SuperCoach off-season watchlist: 20 players to monitor before selecting your team for 2025
It’s never too early to start your SuperCoach planning for next year. We’ve identified 20 players to monitor during the off-season who are likely to be popular in 2025.
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Your SuperCoach planning for 2025 starts here.
From trade period to pre-season, there are so many factors in the AFL off-season which can have an influence on your SuperCoach choices for the following year.
This summer promises to be no different, with a host of relevant players linked with potential moves and other SuperCoach options looking underpriced after missing most of this season due to injury or form.
Here are 20 players we will be watching closely in coming months who should be on your SuperCoach watchlist.
KEIDEAN COLEMAN Expected price (approx): $279,200
Tens of thousands of coaches were preparing to pay $398k to start Coleman before he went down with an ACL injury in round 0. The distributor role that was earmarked for one of the stars of the 2023 season has since been taken by Dayne Zorko, who looks set to play on in 2025. While Zorko will no doubt eat into some of Coleman’s potential points, it’s going to be hard to overlook one of the budding stars of the competition at less than $300k. Watch his recovery with interest during the off-season and if he’s right for round 1 (or zero) lock him in as one of your first players picked.
SAM DOCHERTY Expected price (approx): $393,500
This looms as one of the tougher calls of 2025. Docherty will be 31 when next season starts and coming off another long injury lay-off due to an ACL tear which ruined his 2024 campaign. He hasn’t averaged less than 87 since 2014 and will be priced at an average of about 70. It complicates matters that Docherty is likely to be listed as a MID only and most of this year’s top draftees (and likely 2025 SuperCoach rookies) are also midfielders. But if you can squeeze him in, Docherty could be a great stepping stone to a fallen premium for less than $400k — pending a 30 per cent injury discount.
BAILEY SMITH Expected price (approx): $314,000
As we prepare to lose Isaac Heeney, Jye Caldwell, Sam Flanders and Dayne Zorko from the forward line, the SuperCoach gods have given us a gift with an underpriced Bailey Smith. It’s looking more and more likely Smith won’t be at Whitten Oval next year, with Geelong reportedly the frontrunner to secure the 23-year-old in a trade. He’s never quite hit the heights of the uber premium midfielders in SuperCoach, averaging a career-high 98.6 in 2022 when he had six tons in 16 games. But with the prospect of playing as a full-time midfielder for the Cats and in a shallow pool of forwards, Smith will likely be one of the most popular starting picks in 2025.
ANGUS SHELDRICK Expected price (approx): $211,300
The in-and-under Sydney midfielder has averaged 22.5 disposals, 10.6 contested possessions, 5.6 clearances and 4.6 tackles in the VFL this year. Sheldrick showed promise in nine AFL games last season, scoring 91, 93 and 102 SuperCoach points from rounds 14-16. Sheldrick had a points-per-minute ratio of 0.9 in 2023, the same as seasoned stars including Lachie Whitfield, Hayden Young and Bailey Dale. He needs to get to the right club to be SuperCoach relevant and build his tank. Maybe West Could would be the perfect landing spot for the Claremont product?
ELIJAH HEWETT Expected price (approx): $178,300
West Coast’s No. 14 draft pick from 2022 has struggled with foot issues all year. Hewett will need to show he’s over those issues before SuperCoaches would consider him, but with DPP his recovery will need to be monitored during the off-season. Hewett averaged 57.4 in the last nine games of his debut season and could be a standout F5/6 option, depending on rookie alternatives. At the very least, you will know he’s likely to be picked most weeks pending his fitness (and the plans of West Coast’s new coach).
JOSH GOATER Expected price (approx): $219,900
If you want to score SuperCoach points, play in defence for North Melbourne. Plenty of SuperCoaches were bullish about Goater as a breakout prospect for 2024 after he finished last season with a score of 95 against Gold Coast from 22 disposals. But his season was wiped out in round 1 after rupturing his achilles against GWS. With Harry Sheezel moving into midfield, Colby McKercher likely to transition into the middle and Zac Fisher on the fringes, Goater will have the opportunity to make a spot in the Roos’ defence his own — and we all know that means big SuperCoach scoring, especially if he can jag kick out duties.
