KFC SuperCoach AFL 2022: The traded players who should be on your pre-season watchlist
It’s never too early for KFC SuperCoach planning, and a host of traded players will come into our thinking. The experts rate the best of them.
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It’s never too early to start planning in KFC SuperCoach.
New club means new opportunity and, sometimes, a new standard of KFC SuperCoach scoring.
So which traded players are likely to be relevant in 2022?
The Phantom runs the rule over 11 names and Al Paton, Tim Michell and Dan Batten give their verdict.
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1. Pat Lipinski (Coll)
2021 average: 66
Predicted 2022 price: $360k
The Phantom says: The one all KFC SuperCoaches should have their eye on over summer. There have been glimpses of scoring potential – two KFC SuperCoach tons in 2019 and nine scores of 80 or more in 12 matches the following season. And big state-league numbers – KFC SuperCoach tallies of 141, 198, 108 and 175 this year. But there was just limited opportunity in a stacked Bulldogs midfield for the talented 23-year-old. That could change in a rebuilding Collingwood side under Craig McRae, however, and, while Lipinski, who averaged 35 disposals, eight score involvements, seven clearances and 1.3 goals in his four VFL matches, may be awkwardly priced in 2022, a scoring spike is likely. Will it be big enough to justify the price tag?
Al Paton: Likely to have a prominent role in Craig McRae’s midfield and his VFL numbers were fantastic. Will be awkwardly priced but definitely on the pre-season watch list.
Tim Michell: The trade which interests me the most, by far. Surely bound for midfield time at the Pies, although the likelihood seems he won’t re-gain FWD status. He’d need to be DPP for me to pay the awkward price.
Dan Batten: Close to a must-have if he has forward eligibility, considering he is set to receive increased opportunity and midfield minutes at Collingwood. It would take a significant jump for him to justify selection as a midfielder.
2. Jordan Dawson (Adel)
2021 average: 101
Predicted 2022 price: $550k
The new Crow finished in my team last season and is likely to remain there for 2022. But, after averaging 114 in the final nine matches of the year – 13 points above next year’s likely starting price – I would probably be saying the same thing even if he didn’t move clubs. Dawson thrived on a wing in the run home and the Crows are expected to use him in a similar way as they look to utilise his kicking inside 50. “They are pretty keen to keep me up in the midfield, on the wing, maybe on the inside a bit,” Dawson said in his first press conference as a Crow. The inside? Yes, please. The left-footer averaged 28 disposals, 10 score involvements, nine marks, seven groundball-gets, five clearances, 2.5 goals and 136 KFC SuperCoach points in 15 games playing predominantly as a pure midfielder in the NEAFL in 2017.
AP: Averaged 114 over the final nine rounds this year so will be right in the mix as a premo defender. A spot on the wing has been mooted but I’m happy if he takes the kickouts.
TM:Can’t wait for a whole summer of The Phantom spruiking this guy as our 2022 D1...The funny thing is, he might be right. No Jake Lloyd to share ball with and plenty of footy in defence. Will be a big pre-season talking point.
DB:The most SuperCoach relevant move of the trade period. Preferably, he will be used as a rebounding defender and get first dibs on the kick-ins at the Crows. A small watch on his role, but he looms as an attractive premium defensive option after his stellar finish to the year.
3. Jordan Clark (Fremantle)
2021 average: 62
Predicted 2022 price: $335k
Like Lipinski, opportunity is the key word here. The glimpses have been there, too, and they were enough to suck a lot of KFC SuperCoaches in last season. Clark averaged 73 in the opening three rounds, justifying his $240k price tag before being dropped in Round 5, recalled as the sub in Round 6 and then playing just three more senior games for the year. The 20-year-old speedster averaged 22 disposals and 111 points in his five VFL games, though, recording huge KFC SuperCoach tallies of 165 and 135. The Dockers are set to use him across half-back and on a wing next year, and, unlike over the past two seasons, he’s likely to get a consistent run at it. Even though he’ll be a defender again in KFC SuperCoach, price could be an issue. One to watch closely over the pre-season.
AP: Was sucked into picking him this year, could I go there again? Probably, if he has more support from the Freo coaches than he did at the Cats. But needs to do a lot to convince me.
TM: Freo says he’s going to play halfback but the Dockers already have a bunch of options there including one of my favourites Hayden Young. I can’t see him scoring well enough to be an option and I’ve sworn off Dockers after Justin Longmuir told us Michael Walters would play midfield then stuck him in a forward pocket for half a year.
