KFC SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom’s last-minute guide to help you pick your team
If you’ve left it until the final hours to get your KFC SuperCoach team in order, you’re in the right place. The Phantom looks at all of the premiums, rookies, bargain buys, value picks and points-of-difference to consider.
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It’s been a long pre-season for SuperCoaches around the country with The Phantom taking charge in December
But, just like at amateur footy clubs throughout Australia, there are always a few who roll up on the last week expecting a game in Round 1.
If that sounds like you and you’ve left it until the last minute to get your KFC SuperCoach team in order, you’re in the right place.
Or even if you are just reshuffling your side after the official announcement of the 2020 rule changes, The Phantom’s last-minute guide is here to help.
THE MUST-HAVE PREMIUMS
DEFENCE
James Sicily (Haw) $509,500
With Hawthorn bolstering its key-position stocks, Sicily looks set to play as the floating third-tall permanently this season. And his scoring power in this role is as strong as any SuperCoach defender.
MIDFIELD
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) $625,500
Of the top 10 – 11 if we’re including Tom Mitchell who missed all of 2019 – most-expensive midfielders this year, Dangerfield has scored 362 more points than any player over the past three years. And he’s seventh on the list by price. Expect the star Cat to push the 120-mark again with the departure of Tim Kelly and arrival of Josh Jenkins.
RUCK
Brodie Grundy (Coll) $705,900
Grundy has posted a SuperCoach ton in 38 of his past 44 home-and-away matches – 25 of them in excess of 130 – and has finished the past two seasons as the top-ranked player in the game. Enough said, in any season format.
FORWARD
Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $604,100
If you take out the star Giant’s two injury-affected scores last year, he averaged 119 from 15 matches. He played every game in 2018 so don’t let the seven regular-season fixtures he missed last year put you off, especially given the shortened season.
Keep in mind: With the new format - 30 trades and 17-round fixture - some SuperCoaches are looking to spread their money further this year and start more mid-pricers and less rookies. If you need to free-up some cash, mid-to-low range premium options such as Dan Houston (Port, Def-Mid $484,800), Stephen Coniglio (GWS, Mid $549,500), Hugh McCluggage (Bris, Mid $510,700), Jordan Dawson (Syd, Fwd-Def $467,800) and Hugh Greenwood (GC, Fwd-Mid $463,100) are worth considering.
And, with less game-time, it’s all about impact. Forget - to some degree at least - Josh Kelly’s ($637,700) injury history in a short season, he’s a SuperCoach scoring-machine, who doesn’t need 30 disposals to post a big score. Same goes with Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli ($623 ,000), who will now only come up against Giants tagger Matt de Boer once.
FULL ANALYSIS: The Phantom’s Ultimate Premium Guide
THE MUST-HAVE ROOKIES
DEFENCE
Jarrod Brander (WC) $133,000, Fwd
SuperCoaches have lost faith in a number of rookie-price options over the Marsh Series but Brander’s stocks have only risen in this time and the third-year Eagle now appears one of the safe bets in his new role on a wing.
John Noble (Coll) $215,400
$215k is a lot to ask, especially given Noble, who tallied a combined 46 disposals - 39 of them effective - in the Marsh Series, will need to maintain a high level of scoring to ensure quick cash generation. But his job security and scoring potential, in a Collingwood side who will share the ball around and attack from defence, may be as high as any on the list.
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Ess) $189,300
The current Essendon injury list means the 21-year-old, who was the No. 1 player for intercept possessions in the VFL over the past two seasons, will see more senior action in 2020. And Zerk-Thatcher showed enough in the Marsh Series, averaging 10.5 intercepts and 14.5 effective disposals per game, to suggest he’ll make SuperCoaches plenty of early cash, despite the price.
Keep in mind: If readymade Swan Will Gould ($117,300) is a surprise Round 1 debutant, he’s a must-have, while dashing Giant defender Lachie Ash ($193,800, Mid) should score well when the senior opportunity comes.
MIDFIELD
Marlion Pickett (Rich) $123,900
The guy was almost the best player on the ground in the biggest game last year. And Pickett, who featured in Richmond’s first-choice on-ball rotation in the Marsh Series, is available at rookie-price. What more do you need?
Matt Rowell (GC) $207,300
The strong-bodied, well-balanced midfielder averaged 171 SuperCoach points in the NAB League last season and 133 points for Vic Metro at the under-18 national carnival. And he’s justified the hype during his first pre-season in the competition. Rowell could even eclipse Sam Walsh’s first year.
