Position 2022: Midfield Discussion
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ROOKIE WATCH
KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s early rookie bible
Jason Horne-Francis (NM) $207,300
The No. 1 pick could’ve played for North Melbourne last season and, barring injury, is a certainty to debut in Round 1. And you need to start him in KFC SuperCoach, too. No, he’s not too expensive. And, no, it doesn’t matter if he spends plenty of time forward. Horne-Francis played the midfield-forward role at senior level for the past 18 months and averaged 16 disposals, nine contested possessions and 88 KFC SuperCoach points, while also booting 15 goals, in 20 matches last season. In his last appearance at SANFL under-18 level, the explosive teenager posted scores of 117, 141, 172, 166, 181 and 167 in his only six matches as a bottom-age player in 2020.
Nick Daicos (Coll) $193,800
Daicos, too, could’ve featured for the Magpies in 2021 and is another who looks set to be worth the top-end rookie price tag in KFC SuperCoach. The big talking point over the pre-season, however, will be can you afford to start both? The father-son selection, who has the versatility and skill set to be used on each line, averaged 36 disposals, two goals and 159 KFC SuperCoach points in five NAB League games in 2021 and, despite his ability to win so much of the ball, is a player who should still score well early in his career with fewer touches.
Greg Clark (WC) $117,300
He’s a little older, but the mature-age Eagle is another who could have an instant impact and be KFC SuperCoach gold in 2022. In a phenomenal WAFL season, Clark averaged 27 disposals, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles and a huge 128 KFC SuperCoach points in 18 non-injury-affected matches. The strong-bodied, 192cm midfielder capped off the year with a 181-point performance, on the back of 25 disposals, 14 tackles, six clearances and two goals, to win the medal as best afield in the WAFL Grand Final.
Matty Roberts (Syd) $117,300
If we’re picking on numbers alone, Roberts would have to be the first rookie picked in most KFC SuperCoach sides. The ball magnet impressed in South Adelaide’s senior side in 2021 but in his 10 under-18 matches in the past two years, Roberts posted scores of 240, 188, 175, 139, 208, 146, 120, 125, 160 and 104. Yep, two KFC SuperCoach double tons. And given there was some concern of his athletic ability, he slid to the Swans’ pick 34, giving him a very appealing price tag in 2022. His ability to have an impact forward of centre in the SANFL late in the year will help his chances of breaking into the Swans’ side, but there is plenty of young midfield talent in Sydney already.
Finlay Macrae (Coll) $206,800
It was a frustrating first KFC SuperCoach season for Macrae, who battled for regular opportunity in Collingwood’s best 22. But he showed in spurts his elite ball-winning ability, highlighted by his 20-disposal performance in just 61 per cent game time against the Hawks in Round 21. Remind you of anyone? A consistent midfield role for Macrae could bring a serious KFC SuperCoach spike, quickly.
Josh Ward (Haw) $180,300
Hawthorn’s top pick is another with terrific KFC SuperCoach potential and, in a developing Hawks engine room, could feature early in his debut season. The midfielder, in the mould of Essendon star Zach Merrett, finished the NAB League season with scores of 136, 124, 174 and 140. In a performance which highlights his multiple avenues of scoring, Ward tallied 34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, eight clearances, eight tackles, five intercepts and five score involvements in the final game of the year.
Robbie McComb (WB) $102,400
Luke Beveridge gave mature-age recruits Anthony Scott and Lachie McNeill a Round 1 debut in 2021, with both going on to be significant KFC SuperCoach cash cows. McComb, plucked from the VFL in the rookie draft, could be set to follow a similar path if he can impress over summer. The 25-year-old won Footscray’s best-and-fairest after averaging 26 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five tackles, five clearances and 106 KFC SuperCoach points. McComb is an elite runner, and energetic around the contest, with his ability to hit the scoreboard also likely to keep him in Beveridge’s thinking.
Alex Davies (GC) $202,500
Gold Coast has a Hugh Greenwood replacement waiting in its wings. Davies, a 191cm midfielder, is a contested-ball star, who hunts the body when he doesn’t get his hands on it first, like Greenwood did during his time at the Suns. On debut in the final round last season, Davies won 14 of his 17 possessions in a contest and applied six tackles, on his way to 62 KFC SuperCoach points. In his final four VFL matches before the season was called off, the 19-year-old Suns Academy graduate averaged 21 disposals, 14 contested possessions, seven clearances, seven tackles and 111 KFC SuperCoach points.
