Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio reunite in first draft of Al Paton’s 2018 SuperCoach team

A POWER-packed midfield, the surprise return of an old favourite and some crazy risks up forward. What do you make of Al’s SuperCoach line-up (version 1)?

Dustin Martin at Richmond training. Picture: Michael Klein

WELCOME back, Lids.

It felt weird not picking Brett Deledio in SuperCoach last season after he was a staple in my team for a decade, but he’s back in my side — in December, at least.

And the reason is simple. He’s very cheap in a forward line very light on for obvious SuperCoach picks.

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Of course, the Don’t Argue line-up will change dozens — probably hundreds — of times before Round 1 next year. But here’s my first go at picking a 30-man squad for 2018 after SuperCoach prices were released last week.

Dustin Martin scored 158, 114 and 151 in Richmond’s three finals. Picture: Michael Klein

The approach wasn’t too complicated — the forward line, and backline to some degree, are really hard next season. So I’m loading up on points-scoring machines in the midfield.

That means Patrick Dangerfield is in, despite his crazy $749,800 price tag. So is Dusty. And Tom Mitchell. Between them they averaged 374 points a week in 2017 and I don’t see any of them slowing down any time soon.

Nat Fyfe and Patrick Cripps are both underpriced as potential 110-plus scorers and Stephen Coniglio offers some nice value at $452,400 after an injury-ravaged season (he averaged 106 in 2016).

The ruck is a no-brainer with a Max Gawn-Nic Naitanui combination likely to appear in a vast majority of SuperCoach sides. Unless Jon Ceglar ($266k) plays as a lone ruckman for Hawthorn it’s hard to see anyone who fits the mould of Jarrod Witts or Toby Nankervis this year.

How the backs and mids look in Al Paton's first draft SuperCoach team for 2018.

Down back I picked Rory Laird at the start of 2017 and am happy to go again and Elliot Yeo scores well enough to justify a starting spot. Grant Birchall was a regular 85-95 scorer until injury wrecked his 2017 season and former Port Adelaide defender Cam O’Shea will be a bargain if he takes Sam Docherty’s spot in Carlton’s backline.

The forward line will separate the contenders and the pretenders next year — and mine will require a lot more thought than I have put into this squad, so expect plenty of changes!

At first glance Isaac Heeney is the standout with JJ Kennedy as reliable as key forwards get (especially at home) and Luke Dahlhaus earning a second chance after he disappointed so many SuperCoach owners this year. Luckily for him, there just aren’t many good mid/forward options.

Can Brett Deledio return to his SuperCoach best? Picture. Phil Hillyard

Deledio was a shadow of his former self in the preliminary final but did score 96 and 92 in the final two home-and-away rounds and should be a key member of the Giants team if he gets through pre-season. That’s a big ‘if’ based on his recent injury history but a player who averaged 95 or more every year from 2008-2016 has some points in the bank.

Anyway, he looks safe as houses next to Harley Bennell. He’s a classic December selection when we don’t have to take the obvious potential landmines too seriously. But it might not be totally crazy. He, too, has a solid SuperCoach history — averaging 95-plus from 2012-16 — is absurdly cheap and if he plays some good pre-season footy he might be hard to boot out.

The ruck division is set and forget, but the forward line is anything but.

The rookies are largely guesswork, as always at this time of year, but I’ll be watching a few of these guys very closely.

Luke Davies-Uniack already looked like an AFL footballer when I saw him at the draft and he will walk straight into the North Melbourne midfield.

Jack Higgins broke Tom Rockliff’s record as the highest SuperCoach scorer in junior footy history, he has the body (or quads, at least) to play senior footy and Dan Rioli’s broken foot creates a possible opening at the Tigers.

Luke Ryan and Tim Kelly are mature-age recruits ready to go, Harrison Wigg will get games at the Suns after being traded from Adelaide, Derek Hine must see something in Sam Murray, Sam Hayes was a draft slider who could be next in line of something happens to Paddy Ryder and Ben Paton (no relation) gets in just so I can see that name in my SuperCoach side.

He’s unlikely to be there when the first lockout of 2018 rolls around, but stranger things have happened.

Originally published as Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio reunite in first draft of Al Paton’s 2018 SuperCoach team