Tom Green (GWS) $166,800
Green, who averaged 16.2 contested possessions at the 2019 under-18 national carnival – the most ever-recorded by Champion Data – has the game and body to be a great SuperCoach scorer from the outset and, now, with a Round 1 debut confirmed, he has the opportunity. Like the two listed above, Green is a must-have rookie given the importance of scoring potential in a shortened season.
Keep in mind: Brisbane ball-magnet Deven Robertson ($117,300) is a lock - maybe even on-field - if he’s picked in Round 1, while Sydney coach John Longmire has said classy left-footer Dylan Stephens ($189,300) will get plenty of midfield opportunities in 2020. And, after an impressive VFL season in 2019, Magpie Tyler Brown ($123,900) will make his debut against the Bulldogs on Friday night.
RUCK
Darcy Cameron (Coll) $123,900, Fwd
Many SuperCoaches throw the bench position in the ruck in order to take advantage of the captain’s loophole but, if you’re not, Cameron, who scored 127 SuperCoach points in the first week of the Marsh Series, is your best bet to see some early-season action.
FORWARD
Connor Budarick (GC) $106,900, Mid
The 18-year-old, who played eight NEAFL games – and averaged 18 disposals – in his draft year as part of the Suns’ Academy, is ready to go and, as a $106k dual-position rookie, he’s a SuperCoach must-have if he’s picked for the opening-round clash with the Power.
Curtis Taylor (NMl) $123,900
The second-year forward booted the second-most goals of any North Melbourne player in the VFL last year and was a standout against the Swans on the final weekend of Marsh Series action, finishing with two goals and 95 SuperCoach points. And basement-price tag, decent scoring potential and solid job security is rare and vital to KFC SuperCoach at the best of times, let alone in a shortened season.
Keep in mind: Izak Rankine (GC $123,900) debut has been delayed again after the excitement machine suffered a minor hamstring strain at training. And in a short season, you probably cannot afford to carry him through. The Bulldogs’ mature-age draftee from 2018, Ben Cavarra ($123,000), will get his chance in Round 1 though, after averaging 88 points in 12 VFL games last year. Much-hyped St Kilda forward Max King ($123,900) has more job security than most but the shortened season might affect his cash cow prospects, given the likelihood of inconsistent scores.
Given the options available, The Phantom prefers more rookie-priced players on the field in the midfield and defence, rather than the forward line.
FULL ANALYSIS: The Phantom’s Ultimate Rookie Guide
THE VALUE
DEFENCE
Sam Docherty (Carl) $436,100
The 26-year-old may have not played an AFL game since Round 23, 2017 after tearing the ACL in his left knee twice in the past two years, but he’s ticked every box over summer and the value is just too hard to ignore. The $436k tag has the damaging right-footer, who declared his body is feeling great following a successful Marsh Series, priced at an average of 80. In his last two full seasons, Docherty posted a SuperCoach ton in 33 of the Blues’ 44 matches.
Dylan Roberton (StK) $260,400
In his last full season in 2017, Roberton starred across halfback, finishing runner-up to Seb Ross in the Saints’ best-and-fairest after posting eight SuperCoach tons and scoring more than 80 in all-but five matches for the year. At the price, he may just be too hard to leave out, especially in a year when finding value is even more vital.
MIDFIELD
Jack Viney (Melb) $439,300
If you’re looking to save money to bolster other lines, trading down from a midfielder premium to Viney, who posted scores of 120 and 133 in the Marsh Series, might not cost you many points at all. Remember, the former skipper averaged 96 in 2016 and is coming off an uninterrupted pre-season.
Will Brodie (WC) $466,300
After finally winning coach Stuart Dew over and cementing his spot in the side, Brodie shone in the back-half of the year. The strong-bodied midfielder, in the mould of Sydney’s Josh Kennedy, ranked first at the Suns for hardball-gets, second for tackles and handballs, third for disposals, fourth for clearances and fifth for contested possessions in his final six games of the year. He could be a SuperCoach premium by the year’s end.
Quinton Narkle (Geel) $396,600
The 22-year-old Cat impressed in 2019 despite limited opportunity, posting scores of 123, 56 and 143 in his three home-and-away matches last year. In fact, Narkle’s points-per-minute ratio was the sixth-highest in the competition. And the skilful right-footer sent another reminder he’s ready to step up and help fill the void left by Tim Kelly in the Marsh Series, tallying 26 disposals, a game-high 10 clearances and a team-high 113 points against the Suns.
Keep in mind: With more trades and less games, Dan Hannebery (Stk, $417,000) has to enter the conversation on a more-serious level, while young Bomber Andrew McGrath ($399,400) attended the most centre bounces for his club over the pre-season.
