KFC SuperCoach 2022: Champion Data runs the rule over every club to find the best picks
Pre-season scores are just part of the story when finding the best KFC SuperCoach picks. We’ve got the real numbers you need to nail the best players and avoid traps.
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Pre-season scores are a great resource when picking a starting KFC SuperCoach team, but they only tell part of the story.
With coaches experimenting and managing players in the lead-in to Round 1, some scores from the AAMI Series can be misleading.
That’s why it pays to look closer at how much time players spent on the field – with time on ground (TOG) percentages and points per minute (PPM) stats a vital tool for avoiding pre-season traps and jagging a bolter for your team.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL AAMI SERIES STATS FOR EVERY PLAYER
Essendon’s Nick Martin illustrates the concept perfectly. He scored 50 points against the Saints from exactly 50 per cent game time after coming in for the second half. Champion Data projects that score over 100 minutes to get an idea of what he would score during a full game – and you get 100 points.
Callum Mills is the standout when calculating points per 100 minutes. He scored 85 from just 41 per cent TOG – play that scoring rate out over a full game and he would post 168 points. Keep him in mind for a starting midfield spot!
Carlton’s Mitch McGovern is another AAMI Series star, scoring 100 points from just 63 per cent game time – the equivalent of 123 points over a full 100 minutes.
Looking for a cheap ruck? Jarrod Witts posted 97 but played just 54 per cent of game time against the Cats. That adds up to a whopping 139 for a full game, and he’s just $380,300.
Scroll down to see the full stats for every player who featured in the AAMI Series.
ADELAIDE
Jordan Dawson $550,300 DEF – Cross
We haven’t seen Dawson during the pre-season due to a calf complaint, which places a question mark on his selection in KFC SuperCoach. He was also only running laps at training this week. When he plays though, he’s likely to share his time between the wing and centre bounces. Dawson racked up a career-high 158 points in Round 23 last season.
Matt Crouch $482,000 MID – Tick
Crouch’s ball-winning credentials are well-documented – ranking second in the competition for disposals per minute when he last played in 2020. He has slowly built up his fitness base in recent weeks and won a team-high 31 disposals against the Power in the AAMI Community Series. With Rory Laird sidelined for up to six weeks, the onus will be on Crouch to get the Crows going in the midfield.
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Josh Rachele $184,800 FWD/MID – Tick
Rachele oozes class and we have already seen this in his two pre-season appearances. He booted a team-high three goals against the Power and was involved in six scoring chains. His defensive effort has somewhat gone unnoticed, recording a game-high nine tackles but, more importantly, he also had a tackle efficiency of 100 per cent. He’s a lock to debut in Round 1.
BRISBANE LIONS
Jarrod Berry $268,500 MID – Tick
Berry never got going last season, having three separate stints on the sidelines with injury – averaging a career-low 50 points in the process. That has reduced his starting price significantly and after a strong pre-season, he currently sits in 25 per cent of all teams at the time of writing. Berry attended 11 centre bounces against the Bulldogs, scoring 80 points from 19 disposals.
Lachie Neale $543,200 MID – Tick
After a faultless pre-season, Neale looks set for a bounce-back season. His average of 99.8 last year was his equal-lowest since 2015 – topping 100 points just five times. He’s back hunting the ball, winning a team-high 23 disposals in general play in the AAMI Community Series – collecting 106 points along the way.
Keidean Coleman $263,200 DEF/FWD – Cross
Coleman’s future looks to be in defence after he made the switch in Round 21 last year. Add to that the retirement of Grant Birchall, and we could see Coleman become a key player for the Lions. But a hamstring injury has halted his progress and he’s now out for up to 10 weeks. Currently sitting in 5 per cent of teams at the time of writing, he must be replaced ASAP!
CARLTON
George Hewett $399,000 DEF/MID – Tick
The injury to Sam Walsh enhances Hewett’s stocks significantly. Scoring 100-plus points in each of his last three games for Sydney, Hewett has already been busy in the midfield this pre-season, gathering 33 disposals against the Demons. He also attended 24 centre bounces – with only Patrick Cripps (26) attending more.
