How to plan a one-down, one-up trade in SuperCoach
A one-down, one-up plan sells one player for a cheaper replacement, then uses the released cash to upgrade another spot. The aim is a stronger scoring side after both trades, with enough money and legal positions to complete the pair.
The arithmetic is straightforward. The harder decisions are whether the outgoing cash cow has more growth left, whether the cheaper rookie will keep playing, and whether the premium improves your team enough to justify the trades.
What does one down, one up mean?
The downgrade releases money: sell a more expensive cash generator and buy a cheaper player. The upgrade spends that money, plus any existing bank, to replace a different player with a stronger scorer. A cash cow is a player selected partly for their potential price growth; a premium is an established scorer you intend to keep.
Those labels are useful shorthand, not proof of value. A cheap player who does not play may generate no cash. An expensive player can still be a poor upgrade for your lineup.
A worked example with the actual practice planner
All players, prices and scoring inputs below are fictional. They come from the cash-cycle practice in our SuperCoach working example. This is a demonstration of the calculation, not current player advice.
Start with $50,000 in the bank. Noah Reid is worth $350,000, and cheaper midfielder Luca Hayes costs $120,000. Selling Reid for Hayes releases $230,000. You can then replace on-field midfielder Ethan Brooks, worth $300,000, with Jordan Wells at $575,000.
| Step | Money released or spent | Bank afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| Starting bank | No trade yet | $50,000 |
| Reid out, Hayes in | +$230,000 | $280,000 |
| Brooks out, Wells in | −$275,000 | $5,000 |
Maximum affordable premium price = bank + downgrade proceeds + upgrade outgoing player's sale price. Here that is $50,000 + $230,000 + $300,000 = $580,000. Wells fits with $5,000 left.
The shared engine reports a projected lineup gain of 54 points for this pair. Wells has a sample three-game average of 109 and Brooks has 55. Reid and Hayes each have a sample average of 65, so the downgrade does not reduce the projected scoring lineup in this example. Real downgrades can cost points, which must be deducted from the upgrade's benefit.
Future price growth cannot fund today's trade. With a zero starting bank, this same pair is $45,000 short. An expected rookie price rise does not make it affordable now.
When is a cash cow ready to sell?
Look at both the cash already generated and the growth you could give up by selling. A player who has risen in price is not automatically finished. Check recent scores, selection, their current price and whether replacing them weakens your field or bench cover.
Our cash-cycle planner looks for an owned cash cow with at least $50,000 of growth since the season starting price and slowing modelled growth. Its plateau threshold is no more than $15,000 or 5% of the current price over the next three games, whichever is larger. These are Fantasy League Lens screening choices, not official SuperCoach rules or a guarantee that a price has peaked.
Growth since the season starting price is also different from your own profit. If you bought after earlier rises, you did not receive all the growth shown in that figure.
What makes a useful downgrade rookie?
Affordability is only the first check. Confirm selection and consider whether the player is likely to retain their place. Two good scores cannot establish long-term role security.
The planner requires two recorded price-forming scores, recent playing or selection evidence, and positive modelled growth even in a scenario with scoring 20% lower. That lower-scoring case is a sensitivity check, not a probability forecast. Missing history is a reason to wait for evidence rather than invent a price path.
Keep enough cover for late withdrawals and byes. A cheaper replacement can free the exact money you need while leaving the rest of the squad less resilient.
Choose the premium for your team and the remaining rounds
- Measure the net lineup change. Count the scoring lost in the downgrade as well as the scoring added by the upgrade.
- Check positions. This planner requires direct position compatibility for each trade. It does not assume an unverified dual-position shuffle.
- Check selection and the draw. A bye or absence can reduce the number of useful games. Draw ratings are context, not promised scores.
- Consider your opponents. A shared player and a point of difference affect your matchup differently. Ownership does not replace the scoring comparison.
- Keep trades for later problems. A small projected improvement may not justify two trades when injuries or other weak spots need attention.
The practice planner can rank a 54-point projection above a 55-point alternative because its draw adjustment also affects ranking. The displayed lineup gain remains the scoring-model comparison. It is not increased to match the draw-adjusted ranking score.
Our default draw weighting gives 40% to the next five rounds and 60% to the final four season rounds. Those final four are a planning window, not necessarily your private league's exact finals schedule. Played rounds are excluded and overlapping rounds are not counted as extra matches. Missing or stale ratings are excluded from the draw adjustment.
When holding is the better answer
Wait if there is no suitable playing rookie, the available pair weakens your scoring side, the bank does not cover it, or your cash cow still has useful growth ahead. An injury-forced replacement may need a different approach from a planned cash cycle.
The closer you are to the end of your competition, the fewer rounds remain to earn back the cost of a trade. A long price-growth story is less useful when you need points immediately. Check your own league's fixtures rather than assuming a general season window matches them.
Try the plan before using it on your league
Open the SuperCoach example, choose Trade planner and then Rookie cash → premium. Change the bank from $50,000 to $0 to see why the displayed pair stops fitting. You can also change the draw weighting and compare the alternatives.
The example is free to explore without an account. Trade Lab for your own league requires Premium. Capture your league first, use player statistics from the matching round, and confirm your actual bank and remaining trades. Suggested moves are not submitted to SuperCoach.
For the source and limits of the calculations, read how Fantasy League Lens analysis works. To distinguish proposed moves from changes already captured, see the rival trade-history guide.
SuperCoach upgrade-planning questions
What is a one-down, one-up trade?
It is a pair of trades: buy a cheaper replacement for one player, then use the cash released and your existing bank to upgrade a different spot. Both moves need to fit current prices and eligible positions.
How much can I spend on the premium?
Add your current bank, the money released by the downgrade and the sale price of the player being upgraded. That is the maximum purchase price before any other costs or moves.
Should I sell a cash cow as soon as their price rises?
Not automatically. Compare the remaining growth, their scoring contribution, replacement options and the upgrade you can afford. A price rise alone does not prove that selling now is best.
Can predicted price rises pay for this week's upgrade?
No. Use current prices and money already available. A price forecast is uncertain and does not add spendable cash to the current trade budget.
Does the highest projected scorer always rank first?
No. The cash-cycle planner also considers the draw and modelled rookie growth. Its displayed lineup gain stays separate from those ranking adjustments, and neither is a guarantee of future points.
Does this guide apply unchanged to AFL Fantasy or AFLW Fantasy?
No. The general idea of releasing cash to upgrade another spot carries across, but this guide's planner and price model are specific to AFL SuperCoach. Use the tools and rules for your own competition.