KFC SuperCoach 2021: The 11 players you can’t start without

After a summer of research, KFC SuperCoach expert Tim Michell has named the 11 players you can’t start without. See his final verdict.

Patrick Dangerfield is back.

One of the first selected players when KFC SuperCoach opened in January, Dangerfield dropped off the must-have list when news emerged he was managing a groin injury and barely training.

Forget all that. He will be fit and firing for Round 1 and could dine out on his former team.

He’s one of four late inclusions on this list, with Patrick Cripps, Connor Downie, Matthew Flynn and Josh Treacy making way.

Make sure you get your teams locked in before Round 1 — and your mates are signed up to fire up the head-to-head league action. This list might help.

Here are the 11 players you should be building your team around.

Jake Lloyd (Sydney) $656,400 DEF

Just pay the extra money — it’s not worth the heartache of not owning Lloyd. Yes, he’s $79,900 more expensive than second-ranked defender Luke Ryan ($576,500), but not owning Lloyd only leaves you hundreds of points behind the KFC SuperCoach pack. He was the top-ranked defender by 253 points last season, averaging 14.9 points a game more than Ryan. Lloyd played on from 95.7 per cent of kick ins last season, ranked third in the AFL behind Kade Simpson (100 per cent) and Jordan Ridley (96.7 per cent). Designated kick-in players such as Lloyd will have an extra five metres to play with this year after the man on the mark was pushed back from 10m to 15m. That will only help his ability to take off from the defensive goalsquare and rack up KFC SuperCoach points.

THE STAT: In the past two seasons, Lloyd has scored 32 KFC SuperCoach hundreds in 39 games. His last 16 scores of 2020 were 100-plus.

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Lachie Neale (Brisbane Lions) $721,800 MID

Almost every KFC SuperCoach midfield premium will start with an elevated price in 2021 due to extra scaling from shorter quarters last year. Neale started last season at $658,500 but had rocketed above his 2021 starting price of $721,800 by Round 4. The Brownlow medallist has been a fast starter in the past two seasons, averaging 150.8 to Round 6 last year and 136.2 in the opening six rounds of 2019. Do you really want to miss out if he replicates that form? Lock him in from Round 1 and give yourself another captaincy option in case Max Gawn or Brodie Grundy have an off day. Possible attention from Sydney tagger Ryan Clarke in Round 1 is a concern, but you’re not picking Neale based on one score.

THE STAT: Neale scored over 150-plus in seven matches last season and hit the captaincy mark many coaches bank on (125) in 14 games.

Max Gawn (Melbourne) $751,400 RUC

Yes, he comes with a record starting price after averaging 139.9 points last year. But can you really afford not to have Gawn with the start to the season he has (pending fixture upheaval). The Demons take on Fremantle in Round 1 who could have first-gamer Lloyd Meek as their ruckman unless Sean Darcy overcomes injury. The Demons then take on St Kilda (who could be without Rowan Marshall), GWS (who will have third-gamer Matt Flynn as No. 1 ruckman), Geelong, Hawthorn and Richmond (who leak points to opposition ruckmen). That run suggests Gawn will enjoy a prolific start to the season and be a popular captaincy pick every round. Do you really want to miss out if he goes big?

THE STAT: Gawn scored 150 points or more in seven of his 14 games last season.

Lachie Neale is ready to pick up where he left off in 2020.

Max Gawn is top price for good reason.

Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) $648,200 RUCK

The Magpies ruckman hasn’t been this cheap at the start of a season since 2018, when he first broke the 100-point barrier in KFC SuperCoach. Grundy’s scoring dipped from 130.5 (2018) and 130 (2019) to 120.6 points a game last year, although he can be forgiven considering he shouldered much of the ruck load through a congested 2020 fixture for Collingwood. Grundy still had the sixth-best average in KFC SuperCoach last season despite what many considered to be a below-par season based on his lofty standards. He is too good to pass up at this price and should relish the return of longer quarters.

THE STAT: Grundy has averaged 166 KFC SuperCoach points in his past four matches against Round 1 opponent Western Bulldogs.

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Hub life didn’t bring out the best from Brodie Grundy.

Patrick Dangerfield FWD-MID $611,900

Almost every forward premium this year comes with a question mark. Josh Dunkley and Dustin Martin — how much time will they spend forward? Rowan Marshall — injured. Michael Walters — injured. Steele Sidebottom — injured. You get the picture. Dangerfield’s groin issues are definitely a concern, but he seems the safest of the forward premiums — as long as there’s no plan to manage him through the season. Even then, you want to have the Geelong superstar from the start. He averages 127 against Adelaide and is a genuine Round 1 captaincy option, and averages 119.5 against Hawthorn — Geelong’s Round 3 opponent. The Cats have flagged a return to the middle for Dangerfield and he’s set for a fast start to 2021.

