KFC SuperCoach: Experts rank the best unique buys on offer now, and in the near future

Which KFC SuperCoach hidden gems should we jump on? Our experts rank their top five — including those to look forward to.

It doesn’t take a KFC SuperCoach expert to tell you Steven May and Caleb Daniel are value this week.

Or that Jordan Ridley and Tom Mitchell will be underpriced next round.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE TOP FIVE POD OPTIONS

The issue will be that unless you’re the No.1 ranked KFC SuperCoach, trading in the same players as everyone else isn’t going to cut it.

You’re not going to make ground in the overall rankings or climb up your league ladder by targeting the flavour of the week.

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Playing it safe will help you hold ground — but ultimately will you remember if you finished 5000th or 15,000th in the overall rankings?

Wouldn’t it be better to have a crack at glory and differentiate yourself from the pack?

Some of the best scorers in KFC SuperCoach this year have attracted little fanfare from coaches and can still be classed as PODs (point of difference selections).

These are the best PODs in KFC SuperCoach as we reach the midway point of the period every coach loves — upgrade season.

TRADE GUIDE: IS DEMON THE BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY?

Cam Guthrie is the No.2 ranked midfielder in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Cameron Guthrie $588,000 MID

Average: 121 | Ownership: 9.1 per cent

When will Guthrie get the KFC SuperCoach love he deserves? The Geelong midfielder lifted himself into the top echelon of SuperCoach midfielders when he averaged 103.2 last year and has gone to another level in 2021. Guthrie has posted four scores of 124 or more in the opening seven rounds and only one total of less than 100 — surprisingly, against winless North Melbourne. He has the best of the byes in Round 12 and Geelong has Richmond, St Kilda, Gold Coast and Port Adelaide in its next four games. Guthrie posted 110 against the Tigers last season, so don’t let that tough match-up deter you from one of the best PODs of the year. Is he worth top dollar? Jack Macrae being the only midfielder with more points should answer that question.

Callum Mills $528,800 DEF

Average: 109.1 | Ownership: 9 per cent

Mills has teased KFC SuperCoaches in previous seasons with the possibility of midfield time. Now there is no doubt that the Swan is here to stay as a permanent centre bounce midfielder. In the role, Mills has scored above 84 in every game this season, averaging 25.3 disposals, 4.7 clearances, 4.3 tackles and 109.1 KFC SuperCoach points per game — 0.8 points behind the No.1 ranked defender, Tom Stewart. The 24-year-old has managed to score well with low possession tallies, coming off a 101 point total against Geelong from just 19 touches. The only question mark over Mills is his Round 14 bye, shared by backline premiums Jake Lloyd, Rory Laird, Luke Ryan and Steven May among others, but he shapes as a quality option who remains affordable.

Jack Bowes $479,900 DEF

Average 105.3 | Ownership: 8.8 per cent

The fifth-ranked defender for points this year is the 19th most-expensive defender ahead of Round 8. Bowes has only one score below 92 in the opening seven rounds and boasts an elite kicking efficiency of 79.9 per cent. Bowes plays the perfect game to rack up KFC SuperCoach points. He is averaging six intercept possessions and seven rebound-50s a game, while also being Gold Coast’s designated kick-in player. While all the focus is on May and Daniel as bargains, Bowes is a great option for coaches with an extra $50-60k to play with. Only Tom Stewart, Callum Mills, Jake Lloyd and Christian Salem have more points in defence.

Jack Bowes is thriving in the Gold Coast defence.

Shai Bolton is in red-hot form. Picture: Michael Klein

Shai Bolton $479,400 FWD/MID

Average: 91.7 | Ownership: 6.2 per cent

The time to pounce on Bolton is now, as injuries to Richmond midfielders Dion Prestia (2-3 weeks) and Trent Cotchin (3-4) will give the Tiger barometer more time to shine in the midfield. Three goals and 121 KFC SuperCoach points against the Western Bulldogs – while attending the fifth-most centre bounces for the Tigers – capped a stellar month from Bolton, averaging 110 points across this period. The 22-year-old has lifted his production, averaging 21.9 disposals per game compared to 15.8 last year (albeit with shorter quarters in 2020) which should improve his consistency. He has the capacity to throw in a stinker, managing just 29 points in Round 3, but his dynamic impact forward of centre allows him to score quickly within games. It’s also worth noting that he is out of contract at the end of the year, so he should keep his foot on pedal as his value rises.

