On Thursday evening with less than an hour until kick off to begin Round 12, the seldom word trade was being thrown around the league. There were murmurs the previous weekend among coaches, some frustrated, some looking to find the right deal to take their team to championship level.
Well, on Thursday night at 6:39pm the first of two trades were sealed, 2Great4U sent backup no.9 Reed MAHONEY to Eely Avengers for halfback Ben HUNT. Less than half an hour later the Avengers pulled the trigger once more, sending beloved winger Blake FERGUSON to Dazzlers Dingoes in return for Alex JOHNSTON in a straight swap.
What made this all the more incredible was that this was only the second and third team trade in the leagues three-year history. Only one previous trade has happened before this historical night.
Reed Mahoney to Avengers, Ben Hunt to 2Great4U
The Trade
2Great4U receive: Ben Hunt (HFB)
This weeks score (pre updates): 68
Overall SuperCoach avg: 46.9ppg
Eely Avengers receive: Reed Mahoney (HOK)
This weeks score (pre updates): 45
Overall SuperCoach avg: 55.1ppg
Grades
2Great4U: A-
Already with Captain Cameron Smith as his first choice HOK averaging 78.60ppg (11 games), it was a smart move by Eddie to move Reed Mahoney 54.00ppg (1 game) on and upgrade the HFB position. Previous HFB Billy Walters was averaging 34.50 ppg (2 games), but now with Ben Hunt’s move and although down on form 39.43ppg (7 games) this season, he is a FCFL career 51.13ppg (30 games).
Avengers: C+
Reed Mahoney was a nice addition to the Avengers HOK ranks but at what cost? Although averaging 53.50ppg (14 games) over his FCFL thus far, he replaces the ever improving Jeremy Marshall-King in the hooking role at Marvel Stadium. With Marshall-King’s 51.38ppg (8 games) there is a struck match between the two and by trading away a first choice HFB it leaves Jo with having the scrape the bottom of the free agent barrel to find a replace. Enter Jamal Fogarty 24.00ppg, (1 game).
You make your mind up.
Fergo to Dingoes, AJ to Avengers
The Trade
Dingoes receive: Blake Ferguson (CTW)
This weeks score (pre updates): 26
Overall SuperCoach avg: 37.5ppg
Eely Avengers receive: Alex Johnston (CTW, FLB)
This weeks score (pre updates): 138
Overall SuperCoach avg: 42.7ppg
Grades
Dingoes: C-
Needing to strengthen his CTW’s, Darren looked to an out of form former FCFL star in Blake Ferguson. Taking a huge gamble based on the fact he can’t play this bad forever. Sending Alex Johnston 44.50ppg (4 games) across in return for Ferguson 37.50ppg (10 games), is a slight downgrade but with Fergo’s career FCFL avg 54.30ppg (44 games) it is more of a long term play.
Avengers: A+
Frustrated at the lack of impact from her chief CTW in 2020, Jo took a chance on AJ to ignite her backline. Averaging 48.07ppg (30 games) in his FCFL career and on the end of one of the most deadliest backlines in the FCFL, an hour after the trade was sealed, she was seen screaming “there’s only one Alex Johnston, one Alex Johnston, there’s only one Alex Johnston!”.
Game, Set and Match.