13 down, 11 to go!

Make no mistake, every rookie listed in this article should probably be traded at some point. Over a full day has passed since lockout lifted to end Rd. 13 and coaches have wasted no time pulling the trigger on cash cows who have topped out in value. The list of the 20 most traded-out players this week currently includes 15 rooks – a tactic that makes a lot of sense. Long-serving bargains such as Kade Chandler, Seamus Mitchell, Jacob van Rooyen, Reuben Ginbey, and Luke Pedlar should all be offloaded as we start to turn our attention to fantasy normalcy in Round 16. There are still value picks to be found and flipping cash cows is a surefire way to build the funds necessary for a big move.

Rookie/cash cows are defined as players who started the season priced at $300,000 or lower

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Mooooving On

Part of our weekly trade focus is to remove the rookie-priced players who are no longer making money. When a cash cow sees their average fall in line with their breakeven or they find themselves on the outside looking in for multiple weeks at a time, that’s a good time to give them the axe.

Fattened cash cows

1. Samson Ryan, Tigers ($434K, AVG 51, BE 69)
2. Will Ashcroft, Lions ($715K, AVG 82, BE 99)
3. Alex Cincotta, Blues ($402K, AVG 57, BE 54)
4. Reuben Ginbey, Eagles ($504K, AVG 63, BE 58)
5. Jacob van Rooyen, Demons ($429K, AVG 52, BE 42)

Injured/non-playing rookies

1. Ollie Hollands, Blues ($491K, AVG 58, BE 85)
2. Fergus Greene, Hawks ($361K, AVG 42, BE 71)
3. Lachlan Cowan, Blues ($327K, AVG 41, BE 29)
4. Alwyn Davey Jr, Bombers ($300K, AVG 40, BE 44)
5. Matt Roberts, Swans ($223K, AVG 28, BE 18)

Cash Cow King – Round 13

The prized picks from the 2022 draft were the stars of the show in Round 13 with three of the top four selections featuring amongst the top scorers. Will Ashcroft (74) didn’t have the greatest game of his rookie season, but he and the two North players drafted right behind him, Harry Sheezel (92) and George Wardlaw (97), produced strong scores that would’ve certainly helped coaches. Sheezel and Wardlaw weren’t the only cash cows who topped 90, with Freo’s Matthew Johnson (93) benefitting from more midfield time to put up the best score of his 8-game career. Another inexperienced MID Angus Sheldrick (79) was the final rook to crack the top-5, thanks to his impressive showing vs. St Kilda.

Round 13 Power Rankings

After 13 weeks of action, these are the top 10 cash cow performers in season 2023!

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Making Moves

Money makers

It’s tricky to highlight the money makers this week as some inflated cash cows are taking Round 14 off. I’ve got no problem if coaches decide to delist popular Hawthorn duo Seamus Mitchell ($538K, 64, BE 48) and/or Josh Weddle ($508K, 61, BE 44) as we remove the final few rookies from our starting 22. Still, it’s possible these two are able to increase a tad more in value, with Dylan Williams ($538K, 65, BE 56) another prospect in a similar position for fantasy coaches. I have more faith in Mitchell generating additional wealth and hitting a few more 75+ scores along the way. It’s fair to argue that Weddle and Williams can do the same, however some of their recent scores suggest they’ve made most of their money. Coaches may want to hold onto Dyl Will for one more round until his week off, with Weddle already cut from over 1,200 teams now that his bye has arrived.

Will Phillips ($504K, 54, BE 38) is another Round 15 cash cow who could soon be on the chopping block. Two scores in the 90’s prior to his 54-point effort against GWS have seen his value shoot upward and Phillips should be able to surpass his breakeven next time out. He’ll have to contend with his teammate George Wardlaw ($450K, 97, BE 11) for touches against the Bulldogs, as the budding Kangaroo continues to turn heads with a hot start to his AFL career. 22 disposals and a game-high 9 tackles helped Wardlaw finish the round as the highest-scoring rookie and it’s promising to see him making the most of LDU, Simpkin and Greenwood missing from the lineup.

Similar to North’s ascending midfielder, Matthew Johnson ($406K, 93, BE 3) stepped up in the absence of Jaeger O’Meara for Fremantle as a contributing member of their engine room. His heavy utilisation close to the footy saw Johnson rack up 25 touches and make an additional $57K for the large group of coaches who opted to bring him in before Round 13. Even if O’Meara returns and pushes him out of the MID rotation slightly, Johnson still has plenty of room to grow, although it’s hard to justify trading for him now that he’s worth $400K+. Instead, the cheaper Angus Sheldrick ($213K, 79, BE -3) would be a much smarter investment, especially thanks to his negative BE. Turning heads against St Kilda has seen Sheldrick kickstart his cash generation and it’s no shock to see the Swans youngster as the most traded-in player. It’s also worth quickly mentioning that Bailey Humphrey ($520K, DNP, BE 35) will be back in action for coaches this week, well situated to keep his price climb going.

