AFL SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom looks at the long list of mid-price value in the forward line
There’s a few tempting defenders and there’s always candidates from the midfield. But the mid-price bracket in the forward line might be hiding the best value of all. See the full analysis.
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Mid-Price guides: DEFENDERS | MIDFIELDERS | RUCKS
- Top-50 SuperCoach Draft rankings
Thought there was mid-price value in defence? Well, there might be even more in the forward line in KFC SuperCoach this year.
FRESH START
Blake Acres (Freo)
$384,000, Mid
The 24-year-old wants to play in the midfield, new Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir wants him to play in the midfield and SuperCoaches, you guessed it, want him to play in the midfield.
During his six years and 75 games at the Saints, Acres struggled for consistency due to the lack of a defined role – along with injury – but he’s set to lock down a spot in the Dockers’ midfield in 2020.
The West Australian played as lead-up target and running half-forward for most of 2019, but there was a number of glimpses of what he can do in the midfield at the Saints, too.
In the first five rounds of 2018, the 191cm Acres, who has impressed during his first pre-season at the Dockers, averaged 24 disposals, 10 contested possessions, eight score involvements and 106 SuperCoach points per game, playing as a pure wingman.
And there was a similar four-game stretch, which saw him average 24 disposals and 105 points in 2016.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: Acres has a number of scoring avenues and we’ll see them more consistently in 2020.
Jack Martin (Carl)
$420,800, Mid
Martin’s undeniable talent has been on show in his six seasons at the top level but, after playing a number of different roles at the Suns – and playing them very well – he’s yet to take his game to an elite level.
Stationed predominantly as a forward, Martin posted five SuperCoach tons in 2017 after averaging 19 disposals and booting 24 goals.
Martin broke the 120-point mark on three occasions, but also posted seven scores of 70 or less – a formline which sums up his SuperCoach career to date.
Despite a strong start through the midfield – two SuperCoach tons in the opening three rounds – Martin, again, struggled for consistency in 2019 with his performance mirroring that of the Suns’.
In fact, in the six Gold Coast wins Martin played in over the past two years, he averaged 21 more points than in losses.
It might be forward – although recent match simulation pointed towards more of a roaming role – but the 24-year-old’s position at the Blues will be more consistent.
And the same can be said for an improving Carlton outfit.
Is this the year it all comes together?
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: I think it is – and with it might come an average of more than 90 – but can we fit him in?
BOUNCING BACK?
Devon Smith (Ess)
$335,800
After showing glimpses, in between a number of frustrating injuries, at the Giants, Smith delivered on his potential at the Bombers in 2018.
The tenacious forward, whose midfield time increased as the season went on, averaged 98 points per game and won Essendon’s best and fairest in his first year at the club.
But it was in the final eight rounds of the season when his scoring power was really on show.
The 26-year-old averaged 25 disposals, nine tackles and 107 points per game from Round 16 onwards.
A persistent knee injury then restricted him in the first two months of 2019, before wiping out his season completely in May.
Smith, the competition’s No. 1 tackler in 2018, averaged 2.5 tackles less per game in the opening eight rounds of last year, and finished with 20 disposals or more in just two matches.
But enough with the disappointment that was 2019.
He’s fit, training well and is set to give the Bombers’ midfield a big boost in Round 1 against the Dockers.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: Smith will start the year as the 115th most-expensive but, all going well, is a likely top-six forward by the year’s end.
Jack Steven (Geel)
$361,700, Mid
Steven has played all 22 games in four of the past seven seasons and he’s averaged 100 SuperCoach points or more in three of them.
In 2013, thanks to three scores of 150 or more, the now 29-year-old finished the year as the seventh-ranked player in the competition.
At his best, there’s no arguing a fit-and-firing Steven is a SuperCoach star.
But he played just seven games in 2019 after taking time away from the Saints to deal with mental health issues.
And, despite making an impressive start at Geelong pre-Christmas, he’s been training away from the main group for the past two weeks after a slight calf injury. Sigh.
Steven, however, should still remain at the top of your pre-season watchlist in a forward pool which is without many popular 2019 dual-position names.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: Maybe it was just all too good to be true.
Chad Wingard (Haw)
$412,300, Mid
Wingard is a mercurial forward, there’s no doubt about it.
The left-footer booted 232 goals and directly assisted 111 others in 147 games at the Power.