DB: Will he be used off halfback or on the wing? Either way, I’d want to see some sustained form before going near him.
4. Adam Cerra (Carl)
2021 average: 90
Predicted 2022 price: $490k
If you take out the injury-affected 15 against the Crows in Round 5, Cerra averaged 94 for the year – a four point jump on an impressive third season in the competition in 2020. The 22-year-old posted a career-high 147 in Round 20 and made a blistering start to the year with three scores of 120 or more in the opening four matches. And he was in and out of the centre bounce mix at the Dockers – something that could change at the Blues. It’s likely we’ll see Michael Voss deploy his new recruit at the coal face from the outset - so is this the year Cerra puts up big numbers consistently and cracks three figures? Maybe. But will be the jump be big enough to pick him at around $500k? We’ll have to wait and see just how smooth his transition into a new side is first. He could be a nice get in the draft format, either way, though.
AP: Looked on the cusp of a breakout season after scoring 120-plus in three of the first four games this year but ended up averaging 90 over 18 games. Will he take the jump in 2022? Maybe.
TM: As a Blues fan, I’m mighty excited about this move. As a KFC SuperCoach, I’m 50-50 at best. Needs to elevate his scoring by at least 10 points to be a genuine option and I’m doubtful that happens.
DB:The classy user should be a fantastic pick-up for the Blues, but the question will be whether he can hit the 105-mark in 2022. At this stage I’m unsure, but a good pre-season will make him tempting.
5. Will Brodie (Freo)
2021 average: 51 (4 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $250k
You knew it was coming. Long-time readers will know I’ve been big on Brodie’s potential for a while. Unfortunately, defensive and fitness concerns during his time at the Suns saw him fail to lock down a spot in the senior side. But if he can finally do that at the Dockers, who targeted Brodie to help fill the midfield void left by Cerra, then No. 5 is probably too low on this list given his likely dual-position status and almost-rookie price tag. Brodie, who posted season averages of 127 and 124 in the previous two NEAFL seasons, averaged 32 disposals, 15 contested possessions, eight clearances, six tackles and 121 points in the VFL in 2021. And in the final six games of 2019 - the most productive stretch of his career - Brodie ranked first at the Suns for hardball-gets, second for tackles and handballs, third for disposals, fourth for clearances and fifth for contested possessions. But, even though Justin Longmuir likes his strengths, that’s still a big if.
AP: The Phantom’s man never got a chance to show what he could do at the Suns but I’m not sure he steps straight into the Dockers’ best 22 either. Will be cheap, though.
TM: Seems more like a depth player than anything else. As I told Phantom in the trade period, you can’t score points in the WAFL. Pass.
DB: Like The Phantom, I have been a fan of Brodie since his draft year in 2016, but he has been unable to make the jump from state league to AFL thus far. Hard to make a case for him as a mid only.
6. Sam Petrevski-Seton (WC)
2021 average: 63 (13 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $340k
In 2019, his third year in the game, Petrevski-Seton posted five KFC SuperCoach tons and averaged 82 points across 22 matches. In Round 5, he played as a pure midfielder and tallied career-highs in disposals (35), contested possessions (15), clearances (7) and KFC SuperCoach points (136). He passed three figures another five times in 2020 but averaged just 63 points from 13 games last season. And that’s what most of us remember first. But the Eagles want to use him in the midfield and he has the talent. Watchlist as a defender.
AP: Was he played out of position at the Blues? You’d hope so because an average of 70 over his five-year career doesn’t scream ‘pick me’.
TM: The Blues supporter in me says no. The KFC SuperCoach in me says ever harder pass.
DB: Worth keeping an eye on if he becomes an inside midfielder at the Eagles. But it’s a big if.
7. George Hewett (Carl)
2021 average: 73 (20 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $400k
The former Swan is another who could be in for a scoring spike with a return to a permanent midfield role at a new club. Hewett averaged 88 points per game in 2019 and, if you include the elimination final loss to the Giants, averaged 92 points in his final 11 matches of last season as he pushed back in there, playing various roles. But he’s still unlikely to get anywhere near the big boys in the KFC SuperCoach midfield and appears more suited to KFC SuperCoach Draft in 2022.
AP: He can score - putting up tons in his last three games as a Swan - and will be at the coal face. But more likely to get tagging roles under Michael Voss. Don’t totally rule him out, though.
