Position 2026 Defenders

[Svenes7]

Big on Miles Bergman's potential in 2026

 

[A Bit Dusty]

May skip Nas initially. Disappointed greatly at the business end with poor DE as a mid. Very bullish on Reid and a big watch on Newman. Some decent cheap rookies if they get to the starting line.

Rozee, Newman?, McKercher, Reid, Coleman, Gibcus, Simpson, Serong.

I have seen Simpsons name a few times is he even best 23?
Freo brought in McVee as well who would be ahead of him.

 

[Hawkboy62]

I have seen Simpsons name a few times is he even best 23?
Freo brought in McVee as well who would be ahead of him.

We shall see. Would have been best 22 if not injured last season. Should score well if he plays as he uses the ball well.

 

[St Steady]

I have seen Simpsons name a few times is he even best 23?
Freo brought in McVee as well who would be ahead of him.

prob out of all inj rooks last yr he was the unluckiest and was pretty impressive in the minutes he played

plays watchable footy, in my side atm and hopefully still is in the new yr,

liked the cut of his jib

 

[A Bit Dusty]

prob out of all inj rooks last yr he was the unluckiest and was pretty impressive in the minutes he played

plays watchable footy, in my side atm and hopefully still is in the new yr,

liked the cut of his jib

I agree he definitely showed something but if you look at this Best 23 from last week he probably needs a couple of injuries to make it back into the team. Even Wagner isn't there either who would be ahead of him as well.

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

I agree he definitely showed something but if you look at this Best 23 from last week he probably needs a couple of injuries to make it back into the team. Even Wagner isn't there either who would be ahead of him as well.

View attachment 2500220

Reasonable chance one (or all) of Pearce, Cox and Chapman break before then.

Most rookies need injuries to get into the team, plenty of time for that to happen.

 

[Petrify]

Didn't follow North very closely last year from a SC perspective. What's the deal with McKercher? Terrible first half of the year and decent second half.

Was he not playing in the backline in the first half?

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Didn't follow North very closely last year from a SC perspective. What's the deal with McKercher? Terrible first half of the year and decent second half.

Was he not playing in the backline in the first half?

No, Clarko the super coach thought McKercher should be hf/mid. Then after watching Helmet be farking terrible he eventually figured it out and put McKercher in his best position.

If North are serious they will drop Helmet early in the year, but even if not he should easily beat his price. Doesn't mind a clanger though, so there will be a few down games at some point.

 

[A Bit Dusty]

SUPERCOACH 2026 VALUE

Nick Newman is right back in the SuperCoach conversation for 2026 — and at $439,300, he’s shaping as one of the most popular defender picks heading into the season

We know exactly what Newman can do when he’s trusted across half-back. Intercept marks, composed ball use, kick-in responsibility — it all adds up quickly in SuperCoach when Carlton lean on him as a distributor.
The appeal here is role clarity. When Newman is settled in defence and given licence to control the ball, his scoring floor rises fast. If the Blues continue to funnel play through him coming out of the back half, he doesn’t need to be elite — just consistent.
Popularity doesn’t always equal safety — but in this case, it’s easy to see why coaches will flock to him.
At this price:
• Proven scoring history at a discount
• Role-driven upside with kick-ins in the mix
• Strong D6 with D5 ceiling

Value-priced defender

Intercept + disposal game

High ownership, low headache
Not a lock-and-leave… but a high-confidence structural pick who shapes as a set-and-hold option if his role holds.
Are you starting Nick Newman in 2026 — or fading the crowd?

