KFC SuperCoach: The Phantom names the Top 10 cash cows for 2020
With even less room for error in 2020, the key to KFC SuperCoach success is nailing all of your rookie-price selections. With Round 1 upon us, here are The Phantom’s top-10 cheap options
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With even less room for error this season, the key to KFC SuperCoach success is nailing all of your rookie-price selections. Here is the latest installment of The Phantom’s Top 10 cheapies for 2020.
1. Marlion Pickett (Rich)
$123,900, Mid
Marsh Series Scores: 61, 61
The mature-age sensation finished third in the Norm Smith Medal voting last year after tallying 22 disposals, eight contested possessions, one goal and 96 SuperCoach points on debut in the grand final.
A week earlier, Pickett won the Norm Goss Medal as the best player on-the-ground in the VFL grand final after 20 disposals and 123 points.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: The guy was almost the best player on the ground in the biggest game last year. And Pickett, who featured in Richmond’s first-choice on-ball rotation in the Marsh Series, is available at rookie-price. What more do you need?
2. Matt Rowell (GC)
$207,300, Mid
Marsh Series Scores: 100, 36
Thought Sam Walsh had a good SuperCoach season in his first year? The output of this kid might be even better.
Like Walsh, Rowell has enjoyed a near-perfect junior career, dominating at all levels.
The strong-bodied, well-balanced midfielder averaged 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions and 171 SuperCoach points in the NAB League last season and 133 points for Vic Metro at the under-18 national carnival.
And in his first official hitout for the Suns, Rowell tallied a game-high 15 contested possessions and the first – of many – SuperCoach ton of his career against the Cats.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT:Justifying the hype in every way and only sits behind Pickett given the starting price. But you need to be picking them both.
3. Tom Green (GWS)
$166,800, Mid
Marsh series scores: 106, 72
After averaging 16.2 contested possessions per game at the 2019 under-18 national carnival – the most ever-recorded by Champion Data – and 111 points, Green is a SuperCoach star in the making.
And, while there was early doubt over his Round 1 chances in a star-studded GWS midfield, Green might have played his into Leon Cameron’s side – which is now missing Tim Taranto – over the past two weeks.
In a commanding performance against the Swans, the 188cm Green finished with a game-high 15 contested possessions, while also booting two goals and playing a direct hand in two others to highlight his ability as a forward. A week later, Green had 16 disposals, one goal and another two assists.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: Has the game and body to be a great SuperCoach scorer from the outset and, now, has the opportunity with a Round 1 debut confirmed. A must-have rookie given the importance of scoring potential in a shortened season.
4. Connor Budarick (GC)
$106,900, Mid
Marsh series scores: 74, 37
In the NAB League last season, only Matt Rowell and Tom Green averaged more SuperCoach points than the Gold Coast Academy gun.
But his price is far more appealing after the AFL’s assistance package allowed the Suns to take the 18-year-old, who played eight NEAFL games – and averaged 18 disposals – in his draft year, in the rookie draft.
He finished with 14 disposals and 74 points in a composed display in week one of the Marsh Series, before playing just a half against the Crows.
But all the recent talk from the Gold Coast suggests, Budarick is a likely Round 1 starter.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: Budarick is ready to go and, as a $106k dual-position rookie, he’s a SuperCoach must-have if he’s picked for the opening-round clash with the Power.
5. Deven Robertson (Bris)
$117,300
Marsh series scores: DNP, 63
SuperCoaches – and Brisbane – will be happy the WA under-18 captain slid to No. 22 on draft night.
Instead of being priced at $150k or more as a top-10 selection, Robertson, who broke Sam Walsh’s disposal record at the national carnival, is at the bottom-end of rookie-pricing. And the tough midfielder, who averaged 128 SuperCoach points for WA and 153 at WAFL Colts level, is ready.
And, while he was a slider last November, Robertson, who didn’t play in the first round of pre-season action, has been a March bolter in SuperCoach after an impressive showing through the midfield in the Lions’ Marsh Series clash with the Blues.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: Hallelujah. It’s a very similar verdict to Budarick. If the draftee, who boasts terrific scoring potential, holds his place for Round 1, lock him in. Quick cash generation will be vital this season and, at $117k, Robertson might provide exactly that.
