Not a formal, comprehensive analysis of the midpricers like I usually do – we’ll get to that as the pre-season ramps up – instead we’re just going to catalogue the current midpricer offerings; see who’s there, who we’re considering and what we’re looking for from them heading into 2024. The majority of midpricers are concentrated in the FWD line, so we’re going to flip things around and start there!
*no ownership percentages available at the time of writing, midpricers loosely defined at 200-400k
Forwards
Ooof. We could not be in more dire need of forward fillers. A barren rookie crop and there is not a single player who averaged over 100 last year available for selection. There’s no two ways about it: navigation of the FWD landscape will be the the most determinative factor to SC success in 2024.
The FWD midpricers honestly look pretty sweet. Most of them are right on the 250k and have that delicious MID/FWD DPP. You’re going to probably need to take 2 (minimum 1) to field a FWD line that isn’t a total overspend or a rookie floor liability come Round 1.
Zac FISHER (NTH, $378.6k)
First up is Fisher. Priced right on the border of the 400k midpricer demarcation, Fisher is an interesting one. Let’s not mince words he’s never been much of a player and hasn’t been able to hack it. He’s now been given a lifeline at North, where he’s slated to play in the cushiest of roles: at half back. Soft role, in a side that’ll see heaps of D50 ball and with everything to play for. The other side of the coin? He’s got Sheezel and McKercher knocking about and, again, he may just be a dud. A steep proposition at $378 but will solve a FWD spot well into the season if he pans out.
Tom LYNCH (RICH, $287.3k)
Lynch has always scored pretty well as far as key position forwards go in SC. He’s had years of high 80s and flat 90s at his peak and kept his head above water with 60 and 70 averages when things were quiet. Just before his sidelined 2023, he went at 94.3 in 2022 – nice. So a known quantity. The issue: he’s still in rehab at the time of writing. You’ll need him to be absolutely raring to go coming off the LTI.
Others may note the decline of the Tigers but his best years of consecutive scoring came when he was at the Suns and single service key forwards, if they’re in good nick and kicking goals, can chug along at decent enough averages (eg. Allen last year).
James JORDON (SYD, $275.5k, MID/FWD)
Always been a bit of a deer in headlights and struggled for continuity since his debut year at the Dees despite the recognition of ample football chops. Jordon heads to a Swans side brimming with young exuberant talent will see plenty of the ball whether it’s one a wing, at half forward or on ball in some capacity. In terms of SC selection, half forward would be a no, wing would be tenuous and on ball obviously desirable. See his role, see his presentation.
James HARMES (WBD, $258.3k, MID/FWD)
All a player like Harmes needs in a spot in the 22 at a high possession side like that Dogs. They generate so much ball with that engine room that an experienced, eager player like Harmes involved and at stoppage will be enough for him to churn out 65-70. Now, him slotting in as that permanent defensive 4th MID is a little too optimistic given the, to put it nicely, high rotations and positional variance at Footscray, so we’re just going to be looking for whether he starts or not.
The problem is the Dogs have a lot of the those chop out players like West, McNeil, Vandermeer, Scott and Poulter who’ll also be vying for a spot.
Elijah HEWETT (WCE, $254.7k, MID/FWD)
Very green for mine but there’s nothing but wraps on the promise of Elijah Hewett going forward. I really like that he’ll be developing alongside Ginbey and Reid and in a side with nothing to lose that trio will be given plenty of minutes and prime position. Most likely going to be too raw and in too poor a side to justify the wager but one to watch.
Deven ROBERTSON (BRIS, $253.6k, MID/FWD)
Robertson started to finally build some selection continuity in a dynamic Brisbane side last year, contributing right through the finals series. He still doesn’t look to have pinned down a proper role or scoring stream. Really a 23rd utility player. Look for that to change in 2024.
Elijah TSATAS (ESS, $245.9k, MID/FWD)
Expecting his ownership to be higher than expected once we shift from the Gold Team Picker to the formal launch. Didn’t have the flashiest scores across his late debut but Tsatas showed some real nous and capacity to track from stoppage to stoppage. A high draft pick and in a healthy environment with Zerrett and Parish now being aided by a traditional ruck in Goldy.
