KFC SuperCoach 2023: The Phantom’s best mid-price options and value picks in every position
Everyone loves a bargain, and there are plenty in KFC SuperCoach in 2023. But how do you split players in the same price range? See all The Phantom’s verdicts.
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Welcome to mid-price week of the SuperCoach pre-season.
I know you are excited to be here – everybody loves a bargain.
And there are plenty of them around in 2023.
The key, as it is every year, however, is picking the right ones.
To help you do just that, I’ve brought back The Phantom’s Face-Off. Can’t split a mid-price option? I’m here to help all week.
FORWARDS
Marcus Windhager (StK $266,200, Mid) v Alex Davies (GC $263,200, Mid) v Sam Flanders (GC $256,300, Mid)
The KFC SuperCoach teams that proved too hard to catch last year were the ones that used their boosts to upgrade early – and a number of players at the bottom-end of the mid-price bracket helped them do just that. It’s why predicting which one – or how many – of these can take the next step in their game and make quick, early cash, while also delivering solid on-field scores.
Spoiler alert, I like all of them. And they all look set to play a greater role in 2023. But who can we be most sure about?
At St Kilda, the unknown is what new coach Ross Lyon will do with Windhager, who finished his debut season as the club’s tagger, in 2023. The teenager had 17 disposals or more in three of the final five matches of 2022 as he relished the extra midfield minutes, showing off his strength – often taking possession ahead of a more experienced opponent – and clean hands at ground level. In Round 21 against the Lions, while restricting Lachie Neale to 16 disposals, Windhager tallied 21 disposals, eight contested possessions, seven marks and five clearances of his own. He’s impressed over summer and would give the Saints another dynamic in the midfield. But if anyone appreciates the defensive work of a midfielder, it’s Ross.
There are plenty of unanswered questions at the Suns, too. Will a standout pre-season, a change in mindset after being dropped and blistering VFL form as an on-baller be enough to convince coach Stuart Dew that Flanders is better used as a midfielder-first in the senior side? There still looks to be a number of established stars ahead of Flanders, who has spent most of his 30 AFL games at half-forward, but he’s making a strong case. The 21-year-old has turned heads over summer after averaging 35 disposals, 14 contested possessions, eight score involvements, seven marks, six clearances and 142 KFC SuperCoach points in his final eight VFL matches last year as a centre-bounce midfielder.
Another question Dew has to ask himself, though – will Davies add something completely different to the mix altogether? The 191cm midfielder is a first-possession star, and highlighted his KFC SuperCoach-friendly game in the final round of last season. Against North Melbourne – his highest percentage of game-time for the year (78%) – Davies won 11 of his 15 possessions in a contest and tallied nine groundball-gets, two goals, two assists and 93 KFC SuperCoach points. The 20-year-old was in and out of the team last year, but played in the Suns’ last three games after a huge 156-point performance, on the back of 18 contested possessions, 13 groundball-gets and 11 tackles, in the VFL. He had 14 contested possessions and six tackles on debut in 2021, too. “Alex Davies is different to our other mids, and he got some exposure, but we think he could get some more exposure,” Dew said at the end of last season.
Rate these 5 in order #SuperCoach
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) February 9, 2023
Marcus Windhager 266k
Alex Davies 263k
Archie Perkins 314k
Sam Flanders 256k
Jayden Hunt 285k
Phantom’s verdict: As I said, I like them all. And, if they all showed they were going to get significant midfield minutes in the pre-season matches, I’d consider making room for the trio. But I’ll rank them. And sometimes I go with my eye, and after what I saw last year, that says Windhager. Could he finish the year as St Kilda’s second-best midfielder? It wouldn’t be a shock – there’s every chance he’s unleashed. Flanders sits in just behind him. He could make his run but probably has a few more to get past. Davies could end up being the best scorer of them all, but he’s in a similar boat to Flanders.
Wayne Milera (Adel $321,200) v Archie Perkins (Ess $314,400)
Same price, same KFC SuperCoach position, but very different stories. Both have upside, but plenty of uncertainty.
