KFC SuperCoach 2023: The Phantom’s breakout contenders and players who could take the next step
You know the KFC SuperCoach stars, but identifying the players who take the next step is key to getting the jump on the competition. The Phantom looks at 7 names.
SuperCoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Every KFC SuperCoach knows the big guns – the stars of the game almost guaranteed to score well.
But the key to getting the jump on the rest of the competition – in your league or in the race for the grand prize – is identifying the players set to take the next step.
Sure, it can backfire – we’ve all been there – but finding the value in KFC SuperCoach is one of the keys to building the foundation of a successful year.
Here are seven players The Phantom is tipping to increase their average significantly in 2023.
Errol Gulden (Syd)
$472,000, Fwd-Mid
2022 average: 86
Predicted average 2023: 104
After posting scores of 139 and 136 in the first two games of career, and rating elite for inside 50s, effective kicks, intercept possessions and goal assists as a forward in his debut season, I tipped Gulden to push the 95-point mark last year.
Although 86 is still a significant bump, he didn’t quite there. But we’ve see more to suggest that it will only be a matter of time until he does.
Gulden, who was second behind endurance king Dylan Stephens in the latest 2km time trial, 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.
And his enormous scoring potential – as a result of multiple avenues of scoring – goes back to his junior career 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 – including finals – with 72, 74, 79, 88 and 58.
While the ceiling is high, those numbers prove his scoring 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 almost unmatched footy IQ.
Phantom’s Verdict: As some of you know, I’m all in on the young Swan in his third season.
Alex Davies (GC)
$263,200, Fwd-Mid
2022 average: 48
Predicted average 2023: 77
“Alex Davies is different to our other mids, and he got some exposure, but we think he could get some more exposure.”
That’s what Suns coach Stuart Dew said at the end of last season when talking about the plans to increase the depth of his side’s midfield.
The end of last season was also when Davies – again – highlighted his KFC SuperCoach-friendly game.
In the final round against North Melbourne – his highest percentage of game-time for the year (78%) – the 191cm midfielder 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.
It was a similar story in 2021, too, with Davies recording 14 contested possessions and six tackles on debut in Round 21.
Consistent opportunity didn’t follow that performance but it might be a different story in 2023.
Phantom’s Verdict: Davies just needs more opportunity, because the way he wins the ball is suited perfectly to KFC SuperCoach. Even as a permanent half-forward, 70 could be on the cards, which would see him make enough early cash.
ROOKIE BIBLE: THE KFC SUPERCOACH CHEAPIES YOU NEED TO KNOW
Marcus Windhager (StK)
$266,200, Fwd-Mid
2022 average: 48
Predicted average 2023: 80
It was an impressive 2022 for the young Saint, who played 18 games in his debut season, finishing the year as the club’s tagger in the midfield.
The extra responsibility resulted in Windhager tallying 17 disposals or more in three of the final five matches.
But it wasn’t the numbers that stood out the most.
Stationed around the ball, Windhager showed off his strength – often taking possession ahead of a more experienced opponent – and clean hands at ground level.
Some of his numbers were pretty good, however.
In Round 21 against the Lions, while restricting Lachie Neale to 16 disposals, the teenager tallied 21 disposals, eight contested possessions, seven marks and five clearances of his own.
Before that, when he was dropped back to the VFL, Windhager dominated the Bombers, finishing with 155 KFC SuperCoach points, on the back of 32 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 12 clearances, eight tackles and two goals.
Windhager kicked off the 2023 pre-season with a 2km time trial win and he’s continued to impress the new coaching group over summer.
Phantom’s Verdict: Another cheap, dual-position forward who is likely to score well above his price tag with an increased role. How many can you fit in, though?
Max Holmes (Geel)
$360,600, Mid
2022 average: 65
Predicted average 2023: 91
Speaking of scoring above their price tag, the young Cat is certainly underpriced 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 if his finish to 2022 is anything to go by, the 20-year-old will score well above that in 2023.
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, Holmes averaged 19 disposals, seven contested possessions, six score involvements, four inside-50s, four marks, 438 metres gained and one goal per game.
In the preliminary win over the Lions, Holmes, who was a late comer to football after choosing the game over a promising junior athletics career, tallied 12 disposals, six score involvements, one goal and 102 KFC SuperCoach points in just 56 per cent game-time before injury ended his campaign.