Jack BILLINGS (MELB, $243.9k)
Shipped off to Melbourne, who reportedly liked his capacity to link up between the midfield and forward fifty and has been training strongly at present. An argument to say he’s washed at nearly 29 having been riddled by injury and non-selection at St Kilda but the Dees are a quality outfit and one he could see plenty of ball in – similar to Harmes. To his credit, Billings did also have a solid run of scoring and continuity from 2016 – 2021. Would really like to see some clarity over Satan’s status however – him re-entering the fray would drive up the stocks of Billings and the Dees as a whole.
Defenders
A rather irrelevant midpricer landscape here bar one, maybe two. Not only are there the proven, top shelf known quantities in Sicily, Sinclair and Stewart up top and then Ridley, Sheezel and Young at comfortable prices, the rookies down back are pretty solid.
Heath CHAPMAN (FREO, $251.7k)
Chapman comes in as really one of the only midpricers up for consideration down back – the rest of the names are largely…academic. It’s a pretty simple proposition: stunted by injury last year with scores of 90, 70 and a farewell 33 and a solid 75.9 in the year prior (his second). Played a non-descript, dogs body defensive role and likely remains there despite chatter of experimentation on the wing and up in the midfield. He can do midfield drills as much as he likes in December – that won’t materialize – but a role further up the ground, say on a wing or in front of the ball, would be a bit of a buzz kill. Lacks pace and offensive mindedness, so needs to remain behind the ball. If he does, he’ll be a pretty easy start.
Isaac CUMMING (GWS, $387.6k, DEF/MID)
Went really nicely a couple of years ago with that cushy interceptor role but GWS are now playing a much accountable, hard nosed defensive system under Kingsley. Cumming ran into strife last year with injury, role and even out and out selection. Not relevant and probably a waste of both my time and yours but felt weird to breeze past a guy who did two cruisy seasons of 90+.
Changkuoth JIATH (HAW, $347.9k)
Really have no idea where he’s at but a favourite amongst the fans and internally at Waverely. The cry of too many cooks in the Hawks HB kitchen no longer carries water with plenty of economy to go around but too torrid an injury profile and being too awkwardly priced puts a line through old mate Jiath.
Connor BUDARICK (GCS, $301.2k)
Ah, Budarick. So cute. Returned from injury for the last two rounds of the season and, of course, looked rock solid, dropped scores of 71 and 88 and cooked his price for this year. Really like the cut of his jib and his work rate will see him right back into the 22. At 180k~ it wouldn’t be a question but 300k just kills the fun.
Zac WILLIAMS (CARL, $216.1k)
This will likely age very poorly but I cannot for the life of me understand the sides with Zwilliams in them at the moment! Sure, if he looks neat in R0 we’re in, but how people are casually forking 200k for the for an injury riddled, ageing, low defensive attribute player is beyond me. He’s also by no means a walk up into the Carlton 22.
They’ll want to persist, yes, and see if they can get him up to task but the Blues aren’t lacking half back drive. Voss really got the defense trending towards accountability and optimal use and eschewed cheap ball late in 2023 (note Saad’s diminishing numbers and the designation of Newman) – a walk up Zwilliams would untangle a lot of that. Will need to really carve out a spot for himself.
Price and past SC clout make him, of course, a major watch but I’m nowhere near as jazzed as everyone else seems to be…
Quick Mentions
A flashy single game from Richmond’s James TRESIZE (RICH, $207.9k) and the the grit of Hawthorn’s pursuit of Massimo D’AMBROSIO (HAW, $224.9k) make the young half backs a pair to cast your eyes over during the pre-season too.
Midfielders
Much like their DEF compatriots down back, the midfield midpricers aren’t particularly relevant either. 300k+ is always an uphill battle, requiring prospects to punch deep into the 80s and, realistically, the 90s, and are hard to hold onto in a line where you can’t finish with any non-triple digit averaging players. Further, Miller, McKercher and Sanders are autopicks at M6-8, so there really isn’t the need for midpricers in the centre.
Reuben GINBEY (WCE, $354.7k)
We all loved riding the rails with Ginbey early last year and no doubt he, Reid and Hewett will take strides this year but with no DPP, a hefty price tag and residency at West Coast, it’s almost certainly too far a stretch to take the young fella.
Marcus WINDHAGER (STK, $323.2k, MID/DEF)
Windy started to bake post-bye with an average of 72.1 and clear signs of improvement but kicking it up into the 85~ range is notoriously difficult, particularly with the Saints’ profile. Too expensive as well.
