SuperCoach 2025 pre-season report: Who’s hurt, who’s training in a new role, who’s pushing for round 1
Need to know who’s hurt, who’s flying and who’s training in a new role that could boost their SuperCoach scores? (Spoiler: Yes.) It’s all right here in our mega guide.
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Word from the training track is vital when making those big calls on who to start in SuperCoach.
Knowing who is off the track or in the rehab group, training in a new role and which rookies are bashing down the door to play in round 1 can give you a crucial edge in finding the best value in the game – and avoiding spending cash on players who won’t deliver the points you need.
With the first game of the 2025 season just 38 days away and clubs ramping up their preparations, here’s all the intel you need to know from all 18 teams.
ADELAIDE
Former Giant James Peatling ($352,800 MID) has made an instant impact at his new home. Don’t expect him to put on the sub vest again, as he did seven times last season – resulting in his bargain SuperCoach price. Fellow recruit Isaac Cumming ($287,700 MID) is about to resume training after a pre-Christmas hamstring strain. Rory Laird ($561,100 MID) appears headed back to defence, where he started his career, but it’s still not clear where the Crows will use boom youngster Dan Curtin ($158,600 FWD). Could he play as a 197cm midfielder? Watch this space.
Top draft pick Sid Draper ($190,000 MID)has been held back after “a couple of little niggles” in the words of teammate Ben Keays, but when he has been on the park he has shown why the Crows swooped with pick 4 in the draft.
James Peatling making a great early impression at@Adelaide_FC, fantastic tackle on skipper Jordan Dawson this morning in another physical session @10NewsFirstAdlpic.twitter.com/CEqrHdul2q
— Lucas Rinaldo (@LucasRinaldo_) December 9, 2024
BRISBANE LIONS
Track watchers on social media flagged a possible setback for bargain defender Keidean Coleman ($269,100 DEF), but nothing official has been reported yet. One thing seems certain – Dayne Zorko ($595,100 DEF) doesn’t plan on giving up the half-back role he starred in last season.
Lincoln McCarthy ($339,500 FWD), Tom Doedee ($256,800 DEF) and Darcy Gardiner ($241,100 FWD) are also on the comeback trail from ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments and putting up their hands for opening round. “I walked in and saw them doing a session at seven in the morning and they were flying,” Jaspa Fletcher told the AFL website in January.
Father-son draft gun Levi Ashcroft ($185,500 MID) is progressing after off-season shoulder surgery.
CARLTON
The Blues haven’t shaken their injury curse from last year, with Nic Newman (knee) out for the season. That opens a key SuperCoach scoring role at half-back for the Blues, a long list of possible replacements includes potential mid-price bargains Sam Docherty ($487,900 MID) and Ollie Hollands ($333,300 MID).
Sam Walsh ($583,900 MID) is out for a month with a hamstring injury – if he plays in round 1 he could be underdone – while Charlie Curnow ($442,400 FWD) is taking it easy after a knee clean-up in December.
In better news, top draft pick Jagga Smith ($194,500 MID) wants to step straight into the starting midfield, where he racked up disposals as a junior. “That (round 1) is obviously a goal but we will see what happens,” he said in mind-January. “I have been training in the midfield so far, a little bit forward as well. It is wherever the coaches see me, obviously it is a pretty stacked line-up in there.”
COLLINGWOOD
Nick Daicos ($631,400 MID) has largely been restricted to bike work since Christmas due to concerns about a foot injury, but he put in a half-hour running block on January 17 and is stepping up his training loads.
His brother Josh ($482,600 MID) is expected to spend more time at half-back this year and young forward Reef McInnes ($200,600 FWD) is being tried in defence.
Jordan De Goey ($441,800 MID) has visited Qatar in a bid to beat the groin problems that hampered him last year while Tom Mitchell ($395,200 MID) is likely to have a delayed start to the season due to a foot injury.
That could mean more midfield minutes for youngster Ed Allan ($194,000 MID).
Trade recruit Dan Houston ($575,600 DEF) has been carving it up in match simulation.
ESSENDON
After a successful move by Nic Martin ($566,000 DEF) last year, Brad Scott is experimenting with some of his key midfielders behind the ball this pre-season. Zach Merrett ($621,100 MID) has been spotted there during some drills and forgotten man Dylan Shiel ($413,700 MID) could revive his career in defence after playing just nine games in 2024.