Patrick Cripps $454,800 MID – Tick
Averaging his fewest points since his debut season in 2014, Cripps was well below his best in 2021. It makes him a much more affordable option this season and on the back of a starring role in the AAMI Community Series, he’s back in our thoughts. Cripps finished with 30 disposals, four goals and 149 points.
Mitch McGovern $256,000 FWD – Question mark
New rules that allow player to earn DPP status during the season make McGovern an intriguing fantasy selection. A forward in KFC SuperCoach, he’ll likely gain defender status, but is he worth the risk? McGovern has missed a total of 35 games through injury in the past four seasons but he looks to be rejuvenated as a defender. If you’re brave, go for it!
COLLINGWOOD
Nick Daicos $193,800 MID – Tick
Daicos’s selection is a no-brainer. He didn’t miss a beat in the AAMI Community Series and was one of only 16 players in the competition to have more than 30 disposals – gathering 31 against the Giants. He dominated in the NAB League last year, averaging 36 disposals, two goals and 159 points.
Jack Crisp $571,000 DEF/MID – Tick
In terms of durability, no player in the competition comes close to Crisp – playing 163 games in succession. That makes him the safest pick in the game. Another feather in his cap is his pending midfield role, attending a team-high 16 centre bounces in the AAMI Community Series. He finished with 25 disposals, six inside-50s, three score assists and 111 points.
Charlie Dean $102,400 DEF – Cross
The injury to Jordan Roughead had opened the door for Dean to step in and play, but a foot injury has put an end to that. Still in 19 per cent of teams at the time of writing, he needs to be offloaded ahead of Round 1. He’ll be a handy trade-down target in the second half of the year after averaging 94 points and 10 intercept possessions in his last five games in the VFL in 2021.
ESSENDON
Jye Caldwell $266,700 MID – Tick
Caldwell attended 16 centre bounces and had 22 disposals and nine tackles on his Bombers debut in Round 1 last season but then injury hit. But with plenty of midfield depth at the Bombers, can we rely on him getting plenty of time in the middle? He attended 12 centre bounces in the AAMI Community Series and scored 111 points – ranked third on the ground.
Nick Martin $102,400 FWD – Tick
Martin has only recently been added to Essendon’s list, but he showed enough against the Saints to suggest that he may be in line for an AFL debut. Starting on the wing, he played in the second half and had 12 disposals in the third term – collecting a game-high 16 for the half. He also scored 50 points to cap off a strong performance.
Jordan Ridley $537,100 DEF – Tick
Ridley started last season in blazing fashion, averaging 133 points in the first month before injury struck. He averaged 94 points after his return, which was a solid return. Ridley played on from all five kick-ins in the AAMI Community Series – finishing with 19 disposals, four intercept marks and 10 intercept possessions.
FREMANTLE
Caleb Serong $451,000 MID – Tick
Serong is primed for a breakout season after racking up 30-plus disposals in each of his last three games last year. He was one of seven Dockers players to reach 100 points against the Eagles last week, finishing with 21 effective disposals, 17 uncontested possessions, six inside-50s and one score assist.
Sean Darcy $642,600 RUC – Question mark
The biggest question SuperCoaches face is whether to pay up for Darcy or go with the proven Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy at a similar price. Darcy was one of the most improved players in the AFL last year, topping 120 points in nine games. But his durability is a worry. He came off the ground injured nine times and even though he didn’t miss any games, it places somewhat of a question mark around him after an interrupted pre-season.
Will Brodie $224,300 MID/FWD – Tick
Brodie has impressed in Fremantle’s midfield during the pre-season. He was busy against the Eagles in the AAMI Community Series, finishing with 23 disposals, four clearances and a game-high eight tackles. It remains to be seen what role he plays once Nat Fyfe returns, but hopefully for SuperCoaches he’s still in the midfield mix.
GEELONG
Mitch Duncan $540,000 MID/FWD – Question mark
Duncan’s DPP status in 2022 makes him one of the most obvious picks, however, there is one caveat – his durability. We have already seen him spend time on the sidelines in recent weeks and considering he has played all 22 home-and-away games just once since 2017, he’s a risky pick. Duncan missed a total of 12 games through injury last season.
