Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Avatar
0 Plays2 seconds ago

If you love our content and want to help support us for all of our years of work, please consider giving back by having your specific AFL Fantasy questions answered. At the link below, you have the option for a full team review, specific player / strategy questions and in-season trade and captain options. For a small fee you can have your questions answered whilst also supporting the PODPOD. All questions are greatly appreciated!

Ask me a question to get a personalized audio response! - https://AskMeOnQu.com/podpodafl

Want to join the PODPOD challenge and go up against this amazing community? We would love to have you! Join with the code below:

HDPYPX6X

The winner will receive a custom AFL Fantasy ring courtesy of our friends at Supercoach Champion. Head over to supercoachchampion.com if you would like to enquire about custom rings or accessories for your own leagues!

Like this episode? Follow us on spotify or subscribe on Apple Podcasts to make sure you are up to date for when new episodes are released!

This episode was brought to you by Magic Sports. Magic Sports have a number of new products to help take your fantasy games to the next level:

Slyder - https://www.slyder.team/login

AFL Fantasy Team Picker - https://picker.bolter.team/login

Follow us on X:

The PODPOD: @podpodAFL

Holmesy: @Holmesyheroes

Lewy: @LewyAF

Harmey: @jonharmey

Dos: @HKdos

Sam: @grillis03

Recommended
Transcript

Sam's Return and Baby News

00:00:18
Holmesy
G'day and welcome to the Pod Pod. It's Holmesy here talking all things AFL Fantasy Classic for you on Monday, the 4th of August. Round 21 has been and gone. It was a round of carnage um and yeah, we all felt some of that.
00:00:35
Holmesy
A few panel members short tonight, unfortunately, Louis is unavailable and Harmy as well, but we do have our new member of the PodPod, Sam, back this week after missing last week for personal reasons.
00:00:51
Holmesy
Sam, do you want to give the listeners a quick insight are you keeping that those cards close to your chest?
00:00:58
Sam
No, happy to share, Holmesy. Yeah, I'm sure the listeners must have thought I had a ah major round slide last week, and that's the only reason I missed. But no, um my wife and i had our little baby boy. um so yeah, understandably, the the podcast ah wasn't exactly number one priority on on a Monday afternoon with a two-day-old son. So, yeah, but um managed to sneak away for half an hour here. So, yeah, keen to have chat with um about fantasy, and and we'll see where we go.
00:01:29
Holmesy
Yeah, congratulations, mate. Welcome to the club.

AFL Fantasy Classic Scores Recap

00:01:32
Holmesy
And I don't know if you listened to the Traders podcast today, but um Brodie Grundy's brother, I can't remember his name off the top of my head, who's who's currently leading, actually has a one-year-old and he credits ah his fantasy success to to having the the young family. So, you know, maybe this is the start of something special for you.
00:01:51
Sam
Well, there you go. Yeah, hopefully, um you know, with a bit more responsibility, i need to provide for the family. Fantasy may be the only avenue, but um I think ah think little Theo would be disappointed with his father's efforts on the weekend. ah pretty Pretty average round for me.
00:02:08
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, let's get stuck straight in. It was pretty brutal. Before we do that, though, Louis had a 23.85 on the weekend, so pretty solid. um That's brought him into 716, still quite nicely there. And chuckggling chugging along quite nicely there and And Harmi, unfortunately, with the 2200, was flying leading into this round, but that's dropped him back to 3787.
00:02:31
Holmesy
three seven eight seven But hopefully those boys can finish

Sam's Fantasy League Struggles

00:02:36
Holmesy
strong. But Sam, how'd your weekend go and what's the rank looking like? And give us your Stato and Dossie picks for the week.
00:02:43
Sam
Yeah, happy to. um Look, pretty ordinary round for me, unfortunately. So I had 2296, and that has blown me out to 469. I was actually trending back in the right direction um up until this week.
00:02:54
Holmesy
Thank you.
00:02:57
Sam
I was sitting maybe in the low 200. So, yeah, really poor round. Stato pick of the week is an obvious one. Brodie Grundy with the VC, 150. Grundy 300. love see
00:03:09
Sam
ah we love to see it Dossie pick of the week. I'm just going to throw my midfielders in there. Oh, my goodness gracious. One ton between the lot of them. And let me this is the reason I actually managed to avoid the carnage, Holmesy.
00:03:23
Sam
But let me read my four midfielders' scores, my bottom four here.
00:03:26
Holmesy
Thank
00:03:28
Sam
Zach Butters, 34. Zach Merritt, 76. Tom Green, 67. Jack Sinclair, 81. It was just a disaster from those boys.
00:03:40
Sam
You expect it from the forwards sometimes, but you know yeah you normally bank on midfielders at least giving you a, God, I don't know, an 85 plus it in the worst scenario. So yeah, that was the reason I put up a pretty paltry score. And ah unfortunately, the hat dream is well and truly over.

Holmesy's Ranking Rise

00:03:59
Holmesy
Yeah, I feel for you, mate. In our DMs, you did send through um some of your team and and said, have a look at these spuds. And I think I had eight out of the 11 players that you sent through. So we were hurting at the same time together. But yeah, unfortunate ah fortunately for me, I still had...
00:04:16
Holmesy
um some of those guys at the top end which helped me still have a pretty good round so I had the 24 29 this week um and that's taken me from 15th up to 11th which still is good um I think I'm probably just a little bit too far away from the car now but you do you do never know I'll keep my hopes up over the three weeks and
00:04:39
Sam
No, no, no. I won't hear it, Holmesy. You're still in with a chance, that's for sure. Pod Pod boys are cheering you all the way home. And Harmy obviously loaned you Jeremy Cameron last week, so he would have been in your side on the weekend, surely?
00:04:53
Holmesy
Nah, nah, no Jeremy Cameron, mate. However, that does remind me before we go too much further. ah I think the reason that Louie's not on the podcast tonight is because you pissed him off by coming into the group chat and saying, Holmesy, the Hilux is yours.
00:05:10
Holmesy
And from that point, my weekend derailed. So he's not happy with you, Sam.
00:05:13
Sam
ah Yeah, the group chat has magical powers, as we all know. um and I love, there's two things I love in life, getting a big VC score and winding up Louis in the group chat. Those are probably my two favourite things.
00:05:29
Sam
um And I got both on the weekend. So yeah, it wasn't too bad.
00:05:36
Holmesy
Yeah, anyway, the twenty four twenty nine still pretty good to go from 15th to 11th. i Very, very happy with that still, although it was a weekend that really what could have been.

