KFC SuperCoach 2020: Our predictions for the top six players on every line
Can any one catch Sam Docherty in defence? Will Andrew Gaff’s likely run of games in Perth keep Marcus Bontempelli at bay? Is Michael Walters the forward to catch? We predict the top KFC SuperCoach scorers in every position
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Sure, this is the year to go after the value in KFC SuperCoach but the aim is still to finish with the top-scoring players in every position.
But who are they?
After the weekend’s carnage, The Phantom decided it was time to have a closer look in the Round 4 review.
But with 15 defenders averaging more than 95 points per game, predicting the top-six in defence from is here is hard enough, let alone across each of the four lines.
So Tim Michell, Al Paton and Dan Batten have put their reputations on the line to have a go, too.
Here is who we think the top six players in every position from Round 5 onwards will be.
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DEFENDERS
THE PHANTOM
1. Sam Docherty (Carl) $541,200
Average: 129
Round 4 score: 185
Only 59 per cent of KFC SuperCoaches own the Carlton co-captain. That means more than 68,000 teams don’t have Docherty, who scored a round-high 185 points in Round 4, on the back of 29 effective disposals and eight marks, in his fourth AFL game since 2017.
2. Jake Lloyd (Syd) $589,000
Average: 106
Round 4 score: 102
Many were quick to write-off the expensive Swan after his 77-point performance in Round 1 but, with scores of 145, 101 and 102 in the past three matches, Lloyd has proven he’s still the main man in the Sydney defence.
3. James Sicily (Haw) $523,400
Average: 105
Round 4 score: 114
There’s no better way to describe the frustration of KFC SuperCoach than to talk about James Sicily. But his past two weeks - 114 and 128 – and his 68-point third-quarter against North Melbourne shows, again, there aren’t many better defenders when it comes to scoring.
James Sicily bounces back with a 68-point 3rd term - up to 80 for the match. 7 of his 9 disposals came directly from intercept possessions in that qtr. #SuperCoach #AFLHawksNorth
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) June 28, 2020
4. Caleb Daniel (WB)
Average: 106
Round 4 score: 114
The 168cm defender has recorded no clanger in the past two weeks so it’s little surprise he’s posted scores of 134 and 114. Daniel’s ability to impact the game on limited possession should ensure consistent three-figure performances this year.
5. Nick Haynes (GWS)
Average: 105
Round 4 score: 101
If you include last year’s final series, the Giants defender has scored 109, 105, 116, 68, 66, 118, 118, 114, 97, 110 and 101 in his past 11 matches. Haynes ranks second in the competition for intercept marks and fifth for total intercept possessions. His recent consistency puts him ahead of Magpie Brayden Maynard.
6. Brayden Maynard (Coll)
Average: 113
Round 4 score: 118
But he’s not far behind. Maynard may have been inconsistent in a SuperCoach sense in the past but he’s been anything but this year, scoring 100 points or more in every match. Of the top 20 players in the competition for kicks, Maynard is No. 1 for efficiency and Collingwood share the ball around in the back-half more than any other team. But will be allowed to deliver with precision, so often, for much longer?
Game-high 80 #SuperCoach points for Maynard at half time. 12 of 13 disposals effective. @ThePhantomSC
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) June 26, 2020
TIM MICHELL
1. Jake Lloyd
2. James Sicily
3. Shannon Hurn
4. Sam Docherty
5. Caleb Daniel
6. Nick Haynes
Like most, I had doubts about whether Jake Lloyd could sustain his scoring power in shorter quarters, especially sharing kick out duties with Jordan Dawson. That seemed a justified opinion when he scored 77 in Round 1 but he’s gone 145, 101 and 102 since. Sicily has a huge ceiling and Hurn will benefit from a return to WA in coming rounds.
AL PATON
1. Sam Docherty
2. Jake Lloyd
3. Caleb Daniel
4. James Sicily
5. Nick Haynes
6. Shannon Hurn
This is the line I’m most confident on. Docherty hasn’ missed a beat in his return and Hurn should boost his scores on the Perth hub.
