Nine down, 15 to go!

Why can’t we have nice things? Just when it seemed like we had a straight forward week of trades, the Colby McKercher injury has thrown a spanner into the works for roughly half the fantasy community. We still want to offload all of our rookies at some point throughout the season, but there are DEFINITELY some cash cows underperforming that demanded our trade attention ahead of the North Melbourne prodigy – or so we thought. A high number of rookies can be found throughout the list of the most traded players this week and moving on from the correct cash cows will set you up for sustained success as the dreaded bye rounds etch closer.

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

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. Matt Roberts, Swans ($600K, 74 AVG, 99 BE)
2. Oliver Dempsey, Cats ($522K, 67 AVG, 77 BE)
3. Harvey Thomas, Giants ($409K, 46 AVG, 73 BE)
4. Aaron Cadman, Giants ($406K, 49 AVG, 68 BE)
5. Harley Reid, Eagles ($535K, 63 AVG, 63 BE)

Injured/non-playing rookies

1. Ryley Sanders, Bulldogs ($501K, 63 AVG, 84 BE)
2. Will Graham, Suns ($490K, 71 AVG, 37 BE)
3. Seth Campbell, Tigers ($413K, 52 AVG, 45 BE)
4. Zane Duursma, Kangaroos ($367K, 46 AVG, 57 BE)
5. Chris Burgess, Crows ($302K, 42 AVG, 28 BE)

Cash Cow King – Round 9

Jeremy Sharp produced the best rookie score we’ve seen in 2024, running amok against Sydney last Friday and almost cracking the 120-point threshold! The Freo wingman feasted in the final quarter to drop his second triple-figure score this year – besting a competitive field of cash cow scores from Round 9. Sam Clohesy was the next closest with his first 100-point effort this year while mainstream rooks Caleb Windsor, Darcy Wilson and Colby McKercher all produced 80+ efforts. It’s hard to go against Sharp for my vote this week and hopefully, our popular cash cows can continue to reach great scoring heights.

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Round 9 Power Rankings

After 9 weeks of action, these are the top 10 cash cow performers in season 2023!

Power Ranking 2024 #AFLFantasy Cash Cows Round 9 💰🐮

1. Colby McKercher ↔️
2. Darcy Wilson ↔️
3. Jeremy Sharp ⬆️ 3
4. Sam Clohesy ↔️
5. Caleb Windsor ⬆️ 3
6. Kai Lohmann (NR)
7. Harley Reid ⬇️ 2
8. Matt Roberts ⬇️ 5
9. Will Graham ⬇️ 2
10. Oliver Dempsey ↔️ pic.twitter.com/XdlPK25AdX

— SportsbyFry (@sportsbyfry) May 14, 2024

Making Moves

Money makers

Some of our starting picks have fallen by the wayside with their production, but a few cash cows are still moving in a positive direction. Jeremy Sharp ($619K, 118, BE 40) used a 52-point fourth quarter to drop a stellar score, with Sam Clohesy ($557K, 100, BE 38) also thriving over the weekend. Coaches will leave both of them on their field with confidence heading into Round 10 and those who own Caleb Windsor ($513K, 84, BE 19) and Darcy Wilson ($613K, 87, BE 36) won’t be moving their magnets either. The time to trade them out of our teams will come, but given their recent form, this quartet still has some cash to make and hopefully they can keep scoring at a rapid rate in the process.

More than a few cheaper alternatives have announced themselves as viable downgrade options too. Most jumped on Darcy Jones ($213K, 33, BE 14) at some point in the last three weeks and even though he failed to fire against Essendon, he’s still going to make some handy coin. A full run from Finlay Macrae ($295K, 71, BE 15) will entice some, although another pair of cheap Magpies are the rookies I have my sights set on. Both Joe Richards ($242K, 81, BE -13) and Lachie Sullivan ($271K, 64, BE -9) stood out during their clash with West Coast and providing they stay in Collingwood’s team, you can target them as money makers on the bench.

I am slightly concerned that Craig McRae won’t let all these Magpies youngsters thrive from a fantasy standpoint, with Sullivan and Macrae possible sub-candidates should Tom Mitchell and/or Jordan De Goey re-enter the fray. However, I was enthused by what I saw from Richards and it’s no surprise to see him as the most traded in player right now. With that being said, I have higher hopes for cheap MID/FWD’s in the form of Joel Freijah ($228K, 62, BE -1) and Bruce Reville ($259K, 57, BE -4) – both of whom seem poised to be convenient bench pieces. Team selection tomorrow night may dictate which one (or two) of these rookies we want to target, although Brisbane’s mature-ager in Reville is my favourite of the bunch right now.

Keep the faith

Outside of the clear-cut starters/downgrade options, a variety of cash cows are slowly maintaining their price rise. Hugo Garcia ($374K, 58, BE 26) continues to dodge the vest and tackle his way to healthy point totals and the handful of coaches who opted to add Kai Lohmann ($457K, 52, BE 38) won’t be disappointed with his production. Fielding either of them would feel risky, but as a lot of the favoured rooks either max out in price or fail to fire from a scoring standpoint we may need to trust a bench player or two within the next few rounds.