Saad El-Hawli ($119,900 DEF-MID) has impressed on a wing in match simulation and third-year midfielder Elijah Tsatas ($191,200 MID) is flying.
Injury-cursed defender Zach Reid ($119,900 DEF) is on the track but Jye Caldwell ($506,300 MID) is on the comeback trail from off-season hip surgery.
FREMANTLE
Slimmed-down ruckman Sean Darcy ($529,400 RUC) caught the eye before flying to Qatar to continue his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
“Sean will spend a week at Aspetar Sports Medical Clinic consulting with their specialists to embed some new strategies in his program,” football manager Joe Brierty said.
“These strategies will specifically relate to Sean’s strength program and functional movement to complement a lot of the work already implemented by our Performance Health team.
“With things progressing well and looking to commence Sean’s re-integration into football, we are now at a stage where we feel that the timing is right to continue to invest in practices to aid his progression.
“We’re looking for any short-term gains to assist with Sean’s return to play, but we are also looking at the long-term stability of his knee.”
Veterans Nat Fyfe ($372,800 MID) and Michael Walters ($236,800 FWD) have had minor knee surgery but are expected to be ready for round 1 – Walters has been spotted in a new role in defence.
Hayden Young ($546,100 MID), returning from a fractured fibula he suffered in round 24, dodged a bullet when he escaped from a knock before Christmas with bone bruising.
GEELONG
The Cats are playing their cards close to their chest but former Bulldog Bailey Smith ($389,200 FWD-MID) is training the house down.
Champion Patrick Dangerfield has talked up Smith as an inside midfielder, and also backed youngster Mitch Knevitt ($149,800 MID) – who scored 224 SuperCoach points in a VFL final – to add to his 14 AFL games.
BAILEY SMITH IS BACK 🥵🥹#SuperCoach#AFLpic.twitter.com/B3EOleUZOq
— SuperCoach AFL (@SuperCoach) December 2, 2024
GOLD COAST
Star recruit Daniel Rioli ($500,400 DEF) has been sidelined for a month by an MCL injury. The Suns are hopeful he will be able to play in a practice match before their opening round clash against Essendon.
Ben Jepson and Hewago Oea are training in the hope of winning a list spot. Jepson is a player to watch after averaging 24.7 disposals at 82% efficiency and 99 SuperCoach points for Southport in the VFL last season.
GWS GIANTS
Watch for some early debuts after a trio of departures during the trade period (Harry Perryman, James Peatling, Isaac Cumming) and six players suspended for their role in the Giants’ Mad Monday debacle (a host of senior players including Tom Green and Lachie Whitfield escaped with fines).
Conor Stone ($119,900 FWD), who has played 13 games since being drafted with pick 15 in 2020, is training as a defender this pre-season, while Harrison Oliver ($122,500 DEF) and James Leake ($119,900 DEF) are others who could get a chance.
HAWTHORN
Will Day ($491,300 MID) battled a series of injuries in 2024 and has eased his way into training in the new year after off-season surgery on his shoulder.
But he was arguably best afield in match simulation last week, playing as a full-time midfielder and showing no signs of holding back.
MELBOURNE
Clayton Oliver ($451,600 MID) will be one of the most closely watched players of the pre-season, and so far the signs are all positive for the star midfielder who never got going in 2024 due to a series of issues.
Christian Petracca ($556,200 MID) unfortunately can’t say the same. After returning in top condition from horrific internal injuries suffered against Collingwood on King’s Birthday, scans following a training collision revealed a cracked rib. The Demons say a “timeline for his recovery will be determined in due course”.
Max Gawn ($668,900 RUC) is also on a non-contact program following a fractured larynx before Christmas.
Caleb Windsor ($321,300 MID) is set to make a half-back flank his own this year while ex-Lion and time-trial king Harry Sharp ($189,100 MID) has his eye on a wing opposite Ed Langdon.
Draft recruits Harvey Langford ($181,000 MID) and Xavier Lindsay ($158,500) – who had a slow start coming off a knee injury – will be in the mix for spots in early practice matches.
It's officially Oliver szn, right? 🫢
— SuperCoach AFL (@SuperCoach) January 22, 2025
MEGA TRACK WATCH: https://t.co/MjvyP9OK9X âœï¸ @chriscavanagh1pic.twitter.com/8kfjE47ZM5
NORTH MELBOURNE
Caleb Daniel ($269,100 MID-FWD), an early tip for SuperCoach bargain of the year, sent a scare through the fantasy world with news of a minor hamstring tweak on the first day of training in the new year. But he was back on the track last week, completing a lengthy running session.
