An Introduction to Fantasy Drafting The Footy Prophet VBD.. 3. How to Build a Successful SuperCoach Draft Team.. 4. Overall Rankings Top 150.

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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS An Introduction to Fantasy Drafting... 2 The Footy Prophet VBD.. 3 How to Build a Successful SuperCoach Draft Team.. 4 Overall Rankings Top Rankings Defenders 8 Rankings Midfielders... 9 Rankings Rucks & Forwards. 10 Beyond Team by Team Previews.. 14 Crowning a King 32 SuperCoach Spotlight.. 34 Summary

3 AN INTRODUCTION TO FANTASY DRAFTING ONCE YOUR DRAFT IS COMPLETE When your draft is over it doesn t stop there! Below is quick summary of what happens after you ve drafted your team and the season is underway. The draft is important, but if you leave it there, it will be for nothing. WEEKLY LINEUP SELECTION For each round of the AFL season you'll be matched up against another coach, putting your real coaching skills to the test. The team that you ve assembled will compete, week after week, against the best of what your opponents can put up. From your squad of players you'll be required to pick a starting lineup that will represent your team on match day. You should review your lineup each week, to take into account injured or suspended players and to make sure that the team that you start is the best possible. Remember, the auto-emergency rule applies as a default setting in SC Draft leagues, so choose your bench players carefully, as the lowest scorer will cover any non-starters in your lineup. SIGNING FREE AGENTS In SuperCoach Draft, free agents are those players who are not owned by any of the teams in your league. Each week all teams will be able to access this pool of free agents, and top up their squads to cover for injuries, byes and form issues. There are a number of options to determine preferences for accessing these free agents, where two or more coaches are interested in the same player. Picking up the right free agents can set your team up for your fantasy finals campaign, and also allows you to delist an injured player or someone out of form. TRADING Sometimes trades will be required to help bolster certain positions on your team. Through trading, you can improve your team by proposing a swap of players with another coach in your league. Nothing beats negotiating a big trade with one of your fellow coaches and pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal! You will trade to try and improve your team, but your opponent is doing exactly the same thing. This is where the tactics and the skill really come into play, with the smoothest talkers usually the best at this. Trade negotiation can be intense, and it keeps coaches involved right until the end of the season. FINALS At the end of the season the top teams in your league will play off in a finals series to determine the holy grail of bragging rights - the league premiership! 2

4 THE FOOTY PROPHET VBD Matthew James Footy Prophet It's relatively easy to compare players at the same position. The assessment generally involves a projection of what each player is likely to average, and factoring in any games they are likely to miss. There will be plenty of split opinion on who is more valuable out of Dayne Beams and Rory Sloane, but at least the comparison involves two like players. The distinction becomes significantly more difficult when attempting to compare midfielders and defenders, or rucks and forwards. The scarcity of top-end defenders is a commonly accepted proposition, but just how early should Nick Malceski be drafted? Is he worth more than Sloane or Beams? This year we've answered that question with the Footy Prophet value based drafting (VBD) model. This is a highly complex projection model, which not only provides us with our player scoring projections, but also assigns a relative value to every player, depending on their position. This Footy Prophet VBD number allows us to compare players at two different positions. How does it work? Well it starts by separating all players into groups by position, and considers the value of each player relative to others at the same position. By considering how a player will score relative to players at his own position, we construct a value. We repeat this process for each position, creating a common factor for comparison. A player's scoring ability alone is no longer the only factor. As you'll see from our rankings, Gary Ablett is still the most valuable player under our model, and rightly so. Prolific and a ball magnet, his value is still rated as the highest despite the increased number of high scorers in the midfield compared to other positions. We consider this model to be the most sophisticated draft analysis tool available in the Australian market. It considers factors such as strength of fixture, expected games and replacement scores when a player is injured. A 110-point player is worth less if he's never played a full season and can't be expected to. Would you rather a 105-point mid that plays every week or a 110-point guy that plays 18 games? The Footy Prophet model helps you split the difference. While it won't guarantee success, it will give you the best chance of walking away from your draft with the strongest list. Our top 150 draft rankings on page XX uses this model to determine where all players should be drafted. 3

5 HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL SUPERCOACH DRAFT TEAM David Ford Footy Prophet When planning your fantasy draft, it s safe to say most of you will go into it with some sort of plan, right? I would say 90 per cent of drafters go into the draft with the top 250 scorers from the previous year, plus a few breakout contenders or players returning from injury thrown into the mix. No great surprises because that s what I had done for many years, and to some degree I still do that. We have all had a player picked from underneath us, and that is always going to happen when you re drafting. So if everyone has the same stats and the same plan, how do you get an advantage? First, it s important you understand your league and its settings. The number of people in your league, the number of players (starters and bench), how many in each position. For example, the most common format from last year was the 10 man league using 22 players. That was 5/6/2/5/4 (5 backs, 6 midfielders, 2 rucks, 5 forwards and 4 bench). But this year the default setting has changed to 8 teams with 5/7/1/5/4, so this will give you an idea on how deep your talent pool is going to go. The biggest change from 2013 based on the default settings is therefore the extra midfielder replacing the 2 nd ruckman. This is significant compared to last year, as it means that every coach is almost guaranteed a top 10 ruckman, so this should directly affect where you draft your starting ruck. We know that ruckmen have had a scoring change already this year, so their scoring output is predicted to be a little lower. Couple this with the increase in supply of quality ruck options, it means that you can certainly wait a little longer before drafting your starting ruckman. If people haven t worked this out, they will continue to draft their starting ruckman high, filling their ruck spot early, which will mean they then won t be looking at a second player at this position until late in the draft. This could leave you to pick up a top-10 ruckman averaging 90+ in the 15 th to 16 th round, and allow you to fill the rest of your starting positions with your earlier picks. Now this is where the real knowledge of drafting comes into play. When do you take a midfielder over a forward or a defender? Most people would know that the backline has been dealt a huge blow with many of 2014 s top defenders losing their DPP status, leaving the cupboard a little bare. So with only one defender averaging over 100 and just seven others averaging over 90, the question is what is the worth of these defenders compared to other positions? If you look outside these top 8 defenders, you will see the gap from the 10 th ranked defender to the 50 th is only 12 points. So what do you take from this? Unless you get one of the top 8 defenders you can throw a blanket over the rest of the pool. Don t get me wrong 12 points is a lot when it comes to draft, but with 40 players only separated by 12 points you can afford to let the mid-range defenders drop down the draft order. 4

6 Compare that to you forwards: there were 6 players who averaged over 100, with another 16 averaging over 90, and another 20 averaging 80+ (one of them being Dane Swan, at 86.4). You can clearly see that the depth in the forward-line outweighs the depth in the back line. So what does this mean for you? You would think the strategy might be to load up on the defenders early, as there isn t as much quality. But I wouldn t be going over the top with defenders early at all. With the quality of the forwards this year in the top end, many of whom enjoy mid/forward roles on game day, there is too much upside to be wasting your high draft picks on defenders. Finally, the midfield welcomes the extra player this year, so this will test the depth of most players knowledge of the lower end of the midfield group...or so you might think. Even with the extra depth required, the lowest averaging midfielder was Not huge numbers but certainly respectable. At the end of the day, it s the midfield that drives your scores last year over half of most draft leagues scoring came from the midfield. Not a bad return from a quarter of your team. This year that statistic will only increase with the added player, so it will become more important to get your mix right, in terms of when to take midfielders compared to the forwards and defenders. So when do you take a midfielder? I d suggest taking the gun midfielders early and often. If you can get to the end of the 8 th round with 4-5 quality midfielders, you ll be in a really strong position. Grab a couple of gun forwards, and maybe one of those top-line defenders that I ve mentioned, and you ll be able to round out your team nicely in the later rounds. The success in draft is maximising every pick, so the question begs, how do you do that? Well, I ve given you a few little snippets all the way through: pick a ruckman late; unless you pick up one of the so-called premium backs, let them slide down the order; use your early picks on midfielders, where the big points are scored, and those highly sought-after premium DPP forwards. My final tip is, where possible, practice drafting. Like anything, practice makes perfect, so enter a few draft leagues, use them as mock drafts, and see which particular strategies work for you. You ll get a better feel for the players that are taken early, and those that slide. And you ll be better prepared for your draft night, when it all really matters. 5