Keep the faith

As I said at the lead-off, all rookies need to be eventually upgraded – including prolific pair Harry Sheezel ($756K, 92, BE 106) and Will Ashcroft ($715K, 74, BE 99). Being smack bang in the middle of the bye rounds will cause a large number of coaches to hold the impressive cash cows and address more pressing issues, however, now seems like the opportune time to upgrade them to a top-tier player in their position. Ashcroft has an average of 83.4 in his last five outings with Sheezel only slightly better at 86.2 points. Even though the Brisbane young gun returns to the Gabba for three of his next four matches (a venue where he averages 103.4 points) and North Melbourne’s Rising Star fancy has a top-10 average at both of his positions, there is merit in offloading them prior to Round 14.

Defensive mainstays Campbell Chesser ($283K, 50, BE 15) and Darcy Wilmot ($441K, 68, BE 38) probably started in your initial 30-man squad and there will still be some coaches holding onto the two of them. Chesser hasn’t had the same consistent opportunity as Wilmot, but the West Coast product could make some handy cash if Simpson provides him with more full games at the top level. The Lions’ teenager has had his lulls when it comes to scoring points, and yet, he has popped in two of his last three outings. A lowish breakeven means that Wilmot may still make a few extra bucks before he’s inevitably dealt away and clearly, that time is fast approaching.

Cut them loose

There is an expansive list of tradable rookies as we gear up for Round 14. A lot of mainstream cash cows will miss this weekend’s slate of games and as a result, it’s a great opportunity to move them on. Popular forward combo Luke Pedlar ($480K, 71, BE 60) and Kade Chandler ($493K, 62, BE 52) have had their bright moments and could very possibly increase in price next week. Averages of 60 and 64 need to be culled from your team though, making them good players to delist. Eagles manchild Reuben Ginbey ($504K, 71, BE 58) can also go with his cash generation virtually over and Alex Cincotta ($402K, 55, BE 54) isn’t worth owning anymore either. He could score well against the Suns, but if a trade is possible give Cincotta the flick.

Priced slightly lower, the likes of Jacob van Rooyen ($429K, 49, BE 42) and Samson Ryan ($434K, 40, BE 69) will be dumped now that they’ve reached max value. Both JVR and Ryan are playing roles that cap their scoring potential and getting rid of them for a cheaper alternative can free up a lot of convenient cash. Miller Bergman ($390K, 10, BE 61) copping the sub vest hurt, but his time was coming anyway with Noah Long ($344K, 11, BE 56) another rook who can go. Scoring an 11 despite playing 81% of the game can’t be tolerated.

GameDay Squad – Create. Coach. Compete.

Thin Ice

If it wasn’t the bye rounds, these three players would’ve been listed as trade out candidates and if moving them one helps you pull the trigger on another upgrade, go for it. Mattaes Phillipou ($467K, 50, BE 55) is the one who may realistically still be kicking around for coaches, residing in over 30% of teams and averaging 54 for the season. Yet to miss a game, there’s some justification behind holding on to Phillipou for an extra fortnight and hoping he hits a 70. I’d be exploring other options though, with Judson Clarke ($282K, 25, BE 33) another rookie that should preferably be moved on. The massive swing between his good and bad scores is a concern and Carlton DEF/FWD Brodie Kemp ($533K, 52, BE 66) can also yo-yo between high and low point totals. Both owners of the Round 15 bye, if you’re going to give Clarke and Kemp another run this has to be the last week they stay in your team.

Wait and see

Questions have been asked about North Melbourne duo Eddie Ford ($436K, 67, BE 39) and Phoenix Spicer ($265K, 52, BE 7) following their recent run of solid scoring. I’m still not totally sold on either as viable options, with Spicer obviously more tempting thanks to his cheap price tag. The Roos small was once again able to lay a handy number of tackles, although it’s worth acknowledging they will be on the bye next week. While it does help the case for either rookie, I can see why some will roll the dice. I’d much rather invest in Josh Fahey ($200K, 50, BE 30) now that he’s poised to finally increase in value.

GWS may not give him an extended run, however Fahey didn’t look out of place for Adam Kingsley as a member of their best-22. If it doesn’t ruin your structure you could pull the trigger on the coveted DEF/MID, but the smart play is to wait until Round 16 and ensure he’s still in the side. I’ve had similar doubts over the job security of Harvey Harrison ($256K, 54, BE -1) but he keeps proving me wrong and filling up the stat sheet. With the Pies in premiership assault mode, they won’t be too focused on developing their young talent, which could mean Harrison is omitted after their week off. Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn ($222K, 24, BE 33) isn’t guaranteed a spot for the Power either making it hard to rationalise a trade for him right now.