Josh Kelly $508,600 MID

Average: 96.3 | Ownership: 5.3 per cent

Kelly is back patrolling the wing for GWS Giants after spending most of the opening five rounds of the year in attack. The smooth mover averaged 15 per cent of games on a wing to Round 6 but has been pushed up the field in the past two rounds, as Fantasy Freako points out below. The move did little to help his scoring when he recorded 69 points in Round 6, but Kelly was back to his best against Adelaide with 27 disposals, 10 marks and 129 KFC SuperCoach points. His ownership will rise fast if he repeats that effort against Essendon, which has conceded huge points to opposition midfielders this year. You can afford to wait a week as his break even is 105. The obvious concern is his durability, especially in a year where KFC SuperCoaches have been ravaged by injuries to premium scorers.

Role change alert. Josh Kelly is back on the wing.

Rnds 1-5 - 15%
Rnd 6 - 71%
Rnd 7 - 72%#SuperCoach#AFLFantasy

— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) May 3, 2021

Hugh McCluggage $573,100 MID

Average: 104.3 | Ownership: 5.4

McCluggage eclipsed a 100-point average last season and looks like taking another step in 2021, if his past three weeks are anything to go by. The classy Lion has posted scores of 140, 128 and 117 at an average of 128.3, tallying more than 20 kicks in each game. He still has some issues in front of goal, kicking 6.10 for the year, but has booted a goal in all but one match this season. This is without significant time in at centre bounces, attending just five against Port Adelaide – even with the injured Lachie Neale out. His potential to produce 120-plus totals is appealing but he comes with more risk than other contested ball-orientated midfielders.

Rowan Marshall $528,900 RUC-FWD

Average: 89.3 | Ownership: 3.4 per cent

The Saints big man would have been one of the most-popular starting picks this year after gaining DPP status had it not been for a foot injury. The silver lining in his delayed start was KFC SuperCoaches have had a chance to assess the partnership between Marshall and Paddy Ryder while Marshall’s price falls. Marshall reminded KFC SuperCoaches of his scoring prowess with 132 against Port Adelaide, but his score dipped to 86 when Ryder returned and he spent most of the game forward. The Saints have the dreaded Round 14 bye, so it’s worth assessing whether you should hold off until Round 15 for Marshall. He might provide cover for Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy if you have a RUC-FWD at R3, too.

Christian Salem $542,700 DEF

Average: 106.1 Ownership: 2 per cent

As KFC SuperCoaches clamour to buy Steven May, fellow Demons defender Salem continues to fly under the radar despite averaging 126.3 points in his past three games. This is thanks to his monster 39 disposals and 167 points against Richmond, but he also posted tons in wins over North Melbourne, Hawthorn and St Kilda this year. Salem boasts a high kick-to-handball ratio (2.06 kicks for every handball) and is Melbourne’s go-to distributor out of defence. While the price is slightly off-putting, Salem shapes as a genuine top-eight contender with the fourth-most points of any defender.

Jarryd Lyons won’t let you down.

Jarryd Lyons $606,100 MID

Average: 116.1 | Ownership: 1.8 per cent

No player goes under the radar in KFC SuperCoach more than Lyons. He’s one of only two players this season, along with Jack Macrae, who has reached triple figures in every game. Despite recording seven scores between 100-139 to Round 8, Lyons is available for only $1500 more than his starting price and is in hardly any teams. His flying start to the year is no fluke, either. He dipped below 100 only four times last season (when quarter lengths were reduced) and has scored 20 tons in his past 24 games. Lyons is leading the Brisbane Lions midfield in the absence of Lachie Neale. Of course, the risk with an uber POD is if they do flop, you’re copping a score 95 per cent of others won’t. But that risk is offset by Lyons’ incredible consistency.

Touk Miller $578,500

Average: 111.1 | Ownership: 0.9 per cent

Despite stepping up his game, Miller remains one of the most unheralded midfielders in the competition, as proven by his uber-POD status. Coming off a breakout 2020 campaign, when he averaged 105.9 points, Miller is the 10th-ranked midfielder for total points across the first seven rounds. His form at home has been the highlight, eclipsing 130 points in all three games at Metricon Stadium this year, and he faces St Kilda and Brisbane at the venue in the next two rounds. The tackling machine is second in the competition for that statistic, laying 7.3 per game, which gives him an extra boost that other midfield options do not have. But after two sub-85 scores in the first three rounds, does his inconsistency outweigh his high ceiling?

