week as they make the necessary moves to trade out their injured stars. Both have been outstanding this year and because of that their value is high. This means they can be traded sideways to plenty of elite options with Zach Merrett, Rory Laird and Andrew Brayshaw being the most popular from the midfield group.
Calvin's best captains
In AFL Fantasy, your captain's score, doubles for that week. Here are Calvin's top five picks for you to consider.
No. 1 – Andrew Brayshaw v Narrm @ the MCG, SAT 2:10pm
Narrm can be tough on its day but that didn't stop Butters (148) and Rozee (121) scoring with ease against it last week. Brayshaw has been in hot form scoring 135, 105, 157 and 113 in his last four games and even had 137 and 94 against the Demons last year.
No. 2 – Marcus Bontempelli v Gold Coast @ the TIO Stadium, SAT 7:25pm
In the past, Bontempelli has scored well against the Suns with 116, 105 and 133 in his last three games. Coming off scores of 110, 118 and 129… this good run should continue against a team that gave the Lions three scores of 125+ last week.
No. 3 - Zach Merrett v West Coast @ Optus Stadium, SAT 7:30pm
Big news! Xavier O'Neill has been dropped and that means, Merrett will be tag-free. The Eagles are the second easiest for midfielders to score against this year and Merrett loves playing at Optus with scores of 118, 112, 132 and 124.
No. 4 – Rowan Marshall v Hawthorn @ Marvel Stadium, SAT 1:45pm
With scores of 110 and 116 in his last two games, Marshall has been solid enough and heads into a juicy Saturday match-up against the Hawks. Marshall thrives under the roof and could also be a great VC option.
No. 5 – Tim Taranto v Yartapuulti @ the MCG, SUN 1:10pm
Taranto sits low on the list considering he has scored over 120 in four of his last five games. He still hasn't dropped under 100 for the season but Yartapuulti is very tough for midfielders to score against, ranking as the No.1 hardest this year.
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