KFC SuperCoach 2022: Which players are on track to earn dual-position status

The new group of DPP players will be added into KFC SuperCoach next week and a star Bulldog has made a late run. We reveal who’s a lock to get a new position.

The first mid-season position updates in KFC SuperCoach are less than a week away with the new batch of dual-position players set to be added for Round 6.

In an exciting new feature for the game in 2022, Champion Data will review where players are spending time in the first five rounds and add new dual-position classification where warranted – so a player currently listed as a midfielder could become a MID/FWD or MID/DEF if they are spending around 35 per cent of game time in a secondary position.

To be eligible to gain a second position in Round 6, players must have featured in at least four of the five first rounds.

Gaining DPP status will open up a new world of trade possibilities and bring new players into KFC SuperCoach calculations.

So who’s in line for a possible position change in time for round 6?

LOCKED IN

Scott Pendlebury MID to DEF/MID

After an CBA increase in Round 3, the Magpies skipper was back mainly in defence against the Eagles. Pendlebury said himself recently that the plan is always for him to go into the middle later in the quarter and it’s clear Craig Macrae wants his players to be versatile. But, at this stage, the new role looks set to make the 34-year-old a defender-midfielder next week. And with an average of 106, he would the sixth-highest averaging defender. At $522k, could he be the straight swap replacement for Patrick Cripps, if you’re set on trading him out, despite the Blues skipper being a chance for Round 6?

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Nick Daicos has been used all over the ground in the first three rounds. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Nick Daicos MID to DEF/MID

Daicos impressed against Geelong, finishing with 26 disposals and 91 points as a slight role change saw him spend more time at half-forward. But he started at half-back against the Eagles on Saturday and tallied 32 disposals and a 125 KFC SuperCoach points to all-but confirm his place in the dual-position changes. Could he be a keeper in defence?

Dayne Zorko MID to DEF/MID

After being a must-have FWD-MID last season, he’s edging closer to DEF status. But would he be a must-have as a defender? Zorko had 28 disposals and 105 points against North in Round 3, and didn’t attend one centre bounce. But, in a similar role in the loss to the Cats, the Lions veteran finished with just 11 disposals and 52 points.

Tristan Xerri FWD to FWD/RUC

In Round 3, Xerri attended 64 ruck contests and 23 centre bounces, almost double Todd Goldstein (11 CBAs and 33 contests) in both statistics. Xerri has fast become the first-choice ruckman at North Melbourne and jumped by almost $100k in price. He struggled against the Swans, with Goldstein starting in the third term in the ruck – a quarter he spent considerable amount of time on the bench after high contract drew blood. But the role still looks to be his.

Mason Wood FWD to FWD/MID

Not exactly a household name when it comes to KFC SuperCoach, but Wood has enjoyed his best month of AFL playing in a wing role for St Kilda. It would be an almighty gamble to add him to your KFC SuperCoach team, but MID status is all but guaranteed based on where he’s spent large chunks of the opening four rounds.

Can’t squeeze into the Melbourne midfield? Just go down back and dominate like Angus Brayshaw. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Angus Brayshaw MID to MID/DEF

Take this one to the bank. After spending 75 per cent of game on a wing in 2021 and 11 per cent in defence, Brayshaw has played 100 per cent as a defender in the first four rounds. And he has adapted brilliantly to the new role, averaging 25 disposals, 10 marks and seven intercept possessions per game. Anyone who can score 176 points in a game – as Brayshaw did against the Bombers in Round 3 – is a player to keep an eye on.

Jack Sinclair DEF to DEF/MID

Sinclair’s flowing locks charging through the middle of Marvel Stadium have become a regular sight in 2022 as the Saints defender averaged 116 points over the first four rounds. He spent 85 per cent of game time down back last year but that number has dropped to 33 per cent, with a 59 per cent midfield and 8 per cent forward split making him a very relevant proposition. But after four consecutive KFC SuperCoach tons to start the year, he should be a trade target regardless of his potential new dual-position status.

MAYBE

Bailey Smith MID to FWD/MID

This could be the big one, with the young Bulldogs star, who was a popular KFC SuperCoach forward in his second season in 2020, on the cusp of regaining dual-position status. Smith has spent 33 per cent of his time forward so far in 2022, just two per cent short of the required figure. And with scores of 139, 80 and 122 in his three games for the year, his inclusion to the forward would make things very interesting – how man Bulldogs is too many?

Jason Horne-Francis MID to FWD/MID

The more we see of Horne-Francis, the more likely it seems David Noble wants to use him more in the middle for North Melbourne. After attending 20 in Round 3 against the Lions, the No. 1 pick was used at the 76 per cent of the centre bounces in the loss to the Swans and he has had 13 clearances in the past two weeks. Hopes of Horne-Francis gaining forward status have all-but diminished.

Mitch Hinge DEF to DEF/MID

Hinge had nine of his 16 disposals against Port Adelaide between the 50m arcs, five in defensive-50 and two kick-outs. Hinge spent significant time in defence in Round 1 but has had a more advanced role in the next two matches for the Crows. Then he was injured against the Bombers, so it’s hard to be sure which way this one goes. As it stands, he won’t get dual-position status but if that changes in Round 5 it would allow you to swing him with Nick Daicos.

Tom Mitchell has been spending more time forward in 2022. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Andrew McGrath’s new backline role could be short-lived. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

Tom Mitchell MID to MID/FWD

This would throw the Hawk among the pigeons. Mitchell’s scores have frustrated his owners so far this season but they can largely be attributed to a new role, with his centre bounce attendance dropping from 70 per cent to 58 per cent and his midfield/forward split evolving from 90/10 to 71/29 in the opening three rounds. An ideal scenario would be picking up a cut-price Mitchell as a forward then hoping Sam Mitchell injects him back into the centre square as some of the Hawks youngsters start to tire, which looked to have happened a bit in Round 4. Mitchell tallied 18 contested possessions and nine clearances against the Saints and, while he isn’t far off from forward status, it may be wishful thinking.

LONG SHOT

Andrew McGrath MID to DEF/MID

McGrath has played more of a centre-bounce role without Zach Merrett as his CBAs increased from six in Round 2 to 22 against Melbourne. That was more than McGrath had in the opening two rounds combined, having registered 15 in Round 1. If McGrath continues to fill Merrett’s role while he’s out injured, the DEF DPP some were expecting will be unlikely.