Zach Butters' Performance Discussion

00:05:47
Holmesy
Zach Butters, the 34, I felt sick, you know, when that sort of that started unfolding.
00:05:54
Holmesy
In the back of my mind, I was still hoping that he was going to sort of drag himself to a respectable, you know, 70-80 score and and save something. The tag, I was hoping it was going to drop, but it just didn't. And yeah, I had the option to loop.
00:06:07
Holmesy
um But you know for the listeners in a bit of context, being being this far back from the car, I did seriously consider benching him for McCarthy, Sam. You know that. um But... Being 300 points away from the car, I thought I had to had to have a crack. And you saw Wines. Wines went 120. Drew went 120. There was points there to be had in that Port Adelaide midfield. But unfortunately, Butters got clamped. So it is what it is.
00:06:31
Holmesy
um Can't have too many regrets. Just got to keep having a crack and and seeing where we can get

Pod Challenge Update

00:06:36
Holmesy
to. So Butters is clearly my dossie pick of the week. But I'm not giving a Stato pick of the week this week, Sam.
00:06:43
Holmesy
Now, I had a good score and I've got plenty of players that I could.
00:06:45
Sam
you
00:06:47
Holmesy
However, I've noticed a bit of a theme over the season with my Stato picks of the week. Whenever I give the award... They go terribly the next week. Now, what I'm thinking is potentially it's it's the Dossie curse working in in the way that it shouldn't where because we gave it the Stato pick of the week for the positive pick, it's Dossie haunting me um like he normally does. and And that there means that these players aren't going very well. So none of them are getting it this week. I can't afford to put that juju out there. So um yeah, rest of the team, we're just going to leave it as is. So
00:07:21
Holmesy
Moving on. Let's have a quick update on the Pod Pod Challenge because we haven't checked in for a while. We still have 18 coaches in the top 100, which is really, really good to see. Hoping we can sort of push that up above 20 come the season's end. And just a reminder, the winner of the Pod Pod Challenge will receive a custom AFL fantasy ring from our friends at supercoachchampion.com. But it is really good to see that we have a Pod Pod member back in the top 10. It's been a while, but...
00:07:50
Holmesy
ah Clary's counsellor, who we've been sort of calling out for most of the year. He's back up there in 10th. I think let's just have a look there, Sam. I think he's about or nine points in front of me. So Clary, right on your heel, mate. But fingers crossed, we can both keep charging up together um and push deep into that top 10. It would be really, really good to see.
00:08:13
Sam
And, Holmesy, just to remind the listeners, if you end up topping the Pod Pod Challenge, what does that mean for the Supercoach Champion

Trading Strategies Overview

00:08:21
Sam
ring? Surely you wouldn't keep it for yourself, would you?
00:08:25
Holmesy
Nah, nah. If I do end up topping it, which I'm hoping from here that I do, it will go to the it'll go to the second place. We've got to give that away. So thanks for it.
00:08:33
Sam
The richest man in fantasy is a generous one, I say. Very good, very good.
00:08:38
Holmesy
Nice to see you trying to moz me as well, even through the pod. So really, really good. All right. Because it's just the two of us tonight, what we thought we'd do, quick sort of discussion around sort of players to jump off, um a quick discussion on some sort of targets for the week, and then we'll spend the bulk of the pod just answering the listeners' questions as that's what we are all about. So...
00:08:59
Holmesy
Players to chop, Sam. First off, I mean, let's start with let's start with the obvious one, Connor Rosey, laid out with illness, but this kind of reeks of, you know, potentially that hand not being where it needs to be. and And maybe it was just a nice convenient excuse for Port Adelaide after mismanaging him last year to just have that sort of soft miss. And then it wouldn't surprise me if they put him in cotton wool. But let's let's say he's back this week.
00:09:26
Holmesy
for For coaches that held, are you holding on to him or are you jumping off?
00:09:31
Sam
Yeah, super interesting one because I even saw Ken's comments over the weekend or maybe today and they said they knew he wasn't going to play the night before when he didn't get on the plane. So I don't know what to make of that, whether it actually was illness and he was spewing his guts up or or if he had a really sore hand. Yeah.
00:09:51
Sam
but you know I would have thought if he'd managed to play and get through last week, um he could have done this week, but maybe it was also a a showdown special. I'm inclined to hold um if he gets up. It's tricky because he plays on a Saturday afternoon, so another kind of late-ish game um for Port. So, yeah, just got to keep a weather eye. I am inclined to hold,

Debating Zach Butters' Trade Options

00:10:12
Sam
though. He's been pretty good all year, um and one of our better scoring defenders slash midfielders midfielder as well at this point. ah
00:10:22
Sam
Being able to to swing those guys into the midfield is actually quite valuable when you've got just a bunch of spuds running around in there.
00:10:31
Holmesy
yeah Yeah, I'd agree with that. i I traded to take a bit of a punt in case he's not back, knowing that um everyone else that holds is going to have to lock a trade in there and and maybe they're sort of forced a little bit. But yeah, I think if he plays your hold, you know, Freo hasn't been the best matchup for defenders, although um we do kick a lot of points at times. So there'll be there'll be points on offer there. But then he goes into Carlton and and Gold Coast that have been two pretty good matchups for defenders for...
00:10:59
Holmesy
the most of the year. So yeah, I think you'd hold him if, if he plays, but at the same time that the whole situation is a bit stinky. So you can jump off too, if you want to be a bit different.
00:11:09
Holmesy
So let's go to his teammate.
00:11:11
Sam
Yep. Yep.

Player Trade Insights: Zorko and McRae

00:11:12
Holmesy
who we both own, Zach Butters. um This needs some discussion. It actually does because um we were talking about this before we got on. So Port Adelaide don't have the toughest run for for midfielders, but at the same time, there are some potential tags that could actually um occur. So let's go through it. so Port Adelaide play Freo this week.
00:11:36
Sam
yep
00:11:36
Holmesy
Freo traditionally haven't been tagging, but they did send O'Meara to Hewitt after halftime. um When O'Meara... Sorry, when Hewitt got off the chain and, um you know, that's exactly what Zach Butters does. He can get off to hot starts and then teams clamp him. So that's a flag.
00:11:52
Holmesy
then going into ah They then go into, sorry, Carlton, who tagged Sorong on the weekend with um Cooper Lord. Now, you have a theory that if Chera or Walsh she is playing, that Lord won't be tagging because there won't be as a spot there in the midfield. So that's something to flag, but also...
00:12:11
Holmesy
um something to monitor and then Gold Coast the last round. Now, Gold Coast won't tag. So what do we do with Zach Butters?
00:12:18
Sam
Yeah, as much as I'd love to um send him to the International Space Station, Holmes, I actually think he's a hold. he's He's a good player. Obviously, he got tagged into oblivion on the weekend, um but I think the tag risk over the next three is low.
00:12:34
Sam
You've articulated some of the potential tags, but, I mean, if Jager O'Meara is running around with butters, I fancy butters. um Fremantle have only really tagged with Wagner this year, who's injured at the moment, and I don't know if he's coming back anytime soon.
00:12:49
Sam
Carlton have only tagged with Chincotta um and then Lorde for the first time on the weekend. And as you mentioned, I think if Chera or Walsh is running around in that midfield, um then they're not going to use their third midfielder to tag. And then Gold Coast obviously aren't going to. So look, up my personal view is um a hold. It sucks um for us owners who got absolutely burned on the weekend.
00:13:10
Sam
34 is just, it's it's a killer. um But, you know, he's still got the run of that midfield. So I'm inclined to say Holden.
00:13:19
Holmesy
Yeah, yeah, I agree. Although if you can loop him,

Jack Steele: To Trade or Not?

