AFL Supercoach 2026: Mid-Season Draft Bargain Bin – The Names to Watch at 99.1k

The mid-season draft is the gift that keeps on giving. Every year a few mature bodies get plucked from the state leagues and end up handing us exactly what we need: a fresh batch of 99.1k players right when we need to free up cash.

History says some of these blokes will pop. Think Tom McCarthy last year, a mature body who came in during the byes and ended up a legit on-field option at basement price. The real question is whether any of these guys can play on field straight away while we upgrade elsewhere. That’s the dream scenario.

Here’s all 18 players picked and their state league numbers, followed by the names I’m watching.

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The Numbers

Pick	Club	Player	Age	Games	K	H	Disp.	M	T	HO	G
1	Essendon	Jaxon Artemis	19	6	12.3	6.3	18.6	3.7	3.0	0.0	0.5
2	Richmond	Kye Annand	22	4	7.3	4.3	11.6	4.8	1.0	0.3	0.0
3	West Coast	Oliver Francou	20	5	12.0	18.4	30.4	4.0	8.4	0.0	0.2
4	Carlton	Flynn Riley	22	3	7.3	9.0	16.3	5.0	1.7	30.3	0.3
5	Port Adelaide	Xavier Bamert	19	4	9.8	6.5	16.3	3.8	1.3	0.0	2.0
6	North Melbourne	Oliver Griffin	18	1	2.0	6.0	8.0	3.0	2.0	0.0	0.0
7	St Kilda	Campbell Lake	21	6	8.5	8.8	17.3	2.7	5.8	0.0	1.5
8	Collingwood	Harrison Coe	26	6	4.7	11.5	16.2	5.8	2.2	23.8	0.3
9	Western Bulldogs	Caleb May	21	6	5.3	6.8	12.1	2.3	3.5	37.0	0.2
10	Adelaide	Hugo Hall-Kahan	22	6	18.8	9.0	27.8	6.5	0.7	0.0	0.2
11	Melbourne	Lukas Cooke	22	6	11.0	6.2	17.2	6.8	1.7	0.0	0.0
12	Hawthorn	Max Beattie	22	6	14.2	8.3	22.5	4.7	4.5	0.0	1.8
13	West Coast	Marcus Herbert	23	6	13.8	12.2	26.0	4.5	4.7	0.0	0.3
14	Port Adelaide	Alex Van Wyk	21	6	5.7	3.7	9.4	3.0	1.8	20.7	0.7
15	Collingwood	Liam Puncher	22	6	6.5	3.3	9.8	4.7	2.5	0.0	0.0
16	Melbourne	Joel Fitzgerald	22	6	21.0	11.8	32.8	7.5	5.3	0.0	0.5
17	Collingwood	Mitch Podhajski	27	7	10.7	2.1	12.8	6.1	1.3	0.1	3.7
18	Melbourne	Max Mapley	20	6	4.7	7.0	11.7	2.2	4.7	19.2	0.2

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The Standouts

Oliver Francou ($99.1k MID)

The one I’m most excited about. 30.4 disposals, 4 marks and 8.4 tackles in the SANFL as an inside midfielder. The tackle number especially is the kind of stat that translates straight to SuperCoach points if he gets senior minutes.

West Coast have looked better the last few weeks which is a slight concern for game time, but they’re still West Coast. If he gets a game during the byes, he’s straight into my side. Inside midfielders who can find the ball and lay tackles are the bread and butter of bargain bin downgrades.

Marcus Herbert ($99.1k MID)

One of the standouts in the VFL this season. Mature body, 26 disposals, 4.5 marks and 4.7 tackles per game. Can also play across half back which gives him more ways to break into the West Coast side.

This is exactly the type of player I love picking up mid-season. Seasoned body, playing for a bottom-eight team, loves getting the pill. Tick, tick, tick.

Joel Fitzgerald ($99.1k MID)

32.8 disposals, 7.5 marks, 5.3 tackles. Leather poisoning. Plays across half back and midfield, strong outside runner who can also find his own footy. Feels like exactly what the Dees are missing in their current midfield, someone who provides clean outside ball use without needing to be in the contest every play.

The fact he’s averaging more than 7 marks a game tells you he’s getting plenty of uncontested ball, which is gold for SuperCoach scoring. Definitely interested.

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The Maybes

Hugo Hall-Kahan ($99.1k DEF/MID)

Adelaide have picked up a ball magnet half back with plenty of speed. Sydney had him previously as a high-flying forward, but since joining Williamstown he’s moved behind the ball and uses it well.

Not sure where he fits in Adelaide’s lineup, but if he gets a run of games he’ll make us great money.

Harrison Coe ($99.1k RUC)

Collingwood have gaps in the ruck with Steene out for the season, so in comes the 26-year-old Coe. Cameron has looked great as the solo ruck, but the Pies do seem keen on the dual ruck setup.

Averaging 16.2 disposals and 5.8 marks as a ruckman shows his ability to get around the ground and pick up points. The concern is getting enough money out of him.

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The Long Shots

Campbell Lake ($99.1k MID/FWD)

17.3 disposals and 5.8 tackles is huge for a forward. The issue is the Saints have a lot of pressure forward types already, so it’ll be tough getting into the team.

As a Saints fan I’m hoping he turns into another Max Hall. Not someone I’d jump on immediately, but the DPP is nice.

Max Beattie ($99.1k MID/FWD)

If literally any other team picked him up I’d be interested. Hawthorn’s lineup is tough to crack. If he plays it’ll be forward, which means he won’t get near the 22.5 disposals he’s averaging in the SANFL.

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My Plan

Lucky for me, I’ve already got Ison ($113.5k) and Banfield ($113.5k) to downgrade to this week. No rush.

But the next batch is coming. Watching to see who gets a senior game in the next couple of weeks. Francou, Herbert and Fitzgerald are at the top of my list, the combo of mature body, ball-winning ability and a struggling AFL team is exactly the bargain bin formula we want.

Keep these names handy. The downgrade window is about to open.