The most popular KFC SuperCoach picks at every club
They’re the guns and cheapies — and a few mid-priced madness picks — that have SuperCoaches salivating in 2020. But who are the most popular players at each club? Al Paton and Tim Michell examine the certainties and the shocks.
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Being popular isn’t everything, but it is a good place to start in KFC SuperCoach.
If a player is selected in 70 per cent of teams, there’s probably a good reason for it — so you can stick Marlion Pickett in your team with confidence.
Brodie Grundy, Dustin Martin and Patrick Cripps are also hugely popular fantasy picks in 2020, but digging into the most popular players at each club reveals some surprises.
Why is one-gamer Darcy Cameron the second-most selected ruckman, or Gold Coast one of the most popular teams to select players from?
And there are a lot of rookies with very high ownership who might not get a game in Round 1.
Scroll down to see the most popular picks at every club.
ADELAIDE
30 per cent – Ned McHenry $123,900 MID
17 per cent – Tom Doedee $273,700 DEF
16 per cent – Rory Laird $525,800 DEF
Untried rookie Ned McHenry is the most popular Crow in SuperCoach this year, and one of the most selected midfield rookies. A word of caution — he came off in the second half of an under-23 trial game at the weekend with a hamstring issue. Tom Doedee presents excellent value but is also in doubt for Round 1 after hurting his knee at training. Watch this space. Rory Laird could be a bargain if he can return to his 2018 heights when he averaged 108 points a game.
BRISBANE LIONS
36 per cent – Lachie Neale $658,500 MID
26 per cent – Deven Robertson $117,300 MID
25 per cent – Brandon Starcevich $147,700 DEF/MID
No surprise Lachie Neale tops the list at the Lions after averaging 121 points a game last year. He has also missed just one game in the past five seasons which means no selection headaches. Deven Robertson and Brandon Starcevich are talented youngsters at an attractive price, but keep an eye on the Round 1 teams — they are going to find it tough to squeeze into a strong and healthy Brisbane line-up.
CARLTON
51 per cent – Patrick Cripps $635,900 MID
50 per cent – Sam Docherty $436,100 DEF
7 per cent – Tom Williamson $146,300 DEF
Midfield beast Cripps just edges out co-captain Docherty in Blues voting, but both are in more than half of all KFC SuperCoach squads. Cripps is the most selected pure midfielder in the game after rookies Marlion Pickett and Matt Rowell, 15 per cent ahead of Nat Fyfe and Lachie Neale. Owners will be hoping he can get even better than last year’s 117 average. Williamson could be worth a spot on your backline bench.
COLLINGWOOD
65 per cent – Brodie Grundy $705,900 RUC
39 per cent – Darcy Cameron $123,900 RUC/FWD
22 per cent – Trent Bianco $117,300 DEF/MID
Experts find it hard to split ruck giants Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn, but not SuperCoach players. Grundy — who averaged 130 points a game last year compared to Gawn’s 128 — is in 65 per cent of 2020 teams, compared to Gawn’s 28 per cent. Remarkably, Darcy Cameron is the second-most popular ruckman in SuperCoach with his ownership surging after his 127-point return in the Marsh Series. Can Nathan Buckley play both big men?
ESSENDON
47 per cent – Devon Smith $335,900 FWD/MID
11 per cent – Mitchell Hibberd $114,400 MID
4 per cent – Sam Draper $123,900 RUCK
SuperCoach players wobbled on Devon Smith after a quiet first half against the Eagles last Thursday night but he came home strong in his first match since Round 8 last year. Mitchell Hibberd could be a smart bench pick if he is picked for Round 1, then it’s a long way back to ruckman Draper who just edges out Zach Merrett, Darcy Parish, Andrew McGrath and backline rookie Brandon Zerk-Thatcher.