00:13:23
Holmesy
I probably would still be inclined to do that just in case. um I unfortunately pre-trades this week can't loop him because the red dot rookie that I decided to trade in for North has kicked 10 goals in the last two weeks and is coming in. So
00:13:39
Sam
Who's that?
00:13:39
Holmesy
and that's how well I'm going. Payne, I think his name is. i I just closed my eyes and picked one because ill mid forward and...
00:13:46
Sam
I've done the same. ah
00:13:47
Holmesy
yeah
00:13:48
Sam
i also picked him last week for a red dart. Oh, gross.
00:13:53
Holmesy
ah So that's, yeah, that's how well we're we're going.
00:13:54
Sam
Gross, gross, gross, gross.
00:13:58
Holmesy
Paul Curtis decided to hit someone on the weekend and Larky's out for the year. So, yep, he is coming in.
00:14:02
Sam
Yeah, sick.
00:14:04
Holmesy
ah Next one you've got here on the list is Dane Zorko. Now, Dane Zorko, I think I'd be trading off regardless of if he plays. I mean, he's clearly going to play because Brisbane are in the hunt here and they need to.
00:14:16
Holmesy
ah But Zorko isn't doing Zorko things at the moment. His time on ground is low. um He's not getting around the ground as well as he used to. He's clearly managing that foot injury. And you combine all that with the fact they're playing Sydney and it would be a Sydney thing to either send James Jordan to him, although I think he probably goes to McCluggage, but Braden Campbell just to follow him around for a pretty shitty score. So yeah, I would get rid of Zorko this week.
00:14:43
Holmesy
There's plenty of guys to get up to that I think are going to be better for the run home. The next one here is an interesting one. So Jack McRae, your draft boy, has lost the role since Nassai has gone into the midfield. I think his CBAs are sitting at around 50% with time on ground in that sort of mid-60s.

Zach Merritt Trade Evaluation

00:15:02
Sam
Yeah.
00:15:02
Holmesy
This is a tricky one because it's luxury trade season and he does have Richmond. what's What's his run? It's elite, right? So Richmond, Essendon, and then GWS. So you probably want him for the next two.
00:15:15
Holmesy
but at the same time, he's not getting it done. So you're trading, but talk me through it.
00:15:20
Sam
Yeah, I am trading. um And it's just based on what I've seen the last two weeks. So ah week before, he sat on the pine for pretty much the whole last quarter, and they pivoted to this Max Hall, Nazair, Boxall, Garcia midfield um with Steele resting forward. Clearly Ross has finally gone, let's play the kids. And we saw a very similar midfield get rolled out this week.
00:15:44
Sam
Lots of Garcia, lots of Nazair, I think, Probably McRae was the next highest CBA there, but again, Boxhaw running around um and obviously Steele came on late.
00:15:56
Sam
is As you say, it's a tough one because, you know, Richmond, they don't come much softer than that for midfielders. But based on what I've seen on the last two weeks, the role's gone, the time on ground's gone. I wouldn't be surprised if he's named sub this week if Steele is feeling a bit better.
00:16:12
Holmesy
Yeah, at least they're playing the first game on Saturday. It would be a disaster if they were playing late on Sunday again. We've we've been blessed with the fixtures this week. um So you don't have to lock too much in before you know if he's either playing or subbing.
00:16:23
Sam
Okay.
00:16:27
Holmesy
The thing I've noticed about the St Kilda team sheets as well, which is pretty bad, is they switch all over the place. So come an hour before the game, players that are on the bench are on the field and vice versa. So you're not actually going to get any any inclination from the team sheet. So a bit of a nervous watch on

Player Performance Analysis

00:16:44
Holmesy
Jack McRae. I still think I'm in the camp of holding because of the Richmond-Essendon matchups.
00:16:50
Holmesy
um But yeah, if if you want to trade him and you can get up to one of those top guys that you don't have, say a a Bailey Smith you don't have or a Brian Myers you don't have or one of those types that are the guaranteed top,
00:17:03
Holmesy
um I can absolutely see a world where you trade Jack McRae. I'm not sure whether I'm going to do it this round. Although if he did have a tough matchup, I'd definitely look at it. Let's go to his counterpart, his teammate, Jack Steele.
00:17:15
Holmesy
So there would have been some very unlucky coaches that traded into him last week and still some that maybe had him for a few weeks prior and have been forced to hold him after the carnage on the weekend.
00:17:26
Holmesy
Does he just have to go now? Or do you, you know, he's lost all that money. It's still Jack's deal. If he's had his rest now, and he's more than likely going to be feeling a bit better. do you Do you hold him knowing that they play early?
00:17:39
Sam
Yeah, again, um for the same reasons as McRae, I think unless you hear some very good news about Jack Steele during the week, you can you can trade. um Again, last week he was rested forward.
00:17:52
Sam
ah Sorry, the week before it was rested forward in the in the fourth quarter and then obviously was given the sub vest. I would want to hear some very good news out of Ross Lyon about Steele this week um to hold. But if if if you get that, then I think you just,
00:18:08
Sam
knuckle down and and hope for the best because, yeah, he's got a great midfield run and, and um you know, captain of the football club. ah You'd think he must have had a really sore shoulder or something to be named sub on the weekend.
00:18:21
Holmesy
Yep, yep, agree with that. Although it wouldn't surprise me if he's back fit and healthy and puts out a score. We've seen Jack still do that over the years. I've been a victim of being burnt by trading him out.
00:18:30
Sam
Yeah.
00:18:32
Holmesy
So he plays early. So maybe because he's lost that much cash, maybe you have a crack at a loop and and see how that goes if he's one of your worst on field. But um but yeah, it's a bit of a bit of a tricky one.
00:18:44
Holmesy
um I could see that one going either way. Zach Merritt ah tagged by James Jordan on the weekend. Been a bit of a common theme on the pod pod over the the last few months in terms of mental health and you know needing to enjoy fantasy footy.
00:18:59
Holmesy
Zach Merritt is walking into an O'Shean Mullen tag this week. It would be a Geelong thing to not tag him. I'm not going to lie, but I would not be chancing that whatsoever. You do have the ability to loop him if you wanted to go down that path.
00:19:12
Holmesy
ah But they do have Carlton and what's their other game? Sorry, the next one after that St. Kilda.
00:19:19
Sam
sites.