7 OVERALL RANKINGS TOP 150 6

8 OVERALL RANKINGS TOP 150 7

9 RANKINGS - DEFENDERS 8

10 RANKINGS - MIDFIELDERS 9

11 RANKINGS - FORWARDS RANKINGS - RUCKS 10

12 BEYOND 18 Sarah Lucken Footy Prophet By the 18th round of a fantasy draft you should have already compiled your starting team, beyond that it's time to fill your emergencies/bench. You need to be picking types who will be available to cover a starting player if necessary, and have a high ceiling of potential in The auto emergency bench option also dictates that your non-midfield choices have comparatively respectable outputs when playing. Here we take a look at a few gems you can snap up beyond the 18th round. Will Langford (MID) In 2014, Langford went from being unknown to a premiership midfielder and very handy SuperCoach player. The 22 year old played 19 games including Hawthorn's three finals appearances. With an ageing midfield, the Hawks are expected to give several young players a berth in senior football and Langford will be one who intends on holding onto his position. Langford started last year as Hawthorn's run with player but as the season went on, or the situation allowed, he was released more often. Allowed to hunt the football, he found 20+ possessions in 10 of his games and even managed to hit the scoreboard toward the end of the season. In fact, in his last 5 games, including finals, Langford kicked 7 goals and averaged 96.2 SuperCoach points. He also racked up more than 100 points on 3 of those occasions. If he can build on what was a promising end to the 2014 season and if the Hawks relax his tagging role, he could very well be one of the steals beyond the first 18 rounds of your draft. Sharrod Wellingham (MID/FWD) Wellingham hasn't played a full season since Collingwood's premiership year in 2010 and his best playing years since have been with those of his former club. From his debut in 2008 to his departure at the end of 2012, Wellingham's SuperCoach credentials were steadily building, in fact so were most facets of his game has been his most productive season to date, notching up 5 tons on his way to an average of Unfortunately for Wellingham his career has stalled since his trade to West Coast at the end of that season. His two year career with the Eagles has been marred by a combination of injury and poor form. Playing only 23 games across the two years has not been a good return for the investment made by the Eagles. At 27 years of age Wellingham is in the peak of his career and has improved his efforts this preseason and with 19 touches against Carlton in his first NAB Challenge game for 83 SuperCoach points, he could be back to his best. 11

13 Alex Fasolo (DEF/FWD) Returning from nagging foot injuries in 2014, Fasolo adopted a new role as a rebounding defender in A few very good games, and SuperCoach tons early on had him on everybody s radar. His average of 68.2 across over the final 12 games last year was not quite what coaches we re hoping for. We know as a rebounding defender he can rack up the points, we know as a damaging goal sneak he can also hit the big scores. What we don't know is whether he can maintain his form and fitness. At 22 years of age he is primed to become a more consistent contributor in a very young Collingwood outfit. We may see a dramatic rise in his SuperCoach output and 93 points in his first NAB Challenge game against Hawthorn will attest to that. Ben Newton (MID) The 22 year old didn't get much chance at senior level with Port Adelaide in He played 4 games, all of which were as the starting substitute, for an average of 40 SuperCoach points. Needless to say it was hard to break into a team who were flying toward finals. His year in the SANFL however was a totally different story. Newton is a contested ball winner, a genuine inside midfielder and a clearance specialist, all of which is SuperCoach gold. He averaged 25 disposals for his SANFL club across 16 games in 2014 and kicked 14 goals. His move to Melbourne at the end of the year will see him fill a much needed role as a strong contested ball winner alongside the likes of Nathan Jones and Jack Viney. Newton impressed in Melbourne's intra-club match a couple of weeks ago and will be looking to do the same come Melbourne's NAB Challenge matches. Newton may slot straight into Melbourne's Round 1 side and has the potential to have a year reminiscent to that of Dom Tyson's Marcus Bontempelli (MID/FWD) Bontempelli is an interesting prospect in 2015, his second year in the AFL system. He was runner up in the NAB Rising Star award last year in his debut season where he averaged 16 disposals and a goal per game. That's over 78 SuperCoach points, stunning for a first year player. His potential coupled with the addition of forward eligibility and Luke Beveridge's plan to play him through the midfield has increased his value in the SuperCoach Draft arena even further. He is not however without downside. The Bulldogs were hit hard in the off season with the departure of their captain, Ryan Griffen. Add to that the season ending knee injury to Tom Liberatore and the Bulldogs are looking decidedly undermanned in the midfield. Matthew Boyd and Mitch Wallis remain the strong bodies while Jack Macrae and Luke Dahlhaus will provide the flair. The worry with Bontempelli is how the increased attention from the opposition will affect his game. 12

14 Zac Williams (DEF) Drafted as a rookie, Williams managed 11 games in his first season including playing the last six games of the year. Those six games saw an average of 83.6 SuperCoach points and included a score of 101 points. The 20 year old struggled for consistency in 2014 which saw him play just 8 games as he tried to fit into a GWS line-up that is beginning to grow stars all over the park. However 20 touches, 5 marks, 5 tackles and a goal for 93 SuperCoach points in round 23 saw him finish the season on a positive note. Williams put in a strong performance in the intra-club match, spending time on the wing gathering 13 touches but delivering well by foot. He'll play in the Giants first NAB Challenge match and have a chance to prove to Leon Cameron and SuperCoach coaches that he's worth a selection. Mitch Hallahan (MID) 22 years of age, only 6 AFL games under his belt and at a new club. You could be forgiven for thinking Mitch Hallahan's career is stalling, however, Hallahan has an impressive record at VFL level and by the looks of his pre-season with his new club Gold Coast, he has the opportunity to prosper in In 2013 Hallahan won the J.J. Liston Trophy (the VFL best and fairest award) off the back of an 18 game season. Across that year he averaged 22 touches and kicked 12 goals. His 2014 VFL season all but mirrors that, aside from the spattering of AFL games throughout. Hallahan knows how to find the football, he's an in-and-under midfielder and just what Gold Coast needed in their midfield. A tough inside midfielder was identified as a weaknesses and Hallahan fills that void well. He will complement the Suns outside midfielders and he's already proven his worth with a stunning performance in the Suns first NAB Challenge match. He racked up 24 disposals and 8 clearances in the Townsville humidity for a total of 100 SuperCoach points. If he can replicate these figures in the season proper, he'll be a handy addition to your midfield depth and well worth a look beyond

15 Damien Berry Supercoach Paige Under new senior coach, Phillip Walsh, the Crows have a new skipper in Taylor Walker in 2015, welcome back former skipper in Nathan Van Berlo, and will be hoping that gun midfielders in Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane can get the Crows back to the level of 2012 in which they narrowly missed out on a Grand Final berth. THE GUN Patrick Dangerfield [MID] Ave was a down season by his standards averaging SuperCoach Points, but Dangerfield still pumped out mega-scores of 192, 159 and 152 throughout the season. Given he averaged and SuperCoach points in 2012 and 2013 respectively, and with a new coach in Phillip Walsh, you can expect Dangerfield to bounce back to his best in THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Brad Crouch [MID] Ave 94.6 Brad Crouch possesses incredible talent for someone so young. In his first two seasons at the Crows, he averaged more than 24 disposals, was ranked in the top 20 for handballs, and in the top 30 for the most tackles. Once Crouch came back from his broken leg in Round 15, he came back with a bang, averaging 103 points per game with five centuries. THE ROOKIE Mitchell Grigg [FWD/MID] Ave 49.8 Despite not being blessed with leg speed, Mitch Grigg s 2014 season took off, bettering his 2013 games tally by five in Grigg was often used as the sub, however the hard, contested ballwinner with an elite kick was able to rack up five games over 50 points as stating sub. If he can stay clear of the vest, he could be serious draft gem in the later rounds. THE GAMBLE Nathan Van Berlo [MID] (2013 Ave 66.9) Former Crows skipper in Nathan Van Berlo returns to the fold in 2015 after an Achilles injury that put a line though his 2014 campaign. Having the capacity to provide decent cover on your bench, Van Berlo offers high job security if you re looking for someone late in the draft to fill your bench. THE RECRUIT Kyle Cheney [DEF] Ave 70.3 In his nine games last season, Cheney averaged 15.2 disposals and 70.3 SuperCoach points overall. If you disregard his opening game of just eight disposals and 29 SuperCoach Points against the Lions, his numbers appear even better. At the age of 25, and now at his third club, Cheney looks ready to reach his peak at AFL level. Keep him in mind as a smokey late in the draft. 14

