KFC SuperCoach: The best point-of-difference picks of season 2020
Are you concerned your KFC SuperCoach side is looking similar to others? Take a look at these 10 hidden gems that SuperCoaches are overlooking — the players who can set you apart from the rest.
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With so much KFC SuperCoach information out there, it’s hard to find a hidden gem.
But, with so much uncertainty about season 2020 and mid-pricers back in vogue, there’s more variety in teams than in previous years.
That means several players with claims to premium status are still in less than 10 per cent of KFC SuperCoach sides.
These are the 10 best unique options to consider for your KFC SuperCoach team. How many will make the cut?
Defenders
1. Luke Ryan (Fremantle)
$520,400
2019 average: 95.8
Ownership: 3 per cent
Arguably the POD buy of the year. Luke Ryan’s 95.8-average in 2019 wasn’t a true reflection of his output due to some injury affected games, and his SuperCoach scoring should thrive under new Justin Longmuir’s possession mentality out of defence. Rarely handballs and is one of the best interceptors in the game. How is he in just 3 per cent of teams?
Brodie Smith (Adelaide)
$481,300
2019 average: 88.6
Ownership: 7 per cent
Crows speedster Brodie Smith is a very interesting pick given he is expected to move onto the wing in season 2020. His numbers in Marsh 2 were emphatic – 34 disposals, nine marks, five clearances and 121 points. Smith won’t score this every week but a 95-plus average is very much on the cards.
Jayden Short (Richmond)
$349,300
2019 average: 64.3
Ownership: 2 per cent
Bachar Houli’s setback on the eve of the season brings the booming right-footer into the SuperCoach equation – as does a 17 round season. Short’s averaged dipped from 85.8 to 64.3 last season due to an injury interrupted campaign and Houli’s ownership of Richmond’s kick-ins. With Houli missing the season-opener and potentially more, Short looms as pick with great short-term upside – which is all we need with only four rounds locked in at this stage.
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Midfielders
Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane)
$510,700
2019 average: 94
Ownership: 5 per cent
Can you believe Hugh McCluggage didn’t have a single clanger in the Marsh Series? If you watched him on a weekly basis last year, that’ll come as no surprise. The classy Lion is entering his fourth season and has boosted his SuperCoach average by 18 points in each year he has played. Could we see him average 112 in 2020? Maybe not, but a 105 average beckons with more time in the coalface.
Andrew McGrath (Essendon)
$399,400
2019 average: 73.5
Ownership: 4 per cent
The Bombers took Andrew McGrath over McCluggage with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft and while the young Lion has flourished, McGrath is yet to blossom at the top-level. But with a role as a full-time inside midfielder, expect the young Don to thrive in 2020. McGrath attended more centre-bounces than any other Bomber, posting scores of 105 and 94 in the Marsh Series. This sort of scoring should become the norm.
Andrew Gaff (West Coast)
$583,200
2019 average: 107.4
Ownership: 3 per cent
Andrew Gaff is one of the most consistent possession-winners in the competition, particularly for a player typically sighted on the outside. The Eagles’ ball-magnet didn’t fall below 27 disposals last season and recorded his second straight average above 107 points. Tim Kelly’s presence could see him rise to the 110-point echelon with another inside-mid to flick him the footy.
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Rucks
Tim English (Western Bulldogs)
$448,400
2019 average: 82.6
Ownership: 9 per cent
There had been whispers from Whitten Oval that Tim English was closing in on a breakout season and his second Marsh Series performance proved just that. English amassed 13 disposals, 37 hit-outs and 123 points, most of those scored in the first up against Scott Lycett. It’s a matter of when, not if, English jumps into the elite ruck bracket, and a breakout year isn’t out of the question. Could save you a stack of cash to spend elsewhere.
Forwards
Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast)
$463,100
2019 average: 85.3
Ownership: 9 per cent
We saw the new Sun shine in his very first game for the club, collecting 25 touches, 14 contested possessions, nine tackles. These are numbers that typify Greenwood’s strength and what will make him fruitful scorer with additional midfield time. This 109-point outing was followed by a less impressing total of 76 against his former club, but his primary role as an inside midfielder was clear in both games, leading the Suns for clearances.
Darcy MacPherson (Gold Coast, FWD/MID)
$443,800
2019 average: 81.7
Ownership: 9 per cent
I feel a touch uneasy putting two Gold Coast Suns players into the top-10, but it’s difficult to ignore MacPherson’s barnstorming pre-season. The hard-edged forward-midfielder went bananas, generating monster scores of 132 and 127. MacPherson may not be in their first choice midfield rotation, but tackling is a productive scoring avenue for him, recording more than six tackles in six matches last season.
Jonathon Ceglar (Hawthorn)
$417,000
2019 average: 76.8
Ownership: 3 per cent
Welcome to SuperCoach relevance, Jonathon Ceglar. The Hawks ruckman has normally played second fiddle to Ben McEvoy but now he is playing the lead role after Big Boy’s transformation into a centre-half-back. Totals of 101 and 80 in the pre-season are promising ruckman that can be selected as forwards often prove to be worthwhile selections – think Stefan Martin, Max Gawn, Paddy Ryder and Toby Nankervis in the past.
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