After being on a modified program before Christmas, Harry Sheezel ($635,600 DEF) is back in full training and appears to play a mid-forward role in 2025 – where he starred in the last month of 2024.
Top draft pick Finn O’Sullivan ($199,000 MID) is training with the midfield group alongside ex-Swan Luke Parker ($343,600 MID-FWD). Pressure forward Jacob Konstanty ($119,900 FWD), who also arrived from Sydney during the trade period, has been in the rehab group with Josh Goater ($151,400 DEF), who is on the edge of joining full training as he works back from an achilles rupture.
PORT ADELAIDE
Put forward rookie Joe Berry ($140,500 FWD) on your watch list. The teenager, who has been compared to a young Robbie Gray, has been a standout on the track over summer and starred in match simulation.
The Power is still working out how its forward line will look without Todd Marshall (achilles) while Sam Powell-Pepper ($180,500 FWD) has stepped up his comeback from an ACL injury with an eye on round 1.
RICHMOND
Outrageously priced Tom Lynch ($183,200 FWD) was clunking marks and nailing long set shots in match simulation on Friday as he aims to put the two injury-ruined seasons behind him. “He’s been unreal,” teammate Jack Ross told the Tigers website. “He’s been working really hard and we know what he’s had to go through, so to see him out here and running full-tilt, it’s really exciting.”
No.1 pick Sam Lalor ($203,500 MID) was eased into life at an AFL club after the draft, but wasn’t held back last week, spending most of match simulation in the midfield. But No.7 pick Josh Smillie ($176,500 MID) trained with the rehab group after a hip concern before Christmas.
Noah Balta will miss the first four matches of the season as he prepares to face assault charges in court following an incident in Mulwala in December.
ST KILDA
Mattaes Philippou ($313,800 FWD-MID) is looking to build on his late-season cameo last year, working with Lenny Hayes and Robert Harvey on his midfield craft and body work. In match simulation last Friday he lined up in the centre square next to skipper Jack Steele ($585,200 MID) and star recruit Jack Macrae ($392,200 FWD).
The Saints signed mature-age ruckman Harry Boyd ($99,100 RUC) last week and he instantly became one of the most popular bench picks in SuperCoach – and with good reason. The 26-year-old averaged 20 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 11 hitouts to advantage, 10 clearances and 159 SuperCoach points per game for Norwood in the SANFL last season on his way to the Magarey Medal. Rowan Marshall ($603,500 RUC) sat out match simulation, allowing Boyd to play as the No.1 ruckman. How will Ross Lyon use his two big men in round 1?
Arie Schoenmaker ($270,500 DEF) is looking to take Josh Battle’s spot in defence, but Paddy Dow ($327,100 MID) is likely to miss the start of the season after spending three weeks in hospital with a knee infection.
SYDNEY
Callum Mills ($357,200 DEF), Isaac Heeney ($629,200 MID) and James Rowbottom ($509,300 MID) formed the starting midfield for the ‘A’ team in match simulation last week, and reporter Lachlan McKirdy writes the skipper was a standout around the ball: “Mills was incredibly strong around the centre bounces and looks to be the piece of the puzzle the Swans were missing in 2024.”
Ben Paton ($133,400 DEF-FWD), snapped up by the Swans after being delisted by St Kilda, played on a half-back flank opposite Matt Roberts ($434,800 DEF).
WEST COAST
Cut-price ruckman Matt Flynn ($261,900 RUC) left training with a foot issue in mid-January but was back on the track last week, battling for the No.1 ruck spot with Bailey Williams and Coen Livingstone.
There was a high-profile casualty at match simulation with Elliot Yeo ($564,700 MID)hobbling off with a knee or ankle injury. He was sent for scans.
One left-field breakout candidate – Ryan Maric ($223,800 FWD) is training in defence.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
VFL star and AFL hopeful Dom Brew suffered a quad setback in December but was back in action last week, pushing his case for the last spot on the Dogs list. The 24-year-old averaged 144 SuperCoach points for Werribee last season.
The immediate playing future of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is uncertain as he deals with off-field issues.
Originally published as SuperCoach 2025 pre-season report: Who’s hurt, who’s training in a new role, who’s pushing for round 1
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