Doctor’s Orders: The experts from Doctor SuperCoach on the best team structure for KFC SuperCoach in 2022

The forward line is proving to be a handful in KFC SuperCoach, and the experts at Doctor SuperCoach say you should roll the dice. But how many risks is too many?

When it comes to KFC SuperCoach, every year the ideal structure changes depending on the strength of mid-pricers and available rookies named in Round 1.

While there is no such thing as the perfect setup, this week on Doctors Orders, the expert team at Doctor SuperCoach analyses the strengths and weaknesses of each position ahead of the official pre-season matches.

Tom Stewart is a consistent premium option in defence. Picture: Alison Wynd

DEFENDERS – Load up on guns and rookies

Defenders have never been so reliable in KFC SuperCoach. There are so many great scorers in this line meaning coaches should look to start 3-4 premiums here, as the risk of them failing to average a good score is a lot lower than the forwards.

Although the quality is lacking in the mid-pricer department, thankfully, there should be enough rookies named in Round 1, allowing coaches the ability to pick consistent guns and some fresh rookies.

There are several players who could debut in Round 1 like Campbell Chesser ($148,800), Charlie Dean ($102,400), Nathan O’Driscoll ($123,900), Josh Sinn ($157,800) and, at worst, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera ($162,300).

St Kilda skipper Jack Steele is one of the $650k midfielder to bank on in KFC SuperCoach. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

MIDFIELDERS – Load up on guns and rookies

The midfield is the heartbeat of your KFC SuperCoach team and it’s important to splash the cash on the best and brightest premium talent in the league. Coaches should look to start 4-5 premiums in this line and fill out the remaining spots with the plethora of midfield rookies available.

By premium, the recommendation is at least three midfielders over $650,000, as it becomes incredibly difficult to obtain these high-priced players during the season. It is important to note that many good quality available rookies all appear to be expensive, ranging from $150,000 to $210,000, so expect to invest most of your salary cap in the midfield.

Players like Jason Horne-Francis ($207,300) and Josh Daicos ($193,800) lead the pack, alongside the likes of Josh Ward ($180,300) and Dylan Stephens ($167,800).

Contrary to this, there is still plenty of value in terms of mid-pricers with upside, so don’t be afraid to include a player ranged $250,000 to $450,000, if you feel strongly about a breakout season. Jarrod Berry ($268,500), Jye Caldwell ($266,700) and Matt Rowell ($342,900) appear likely to outperform their starting price.

RUCKS – Time to forget ‘set-and-forget’

In the past couple of years, the easiest decision of the pre-season was to select Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy in the ruck, then call it a day.

However, with the breakout of Sean Darcy ($642,600) and the reinvigorated Nic Naitanui ($627,400), there are more premium options than ever who could look to rival the dynamic duo.

There are concerns of Luke Jackson encroaching on Gawn’s ruck time in 2022, so is this the year to look elsewhere?

Is Max Gawn set to fall in KFC SuperCoach? Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Possibly the most underrated change to the KFC SuperCoach rules is the in-season positional updates. Someone like Rowan Marshall ($536,800) could be deployed as your second ruckman, with a view to move him to the forward line if he managed to gain forward status. A risky but calculated punt.

It is also well worth considering the mid-priced Jarrod Witts ($380,300), who is coming off an ACL tear, or the enticing rookie priced Braydon Preuss ($204,700) who looks to cement himself as the Giants number 1 ruck.

While coaches can get creative with this line, make sure that, if you are running with a mid-pricer, it’s imperative to have either a playing R3, who could replace them should they get omitted or injured, or a R3 with forward/ruck status so that your replacement options remain wide open. It will be very tough to replace a mid-priced ruck without using multiple trades, so choose wisely if you believe the reward outweighs the risk.

FORWARDS – Mid-price mayhem

Dustin Martin ($503,500), Jordan De Goey ($463,500) and Mitch Duncan ($540,000) headline a star-studded cast who are heading into Round 1 with injury question marks over their heads. All these players have sustained late pre-season injuries, meaning it’s hard to put your faith into starting so many premium options. There is value in mid-pricers like Tarryn Thomas ($459,300), Zak Butters ($443,600) and Isaac Heeney ($454,500), but how many of these players can you trust to finish the season among the top 6 forwards? And how many will remain top 6 forwards if there are mid-season positional changes?

The rookie line is looking extremely thin with only Elijah Hollands ($123,900), Charlie Comben ($123,900), Sam De Koning ($123,900), and Josh Rachele ($184,800) looking likely to play in Round 1.

Cam Rayner, middle, looks set to hit the ground running in 2022. Picture: Josh Woning

Thankfully, however, we have been blessed with several $200,000 to $300,000 options who will provide value to start the season. Stephen Coniglio ($261,300), Cam Rayner ($278,600), Jade Gresham ($299,000), Will Brodie ($224,300), Charlie Curnow ($224,300) and many more players could be used to fill out your field.

The best way to structure your forward unit, at this stage, is to start only 1-3 premiums, accompanied by 3-4 mid-priced options. This is far from an ideal scenario, but with the lack of star premiums and playing rookies, you will need to buy time to have a good look at the forward pool – welcome mid-priced mayhem!

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Conclusion

This year will be a very tough year of KFC SuperCoach. The likely rookies who will get a gig in Round 1 are high-priced, so it is tough to build a side. Coaches should aim to start the year with 12+ premiums (players to be kept all season, typically over $400,000) surrounded by rookies and mid-pricers. Make sure you do your research in the AAMI Community Series and keep a close eye on potential budget options to help lessen the salary cap squeeze. Fingers crossed cheaper rookie options become available over the next couple of weeks!

Originally published as Doctor’s Orders: The experts from Doctor SuperCoach on the best team structure for KFC SuperCoach in 2022