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[Professor]

Tom Mitchell has spent more time forward so far this season. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images
Back to dumping premiums, what’s happened to Tom Mitchell?
The Hawthorn gun has spent 19 per cent more time forward and attended less centre bounces so far in 2022. As a result of the increased role across half-forward, his major weapon – prolific ball-winning – has taken a hit, with Mitchell averaging 9 less disposals per game this season.
Waiting for me to say the Hawks need him in there?
Hawthorn was -10 in centre bounce clearances when Mitchell was in attendance against the Blues.
His price fell by almost $60k in Round 3 and, with a breakeven of 176, could fall below $550k next week.
With your premium keepers, price movement is something you shouldn’t really worry about, but if this role and trend continues with Mitchell, he’s unlikely to bother the top-10 midfielders in KFC SuperCoach.
If you didn’t do it last week, I’d take Patrick Cripps and $60k and run.
I have Cripps, what about Tom Green?
I was hoping you didn’t ask. I was initially happy watching his first two games – scores of 164 and 106 proved I wasn’t crazy last year, just too excited, too early.
But after another 147 points, on the back of 29 disposals, a game-high 16 contested possessions and two goals, I’m not sure I can watch on any longer. I might have to jump on.
Mitchell to Green I would do, if you already have Cripps.

Tom Green is the third-ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer after three rounds. Picture: Phil Hillyard
What about Darcy Parish to Green?
No, I’m asking you.

Which other premiums will fall?
Touk Miller is the one to watch. Despite back-to-back 140s to start the season, the Gold Coast co-captain lost $21k off his price tag, and faces a big Round 4 breakeven of 173, after being tagged by Giant Lachie Ash on the weekend.
KFC SuperCoach Plus tells me even if he scores 132 and 127 in the next two weeks, his price will fall below $620k.
Anything lower, and a sub-$600k Miller could be on the cards. It’s true, though, he could go 140 again.
Patrick Dangerfield (Breakeven: 177), Rory Laird (166), Sam Walsh (163) and Mitch Duncan (159) are other big names set for a significant price drop.
But it’s not upgrade season just yet.
Is the tagger back?
Giants coach Cameron commended Ash’s “selfless” effort to restrict Miller, but he was also helped by resident tagger Matt De Boer.
Ash was the one to stop Bomber Darcy Parish in his tracks late last season, and we all know what De Boer has done to the big KFC SuperCoach names in the past.
GWS play Fremantle and Andy Brayshaw this week, and then Melbourne and Clayton Oliver/Christian Petracca in Round 5.
Just be aware.

Josh Rachele lost 11 KFC SuperCoach points for giving away a late 50-metre penalty. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos
Is it time to trade Josh Rachele out?
I just said it wasn’t upgrade season, which also means it’s not time to chop our rookies.
But after a 36-point score in the Showdown, the young Crow’s breakeven has pushed out to 42, and many KFC SuperCoaches are considering their options.

I’ll be holding a little longer, though. I was there on Friday night and the 19-year-old was pretty good in the second half, especially when he played higher up the ground. Two first-quarter free kicks against, an out-on-the-full in the second and that last-minute 50-metre penalty, which almost cost Adelaide the game, severely affected his score.
More Coverage
Who will get a new position in KFC SuperCoach?Trade guide: SuperCoach flops in the gunNAB League Top 50: Is this the next Clayton Oliver?
I think Rachele, who attended five centre bounces in Round 3, has another 70-point score in him over the next couple of weeks and that will see his cash generation kick in to gear again.
Be content with making no trades this week, friends.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s Round 4 trade advice and burning questions

 

[Vicwood]

Tom Mitchell has spent more time forward so far this season. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images
Back to dumping premiums, what’s happened to Tom Mitchell?
The Hawthorn gun has spent 19 per cent more time forward and attended less centre bounces so far in 2022. As a result of the increased role across half-forward, his major weapon – prolific ball-winning – has taken a hit, with Mitchell averaging 9 less disposals per game this season.
Waiting for me to say the Hawks need him in there?
Hawthorn was -10 in centre bounce clearances when Mitchell was in attendance against the Blues.
His price fell by almost $60k in Round 3 and, with a breakeven of 176, could fall below $550k next week.
With your premium keepers, price movement is something you shouldn’t really worry about, but if this role and trend continues with Mitchell, he’s unlikely to bother the top-10 midfielders in KFC SuperCoach.
If you didn’t do it last week, I’d take Patrick Cripps and $60k and run.
I have Cripps, what about Tom Green?
I was hoping you didn’t ask. I was initially happy watching his first two games – scores of 164 and 106 proved I wasn’t crazy last year, just too excited, too early.
But after another 147 points, on the back of 29 disposals, a game-high 16 contested possessions and two goals, I’m not sure I can watch on any longer. I might have to jump on.
Mitchell to Green I would do, if you already have Cripps.