Patrick Dangerfield $567,800 MID – Tick
We have to go way back to 2011 for the last time Dangerfield averaged fewer than 105 points. Injury and suspension kept him out for most of the first half of 2021, but he averaged 23 disposals, one goal and 107 points after the bye. With a measly ownership of just 2 per cent he’s the ultimate POD this year.
Sam De Koning $123,900 DEF/MID – Tick
De Koning looked right at home in Geelong’s defence against the Suns, collecting 19 disposals, five marks and six intercept possessions. The Cats are looking to inject some youth into their team in 2022 and he’s one of a handful of players in the mix for a Round 1 start. De Koning is the ideal bench option.
GOLD COAST
Matt Rowell $342,900 MID – Tick
Can Rowell recapture the form he showed in his debut season? The answer is a resounding yes! He finished with 27 disposals and 18 contested possessions against the Cats in the AAMI Community Series – both career-highs. Injury once again impacted his year in 2021, averaging just 14 disposals and 63 points, never scoring more than 84 in any match.
Elijah Hollands $123,900 FWD/MID – Question mark
Hollands could manage only three games in the VFL last season as he returned from a serious injury. We haven’t seen him at AFL level this pre-season and at the time of writing, close to half of the competition had selected the youngster. He’s unlikely to debut in Round 1 against West Coast, but I’m confident he won’t be too far away.
Jack Lukosius $438,400 DEF/MID – Cross
A role change all but rules out Lukosius as a fantasy asset in 2022. The injury to Ben King has seen Lukosius move back into the forward line, after playing as a wing/half-back last season. He was even taking kick-ins last year, but as a forward, unless he’s kicking plenty of goals, he’s unlikely to post the scores we’re after.
GWS GIANTS
Lachie Whitfield $502,600 DEF/MID – Tick
The most obvious question mark around Whitfield is his durability – playing all 22 home-and-away games just once in nine seasons – but when fit he’s an exceptional fantasy player. He’s underpriced to start with and has had a full pre-season under his belt, which is always a good sign. Whitfield reached 125 points six times in a career-best season in 2019.
Stephen Coniglio $261,300 FWD/MID – Tick
The noise coming out of the Giants is that Coniglio hasn’t missed a beat all summer, and his pre-season backs that up. He’s back playing as a centre bounce midfielder again and had 27 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five tackles and 112 points against the Magpies. At his best, he averaged 27 disposals, one goal and 101 points in 2019.
Tim Taranto $529,700 MID/FWD – Question mark
On the surface, Taranto playing as a half-forward isn’t ideal, but he has shown that he can post decent scores in that role, scoring 131 as a forward against the Tigers in Round 22 last season, but that was on the back of a four-goal haul. Initially, it may be wise to avoid him until Toby Greene returns, which makes him an excellent trade-up target.
HAWTHORN
James Sicily $448,100 DEF – Tick
Sicily’s return is a major boost for the Hawks. His intercept play was missed last season, averaging the equal-most intercept possessions of any current player in the AFL alongside Jeremy McGovern from 2018-20. Sicily played on from both kick-ins against the Tigers in the AAMI Community Series and scored 87 points from 14 effective disposals.
Josh Ward $180,300 MID – Tick
No player in the competition won more contested possessions in the AAMI Community Series than Ward. A ball magnet as a junior, he also ranked fifth in the competition for disposals per minute after racking up 29 against the Tigers. Both Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara were both missing from the team, but that shouldn’t take any of the gloss off Ward’s game.
Connor MacDonald $117,300 MID – Tick
MacDonald, a ball magnet midfielder as a junior, hasn’t put a foot wrong over summer and is in the mix for a Round 1 debut against North Melbourne. He didn’t attend any centre bounces in the AAMI Community Series, but had an impact nonetheless – finishing with 16 disposals, eight contested possessions and one goal. Even if he doesn’t play in the season opener, he’s a solid bench option.
MELBOURNE
Max Gawn $657,400 RUC – Tick
The emergence of Luke Jackson may put some doubts in the mind of SuperCoaches about Gawn’s prospects in 2022, but I’d be very surprised if he didn’t finish in the top-three scorers among the rucks. Since 2019, no player in the competition has scored 120-plus points more often than Gawn (35 in total). He had a blinder in the AAMI Community Series, grabbing six contested marks to go with 134 points.
