Big changes in defence headline the latest draft of The Phantom’s KFC SuperCoach team for 2020
The Phantom has settled on his KFC SuperCoach team ahead of the Marsh Community Series. But there’s been a number of key changes since January. See who’s made the cut and why.
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The Marsh Community Series is almost here – don’t ask me where the time went – and I’ve made a number of changes to my KFC SuperCoach team over the past month.
For now, I’m happy with the balance and the spread of top-line stars.
But that could all soon change with the rookie-price players set for their summer audition over the next two weeks.
This is where I’m at.
DEFENCE
It’s been the biggest area of change since the official KFC SuperCoach launch in January.
Port Adelaide defender-turned-midfielder Dan Houston is the biggest reason for the reshuffle.
And it’s not just off the back of a standout intra-club performance.
Coach Ken Hinkley recently declared the 22-year-old a midfield lock and senior assistant Michael Voss raved about his strengths as an on-baller following the internal trial.
The addition of James Sicily, at the expense of Crow Rory Laird, is the other major change. There’s still plenty of value in Laird at $525k, but Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson looks set to continue with Ben McEvoy in defence, meaning, along with the inclusion of recruit Sam Frost, Sicily will be free to play the floating third-tall role across halfback.
And his scoring power in the role is as good as any other SuperCoach defender.
Sydney young gun Jordan Dawson, who is available as a dual-position defender-forward, was almost the first-picked after his finish to 2019, while Blue Sam Docherty, despite missing the past two seasons through injury, is must-have if he’s ready to go.
Young Docker Hayden Young – and his dynamite left-foot – takes the spot of teammate Stephen Hill, who moves forward, opening up the dual-position swing with Dawson.
MIDFIELD
There might be one different name, but I’ve stuck with four big guns from the top-bracket – Jack Macrae, Nat Fyfe, Patrick Cripps and Patrick Dangerfield – all of which need little explanation.
All I say is of the top 10-11, if we’re including Tom Mitchell who missed all of 2019 – most-expensive SuperCoach midfielders this season, Dangerfield has scored 362 more points than any player over the past three years.
Lion Lachie Neale is the one who makes way for Cripps after some evidence suggests he might be easier to stop than the other four.
There’s no standout mid-price value in the midfield this season, so it’s back to the tried-and-tested strategy of ‘guns and rookies’.
Dylan Stephens, who is closing in on a Round 1 debut at the Swans, joins rookie-price locks
Matt Rowell and one of Richmond’s grand final heroes, Marlion Pickett, on-field.
Sydney coach John Longmire said Stephens, who has been a standout on the track over summer, will feature through the Swans midfield in his debut season.
And after averaging 18 disposals and 82 points per game against the bigger bodies in the SANFL last year, he should score well from the outset.
RUCK
Despite the pre-season injury scare, it’s set-and-forget in the ruck with Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn – the competition’s top-two scorers last year.
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FORWARD
To fund the inclusion of Houston and Stephens, I’ve dropped Adelaide young gun Chayce Jones.
He’s a very unlucky 19th-man at this stage, given his price.
But that could change as the 20-year-old will see plenty of midfield time in a new-look Crows side this season.
Hill, who averaged 90 points or more in three consecutive seasons between 2014 and 2016, is a must-have if his uninterrupted pre-season continues.
He swings forward to replace Jones.
The rest is unchanged.
After certainties Lachie Whitfield and Dustin Martin, you need to have returning Bomber Devon Smith, who played just seven games last season.
Smith averaged 98 points per game and won Essendon’s best-and-fairest in his first year at the club in 2018 and he’s in full-flight on the track.
Then it’s Gold Coast recruit Hugh Greenwood who has scored 80 points or more in 31 of 51 career matches, passing the 100-point mark on 12 occasions.
And, if all goes to plan, the No. 3 pick from the 2018 draft, Izak Rankine, could win the Rising Star award at $123k.
Bring on the Marsh Community Series.
Originally published as Big changes in defence headline the latest draft of The Phantom’s KFC SuperCoach team for 2020