Archie Roberts is a supercoach must-trade in round 15 after injuring his shoulder last week. The Fantasy defender is priced at $942,000, but his injury has flipped him from a premium scorer to a trade priority as coaches move through the second-last week of the bye rounds.
Archie Roberts at $942,000
Roberts had averaged 132 across a six-game streak from rounds four to nine, which is why his shoulder injury has landed so hard for coaches who built around his scoring. That run put him in elite territory for defenders, but the role has changed now that the injury has interrupted his season.
John Noble is among the players many coaches are bringing in, with a price tag of $1,059,000, while Lachie Whitfield sits at $996,000 and Lachie Ash at $1,006,000. The replacement decision is not just about finding a defender; it is about turning Roberts' cash and score output into a player who can cover the bye period without sacrificing points.
Bailey Smith Split
Bailey Smith will miss the clash against Fremantle and then have his bye the following week, which has split Supercoach teams at the exact point coaches have only three trades a week and only the best 18 on-field scores count. Team Warnie says to hold him over the next two weeks. Team Roy says to trade him.
About 6,500 coaches are siding with Team Roy and plan to trade Smith back in later in the season. That call matters because this is the second-last week of the mid-season bye rounds, with Brisbane, West Coast, Essendon and Sydney all on the bye this week, so every trade has to cover both availability and scoring depth.
Brent Daniels Forms a Triage List
Brent Daniels is another target drawing attention at $742,000 after recent scores of 101, 80 and 106. He is potentially $200,000 under-priced and is the second-most traded in player for the week, which puts him firmly in the mix for coaches looking for a cheaper boost than the premium defenders.
Jordan De Goey sits at $892,000 and averages 107 over the past five weeks, leaving him as the second-best forward in the game over that span behind Harry Sheezel. Jason Horne-Francis is priced at $876,000, while Tim Taranto at $852,000 has produced 129, 80 and 127 in his past three games, and Will Day at $800,000 scored 115 in round 13 despite not having played more than 70 per cent since returning.
Joel Fitzgerald offers the cheapest swing at $277,000 after an 83 on debut and a breakeven of -12. For coaches forced to balance Roberts, Smith and the round 15 bye squeeze, the order is clear: fix the injured premium first, then decide whether to chase scoring upside or cash generation with the remaining trades.
