SuperCoach AFL: Al Paton reveals his team for 2025

Nick Daicos? Gone. Dayne Zorko? Cut. Al Paton has gone value hunting and settled on a SuperCoach team than can deliver the best bang for buck in 2025. SEE HIS TEAM.

You don’t win SuperCoach in the first five rounds.

One of the lessons we learned from last year (or thought we learned) was that teams with high-ceiling premiums got off to a flying start – think Isaac Heeney, Luke Ryan, Caleb Serong, even Jack Steele, who was averaging 130 after round 5.

Coaches with value spread more evenly across the field couldn’t compete in those early best 18 rounds, when it didn’t matter if you had a bunch of terrible rookie scores.

But here’s the thing. Over the course of the season, those rookies only became more important and mid-price picks like Nic Martin (who was never in my side) turned out to be great selections, while Steele (who was) fell off a cliff, and Serong and Co came back to the pack.

Remember, SuperCoach is a marathon, not a sprint. And this year there is one less early best 18 round than in 2024.

That’s why I’ve switched my focus into finding value with every pick, with the possible exception of Harry Sheezel and Tristan Xerri, the only two players in my squad priced over $600,000 – who could both feasibly improve on their 2024 numbers.

Christian Petracca is a big late in. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Dayne Zorko was in my team for about a week, but he’s out of my final (pending team sheets) side. Will be put up some monster scores early against West Coast and Richmond? Most likely. Is there any value there at $595,000? No, sir.

Joel Freijah, on the other hand, could score 20 points above his price, especially if the whispers about him playing midfield for the Dogs are accurate. That saving from Zorko allows me to turn a midfield rookie into another mid-pricer with huge upside.

It’s all about value.

DEFENCE

Harry Sheezel $635,600

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera $543,700

Matt Roberts $434,800

Harry Perryman $417,500

Joel Freijah $370,400

Luke Trainor $113,500

Bench: Zach Reid $119,900, Ben Paton $133,400 DEF/FWD

The two changes in the past week are removing Zorko and James Sicily, who proved the value of opening round in SuperCoach. In the first half he looked like one of the picks of the year as he did as he pleased in defence, before being tagged then moved to full-forward. He still scored OK but I don’t need that kind of stress every week! Freijah comes in after a fantastic pre-season, along with Harry Perryman, who will just get the job done every week in a great midfield role for Collingwood.

The Phantom has been banging on about Matt Roberts for 18 months, with good reason, and I love the way Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera plays footy – he could have another 5-10 points of upside in his fourth season.

Rookies are a challenge down back but I have to pick my namesake after a solid opening round score, and I really liked what I saw from Luke Trainor in limited game time in the AAMI Series. He will give me something to cheer for when the footy is in Carlton’s forward line a lot on Thursday night.

You can take all the kick-ins, Nas ... is what I hope Ross Lyon is saying. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

MIDFIELD

Andrew Brayshaw $591,800

Christian Petracca $556,200

Clayton Oliver $451,600

Adam Cerra $447,700

Finn Callaghan $441,600

Finn O’Sullivan $199,000

Elijah Tsatas $191,200

Levi Ashcroft $185,500

Bench: Mitch Knevitt $149,800, Elijah Hewett $122,800 FWD/MID, Hugh Boxshall $113,500

Value, value, value.

That’s why I have taken out Nick Daicos, who I’m certain will still be one of the top-scoring players in SuperCoach this year – and will be my first upgrade target after he drops in value following Collingwood’s round 0 stinker.

Christian Petracca is the big late inclusion, and a point of difference at 9.7 per cent ownership. I think SuperCoaches are sleeping on a proven uber-premium who is clearly underpriced after his horror injury last season, but looked in ripping shape in the AAMI Series.

I’ve also jumped on the Finn Callaghan train after watching him tear the Magpies to shreds on Sunday. He won’t score 144 every week but I don’t see his midfield role changing even when Tom Green returns.

He’s one of three members of the midfield “$400k club”, as last year’s winner Joven May dubbed them, to make my side. Clayton Oliver should be in every team and Adam Cerra carries an obvious injury risk, but we know he can score well above his price and the Blues have an amazing early fixture that includes Richmond (round 1), a severely undermanned Bulldogs midfield (round 3), West Coast (round 5) and North Melbourne (round 6).

I’ve tried to fit in most of the top-priced rookies, with Docker Nathan O’Driscoll the one who misses out.

Adam Cerra is massively underpriced. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

RUCK

Tristan Xerri $645,900

Tom De Koning $547,100

Bench: Harry Boyd $99,100

This line hasn’t changed for a while, despite the obvious temptation of Max Gawn, who could break SuperCoach scoring records if he lines up against Lachie Keeffe in round 1. Xerri should only improve after his breakout campaign in 2024, while De Koning’s upside is enormous – at least while he’s rucking solo. When Marc Pittonet returns from injury it could change things, but let’s enjoy the early ride and deal with that issue when it happens.

Boyd is the people’s choice at R3 but if he isn’t named on Thursday night I might pivot to Eagle Archer Reid, who did some back-up ruck work in the pre-season and has FWD/RUC eligibility.

FORWARDS

Jason Horne-Francis $537,000 FWD/MID

Jack Macrae $392,200

Bailey Smith $389,200 FWD/MID

Caleb Daniel $269,100 FWD/MID

Hugo Garcia $245,800 FWD/MID

Sam Davidson $113,500

Bench: Isaac Kako $149,900 FWD/MID, Conor Stone $119,900

Another part of the ground I have barely touched, apart from the addition of Jason Horne-Francis late in the pre-season. His role and scoring potential is just too good. I would love to pick Izak Rankine as well, but you can’t have them all.

I’ve had Bailey Smith here since the SuperCoach Plus team picker opened in December, but nerves are creeping in after barely seeing him all pre-season. Still, he’s way underpriced based on what we know he can do.

Jack Macrae and Caleb Daniel are no-brainer picks and I loved what I saw from Hugo Garcia in cameos as the sub last season. He seems to be settled now as St Kilda’s No.3 midfielder behind Steele and Macrae.

My Zorko downgrade left enough cash in the bank to afford Isaac Kako, who feels like a very safe bench option at the Bombers, and a handy DPP link to the midfield.

FLEX

Matt Flynn $261,900

Flynn has been in and out of my team all summer, and he’s back after a 98-point performance in the AAMI Community Series.

I’m still nervous about his body holding up, and him holding out Bailey Williams as the Eagles’ solo ruckman. But if both work out, he could be the best money-maker in SuperCoach this year.

How Al Paton's team looks hours from the first lockout of 2025.

Originally published as SuperCoach AFL: Al Paton reveals his team for 2025