KFC SuperCoach 2022: Rookie guru Dan Batten reveals his first team

He’s already had his hands on the KFC SuperCoach holy grail and rookie guru Dan Batten has found a few cheapies to set his team apart. See his full team reveal here.

It might come as little surprise that my team is centred on cash cows.

Following the AFL Draft for News Corp last year allowed me to get in early with my rookie research, and fortunately, it looks like a midfield heavy-crop – which bodes well for KFC SuperCoach.

But the negatives of a midfield heavy draft intake is, well, more midfield rookies than you can poke a stick at and less cheapies in other positions.

This is bound to impact structures all over the park, particularly as less standout options have presented themselves in rookie lines.

It has forced a reshuffle in my side that has, admittedly, been largely untouched for most of pre-season.

Coming off a frustrating campaign riddled by last-minute panic buys and blunders, I have taken the approach of Damien Hardwick over the off-season: rest and regenerate.

Oh, and a fact finding mission to the states (Phillip Island).

Here is my first side for 2022, featuring several underpriced premiums.

Aaron Hall was a KFC SuperCoach revelation last season. Picture: Getty Images

DEFENCE

Jake Lloyd (Syd) $586,600

Aaron Hall (NM) $572,900

Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $502,600, MID

James Sicily (Haw) $448,100

Will Gould (Syd) $123,900

Charlie Dean (Coll) $102,400

Will Kelly (Coll) $123,900, FWD

Nathan O’Driscoll (Frem) $123,900, MID

Hall is the name that stands out among the bunch, with Lloyd, Whitfield and Sicily the three most popular non-rookie defenders. I vowed at the end of last year to start Hall in 2022 after posting 15 tons in his last 16 in a staggering run. And he is underpriced, given his 105-point average includes sub and injury affected scores (6 and 37).

I have toyed with Jordan Ridley and Jayden Short over Whitfield, but the Giant looms as a steal with an injury-affected score against his name as well.

There remains a slight question mark over Sicily’s role in a side stacked with small-medium defenders, although his three-straight 130-plus totals early in 2020 is a firm reminder of his KFC SuperCoach capabilities.

Onto the rookies.

None of these four rookies are certain Round 1 starters by any means, however, Dean jumps out as the cut-priced mature-age option. He has averaged strong numbers against men in the VFL and the door has been left ajar with Jordan Roughead sidelined until about Round 5.

Gould is surely a chance of making his long-awaited debut, while the pre-season highlights are looking promising from second-year Docker O’Driscoll. Kelly is in with a sniff as a key forward, but is acting mostly as a DEF/FWD swing for now.

I’ll have a big watch on runners Brodie Kemp, Josh Sinn, Campbell Chesser and Darcy Wilmot (all priced in the $140-160 range) over the pre-season, with all capable of scoring well if given opportunity.

Charlie Dean is one of the leading rookie defenders. Picture: Getty Images

MIDFIELD

Jack Macrae (WB) $699,900

Jack Steele (St K) $685,800

Tom Mitchell (Haw) $638,100

Lachie Neale (Bris) $543,200

Jason Horne-Francis (NM) $207,300

Nick Daicos (Coll) $193,800

Josh Ward (Haw) $180,300

James Tsitas (GC) $102,400

Jake Soligo (Adel) $117,300

Greg Clark (WCE) $117,300

Charlie Parker (WB) $102,400, FWD

Here’s that structure change I mentioned. Five rolled gold premium brings a sense of KFC SuperCoach safety, but the midfield rookie depth at this stage suggests a four-deep midfield is worthwhile.

However, I have kept a FWD swing — in Parker — to allow me some flexibility with my MID eligible forwards, if on-field scoring becomes an issue.

I was a frustrated non-owner of Steele and a frustrated owner of Neale last year, but the former has a mouth-watering draw to begin the year and the latter should be back to his best after an uninterrupted pre-season.

Mitchell is the most recent inclusion after the injury blow to Sam Walsh, and the ball-magnet has said he is the fittest he has been since his 2019 knee injury. Talk aside, Mitchell averaged 128.6 SuperCoach points in the last 11 rounds of 2022 and faces North Melbourne, Port Adelaide (career average of 113), Carlton (133!) and Geelong in the first five rounds.

