AFL SuperCoach 2025: The best premium options and must-have stars on every line

You can’t start all the big names in SuperCoach – especially with so much value around in 2025. So, who do you go with? The Phantom ranks the best top-price picks in every position.

You know their names, but which SuperCoach stars should you start this season?

It’s a question that is even harder to answer in 2025, given the plethora of value options available.

Ahead of the practice games, here’s my verdict on the top-price options on every line.

DEFENDERS ($475+)

1. Harry Sheezel

Remember the concerns some had about how the young Roo’s midfield move might hurt his scoring? Me either. Sheezel finished 2025 with scores of 138, 160, 105 and 155. As I said last year, he’s a SuperCoach star wherever he plays. The first-picked premium with Sam Flanders racing the clock for round 1.

2. Jack Sinclair

Battling a minor hamstring complaint but is on track for round 1. Priced at 110 but averaged 120 in the final 11 games of last season. Alongside Sheezel in my side.

Harry Sheezel will spend more time in the midfield and even up forward in 2025. Picture: David Crosling

3. Lachie Whitfield

Another who came storming home in 2025, posting a SuperCoach ton in all but one game after the bye. Ranked fifth in the league for total disposals and third for effective kicks per game. We don’t care that plenty of those came from his 159 kick-ins – the most of any player.

4. Sam Flanders

The man that scored a SuperCoach ton in each of his first 18 games of last season, and 20 all-up, is only this low given his back injury. Could you start him without any official pre-season action?

5. Luke Ryan

Tailed off in the second half of last season as Fremantle opted for faster ball movement from defence – and after his coach called out unnamed players for chasing kicks – but still averaged 117. And 109 the year before that.

Luke Ryan was ranked No.1 in the AFL for effective kicks in 2024. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

6. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera

A few names could have landed here – and still might – but we all know good kicking is good SuperCoach, and Wanganeen-Milera ranked fourth behind Whitfield last season for effective kicks. And he took only 91 kick-ins. Riley Bonner took 52 and he’s no longer there.

The Smoky: Colby McKercher

Averaged 24 disposals per game, had 30 or more on six occasions, posted five SuperCoach tons and ranked equal-15th for effective kicks in the league – not bad for a debut season. Like Sheezel, we’ll soon learn it doesn’t matter where he plays.

Wait and see: James Sicily, Dan Houston

MIDFIELDERS ($500k+)

1. Marcus Bontempelli

Boring, yeah, but how can he not be No. 1? Worth every cent.

2. Zak Butters

The first 120-point season of his career in 2024 and it won’t be the last. Makes his possession count and might be helped by the fact Port often play in games with lower total disposals.

3. Nick Daicos

Speaking of 120-point guys, you can’t forget about Daicos because he is a midfielder-only in 2025. Can you start all three? Collingwood’s tricky round 3 bye might be the deciding factor.

You can’t ignore Marcus Bontempelli. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

4. Lachie Neale

Six scores of 140 or more – four of them 160-plus – in another big year for the dual Brownlow Medallist. Then another 149 in the grand final win over the Swans. Same bye as Daicos – the only round I’m worried about – but if you can get your balance right elsewhere, he looms as a big POD.

5. Zach Merrett

As consistent as the come in SuperCoach, averaging 115 or more in four of the past five seasons. And the other was 113. Averaged 119 in wins, compared to 111 in Essendon losses. Do the Bombers win more than 11 games in 2025?

6. Luke Davies-Uniacke

We all love a contract year. Especially from someone who has threatened to take over SuperCoach for a couple of years now. After another four scores of more than 140 in 2024, is this finally the season?

The Smoky: Hayden Young, Jai Newcombe, Isaac Heeney

Young the midfielder is a 110-point guy in and there’s value in his starting price. While the two finals didn’t count in SuperCoach, Newcombe went 162, 140, 149 and 131 to finish last year. And Heeney boasted the ninth-best average in the competition last year. In any position, not just out of the forwards, so don’t forget about him because he’s lost DPP.

Wait and see: Jordan Dawson

Lachie Neale is being overlooked by most coaches. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

RUCKS ($500k+)

1. Tristan Xerri

2. Max Gawn

3. Tim English

4. Brodie Grundy

5. Tom De Koning

6. Toby Nankervis

We’re only summarising here. It’s one premium ruck for me in the current structure and it’s Xerri, the Kangaroo who averaged 130 points per game post bye in 2024. I like the value in Tim English, but I need to see more from De Koning – and Pittonet in the VFL.

FORWARDS ($475k+)

1. Jason Horne-Francis

2. Izak Rankine

3. Luke Jackson

4. Dylan Moore

Where are the rest? Good question. But no, the above isn’t a mistake. It really is the year of the value forward line in SuperCoach. Not just because there are a number of great bargains available, but because there are only four genuine premium options to start. Luke Jackson has rocketed back into the picture after Sean Darcy’s setback and some standout match sim form. He’s one who threatens to be the difference between a good start and a great one. Jason Horne-Francis is a gift as a DPP and I’ve got his fellow South Australian Rankine alongside him – and he’s unlikely to move. Expect him to be used even more in Adelaide’s midfield this season. We know Dylan Moore can score, too, but even starting him over the likes of Bailey Smith and Jack Macrae from the mid-price bracket is a stretch.

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2025: The best premium options and must-have stars on every line