KFC SuperCoach 2020: Top cash cow at every club

There are dozens of bargain priced players to pick from in SuperCoach but only a handful will get games and put you on the path to greatness. Even in January there are clear standouts. We reveal the best.

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Most SuperCoaches already know which top-line stars they want, but picking cheapies can be tricky.

Even in January there are clear standouts, like a Tiger one-game wonder at a bargain basement price.

But judging whether some cheapies will see senior action – whether they are fresh draftees, mature-age recruits or developing youngsters – is a tough ask, especially two months out from Round 1.

Monitor the below list throughout the pre-season and use the Marsh Community Series to assess if they will be productive cash cows for your side.

But if you need rookies to fill bench spots in your early team, here are the leading contenders from each club ahead of season 2020.

ADELAIDE

Ned McHenry $123,900 MID

Adelaide will look to give opportunity to their kids and expect McHenry to feature in their new-look line-up. The No.16 pick in the 2018 draft was restricted by injuries in his first year but booted four goals in a senior SANFL final. tackling machine can impact up forward and in the midfield and has all the tools to score well.

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Ned McHenry (left) runs with Crows skipper Rory Sloane.

BRISBANE LIONS

Deven Robertson $117,3000 MID

The strong midfielder broke Sam Walsh’s Under-18 carnival disposal record last year and will feature prominently in our SuperCoach sides in the future. It’s just a matter of breaking into that Lions midfield, which is a tough ask.

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CARLTON

Tom Williamson $146,3000 DEF

Injury has kept the running defender to just two AFL games since his impressive first season in 2017. Sam Docherty’s return doesn’t help the 21-year-old’s chances but he is one to watch out for.

COLLINGWOOD

Darcy Cameron $123,900 RUCK/FWD

Cameron has been stuck in the Swans ruck queue for several years but will hope to challenge Mason Cox for the role of tall forward and ruck back-up to Brodie Grundy at the Magpies. The 205cm 24-year-old stands out as the leading cheap ruck option.

Darcy Cameron is looking for more senior opportunities after playing one game in three years at the Swans.

ESSENDON

Mitch Hibberd $114,400 MID

Former Kangaroo was locked in many teams before suffering an injury setback at training last week. Hibberd will undergo surgery and is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks, making him touch and go for Round 1. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old remains a solid rookie options after averaging 128 points in the VFL last season as an inside midfielder – the kind of player the Bombers desperately need.

FREMANTLE

Stephen Hill $190,600 DEF/FWD

A player who has twice averaged over 95 points in a season for $190k with rare defender/forward dual position status is SuperCoach gold. Hill has played just 16 games in the past two seasons due to injury but the 29-year-old is worth the risk. He sits just ahead of smooth moving draftee Hayden Young ($180,3000 DEF) in the Docker rookie ranks.

GEELONG

Nakia Cockatoo $148,200 MID/FWD

It’s never been a question of talent for the Cats playmaker. Cockatoo is too good to resist at this price if he is fit and firing but, like Hill, injuries are always a concern.

Nakia Cockatoo is showing positive signs this pre-season. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Mitch Hibberd could slot straight into Essendon’s midfield.

GOLD COAST

Izak Rankine $123,9000 FWD

It would be easy to go with No.1 pick Matt Rowell, but Rankine comes much more cheaply after an injury interrupted first season at the Suns. The excitement machine could be anything and is set to make us a truckload of cash.

HAWTHORN

Finn Maginness $117,3000 MID

A bid came later than expected for the Hawthorn father-son which puts him in the base cash cow bracket. The fitness freak averaged 94 points per game at the Under-18 carnival and is one to watch during the pre-season.

GWS GIANTS

Tom Green $166,800 MID

This Giant looms as the next SuperCoach beast. The clearance machine had a higher contested possession rate than Patrick Cripps at Under-18 level, winning a whopping 66 per cent in a contest. Can he force his way into the Giants’ stacked midfield?

Tom Green has the body to play AFL right away. Picture. Phil Hillyard

MELBOURNE

Trent Rivers $117,3000 DEF/MID

The Demons are crying out for efficient ball use and pace and Rivers brings these qualities in spades. The youngster has a mature frame and is another to keep tabs on during the Marsh Community Series. Kysaiah Pickett ($157,800 FWD) could also break into Melbourne’s side early.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Lachie Hosie $123,9000 FWD

Hosie joined the Roos through last season’s mid-season draft after booting 21 goals in eight games at SANFL level. The 22-year-old forward can perform in the air and at ground level and could get senior opportunity in 2020.

MORE SUPERCOACH TIPS:

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The Phantom’s SuperCoach 2020 Pre-Season: Premium midfielder anaylsis

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The best bargain buys of KFC SuperCoach 2020

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PORT ADELAIDE

Jackson Mead $117,3000 MID

The father-son draftee is closing in on a Round 1 berth and should debut sooner rather than later. Mead averaged 106 SuperCoach points at the Under-18 national championships and is one to slot on your midfield bench for now.

RICHMOND

Marlion Pickett $123,9000 MID

Pickett was in more than 80 per cent of pre-season sides thanks to his magnificent 96-point Grand Final debut. Thankfully, that performance isn’t factored into the 28-year-old’s 2020 starting price, making him a must-have.

ST KILDA

Jack Bytel $123,9000 FWD

The young Saint was kept on the sidelines his first season because of back surgery but is every chance to crack into their best 22 early in 2020. The tough midfielder thrives in the contest and is a strong tackler, two features that bode well for SuperCoach.

St Kilda coach Brett Ratten chats with Jack Bytel. Picture: Michael Klein

SYDNEY

Will Gould $117,3000 DEF

The Shannon Hurn comparisons are one thing, an average of 89 points at senior SANFL level in his Under-18 year is another. The big-bodied defender should get opportunities from the outset in a transitioning Swans side.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Ben Cavarra $123,9000 FWD

We had Cavarra locked into our forward lines last pre-season, but the mature-age recruit — who starred for years in the VFL — failed to play a game in his debut season. If he can break into the Bulldogs side before the season kicks off, he is close to a must-have.

Ben Cavarra celebrates a goal for Footscray in the VFL last season. Picture: Ian Currie

WEST COAST

Jarrod Brander $133,000 FWD

Not much to speak of on the rookie front for the Eagles after giving away a raft of draft picks in the Tim Kelly deal during the trade period. Brander played two games last season but the 2017 first round draftee should feature more prominently in his third season.