Sub status

Subbed On – Cam Mackenzie, Harry Rowston

Subbed Off – Anthony Caminiti, James O’Donnell, Josh Sinn, Miller Bergman, Ryan Angwin

Thankfully, Josh Fahey is absent from this segment – for a week at least. Instead, Giants cash cows Harry Rowston ($258K, 15, BE 46) and Ryan Angwin ($322K, 43, BE 32) continue to step on each other’s toes and halt any potential growth. Angwin has at least been starting games for GWS, although neither of them are going to increase much if they’re constantly asked to wear the vest. Surely he’s been traded by now, but anyone holding on to Cam Mackenzie ($442K, 35, BE 70) can offload him following another appearance as the substitute against Brisbane. Only featuring in 40% of the game means Mackenzie’s fate is sealed.

Reserves Watch

A handful of the mid-season draftees were among the best performers in the state leagues once again, although I’m not so sure any of them will earn a call-up in the near future. One-time WAFL spearheads Jack Buller and Jaiden Hunter were both in full flight for Sydney and Essendon’s VFL sides respectively, with Buller taking out bragging rights thanks to 5.3 in front of goal from his 17 touches (110 points). Hunter managed 4.1 in his first game as a Bomber, hauling in 9 marks as well as 12 disposals for a score of 91. The in-form Quinton Narkle maintained his seamless transition into the SANFL, once again featuring as one of the best players for the club against Central Districts. The newest Power midfielder has got straight to work and another 129 points on the weekend from 33 disposals will keep him in the frame for Port.

The players added to AFL lists a fortnight ago aren’t the only fantasy rookies worth remembering though, with a top-5 pick gradually building his way towards a debut. Touted Essendon draftee Elijah Tsatas continued to shake off the rust following his injury-affected layoff, amassing 25 disposals for 78 points against Carlton’s VFL side. Alwyn Davey Jr was also active in the Bombers’ loss, laying 9 tackles amongst his 94 points as he tries to re-enter the senior side. For the Blues, Lachie Cowan is another cash cow looking to throw his hat in the selection ring and he performed well enough to stay in the mix. Scoring 102 points from 25 disposals and 8 marks, Cowan finished the day as one of Carlton’s best players and consistently featuring in the vote-getters should only help his case.

For the Box Hill Hawks, Fergus Greene was in his element with a bag of 5 goals in their clash with the Brisbane two’s. Greene only needed 10 touches for his five snags and while a score of 72 is solid, he’ll likely remain in the VFL while Hawthorn has a clean bill of health. Brisbane youngsters Harry Sharp and Jaspa Fletcher fit into the same bracket as Greene, with the pair set to bide their time for the Lions reserves. There were encouraging signs against Box Hill, with Sharp managing 17 touches and a goal (70 points) while Fletcher had 18 disposals with 7 marks and kicked 2.2 (80 points). Finally in the WAFL, an injury-riddled Eagles side fails to offer much and Fremantle isn’t much better. On the back of the news that Karl Worner is close to an extension with the Dockers, the second-year talent produced 21 disposals and a goal (68 points) for Peel Thunder on the weekend. It’s hard to see him getting a lengthy stint in the AFL team unless injuries strike though.

Remember the Name

In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced players to consider throughout the season.

DEFENDERS

Jake Stein (Suns, $288K)
Rhett Montgomerie (Bombers, $200K)
Jakob Ryan (Magpies, $246K)
Sam Banks (Tigers, $200K)
Karl Worner (Freo, $200K)
Sam Durdin (Blues, $213K)
Darragh Joyce (Lions, $241K)

MIDFIELDERS

Connor Blakely (Suns, $235K)
Billy Dowling (Crows, $216K)
Elijah Tsatas (Bombers, $292K)
Ed Allen (Magpies, $264K)
Hugh Bond (Crows, $202K)
Mitch Hardie (Cats, $200K)
Jack Peris (Saints, $200K)
Jaspa Fletcher (Lions, $278K)
Henry Hustwaite (Hawks, $228K)

RUCKMEN

Jacob Edwards (Kangaroos, $200K)
Alex Mirkov (Blues, $200K)
Hamish Free (Kangaroos, $200K)
Harry Barnett (Eagles, $256K)
Max Heath (Saints, $200K)
Dante Visentini (Power, $200K)

FORWARDS

Jaxon Binns (Blues, $238K)
Joe Richards (Magpies, $206K)
Finlay Macrae (Magpies, $290K)
Hugh Jackson (Power, $200K)
James Willis (Cats, $200K)
Jack Buller (Swans, $200K)
Jaiden Hunter (Bombers, $200K)
Patrick Voss (Bombers, $200K)
Kai Lohmann (Lions, $209K)

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