KFC SuperCoach 2022: Expert Al Paton reveals his starting line-up

KFC SuperCoach expert Al Paton made room for Matt Rowell during the week. Now, with only hours to go, he’s made an ever bigger move. See the final team.

Dusty’s back.

The Richmond superstar was in the first version of my team when the KFC SuperCoach team picker opened way back in December, and he has found his way back in hours from the first game of the year.

And I’m ready to kick off the year with another big score against the Blues (Dusty averages 138 points in Round 1 matches over the past five years – the most of any player).

Dustin Martin is back in Al Paton’s KFC SuperCoach team. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

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To be totally honest, it’s not the team I wish I could pick this year, but given restrictions forced on us especially the lack of rookies in defence, I think it’s the best possible solution.

I’ve had three or four super-premium midfielders for most of the pre-season but that’s now down to two – Jack Macrae and Jack Steele.

If my some miracle a lot of surprise rookies are selected for Round 1, I could field one more in the forward line and go back to an extra premo mid, but unfortunately it won’t be Clayton Oliver because he’ll be locked out before most of the teams are named.

But the extra forward premo might be the best way to go anyway – an extra midfield star would take Jarrod Berry’s spot and I trust him a lot more than forwards in a similar price range.

The basic equation is Dusty and Berry versus Oliver and Will Brodie – or worse, considering Oliver is $170k more than Martin, the combo is more likely to be Oliver and a bargain-priced rookie who is no guarantee of even getting a game.

Matt Rowell has huge upside. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Another option is to pick an extra top-priced defender but I’m not too enthusiastic about filling five of my six slots in any position when there will no doubt be other must-have defenders emerge during the year and players who earn dual-position status I don’t want to miss out on.

Most of the rest of my team hasn’t changed – or it’s changed a lot, but has ended up back where I started.

Lachie Neale and Stephen Coniglio were the easiest selections of the year, I’m backing “Grawndy” to dominate the ruck division for one more season and I’m all in on Matt Rowell.

He put out two 100-plus scores in both of the Suns’ practice matches (121 v Geelong) and I can see him becoming a must-have player before the price changes start in Round 3. So why not save myself a trade and start him? Besides, I love the kid and will really enjoy barracking for him as part of my team.

DEFENCE

Jake Lloyd was in my team from the day KFC SuperCoach opened and was squeezed out yesterday to find the cash for Rowell – a decision that could definitely come back to bite me. But his replacement Jack Crisp looks just as safe – he hasn’t missed a game in seven years – and he will have a more prominent role in the Collingwood midfield this year.

Jayden Short averaged 105 last year when Bachar Houli wasn’t in the Richmond team and he has a monopoly on the kick-ins at Punt Rd, taking nine against the Hawks on Saturday. And maybe there is a little Tigerland bias at play as well.

Lachie Whitfield offers tremendous value in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Lachie Whitfield finds unusual ways to get himself injured but he could be the top-scoring defender if he stays fit and I’m picking James Sicily ahead of George Hewett in my D4 slot. If everything goes right Sicily could finish the season as a top-six ranked defender (he averaged 105 in 2018) and I can’t see Hewett reaching those heights, although he has a great role in the Blues midfield... and that extra $49k could be handy.

The shortage of rookies in defence is a major issue this year. I’m crossing everything that Mitch Hinge and Paddy McCartin conquer their injury demons – both could be handy on-field scorers if they can stay fit. I might have to find another $50k from somewhere to pick another Tiger Josh Gibcus on the bench just for insurance depending who else is named for Round 1. Sicily to Hewett perhaps?

MIDFIELD

Macrae, Steele, Neale – lock, lock, lock.

Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos should score well from the outset and don’t listen to Hawthorn people trying to hose down expectations of Josh Ward. He’s a gun.

Tom Joyce was my sneaky bench choice last week after signing with the Eagles but now he’s injured so cross him off your list. I like Mitch Owens at the Saints, he could get a go in the midfield with Zak Jones and Hunter Clark out and he scored well in the AAMI Series, even if he only came on for the last 20 minutes or so.

Sorry Clayton Oliver, I think you’re going to miss out on my team. Picture: Mark Stewart

RUCK

Take Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn to the bank.

I had Braydon Preuss on the bench for a long time and you could still make a case for that even with his Round 1 suspension given his money-making potential. But I need that $100k and another Eagles SPP signing Hugh Dixon provides a handy DPP link to Jack Hayes in the forward line.

FORWARDS

I’ve had as many as four $200k-$300k players in my forward line at different stage of the pre-season, but as much as that started to look normal, we normally avoid mid-pricers for a reason.

I hope Will Brodie repays The Phantom’s faith but can we guarantee he’ll stay in the centre square for the Dockers when Nat Fyfe and David Mundy return? Charlie Curnow, Cam Rayner and Hugo Ralphsmith could all pay off, but all have big question marks.

The one I’m backing (apart from Coniglio) is Mitch McGovern, who has a new, lucrative role floating around the Blues’ backline.

One of the great things about KFC SuperCoach is being open to changing your perception about players. I didn’t expect to pick McGovern or McCartin in my team, but I never thought Jarman Impey would be a fantasy star and not picking him last year set my team back all season.

Hopefully there will be a lot of footy in the Blues’ backline in Round 1.

Al Paton's SuperCoach team after last-minute changes.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: Expert Al Paton reveals his starting line-up