KFC SuperCoach AFL: Expert analysis, rankings of every price range and position

Everyone loves a bargain, especially in KFC SuperCoach. A panel of experts, including the past two winners, name the best value picks in every position.

It’s like KFC SuperCoach’s own version of Judge Judy.

The votes are final. The verdicts are final.

And they will determine who has bragging rights come the end of the 2023 season.

But more importantly, our expert consensus ranks, which include the past two winners Em Challis and JP, are the ultimate guide to who you should pick in KFC SuperCoach.

We have broken down every price bracket and every position to help you lock in your squad of 30 players ahead of round 1.

See how our six experts ranked every position and the consensus verdict on the defence, forwards, rucks and midfielders below.

PRICE BRACKETS

FORWARD, RUCKS AND DEFENDERS

$475k+ — Premium

$208k-$474k — Mid-price

Below $208k — Rookie

MIDFIELDERS

$500k+ — Premium

$208k-$499k — Mid-price

Below $208k — Rookie

James Sicily headlines a great crop of premium defenders.

DEFENDERS

NOTE: Consensus rankings were done before Elliot Yeo’s injury.

TIM MICHELL SAYS: No wonder so many KFC SuperCoaches are choosing to load their defence with rookies. There are a host of great cheapie options in defence this year, headlined by one of the most-popular picks of the year Reuben Ginbey.

The main reason not to go down this route would be if you could fit 3-4 of Sicily, Stewart, Docherty and Dawson in, all but guaranteeing yourself the pick of the likely top scorers of 2023. There’s plenty of depth in this position with rising stars such as Hayden Young, Nick Daicos and Isaac Cumming in our votes and Jordan Ridley tipped to bounce back into the top-10 defenders with greater freedom in the Essendon defence. The mid-price stocks drop away quickly after Elliot Yeo and Liam Jones, so look elsewhere for a bargain in this price bracket.

Rory Laird scored perfect votes as the must-have midfielder from our experts.

MIDFIELD

TIM SAYS: No surprise that the two big dogs from 2022 — Clayton Oliver and Rory Laird — were jostling for No.1 position in the premium ranks. As always, the midfield premium depth is strong with the $600k+ group complemented by rising stars such as Tom Green, Chad Warner and Luke Davies-Uniacke, who have top-10 claims.

The structure of your midfield will likely determine how much money you can spare for your attack and defence. Finn Callaghan, James Worpel, Jacob Hopper and Dom Sheed are underpriced for their potential output and provide KFC SuperCoaches with serious mid-price value to weigh up. Hopper is the most popular of this quartet.

Ashcroft will be a star, but the midfield rookies fall away sharply after the Lions father-son jet. Oskar Baker looks to have Lachie Hunter’s wing role locked in at the Bulldogs and Will Phillips should feature, but M10 and M11 looks the spot to choose DPPs and give your team valuable flexibility.

Rowan Marshall is the big man most KFC SuperCoaches are targeting.

RUCKS

TIM SAYS: The most contentious position of 2023. Is Rowan Marshall going to make the leap our experts — and about 50 per cent of coaches — are expecting? Will Max Gawn-Brodie Grundy and Sean Darcy-Luke Jackson really eat into each other’s points? Logic says yes, but as the votes show our experts are split (on Gawn and Darcy at least). Marshall and last year’s No.1 Jarrod Witts were the most popular premium options.

The mid-price ruckmen don’t exactly scream value and this is a position where you would be better paying up for two premiums or taking the ultimate risk on a starting pick such as Esava Ratugolea.

Nick Madden led the votes for rookie rucks because R3 is the easiest position to deploy the captaincy loophole from. Keep an eye on Brynn Teakle and whether he can dethrone Scott Lycett. His points per minute last year suggest he could score well if chosen as a sole ruck. For now, Lycett has the inside running though.

Josh Dunkley averaged seven points more a game than any other forward last year.

FORWARDS

TIM SAYS: Errol Gulden is the pre-season bolter that forced many of our experts to reassess their forward rankings. Dunkley, Taranto, Rozee and Coniglio are a popular choice for the top-four forwards, but trying to squeeze them and Gulden into your forward six is another matter. Dylan Moore is the smoky if you want a POD, although past winners Em and JP prefer Isaac Heeney.

Gulden is technically a mid-pricer (under $475k) which is why more than 30 per cent of coaches want to capitalise on his value. He’s the surest bet of the mid-price picks although Darcy Cameron averaged 104 per 100 mins as a ruck last year, Nat Fyfe has a great early draw, Ben Cunnington is back in the middle for North and Tanner Bruhn/Sam Flanders have been pre-season boaters. If only we had 10 forward spots.

Toby McLean was the must-have rookie at the start of pre-season but conjecture over his spot in the best 22 at the Bulldogs has elevated Fergus Greene and Alwyn Davey in the ranks. If you can get the right option out of Phillipou, Pedlar, King, McLean and Jye Menzie, you’ll be well set for cash generation. Dan Batten is certain it’s King, but the rest of us aren’t as convinced.