The best AFL SuperCoach Draft waiver wire picks ahead of Round 3

This piece will take a look at the best players available in under 60% of leagues that you should ‘cop’ each week and the players in over 50% of teams that I think you should ‘drop’ each week.

Dropping won’t always mean you need to release a player into the free agency pool, it may mean that you should try and sell that player in a trade, read each player’s description for context.

COP ‘EM

Jack Henry – DEF – 21.6% Picked

Jack Henry’s first two games for the year have been fantastic from a SuperCoach perspective, with the Geelong defender posting scores of 99 and 94 respectively. Elite disposal efficiency, combined with elite marking numbers and an average of 4.5 kicks to each handball have allowed for some solid scoring. The downside in his role is a low floor, but for now we must ride the Henry wave.

Jake Bowey – DEF – 24% Picked

Another underrated defender has put his hand up for SuperCoach Draft selection in Jake Bowey. Averaging 20 disposals per game including 4.5 kick-ins per game, the young Melbourne defender has produced scores of 96 and 97 to start the season. He has been able to bolster his scoring with 3.5 tackles per game and has even snuck forward to hit the scoreboard. If he’s available in your league, I actually like him more than the Jack Henry selection.

Changkuoth Jiath – MID – 5.3% Picked

Changkuoth Jiath made his return to the Hawks’ senior side last Thursday in a wet victory over the Blues. Jiath played in defence amassing 20 disposals and going at 90% efficiency despite the slippery conditions. He has struggled over the journey to stay in the senior side and hasn’t been a consistent SuperCoach scorer, but at just 5.3% ownership he’s worth a waiver pick-up to fill the back-end of your midfield.

Nathan O’Driscoll – MID – 26.5% Picked

A super popular selection in SuperCoach Classic, Nathan O’Driscoll hasn’t gotten the love he deserves in SuperCoach Draft. After a few years in the AFL system, it looks like O’Driscoll has finally made the leap we’d been waiting for. He showed solid signs across the back-end of last season in the WAFL, regularly putting up disposal numbers in the mid-twenties and that form has carried over into 2025. He averages 25 disposals per game and an impressive 93 SuperCoach points.

Mitch Georgiades – FWD – 17.5 Picked

Mitch Georgiades is coming off a huge game against the inexperienced Richmond Tigers, a game which saw him kick four goals and score 111 SuperCoach points. Georgiades faces off against Essendon’s backline this Thursday, a backline that has struggled to contain tall forwards so far this year. Historically, he averages 89 points against the Bombers and has posted scored of 99, 73 and 95 in his last three matches against them.

Taylor Walker – FWD – 10.3% Picked

Taylor Walker’s top-end games are getting further and further away from each other but I believe that he can back up his score of 105 against North Melbourne this weekend. North were great on Sunday but Walker has a habit of scoring well against them, he has registered 102, 71 and 119 points in his last three matches against the Kangaroos.

DROP ‘EM

Adam Treloar – MID – 91.1% Picked

I believe that wins in the bank are more important than the potential of wins in the future, which is why I think you can drop Adam Treloar. Yes, he has a massive upside but with the news today that he has suffered another calf injury and his return-to-play timeline will blow out beyond the already predicted 4-6 weeks, I just don’t think it’s worth holding him. It will hurt to drop him and someone else will pick him up straight away, but go for the wins now, there are so many valuable players available in the majority of leagues who could help you bank them.

Tim Taranto – MID – 83.4% Picked

Tim Taranto isn’t a drop to the free agency pool but he is a trade-out option. He might end up averaging around 90 SuperCoach points for the year, but right now he is averaging below 70 and frankly, the average of 90 wouldn’t do much for me anyway. I would ask the question of a Mitch Hinge level player, or even a Sean Darcy type who will be sitting on someone’s bench. Be aggressive early and see if you can get some value back.

Andrew McGrath – DEF – 89.1% Picked

The early signs aren’t great for Essendon or for Andrew McGrath. The Bombers have given up two triple figure scores to their opponent and MCGrath’s kick-in duties have completely dried up, both red flags for SuperCoach scoring. I was hot on McGrath heading into this season, the back-end of last year was great for him, but he has been handball heavy to start the year and the lack of freebies out of the goal square really worries me. If you can flip him for a Darcy Wilmot or Lawson Humphries level of player, I would consider it.

Connor Macdonald – FWD – 70.6% Picked

It has felt like Connor Macdonald would break out in every pre-season of his career and while he has made incremental jumps and shown flashes of brilliance, I’m not sure if 2025 is the year he takes the leap. Combine that with an ankle injury on the weekend and you’re probably looking at a drop here. If the injury report comes back and it looks like he’ll miss more than three weeks I’d happily move him on for an available forward.

Blake Acres – MID – 69.1% Picked

I don’t know what has happened to Blake Acres but as a Carlton fan, I miss seeing him play with power and confidence. I also miss seeing him float behind the ball to be an extra intercept defender, something I haven’t seen at all in 2025. Acres appears to be playing much higher up the ground which has plummeted his scoring to an average of 44.5. I think he is an easy drop this week.

Aaron Naughton – FWD – 53.8% Picked

Aaron Naughton doesn’t feel like a good SuperCoach selection, not when there is so much forward value out there on waiver wires. There are even key forwards floating around who I’d have more faith in to have on-field, Taylor Walker and Mitch Georgiades to mention just a couple. If you’re keeping Naughton, you’re banking on him finding a way to impact against Carlton’s backline on Friday night which could be possible with a commanding Sam Darcy taking the lead, but seems unlikely.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

COPPED

Steele Sidebottom – 107

Josh Rachele – 88

Jeremy Finlayson – DNP (Omitted)

Jack Darling – 78

Lachlan Bramble – 24

Logan Evans – 101

DROPPED

Jordan Ridley – DNP (Injured)

Sam Switkowski – DNP (Injured)

Kai Lohmann – DNP (Injured)

Jake Waterman – DNP (Injured)

Harley Reid – 59

Will Powell – DNP (Bye)