6. Jarrod Brander (WC)
$133,000, Fwd-Def
Marsh series scores: 46, 76
Brander has posted scores of 25, 36 and 36 in his three career games playing as a forward, but the versatile 20-year-old, who stands at 195cm, can play in almost any position on the ground.
And over the pre-season, he’s impressed on a wing, in a role which is likely to be more SuperCoach-friendly.
Brander, who is still rookie-price – and dual-position – heading into his third year, saved his best performance for the final Marsh Series clash, finishing with 17 disposals – at 88 per cent efficiency – and five marks against the Dockers.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: SuperCoaches have lost faith in a number of rookie-price options over the Marsh Series but Brander’s stocks have only risen in this time and he now appears one of the safe bets in his new role.
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7. Curtis Taylor (NM)
$123,900, Fwd-Mid
Marsh series scores: 33, 95
The second-year forward, who booted the second-most goals of any North Melbourne player in the VFL last year, was a standout against the Swans on the final weekend of Marsh Series action, tallying 21 disposals, a team-high eight score involvements, two goals and 95 SuperCoach points.
And that was after a quick-fire 33 points, on the back of eight disposals and a goal, in just 42 per cent game-time in the first week.
Is Taylor, 19, the rookie saviour we’ve been waiting for?
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: We hope so. Basement-price tag, decent scoring potential and solid job security is rare and vital to KFC SuperCoach at the best of times, let alone in a shortened season.
8. John Noble (Coll)
$215,400, Def
Marsh series scores: 79, 73
The mid-season draftee averaged 20 disposals in his three home-and-away matches last season before recording tallies of 19 and 16 in Collingwood’s two finals. Noble can find the ball and he proved it again in the Marsh Series.
Noble tallied a combined 46 disposals, hitting the target with 39 of them, working up and down the ground in his two pre-season matches, as the Magpies played high-possession football.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: $215k is a lot to ask, especially given Noble will need to maintain a high level of scoring to ensure quick cash generation. But his job security and scoring potential, in a Collingwood side who will share the ball around and attack from defence, may be as high as any on the list.
9. Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Ess)
$189,300 Def
Marsh series scores: 61, 104
The current Essendon injury list means the 21-year-old, who was the No. 1 player for intercept possessions in the VFL over the past two seasons, will see more senior action in 2020.
And Zerk-Thatcher showed enough in the Marsh Series, averaging 10.5 intercepts and 14.5 effective disposals per game, to suggest he’ll make SuperCoaches plenty of early cash this year, despite the $180k price-tag.
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: A top-price key-defender in the top-10? Yep, that’s what sort of year it might be, SuperCoaches. Zerk-Thatcher appears to have more scoring avenues than your average key-backman, though, and keeps his spot on the list, despite the potential for in-season delays to fast-track the return of first-choice defender Patrick Ambrose
10. Ben Cavarra (WB)
$123,900 Fwd
Marsh series scores: DNP
Cavarra captained the Eastern Ranges and won the Morrish Medal as a midfielder in the TAC Cup in 2013.
But in the two seasons before he was drafted in 2018, he booted 65 goals in the two seasons playing for Williamstown in the VFL and averaged an impressive 97 SuperCoach points per game.
And, despite a number of injury issues last season, the 24-year-old continued his impressive VFL form for Footscray, booting 19 goals and averaging 88 points per game in 12 matches. He’ll have an immediate impact when he gets the opportunity
PHANTOM’S FINAL VERDICT: That opportunity will be on Friday night, with the club confirming Cavarra will debut in Round 1 against the Magpies. As a result, Cavarra bolts into the top-10 as the perfect Izak Rankine replacement and a mature-age body ready to have an influence.
NEXT IN LINE: SEE THE PHANTOM’S ULTIMATE GUIDE
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach: The Phantom names the Top 10 cash cows for 2020