The Phantom’s SuperCoach formguide for North Melbourne: New recruits set to shine in 2019

Whether you are punting on a mid-price selection or backing the favourite, it’s not always easy picking a winner in SuperCoach. To help, The Phantom predicts North Melbourne’s best 22 and delivers a racing-style formguide covering every player in it.

The Phantom's SuperCoach Formguide: North Melbourne

• The Phantom’s Formguide: Adelaide
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Brisbane
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Carlton
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Collingwood
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Essendon
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Fremantle
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Geelong
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Gold Coast
• The Phantom’s Formguide: GWS
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Hawthorn
• The Phantom’s Formguide: Melbourne

Whether you are punting on a mid-price selection or backing the favourite, it’s not always easy picking a winner in SuperCoach. To help, The Phantom predicts North Melbourne’s best 22 and delivers a racing-style summer formguide covering every player in it.

The Phantom’s Best 22

B: Marley Williams, Robbie Tarrant, Ed Vickers-Willis

HB: Jasper Pittard, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan

C: Jared Polec, Ben Cunnington, Aaron Hall

HF: Jed Anderson, Mason Wood, Trent Dumont

F: Jack Ziebell, Ben Brown, Jy Simpkin

1R: Todd Goldstein, Shaun Higgins, Dom Tyson

Inter: Ben Jacobs, Paul Ahern, Shaun Atley, Tarryn Thomas

The Phantom’s Formguide

(Ranked in order of SuperCoach significance in 2019)

SuperCoach stars Todd Goldstein and Shaun Higgins.

Shaun Higgins (Mid $560,200)

Classiest runner in the field averaged three figures for the first time in 2018 after posting 10 SuperCoach tons in the opening 15 rounds. Rates highly again this season.

Todd Goldstein (Ruck $548,000)

Came storming home with 12 SuperCoach tons in his final 14 matches after a slow start. No second-ruck concerns with Brayden Preuss departing so he comes right back into calculations.

Aaron Hall (Mid $389,200)

Has struggled for inconsistency but his best has him in the running. Averaged 95 points per game in 2016 after a blistering start to the year which featured four SuperCoach tons in the opening four weeks. A definite threat.

Dom Tyson, left, should play a big role in the midfield for the Kangaroos this season.

Dom Tyson (Mid $411,000)

Former Demon looks set to assume preferred inside-midfield role and will improve on 76-point average of last season. Has averaged 92 or more twice in his seven-year career and can’t be taken lightly.

Ben Brown (Fwd $451,100)

Star forward has claims as a major player after booting more than 60 goals in each of the past two seasons. Must be respected.

Jared Polec, right, with new coach Brad Scott.

Jared Polec (Mid $513,500)

Coming off career-best season in 2018 and should be prominent at his new club. Added 14 points to his average after posting nine SuperCoach tons. Has big SuperCoach draft claims.

Speedy midfielder Jed Anderson fires out a handball at pre-season training.

Jed Anderson (Mid $431,400)

Strong campaign in 2018. Added 21 points to his SuperCoach average after posting 12 scores of 85 or more and cemented his spot in the side. Should improve again.

Tarryn Thomas (Mid $175,800)

Exciting 18-year-old could add x-factor to the Kangaroos’ forward-line early in his debut season and could come right into SuperCoach calculations.

Trent Dumont (Mid $452,800)

Super-impressive last start — 38 disposals and 162 points — and is capable of much better than 83-point average suggests. Keep in mind for SuperCoach Draft.

Jy Simpkin (Fwd $358,300)

Talented 20-year-old posted five scores of 90 or more- including two SuperCoach tons — in 2018. Fitter and should be an improver in his third-year. Do not dismiss.

Expect a big improvement in Jy Simpkin, left, in 2019.

Jasper Pittard (Def $365,700)

Dashing defender is much better than last season suggests and should line up for his new club in Round 1. Can figure as 92-point average in 2016 suggests. Wait and see.

Ben Jacobs (Mid $435,500)

Fitness — concussion symptoms, in particular — a big concern last season but should be ready to go from the outset in 2019. Important part of the midfield and commands respect in SuperCoach Draft.

Paul Ahern (Mid $375,100)

Finally put injury issues behind him last season to play 11 games, with the highlight a 37-disposal, 124-point performance in Round 19. Capable of better this campaign.

Ben Cunnington (Mid $522,900)

Takes some catching on his day, as five scores of 130 or more in the past two seasons suggests, but the inside midfielder is too inconsistent to be considered.

Captain Jack Ziebell, second from left, watches on at training.

Jack Ziebell (Fwd $458,500)

A major weapon as a permanent forward but the role hurts his SuperCoach scoring. Average has fallen by 10 points in the past two seasons and others now have stronger claims, especially after interrupted pre-season.

Jamie Macmillan (Def $440,200)

Despite the 27-year-old averaging 81 points or more in three of the past four seasons, there’s not a lot of value at the price this year.

Mason Wood (Fwd $363,300)

Fitness has been a big concern with his 13-game tally in 2018 the highest of his six-year career. Hard to trust but can figure.

Scott Thompson (Def $419,000)

Strong-marking defender can feature when controlling the air but it’s hard to make a case for his selection in 2019.

Ed Vickers-Willis (Def $318,300)

Resuming after knee injury ended his 2018 campaign but the 22-year-old did enough prior to that — including a SuperCoach ton in Round 1 — to earn an early start this year.

Robbie Tarrant (Def $403,000)

Like Thompson, the 29-year-old can feature when marking the footy but others have much stronger claims in SuperCoach.

Marley Williams (Def $340,500)

Threatened over summer last year but failed to carry form into 2018 campaign. Look elsewhere.

Shaun Atley ($364,700)

He’s consistent, averaging between 66 and 68 in the past four seasons, but look elsewhere in SuperCoach

MAKING THEIR CASE

Taylor Garner (Fwd $254,600) would be unlucky to miss out and young, tall utility Ben McKay (Def $123,900) should get an early-season look at either end of the ground. Elsewhere, Luke Davies-Uniacke (Mid $197,500) will look to improve on an underwhelming debut season and Kayne Turner (Fwd $274,100) will be pushing hard for a spot. Don’t be surprised to see plenty of mature-age recruit Tom Wilkinson (Fwd $102,400) either. And Majak Daw (Def $424,300) would be an automatic inclusion if he is to regain full fitness and put his hand up for selection.