KFC SuperCoach AFL 2021: The Phantom’s team revealed

The KFC SuperCoach season is here and The Phantom has settled on a Round 1 side. Pending any late rookie changes, here is his final team.

We made it, my friends.

After another gruelling KFC SuperCoach pre-season, the opening round is here.

I watched the AAMI Series closely, and I’ve been digging through the numbers ever since, but there has been no huge reshuffle based on the practice match scores.

There are some new faces, sure, but most are from the rookie-price category.

The Round 1 teamsheets could, obviously, result in changes over the next couple of days but, at this stage, I’m set.

I think.

Is it finally time for Hunter Clark‘s breakout year? Picture: Michael Klein

DEFENCE

Jake Lloyd (Syd) $656,400

Rory Laird (Adel) $564,800, Mid

Alex Witherden (WC) $456,100

Hunter Clark (StK) $438,900

Hayden Young (Freo) $279,400

Lachie Jones (Port) $139,800

BENCH: Jacob Koschitzke (Haw) $123,900

Tom Highmore (StK) $117,300

The top two have been set for a while. I’m not starting without Jake Lloyd again and Rory Laird the midfielder, who posted scores of 120, 102, 122, 136 and 108 in the final five games of last season, playing his new role, is a lock.

I’ve also stuck with long-time favourite Alex Witherden, with his move to the Eagles - the team which loves to control the ball by-foot out of the back-half - set to suit his strengths perfectly.

Zac Williams was there for a while, as was Liam Duggan, but the new face in the first four is St Kilda’s Hunter Clark. The midfield move didn’t eventuate last season but, after he attended 16 centre bounces and tallied game-highs in contested possessions (15) and clearances (8) in just 68 per cent game-time in the AAMI Series, this could be the year. And there’s no way I’m missing out.

Young was a KFC SuperCoach star as a junior and scored 109 points in just his third career game last year. He’s flying after an injury-interrupted debut season and he’s not only set to feature across half-back in 2021 but at the kick-ins, too, making him the perfect D5 in a year when the rookie defender stocks are thin.

Port’s Lachie Jones is the best on-field option if he’s named - and that’s up in the air at the moment - but, if he’s not on the team sheet, Tom Highmore will take his place.

The player I couldn’t squeeze in: The Cats have confirmed Jordan Clark ($241,800) will play in Round 1 and his pre-season numbers were terrific. But can we trust coach Chris Scott?

ROOKIE BIBLE: UPDATED VERDICTS ON EVERY KFC SUPERCOACH CHEAPIE

FORM GUIDE:EVERY PLAYER’S AAMI SERIES DATA REVEALED

Matt Rowell is a lock at M4 for The Phantom. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale (Bris) $721,800

Jack Macrae (Carl) $650,100

Sam Walsh (Carl) $543,300

Matt Rowell (GC) $495,100

Tom Green (GWS) $351,400

Braeden Campbell (Syd) $189,300, Fwd

Tom Powell (NM) $153,300

Errol Gulden (Syd) $117,300

BENCH: Connor Downie (Haw) $117,300

Anthony Scott (WB) $102,400 FWD

Lachie McNeil (WB) $102,400

The players around it have been set for a while but the M2 spot has been a revolving door all pre-season. Clayton Oliver featured there in January and Walsh was there in the pre-AAMI Series version. But I’ve decided to spend the extra cash on Macrae, over Patrick Cripps, pushing Walsh to the more-suitable M3 position. It’s not that I’m against Cripps - or his pre-season performance - but I think Macrae will outscore him

And I’m not backing out on Walsh now. He added 11 points to his KFC SuperCoach average in his second season (98) and the 114-point average in the final 11 games suggests he’s a chance of doing it again in 2021.

EXERT TEAMS: Al Paton | Tim Michell | Dan Batten | Fantasy Freako

Sam Walsh averaged 114 KFC SuperCoach points in the final 11 games of 2020. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Rowell and Green haven’t moved either.

Before the injury against the Cats in Round 5, Rowell averaged an extraordinary 124 points in the opening four games of his career. That sort of figure would usually price him around the $670k mark. But after missing the rest of the season – and with the six-point score included in his 2020 average – Rowell is available for a discounted price - one that’s too hard to overlook.

And I’m tipping Green, who tallied 20 contested possessions and 119 points in just 67 per cent game time of his fifth career match last year, to shadow Oliver’s extraordinary second year and average between 105-110. I’m picking those five to be keepers, then it’s the rookies.

Swans Academy gun Braeden Campbell and Tom Powell appear to be worth the elevated price after impressive AAMI Series performances and standout junior careers.

The player I couldn’t squeeze in: As mentioned above, it’s Cripps ($523,700). His value is obvious but I’m happy with how it looks. Going down from Macrae is another last-minute back-up plan if I need the money.

RUCK

Max Gawn (Melb) $751,400

Brodie Grundy (Coll) $648,200

BENCH: Paul Hunter (StK) $102,400

The rookie-price R2 is tempting but even if a Matt Flynn or Hunter make money fast, it's still a very big gap to make-up when upgrading - much bigger than when it involves a fallen premium in another position. And, at this point, I only have enough money for Hunter but I’m happy with that, given he might outscore Flynn in the early rounds.

EXPERT CONSENSUS: IS THIS THE PERFECT ROUND 1 TEAM?

The Phantom's KFC SuperCoach team revealed

FORWARD

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) $611,900 Mid

Josh Dunkley (WB) $560,200, Mid

Jack Ziebell (NM) $257,900

Joe Daniher (Bris) $233,300

Chad Warner (Syd) $144,000

James Rowe (Adel) $117,300

BENCH: Tom Fullarton (Bris)$128,900, Ruck

Miles Bergman (Port) $123,900

After showing little sign of a limited pre-season in the warm-up games, Dangerfield is a must-have, while Dunkley, after a huge performance against the Demons, isn’t far behind. We still don’t know exactly what Adam Treloar does to the Bulldogs midfield but he’s still likely to finish as the second-ranked KFC SuperCoach forward, even if his midfield minutes are slightly reduced.

You can’t start without Ziebell, either. Before last year’s write-off, he averaged 91, 84, 89, 94, 87, 84 and 95. In 2021, he’s priced at an average of 48 points per game. And the new role in defence, which saw him take the kick-ins in the AAMI Series, should help his scoring.

He’s fit and kicked multiple goals in every pre-season hitout so I can’t ignore Joe Daniher at that price, while there are enough cheapie options to have two on-field.

Mature-age Crow James Rowe is a lock, while the dual-position flexibility of Fullarton, whose job security increased with the Dan McStay injury, is likely to come in handy.

The player I couldn’t squeeze in: Paddy Dow ($202,400). I still want to pick the young Blue, who looks a different player in 2021. He wasn’t a standout in the AAMI Series but the increased role was there. I just couldn’t pick the right bench rookies with Dow on-field.