16 Jonathan Feeney Supercoach Paige While they only managed to win seven games in 2014, new coach Justin Leppitsch was able to bring some life back into the club by giving more games to a number of young kids on their list, after what was a disaster 2013 season. Newly named captain, Tom Rockliff had his best year to date, establishing himself as an elite midfielder whilst also earning All Australian honours. Brisbane s young talent such as Josh Green, Sam Mayes, Daniel McStay, James Aish, and Lewis Taylor, also all contributed across the year. The Lions loom as a very draft-relevant side in 2015, particularly with the additions of Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen and the returning Daniel Rich and Jack Redden. THE GUN Tom Rockliff [MID] Ave 132 Tom Rockliff announced himself as an elite midfielder in 2014, but also as a SuperCoach musthave. Playing 18 games, Rockliff scored over 100 points 15 times, whilst also scoring 150+ in six of those 15 games - a truly remarkable effort! While it would be an amazing effort to be drafted ahead of Gary Ablett Jnr, he should be drafted at pick two or three. If you have either pick, get on board! THE BREAKOUT CONETENDER James Aish [MID] Ave 71.3 After playing 21 impressive games in 2014, Aish looks set to take his game to the next level in With high scores of 120 and 144, plus scores of 94, 90 and 82, Aish is someone you would look to draft at the back end and use as cover on your bench where you can harvest him and trade him at the right time. Remember, it s a game of numbers, not names. THE GAMBLE Matthew Leuenberger [RUCK] Ave 66.6 While Leuenberger only played five games in 2014, his scores of 96, 74, 84, and 79 (he scored 0 in his fourth game after suffering an injury) were still reasonable. He is a talented player who can score well as seen in 2011 where he averaged The only issue is his body. Draft him late as a bench option and if he comes good, you ll look like a genius. Conversely, if he breaks down again, you ve lost nothing but a late pick. THE RECRUIT Dayne Beams [MID] One of the biggest trades of the off-season saw Beams walk out on Collingwood and return home to Queensland to play with his younger brother, Claye. He enjoyed another brilliant season with massive scores of 136, 145, 159, and 141, and only scored below 100 on two occasions. I would expect him to be drafted in the top five picks across all drafts this year as his numbers are more than enticing to justify such an early selection. 15

17 Kristian Amenta Supercoach Paige A very quiet year for the Blues who could ve been finals contenders had it not been for a series of losses falling in under a kick. The top eight is back where they want to be, the drafting of midfielders Mark Whiley and Blaine Boekhorst should add to the development of youngsters Patrick Cripps and Troy Menzel. If Mick Malthouse can undoubtedly string exciting youth with the experience of a star-studded midfield, we can positively expect the Blues to once again compete with the big guns of the competition. THE GUN Marc Murphy [MID] Ave: 106 Captain of the Blues, Marc Murphy scored above 100 points during 13 games last season, with seven of those scores above 120. Murphy s ceiling is high, which is why he ll be favoured heavily in the draft format. He will also be appealing to some coaches due to Carlton having the Round 11 bye. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Dale Thomas [MID/FWD] Ave: 75.7 The news out of Visy Park this preseason is that Dale Thomas has been training the house down. The last time Thomas got through preseason uninjured was in 2011 when he averaged 109 Points. He also ticks the draft selection box due to his DPP status, and can now be used in the forward line. THE ROOKIE Patrick Cripps [MID] Ave: 39.3 With the Blues parting way with hard-nuts Brock McLean and Mitch Robinson, it opens the door for Carlton s top draft pick last year, Patrick Cripps to cement a spot in the best 22. The clearance king was restricted to a handful of games after breaking his leg in the VFL, but the kid who is likened to a young Diesel Williams must be considered late in the draft. THE GAMBLE: Chris Yarran [DEF] Ave: 82.7 He recorded his second highest season average last season with 82.7, and if you take away his two sub affected games Yarran s average reads a more appealing 90. He seems to be utilising his running role off the half back averaging first in the competition for bounces per game last season. He has also scored more goals in his last two years then he did in his first four where he was played as a forward, with 21 goals in If Yarran finds a way to stay consistent instead of go missing, he has the potential to become a premium defender. 16

18 Ben Maughan - Supercoach Paige 2015 has a positive outlook for the black and white army with some exciting young talent who have potential to mould into superstars of the future. A slightly easier fixture, along with youngsters raring to go means the Magpies are stockpiled with talent that could prove to be damaging, throughout the entirety of your SuperCoach draft. THE GUN Scott Pendlebury [MID] Ave: Pendlebury is an outright gun. He s someone who you can rely on to play week in, week out after missing just five games in the past five seasons. On top of that he s had an enormous SuperCoach average in the past four seasons (126.2) and has dropped below the ton on just eight occasions. If you have a top three pick, look no further. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Taylor Adams [MID/FWD] 2014 AVG: 70.4 Adams style of play is SuperCoach gold; he is a contested freak and wins the hard ball. At just 21-years of age, with a huge pre-season under his belt and with the departure of Luke Ball, Adams could be set to explode. With expectations high for Adams, and with the willingness to live up to the hype he could be a great unique selection for your midfield or forward line. THE ROOKIE Nathan Freeman [MID] AVE: N/A Freeman missed the entire 2014 season due to numerous hamstring injuries, but there s no doubting this kid has potential. After a standout preseason, Freeman will be injected early into Collingwood s midfield. THE GAMBLE: Patrick Karnezis [FWD] AVE: 47.3 Patrick Karnezis has been known for tricking us into selecting him based off strong pre-season form. Currently injury-free, with a much bigger tank and what looks-like a spot in Collingwood s best 22, Karnezis may finally get his chance to play some career best football at AFL level. THE RECRUIT: Jack Crisp [MID/FWD] AVE: 85.7 Crisp has been anointed one of Collingwood s best trainers and looks very likely to feature in the Magpies Round 1 squad. He hit a purple patch late in 2014 between rounds 18 and 21 averaging 96.5 SuperCoach points. 17

19 Henry Azaris Supercoach Paige After making the finals last season, the Bombers are looking to take that next step and win a final in 2015 and have looked to the trade table to get them there. They have brought in Jonathan Giles, James Gwilt and Adam Cooney as players that can really make a difference in taking their list to the next level by added some much needed depth and class. Drafting Kyle Langford and Jayden Laverde inside the top 20 picks at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft is widely viewed as a success but expect their impact to be limited in their debut seasons. THE GUN Jobe Watson [MID] AVE: 107 Watson s 2014 season picked up where his 2013 season left off, scoring over 100 SuperCoach points in eight of his first nine games for an average of 113 before injury hit in Round 12, sidelining the skipper for three months. Of those scores, four were in excess of 120 points, twice being able to go above 150 points. Champion Data ranked Watson the second-safest ball user behind Scott Pendlebury last season. THE ROOKIE Zach Merrett [FWD] AVE: 64 Merrett s presence was made with immediate impact last season, with the first-year sensation playing all but three games in his debut season. Handed the sub vest on five occasions, Merrett averaged 63.7 points from just 63% game time on average. Given his elite accuracy in front of goal and smooth foot skills going inside 50, Merrett could better his average by as much as 30 points this year if he can stay away from the vest. THE GAMBLE Tom Bellchambers [FWD/RUCK] AVE: 56 At the end of the 2013 season Bellchambers went down injured with a badly broken ankle. He did well to get back and play eight games in 2014 but without a proper preseason he was severely underdone. The loss of Paddy Ryder also means that Bellchambers should take up the number one ruck spot at the Dons and if he can stay fit, his scoring will be sure to improve. THE RECRUIT Jonathan Giles [RUCK] AVE: 74 Giles had a great debut season in the 2013, averaging 93 points a game and was selected in almost every team. But in 2014 GWS signed Shane Mumford and all of a sudden he was playing second fiddle. He decided to seek a trade at the end of the season and has found himself at the Bombers where he will fight for the number one spot with Tom Bellchambers. Strongly consider if he can hold a spot in the best

20 Josh Dunell Supercoach Paige Fremantle has in many ways been the forgotten side going in to the 2015 season; something Ross Lyon will most likely thrive on. They were somewhat inactive in the trade period, and that means success will ride on the list they have. It is no secret the club has great confidence with the players that got close to a 2013 premiership, and 2015 will be all about the improvement of those players. THE GUN Nathan Fyfe [MID] AVE: In 2014, Nat Fyfe was ranked second in the competition for contested possessions with a massive average of 16.1 per game. On top of this, Fyfe averaged 4.7 tackles, 3.4 Inside Fifties and 1.2 goals per game. He scored over 140 SuperCoach Points on five occasions last season, including a never say die effort of 156 points during Fremantle s Semi Final loss to Port Adelaide. The new MRP rules will favour his game style expect him to be a Top-5 pick in most SuperCoach Drafts. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Michael Walters [FWD] AVE: 79.2 A strong 2014 season has Michael Walters primed to stand among the elite small forwards in the game. In Fremantle s intra-club match, Walters kicked three goals in as many quarters before finishing the match early. He kicked 15 goals in the eight games he played last year and is set for a big year, and has already been sounded out by Coach Ross Lyon as potential future captain of the club. A solid pickup mid-draft. THE ROOKIE Lachlan Weller [MID] AVE: N/A The younger brother of the hard as nails St Kilda midfielder, Maverick, Lachlan Weller is a speedy midfielder that is set to hit the SuperCoach scene with a head full of steam. The highlights reel from Weller s development in 2014 show that he is a very smart footballer, with an eye for reading the ball in clearance areas. Look for a big 2015 from this talented player, but drafter-beware, he may be a vest candidate. THE GAMBLE Garrick Ibbotson [DEF] AVE: 63.8 Frustrating injuries saw Garrick Ibbotson break down in 2014, but a full fit Ibbo is every bit in Ross Lyon s plans going forward provided enough evidence of what Ibbotson can achieve, averaging 95 points as one of Fremantle s pivotal ball users streaming out of defence. 19

