SuperCoach 2015: fallen premiums, breakout contenders aplenty in value for money midfield

SWALLOW, Crouch, Mitchell ... Dale Thomas? There’s plenty of value in the midfield this SuperCoach season. Who will you pick?

NOW don’t shoot us but SuperCoach 2015 could be the year of the midfield mid-pricer.

Before saying things like “no idea” and “so called experts”, hear us out. With what appears to be a lack of options in defence and a glut of them in attack we need value for money and the midfield is where to find it.

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There are fallen premiums and breakout contenders aplenty and we’re not even counting Dane Swan who’s available as a forward this year.

Obviously, you can’t go wrong with the likes of Gary Ablett, Tom Rockliff, Scott Pendlebury, Joel Selwood and Nat Fyfe.

Trent Cotchin is a reliable SuperCoach scorer. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

However, splashing the cash in the midfield means you may have to rely on the likes of injury-prone defenders like Garrick Ibbotson and Beau Waters or a mid-price ruckmen like Matthew Kreuzer and Matthew Leuenberger.

We’re not saying don’t pick Gaz, Pendles and Rocky but just don’t pick all of them.

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There is so much value for money in the midfield this season and with the numerous options available we can always upgrade.

North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow is capable of averaging 110 but after playing just 15 games in 2014 as he recovered from an Achilles injury, he’s available for just $500,600.

Dale Thomas has been training the house down at Carlton. Picture: George Salpigtidis

That’s a $90k discount.

Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin - priced at $546,500 - averaged 116 in 2012 and has played at least 20 games every year since 2011. He’s consistent and reliable.

Adelaide young gun Brad Crouch averaged 90 last year and is a big breakout contender, with a full pre-season behind him won’t be available for $508,200 for long.

New Gold Coast Suns midfielder Mitch Hallahan is another with massive upside and priced at just $312,000, after managing just six games in 2014, presents tremendous value for money with far more game time on offer.

Finally, this may be controversial but a couple of SuperFooty experts have been closely watching Carlton’s pre-season and have pencilled in Dale Thomas for 2015.

After a controversial move to the Blues, Thomas struggled at times last year and averaged just 75 but hasn’t missed a beat and his last injury-free season saw him average 109.

Round these picks off with some quality rookie and rookie-priced gems such as Shane Biggs, Ben Newton and Nathan van Berlo and you’ve got plenty of cash to make sure your line-up is stacked with premiums in defence, attack and in the ruck.

Mitch Hallahan is sure to see more game time with Gold Coast. Picture: Richard Gosling

VALUE FOR MONEY

Trent Cotchin (Richmond) $546,500

Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide) $539,200

Ryan Griffen (GWS Giants) $530,700

Brad Crouch (Adelaide) $508,200

Andrew Swallow (Nth Melbourne) $500,600

Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) $490,000

Leigh Montagna (St Kilda) $480,300

Jack Steven (St Kilda) $455,900

Dale Thomas (Carlton) $408,600

Daniel Wells (Nth Melbourne) $361,400

Daniel Rich (Brisbane) $348,300

Mitch Hallahan (Gold Coast) $312,500

Daniel Rich is one track for a Round 1 return. Picture: Brad Cooper

Originally published as SuperCoach 2015: fallen premiums, breakout contenders aplenty in value for money midfield