KFC SuperCoach 2021: The Phantom answers the burning questions ahead of Round 16
KFC SuperCoaches often wonder how Marcus Bontempelli goes so big so often. The Phantom breaks it down in this week’s Round 16 burning questions.
SuperCoach
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach. Followed categories will be added to My News.
I’m back in the burning questions hot seat, and yes I did see Tom Green played VFL - he scored 165 points if you didn’t know.
When I was away, Dan Batten told you to stay away from Jake Stringer, thankfully, Jarman Impey suffered a season-ending injury at training and a score of 2400 didn’t guarantee you a league win or rankings climb.
Welcome to the run home.
Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No-brainer. Register Free Now
Is Marcus Bontempelli too expensive?
Yes.
Not overpriced – he’s averaging 138 since Round 4 – but, unless you have plenty of spare cash in the bank, and no other upgrade to complete, then it’s probably not the best use of your money.
Bontempelli is still likely to outscore every other midfielder from here, but the difference in buying him now over a number of other well-priced options could be lost when you run out of trades or on the other upgrade you couldn’t afford to make.
Yes, it hurts not owning him – I feel your pain.
But Lachie Neale is available for $135k less – that’s a lot of money for many KFC SuperCoaches at this stage of the season.
I wrote about the final upgrade options on Monday – see them here.
Do Champion Data award him free points?
WHO ASKED THAT!?
No. A complex algorithm is what awards KFC SuperCoach points based on so many different stats and factors.
Bontempelli is just the most influential player in the game right now.
That part is simple.
On Sunday, he led every player on the field for contested possessions, score involvements, clearances and tackles, while ranking second for goals, third for disposals and fourth for one percenters, pressure acts and metres gained.
What else does the bloke need to do on his own?
OK, Phantom, calm down. What about Dayne Zorko – is he too expensive?
He’s a forward, and at $60k less than Bontempelli, there’s still time.
$649,000 is a lot to pay, but the gap between he and the next-best forward you don’t have is likely to be greater than between Bontempelli and the next midfielder.
Zorko’s five-round average is 143.
The second-best five-round average in the forward line is Aaron Hall’s 108.
I’m not saying pick him over Patrick Dangerfield this week, but I think Zorko is still worth the investment if the rest of your team is looking good.
Is Dangerfield’s kicking enough to put us off?
He’s only hit the target with 22 of his 41 kicks, while also recording 15 clangers, since returning from injury in Round 13.
But he’s always done that. In his career-best KFC SuperCoach year of 2017, when he averaged 136 points per game, Dangerfield operated at only 55 per cent by foot.
Sure, that was four years ago and he wasn’t spending as much time forward then, but give him time, he did miss 10 rounds of footy through injury.
There have been more than enough signs – the 71-point first half against the Lions the main one – Dangerfield is building back to his best.
He’s the No. 1 replacement for Impey, if you didn’t trade him last week.
Do I have to trade Impey right away?
Good question. Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson thinks Impey could miss the rest of the year, so it’s definitely a situation to use one of your injury trades in.
But I don’t have any injury trades?
*Shakes head*.
Impey’s injury is unlikely to be the only one that pops up in the run home.
Sure, if you are in the top 100 and have a real chance at the $50k, swing for the fences but – and apologies if you’ve listened to me say this before – whatever ground you make up by executing an upgrade you can’t really afford to do, could evaporate just as fast when you have to carry a donut in the final few rounds.
TRADE GUIDE: ALL THE BEST IMPEY REPLACEMENTS AND TRADE TARGETS
Sorry, continue, Phant …
Where was I? Ah, yes, not trading Impey right away.
It’s something I am considering doing. Although I have Callum Coleman-Jones and Cody Weightman to loop on, I’d love to replace him with another premium scorer immediately.
But with only four remaining – and $56k in the bank – I’d prefer not to use two trades to replace the $407k Hawk.
And there’s just no forward I want at $463k or less this week.
Buddy is intriguing after what he did against the Power in Round 15, but I ain’t going there.
And, yeah, nah.
There is, however, likely to be one available next week.
St Kilda big man Rowan Marshall played his first game since Round 9 after undergoing surgery for the plantar fascia injury that has troubled him for most of the year.
On first look, the 68-point score doesn’t catch the eye but it was wet, and he only played 65 per cent of the game.
In Round 4, after missing the opening three matches of the year with the injury, Marshall returned, scoring 50 points in 61 per cent game-time. That percentage then increased to 80 per cent the following round and he finished with 132 points. Then, before he succumbed to the injury – and surgery – in Round 9, he posted scores of 86 and 107.
And if you forgot, Marshall averaged 110 points per game in the final 10 games of last year – and Paddy Ryder played in nine of them.
If he scores 80 against the Magpies, Marshall will be priced at around $430k ahead of Round 16. If he reaches three figures, it could still be less than $450k.
Cat Tom Hawkins could also fall to around $450k next week, unless he kicks bag against the Bombers.
But if you’re set on trading right away, here are the best options.
You mentioned CCJ, should I be upgrading him this week?
Another good question. It all depends on your situation.
With a breakeven of 18, the young Tiger still has plenty of money to make.
So, if you’re short on trades and cash, it’s wise to wait, rather than force it right away – and end up with a player you don’t actually want. Or, even worse, not enough trades to cover something else that may occur this weekend.
Don’t worry, I’ve touched wood.
Waiting two-to-three weeks may mean an extra $60k – and that’s without another KFC SuperCoach ton – which may help get you to the player you want, or leave cash to help you with a final move elsewhere.
If he represents the last spot you need to upgrade, and you’ve got the money, however, there’s no real such thing as too early in that situation - at this time of year, especially.
So, should I trade him up to Grundy now, if I can?
With a breakeven of 153, and a meeting with Marshall-Ryder duo, Grundy may be a little easier to get to again next week, if that’s going to help.
You sure he won’t 153?
No.
What about this week’s downgrade options?
I know we talked about this last week, but if Hawk Ned Reeves is recalled in Round 16, and you still have Matt Flynn, that could still be your move.
There is also his teammate Lachlan Bramble, who is on the bubble, and has a breakeven of -39 after scores of 54 and 45 in his first two games at the top level.
Gold Coast midfield Jeremy Sharp, a highly-rated junior who played two games in his debut season last year, finished with 76 points from 20 disposals and eight marks, in his first game for 2021 in Round 15.
He’s not on the bubble, and has a slightly elevated rookie-price tag, but in terms of scoring potential going forward, Sharp is one to consider going early on, given the lack of options.
That’s if he can hold his spot when David Swallow returns.
The 19-year-old averaged 26 disposals and 98 KFC SuperCoach points in his six VFL games before his elevation to the senior side.
I’m short on cash, should I swing Laird into the middle and play Whitfield in defence?
Yes. If $521k is all you can afford, there’s no other midfielder I’d rather pick at the price.
Ben Cunnington?
Five weeks ago at that price, maybe, but the North Melbourne midfielder is now priced at $592k following a huge eight-game stretch.
Since Round 6, Cunnington, who is the No. 2 ranked player for contested possessions in the AFL behind Clayton Oliver, has posted scores of 145, 66, 134, 142, 113, 129, 110 and 126.
So maybe $592k is still cheap.
The AFL trades set to deliver big SuperCoach bargains
Bailey Smith and Clayton Oliver could be huge SuperCoach steals at a new club in 2025. Which other names should be on the watch list? Here are the moves to watch.
AFL obsession to NBL addiction: How SuperCoach hooked me on hoops
I hadn’t watch the NBL since the Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal days. Now I’m taking my son to United games and watching Phoenix on Kayo because of one reason.