Charlie Constable (GC) $213,400
Suns coach Stuart Dew also has big-bodied midfielder Constable to help fill the Greenwood void after the former Cat was given a lifeline by Gold Coast in the national draft. Numbers have never been a problem for Constable, opportunity – and maybe what he does without the ball – has. He scored 90 KFC SuperCoach points on debut and had 31 touches in his second game but was dropped after his fourth. That was in April 2019, and he’s made just eight senior appearances since, despite being a class above a stage league level. The 22-year-old averaged 113 in Geelong’s reserves side during that strange debut season and finished his time at the Cats with scores of 175, 132 and 146 before the VFL season was called off in 2021.
Jackson Mead (Port) $123,900
After battling hamstring injuries during his first season at the club in 2020, Mead was pressing for a debut last season before he collapsed during a SANFL game and missed 12 weeks with a lacerated spleen. But the left-footer finished the year strongly at state league level, tallying 27 disposals and six clearances through the midfield in Round 15, before showing his versatility behind the ball, recording 15 intercept possessions and KFC SuperCoach scores of 107 and 93 in the final two rounds. The 20-year-old is also strong overhead and can play forward, as he proved at junior level. But a fully-fit Mead, who averaged 106 points for his state during his draft year as onballer, could be the one to add something different to Port Adelaide’s midfield in 2022.
Dylan Stephens (Syd) $167,800
A hard-running, skilful midfielder, Stephens was in and out of the Sydney side last year, robbing him of any sort of consistent opportunity. But with Jordan Dawson moving to the Crows, there’s a vacant spot on the wing and the left-footer, who is heading into his third season at the club, could be the one to benefit. Stephens, who won the club’s first 2km time trial of the pre-season, averaged 104 KFC SuperCoach points in eight VFL games in 2021 and 82 points at SANFL level as a 17-year-old before he was drafted.
KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s early rookie bible
Jason Horne-Francis (NM) $207,300
The No. 1 pick could’ve played for North Melbourne last season and, barring injury, is a certainty to debut in Round 1. And you need to start him in KFC SuperCoach, too. No, he’s not too expensive. And, no, it doesn’t matter if he spends plenty of time forward. Horne-Francis played the midfield-forward role at senior level for the past 18 months and averaged 16 disposals, nine contested possessions and 88 KFC SuperCoach points, while also booting 15 goals, in 20 matches last season. In his last appearance at SANFL under-18 level, the explosive teenager posted scores of 117, 141, 172, 166, 181 and 167 in his only six matches as a bottom-age player in 2020.
Nick Daicos (Coll) $193,800
Daicos, too, could’ve featured for the Magpies in 2021 and is another who looks set to be worth the top-end rookie price tag in KFC SuperCoach. The big talking point over the pre-season, however, will be can you afford to start both? The father-son selection, who has the versatility and skill set to be used on each line, averaged 36 disposals, two goals and 159 KFC SuperCoach points in five NAB League games in 2021 and, despite his ability to win so much of the ball, is a player who should still score well early in his career with fewer touches.
Greg Clark (WC) $117,300
He’s a little older, but the mature-age Eagle is another who could have an instant impact and be KFC SuperCoach gold in 2022. In a phenomenal WAFL season, Clark averaged 27 disposals, 11 contested possessions, seven tackles and a huge 128 KFC SuperCoach points in 18 non-injury-affected matches. The strong-bodied, 192cm midfielder capped off the year with a 181-point performance, on the back of 25 disposals, 14 tackles, six clearances and two goals, to win the medal as best afield in the WAFL Grand Final.
Matty Roberts (Syd) $117,300
If we’re picking on numbers alone, Roberts would have to be the first rookie picked in most KFC SuperCoach sides. The ball magnet impressed in South Adelaide’s senior side in 2021 but in his 10 under-18 matches in the past two years, Roberts posted scores of 240, 188, 175, 139, 208, 146, 120, 125, 160 and 104. Yep, two KFC SuperCoach double tons. And given there was some concern of his athletic ability, he slid to the Swans’ pick 34, giving him a very appealing price tag in 2022. His ability to have an impact forward of centre in the SANFL late in the year will help his chances of breaking into the Swans’ side, but there is plenty of young midfield talent in Sydney already.
Finlay Macrae (Coll) $206,800
It was a frustrating first KFC SuperCoach season for Macrae, who battled for regular opportunity in Collingwood’s best 22. But he showed in spurts his elite ball-winning ability, highlighted by his 20-disposal performance in just 61 per cent game time against the Hawks in Round 21. Remind you of anyone? A consistent midfield role for Macrae could bring a serious KFC SuperCoach spike, quickly.