21 Jordie Barr Supercoach Paige For years now people have been writing off Geelong and saying their time is over. Oh how they have proven us all wrong. The Cats finished the season 3 rd on the ladder based only on percentage. Not bad for an aging team who ve been written off since their embarrassing elimination-final exit against the Dockers. Talent still runs deep at the Cattery, but with the likes of Mitch Duncan, Josh Caddy and Cameron Guthrie adding more muscle and stamina over the pre-season and the emergence of George Horlin-Smith and Darcy Lang, plus the addition of Mitch Clark, the Cats will be a force to be reckoned with yet again. THE GUN Joel Selwood [MID] 2014 AVE: The courageous Cats captain hit the SuperCoach ton a whopping 17 times in 2014 including a monstrous 176 against Brisbane in round 23. He kicked three goals twice last year, not bad for a midfielder. He will be heavily in contention as a top-5 selection at the draft table. If he s on the board at pick 5-7, take him! THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Mitch Duncan [Mid] 2014 AVE: 100 Pretty big call calling a player who averaged a SuperCoach score of 100 in 2014 a breakout contender, but expect Mitch Duncan to let loose in He hit the SuperCoach ton 11 times during the 2014 season with a high score of 145 against North Melbourne. He kicked a goal in all but 10 games and kicked 3 goals twice, in round 13 and 19 and should be gaining much more responsibility in a midfield who have lost Allen Christensen and Travis Varcoe. THE GAMBLE: Mitch Clark [FWD] AVE: N/A Many pundits say Geelong took a huge risk in recruiting a player whose durability has been questioned over the journey. In 2009 and 2012 Clark averaged over 80 SuperCoach Points so we have all seen how good this guy can be. A solid pickup late in the draft. THE RECRUIT: Nakia Cockatoo [Mid] AVE: N/A Geelong have very high hopes of Nakia Cockatoo, and with the losses of Varcoe and Christensen, Cockatoo could taste senior football earlier than later. Word out of the Cattery is that he is strongly pushing for a Round 1 birth. If he is named early then he s certainly worth a look. 20

22 Matthew Donald Supercoach Paige The Gold Coast Suns looked set to be marching on towards their maiden finals campaign until Gary Ablett s shoulder went pop. They would go on to lose six of their last seven games to finish two games outside the eight. Fast forward to the start of the 2015 season, and under new coach Rodney Eade the Suns finally look like a serious, genuine contender for the top eight this season. They possess a midfield which rivals the very best in the competition and with the former Swan Nick Malceski now in the Suns back line, there's every chance that we could see the Suns thriving in September action in THE GUN Gary Ablett [MID] AVE: It doesn't matter what your opinion on footballs most talked about shoulder last season is; Gary Ablett is THE must have at Pick 1. He dropped below 120 just three times last season in 15 games (one of them being the game in which he sustained his injury). Remember this is a guy who hasn't averaged below points in a season since You can safely back the champ to return to his prolific, high-scoring feasts this year. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Jack Martin [MID/FWD] AVE: 56.5 He arrived onto the scene with more hype than any debutant to have ever graced a football ground in recent memory, but Jack Martin's official debut lasted all of six minutes before he dislocated his shoulder. He struggled early to find his feet upon return, but finished the season with encouraging scores of 92, 84, 83 and 119. With an injury-free run at it in 2015, there's every chance we could see scores like this more often from Martin. THE GAMBLE Zac Smith [RUCK] AVE: 76.2 The man famous for registering the Sun's first ever score at AFL level, Zac Smith didn't play until Round 9 last season due to a knee injury, but like Martin, Smith also showed encouraging SuperCoach scoring signs, registering two centuries and a 91 in nine matches. He hasn't averaged below 70.1 points or above 78.2 points in a season since his debut, but surely he is due a breakout season soon. THE RECRUIT Mitch Hallahan [MID] AVE 64.5 Starved of opportunities in a supreme Hawthorn midfield, Mitch Hallahan now finds himself a Sun in The former Hawk showed some solid signs in the AFL last season, scoring a 93 and an 83 in his six matches, but it was the VFL form that caught the eye. Hallahan averaged the most SuperCoach points of any non-ruckman at the Box Hill Hawks. His career at the Suns started in a positive fashion as well, notching 104 SuperCoach Points against Geelong in the first pre-season hit-out. 21

23 Paige Cardona Supercoach Paige It s hard not get excited about a list that is choc-full of elite youngsters and is only buoyed by the additions of stars Ryan Griffen and Joel Patful. The Giants are daring to dream in 2015, there should be substantial improvement this year as the Giants embark on climbing up out of the bottom-four. Midfielders such as Dylan Shiel, Toby Greene and Adam Treloar enjoyed breakout seasons in 2014, whilst second-year imports, Heath Shaw and Shane Mumford will be looking to improve from their debut seasons in orange. The Giants again enjoy a friendly fixture, and with so many players creeping up to 50 games of experience, there is quality aplenty to be extracted by drafting GWS players in your draft side this season. THE GUN Callan Ward [MID] AVE: Ward averaged an enormous 12.5 contested possessions and 5.8 tackles a game last season meaning he didn t have to reach extreme disposal numbers to crack the ton. He eclipsed 120 SuperCoach Points in half of his 2014 matches, making him a player you could bank on as an early draft target. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Curtly Hampton [DEF] AVE: 74.9 If you take away an injury-affected score of 33 in Round 12 last year, Hampton enjoyed an average of 80 SuperCoach Points in what was a yo-yo season. He flew out of the gates early last year, averaging 89 points from his first month before injuries resulted in inconsistent numbers. However greater responsibility in a play-making role off half back is on the forecast for Hampton, who in his fourth year looms as a big risk/reward type to sure up your draft backline. THE GAMBLE Toby Greene [MID] AVE: Finishing the 2014 season like a house on fire after returning from his club suspension, Greene ranked number one in the competition for disposals after round 17. After failing to reach the century mark for 27 games in a row, Greene finally reached the SuperCoach ton in round 17, and didn t stop there scoring above 100 in each of the last six games thereafter for a sevengame average of 129 SuperCoach Points. THE RECRUIT Ryan Griffen [MID] AVE: 98.7 Whilst SuperCoaches are accustomed to monster scoring from Griffen who has shown in the past he s able to go beyond 140 SuperCoach Points, Griffen still managed to score over 100 points on nine occasions last year despite carrying a back injury throughout last season. He returned to his vintage best, scoring 189 points (ironically) against the Giants in the final round of

24 Jess Sefton Supercoach Paige The reigning premiers were savaged by injury last year, and as a result, they sought to build their already impressive depth over the trade/free agency period by snaring free agent James Frawley from the Demons and former no. 2 draft pick, Jono O Rourke from the Giants. They still remain the team to beat in 2015, but with an impressive list of youngsters waiting in the wings, pressure will be on for premiership stars to hold their spots as they look toward what could be their third consecutive flag. THE GUN Jordan Lewis [MID] AVE: A hard nut midfielder, Jordan Lewis is coming off a career best season, where he not only recorded his personal best average, he also won the Peter Crimmins medal as Hawthorn s best and fairest. Lewis scored over 90 SuperCoach Points a whopping 19 times, and dropped below 80 just twice; both of which occurred within the first four games of the season. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Liam Shiels [MID] AVE: 86 In his first three seasons, Liam Shiels was used as a stopper, however greater midfield time last season saw him rack up nine scores over 90 points in 2014, hitting the ton on three occasions. He was anointed as Luke Hodge s successor as captain, leading the team out against Collingwood in the NAB Challenge. He s one out of the box, but has great job security for a mid to late pick in your draft. THE ROOKIE Jed Anderson [MID] AVE: N/A A prolific user of the pill, Jed Anderson had an unfortunate bout of pneumonia followed by a season ending shoulder injury for Box Hill which kept him out of the senior side in If you re still not convinced, you need only look to his stellar performance in the NAB cup opener, where he was everywhere, collecting disposals at will, finishing with an elite 110 points to go with his 26 disposals and a goal. THE GAMBLE Brendan Whitecross [DEF] AVE: N/A The luckless defender has suffered consecutive ACL s, which has seen him miss just as many Premierships, but can Brendan Whitecross work his way back into Alistair Clarkson s best 22? He averaged 80 in 2012, he s one to use as a bench-filler. 23