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

SUPERCOACH 2026 VALUE

Nick Newman is right back in the SuperCoach conversation for 2026 — and at $439,300, he’s shaping as one of the most popular defender picks heading into the season

We know exactly what Newman can do when he’s trusted across half-back. Intercept marks, composed ball use, kick-in responsibility — it all adds up quickly in SuperCoach when Carlton lean on him as a distributor.
The appeal here is role clarity. When Newman is settled in defence and given licence to control the ball, his scoring floor rises fast. If the Blues continue to funnel play through him coming out of the back half, he doesn’t need to be elite — just consistent.
Popularity doesn’t always equal safety — but in this case, it’s easy to see why coaches will flock to him.
At this price:
• Proven scoring history at a discount
• Role-driven upside with kick-ins in the mix
• Strong D6 with D5 ceiling

Value-priced defender

Intercept + disposal game

High ownership, low headache
Not a lock-and-leave… but a high-confidence structural pick who shapes as a set-and-hold option if his role holds.
Are you starting Nick Newman in 2026 — or fading the crowd?

Meh. Too old. Carlton too shit. Silvani gone so he will just be watching the ball go over his head.

Ohh and Crazy Vossy. Pass.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

SUPERCOACH 2026 VALUE

Nick Newman is right back in the SuperCoach conversation for 2026 — and at $439,300, he’s shaping as one of the most popular defender picks heading into the season

We know exactly what Newman can do when he’s trusted across half-back. Intercept marks, composed ball use, kick-in responsibility — it all adds up quickly in SuperCoach when Carlton lean on him as a distributor.
The appeal here is role clarity. When Newman is settled in defence and given licence to control the ball, his scoring floor rises fast. If the Blues continue to funnel play through him coming out of the back half, he doesn’t need to be elite — just consistent.
Popularity doesn’t always equal safety — but in this case, it’s easy to see why coaches will flock to him.
At this price:
• Proven scoring history at a discount
• Role-driven upside with kick-ins in the mix
• Strong D6 with D5 ceiling

Value-priced defender

Intercept + disposal game

High ownership, low headache
Not a lock-and-leave… but a high-confidence structural pick who shapes as a set-and-hold option if his role holds.
Are you starting Nick Newman in 2026 — or fading the crowd?

Like the guy but at his age theres safer picks

 

[A Bit Dusty]

Colby McKercher — $449,600 DEF

Colby McKercher enters the season priced at $449,600 as one of the more debated mid-price defenders in SuperCoach. A former top-two draft pick, McKercher has already shown he can score at a high level — but his SuperCoach profile to date tells a story of volatility rather than reliability.

Based on his 2025 SuperCoach game log, McKercher’s scoring range is wide. His scores span from a low of 22 (sub-affected) to a high of 144, highlighting both his ceiling and his risk. Across the season, he recorded six scores of 110 or more, including standout performances of 144 vs West Coast (R13), 129 vs Richmond (R10) and 123 against both St Kilda (R21) and the Western Bulldogs (R17).

However, those spike games are countered by a significant number of low returns. McKercher produced 12 scores under 80, including several in the 50–70 range. Crucially for SuperCoach coaches, there was no sustained run of 95–105 scoring, which is typically the minimum benchmark required for a mid-priced defender to justify selection without early trade pressure.

What the numbers show is a player whose scoring is heavily influenced by matchups and game flow. When North Melbourne are able to move the ball effectively and generate uncontested chains, McKercher’s SuperCoach output can lift sharply. When the Kangaroos are under pressure or forced into reactive defensive football, his scoring floor drops away quickly.

At $449k, this places McKercher firmly in the high-risk mid-price category. Coaches selecting him are not buying consistency — they are buying potential ceiling and accepting volatility. Without a reliable scoring base, he is difficult to trust as an on-field defender over an extended period.

From a team-building perspective, McKercher is best viewed as a D7 or D8 option, rather than a core defensive starter. He suits aggressive builds that are comfortable correcting early if the scoring pattern doesn’t improve. Coaches seeking stability, or those already carrying multiple mid-price risks, may find his profile too fragile at this price point.

Verdict

Colby McKercher is a ceiling play, not a safety play. The upside is proven, but the scoring inconsistency is equally clear. At $449,600, he is a speculative selection that requires close monitoring and a willingness to trade if volatility continues.

SuperCoach Rating:

Recommendation: High-risk mid-price option only — not a set-and-forget defender.

