Friday, Feb 28
Greater Western Sydney v Carlton, Manuka Oval, 5:20pm AEDT
Gold Coast v Sydney, People First Stadium, 8:10pm AEDT (7.10pm local)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
The Giants loom as a real danger side for Supercoaches, largely due to their end-of-season misdemeanours and injuries to key players. It’s going to be hard to get a handle on what their lineup will look like and how it might change throughout the season, and combined with an ill-timed early bye the wise move might be to avoid them altogether. Still, there’s a bit to like here. Conor Stone ($119,900 fwd) and James Leake ($119,900 def) are popular bench options and you should check them out for role and involvement in this game. There’s also a bit of buzz around wingman Cody Angove ($113,500 mid/fwd). I’m pretty sure Lachie Whitfield ($598,100 def) hits the floor running in the morning and you should expect him to do plenty of that in this game, and for the remainder of the season.
CARLTON
There’s also a little uncertainty around the Carlton ranks, so this game has plenty of plot points. With Newman sadly done for the season, the halfback flank is open and the likes of Ollie Hollands ($333,300 mid), Adam Saad ($468,200 def) or even the iron man himself Sam Docherty ($487,900 mid) may come into calculations. Adam Cerra ($447,700 mid) offers plenty of value at this price point as a potential stepping stone, especially if he can recapture his 2023 form where he averaged a tick over 108 ppg. But the main attraction here is number 3 pick Jagga Smith ($194,500 mid), who made a name for himself in the junior leagues by compiling huge stats and is possibly the most Supercoach-friendly player in last year’s draft class. How he fits into the Blues’ squad remains to be seen, so hopefully this game gives us a fair indication of whether he’ll be able to translate those piggish ways into the big leagues (edit: ACL tear! Sad face. Get better soon kid). Last but definitely not least, there’s a sizeable question mark in the ruck stocks. Does Tom De Koning ($547,100 ruc) get the solo gig we’re all craving? Or does he job-share with the erstwhile Marc Pittonet ($484,100 ruc)? At least 30% of coaches would like an answer!
Also, I hear there’s a Brownlow medallist here. A POD-ish one at that! Might be worth a look.
GOLD COAST
For mine, the Suns have been the metaphorical joker in the Supercoach pack ever since Gary Ablett Jnr first dislocated his shoulder all those years ago. Is Matt Rowell ($550,300 mid) a genuine superstar? Will Noah Anderson ($574,900 mid) ever remember how to score away from the comfy confines of Carrara? Is this the year that Jarrod Witts’ ($581,300 ruc) weary rig finally screams ‘enough!’? Outside of these, we’ll mourn the absence of newly-found uber-premium Sam Flanders ($641,500 def/mid), who has been wrestling with a back complaint for most of the pre-season and is no certainty to line up in round 1 either. The dynamic Daniel Rioli ($500,400 def), fresh off a B&F win at the Tigers, has made the journey north and it will be interesting to see how his brand of run-and-gun attack fits in on the Gold Coast. As far as rookie stocks go, Leonardo Lombard ($167,500 mid) is the standout but your guess is as good as mine as to what his role will be in his freshman year (edit: possible shoulder injury, avoid!). The jokers in the pack…
SYDNEY
For Sydney, after a year which promised so much and yet was ultimately so disappointing, this season will be an acid test. They have made no significant changes to their playing group, so most of the interest lies with their first new coach in 14 years and how their playing style may (or may not) change under the new regime. The departure of Luke Parker opens a window for Angus Sheldrick ($161,700 mid) to display his own brand of hard-nosed footy, while mature aged draftee Riley Bice ($113,500 def) might also be on your watchlist. Rising star nominee Matt Roberts ($434,800 def) and all-Australian trio Chad Warner ($559,700 mid), Errol Gulden ($581,900 mid) and Isaac Heeney ($629,200 mid) are all coming off career years and should be good again, but the standout watch here is Callum Mills ($357,200 def). Multiple injuries almost completely ruined Mills’ 2024 campaign, but with a reduced price tag, proven scoring history and the promise of a coveted midfield role, he should be in the forefront of your mind when it comes to viewing this game (edit: plantar fasciitis concern? Monitor!). Quick addition: Corey Warner ($148,700 fwd), younger brother of the Chad, showed a bit of form in the match sim last week and should be watched here as a potential cash cow (albeit a considerable vest risk).
Saturday, Mar 1
St Kilda v Port Adelaide, RSEA Park, 3:10pm AEDT
West Coast v North Melbourne, Hands Oval (Bunbury), 6:10pm (AEDT (3.10pm local)
ST KILDA
A traded player will always attract Supercoach interest at the start of the season and so it is with Jack Macrae ($392,200 mid/fwd), who joins the throng of Jacks at St Kilda in 2025. Macrae’s price tag is a far cry from what it was during his halcyon days at the Dogs, but that forward status and the promise of a return to his favoured midfield role make him a must watch here. The Saints backline is also of interest, with an injury cloud over Jack Sinclair ($592,200 def/mid), the emergence of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera ($543,700 def) and the arrival of the long-kicking Arie Schoenmaker ($270,500 def). Top 10 draftee Tobie Travaglia ($172,000 def/mid) may also get an opportunity earlier than expected due a number of pre-season injuries, while Harry Boyd ($99,100 ruc) is currently everyone’s R3 and seeing exactly how he might fit into the 22 alongside Rowan Marshall ($603,500 ruc) (if at all?) is of high interest. Late additions: rookie-priced mids Max Hall ($119,900 mid/fwd), Hugh Boxshall ($113,500 mid) and Angus Hastie ($119,900 mid) all impressed in match sim and should go into your watchlists if they get a run here.
