Star Dee set to bounce back; young guns ready to set comp alight: SuperCoach Midfield Analysis

Midfielders are absolute gold and form the backbone of every SuperCoach team.

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From superstars of the competition to young guns ready to make their mark, the midfield is where most points – and cash – can come from.

Foxfooty.com.au takes a look at which defenders you should consider for your SuperCoach side.

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PREMIUMS

These are the top liners of the competition and the best players for SuperCoach teams. These players find plenty of the footy which results in a stack of points, but you can probably afford to start with three to four of these players without ruining your entire team structure.

1. Marcus Bontempelli ($681,000 MID)

The number one player in the competition is the most expensive player in the game but save yourself the headache and pay up. Bontempelli is a captaincy option each week given his ability to dominate games, and he rarely has a bad outing. His last two seasons have returned averages of 126+ SuperCoach points per game and he has averaged over 114 every year since 2019. Has had a superb pre-season and could be in line to win his first ever Brownlow Medal in 2025. Lock and load.

2. Zak Butters ($648,900 MID)

His breakout season came in 2023 but last year was the year Port Adelaide jet Zak Butters became an uber premium SuperCoach asset. The Power tough nut scored 17 tons throughout the season, finishing with an average of 120.4 points per game, ranked second for midfielders. On 12 of those occasions, he produced scores of 120+, which means he is a decent captaincy option each and every week. Pricey, but a safe pick.

3. Nick Daicos ($631,400 MID)

He might have lost dual-position status, but Daicos is still a tremendous SuperCoach pick this year. Some SuperCoach players might be a little bit turned off due to Daicos’ plantar fasciitis issue early in pre-season, but he’s back in full training and looking great. Can sometimes cop a tag but the reality is, Daicos is only going to get better and better and if the Pies are to rise again in 2025, he’ll be leading the charge.

4. Zach Merrett ($621,100 MID)

He might not hit the same heights as the above trio, but Zach Merrett is a very safe SuperCoach pick. In each of his last five seasons, Merrett has averaged 112+ SuperCoach points per game and been a model of consistency. Scored nine consecutive tons to begin 2024 and will be crucial to Essendon’s success moving forward once again. Don’t be concerned about the reports of him training in other positions, when the real stuff gets started, he’ll definitely be in the thick of it.

5. Caleb Serong ($623,400 MID)

Over 15% of SuperCoach players have taken a liking to Caleb Serong already this pre-season and it’s easy to see why. Serong is ultra-durable, having played 20 games or more in each of his last four seasons. The star Dockers midfielder burst onto the scene in 2023 with an average of 111.2, improving that to 115.7 last season. Serong rarely has a bad game, in fact his lowest score last year was 84 and he scored 120+ on eight occasions. The question mark here is how the Dockers midfield unit will work in 2025. Andrew Brayshaw is another gun on-baller; Hayden Young has proved he is one of the most damaging players in the game while veteran Nat Fyfe and youngster Neil Erasmums also look like spending time as inside midfielders.

There are probably about 15 names who you consider as midfield premium options. Isaac Heeney had a breakout year in 2024 and looks ready to continue his upwards trajectory, while Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and Brisbane skipper Lachie Neale have been valuable SuperCoach assets for a long time. North Melbourne star Luke Davies-Uniacke is on the cusp of breaking into the top echelon of midfielders too, if he hasn’t already.

MID-PRICERS

Whether it be players returning from injury or new recruits in a fresh environment, hunting value is always a bit of fun for SuperCoach.

1. Clayton Oliver ($451,600 MID)

Oliver could be the biggest bargain in the history of SuperCoach. Oliver’s 2024 campaign was utterly disappointing, a disrupted pre-season due to a variety of off-field issues meant he just couldn’t get going last year and as a result, comes into 2025 at a heavily discounted price. It’s easy to forget that prior to last year, Oliver was one of the most prolific SuperCoach players in the competition, averaging 120+ for four straight seasons. Oliver has looked exceptional this pre-season, returning to the powerful, ball-hunting star we’ve seen in years gone by. He’s currently in a tick under 50% of SuperCoach sides, so he’s a low-risk option.

2. Will Ashcroft ($441,200 MID)

The reigning Norm Smith Medallist etched his name into footy folklore with a superb finals series and it’s easy to forget that he’s only played 31 games. The son of Marcus and brother of younger brother Levi, Ashcroft is ready to take his game to another level in 2025. He’s clean with ball in hand, elite in stoppages and loves to drift forward and hit the scoreboard. If it wasn’t for an ACL injury, we’d likely be talking about Ashcroft in the same vein as Daicos and Harry Sheezel. The question mark on Ashcroft is whether or not there are enough points to go around the Lions midfield, with Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage all proven scorers. Feels like he might average 100+, but will it be enough to make him a worthwhile starting pick?

3. James Peatling ($352,800 MID)

Peatling ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to mid-priced picks. He’s had a change of environment and looks primed to feature heavily in Adelaide’s on-ball brigade in 2025. In games where he has played 50%+ CBAs, Peatling averages 98 SuperCoach points throughout his career. That number rises to 107 points when he attends 60% CBAs. He’s priced in the mid 60s, so there’s potentially plenty of value here.