 

[Petrify]

Colby McKercher — $449,600 DEF

Colby McKercher enters the season priced at $449,600 as one of the more debated mid-price defenders in SuperCoach. A former top-two draft pick, McKercher has already shown he can score at a high level — but his SuperCoach profile to date tells a story of volatility rather than reliability.

Based on his 2025 SuperCoach game log, McKercher’s scoring range is wide. His scores span from a low of 22 (sub-affected) to a high of 144, highlighting both his ceiling and his risk. Across the season, he recorded six scores of 110 or more, including standout performances of 144 vs West Coast (R13), 129 vs Richmond (R10) and 123 against both St Kilda (R21) and the Western Bulldogs (R17).

However, those spike games are countered by a significant number of low returns. McKercher produced 12 scores under 80, including several in the 50–70 range. Crucially for SuperCoach coaches, there was no sustained run of 95–105 scoring, which is typically the minimum benchmark required for a mid-priced defender to justify selection without early trade pressure.

What the numbers show is a player whose scoring is heavily influenced by matchups and game flow. When North Melbourne are able to move the ball effectively and generate uncontested chains, McKercher’s SuperCoach output can lift sharply. When the Kangaroos are under pressure or forced into reactive defensive football, his scoring floor drops away quickly.

At $449k, this places McKercher firmly in the high-risk mid-price category. Coaches selecting him are not buying consistency — they are buying potential ceiling and accepting volatility. Without a reliable scoring base, he is difficult to trust as an on-field defender over an extended period.

From a team-building perspective, McKercher is best viewed as a D7 or D8 option, rather than a core defensive starter. He suits aggressive builds that are comfortable correcting early if the scoring pattern doesn’t improve. Coaches seeking stability, or those already carrying multiple mid-price risks, may find his profile too fragile at this price point.

Verdict

Colby McKercher is a ceiling play, not a safety play. The upside is proven, but the scoring inconsistency is equally clear. At $449,600, he is a speculative selection that requires close monitoring and a willingness to trade if volatility continues.

SuperCoach Rating:

Recommendation: High-risk mid-price option only — not a set-and-forget defender.

Preseason games will determine if he's a lock or not imo. If he's on that HBF spot he's a mega lock.

 

[Maybe Tomorrow]

Preseason games will determine if he's a lock or not imo. If he's on that HBF spot he's a mega lock.

Obvious pick if the role is good

 

[A Bit Dusty]

Preseason games will determine if he's a lock or not imo. If he's on that HBF spot he's a mega lock.

He definitely had a role change after the bye last year. After the bye he played 12 games @102.2 but before the bye he played 11 games @62.2 so I agree if he is on the HBF again he should be a lock.

 

[4tune8]

He definitely had a role change after the bye last year. After the bye he played 12 games @102.2 but before the bye he played 11 games @62.2 so I agree if he is on the HBF again he should be a lock.

This is what I'm banking on. In those 12 games he had scores of 60 & 58 (from memory) if they were lifted to 80 then he would average 105 which I see as the bar for a defender.

 

[St Steady]

i just can't warm to him for some reason.

i think i'd rather start bergman or newman , altho his bye sucks. for now mckerch placeholding d3 but im hoping someone else jumps up and says pick me

 

[Floating Doughnut]

i just can't warm to him for some reason.

i think i'd rather start bergman or newman , altho his bye sucks. for now mckerch placeholding d3 but im hoping someone else jumps up and says pick me

Im big on McKercher, 2025 the umps allowed a man on the mark to sweat off 5 meters back stopping the odd hand off, in 2026 they are making them stand again from what I have read. Imo he is a full gull and did lead the league for defenders
In handball received @ 12.5. Even one more run around with a 40m kick is a +6.

Archie Roberts interests me a little for the same reason with 11.1, see how hard the umps go at the interpretation I guess.

Overthinking it’s that time of year.

 

[Lord De Goey]

McKercher is tempting but the biggest issue i found when i traded him in last season, was that every single week i had to double check what position he was playing. I'd still be somewhat surprised if he spent a whole season in defence.

 

[St Steady]

i think he's somewhat of a downhill skier, and norf cant ski much