The Phantom’s SuperCoach pre-season: Cash-cow forwards

The Phantom’s SuperCoach moves into the all-important cash-cow week. Today, it’s time for the best rookie-price forwards. From the top draft picks to the mature-age recruits, The Phantom runs the rule over the options.

• The Phantom’s pre-season guide to: Premium smokies | Premium forwards | Premium defenders | Premium midfielders | Mid-price defenders| Mid-price midfielders | Mid-price ruckmen | Mid-price forwards | Mid price smokies | Cash cows in defence | Midfield cash cows | Cash cow ruckmen

The Phantom’s SuperCoach moves into the all-important cash cow week. Today, it’s time for the best rookie-price forwards. From the top draft picks to the mature-age recruits, The Phantom runs the rule over the options.

THE LOCK

Will Setterfield

(Carlton $144,900)

Will Setterfield at Carlton training.

In his draft year of 2016, the 190cm Setterfield averaged 121 points in the TAC cup and was the only midfielder in the competition to rate elite for goals, score assists and tackles per game.

He battled injury in his first year in the competition in 2017 but made two appearances, registering 12 disposals, six tackles and 63 points on debut.

In the same year, Setterfield averaged 25 disposals and 116 SuperCoach points in seven NEAFL games.

All the signs were pointing to the tall midfielder establishing himself at senior level in 2018 — and his SuperCoach popularity last summer reflected the belief.

But, unfortunately, a pre-season ACL injury ruined his entire season.

Setterfield is now at Carlton and, again, if all continues to go smoothly with his recovery from a knee reconstruction, is likely to establish himself in the Blues’ midfield this year.

The Phantom’s Verdict: A must-have cash cow if he’s named — and he should be — in Round 1.

THE MATURE-AGERS

Mature-age Bulldog Ben Cavarra in action in the VFL last season.

Ben Cavarra

(Western Bulldogs $117,300)

In 2013, the 173cm Cavarra was one of the most-promising midfielders in the TAC, averaging 24 disposals and the 11th-most SuperCoach points of any player to play at least 10 games.

At the end of the season, the Eastern Ranges captain was awarded the Morrish Medal as the competition’s best player.

But he had to wait five years for his shot in the big time.

The left-footer won two best-and-fairest at VFL level for Frankston before crossing to Williamstown in 2017.

At his new club, Cavarra turned himself to one of the best small forwards in the competition, booting 65 goals in the past two seasons.

In 2018, Cavarra averaged 17 disposals, six score involvements, five tackles and 96 SuperCoach points per game.

And it’s these numbers that saw the Bulldogs draft him and that will make him a very popular cash cow at the top level in 2019.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Lock him in.

Matthew Parker

(St Kilda $117,300)

As a forward, the mature-age recruit has it all.

The 23-year-old stands at 190cm, possesses a great vertical leap and has pace to burn.

Playing in the WAFL last season, Parker booted 27 goals, laid 84 tackles and averaged 13 disposals and three inside 50s per game.

He’s dangerous forward of centre but also has the ability to push through the midfield.

And it’s why Parker, who averaged 76 SuperCoach points per game, is looming as a Round 1 starter at the Saints.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Given the multiple avenues of scoring, Parker, who looks to have more tricks than fellow mature-age recruit Robbie Young, will be hard to overlook if he’s handed a Round 1 debut

Lachlan Schultz, middle, watches on at his first training session as a Docker.

Lachlan Schultz

(Fremantle $117,300)

The Phantom is beginning to like the Dockers more and more. After picking mature-agers Luke Ryan and Bailey Banfield in the past few years, the club has added another two to their list for the 2019 season.

Brett Bewley, who was mentioned in yesterday’s midfield cash cows, is one and Schultz, a 177cm forward, is the other.

While Schultz might not have the same impact as Bewley, the 21-year-old, who has booted 55 goals in the past two VFL seasons, is also pushing for an early-season debut.