25 Josh Nicholas Supercoach Paige Paul Roos enters his second year as the coach of Melbourne, and has facilitated a huge change to the playing list in his short-time at the club. Heritier Lumumba, Jeff Garlett and Ben Newton bring much needed experience to the club, while another pre-season will help the Demons talented crop of youngsters with what is already a very exciting feeling heading into the 2015 season. Although finals seem out of the question, expect Melbourne to show more signs of improvement, and even take a few scalps against better opposition this year. THE GUN Nathan Jones [MID] AVE: Nathan Jones is starting to develop into SuperCoach Royalty. The captain of the Dees had his best season to date last year, averaging over 100 SuperCoach Points for the first time in his career, with just two scores under 80, and eight scores of over 120. There is no question mark over his durability, having missed just one game over the past five seasons. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Dom Tyson [MID] AVE: 93.5 Heading into his fourth season of AFL, Dom Tyson will be looking to improve on a very good campaign last year, where he played every game. Tyson had seven games last year where he scored over 110 SuperCoach Points, including 159 against Port Adelaide. He should improve on last year s average, and with another uninterrupted pre-season, is ready to become an elite midfielder. THE RECRUIT Heritier Lumumba [DEF] AVE: 77.5 Heritier Lumumba started the season strongly last year for the Pies, registering over 100 points four times in the opening seven games of 2014, but did not go past 100 for the rest of the season. Look to him to receive the ball more this year in a young Demons outfit, and return to his 2013 form, where he averaged 88 SuperCoach Points and went below 70 points just twice. THE ROOKIE Ben Newton [MID] AVE: 40 After spending four years at Port Adelaide, Ben Newton made his way to Melbourne looking for greater opportunity. Despite dominating in the SANFL, Newton only played four games for the Power, three of them as starting sub. Newton should be able to break into Melbourne s best 22, and could produce similar numbers to Dom Tyson last year. 24

26 Tom Berryman Supercoach Paige After missing the finals in 2013, North Melbourne had an exceptional year in which they were able to make it to the Preliminary final, and will look to take it one step further in The Roos will look to draw from the experience of the acquired Jarrad Waite and Shaun Higgins to take them there, however they will be without the club s second highest possession getter in 2014 in Levi Greenwood. THE GUN Todd Goldstein [RUC] AVE North Melbourne s highest averaging SuperCoach Scorer in 2014, Todd Goldstein at 26 years of age is North s SuperCoach gun. Goldstein finished the 2014 season with an average of points in his last six games. He also sits fourth on the hit outs to advantage list last year, which should help him lift his scoring potential. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Jack Ziebell [MID/FWD] AVE 83.6 Jack Ziebell has the ability to score big, scoring over 100 points seven times in 2014, and finished the year in style by averaging SuperCoach points in his last five games. However he is inconsistent, and is frequently on the wrong side of the MRP. The ability to pick him as a forward does make him a very rewarding, yet speculative pick though. He ll be highly sought after in the draft format. THE GAMBLE Andrew Swallow [MID] AVE: 93.1 After missing an extended period of time since suffering an Achilles tendon injury, Swallow - who averaged over 100 points in the four consecutive seasons before the injury, is renowned for his consistency, and before his injury did not miss a game. However, Swallow has a limited upside, as he has never had the ceiling similar midfielders boast. If you re looking to take a risk however, Swallow is one of the safer risks to take. THE RECRUIT Shaun Higgins [DEF/FWD] AVE: 76.4 After finally experiencing a year of injury-free footy, Shaun Higgins has looked solid during his preseason with North Melbourne, gathering 136 points in their first NAB game against Adelaide. He showed he is capable of regular season scores like this last year, where he managed to score over 100 points five times. However, his inconsistency led him to fall below 75 points eleven times throughout the season. His move to a potential top-four side should see him improve this, and if he stays healthy, he could be a very good pick in defence, a position that doesn t have too much depth. 25

27 Daniel Galea Supercoach Paige Once an AFL wasteland, the Power were just 30 seconds off a Grand Final birth in The Power renaissance bought in Paddy Ryder as a senior reinforcement during the offseason and will be looking for continued improvement from young stars Robbie Gray, Chad Wingard, Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett this season. All signs suggest that Port Adelaide will be a Top-4 team in 2015, and with that in mind winning teams are allocated a higher bounty of SuperCoach Points. THE GUN Robbie Gray [MID/FWD] AVE Gray was the highest scoring forward in 2014, scoring above 100 SuperCoach points in 15 of his 22 games, and his ceiling saw him churn out sores of 178, 148 and 140. Gray increased his average from 82.1 in 2013 to in 2014, and is undoubtedly Port Adelaide s star SuperCoach player. THE BREKAOUT CONTENDER Ollie Wines [MID] AVE: It's scary to think that this kid can take his game to another level after increasing his average of 74.0 in 2013 to in The closest comparison of output is a young Joel Selwood, who averaged 76 points in his first year, 98 in his second year, and broke out with a 111 in his third year. Could Wines follow the same path? Bank on it! THE ROOKIE Nathan Krakouer [MID/FWD] AVE: N/A In 2009 he averaged 70.4 points playing for Port Adelaide and is definitely capable of recapturing this form if he can break into the Power s best 22. Keep an eye on him! THE GAMBLE Matthew Broadbent [DEF] AVE: 82.0 A reliable option after averaging 82 SuperCoach Points between After having not missed a game for three years, Broadbent is durable option in the back half given what s on offer. He s also seen midfield minutes, too and is a sneaky chance to better his 2014 output. THE RECRUIT Patrick Ryder [RUCK/FWD] AVE: Ryder punched out scores of over 100 points in 11 games from a total of 20 last season which highlighted his SuperCoach importance. The most exciting prospect about Ryder is that he is the best dual position Ruckman available. 26

28 Dan Batten Supercoach Paige A virtually unchanged list on the free agency/trade front will look to make amends of their disappointing 2014 season ending with a dismal thrashing at the Adelaide Oval. The men in yellow and black turned a seemingly unsuccessful season into a mad dash for the finals, sneaking in by the skin of their teeth to finish 8 th on the ladder. With the last two seasons yielding two failed finals campaigns, it ll be all systems go at Tigerland - meaning the best 22 will be on the park more often than not for your SuperCoach Draft sides. THE GUN Trent Cotchin [MID] AVE: Cotchin had a sub-par 2014, which means he may slip out to a later selection in your SuperCoach Draft league. The skipper is a proven star; averaging 100+ the past four seasons (including 116 in 2012) and knows how to find the footy. When it rains, it pours for Cotchin, exceeding 130 SuperCoach four times in including a monster 168! Definitely worth a look in if he s still available for selection. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Nick Vlastuin [DEF/MID] AVE: 67.5 The former no.8 draft selection is entering his third season with the Tigers, seeing off the second year blues with a lower average than his first season. If he maximise his attacking output in 2015 we should see more performances like his 141-point match against the Dees in his debut season. We ve seen what Dayne Zorko was capable of last year in his third season - perhaps Vlastuin can stamp himself on the competition and more importantly, SuperCoach in THE GAMBLE Ivan Maric [Ruck] AVE: 99.6 Just like his haircut, selecting big Ivan will be a bold risk for us SuperCoaches due to his recent history with injury. But unlike growing a mullet, selecting Ivan has significant upside. He raised eyebrows after his late return last season, reaching triple figures in seven of his 14 matches. These efforts replicated his enormous 2012 season where he averaged 113 points a match, a thought that should remain in the back of your mind on draft night. If his body is 100%, he should set you apart from the rest. THE RECRUIT Taylor Hunt [Def] AVE: 60 The only recruit for the Tigers ahead of 2015 played just seven games for the Cats last season. Damien Hardwick likes his aggressive intent; so if he is given opportunity expect to see him in and around the centre square. A player who in the past has been cursed by run-with roles may become relevant if he is given licence to win his own footy and use his breakaway speed. With the shortage of defensive options, he is at least worth keeping tabs on. 27

29 Jack O Neil Supercoach Paige There s no secret St Kilda will again struggle again this year, perhaps with slight improvement. Their fall from grace following the 2010 Grand Final is still hurting them, but the signs are slowly turning with youngsters being continually given opportunity. Although they re not premiership relevant, there are still players within the side that can help you achieve success in the draft format. THE GUN Jack Steven [MID] AVE year-old Jack Steven had 13 of his 2013 games result in a SuperCoach ton, with his SuperCoach ceiling demonstrated against Port Adelaide (161 points). Fast-forward to 2014 where he began his season in Round 4, after an injury interrupted preseason and produced five score of 100+ (100, 102, 104, 109 and 131). After he finished off the year with a modest average of 84.8, Steven presents huge value in the draft caper. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Jack Newnes (DEF/MID) AVE 81 The highly talked about Jack Newnes is ready to explode. With 47 games to his name, the rebounding defender is fast becoming St Kilda s go-to man in defence. Newnes averaged just under 90 points across the first six games in 2014, but this figure fell alongside his team. He was able to restore individual success rounding out the final six games with an average of THE GAMBLE Nick Riewoldt [FWD] AVE Five rounds into the 2014 season, Riewoldt had an average of over 120 points that being as a KPP. He also finished the year with seven SuperCoach tons, with four of those above 120. After playing every game, the 32-year-old averaged 16.7 disposals, 8.7 marks and 2.2 goals. Being the draft version of SuperCoach, Riewoldt would be an ideal player to at least start with up forward for the first part of the season. THE RECRUIT Tim Membrey [FWD] AVE N/A Securing the services of Tim Membry was a coup for the Saints, and it should be felt with immediate effect. The medium size forward is still young, and should feature regularly in the Saints line-up. The 188cm forward has the capabilities, scoring 97 goals in 33 NEAFL games, while averaging 112 SuperCoach Points last season. 28

