SuperCoach: Expert Dan Batten reveals his first team for 2020

Several stars are returning from injury in 2020 and expert Dan Batten has picked a bunch of them — including a dynamic Eagles ruckman. Plus, the Bulldogs ball-magnet that won’t move from his side.

The SuperCoach gods have almost been too generous this year.

It’s difficult to remember a year with so many tantalising mid-priced players with proven scoring potential.

And most of them come at a massive discount due to season-ending injuries.

During my horror SuperCoach 2019 season I was already looking ahead to next year, looking through injury lists to see who would provide some value for next year.

SUPERCOACH TEAM PICKER: SELECT YOUR 2020 TEAM

I have packed my side full of these value options like Nic Naitanui, Sam Docherty, Tom Doedee and Devon Smith, with the first three having suffered ACL injuries - although Naitanui did return during the middle of last year and again in the finals series.

And the trio have all succumbed to this injury more than once in their footballing career.

Of course these tempting options can be a double edged sword, but for these players it is a risk worth taking considering their bargain basement price-tags.

My downfall last year centred on trading out Josh Dunkley before Round 4, watching him average 120 points per game for the rest of the season as I stubbornly stuck to my guns.

He will not be leaving my team this year.

James Sicily should play a more SuperCoach friendly role in 2020. Picture: Michael Klein

Defence

Last pre-season defenders were all the rage with the new kick-in rules, but forward tags in the back half of the year hindered many of the top SuperCoach defenders. That’s why I’ve opted to spend big elsewhere.

Zac Williams is unlikely to get the midfield time he received in the finals series but he looms as a top three defender regardless, posting just one score below 96 points in the second half of 2019.

Hot-headed Hawk James Sicily plagued teams at stages last season but the additions of tall defenders Sam Frost and Michael Hartley should ensure he is freed up across halfback to play his dangerous intercepting role.

Sam Docherty is too good to ignore at his price after averaging a formidable 114.7 points in 2017. Same goes for former bubble-boy Tom Doedee, who I feel can improve on his 82-point average he achieved in his debut season. Dylan Roberton is another I would consider in place of Doedee if he fully recovers from his heart issues.

Rounding out my defence is Hayden Young – who was touted as a top three selection by draft pundits and big-bodied defender Will Gould. The pair should both get ample opportunity at the Dockers and Swans respectively and appear ready to play senior footy from the get-go.

Midfield

Spend, spend, spend.

There are so many midfield behemoths to choose from, and value options elsewhere have allowed me to splash the cash with five SuperCoach beasts priced at over $620,000.

Superstars Nat Fyfe, Patrick Cripps and Patrick Dangerfield have been staples in my SuperCoach team in recent years and haven’t let me down. Dangerfield does lose his dual-position player eligibility in 2020 but it’s too much of a gamble batting against him.

As previously mentioned, I have a chequered history with Josh Dunkley but the youngster can only get better and is unlikely to cop a tag.

Josh Kelly has rarely featured in my teams over the years and despite an injury interrupted season, the Giants smooth-mover had the fourth highest SuperCoach average of any midfielder in 2019. He could make way for Tom Mitchell if the ball-magnet is fit and raring to go, but reports have suggested he may not be 100 per cent by that stage.

A trio of M’s fill out the rest of my midfield – No. 1 pick Matt Rowell, one-game-wonder Marlion Pickett and mature-age recruit Mitch Hibberd.

Expect Rowell to rack up similar SuperCoach numbers to Sam Walsh, while Pickett averaged 101 points in his last full season at WAFL level before his 96-point display in the Tigers’ premiership triumph.

Hibberd joins Essendon following a stellar VFL year playing as an inside midfielder – the type of player that the Bombers desperately need.

Marlion Pickett will be first picked for many SuperCoaches. Picture: AAP Image

Ruck

Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy are the obvious choices, but the pair will cost you a combined spend of $1.4 million.

Why not save $250k for a ruckman capable of averaging 105?

Nic Naitanui looms as a bargain buy if the athletic freak can stay on the park, averaging above 95 points in his past three full seasons. And let’s not forget the big man averaged 114 points in 2012.

The 29-year-old does present an injury risk though, having played just 18 home-and-away matches across the past three seasons.

A downgrade to Giants ruckman Sam Jacobs may be necessary if ‘NicNat’ goes down.

I have opted to go with Grundy over Gawn at this stage, but that could change by Round 1.

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Forward

The SuperCoach gods give and they take away.

Lachie Whitfield and Dustin Martin being added to the forward line is a saving grace for losing several of the top forwards from last year.

Like Pickett, the pair will be locked in to most sides.

From there it gets interesting. New Cat Jack Steven and tackling machine Devon Smith are both cheap as chips and are likely to spend most of their time in the midfield – and that means big points.

Smith averaged 98 points in his first year at the Dons, while Steven has averaged 90-plus in five seasons across his career.

Steven is reportedly training the house down at the Cattery and a return to his best in 2020 would make him a fantastic SuperCoach buy.

Suns rookies Sam Flanders and Izak Rankine round out my side, with the latter looming as one of the best cash cows of 2020.

Dan Batten’s first SuperCoach team for season 2020.

Originally published as SuperCoach: Expert Dan Batten reveals his first team for 2020