Tom Green's Potential Comeback

00:19:20
Holmesy
Not tagging, but, you know, Windy did go to, Windy went to, who's the Melbourne small forward? Cozzy Pickett. So they have still shown to do it. So I'd be trading Zach Merritt. He's at a nice price. I think you can do him to a pretty nice upgrade and and be quite happy. I'd be doing that.
00:19:39
Holmesy
Last one, Sam, before we, oh, we've got a few more, but Christian Petrarca. So talk me through track. Has been very bang average since about round eight, I think it is. ah CBAs have seen a significant drop over the last two weeks when they've gone to more of the kids in Caleb Windsor, Cozzy Pickett, and then Viney and Clary are still there.
00:20:00
Holmesy
Tough matchups. He's got Western Bulldogs this week, which is not going to be easy if he's not getting CBAs. And then they're going to Hawthorne. If you can get track up, would you consider it?
00:20:11
Sam
Yeah, certainly would, Kyle. um I don't think he's my first trade-out for me. I mean, you and I feel differently about track. um I'm still kind of in the hold the faith camp. um i'd be For example, I'd be trading McRae before Petrarca despite the tough matchups because if there's one guy who can actually...
00:20:28
Sam
ah break the mould a little bit when it comes to tough matchups, it's um it's Christian Petrarca. I was actually ah scrolling through some of his scores from previous years um when I was considering him earlier in the year.
00:20:40
Sam
And he's one guy that that can actually just run around for 80-odd against a West Coast Eagles, but then pump out a 130 against Bulldogs in a big game. Maybe they're phoning it in, as you say. you know Season's over. he He looked a bit sore on the weekend. You're spot on. Caleb Windsor ran around pretty much all the CBAs in the fourth quarter and track got barely any. So you know maybe he's kind of sitting in that McRae camp where Goodwin's prepared to play few more kids through there and and and tracks the one that misses out because he's naturally a bit more of a half forward.
00:21:13
Holmesy
Yep. Yeah. Don't hate that. He did he did look very handball happy on the weekend from what I saw. um
00:21:18
Sam
Yeah.
00:21:19
Holmesy
You know, there was plenty of opportunities where he was kind of open and and could have easily kicked and and just decided to handball instead. So, you know, maybe that's a directive to play a bit more team footy, but um I think I'm holding fat.
00:21:32
Holmesy
This week's a nervous one, but then he plays Hawthorne pretty early next week. So if you're a team that can loop, you know, you've got that option as well. And We're going to talk a bit about it, the forwards. you know There is scope to make some points up in the forwards, but at the same time, they're so up and down that what's the bet that you trade a Petrarca and you go to someone else and then they're the ones that go down and Petrarca goes up. So it's going to take a ballsy coach to do it, but I suppose that's where you can make up points.
00:21:59
Holmesy
The next one you've got here, so you've got this little in-between category, and I think you're being quite generous because I know you own this bloke. You've already you've you've already rinsed him, but talk to me about Tom Green.
00:22:10
Sam
Yeah, um has been pretty ordinary since I ah traded him in after the buy, and I'm sure a few others traded him in after the buy. I saw Lemon posted on Twitter.
00:22:21
Sam
um He had a sliding doors moment where he went, Green instead of Dunkley um in round 16. Pretty similar story to myself. um But he has got nearly the run of all runs coming up for midfielders. He's got North and Gold Coast in his next two and then St Kilda to finish off at home. So I've seen ah plenty of people on Twitter um targeting him as a trade in.
00:22:44
Sam
So where do I sit? on Tom Green now. I think if you've got him, you may as well hold him um and pray that this run you know produces some good scores for you.
00:22:51
Holmesy
Thank you.
00:22:57
Sam
We talked about it offline, Holmesy, but this Greater Western Sydney style of play at the moment just means that midfielders do not get marks. Green is there for handball chains, um but he's not there to to link up with Lockie Ash and Whitfield.
00:23:14
Sam
It's just not the style of football they're playing at the moment, and that's contributing to his extremely low scores. um I'm not sure i if I could endorse him as a trade-in target, despite what people are saying, but I think if you've got him, just hold him and and hope it

Caleb Daniel's Trade Decision

00:23:29
Sam
comes good. I mean, North for for inside midfielders is the greenest of greens, I think, at this point, isn't it?
00:23:35
Holmesy
Yeah, look, i yeah I agree with it. He definitely hasn't been the Tom Green that we've seen in the past. We did speak about it offline. I mean, how's anyone getting marks when you've got Whitfield and Ash just racking up back there, chip, chip, and then blasting it long down to your big, tall key forwards?
00:23:52
Holmesy
Finn Callaghan, don't underestimate the emergence of him having that second body in there.
00:23:55
Sam
Yep. yep
00:23:56
Holmesy
And he just gets it and goes. We've been saying that all year. Yeah. But yeah, Tom Green's the type of guy to feast on these matchups. And I don't think, even though he's been quite average, um,
00:24:07
Holmesy
It wouldn't surprise me if he puts up a 120 plus this week against North. They would have got absolutely rinsed after that game. um So yeah, I'd be sticking fat with Tom Green, although he's been quite disappointing.
00:24:17
Holmesy
And I know I've been saying that for a while. So apologies to anyone that's held him through these tough games. But as you can see, DT Lemon, very, very, very good operator traded into him.
00:24:28
Holmesy
So the logic was there. And sometimes the game just goes against us and there's not much you can do. So yeah, I'd be holding fat on Tom Green.
00:24:34
Sam
Holmesy, I noticed you didn't call me a very good good operator there. just Just Lemon?
00:24:41
Holmesy
ah You were when you're in the top 100, but unfortunately, was it one week that you were in the 100 and then you fell out? I can't remember.
00:24:47
Sam
Yeah, I think I was about one, yeah.
00:24:51
Holmesy
Yeah.
00:24:51
Sam
Holmesy, form is temporary. Class is permanent, as Harmy would say.
00:24:56
Holmesy
Yeah. that's there That's how I described him. Talk to me about Caleb Daniel. Small potato. Everyone got off him this week. In hindsight, against the St. Kilda matchup was a terrible trade, but you can't blame anyone.