Tom Green is the third-ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer after three rounds. Picture: Phil Hillyard
What about Darcy Parish to Green?
No, I’m asking you.

Which other premiums will fall?
Touk Miller is the one to watch. Despite back-to-back 140s to start the season, the Gold Coast co-captain lost $21k off his price tag, and faces a big Round 4 breakeven of 173, after being tagged by Giant Lachie Ash on the weekend.
KFC SuperCoach Plus tells me even if he scores 132 and 127 in the next two weeks, his price will fall below $620k.
Anything lower, and a sub-$600k Miller could be on the cards. It’s true, though, he could go 140 again.
Patrick Dangerfield (Breakeven: 177), Rory Laird (166), Sam Walsh (163) and Mitch Duncan (159) are other big names set for a significant price drop.
But it’s not upgrade season just yet.
Is the tagger back?
Giants coach Cameron commended Ash’s “selfless” effort to restrict Miller, but he was also helped by resident tagger Matt De Boer.
Ash was the one to stop Bomber Darcy Parish in his tracks late last season, and we all know what De Boer has done to the big KFC SuperCoach names in the past.
GWS play Fremantle and Andy Brayshaw this week, and then Melbourne and Clayton Oliver/Christian Petracca in Round 5.
Just be aware.

Josh Rachele lost 11 KFC SuperCoach points for giving away a late 50-metre penalty. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos
Is it time to trade Josh Rachele out?
I just said it wasn’t upgrade season, which also means it’s not time to chop our rookies.
But after a 36-point score in the Showdown, the young Crow’s breakeven has pushed out to 42, and many KFC SuperCoaches are considering their options.

I’ll be holding a little longer, though. I was there on Friday night and the 19-year-old was pretty good in the second half, especially when he played higher up the ground. Two first-quarter free kicks against, an out-on-the-full in the second and that last-minute 50-metre penalty, which almost cost Adelaide the game, severely affected his score.
More Coverage
Who will get a new position in KFC SuperCoach?Trade guide: SuperCoach flops in the gunNAB League Top 50: Is this the next Clayton Oliver?
I think Rachele, who attended five centre bounces in Round 3, has another 70-point score in him over the next couple of weeks and that will see his cash generation kick in to gear again.
Be content with making no trades this week, friends.
Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s Round 4 trade advice and burning questions

Titch as a FWD, stop teasing me.

 

[Shannon]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: The rookies to buy, hold, sell and play on field in Round 4
Don’t get lost in corrective trades and the fast-starters, the rookies are still the most important part of KFC SuperCoach. Here’s who to buy, hold, sell and bench in Round 4.

Dan Batten

It’s time for KFC SuperCoaches to pick Nic.
Not the regular lockdown pastime, nor the electronic music festival, nor the nutty chocolate bar.

It is the ‘Nic’ of the Martin variety who should be front of mind for the 49 per cent of KFC SuperCoaches that don’t own the mature-age Bomber.

Martin has started his career in fine nick (alright, I’ll stop now) and boasts a jaw-dropping Break Even of -124 ahead of Essendon’s clash against Adelaide this weekend.

Rookies took a back-seat last week as coaches clambered to get Patrick Cripps, George Hewett and Isaac Heeney, but cash generation is critical for KFC SuperCoach success and should be the main priority with our corrective trades out of the way.


There’s a giant option – in more ways than one - on the way, and it is worth factoring him into our rookie trade plans as well.

BUBBLE BOYS
Nic Martin (Essendon) $102,400 FWD
BE: -124 Average: 92.5

After missing round 2 due to the AFL’s health and safety protocols, Martin collected 20 possessions and eight marks on his way to 71 points against the Demons. Martin, who was a late addition to Essendon’s list, has fitted in well playing on a wing and up forward, and looks to have great long-term job security.

VERDICT: MUST-HAVE. His round 3 score is probably closer to what we can expect from him rather than his round 1 monster, and if he keeps scoring 70s he will skyrocket past $250k and beyond. Lock.

