The Phantom’s SuperCoach Pre-Season: Dustin Martin, Matt Crouch or Zach Merrett in the midfield?

In the fourth week of his SuperCoach Pre-season, The Phantom gives his verdict on your head-to-head dilemmas. Today, it’s the battle of value in the midfield - Dustin Martin, Matt Crouch and Zach Merrett.

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In the fourth week of his SuperCoach Pre-season, The Phantom gives his verdict on your head-to-head dilemmas. Today, it’s the battle of value in the midfield - Dustin Martin, Matt Crouch and Zach Merrett.

The Phantom's SuperCoach Face-off: Martin v Crouch v Merrett

Dustin Martin (Rich $563,800) v Matt Crouch (Adel $551,300) v Zach Merrett (Ess $544,800)

Martin, Crouch and Merrett are all great selections in 2019 - there’s no reason you cannot start with all three.

You would’ve done so without any hesitation last season.

At this time in 2018, Martin was priced at $656k after recording a 119-point season average – second only to Patrick Dangerfield.

Crouch wasn’t far behind at $608k as a result of 2017 season which saw him average 111 points per game and finish the year as the ninth-ranked midfielder.

Then there was Merrett, the 11th-ranked midfielder in 2017, priced at $600k heading into the 2018 season.

Fast forward a year and the trio enter the new season as the 18th, 28th and 29th-most expensive midfielders in the game.

Now there’s some value.

Matt Crouch during the Crows training warm-up at Football Park. Picture Sarah Reed

Despite an early-season hamstring injury, Crouch, who averaged more disposals per 100 minutes than any player in the competition, posted 12 SuperCoach tons in his 18 games with just one score of less than 85.

But his average fell by nine points on the back of only four scores of 120 or more, an injury-affected 51 and a disappointing 68-point performance in Round 12.

While he only did it four times in 2018, the 23-year-old, who had more disposals than any other player, passed the 120-point mark nine times in 2017 and averaged 121 SuperCoach points from Round 10 onwards, tallying 30 disposals or more in 10 of the final 13 home-and-away matches.

Merrett also dropped nine points off his average last year, thanks to slow start – as a result of a concussion in the season opener – that saw him averaging 55 points per game after three rounds.

From that point onwards, the star Bomber, who averaged 27 disposals per game, posted SuperCoach tons in 15 of the next 19 matches as he began to work through heavy opposition attention.

The 23-year-old’s average of 114 in the final 11 rounds of the year is more in line with his breakout season of 2016, which saw him average 111 points per game and finish as the eighth-ranked player in the competition.

But, while both are great SuperCoach scorers in their own right, they won’t keep up with a fit-and-firing Martin.

Martin might not quite win as much of the football as Crouch or Merrett but the Brownlow Medallist is far more damaging, especially forward of centre.

Essendon’s Zach Merrett training at Tullamarine. Picture: Michael Klein

In the past two seasons, the 27-year-old, who has played five more games than Crouch and four more than Merrett, has booted 68.50 and directly assisted 52 others.

In comparison, Crouch only has nine goals and 27 goal assists to his name, while Merrett has booted 14 and assisted in 26 others.

The superstar Tiger is also the No. 1 ranked player in the competition for score involvements and inside 50s across the past two years.

He posted five scores of 139 or more but also failed to reach the 90-point mark on seven occasions in an inconsistent SuperCoach year in 2018 but he’ll bounce back.

And in a bigger way than Crouch and Merrett.

The Phantom’s Verdict

Martin. Then Crouch and Merrett, in that order.

Originally published as The Phantom’s SuperCoach Pre-Season: Dustin Martin, Matt Crouch or Zach Merrett in the midfield?