KFC SuperCoach 2022: What every Round 6 DPP change means and who could be next
Many big names have gained dual-position status in KFC SuperCoach. But what does it mean for your team? We look at the winners, losers and new trade options.
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The new dual-position players in KFC SuperCoach are here.
In an exciting new feature for the game in 2022, Champion Data have reviewed where players are spending time in the six five rounds and added new dual-position classification where warranted.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE WINNERS AND LOSER OF THE DPP CHANGES
To be eligible to gain a second position, players must have featured in at least four of the first five rounds and spent at least 35 per cent of game time in a secondary position.
So who’s now a DPP and what does it mean for your trades?
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Scott Pendlebury’s move to half-back has been good for himself, great for the Pies and even better for KFC SuperCoaches, with the Pies skipper’s role change significant enough to warrant a new position. An average of 105 won’t trouble the top midfielders in the competition but he is now the ninth-highest averaging defender and the ranks sixth for total points.
At $535k, he’s still affordable – and still so reliable – if you’re looking for a point-of-difference Aaron Hall replacement.
Brisbane veteran Dayne Zorko has made a similar move, and he, too, is now available as a defender-midfielder in KFC SuperCoach.
Zorko was injured in Round 1 and struggled against the Cats in Round 4, but he’s scored KFC SuperCoach tons in his other three matches this year.
The end of the Round 5 lockout also delivered what KFC SuperCoaches have been waiting for – Nick Daicos the defender. The young star followed up his maiden KFC SuperCoach ton with 71 points against the Lions, sending his price shooting past $350k – and it’s likely to reach $400k quickly, too.
Swing him into defence and play him on-field with much confidence than, say, a Paddy McCartin or Sam De Koning. Or, wait and swing him back when you are ready to upgrade one of those two to a fallen premium in the midfield.
At the other end of the ground, but staying with the Magpies, with an average of 99.6, Pat Lipinski is now the eight-highest averaging forward, and ranks fifth for total points, after the addition of his forward status.
Big-name Bulldogs Bailey Smith and Marcus Bontempelli missed out, but teammate Tom Liberatore is now a forward-midfielder in KFC SuperCoach. If Smith and Bontempelli were awarded a new position, you could make a case for a very Bulldogs-heavy forward line – but is there enough to gain with Liberatore? He’s scored 131 and 115 this year, but also 56, 78 and 83.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on Kangaroos defender Luke McDonald – now a DEF-MID – in the absence of Aaron Hall.
Helping with flexibility, popular picks Nic Martin (MID-FWD), Tristan Xerri (FWD-RUCK) and Zak Butters (MID-FWD) are now dual-position players, while fast-starters Jack Sinclair (DEF-MID) and Jordan Dawson (DEF-MID) now tick even more boxes.
WINNERS AND LOSERS
Tim Michell dives into every DPP change and picks out the winners, losers and how it will all affect KFC SuperCoach trading.
Winners
Patrick Lipinski owners
Gaining forward status is a dream outcome for eight per cent of coaches with Magpies recruit Lipinski. An average of 99.6 to Round 5 ranked 26th in midfield and fifth of all forwards. That’s a huge result for coaches who jumped on at the start of the season when Lipinski was available for $359k. He wouldn’t have been a season keeper as a MID only but shapes as a contender for a top-six or top-eight finish as a forward. He’s still cheap enough to consider if you fancy him as a DPP, too.
Dayne Zorko
A KFC SuperCoach hero last season as a MID-FWD, Zorko has gone from a must-have selection last season due to DPP to only featuring in 528 teams this year as a MID only. Zorko has had a mixed start to the season with scores of 26, 116, 105, 52 an 133 in the opening five rounds. There’s no doubt he comes with an element of injury/management risk and Brisbane have conceded several times its skipper is playing through niggles. But Zorko has the potential to be one of the top-averaging defenders and becomes a serious option now he’s gained DPP status again.
TRADE ADVICE: THE PHANTOM ANSWERS BIG SUPERCOACH QUESTIONS
Coaches who like a cheap ruck set-up
Could you seriously consider jumping off Brodie Grundy? It’s a reality thousands of coaches are weighing up after Tristan Xerri joined the long list of RUC-FWDs in 2022. This was a DPP change which was widely expected and, with Braydon Preuss on the bubble after Round 5, it will give coaches a lot to consider. If Max Gawn is out of reach or you haven’t been able to fit Tim English in, could you get away with one of that dominant pairing and Xerri at R2? There’s so many great forward rookies, it needs to, at the very least, be considered.
Todd Goldstein
Like Zorko, longtime KFC SuperCoach favourite Goldstein looked to have little relevancy this season with RUC-only status. But David Noble’s use of Tristan Xerri as North Melbourne’s first-choice ruckman in four of the opening five games has given Goldstein FWD status for the rest of the season. Goldstein’s price has dropped by more than $100k but he showed he is still capable - with the right role - when he posted 114 against Sydney. That was a game Xerri spent most of the second half on the bench and Goldstein reclaimed the No.1 ruck mantle. If Noble changes his mind and makes Goldy the main man again, he could be a real forward POD.