Tom McCarthy's Role and Trade Strategies

00:25:11
Holmesy
He'd been horrendous in the last sort of five weeks, even yeah first time since round three. ah don't know about you. I don't know how much of that game you watched, but initially, at least for me, in that first half, North were straight back to possession, footy in the back half, give it to Caleb, give it to Colby, no matter where they are, and just chip around and then go.
00:25:34
Holmesy
Is it sustainable? And do you think Caleb Daniels back or should coaches still be looking to get off him? They do have GWS this week. And that was part of the reason that I unfortunately traded Colby out last week.
00:25:44
Holmesy
So it's a tough matchup. you think you still get off or do you hold him now? He's put up that score.
00:25:49
Sam
um Yeah, maybe I'm going against the grain here, but I think, yeah, you get off him now. I think if you held him for that matchup, you'd take the 115 to the bank and you'd jump off. GWS is a tough matchup for defenders, I think.
00:26:03
Sam
um And as you say, that's the first score we've seen out of him since round three. And, you know, I think that the the possession game style you just mentioned, Holmesy, probably a product of the team they were playing as well.
00:26:16
Sam
We know St Kilda like to fall back. They're not particularly high pressure on the football up the ground.
00:26:20
Holmesy
Thank you.
00:26:22
Sam
um And that's the reason guys like Sheasel, McKercher and Daniel were all able to score well on the weekend. So, look, I think youd you take that score to the bank and you trade him out this week because I can see another 60 coming against Greater Western Sydney.
00:26:39
Holmesy
Yeah, they do have Richmond after that. So, I mean, that's a green matchup. But then what they finished with Adelaide, which is tough. So two tough matchups in the next three.
00:26:48
Holmesy
um I think you take that score and run. Last one before we get into some targets. You've put here Tom McCarthy. So let's talk a little bit about what coaches should do with him. You give me your opinion and then I'll sort of talk through what I'm thinking.
00:26:48
Sam
Yep.
00:27:01
Sam
Yep. So I've kind of been toying what to do with McCarthy for a while now. And originally i had him penciled in as my pathway to it to a 23rd premium. um For some coaches, it may even be a pathway to it so twenty fourth premium.
00:27:14
Sam
um But I think I've come full circle and I'm actually happy to just hold to hold him at this point. You know, mid mid-defender status, um you can use him in either line, which is great.
00:27:28
Sam
So, yeah, and he's pumping out good scores. um So, yeah, i'm I'm in the hold camp, Holmesy. But do you have any different take on that?
00:27:38
Holmesy
Yeah, I'm in the trade camp now, um but there's two two sort of things that I'm thinking for for coaches and it's depending on how your squad looks. So if you're if you're a team competing, so if you're up in the sort of in the top 100, your team's pretty much set, but you've probably still got you know maybe one or two players on field that you're a little bit sort of nervous about week to week in terms of matchups and tags and whatnot.
00:27:47
Sam
so
00:28:03
Holmesy
So I think if you're one of those teams where you your team's quite set, I would actually take Tom McCarthy down this week, all the way down to a basement rookie. And then from there, use that for for one of your mini upgrades and then take bulk cash into next week.
00:28:20
Holmesy
And then from there, you've you've got cash to play with for the final two rounds to sort of go sideways and and target the matchups that you want to do. I think that's probably a smart play.
00:28:31
Holmesy
um Yeah, there's still players sort of floating around um that that need to go these tags and whatnot. And McCarthy is not going to be a loop option this week. They played the last game of the round. So yes, you could put a midfielder a defender on the bench and have a crack at a loop. But I would not be confident rolling McCarthy out against Adelaide in the last game of the round.
00:28:53
Holmesy
um That would make me nervous. They then play the Bulldogs again. Sorry, not the Bulldogs again. They're playing the Bulldogs in the last game of the round again. So once again, I wouldn't feel confident. Yeah, Bulldogs is good for defenders, but they they could potentially absolutely beat up on on West Coast and and that would make me nervous.
00:29:13
Holmesy
And then round 24, I'm not sure yet because the fixtures aren't announced, but I'm pretty sure once again, Eagles will be playing on Sunday. which means that he's not exactly a loop option for us. And I think his his time is done. So there's that option there.
00:29:27
Holmesy
But also i'm I'm in this camp where maybe your team's quite set and you're worried about maybe one or two things and you could take him to a 23rd and maybe play the loop game. I think he's he's at that price now where you can take him to a pretty decent 23rd.
00:29:42
Holmesy
Maybe you're looping in the forward line and then that gives you options to sort of loop through the midfield as well. I kind of like that play as well. What do you think?
00:29:50
Sam
Yeah, it's actually a very convincing argument, Holmesy. Look, personally, I'm not a big fan of your first option, going all the way down ah to a basement and then making a mini upgrade, because ah ah only because I feel like it leaves you you know one short, so to speak, this week.
00:30:05
Sam
um And the reason I say that is because we've had so many of these late outs lately. I mean, I was lucky on the weekend that... rosy late out meant I got McCarthy's 91. And I'm actually comfortable at this point holding McCarthy on the bench and just chucking the E on him, either in the midfield or the defence, and just keeping an eye on Twitter for any of those late out whispers. I mean, you'd sleep a lot easier knowing that he you might step on and and give you an 80 and a 90 instead of copping a donut.
00:30:33
Sam
But I see value definitely in your second option of taking him up to a genuine 23rd. um As we've said many times, maybe you pivot him into the forward line to get your 23rd there and and try and get a ceiling score on the forward line to bank yourself a few extra points.
00:30:51
Sam
I think there's merits um for for either play here and and it might be team-dependent.
00:30:57
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, i mean let's let's think of some of the coaches that maybe, i mean, you're one of them. You got Jack Ross, but let's think of those coaches that had to take a serious haircut to get Brodie Grundy in two weeks ago.
00:31:09
Holmesy
So they traded in one of these forwards. Maybe because of that, they're still running a Ned Long. Maybe they you know they had to take a punt on a Hayden Young type and they've got you know three or four players that are in this sort of mold that you just can't get rid of.
00:31:23
Holmesy
then you go all the way down, you get one of them up this week, and then you've got the cash to then fix two of them next week because you want them you want them gone. So i think if you're in that sort of position, you just take his money and try and get those points on field as quickly as possible.
00:31:37
Holmesy
But if your squad's in a good spot, then yeah, the 23rd, I think is probably going to add the most value as we we see luxury trade season burn coaches every year. and And I was one of them last week. So, all right, before we do, sorry, you got
00:31:49
Sam
Holmesy, are you ah you saying I should be trading at F1 Jack Ross this week?

