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Last year, finding a forward to trust in SuperCoach was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
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This pre-season, there are a plethora of options to choose from and the best part, they’re heavily underpriced.
Foxfooty.com.au takes a look at which forwards you should consider for your SuperCoach side.
PREMIUMS
In years gone by, SuperCoach players have been able to select the likes of Isaac Heeney, Christian Petracca, Josh Dunkley and Errol Gulden as forwards.
This year, there doesn’t seem to be those standout top line stars in the premium price bracket.
1. Jason Horne-Francis ($537,000 FWD/MID)
The best premium option ahead of the 2025 is Port Adelaide’s Jason Horne-Francis. If ‘JHF’ can replicate his performances last season, he’ll be a handy F1 for SuperCoach players.
Horne-Francis averaged 99.7 points per game last year, which included nine scores of 100+ points. Horne-Francis is part of a five-man Power on-ball unit, featuring the likes of Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Ollie Wines and Willem Drew. The quintet all average between 54 and 66 per cent of centre bounce attendances a game.
If all things go to plan, you’d can imagine that ‘JHF’ will continue to naturally improve again this season. He’s coming into his fourth year in the system, and he has the ability to turn a game on its head, which means coach Ken Hinkley regularly turns to him when his side need a lift.
2. Izak Rankine ($521, 600 FWD)
When fit, Izak Rankine was a quality selection as a forward in SuperCoach last year. The major problem was, he missed so many games. Rankine missed three matches halfway through the season with a hamstring injury and then copped a four-week suspension for an incident involving Brandon Starcevich.
Rankine’s ceiling is what makes him an intriguing pick this year. All five of his 100+ scores last year were in excess of 113. The star Crow averaged 38% CBAs last year but there is definitely scope for that number to rise in 2025. The Crows have a bevy of options forward of centre and Rankine adds a spark and new dimension into what is often a slow-paced Adelaide on-ball brigade.
Rankine has been on fire over pre-season and if Adelaide are to rise up the ladder as many expect, then surely Rankine will be a crucial cog in that leap.
(UNRANKED) Shai Bolton ($416,100 FWD/MID)
Bolton is another name who has caught the eye of SuperCoach players this pre-season after making the switch to Fremantle during the trade period.
Bad news – he looks likely to spend the majority of his time in the forward half, rather than through the midfield. The Dockers have a plethora of on-ball options at their disposal and the likes of Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young will take up the majority of those midfield minutes.
There’s no doubt Bolton’s best is electric, but he is far too inconsistent from a SuperCoach standpoint. Last year his highest score was 133, but he also had a 36 and a 49. The former Tiger averaged 96.7 points per game in 2023 but that is the only year in his career where he has averaged more than 88 points a game in a season.
Elsewhere, All-Australian Hawk Dylan Moore and Luke Jackson are premium priced low ownership options who appeal, but there’s a stack of mid-priced talent which has caught the eye of SuperCoach players.
MID-PRICERS
There’s a genuine strategy to go into the season without a top-line premium forward and instead rely on some mid-priced stars.
Whether it be returning from injury or simply a new environment and role refresh, there are some great options in this price bracket.
1. Caleb Daniel ($269,100 FWD/MID)
He’s the most popular player in SuperCoach at the time of writing and it’s easy to see why.
Daniel is set to resume his role as a half-back this season after arriving at Arden Street from Whitten Oval. He’d fallen out of favour under Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and was often used as a substitute or across half-forward, but Roos coach Alastair Clarkson has released the shackles this pre-season.
Excluding last year, Daniel has averaged 89+ points a game across five consecutive seasons, peaking at 101.5 back in 2020. At such a discounted price, he’s an absolute gift and should be in every single team.
2. Bailey Smith ($389,200 FWD/MID)
Geelong’s newest star is ready to launch again in 2025. Smith ticks all the boxes from a SuperCoach perspective. Discounted price? Tick. New club and new role? Tick, tick.
There are undoubtedly some concerns given he’s on the comeback from an ACL injury, but the ex-Bulldog has been flying throughout pre-season and in match simulations.
He’s been given the green light to run the engine room alongside captain Patrick Dangerfield and gun midfielder Max Holmes at the Cattery and in theory, he averages more than 95 SuperCoach points a game and he is a discounted, season-long keeper.
3. Jack Macrae ($392,200 FWD/MID)
The third former Dog to feature on this list is another juicy SuperCoach option. Macrae has made his way to St Kilda and is set to find himself as an inside midfielder once more.
Like Smith and Daniel, Macrae also fell out of favour at the Kennel and sought a trade to rediscover some of his best football at AFL level. Between 2018 and 2022, Macrae averaged 115+ points per game every season. He’s a proven SuperCoach asset, averaging above 94 every year since his debut, excluding last year’s 72.8. All signs point towards a big bounce back given the role he looks set to play under new coach Ross Lyon. Lock him in.
4. Luke Parker ($343,600 FWD/MID)
The theme through this mid-priced bracket is that every option has found a new home and is seeking greater opportunities. In Parker’s case, his 2024 season was one to forget, dealing with injury, form and suspension issues which curtailed his influence on a red-hot Sydney side.
