The aspect of trading cards which keeps me MOST interested, is the buying/selling/trading economy of sports cards! Footy cards aren't supposed to feel like a chore or burden... So EVERY WEEK I'll discussing which cards I'll be BUYING/SELLING/HOLDING, so that YOU can reap the rewards that this hobby has to offer!
BUY: Non-North Melbourne Rising Star Predictors
All the talk during pre-season was about how much of a “lock” Will Ashcroft was to win the Rising Star Award, and 5 rounds in he couldn’t be further from it! It’s not that Will Ashcroft has been underwhelming by any stretch, but more so overshadowed by the fantastic early performances of Harry Sheezel. But it needs be remembered, IT’S ONLY ROUND 5! The pendulum has now probably swung too far the other way, with Sheezel predictors being sold, for what I believe, is close to full compensation for a successful predictor. So if you own a predictor with the intention of keeping the redemption, my BUY for the week is building a “safeguard” around the Sheezel predictor n
ow that his closest rivals have become more affordable. There are 18 weeks of the regular season remaining and a lot can happen, so picking yourself up a Brisbane or St Kilda predictor for cheap could save yourself from heartbreak should anything unpredictable happen with Harry Sheezel. If you are owning the predictor to sell or “flip”, now’s probably a good time to take some risk off the table and cash-in if you speculated on the North Melbourne predictor prior to Round 1. Maybe even looking to downgrade from the Platinum Predictor to the Gold Predictor + cash? Either way, owning one of these cards puts you in a GREAT position!
*UPDATE 24/4/23: Harry Sheezel's 11 possession game last night left a bit too be desired, and signaled the first time opposition teams have tried a forward tag to counter his talents. While he's still rightfully the favourite to take out the top honour, don't be surprised to see him rested next week or for this tactic to be replicated by other teams moving forward! His performance probably asks some questions for those currently holding his predictors, and whether now's the perfect time to cash in!
SELL: Anything Essendon Related!*
This week's “sell” does have an asterisk attached to it, and that asterisk comes in the form of Essendon beating Collingwood on ANZAC Day! As I have posted earlier in the year, Essendon was a team I was keen to target during the off-season due to the upside they had on-field, plus the heights we have previously seen Essendon cards reach when the team is successful. Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Bombers’ are 4-1 and have placed themselves within the top 4 for what has been a stellar start to the season! Collingwood also find themselves within the top echelon of the AFL ladder so if the Bombers were to win, not only would they be buoyed by some ANZAC Day heroics, but it would also send a statement to the competition that they’re a credible threat! The lid will begin to slip off, and that signals the beginning of trying to move on some of your Essendon investments!
HOLD: Andrew Brayshaw
Apart from last year's Nick Daicos pandemonium, the player who was probably speculated the heaviest was Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw! ‘Freo’ were the surprise packet of 2022, surging from outside the 8 to finish 5th in the H & A season, whilst winning their first final since 2015. Their form in 2023 has been anything but convincing with the team’s wins coming from a battered West Coast outfit, and a ‘great escape’ win against Gold Coast, which could’ve gone either way. Because of their shaky start, most Fremantle players across the board have room to build into this season. That includes Andrew Brayshaw, who hasn’t had the same impact compared to his
mammoth 2022 campaign. The interesting point to mention with Andrew Brayshaw is that he was one of the first players from a smaller market team to be heavily speculated in the trading card hobby. So the fact he hasn’t been able to hit the ground running for speculators is annoying due to the lack of Fremantle team collectors. But it has to be acknowledged that the number of ‘Docker’ enthusiasts is slowly growing with their team's success! Either way, Brayshaw is a proven STUD whose best compares to any elite midfielder in the competition. His numbers aren’t too dissimilar to that of 2022, but the dour play of Fremantle across the first 5 weeks of the season have left analysts scratching their heads. Brayshaw is a great long-term investment and this mediocre stretch shouldn’t be a deciding factor in whether you’re looking to sell his trading cards. Big hold for me.
Sale That 'Caught My Eye':
It can’t be a market update article without mentioning the ‘chosen one’ Nick Daicos! However something caught my eye from a TeamCoach point of view that’s definitely worth mentioning. Last year with the help of Tyson Beck, TeamCoach released the ‘Trophy Wildcard’ set, with the silver variant being a case hit and the gold variant being a ‘1 in 10’ case hit! This sets design is really sleek and features the previous years individual accolade winners, which includes Nick Daicos’ Rising Star victory! Well, there’s been quite a bit of jostling in regards to the prices of the Gold Trophy Wildcards, which have a “print-run” of 60 cards per player. An auction for the Daicos Gold Trophy Rising Star card recently finished at a whopping $780! What needs to be taken into consideration with these rare hits is that even though there are 60 made of each card, only few will reach the secondary and hobby markets. This is due to the TeamCoach's distribution channels and the “kid-factor”, making every sighting of the card an interesting proposition for collectors. What ‘caught my eye’ about this sale though is the idea that for the same amount of money, you could go buy potentially multiple versions of Daicos' ‘Copper DPS’ or even his ‘Gold DPS’ at the same price point! So the debate continues to roll-on as to whether a low printed gaming card truly can compete with a hand-signed rookie card of the same player! Worthy of consideration? Or just Daicos collectors gone mad?
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