30 Daniel Kupke Supercoach Paige The Grand Finalists of 2014 remain heavily draft-relevant again in 2015, and despite trade restrictions handed down by the AFL, the Swans were still able to stock up their list with highly regarded teens form the clubs Academy System, headed by Isaac Heeney. The loss of Nick Malceski has opened the door for a number of Swans to claim the SuperCoach-friendly rebounding position, but it was the breakout season of Luke Parker and Dan Hannebery that got tongues wagging last year. Josh Kennedy looms as a Top-10 draft selection, whilst the returning Tom Mitchell will create plenty of debate given his dual-position status. THE GUN Josh P Kennedy [MID] AVE Kennedy has come through as one of the SuperCoach elite in the past few years. Last season he was third in disposals a game, second in contested possessions a game and first in handballs a game. He could be a very good captain option week in and out only scoring under 100 twice last season. Also note that he did average 120 in Kennedy would probably command a late first round or early second round pick depending on the size of your league. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Tom Mitchell [MID/FWD] AVE 83.8 After a faultless preseason, Mitchell will experience greater game time according to John Longmire. Mitchell played only six games last season, of which some were sub-affected scores. Across the last three seasons in the NEAFL, Mitchell averaged 30 disposals, culminating in a SuperCoach average of 134 during that period. Last year during his third NEAFL game of the season, Mitchell put on a show, collecting 64 disposals 24 of those contested 12 clearances, 14 inside-50 s, four goals and wait for it 270 SuperCoach points. Very good mid-round pick. THE GAMBLE Gary Rohan [DEF] AVE 50.6 The former first-round pick who snapped his leg in 2013 made solid in-roads in his return to football last year. His switch to half back in the later stages of last season proved a win for SuperCoaches, particularly sincehe has been touted as a replacement for Malceski off the half back flank. Rohan may not average over 100 like Malceski did last year, but with the lack of defenders, he could be a risky option. One for late in the draft. THE ROOKIE Isaac Heeney [MID] AVE N/A Heeney, a Sydney Academy graduate, was a SuperCoach beast in the U18 National Championships. He averaged 24 disposals in his three games (highest average) and SuperCoach points which are great numbers, although he might not be able to do this at AFL level just yet. 29

31 Akash Tatikonda Supercoach Hardly talked about this pre-season from a SuperCoach point of view, West Coast finished 9 th in 2014, only just missing out on finals. The silver lining as a result is that they are presented with arguably the leagues easiest draw. West Coast picked up a couple of bargains in the draft through the likes of Liam Duggan, Tom Lamb, and Damian Cavka and offered a lifeline to discarded Carlton midfielder Kane Lucas in the Rookie draft. All could easily see senior action. THE GUN Matt Priddis [MID] AVE Is it possible to be underrated as a Brownlow Medallist? No one saw it coming and hardly anyone has Priddis in their side - his 2014 season included 16 centuries, with five of those being over 130 SuperCoach Points and scored less than 80 points only three times. This prolific scoring is helped due to the fact Priddis ranked inside the top five in the AFL in several high scoring SuperCoach. Scored 126 SuperCoach Points in the first NAB Challenge game. THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Sharrod Wellingham [FWD/MID] 2014 AVE 69.8 Having been in the system for a while now, however a couple of injury-affected years has hit Wellingham harder than Barry Hall s fist. Wellingham averaged nearly 82 points in his last injuryfree season and has had a solid pre-season to date scoring 83 points in the first NAB Challenge game. Wellingham was once referred to as the best underrated player in the competition in his time at the Magpies, and with the Eagles having coughed up a first round pick for his services, they ll be hoping he can stay injury free and really push his SuperCoch average to a career high. THE ROOKIE Tom Lamb [FWD] 2014 AVE N/A Tom Lamb had an impressive outing against the Indigenous All Stars and started as the sub in the first NAB Challenge game showing plenty of energy when he came on. He could be anything is said numerous times about Tom Lamb and is extremely athletic for someone his size, Lamb has shown he can find the ball as well as kick goals as shown in round 1 of the TAC Cup in 2014 when he kicked six goals and gathered 33 disposals. THE GAMBLE Scott Selwood [MID] 2014 AVE 80.3 Scott Selwood could only muster a total of 12 games after an ankle injury put a line through his 2014 season. Selwood has shown in 2012 and 2013 he is a serious SuperCoach prospect, averaging nearly 104 points in both years. If Selwood stays fit and doesn t have to undertake any tagging roles, he is seriously worth considering and could prove to be the best gamble your side has taken at the draft table. 30

32 Steve Currie Supercoach Paige It's a completely different look for the Bulldogs the season, with the Doggies heading into the 2015 with their Coach, CEO, captian and Brownlow Medalist no longer at the kennel from season Things took a further hit in their first NAB challenge hitout, with star midfielder and Best and Fairest winner Tom Liberatore going down with a season ending knee injury. The Bulldogs also managed to obtain the services of former number one pick Tom Boyd. Whilst his output in 2014 might be limited, there's no doubt he will structurally improve the bulldogs. THE GUN Will Minson [Ruck] AVE 93.3 Despite battling through the 2014 season with a significant back injury, Minson still managed to maintain a good average of 93.3 SuperCoach points. With his back injury behind him, and after shedding a few kilos in the pre-season, Minson will be hoping to reach the heights of his 2013 All Australian year where he averaged 114 SuperCoach points THE BREAKOUT CONTENDER Nathan Hrovat [FWD] AVE 74.9 After a slow start in the 2014 season, Hrovat finished the year playing 12 of the last 13 games. Despite being a natural midfielder, Hrovat was played out of position in the forward line, and as such finds himself as only a forward option in With a new coach, and several midfield spots opening up this pre-season, his natural ability to accumulate to ball and his elite disposal could make him a fantastic forward option this year. THE GAMBLE Jackson Macrae [Mid] AVE The first round draftee showed why he was exactly that last year, averaging inside the top 20 for average disposals despite being a second year player. He managed ten centuries last season, his biggest being a monster 172 SuperCoach points against the Gold Coast Suns. He did struggle with the tag however, and with Ryan Griffen and Tom Liberatore not there to help him this year, he could be in for a rough one. THE ROOKIE Caleb Daniel [FWD] Ave: N/A It's no secret that if Daniel was a little taller, he would have easily been taken in the top ten of last year s National Draft. It's easy to see why, with the nuggety on-baller averaging the most Champion Data points of any player in the Under 18 National Championships. He averaged 20 disposals across the carnival games and went at an unheard of 91% disposal efficiency. If he features early, you may regret not owning him in your team. 31

33 CROWNING A KING Sarah Lucken Footy Prophet Gary Ablett Jnr The Case For: He is without a doubt the best player in the competition, perhaps the best player the game has ever seen. Ablett has history on his side, as he has averaged over 125 SuperCoach points for the last 7 years running and 2014 was shaping to be his best yet. If we disregard his injury-affected score from round 16, Ablett averaged points for the year, his best to date. In some of the Gold Coast matches last year, a big performance from Ablett made the difference between a win and a loss; our draft teams are no different. The little master has a huge ceiling, showcased by no less than 5 scores above 150 in He averages 1.2 goals a game across his career with the Suns, but the development of young midfielders around him should see this number increase. Ablett may well be entering the season underdone but he is the consummate professional and the later start to the season will only help given his ability to start the year strongly The Case Against: The development of those young midfielders plus the addition of Nick Malceski and Mitch Hallahan sees the Suns looking stacked. Can the 30-year-old continue to rack up 30 plus disposals per game in 2015? Ablett is too good to count out based on that alone, but add shoulder surgery and a preseason that has been far from 100% and we have a concern or two. Tom Rockliff The Case For: In 2014, Rockliff broke into the elite category in terms of disposals and the SuperCoach scores that go along with them. With a season average of 132, second only to Gary Ablett, he had an extremely consistent year. The 25-year-old finished the season with a bang, notching up over 40 disposals in his last three games, but that isn't all there is to like about him. Rockliff is a tackling machine, averaging 9.1 tackles a game in season 2014, the highest in the competition. The young Lion has a ceiling equal to Gary Ablett, and 6 SuperCoach scores above 150 throughout 2014 will attest to that. Since announcing himself so dramatically as a player in 2014, the question remains on whether he ll get tagged. Expect Dayne Beams or Pearce Hanley, when fit, to attract the opposition tag. There's not a concern here. We need not question his fitness, Rockliff has had a brilliant pre-season and been appointed the Captain of the young Lions team. The season cannot start soon enough for him. 32

