AFL SuperCoach is back: Everything you need to know to play Australia’s biggest and best fantasy game in 2019

Take on the role of coach and manager of your own team of AFL stars, challenge your mates and take a shot at the $50,000 grand prize. Here’s what’s new for SuperCoach 2019 and everything you need to know to dominate Australia’s biggest fantasy game.

Brodie Grundy of Collingwood.

Dust off the whiteboard, get the whistle out of the drawer and lay out the witches hats. SuperCoach is back.

This is your chance to take on the role of coach and manager of your own team of AFL stars, challenge your mates for ultimate bragging rights and take a shot at the $50,000 grand prize.

>>SUPERCOACH IS OPEN FOR 2019. SIGN UP NOW

Patrick Dangerfield, Max Gawn, Patrick Cripps and Dustin Martin are sure to be popular selections this season, while Tom Liberatore could be the bargain of the year. Who will make the cut in your squad?

New features for 2019 include a complete SuperCoach site refresh to make signing up, picking and managing a team easier and faster than ever.

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EASY GUIDE: HOW TO PICK A WINNING TEAM

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There’s also more SuperCoach news and video to ensure you have the best expert advice at your fingertips as you pick a side to take you to SuperCoach glory.

And in the biggest recruiting move of the season, Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan Brown has signed on as a SuperCoach ambassador. Read his first hard-hitting column tomorrow.

‘Patty, just letting you know, you’re in my SuperCoach team.’

Our experts have already been hard at work analysing every team and the players you need to have on your SuperCoach radar.

Start with the CHEAPIE BIBLE, the BEST VALUE PICKS and the BIG GUNS YOU CAN RELY ON.

If you want to know who is appearing in other sides, check out the 30 MOST POPULAR PRE-SEASON PICKS. But to strike out for SuperCoach glory, you need to make some bold calls.

Scroll down for a quick introduction (or refresher) to Australia’s biggest and best fantasy game, then get picking!

HOW IT WORKS

You’re a coach with a team to pick, a salary cap to work under and games to win.

You pick a squad of players from across the AFL and score points based on their real-life performance, using a unique formula developed by Champion Data.

During the year you’ll deal with form and injuries just like an AFL coach, but with the benefit of trades to replace sidelined or out-of-form players or to improve your squad.

Take on your mates in your own private league for ultimate bragging rights, and track your progress against all other SuperCoaches in the race for weekly and major prizes.

HELP: EXPERTS REVEAL THEIR SUPERCOACH TEAMS

REVEALED: THE PHANTOM’S STARTING SUPERCOACH SQUAD

RESEARCH: SUPERCOACH PRE-SEASON STUDY GUIDE

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

At the end of the AFL home-and-away season the top SuperCoach in the country takes home $50,000 in cash. Second place receives $5000 and those placed third to 10th win $1000 each.

There are also weekly prizes of $1000 for the best score each round, $500 for the second-ranked SuperCoach and $250 for third.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Registering for SuperCoach is completely free and takes just a few minutes, while Herald Sun subscribers get the added benefit of live scores, exclusive stories and SuperCoach Stats.

HOW TO PLAY

Once registered:

— YOU have a $10 million salary cap and 30 players to pick.

— FILL each position. You need eight defenders, 11 midfielders, eight forwards, and three rucks. Remember to save your team!

— WORTH noting, Midfielders are the most consistent performers, accounting for about 40 per cent of your weekly score. So don’t skimp there.

— NEED help picking a side? Try the auto select feature which picks a team for you and then make all the changes you want.

— CHANGE your team as much as you like until Round 1 starts.

— BEFORE each round, choose a starting 22 and emergencies in every position.

— NOMINATE a captain who he earns double points, and a vice-captain as back-up.

— YOU get 30 trades to maintain your side during the season. Each week you can make up to two trades, except for the bye rounds when you get three trades.

— STAY on top of your team with our Apple and Android apps.

Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy was the No.1 scoring player in SuperCoach in 2018.

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YOUNG GUNS: DRAFT STARS AND BARGAINS

NEW HOMES: TRADED PLAYERS WORTH A LOOK

HOW TO REGISTER

Whether you’re an experienced SuperCoach or a brand new player, it’s easy to join the fun and take on your friends for ultimatebragging rights.

Follow the five steps below and join the action.

1. Go to supercoach.com.au.

2. Played before? Click on ‘login’. New? Click ‘register and play’.

3. Enter your details and click ‘play AFL’.

4. Pick a name for your all-conquering SuperCoach side, nominate your favourite AFL team, select your level of expertise andyou’re ready to go.

5. Start picking your team of AFL superstars to compete for the $50,000 grand prize.

WHO SHOULD I PICK?

Defenders: 6 starters, 2 emergencies

Look for ball-winners, interceptors and defenders with good kicking skills. Avoid lockdown, dour-type backmen. In AFL SuperCoach, weight of possession and execution is king.

Consider: Rory Laird, Jake Lloyd, Lachie Whitfield

Midfielders: 8 starters, 3 emergencies

The engine room, where SuperCoach is won or lost. A loaded midfield should be responsible for about half of your weekly score. When picking your midfield, look for ball-winners (in and around stoppages) with good skills, a nose for goal is the Holy Grail. Aim to have a minimum of five players priced at over $500,000 in your starting line-up for Round 1, then pad out with young players (LINGO ALERT: “Cash cows”) with plenty of potential.

Consider: Patrick Cripps, Nat Fyfe, Josh Kelly, Sam Walsh

Rucks: 2 starters, 1 emergency

You don’t want to be burning two many trades here. Aim for durable big men, who have an impact around the ground and not just at stoppages. Worth noting, only hitouts to advantage register SuperCoach points.

Consider: Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn are the clear standouts but don’t come cheap.

Patrick Dangerfield can be selected as a forward in SuperCoach this year. Picture: Alan Barber

Forwards: 6 starters, 2 emergencies

Like defenders, you want ball-winners with good skills in attack. A midfielder-forward (LINGO ALERT: Dual Position Player, also known as DPP) who racks up 25 touches and kicks one goal will typically score more points than a key-position forward booting five goals from just a handful of possessions.

Consider: Patrick Dangerfield, Devon Smith, Isaac Heeney, Lance Franklin

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How does SuperCoach scoring work?

Players score SuperCoach points based on a formula devised by Champion Data to reward actions that have the biggest impact on matches — there is more to SuperCoach than simple kicks, marks and handballs.

You don’t need to know every stat that makes up the SuperCoach algorithm, but it’s worth noting that the ability to win the ball (clearances and contested possessions), use it well (disposal efficiency), impact the scoreboard (goals and goal assists), win the footy back off the opposition (intercept marks) and tackles all score well.

This game rewards players who win a crucial one-on-one battle and hit a target when the game is on the line over backwards kicks in junk time.

Champion Data also factors in the timing and nature of the game when allocating scores, so a matchwinning goal after the siren is worth more than a regulation goal that puts a team up by 60 points midway through the second half.

NEED TO KNOW MORE?

You never have to worry about being left in the dark when making your SuperCoach selection and trade calls. Bookmark the SuperCoach news page to get all the latest news and tips from the experts, and follow SuperCoach on Facebook and Twitter.