RUCK
Nic Naitanui (WC) $457,800
Last year, the star big man made his return from an ACL injury – the second since 2017 – in Round 15, playing just 58 per cent of his comeback game against the Hawks. But he walked off the field with 99 SuperCoach points to his name. It was a similar story a week later with Naitanui tallying 88 points in 52 per cent game-time. I could go on, the star Eagle has done it his entire career. If there was one player the shortened season – and shortened matches – suits, it has to be Naitanui, whose 1.38 SuperCoach points per minute was the highest in the competition last season.
Sam Jacobs (GWS) $490,300
In his last outing as a Crow, the 31-year-old tallied 25 hit-outs-to-advantage and 125 SuperCoach points in the Round 23 clash with the Bulldogs. And at the peak of his career at West Lakes, Jacobs’ ability to cover the ground and get involved in general play was almost better than any other big man in the competition. As he did in the final week of the Marsh Series, if he can find space at his new club, the GWS midfielders will find him more often than not.
Keep in mind: The Phantom was set-and-forget in the ruck with Grundy and Max Gawn but now, after the confirmation of a revised season, I’m finding it hard to look past Naitanui’s value and the $240k in change.
FORWARD
Devon Smith (Ess) $335,800, Mid
Smith, who averaged 98 points per game and won Essendon’s best-and-fairest in his first year at the club in 2018, will start the season as the 115th most-expensive but, all going well, is a likely top-six forward by the year’s end.
Andrew Brayshaw (Freo) $382,800, Mid
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 standout option at the price.
Keep in mind: After a standout summer, Demon Christian Petracca ($441,300) finally looks set to make his long-awaited permanent move into the midfield. Yes, we’ve heard that before but this time it might be different. And Gold Coast forward Darcy MacPherson ($443,800) also posted huge numbers playing through the middle in the Marsh Series but can we be certain that continues? If you haven’t heard, Geelong recruit Jack Steven won’t play against the Giants this week so scratch him off your list.
FULL ANALYSIS: The Phantom’s Ultimate Mid-Pricer Guide
POINT-OF-DIFFERENCE
DEFENCE
Jayden Short (Rich) $349,300 — 2.6% of teams
In the first week of the Marsh Series, with Bachar Houli missing, the skilful defender was the go-to man out of defence for the Tigers, recording 25 disposals – at 88 per cent efficiency – 21 uncontested possessions, eight marks, five inside-50s and five rebound-50s. Will Short return to his breakout season form of 2018 – a year when he posted 13 scores of 86 or more – or will the return of Houli, after he recovers from a calf injury, again stifle his output?
MIDFIELD
Dayne Zorko (Bris) $579,100 — 1.9% of teams
Just quickly, the 30-year-old has stayed well out of the SuperCoach limelight so far this summer with Neale gaining all the attention. But a closer look, past his 107-point season average, shows Zorko averaged 116 points per game from the Lions’ bye through to the semi-final loss to the Giants last year. After an impressive Marsh Series, which saw the star midfielder pick up where he left off last year, SuperCoaches are – and should be – paying attention.
RUCK
Sam Naismith (Syd) $251,500 — 5.4% of teams
The injury-plagued big man hasn’t played a senior game since 2017 but, if he’s fit and ready-to-go, he’s still Sydney’s No. 1 ruckman. And he proved it against the Giants, tallying 10 disposals, 28 hit-outs and 79 SuperCoach points in half a game. Despite the desire for value, I think even this could be a stretch.
FORWARD
Jade Gresham (StK) $456,400 — 2.4% of teams
Across his 81-game career, Gresham, who was the top-ranked midfielder in the TAC Cup in his draft year, has played 32 per cent midfield and 67 per cent forward. In 2019, he spent 61 per of his game-time in the midfield. His goal tally might have gone from 35 to 15 but he added five points to his SuperCoach average. The 22-year-old, who recorded career-high disposals (32), contested possessions (13) and clearances (9) in Round 20 last year, is a chance to double that increase in 2020.
ROUND 1 LOCKOUT
Remember, in SuperCoach there is a rolling lockout in place meaning each player is only locked out at the start of their respective game. This means only Carlton and Richmond players are locked out at the first bounce on Thursday night — think Marlion Pickett, Dustin Martin, Sam Docherty and Patrick Cripps.
You will still have Friday to finalise the rest of your side.
And you will need it, given the rest of the Round 1 teams will only be announced an hour before the first game and Sunday squads trimmed on Friday afternoon.
Good luck, SuperCoaches, it’s going to be a year like no other. But The Phantom, as always, will be here to help.