Phantom’s Verdict: At $360k, it doesn’t need to be a full blown breakout for Holmes to be KFC SuperCoach relevant in 2023. That could come when, as Dangerfield predicts, he moves to the inside down the track. If he just reaches the level he hit in the back half of last year, Holmes may well be a mid-pricer worth starting.
James Rowbottom (Syd)
$468,500, Mid
2022 average: 85
Predicted average 2023: 103
He’s threatened for a while but after a strong finish to last year, Rowbottom’s fifth season in the competition could be his breakout one.
The 22-year-old may have only added four points to his KFC SuperCoach average and lifted his disposals per game from 16 to 18, but his final eight games could be sign of the big jump that’s about to come.
Rowbottom, who finished third in the club’s best-and-fairest behind Callum Mills and Chad Warner, averaged 25 disposals, 12 contested possessions, nine groundball-gets, eight tackles, six clearances, and 106 KFC SuperCoach points to finish the season.
The tough midfielder led the Swans for tackles and pressure acts and stood up on the big stage in the finals.
“He plays with power and hardness,” Swans coach John Longmire said after the qualifying final win over Melbourne.
“He just gets from contest to contest really quickly.
“He knows what works for him, he knows what his strengths are … he competes hard and keeps it simple.”
Phantom’s Verdict: A price tag of $468k doesn’t make Rowbottom’s selection in KFC SuperCoach a simple one, though. But there’s no denying the numbers are trending in the right direction.
Sam Berry (Adel)
$478,700, Mid
2022 average: 87
Predicted average 2023: 99
Even if you include the finals series when the Crows took no part, Berry laid eight more tackles than any other player in the competition – the man above James Rowbottom was second.
The young Crow’s 9.5 per game was clearly ranked No. 1 in the league after he recorded double-digit tackles on seven occasions.
Berry may have only posted three KFC SuperCoach tons – among 11 scores of 80 or more – but two of them were big.
In Round 18 against Collingwood, Berry tallied 21 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 17 tackles and 121 points.
A week later in the clash with the Swans, the 20-year-old finished with 24 disposals, 20 contested possessions, 14 tackles, two goals and 140 points.
In those two matches, Berry attended 87 per cent and 91 per cent of centre bounces, respectively. On the year, his centre bounce attendance jumped by 50 per cent on his debut season.
They are numbers reminiscent of his draft year when Berry posted two KFC SuperCoach tons among eight scores of 90 or more from 10 games.
But the season also included a huge 220-point performance, on the back of 20 disposals, 18 tackles, 17 contested possessions and three goals.
Phantom’s Verdict: The tackling beast will always be in the game, but can he do enough else on a consistent basis? That’s his next challenge. I expect a jump but he’s hard to pick in classic as a midfielder only. Keep him high on your KFC SuperCoach Draft watchlist, though.
Hayden Young (Frem)
$508,200, Def
2022 average: 92
Predicted average 2023: 104
My 2020 prediction was close on Young – I forecast a jump from 77 to 95 in his third year, and he finished on 92 after fading late in the minor round.
But, in the story of his season, the damaging left-foot bounced back with scores of 120 and 105 in Fremantle’s two finals.
Overall, including finals, from Round 13, Young posted scores of 142, 104, 58, 89, 88, 139, 110, 78, 85, 89, 120, 105.
The scoring power is there, but like so many young players the consistency isn’t – yet.
But even with those ups and downs, Young averaged 24 disposals, eight marks - two of them intercepts – and 99 KFC SuperCoach points across the 12-game stretch.
Before that – after averaging 19 disposals, seven intercepts, seven marks and 98 KFC SuperCoach points in the final four games of the 2021 – Young started 2023 with 92, 123, 56 and 101 before six scores of 100 or less.
It’s a story of almost, but not quite.
The stats show Young’s bump last year was on the back of his ability to get in the right spots and win the ball back off the opposition.
But it’s still his kicking – and decision making – that is a joy to watch.
Of the 79 players to average 23 disposals or more in 2022, only Tom Stewart, Daniel Rich, Caleb Daniel and Shannon Hurn recorded a better kicking efficiency than Young (79.4 per cent).
That’s good company.
Phantom’s Verdict: Good kicking is good KFC SuperCoach – that part is simple. If he can find a new level of consistency in his fourth season – and there’s enough ball to go around in the Dockers’ defence – Young could be a top-eight defender in 2023.
More Coverage
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2023: The Phantom’s breakout contenders and players who could take the next step
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.