With Milera, the uncertainty surrounds his body. The 25-year-old has played just 14 games since 2019, after serious foot and knee injuries. Milera got his body right last year, but it took him a while to build up to speed – and when he did played in a new role across half-forward. It resulted in a 58-point average over 12 games and a discounted forward price-tag in KFC SuperCoach. The good news, however, is he’s fit and firing, with teammates Taylor Walker and Tom Doedee singling out Milera’s outstanding pre-season recently. The even better news is Milera looks set to return to the KFC SuperCoach-friendly role in defence. In the final seven games of 2018 – his third season in the competition – the skilful playmaker averaged 23 disposals, seven intercepts, six marks, four rebound 50s and 95 SuperCoach points per game. He carried that for into the following year, posting scores of 82, 105, 109 and 86 in the opening four rounds before he was injured in Round 5.
Perkins is only heading into his third season in 2023 but he, too, is another to have caught the eye of onlookers on the track over summer. He’s trained with the midfield group this pre-season and featured as a pure centre-bounce midfielder in recent match sim. There’s no impressive set of junior data to look at, given his final year was wiped out by Covid, but Perkins was drafted as a big-bodied midfielder who could push forward and hit the scoreboard. After playing 39 games, learning the ropes as a forward, the Bombers, and Perkins himself, look set on making the midfield move. It has classic third-year breakout written all over it. And, on the eye, it looks right. But, apart from the a four-game stretch when Perkins attended at least 50 per cent of centre bounces – resulting in scores of 69, 77, 109 and 52 in Rounds 11-15 – there’s not a lot else to go on.
Phantom’s verdict: I expect Perkins to be a KFC SuperCoach staple in years to come but with plenty of midfielders in the mix at the Bombers, it’s hard to be sure this is the year it all happens. If he’s fit come Round 1, Milera appears the safer pick in the half-back role. Both on the watchlist for me, but not in the team - yet.
Nic Martin (Ess $436,000 Mid) v Izak Rankine (Adel $383,600)
Nic Martin in his second season? Izak Rankine the small forward? Really, Phantom? Maybe, because there’s definitely more to both stories than that.
Coming off a limited pre-season, only signing officially in February last year, Martin averaged 91 in the first eight games of his career. His clean hands stood out in the practice matches, and then the mature-age recruit from the WAFL proved he could produce on the big stage, tallying 27 disposals, five goals and 114 KFC SuperCoach points on debut. He went on to score 88 or more on nine other occasions. Now, after an influential first year across half-forward and on a wing, the Bombers have been trialling Martin on-ball, hoping his one-take ability and skill translates in tight.
More midfield time could be on the cards for Adelaide’s prized recruit, too. Rankine dazzled at times with his ability to get in and out of traffic through the middle during his time in the SANFL – at multiple levels – and he would give the Crows’ engine the spark and skill it craves. We’re going back a long way, but a 16-year-old Rankine once tallied 33 disposals, 18 score involvements, 13 contested possessions, 11 marks, five goals, four clearances and 223 KFC SuperCoach points at SANFL under-18 level. A few weeks later he finished with 26 disposals, 21 contested possessions and 11 clearances in the reserves, before kicking two goals in his senior debut later that season. Now, I’m not saying he’ll produce anything near those midfield numbers for the Crows this year, but, after he booted 13 goals and averaged 96 points in a career-best eight-week stretch between Rounds 8 and 16 last year, he doesn’t need to. A few CBAs per game might be all it takes.
Phantom’s verdict: I’m not picking either of these guys at the moment, but they are my top-eight smokies in the forward line. If I had to choose, though, I’d take Rankine at the price.
Jason Horne Francis (Port $348,800 Mid) - Y/N?
Forget the hysteria over his debut season and trade home to Port Adelaide. KFC SuperCoaches don’t need to care about that. We just need to care about the fact he can still seriously play. And he’ll feature heavily in Port’s midfield rotation from the get-go, after proving unstoppable at times during match sim at Alberton this summer. In Round 4 last year, Horne-Francis attended a season-high 76 per cent of centre bounces and finished with 23 disposals, 11 contested possessions, six clearances and 93 KFC SuperCoach points – his third score of 90 more in a far-from-settled debut season. Don’t forget he tallied 18 contested possessions, 11 clearances, 10 score involvements, three goals and 160 points to almost win South Adelaide a SANFL preliminary final before he was drafted.