Hawthorn midfielder Will Day is another mid-priced option to consider, as is Peatling’s teammate Isaac Cumming. Day has averaged 90+ two years in a row and looks ready to join the game’s elite bracket of midfielders, while Cumming has slotted in well at the Crows but comes with a long history of injuries.

CHEAPIES

While SuperCoach players would love to stack their sides with midfield premiums, the best cheapies are often midfielders too and there are a plethora of options impressing this pre-season.

1. Jagga Smith ($194,500 MID)

An absolute ball magnet who will complement Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh well, Smith looks ready to go for round one. The Oakleigh Chargers product averaged 29 touches and seven clearances a game for Vic Metro in the National Championships and also turned heads for Richmond’s VFL side, where he played three games and averaged 103 SuperCoach points. A clean user who despite his slim frame, won’t look out of place at the top level. Biggest rookie lock there is.

2. Levi Ashcroft ($185,500 MID)

The younger brother of Will and son of Marcus, Levi is ready to make an immediate impact at AFL level. Ashcroft dominated at Coates Talent League level for the Sandringham Dragons, becoming the first player ever to win three consecutive premierships at the level. He has a high work rate, is clean with ball in hand and has plenty of hunger. He’ll likely begin his career at half-forward given the Lions’ stacked midfield unit, but he’s still a super starting pick. Did have off-season shoulder surgery but is in line to play in a pre-season game.

3. Sid Draper ($190,000 MID)

Adelaide struck gold when they added local product Sid Draper to their ranks at the draft and it looks as though he could have an immediate impact. One of the most impressive on the track at West Lakes pre-Christmas has since spent some time on a modified program, but he’s building nicely. A powerful midfielder who is clean at the coalface and loves to burst out of stoppage, Draper was exposed to SANFL footy last year, so shouldn’t find the step up to the AFL as brutal as other youngsters. He will add another layer to what has sometimes been a one-dimensional Crows midfield.

4. Sam Lalor ($203,500 MID)

The number one draft pick has drawn comparisons to former Richmond champion Dustin Martin. Lalor had a slow start to pre-season at Punt Road due to a hamstring injury suffered late in 2024, but he’s hit the ground running in 2025. The GWV Rebels product has spent time across both the midfield and forward groups over summer and looks a near certain starter come the season proper. Might be a slower burn if he spends significant chunks of time forward, but the job security is high. Keep an eye on his role in pre-season games.

5. Harvey Langford ($181,000 MID)

He’s been referred to as a “menace” by some of his Dees teammates such are his efforts and intensity on the training track in his first AFL pre-season. A Larke Medallist at the National Championships, the big-bodied midfielder also thrived for the Dandenong Stingrays in the Coates Talent League, scoring 100+ SuperCoach points in 25 out of 29 matches. Can also play forward, so whether Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin adds him straight into the midfield mix or opts to play him as a high half-forward is a big watch across the February practice matches.

6. Josh Smillie ($176,500 MID)

The young Tiger would have been a lot higher up this list if it wasn’t for a hamstring setback. Smillie is still a huge chance of making his debut early in the season and could feature prominently for Adem Yze’s side. A powerful on-baller who loves the contested side of the game, Smillie is also able to play as a forward. Averaged 129 SuperCoach points for the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League and is driven to make his mark on the big stage.

7. Finn O’Sullivan ($199,000 MID)

North Melbourne’s prized draftee is certainly pretty pricey, but all signs are pointing towards a round one debut. Drafted out of the Oakleigh Chargers, O’Sullivan has been training primarily as a winger this pre-season. Doesn’t rack up the same amount of disposals and SuperCoach points as some of the other cheapies on this list, but he has all the tools to succeed at AFL level. Keep an eye on how he goes in the practice matches, the price point might mean

8. Elijah Tsatas ($191,200 MID)

If Essendon pre-season track reports are anything to go by, Tsatas is primed for a third-year breakout. Tsatas has starred during match simulation, regularly featuring in the ‘A’ team CBA rotations and looks to have added strength and improved ball use to his arsenal. The major caveat on this is that Darcy Parish and Sam Durham have both missed time this pre-season, so will that role be there when everyone is fit and firing? Another one to monitor.

9. Xavier Lindsay ($158,500 MID)

Could be a lot higher on this depending on how he goes in the practice matches. Like Langford, Gipplsand Power product Xavier Lindsay has impressed at the Demons over summer. A knee injury meant he started slower than others, but his ball use, running ability and power have been eye-catching ever since. Lindsay won the Morrish Medal as the Coates Talent League best and fairest and loves finding the footy. Will likely begin his AFL career on the outside, either on a wing or a flank.

Geelong’s Mitch Knevitt has impressed teammates and track watchers alike while training with the inside midfield group over the pre-season and young Swan Angus Sheldrick also has plenty of admirers after his summer and could surge up these rankings.

Gold Coast Suns Academy graduate Leo Lombard is pushing hard for an Opening Round debut but will likely play primarily as a forward, while Collingwood youngster Ed Allan is also a chance to feature early in the season after just two AFL games so far in his career.

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