Josh Ward (Haw) $180,300
Hawthorn’s top pick is another with terrific KFC SuperCoach potential and, in a developing Hawks engine room, could feature early in his debut season. The midfielder, in the mould of Essendon star Zach Merrett, finished the NAB League season with scores of 136, 124, 174 and 140. In a performance which highlights his multiple avenues of scoring, Ward tallied 34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, eight clearances, eight tackles, five intercepts and five score involvements in the final game of the year.
Robbie McComb (WB) $102,400
Luke Beveridge gave mature-age recruits Anthony Scott and Lachie McNeill a Round 1 debut in 2021, with both going on to be significant KFC SuperCoach cash cows. McComb, plucked from the VFL in the rookie draft, could be set to follow a similar path if he can impress over summer. The 25-year-old won Footscray’s best-and-fairest after averaging 26 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five tackles, five clearances and 106 KFC SuperCoach points. McComb is an elite runner, and energetic around the contest, with his ability to hit the scoreboard also likely to keep him in Beveridge’s thinking.
Alex Davies (GC) $202,500
Gold Coast has a Hugh Greenwood replacement waiting in its wings. Davies, a 191cm midfielder, is a contested-ball star, who hunts the body when he doesn’t get his hands on it first, like Greenwood did during his time at the Suns. On debut in the final round last season, Davies won 14 of his 17 possessions in a contest and applied six tackles, on his way to 62 KFC SuperCoach points. In his final four VFL matches before the season was called off, the 19-year-old Suns Academy graduate averaged 21 disposals, 14 contested possessions, seven clearances, seven tackles and 111 KFC SuperCoach points.
Charlie Constable (GC) $213,400
Suns coach Stuart Dew also has big-bodied midfielder Constable to help fill the Greenwood void after the former Cat was given a lifeline by Gold Coast in the national draft. Numbers have never been a problem for Constable, opportunity – and maybe what he does without the ball – has. He scored 90 KFC SuperCoach points on debut and had 31 touches in his second game but was dropped after his fourth. That was in April 2019, and he’s made just eight senior appearances since, despite being a class above a stage league level. The 22-year-old averaged 113 in Geelong’s reserves side during that strange debut season and finished his time at the Cats with scores of 175, 132 and 146 before the VFL season was called off in 2021.
Jackson Mead (Port) $123,900
After battling hamstring injuries during his first season at the club in 2020, Mead was pressing for a debut last season before he collapsed during a SANFL game and missed 12 weeks with a lacerated spleen. But the left-footer finished the year strongly at state league level, tallying 27 disposals and six clearances through the midfield in Round 15, before showing his versatility behind the ball, recording 15 intercept possessions and KFC SuperCoach scores of 107 and 93 in the final two rounds. The 20-year-old is also strong overhead and can play forward, as he proved at junior level. But a fully-fit Mead, who averaged 106 points for his state during his draft year as onballer, could be the one to add something different to Port Adelaide’s midfield in 2022.
Dylan Stephens (Syd) $167,800
A hard-running, skilful midfielder, Stephens was in and out of the Sydney side last year, robbing him of any sort of consistent opportunity. But with Jordan Dawson moving to the Crows, there’s a vacant spot on the wing and the left-footer, who is heading into his third season at the club, could be the one to benefit. Stephens, who won the club’s first 2km time trial of the pre-season, averaged 104 KFC SuperCoach points in eight VFL games in 2021 and 82 points at SANFL level as a 17-year-old before he was drafted.
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As the president of the Sam Walsh fan club, I am very disappointed in him being overlooked by you 😜😜😜
View: https://twitter.com/tim_michell/status/1418718954525052931?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/tim_michell/status/1418718954525052931?s=21
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Bad enough having one Carlton player in my starting side (let alone 2 ) 
Certainly will be interesting seeing which premium mids people start out of the favoured 6 + Bont , Lyons , Merrett , Parish , Petracca etc and if the likes of Laird and Mills get completely overlooked
Are you able to post the Top 12 on Aggregate based on last years points.
Cheers
Certainly will be interesting seeing which premium mids people start out of the favoured 6 + Bont , Lyons , Merrett , Parish , Petracca etc and if the likes of Laird and Mills get completely overlooked
Are you able to post the Top 12 on Aggregate based on last years points.
Cheers
Bad enough having one Carlton player in my starting side (let alone 2 )
Certainly will be interesting seeing which premium mids people start out of the favoured 6 + Bont , Lyons , Merrett , Parish , Petracca etc and if the likes of Laird and Mills get completely overlooked
Are you able to post the Top 12 on Aggregate based on last years points.
Cheers
Certainly will be interesting seeing which premium mids people start out of the favoured 6 + Bont , Lyons , Merrett , Parish , Petracca etc and if the likes of Laird and Mills get completely overlooked
Are you able to post the Top 12 on Aggregate based on last years points.
Cheers
