2022 Premium Midfielders

Written by Gunboat Diplomacy on February 10 2022

Alright, we’ve done DEFs, RUCs and FWDs and now’s time for the big guns: the MIDs. It’s the midfield where a plurality of your points, salary cap and captaincy options will reside each week. With a seemingly strong crop of MID rookies coming through, many coaches have departed from a 5 deep premo midfield and used the cash saved at M5 for some depth up forward and down back. But can you resist the allure, and perhaps necessity, of 5x guaranteed 120~ VC worthy scores each week? Let’s get stuck in.

How many MID premiums are you starting?

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Options below listed by name, team, current price, 2021 average, current ownership.

Which MID premiums are you starting?

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In addition to answering the polls, feel free to go ahead and let us know in the comments:

What is your current MID lineup (structure/selections)?

Are there any MID ownership percentages that shock you?

Any general MID strategy thoughts?

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30 thoughts on “2022 Premium Midfielders”

  1. To answer my own question like a fool:

    Got three structures going right now, will go with whichever one rookies dictate.

    – 4 premos MIDs: Macrae, Steele, Miller & Neale
    – 5 premos MIDs: Macrae, Steele, Miller, Walsh & Neale
    – 6 premo MIDs: Macrae, Steele, Miller, Walsh, Parish & Neale

    Either way Macrae, Steele, Miller and Neale are my four constants. Just can’t pass up Neale at his price. Sold the farm for Miller last season and he is just tremendous to watch, has an enormous work rate and very difficult to negate. Macrae and Steele are just gods, pay up.

    At 5 MIDs, I’ve got Walsh over Satan. Had to set aside how much I like Satan as a player and look at their trajectories:

    – Walsh +15.9 on his previous average last year, coming into his fourth season, huge upside and does everything at the Blues
    – Satan basically flat on his average last year going 122.2 to 123.5, think I can get away with grabbing him just before his annual double ton v the Crows

    Laird, Parish and Bont ownership percentages startling me a little.

    We’ve been discussing in RMT and Jim’s Crows Preview how Laird will likely sneak into the Top 8 on consistency. I just can’t put him ahead of the 4-5 locks I have rn. Will be a massive POD though.

    Surprised more people aren’t on Bont and Parish after their huge ceilings runs in 2022. Bont was on a 130 av. half way through the season until shoulde strapping and a Dogs form slip clipped him a little and Parish comes in probably 10 points underpriced and threw up 4x 150+’s last year including that 190 v the Cats.

    If they stay around their current ownership and continue their reportedly strong preseasons, they’ll definitely enter R1 consideration for me. Hopefully they don’t go 160+ AAMI games and stay under the radar lol.

    Anyway, thought I’d kick things off. Interested to hear what others are thinking.

    Enjoy your day, all.

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    1. Am also looking at running a 3 premo mid set-up as well.

      Think this might end up being what is required as I don’t see many DEF and FWD rookies capable of scoring what the MID rookies can.

      It is a risky move but got to follow where the rookies land.

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      1. That’s my setup at the moment. FWD and DEF rookies look scarce as well as not scoring well. That’s ok for the bench but not onfield.

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  2. Ok GD, here goes,
    I currently have 5, but not your 5 (in case anyone might be listning LOL)
    From memory(?), it took a few years of consistency before it was decided we had to have Neale.
    Why?
    We seem to try and predict a players “inconsistancy” hoping to get them on board at a cheaper rate.
    I would rather have (not that i do already) a Laird over a Fyfe for example.
    And now with the new DPP format, are we already trying to predict who’s going to be our new forwards.
    I’ve learnt (and still learning) that you can only take it 1 week at a time…..

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  3. Currently have Macrae, Steele, Lyons, Parish and Petracca.

    * Macrae and Steele pick themselves.
    * Petracca seems a steal at his price.
    * Lyons is criminally underrated by the whole AFL system
    * It hurts me to say this but i think Essendon are primed for a good season with Parish leading the charge.

    Considering Neale instead of Lyons to save the cash but i love Lyons in SC. Also strongly thinking about Oliver instead of Parish.

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    1. RB,……did you lose a bet with Wighty?

      The Roos look to be this seasons’ with a fully fit Hawks IMO, to be the big improvers………

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  4. Satan, Bont, Walsh & Neale right now, but my forward line has Cogs at F6 so I’ll be freeing up money from there at some point.

    I’ve been burned every time I’ve paid around $700k for a player, so Macrae won’t feature in my starting team. But I feel I have 4 top 10 mids so far at reasonable value. Lots of team variations to come though.

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    1. I feel Macrae is worth the coin. He gets his own ball, tackles hard and often, reads the center bounces very well and was such a great captain option last year it was almost robbery.
      I don’t see him falling off this year and there isn’t anyone poised to take his role since the midfield structure is set for the dogs.

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      1. Good point, at $700k though all it takes is a couple of 100ish scores and he comes back down to $650k ish. With the extra trades and boost option I’m hoping I’ll be able to trade a mid-priced option or two and make up the money to grab him at a better price (which was more difficult with 2 trades only).

