KFC SuperCoach 2021: Expert Al Paton reveals how his team looks in March

KFC SuperCoach expert Al Paton has picked a team ready to hit Round 1 running, featuring a surprise Essendon youngster. See his latest moves.

I don’t think my KFC SuperCoach team has changed as much in a pre-season as it has in the past few weeks.

Actually, make that the past few hours. I made some more late changes just before midnight last night that resulted in the team you see below.

One of the most exciting things about KFC SuperCoach in 2021 is there isn’t really a “cookie cutter” team — everyone has their own take on how best to approach the season, which means we are seeing lots of different selection combinations. And that is exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

Despite the upheaval at Don’t Argue FC, some things haven’t changed — Jake Lloyd and Zac Lloyd in defence, Lachie Neale, Matt Rowell and Patrick Cripps in the midfield, the two biggest guns in the game in the ruck and bargains Jack Ziebell and — incredibly — Joe Daniher in the forward line.

Patrick Dangerfield left my side for a while after news of his groin issues surfaced, but one half of a practice match was enough to convince me he’s back as F1.

ROOKIE BIBLE: ALL THIS YEAR’S TOP SUPERCOACH CHEAPIES

RESEARCH: SUPERCOACH PRACTICE MATCH SCOUTING REPORT

Christian Petracca is now an elite KFC SuperCoach midfielder.

Apart from that nearly every other spot is up for grabs.

I have been keen on Dyson Heppell all summer but have replaced him with Tom Green, giving into all the hype from colleagues Tim Michell and The Phantom that he’s going to be the Giants’ No.1 inside midfielder this season.

I had them both for a while, but two $300k midfielders is too big a gamble. Instead, Heppell becomes a rookie, freeing up cash to load up with another top-line midfielder to ride shotgun with Neale. That man is Christian Petracca.

Gee, if Tom Green continues to work into space and mark uncontested from the kick-in, before following up with a handball-receive, my prediction might be unders. Impressed with his work away from the contest today. #SuperCoach#PracticeMatchNotes

— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) February 27, 2021

It’s always a bit of a risk picking a player fresh off a breakout season, but Petracca had been bubbling for a few years before taking off in 2020, launching his average from 81 points a game to 117.5. It reminds me of Dangerfield’s early KFC SuperCoach days — he threatened to break out for a couple of years before exploding from an 80 average to 119 in 2012, then went on to average 110-plus in eight of the next nine seasons (the other one was 105). We could be talking about Petracca in similar terms in the late 2020s.

He looked very sharp against the Tigers last weekend, Melbourne should win more games, and he is in just 12.5 per cent of teams after losing his dual-position status. I’m sold.

I’m not as brave as Tim and I backed away a bit from a very mid-price madness looking team in recent days (hours), but I agree with him that the forward line is definitely the place to make some savings.

Jack Ziebell and Joe Daniher are the leading members of the “$200k club” and you could throw Jarman Impey and Paddy Dow in as well.

Ned Cahill is playing as a rebounding defender for the Bombers. Picture: Michael Klein

But the best overall selection policy in KFC SuperCoach has always been to follow the rookies. This year, unusually, we have a very promising crop of rookies up forward — made even stronger on Tuesday with the addition of recent Essendon signing Alec Waterman for just $102,400.

The other cheapies here are a bit up in the air — Nakia Cockatoo is on thin ice with another hamstring worry — but I’m confident I can pick four in this part of the ground who will be playing in Round 1 with decent scoring potential. One to watch is second-year Bomber Ned Cahill, who hardly set the world on fire in three games last year (average 30 KFC SuperCoach points) playing as a small forward, but has been training as a defender over summer — he could be the John Noble of 2021.

It’s a different story in defence, where rookies are very thin on the ground. Hopefully a couple get a Round 1 opportunity, but I would be very wary of committing to having more than one on the field.

I’ve loaded up there with two top-end premos and three mid-pricers who could all score 90-plus with Liam Duggan and James Harmes set to play as midfielders this season.

Overall, I’m happy. For now.

How Al Paton's KFC SuperCoach is looking in early March.

AL PATON’S TEAM*

* at March 3, 2021. Subject to changes before Round 1!

DEFENCE

Jake Lloyd $656,400 DEF

Rory Laird $564,900 DEF/MID

Tom Stewart (Geel) $538,000 DEF

Zac Williams (Carl) $458,600 DEF

Isaac Cumming $288,000 DEF

Lachie Jones (Port) $139,900 DEF

Bench: Will Gould $123,900, Aiden Fyfe $102,400

Zac Williams joins Carlton with the promise of more midfield time.

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale $721,900 MID

Christian Petracca $631,400 MID

Patrick Cripps $523,700 MID

Matt Rowell $495,100 MID

Tom Green $351,400 MID

Braeden Campbell $199,300 MID/FWD

Ely Smith $123,900 MID/FWD

Connor Downie $117,300 MID

Bench: Corey Durdin $117,300 MID/FWD. Errol Gulden $117,300 MID, Anthony Scott $102,400 MID/FWD

RUCK

Max Gawn (Melb) $751,400 RUCK

Brodie Grundy (Coll) $649,200 RUCK

Bench: Matt Flynn $123,900 RUCK

FORWARDS

Patrick Dangerfield $611,900 RUCK/FWD

Isaac Heeney $454,500 FWD

Jack Ziebell $257,900 FWD

Joe Daniher $223,300 FWD

Ned Cahill $161,200 FWD

James Rowe $117,300 FWD

Bench: Nakia Cockatoo $123,900 FWD/MID, Alec Waterman $102,400 FWD