HERE we go again! AFL Fantasy ... the game we love to hate.
Round eight was a round we are very happy to see the back of after Fantasy coaches were dealt many curve balls from all directions. It's a good thing Fantasy coaches are dedicated, resilient or borderline crazy because it's round nine and we're ready to do it all again.
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To kick things off - Jordon Sweet (RUC, $502,000) owners, take note. Sweet was a popular target last week as he took over the No.1 ruck reins at Port Adelaide after Ivan Soldo was ruled out for a number of weeks, but he will miss Friday night's clash against Geelong due to illness.
Let's check out what coaches are thinking and doing for the round ahead.
Trap or treat?
How will you use your two trades this week? Here are some traps to avoid and some treats worth considering.
Dayne Zorko (MID/FWD, $952,000) – TRAP
I feel terrible saying that Zorko is a 'trap' after he scored 184, but the 35-year-old is now the most expensive forward available and it's something you should think long and hard about before paying top dollar.
Nick Daicos (DEF/MID, $885,000) – TREAT
After scoring 122 on the weekend and averaging 102 in his last five games, now is the time to buy! Expect Daicos to be the main man in the middle this week against the Eagles who give up plenty of points.
Clayton Oliver (MID, $722,000) – TRAP
Oliver was back to his best last week scoring his second 100-plus score for the year, but have we seen enough? He is so cheap ... but a friendly reminder that prior to last week he scored 65, 53 and 47.
Colby McKercher (DEF/MID, $539,000) – TREAT
After scores of 99 and 109, Colby's cash generation has kick started once again. He has a breakeven of 19 and with a juicy role across half-back he is a great mid-priced option capable of scoring 100-plus.
Lachlan Sullivan (MID, $225,000) – TREAT
With injuries to Mitchell and De Goey, Sullivan should get plenty of opportunities over the coming weeks. He scored 57 in limited time last week and is the best downgrade target for round nine.
Live Teams Show
The Traders will be live tonight to 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 via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App and ask your questions in the comments.
Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
Most traded in
• Jack Sinclair (DEF, $846,000)
• Nick Daicos (DEF/MID, $885,000)
• Clayton Oliver (MID, $722,000)
• Bruce Reville (MID/FWD, $221,000)
• Jake Soligo (MID, $729,000)
The stocks of Jack Sinclair (DEF, $846,000) have only increased over the week and he now sits at the top of the list as the most traded in player for round nine. Coming off 156 and 108, Sinclair has found his feet after an interrupted pre-season and plays the Hawks this Saturday.
No Adelaide midfielder has attended for more centre-bounces over the last three week than Jake Soligo (MID, $729,000). During this time, he has averaged 103 and is a great mid-priced downgrade target if you are in need of some cash to make your second trade something special.
Most traded out
• Elliot Yeo (DEF/MID, $769,000)
• Connor Rozee (MID, $852,000)
• Tom Green (MID, $864,000)
• Matt Roberts (MID/DEF, $630,000)
• Zac Williams (DEF, $531,000)
If you are one of the unlucky ones and own more than two of the players on this list, then you'll need to prioritise who goes first ... and the order above is pretty close to what you should be doing.
Elliot Yeo (DEF/MID, $769,000) has certainly done his job for coaches and Yeo was never intended to be a 'keeper'. His groin injury will rule him out for round nine, and there is no guarantee he won't rest again throughout the year ... and the same can be said for injured Zac Williams (DEF, $531,000).
Port has already announced that Connor Rozee (MID, $852,000) will miss 1-2 weeks. After their mistake to play Rozee last week after injuring his hamstring six days before the game, they won't be taking any risks this time and they definitely won't be making the same mistake twice.
An ankle injury saw Tom Green (MID, $864,000) subbed out last week but after scans revealed no structural damage, he still remains a very small chance to be named for this week. If you have three of the injured players above, Green is the one you keep.
Calvin's best captains
Your captain scores you double points and here are my best captain options for you to consider.
Thursday night
Max Gawn v Carlton
Gawn is the best captain option for Thursday night, however, he does come with a small flag. Carlton restricted Gawn's output twice late last year to scores of 88 and 84. But hey - can you really turn your back on a guy who has averaged 126 in his last five games?
Friday night
Caleb Serong v Sydney
Coming off 141, Serong is clearly one of the best midfielders in the game. He is averaging 117 this season and returns home to take on a team that can give up points on their day.
Saturday night
Tim English v Richmond
English is in ripping form scoring 126, 141 and 128 in his last three games. Saturday night he meets Toby Nankervis, who allows his opponents to score freely. This was the case last year when English played him twice for scores of 131 and 145.
Sunday
Nick Daicos v West Coast
Last week against West Coast, the Essendon trio of Parish, Merrett and Martin averaged 125. Last week, Daicos played the most time in the middle than he has all year for his score of 122. He will be great again!
Tune in tonight when the Traders go live at 6:15pm on AFL.com.au or via the AFL Live Official App to see who Calvin has in his top-five and who the Traders are locking in as their captain options for the round ahead.
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