SuperCoach 2025: Leigh Montagna’s verdict on top cheapies

Harry Boyd is one of the most popular picks in SuperCoach, but St Kilda champ Leigh Montagna isn’t so keen on on the $99k cheapie. See his verdict on 21 bargain options.

Beware the pre-season rookie flyer.

Practice matches can give us a great insight into players pushing for round 1 selection, but we need to be careful.

Some players will be given more opportunity in important roles to show what they’ve got while experienced teammates take a back seat. When I was playing at the Saints once I had established myself as a senior regular, my main aim in practice games was to get some match conditioning and not get injured. So if your premium picks in SuperCoach don’t get a kick in a pre-season game, don’t panic.

Younger players trying to cement themselves in the best 23 or pushing for selection are the ones who are playing for keeps, and we’ve seen great examples of that in the past week.

And seeing them live can teach us a lot.

After watching trial games, attending training and talking to players and coaches, here are my verdicts on some of the top rookies and bargain picks in SuperCoach this year.

Elijah Tsatas (ESS) $191,200 MID

He probably wasn’t someone I was considering but I went out to Whitten Oval last weekend and I was impressed. As I said sometimes younger players do get more opportunities in these games but he certainly didn’t do himself any harm. The injury to Darcy Parish might open the door for him. Essendon still has a few options in the midfield but he’s one player I’ve added off the back of that performance.

ROOKIE BIBLE: FULL PROFILES ON EVERY CHEAPIE TO CONSIDER

Essendon’s Elijah Tsatas has had a huge pre-season. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Isaac Kako (ESS) $149,500 FWD-MID

I wasn’t sure if a small forward was the type of player I wanted in my team but I thought he did enough up the ground to show he might have an impact.

Saad El-Hawli (ESS) $119,900 DEF-MID

El Hawli is already a favourite among fans but he missed the team for Essendon’s AAMI Community Series game and I’m not convinced he is in Bombers’ best 23 to start the season.

Bo Allan (WCE) $136,000 MID

He has a mature body, is ready to play and hasn’t done anything wrong all pre-season. I would expect him to line up in round 1.

Levi Ashcroft (BRI) $185,500 MID

It’s never easy to walk into a premiership team and Ashcroft had a slow start coming back from shoulder surgery, but in just one hitout he showed he is worth every cent of the hefty rookie price tag.

Brisbane is expecting big things from Levi Ashcroft. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Tobie Travaglia $172,000 DEF/MID

He’s been a little bit slow with his pre-season and plays that wing/half-forward role, where St Kilda has a stack of players – Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera play back there then you’ve got Brad Hill, Mason Wood, Darcy Wilson, Ryan Byrnes. I wonder if Angus Hastie is ahead of Travaglia at the moment too, so it might be tough.

Angus Hastie $119,900 MID

The Saints gave him some games last year but they have big wraps on him stepping up this season. He’s put on six or seven kilos over the summer and he hasn’t lost any of his running. He might be the one that gets an opportunity on a wing or half-back.

Max Hall (StK) $119,900 FWD-MID

A mid-season pick last year who has been training in the A team playing as a small forward. He’s the frontrunner to play as a pressure forward.

Hugo Garcia (StK) $245,800 FWD-MID

He’s playing in the starting centre bounce midfield alongside Jack Steele and Jack Macrae. Not a massive ball-winner but he’s a tackle machine, so he might score a lot of points.

Harry Boyd (left) competes with Alex Dodson at St Kilda training. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Harry Boyd (StK) $99,100 RUC

I don’t want to dampen the spirits of all the coaches who have him in their teams but my feel is that if Rowan Marshall is fit, I don’t think Harry Boyd will start the season. I think the way St Kilda wants to structure up is Marshall as the No.1 ruck then pinch hit with a player like Anthony Caminiti as second ruck. Remember St Kilda brought in Boyd over the summer almost out of desperation because they didn’t have a back-up ruckman, other than young Max Heath who still needs a bit of time, so they had to go and get someone. I know there’s been a lot of hype, but I’m just a bit more cautious at the moment.

Nathan O’Driscoll (FRE) $198,000 MID

No-brainer. He’s going to be a breakout star after two years of injury troubles. He’ll be part of the midfield-wing rotation at Fremantle to start the season, so he’s in for me.

Neil Erasmus (FRE) $119,900 FWD-MID

I think he will get a chance without Nat Fyfe to start the season. I think they need one more midfielder to go along with the big superstars they’ve already got in there.

Liam Reidy (FRE) $132,600 RUC

Another cheap ruck option. The Dockers have played Luke Jackson as a forward in their practice games, with Reidy rucking against the Indigenous All-Stars. He did OK, and I think he’ll get every chance to put his hand up and be the starting ruckman at least until Sean Darcy is available.

Is Matt Flynn (right) West Coast’s No.1 ruckman? The Eagles may not know the answer to that question yet. Picture: James Worsfold/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Matt Flynn (WCE) $261,900 RUC

I’m staying away from that ruck position at West Coast. I think they are still tossing up what it looks like for them with Flynn and Bailey Williams, so I wouldn’t be putting Flynn in my side.

Elijah Hewett (WCE) $122,800 FWD-MID

He’s a player I’m really excited about and he’s in my team. We saw glimpses of his talent a couple of years ago, he’s finally getting a full crack as an inside midfielder and he’s ready to go.

Jack Hutchinson (WCE) $233,500 FWD

He was drafted last year mid-season as a forward but they really think he can be a midfielder-wingman. I’m friends with Andrew McQualter and he’s got big wraps on him, so I would expect him to start in the side and get a fair bit of time up around the footy. He’s in my team at the moment.

Sam Davidson (WBD) $113,500 FWD

He did some nice things against Essendon. It seems like he’s going to be absolutely in the mix for round 1, it’s just whether he’ll be a big enough ball winner to put in my SuperCoach side.

Mature-age Bulldogs recruit Sam Davidson. Picture: Michael Klein

Sid Draper (ADL) $190,000 MID

The added depth in Adelaide midfield, with Jake Soligo, James Peatling, Jordan Dawson, Izak Rankine and Matt Crouch all ahead of Draper now means you may need to tread wearily

Dan Curtin (ADL) $158,600 FWD

Curtin should get plenty of opportunities this season but I’m still not exactly sure what role he plays. He lined up on a wing and forward against Port Adelaide.

Jed Busslinger (WBD) $119,900 DEF

My understanding is last year he was a fair way off being a senior regular. He may get a look with Liam Jones injured but even he does break in, is he going to be a high scorer? I doubt it.

Ryley Sanders (WBD) $339,100 FWD-MID

He’s going to get opportunities but he was always going to stand out in pre-season. The starting midfield is probably going to be Bontempelli, Liberatore, Ed Richards, then Matt Kennedy and James Harmes are around the mark, and Riley Garcia did some nice things at the weekend playing as an inside mid. I just get a bit nervous with Bevo, at that price I’m not sure whether I can pick him yet.

Originally published as SuperCoach 2025: Leigh Montagna’s verdict on top cheapies