KFC SuperCoach data guru crunches the numbers on the most popular, and most unusual, picks in the top 5000 teams
Who do the top-ranked KFC SuperCoach players have in their teams? A forensic look at the most successful sides reveals the players setting the pace, the biggest gambles and some truly out-there selection moves.
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Things are heating up in the race for KFC SuperCoach immortality and coaches will be looking for any way to get an edge in the final rounds.
Selecting a player that most of your opponents don’t have can be a key to success and one fan has taken his “POD” (point of difference) analysis to new levels.
Nicolas from Luhu Consulting (@DataSuperCoach on Twitter) has created an ownership tool that drills down into the top-ranked teams to see which players our found in the most — and fewest — squads. And it has turned up some surprising results.
If you’re curious about the maths behind the tool, it looks like this:
It is in ... Live Rank as of tonight ... no major changes, @wanga27 back in the top 3,
— SuperCoach Data (@DataSupercoach) September 8, 2020
a weekly for Will see with 2279
(unless someone outside the top 5000 comes in) https://t.co/G8Q5fcBNUE pic.twitter.com/DmD6KICBMc
If you want an easier to read version, scroll down!
The data shows that ownership numbers in KFC SuperCoach don’t tell the full story for coaches at the pointy end of the rankings.
Take Clayton Oliver for instance, who had an overall ownership of 20 per cent (36,000 teams) leading into Round 16.
Oliver has averaged a whopping 127.5, the third-best of any player, so it comes as no surprise 77 per cent of the top 100 SuperCoaches own the prolific ball-winner.
The four most popular players in KFC SuperCoach – Brodie Grundy (67.2 per cent ownership), Lachie Whitfield (59.9 per cent), Dustin Martin (59.2 per cent) and Sam Docherty (57.8 per cent) – have even higher ownership percentages among teams ranked in the top 5000.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE MOST POPULAR — AND MOST UNUSUAL — PICKS IN TOP-RANKED SUPERCOACH TEAMS
Whitfield tops the list with 98 per cent ownership in the top 5000, and all coaches ranked in the top 100 own the Giants running machine.
And the higher you climb, the more popular Christian Petracca becomes.
The biggest riser in recent weeks has been Max Gawn after posting scores of 135, 150 and 132 since returning from injury.
Gawn’s ownership rose steeply from 7 to 34 per cent within the top 500 from Round 15 to 16.
Facing GWS and Essendon to round out the season, expect Gawn’s ownership to rise even further. He looms as arguably the most crucial player to have due to his immense scoring power and surprisingly low ownership.
TRADE GUIDE: MOVES TO GET YOU TO A SUPERCOACH GRAND FINAL
TOP PLAYERS TO TARGET
Max Gawn ($668,400 RUCK) Average: 141.4
Ownership in top 5000: 30 per cent
Not a traditional POD but his ownership is far too low for the player boasting the highest average in 2020. Shane Mumford/Sam Jacobs and Sam Draper will be shaking in their boots facing the bearded giant in and he should go above his 140-point average in his final two encounters. Close to a must-have to rise up the rankings.
R16 Ownership updated.
— SuperCoach Data (@DataSupercoach) September 10, 2020
Gawn back in 69% of the TOP5000 - and 90% of the TOP100 !https://t.co/Awf5aDlbJ0 pic.twitter.com/R89XpZRyJj
Luke Ryan ($584,400 DEF) Average: 106
Ownership in top 5000: 29 per cent
Luke Ryan has raised the bat for a SuperCoach ton in his last 10 full matches, with an injury affected score of 67 in Round 14 meaning he will be priced around the $550,000 mark ahead of Round 17. Surprisingly, just 29 per cent of the top 5,000 have him in their side. Ryan could register another massive score this round considering North Melbourne’s delivery up forward this season, and his role as designated kick-in taker might give you the extra points you need to claw your way up the rankings.
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Jarryd Lyons ($557,700 MID) Average: 114.5
Ownership in top 5000: 4 per cent
Jarryd Lyons has showcased his high ceiling in previous seasons but he has consistently been able to amass big scores in 2020. He continues to fly under the radar despite posting five 120-plus totals in his last seven matches. With an Ed Curnow tag likely to await Lachie Neale in Round 18, Lyons should be there to pick up the slack. Lyons should also have a field day against Sydney in Cairns where conditions will suit his inside ball-winning.
Jack Lukosius ($479,700 DEF/FWD) Average: 85
Ownership in top 5000: 4 per cent
Lukosius is a POD who provides valuable flexibility for those running out of trades. The former No. 2 draft selection has one of the better kicks in the competition, is Gold Coast’s designated kick-in taker and has improved his intercept game in recent weeks. Has posted two 130-plus scores in his last three games.
Zach Merrett ($625,000 MID) Average: 115.9
Ownership in top 5000: 24 per cent
Zach Merrett is producing crazy numbers considering Essendon’s poor form in recent weeks. He registered his fourth-straight score above 120 points in Round 16 and Andrew McGrath’s injury means this form should continue. In just one in four sides inside the top 5,000.
Caleb Daniel ($469,500 DEF) Average: 99.7
Ownership in top 5000: 16 per cent
Caleb Daniel doesn’t possess the ceiling of others but the ultra-consistent defender has produced back-to-back 110-plus scores. The Bulldogs have two must-win games to finish the season, meaning they will look to get the ball into his trusted hands as much as possible. Will be less than $480,000 ahead of Round 17 which screams value.