Luke Parker
Another player who has had a mixed start to the season with scores of 167 and 123, balanced by disappointing returns of 73, 76 and 39. Parker has lost more than $100,000 off his starting price, a scenario which seemed impossible when he dominated GWS in Round 1. Parker wouldn’t have been in the thoughts of many coaches as a MID only, but FWD status brings him right into the mix. Coaches would ideally like to see his midfield time increase before jumping on, though.
Max Gawn owners
The desperation from almost 60 per cent of coaches to bring in Max Gawn would have been at fever pitch had he gained FWD status. Luke Jackson’s continued emergence took Gawn close to the 35 per cent threshold, but he ultimately fell short. That’s great news for his owners as Gawn gaining forward status would almost certainly have been tens of thousands of coaches jumping on soon. Instead, 41 per cent of coaches with Gawn can enjoy the spoils of his brilliant form knowing few coaches have room for him in the ruck lines.
Losers
Coaches who want Isaac Heeney
There are only eight forward spots in every KFC SuperCoach team and, with so many popular rookies listed as forwards, finding room for Heeney is a problem facing lots of coaches. It seems silly to say you don’t have room for a player averaging 122 points, but which of Stephen Coniglio, Will Brodie, Tristan Xerri, Jack Hayes, Hugh Dixon and Nic Martin would you sacrifice while they’re still making money? Trading Matt Rowell for Heeney and swinging one of those listed above into midfield would be a smart move, but it does limit your potential DPP swings by adding a FWD only. Heeney is playing like a must-have, but missing out on MID status is a blow for overall team structures.
Jason Horne-Francis
It became clear in the past two weeks that the No.1 draft pick wouldn’t be getting the FWD status which was mooted for so much of the pre-season. Horne-Francis has been a regular at centre bounces for North Melbourne and it was no surprise he stayed MID only. The addition of FWD status would have made it easier to make a case for holding JHF through upgrade season, when MID only players such as Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Touk Miller will be upgrade targets. Being MID only means The Phantom favourite is on the chopping block in the next 2-3 weeks.
Lachie Whitfield
If there were already doubts about Whitfield turning his season around to be a top-six contender in defence, the addition of Zorko, Scott Pendlebury and Angus Brayshaw only push him further down the pecking order in defence. If you’ve held through his torrid run in the past 3-4 weeks, it will be tough to jump ship. However, the competition for a top-six defensive slot has never been tougher and Whitfield looks miles off that bracket.
Matthew Rowell
Rowell was never a chance to gain DPP status, but the flexibility afforded to thousands of teams with popular forwards such as Zak Butters and Nic Martin will have him firmly on the chopping block. Say you wanted to fit Heeney in your side and had to sacrifice a midfielder. Rowell is the obvious candidate after being unable to replicate his Round 1 score in the past month. He’s been playing a largely negative role against opposition star on-ballers and that has clearly hurt his scoring. If you need to open up DPP by moving a forward or defender into your midfield, Rowell looks the player to move on. You could trade him to Malcolm Rosas this week, for example, and swing Will Brodie into the middle.
Coaches who wanted Marcus Bontempelli
The Bulldogs skipper is the 13th-ranked midfielder this year, averaging 111.2 in the opening five rounds without really dominating a game to date. Bont has scored 102-108 in four of the opening five games, numbers which are a rung below the top midfielders but clearly among the best forwards in KFC SuperCoach. Some coaches - many of us included - were hopeful Luke Beveridge’s use of Bontempelli primarily in attack against North Melbourne would push him over the 35 per cent required to become a FWD-MID. But that wasn’t to be and it pushes Bontempelli down the list of upgrade targets due to many other premium on-ballers being available for under $600k.
NEXT TIME?
Champion Data will continue to monitor the numbers and a second round of new player positions will be added in Round 12. Here’s a look at some big names who are close.
Isaac Heeney (33.3% Mid)
Lance Franklin’s injury cost him DPP status – playing a season-high 87% game time as a forward in Round 5.
Bailey Smith (32.3% Fwd)
Only one match above 40% as a forward which was in Round 3. Smith, who is averaging 119 KFC SuperCoach points per game, attended a season-high 22 centre bounces in Round 5, giving him no chance to make up that final few per cent to gain dual-position status.
Max Gawn (30.0% Fwd)
The Melbourne big man is on the cusp of DPP status, after spending 35.1% up forward in the win over the Giants.
Rowan Marshall (27.6% Fwd)
Like Heeney, a missing teammate hurt Marshall’s dual-position quest. Ryder’s two-game suspension saw Marshall spend a season-high 92.7% game time in the ruck in Round 5.
Jason Horne-Francis (26.3% Fwd)
Roos coach David Noble is giving his prized draft pick time to shine in the middle with Horne-Francis spending 87.3% and 75.5% in the midfield in the past two rounds.
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