KFC SuperCoach Draft 2020: The Phantom’s Top 50 player rankings – February edition
If you’re playing KFC SuperCoach Draft in 2020, start here. The Phantom unveils the February edition of his Top 50 player rankings and predicts how a draft might unfold.
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If you haven’t played KFC SuperCoach Draft before, you’re missing out.
Arguably, it’s a fun, more-exciting way to play our favourite fantasy game.
Take part in a league with your mates – or join any available public league – and select a unique SuperCoach team through a live draft where each player is only available once.
You can then trade players with other teams throughout the season and pick up any undrafted player from the free agency pool as you go.
League settings – number of teams, squad size, trading and free agency options, gameplay and draft type, just to name a few – are customisable, allowing you to set up your competition your own way.
To help, here is the second instalment of my Top 50 player rankings – the February (pre-Marsh Series) edition.
For new players, it will give you an indication of how a draft might play out.
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THE BIG CHANGES
Port Adelaide defender-turned-midfielder Dan Houston is the big mover here – and it’s not just off the back of a standout intra-club performance.
Coach Ken Hinkley recently declared the 22-year-old a midfield lock and senior assistant Michael Voss raved about his strengths as an on-baller following the internal trial.
Hawk Tom Mitchell edges closer to the Top 10 after getting through three quarters of the Hawks’ intra-club – and tallying 21 disposals – last week.
It might be a different story in the classic format, but I would now be taking Mitchell, who is on track for Round 1, ahead of midfielders Josh Dunkley, Josh Kelly, Clayton Oliver, Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar.
And he’s one who might climb even further after the official pre-season competition.
His teammate James Sicily jumps Rory Laird after the structure of Hawthorn’s back-six became clearer, while a super-fit Michael Walters moves up slightly.
Swan Isaac Heeney falls 14 places after admitting he’s likely to spend even more time forward in 2020.
Fellow SuperCoach-elibeble forward Jack Steven slides out of the Top 50 completely after a minor injury setback and concern over his midfield role at the Cats
Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury, after yet another flawless pre-season, enters the list, along with Brisbane ball-magnet Jarryd Lyons, who posted nine SuperCoach tons in the final 12 games of last year, and forward Chad Wingard.
Premium breakout contender Hugh McCluggage and veteran Gary Ablett, who is likely to be managed through the year, make way.
MORE SUPERCOACH DRAFT
The guide to trading in SuperCoach Draft
The Commissioner’s guide to SuperCoach Draft
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1. Brodie Grundy (Coll) RUCK (1)
January ranking: 1
2019 Average: 130
The star big man has posted a SuperCoach ton in 38 of his past 44 home-and-away matches – 25 of them in excess of 130 – and has finished the past two seasons as the top-ranked player in the game. Don’t even think about doing otherwise.
2. Max Gawn (Melb) RUCK (2)
2019 Average: 128
Gawn isn’t far behind, scoring 100 or more on 36 occasions in the past two years. By average, the third-ranked ruckman is 16-points adrift – there’s no such discrepancy in any other position. Gawn remains at No. 2, despite the recent injury scare.
3. Lachie Whitfield (GWS) FWD, MID (3)
2019 Average: 111
The next biggest points differential between the top scorer and the rest of the field is likely to be in the forward-line, depending, of course, whether there’s another slow start from Dustin Martin or not. If you take out Whitfield’s two injury-affected scores last year, he averaged 119 from 15 matches.
4. Jack Macrae (WB) MID (4)
2019 Average: 123
With the three best positional players gone, it’s time to take the likely No. 1 midfielder. Or, at least, the safest bet. Macrae is coming off consecutive season averages of 123 or more and posted SuperCoach tons – six in excess of 135 – in every game following the Bulldogs’ Round 12 bye.
5. Patrick Dangerfield (GEEL) MID (5)
2019 Average: 115
For as good as Macrae has been in recent seasons, Dangerfield has scored 362 more points over the past three years. He averaged less than 120 for the first time since 2014 last year, but the Cats have added to their attack and there’s no Tim Kelly in the midfield this year.
6. Nat Fyfe (Freo) MID (6)
2019 Average: 120
Some might go after Lachie Neale and Patrick Cripps at this point, but the 2019 Brownlow Medallist, who posted 17 SuperCoach tons, six of them in excess of 140, last year, should outscore both if he stays fit.