PORT ADELAIDE
Of all the clubs in the land, Port Adelaide will probably present the least number of surprises this year. Expect the uber-talented trio of Zak Butters ($648,900 mid), Connor Rozee ($529,400 mid) and Jason Horne-Francis ($537,00 mid/fwd) to get it done again in the midfield, with JHF the favoured Supercoach option of the three due to his dual position status. Sam Powell-Pepper ($180,500 fwd) is a potential cash cow for your forward line as he returns from a knee reconstruction, as is the highly rated small forward draftee Joe Berry ($140,500 fwd), who impressed mightily during match sim. The most pertinent question for the Power this year is how they replace the distributive quality of the departed Dan Houston; with this in mind, the role and involvement of Josh Sinn ($229,500 def) and Dylan Williams ($183,600 def) should be monitored closely here.
WEST COAST
For the past few seasons, West Coast has been all about the rookies and 2025 looks to be a rinse and repeat. Bo Allan ($136,000 def/mid) is one of the most selected players in the game, but will he secure a spot in the Eagles’ 22? What about the promising Elijah Hewett ($122,800 mid/fwd), or R3 candidate Archer Reid ($119,900 ruc/fwd)? But what if mid-pricers are more your speed? Then West Coast has plenty of those too, with the likes of Matt Flynn ($261,900 ruc) (ruck setup?), Jack Hutchinson ($223,500 fwd) (starting wingman?) and Ryan Maric ($223,800 fwd/mid) (rebounding halfback?) all trying to establish themselves in a developing squad. And what sort of role will versatile recruit Liam Baker ($443,600 mid/fwd) play for his new club this year? The Eagles are again incredibly Supercoach-relevant this pre-season and hopefully this game will answer some questions regarding roles and responsibilities.
NORTH MELBOURNE
The other half of the most interesting (from a Supercoach perspective!) game of this series is rounded out by the Shinboners. Right now, the blue-and-white trio of breakout big Tristan Xerri ($645,900 ruc), budding superstar Harry Sheezel ($635,600 def) and new Roo Caleb Daniel ($269,100 fwd/mid) all appear in more teams than not, and probably form the cornerstone of your team too! Then there’s prize draftee Finn O’Sullivan ($199,000 mid), who looks good for a wing spot right from the opening bell, and former Swan veteran Luke Parker ($343,600 mid/fwd) who finds himself at a new club and with still much to offer. All this, and that’s before we get to the likes of Luke Davies-Uniacke ($588,000 mid), Colby McKercher ($476,900 def) and Jy Simpkin ($429,300 mid/fwd), all of whom have the potential to post big numbers in their respective positions. How many Roos is too many?
Sunday, Mar 2
Fremantle v Melbourne, Rushton Park (Mandurah), 6:10pm AEDT (3.10pm local)
FREMANTLE
The final match of the week features everyone’s favourite purple team (except for you Sacramento Kings fans, you’re a weird mob but we love ya). The 2025 Dockers feature an intriguing mix of proven premiums and underpriced value. The headline act is the dynamic duo of Caleb Serong ($623,400 mid) and Andrew Brayshaw ($591,800 mid). If we’re looking for something a little more unpredictable and dangerous though, there is the livewire Shai Bolton ($416,100 mid/fwd) in his new colours, defensive lynchpin Luke Ryan ($628,300 def) or the lone viable ruck/forward swingman premium, Luke Jackson ($509,300 ruc/fwd). In the rookie stakes, there’s a bit on offer: Neil Erasmus ($119,900 mid/fwd) is cheap, popular and a DPP, but the smarter money might be on the free running Nathan O’Driscoll ($198,000 mid) who returns from an injury plagued 2024 season. Keep an eye out for Liam Reidy ($132,600 ruc) too, as there’s a fair bit of conjecture around the Freo ruck stocks in this hot minute.
MELBOURNE
And at last we come to the Demons, a long time favourite of Supercoaches everywhere due to the terrific triumvirate of Max Gawn ($668,900 ruc), Clayton Oliver ($451,600 mid) and Christian Petracca ($556,200 mid). However the landscape has changed a bit in recent times; Petracca is returning from horrific injuries, Gawn is certainly entering the twilight of his fantastic career, and Clarry’s battles have been well-documented. Whether these three can return to the form of their glory days remains to be seen. Outside of the limelight, most interest as far as Melbourne are concerned is with draftee Harvey Langford ($181,000 mid), a big-bodied midfielder of the type that typically do well when it comes to Supercoach. There are a few other cheapies to scribble down here too: draftee Xavier Lindsay ($158,500 mid), recruited running machine Harry Sharp ($189,100 mid) and vest specialist Taj Woewodin ($152,600 def) are all worth a look.