Phantom’s verdict – Not to start: I would not be surprised in the slightest to see Horne-Francis come out and average more than 90 this season. But the price tag – and interrupted summer - makes him a difficult starting selection, given the other options in the forward line. Can see a world where I use a boost to get him in ahead of Round 3, though.
Nat Fyfe (Freo $313,600 Mid) – Y/N?
Can you pick Fyfe and Elliot Yeo in your starting team? I don’t think so – and I wouldn’t be picking him over Yeo, either. Scroll down to the defenders section of this story for the full explanation.
Errol Gulden (Syd $472,000 Mid) Y/N?
Gulden spent more time on a wing in 2022, floating back to play behind the ball, but recorded another three scores of 125 or more, among six KFC SuperCoach tons. Add to that scores of 139 and 136 in the first two games of his career a year earlier, and the scoring power – as a result of multiple avenues of scoring – is obvious. It goes back to his junior days, too, with Gulden posting scores of 168, 131 and 105 in his three NAB League games in his draft year and 245, 177 and 149 at the national under-16 carnival the previous season. In Round 20 against the Giants, Gulden tallied career-high disposals (33), metres gained (697), marks (12) and inside-50s (10), on his way to a season-high 131 points. He scored another KFC SuperCoach ton a week later, before finishing the year with 72 and 74. The floor is still low but consistency often comes with time, and a greater role, and Gulden’s importance to Sydney’s team is likely to only grow from here, given his footy IQ.
Phantom’s verdict - Yes: Even though he only just fits into the mid-price bracket, I’m all in – but you already knew that.
RUCKS
Is there another Jarrod Witts out there?
Sadly, there’s probably no $380k ruckman who averages 110 points available in KFC SuperCoach this year.
The Gold Coast big man averaged 100 and 93 in the two seasons before he ruptured his ACL in the opening Round of 2021.
While the size of the jump – Witts averaged 118 through 15 rounds – was slightly unexpected, he was a No. 1 ruckman with a proven scoring history and a significantly discounted price tag.
The confidence in the premium ruckmen at this time last year, however, meant Witts wasn’t hugely popular.
So with that confidence significantly dropping – for a number of reasons – this time around, is there a mid-price big man we can count on in 2023?
Darcy Cameron (Coll $465,900, Fwd)
2022 average: 84.6
In terms of scoring well above their starting price tag, Cameron fits the bill. The Collingwood big man is priced at an average of 85, but in the 10 rounds following Brodie Grundy’s injury, he averaged 103 KFC SuperCoach points per game. On the year, Cameron averaged 104 points in the ruck and 72 as a forward. The good news for Cameron is Brodie Grundy is gone. But the bad news is Mason Cox is still there and is likely to again feature in the ruck this year, especially given the addition of free agent forward Dan McStay. In the immediate aftermath of Grundy’s injury, Cameron was the man doing majority of the ruck work before by the bye. But then it changed, as Cox stepped in, winning more hitouts than Cameron in five of the final nine matches of the season. In those five games, Cameron posted KFC SuperCoach scores of 117, 95, 71, 45 and 64. In that 117-point performance in Round 15, Cameron finished with 17 disposals, eight marks, seven hitouts-to-advantage and two goals to highlight his ability to score without having to be the sole big man. But Cox’s presence is a concern.
Phantom’s verdict: At $465k, however, Cox being there isn’t enough to put me off. He could still become Brodie Grundy (at R2) for me, depending on what happens in Melbourne’s pre-season matches, but I think Cameron can do the job. He’s going to outscore his price tag and, if he can’t force his way into the top rung of KFC SuperCoach ruckmen, he’s all-but a lock to be a top-eight forward.
