KFC SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom names his top four breakout contenders for this season
Picking the next breakout star will put you ahead in KFC SuperCoach. But that’s easier said than done. Here are The Phantom’s top four contenders for 2020
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Picking the next breakout star will put you ahead in KFC SuperCoach. But that’s easier said than done. Here are The Phantom’s top four contenders for 2020
JORDAN DAWSON (Syd)
$467,800, Def-Fwd
Two years ago, with one senior game to his name, Jordan Dawson arrived for day one of pre-season, as he put it, “a bit too fat”.
Fast forward two years and the 22-year-old crossed the line first in the club’s opening two 2km time trials of the 2019 campaign.
He’s fit and full of confidence after finding his place – and cementing it – across halfback in Sydney’s best 22 last season.
But, he didn’t just cement it.
After the Swans’ bye, despite two stints forward in Rounds 19 and 22, Dawson spent 77 per cent of game-time in defence and ranked second at the club for effective kicks, fourth for metres gained and ninth for disposals, uncontested possessions and handball-receives.
The long-kicking left-footer booted seven goals and scored 93 points or more in six of the final nine matches of the year, four of them SuperCoach tons.
And the former Sturt junior’s numbers in the NEAFL, before he earnt a regular senior spot, were big. That’s probably an understatement, too.
Dawson played 15 matches for the Swans reserves in 2017 and averaged 28 disposals, 10 score involvements, five tackles, five clearances and 136 SuperCoach points per game
And Dawson’s 34 goals from the midfield saw him finish sixth on the competition’s goalkicking table.
The 192cm Croweater played seven NEAFL games the following year and averaged 127 points.
THE NUMBERS
The Phantom’s predicted 2020 average: 100
2019
Disposals (avg): 19
SuperCoach (avg): 86
2018
Disposals: 12
SuperCoach: 60
2017
Disposals: 10
SuperCoach: 32
MARSH SERIES SCORES:
125, 50
THE VERDICT
While there were a number of big names missing, Dawson’s performance in the first week of the Marsh Series only confirmed the original verdict.It’s a lot to pay if it doesn’t come off but three-figures is on the cards for a player who could become one of the game’s next statistical beasts.
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HUNTER CLARK (StK)
$402,200, Def
The 20-year-old, who averaged 126 SuperCoach points in the TAC Cup in his draft year, played 15 games in his debut season but was in and out of the St Kilda side to start 2019.
Clark was used in different roles through the midfield but, after returning from a stint in the VFL in Round 13, he found his place at halfback — a spot where he spent most of the previous year.
In Round 15 against the Tigers, the classy right-footer tallied 23 disposals — at 87 per cent efficiency — 12 contested possessions, 11 intercept possessions and 105 SuperCoach points.
Two weeks later, Clark’s numbers were even more impressive.In the 27-point loss to Geelong, Clark finished 25 disposals — at 88 per cent efficiency — four intercept marks, 410 metres gained and 120 points.
The former Dandenong Stingray, who excels in traffic — a trait which saw many draw the comparison to Marcus Bontempelli ahead of the 2017 draft — sat inside the top-six at the Saints for a number of key areas in the final nine rounds of the year.
Clark ranked second for uncontested possessions, third for handball-receives, fifth for disposals and sixth for effective kicks and metres gained from Round 15.
His 85.6 SuperCoach points per game from halfback was the seventh-most of any Saint.
The 186cm Clark’s brilliant hands and composure will see him become a key man at the contest for the Saints very soon but, as an attacking defender, after another a pre-season, there’s likely to be a spike regardless of whether that happens on a permanent basis this year.
THE NUMBERS
The Phantom’s predicted 2020 average: 93
2019
Disposals: 20
SuperCoach: 74
2018
Disposals (ave): 15
SuperCoach (ave): 54
MARSH SERIES SCORES
97, 56
THE VERDICT
Clark’s upward trend - in numbers and role – along with his junior data, puts him at the top of the breakout candidate list for 2020. But with a number of rookie-price options we can trust – and Dylan Roberton at $290k – is there room in our SuperCoach sides?