        Bont gives me a great VC option still. Just playing a slightly different strategy based on the new rules. But I could easily get burnt.

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  5. Current premo set up is 4-4-2-(2 or 3) with Cogs and Caldwell mid pricers

    Midfield is – Steele, Oliver, Titch, Neale
    Caldwell, JHF, Daicos, Stephens
    Maginness, Clark, Parker

    Steele has only just joined my side but he’s hard to go past. Dominated last 2 years and has a high floor as e loves to tackle.
    Oliver is never leaving my side, doesn’t miss and his floor is increasing every season.
    Titch 95% not leaving, has played every game last 2 years and building back nicely towards his best.
    Neale just about a lock. Excluding last year has a lowest average of 104 in 2015, so 5 points under is an absolute minimum but I’d say 110 is a minimum for him. Plus apart from last year he’s only missed 2 games since 2013.
    Caldwell if he gets the midfield time will stay as he should average 80+ if he can stay fit which is enough to make the cash worth starting him plus the extra points and job security. If not in the guts then can swap him for another rookie.
    On my watch list are Macrae, Walsh, Laird, Mills and Crouch.

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    1. I have a feeling the Titch pick will be the one that pays off the most Alza, although he is not as much a POD as I thought he would be at this stage.

      I currently have Berry at M5 but have over 400k ITB to cover a potential Titch/Laird/Lyons premo POD upgrade pending R1 selections.

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      1. IMO, J Berry will have the minder job on Neale.
        The Lions wouldn’t want Neale to cop heavy tagging in case he applies for a transfer……

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  6. Realistically, there are 8-10 premo mids that we could chose from, and there is no right combination. I think it will be the upgrades that define our seasons.

    I’m looking at starting Macrae Oliver Titch Neale JHF N Daicos Ward Hobbs and bench of M Roberts G Clark and C Parker……Clark only lock.

    Re Macrae possibility of falling sharply, that could happen to any of the 120+ average players from last year…..just average a respectable 110 and its done. Imagine not having v on Macrae and he starts off 140+ !! I’m passing on Walsh to start. Three of his last 5 games in 2021 were sub 100….reckon he is being worked out a bit, and Blues have some handy midfield ins to share the load a bit more. Would love to have Bont, but pre-byes, its one doggie mid for me.

    At the end of the day, this year I reckon getting the rookies and fallen premos right is the key, along with who punters upgrade to. Reckon thats probably more the key than which 4/5 premo mids we start.

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  7. Thanks for the Poll Gunboat.

    So many fantastic Midfielders to choose from this year.

    At this stage I’m looking at starting 5 Premo’s. ( It just looks too thin with 4 )
    I know Rookies determine structure, but I’m happy to have someone like Clark on the pine early if it means I start 5 Uber Mids. I’m hoping JHF gets given Forward status so I can move him forward effectively creating another on field Midfield Rookie spot.

    So my big five..

    Macrae / Steele / Titch / Walsh / Neale.

    Macrae / Steel / Titch and Neale ( value ) have’t left my side . They are all fantastic Captains options and although Macrae and Steele may possibly be cheaper at some stage, theres no guarantees that you will have the cash to jump on when they are. Lock em in now !

    Walsh is the one that may change last minute. ( up to Miller if I have the cash or down to Petracca if I need $$ ) My reasons for going Walsh at this stage … As Gunboat said his trajectory is great , add to this his high time on field and the fact that he covers more ground than anyone else in the AFL. ( 15Kms per game )
    He also has a very soft draw particularly early, and I actually thing Hewitt and Cerra can only help him, as he was really lacking quality support last year.

    Miller is my priority upgrade target. Just ticks every box and has one of the highest floors of anyone bar Macrae. Pertracca reminds me of a young Danger with his burst from stoppage and forward craft. He could easily go 120 if he cleans up his disposal a bit. My M8 is likely one of Clarry / Bont / Laird / Mills or Brayshaw. Whoever I can pick up cheap ( sub $600K )

    PS: My thoughts on Titch and his lower ownership. There is some talk that the Hawks will rest / rotate their Mids through the forward line this year. I think this is to give some of the youngsters a go through there. This may put some off.
    I still see him as really good value at this price and with a heap of Sunday games he becomes a great fall back Captains option.

    Thanks again GD

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      1. I hear you Wighty.

        I wouldn’t believe it either but I literally heard it straight from” the horses mouth”. Titch was on a DT Talk podcast ( The offical Fantasy podcast on YouTube ) and admitted Sam Mitchells plan is to rest him forward at times this season. It hasn’t put me off starting him at this stage, but I will monitor preseason games closely.

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    1. Maybe folks have the perception he could be a slow starter (only three tons in his first eight games), and he comes into calcs as a later upgrade target with his strong back end of the season (ten of eleven tons post bye for 120.5 ave).

      If he starts like he finished, he could be one of those trade boosts after R2, worth considering as a POD at the price because he will be inside a lot.

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    2. He was a pod/love child of mine last year. One of many just below the SC uber mids. I would be happy to have him in my final 8.

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