DAN BATTEN
1. Sam Docherty
2. Jake Lloyd
3. James Sicily
4. Caleb Daniel
5. Shannon Hurn
6. Nick Haynes
Just like his last season in 2017, Sam Docherty will be the top scoring defender in 2020, with Jake Lloyd close behind. Expect Shannon Hurn to come with a bullet in the Perth hub and Giant Nick Haynes to maintain his consistent scoring.
MIDFIELDERS
THE PHANTOM
1. Lachie Neale (Bris) $763,800
Average: 160
Round 4 score: 147
The bloke is averaging 160 points per game and would’ve scored 200 in Round 6 if he didn’t kick 0.6. Next.
2. Tom Mitchell (Haw) $594,500
Average: 143
Round 4 score: 143
After tallying 13 contested possessions, eight clearances, eight tackles and 143 points against North Melbourne, the shoulder which troubled Mitchell for the previous month, must be feeling better. Given the form of teammate Chad Wingard, there’s a chance he escapes the Matt de Boer tag this weekend, too.
3. Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) $559,400
Average: 100
Round 4 score: 140
Speaking of slow starts, Dangerfield averaged 86 points in the opening three rounds of the year. But he was huge – and efficient – against the Demons on his way to 140 points in Round 5. And he’s started slow before.
4. Andrew Gaff (WC) $618,400
Average: 121
Round 4 score: 112
Gaff’s 112-point performance against the Power made it four scores of 110 on-the-trot to start the season. And with the Eagles likely to play plenty of games at Optus Stadium to finish the year, there will be a lot more to come.
5. Marcus Bontempelli (WB) $575,900
Average: 108
Round 4 score: 166
De Boer is out the way and, as his 166 points – 100 in the first half - against the Swans proved, Bontempelli has scoring power better than most.
6. Jack Macrae (WB) $606,600
Average: 105
Round 4 score: 92
I almost went with Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury but it’s just too hard to look past the Western Bulldogs gun who is back in the midfield full-time.
TIM MICHELL
1. Lachie Neale
2. Tom Mitchell
3. Josh Kelly
4. Andrew Gaff
5. Jack Macrae
6. Travis Boak
No one is catching Neale. He spends as much time on the ground as key defenders and most of his time fetching the footy. Mitchell is only warming up yet still hasn’t scored less than 95, while a return to WA bodes well for Gaff. Matt Rowell is No.7.
AL PATON
1. Lachie Neale
2. Tom Mitchell
3. Andrew Gaff
4. Patrick Cripps
5. Patrick Dangerfield
6. Jack Macrae
After “locky” Neale, this is an absolute raffle. Based on total points, Matt Rowell is currently the second-highest ranked midfielder and proven guns like Cripps, Macrae and Dangerfield are outside the top 20. A smokie is Mitch Duncan who is in 1 per cent of teams and averaging 119.
DAN BATTEN
1. Lachie Neale
2. Jack Macrae
3. Tom Mitchell
4. Patrick Cripps
5. Patrick Dangerfield
6. Josh Kelly
It’s difficult to see any player scoring more points than Lachie Neale from this point on, with his main challenger Nat Fyfe set for a stint on the sidelines. Jack Macrae and Tom Mitchell will improve on their slow start and the efficient Josh Kelly rounds out the top six.
RUCKS
THE PHANTOM
1. Brodie Grundy
2. Max Gawn
3. Todd Goldstein
4. Jarrod Witts
5. Scott Lycett
6. Tim English
I still think Collingwood big man Brodie Grundy will just have Max Gawn covered. But Todd Goldstein won’t be far behind. Back-to-back scores of 140 or more suggests Gold Coast skipper Jarrod Witts is hitting his straps after a very limited pre-season, while Tim English has looked a different player in the past two weeks.
TIM MICHELL
1. Max Gawn
2. Brodie Grundy
3. Todd Goldstein
4. Rowan Marshall
5. Tim English
6. Scott Lycett
Forget his Round 1 93. Gawn has scored 184 and 141 in his other two games. Considering Collingwood has flagged Brodie Grundy could be managed, Gawn is my tip to finish as No.1. Rowan Marshall could finish in the top two if Brett Ratten lets him loose enough.
