- KLOPP’S TRIAL TAKES: SC pointers from AFL practice matches
- BARGAIN BUYS: Assessing the defensive cheapie crop
From premiums, to cheapies, we take a look at the players you need to start the AFL SuperCoach season with.
1. Lachie Whitfield (GWS) $502,600 DEF/MID
I’ve always been a big admirer of Whitfield. The hesitancy for some may be his durability, but there’s barely any soft-tissue injuries if any and that’s the promising part.
Unfortunately it does keep happening which seems more unlucky than anything else, but what’ll soften hearts is that he’s had a full pre-season with no interruptions, whereas over the years that hasn’t always been the case.
He’s a player that brings so much versatility to his side with his ability to go just about anywhere on the field and still manages to be as effective.
At 27-years-old, what you’ll be getting is a D1-calibre player basically at the top of his game for a smidgen over $500k.
He has a beautiful kick on him, an important cog for his side and at this price point for the scoring ceiling he has, it’s simply too hard to say no for mine. Barring any mishaps, he’s firmly locked in.
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Embed from Getty Images2. Keidean Coleman (BRIS) $263,200 DEF/FWD
The 21-year-old is full of dash and pace and who doesn’t enjoy watching a player who brings excitement to the table?
At the back end of 2021 he was moved to a half back role which even at the time had caught attention from a Supercoach perspective in regards to 2022, where if he’d be able to make that position his own then it’d definitely be something to consider.
Fast-forward six months, Grant Birchall has well and truly retired and Coleman’s having a stellar pre-season, impressing at every intra-club match and isn’t putting a foot wrong.
There was talk of Zorko also being moved to half back and questions were raised as to what that would mean for Coleman, but Zorko himself confirmed it was just to get his own fitness levels up and that he’ll still be a MID that goes FWD which eased concerns for Coleman.
Exciting, great value and even has the DPP. Throw away the key.
Embed from Getty Images3. Isaac Heeney (SYD) $454,500 FWD
In this game of KFC Supercoach when making decisive decisions it’s important not to make them based on emotion.
For many out there I can imagine the facepalm reaction for suggesting Heeney to be a must-have as others may have been burnt to a crisp before by this man, but without being emotional, let’s take a look at the situation for what it actually is.
Heeney has been promised inside MID time and a fair chunk at that, we’ve heard these lines before but this pre-season it’s been as concrete as it’s ever sounded.
He’s featured predominantly on-ball in match sims and practice games so now we’ve also seen it first hand so it’s not just all talk.
He’s also managed to put in a big block of solid training without any interruptions or niggles, plus there are additional concerns over Mills and Rowbottom.
JPK was said to be reducing his MID minutes and Parker was managed in the recent practice game and didn’t play over 80% of it.
There’s great opportunity in the Swans engine room and I’m fully backing Heeney to grasp his chance with both hands and make a statement that says ‘I’m here’.
Embed from Getty Images4. Brodie Grundy (COLL) $627,100 RUC
Not only is this man the first choice in ruck, you could make a case he’s the first choice in the game.
In 2021, prior to his odd/unfortunate neck injury the star ruckman was in simply brilliant form popping off a 126.5 average looking like a genuine VC option each week .
However, since that Geelong game he suffered that injury in, Grundy averaged just the 103.9 KFC Supercoach points which is a 22.6 point swing.
We know his best is around the 130 mark and currently priced at 115.2, it’s clear even at this price point, there’s clear meat on the bone here.
Barring the aforementioned neck injury, Grundy has a flawless durability over the last four years.
He’s trimmed some weight off in the pre-season which when watching his intra-club and practice matches, it is evident how it’s helping the big man cover the ground even better than before. In my side and not moving.
Embed from Getty Images5. Stephen Coniglio (GWS) $261,300 FWD/MID
Over the years KFC Supercoachers have known very well just how frustrating GWS players can be to own.
Whether due to constant injuries or Leon Cameron moving the magnets around, either way it’s seen some coaches vow to never pick any of them ever again (including myself) and here I am five players into a must-have top 10 list having already mentioned 2 of them.
Coniglio has had a stellar preseason spending 80% of it in the midfield. During match sims he’s looked in better shape than I’ve noticed him ever before and keep in mind this is a player that averaged over 108 KFC Supercoach points across 21 games in the past.
He’ll be spending stints in the FWD line absolutely, particularly with Greene missing, but the 28-year-old just looked immaculate in the practice game against the Swans. This much value simply cannot be ignored.
Embed from Getty Images6. James Sicily (HAW) $448,100 DEF
Initially I wasn’t interested in James Sicily, at all.
