Australian cricket great Mike Hussey in contention for $50k KFC SuperCoach AFL grand prize

Australian cricket great Mike Hussey is a shock contender for the KFC SuperCoach AFL $50,000 grand prize with five rounds remaining. Here’s where he sits and the team and trades that got him there.

Mr Cricket has become Mr SuperCoach.

Australian cricket great Mike Hussey is in contention for the $50,000 grand prize in KFC SuperCoach AFL, sitting 10th overall with five rounds remaining.

A West Coast Eagles fan, Hussey moved to within 111 points of top spot with a score of 2517 in Round 13 — despite having Lachie Neale (72) as captain.

“Thankfully I have dodged most of the big injuries this season, although Gawn and Sicily in the last few weeks haven’t helped,” Hussey said.

“So I have been able to upgrade my team as quickly as possible.

“I think in hindsight, where some went for a lot of mid-pricers at the start of the season, I stuck to the guns-and-rookies strategy and was able to start with perhaps one extra premium than some other teams.

“I was also very lucky to pick up Macrae, Whitfield, Bailey Smith, Mitchell, Stewart, Duncan and Oliver at their cheapest.”

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Picking Clayton Oliver early in KFC SuperCoach has been a key to Mike Hussey’s success this year.

Mike Hussey was one of the coaches who jumped on Jordan Ridley after his hot start.

Hussey’s team — aptly-named baggy greens — competes in a league against fellow cricketers including Trent Copeland, Callum Ferguson, Josh Lalor, Damien Fleming and Adam Voges.

“There is a bit of banter on the WhatsApp group, but I have never been much of a sledger,” he said.

The champion batsman started playing KFC SuperCoach five years ago and achieved a personal best ranking of about 10,000th overall last year.

But he has exceeded all expectations this season after backing breakout stars including Jordan Ridley and Christian Petracca.

“Hopefully (I can) finish upgrading my team in the next two weeks and then hold on for dear life — I need a bit more luck,” he said.

“Not sure whether to go back to Gawn in a couple of weeks once his price drops or stick with Nic Nat who is on fire.

“I might not have any trades left, but time will tell.”

Mike Hussey competes against cricketers including former Australian teammate Callum Ferguson in KFC SuperCoach.

Copeland, one of New Corp’s SuperCoach NRL experts, has operated an AFL SuperCoach league with other Australian cricketers for the past decade.

“Given Huss did his best work with the bat under pressure getting the Australian cricket team home, I’m sure he’s got plenty of moves up his sleeve to close out the season methodically,” Copeland said.

“But even if he wins the $50k, he won’t be winning our league and that is all that matters.”

Hussey is not the only member of the league who has performed strongly, with Brisbane Heat seamer Lalor’s team about 200th overall.

While he’s got high ambitions for the next five rounds, Hussey already has one eye on trumping Shane Warne in SuperCoach BBL this summer.

“We have a good group at Fox Sports who all put in a team and have plenty of banter with Warney,” Hussey said.

“I find it a bit more challenging than AFL SuperCoach, but it’s fun nonetheless.”

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