KFC SuperCoach AFL: Top rookies from mid-season draft, position changes announced after round 11

An influx of KFC SuperCoach cheapies has arrived just in time for the bye rounds. Our experts name the top picks for your team.

Does someone in AFL headquarters play KFC SuperCoach?

Because the mid-season draft has come at the perfect time, with an influx of bottom-priced players exactly when we are crying out for some.

But with some clubs grabbing a player who can make an immediate impact and others looking to the future, who are the cheapies that can save us in KFC SuperCoach – as Jai Newcombe did last season?

Here are our experts’ top picks.

Note: Players added to AFL lists on Wednesday night will be added to KFC SuperCoach before round 12.

Brett Turner is among the top options for our KFC SuperCoach sides. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Brett Turner (Adelaide) $102,400 MID

SC 2022 Ave: 119 (SANFL)

The Crows grabbed the 25-year-old gun from the SANFL and he could be seen soon at AFL level to fill a Rory Sloane-sized hole in the Adelaide midfield, based on a glowing endorsement from recruiter Hamish Ogilvie.

“His early-season form has been outstanding and clearly above SANFL level, he deserves an opportunity, he has done a lot of extra work and presented his body and conditioning in outstanding shape,” Ogilvie said on Wednesday night.

“As a player he offers a point of difference for our midfield in he has good speed and lateral movement and can go left and right foot out of stoppage.

“He fits nicely in our age profile given we need to add some quality players in that age bracket and history shows the very best SANFL players can transfer to the AFL and have an impact.”

Turner averaged 24 disposals and 1.5 goals per game in the first four rounds of the SANFL – including a dominant display in round 3 against the Crows when he had 38 disposals, kicked 4.1 and scored 182 KFC SuperCoach points – before injuring his foot the next week. He is expected to be available after Adelaide’s round 13 bye.

Jai Culley (West Coast) $102,400 MID/FWD

SC 2022 Average: 135.5 (NAB League)

It might be a stretch to see Culley step straight into West Coast’s line-up coming off just three games for the year, but an AFL debut won’t be far off considering the Eagles’ injury crisis.

The 193cm inside midfielder posted scores of 151 and 120 in his two NAB League matches but his crowning moment came in the Young Guns clash against the best 19-year-olds in Victoria, where he amassed a whopping 197 SuperCoach points.

In that outing, Culley finished with 22 disposals, seven inside 50s, five marks and four first-half goals.

Culley has a ready-made frame, nice footskills, wins contested ball and pushes forward to hit the scoreboard – that’s what we like in a rookie.

Jai Culley came close to a double ton for the Young Guns. Picture: Mike Owen/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Josh Carmichael (Collingwood) $102,400 MID/FWD

SC Ave (SANFL): 106

Carmichael has the potential to be one of the best KFC SuperCoach options from this year’s mid-season draft as a tall goalkicking midfielder.

The 22-year-old has had a breakout SANFL season where he is averaging 25 disposals, five clearances, four tackles and 106 SuperCoach points from eight matches for the bottom-placed West Adelaide.

He shapes as a prospect who could step in right away at senior level, especially at the Magpies who are lacking a player in his mould.

Sam Durdin (Carlton) $123,900 DEF

SC 2022 Ave: 88 (SANFL)

The mid-season draft came at the perfect time for Carlton after a serious injury to its most important defender Jacob Weitering last weekend.

Durdin could step straight into the Blues backline after their round 12 bye after strong performances for Glenelg in the SANFL following six years on North Melbourne’s list.

The highlight came on Anzac Day when he won the best-on-ground medal for 22 disposals and 11 marks.

He last played at AFL level in 2020 when he averaged 36.3 in three appearances. His best season was 2019 (av 52.6), so don’t expect big scores but he could fill a vital spot on the defensive bench.

Will Sam Durdin become a popular rookie defender? Picture: Keryn Stevens

Brynn Teakle (Port Adelaide) $102,400 RUC-FWD

SC Ave 2022: 92 (WAFL)

Say hello to our main RUC-FWD rookie hope.

Teakle joins the Power as a mature-age ruck-forward after averaging 14.7 disposals, 17 hitouts and a goal for East Fremantle in the WAFL.

The 202cm prospect shouldn’t be a significant threat to Sam Hayes’ ruck mantle, but could get an opportunity at the back-end of the season.

But that may not matter for those after a RUC-FWD swing.

Wade Derksen (GWS) $102,400 DEF/FWD

SC Ave (WAFL): 101

Derksen spent a surprising amount of time in the ruck for a 195cm key forward due to his exciting athletic traits, but has been given DEF/FWD dual-position status by Champion Data.

The Peel Thunder product has recorded 22 hitouts in his four WAFL matches and from a KFC SuperCoach perspective, it could allow us to downgrade to him as a cut-priced FWD/RUC rookie.

And he has the potential to break in this year in a Giants side that lacks tall forwards, with the 21-year-old averaging 16 disposals, five marks, 101 points along with booting nine goals across four WAFL matches this season.

Kallan Dawson (North Melbourne) $102,400 DEF

SC Ave 2022: 69 (VFL)

The apprentice electrician is set to provide some much-needed spark in the Kangaroos’ back half.

The 23-year-old has been a standout for Williamstown in the VFL this year – against Frankston two weeks ago he had 15 kicks and 11 marks – and Kangaroos talent manager Brady Rawlings says Dawson is ready to play.

“He’s a good intercept mark, he’s put on 10-11 kilos in the last two seasons so he’s got his body ready for AFL footy.