FREMANTLE
55 per cent – Stephen Hill $190,600 DEF/FWD
36 per cent – Nat Fyfe $651,600 MID
31 per cent – Hayden Young $180,300 DEF
Stephen Hill hasn’t been sighted in the Marsh Series but SuperCoach players are confident enough to take a punt on the injury-prone wingman at that price. Nat Fyfe scored 147 and 124 in the opening two rounds last year — if you want him, start him. High draft pick Hayden Young has been training with the Dockers rehab group but is a chance to play in their final pre-season hitout.
GEELONG
25 per cent – Jack Steven $361,700 FWD/MID
22 per cent – Nakia Cockatoo $148,200 FWD/MID
22 per cent – Patrick Dangerfield $625,500 MID
An even spread at the Cattery, with recruit Jack Steven edging out superstar Patrick Dangerfield due to his bargain price. We’ll get a better idea of what to expect from the former Saint the Cats’ second Marsh Series game. Nakia Cockatoo is still in one in five teams but we don’t know when we’ll see him on the field — take him out! SuperCoach GOAT Gary Ablett is in 1 per cent of sides.
GOLD COAST
65 per cent – Matt Rowell $207,300 MID
56 per cent – Izak Rankine $123,900 FWD
29 per cent – Connor Budarick $106,900 MID/FWD
Plenty of gold to mine at the Suns this season with No.1 draft pick Matt Rowell and academy steal Connor Budarick both very safe picks. Izak Rankine comes with higher risk — his talent is unquestioned but Gold Coast is taking a very cautious approach with his body. Sam Flanders, Noah Anderson and Hugh Greenwood are all in more than 10 per cent of teams.
GWS GIANTS
57 per cent – Lachie Whitfield $604,100 FWD/MID
18 per cent – Zac Williams $551,700 DEF
17 per cent – Tom Green $166,800 MID
Tom Green is one of the big movers this week, leapfrogging Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly and Sam Jacobs into the Giants’ top three after an eye-catching 106 points in the Giants’ Marsh opener. Hopefully he can keep up that scoring (and keep his spot) when Kelly and Coniglio return to the line-up. Whitfield is one of the most selected players this year and Zac Williams is looking to back up his breakout 2019 campaign.
HAWTHORN
19 per cent – Tom Mitchell $630,900 MID
19 per cent – James Sicily $509,500 DEF
9 per cent – Finn Maginness $117,300 MID
Do we start Tom Mitchell or not? It’s one of the biggest heads-scratchers of KFC SuperCoach and it seems his solid return in the Marsh Series hasn’t settled the debate. It’s a lot to pay, but then Mitchell did average 129 in 2018. Coaches are hoping James Sicily settles in an intercepting role this year and there’s a bit of romance in selecting father-son rookie Finn Maginness, but beware he’s unlikely to be sighted much at senior level this season.
MELBOURNE
28 per cent – Max Gawn $597,100 RUC
35 per cent – Trent Rivers $117,300 DEF/MID
15 per cent – Christian Petracca $441,300 FWD
15 per cent – Clayton Oliver $593,900 MID
Max Gawn sent a scare through the KFC SuperCoach world when he went down with a knee injury on the Demons’ Queensland camp, but is set to suit up in Melbourne’s final Marsh Series game — watch for an ownership spike. Trent Rivers is one of the most popular cheap defenders in the game, let’s hope Simon Goodwin picks him. Christian Petracca’s ownership surged after his mammoth 188-point performance in Marsh 1, sitting alongside underpriced midfield gun Clayton Oliver. Harley Bennell is in 6 per cent of sides. Why?
NORTH MELBOURNE
28 per cent – Aiden Bonar $202,800 MID/FWD
16 per cent – Charlie Comben $117,300 RUC/FWD
10 per cent – Tristan Xerri $123,900 RUC/FWD
Bonar struggled to break into the Giants team but will get a lot more opportunity at the Kangaroos, and you can pick him in the midfield or forward line. An unusual line-up after that with two bargain basement rucks; Comben is likely to score zero every week — good if you’re using the vice-captain loophole — but Xerri could surprise after scoring 98 points alongside Todd Goldstein in Marsh 1. Could you pick one in the ruck and one up forward?