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Andrew Brayshaw (Freo)
$382,500, Fwd-Mid
There were stints through the middle – and they increased last year with Brayshaw spending 56 per cent of game-time there - in his first two seasons in the competition but former coach Ross Lyon persisted with Brayshaw as a forward.
And for good reason, apart from not wanting to throw the prized early draft pick right into the heat of the battle.
In the TAC Cup, Brayshaw averaged seven score involvements and a competition-high 2.2 score assists per game.
But, despite his influence forward-of-centre, Brayshaw really made his name as a ball-winning midfielder at junior level, averaging 25 disposals and 131 SuperCoach points for Sandringham.
And he’s destined to do the same at the top-level.
Brayshaw added 10 points to his average in 2019, after winning 20 disposals or more on eight occasions – a feat he achieved just three times in his debut season.
The well-balanced right-footer averaged 10 contested possessions in the final seven matches of the year, posting a score of 86 or more in four of them.
The highest – and first SuperCoach ton of his career – was against the Swans in Round 18.
Brayshaw tallied 20 disposals, 12 contested possessions, eight tackles, five inside 50s, three clearances and 116 points.
And it was the extra midfield responsibility, in the absence of captain Nat Fyfe, which drove Brayshaw’s performance.
Fyfe only missed the one match and will still, clearly, be the main man in 2020, but it showed the numbers Brayshaw might generate as his role in the Dockers’ side increases, under new coach Justin Longmuir.
After an impressive start to the summer, what also might increase is his game-time.
In his 37 senior appearances, Brayshaw is yet to spend 80 per cent of the game on ground.
Brayshaw was on the bench for at least 28 per cent of 14 of his 22 appearances in 2019.
THE NUMBERS
The Phantom’s predicted 2020 average: 94
2019
Disposals: 17
SuperCoach: 70
2018
Disposals: 16
SuperCoach: 60
MARSH SERIES SCORES
94, 102
THE VERDICT
Third year. More midfield minutes. Dual-position status. Sub $400k price-tag. There’s so much to like. And we might be able to trust the Fremantle coach now. It’s hard to see 2020 playing out without a scoring spike for Brayshaw, making the 20-year-old a great mid-price option, especially given the lack of forward rookies.
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WILL BRODIE (GC)
$435,800, Mid
Early in Brodie’s career there might have been a concern over what he did – or, more appropriately, didn’t do – off the ball but there’s never been a question mark over the ball-winning ability of the 189cm midfielder.
The 21-year-old finished with nine disposals in the first two matches of his career but tallied 20 or more in 11 of the following 16 non-injury affected games, between Round 3, 2017 and Round 19, 2018.
Brodie recorded 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and six clearances in his sixth career match, 27, 11 and five in his eighth appearance and another 27 disposals, 12 contested possessions and six clearances the following week.
Despite these impressive numbers, Suns coach Stuart Dew dropped Brodie on two occasions in 2018 and made him wait to Round 5 last season, before sending him back to the NEAFL two weeks later.
But the strong-bodied midfielder wasted little time in finally making his mark upon recall to the senior side in Round 12.
In his final six games of the year – all consecutive – before injury prematurely ended his season, Brodie ranked first at the Suns for hardball-gets, second for tackles and handballs, third for disposals, fourth for clearances and fifth for contested possessions.
The most-productive stretch of his career produced four SuperCoach scores of 88 or more, including a second SuperCoach ton in the final round against the Blues.
Over the first 19 matches of their career, Brodie shares a very similar stat line to Sydney’s midfield bull – and SuperCoach star – Josh Kennedy.
KENNEDY v BRODIE
Disposals: Kennedy 18.4, Brodie 19.2
Cont. poss: Kennedy 8.3, Brodie 8.5
C learances: Kennedy 3.4, Brodie 4
Tackles: Kennedy 4.1, Brodie 5
SuperCoach: Kennedy 77, Brodie 69
THE NUMBERS
The Phantom’s predicted 2020 average: 95
2019
Disposals: 22
SuperCoach: 80
2018
Disposals: 19
SuperCoach: 68
2017
Disposals: 14
SuperCoach: 4
MARSH SERIES SCORES
99, 89
THE VERDICT
The Phantom has long been a Brodie fan but, while I’m predicting big things in 2020, it will be a big call at the price in the midfield.