7. Patrick Cripps (Carl) MID (8)
2019 Average: 117
There would be a strong argument to make the Carlton co-captain the first-picked midfielder after 18 scores of 120 or more over the past two seasons, nine of them in excess of 150. You should be taking one of the big five here, regardless.
8. Lachie Neale (Bris) MID (7)
2019 Average: 121
The 26-year-old averaged 121 points per game in a career-best season and has only missed two matches since 2013. And, don’t forget he averaged 117 points in his final 18 games as a Docker.
9. Jake Lloyd (Syd) DEF
2019 Average: 109
After posting SuperCoach tons in 13 of the final 15 matches of the previous year, Lloyd passed the 100-point mark 15 times to Round 18, 2019. Concern over the effect of teammate Jordan Dawson shouldn’t deter you from taking the topscoring defender, ahead of the next-best midfielder or forward.
10. Dustin Martin (Rich) FWD, MID
2019 Average: 100
Inconsistent start to the year SuperCoach-wise but if you include the finals series, Martin averaged 115 in the final eight matches of 2019. It might be hard to overlook midfielders Josh Dunkley or Josh Kelly but, at his best, Martin is an absolute gift as a forward.
11. Tom Mitchell (HAW) MID (18)
2019 Average: DNP
12. Josh Dunkley (WB) MID (11)
2019 Average: 116
13. Josh Kelly (GWS) MID (12)
2019 Average: 117
14. Clayton Oliver (Melb) MID (13)
2019 Average: 109
15. James Sicily (Haw) DEF (19)
2019 Average: 94
16. Rory Laird (Adel) DEF (14)
2019 Average: 97
17. Marcus Bontempelli (WB) MID (15)
2019 Average: 115
18. Adam Treloar (Coll) MID (16)
2019 Average: 113
19. Michael Walters (Freo) FWD (21)
2019 Aveage: 101
20. Zac Williams (GWS) D EF (19)
2019 Average: 102
21. Todd Goldstein (NM) RUCK (20)
2019 Average: 112
22. Tim Kelly (WC) MID (22)
2019 Average: 103
23. Rory Sloane (Adel) MID (23)
2019 Average: 103
24. Dan Houston (Port) DEF, MID (45)
2019 Average: 89
25. Devon Smith (Ess) FWD, MID (25)
2019 Average: 69
26. Reilly O’Brien (Adel) RUCK (26)
2019 Average: 95
27. Stephen Coniglio (GWD) MID (27)
2019 Average: 101
28. Tim Taranto (GWS) MID (28)
2019 Average: 102
29. Tom Stewart (Geel) DEF (24)
2019 Average: 98
30. Matt Crouch (Adel) MID (29)
2019 Average: 104
31. Hugh Greenwood (GC) F WD, MID (30)
2019 Average: 85
32. Caleb Daniel (WB) DEF (32)
2019 Average: 99
33. Dayne Zorko (Bris) MID (33)
2019 Average: 107
34. Sam Docherty (Carl) DEF (34)
2019 Average: DNP
35. Jordan Dawson (Syd) DEF, FWD (38)
2019 Average: 86
36. Zach Merrett (Ess) MID (35)
2019 Average: 106
37. Rowan Marshall (StK) RUCK (36)
2019 Average: 110
38. Scott Lycett (Port) RUCK (37)
2019 Average: 101
39. Toby Greene (GWS) FWD (40)
2019 Average: 94
40. Jade Gresham (StK) FWD, MID (41)
2019 Average: 84
41. Scott Pendlebury (Coll) MID (-)
2019 Average: 104
42. Andrew Gaff (WC) MID (42)
2019 Average: 107
43. Luke Parker (Syd) MID (43)
2019 Average: 105
44. Taylor Adams (Coll) MID (44)
2019 Average: 97
45. Isaac Heeney (Syd) FWD, MID (31)
2019 Average: 94
46. Elliot Yeo (WC) MID (46)
2019 Average: 108
47. Nic Naitanui (WC) RUCK (47)
2019 Average: 94
48. Shannon Hurn (WC) DEF (49)
2019 Average: 103
49. Jarryd Lyons (Bris) MID (-)
2019 Average: 99
50. Chad Wingard (Haw) FWD (-)
2019 Average: 76