The 2024 AFL season is still a couple of months away, but it is never too early to begin planning SuperCoach teams. With the team picker already released, here are a few thoughts heading into the new season.
SELL YOUR HOUSE
If you want to cover as many “must-haves” as possible, you would probably have to sell your house to do so. There is an abundance of talent and scoring power at the top end, with some hefty price tags attached to them. Some big names will have to be left out of starting sides, no matter how much tinkering you try and do.
Starting all three of Marcus Bontempelli ($724k MID), Tim English ($715k RUC) and Nick Daicos ($650k D/M) already takes up 20% of the salary cap, so coaches may look at sacrificing at least one to save some money and bolster another area.
Midfield premiums are going to be a nightmare to choose from, with 20 (!) players over $600k. 2023 breakouts such as Errol Gulden ($622k MID), Caleb Serong ($621k MID) and Tom Green ($621k MID) are a few young guns in the low $600k range, with the potential to go even better this time around.
But you can’t forget about the likes of Christian Petracca ($667k MID) or Rory Laird ($653k MID), who have years of elite scoring under their belt and are priced where they are for a reason. You can’t quite overlook Clayton Oliver ($674k MID) either, but he might be a wait and see due to external factors.
Aside from Daicos, James Sicily ($637k DEF) and Tom Stewart ($635k DEF) will be the ones you have to pay up for in defence. Luke Ryan ($611k DEF) is the other defender above $600k. With the plethora of options in the midfield, defence may be an area to consider sacrificing a bit.
FINDING VALUE
Considering how expensive the top-end talent is this season, finding value will be crucial in our starting sides. There are a handful of names to consider that present value, some of which have runs on the board in previous seasons.
Rather than paying up for Sicily and/or Stewart in defence, coaches might consider Jordan Ridley ($530k DEF), who should see a friendlier role with the addition of Ben McKay to the Essendon backline. Hayden Young ($525k DEF) played more midfield during the last month of the 2023 season. In each of the last four games, Young had at least 77% CBAs and averaged 116.25 points, scoring at least 111 in all of them. A small sample size but one to closely monitor.
Harry Himmelberg ($450k DEF) will be starting the season in the backline, at a solid price knowing what he is capable of in the role. Can Keidean Coleman ($398k DEF) carry over his finals form into the 2024 season? Could be worth a gamble at that price. Zac Williams ($216k DEF) should see himself in plenty of teams as he returns from injury after missing all of 2023.
If 20 players over $600k in the midfield wasn’t hard enough to choose from, the quality below $600k just makes things even tougher. Sam Walsh ($576k MID) will be highly considered by many at that value. Touk Miller ($545k MID) and Jack Steele ($529k MID) are priced quite nicely, knowing what they can do. Both finished top four in scoring average back in 2021.
Matt Crouch ($490k MID) returned to Adelaide’s senior side during the back half of the season and showed he still has it, with three scores over 110, including a 144. A solid cheaper option to think about. Cam Guthrie ($420k MID) could also be a value option for your midfield, looking to regain his form after an injury-riddled 2023 where he played just six games.
Is it the return of ‘Gawndy’ in the rucks? With English at such a steep price, the combination of Max Gawn ($583k RUC) and new Sydney Swan Brodie Grundy ($481k RUC) might be the way to go once again. Tristan Xerri ($407k RUC) is another to consider with Todd Goldstein moving on to Essendon.
It is seriously slim pickings up forward this season, and it may be the line to load up on value picks. North Melbourne recruit Zac Fisher ($378k FWD) may be appealing to some if he lines up off half back. Could Tom Lynch ($287k FWD) do what Charlie Curnow did in 2022? Or do we dare look at injury-prone two-time Brownlow medalist Nat Fyfe ($283k M/F) again, with the possibility of him getting midfield minutes?
Is there opportunity for James Jordon ($275k M/F) or Jack Billings ($243k FWD) at their respective new clubs? Plenty of risk in these selections, but maybe worth taking if you need to save money for other lines.
BYES GALORE
With the new opening round, or ‘Round 0’, we have four more bye rounds to navigate past. Rounds 2, 3, 5, and 6 will each have two teams from the opening round taking the week off, giving them an extra bye over the rest. What does that mean when selecting our starting sides?
Do we hold off starting Round 0 players and have them as trade-in targets for after their bye? Or since each bye round is best 18 anyway, do we just start whoever we want and take the hits throughout the early byes?
There’s a lot of talent being sacrificed if we go the first option. The likes of Petracca, Gulden, Green and Walsh would have to wait until upgrade season. However, someone like Nick Daicos is probably a non-negotiable and straight into your starting side regardless.
It may just be a matter of finding a balance between the two options. Some opening round players are just too good to pass up. But at the same time, starting too many could mean a bigger point loss throughout the Round 2-6 period. A lot to ponder when selecting premiums.
All in all, it’s good to have SuperCoach back. It will be an interesting first couple of months with the new-look start to the season. Good luck to everyone with their team planning, have fun and don’t overthink it.