Clayton Oliver $672,000 MID – Tick
Oliver is one of the most reliable scorers in the game. In 2021, he averaged a career-high 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions and 125 points across the premiership season. Yes, like any midfielder he is prone to being tagged, with his two lowest scores both coming against the Giants. Just pick him and throw away the key!
Christian Petracca $606,200 MID – Tick
If you’re looking for an alternative to Clayton Oliver and wanted to save a few dollars, then Petracca is an excellent option. As he demonstrated during the finals series, his explosiveness can be devastating – averaging 34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, two goals and 138 across his three finals.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Jason Horne-Francis $207,300 MID – Tick
Horne-Francis more than held his own at senior level in the SANFL last season, finishing with 24 disposals, three goals and 160 points in the grand final. In total, he had five tons to his name from 20 games. We have already seen glimpses of his talents in the pre-season, finishing with 16 disposals, 11 contested possessions, two goals and 87 points against the Swans.
Tarryn Thomas $459,300 MID/FWD – Tick
Thomas looms as a huge breakout candidate. He was one of just two players in the competition to average at least 22 disposals and more than one goal in the last six rounds of 2021 – averaging 109 points along the way. He didn’t reach any great heights against Sydney but did attend 13 centre bounces, ranked third at the club.
Tristan Xerri $208,200 FWD – Tick
Has Xerri ousted Todd Goldstein for the No.1 ruck role at the Kangaroos? Only time will tell. Xerri attended 52 ruck contests to Goldstein’s 41 in the AAMI Community Series, but we need to be mindful that Callum Coleman-Jones didn’t play. Should Xerri play in the season--opener he could be a shrewd selection, especially as he’s likely to become a DPP at some stage.
PORT ADELAIDE
Zak Butters $443,600 FWD – Tick
Butters was on his way to a breakout season in 2021 after averaging 102 points in the opening month before injury hit. That makes him a prime candidate this year and he has starred on the track over the summer. He had 32 disposals, 13 contested possessions, two score assists, one goal and 114 points against the Crows. With more midfield time Butters is all but certain to gain DPP status, which adds even more to his appeal.
Sam Hayes $123,900 RUC – Tick
Hayes looks to be the standout rookie bench option in the ruck after the departure of Peter Ladhams. With Charlie Dixon looking less likely to play in the season opener after ankle surgery, Hayes is a strong chance to debut in Round 1. He scored 120-plus points in four games in the SANFL last season and had seven tons in total.
Josh Sinn $157,800 DEF/MID – Tick
The Power moved up in the draft to snap up Sinn. He has impressed everyone over the summer and a debut in Round 1 is a strong possibility, however it’s touch and go as he only played in the second half in the AAMI Community Series. After he came on he gained 240 metres, ranked third on the ground. Sinn is a handy bench option and it won’t be long before we see him in the AFL.
RICHMOND
Dustin Martin $503,500 MID/FWD – Tick
Historically, Martin starts every season strongly, averaging 110 points across the opening four rounds since 2017. But that figure drops to 88 points per game for the next four rounds. Does that make him a bad pick? Definitely not. He’s set to spend more time in the midfield in 2022, collecting 26 disposals (79 per cent disposal efficiency) against the Hawks in the AAMI Community Series.
Jayden Short $535,200 DEF – Tick
The retirement of Bachar Houli is likely to boost Short’s numbers. Short averaged 102 points without Houli from Rounds 1-3 last season and 106 points without him from Rounds 17-23. Short will also have a monopoly on the kick-ins, playing on from six of the nine he took in the AAMI Community Series.
Hugo Ralphsmith $206,700 FWD/MID – Tick
Ralphsmith’s direct play will be important for the Tigers especially after Bachar Houli’s retirement. A Fwd/Mid in SuperCoach, Ralphsmith is set for a role change this year and will play in defence. He already looks to be a valuable ball-carrier, having 470 metres gained in the AAMI Community Series – second-most at Richmond behind Jayden Short.
ST KILDA
Jade Gresham $299,000 MID/FWD – Question mark
St Kilda missed Gresham’s speed and link-up play last season. Now back in the team, we’d need him to average north of 90 points as a mid-pricer to make him a worthwhile pick – something he hasn’t achieved in his career to date. Brett Ratten has also referred to him as an “impact player”, which is a worry. Gresham attended just five centre bounces in the AAMI Community Series.
