AFL SuperCoach 2025: The Phantom’s team revealed

The pre-season has forced SuperCoach changed upon us all. But which is the best new path to take? The Phantom reveals his Bontempelli replacement and new rookie locks in latest team.

Big change after practice matches isn’t always my thing, but SuperCoach change has been forced upon us all.

Marcus Bontempelli, Zak Butters, Callum Mills and Jagga Smith are out, Sam Flanders ain’t ready, Tom De Koning is rucking by himself, Levi Ashcroft won’t let Chris Fagan keep him at half-forward and the rookie defenders, well, there are none.

So, like many SuperCoaches, my team has had a major reshuffle.

Sure, what happens during Opening Round, and then with the round 1 teams, might change things again, but I’m happy with where it’s at.

Lachie Neale could be a huge SuperCoach point-of-difference. Picture Lachie Millard

In a year of more best-18 rounds, and an extra score to work with, given the introduction of the flex position, big scores will be king.

In three of the first four rounds, your bottom-five on-field scorers won’t count but your top five scorers could set you apart.

Daicos. Neale. Xerri. Sheezel. Whitfield. Horne-Francis. Rankine. De Koning.

As they say, big names, big scores – ones that might even make up for an early week off.

But there’s also balance to ensure I’m not diluting that pool of scorers too much when Daicos, Neale and Whitfield are missing.

Let’s face it, though, we overthought the early byes last year and many are doing it again in 2025.

And, yes, if Thursday night’s game does get moved to round 3, due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, even more change will be forced upon us.

DEFENDERS

Harry Sheezel (NM) $635,600
Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $598,100
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (StK) $543,700
Matt Roberts (Syd) $434,800
Joel Freijah (WB) $370,400
James Leake (GWS) $119,900
Bench: Zach Reid (Ess, $119,900), Ben Jepson (GC, $99,100)

Matt Roberts is locked in. Picture: Phil Hillyard

I had star Saint Jack Sinclair all summer but, while he’s still on track for round 1, he’s had an interrupted pre-season so I’ve replaced him with teammate Wanganeen-Milera. He’s cheaper, too, and, as you’ll see, I need the money. But the smooth-moving 22-year-old averaged 100 in his third season and looks set to take another step this year. Matt Roberts is a top-six smokie and Mills’ injury was the excuse I needed to get him back in. Can we field two rookies on field? There’s still plenty to play out, but I’m not confident at this point and Freijah is flying. He scored 136 against North Melbourne – the Dogs’ first opponent – in round 23 last year, posted a SuperCoach ton in the AAMI Series and skipper Marcus Bontempelli named him as the club’s breakout pick of 2025. There’s a common theme here – good kicking is good SuperCoach.

MIDFIELDERS

Lachie Neale (Bris) $645,900
Nick Daicos (Coll) $631,400
Clayton Oliver (Melb) $451,600
James Peatling (Adel) $352,800
Finn O’Sullivan (NM) $199,000
Elijah Tsatas (Ess) $191,200
Levi Ashcroft (Bris) $185,500
Mitch Knevitt (Geel) $149,800
Bench: Elijah Hewett (WC, $122,800 Fwd), Lucas Camporeale (Carl, $113,500), Hugh Boxshall (StK $113,500)

Daicos scored 153 in 59 per cent game-time in the AAMI Series and Neale takes on West Coast and Richmond in the opening month – so don’t talk to me about the round 3 bye. Oliver is, officially, back and every SuperCoach team should be starting him, while James Peatling led the Crows for contested possessions against the Lions and the role is still there. Remember, he’s priced at 65. North Melbourne’s top draft pick, O’Sullivan, won me over against the Eagles, pushing back behind the ball in the second half and finishing with nine intercept possessions. The best job security of all the top-price rookies? Maybe.

RUCK

Tristan Xerri (NM) $645,900
Tom De Koning (Carl) $547,100
Bench: Harry Boyd (StK) $99,100

Tristan Xerri picks himself after a huge finish to 2024, and De Koning comes in at R2 – almost out of necessity. I do not want to be watching Carlton’s season opener against Richmond without him. Do you?

FORWARDS

Jason Horne-Francis (Port) $537,000, Mid
Izak Rankine (Adel) $521,600
Jack Macrae (StK) $392,200
Bailey Smith (Geel) $389,200, Mid
Caleb Daniel (NM) $269,100, Mid
Sam Davidson (WB) $113,500
Bench: Max Hall (StK, $119,900, Mid), Aidan Johnson (Melb, $113,500)

Not a lot of change here – and there won’t be much to come. Horne-Francis is a gift as a forward, while Rankine attended more centre bounces than any Crow in the AAMI Series to confirm Matthew Nicks’ plans for 2025. Jack Macrae, Bailey Smith and Caleb Daniel might go close to be the three best bargain picks of the year and Sam Davidson looks worthy of an on-field spot. For money reasons, there’s no Isaac Kako, but a fade looks risky. If I can squeeze him onto the bench, I probably will.

FLEX

Angus Sheldrick (Syd) $161,700, Mid

There are going to be a whole heap of different strategies for the all-new flex position – and, with little to go on, it’s going to be hard to say who’s right and who’s wrong. But with depth of last year’s draft, along with second and third-year players in the top-end rookie price bracket, I’ve gone with another expensive cash cow in Sheldrick. Matt Flynn, who is set to lead West Coast in the ruck, is the other obvious option here, and is still well and truly in the mix.

The Phantom's SuperCoach team for 2025

Originally published as AFL SuperCoach 2025: The Phantom’s team revealed