SuperCoach: Perth mechanic Graeme Fawell wins national fantasy footy competition

BALLAJURA mechanic Graeme Fawell is Australia’s top SuperCoach after winning the $50,000 main prize in the fantasy footy competition.

Graeme Fawell, of Ballajura, is this year's nationwide SuperCoach winner. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

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BALLAJURA’S SuperCoach guru Graeme Fawell is the mechanic who refused to panic.

The 35-year-old appeared all but out of the race to finish as the nation’s top SuperCoach after slipping to sixth in the overall rankings entering last week’s final round.

But Fawell’s team Giant Killers proved to be exactly that last weekend, putting the pedal to the metal and scoring a mammoth 2683 points to be crowned the best of more than 223,000 sides.

Fawell not only snared the $50,000 main prize, but took home an extra $5000 for being the top-ranked PerthNow-registered outfit.

The Sydney supporter’s decisive move for the season was trading in Nick Riewoldt, with Fawell “screaming at the telly” last Sunday as the St Kilda veteran booted nine goals in the final round.

While he was thrilled to snare the massive cash prize, Fawell revealed his stellar season hadn’t even been good enough to earn bragging rights among his friends.

“The Giant Killers name really came about from the league I play in with a whole heap of mates from my cricket club — trying to knock off the giants in that competition,” he said.

“The funny thing was, I didn’t actually make the grand final in that league. I got knocked out in the prelim.”

Fawell said he would use the winnings to help fund a trip to the AFL Grand Final next year, while Dianella Amateur Football Club will receive a $5000 donation as the local club of his choice.

The triumph proved that you don’t have to be a SuperCoach diehard to succeed in Australia’s most popular fantasy footy game.

“I’m not too obsessive compared to most,” Fawell said.

“I’d say on average I’d spend two or three hours a week on it. I’m a bit of a football fanatic so I’m constantly following all the news and I have a pretty good idea about what’s going on with teams, players and form.

“But it’s not as much time as plenty of my mates in my main league spend on it.”

West Coast legend Brett Heady prevailed in the grand final of the PerthNow SuperCoach Celebrity League after finishing the year as WA’s 41st best side.

Originally published as SuperCoach: Perth mechanic Graeme Fawell wins national fantasy footy competition