Hugh Greenwood $542,100 MID

Average: 101.6 | Ownership: 0.6 per cent

After a slow start to the season, one of the AFL’s premier tacklers Greenwood has three scores of 135 points or more in his past five games. His scoring has fluctuated with four games under 80 and five huge totals so far. That sort of volatility makes him one of the riskier POD options available and he doesn’t have the FWD-MID status he carried last year, which made him a must-have. The beauty is in every game Greenwood has reached 20 disposals this year, he’s scored a KFC SuperCoach ton. He’s such an important role player that you might have to accept a down game or two if he’s tasked with a shutdown role.

WAIT FOR

Lachie Whitfield $561,600 DEF

Average: 83 (one game) | Ownership: 1.1 per cent

The GWS running machine would have been one of the most-popular defensive picks of the year had he not missed the opening six rounds recording from a lacerated liver. Whitfield was prolific in his return against Adelaide with 30 disposals and eight marks. It is somewhat concerning that those numbers only equated to 83 KFC SuperCoach points as he went at 61 per cent by foot and recorded seven turnovers and five clangers. On a positive, that means he’s going to get cheaper in a few weeks and be a great target in Round 13 after the Giants’ bye.

Lachie Whitfield returned from injury in Round 7.

Matthew Rowell $495,100 MID

Average: 6 (one game) | Ownership: 3.8 per cent

First off, 3.8 per cent of teams have clearly forgotten to check their team since the opening round. Rowell’s knee injury in the opening quarter of that match will sideline him until around Round 13, and two weeks after his return he will be at a juicy price. Two scores around the 90-mark will see him drop to around $430,000, making him ripe for the picking for coaches. That price for a player who averaged a whopping 126.5 points from his first five games of senior footy is simply irresistible.

Zak Butters $501,200 FWD

Average: 103 | Ownership: 3.5 per cent

Butters is still listed as a 3-4 week ankle injury by Port Adelaide, which would put him on track to return after the Power’s Round 12 bye. Most KFC SuperCoaches haven’t been in a rush to fill their forward lines as they wait for players such as Butters to return. And it should be worth the wait, too, after he averaged 103 before going down with injury. His ownership would be much higher if he hadn’t been sidelined.

Rory Sloane $507,400 MID

Average: 119 | Ownership: 2.7

Sloane looked to be the pick of the mid-priced midfield bunch until he was sidelined with an eye injury, opening the season averaging 119 points from his first three games. The Crows skipper is tipped to return for this week’s Showdown clash, with a low break even of 65 to overcome. However, the poor recent form of the Crows is a cause for concern, especially with a very difficult month ahead – Port Adelaide, West Coast (away), Melbourne and Richmond (away). May be one to consider as an upgrade target in a few weeks if he continues his strong form.

Luke McDonald was one of the most successful PODs of 2020.

Luke McDonald $512,900 DEF

Average: 3 (one game) | Ownership: 0 per cent

Those that have some defensive spots free could consider leaving their last defensive upgrade until later in the season, once McDonald returns from a pectoral injury in 7-9 weeks. The Roo posted an injury-affected score of three in his only game in 2021, following a breakout campaign where he averaged close to 120 points in the back half of last year. We have seen how much footy Roo Jack Ziebell has been able to rack up in defence, so McDonald could prove to be an absolute bargain buy.

TIM’S POD RANKINGS

1. Jack Bowes

2. Josh Kelly

3. Jarryd Lyons

4. Matthew Rowell

5. Zak Butters

Bowes ticks every box in KFC SuperCoach this year. Great bye, perfect role and doing everything the KFC SuperCoach scorers from Champion Data love. Kelly is going to be too cheap to ignore in Round 9 and I think he might even be at his cheapest now. Lyons is as consistent as they come, while Rowell for less than $500k will be great buying after Gold Coast’s bye. Save your last forward line spot for Butters when he returns.

DAN’S POD RANKINGS

1. Shai Bolton

2. Jack Bowes

3. Matthew Rowell

4. Josh Kelly

5. Rowan Marshall

Coaches are advised to strike while the iron is hot with Bolton, given he could produce another stellar month with key Tigers missing. Bowes has an enticing price, the kick-in duties and should continue his strong start to the season. Ensure you leave a final midfield upgrade free for Rowell in the second half of the season, so you can snap him up at a mouth-watering price, while Kelly is another potential bargain if Leon Cameron continues to play him in the midfield – that’s a big if. Tough to split Marshall and Butters, but we saw that the Saints ruckman averaged 104 points last year playing alongside Paddy Ryder.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach: Experts rank the best unique buys on offer now, and in the near future