Tim Michell reveals his KFC SuperCoach team for 2020, including seven mid-pricers

No. 1 draft pick Andrew McGrath averaged 100 in pre-season and is destined for greater midfield time. Is he the mid-pricer who can launch you to KFC SuperCoach glory? Tim Michell thinks so.

Tim Michell

4 min read

March 16, 2020 - 1:32PM

Supercoach

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The time for wholesale changes is almost over.

After months of study — and about 170 now useless screen shots saved to my phone — I’ve settled on my KFC SuperCoach line-up for 2020.

The planning started with a team which featured only 13 players who have made the final cut.

Injury resulted in Docker Stephen Hill, Crow Tom Doedee and Bomber Mitch Hibberd missing out, while I’ve opted for Jack Macrae and Lachie Neale as my big guns in midfield after originally picking Nat Fyfe, Josh Dunkley and Patrick Dangerfield.

Perhaps the biggest change has been the inclusion of mid-pricers such as Andrew Brayshaw and Andrew McGrath — in most cases forced by a lack of rookies.

Who knows what Round 1 team selection will throw at KFC SuperCoaches, but all going to plan, this is the team I’ll be starting with in the opening round.

Good luck!

James Sicily should benefit from the arrival of Jon Patton at Hawthorn.

Mid-season draftee John Noble has surged into KFC SuperCoach calculations with a strong pre-season.

DEFENDERS

James Sicily (Hawthorn) $509,500 2019 average: 93.8

Sam Docherty (Carlton) $436,100 2019 average: N/A

Dylan Roberton (St Kilda) $260,400 2019 average: N/A

John Noble (Collingwood) $215,400 2019 average: 56.7

Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon) $189,000 2019 average: 58

Jarrod Brander (West Coast) $133,000 2019 average: 35

Bench: Will Gould (Sydney) $117,300, Luke Towey (Gold Coast) $102,400

Strategy: Pay up for job security — John Noble and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher won’t generate money as quickly as bargain rookies, but their job security should be much greater. Noble averaged 76 KFC SuperCoach points a game in two Marsh Series outings, while Zerk-Thatcher averaged 82.5 including a score of 104 against Geelong. He’s got a spot in the Bombers backline until Patrick Ambrose returns from a PCL injury. Dylan Roberton has twice averaged 90+ before, while Sam Docherty posted 114.7 points a game in 2017. Considering the time they have spent out of the game, my expectations are lower than that but, I still rate them as bargain picks. Jarrod Brander, Will Gould and Luke Towey’s spots will come down to Round 1 selection.

Player I still want: Jake Lloyd (Sydney) $591,400 — Of course it’s risky not starting with the No. 1 defender of 2019. Lloyd averaged 108.9 last season and Bachar Houli, Shannon Hurn and Zac Williams are the only other defenders who hit triple figures last year. There’s just too much value in defence to pay top dollar for the star Swan.

Andrew McGrath produced an eye-catching Marsh Series as he transitions into the Essendon midfield.

Hugh McCluggage is primed to launch above a KFC SuperCoach average of 100 for the first time.

MIDFIELDERS

Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs) $668,900 2019 average: 123.2

Lachie Neale (Brisbane Lions) $658,500 2019 average: 121.3

Stephen Coniglio (GWS Giants) $549,500 2019 average: 101.2

Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane Lions) $510,700 2019 average: 94

Andrew McGrath (Essendon) $399,400 2019 average: 73.5

Matthew Rowell (Gold Coast) $207,300

Tom Green (GWS Giants) $166,800

Marlion Pickett (Richmond) $123,900

Bench: Jack Mahony (North Melbourne) $117,300, Brad Close (Geelong) $109,900, Connor Budarick (Gold Coast) $106,900

Strategy: Punt on a breakout … or two: Andrew McGrath is the riskiest selection here. His average of 73.5 last season was his best in three AFL campaigns. The No. 1 pick from 2016 scored 94 against West Coast and 105 against Geelong in the Marsh Series. Essendon has a favourable draw in the first two months of the season and the plan is to turn McGrath into a fallen premium quickly. Coniglio would have averaged 108 had it not been for a 0 in his last game of 2019 when he injured his knee. That would have ranked him 12th of this year’s midfielders, yet he’s the 28th most-expensive. The only way is up for McCluggage from a 94-point average. Neale and Macrae pick themselves for durability and consistency, while you’re doing something wrong if you don’t have Rowell, Green and Pickett from M6-M8. The money saved has been invested up forward where I’ll make up any lost points.

Player I still want: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) $651,600: I was adamant I’d fit the dual Brownlow medallist in no matter what but Macrae and Neale get the nod due to their durability. Sam Walsh is another I’ve been watching closely all pre-season and I think he can average 105+ from a starting quote of $471,900. If Tom Green isn’t named Round 1, I could still upgrade McGrath to the Rising Star winner.

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Max Gawn has overcome a knee injury to be a certain starter for Round 1.

Brodie Grundy has been KFC SuperCoach’s premier scorer in the past two seasons.

RUCKS

Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) $705,900 2019 average: 130

Max Gawn (Melbourne) $697,100 2019 average: 128.4

Bench: Matthew Conroy (Gold Coast) $102,400

Strategy: Set and forget — You’ll likely be well aware how this works. Gawn and Grundy finished so far clear of any other ruckman last year they’re worth paying a combined $1.4 million for. Grundy averaged 130 points, while Gawn averaged 128.4. The new Demons skipper amassed 2696 points in 2019, while third-ranked big man Todd Goldstein managed 2469. Those 227 points are a significant gap to have to make up in other positions. Gawn’s knee injury sent coaches scrambling for a back-up plan, but I haven’t thought twice about his inclusion since it was confirmed he would lead Melbourne out in Round 1.

Player I still want: Charlie Comben (North Melbourne) $117,300 — North Melbourne is the perfect team to swing the captaincy loophole this year and Comben has the bonus of being RUC-FWD. He’s $14,900 more expensive than Conroy so the final call will come down to which rookies are named in Round 1 and the cash left in reserve.

Connor Rozee will be a KFC SuperCoach premium — it’s just a matter of when.

Tough Docker Andrew Brayshaw is set for a prominent midfield role.

FORWARDS

Lachie Whitfield (GWS Giants) $604,100 2019 average: 111.3

Dustin Martin (Richmond) $543,000 2019 average: 100

Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide) $422,100 2019 average: 77.7

Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle) $382,800 2019 average: 70.5

Jack Steven (Geelong) $361,700 2019 average: 74

Devon Smith (Essendon) $335,800 2019 average: 68.7

Bench: Izak Rankine (Gold Coast) $123,900, Curtis Taylor (North Melbourne) $123,900

Strategy: Get rookies off field — I’m reasonably confident in Izak Rankine’s likely scoring, but otherwise unsure about the forward rookies. Max King features in more than 50 per cent of teams and although his job security is sound, I wonder about his scoring potential as a young key forward. Darcy Cameron ($123,900) came in briefly after his first-up Marsh Series effort, but realistically he’ll be stuck behind Grundy. By starting six players with potential to average 90+, I can prioritise trades to bolster my defence and midfield.

Player I still want: Darcy Parish (Essendon) $465,400 — Pretty content with this set-up, but I do wonder if I’ll regret not starting with Parish. He’s the player I was most keen on in the $440,000-$470,000 price bracket which features Hugh Greenwood, Jordan Dawson, Jade Gresham, Darcy MacPherson and Christian Petracca.

FULL TEAM