TM: Not going to be anywhere near the top-8 or top-10 midfielders next year and that’s who you need to target. Will be a great pick-up for Carlton though.
DB: Might be a cheeky waiver pick-up in SuperCoach Draft. Doesn’t use the ball well enough to be considered for Classic.
8. Peter Ladhams (Sydney)
2021 average: 76 (15 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $415k
It was two weeks in 2020 when the young big man really showed his KFC SuperCoach scoring potential. With Scott Lycett out of the side, Ladhams finished with 18 disposals, 14 contested possessions and 123 points against the Bulldogs. A week later, with Lycett back in the side, Ladhams tallied 12 disposals, six hitouts-to-advantage, four contested marks, two goals and 138 points. The 202cm big man failed to go on with it last season, however, and was dropped after Round 4. But when Lycett went down again, Ladhams returned and averaged 100 points in a strong month between Rounds 10 and 14. He can have an influence as the back-up ruckman but the 23-year-old may not really make his mark in KFC SuperCoach until he’s the No. 1 man. And, with Tom Hickey’s resurgence, he’s unlikely to get that chance right away.
AP: If he’s a RUC/FWD again you would have to take a look but can’t see him featuring in my 2021 plans.
TM: Maybe a year or two too early. When Tom Hickey retires, pick him at 25 years old when he’s the No.1 ruck in 2024.
DB: If Hickey goes down with injury, look out. As a No.1 ruckman, Ladhams has averaged 92.3 points (including a score of 45) across eight games in the past two seasons while Scott Lycett was sidelined with injury and suspension.
9. Max Lynch (Hawthorn)
2021 average: 54 (2 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $123k
It could be Lynch v Ned Reeves for the No. 1 ruck spot at Hawthorn next year. And if the former Pie, who played three games in his five seasons at Collingwood, wins the race, it could bring back an intriguing pre-season KFC SuperCoach debate. Because who doesn’t love the idea of a rookie-price ruck? The 23-year-old averaged 13 disposals, eight hitouts-to-advantage, seven contested possessions and 97 KFC SuperCoach points in the VFL in 2021.
AP: This one is interesting. We’ll need a better idea of Sam Mitchell’s preferred line-up but if Lynch is his No.1 ruckman he could make some serious cash.
TM: If you’re not going down the Grundy, Gawn, Darcy path and want cheaper options, he’ll be in the mix. I would worry he loses his spot to Ned Reeves at some stage though.
DB: Hawthorn generally play with two ruckman, so Lynch is in the frame to partner Ben McEvoy if he can overtake Ned Reeves. One to consider for your ruck bench.
10. Nathan Kreuger (Coll)
2021 average: 52 (2 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $123k
The 22-year-old recorded 21 intercept possessions in his three VFL games last season after making a more-permanent switch to defence. But the Pies see Kreuger, who was recruited from South Adelaide as forward in 2018, playing alongside Brodie Mihocek and Darcy Cameron in attack. It doesn’t scream pick me but he could be a ready-to-go playing rookie in 2022.
AP: Don’t know much about this guy, to be honest. The Pies need a key forward but they traditionally aren’t reliable KFC SuperCoach scorers.
TM: Never a big ball winner, even in the VFL. Don’t bother.
DB: Joined the Pies wanting to play as a key forward. Beggars can’t be choosers with forward rookies, but surely there will be better options.
11. Callum Coleman-Jones (NM)
2021 average: 66 (8 games)
Predicted 2022 price: $360k
Coleman-Jones burst onto the KFC SuperCoach scene, posting a KFC SuperCoach ton on debut and averaging 86 across the first four games of his career. But then he scored five in a semi-injury-affected performance against the Suns. So what should we expect at North Melbourne who still has Todd Goldstein in the ruck? I’ll guess we’ll find out.
AP: It’s almost against the rules in KFC SuperCoach to pick a forward priced between $300k and $400k. CCJ scored 112 on debut this year then 5 points against Gold Coast (to be fair, he was subbed off at halftime). Only a hope if every other Kangaroos big man goes down.
TM: Still can’t work out how he went from 0 to 20 KFC SuperCoach points off one disposal on so many occasions this year and although that’s appealing, it seems like his starting price will be impossible to justify.
DB: Won’t be at the discount price he started 2020 at. With Todd Goldstein still taking the lion’s share of ruck time, 2022 won’t be the year for Coleman-Jones in SuperCoach.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach AFL 2022: The traded players who should be on your pre-season watchlist
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