Will you be starting Tom Mitchell? Picture: Getty Images

Contested beast Clayton Oliver has been the other who had been in and out of the midfield, but the Round 5 match-up against his old foe Matt de Boer looms large. First midfield upgrade? We’ll see how he goes against Gold Coast in Round 2 …

Horne-Francis lit up a recent match simulation in a sure-fire sign he will be a key player for North Melbourne and a KFC SuperCoach lock, after two hardened seasons in the SANFL.

Like KFC SuperCoach ambassador Heath Shaw, I was unsure about picking Daicos as I assumed he would play as a small-forward to start, but a friendly halfback/midfield role awaits him which will suit his class and ball-winning capabilities.

Ward is the next high-priced rookie on the list, with the dependable draftee eyeing a Round 1 debut since the moment he was taken by the Hawks. Coach Sam Mitchell will give opportunities to the kids and Ward is ready to step in, already impressing in the middle in intra-club trials.

Tsitas picks himself as a bottom-priced 26 year old coming off a league best and fairest in the SANFL, while Soligo shapes as a Round 1 bolter for the Crows, training in their stronger side in match simulation.

But no one boasts the state-league dominance of mature-ager Clark, who averaged 121 points (including an injury-affected score of 1) in the WAFL last year.

The two Stephens with no relation — Dylan (Sydney) and Cooper (Geelong) are firmly on my watch-list with both entering their third season.

James Tsitas has joined the Suns. Picture: Getty Images

RUCK

Max Gawn $657,400

Brodie Grundy $627,100

Braydon Preuss $204,700

With four premiums in the midfield, I have decided not to chance my luck with Preuss at R2.

A return to the Grundy of old makes the Magpies behemoth a KFC SuperCoach lock, after burning up the track this pre-season.

Gawn had a reduced impact in the run home by his lofty standards and the share ruck duties with Luke Jackson is a concern, but it is easy to forget the big man kicked five goals and registered 159 points against Geelong in the preliminary final. Coincidentally, the same score he posted in KFC SuperCoach grand final week against the Cats.

Sean Darcy is one I would love to start over Gawn, after posting some monster scores while hampered by injury last season. He is on track to play in Round 1 but an Achilles setback has held him back, so I will watch his progress with interest during the pre-season matches.

Preuss shapes as the Marc Pittonet-esque ruck rookie of 2022, providing cash and top-line coverage as the Giants’ likely No. 1 ruck.

Max Gawn could make way for Sean Darcy in Dan Batten’s side. Picture: Getty Images

FORWARDS

Mitch Duncan (Geel) $540,300, MID

Jordan De Goey (Coll) $465,500, MID

Isaac Heeney (Syd) $454,500

Stephen Coniglio (GWS) $261,300, MID

Will Brodie (Frem) $224,300, MID

Elijah Hollands (GC) $123,900, FWD

Charlie Comben (NM) $123,900, RUC

Sam Skinner (Port) $123,900, DEF

This is perhaps the only line where I have gone away from the traditional guns and rookies format and chanced my arm with some mid-priced options.

But De Goey, Heeney and Coniglio are all set to fulfil midfield roles this year – OK, with Heeney I’ll have to see some concrete evidence in the pre-season. But the talk out of Sydney has been positive.

De Goey’s struggles over the off-season have been well documented, but his 110-point average from his last nine games of last season as an on-baller mean he is a bargain buy – if he is full fitness.

I have seen Josh Dunkley in plenty of sides but I am favouring the ever-reliable Duncan, despite him being on lighter duties this pre-season. I have my doubts about Dunkley’s role in the Bulldogs side – scoring just two tons in his last nine games of 2022. Meanwhile, Duncan’s 2021 average would have neared 110 if not for an injury blow which saw him score 10, and at times was on kick-ins as he roamed around the ground. The only question mark on Duncan is his durability.

Mitch Duncan has been on light duties during the pre-season. Picture: Alison Wynd

Brodie is on track to contend for Round 1 at his new club despite an injury hiccup, and he could become Charlie Curnow if the returning Blue proves his fitness and scoring potential in the pre-season.

Hollands has been firmly on my radar since his 112-point display in the VFL late last year, while Skinner has been transformed into an intercept marking weapon who will be KFC SuperCoach relevant if given opportunity by the Power.

Comben’s DPP should help facilitate a Preuss upgrade to a forward premium once he reaches his peak, and he is another Roo putting his case forward for Round 1.

Dan Batten's first 2022 KFC SuperCoach team.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: Rookie guru Dan Batten reveals his first team