Herald Sun footy reporters reveal their first draft KFC SuperCoach teams for 2021

Herald Sun footy writers Gilbert Gardiner and Chris Cavanagh have already picked KFC SuperCoach squads — and they disagree on some big calls.

Max Gawn and Lachie Neale are both KFC SuperCoach AFL superstars.

KFC SuperCoach teams need to be locked in by 7.25pm on Thursday, March 18. But who can wait until then?

The game is now open for business and two of the Herald Sun’s footy reporters have got in early, picking a (very) early squad.

How many changes will Chris Cavanagh and Gilbert Gardiner make before Round 1? Probably quite a few, and there is bound to be a lot of friendly debates along the way. Who would you be backing in the Herald Sun office league?

CHRIS CAVANAGH: You’re one of the office’s KFC SuperCoach Kings and you’ve left out both Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy from your first team. Are you feeling OK?

GILBERT GARDINER: Hook. Line. Sinker. Well done Cav, failed at your first attempt to pick holes in the Guidance. Now, here’s a lesson in KFC SuperCoach in 13 words: Cash is King and they don’t hand out fantasy premierships in Round 1.

Speaking of questionable selections … Howe, Rowell, Taranto, Heppell, Brown, Ziebell and Joe Daniher?! You must be angling for one of those private health insurers to jump on board and sponsor the team. Cav’s Medevacs?

CC: Picking up premium players at cut price is the name of the game, my friend. Dyson Heppell is the one I’m a touch unsure on with the lingering ankle issues. But let’s not forget he averaged at least 91 points in the six seasons before last year. If he plays Round 1, you’ve got to pick him at $319,100.

If you want to talk about banged-up selections … Nakia Cockatoo?! The guy has played two games since the end of 2017.

GG: Place-holders! Every spot is up for grabs, Cav! Bring on the AAMI Community Series.

Let’s talk about some positives, before you rightly expose a glaring omission of mine, but I see you have copied me and picked Alex Witherden, Braydon Preuss and Will Phillips. When something is too good to be true, it often is, but those three will be making us lots of moolah!

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Will Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell make it back for Round 1?

CC: Witherden just fell out of favour a little at the Lions, but he can rack up points down back. We know what we’re going to get from Preuss — he’s no Max Gawn but he is cheap and will play for the Giants every week. And recruiters were labelling Phillips the next Matt Rowell at the draft in December and I don’t have to remind you how Rowell went last year before he did the shoulder.

Talking of Rowell, I don’t see him in your team. I’m starting to think you used the team auto-fill feature?

GG: Guilty as charged. Tanner Bruhn-style draft reaction. Let’s talk about getting him into my team! Am I too heavily invested down back with four “premium” types?

Brodie Grundy is a leading KFC SuperCoach ruck option in 2021.

CC: Potentially. You could trade one of those defenders out to get Rowell into the midfield. But you do have four very handy rebounding defenders there capable of posting big scores.

Another player we’ve both got is Jack Ziebell. He might be a popular pick this year. As a keen watcher of the Kangaroos, can he bounce back in a new role down back?

GG: Leadership. Courage. Ounce of mongrel. Sure, he shares some traits with Hodgey at the Lions and maybe that is what David Noble is thinking, but personally, Zieb’s kicking would be my concern. You need to be clean, calm and composed coming out of defence, so the Shinboner’s slam it on the boot routine out of congestion might backfire.

CC: You make a good point. We do need some good kicking efficiency for scores in KFC SuperCoach, too. Still, he’s cheap and can find the pill.

One last one to finish, Gil. Whose scalp do you want the most in the office league this year?

GG: Yours.

> Register now and start picking your KFC SuperCoach team!

Gilbert Gardiner’s first take on a 2021 KFC SuperCoach side.

How Chris Cavanagh's KFC SuperCoach squad looks on launch day.

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S TEAM

DEFENCE

Jake Lloyd (Syd) $656,400 DEF

Jeremy Howe (Coll) $517,900 DEF

Alex Witherden (WC) $456,100 DEF

Jordan Clark (Geel) $241,800 DEF/MID

Lachie Jones (Port) $139,800 DEF

Tom Highmore (StK) $117,300 DEF

Bench: Rory Thompson (GC) $123,900 DEF, Will Gould (Syd) $123,900 DEF

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale (Bris) $721,800 MID

Patrick Cripps (Carl) $523,700 MID

Matt Rowell (GC) $495,100 MID

Tim Taranto (GWS) $453,700 MID

Dyson Heppell (Ess) $319,100 MID

Jackson Hately (GWS) $310,300 MID

Rory Atkins (GC) $244,200 MID

Will Phillips (NM) $198,300 MID

Bench: Braeden Campbell (Syd) $189,300, Lochie O’Brien $180,500 MID, Tom Powell (NM) $153,300 MID

RUCK

Brodie Grundy (Coll) $648,200 RUCK

Braydon Preuss (GWS) $303,000 RUCK

Bench: Max Lynch (Coll) $123,900 RUCK/FWD

FORWARDS

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) $611,900 FWD/MID

Josh Dunkley (WB) $560,200 FWD/MID

Dustin Martin (Rich) $541,600 FWD/MID

Ben Brown (Melb) $260,300 FWD

Jack Ziebell (NM) $257,900 FWD

Joe Daniher (Bris) $233,300 FWD

Bench: Mark Hutchings (WC) $157,600 FWD/MID, Will Kelly (Coll) $135,400 FWD

Ex-Giant Jackson Hately should get a more prominent midfield role at the Crows.

GILBERT GARDINER’S TEAM

DEFENCE

Rory Laird (Adel) $564,800 DEF/MID

Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $561,600 DEF

Adam Saad (Carl) $526,200 DEF

Alex Witherden (WC) $456,100 DEF

Jacob Wehr (GWS) $117,300 DEF

Deividas Uosis (Bris) $102,400

Bench: Tyson Goldsack (Port) $182,000 DEF, Jordon Butts (Adel) $176,800 DEF

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale (Bris) $721,800 MID

Marcus Bontempelli (WB) $623,900 MID

Josh Kelly (GWS) $615,600 MID

Tom Mitchell (Haw) $610,000 MID

Nick Blakey (Syd) $318,700 MID/FWD

Will Phillips (NM) $198,300 MID

Nakia Cockatoo (Bris) $123,900 MID/FWD

Bench: Trent Burgoyne (Port) $123,900 FWD/MID, Deven Robertson $176,800 MID/FWD, Taylor Bruhn (GWS) $157,800 MID

RUCKS

Todd Goldstein (NM) $601,700 RUCK

Braydon Preuss (GWS) $303,000 RUCK

Bench: Mate Colina (Rich) $102,400 RUCK

FORWARD

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) $611,900 FWD/MID

Steele Sidebottom (Coll) $588,000 FWD/MID

Jordan De Goey (Coll) $435,200 FWD

Jack Ziebell (NM) $257,900 FWD

Joe Daniher (Bris) $233,300 FWD

Corey Durdin (Carl) $117,300 FWD/MID

Bench: Seamus Mitchell (Haw) $117,300 FWD, Phoenix Spicer (NM) $117,300 FWD/MID