Angus SHELDRICK (SYD, $301.8k)
Sheldrick made a nice little foray in 2023 and of his 5 full games he flashed two 90s and a ton. Hard nosed, a good tank and will certainly battle for MID time. Coming in at 300k is nice. 50k cheaper would really sweeten the pot but, much like the others, it’s too big an unecessary punt.
Quick Mentions
Just for my own records, I low-key feel that if Finn MAGINESS (HAW, $210.7k) can add the string to his bow of playing off his opponents he’ll go okay. Not relevant, just for me to bookmark and whip out as constellation once my season tanks!
How many of these midpricers are in your side?
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Happy New Year GD
Great to see you up and firing early. I don’t have the gold team picker, so not sure of the prices. I had Kiddy Coleman just under the 400k mark in my early calculations, but he may have slipped over that mark.
The other two I had in mind were Gibcus and Mullin. A possible third in Chesser.
I have been trying to track Gibcus progress and it seems he is a bit like Lynch and not back in full training yet. Yes, new coach and all, but does feel like he’s best 22 if right.
I really like Mullin heading into this year. I think he will be around 200k. Felt like he was given a bit of a soft introduction last year. A few sub scores as well as learning the trade. I think he might give a much better return this year.
I mentioned Chesser – again I think around 200k. He also had a few sub affected scores last year. But what we saw was a bit underwhelming, despite all the internal hype on him. Maybe he can improve, but I am suspecting we might have some better midfield options at around the same price. But he is definitely on my watchlist over the preseason.
Circling back to ZWilliams, and relevant for Kiddy Coleman as well. Their R2 bye is a conundrum. Thinking of not starting either of them and having them as R3 corrections if they become must haves. (Similarly for Walsh)
For the GC guys like Flanders and Miller, thinking of not starting them either. Let them have one price rise and get them in R4 if they too become must haves. I expect O’Callaghan from GWS to improve, but his early bye puts me off. On the same note, not a mid pricer, but as much as I like Green, I won’t start him either and just hope he doesn’t become unattainable.
In my mind I am looking at the R2 and 3 byes differently to the R5 and R6 byes. Maybe I am being illogical, but I think being able to buy the R2/3 guys with no price rise, or one rise compared to the 3 or 4 rises is a factor.
Wishing the best to all the SCT crew , contributors and punters like myself.
Interesting Phil. With best 18, maybe starting a Walsh early is not such a bad thing if it def saves you a trade later. Also, there wont be any price changes till after R3, so you will only have to worry about price movements for r4…..they might even be falls !!!
Hi Wighty
I think you raise a point that we need to be really clear about. My read of price rises was that it was based on the player. Therefore, players from R0, except Carlton and Brisbane will have their price rise after R2. Because Carlton and Brisbane have the bye in R2, their price goes up in R3.
I may well have this wrong, but it’s how I am reading it.
Yes you are right….my bad !!!! But prices could go up or down. In any event, movements in week one of changes should be minor.
Philly. Hey. Happy New Year.
Gibcus basically rookie priced, so didn’t mention him. An easy start, yep.
Mullin I didn’t pay much mind to last year but you could be onto something.
Chesser though is way too green. We’ll see what kind of strides he’s taken over the PS but think he’s a long term prospect. Hewett and Ginbey are expected to be our most ascendant.
Miller is just such great value that I’m willing to eat that early bye. Flanders I’m not 100% on, and isn’t currently in my side, but one we’ll probably just have to take as a FWD filler.
Cam Mackenzie at $271,500 listed as FWD only.
was a high draft pick (#7) in 2022 and started 2023 round 1.
played the first 4 and averaged 71.
Was sub in round 5 and was dropped after round 6 to ‘get his confidence back’
Played from Round 9 to 15 at an average of 53, but was pushed out of the midfield and spent most of the time on the wing.
Played the last few games as sub, to finish the season with a 48 average.
He is a talent, and at the start of the year i thought he looked great.
He is part of a very young Hawthorn midfield, including Ward, Hustwaite, Serong, Stephens, Butler, Weddle, Macdonald, Day & Newcombe and it will be an interesting watch to see the pecking order
definitely interested as a FORWARD option