KFC SuperCoach AFL 2021: Everything you need to know
New players and returning regulars will find something new and exciting in KFC SuperCoach AFL in 2021. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Welcome to a brand new season of KFC SuperCoach.
After everything was turned upside-down in 2020, Australia’s biggest and best fantasy sports game is back and bigger than ever. There are new prizes, new features and a return to regular order after some rule changes last year to cope with rapdily moving fixtures.
This is your chance to take on your friends and family, show your footy smarts and win fantastic prizes. Best of all, it’s free to play.
Are you new to the game, returning after a year off or a hard-core regular? Read on to find out everything you need to know to play KFC SuperCoach.
>> Register for free and start picking your KFC SuperCoach team now!
Register today to take on the role of coach and manager of your own team of AFL stars, take a shot at the $50,000 grand prize and claim ultimate bragging rights over your mates.
New features for 2021 include an optimise button to select the best team each week from your squad based on predicted scores, a player injury page, fresh design changes to make the game easier to play, and improvements to KFC SuperCoach Draft including new finals system options for league commissioners and adding an average draft pick for each player. And the Reverse Trades button is now bigger and easier to find!
You can also gain access to a new world of stats and tools via SuperCoach Plus — a 12-month subscription covers all four games: KFC SuperCoach AFL, NRL, Racing and BBL.
MORE: EXPERTS REVEAL FIRST KFC SUPERCOACH TEAMS
BEST BUYS: THE 11 BIGGEST BARGAINS OF KFC SUPERCOACH 2021
THE BASICS: HOW IT WORKS
You’re a coach with a team to pick, a salary cap to work under and games to win.
Select a squad of players from across the AFL and score points based on their real-life performances in AFL games, using a unique formula developed by Champion Data.
During the year you’ll deal with form and injuries just like an AFL coach, but with the benefit of trades to replace sidelined or out-of-form players and to improve your squad.
Take on your mates in your own private league for ultimate bragging rights, and track your progress against all other SuperCoaches in the race for weekly and major prizes.
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WHAT YOU CAN WIN
At the end of the AFL home-and-away season the top SuperCoach in the country takes home $50,000 in cash. Second place receives $5000 and those placed third to 10th win $1000 each.
There is also a $1000 weekly prize for the best score each round — doubled to $2000 if you’re a SuperCoach Plus subscriber.
And that’s not all. KFC delivers delivious Kentucky Fried Chicken every week for the top 11 scorers, offer 11 per cent off your next order for everyone that opts into KFC SuperCoach and there is more epic merch, experiences and chicken up for grabs throughout the season.
So some goodies arrived today....cheers @KFCAustralia! Finishing top 11 in #supercoach providing a pretty good prize!
— Isaac (@wanga27) October 21, 2020
Now can you just arrange for the KFC in Oakleigh to fill my bucket up with nuggets....much appreciated!
WHALEOILBEEFHOOKED pic.twitter.com/gvYOansyKw
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Registering for KFC SuperCoach is completely free and only takes a few minutes.
HOW TO REGISTER
Whether you’re an experienced SuperCoach or a brand new player, it’s easy to join the action by following these five steps:
1. Go to supercoach.com.au.
2. Played before? Click on ‘login’. New? Click ‘register and play’ then enter your details.
3. Select AFL then click on ‘Build my team’ under the ‘Classic’ heading. You can play Draft as well for a new dimension of SuperCoach fun but this is the easiest place to start.
4. Pick a name for your all-conquering SuperCoach side, nominate your favourite AFL team, select your level of expertise and hit ‘Start creating my team’.
5. Start picking your team of AFL superstars to compete for the $50,000 grand prize.
HOW TO PLAY
Once registered:
YOU have a $10 million salary cap and 30 players to pick.
FILL each position. You need eight defenders, 11 midfielders, eight forwards, and three rucks. Remember to save your team!
YOU will need a mix of top-end stars you can rely on for high scores every week, bottom-priced players who will rise in value and a few players in between — look for players who are underpriced due to injury or a change in role.
NEED help picking a side? Try the auto select feature which picks a team for you instantly and then make all the changes you want.
CHANGE your team as much as you like until Round 1 starts on March 18.
BEFORE each round, choose a starting 22 and nominate one of your bench players in every position as an emergency — their score will count if one of your starting 22 doesn’t play.
NOMINATE a captain who he earns double points, and a vice-captain as back-up.
YOU get 30 trades to maintain your side during the season. Each week you can make up to two trades, except for the bye rounds when you get three trades.
STAY on top of your team with our Apple and Android apps.
WHO SHOULD I PICK?
Defenders: 6 starters, 2 emergencies
Look for ball-winners, interceptors and defenders with good kicking skills. Avoid purely defensive backmen (sorry, Dave Astbury).
Consider: Jake Lloyd, Rory Laird, Caleb Daniel.
Midfielders: 8 starters, 3 emergencies
The engine room, where SuperCoach is won or lost. A loaded midfield should be responsible for about half of your weekly score. When picking your midfield, look for ball-winners with good skills, and a nose for goal. Aim to have a minimum of four players priced at over $500,000 in your starting line-up.
Consider: Lachie Neale, Marcus Bontempelli, Matt Rowell.
Rucks: 2 starters, 1 emergency
Rucks can produce some of the biggest scores in KFC SuperCoach through hitouts to advantage and having an impact around the ground. You don’t want to be burning too many trades here.
Consider: Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy are the clear standouts but they don’t come cheap.
Forwards: 6 starters, 2 emergencies
Like defenders, you want ball-winners in attack. A midfielder-forward (Dual Position Player, also known as DPP) who racks up 25 touches and kicks one goal will score more points than a key-position forward booting five goals from just a handful of possessions.
Consider: Patrick Dangerfield, Steele Sidebottom, Dustin Martin.
HOW PLAYERS SCORE POINTS
Players score KFC SuperCoach points based on a formula devised by Champion Data to reward actions that have the biggest impact on matches — there is more to SuperCoach than adding up kicks, marks and handballs. This game rewards players who win a crucial one-on-one contest and hit a target when the game is on the line over backwards kicks in junk time.
The ability to win the ball (contested possessions), use it well (disposal efficiency), impact the scoreboard (goals and score assists), win the footy back off the opposition (intercept possessions) and tackles all score well.
Champion Data also factors in the timing and nature of the game when allocating scores, so a matchwinning goal after the siren is worth more than a regulation goal that puts a team up by 60 points with five minutes to go.
There are also negative acts that cost players KFC SuperCoach points such as turnovers and giving away free kicks and 50m penalties.
SUPERCOACH PLUS
Want to super charge your SuperCoach side? Register for SuperCoach Plus to access a suite of tools and stats including the optimise button, score and price projections, injury alerts, break evens, a bye planner and a weekly exclusive article featuring expert analysis. You’ll also get access to the 2022 team picker later this year.
All players receive access to SuperCoach Plus for free until Round 2 — sign up for a 12-month subscription for just $24.95 for a year of exclusive content for all four SuperCoach games: AFL, NRL, Racing and BBL.
>> Register for free and start picking your KFC SuperCoach team now!
NEED TO KNOW MORE?
You never have to worry about being left in the dark when making your SuperCoach selection and trade calls. Watch your News Corp website to get all the latest news and tips from the experts, and follow SuperCoach on Facebook and Twitter.
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach AFL 2021: Everything you need to know
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