Jack Steele $685,800 MID – Tick
Steele is worth every dollar. He has finished in the top-three ranked St Kilda players in 31 games across the last two seasons – ranked No.1 in the league. He was solid more than anything against the Bombers in the AAMI Community Series, collecting 89 points from just 20 disposals, but we shouldn’t be taking out proven premiums based on one pre-season game.
Rowan Marshall $536,800 RUC – Tick
With Paddy Ryder nowhere near ready to play, Marshall looks set to lead the ruck division in his absence. Marshall dominated with Ryder out of the side from Round 20 last season, averaging 19 disposals, one goal, nine hitouts-to-advantage and 118 points. He scored 100 points from 24 disposals against the Bombers in the AAMI Community Series.
SYDNEY
Isaac Heeney $454,500 FWD – Tick
Heeney has frustrated SuperCoaches in the past, but could he be revived in a new role in 2022? He has been earmarked to play in the midfield, but he spent most of his time forward against the Giants in the absence of Buddy Franklin, Peter Ladhams and Tom Papley. Heeney starred in attack with four goals, ranking equal-third in the league for points per 100 minutes.
Patrick McCartin $157,800 DEF/FWD – Tick
Rewind one month and not many SuperCoaches would have had McCartin in their sights. He’s now in the frame to make a return as a defender for Sydney after a terrific pre-season – having 14 disposals and an equal team-high seven intercept possessions against the Giants. If named, he’s a safe player to field in Round 1.
Dylan Stephens $167,800 MID – Tick
Stephens was a bit part player last season, managing just 49.4 per cent game time. But he looks set to play a prominent role on the wing in 2022 and the Swans used his outside run to full effect against the Giants in the AAMI Community Series, finishing with 10 handball-receives and 18 uncontested possessions – ranked third at the club in both measures.
WEST COAST
Nic Naitanui $627,400 RUC – Question mark
Naitanui had a career-best season in 2021 and posted career-highs across the board. However, with a host of Eagles midfielders sidelined through injury his hitout-to-advantage numbers may take a hit. Against the Dockers, he had a hitout-to-advantage rate of just 18 per cent – the third-worst return of any ruckman in the league. At his price, it may be wise to back one of the big two instead.
Hugh Dixon $102,400 FWD/RUCK – Tick
With no Jack Darling and Oscar Allen injured, the Eagles have turned to ex-Docker Dixon in attack. At the basement low rookie price, he was targeted inside 50 a team-high six times in the AAMI Community Series, grabbing one contested mark to go with nine disposals. If you also own Jack Hayes, swapping the two between ruck and forward could be more than handy.
Greg Clark $117,300 MID – Cross
Clark still sits in 9 per cent of teams at the time of writing despite a long-term shoulder injury. He looms as a trade-down target at best mid-year and I’m sure we’ll flock to him at some stage. He posted excellent numbers in the WAFL last year and averaged 121 points, which included scoring 181 in the Grand Final.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Adam Treloar $483,200 FWD/MID – Tick
Injury hit at the worst possible time for Treloar in 2021, averaging 97 points from Rounds 1-9 compared to just 76 points from Rounds 21-23. He racked up 123 and 122 points respectively in his last two finals to propel him into our thoughts ahead of 2022. Now a DPP, he scored 132 points in the AAMI Community Series from 29 disposals and two goals.
Marcus Bontempelli $651,700 MID – Tick
Missing just three games through injury in the past six seasons, Bontempelli is as durable as they come. A midfield double-up with Jack Macrae looms as a real POD – with the duo ranking in the top-five in the competition for total points scored since 2019. Bontempelli has scored 120-plus points 28 times over this period – ranked fourth overall.
Josh Dunkley $558,200 MID/FWD – Tick
Injury once again derailed Dunkley’s season in 2021. He ranked third in the league for points scored in the opening six rounds with a whopping average of 128, but that figure dropped to 71 points per game from Round 18 upon his return. Dunkley attended a team-high 21 centre bounces in the AAMI Community Series – scoring 121 from 32 disposals.
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