THE STAT: Dangerfield’s past six scores against Round 1 opponent Adelaide are 114, 128, 83, 158, 149, 142.

Patrick Dangerfield is primed for a Round 1 showdown with the Crows. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

Tyler Brockman FWD-MID $117,300

Connor Downie loomed as the must-have Hawks rookie but Brockman has gone past the wingman after a pre-season score of 80 against North Melbourne. It’d be wise to start both, but if you can only fit one in take Brockman due to his DPP. Coach Alastair Clarkson praised the small forward’s efforts against the Roos — a game in which Brockman had 10 disposals, four tackles and kicked 3.2 in 76 per cent game time. Even if he’s squeezed out after a few rounds, you can use his DPP to loophole other rookies from your forward or midfield bench and ensure you maximise your score.

THE STAT: Brockman averaged 14 disposals, five tackles and 86 KFC SuperCoach points playing in the WAFL Colts last year.

Jack Ziebell FWD $257,900

The North skipper is clearly the pick of those just above the rookie rice bracket. Ziebell averaged at least 81 in every season from 2012-2019 but is available for $235,500 cheaper than his starting price from last season. He battled through eight games last year, only averaging 48 points. But it’s worth noting two of his first three scores last year were 89 and 99 before his injury issues started. Ziebell took kickouts during the pre-season game against Hawthorn and relished his move to defence, scoring 107 points. There’s likely to be plenty of ball in the Roos’ defence half this year which will give him ample opportunity to average 90-plus, as he has done previously. He should be one of the first players picked in every side.

THE STAT: Ziebell played on from seven kick-ins against Hawthorn, the equal-most of any player in the AAMI Series.

Jack Ziebell is relishing a move to defence. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Braeden Campbell (Sydney) FWD-MID $189,300

Swans Academy product Campbell was touted as one of the best talents to come out of last year’s draft and there’s talk out of the Harbour City he’s going to be used off halfback. The Swans love his ability by foot and he has all the traits to play from Round 1. His DPP status is significant for KFC SuperCoach. If you’re tossing up between Campbell and Will Phillips, it’d be wise to go for the player who gives your team extra flexibility.

THE STAT: Campbell scored gained 441 metres from his 18 disposals against the Giants in the AAMI Series, ranked sixth on the ground.

James Rowe (Adelaide) $117,300 FWD

Small forwards are rarely great KFC SuperCoach scorers, but Rowe appears one of the few 2020 draftees guaranteed of early game time this season. He averaged 84 rankings points in 40 SANFL games, numbers every KFC SuperCoach would happily take in 2021. While that might be expecting a bit much, Rowe’s job security alone is enough to put him on the list of must-haves this year. The best play would be to have him on the bench at F7 and assess his early scoring, although that might be a stretch for many teams who will have no choice but to field the new Crow at F6.

THE STAT: Rowe lifted is average from 76 ranking points to 96 last season, posting triple figures in 10 of his 17 games including a season-high of 158 when he booted 5.2 against South Adelaide.

James Rowe was drafted by the Crows after starring in the SANFL finals. Picture: Sarah Reed

Tim Taranto (GWS Giants) $453,700 MID

The GWS midfield bull never really got going last season after a shoulder reconstruction and is one of the few midfielders available for below his true value this year as a result. Taranto’s average of 84.5 after he returned to the Giants’ side in Round 7 was his lowest since his debut AFL season in 2017 (66.5). He had 25 disposals in only two of his 11 games, posting KFC SuperCoach tons three times. But a look at Taranto’s 2019 campaign reveals why so many coaches have selected him in their starting teams. His average jumped from 88.7 in 2018 to 102.4 as he claimed the GWS best-and-fairest in the year the club made its maiden Grand Final appearance. Leon Cameron has never settled on his best midfield mix but Taranto should be thrust back into a leading role in the engine room from Round 1 and prove a mid-price gem.

THE STAT: Taranto’s kicking efficiency dropped to a career-low 43.9 per cent in 2020. If that improves, it will lead to an immediate spike in his scoring. His rate of contested possessions (45.6 per cent) was a career-high.

GWS Giants jet Tim Taranto’s ownership is rising — fast.

Errol Gulden MID $117,300

Arguably the most impressive rookie in pre-season, although Jacob Koschitzke staked a claim with his six-goal performance against North Melbourne. I just wonder whether a young key forward will score consistently enough to be a KFC SuperCoach cash cow. Gulden has looked at home in Sydney’s midfield in pre-season and was one of the standouts in the Swans’ trial game against GWS Giants. He backed up that effort with 14 disposals, five marks, four tackles and a goal in the official pre-season game, tallying 77 KFC SuperCoach points. He looks a safe bet as a M7 or M8, depending on how many rookies you need to field in the middle.