The Phantom’s Pre-Season: Premiums reaffirming their position and eye-catching rookies headline the standout midfielders from the first weekend of the JLT Series
Missed any of the JLT Series? Don’t worry, The Phantom has you covered. From the premiums reaffirming their position to eye-catching rookies, The Phantom looks at the standout midfielders and their SuperCoach scores from the first weekend of JLT action.
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 defenders | Cash cow ruckmen | Cash cow forwards | Cash Cow smokies
- Survival Guide and Phantom team
Missed any of the JLT Series? Don’t worry, The Phantom has you covered. From the premiums reaffirming their position to eye-catching rookies, The Phantom looks at the standout midfielders and their SuperCoach scores from the first weekend of JLT action.
Patrick Cripps (Carl) $648,200
124 points
Just a casual 20 contested possessions and 11 clearances, to go with 33 dispsoals, for the star midfielder in the first hitout of the pre-season. He’s also said he’ll spend more time forward this year, instead of on the bench, and that should only help his scoring.
Sam Walsh (Carl) $207,300
102 points
The No. 1 pick followed up his impressive practice game performance with an even better showing against the Bombers. The 18-year-old played with composure and confidence well beyond his years, finishing with 28 disposals – only Cripps had more on the ground – 11 contested possessions and his first SuperCoach ton as a Blue. All signs suggest Walsh will be worth the top rookie-price tag
JLT SERIES WEEK 1 STANDOUTS: DEFENDERS
Michael Gibbons (Carl) $102,400
68 points
The mature-age recruit looks destined to line-up in Carlton’s Round 1 forward-line after a three-goal performance in the opening match of the JLT Series. The 23-year-old, who finished with 68 SuperCoach points, has already done enough to be a lock for your midfield bench.
Dom Sheed (WC) $394,100
144 points
The grand final hero, who averaged 110 SuperCoach points in last year’s finals series, dominated against the Cats, recording a round-high 144 points, on the back of 39 disposals, 11 contested possessions, eight marks, seven clearances and six inside 50s
Charlie Constable (Geel) $123,900
92 points
After coming close to an opening-round debut in 2018, the tall midfielder might have pencilled his name into Chris Scott’s Round 1 team after an impressive performance against the Eagles. In 71 per cent game-time, the 191cm Constable attended nine centre bounces and tallied 26 disposals, eight contested possessions, four tackles and 92 SuperCoach points.
Tom Atkins (Geel) $112,900
69 points
The VFL’s tackle king lived up to his name in his first competitive hitout at senior level. Atkins laid a team-high seven tackles, to go with 16 disposals and eight contested possessions, in a pressure-forward role that will hopefully see him earn an early-season debut.
Paul Ahern (NM) $375,100
92 points
After battling injury for the first three years of his career, the No. 7 pick from the 2014 draft finally made his mark in the competition with a number of impressive performances last season. And if his first JLT Series showing is anything to go by, we might see a few more in 2019. The 22-year-old tallied 26 disposals, 11 inside 50s, seven clearances – both game-highs – and an equal game-high 11 contested possessions. And he was only on the ground for half of the match.
Dom Tyson (NM) $411,000
82 points
Speaking of game-time, in just 66 per cent of the match against the Saints, the former Demon tallied 26 disposals, eight contested possessions, seven tackles and six clearances. More importantly, Tyson played as an inside midfielder, a role which he came to the Kangaroos for and one which saw him average 94 points per game in his third season back in 2014.
Luke Davies-Uniacke (NM) $197,500
73 points
While he didn’t live up to the hype in his debut season, expect a big scoring spike from the strong-bodied midfielder in 2019. Davies-Uniacke finished with 27 disposals, eight contested possessions, four clearances and 73 points from 60 per cent game-time.
Bailey Scott (NM) $117,300
59 points
In the first quarter against the Saints, the 18-year-old chased down Saint Jack Newnes on the wing, pushed him off the ball, kept his feet and sent the ball back inside 50. Coach Brad Scott would’ve been delighted with the draftee, who finished with 21 disposals and eight contested possesions, in his first hitout in a North jumper.
Jack Steele (StK) $512,600
117 points
The 23-year-old showed his SuperCoach scoring power at the weekend, posting 117 points on the back of just 18 disposals. He’s worked hard on his running ability over summer and he’s an all-rounder in-the-making after tallying 10 contested possessions, seven tackles, five marks and two goals against the Kangaroos.
Brad Crouch (Adel) $418,000
118 points
After a successful practice match last week, the 26-year-old made it two from two in his comeback from injury with a game-high 118 SuperCoach points against the Power. Crouch tallied 29 disposals, 11 contested possessions, five marks and five tackles and, more pleasingly, looks back to his strong, explosive best. I’m not sure I’ll be strong enough to resist if he makes it three from three.
Matt Crouch (Adel) $551,300
110 points
Brad’s younger – and All-Australian – brother, Matt, was the second-highest scorer out at Port Pirie, posting 110 points, on the back of 32 disposals, 14 contested possessions and five marks. Expect similar numbers week-in, week-out from Matt in 2019.