I had concerns over him coming back from an ACL, being rested at times, swung into the forward line and then one week he scores 140 followed by a 65.
Plus the fact he occasionally plays on the edge and very-much like Toby Greene is unpredictable and can do anything at any moment which for a Supercoacher’s heart rates doesn’t do any favours.
So what changed my mind?
Sicily is no doubt an exceptional talent and the Hawks are lucky to have such a key player as he’d make any side in the comp better.
He was ready to play in Round 17 last year but Clarkson decided against it, so it isn’t comparable to just anyone else that’s coming off an ACL injury as Sicily has actually fully recovered and on top been ready almost another eight months where he’s trained extra. Big tick and very comforting.
I’ll say it again, he had a terrific pre-season, are you seeing the theme here? Every hitout he’s looked amazing.
When he’s on the field he’s the one taking all the kickouts too, plus he still reads the play so well and is still taking contested and intercept marks. He’s possibly a top 6-8 defender for $100k cheaper than the rest? Take my money.
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7. Jack Macrae (WB) $699,900 MID
I don’t feel I need to even justify this selection as this amazing player’s games do all the talking.
That price tag may scare some off, but it shouldn’t. What’s scary would be starting without him, watching him go 135+ in the first two months and you’re sitting there without the player, who hasn’t become any cheaper AND missed out on all those points.
The top end elite guys come with a hefty price tag, but there’s a reason for that and Macrae is no different.
Somehow it still feels to me like this superstar is very underrated and I’m not sure how when considering his worst season as an average in the last four years is 121 KFC Supercoach points.
He’s a contested beast, racks the footy up at will and no one can do anything about it.
He’s a good tackler, kicks goals, is untaggable and just runs hard all day. I’m not sure a player can be any more convincing to select than Jack Macrae has been over the years.
The Bulldogs have a beautiful fixture early on and Macrae appears a safe VC/C option every single week.
Embed from Getty Images8. Lachie Neale (BRIS) $543,200 MID
Neale, much like Whitfield, is a player who has the calibre to be the number one in their position and is at a discounted value price.
He had many setbacks last year with three or four different injuries and some were even at the same time.
2021 wasn’t kind to Lachie Neale. Some tend to have short memories and don’t appreciate the greatness for what it is, so let me do some reminding.
Prior to last year this is a player who missed two games of AFL in seven years and averaged over 145 KFC Supercoach points in the first three months of 2020.
This man’s scoring ceiling is so high I’m not sure fireworks can even reach it. The 28-year-old superstar has been praised countless times over the summer by several teammates who I’m sure are pleased to have their Brownlow medalist looking like a man on a mission.
And being a fellow man who’s on a mission that aims to do well this year, he just has to be in my team. Locked and loaded.
9. Josh Dunkley (WB) $558,200 FWD/MID
I’m so glad Dunkley is an option in the forward line or I’d genuinely be worried how far I’d have to scroll down to pick my starting F1.
Don’t let that average of 102.5 mislead you, let’s not forget what this superstar did in his first six games of 2021 averaging a whopping 129 KFC Supercoach points straight out of the blocks before his unfortunate shoulder injury that required surgery.
Dunkley for mine is a player that is super easy to understand… You give him MID time and he will dominate.
He does everything you can ask for, as evidenced in 2019 where he played the full season and straight out balled. Averaging 116.5 KFC Supercoach points, where Round 7 onwards he exploded for an average of 127.9, with only two scores dipping below 100 and one game even scoring a 202!
He doesn’t need a lot of ammunition to do big damage. Out of contract at the end of this year, could that see even more of a spike in his scoring? It certainly has for others in the past.
Embed from Getty Images10. Jack Steele (STK) $685,800 MID
This time last year paying similar money for Jack Steele was worrying for many Supercoachers.
12 months later he’s not only backed it up, but he’s done even better.
If you feel like this price tag is too heavy let me tell you why it isn’t. Steele scores evidently more points when fellow star Rowan Marshall is in the team who missed many games last year.
Steele also in the second half of 2021 averaged an amazing 137.6 KFC SuperCoach points.
The new rules around tackling should help his scoring as well as he’s a relentless tackler who loves getting in the trenches and racking up contested possessions which for Supercoach is absolutely gold. A goalkicker, a bull, a leader, a must-have in my side. Lock him in.
I must be doing something right, I have eight of the ten players in my team.Whitfield D3, Heeney F2, Grundy R2, Cogs F4, Sicily D4, Neale M4, Dunkley F1, Steele M1.
Agree with all but not sure about Coleman, so many cheap options in the forward line and he’s cracked the 75 mark just once.