I’ve been advocating for coaches to move on from the likes of Harvey Gallagher ($424K, 67, BE 41) and Seth Campbell ($413K, 68, BE 45) for a few weeks now, however they both managed to record promising point totals last round. Campbell appears set to miss a week or two with a knee issue, but both he and Gallagher have earned themselves another life thanks to their Round 9 efforts. In defence, Blake Howes ($461K, 48, BE 47) is primed to be axed after a few scoring lulls although a matchup against the Eagles this weekend means you can probably wait at least another round before pulling the trigger. Bench fodders such as Body Uwland ($378K, 83, BE 21) and Riley Hardeman ($289K, 47, BE 18) aren’t setting the world on fire, but the pair are still making convenient cash as well.

Cut them loose

Firstly, the maxed out rookies likely sitting at F7-F8 for their owners are still well and truly on the chopping block. GWS pair Aaron Cadman ($406K, 25, BE 68) and Harvey Thomas ($409K, 14, BE 73) coupled with Kangaroos duo Charlie Lazzaro ($393K, 27, BE 61) and Blake Drury ($367K, 21, BE 59) are moving in the opposite direction making them a near trade priority. If you can facilitate your weekly trades by moving on from one or two of these players, it will only help your team in the long run. Of course, most of us aren’t in a position where we can worry about these crappy cash cows with on-field rooks demanding our attention.

An average of 53 in his last four appearances has seen Oliver Dempsey ($522K, 49, BE 77) plateau and over 4,300 coaches are swinging the axe on the Geelong youngster. He sits as the 4th most traded out player at the time of typing and it’s possible that coaches are following the traditional ‘one up, one down’ trade tactic by culling Dempsey and another mainstream rookie in Matt Roberts ($600K, 39, BE 99). Almost 12% of the competition have flicked Roberts out this week, following a pair of crappy performances from Sydney’s halfback flanker. I watched him intently during last Friday’s hitout and pushing his way up onto a wing more frequently has seen his scoring dry up. It’s clear that Roberts has served his purpose for the fantasy community and his $600K price tag means you can probably reach a decent upgrade by trading him away.

Removing Roberts and Dempsey from your team likely provides you with enough cash to bring in a decent replacement, but the issues don’t stop there for coaches. The form of Harley Reid ($535K, 54, BE 63) is understandably being questioned and unless he rights his wrongs against Melbourne this week, expect to see his ownership plummet. I’ve somewhat buried the lead with the form cash cow of the competition ruled out for this weekend and coaches are fine with moving Colby McKercher ($592K, 88, BE 21) on as a result. A date with Port Adelaide looms in Round 11 and North will have their bye in Round 12, meaning there’s a realistic possibility we don’t see the Roos jet return until at least Round 13! We’ve all got a lot of issues to address at the trade table and moving on from McKercher is still a preferred option given his latest injury setback.

Roos youngster Colby McKercher will miss this weeks match against Essendon.

📺Watch #AFL360 on Ch. 504 or stream via @kayosports: https://t.co/7kvglvpWSC pic.twitter.com/lbfeZn2YGq

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) May 14, 2024

Thin Ice

With most of our trade focus this week on maxed out rookies, a few underperformers are coasting under the radar. No one who brought Daniel Curtin ($264K, 8, BE 47) in will be considering trading away the young Adelaide defender yet, although most footy heads expect a move back to the SANFL for a stint following an underwhelming fortnight. A broken arm for Josh Worrell means Adelaide may leave Curtin in the team out of necessity, but non-owners need to see some signs of life before considering him. Gold Coast draftee Jake Rogers ($305K, 50, BE 22) has had a few brighter moments than Curtin, but his place in the senior team is hardly set in stone either. I won’t be surprised if he finds himself demoted ahead of Round 10. The likes of Jhye Clark ($317K, 44, BE 28) and Mykelti Lefau ($404K, 40, BE 35) will still be residing on the bench for a portion of the fantasy community and while it’s not time to address them with a trade, their moment is certainly coming.

Wait and see

Injuries created an opportunity for Port Adelaide pair Josh Sinn ($275K, 56, BE 13) and Dante Visentini ($31K, 71, BE 9) last Friday night, but I wouldn’t be targeting either of them just yet. I cautioned those who needed a Jordon Sweet replacement that Visentini will likely be a one-hit wonder and with Ivan Soldo expected to resume running this week, we won’t see the cheap Power ruck appear too many more times in 2024. Sinn possesses a bit more potential, however his injury history and uncertainty in Port’s team gives me reason to pause. West Coast debutant Tyrell Dewar ($212K, 41, BE 12) did enough to earn another game for the Eagles, although he isn’t the fantasy type we usually covet. Both he and Brisbane FWD Logan Morris ($217K, 20, BE 25) are cheap enough to demand some attention, but the wisest move is to steer clear.

