Unmasked: The Phantom’s 2019 SuperCoach team revealed

It’s time. After a long, gruelling pre-season, The Phantom has settled on his SuperCoach team for 2019. And there are a few surprises. See the team here.

• The Phantom’s ultimate mid-pricer guide
• The Phantom’s ultimate cash cow guide
• Full review: Every selection from The Phantom’s Draft

• JLT Series Week 2 Standouts: MID | DEF | RUCK | FWD

After a long, gruelling SuperCoach pre-season, I’ve finally settled on my team.

And I’ve been unable to ignore the value in the mid-price bracket.

Pending team announcements and the selection of the rookie-price players, here’s my starting side for 2019.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE PHANTOM’S TEAM BELOW

DEFENCE

Crow Rory Laird occupied the D1 position for the first half of the pre-season but I’ve gone with last year’s No. 1 scorer Jake Lloyd. He should benefit from the new kick-in ruling more than Laird and, barring injury, it’s hard to see him not going back-to-back.

The Phantom is tipping Jake Lloyd to go back-to-back as the top-scoring SuperCoach defender.

Despite missing the Giants’ second JLT Series match, Zac Williams is still the best value-for-money option in SuperCoach this season and long-time favourite Brodie Smith isn’t far behind, after a standout summer which highlighted his importance to the Adelaide’s defence.

I’m sticking by my pre-season call that Nic Newman will be a top-eight defender if he retains the loose-man role that we saw in the first week of the JLT Series. This selection could make or break my year.

That’s only one premium in the top-four but I’m picking Williams, Newman and Smith in the hope they will be season-long keepers.

Geelong’s Jordan Clark appears the standout rookie-price option in defence while Xavier Duursma should get plenty of early opportunity on a wing for the Power.

The Phantom’s Analysis: Premium Defenders

MIDFIELD

With Tom Mitchell missing, I’ve spent the money on the most-expensive midfielder in the game, Jack Macrae. And you should, too.

Same goes with Carlton’s contested-ball beast Patrick Cripps, who could push his average past 120 points per game in 2019. Given his size and marking ability, more time forward this season should only help his scoring.

Don’t leave Patrick Cripps out, SuperCoaches.

Melbourne star Clayton Oliver tried to take the M3 spot from Dustin Martin in the past week but I’m expecting Martin to bounce back in a big way, starting on Thursday night, after some encouraging midfield numbers in the JLT Series. The Brownlow Medallist starts 2019 as the 18th-most expensive midfielder in the game. Now that’s what you call underpriced.

It’s hard to ignore the value in a fit-and-firing Tom Liberatore.

Speaking of upside, I tried to ignore it but, at $300k, just $150k more than the first-year rookie he’s edged out, I couldn’t resist Bulldog Tom Liberatore. Can he return to his 110-point average of 2014? Maybe not. But, at the price, he would just need to go close. The 26-year-old is the perfect stepping to stone to a premium if he doesn’t become one himself.

No. 1 draft pick Sam Walsh is a must-have and, after being close to a debut in 2018, second-year Cat Charlie Constable should get his chance to make his mark on Geelong’s midfield this season.

I’ve backed in young Giant Tim Taranto all summer and his pre-season performances - and midfield role - have only filled me with even more confidence. My prediction for the 21-year-old is an average of 105 - or maybe more - so I’m picking him as a keeper.

And if Crow Brad Crouch, who ticked every box in his comeback over the pre-season, can stay fit, he’ll average even more. Sure, it’s still no certainty but the potential upside makes it worth the risk.

The Phantom’s Analysis: Premium Midfielders

The Phantom's SuperCoach 2019 Team.

RUCK

The R2 spot has troubled SuperCoaches all summer - The Phantom included. First it was Sam Naismith. More recently is was Darcy Fort and Zac Clarke.

But that was just wishful thinking.

There’s no stopping Magpie Brodie Grundy.

Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn it is. The two players in the entire pool most-likely to finish as the top ranked players in their position.

The Phantom’s Analysis: Premium Rucks

FORWARD

Do I even need to talk about Patrick Dangerfield? No.

Next to the star Cat is the second-best available forward, in my opinion, Isaac Heeney. The 22-year-old is ready to take his game to another level after completing the first full pre-season of his career.

Expect young Swan Isaac Heeney to take his game to another level this season.

The F3 spot has been another tough position for SuperCoaches to fill across the country.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about Saint Jack Billings but I’ve stuck with Bulldog Josh Dunkley, whose been there since January, despite coach Luke Beveridge’s obsession with moving the magnets around.

I think he’ll play majority midfield and that makes the 22-year-old, who averaged 132 points in the final five rounds of last year, a must-have SuperCoach forward.

If he does spend most of the first two weeks inside 50, it’s an easier correction than if the same thing were to happen to Billings.

Then there’s Darcy Moore.

Not in my wildest dreams did I see myself picking the fifth-year Magpie in SuperCoach, let alone starting him on the field, in 2019.

But, after taking the most kick-ins of any player in the JLT Series and showing he’s got all the tools to make it as an intercepting defender, Moore is super value at, basically, rookie-price.

Carlton recruit Will Setterfield is a must-have in the forward line, while third-year Power midfielder Willem Drew’s scoring potential is better than any other player at his price.

Bring it on!

The Phantom’s Analysis: Premium Forwards

Originally published as Unmasked: The Phantom’s 2019 SuperCoach team revealed