MOST UNUSUAL SELECTIONS IN TOP TEAMS
Jack Sinclair $394,600 FWD/MID — 1 team in top 100
Of all the players owned by the top 100 ranked SuperCoach players, Sinclair stands out like a sore thumb. He didn’t feature in the St Kilda line-up until Round 8 and he hasn’t set the world on fire from a SuperCoach perspective, averaging 78 points per game. An interesting choice for someone at the top of the tree.
Tom Scully $269,500 MID — 1 team in top 5000
It’s been a tough year for Hawthorn and the same goes for Scully, but one SuperCoacher inside the top 5000 is hoping for a renaissance from the former No. 1 pick. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite gone to plan, with Scully averaging just 54 points this season including five scores of 50 points or less. Let’s hope his one highly-ranked owner brought him in ahead of Round 16, when he scored a season-high 91 points.
Shaun Burgoyne $345,700 — 1 team in top 5000
One last hurrah? Burgoyne has been a SuperCoach stalwart across his career but the 37-year-old has averaged a modest 68.9 points from 11 games this season. This keen owner has stuck fat with the Hawks veteran even when he was managed in Round 16, which must be commended.
Lewis Melican $326,100 DEF — 3 teams in top 5000
Now this is thinking outside the box. Buying a mid-priced lockdown defender goes against everything we are taught as SuperCoaches, but Melican’s three owners have themselves a surprisingly solid scorer. Priced at $258,500 following two scores of 30 in Round 5 and Round 10, Melican has gone on to average 76.2 points in his past five matches, including three scores above 80. You would suspect these three coaches traded in Melican after his unlikely 110 against GWS – the only ton in his 44-game career – making $62,000 since then. So, I guess this has kind of worked?
Mitch Wallis $394,300 FWD — 1 team in top 5000
The Bulldogs leading goalkicker has had a great season overall but his SuperCoach relevance has faded considerably in his new role as a deep forward. Let’s hope this one team inside the top 5000 hasn’t had Wallis for too long, given he failed to eclipse 80 points in the first six rounds. More recently, Wallis backed up a 130-point display against Melbourne with a score of 45 in the Dogs’ close loss to the Cats.
Josh Wagner $334,300, DEF — 1 team in top 5000
Wagner impressed in his first game for the season against St Kilda in Round 14, posting 87 points from 15 disposals. His encouraging performance excited one bold SuperCoacher, who jumped on the Wagner bandwagon at $332,2000. Despite a solid 54-point effort against the Swans, the Demons defender was dropped ahead of Round 16.
Corey Lyons $102,400, MID — 6 teams in top 5000
Lyons is yet to play a game for Brisbane, yet has a higher ownership among the top 5000 coaches than his brother and teammate Jarryd, who is ranked 10th for SuperCoach points across the competition. There is nothing that sums up how underrated Jarryd Lyons is in SuperCoach circles better than this.
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OWNERSHIP WITHIN THE TOP 5000, 1000, 500 AND 100
Top 5000 (ownership %)
Lachie Whitfield 98
Brodie Grundy 96
Sam Docherty 94
Patrick Cripps 89
Christian Petracca 89
Tom Mitchell 83
Jake Lloyd 83
Jordan Ridley 82
Dustin Martin 80
Lachie Neale 75
Jake Riccardi 72
Jack Macrae 70
Tom Stewart 68
Jy Simpkin 63
Bailey Smith 63
Sam Draper 61
Sam Wicks 58
Harry Schoenberg 58
Trent Rivers 55
Top 1000
Lachie Whitfield 99
Brodie Grundy 97
Sam Docherty 95
Christian Petracca 94
Patrick Cripps 91
Tom Mitchell 88
Jake Lloyd 87
Jordan Ridley 87
Lachie Neale 81
Dustin Martin 79
Jack Macrae 71
Tom Stewart 71
Jake Riccardi 71
Clayton Oliver 68
Harry Schoenberg 63
Jy Simpkin 63
Trent Rivers 62
Bailey Smith 62
Sam Draper 62
Sam Wicks 59
Top 500
Lachie Whitfield 99
Brodie Grundy 96
Christian Petracca 96
Sam Docherty 95
Tom Mitchell 91
Patrick Cripps 91
Jake Lloyd 89
Jordan Ridley 88
Lachie Neale 83
Dustin Martin 78
Clayton Oliver 73
Tom Stewart 73
Jack Macrae 70
Jake Riccardi 69
Harry Schoenberg 65
Trent Rivers 65
JY Simpkin 63
Bailey Smith 60
Sam Draper 60
Sam Wicks 59
Top 100
Lachie Whitfield 100
Christian Petracca 97
Brodie Grundy 95
Jake Lloyd 94
Tom Mitchell 94
Patrick Cripps 92
Sam Docherty 92
Jordan Ridley 91
Lachie Neale 88
Trent Rivers 80
Clayton Oliver 77
Dustin Martin 76
Jack Macrae 71
Jake Riccardi 65
Harry Schoenberg 63
Tom Stewart 63
Sam Wicks 59
Bailey Smith 57
Sam Draper 57
Nick Haynes 56
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach data guru crunches the numbers on the most popular, and most unusual, picks in the top 5000 teams
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