JOSH GIBCUS Expected price (approx): $123,900
Most of us picked Gibcus for his debut season at $171k and then doubled down this year when he started at $150k. Gibcus looked the goods with a score of 76 in round 0 against Gold Coast, finishing with eight intercepts. But his cruel luck with injury continued the next week when he went down with an ACL tear. Playing only one game (round 0 didn’t count for SuperCoach) should qualify Gibcus for a discount and result in him starting at the same price many first-year rookies will. A perfect bench option if he can get his body right with Richmond’s backline likely to see plenty of footy.
CALLUM MILLS Expected price: TBC
The Swans have carefully managed Mills since he returned from a long lay-off due to a shoulder injury. Mills was yet to score 70 after three games and had an average of 60. Anything close to that after round 24 will leave him significantly underpriced going into next year. The issue Mills faces is that the emergence of Isaac Heeney has pushed him out of John Longmire’s preferred midfield set-up. He’ll be an important one to watch in pre-season next year before committing — at the right price of course. There was hope he could be a FWD-MID but DEF-MID now looks more likely.
LUKE PARKER Expected price: TBC
Parker is going to be as cheap as he has been in years after being used as sub several times since breaking back into the Sydney team. However, he only makes this list due to the possibility of being a FWD-MID next year. He will be 32 next season and it seems unlikely he will become a key part of John Longmire’s plans again. If he somehow does, and is listed as a FWD in SuperCoach, then you could consider Parker in 2025. But that’s a lot of ifs.
STEPHEN CONIGLIO Expected price: TBC
Coniglio has endured an injury-ravaged 2024 campaign, but is unlikely to get a significant discount going into 2025 having already played 12 matches as of round 23. So, it won’t quite be the same as when he was one of the most popular starting picks of 2022 at $261k, when he was also listed as a FWD. Coniglio averaged 107 to round 4 but has only featured seven times since this year with a top score of 98. If he is priced at 85 or below heading into next year, Coniglio looms as a fallen premium with money to make. He scored 25 tons from 44 matches in 2022-23 and the last time he played more than 10 games in a season and averaged less than 85 was in 2014.
RILEY HARDEMAN Expected price: TBC
Hasn’t been a huge ball winner in the VFL this year, averaging 15 disposals. But it’s his kicking efficiency of 79.1 per cent which should be of more interest for SuperCoaches. You have to wonder when the point will come that Colby McKercher will move into the middle and a player such as Hardeman will take over as the defensive must-have from Arden St? Hardeman, the 23rd pick in last year’s draft, was similarly efficient by foot in the WAFL Colts for Swan Districts. He averaged 44.3 in three AFL matches this year, so could be available for about $175k (Bailey Macdonald averaged 44.5 in two games in 2023 and was $174,100). A big pre-season watch.
TOM LYNCH Expected price: $201,100
How many times has a key forward come off a long injury lay-off and ended up being an important money maker in recent years? Think Charlie Curnow, Joe Daniher and even Oscar Allen. Lynch played four times this year and looked miles off the pace, averaging 42.5 (his career-best is 93.2 SuperCoach points). It would be a huge leap of faith to start with a player who has only played eight times in the last two seasons, will be 32 years old and could have limited opportunities in a rebuilding team. But if we use the Allen example from last season, he was $210k, West Coast finished bottom but he still made more than $170k and averaged 80.8 points in the first six weeks. Keep him in mind if the forward options are as limited as we expect.
TOBY CONWAY EXPECTED PRICE (approx): $356,000
Promising Geelong ruckman featured in five games this year with a low score of 65 and high of 90. He had 21 disposals and 25 hit-outs in that game against Gold Coast’s back-up ruck Ned Moyle. He’s highly-rated at the Cattery but has had lots of injury issues and only turned 21 a few months ago. Conway’s season ended prematurely due to a foot injury and the Cats were reluctant to play him in consecutive games, often using Conway once before recalling Rhys Stanley. With Stanley nearing the end, will Conway be ready to seize the No. 1 mantle full-time? If he was to get a 20 per cent discount on an average of 80, Conway would be priced at about $356k. Big watch on whether Geelong backs him in or recruits a mature-age ruckman like Ned Reeves to bolster its ranks.
