KFC SuperCoach Draft 2023: Expert consensus player rankings in every position
Taking part in a KFC SuperCoach Draft? We’re here to help. Our experts have ordered their top players to deliver the ultimate consensus ranking for every position.
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If you haven’t played KFC SuperCoach Draft before, you’re missing out.
Arguably, it’s a fun, more-exciting way to play our favourite fantasy game.
Take part in a league with your mates – or join any available public league – and select a unique KFC SuperCoach team through a live draft where each player is only available once.
You can then trade players with other teams throughout the season and pick up any undrafted player from the free agency pool as you go.
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League settings – number of teams, squad size, trading and free agency options, gameplay and draft type, just to name a few – are customisable, allowing you to set up your competition your own way.
To help you pick the right players on draft night, our experts have ranked their top players in every position to come up with the 2023 consensus KFC SuperCoach Draft rankings.
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Phantom says: Of the big five in defence, I’d only consider taking James Sicily and Tom Stewart with a late first-round pick. Pairing one of them with a midfielder at your second call would be a nice start. Then again, Jordan and Dawson or Sam Docherty would be great gets after a big-name mid, too. You’ll probably encounter pretty different opinions on how the next group of defenders look. If other coaches in your league jump early at Nick Daicos and Hayden Young – and rightly so – be more than happy looking at a Isaac Cummings and Mason Redman a bit later on. I’d take a pretty early punt that Harry Himmelberg spends most of his time down back, too.
Al says: Putting the top five in order was almost impossible but in a draft you’d be thrilled with any of them at D1. I will be making that elite tier a priority in the first or second round, but you can probably sleep on the next group with 10 players who can average 95-100. Where Daicos goes will be one of the most interesting stories of draft night.
Tim says: How about the depth in defence this year? If the big five – Sicily, Stewart, Sinclair, Docherty and Dawson are off the table, then it could be worth focusing on other positions and filling your defence in later rounds of the draft. This top 20 doesn’t even include Nick Vlaustin, Daniel Rioli, Daniel Rich, Jake Lloyd or Harry Himmelberg. Himmelberg would be a top-10 option if Adam Kingsley guaranteed he would play in defence full-time.
Dan says: Getting one of the six S’s – Sicily, Stewart, Smoky (Dawson), Sam (Docherty), Sinclair and Saad – should be a priority. I feel Saad without Zac Williams and Dale with Caleb Daniel running through the midfield loom as the two who could contend with the big five from last year. Daicos and Young also have huge potential. In 2022, 27 players classed as defenders averaged more than 90 points per game – compared to just 13 in the forward line. So don’t fret if you miss out on players in this line, as there is plenty of depth. Par example, Elliot Yeo.
Phantom says: With Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn – staples of the early first round in years gone by – now at the same team, and some uncertainty still surrounding how they will work together, I’d be taking three big midfielders with the first three picks – Oliver, Laird and Neale. If you have a top-10 pick – and Josh Dunkley and Sicily are off the board – have no hesitation in grabbing Touk Miller, Jack Macrae, Jack Steele and Marcus Bontempelli there. Don’t let Sam Walsh slide too far and keep an eye on Bulldogs stars Tom Liberatore and Bailey Smith – I have both in my top 20. Harry Perryman and Sam Berry are midfield sleepers to consider.
Al says: I would grab any of the top five here with my first pick if they’re available, although Touk’s hamstring is a slight concern. Slight gap after that group but you can throw a blanket over the next 7-8 guys, with Tom Green and Noah Anderson the fresh faces at the top end of the midfield group.
Tim says: Midfield is where the big points are in KFC SuperCoach, but expect some coaches will choose strategically in the early rounds and try to take the best ruckmen and forwards off the table. Defence and midfield is where the greatest premium depth is this year, just look at Tom Mitchell at No.20. I’d take any of the first eight players if they were available at my first pick, especially if your draft league has captains enabled. Otherwise, bank on getting a bargain in round 3, 4 or 5 to start your midfield.
Dan says: Stacked. Can make a case to draft midfielders with your first three or four selections considering 19 midfielders averaged more than 105 points per game last year. Further down the list, Tom Green, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Noah Anderson could put 10 points on their 2022 average and contend with some of the competition’s best. The injured Sam Walsh is likely to slide but he may be back after a month – and he will be a valuable commodity if you’re willing to take a hit by benching him in the early rounds.
Phantom says: Rowan Marshall with a first-round pick? I’d definitely consider it. But I probably wouldn’t jump too early on anyone else, given the uncertainty at several clubs. Of course, the pre-season matches could change things considerably.
Al says: Marshall has a huge ceiling, Witts is the safe pick and English could outscore all of them. I’m a sucker for Nic Nat’s upside but injuries are obviously a huge risk – if you take him it might pay to select a back-up ruck on your bench later in the draft.
Tim says: Max Gawn at No.8 feels as bad as it looks, but maybe whoever gets the Dees’ skipper in your draft league will get an absolute bargain. I’m pretty confident Marshall and English (pending fitness) will be the top-two rucks of the year and it has to be Witts and Naitanui at 3-4 as they don’t have much competition for ruck minutes. If you don’t get one of Marshall, English or Witts in the first two rounds, I would be prepared to focus on other positions and pick your two rucks later in the draft. The scoring likely drops off pretty quickly after the first few, unless Gawn-Grundy or Darcy-Jackson works a lot better than most suspect it will.
Dan says: A dog’s breakfast this. You could honestly make a strong argument for six ruckmen to be the No.2 scoring ruck in 2023, behind Marshall. Yes, the injury-prone and risky Marshall should be the clear standout and I wouldn’t oppose taking him inside the first round in a draft with more than 10 players – especially if you have two ruckmen on-field. But the best strategy on draft night appears to be sitting back and pouncing on who slides down the order, who you can then snap up for a bargain.
Phantom says: I have Errol Gulden in my top-six forwards this year, so he might present some serious value in your KFC SuperCoach Draft. Dylan Moore and Zak Butters also sit comfortably in my first seven but after that things aren’t as clear. Crow Izak Rankine could be in the top-10 mix with some midfield minutes this season, while Bomber Nic Martin is another mid-round sleeper. Luke Jackson appears a great ruck back-up option later in the draft – he could be anything by the end of 2023.
Al says: You could make a case for taking Dunkley with the No.1 pick overall and I’ll be making an effort to get one of the top five early. You would feel OK with any of the top 10 at F1 but after that the forwards fall off a cliff, so don’t leave them too late.
Tim says: This is the line to target first in your draft leagues. Josh Dunkley should be the first pick in every KFC SuperCoach draft. Rozee, Coniglio and Taranto are the other members of the big four in the forward line. After that, it drops away quickly. Consider picking two of the top eight options on this list in the first two rounds, if you can. It might give you a 10-15 point advantage on other coaches who have to choose a player likely to average 70-90. Milera might seem like a big risk, but that’s what draft is for. If a player gets injured, you can hit the waivers and choose the best available replacement. SuperCoach classic players don’t have that same luxury to take a risk or two.
Dan says: It may be wise to get in on one of the sensational seven – Dunkley, Rozee, Coniglio, Taranto, Cameron, Butter and Moore – while you can in your draft, as this line falls away fast. However, you can afford to wait after that with some later options that your opponents might not be looking for – namely Toby McLean, who you will need to scroll right down to the rookie-priced players to find. Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell – with a mooted switch back to defence – and Nat Fyfe are others to eye off once the top seven are gone.
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