KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s Round 2 trade advice and burning questions
Patrick Cripps’ KFC SuperCoach scores could surpass his numbers when he was a fantasy star in 2018-19. The Phantom explains why and answers this week’s big burning questions.
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Ah, the Round 1 hangover.
After months of research, planning and tinkering, the time finally arrived.
It was five days of KFC SuperCoach fun, banter and out-of-control emotion.
But the mood changed very quickly come Monday morning.
What have I done? Can I take that back? Never again!
Think of the return of my burning questions as a KFC Zinger Box – your hangover cure.
How about those rookies?
Close to the highlight of the opening round – and the reason for so many big scores – was the performance of the KFC SuperCoach rookies.
Debutants Jack Hayes (127), Josh Rachele (118), Nic Martin (114), Nick Daicos (98) and Jason Horne-Francis (75) all posted big numbers in their first appearance at the top level.
Well done if you had some – or all – of them on field.
Don’t worry, if you didn’t, you weren’t the only one. We will all leave a big rookie score, or two, on the bench this year - it could even be in Round 2.
Last season, cheapies Matt Flynn (140) and Errol Gulden (139) backed up their big opening round scores but Crow James Rowe scored 19 and 40 after his KFC SuperCoach ton on debut.
More big scores aren’t a certainty but significant cash generation is – so you need to get them in before the Round 3 prices changes.
If you see yourself needing three trades – using the new trade boost – ahead of Round 3, trading in one this week could be the way to go. The most-popular trade at the time of writing is Kaine Baldwin to Nic Martin – a big tick from me
TRADE GUIDE: EVERYTHING TO CONSIDER AHEAD OF ROUND 2
How about Tom Green?
This was the highlight. During the pre-season, I admitted I went too early last season but still tipped a third-year breakout in 2022. And, after 31 disposals, 17 contested possessions, eight clearances, two goals and 164 points, it looks like it’s happening.
I just couldn’t start him, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be jumping on, if I need the cash or a premium underperforms again in Round 2. Or if I just cave in.
Speaking underperforming premiums, should I trade out Jack Crisp, Phant?
No. It’s not a quick, turn-my-back-on-you no. But it’s a no.
I would, however, watch him closely this week, and start considering what you could do with the Collingwood gun ahead of Round 3. His 16 disposals in a game when the Magpies had 388 as a team - the third-highest of the round – is a concern. Then again, Crisp had 23 disposals and 84 points in Round 1 last year, before a 36-disposal, 122-point effort the following week.
What about Lachie Whitfield?
You’re probably never going to get consistent 110s from Lachie Whitfield. But he’s every chance to score 140 at the MCG this week, though. Hold.
Jordan Ridley?
Played on from three of his five kick-ins but, with a lack of consistent pressure in the midfield, Ridley took just one intercept mark, as Geelong held onto the ball and found targets going forward. I’m more concerned about him than Crisp, though.
Sure, there is plenty of real value in George Hewett and Dan Houston, but I’d be backing the premiums you picked in defence for another week.
It also allows you to be more certain about Hewett and Houston going the other way.
Jack Steele?
OK, stop now.
Max Gawn?
What did I just say?
So no trading?
Even with five extra trades this year, ideally you don’t trade on one week’s worth of data.
You’ll get over that hangover soon.
But it’s unlikely you picked a perfect team, meaning you will need to use at least one corrective trade before the Round 3 price changes.
If you forecast more than three trades next week, jump on that big scoring rookie you missed now.
You can almost be certain there is a big cash injection, regardless if they hit three figures again or not. And of that group listed above, an injury looks the only thing that could push them out of the team.
But what if I didn’t start with Matt Rowell?
The final game of the round would have been difficult viewing.
After back-to-back KFC SuperCoach tons in the pre-season, Rowell finished with 33 disposals, 22 contested possessions, nine clearances and 157 points against the Eagles, confirming he’s ready to finally carry on from what he started in the opening month of his career.
If you weren’t one of the 80,000 KFC SuperCoaches who started Rowell, you need to jump on before his price balloons past $400k.
There’s no ideal way to do it.
Consider ‘downgrading’ a premium who underperforms again next week, to grab Rowell before his price skyrockets and cash in on the premium before he falls.
It may even just be your lowest-scoring premium midfielder – a restructure to fit in Rowell and then use the money to upgrade elsewhere could be worth it.
But if Jarrod Berry’s shoulder knock turns out to be serious, he could be the perfect trade.
Then there’s someone like Caleb Serong. The young Docker finished strongly to record 92 KFC SuperCoach points against the Crows and I still think a three-figure average is on the cards this year.
But will he average more than Rowell? I don’t think so.
If you can put the $100k to good use, consider making the move. It’s not you writing off Serong, it’s you making money to get what is likely to be a better scorer.
Look at all of your potential options, and re-assess next week.
What about Patrick Cripps?
The Carlton skipper might not just be back, he might be back a better player.
Don’t worry, I said might.
In the season opener, Cripps tallied 30 disposals, eight clearances and 132 points. He again moved unbelievably well, and maybe not just in comparison to last year.
In the previous five seasons, Cripps averaged 250, 231, 270, 260 and 245 metres gained per game in each year respectively. Against the Tigers, he gained 680 metres and finished with 20 uncontested possessions, a career-high 11 inside-50s and three goals.
With the inclusion of George Hewett and Adam Cerra, and the continued rise of Sam Walsh, Cripps doesn’t have to do as much heavy lifting on the inside this year. And he’s proving he can be just as damaging in space.
But, given Richmond’s midfield isn’t what it used to be, wait one more week for official confirmation, and then consider similar trade options to Rowell.
Pat Lipinski?
Over Cripps, who has done it all before? I don’t think so. But new opportunity creates value in KFC SuperCoach and he’s got exactly that.
Who’s Luke Foley?
He’s the $244k defender, who outscored more-popular options in the price range in Heath Chapman and Jake Bowey.
Foley was drafted in 2018, a year after he was eligible, as a midfielder but the Eagles have turned him into a defender. And he’s been building in the WAFL, posting three KFC SuperCoach tons, and two more score in the 90s, in 11 games last season.
The 22-year-old tallied 22 disposals, five rebound-50s, four intercept marks and 82 in his fourth senior game in Round 13 last year, but the Eagles’ depth in defence means he’s never had consistent opportunity.
That could change, though, after Foley produced an impressive 24-disposal, six-intercept, 98-point performance in the absence of several first-choice Eagles in Round 1.
Why did Will Brodie play just 65 per cent of the game?
He just doesn’t yet appear to have the tank. But we knew that.
We also knew that he didn’t need a full game to more than justify his price tag, as he proved once again with 22 disposals, 13 contested possessions and 76 points in 65 per cent game-time against the Crows.
Brodie spent 20 minutes of the final quarter on the bench, but, remember, the Dockers did similar strange things to Andrew Brayshaw’s game-time early on his career.
Similar output over the next few weeks, and he’ll be on track to push $400k by upgrade season. Job done.
Feeling better? Just remember last year’s hangover was far worse – Rowell was injured, Patrick Dangerfield suspended and Brodie Grundy scored 70.
We all go back for more.
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Will Brodie spent 20 minutes on the bench in Q4. 70+ points in both #SuperCoach and #AFLFantasy, but it could have been more. #AFLCrowsFreo
— Fantasy Freako (@FantasyFreako) March 20, 2022
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s Round 2 trade advice and burning questions
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