Points are the name of the game in SuperCoach, and the bulk of the points are found in the middle of the ground, around the ball.
These are often where the bulk of your points are scored, and generally where you'll spend the most money each season.
It's important to master them, though – if you do it right, you have a powerful driving option for the entire season.
If not, well… just look at those who replaced Jack Macri in 2023, only to have the gunning midfielder languish up front and on the wing for the season.
For the first time, SuperCoach's Mr Reliable in midfield is not on the roster.
Clayton Oliver finished outside the top 10 in total points for the first time since 2016 due to injury, but he's off the radar for now as he still practices away from his teammates due to off-field issues.
Nick Daicos, who is in contention to be the game's top scorer, is also not included here because he is available as a defender – which is where we bet most people will choose him.
Here, instead, are five gold-wrapped bonuses to consider for captain grades all year long.
Marcus Bontempelli $724,600
The impressive Marcus was unlucky not to walk away from 2023 with a Brownlow Medal – or a finals appearance.
The Wizard averaged .129 during the season, often carrying the dogs on his back alongside Tom Liberatore.
Will he average 129 again? of course no. The list of players who could be a backup for this type of season contains: Gary Ablett Jr. End of list.
Even though Bontempelli is overpriced, he's still not a guy you're likely to pick up cheap – you'd have to shell out big money at any time of the year to get him, and at that point you're hoping whoever you choose instead isn't too far off. .
Safe as homes choose.
Zach Butter $636,100
This has already been referenced by The Phantom but Butters' return home in 2023 is quite unusual.
He has scored 134, 137, 139, 129 and 158 in his last five innings in shredding form. Now well and truly in a midfield role, Butters has shown that he is a good and fair option in the guts for the SuperCoachers.
Butters was blocking the ball, taking 30 touches per game, and barely getting anywhere near the offensive line except to score some trick goals.
I don't think he maintains this insane pace throughout the entire season, but where Butters really shines is his bye structure – he doesn't have a set week off until Round 13 (remember Round 0 doesn't count towards SuperCoach), which has left him a full two games ahead on the premiums as Tom Green by that point in the season.
Port Adelaide shares a bye with only Fremantle, making them the easiest teams to cover during the four-week bye period mid-season.
Luke Davis-Unaki $635,100
LDU missed 10 games due to injury in 2023, which was bad news for those who jumped in at the time, but good news for those of us who were more cautious.
We've seen him now be SuperCoach's main scoring option in this midfield, averaging 113 goals all season, with an excellent run following his return from injury following the break.
He scored 94 goals in his first match after returning, before scoring 134, 129, 133, 127, 106, and 125.
Then he missed the final two rounds again.
The dynamic Roo also started the season with scores of 143 and 155, proving that he is a good choice to lead the team.
While last season was plagued by injuries, the previous two seasons were not, as LDU combined for 20 games in 2021 and 21 games in 2022.
Rory Laird $653,100
Old trusty Rory.
Laird, once a star to rival Jake Lloyd, has been at midfield in 2021 and his numbers have jumped from an average of 95 to 105 after 115, averaging 116, 121 and 116 in his last few seasons – and there seem to be no contenders to take him from him. Midfield time.
Laird gets his hands on the ball a lot, but it's not his only source of scoring, as the pistol in the middle made 10 or more tackles six times last season and racked up clearances.
The ratio of kicks to handballs is not ideal, as Laird plays much more handballs than he kicks, but these handballs are often from the bottom of the pack or from the middle of the jam, and are points.
He dipped below 100 just five times last season, including a disappointing 50 in the first round, but he repaid the faith of those who hung on to the fat with a 147 in the second round.
These phenomenal results make him a great option to lead the team through the season – when Laird steps up, he is formidable.
Jack Steele $529,500
Steele was injury-plagued in 2023, averaging just 94.8 points in 20 games, missing a few games early and losing a few others.
It was revealed that Steele played hurt for most of the season and showed that he was well below his best.
Although he has not had a flawless preseason yet, if he is healthy, he could be one of the best value picks you can make.
Averaged below 100, Steele averaged 122 in 2020 and 126 in 2021, with a drop to 110 in 2022.
This 2021 season, he has dipped below 100 just three times with a 99 and a pair of 91s.
Ross Lyon has also coached big scoring teams, with St Kilda's glorious 2010 performance (from a SuperCoach perspective, sorry Saints fans) seeing Brendan Goddard averaging 130, Nick Dal Santo scoring 112, and Lenny Hayes averaging 103.
Points have flowed in from the likes of Lachie Neale, Nat Fyfe and David Mundy during his time at Fremantle, so there is no doubt that points are on offer in Lyon-coached teams.
If Steele is fit, I see no reason why he can't get back to the 115 average.
Originally published as Five of the best SuperCoach AFL midfield options of 2024 rated
