KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s top 50 fantasy draft rankings
Playing KFC SuperCoach Draft in 2022? To help you decide who to pick and when, the final instalment of The Phantom’s top 50 player rankings is in.
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If you haven’t played KFC SuperCoach Draft before, you’re missing out.
Arguably, it’s a fun, more-exciting way to play our favourite fantasy game.
Take part in a league with your mates – or join any available public league – and select a unique KFC SuperCoach team through a live draft where each player is only available once.
You can then trade players with other teams throughout the season and pick up any undrafted player from the free agency pool as you go.
KFC SUPERCOACH DRAFT IS FREE TO PLAY, SIGN UP AND START YOUR LEAGUE NOW
League settings – number of teams, squad size, trading and free agency options, gameplay and draft type, just to name a few – are customisable, allowing you to set up your competition your own way.
Here is the final edition of my Top 50 player rankings, featuring some significant changes.
For new players, it will give you an indication of how a draft might play out.
DRAFT POSITION RANKINGS: THE CONSENSUS TOP PICKS ON EVERY LINE
TOP 50 DRAFT RANKINGS
1. Brodie Grundy (Coll), Ruck(Pre-AAMI Series ranking: 1)
2021 Average: 115.2
2. Jack Macrae (WB), Mid(2)
2021 Average: 128.6
3. Jack Steele (StK), Mid(3)
2021 Average: 126
4. Josh Dunkley (WB), Fwd(4)
2021 Average: 102.5
5. Clayton Oliver (Melb), Mid (5)
2021 Average: 123.5
6. Lachie Neale (Bris), Mid (6)
2021 Average: 99.8
7. Sean Darcy (Freo), Ruck(7)
2021 Average: 118
8. Touk Miller (GC), Mid (10)
2021 Average: 124.5
9. Max Gawn (Melb), Ruck (9)
2021 Average: 120.8
10. Jake Lloyd (Syd), Def (8)
2021 Average: 105.3
Touk Miller’s second consecutive score of 140 in the pre-season has resulted in a slight bump – he does deserve to be recognised alongside the big names. And another prolific midfield display from Josh Dunkley only reaffirmed the belief he’s a top-five pick in KFC SuperCoach Draft. It’s a big call at the top, but I would still be taking a ruckman, despite more top-end options presenting this year, as a result of Sean Darcy’s rise and Nic Naitanui’s new-found consistency. You will still get a gun midfielder with your next pick. And with Darcy battling a few more different issues over the pre-season, and Luke Jackson’s rise at the Demons, it should be Brodie Grundy, with the star Pie working hard on his fitness over summer. The rolled-gold midfield stars should fall in the next handful of selections, but I’d be jumping on Dunkley, who could put some distance between himself and the next-best forward in 2021 with a return to his best in the midfield. You might be able to secure Lachie Neale a bit lower than No. 6 in your KFC SuperCoach Draft, but I’m tipping him to bounce back past the 120-point mark.
11. Darcy Parish (Ess), Mid(11)
2021 Average: 114.1
12. Tom Mitchell (Haw), Mid (12)
2021 Average: 117.2
13. Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Mid (13)
2021 Average: 119.7
14. Zak Butters (Port), Fwd (17)
2021 Average: 81.5
15. Christian Petracca (Melb), Mid(14)
2021 Average: 111.4
16. Jack Crisp (Coll), Def(16)
2021 Average: 104.9
17. Josh Kelly (GWS), Mid(18)
2021 Average: 107
18. Adam Treloar (WB), Fwd(27)
2021 Average: 88.8
19. Mitch Duncan (Geel), Fwd (15)
2021 Average: 99.2
20. Sam Walsh (Carl), Mid(25)
2021 Average: 117
Zak Butters has climbed further, after he backed up his 167-point performance in the practice game against the Suns, when he only attended five centre bounces, with 114 against the Crows. That centre bounce number will climb in the regular season, as will his standing in KFC SuperCoach. It’s also based on the lack of depth at the top-end of the forward pool, which has also resulted in another big rise for Bulldog Adam Treloar. He was one of a number of significant changes made to the back-end of this list pre-AAMI Series, but I’ve pushed him up again after the former Magpie scored 132 points against the Lions. After Dunkley and Butters, I think he’s the next - and maybe only other - player you could be sure about hitting three figures this year. Mitch Duncan has had an interrupted pre-season but his dual-position status means he’s still worthy of a top-20 selection, given the forward uncertainty. If you’re getting a Darcy Parish or Tom Mitchell with your second pick, you should be thrilled, while the next-best defender Jack Crisp has too much value to fall further than this. Sure the backline pool is deep, but they don’t all have the consistency, durability and, now, scoring potential of Crisp. And I’ve decided you can’t let Sam Walsh, who is progressing well from ankle surgery, fall any further. He was close to the top-10 before the injury.