34 The Case Against: There's two big points that need to be made in the case against Tom Rockliff. Firstly, 2014 was his first year to average over 115 SuperCoach points. In fact, in the five years prior he only averaged over 100 twice. That's not to say he can't continue to score at 130+ per game, but you must question whether 2014 was a freak performance. Particularly if you are going to spend that prized number one pick on him. Secondly, Brisbane will have significantly greater depth in its midfield this year. The acquisition of Dayne Beams, Allen Christensen and Mitch Robinson in the off season and the return of injured stars, Daniel Rich and Jack Redden may mean less of the leather for Rockliff. Scott Pendlebury The Case For: One of the most consistent footballers and SuperCoach scorers of the last four years, Pendlebury has averaged 126 points across that time. In 2014 he had only 2 games where his SuperCoach score slipped under the 100 mark, and his total score for the year was second only to Joel Selwood. He consistently finds the football, and he disposes of it really well. Efficiency is the key for the 27-year-old. He has shared the tag with Dane Swan throughout his career and 2015 looks to be no different; he'll again handle it well. The departure of Dayne Beams sees a need for Pendlebury to lift his game and support the young midfield around him; this will only help his SuperCoach scores. If you want a guy who will bank you 125 points each and every week of the season, Pendlebury is your man. The Case Against: There are few negatives about Scott Pendlebury, but you must consider them. His scoring week to week was in 2014 secondary to that of Ablett and Tom. His ceiling is high but he rarely gets there, with only two games above 150. If you want to see massive scores he's not the man to take with that first overall pick. In Conclusion Put simply, your choice comes down to what type of coach you are and what draft strategies you employ. You can take the no risk option, lock in Scott Pendlebury and bank an aboveaverage score in practically every game this season. You can take the medium risk option, lock in proven SuperCoach stud Gary Ablett and reap the benefits providing his shoulder/fitness holds up. Or finally you can take the high risk, high reward option, lock in Tom Rockliff and enjoy those 150+ scores all season, unless 2014 was simply a freak season. Gary Ablett is the King but whatever your strategy come draft day, you d be unlucky if any of these three came back to haunt you this year. 33

35 TOBY GREENE 2014 Average: Games: Projected Average: 110 Bye Round: 13 Position: MID Toby Greene finished the season like a house on fire after returning from his club-imposed suspension. There s no doubt putting all of his off-field issues behind him was a blessing for Greene, dominating key statistics in his final seven games of the season. He ranked number one in the competition for disposals after round 17 and also ranked fourth for uncontested possessions in that time. After failing to reach the century mark for 27 games in a row, Greene finally reached the ton in round 17, and didn t stop there scoring a ton in each of the last six games thereafter. Greene also has the round 13 bye, which makes him a good point of difference if you don t want to stack your team with midfielders from the other bye rounds. Greater Western Sydney also has an easy start to the season, only facing one finalist from the 2014 season, their crosstown rivals, the Sydney Swans. They also have a very soft opening two rounds facing the bottom two sides from last year, St. Kilda and Melbourne. Discipline is an area Greene needs to address, with the ball magnet serving a suspension in each of his opening three seasons for both on and off-field incidents. Despite getting plenty of the ball, Greene is gathering possessions in an uncontested situation, with 60.7% of his total disposals coming in that manner. This is worrying as Greene s kicking efficiency ranks poor, at a disappointing 55.8%. If he wants to reach those truly mammoth scores, Greene will need to start being more effective with his disposal. He also averaged the sixth-fewest meters per game out of the top 50 ball winners in the competition and despite taking 54 marks throughout the season not one was a contested mark, further highlighting his inability to be effective in contested situations. If his finish to the 2014 season is anything to go by Greene could be one of the bargain pick-ups in SuperCoach Draft, with his ability to find the ball unmatched by players falling in a similar price bracket. Ryan Griffen s arrival to the Giants will have an effect on Greene s output, but whether that is in a positive or negative manner remains to be seen. Given GWS favourable draw at the beginning of the season, it would be wise to strongly consider Greene as they only play three finalists from last year before their bye round. 34

36 DYSON HEPPELL SuperCoach 2014 Average: Projected 2015 average: games: 21 Bye Round: 12 Position: MID The Goldilocks of Football has found his feet and his move from the half back flank to the midfield is perfect from a SuperCoach point of view. Dyson Heppell had a stellar year taking out his first Best & Fairest award, finishing fourth in the AFLPA MVP and averaging a little over 106 SuperCoach points a game in Heppell s breakout season was backed up by the fact he registered inside the top 20 in the AFL for the following statistics; 5th in Disposals Per Game 14th in Total Handballs 15th in Total Contested Possessions 16th in Contested Possessions Per Game 18th in Total Effective Disposals 6th in Total Disposals 15th in Total Kicks 15th in Effective Disposals Per Game 17th in Kicks Per Game 19th in Total Uncontested Possessions Heppell is now entering his prime and becomes a real steal compared to the big guns of the midfield ranks. Labelled as the best player under 22 years old, Heppell stole the limelight off injured skipper Jobe Watson and in doing so, 17 out of his 21 games he managed to score between 90 and 133 SuperCoach Points. These facts have consistency written all over them. Week by week he is becoming one of the best midfielders in the league, he averaged 28 disposals a game and on nine occasions gathered 30 possessions or more. He is also one of the most durable players in the competition, playing at least 19 games in each season since his first. There really isn t much to hinder a player with such upside. More midfield time means more attention from opposition taggers, although opponents still have players like Jobe Watson and Brendon Goddard to worry about. In saying this, he will be looked at heavily by oppositions which was evident late last season. Heppell is an ideal second to third round draft pick at your SuperCoach draft, and despite minor surgery that has taken him off his feet for a fortnight, James Hird is adamant he will be running out in Round 1. 35

37 OLLIE WINES 2014 Average: Games: Projected Average: 105 Bye Round: 13 Position: MID Ollie Wines showed significant improvement following an impressive debut season, avoiding the dreaded second year blues and increasing his output in many key areas. As a result of these statistical improvements, Wines was able to reach 100 SuperCoach points on ten occasions, a healthy improvement from his three in This played a big part in seeing his SuperCoach average rise from 74 in 2013 to 100 last season, the highest of any draftee selected in the 2012 National Draft. He joins elite company in this regard, with Scott Pendlebury, Joel Selwood, Tom Rockliff and Nathan Fyfe all being the most prolific SuperCoach scorers in their second seasons in comparison to their draft classes. Further to this, across the 2014 finals series, Wines averaged a most impressive SuperCoach points, scoring two centuries, 120 against Richmond in the Elimination Final, and 123 against the Dockers in the Power s Semi-final win. If Wines can continue to show improvement, there s no reason why he can t have another breakout season. In what s becoming a worrying trend for Wines, he was once again unable to be a consistent scorer throughout an entire season, fading badly in the second half of the season, much like his debut year in Despite starting strongly in his first 12 games, Wines output in many key areas took a heavy hit, and as such affected his SuperCoach scoring. Wines average was also significantly better in wins, with an average of 106 SuperCoach points in comparison to just 90 in losses. Given that Port Adelaide have a harder draw in 2015, this could affect Wines output. Port Adelaide also have a challenging start to the season, facing the top five finishing teams (excluding themselves) from 2014 in the opening five rounds. Wines was average at best in his nine games against these teams, only managing to reach the 100 point mark on three occasions. Don t keep him off your radar however, as he has a soft draw between rounds five and 10, where Port Adelaide only face one finalist from last year. He also averaged 111 points in his seven games against these teams in 2014, five of which reached triple figures. He looms as a quality selection in the fourth round onwards in the draft caper, and might just find that nextlevel we know he is capable of reaching. 36