PORT ADELAIDE
28 per cent – Dan Houston $484,800 DEF/MID
15 per cent – Jackson Mead $117,300 MID
10 per cent – Mitchell Georgiades $130,800 FWD
With mid-defender status, Houston was always destined to be the most-popular Power player in 2020. Some coaches are so confident in his scoring potential, they’re willing to roll the dice with him at D1 after Ken Hinkley declared him a midfield “lock”. Jackson Mead is an unlikely Round 1 starter after a pre-season hamstring setback. Mitch Georgiades won’t be a huge scorer, but he’ll be popular if he earns a Round 1 berth. Surprising to see Robbie Gray (6 per cent) in more teams than Connor Rozee (4 per cent).
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RICHMOND
70 per cent – Marlion Pickett $123,900 MID
58 per cent – Dustin Martin $543,000 FWD/MID
10 per cent – Bachar Houli $571,600 DEF
Don’t pick a team if you’re not going to start Marlion Pickett. Barring an early injury, he’s almost certain to be one of the top cash cows of 2020. Dustin Martin is expected to vie with Lachie Whitfield to be the No.1 forward of the year after winning another BOG medal in the bushfire relief match. Bachar Houli loves the MCG, where he averaged 116.2 last year. The Tigers play nine of their first 12 matches there.
ST KILDA
48 per cent – Max King $123,900 FWD
26 per cent – Dylan Roberton $260,400 DEF
11 per cent – Rowan Marshall $598,700 RUC
Max King’s ownership has dipped below 50 per cent in the past week as coaches tinker with their forward lines. The likelihood is he’ll still be popular if named in Round 1 as his job security is strong. Dylan Roberton has made encouraging pre-season progress and is set to feature for St Kilda in its second game of the Marsh Series. If he gets through with no concerns, he’s an obvious pick at $260k. Jade Gresham (2 per cent) is set for greater midfield time and is well worth a look if you want a forward POD for about $450,000.
SYDNEY
52 per cent – Will Gould $117,300 DEF
28 per cent – Jake Lloyd $591,400 DEF
14 per cent – Isaac Heeney $510,700 FWD/MID
It’s somewhat surprising Jordan Dawson hasn’t climbed out of POD (point of difference) territory after amassing 125 points in the Swans’ Marsh Series loss to GWS. The obvious concern is Jake Lloyd didn’t play and seems likely to take some of Dawson’s points. Hard to go past Jake Lloyd as the likely No.1 defender this year, while Will Gould looms as the best defensive rookie. Some coaches have jumped off Dylan Stephens ($189K) after he scored 38 against GWS. Harsh to judge the No.1 draft pick on one game though.
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WEST COAST
13 per cent – Nic Naitanui $547,800 RUC
13 per cent – Tim Kelly $561,800 MID
12 per cent – Jarrod Brander $133,000 DEF/FWD
Young swingman Jarrod Brander ($133K) has fallen out of 14 per cent of teams since the end of week two of the Marsh Series, crashing from 26 per cent to 12 per cent. The Eagles are a hard team to read and coaches seem reluctant to pick from their quarter of midfield stars in Tim Kelly, Elliot Yeo, Luke Shuey and Andrew Gaff. Nic Naitanui has a superb points-per-minute ratio but the question mark will always be just how much game time he’s capable of playing.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
29 per cent – Jack Macrae $668,900 MID
25 per cent – Marcus Bontempelli $623,000 MID
12 per cent – Josh Dunkley $632,400 MID
Those at Whitten Oval are very bullish about beanpole ruckman Tim English’s prospects for 2020. Can he go from averaging 82.6 to rival Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn? It’s highly unlikely, but he might be a perfect stepping stone to one of the big two for 4 per cent of coaches. Macrae, Bontempelli and Dunkley are safe bets. Can you pick all three? They dominated at Marvel Stadium last year and play five of their first seven matches at Docklands. Caleb Daniel (7 per cent) was another prolific scorer under the roof, scoring 100 or more in eight of his nine games at the venue last year.
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Originally published as The most popular KFC SuperCoach picks at every club