“He’s got good speed, good judgement in the air and he’s been quite skilful and safe with the ball in hand.”

Suffered a foot injury last weekend but it wasn’t serious. Shouldn’t have to wait long for an AFL debut.

Kallan Dawson is set to play once he returns from injury. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos

Massimo D’Ambrosio (Essendon) $102,400 DEF

SC Ave: 134 (NAB League), 88 (VFL)

D’Ambrosio will miss up to four weeks with a shoulder injury he suffered last week for Richmond’s VFL side, but he shapes as a player to watch.

The elite-kicking defender-wingman dominated in the NAB League, averaging 28 disposals, 19 kicks, eight intercepts and 134 SuperCoach points and proved he could score well against senior bodies.

In two non-injury affected VFL matches, D’Ambrosio averaged 83 points, including a 25 disposals and 88 points up against his new Bombers teammates.

James Blanck (Hawthorn) $102,400 DEF

SC Ave: 60 (VFL)

Blanck doesn’t have great scoring potential as a lockdown tall, but the Hawks could call on him to bolster their key defensive stocks.

The 195cm, 21-year-old has averaged 60 points, along with 9.5 disposals, 2.9 marks and 5.1 spoils in the VFL last year.

Blanck may not follow in fellow Box Hill graduate Jai Newcombe’s footsteps and come to our rescue, but he could be a warm body at the back-end of the season if he gets a run of games.

Will Hayes (Carlton) $123,900 MID/FWD

SC Ave 2022: 128 (VFL)

A rare second chance at a second chance for the former Bulldog, who graduated from Footscray VFL to the AFL before being delisted at the end of last season.

He demanded a spot on Carlton’s list by averaging 33 disposals a game for the Blues’ VFL outfit this year, but it won’t be an easy midfield to break into at AFL level.

If he gets a chance, he’s ready to go.

... and the other mid-season draftees:

Jye Menzie (Ess) $102,400 MID

Sebit Kuek (Frem) $102,400 FWD

Zane Williams (Geel) $102,400 FWD

Oskar Faulkhead (GC) $102,400 MID

Max Ramsden (Haw) $102,400 RUC

Jacob Bauer (Rich) $102,400 FWD

Hugo Hall-Kahan (Syd) $102,400 FWD

Revealed: The 23 new DPPs for round 12

How many Bulldogs can you pick in your KFC SuperCoach forward line?

It’s a question players will be wrestling with after the second round of position changes was announced for the 2022 season.

In a new feature this year, Champion Data reviews where players have been lining up to assess whether their assigned position in KFC SuperCoach matches what’s happening on the field.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE NEW DPPs

If a player spends 35 per cent of game time or more in a secondary position, they can become a dual-position player, with changes taking effect at round 11 lockout – which means they are available for selection as DPPs as of right now.

A couple of things to know – players can have only two positions and must have played at least six matches to qualify for a DPP change.

The two biggest names to gain dual-position status are Bulldogs stars Marcus Bontempelli and Bailey Smith. Bontempelli spent enough time forward against the Eagles to lock in a percentage of 39.9 per cent over the first 11 rounds, while Smith already had a forward percentage of 38.8 per cent before missing the Eagles clash through illness.

Remarkably, the Dogs have the top four ranked forwards in KFC SuperCoach, and six of the top nine. Tim English is No.1 with a season average of 128 points per game, ahead of Josh Dunkley (116.2), Smith (112.2) and Bontempelli (111). Docker Will Brodie (105.4) and Swan Luke Parker (104.5) make up the top six followed by another Dog, Tom Liberatore (101.5), then Isaac Heeney (100.9) and Adam Treloar (99.2).

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Tiger Jayden Short is now a DEF/MID in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Some lower profile players have also gained dual-position status at the perfect time as we enter the bye rounds.

It’s too late to trade in Robbie McComb (MID/FWD, 21 per cent of teams), Ben Hobbs (12 per cent, MID/FWD) and Flynn Perez (DEF/MID, 3 per cent), but if you already have them they can play a big role in getting 18 scoring players on field in each of the next three rounds.

If you have a full contingent available in the midfield, swing McComb forward to give you an extra player on the field in the forward line. Or if you’re well stocked in defence, Flynn can help bring a player like Jack Crisp into the midfield for one round. Even a non-playing DPP rookie like Hobbs this week can help open up other crucial bye round moves.

Isaac Heeney is now a FWD/MID in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

In other DPP news, Jayden Short and Jason Horne Francis both just cleared the 35 per cent barrier after spending most of their round 11 matches in the midfield and forward line respectively, while Isaac Heeney registered a midfield figure of 36.7 per cent to activate DPP despite spending most of Friday night’s clash against Richmond in the forward line.

Magpie Darcy Cameron, Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee and Bomber Ben Hobbs all cleared 35 per cent easily. Giant Adam Kennedy was the easiest call for Champion Data – he is now DEF/MID after spending 96.6 per cent of game time in defence since returning to the team in round 3.

The closest call to miss out was Rowan Marshall, with his 33.5 per cent forward time not quite enough to earn RUC/FWD status. Sam Walsh (27.6 per cent forward), Max Gawn (28.6 per cent forward), Travis Boak (29 per cent forward) and Tom Mitchell (24.4 per cent forward) also just fell short. Watch for their names when the final round of position changes are announced after round 17.

See every position change below.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach AFL: Top rookies from mid-season draft, position changes announced after round 11