KFC SuperCoach 2023: Latest whispers from the track and possible round 1 starters
Who can we lock into our KFC SuperCoach teams and who is chasing a round 1 spot? See the latest selection and injury news from every club here.
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The countdown is on. The first game of round 1 is just two weeks away.
The clock is ticking to make those final KFC SuperCoach calls, but luckily the gurus from the Jock Reynolds SuperCoach community are here to help.
Who can we lock into our teams and who do we need to watch in the final weekend of practice matches?
ADELAIDE
LOCKS: Rory Laird was at his prolific best against the Dockers in Adelaide’s unofficial practice game, showing his price tag is well worth it. The $700k midfielder showed us why he was the best averaging midfielder last season.
Despite Jordan Dawson going off the ground after a knock to his knee against Fremantle, the dominant defender is in line to take his place against West Coast and should still be heavily considered for your side.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Wayne Milera looked very comfortable in his half-back role, playing loose and dropping off his man when needed. Milera will miss the West Coast clash due to personal reasons but could be a mid-priced smokey, and presents some serious draft value.
BRISBANE LIONS
LOCKS: Father-son recruit Will Ashcroft is absolutely killing it and was one of the Lions’ best against Sydney last week. His junior numbers are insane and he’s as ready-made a draftee as you will ever find.
You can lock Josh Dunkley into your starting side too, he’s had a superb pre-season and looks set to benefit from a fresh change of scenery and more opportunity in the midfield.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Youngster Darcy Wilmot had a taste of senior footy during last year’s finals campaign and looks set to find a spot on the wing in round 1, while Irishman Connor McKenna might slot into Brisbane’s best 23 if he performs strongly in the upcoming pre-season match. He looked a bit rusty in his first hitout since 2020 so he’s one to watch this week.
Former Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale suffered a corked quad in last week’s match against the Swans and is now set to be managed through the rest of the pre-season.
CARLTON
LOCKS: Sam Docherty started in defence against Collingwood before moving to the midfield in the second half, and eased any doubts playing with his usual poise. He should be seriously considered for your side, even at his high price.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Supplementary signing Alex Cincotta showed no hesitation to compete against hardened AFL bodies, and did his round 1 chances no harm. New draftees Ollie Hollands and Lachlan Cowan look like they’ll be players of the future possibly as early as round 1 against Richmond, and will be wanting to prove themselves in the upcoming pre-season match to get their chance.
In the absence of Marc Pittonet, who is returning from injury, Tom De Koning was the main man in the ruck for the Blues and played well. We are yet to see how Pittonet and De Koning will share the role.
Sam Walsh is nearing a return to full training, but won’t feature in at least the first month of the season.
COLLINGWOOD
LOCKS: Nick Daicos has picked up right where he left off from his Rising Star year and was at his absolute best playing mostly in the midfield against the Blues. Those tipping a second year breakout would’ve been buoyed by the practice match performance.
ROUND 1 WATCH: In a worrying sign for owners, Darcy Cameron played mainly forward against Carlton in his return from a hamstring injury, with Mason Cox attending the bulk of the centre bounce contests. Collingwood has mentioned that Cameron would be on a modified program while they manage his fitness leading into round 1.
ESSENDON
LOCKS: Zach Merrett was recently announced as the Bombers new skipper and it seems captaincy suits him well, as the midfielder was prominent once again in their match against the Suns.
And could Darcy Parish take his game to another level this year as he searches for a new contract?
ROUND 1 WATCH: A trio of Essendon smalls are in the frame for round 1 including Jye Menzie, who has had a fantastic pre-season and provides plenty of spark inside 50.
Alwyn Davey Jr impressed in his first hitout against AFL opposition, kicking a goal and getting busy higher up the ground as he continues to press his claims for a round 1 debut.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who hasn’t played since 2021, showed flashes of brilliance but is still building his match fitness ahead of the season opener.
FREMANTLE
NEW ROLE: Nat Fyfe had no issues finding the footy in his new forward role, kicking three goals as one of the main targets up forward against the Crows. Late in the game, the former captain also showed that he hasn’t lost any of his midfield ability, pushing up the ground on several occasions suggesting his price tag might be too hard to pass up.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Either one of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson are still proving hard to select with confidence. While Darcy attended 75 per cent of the centre bounces against Adelaideh, Jackson was more prominent around the ground. We won’t get to see how they will work together before the season begins with Jackson ruled out of the upcoming pre-season game due to concussion symptoms.
Rookie hopeful Matthew Johnson only entering the game against the Crows after the first four periods but has been selected on the bench for the Dockers’ final hitout before round 1.
Luke Ryan will again not feature in the second pre-season game as he manages a back issue, but the club is confident he will be available for round 1.