AL PATON
1. Brodie Grundy
2. Max Gawn
3. Todd Goldstein
4. Scott Lycett
5. Reilly O’Brien
6. Rowan Marshall
I think we were right to pick Grundy and Gawn as the big two but Goldstein isn’t as far behind as I thought. Lycett and O’Brien are thriving as solo rucks and Marshall could do the same if Paddy Ryder stays out of the team.
DAN BATTEN
1. Max Gawn
2. Brodie Grundy
3. Todd Goldstein
4. Scott Lycett
5. Rowan Marshall
6. Reilly O’Brien
Max Gawn has fallen just shy of Brodie Grundy the past two seasons but 2020 will be the year he claims victory. Todd Goldstein will be there and abouts with shortened quarters, while Rowan Marshall’s should assert his dominance on games more than he has thus far.
FORWARDS
THE PHANTOM
1. Michael Walters (Freo) $602,300
Average: 120
Round 4 score: 113
After passing the 100-point mark 12 times last season, Walters has posted four consecutive SuperCoach tons to start the year. The midfield-forward split, which has seen the 29-year-old average 22 disposals, six score involvements and five clearances, while also boot six goals, works perfectly for SuperCoach scoring in shortened matches. The star Docker won’t trail North Melbourne young gun Jy Simpkin for long.
2. Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $483,800
Average: 75
Round 4 score: 85
On the back of the injury-affected eight-point score in Round 3, Whitfield’s average and price have taken a huge hit. But he’s still got the talent, class and game-breaking traits which saw him average 111 points per game last year.
3. Christian Petracca (Melb) $491,900
Average: 107
Round 4 score: 89
The midfield dream is finally a reality and, despite dropping below the 100-point mark for the first time this year on Sunday, I think the 87-game Petracca has Simpkin covered from here. And his ability to take a strong contested mark as a forward, when not at the centre bounce, is one of the reasons why.
4. Jy Simpkin (NM) $520,900
Average: 123
Round 4 score: 119
The midfield role, which produced three SuperCoach tons in the final nine rounds of 2019, now officially a full-time thing. No forward has scored more SuperCoach points in 2020 and Simpkin ranks sixth in the AFL for clearances and eighth for score involvements. And don’t worry about Ben Cunnington’s impending return.
5. Chad Wingard (Haw) $482,600
Average: 112
Round 4 score: 136
As he did late last year, Wingard, who has posted three scores of 120 or more to start the season, is pushing further up the ground to have an impact as the Hawks break away from the contest. But it hasn’t stifled his influence inside-50. Only Charlie Dixon and Tom Papley have booted more goals than Wingard, who ranks equal-12th in the competition for score involvements, this year.
6. Hugh Greenwood (GC) $494,800
Average: 97
Round 4 score: 61
The former Crow was quiet against the Dockers, tallying just seven touches, but Greenwood’s first three games of the season showed he’ll be a consistent force at the contest this year. And his contested-possession and tackle numbers will ensure consistent SuperCoach scoring. He’ll need a big score or two to stay ahead of Dustin Martin and Brad Ebert, though.
TIM MICHELL
1. Michael Walters
2. Jy Simpkin
3. Isaac Heeney
4. Bailey Smith
5. Dustin Martin
6. Christian Petracca
The most difficult line to predict with so many breakout stars. Lachie Whitfield and Dustin Martin were supposed to be certainties to finish as the top-two forwards of 2020 yet I’m not even sure they’ll make the top six now.
AL PATON
1. Michael Walters
2. Dustin Martin
3. Christian Petracca
4. Lachie Whitfield
5. Jy Simpkin
6. Chad Wingard
I’m backing Dusty and Whitfield to reassert their expected positions and I did have Walters (along with many others) in my team at one stage of the pre-season. Petracca and Simpkin could be mid-only next year.
DAN BATTEN
1. Lachie Whitfield
2. Michael Walters
3. Christian Petracca
4. Jy Simpkin
5. Dustin Martin
6. Bailey Smith
I’m sticking with my pre-season prediction of Lachie Whitfield here, but Michael Walters’ strong start has shown he could be the top-ranked forward at season’s end. The other four all have defined midfield roles and will also be in the reckoning.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2020: Our predictions for the top six players on every line
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