Luke Jackson (Freo $465,500, Fwd)
2022 average: 84.6
Where can Jackson get to in 2023? It’s a difficult question to answer - not even the Dockers are sure. Coach Justin Longmuir says the former Demon has “taken the game over” during match-sim this summer, where he’s, at times, featured as a midfielder alongside ruck partner Sean Darcy. Fremantle footy boss Peter Bell is excited about the unknown, confirming Jackson is likely to be used as a ruckman, forward and midfielder at his new club. We saw his almost-unmatched athleticism on show during his time at Melbourne, and it appears that was only a glimpse of what’s to come. But what does it mean for his KFC SuperCoach prospects? That is another difficult question to answer. In the one game he played without Max Gawn last year, Jackson finished with 21 disposals, 10 contested possessions, 10 score involvements and 122 points. Only four of his hitouts went to advantage that night, in a sign that it’s more about opportunity to follow the ball with Jackson. In saying that, in the final round of the year, Gawn took a backseat as Jackson tallied a career-high 12 hitouts-to-advantage and 130 points. Again, in such a big positive for the Dockers – and maybe KFC SuperCoaches – Jackson is hard to predict.
Phantom’s verdict: Would not be surprised If I was writing this column next year asking who is the Luke Jackson of 2024? I’ll be watching Fremantle’s pre-season games very closely, but there’s probably still too much uncertainty to start.
Lloyd Meek (Haw $431,100)
2022 average: 87
After just spending 200 words fantasising how two ruckmen can work at Fremantle, Lloyd Meek enters the chat. He’s not Luke Jackson – no one is – so the Darcy-Meek partnership was never going to work at the Dockers. But Meek is now at the Hawks where there is – checks notes – three ruckmen battling for the No. 1 spot. The 24-year-old is locked in a three-way battle with Ned Reeves and Max Lynch, both who experienced interrupted seasons last year. Coach Sam Mitchell could opt for two ruckman, like he did at times in 2022, especially given the need to cover Mitch Lewis in attack early in the year. I’m not going to try and solve that equation right now – but if Meek emerges as the No 1, KFC SuperCoaches should at least consider. In the three matches Meek played without Darcy in the side last year, he posted KFC SuperCoach scores of 83, 89 and 100. He scored 88, 84 and 78 in his other three appearances for the season. In and around those seniors games, Meek averaged 18 disposals, 12 contested possessions, eight hitouts-to-advantage, five clearances, four tackles and 126 points in the WAFL.
Phantom’s verdict: The price is hard to swallow, even if he does emerge as the leader in that race. But he’s on my watchlist.
Scott Lycett (Port $429,900)
2022 average: 86.8
The injured big man with a significantly discounted price tag, who averaged 94, 97 and 101 in the previous three seasons. If anyone fits the Witts mould, on the surface, it’s Lycett. But is he more 94 than 101 in today’s game, with Jeremy Finlayson as his partner? Finlayson stepped up in Lycett’s absence last year and, despite giving up some height, had an influence as a mobile ruckman. “We’ve been working a lot on the same team so far this pre-season,” Finlayson said of the looming partnership at Alberton in January. After averaging 97 through 17 rounds in 2021, Lycett’s output suffered as a result of Peter Ladhams’ presence, with the 30-year-old averaging 88 points per game to finish the year.
Phantom’s verdict: He might lead Port in the ruck, but don’t expect him to have a monopoly on the role.
Sam Draper (Ess $398,800)
2022 average: 72.4
Is this the year the Bomber big man makes his mark in KFC SuperCoach? My friend at Champion Data, Fantasy Freako, tells me Draper has averaged 81 points per 100 minutes in the first 43 games of his career. At the same mark, Max Gawn was averaging 83. But, while both battled injury during their early years on a list, in games 27-43, Gawn posted KFC SuperCoach scores of 98, 118, 146, 66, 150, 105, 110, 104, 80, 74, 69, 106, 101, 95, 85, 172 and 105. Draper passed the 100-point mark in just three of his 22 matches last season. It’s true, Draper doesn’t have to be Gawn to be successful as a KFC SuperCoach selection this year - but he needs to win more of the ball. Of any ruckman to play more than five games in 2022, the 24-year-old ranked 35th for disposals per game
Phantom’s verdict: Great to watch, but I still don’t think he will be great for KFC SuperCoach - not yet anyway.
MIDFIELDERS
Jacob Hopper (Rich $332,000) v Dom Sheed (WC $332,000) v James Worpel (Haw $309,300)
At the time of writing, Hopper is the sixth-most popular player in KFC SuperCoach – and you could make an argument that No. 6 is too low.