GEELONG
WATCH THIS SPACE: Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Geelong’s match simulation against Hawthorn was that the Esava Ratugolea defender experiment could be a hit.
Ratugolea looked comfortable playing as an intercept marker against the Hawks, regularly chopping off any rogue forward 50 entries.
Further to this, Jack Henry is set to undergo foot surgery, boosting Ratugolea’s round 1 credentials and job security.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Draftee Jhye Clark, who has long been touted as Joel Selwood 2.0, didn’t enter the match until the start of the fourth quarter, so appears unlikely for round 1 at the moment.
Keep an eye out for former Sun Jack Bowes, who was impressive through the midfield and at half-forward against the Hawks. If he can find his spot in Geelong’s round one side he could provide plenty of value, but he won’t play in the second practice match as the Cats manage his game time.
GOLD COAST
ROUND 1 WATCH: Former Cat Charlie Constable looks ready to assume the role as one of the main distributors off half-back for the Suns in 2023. After spending most of his career in the midfield, Constable’s ball use and composure will provide the Suns defence with plenty of versatility. He is looking like a great rookie pick in KFC SuperCoach.
Sam Flanders continued his strong pre-season by kicking two majors against the Bombers although he did play mostly as a forward, while Ben Long looks like he will slot into the backline after making the move from St Kilda.
Top 10 draft pick Bailey Humphrey did his round 1 chances no harm, showing Suns fans that there is plenty to get excited about. Watch to see how he performs this week against the Giants before slotting him into your side. Ben King is set to get his first real match practice of the pre-season against GWS as he prepares for a round 1 return from knee surgery.
GWS GIANTS
LOCKS: Tom Green is the talk of the town at the moment, and rightfully so – the young bull amassed a whopping 50 disposals in the Giants’ intra-club on Saturday, catching the attention of plenty of SuperCoachers.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Lachie Whitfield looks set to resume his favoured role as a running half-back, accumulating 34 touches and looking back to his best, while young gun Finn Callaghan was solid yet again and will benefit from the Giants’ off-season midfield exodus.
Keep an eye on Academy product Harry Rowston, who could be a round 1 bolter after racking up 26 possessions and being promoted from the Bs to the As in the intraclub.
NO GO: Harry Himmelberg was a KFC SuperCoach option when playing in defence last year but you can cross him off your watchlist for 2023 given he is set to play in the front half early on. He booted five goals, but it’s hard to see him doing that every week.
HAWTHORN
LOCKS: Fergus Greene is a lock for round 1 after impressing against a solid Geelong defence and will help to fill the large voids left by Mitch Lewis’s knee injury and Jack Gunston’s departure. Stick him on your forward bench!
PRACTICE MATCH WATCH: Ned Reeves did the bulk of the ruck work against Geelong with former Docker Lloyd Meek providing a chop-out when required. It will be interesting to see whether the Hawks run with this set up again on Thursday against Collingwood, or if Meek will get more time around the ball.
Coach Sam Mitchell also experimented with the position of new captain James Sicily a little bit, with the fierce leader spending time through the midfield on different occasions. It will be fascinating to see if this is a move Mitchell will persist with.
NEW ROLE: Youngster Will Day was a shining light on a tough day for the Hawks, adding another dimension to their midfield group. Day has benefited tremendously from being able to participate in most of the pre-season this year, hopefully putting his injuries behind him.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Freak athlete Josh Weddle got some minutes on the wing, but fellow draftee Cam Mackenzie missed the match with a corkie.
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MELBOURNE
LOCKS: Clayton Oliver alleviated any possible hesitation potential owners had about picking him, finding the ball with ease all day against the Saints, proving his high price tag is well worth the investment.
Christian Petracca presents as a nice point of difference with his power around the stoppages, and regular forays into the forward line setting up scoring plays.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Potential rookie option Judd McVee was busy across half-back in what appeared to be Christian Salem’s role, which is potentially a positive sign for the early stages of the season. Kade Chandler, also rookie priced, was also lively up forward and is pushing his case for a round 1 start.
Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn appeared to split time on ground with each other, rarely being on the ground at the same time. It is still unknown how they will work in tandem, which is something to look out for in the next pre-season game.
NORTH MELBOURNE
LOCKS: If his performance against the Tigers was anything to go by, Luke Davies-Uniacke looks set to take his game to another level this season. He was clearly the dominant midfielder on the ground – could this be the year that Davies-Uniacke breaks out into the top echelon of midfielders?
ROUND 1 WATCH: Sandringham Dragons product Harry Sheezel is an out-and-out star and has spent time across all three lines over the pre-season. He played predominantly forward against the Tigers with stints in the midfield, but his role is a massive watch ahead of the Kangaroos’ clash against the Western Bulldogs this weekend.
