Sydney Swans SuperCoach study guide: Best premium picks, mid-price risks and cash cows

Sydney has long been a home of SuperCoach stars, but this year represents a changing of the guard. There are some great options, but not who you might think. Our guide to the best picks.

Sydney has long been a home of SuperCoach stars, but this year brings a changing of the guard at the Swans.

The all-star midfield of Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery and Keiren Jack has been disbanded and the engine room is evolving as a new breed of SuperCoach guns emerge in red and white.

Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills have teased SuperCoach players with midfield cameos, is this the year they graduate into full-time onballers?

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We analyse the best premium, mid-price and rookie options at the Swans in 2019.

PREMIUMS

Jake Lloyd $608,200 DEF

The clear No.1 defender in SuperCoach caused serious pain for players who didn’t have him in their team last year, especially at the business end of the season - after the Swans’ bye he averaged 122 points a game with just one score under 100 (and that was 96). Lloyd averaged 28 disposals a game across the season and ranked second in the AFL for total kicks as he spent plenty of game time in the middle of the ground. Amazingly he could increase those numbers thanks to changes to kick-in rules. Don’t miss the boat this year.

Jake Lloyd is a SuperCoach scoring machine. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Lance Franklin $543,500 FWD

Buddy will always be a SuperCoach rollercoaster. Want a guy in your team he can score over 160 three times and under 60 three times, as he did last year? Hop on and enjoy the ride.

Isaac Heeney $529,200 FWD-MID

Heeney’s SuperCoach average actually dropped last year - from 97.6 to 97.5 - but the graph should head north again this year as he graduates to a more full-time midfield role. All class.

Luke Parker $561,700 MID

The Swans’ midfield isn’t as dominant as it once was but Parker is still a very viable pick after averages of 100, 112, 99 and 104 in the past four years. Others probably present better value, though.

Josh P. Kennedy $525,600 MID

After six straight seasons of 100-plus averages Kennedy slipped back into two figures in 2018 (97). Is that the start of a downward trajectory? At age 30 JPK still has plenty of good scores in him. Watch his price — he could be a savvy mid-season recruit.

Is this the year Callum Mills fulfils his huge potential?

MID-PRICE RISKS

Callum Mills $428,900 DEF

Missed most of last season after breaking his foot in a freak accident after training (he was tossing an American football with friends) but is turning heads on the training track over pre-season. Has made cameos in the midfield, if he makes the move full-time in his fourth season he could prove a very smart starting selection.

Ryan Clarke $355,400 DEF

An elite ball-winner at junior level (he averaged 136 SuperCoach points in the TAC Cup in his draft year), Ryan didn’t turn that into on-field performances at North Melbourne, averaging 56 and 67 in his first two seasons. The Swans obviously see plenty of potential in him, snapping him up during the trade period, and they have a habit of turning traded players into guns.

Sam Naismith $251,400 RUCK

Ruck bargain alert! Naimish missed all of last season after suffering a knee injury during pre-season training and is hoping for a Round 1 start. He will share big man duties with Callum Sinclair and hasn’t posted many big SuperCoach scores in his brief AFL career, but on the theory that a No.1 ruckman has to score something, he’s in the frame as a cheap option to partner Max Gawn or Brodie Grundy.

Expect top draft pick Nick Blakey to push for selection early.

ROOKIES

Nick Blakey $166,800 FWD

A gun junior midfielder, Blakey is set to push for selection as a forward in his first season. The 195cm teenager taken at pick 10 in last year’s draft and hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Swans Academy products Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills, who both made their debut in Round 1.

Matthew Ling $123,900 MID

Injury restricted the No.14 pick in the 2017 draft to six NEAFL games in his first season but expect Ling to push hard for a senior spot this year. Helping his case is the fact he plays a similar role to Gary Rohan and Nic Newman, who departed during the trade period. Swans head of development John Blakey told the club website: “We drafted him for a purpose - for his run and his talent he showed through his under-18 year … we’ll be really pleased to get him on the park.”

NO-GO ZONE

Daniel Menzel $369,100 FWD

Clever goalkicker could be a smart pick-up to partner Lance Franklin up forward but he’s just too injury-prone for SuperCoach. He is on the comeback trail from a groin problem.

Kieren Jack $310,600 FWD-MID

Was one of the Swans’ superstar midfield in his heyday, averaging 112 and 109 in 2012-13 but that is a long time ago now. His average fell to just 57 last year as questions were raised about his place in the best 22.

DRAFT SMOKIES

Jarrad McVeigh (defender)

Veteran backman keeps on keeping on. Played 18 games last year for a 90-point average and we can expect more of the same even after he turns 33 early in the season.

Oliver Florent (midfielder)

Showed plenty in his second season and is on target for another scoring spike in 2019.

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Originally published as Sydney Swans SuperCoach study guide: Best premium picks, mid-price risks and cash cows