The Phantom’s SuperCoach pre-season 2019: Premium smokies no one is talking about

We all know the big guns. But who are the top-priced SuperCoach players no on is talking about? The Phantom shares his left-field premium options as his preseason continues to pick up the pace.

The Phantom's SuperCoach Pre-Season: Premium Smokies

• The Phantom’s premium forwards
• The Phantom’s premium defenders
• The Phantom’s premium midfielders
• The Phantom’s team reveal version 2.0
• Everything you need to know about SuperCoach

We all know the big guns. But who are the top-priced SuperCoach players no on is talking about? The Phantom shares his left-field premium options as his preseason continues to pick up the pace.

Seb Ross could become an elite SuperCoach star. Picture:Wayne Ludbey

Seb Ross, Mid

(St Kilda $558,400)

The 25-year-old is already a star of our game — no one would argue that — but can he now become an elite SuperCoach scorer?

His scoring trend would suggest it’s a chance.

In his breakout year of 2016, the hard-working midfielder added 26 points to his SuperCoach average after increasing his disposal average from 18 to 26.

In the following season, Ross tallied 30 disposals per game — ranking equal-sixth in the competition — and pushed his SuperCoach average past three figures for the first time.

Last year, Ross averaged 30 disposals, five marks, five inside 50s, four tackles, three rebound 50s, increasing his average slightly from 101 to 103 after posting six scores of 129 or more.

But it’s his form in the final six games of the 2018 that suggests, despite his overall season average remaining stable, another spike could still be coming.

From round 18 onwards, Ross averaged a huge 36 disposals and 125 SuperCoach points.

Is it sign of what’s to come in 2019?

The Phantom’s Verdict: All signs point to the answer being yes. A fit-and-firing Dan Hannebery will also help Ross in the Saints’ midfield.

Luke Shuey, Mid

(West Coast $492,700)

In the last game of AFL football played, Shuey tallied 34 disposals, eight tackles and 168 SuperCoach points as he led his side to victory in the Grand Final, claiming the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground in the process.

But a regular season average of just 91 will ensure he’s not the first picked in SuperCoach.

The main reason for the star Eagle’s lowest average since 2013 was an inconsistent and injury-affected first half of the year, which saw Shuey fail to score more than 63 in four of his first nine matches.

But once he had recovered from a hamstring injury and blown the cobwebs out in the first two matches on return, he reminded us all of the scoring power he possess.

From Round 14 onwards, including finals, Shuey averaged 107 points per game — only slightly more than his career-high season average in 2016.

The Phantom’s Verdict: At less than $500k, there’s 56 midfielders more expensive than the most recent North Smith Medallist in 2019. And, while he’s never been an elite SuperCoach scorer on a consistent basis, he’s still very underpriced.

Luke Ryan, Def

(Fremantle $489,900)

After an impressive debut season, the Docker defender added 13 points to his average after posting seven SuperCoach tons, four of them in excess of 120 in 2018.

The 22-year-old tallied 20 disposals or more on eight occasions with his efficiency of 81 per cent the second-highest at the Dockers.

Ryan led Fremantle for intercept possessions and took more marks — 52 of them intercepts — than any other player at the club.

While only Nathan Wilson recorded more rebound 50s than the 186cm defender, coach Ross Lyon wants him to be more attacking in 2019.

And that is likely to benefit his SuperCoach scoring.

As will the new kick-in stats, with Ryan taking the most at the Dockers last season. He only played on once in 2018 but the right-footer should increase that number dramatically with the new ruling, adding to his already-impressive kick tally, which made up 72 per cent of his total disposals.

The Phantom’s Verdict: A great unique selection in defence, who could push his average pass 95 this year.

Jack Steele, right, with coach Alan Richardson and new Saints mentor, former NRL champion Billy Slater. Picture: Michael Klein

Jack Steele, Mid

(St Kilda $512,600)

Steele was a popular SuperCoach name in his first season at St Kilda in 2017, scoring 80 points or more in 14 of his 20 matches, seven of those scores in excess of 100.

The 23-year-old lost dual-position status for 2018, however, and with that went his popularity.

It didn’t return either with the 23-year-old posting just one SuperCoach ton in his first 11 games for the year.

Then he exploded, averaging 26 disposals, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles and 110 SuperCoach points from Round 13 onwards to finish third in St Kilda’s best-and-fairest.

And his SuperCoach average in the final four rounds of the year was an elite 127 points per game.

Steele’s 140 tackles was 57 more than any other team-mate and a number that ranked him fifth in the competition for tackles per game.

And that’s on the back of the second-highest number of tackles per game in 2017.

The Phantom’s Verdict: A great all-round SuperCoach scorer in the making.

Luke Breust is eyeing off another big year in SuperCoach. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Luke Breust, Fwd

(Hawthorn $516,400)

While he’s been a consistent SuperCoach scorer, averaging more than 82 points per game in five of the first seven years of his career, the 28-year-old has never been in the premium conversation.

But, after nine SuperCoach tons — five of them in excess of 120 — and an average 95, he now has to be considered as a left-field selection.

For total points, he was the fifth-highest scoring forward in 2018.

Breust ranked sixth in the competition for tackles inside 50, fifth for score involvements and 10th for goal assists, to go with a fifth-place finish in the Coleman Medal.

The creative forward also posted career-highs in disposals, marks and inside 50s per game.

The Phantom’s Verdict: No doubt the numbers are there but can he do it again?