But he’s also a creative and dangerous midfielder as he’s shown at different stages over his career.
In the final 12 games of 2018, the 25-year-old averaged 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions, five clearances, five inside 50s, five tackles and 103 SuperCoach points per game, while also booting 11 goals.
And then, after battling injury for most of his first season at Hawthorn, Wingard played through the midfield in the final month of the year and averaged 26 disposals and 91 points from Round 20 onwards.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: This guy might be one of the SuperCoach surprise packets in 2020.
THE NEXT STEP
Chayce Jones (Adel)
$271,500
He might have made his debut in Round 1 last year, but it wasn’t until the final-round clash with the Bulldogs when Jones was given the opportunity to make his mark.
After appearing at five centre bounces in the loss to Collingwood a week earlier, Jones attended 11 against the Bulldogs and tallied 18 disposals, eight contested possessions and four clearances.
But he was still equally as influential forward of centre, finishing with five inside 50s, two goals and two goal assists to post a career-high 86 SuperCoach points
Given the 19-year-old’s outstanding junior career, the numbers are not surprising.
Playing predominantly as a midfielder at the under-18 national carnival, Jones averaged 21 disposals, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles and 109 SuperCoach points per game.
And he produced similar numbers in his first five games in Adelaide’s SANFL side, following his demotion in Round 5, averaging 22 disposals, six clearances and 104 points before spending more time forward through the middle of the year.
But that won’t be the case in 2020.
The Crows’ midfield needs a refresh and Jones, after winning both of the Adelaide’s 2km time trials and adding significant muscle to his 180cm frame, is the one likely to give it the much-needed new look.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: Lock him in.
Andrew Brayshaw (Freo)
$382,800
In his first two seasons in the competition, former coach Ross Lyon persisted with Brayshaw as a forward.
And for good reason, apart from not wanting to throw the prized early draft pick right into the heat of the battle.
In the TAC Cup, Brayshaw averaged seven score involvements and a competition-high 2.2 score assists per game.
But, despite his influence forward-of-centre, Brayshaw really made his name as a ball-winning midfielder at junior level, averaging 25 disposals and 131 SuperCoach points for Sandringham.
And he’s destined to do the same at the top-level.
Brayshaw added 10 points to his average in 2019, after winning 20 disposals or more on eight occasions – a feat he achieved just three times in his debut season.
And it was the extra midfield responsibility, in the absence of captain Nat Fyfe, which drove Brayshaw’s performance.
Fyfe only missed the one match and will still, clearly, be the main man in 2020, but it showed the numbers Brayshaw might generate as his role in the Dockers’ side increases, under new coach Justin Longmuir.
After an impressive start to the summer, what also might increase is his game-time.
In his 37 senior appearances, Brayshaw is yet to spend 80 per cent of the game on ground.
Brayshaw was on the bench for at least 28 per cent of 14 of his 22 appearances in 2019.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: It’s hard to see 2020 playing out without a scoring spike for Brayshaw. And we might be able to trust the Fremantle coach now.
MORE SUPERCOACH ADVICE
The premium alternatives to Grundy and Gawn
Four must-have starters to build your team around
No-go zone: The players to avoid
The search for Mr. Reliable: A three-year analysis
Whitfield, Dusty and then who? The premium forwards to consider
WHAT ABOUT THE BIG MEN?
Tom Lynch (Rich)
$388,800
After a slow start to his career at Punt Road, coming off a very limited pre-season, Lynch proved to be a vital part of the Tigers’ premiership side.
And he reminded SuperCoaches of his scoring power, too.
From Round 17 onwards, including Richmond’s three finals, Lynch averaged 99 points per game, after posting five SuperCoach tons.
The 27-year-old will be priced at an average of 72 in 2020.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: As much as you might want to dismiss the key-forward, the numbers are there.
Tom McDonald (Melb)
$387,000
It’s a similar story for McDonald.
In his last game before a knee injury ended his season in July, McDonald finished with 20 disposals, nine marks, six goals and 139 points.
And two weeks earlier, the 27-year-old tallied 28 disposals, seven marks, three goals and 135 points against the Dockers.
In 2018, McDonald averaged 98 points playing every one of his 17 games as a forward.
He, too, will priced at an average of 72 this season.
THE PHANTOM’S VERDICT: See above.
Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom looks at the long list of mid-price value in the forward line