** DISCLAIMER: One thing i noticed when writing up the forwards is fact it was hard to justify players outside my current team! As everyone knows im a sucker for high risk "midprice" strategy! Also struggled to find any value in players from around $200K-$400K. Anyway hopefully its not to biased either way!! **

2012 sees the birth of the mid/fwd approach in supercoach. Champion Data have been good enough to give us 7 of the best up and coming midfielders as forwards. It also spells the end of an era with key forwards no longer relevant fantasy football. Why would you pick a forward like James Podsiadly that might kick 8 goals and score you 100 points every blue moon when you could pick a midfielder who will get 15 touches week in week out!  <!--more-->

PREMIUMS

Lance Franklin – $600K - 111, 107, 88, 107, 91 – Franklin is one most frustrating supercoachers in the land, his good is very good but his bad can be really bad. If he could stop giving free kicks he would probably average over 120! Will score 140+ or 50! Overall he is a very solid pick &amp; Clarkson has hinted he will spend more time in midfield, but if you believe that then he’s got you sucked in. Why would you play the best forward in league in midfield!

TOO OLD?

Adam Goodes - $586K – 108, 94, 114, 105, 105, 120, 107 – There is no doubting Adam Goodes is one of the true champions of supercoach, but is he now past it? He is 32 years old which puts line through him for so many people, but we were saying same thing last year and he came out like a 21 year old! His MPP will come in handy, however he has tended to start season little quiet and come home like strong. Might be handy upgrade target so we can judge how he is travelling before spending so much on him. Personally think better value in some of the other MPP young guns!

Brent Harvey - $548K – 101, 100, 87, 112, 109, 100, 109 - Boomer will turn 34 during 2012 which would make him one oldest players in league. These days he tends to dominate against the bottom teams and really struggles to have impact (supercoach wise) against top sides. He has lost captaincy this year which may free him up mentally a little bit, but for mine is too old and to much of downhill skier to be option in 2012. Look elsewhere.

Mathew Pavlich - $573K – 106, 99, 99, 110, 115, 109, 111 – Surprisingly Pavlich hasn’t been mentioned around the traps too much so far this preseason, not sure if its due to new coach and unsure where he will play or if people think he is past it. If he plays up forward more and floats through midfield on occasion think he could be good unique pick!

NEW GUYS ON THE BLOCK (MPP’s EVERYWHERE)

Nathan Fyfe - $585K – 108, 72 – If you got on Fyfe last year you were licking your lips for the entire season. Was the supercoach story of 2011 after having massive 2nd year breakout season. Can he back it up in his 3rd year? Has had an interrupted preseason with shoulder surgery and only recently returned to full training. Is one of many young guns to have MPP. Is third most expensive forward but is well worth the price tag. Just watch his NAB Cup to ensure he is fully fit.

Dustin Martin - $536K – 99, 78 – As soon as word came out that Dusty would be a mid/fwd in 2012 every single supercoacher locked him in their side. Nothing has changed, you are getting one best up and coming midfielders that hardly ever plays forward in your forward line. Just lock him in and reap the rewards that he will bring you this year.

Steele Sidebottom ($452K) &amp; Dayne Beams ($546K) – Far better value in Sidebottom imo, he played 22 games compared to Beams 14. Sidebottom is in Collingwoods best 22 whereas Beams was dropped on multiple occasions including the Grand Final (yea yea he said he was “injured” but only said that cos he knew he was going to be dropped). Beams appears overpriced due to playing limited games. Doubt he can produce those scores over entire year.

Mitch Robinson - $489K – 90, 70, 51 – Seems to be one the popular picks, but surely got to be concern over where the added points are coming from? With likes of Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Scotland and then expected continued rises of Yarran &amp; Kruezar is there enough points to share around? (not to mention probably forgetting some other guys) Having said that he is probably one best picks out of all the MPP’s

David Zaharakis ($494K) &amp; Robbie Gray ($490K) – Just lock them both in! Well there will be big concern amongst masses that Gray is injury prone, but he played entire season in 2011 and ripped it up in second half after getting shifted to midfield. He is set to play more in middle this year which means there is massive upside. Zaharakis has his own injury concern with his knee, but reports seem to indicate he is over it and is set to smash it up in middle.

In order of preferences for the “new guys on block” I would go.
<ol start="1">
,<li>Dustin Martin</li>
,<li>Nathan Fyfe</li>
,<li>Mitch Robinson</li>
,<li>David Zaharakis</li>
,<li>Robbie Gray</li>
,<li>Steele Sidebottom</li>
,<li>Dayne Beams</li>
</ol>
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FALLEN PREMIUMS

Nick Riewoldt - $472K – 87, 109, 113, 114, 117, 107 – There is no doubting Nick Riewoldt is as cheap as chips based on his history. Has been one of the ultimate premiums in supercoach for years. A well below par 2011 sees him start at bargain price of $472K. He is a proud man and will want to make up for his average season, lets be honest if he averages 87 in a bad year then there’s lots of upside if he can even slightly improve on that! All signs point to him being completely over his niggling knee issues from last year and has put in a very solid preseason. Question is where will new coach Scott Watters play him. So far it appears he will play CHF. Watch NAB Cup and if is showing signs of old then jump on.

Jonothan Brown - $397K – Another of the champion supercoaches of years gone by. Injury plagued season last year sees him start below $400K! Absolute bargain if you ask me. Lets be honest all his injuries last year were damn unlucky, that will never happen again.

&nbsp;

Any others that are on your radar? Obviously Jason Porplyzia at bargain price of $200K will be locked into everyones side so no point talking about him