KFC SuperCoach: Dual-position changes, new positions for 2023 revealed

What do the 2023 position changes mean for your KFC SuperCoach team? Here are the key names and tips for selection strategy - plus all the changes you need to know.

Tim Michell and Al Paton

6 min read

December 9, 2022 - 7:00AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

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The new AFL season is still several months away, but time spent planning now can pay off in a big way when the whips are cracking in KFC SuperCoach.

The first pre-season milestone is Champion Data locking in every player position for next season – scroll down to see all the big changes. Here are five key takeaways.

1. Prepare to pay up in the forward line

KFC SuperCoaches worried about depleted forward line options can rest easy with a host of quality MID-FWD players available. Tim Taranto has retained FWD status after his move to Richmond and will be priced below the uber premium forwards. Despite playing mainly in the midfield from about round 9 onwards, Stephen Coniglio also kept DPP status as a FWD-MID. Then there’s Zak Butters, Connor Rozee, Ben Cunnington, Darcy Cameron and a cut-price Nat Fyfe to consider – and that’s without mentioning the biggest lock of them all, Josh Dunkley. Don’t be surprised if many KFC SuperCoaches opt to bat deep in their forward line and start with up to four MID-FWD premiums – Coniglio, Dunkley and Taranto will almost certainly be in most teams with Cunnington at F4 or F5. This approach will mean scrimping in other positions, but will pay off if you choose players who become season keepers.

2. Choosing two rucks has never been harder

This year we had the luxury of a host of RUC-FWDs, and that flexibility proved invaluable when injuries and other issues inevitably struck. Tim English and Rowan Marshall have lost FWD status, while popular 2022 starting rookies Tristan Xerri (RUC only) and Jack Hayes (FWD only) are no longer DPPs. Darcy Cameron kept FWD status and should be popular, especially when you can pick any cheap RUC-FWD at R3 and use Cameron as insurance for your two first-choice ruckmen. Phoenix Foster, Henry Smith and Jack Williams are among the cheap R3 picks. The ruck line has long been a “set and forget” staple of Gawn and Grundy. But next year they’ll be teammates, Luke Jackson will steal minutes in the middle off Sean Darcy and there has to be doubts over whether Jarrod Witts can back up what was easily his best KFC SuperCoach season. Maybe big Max will get DPP by round 6 and help solve some of our ruck pain?

Rowan Marshall is listed as a RUC only in KFC SuperCoach in 2023. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

3. Joe Richards could be 2023’s most-popular rookie

Rookies in the 117k-123k range who could play immediately and have DPP are KFC SuperCoach gold. Collingwood’s team won’t be easy to crack into but Richards arrives at the Magpies as a ready-made talent after dominating in country Victoria. The 23-year-old school teacher could be the perfect M11, allowing coaches to pivot any of their big gun FWD-MIDs into the middle when required due to injury/suspension. DPP should definitely be a factor when choosing your bench rookies, although cash generation is always the priority.

4. Ben Cunnington might be a must-have

Cunnington’s comeback was one of the great footy stories of 2022 and if KFC SuperCoach weren’t already rooting for him, they definitely will be next year. His two games this year yielded an average of 49.5 points and although it’s unlikely he will be priced purely on those matches, the North Melbourne bull is set for a significant discount on his usual starting price. Cunnington was $591k at the start of this season after averaging 108.7 in 2021 and shapes as a perfect mid-price stepping stone for your KFC SuperCoach team after being allocated FWD-MID status.

Ben Cunnington could be a bargain in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

5. Lots of draftees are likely to gain DPP by round 6 or 12

Only three of the top-20 players taken in this year’s draft will start the 2023 season with DPP status. Bailey Humphrey (Gold Coast) has been listed as a FWD-MID, Reuben Ginbey (West Coast) is a DEF-MID and Matthaes Phillipou (St Kilda) is a FWD-MID. Rookies were among the main beneficiaries of the addition of KFC SuperCoach in-season DPP changes in 2022. Nick Daicos became a DEF-MID, Jason Horne-Francis a FWD-MID, Ben Hobbs picked up FWD status and Brady Hough finished the year as a DEF-MID. Theres likely to be even more potential for round 6 and 12 DPP additions from this year’s draft pool. Will Ashcroft is a rare breed and will probably stay MID only, but fellow first-round pick Jaspa Fletcher might need to find another role if he’s going to break in. Essendon loves Elijah Tsatas’ ball-winning ability but isn’t exactly short on midfielders. And maybe West Coast introduces Elijah Hewett to AFL as a half-forward rather than throwing him into the midfield. Watch pre-season games closely and ensure you take possible DPP additions into account when selecting your team.

Big position changes for 2023 locked in

Is Fyfe KFC SuperCoach life?

For the first time in the Fremantle superstar’s AFL career he will be available for selection as a forward in 2023.

Fyfe headlines the list of new dual-position players after Champion Data completed its review of 2022 data to lock in starting positions for next season.

The Fremantle captain’s injury history will be a major factor coaches will have to consider, and there will be similar questions for Bulldog Toby McLean who, like Fyfe, will be a MID-FWD in KFC SuperCoach.

Injury restricted Fyfe to just seven matches in 2022 and amazingly in his 13-year career he has never played a full season, and managed 20 or more games just three times. Weighing against that is scoring power that delivered season averages of 100 or more for nine straight seasons, three of those over 120.

McLean was recalled to the Dogs’ line-up for their elimination final after playing just four games in the past two years and finished with 21 disposals, nine tackles and 100 KFC SuperCoach points.

Another major beneficiary of the new DPP assignments is Ben Cunnington, who will be MID-FWD and available for a bargain price after he returned to play the final two matches of the season, averaging 49.5 in those games.

Meanwhile, new Essendon coach Brad Scott is set to work with an ultra-versatile list with Andrew McGrath, Dyson Heppell and Kyle Langford all awarded DPP status.

Nat Fyfe will be very tempting in KFC SuperCoach AFL next season. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

However, where the KFC SuperCoach gods give, they also take away. A number of stars have lost DPP for 2023 with the all-Bulldogs forward line of Marcus Bontempelli (MID only), Tom Liberatore (MID only), Tim English (RUC only) and Adam Treloar (MID only) losing DPP for 2023. In a silver lining, ex-Dog Josh Dunkley retains FWD-MID status after being traded to Brisbane.

Other popular KFC SuperCoach players who have lost DPP status include George Hewett (MID only), Rowan Marshall (RUC only), Isaac Heeney (FWD only), Jack Crisp (MID only) and Lachie Whitfield (MID only).

But Stephen Coniglio, Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Tigers time-trial king Tim Taranto will all be MID-FWD again next year.

And there are some other position switches. Mitch Duncan has been a midfielder for most of his KFC SuperCoach career, started last season as a MID/FWD and will be DEF only in 2023. His teammate Mark Blicavs continues his remarkable career arc of sampling every possible position, switching from DEF/RUC to MID/RUC.

Scroll down for some more position highlights and stay tuned for the early KFC SuperCoach AFL team picker – coming soon, it allows SuperCoach Plus subscribers to get in before Christmas and start picking a 2023 team.

And if you need a SuperCoach fix, KFC SuperCoach BBL is the free, fun cricket fantasy game with a $25,000 grand prize. Don’t miss out!

GAINED DPP

Nat Fyfe MID-FWD

Andrew McGrath DEF-MID

Dyson Heppell DEF-MID

Kyle Langford FWD-MID

Ben Cunnington MID-FWD

Toby McLean FWD-MID

Mitch Hinge DEF-FWD

Charlie Constable DEF-MID

Buku Khamis DEF-FWD