Al Paton reveals his first draft SuperCoach team for 2019
A traded Tiger, a ruckman drafted by Geelong at age 25 and a host of ex-VFL stars will provide back-up for the biggest names in SuperCoach in Al Paton’s first crack at a 2019 team.
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Picking the first player in my 2019 SuperCoach team was easy. Then it got very tricky very fast.
The ruck division will define our teams next season with the obvious temptation to start with Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn — two of the top-three overall scorers this year — to put almost 300 points in the bank each week.
The problem is that will gobble up almost $1.5 million of the $10 million salary cap on two players.
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I can’t leave out Grundy, last year’s No.1 scoring player who is likely to get even better next year with rule changes allowing ruckmen to grab the ball from a ball-up or throw-in.
But I’m taking a calculated risk by leaving out Gawn, who may have to share ruck time with import Braydon Preuss next year. To be honest, I think that’s unlikely. We’ll get a better idea after some pre-season games and I may have to reassess, but it makes life a lot easier right now when trying to pick a winning squad.
So if not Gawn, who to start at R2? I’m taking a December punt on newly arrived Geelong ruckman Darcy Fort, who could be the bargain of the season at just $117,300.
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Fort played for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup but after being overlooked in the draft spent time in the VFL and the SANFL, where he dominated this year for Central District including one 72-hitout game.
Other relevant facts: he’s 25 and 205cm, Geelong never settled on a starting ruck last year, and in his player profile he lists his nickname as Plow and his favourite hobby outside footy as “fighting corruption”. He’s already a favourite.
Of course, some actual pre-season matches will give us a chance to see where he fits in the pecking order at the Cattery alongside Rhys Stanley, Zac Smith and Ryan Abbott, but for now he’s in.
And he’s part of a trend of mature-age recruits who can provide bench cover — or better — across every line next year.
Defender Sam Collins took the most intercept marks in the history of the VFL last season and gets another chance in the AFL at Gold Coast, where he is sure to be called into action regularly.
Fremantle midfielder Brett Bewley averaged 25 disposals a game in the VFL and has been likened to Tom Scully, and the Saints went all-in on ready-to-play draftees Matt Parker, Robbie Young (both forwards), Nick Hind (midfielder) and Callum Wilkie (defender).
Wilkie is a bit of a smokie after being taken in the rookie draft, but he won a best-and-fairest in the SANFL premiership team playing as an intercept defender.
The bonus of so many good cheap options is it leaves cash to splash on rolled gold SuperCoach scorers Patrick Dangerfield (a must as a mid-forward), Jake Lloyd and midfield guns Patrick Cripps, Nat Fyfe, Josh Kelly and an underpriced Dustin Martin.
I think Lachie Whitfield can produce midfield numbers down back and I’m backing a Bulldogs double act up forward — Toby McLean’s outstanding 2018 numbers only faded after he copped a mid-season shoulder injury and Josh Dunkley finished the season like a steam train (unfortunately that was after I traded him out after picking him in Round 1, next year I won’t make the same mistake).
The notable exceptions to my guns and rookies approach are Carlton recruit Nic Newman, who fell out of favour with John Longmire at Sydney but has the potential to rack up big numbers in another busy backline, and former Tiger Anthony Miles.
Now at Gold Coast, Miles has never had an issue scoring SuperCoach points. Getting senior games has been a challenge, but that should all change next year when he’ll be the Suns’ chief extractor. In his 59 games since the start of 2014, Miles has scored 85 or more in 41 of them. I expect similar numbers this year and for a player priced on a 63-point average, that’s as close to guaranteed value as you’ll find in SuperCoach.
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