Focus on Key Trade Targets

00:31:54
Sam
ah Is that what you're saying?
00:31:56
Holmesy
um one of Jack Ross or Jack McRae, because clearly Ross is going to tag McRae this week and they're both going to have 60. So you've got to get rid of one of them.
00:32:08
Holmesy
um
00:32:08
Sam
Fair enough.
00:32:08
Holmesy
How is Jack Martin, by the way? How is Jack Martin du doubling Zach Butters in five minutes of footy?
00:32:08
Sam
Fair enough.
00:32:11
Sam
Yeah.
00:32:14
Sam
Oh, God.
00:32:15
Holmesy
This game sucks, man.
00:32:19
Holmesy
Yeah, nah, all good. um Just quickly, let's let's talk trades quickly because it probably is a good insight into what we're thinking. So yeah i think you're going up um up from McRae, but just talk me through your your process here of what you're thinking.
00:32:33
Sam
Yep. um So I've got Brian Myers with a big target on his back. I like his last three. um Sydney's obviously in there, um but I still think he might even have a good crack at ah at a Sydney game where they're you know not playing for anything at this point.
00:32:48
Sam
um My trade thinking is a downgrade. The Flying Viking downgrade him, make myself a bit of cash, and then I will be upgrading... Exactly that, one of Jack Ross or Jack McRae. At this stage, I'll be upgrading Jack Ross and holding Jack McRae. But if we see some sub news about Jack McRae, thankfully i can I can swap them over and just and fix that up. So, yep, that's my plan.
00:33:14
Holmesy
Gee, that's not what you said to me pre-pod, mate. Are you trying to deceive the 468 listeners in front of you to try and to try and launch back up the ranks?
00:33:21
Sam
That's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm only 1,000 points off the Hilux, Homesy, so, you know, it's still a sniff, I reckon.
00:33:28
Holmesy
You are still a chance, mate. Never, never stop believing. All right. That's a good pivot into trade targets. I absolutely agree. Brian Myers should be at the top of the shopping list at the moment. His CBAs have drastically increased over the last two weeks.
00:33:44
Holmesy
Um, he seems like the type of guy high time on ground that they kind of use in that role where they kind of rest homes and baz and whatnot, moving into finals, gets it on the inside, tackles, kicks goals. He's, he's a great target. Um, I just regret not going there sooner.
00:34:00
Holmesy
um We are the pod pod, so we did have a request for some targets um and we looked at ownership. So we have looked at the top 1,000 ownership here rather than the overall ownership as we know that data is kind of skewed with ghost ships and whatnot. So quick like or dislike on some of these targets, Sam. So first one, Sam Darcy, 27% owned, has ah Melbourne this week followed by the Eagles and then finished with Frio.
00:34:28
Holmesy
Sam Darcy, what do you think?
00:34:30
Sam
Yeah, love it for a two-week play. um Melbourne without May or Lever and obviously the West Coast matchup next week. So he's a yes for me. And then maybe... consider jumping off or looping him for the free medal game.
00:34:45
Holmesy
Yep, 3-0-1's the tough one, but I still think he went pretty well um on them at the start of the year. You probably still feel safer looping him if you can, but unfortunately has some later games, so you do run the risk there of having him on field for that sort of 60-70 score that he has been prone to.
00:35:04
Holmesy
Rowe, 16% owned. I went there last week, um was hoping for a bigger score against Richmond, but still happy that he's in my side. Comes up against Carlton, which is a big stoppage team. has Port Adelaide in the last um round, which um is definitely a lot easier than it has been in the past. And you can throw a GWS in there in pretty much an eight point game.
00:35:23
Holmesy
Matt Rau, can you do it? It's pretty extensive now.
00:35:26
Sam
Yeah, I mean, at this point, who who cares about money? We've probably got enough to play with um still if you've been keeping your bench healthy. So ill love it. Yeah, I mean, if you'd told me Matt Rowe would be worth $1.14 million um at some point this year, I'd have laughed.
00:35:43
Sam
But he's been absolutely killing it lately. And and as you say, when Noah gets a bit of attention, this guy just goes off.
00:35:52
Holmesy
Yep, agree there. And Noah will probably get a contention against Carlton this week if Chera or Walsh don't get named. This next one, your favourite, your ginger head counterpart, Lockie Ash. um I was 1K short of getting him.
00:36:07
Sam
He hasn't got red hair, what are you talking about?
00:36:09
Holmesy
Nah, nah, we're rolling with it.
00:36:10
Sam
He's got like jet black hair.
00:36:14
Holmesy
He wears an orange jumper too. Yeah.
00:36:18
Holmesy
ah it broke my heart that I was one case short of getting him last week in my ideal trades. That would have set me up unbelievably, but alas, ah still I'm still waiting for this sort of gravy train to end because it's not good football when him and Whitfield are just chipping around in the back line and then they turn it over like they do so often.
00:36:37
Holmesy
But outside of that one blemish last week, where the week before where he got a bit of a tag, he's been unreal. Good pod for the run home, 46% owned in the top 1,000, so still relatively highly owned from that regard.
00:36:49
Holmesy
But yeah, Ash, could you do it?
00:36:52
Sam
Yep, absolutely, mate. um And you're getting him at a bargain now at just over a mil. ah No, seriously, though, I think GWS, look, they're not going to change their game plan in round 23 or whatever we're up to in the season.
00:37:07
Sam
This is clearly what they're going for. um Him and Whitfield, man, are just so piggy at the moment in the back line, Ash especially. he is running everywhere for every mark he can possibly get on the end of.
00:37:19
Sam
and And they're giving it to him. um I'm actually going to go into bat for Ash a little bit because he actually was one of the better players against the Bulldogs. He used the footy pretty well. i thought Whitfield was the one that was butchering it a little bit. So I don't don't see anything changing, Coenzy. I think he's still going to average 105 from here until the end of the year.
00:37:40
Holmesy
yeah Yeah, I don't expect it to. It's been more of a comment throughout the year. He does butcher it at times and they do give it to each other when they probably shouldn't.
00:37:46
Sam
He can, yeah.
00:37:48
Holmesy
But that's the game plan. that They're trying to run it out through the back half and when it comes off, it looks great. So yeah, Lockie Ash really liked that target.

Jeremy Cameron's Role Discussion

00:37:57
Holmesy
Max Holmes, if you don't have him, you've got to own him. They've got Essendon and Richmond in their last three. He's just going from strength to strength. There probably is a game in the next three where they kind of manage him a bit in terms of game time. You hope it's not an actual proper rest, but I think you want Max Holmes to finish the season and he's so highly owned that if you don't have him and he puts up a 140, then good luck in chasing rank.
00:38:21
Holmesy
The next ones, i want I want you to talk through this one. So Jezza Cameron's now 22% on in the top thousand. So plenty of gone there. He did have six goals on the weekend for only 82 points. Now Essendon and Richmond, he could seriously go north of six goals.
00:38:37
Holmesy
Did you watch that game at all?
00:38:39
Sam
No, that was actually one of the few games I didn't manage to watch on the weekend. So I'm going to lean on you for this one ah for special comments.
00:38:48
Holmesy
and So i I didn't watch this game either. But what I did find interesting is that Jeremy Cameron, you can normally bank on him for sort of 15 to 20-ish touches. And he goes really big if he if he kicks you know multiple goals.
00:39:03
Holmesy
But what was it? I don't have the exact numbers off the top of my head, but was something like you know nine kicks for six goals or something. Maybe, I think without watching it, and someone can tell me, but...
00:39:15
Holmesy
He probably played a bit more deep stay-at-home forward than he normally does to try and you know probably kick a a few more goals. And there was some comments um in the press and the media saying that it was very obvious that they were trying to feed Jeremy Cameron the ball. So if he is staying a little bit more deep forward and staying at home, maybe we won't see the big 150 that we saw.

Draft Targets and Strategies

00:39:36
Holmesy
yeah We're probably not going to see the big 150, but we're more than likely not to see a ceiling score.
00:39:41
Holmesy
But he's exactly the type of move that if you're trying to take a punt and hunt a ceiling, you can go there. So my question is, would you be comfortable as him playing straight on field or do you think he should still be a loop option just in case?
00:39:56
Sam
Yep, definitely more comfortable in the loop category, Holmes. He's a perfect 23rd premium, right? Huge upside, huge floor as well. So, yeah, really like him. Although I think Cats have some fairly late games from here on out.
00:40:09
Sam
They've got maybe an early one this week.
00:40:10
Holmesy
really Yeah, then it's Sydney, second last game of the round. So you're not able to loop that.
00:40:14
Sam
Yeah.
00:40:16
Holmesy
That's the nervous one, right?
00:40:18
Sam
Yeah, I mean, my plan at this stage is just to bring him in for the last round against Richmond. um But, Yeah, he could easily go 150 against Essendon this weekend. So wouldn't begrudge anyone for for picking him up and and putting the E on him on the bench.
00:40:35
Holmesy
Now, this next one's interesting. Jordan Clark, 4% owned. ah Port Adelaide this week, and we know Port Adelaide's a far softer matchup than it has been in the past.
00:40:46
Holmesy
Brisbane, which is going to be a tough game, but it is at home, and he's the type of guy that kind of lifts for these big games, and you know he's not going to get any attention there, and then finishes with the Bulldogs, which is a relatively green matchup for defenders.
00:40:59
Holmesy
4% owned in the top 1,000 and 1% owned in the top 100. That would be me because I somehow have Jordan Clark in my side. But could he take me to the promised land? I don't know. What do you think about Jordan Clark?
00:41:13
Sam
Yeah, mean, he's actually someone I was looking to trade for in draft, funnily enough, um as the buyers were wrapping up. But I i never really seriously considered him um in Classic. But he's, yeah, definitely gone on a bit of a tear on the run home. he had that 146 against Sydney where he got tagged um by Braden Campbell, I'm guessing,
00:41:34
Sam
and has been pretty good otherwise. Look, I know you love him. um I personally can't endorse him only because we've got so many great options in the back line, and I can see Clark giving up 5 to 10 points to all the other defenders that we've talked about, Whitfield, Ash, Sheasle, Holmes. There's just so many good options back there. so But, you know, mate, if you're looking for a pod, um this is the pod pod, so why not throw out a Jordan Clark at 4% at
00:42:04
Holmesy
It's a very dossy move and he, for full disclosure, he's in my side because Rosie was the laid out and there was not many places to go. i was not touching a Geelong defender. But I don't hate it.
00:42:15
Holmesy
I love him. I've got a soft spot after he yeah you won me my draft league last year. You well know that he outscored Butters and Horn Francis in the final quarter alone to get me over the line. So yeah, maybe a bit of bias there. But yeah, don't hate the move. But you are