Rory Sloane (Adel) $524,300
88 points
Adelaide’s co-captain stamped his authority on the summer Showdown early, tallying 10 disposals, four tackles and three marks by the first break. Sloane finished with 28 touches, eight marks and eight contested possessions in 67 per cent game time. While he’ll benefit from a full-strength Adelaide midfield, the opposition attention will still come once the real season starts.
Zak Butters (Port) $157,800
91 points
This kid can play. The Phantom was impressed with draftee after his performance at Thebarton Oval last week but the 18-year-old was even better in the first week of the JLT Series. Butters, an elite decision maker, will add to the Power side immediately, after finishing with 25 disposals, five marks, four tackles, two goal assists and a team-high 91 SuperCoach points in 70 per cent game-time. Lock him in for Round 1.
Tim Taranto (GWS) $481,600
120 points
Back in December, I predicted Tim Taranto would develop into an all-round statistical beast in 2019. And after Saturday’s performance against the Swans, the prediction remains on track. The 21-year-old, who will step up in the Giants’ midfield this season in the absence of Dylan Shiel, tallied 33 disposals, 10 marks, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles, six clearances, five inside 50s and four rebound 50s. Jump on because the train is leaving very soon.
Stephen Coniglio (GWS) $588,600
140 points
Taranto’s team-mate and last season’s 14th-ranked overall scorer, Coniglio is, for some reason, not receiving a lot of SuperCoach love. But that should change after a huge 140-point performance, on the back of 35 disposals, 17 contested possessions and 10 tackles, against the Swans. The 25-year-old just gets the job done.
Jackson Hately (GWS) $148,800
101 points
After impressing at senior level in the SANFL level last season, the 18-year-old is a ready-made AFL player and he proved that again in the first weekend of the JLT Series. Hately hit the target with each one of his 16 disposals and tallied four marks, four tackles and a goal, from a wing.
Lachie Neale (Bris) $607,300
110 points
The former Docker wasted little time showing what he can offer his new side, posting a game-high 132 points, on the back of 31 disposals, 15 contested possessions and 10 clearances. He should be in more SuperCoach teams.
Hugh McCluggage (Bris) $416,800
103 points
McCluggage is set for a bigger midfield role in 2019 and his performance against the Hawks suggests his all-round game is developing nicely. In the first two years of his career, the 21-year-old has showcased his enormous potential as a classy outside-midfielder but 12 of McCluggage’s 27 possessions in Brisbane’s first match of the JLT Series were contested. Expect a big spike in 2019.
James Cousins (Haw) $219,900
101 points
In the absence of Jaeger O’Meara and Liam Shiels – and, of course, the injured Tom Mitchell – the 20-year-old was the Hawks’ best midfielder against the Lions. The creative Cousins tallied 29 disposals, eight marks, five clearances and five inside 50s in a performance that did his Round 1 chances no harm.
Clayton Oliver (Melb) $622,600
127 points
Will Oliver’s double-shoulder reconstruction impact the star midfielder’s start to the season? Going by his performance in Melbourne’s opening JLT Series match, the answer is an overwhelming NO. The 21-year-old scored a game-high 127 points, on the back of 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions, six marks and six tackles, in just 68 per cent game-time. Pick him with confidence.
Angus Brayshaw (Melb) $526,900
111 points
While he was as efficient as Oliver, Brayshaw was everywhere against the Tigers, finishing with 37 disposals – 28 of them kicks – 11 marks, 14 contested possessions and 10 clearances.
Jack Macrae (WB) $689,700
143 points
If you needed any reminder of his scoring power, the most-expensive playing-midfielder in the game tallied 40 disposals, 13 contested possessions, nine inside 50s, seven tackles and a game-high 143 points. Just spend the cash and start him.
Tom Liberatore (WB) $300,400
111 points
He’s back in the side and back in the centre square where he belongs. Liberatore attended 15 centre bounces against the Suns and finished with 27 disposals, 13 contested possessions and a game-high eight clearances.
Darcy Tucker (Fre) $327,900
113 points
Coach Ross Lyon wants to use Tucker in a tagging role in 2019 and, if his performance against the Magpies is anything to go by, it could see a spike in the 22-year-old’s scoring. Tucker tallied 19 disposals, 15 contested possessions and a round-high 13 tackles as he shadowed Magpie star Dayne Beams for most of the match.
Scott Pendlebury (Coll) $562,000
120 points
The Collingwood skipper wound back the clock against the Dockers, tallying 34 disposals, 16 contested possessions and six clearances and, like usual, was a step ahead of most others out there.
Steele Sidebottom (Coll) $551,700
108 points
There might be better options in the classic format but keep Sidebottom in mind for your SuperCoach Draft league after the start midfielder finished with 34 disposals and eight inside 50s in the first match of the JLT Series.
Originally published as The Phantom’s Pre-Season: Premiums reaffirming their position and eye-catching rookies headline the standout midfielders from the first weekend of the JLT Series
Five moves that won me $50,000 in SuperCoach
The 20-year-old winner of SuperCoach AFL 2024 reveals the tactics that led him to the game’s top prize, beating out more than 180,000 players across the country.
SuperCoach wrap: Norm-worthy stars and grand final flops
Who stood up on the biggest SuperCoach stage and who disappointed when it counted most? Check out round 24’s heroes and villains – and some hot tips for 2025.