SuperCoach: Five forwards to consider for your team in 2025

There’s plenty of value options for our SuperCoach forward lines this year — in particular some ex-Bulldogs with a point to prove. Check out five players to consider in this FREE guide.

The best players to pick in your SuperCoach forward line are, in most cases, those who we don’t actually expect to play up forward.

We’re hunting players that will be swung into the middle more often this year like Jason Horne-Francis and Jack Macrae, or perhaps sent to half back to rack up disposals like Caleb Daniel.

This year there are plenty of cheaper options to look at, allowing SuperCoaches to splash their cash in other areas of their side.

Here’s a basic guide to five players worth considering for your side.

Jason Horne-Francis is a standout pick this year. Picture: Brenton Edwards

JASON HORNE-FRANCIS $537,000 (MID-FWD)

His 132 points against Fremantle in the Indigenous All Stars match was more than enough to lock Horne-Francis into our teams. No forward available averaged more than 100 points in 2024, but Horne-Francis went closest at 99.7 across 21 matches and nobody should bet against him improving on that in 2025. Much has been spoken about his midfield minutes with Ken Hinkley keen for a boost this year, which is great news for SuperCoaches.

If he can continue to hit the scoreboard and find more of the ball as a damaging onballer, there is a genuine case for Horne-Francis to finish as the No. 1 SuperCoach forward.

Jack Macrae is impressing at the Saints. Picture: Jack Cahill, St Kilda FC

JACK MACRAE $392,200

The fresh St Kilda recruit has a magnificent SuperCoach history as one of the top players in the game from 2018 to 2021. Yes, it is now 2025 but Macrae is only 30 and looks revitalised at the Saints where he should find himself back in the role that saw him pump out those huge scores a few years ago. Like another man on this list, found himself in the sub vest and dropped to the Bulldogs reserves for patches of last season to give us a nice discount on his price.

Internally the Saints are pumped to have Macrae join the onball brigade. After a 73 average last year, SuperCoaches will be hoping he can push back into triple digits this campaign.

Bailey Smith had a successful comeback against Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Klein

BAILEY SMITH $389,200 (MID-FWD)

The second of three ex-Bulldogs mentioned in this article, Smith is great buying this SuperCoach season. He didn’t play a game in 2024 due to an ACL injury, but has already shown he means business at his new club in a pre-season match against the Hawks. Smith gathered 16 disposals and looked in great nick in the limited minutes he played.

The only question mark is on his kicking efficiency but given it was his first competitive game since round 23 of 2023, let’s let him off the hook. His 2022 season where he averaged 98.6 is a benchmark for what SuperCoaches will be hoping for this year.

Feel like he has a point to prove at a new club after so long out of the game. Count me in.

Caleb Daniel is a must-have. Picture: Michael Klein

CALEB DANIEL $269,100 (MID-FWD)

Lock him in and throw the keys away. Daniel is a no-brainer in SuperCoach this year with a juicy price of just under $270k. The former Bulldog has thrown up season averages of 99, 102, 94, 90 and 93 before falling out of favour under Luke Beveridge which resulted in a poor 2024. Daniel found himself playing as the sub on numerous occasions and ended up averaging 50 points across 15 games. But he’s found a new home at North Melbourne and is set to roam the back half picking up disposals at will. He dominated the Roos’ intraclub where his clean hands and ball use stood out from the rest.

Cannot say no – a bargain buy.

Tom Lynch will be ready for the start of the season. Picture: Mark Stewart

TOM LYNCH $183,200

The Tigers are adamant Lynch will be ready for round 1, which means he should be in our thinking. The key forward suffered a concussion at the end of January but had a strong pre-season prior to the incident, so his fitness is actually in a reasonable spot. Can he stay out on the park? That’s obviously the major risk you take if you start him. Lynch has played eight games in the last two years.

You might also be wondering how he’s going to kick any goals when Richmond are getting smashed every week. Well, who else are they going to kick to? Nick Larkey managed 71 goals in a 2023 season where North Melbourne won three games. Lynch will be the vocal point of the attack — and it’s not often you get the fun of barracking for a key forward to kick goals in SuperCoach.

The last season he played more than four games Lynch averaged 94.3 points in 2022. He’s older and Richmond are cellar dwellers, but at $183,000 he’s more than worth considering.

Originally published as SuperCoach: Five forwards to consider for your team in 2025