38 DION PRESTIA Supercoach 2014 Average: Games: Projected Average: 115 Bye Round: 12 Position: MID The rise of Dion Prestia isn't exactly hard to fathom. The now fourth-year Suns midfielder rated highly in his breakout year in 2014, and whilst his ownership across the board wasn't extravagant - his scoring certainly was. After playing all 22 games last year, Prestia went on a scoring rampage, finishing with a tidy average of 106 in just his third season. He posted a whopping 12 SuperCoach tons, and that figure could've been greater had it not been for another five games with SuperCoach scores in the 90's. But it's not just his ability to score over 100 SuperCoach points that coaches should be focusing on, it's his monster ceiling that has him flying heavily under the radar ahead of a year in which the Suns are tipped to break their finals duck and make serious in-roads towards their September assault. Prestia managed to score above 120 on nine occasions; in fact four of those 120+ scores were above 130, including 144 points against Richmond, 146 points against West Coast, 137 against Geelong the week after that, plus 135 against Port Adelaide in round 21. In fact, that purple patch of Prestia's year in between round returned a five-game average of 127.2, that folks, is Gary Ablett territory. Speaking of Gaz, Prestia scored just as many SuperCoach tons in the first half of the season, as he did in the second half of the year - proving that with or without Ablett's presence, he was still able to rack up big numbers. For Prestia however, the contested-ball winning monster ranked 19th overall in clearances in not bad for a third year player. Added to that, he ranked 16th in total disposals, and 15th in disposals per game. All this, from a player who still hadn't turned 21. Prestia was elite in terms of his possessions averaging 27.1 per game, rated within the top bracket for tackles, averaging 4.6 per game, as well as Inside 50's (four) and clearances (5.4). The issue you'll face with Prestia, is that he is handball-happy. We're all aware that more points are gained from kicks rather than handballs. If there is one area to critique however, Prestia still managed five scores below 80 in There is minimal downside to Prestia, in fact - three really isn't an element that is going to hold him back if you pick in your fantasy draft this year. His ceiling is huge, so too is his ability to win contested possessions, clearances and rate high in score assists which will mean that his weekly output in terms of scores are always going to feature highly. 37

39 TOM MITCHELL 2014 Games Played: SuperCoach Average: 83.8 Projected 2015 SuperCoach Average: Bye Round: 12 Position: MID/FWD If there was a more consistent and prolific ball-winner in any league than Tom Mitchell s 2014 campaign in the NEAFL, then you can forgive yourself if you ve missed him, because we all have. If you try describing Mitchell s season to anyone, you ll quickly run out of superlatives, because it was nothing short of phenomenal. However, those who pay close attention to the NEAFL will tell you it wasn t anything that they didn t expect from the young Swan. Across the last three seasons in the NEAFL, Mitchell averaged 30 disposals, culminating in a SuperCoach average of 134 during that period. Last year during his third NEAFL game of the season, Mitchell put on a show. His numbers that day? 64 disposals, 24 of those contested, 12 clearances, 14 inside-50 s, four goals and wait for it 270 SuperCoach points. For all the hoo-ha that the AFL is a sizeable step up in class from the NEAFL, Mitchell is no stranger to scoring well on the big stage either. In his last game of the season in 2014 he scored 121 against Richmond in Round 23, and in 2013 as a 19-year-old, Mitchell topped the ton four times, with a score of 99 and three other scores of 80+ in 14 matches. There is no doubt that if Mitchell can get some games in this Sydney side he will certainly reward you with some handsome scores, but that does remain a big if. It s hard enough cementing a spot in the midfield of an AFL club at the best of times, but when you have company such as Josh P Kennedy (113.9 average), Jarrad McVeigh (104.5), Luke Parker (108.5), Kieren Jack (102.7) and Daniel Hannebery (101.0) to compete with, that just makes it all the more difficult. Of all those names, Parker is the one with the most comparable playing style to Mitchell the floating half-forward who often pushes into the midfield with great effect and is subsequently one of the main reasons Mitchell struggles to crack the Sydney 22. There s no doubting his scoring capabilities, but the question remains, is he good enough to leapfrog the aforementioned names? Also, for someone who can play forward with decent results Mitchell doesn t score very many goals. Last season he scored 2.2 from six games. In 2013 Mitchell had a better goal average, but a far worse accuracy. In 2014 Mitchell averaged 0.3 goals a game with a 50% accuracy rate, but in 2013 Mitchell averaged 0.78 goals per game at just 39.3% accuracy. Longmire is going to find it very difficult to leave him out of the season opener against Essendon. He has a point to prove, so don t be surprised if he comes out all guns blazing in

40 BRANDON ELLIS Supercoach 2014 Average: Games: 23 Projected Average: 109 Bye Round: 11 Position: MID The fourth-year Tiger enjoyed a breakout year in 2014, finishing the season playing all but one game and ringing in a career best SuperCoach average of 96.9 points in what was a big year. Whilst conjecture remains between SuperCoaches as to whether or not Ellis can be regarded as a legitimate midfield premium option, Ellis' scores, married up with statistics make for a compelling case if you're looking for a genuine gun player. Firstly, we'll start with Ellis' scores. 10 times he was able to hit triple-digits in 2014, including a high of 144 against GWS. And whilst immediately any 140+ score against the Giants is rubbished, a score of 111 came against reigning premiers Hawthorn in round six as well as 124 SuperCoach points in round 23 against Sydney. There were also tons against other finalists including Fremantle (114) and North Melbourne (102). On nine occasions Ellis enjoyed 28 + disposal games despite a yearly average of Key SuperCoach statistical areas in Ellis' game are all the more reason why he is considered to be a dark horse to really put his hand up further as a bona fide premium. For a player who has established himself as a midfielder, the fact that he is able to push back into defense and average an elite 4.1 rebound 50's per game, is astonishing. To put that into perspective, popular SuperCoach defenders Matthew Jaensch, Michael Hibberd, Andrew Walker, Grant Birchall and Kade Simpson were anywhere from 6-30 places behind him for that statistic. In fact, Ellis was the only midfielder in the top 20 for rebound 50's in 2014 to feature. Elite disposal efficiency gives Ellis monster hurt-factor. With his average of 73.2 per cent per game, and a habit of using the ball often by foot, that in itself is a vital statistic for coaches to consider. Whilst ranking sixth overall for kicks, Ellis ranked ahead of other popular midfielders such as Gary Ablett, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams, Tom Rockliff, Nat Fyfe and Joel Selwood. However, for an outside midfielder, Ellis doesn't exactly hit the scoreboard often. An average of 0.4 goals per game is reflected by the time he spends using the ball well by foot from the back half. However if Ellis can consistently start bagging goals, even on average one per game - not only is he going to become a serious weapon in Richmond's attacking midfield, but it will bump his average up to approximately 110 SuperCoach points per game, with scope for bigger scores. 39

41 JACK NEWNES 2014 Average: Games: Projected Average: 90 Bye Round: 12 Position: DEF/MID Having signed a two-year contract extension last September tying him to the Saints until the end of 2017, Jack Newnes is most definitely part of the future at the St. Kilda Football Club. The 22 year-old already has 47 games of AFL experience in his three years at the top level, having been picked up by the Saints with selection 37 in the 2011 National draft. Newnes has steadily gained a foothold in the Saints best 22, playing seven games in his debut season, 18 in 2013 and all 22 matches last season. His continual improvement can be seen from his disposal averages, as they have increased from 12.3 in 2012, to 15.2 in 2013, up to 19.9 for The slick, rebounding defender forged himself as St Kilda s go-to man from defence in 2014, averaging 2.4 rebound-50s per game and 5.6 marks including a tick under 20 disposals on average per game at a tidy 75.4 per cent disposal efficiency. Given these numbers, it can reasonably be expected that Newnes will continue to improve again in Specifically in SuperCoach terms, Newnes had what can be best described as a mixed season. His early games in 2014 showed him as an extremely handy breakout prospect with an average of 89.7 across the first six rounds. While he fell away through the mid-part of the season, as the Saints continued to struggle on field, Newnes was able to rebound impressively over the final six rounds, averaging 92.3 SuperCoach points during that period with centuries against finalists Fremantle (106, Round 18), and Sydney (104, Round 21). Overall for the season, Newnes averaged 81.2 SuperCoach points, a vast improvement over his 2013 numbers of 58.2, with four centuries, and a high score of 115. With a season high of 29 disposals against the Suns in Round 9, he accumulated 14 scores above 80, and in 13 of his games, accumulated 20 or more disposals, five times attracting 25 or better. However as with many young players, Newnes is yet to find the consistency of an established SuperCoach player. During the middle of last season, Newnes really hit struggle town, averaging just 69.5 SuperCoach points from Rounds 7-17 inclusive with just the one century, and six scores below 61. His disposal efficiency also has not progressed in line with his general improvement, as his efficiency of 73.3 per cent was in fact less than in his debut season with 76.7 per cent. A reasonable improvement in his SuperCoach numbers is to be expected, although his inconsistency will keep these from entering the three-figure area. Overall, it might be wise to see how his NAB Challenge and early season games go before making the decision to jump on board the talented young Saint. 40

42 Player News is powered by Footy Prophet and is the ultimate guide to the latest news and analysis for your fantasy line-up. Player News will keep you up to date and informed, right throughout the season. Available on With draft leagues headlining the new age of fantasy footy in Australia, Supercoach Paige and Footy Prophet have been devotedly working behind the scenes to ensure like-minded football enthusiasts are up to date with comprehensive analysis and opinion of all things fantasy. We hope the 2015 SuperCoach Draft Kit leads your fantasy team to a premiership and all the bragging rights that follow. There is no way this draft kit could have been produced without the efforts of both Footy Prophet and Supercoach Paige. A big thank you to all. Want to ask us a question? Follow us both on Twitter & Facebook: Supercoach Paige Footy 41