The final piece of your AFL Supercoach 2021 puzzle is the forward line - an area where your selections need to be smart and not based around goalscoring power.
Traditionally, the forward players who play in the midfield during games are usually the top scoring within the forward discipline in Supercoach.
Can Patrick Dangerfield match his output in 2021 with his time in the forward line increasing?
Will Steele Sidebottom return to the midfield with the departure of Adam Treloar?
MORE: AFL SC 2021: Bye round rules and how to prepare | AFL Supercoach 2021: Defender prices and selection guide | AFL SC 2021: All the player position and role changes
Sporting News looks at the prices of the AFL forwards and analyses the questions you want answered.
Top 10 Premium Forward Prices
| Name | Club | 2020 Avg. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Dangerfield | Geelong | 113.9 | $611,900 |
| Steele Sidebottom | Collingwood | 109.4 | $588,000 |
| Tom Hawkins | Geelong | 105.8 | $568,600 |
| Josh Dunkley | Western Bulldogs | 104.3 | $560,200 |
| Rowan Marshall | St Kilda | 103.7 | $557.200 |
| Dustin Martin | Richmond | 100.8 | $541,600 |
| Michael Walters | Fremantle | 98.9 | $531,100 |
| Dayne Zorko | Brisbane | 97.9 | $525,800 |
| Charlie Dixon | Port Adelaide | 92.8 | $498,700 |
| Robbie Gray | Port Adelaide | 91.4 | $491,100 |
With only six forwards available for selection in the position in 2021 averaging 100-plus last season, it's important to nail the correct premium selections.
Jeremy Cameron's arrival to Geelong should mean Patrick Dangerfield returns to spend more time in the midfield, making him a lock for every Supercoach forward line.
After his disciplinary issues, Steele Sidebottom spent time in the forward line with Josh Daicos excelling on the wing, but the departure of Adam Treloar could pave the way for more midfield action for the Collingwood veteran.
Tom Hawkins will be a risky selection until we are sure Cameron's presence at the Cattery won't lower his scores, while uncertainty around Josh Dunkley's role at the Bulldogs means careful thought should be put into him.
The unpredictability around roles is a recurring theme with Supercoach forwards in 2021, with the same questions asked about Rowan Marshall, Michael Walters and Robbie Gray. Will they play in the engine room and generate big scores?
Cheaper Premium Forward Options
| Name | Club | 2020 Avg. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Bolton | Richmond | 86.1 | $462,400 |
| Isaac Heeney | Sydney | 94.0 | $454,500 |
| Chad Wingard | Hawthorn | 84.2 | $452,300 |
| Toby Greene | GWS | 83.5 | $448,400 |
| Jack Martin | Carlton | 83.1 | $446,300 |
| Jeremy Cameron | Geelong | 72.2 | $388,100 |
| Lance Franklin | Sydney | N/A | $312,000 |
Because of the shortened quarters and unusual season in 2020 due to COVID, there are several attractive forward options on the cheaper end of the scale.
Sydney gun Isaac Heeney had an injury-interrupted campaign but he still averaged 94 from his six games, and he has two seasons where he has scored 97 across the home-and-away matches in the past.
Chad Wingard and Toby Greene are forwards who spend time through the midfield but the amount of time they spend on the ball will determine the size of their scores.
Richmond's Shai Bolton enjoyed a breakout campaign last year and he could lift his average higher than the 86 he achieved if he plays on the ball.
Swans superstar Lance Franklin can be selected at a bargain price of $312,000 because he didn't play in 2020. But can he get back to the glory days where he averaged 100-plus?
Rookie Forward Options
| Name | Club | 2020 Avg. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamarra Ugle-Hagan | Western Bulldogs | N/A | $207,300 |
| Riley Thilthorpe | Adelaide | N/A | $202,800 |
| Paddy Dow | Carlton | 37.7 | $202,400 |
| Callum Coleman-Jones | Richmond | N/A | $161,200 |
| Mark Hutchings | West Coast | 29.3 | $157,600 |
| Nakia Cockatoo | Brisbane | N/A | $123,900 |
Forward rookie options will emerge once the AFL pre-season competition commences but there is several players to consider in your team now.
Ex-Geelong livewire Nakia Cockatoo has moved north to Brisbane and is a value selection if he plays, and West Coast tagger Mark Hutchings will make you cash if gets in the best 22.
Richmond big man Callum Coleman-Jones could see significant game time because of the long-term injury to Ivan Soldo, while Carlton on-baller Paddy Dow was a no.3 draft pick in 2017 and could have decent scoring potential if he plays.
The pick of the draftees is Bulldogs' no.1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Adelaide's no.2 selection Riley Thilthorpe, but both are expensive for rookies so you want to guarantee they will score solidly.