After an injury-ravaged season that included multiple knee surgeries, Hopper is priced at an average of 60 in 2023.
It’s true, he failed to get past the 60s in four of his seven games last year, but forget that.
In the previous 57 games of his career, Hopper scored 80 points or more in 45 of them and posted 23 KFC SuperCoach tons.
Between Round 1, 2019 and Round 23, 2021, the powerful midfielder has averaged 95 KFC SuperCoach points and missed just four home-and-away matches – one with concussion and three with a hamstring injury.
Over the period, he was the No. 1 centre-bounce midfielder at the Giants, and it could be a similar story at his new club.
ULTIMATE GUIDE: THE BEST PREMIUM OPTIONS ON EVERY LINE
Last year was also a write-off for Sheed, with a pre-season ankle injury and then a stress-related foot issue restricting him to just one senior appearance.
But let’s forget that, too, because Sheed’s numbers over the previous three seasons are similar to Hopper’s.
The 27-year-old Eagle, the 75th most-popular player in KFC SuperCoach, played 60 games between 2019 and 2021 and passed the 80-point mark in 35 of them – 10 less than Hopper.
Sheed’s 20 KFC SuperCoach tons aligned closer, but his average of 89 was six points less, thanks largely to 13 scores of 66 or less.
His centre-bounce attendance was just behind the top couple at West Coast – and that might not change much this season – and he missed just one match.
Then there’s Worpel, whose 2022 season was also close to a write-off – but for slightly different reasons.
Yes, his season ended early after he dislocated a shoulder under a Lachie Whitfield tackle in Round 16 but he also missed five games before that after being dropped in Round 10.
Last year, he hit the target with just 36 of his 86 kicks.
It’s a trend, too, with only 240 of Worpel’s 485 kicks deemed effective since 2019.
A kicking efficiency of 49 per cent might rate below average, but in 2019 and 2020, Hopper’s was less. But, like Hopper, Worpel has shown he can score well in KFC SuperCoach by the way he wins the ball.
Using the same parameters as above, Worpel scored 80 KFC SuperCoach points or more in 57 games between 2019 and 2021, passing three figures in 14 matches and resulting in an average of 86.
In 2019, his second year in the competition, Worpel exploded onto the scene, averaging 26 disposals, 12 contested possessions, five tackles and 97 KFC SuperCoach points, to wing the best-and-fairest in the absence of Tom Mitchell.
But when the Browlow Medallist returned the following year, Worpel’s CBAs and output dropped slightly, with the young Hawk finishing with a KFC SuperCoach average of 88, which included an injury-affected 55 in the final round. Take that out and it’s 91.
Those centre-bounce numbers dropped slightly again in 2021 with O’Meara and Mitchell back in-sync leading the midfield.
Who won’t be there in 2023, though? Jaeger O’Meara and Tom Mitchell. And Worpel is fit and firing on the track.
Given the Covid-affected 2020 season, here are the individual numbers per 100 minutes, thanks to Champion Data.
Like we found out earlier, there isn’t much splitting the numbers.
Essentially, Hopper’s ball-winning in general – and in a contest – has him ahead in the KFC SuperCoach race.
Before diving into the numbers, I had picked Hopper without thinking, written off Worpel as a player who can’t kick and decided we have already seen the best of Sheed.
And while most of that still stands, it’s obvious all three, playing a significant role in their club’s starting midfield, are likely to outscore their starting price by someway in 2023.
But can you start more than one?
It probably all depends on what you do elsewhere because all could get to a position to be upgraded quickly with a couple of big early scores.
But Hopper is still the one with more upside, and the player who is the better chance of pushing three figures and holding down an on-field spot in your side for longer.
He’s always been a big CBA guy, but he was sharing the midfield responsibility with many others at the Giants.
But at the Tigers, Hopper, who averaged 136 points in a blistering draft year, will be in a clear top three with Dion Prestia and Tim Taranto
The Phantom’s verdict: Hopper is still my No. 1, but as a pure stepping stone mid-pricer, I’m coming around to Worpel. I wouldn’t start him over Hopper, but you can make a case for having both, if you think they can do a better job – playing a midfield role – than a similar-price player in another KFC SuperCoach position. I’m not sure there’s enough upside in Sheed, however – or his team for that matter.
