Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako KFC SuperCoach team reveal for 2022

No one knows the ins and outs of the KFC SuperCoach scoring system like Champion Data’s stats guru Fantasy Freako. It’s why you must see his starting side for 2022.

There has been significant change to my team since I penned my initial thoughts on my starting squad.

My structure has altered as a way to combat the lack of basement price rookie options in defence, which has adversely impacted other areas of the ground, namely the forwards.

Jake Lloyd is the only premium survivor in my defence, while in the midfield the only major change has been the swap of Jack Steele for Touk Miller.

Steele will no doubt end up in my team eventually, but you can’t have everyone in Round 1. In the forwards, I’m one premium lighter, while in the ruck I’ve kept the big two.

As always, there is room for potential changes ahead of the season opener as the picture becomes a lot clearer with our rookies.

I’ve also got one eye on Matt Rowell and to be able to fit him in, I need to cull elsewhere.

Jake Lloyd is the defensive premium who hasn’t left Freako’s team.

Sam De Koning shapes as one of the only defensive rookies to play Round 1.

DEFENDERS

Structure: Three premiums, one mid-priced and four rookies.

Essentially, I have taken one premium out of the forwards and moved them into defence. There is a lot more value in attack so this allows me to sure up the backs.

I’m expecting a career-best season from Jayden Short and he could easily finish in the top-six scoring players in his position. I’m also backing Lachie Whitfield to have a bounce back season. He missed the first six rounds last year and never got going and he’s tremendous value at his price. A centre bounce role for George Hewett is too hard to resist, recording a competition-high 20 handball-receives in the AAMI Community Series. Even when Sam Walsh returns, he’s likely to get plenty of centre bounce minutes.

Josh Gibcus is all but assured a Round 1 debut especially after the injury to Dylan Grimes, while Patrick McCartin has come from the clouds and forced his way into my team, granted he plays in the season opener. McCartin had 14 disposals and an equal team-high seven intercepts against the Kangaroos.

Sam De Koning will hopefully be my backup playing bench option, while I am expecting Nathan O’Driscoll to play early in the season.

Touk Miller in. Jack Steele out. That’s Freako’s big midfield change.

MIDFIELDERS

Structure: Four premiums, one mid-priced and six rookies.

Jack Steele was a priority for me, but I have reluctantly taken him out for Touk Miller. Miller doesn’t look like slowing down this season and he’s clearly the best running midfielder in the competition. He ticks every box as a player and has had 30+ disposals in each of his last 16 games. He’s also one of the safest captaincy options going around.

Jarrod Berry comes in for Jade Gresham while I’m also on the Josh Ward bandwagon. Ward won 19 contested possessions in the AAMI Community Series which was the most of any player in the competition. Admittedly, there was no Tom Mitchell or Jaeger O’Meara in the team, but he should do enough to tick over from a price perspective. Dylan Stephens is a solid emergency on the bench and the Swans have started to trust him a lot more, recording 10 handball-receives against the Giants – the third-most of any Swan.

The one player I don’t currently own but am very bullish about is Matt Rowell. He looks a different player already this season and after the departure of Hugh Greenwood, he’s now the No. 1 inside midfielder at the Suns having 27 disposals and 18 contested possessions against the Cats – both career-highs. He also had seven tackles and eight clearances. I need to cull elsewhere to fit him in, but I haven’t ruled that out at this stage. Berry will be the one to make way for Rowell should I decide to make the change.

Jake Soligo and Connor MacDonald round out my bench.

Fantasy Freako isn’t buying that Max Gawn’s ruck time will be affected by Luke Jackson.

RUCKS

Structure: Two premiums and one rookie.

Nothing has changed in the ruck. It’s Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy all the way. There has been a narrative where Luke Jackson will eat into Gawn’s ruck time and against the Blues, but Gawn attended 49 ruck contests to Jackson’s 23 against the Blues. Even when Gawn isn’t attending ruck contests there are so many other ways he can score points – recording six contested marks, four intercept marks and nine intercept possessions.

Braydon Preuss rounds out the ruck division and begins the season on my bench. He’s the standout cash cow to own in 2022 and the sky is the limit from a cash generation point of view. He played second fiddle to Matt Flynn in the ruck on the weekend and isn’t guaranteed the No. 1 ruck position, but his ruck numbers were strong nonetheless – recording a hitout-to-advantage from seven of 14 hit-outs. He also led the club for tackles, score assists and score involvements.

Suspended ahead of the season opener in 2022, I’m pretty confident that he makes his Giants debut against the Tigers in Round 2.

If I want Rowell in my team though, Preuss will be the player I’ll have to sacrifice to fund that move.

Zak Butters is set for a breakout season.

Having to sacrifice Adam Treloar was a tough call.

FORWARDS

Structure: Two premiums and six rookies.

Mitch Duncan’s injury has ended his stay in my team, while I have also reluctantly sacrificed Adam Treloar to strengthen the defence. Zak Butters looks destined for a breakout season and I don’t want to miss out on that. He’s now a key part of the midfield and has all the bases covered – having 32 disposals, 13 contested possessions, four clearances, two score assists and one goal against the Crows.

The forwards are clearly where you can go cheaper and load up elsewhere. There are a host of viable options under $300k and one of those is Stephen Coniglio who’s the second-most selected player in the competition behind Nick Daicos at the time of writing. Coniglio is back playing as a centre bounce midfielder – having 27 disposals, 17 uncontested possessions and seven clearances against the Swans.

Mitch McGovern on the other hand looks set to thrive in defence, grabbing a competition-high six intercept marks in the AAMI Community Series. His durability is an obvious concern, but he only needs to play 6-8 games to make him a worthwhile pick. Will Brodie is an alternative in that slot, but his inclusion is largely dependant on whether he keeps his place in the team after Nat Fyfe returns.

Josh Rachele is the standout rookie option after booting three goals against the Power. He also applied a game-high nine tackles – five more than any teammate. This kid is a star and a must-have!

Corey Durdin is my other on-field rookie, while Nick Martin and Jack Hayes round out my bench.

Money in the bank: $12,900

Fantasy Freako's 2022 KFC SuperCoach team.

Originally published as Champion Data guru Fantasy Freako KFC SuperCoach team reveal for 2022