First week of the byes is always tricky to navigate at the trade table… Get your trade tips and advice for the week with buy, hold, fold!

BUY

Hugh Greenwood ($537K MID, NORF) – 114

With the omissions of Cunnington and LDU, Greenwood has feasted on more midfield minutes over the past three weeks. He attended 77% of centre bounces which was the most of any Norf mid on the weekend! At $537K, he has to be considered if bye structure allows!

Benny Hobbs ($605K FWD/MID, ESS) – 97

Speaking of extra midfield minutes, Benny Hobbs has stepped up to the plate in the absence of Darcy Parish and Dylan Shiel over the past fortnight. He has scores of 92 and 97 in this time and rolls into the byes with a breakeven of 39.

Jack Macrae ($831K MID/FWD, WB) – 123

DPPs were kind to coaches and prospective owners with Macrae adding FWD status! He holds a two round average of 120 and has seen more midfield minutes of late. It should come as no surprise to see his ownership increasing!

In the Mix: Oisin Mullin, Conor Nash.

HOLD

Will Ashcroft ($726K, BL) – 44

An uncharacteristically quiet game for Ashcroft, culminating in his worst score for the season… Coaches will be enticed to pull the trigger given the $$$ on his head, however, I think he has shown enough to be a valuable asset through the byes!

Jack Steele ($851K MID, STK) – 78

14 disposals would be his lowest count in yonks! I wouldn’t be panicking though, the Saints were clearly already on holiday on Saturday arvo and Steeley was no different. He has been a frustrating watch for coaches of late but he’ll come good!

James ‘Sic Dawg’ Sicily ($878K DEF, HAW) – 165

After a uuuuuuge performance, in typical Sic Dawg fashion decides to bump when the ball is in another postcode. He has been offered one week so you’d be silly to trade!

In the Mix: Bailey Sm(n)iff, Ryan Angwin, Rory Laird.

FOLD

Sean Darcy ($789K RUC, WALY) – 34

Classic stitch up. Darcy was well on his way to a solid score with 34 from 25% game time, until he suffered a moderate hamstring strain early in Q2 vs Narrm. You could feasibly hold him, but you’d be hoping for a best case scenario return in R14… Playing with fire a little given we need those green dots!

Spudd Judd McVee ($368K DEF/MID, NARRM) – 28

3 round average of 35… I mean, at least he is a green dot (to this stage!) but if you do own him make sure you are playing with at least 19! He is now bleeding cash so it makes sense to move him on.

Rory ‘The Racing Car’ Atkins ($554K DEF/MID, GCS) – 30

This was always the risk with picking the Rat… However, he has well and truly done his job, adding $212K to his starting price! If your bye structure allows, have no hesitation pulling the trigger on an upgrade / downgrade.

In the Mix: Brayden Fiorini, Steele Sidebottom.

Top 5 Price Rises

• James ‘Sic Dawg’ Sicily ($878K DEF | HAW | 29.94% ownership) +$60K
• Bailey ‘Bear’ Humphrey ($478K MID/FWD | GCS | 15.73% ownership) +$55K
• Hugh Greenwood ($537K MID | NORF | 0.92% ownership) +$54K
• Bailey ‘Adam’ Scott ($641K DEF/MID | NORF | 0.75% ownership) +$53K
• Nick ‘Souva’ Larkey ($456K FWD | NORF | 1.06% ownership) +$52K

Top 5 Price Drops

• Nic Newman ($779K DEF | CARL | 1.3% ownership) –$69K
• George ‘Lleyton’ Hewett ($648K MID | CARL | 0.71% ownership) -$67K
• Hunter Clark ($618K DEF/MID | STK | 1.04% owneship) -$65K
• Jimmy Jordon ($425K MID | MELB | 0.11% ownership) -$58K
• Steele Sidebottom ($690K MID | COLL | 2.03% ownership) -$56K

Lowest Breakevens

• Kaine Baldwin ($317K FWD | ESS | 1.99% ownership) 2
• Harry Sharp ($332K MID | BL | 13.02% ownership) 5
• Oisin ‘Hoisin’ Mullin ($223K DEF | GEEL | 8.88% ownership) 5
• Charlie ‘Jesse Sands Wannabe’ Constable ($422K DEF/MID | GCS | 17.8% ownership) 5
• Ned Moyle ($268K RUC | GCS | 4.7% ownership) 7

Highest Breakevens:

• Nic Newman ($779K DEF | CARL | 1.3% ownership) – 164
• Jarryd Lyons ($590K MID | BL | 0.06% ownership) – 157
• Touk Miller ($877K MID | GCS | 4.68% ownership) – 149
• Callum ‘Pills Thrills, Neutrophils’ Mills ($739K MID | SYD | 1.44% ownership) – 148
• Noah Anderson ($894K MID | GCS | 4.29% ownership) – 142

*ownership % as of 2pm 29 May 2023. 

So who’s on the chopping block in your squad? Share your early trade thoughts in the comments below!

Cheers legends,

Fantasy Fanatic #70