AFL Supercoach 2024: Bargains, value and mid-priced madness

Kieran Francis

AFL Supercoach 2024: Bargains, value and mid-priced madness image

It's the most risky part of the AFL Supercoach - hunting for bargains and value among the mid-priced madness.

Getting one of these selections right can greatly improve your team and its point scoring but a failure could set you back a trade.

The Sporting News takes a look at the mid-priced options in AFL Supercoach 2024.

SEE: ALL SUPERCOACH 2024 CONTENT FROM THE SPORTING NEWS

Bargain and mid-priced defenders

Name Club 2023 Avg. Price
Keidean Coleman Brisbane 71.3 $398,000
Isaac Cumming (MID) GWS 65.8 $387,600
Marcus Windhager (MID) St Kilda 57.8 $323,200
Heath Chapman Fremantle 64.3 $277,500
Zac Williams Carlton 0 $216,000

Brisbane running defender Keidean Coleman fell well short of his 2022 average of 87, but improved throughout the season and took his game to another level in finals. He looks ready to break out.

After producing two 90-plus averages in 2021 and 2022, Isaac Cumming dipped to just below 70 in 2023. Keep an eye on GWS' pre-season and Cumming's 2024 role.

Zac Williams will be in most teams after a couple of injury-affected seasons, but can he keep his body right as Carlton mount a premiership challenge?

Keidean Coleman Brisbane
Getty Images

Bargain and mid-priced ruckman

Name Club 2023 Avg. Price
Tristan Xerri North Melbourne 72.9 $407,000
Jordon Sweet Port Adelaide 0 $158,700

As usual there is not a huge amount of ruck bargains with a premium set-and-forget policy usually implemented, but Tristan Xerri is almost a certainty to be North Melbourne's no.1 ruckman with Todd Goldstein's departure.

Jordon Sweet has swapped the Western Bulldogs for Port Adelaide in search of opportunities and he is likely competing with Ivan Soldo for the no.1 ruck position. If he gets game time, he could be a valuable bench option.

Bargain and mid-priced midfielders

Name Club 2022 Avg. Price
Taylor Adams (FWD) Sydney 78.2 $437,000
Cameron Guthrie Geelong 83.7 $420,800
Marcus Windhager (DEF) St Kilda 57.8 $323,200
Nat Fyfe (FWD) Fremantle 50.7 $283,200
James Jordon (FWD) Sydney 49.3 $275,500
James Harmes (FWD) Western Bulldogs 46.2 $258,300

Sydney recruit Taylor Adams will likely return to the midfield after seeing his scores lower in a forward role at Collingwood.

Cam Guthrie averaged 113.3 in 2021 and with Geelong's ageing list, is likely to be a leader in the midfield. If fit, he could be an inspired selection.

James Jordon
Getty Images

Bargain and mid-priced forwards

Name Club 2022 Avg. Price
Taylor Adams (MID) Sydney 78.2 $437,000
Nat Fyfe (MID) Fremantle 50.7 $283,200
James Jordon (MID) Sydney 49.3 $275,500
James Harmes (MID) Western Bulldogs 46.2 $258,300
Jack Billings Melbourne 62.3 $243,900

For the second season in a row, Nat Fyfe is featured in this column after spectacularly struggling last season. If he is fit, Fyfe is value at this price. This is the golden question.

James Jordon has swapped Melbourne for Sydney and could see his sub-affected 2023 average of 49.3 rise sharply with more midfield time.

Another that has left the Demons - James Harmes - looks set for a big season at the Bulldogs. Harmes averaged 95 in 2019.

Jack Billings is going to be another popular selection with his low price if he gets a game for new club Melbourne. He has three 90-plus averages between 2017 and 2020.

Jack Billings - St Kilda
Getty Images

AFL Supercoach 2024 content from The Sporting News

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.