Josh Dunkley as a Trade Target

00:42:29
Holmesy
right. He's he's probably not in the top six defenders. And if you can get up to one of those other players you mentioned, I think you should go there instead.
00:42:37
Holmesy
um Quickly gloss over, George Hewitt, your boy. i think he held him through four or five weeks where he averaged about 85-90 and then has gone whack with a 115-120.
00:42:47
Holmesy
Was on track to go even bigger until O'Meara clamped him in the second half. Do you think he only went big because no chair? Do you think you know someone else in there eating the pie a bit more um means he could have this sort of 80-90 score in him, which is not what we want at this time a year?
00:43:03
Sam
Yeah, look, it's a tough one to swallow because i I knew that he had it in him, um particularly with a the fading Cripps, although Cripps played pretty well on the weekend um and put up a big score.
00:43:17
Sam
Yeah, I still think he's a trading option with Chera maybe a bit hurt, Walsh, and nobody knows. He might be back this week. He might be done for the year. um I do think he's a trade-in option, Holmesy, and um it hurts because I don't have him anymore. So I feel a bit sick, to be honest, even talking about him. So can we move on?
00:43:38
Holmesy
Gold Coast, green matchup.
00:43:40
Holmesy
Port Adelaide, now a green matchup. And then Essendon, the greenest of all matchups to finish.
00:43:40
Sam
ah
00:43:42
Sam
Oh.
00:43:45
Holmesy
So why'd you trade him out, mate?
00:43:46
Sam
ah Oh.
00:43:48
Holmesy
Why did you trade him out?
00:43:49
Sam
yeahs Yeah, because I watched him go 60 and a three-quarter 50.
00:43:49
Holmesy
Nah, we'll move on.
00:43:54
Sam
That's why I tried him out, Jose, and I thought I was the genius.
00:43:57
Holmesy
Yeah. All right. We do have to get onto these questions, but three more. I'll just touch on them quickly. Josh Dacos, 31% owned, just quietly, has been very good since his buy, and even before that, has been scoring with the top six defenders as some of them dropped off. I think his role is secure, and if you want to go Josh Dacos as a bit of a point of difference, I don't hate that.
00:44:18
Holmesy
Josh Dunkley is not as ah highly owned as you think. He's a great pod in great form, um almost thrives in the tougher matchups with the tackles as well. And it was good to see him get a 110 plus this week with disposals and not tackles.
00:44:32
Holmesy
um So we see he can do it both ways. So I still like Josh Dunkley. And then Errol Goulden's an interesting one. Had the Essendon matchup on the weekend in the wet. Scored very well, 114.
00:44:43
Holmesy
Looked to be back to his, you know, fit running best. So has Brisbane, which is tough. Collingwood, which is, I think it's, no, Brisbane, sorry, Brisbane Geelong. And then finishes with the Eagles. So you're going to want Errol in your side at some point.
00:44:57
Holmesy
um So just keep him on your radar.

Listener Questions and Trade Advice

00:45:01
Holmesy
Sam, let's get stuck into the questions to finish.
00:45:02
Sam
Thank you.
00:45:03
Holmesy
15 minutes. As always, yeah, we do this for the listeners. So happy to answer everyone's questions this week. um If you'd like a fully personalized audio response to your question, it's still available at Q platforms.
00:45:15
Holmesy
um Head over there to askmeonq.com forward slash pod pod AFL. The link is in the show description below and we will answer those for you. um Let's get stuck in. First question is from Insanity. Sean's team.
00:45:30
Holmesy
Hey, guys, trading Merritt to Whitfield for the first trade. Really like that. And then a rook down for the third. He needs to choose one from the three, please. So, oh, hang on.
00:45:40
Holmesy
ah Interesting. So let's go through these trade options anyway. So he's got Butters to Lockie Ash and then McCarthy as the bench loop. McCarthy to Cameron as F7 loop with McRae slash Petrarca or McCarthy to Witt and then loop Butters and Merritt. So a bit to think that through there, Sam. What are your initial thoughts?
00:46:00
Sam
i I like option three, McCarthy to Whitfield, presumably on field, and then looping Butters and Merritt. I don't mind that.
00:46:14
Sam
Two cracks it to at those guys who might cop a tag. I also don't mind option two, McCarthy to Cameron, um and then looping him with McRae slash Petrarca.
00:46:26
Sam
What do you reckon, Holmesy?
00:46:29
Holmesy
ah Yeah, i'm not I'm not option one. As much as I'd love to boot Butters and there is the tag risk there still, um I would feel nervous having to roll into McCarthy as the bench loop, as I've already spoken about.
00:46:41
Sam
Yep.
00:46:42
Holmesy
So um i wouldn't be doing that one. I think out of those options... I reckon I'm option three. McCarthy to Whitfield, that's a big upgrade.
00:46:53
Holmesy
And then you have a crack at Merritt to Butters. Who knows? Merritt might put you up an 80, 90 on the Friday night and you don't have to worry. I'd take an 80 or 90 over Butters at this stage of the year, I think, with what he's done.
00:47:03
Sam
yeah
00:47:04
Holmesy
But... That's where I would be going personally. This one's from Timmer City. Just scraped into the top 100 for the first time. Congratulations, mate. Very good time of the year to get there.
00:47:17
Holmesy
Let's try and keep you there so you win your first hat. Is it too risky going Rosie to Tom Green? And also, who do you prefer out of Kennedy and Jeremy Cameron? So Rosie to Tom Green. Interesting. Interesting.
00:47:32
Sam
Yeah, don't love it. um Touched on Tom earlier and Rosie for that matter. um I think Rosie's a hold if he plays. um Obviously, if you're trading him, I think you can get to people better than Tom Green.
00:47:48
Sam
Tom Green has does have a good run, but it's it's not something you can trade into. Like if Tom Green comes out and he scores 80, you're going to kick yourself because the writing was there on the wall. If he comes out and scores a 120, you just say, whatever, you know what, I couldn't go there. It was too risky.
00:48:04
Sam
So it's a no from me. so I think it is too risky, particularly for someone who's just tipped into the top 100. Who do I prefer out of Kennedy and Cameron? I think if you don't have Kennedy, you should take this opportunity to grab him.
00:48:18
Sam
um I grabbed him this week. I was obviously disappointed with his score, but you know coming into a Melbourne matchup this week and then West Coast, love that. I think he's a better option than Cameron will be over the next three weeks.
00:48:32
Holmesy
Yep, yeah, I agree with that. And I suppose this does come down to a bit of game theory as well. If you're in the top 100 for the first time and you're your sole focus there is to stay, I think Cameron will be a popular-ish trading target this week, but I don't think it's going to be massive ownership.
00:48:48
Holmesy
um So you're not going to particularly get burnt by that if he has a ceiling score. um And Kennedy's the safer. You're kind of matching a lot of the guys around you. You're banking on your squad, um continuing to elevate you up.
00:49:01
Holmesy
And I think that's probably the smarter play. And, Maybe if this was round 24 and you were trying to, you know, maybe you're 120 and you're trying to sneak into the 100, I think Jezza would be the play. But I think for now, Kennedy's the safer option. And I do love the Melbourne West Coast matchups in the next two, Sam.
00:49:17
Sam
Yeah, I just act something that you mentioned there, tweak something that I'd read not long ago. i think it was Lemon put it perfectly on Twitter a few weeks ago. you don't necessarily need to chase pods to rise in the ranks. Your squad as a whole is unique enough as it is compared to the people you're chasing.
00:49:36
Sam
So don't feel the need in the last three weeks to take these massive, crazy punts um in every line. you know Keep getting the best guys who you think have got the best runs.
00:49:48
Holmesy
Yep, agree with that. I've been um ah been a massive fan of that sentiment