What about Max Holmes (Geel $360,600)?
I think he’s another, who achieve a similar thing in KFC SuperCoach. Thanks to an injury-affected 14 and a slow start to last season, which included a clanger-ridden 18-point performance in Round 2, Holmes is priced at a 65-point average this year. But Holmes, who teammate Patrick Dangerfield believes “could be the best player in the competition at some stage”, became a key part of Chris Scott’s side in the run to the flag, averaging 94 KFC SuperCoach points in the final six games, including finals. From Round 20 onwards, the 20-year-old averaged 19 disposals, seven contested possessions, six score involvements, four inside-50s, four marks, 438 metres gained and one goal per game.
The Phantom’s verdict: I’ve got him ahead of Sheed and, as a pure player, ahead of Worpel. But at $360k in KFC SuperCoach, he’s harder to start alongside Hopper, so Worpel gets the nod in that head-to-head.
DEFENDERS
Elliot Yeo (WC $337,000)
The mid-pricer on every KFC SuperCoach’s mind in some way, Yeo has enjoyed a standout pre-season, training at full speed, and without restriction, since the Christmas break. A fit-and-firing Yeo has been a welcome sight for the Eagles, with the 29-year-old playing just 27 games in the past three years. But in the three seasons before that, Yeo missed just two home-and-away matches and averaged 102, 107 and 107 KFC SuperCoach points in each year respectively. In isolation, on those first numbers, he’s unpickable. On the second lot, he’s a must-have at $337k. Yeo looks set to split his time across half-back and the midfield, with onlookers even suggesting he has his trademark ‘power’ back after a shocking run with injury. He played both roles during that career-best three-year stretch. So what’s it going to be – unpickable or must-have?
Phantom’s verdict – Yes: As a simple yes/no, in isolation, at this stage of the pre-season, it’s a yes from me. But what about…
It's all about MID-PRICERS this week 👀
— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) February 6, 2023
Which #SuperCoach value options (between $200-$475k) can't you split? Let me know below 👇
Phantom's Face-off is making a return...
... v Jack Bowes (Geel $277,500)
You shouldn’t be surprised Bowes has been training with Geelong’s midfield group, because he was drafted as a midfielder – one who impressed against the bigger bodies as a teenager in the NEAFL. But he spent many of his 83 games at the Suns in defence. Then, after injury, a form slump and a stint in the VFL, he was sent packing to the Cats last year. But in that VFL stint, Bowes, again, highlighted what he can do as a midfielder, averaging 27 disposals, 13 contested possessions, seven clearances, six inside 50s, five tackles and 120 SuperCoach points in his final 11 games. Unlike Yeo, however, a fit Bowes isn’t guaranteed a spot in Chris Scott’s premiership-winning Geelong side. But, given the need to fill the Joel Selwood void in the midfield, there’s hope.
Phantom’s verdict – both, but Yeo just in front: I like both. If Yeo and Bowes are named in Round 1, there’s enough upside in both to pick them in your starting side. Bowes could make quick cash and get you to a premium quicker than a rookie – like Demon Jake Bowey did last year. A fit Yeo could – and ‘could’ is still the key word here – be more than that, and that’s why I’d have him ahead.
... v Christian Salem (Melb $390,400)
Just as I was writing about his injury-free 2021 season when he posted 10 KFC SuperCoach tons in his 21 games, news filtered through that Salem has been put on a modified training program. “Christian is currently undergoing treatment for an illness resulted to his thyroid gland,” Melbourne’s Head of Medical Dr Laura Lallanec said on the club’s website.
Phantom’s verdict – Yeo: Before the setback, the price probably put him behind the first few in this discussion, anyway.
... v Hunter Clark (StK $315,200)
Clark and I go way back, as I’m sure some of you are aware. But I’ve long been worried if St Kilda would ever get the best out of him. Then Lenny Hayes returns to the club and one of the first things he says about his new role as midfield coach is helping Clark reach his ‘full potential’. And, like a few of you out there it seems, I might be ready to go back. The 23-year-old has had a shocking run with injury, playing just 21 of 44 matches and undergoing three different surgeries – facial fracture, AC joint and broken jaw – in the past two years. The good news, however, is Clark is in a good headspace and has enjoyed ‘continuity’ this pre-season. He averaged 82 in his third season in 2020, was St Kilda’s best midfielder – scoring 113 points – against the Giants in Round 1 the following year and averaged 91 over the next seven rounds.