Sub status

Subbed On – Taj Woewodin, Oisin Mullin, Francis Evans, Harvey Thomas, Charlie Lazzaro, Jack Bytel, Harvey Johnston, Shadeau Brain

Subbed Off – Clasher Dear, Alwyn Davery Jr, Connor Stone, Blake Drury, Daniel Curtin

It’s not Taj Woewodin’s ($315K, 37, BE 15) that he finds himself as Melbourne’s favourite sub candidate, but with Jake Bowey back in the team and Christian Salem nearing a return, it won’t be long before 9,500 coaches have an issue on their hands. He was just one of eight cash cows who started last round in the green vest – all of whom are destined to have their fantasy potential ruined by their limited game time. Can they just ditch the sub-rule halfway through the season? Please and thank you.

State League Stats

Jaxon Binns, Blues (171) – 43 disposals, 11 marks, 5 tackles
Ryley Sanders, Bulldogs (139) – 42 disposals, 8 tackles, 1 goal
Josh Fahey, Giants (134) – 36 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles
Caiden Cleary, Swans (122) – 29 disposals, 10 marks, 5 tackles
Harry Rowston, Giants (121) – 23 disposals, 5 marks, 10 tackles
Charlie Dean, Magpies (116) – 27 disposals, 14 marks
Kane McAuliffe, Tigers (115) – 25 disposals, 10 tackles, 2.1 in front of goal
Tom Anastasopoulos, Power (104) – 22 disposals, 7 marks, 1.2 in front of goal
Billy Dowling, Crows (104) – 21 disposals, 10 tackles, 1 goal
Nick Madden, Giants (101) – 18 disposals, 53 hitouts
Zach Reid, Bombers (100) – 26 disposals, 10 marks
Liam Reidy, Dockers (100) – 7 disposals, 51 tackles, 8 tackles
Jakob Ryan, Magpies (98) – 20 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles
Will Graham, Suns (95) – 24 disposals, 7 tackles, 1.1 in front of goal
Bailey Laurie, Demons (92) – 22 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal
James Tsitas, Suns (91) – 24 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles
Toby McMullin, Giants (86) – 86 points, 26 disposals
Charlie Clarke, Bulldogs (86) – 17 disposals, 5 tackles, 3.2 in front of goal
Max Heath, Saints (83) – 7 disposals, 35 hitouts, 8 tackles
Nate Caddy, Bombers (81) – 15 disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals
Nathan Kreuger, Magpies (78) – 11 disposals, 7 hitouts, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal
Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Demons (77) – 19 disposals, 5 marks
Bigoa Nyuon, Kangaroos (71) – 15 disposals, 8 marks
Ethan Read, Suns (71) – 16 disposals, 19 hitouts
Koltyn Tholstrup, Demons (70) – 17 disposals, 2.1 in front of goal
Kynan Brown, Demons (70) – 20 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles
Clay Hall, Eagles (69) – 20 disposals, 1 goal
Ethan Phillips, Hawks (68) – 17 disposals, 9 marks
Archie Roberts, Bombers (59) – 17 disposals
Marty Hore, Demons (57) – 14 disposals, 5 marks
Cooper Simpson, Dockers (48) – 10 disposals, 2 goals

Remember the Name

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

DEFENDERS

James Leake (Giants, $252K)
Jakob Ryan (Magpies, $200K)
Billy Wilson (Blues, $201K)
Arie Schoenmaker (Saints, $200K)
Archie Roberts (Bombers, $200K)
Jedd Busslinger (Bulldogs, $200K)
Charlie Edwards (Crows, $240K)

MIDFIELDERS

Ed Allen (Magpies, $200K)
Caiden Cleary (Swans, $231K)
Clay Hall (Eagles, $200K)
Hugh Jackson (Power, $200K)
Harry Rowston (Giants, $241K)
Harry DeMattia (Magpies, $228K)
Mitch Hardie (Cats, $200K)
George Stevens (Cats, $200K)

RUCKMEN

Henry Smith (Lions, $200K)
Coen Livingstone (Eagles, $200K)
Max Heath (Saints, $200K)
Nathan Kreuger (Magpies, $261K)
Archer Reid (Eagles, $213K)
Will Verrall (Demons, $200K)
Taylor Goad (Kangaroos, $243K)
Mitch Edwards (Cats, $207K)

FORWARDS

Kynan Brown (Demons, $200K)
Nate Caddy (Bombers, $273K)
Andy Moriz-Wakefield (Demons, $200K)
James Tsitas (Suns, $200K)
Ashton Moir (Blues, $216K)
Steely Green (Tigers, $200K)
Billy Dowling (Crows, $200K)
Tom Anastasopoulos (Power, $200K)
Brayden George (Kangaroos, $200K)

Fry

An Australian coffee/burrito enthusiast who is the frustrated owner of 16 fantasy teams. Writer for SportsbyFry and DT Talk ?