The Phantom’s SuperCoach pre-season 2018: Dig these under-priced gems in the midfield
A NUMBER of proven scorers, who have fallen off track for different reasons, headline The Phantom’s mid-price value in the midfield.
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A NUMBER of proven scorers, who have fallen off track for different reasons, headline The Phantom’s mid-price value in the midfield.
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UNDER-PRICED PREMIUMS
Dion Prestia (Rich) $456,000
Prior to landing at Punt Rd last season, when on the park, Prestia was a great SuperCoach scorer at the Suns.
After increasing his average from 79 to 97 in 2013, the hard-running midfielder enjoyed a breakout season in 2014 — his fourth year in the game — averaging 106 points.
The following year, Prestia, who passed the 120-point barrier nine times in 2014, raced out of the blocks, posting five SuperCoach tons in the first seven rounds, before succumbing to a season-ending knee injury in Round 8.
The 25-year-old would go on to play just 14 of the Suns’ next 36 games as the knee issue lingered.
And, while he scored 115 points in Round 1 of last year, Prestia took a while to find his groove at the Tigers, scoring more than 87 points just once in the next 16 games.
But a late-season surge saw the ball-winning midfielder average 26 disposals and 111 in the final seven matches, including finals.
Expect to see more of these numbers in 2018.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Super value for what he can produce. In The Phantom’s midfield as we speak.
Stephen Coniglio (GWS) $452,400
Another young star who was on the fast track to elite status before injury got in the way.
In his second year in the competition in 2013, Coniglio averaged 74 SuperCoach points before increasing that number to 83 the following year.
And that trend continued.
Coniglio pushed his average to 92 — a figure which looks a lot better if you exclude a sub-affected 19 — in 2015 before making his mark as a genuine A-grader in 2016.
The 24-year-old led the way for the Giants, ranking No. 1 at the club for disposals, contested possessions and clearances, finishing the season with a SuperCoach average of 106.
Unfortunately, due to a serious re-occurring ankle injury, Coniglio never got the opportunity to really build on his breakout year, playing only 10 games last season, including three finals.
But, even though his preparation was limited, Coniglio scored more than 88 points in seven of the 10 games, breaking the 120-point barrier three times — twice in the finals.
The Phantom’s Verdict: We’re getting a $120k discount on his 2017 starting price. Leave him out at your peril.
Tom Liberatore (WB) $437,900
Sure, Prestia’s numbers were good in 2013 and 2014 but they weren’t as impressive as Liberatore’s.
After averaging 75 and 83 in his first two seasons at AFL level, the clearance machine exploded in 2013, averaging 107 for the year and 117 in the final 13 games. Liberatore carried the form into 2014, posting 14 SuperCoach tons — five of them in excess of 130 — to finish the year as the seventh-ranked player in the game and the Bulldogs’ best-and-fairest, with an average of 110.
But, in a cruel twist, Liberatore tore his ACL in the first pre-season match the following year.
On return in 2016, at $352k, the tough midfielder was one of the most popular SuperCoach players come Round 1.
And he didn’t disappoint, scoring 89 points or more in 9 of the opening 12 games, posting five SuperCoach tons in a fast start.
Liberatore’s form fell away from that point but the 25-year-old, after returning from a late-season ankle injury, played a major role in his side’s successful finals campaign, starring with 112 points in the elimination final victory over the Eagles.
But in what has to be one the biggest premiership hangovers of all time, Liberatore, fresh off some pre-season footy in the AFL Asian Championships in Vietnam — look it up if you don’t know what I’m talking about — scored 100 points or more only three times in 2017 to finish with a season average of 79.
Liberatore, who was dropped last season, has been a standout on the track over summer and appears to be hungry to make amends for 2017.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Has the scoring power to go past both Prestia and Coniglio but is he as trustworthy?
RETURN TO FORM?
Jack Redden (WC) $437,900
With the departures of midfield stars Sam Mitchell and Matt Priddis, is it finally time for the former Lion to make his mark in the West?
Despite posting season averages of 103, 103, 98, 103, and 95 in his final five years in Brisbane, the inside midfielder has only recorded three SuperCoach tons in his 32 games as an Eagle.
When trying to determine which players might take a step forward, it’s always important to assess late-season form from the previous year.
And Redden’s best form — by a considerable margin — came in his final eight minor-round games of 2017.
The 27-year-old, who also scored 95 in the semi-final loss to the Giants, averaged 24 disposals and 97 points during this stretch.
A greater role will come and Redden is a proven scorer.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Should definitely improve on his 2017 season average of 80 but can he reach the heights of 2014? The Phantom has his concerns.
THE FIVE-GAMER
Jack Graham (Rich) $268,800
The 19-year-old has played five games for five wins and a premiership. You couldn’t ask for a better start to your career.
But they are not the only impressive numbers Graham has to show.
Graham, who joined the Tiger brigade of pressure-applying smalls in round 22 after a fractured ankle early in his debut year, scored 87, 76, 73 and 62 prior to the Grand Final. Then on the big day against the Crows, Graham took his scoring to another level, finishing with 16 disposals, five clearance, three goals and 108 SuperCoach points, while also blanketing Adelaide star Rory Sloane.
Yes, it’s only a small sample but Graham, who won the Larke Medal as the best player in division 1 at the 2016 Under 18 championships, is priced just above some of the first-year players who are yet to take the field.
The Phantom’s Verdict: It might depend on how a number of the rookie-priced players fare during the JLT Series because, at $268k, Graham will still be a great cash cow.
NEW HOME
Lachie Weller (GC) $394,300
The 21-year-old, who rotated through the midfield and defence, added 11 points to his SuperCoach average in 2017.
Weller, who finished the year with an average of 72, won 20 or more disposals in 12 of his 22 games, posting two SuperCoach tons as he cemented a spot in the Dockers’ best 22.
But that doesn’t matter anymore.
After requesting a move home to the Gold Coast, Weller is now a Sun.
And, in a Suns midfield which is now without Gary Ablett, after the club gave up pick No. 2 for him, Weller is set to play a major role in the engine room in 2018.
Expect Weller to win more footy and to increase his average by at least another 10 points this season.
The Phantom’s Verdict: Will improve but the high price tag is hard to ignore. The Phantom does have Weller ahead of Carlton recruit Matt Kennedy ($356k), who shares a similar story but without the output, yet.
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