Phantom’s verdict – Yeo but watch Clark: It’s Yeo over Clark here, but keep Clark high on your pre-season watchlist. He might even go past Bowes, if you’re after another in the price range.
... v Nat Fyfe (Fre $313,600)
He’s not a defender, but many KFC SuperCoaches – myself included – have declared it’s Yeo or Nat Fyfe, and not both in 2023. Can you really take the risk on two injury-prone veterans? Sure, the price, along with extra trades, helps, but I think there’s enough other value around to not need them both. Fyfe has played 36 matches in the past three seasons – nine more than Yeo – but his trouble with injury extends further back, with the Docker star missing another 17 home-and-away matches in the previous four seasons. Yeo, however, has never averaged more than 107 points per game. Fyfe has eclipsed the 113-point mark in five different seasons. That was as a full-time Brownlow Medal-winning midfielder, though – something he won’t be in 2023, with a forward-heavy role on the agenda.
Phantom’s verdict – Yeo. Even as a forward, a fit Fyfe will still easily outscore his 60-point price tag, making him a viable KFC SuperCoach selection, despite the role change. But I’m not sure he can reach Yeo’s heights this year, and that’s why I’m going with the Eagle. There’s risk in both, so take the highest potential reward.
Ben Long (GC $353,900, Fwd) v Jayden Hunt (WC $285,600)
Both look set to line up across half-back for their new clubs in 2023. With Lachie Weller and Connor Budarick working their way back from ACL injuries, Long was recruited by the Suns to help fill the void across half-back – and that was before Wil Powell suffered a hamstring injury just after recovering from ankle surgery. The former Saint has been up-and-down in the past, as his role varied. But in the final round of last season, Long, who failed to score more than 60 in nine of his first 17 games for the year, went big, highlighting his KFC SuperCoach scoring potential in defence, finishing with 27 disposals, seven intercept marks and 142 points. Over in Perth, there’s also a spot for former-Demon Hunt, with the Eagles crying out for a bit of speed and flare on the wide expanses of Optus Stadium. Campbell Chesser will be given every opportunity when ready, and last year’s top draftee Reuben Ginbey is another gifted athlete, but the experienced Hunt is right in the Round 1 mix. Is he cheap enough to overlook the scoring history, though? In the five seasons at Melbourne when he played 16 matches or more, Hunt returned averages of 60, 71, 58, 56 and 52.
Phantom’s verdict – neither. The answer to the question about Hunt’s price is no. I’d wait and hope for an on-field rookie – and there could be a few – instead. I don’t think we can be sure enough about Long’s scoring to pay $353k, either.
Ed Richards (WB $460,400) – Buy/watch/avoid
At $460k, Richards just fits into the mid-price bracket. He’s not cheap like the others above, but he still could be priced well below his scoring output. The 23-year-old, who finally settled into a role down back at the Bulldogs, is priced at an average of 84 this year. But in the final six home-and-away matches of 2022, Richards really hit his straps, posting five KFC SuperCoach tons and averaging 111 points per game. The dashing left-footer hit the target with 76 of his 99 kicks, and averaged 24 disposals, eight marks and six intercepts to finish the season. Could he also take more kick-ins in 2023 if Caleb Daniel’s part-time midfield role eventuates?
Phantom’s verdict – Watch. The value is obvious – in the numbers and on the eye, as my friend the Hipster said during the off-season. A lot of great options in the next price bracket, so wait and see how the Bulldogs line-up in the pre-season matches.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2023: The Phantom’s best mid-price options and value picks in every position
Five moves that won me $50,000 in SuperCoach
The 20-year-old winner of SuperCoach AFL 2024 reveals the tactics that led him to the game’s top prize, beating out more than 180,000 players across the country.
SuperCoach wrap: Norm-worthy stars and grand final flops
Who stood up on the biggest SuperCoach stage and who disappointed when it counted most? Check out round 24’s heroes and villains – and some hot tips for 2025.