View Bluetonium’s Team
Round 12 Score: 2,305
Current Overall Ranking: 37,876
Trades Left: 11
Remaining Salary Cap: $28,400

Dear Bluetonium,

Thank you for submitting your team. The question you have put to us asking the best way to finalise your team for the run home is one of the most common questions we get asked. Having 11 trades up your sleeve to use over the remaining 9 rounds is certainly a luxury and the time has come for you to start using some of those valuable trades.

The best way to improve your side is to start making what is commonly referred to as “two for one” trades. This trading strategy involves trading out two average or mid priced players and replacing them with one gun and one rookie. The gun player that you bring into your team becomes a keeper for the run home, while the rookie becomes a valuable addition to your side as a reserve e.g. your 8th defender or forward, 7th midfielder etc. I have identified the following nine mid priced players who you should look to trade out of your side in the run home.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 16: Ben Nason of the Tigers gathers the ball during the round eight AFL match between the Richmond Tigers and the Hawthorn Hawks at Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 16, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

These players are: Ben Nason, Tadhg Kennelly, Ryan Bastinac, Dustin Martin, Brodie Moles, Matthew Leuenberger, Hayden Ballantyne, Sam Wright and Cameron Hitchcock.

Choosing the guns to bring into your side is the easy part. My advice is to bring in the best player you can afford in each position. Players such as Heath Scotland, Dane Swan, Gary Ablett, Leigh Montagna, Matthew Boyd, Dean Cox, Paul Chapman, Matthew Pavlich and Alan Didak should be very much on your radar over the next 6 – 8 weeks.

Choosing the rookies to bring into your side is much more challenging. My advice is to select the rookies with the greatest job security for the run home. This means that we want our rookies playing regular AFL footy, rather than being constantly in and out of the side. At this point of the season you should be looking very closely at rookies from teams out of finals contention such as: West Coast, Adelaide and Richmond. The reason for this is because these teams need to start building for the future, which means they need to test their rookie’s ability by giving them regular games of AFL footy. You should avoid looking at rookies who play for teams such as: Geelong, St. Kilda, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn etc. because these teams will be relying on their more experienced, proven players as they strive for September glory.

Prior to Rounds 14 and 15 you should bring Andrew Strijk and Koby Stevens into your side, along with two guns I have mentioned above. For other future rookie selections, be sure to read Dan’s weekly “Bargain Basement” article on Wednesday’s.

Good luck!