Final Trade Recommendations

00:49:52
Holmesy
for a while now. You do hear ah people say, you know, um it was Nassaya during the buys. It was, you know, why are you trading into Nassaya? Everyone that's got him is already ahead of you and you're just matching him. But it's sometimes you match because your squad's going well enough and then you match and and you're away. So, yep, agree with that.
00:50:09
Holmesy
Next question is from Michael Neeson. Hey, guys. Thanks for the year to date. yeah No worries, mate. Really appreciate that. Looking to hold rank. So out of Rosie Petrarca Butters, which two go this week?
00:50:23
Sam
I touched on these guys a lot during the pod. I would be trading Petrarca and Butters this week ahead of Rosie if he's named. Obviously, if he's not, different story.
00:50:36
Holmesy
yeahp Yeah, I agree with that. Just wait till teams to see whether he gets up and and watch the Twitter news throughout the week so you can have a ah bit of an idea of whether he looks likely to get up. Port, despite what they pulled on the weekend, they've generally been pretty good.
00:50:49
Holmesy
So you should get a sort of training report over the next couple of days to see whether he's training or not.
00:50:51
Sam
Hmm.
00:50:55
Holmesy
If he's put on cotton wool because it is the hand, I highly doubt he's training. So yeah, I have an inkling he'll get up, but at the same time, it wouldn't surprise me if he misses... ah Next question from Gusto.
00:51:06
Holmesy
Petrarca to Holmes, which leaves only 22 premiums, but McCarthy on the lo are on the bench for loops, or McCarthy to Jezza, which means he misses out on Holmes, which leaves Jezza as the 23rd premium to loop with the likes of McRae, Track or Warner. What do you think here?
00:51:23
Sam
I like option one, Petrarcha to Holmes. These Geelong boys are going to go nuts over the last three weeks, assuming they all play. um Yep, love Petrarcha to Holmes and just use McCarthy to fill gaps.
00:51:38
Holmesy
Yep, I agree with that. I've been very big ah ever since the buys that you want to try and have 22 gun premiums on field first rather than having 23 but only having 20, 21 actual real premiums and Holmes fits that must-have category. So absolutely get Max Holmes.
00:51:56
Holmesy
This one's from Liam Collins and this is an interesting one because he will have zero ownership outside of ghost teams.

Episode Wrap-Up

00:52:03
Holmesy
Could we consider Tristan Cherry on return?
00:52:07
Sam
Maybe. um So he's got Briggs this week who people have been smashing and he's got Nank next week who matches up pretty nicely for Rucks as well. So a couple of good weeks for Cherry.
00:52:19
Sam
I just wonder ah why maybe you're looking at Cherry because I think the Rucks, pretty much all the Rucks have been doing well. you know If you've got a Tim English, a Max Gorn, a Rowan Marshall,
00:52:31
Sam
um Brodie, Grundy, you know they're all performing well at this point. So unless one of those rucks has a bad matchup, to be honest, I haven't looked at the rucks because I've been pretty happy to set and forget with Grundy and Marshall at this point.
00:52:45
Sam
um That would be the only reason for for trading into Cherry. So you could consider him, but I think we've got more important trades to make elsewhere.
00:52:55
Holmesy
Yeah, I think if you've got a combination of Marshall, Gorn, Grundy and English, you are not trading out any of those guys. um They've all got, you know, English has a tough matchup against Max this week, but has traditionally actually scored quite well against Max, considering he's more around the ground as a midfielder.
00:53:05
Sam
Yeah.
00:53:15
Holmesy
um All the other rucks have good matchups over the next two. um i suppose maybe if you're someone that's still running with a, say, a Lloyd Meek, who has Collingwood and then Melbourne, or maybe you've got a Darcy Cameron, has Hawthorne this week, which is an ideal, but then goes Adelaide, Melbourne.
00:53:32
Holmesy
Maybe I'd look at it, but yeah. um Yeah, that's that's the only play that I would. Last question, Sam, before we need to wrap up. This one's from Bontsville Wizard.
00:53:43
Holmesy
Hey, guys, still on heading up, Holmesy. Great to see mate. Cheers, mate. ah Really appreciate that. um Love your thoughts on trading out Rosie to Whitfield and Merritt to Anderson. Or do I hold both and go green to Whitfield and cash out a rookie for next week?
00:53:58
Holmesy
Thanks, lads.
00:53:59
Sam
oh I like all of those options. Yeah, like Rosier Whitfield. I like Merritt to Anderson. i like Green to Whitfield. um So guess there's a question of which one do I like more? Look... ah I like green to Whitfield a lot and then holding some cash um for the last couple of weeks.
00:54:19
Sam
Yeah, that that's probably my preference. Merritt to Anderson, they're both great players, but they both carry tag risks. That feels a little bit sideways to me. um And similarly, Rosie to Whitfield feels a little bit sideways to me as well. you know Both good defenders. Rosie's averaged 105 most the year.
00:54:36
Sam
um So yeah, that's my take. Feels similar, Holmesy.
00:54:42
Holmesy
Yeah, no, I do actually agree with that. As I said, I wouldn't be trading Rosie if he's named. It's a different conversation if he's not. um This is where I kind of think that matching around you is not necessarily a good thing. So many coaches went to Anderson last week. I think he's now sort of 50% owned in the top 100 and 40-odd percent in the top 1,000, coming into ah potential Carlton tag and then GWS, which is a toughish game.
00:55:09
Holmesy
I think I'd wait on an Anderson this week and and maybe look to target him later on to finish the year with a couple of ceiling games. So yeah, I really like green to Whitfield and then using the cash the week after.
00:55:21
Holmesy
All right, Sam. Thanks for jumping on, mate. Really appreciate it. Young baby. um We said we'd go for about 30 minutes and we're 55 minutes in. So really appreciate you jumping on. We'll wrap this up. As always, guys, make sure you're following us on X at PodPod AFL. If you could subscribe subscribe to us still on Spotify or Apple Podcast, that would be appreciated. Maybe even leave a ah rating or review. That would be pretty cool.
00:55:45
Holmesy
we are We're nearly there. we're We're getting to the end of the year. Hopefully, we'll have Harmi and Louis back. Next week, um yeah, two rounds to go after this, almost there and and really looking forward to But listeners, go well. Hope you finish off the round nice and strong and we'll be back next week.
00:56:02
Holmesy
Bye.