KFC SuperCoach 2022: Chief AFL reporter Mark Robinson reveals his starting squad

It starts with a surprise backline blitz and the calls get bigger from there. Mark Robinson is convinced this is his best starting KFC SuperCoach team. See it here.

Why do people worry so much about their KFC SuperCoach teams?

It’s a week from the first game and KFC SuperCoach “guru” Al Paton is pulling his hair out over whether to start a mid-pricer at D5 or a rookie at F8.

It’s not that hard.

If you want to take home your league premiership you just have to follow where the points are.

In fact, I’m claiming it – this is my best Round 1 team ever.

The backline blitz is led by Luke Ryan. He’s a guaranteed scorer, Harry Perryman scored 132 points in the elimination final and remember Darcy Moore? He’s an All-Australian defender who will see a fair bit of the ball in the Collingwood backline.

Nick Blakey edged out teammate Justin McInerney but both of them will get numbers at half-back. Reckon Blakey is talent. He was already in my team before notching 100-plus at the weekend.

Darcy Moore is an intercepting star. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Jye Caldwell and Jarrod Berry are my two low midfield buys. They are both incredibly cheap, they will get game time and they like the hard ball, so they will get scores.

Patrick Cripps is a better player when he is no swathed in bandages. He’s fit and healthy and happy. He has ben sub-par past two years, but suspect those years will be filed away.

Putting a lot of faith in Sean Darcy in the ruck. He should top 100 points most weeks because he works so hard around the ground.

Jye Caldwell will play a key role in the Essendon engine room. Picture: Mark Stewart

Josh Dunkley is an easy pick in the forward line. Picture: Michael Klein

How fun is my forward line going to be to watch? The two Zak/Zacs, Butters and Bailey, are two of the most talented kids in the comp and Josh Rachele is one out of the box for the Crows.

Jordan De Goey hasn’t had an ideal summer but he will play mid and forward and his numbers in the second half of last season can’t be ignored.

Mark Robinson's 2022 KFC SuperCoach team.

ROBBO’S KFC SUPERCOACH TEAM

DEFENDERS
Luke Ryan $540,300

Harry Perryman $497,700

Darcy Moore $488,200

James Sicily $448,100

Nick Blakey $325,100

Denver Grainger-Barass $206,700

Nathan O’Driscoll $123,900 DEF/MID

Cody Raak $102,400 DEF

MIDFIELDERS

Clayton Oliver $672,000

Lachie Neale $543,200

Patrick Cripps $454,800

Jarrod Berry $268,500

Jye Caldwell $266,700

Stephen Coniglio $261,300 MID/FWD

Jason Horne-Francis $207,300

Nick Daicos $193,800

Dylan Stephens $167,800

Finn Maginness $143,700 MID/FWD

Elijah Hollands $123,900 FWD/MID

RUCKS

Sean Darcy $642,600

Brodie Grundy $627,100

Charlie Comben $123,900 RUC/FWD

FORWARDS

Josh Dunkley $558,200 FWD/MID

Jordan De Goey $463,500 FWD/MID

Zac Bailey $459,900 FWD/MID

Zak Butters $443,600 FWD/MID

Will Brodie $224,300 FWD/MID

Josh Rachele $184,800 FWD/MID

Sam Skinner $123,900 FWD/DEF

Charlie Parker $102,400 FWD/MID

Revealed: The Covid-safe KFC SuperCoach team

- Chris Cavanagh

As one senior club official recently put it to me: “The Western Australia teams would be sh--ing themselves”.

While most AFL clubs in the eastern states – as well as Adelaide – have seen almost their entire playing lists catch and recover from Covid-19 over summer, Fremantle and West Coast have had almost no one impacted to date.

But as Covid-19 cases now quickly rise in Western Australia, the two clubs find themselves more exposed to outbreaks than other clubs and mass unavailability is a genuine concern under current AFL protocols.

This is one of the considerations I made when selecting my KFC SuperCoach team this year.

Magpie Jack Crisp is as reliable as they come. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

I’m limiting my own exposure to one player from the West – former top-10 draft pick Will Brodie, who comes at a bargain-basement price and who the Dockers believe can play a major role for them this year.

Brodie has logged back-to-back 100-point games in his two pre-season matches with Fremantle and is too good to pass up at $224,300.

In case of further outbreaks at other clubs, I’ve also made sure to not put too many eggs in one basket, and select players from a wide range of teams across the competition.

Hawthorn and Carlton (each four players) are the clubs from which I have the most players, but I’ve only picked one or two players from most other clubs.

Essendon big man Sam Draper could be anything. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

Finally, flexibility could be key this year.

As a result, 15 members of my squad of 30 are dual-position players who I can shuffle around the field to provide coverage in the event that Covid-19 protocols bite.

Ruckman Sam Draper didn’t have a huge AAMI Community Series match against St Kilda with 74 points, but the Bombers think he is ready to explode this year, so I’m happy pairing him with Max Gawn.

Top-five draft picks Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos should be locks in any KFC SuperCoach team and will play a lot of good senior football this year.

Some more midfield minutes this year makes Collingwood’s Jack Crisp a super buy in the backline, while a fit Jye Caldwell will get more time in a new-look Essendon onball brigade and presents big value.

Greater Western Sydney midfielder Stephen Coniglio is another value pick, with insiders at the Giants confident he can get somewhere back somewhere near his best after a bumper pre-season.

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps and Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters are premium options at mid-price salaries, while Blues forward-turned-defender Mitch McGovern looms as an early-season money maker if he can stay fit.

Chris Cavanagh's 2022 KFC SuperCoach squad.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: Chief AFL reporter Mark Robinson reveals his starting squad