In 2018, Schultz, who recorded a SuperCoach season average of 79, showed his ability to impact the game away from goal, averaging 95 points per game in the second half of the year.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Looming as a nice bench option if Ross Lyon does SuperCoaches another favour.

Josh Corbett

(Gold Coast $123,900)

The 22-year-old forward, drafted from Werribee in the VFL, has been impressive in his first pre-season at the Gold Coast.

With Tom Lynch no longer at the club, the Suns need to replace his marking ability.

And Corbett, who averaged eight marks per game — four of them inside 50 — last season, could help fill the void.

While injury ended his year early, the 190cm right-footer booted 22 goals in nine matches in 2018.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Another great bench option, depending on Gold Coast’s setup during the JLT Series.

THE TOP PICKS

Top draft pick Izak Rankine won’t take long to have an impact at the Suns.

Izak Rankine

(Gold Coast $198,300)

With many believing he was ready for AFL footy last year, The Phantom expects the electrifying Rankine, who made his senior debut for West Adelaide in the SANFL as a 16-year-old, to have a big impact in 2019 — even at a struggling Gold Coast side. The sublimely-skilled forward, who could push into the midfield in the coming years, tallied more goals, assists and score involvements than any other player and averaged 120 SuperCoach points per game at the 2018 Under-18 championships.

Rankine might not win as much football — his 120-point average came on the back of 16 disposals per game — as some of his fellow draftees but he will turn a game like no other. Expect some high scores despite limited possession.

The Phantom’s Verdict: I really, really want to squeeze him in.

Nick Blakey

(Sydney $166,800)

The talented forward recorded a huge SuperCoach average of 162 in the AFL Academy Series last season.

That’s a huge number, regardless of the competition.

The Swans’ Academy product averaged 17 disposals, eight score involvements and more than four goals per game.

While the 195cm 19-year-old could even develop into a midfielder as his career progresses, expect Blakey to partner superstar Lance Franklin in the Swans’ forward 50 early in 2019.

The Phantom’s Verdict: We can’t always trust key-forwards in SuperCoach but this one is special. Keep him on your JLT Series watchlist.

Ian Hill, mid

(GWS $117,300)

The exciting small forward has been turning heads in his first pre-season at the Giants with star team-mate Toby Greene telling The Daily Telegraph that Hill “looks like he’s going to be a serious player” earlier in the year.

The 18-year-old cousin of Dockers Stephen and Bradley Hill, “Bobby”, as he likes to be known, possesses electrifying pace and, while he’s still working on his endurance, could feature early in his debut season.

In 2018, Hill averaged 20 disposals, six score involvements, four tackles and 111 SuperCoach points, while also booting 12 games in seven WAFL Colts matches.

But, he failed to have a similar at the Under 18 Championships, averaging 14 disposals and 82 points in his three appearances.

And despite his undeniable talent, inconsistency was an issue throughout this junior career.

T he Phantom’s Verdict: The consistency will come but, with a number of other great potential cash cows around, Hill’s selection might be a tough one in his first year.

THE BOLTER

Boyd Woodcock, left, in action at the Power’s Noosa training camp.

Boyd Woodcock, mid

(Port Adelaide $117,300)

Can the No. 76 selection from last year’s draft force his way into the Power line-up?

Going by his pre-season form and performances at senior level in the SANFL last year, he’s a chance.

Woodcock won the McCallum Tomkins Medal as the best player in the SANFL Under-18s in 2017, playing as a midfielder, before moving to a small-forward role at senior level in 2018.

And he had a big impact.

The 175cm 18-year-old averaged 15 disposals, five marks, four tackles, two goals and two assists in North Adelaide’s successful finals campaign.

Prior to his promotion to the Roosters’ league side, Woodcock averaged 155 SuperCoach points from six Under-18 games.

The Phantom’s Verdict: Could have a real impact if he’s given an early chance.