Opportunity for new breed of forward for your SuperCoach side

THE departure of a number of popular dual-position SuperCoach forwards in 2016 has created an opening. And there is no shortage of young stars ready to fill the void.

THE departure of a number of popular dual-position SuperCoach forwards in 2016 has created an opening.

And there is no shortage of young stars ready to step up and fill the void.

It’s safe to say we won’t see some of these players in the mid-price bracket for long.

Isaac Heeney performs strength drills during Sydney Swans pre-season training.

Isaac Heeney (Sydney) $433,400

After dominating every junior competition as a midfielder — Heeney averaged 169 in the Under-16 championships, 131 at the Under-18 championships and 139 in the TAC Cup — and biding his time in the forward line during his first two seasons at the Swans, it’s time.

With Tom Mitchell joining the Hawks, it’s time for coach John Longmire to unleash the 20-year-old in the midfield on a fulltime basis.

Heeney, who has all the tools to become the complete midfielder, posted three scores in excess of 120 last season and is the fourth-most popular SuperCoach forward right now. And rightly so.

Devon Smith snaps a goal during GWS Giants training at Homebush.

Devon Smith (GWS) $444,800

After knee surgery sidelined Smith for more than two months in the middle part of last season, the dynamic forward-midfielder returned to the Giants’ side in round 16, scoring more than 89 in five of the final eight games of the year.

The 23-year-old was then influential in the Giants’ victory over the Swans in the qualifying final, finishing with 23 disposals, 10 tackles and 102 points.

Smith’s scoring potential has always been obvious but he is yet to deliver consistently, with his forward-line role partly to blame.

In 2014, when he averaged 91 points, Smith posted eight SuperCoach tons — three in excess of 130 — but also four scores of less than 61. In 2015, he scored eight more SuperCoach tons — including a huge 170-point performance against the Suns — but failed to score more than 60 points on six occasions.

St Kilda recruit Jack Steele at Saints training.

Jack Steele (St Kilda) $347,100 mid

The highly-rated Steele, who constantly dominated in the NEAFL, struggled for senior opportunity in his two seasons at GWS.

But after crossing to the Saints in the off-season, the 20-year-old’s chances of big midfield minutes has dramatically increased.

In his 17-game career, the 187cm midfielder has only scored more than 80 points on five occasions but it’s his lower-level numbers that we should be excited about.

In his nine games for the Giants’ reserves in the NEAFL last season, the ball-magnet averaged 35 disposals, two goals and 158 SuperCoach points. Watch for him to impress during the JLT series.

Gold Coast Suns’ Touk Miller trying to cool down at training.

Touk Miller (Gold Coast) $407,700 mid

Usually, any player priced at $428k who averaged 101 over the final nine rounds of the previous season would be close to a lock.

But as impressive as the 20-year-old was in the absence of his star team-mates, in just his second season in the game, just how he fits into the midfield rotation in a full-strength Gold Coast side remains to be seen.

While Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia have moved clubs, Gary Ablett and David Swallow, along with new recruits Michael Barlow and Jarryd Lyons should all line up in round one.

Miller should push his average past 85 but not three figures just yet.

Jack Billings breaks a tackle from Jack Sinclair at St Kilda training.

Jack Billings (St Kilda) $407,700 mid

It’s a big year for the former No. 3 draft pick.

After averaging 61 points in his debut season of 2014, Billings pushed this number to 84 in 2015, in a year that was cut short by injury.

While three SuperCoach tons in the first six rounds of 2016 saw Billings get off to a flying start, the 21-year-old’s form fell away, eventually resulting in his omission from the side in round 12.

The skilful Billings bounce backed, forcing his way back into the senior team in round 17, posting 25 disposals and 125 points in round 22 against the Tigers.

The classy, young Saint is as talented as they come, it’s time he delivers.

Fremantle's Harley Bennell cools off during pre-season training.

Harley Bennell (Fremantle) $387,000 mid

Speaking of talent, the Fremantle midfielder has more than most.

The smooth-moving 24-year-old averaged more than 95 points in four of his first five seasons in the game before injury ruined his first year at the Dockers.

By all reports, Bennell is fit — although we have heard it before — and if he’s firing come round one, at that price, can we ignore the value?

Originally published as Opportunity for new breed of forward for your SuperCoach side