Will Phillips looks like he will get a role as a midfielder come the season proper and is therefore an extremely popular rookie selection, but SuperCoachers might need to fit an alternative option to Blake Drury, who looks as though he might need to bide his time in the VFL to begin with.
Josh Goater may just justify his high price tag as his run and carry out of defence caught the eye on Friday. Does he fit into the best 22?
NEW/OLD ROLE: Jack Ziebell has been thrown back into defence – where he was a KFC SuperCoach star in 2021 – while veteran Ben Cunnington looks like he will split his time between midfield and attack in 2023.
PORT ADELAIDE
LOCKS: Connor Rozee was the main midfield distributor for the Power against West Coast and was described as the classiest player on the ground by observers at the game.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Travis Boak did not continue after a big hit early in the game. He has been cleared of any damage but still may be rested from the pre-season game against Fremantle.
Josh Sinn hasn’t been sighted in the practice games as he battles a hamstring problem, it’s probably best to cross him off your rookie list for now.
RICHMOND
LOCKS: Richmond’s GWS recruits Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper should be two of the most selected players in SuperCoach this season.
Taranto kicked two goals as a midfielder and was busy around the ground, while Hopper was prolific and spent a lot of time onball, too.
ROUND 1 WATCH: The Tigers were without approximately half a dozen of their best 22, including Tom Lynch and Shai Bolton.
The Tigers have historically been a pretty even KFC SuperCoach team, so outside of Hopper and Taranto they don’t seem to have too much relevance this year. Jayden Short spent time at centre bounces and doesn’t seem to be heading back to defence as some coaches were hoping.
An injury to Robbie Tarrant could open the door for a surprise round 1 debut for mature-age rookie Tylar Young, but he’s a key defender so is unlikely to be a prolific scorer, and his job security will be very shaky.
ST KILDA
ROUND 1 WATCH: With key players missing, St Kilda had a makeshift forward line for their practice match against the Demons featuring Zaine Cordy and Dougal Howard as the key targets with Mitch Owens and Mattaes Phillipou also providing marking options.
Phillipou came into his own in the second half after a quiet start, and looks like he’ll be there in round 1.
Nick Coffield didn’t feature until late in the match, casting doubts on his job security and role for the season ahead.
The Saints’ injury curse continued with news Jack Billings will miss at least the first month of the season owing to a leg fracture.
SYDNEY
ROLE WATCH: Callum Mills showed his Swiss Army knife abilities by playing several different roles across the practice match against Brisbane.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Tom Hickey will be sidelined with a long-term calf injury, opening the door for rookie-priced ruckman Lachlan McAndrew to partner Peter Ladhams in their preferred two-ruck set up.
WEST COAST
VALUE PICKS: West Coast key forward Oscar Allen got more and more comfortable as the game went on. The important forward started slowly but eventually became a focal point for the West Coast attack.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Noah Long has been impressing West Coast this pre-season since being drafted and had some nice moments playing as a small forward against Port Adelaide, putting him right in the frame for a round 1 debut.
Campbell Chesser is slowly building his fitness up, and could still feature in round 1 in another impressive effort on the wing for West Coast this pre-season.
Reuben Ginbey, another popular rookie selection, missed with a toe injury. Hopefully we’ll see him in the next practice match.
MIDPRICED LOCKS? Elliot Yeo looked the goods in the midfield for West Coast, and looks like he will comfortably outperform his price tag. The same can be said for Dom Sheed, who was using the ball nicely, and looked back to best.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
LOCKS: There’s a lot of upside to Marcus Bontempelli as a pick this year, as the need for him up forward should be a lot less after some off-season acquisitions including Rory Lobb. The chasm left by Josh Dunkley will also need to be addressed. Bontempelli shapes as a nicely priced premium option with plenty of scoring opportunities.
NEW ROLE: Caleb Daniel has spent time in the midfield across the pre-season too, which has meant Ed Richards has received more duties down back. Both were solid in the internal hitout. Something to watch for in their pre-season game against North Melbourne.
ROUND 1 WATCH: Ex-Dee Oskar Baker looks like he will get a gig on the wing, while forgotten man Toby McLean spent his time at half-forward before pushing up to a wing.
Tim English has dealt with various niggles across the summer but was first-class on Saturday. Is he the best option outside of Rowan Marshall in the ruck this year?
Get more KFC SuperCoach expert advice on Twitter from @DamoSC and @BolchDylan and head over to the Jock Reynolds SuperCoach Community.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2023: Latest whispers from the track and possible round 1 starters
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