The ex-Swan has been a fantastic SuperCoach asset throughout his career, averaging 96+ for ten consecutive seasons prior to last year. The big question is, whether or not he finds himself as an inside midfielder consistently under coach Alastair Clarkson at North Melbourne.
Parker looks likely to split his time as a midfielder and as a forward, potentially in a rotation with captain Jy Simpkin. The Roos have a stack of on-ball options headlined by Luke Davies-Uniacke, Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw, while Will Phillips, Tom Powell and Colby McKercher will also spend some time in the engine room.
A hamstring injury to Wardlaw at training this week opens the door for Parker to spend some more time there early in the season, but will the role be there throughout the entirety of the year? Keep a close watch on his role throughout the match simulations in February.
(UNRANKED) Matteas Phillipou ($313,800)
All signs were pointing towards a breakout season for Matteas Phillipou but after suffering a stress fracture in his femur, he’s set to miss the start of the 2025 season.
The young Saint will spend a few months on the sidelines before beginning a re-loading phase, which means he won’t be a SuperCoach option for a while.
If he gets back to full fitness and looks set to feature heavily in Ross Lyon’s engine room, then he could be an upgrade option down the track.
CHEAPIES
When it comes to cheapies at this time of year, it’s tricky to gauge which ones are the real deal.
These rankings are speculative until official practice matches get underway and SuperCoach players get a more concrete look at roles and scoring potential.
1. Elijah Hewett ($122,800 FWD/MID)
One of the most exciting prospects to come out of the 2022 draft, Hewett is yet to reach his potential due to injuries. He put in a strong block of pre-season training prior to Christmas and while he’s had a slightly modified program since, he’s given himself a great chance of thriving in 2025. An injury to Elliot Yeo in match simulation this week opens the door for a more prominent midfield role should he force his way into the best 23.
2. Isaac Kako ($149,500 FWD/MID)
Essendon fans will be going whacko for Kako and it’s easy to see why. Kako is one of, if not the most exciting prospect to come out of the recent draft crop and will be a walk-up start into Essendon’s best side.
The Bombers have been crying out for a small forward who can hit the scoreboard regularly and it looks as though he’s worked on his defensive pressure as well over the pre-season. He won’t shoot the lights out from a SuperCoach scoring perspective but his job security is as good as any forward cheapie.
3. Neil Erasmus ($119,900 FWD/MID)
Erasmus has been on the fringes of Fremantle’s best 23 for a while now, but all signs point towards a breakout season in 2025. Erasmus has had a strong pre-season and fellow midfielder Caleb Serong says he is “in ridiculous shape” and has thrived in the physicality side of things this summer. The young Docker is a hard runner who has all the tools to succeed in SuperCoach and averaged a whopping 125 points per game in the WAFL last season. Keep an eye on his role in the practice matches.
4. Joe Berry ($140,500 FWD)
“Joe Berry in particular is a guy who, in my mind, will play straight up.” Those were the words of Port Adelaide forwards coach Chad Cornes just over a week ago. Berry is a hard-working, skilful small forward who booted 27 goals from 14 matches for the Murray Bushrangers in the Coates Talent League last year. He is creative in front of goal, has speed to burn and models his game off former Power star Robbie Gray. Keep a close eye on the role he plays during match simulations.
5. Tom Lynch ($183,200 FWD)
Tall forwards in struggling teams don’t tend to score that well in SuperCoach, but given the lack of standout forward cheapies Lynch needs to be considered. Lynch’s past two seasons have been plagued by injury but it seems as though he’s fit and firing and ready to make an impact for this young Richmond side in 2025. The star Tiger has looked good in recent match simulations and is putting together a strong pre-season. He’s also a proven scorer, averaging 85+ in five different seasons across his career, albeit in stronger outfits. Could end up further down this list if others emerge throughout February, but his job security is as strong as any cheapie.
6. Dan Curtin ($158,600 FWD)
Curtin is pushing hard to feature for the Crows more regularly in 2025 and has had a strong summer so far. The big-bodied youngster has spent time training with the midfield group over pre-season and has the versatility to play on-ball, or as a forward or defender. One to track closely across the practice matches.
7. Sam Powell-Pepper ($180,500 FWD)
He’s never set the SuperCoach world alight, but Powell-Pepper is a crucial cog in Port Adelaide’s forward half. His defensive pressure, leadership and forward craft will been an added bonus for Ken Hinkley and his coaching staff this year, especially given Todd Marshall (Achilles) and Charlie Dixon (retired) are both out of the picture. Not a must pick by any means, but his versatility to play both forward and in the midfield might mean SuperCoach players pick him if the job security for some cheaper players is shaky.
8. Sam Davidson ($113,500 FWD)
Sam Davidson has plenty of admirers at Whitten Oval already. The mature-aged recruit is strong in the air, runs hard all day and has slotted in well at the Kennel. With growing doubts surrounding Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s availability, Davidson could fill a role as a third tall forward, but he’s also shown he could play as a winger as well. Keep an eye on what he does in the practice matches because he could be a lot higher up this list.
GWS Giant Conor Stone is hunting a role as a defender after the deaptures of some seasoned campaigners over the off-season, while mature-age Melbourne recruit Aidan Johnson is another who could feature early in the year. Ashton Moir has had a strong pre-season at Carlton, while former Saint Ben Paton has impressed at Sydney over summer.
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