DEVEN ROBERTSON EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
Are you ready for another off-season of ‘will Deven Robertson leave for more midfield opportunity?’ At 23, he’s crying out for a chance at a club who needs an inside midfielder and has only featured twice for Brisbane this season in rounds 1 and 3. A 30 per cent discount on his $253k price from this year would result in Robertson starting 2025 at about $177,500, potentially as a MID-FWD. He has averaged 110 ranking points in the VFL from 12 matches this year, scoring 125 or more seven times. He’s been linked with a return to his home state WA before and SuperCoaches would be bullish if he landed at the rebuilding Eagles. The issue there might be he’s contracted for another year at Brisbane.
CALEB DANIEL EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
Daniel hit his lowest price in nine years after round 22 when he dropped to $170k after his third successive appearance for the Bulldogs as sub. It seems certain he will be playing for another club next year. Daniel peaked at $635k in 2023 but could be available for $250k or less to start next season after being pushed to the fringes of the Bulldogs team. There’s also a chance he will be listed as a MID-FWD. At the right club, he’s straight into the best 22 and one of the most-popular starting picks of 2025. Think Jack Ziebell in 2021.
CLAYTON OLIVER EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
You know this story by now. Oliver, coming off a limited pre-season, struggled to hit the heights of previous seasons when he was one of the AFL’s best midfielders. He battled through 21 games, averaging 83.8 SuperCoach points, his lowest mark since his debut season of 2016. Oliver will be one of the biggest talking points of the 2025 off-season. If he gets anywhere near his best, a starting price under $500k would be a bargain. Ditto his teammate Christian Petracca, who produced his lowest average since 2019 — 103.2. Although, Petracca will likely be priced closer to $570k.
JAMES PEATLING EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
Peatling’s SuperCoach relevance depends on several factors. Will free agent Harry Perryman take up one of the big-money deals reportedly on offer from rival clubs? Or, could Peatling move on from GWS for guaranteed time as a midfielder? Peatling excelled in the absence of Stephen Coniglio in the back half of 2024, but likely gets pushed down the pecking order again in a full-strength GWS midfield. Needs to get to the right club before you would consider him.
MATTEAS PHILLIPOU EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
The young Saint has flourished since moving into the midfield late in the season, averaging 99.3 points from rounds 17-21 (in three matches). Phillipou’s form and forward role from earlier in the campaign will ensure he is underpriced for next season if his progression into the Saints midfield continues. He was averaging 56.4 points a game before round 24, which would price him at about $315k.
SAAD EL HAWLI EXPECTED PRICE: $123,900
The mid-season draftee from Northern Bullants has re-signed with the Bombers for another year and will start next season at rookie price — barring a debut in round 24. The 23-year-old has been one of the standout players in the VFL this year, averaging 111 ranking points, 25.5 disposals, 6.5 marks and 4.2 score involvements a game. El Hawli has been closing in on a debut since returning from injury late in the year — although SuperCoaches will be hoping Brad Scott holds him out for next year so he’s still cheap. He’s got pace to burn and will be handful for opposition sides when he does debut. A likely bench starter in 2025, especially if he keeps DPP as a DEF-MID and is priced at less than $150k.
JAMES SICILY EXPECTED PRICE: TBC
Sicily’s scoring was always going to take a hit this year after the Hawks lost James Blanck to a season-ending knee injury. The Hawks skipper’s average has dropped from a career-high 114.1 last year to 98.7, which ranked 16th in defence after round 23. Although Blanck should return, the interest in Sicily could be how he works with potential recruits Tom Barrass and Josh Battle. The Hawks have strongly courted Barrass and Battle, with Sam Mitchell even flying west to meet with the Eagle recently. If Barrass comes into the Hawks backline and frees up Sicily, there’s every chance he returns to a 110+ average in 2025. Sicily averaged 109.5 from rounds 14-22, another pointer to the likelihood he will be underpriced to start next year.
Originally published as SuperCoach off-season watchlist: 20 players to monitor before selecting your team for 2025
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