21. Lachie Whitfield (GWS), Def(23)
2021 Average: 92.3
22. Aaron Hall (NM), Def(20)
2021 Average: 105.3
23. Jarryd Lyons (Bris), Mid(21)
2021 Average: 117.6
24. Zach Merrett (Ess), Mid (22)
2021 Average: 115
25. Jordan De Goey (Coll), Fwd(19)
2021 Average: 85.2
26. Nic Naitanui (WC), Ruck(24)
2021 Average: 11.53
27. Callum Mills (Syd), Mid(36)
2021 Average: 112.4
28. Tarryn Thomas (NM), Fwd(26)
2021 Average: 84.4
29. Isaac Heeney (Syd), Fwd(28)
2021 Average: 83.5
30. James Sicily (Haw), Def(30)
2021 Average: DNP
Forwards made a move into this section in the pre-AAMI Series update, given how early the solid options stop – if you’ve already completed a draft, you will know exactly what I’m talking about. In the final rankings, Swan Callum Mills is back where he started after he scored 85 points in a half to prove he’s ready to go for Round 1. Tarryn Thomas is set for a bigger midfield role in 2022 and his finish to last season proves he has plenty of KFC SuperCoach scoring power. Like in the past, Isaac Heeney could be the steal of the draft, with coach John Longmire declaring it will be a 70/30 midfield-forward split this year. But he could also be the bust – and the fact he started forward in the AAMI Series makes me nervous.
As always, last night's KFC #SuperCoach Draft was a ripper. @mattturner1986's reaction to @Simeon_TW taking Touk Miller the highlight.@andrewcapel@Cornesy12@lizwalsh77@joshmoney__@antimoiannella@TheEradicatorSC@patkeam@TomBiddington@MelvinMansellpic.twitter.com/lNW7GlC92z
— The Phantom (@ThePhantomSC) March 10, 2022
31. Jack Ziebell (NM), Def(31)
2021 Average: 107.6
32. Tom Stewart (Geel), Def(33)
2021 Average: 107.6
33. Jordan Dawson (Adel), Def(29)
2021 Average: 101.1
34. Dustin Martin (Rich), Fwd(34)
2021 Average: 92.5
35. Andrew Brayshaw (Freo), Mid(35)
2021 Average: 107.3
36. Cam Guthrie (Geel), Mid(37)
2021 Average: 113.3
37. Hugh McCluggage (Bris), Mid(38)
2021 Average: 100
38. Jordan Ridley (Ess), Def (43)
2021 Average: 98.7
39. Patrick Dangerfield (Geel), Mid(40)
2021 Average: 104.3
40. Rory Laird (Adel), Mid(32)
2021 Average: 116.2
Rory Laird has fallen after breaking his hand in the AAMI Series, an injury which will sideline him for at least the opening month. But don’t forget about him as a midfielder-only in 2022 - he still could be another great pick on draft night. Dustin Martin had 33 disposals in the midfield against the Cats in the practice match and another 26, on his way to 105 KFC SuperCoach points, a week later. Jordan Ridley looks set to benefit from the addition of Jake Kelly at the Bombers, which should allow him to play with a bit more freedom as the floating tall
41. Jayden Short (Rich), Def(45)
2021 Average: 98.3
42. Ollie Wines (Port), Mid(39)
2021 Average: 112.5
43. Rowan Marshall (StK), Ruck(41)
2021 Average: 98.6
44. Nat Fyfe (Freo), Mid(-)
2021 Average: 100.4
45. Daniel Rich (Bris), Def(44)
2021 Average: 107
46. Tim English (WB), Fwd-Ruck (49)
2021 Average: 88.7
47. Tim Taranto (GWS), Fwd(46)
2021 Average: 97.3
48. Zac Bailey (Bris), Fwd (47)
2021 Average: 84.5
49. Luke Parker (Syd), Mid(48)
2021 Average: 108.7
50. Matt Rowell (GC), Mid (-)
2021 Average: 63
Jayden Short recorded AAMI Series highs for kicks (26) and kick-ins (9) and could well be taken early than this on draft night. Zac Bailey attended the fourth-most centre bounces for the Lions in the practice match, on his way to 141 KFC SuperCoach points and confirming his increased midfield role in 2022. Bulldogs big man Tim English has also risen slightly after making his way into the top-50 in the previous update – he could also provided valuable ruck cover this season. Pick forwards before they run out. I had to include Nat Fyfe this time around after the Dockers star declared his forward experiment over, while Matt Rowell also proved he’s ready to get back to his best in the AAMI Series.
Next in line: Scott Pendlebury, Matt Crouch, Caleb Serong, Taylor Adams, George Hewett, Lachie Weller, Patrick Cripps
Sleepers/later picks: Jack Sinclair, Jarrod Witts, Nic Newman, Jarrod Berry, Errol Gulden, Andrew McGrath, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Hayden Young.
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