Hugh Dixon (West Coast) $102,400 RUC-FWD
BE: -42 average: 51.5

Dixon has managed two games for the Eagles while best-22 members have been sidelined through Covid and injury, and his 10 disposals, seven hitouts and 61 points against his former side in the derby could see him remain in the line-up. The SSP pick-up is dirt cheap and has valuable ruck-forward status, but forward/ruck Bailey Williams should be back from HS protocols this week.

VERDICT: PASS/HOLD. Can’t see him holding his spot in the Eagles side long-term. And even if he does, the scoring probably won’t be worth burning a trade – especially with the forward rookie riches at our disposal.

Thomson Dow (Richmond) $198,900 FWD-MID
BE: -31 Ave: 74.5

Dow is the wildcard option this week after raising the bat for a KFC SuperCoach ton against the Saints. The former first-round selection led the Tigers for contested possessions and clearances, winning 23 disposals and scoring 100 points while attending 29 centre bounces. His score of 49 in round 2 was injury affected, with the midfielder subbed out of the match with injury. Richmond is crying out from a lift from their next wave of midfielders and Dow is leading the charge, with his burst from stoppage and contested ball-winning giving him scope to remain in this lucrative midfield role.

VERDICT: CONSIDER. A point-of-difference rookie who can set you apart. However, some SuperCoaches have been burnt picking Dows in the past.

Lachie Gollant (Adelaide) $123,900 FWD
BE: -48 Ave: 60.5

Gollant was one of the rookie surprises of round 3, booting four goals from five kicks to score 79 points in just his third game. The 20-year-old showed great signs in the Showdown, but there’s a question mark over his long-term job security with Taylor Walker back this week and Riley Thilthorpe currently in the SANFL.

VERDICT: PASS. Not going to kick four every week, and there’s no shortage of forward options around.

Sam Skinner (Port Adelaide) $123,900 DEF/FWD
BE: -20 Ave: 46.5

Skinner was locked in most KFC SuperCoach sides throughout the pre-season but was stuck behind the queue of Power key defenders before an injury to Aliir Aliir in round 1. This coupled with off-season knee surgery for Tom Clurey paved the way for Skinner to make his Power debut, posting scores of 45 and 48. Aliir will remain on the sidelines for another 2-3 weeks but Clurey has made a speedy recovery and could return this week.

VERDICT: PASS. The timeline isn’t long enough to justify a trade, especially considering his scoring has been so-so.

Sam De Koning (Geelong) $123,900 DEF/FWD
BE: -15 Ave: 44

De Koning missed round 2 with a concussion sustained in Geelong’s season opener and remains on the bubble for the 37 per cent of coaches who don’t own the Cats tall. The 21-year-old was used at both ends of the ground against Collingwood and had more success up forward, where some late possessions saw him reach 50 points.

VERDICT: WAIT. Wouldn’t say he is a certain starter this week but if he is picked, it may be worth jumping on considering his DEF-FWD status and the lack of rookie defenders about.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda) $162,300 DEF
BE: 2 Ave: 47

The silky Saint has played two games and looked solid, but he is only projected to rise $20k from his elevated starting price. While he is renowned for his Wanganeen-Milera ball-use, he is averaging the 12.5 disposals so far.

VERDICT: PASS. Too expensive for his current output

Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide) $157,200 MID
BE: -3 Ave: 49.3

He isn’t technically a bubble boy, but Mead was the sub in round 2 which meant his price rise was small. Holders were rewarded with a score of 78 in the Showdown, where the third-year midfielder proved he can be a solid on-field option.

VERDICT: CONSIDER. Once his sub score falls out of his price cycle, his rise should be steep. But is his job security high enough?

Nathan O’Driscoll (Fremantle) $123,900 DEF/MID
BE: 6 Ave: 33.5

O’Driscoll was elevated to the senior line-up for the Dockers after a late cameo as the sub in round 2. While NOD hit the scoreboard against the Eagles, he managed 49 points from 12 touches which will see him come under pressure at selection.

VERDICT: PASS... for now. If he keeps his place and scores well in round 4, you should be able to grab him next week.

WATCHLIST/WAIT
Braydon Preuss (GWS) $204,700 RUC
Ave: 109

Some will be tempted to jump on big Preuss this week, but putting your trust in Leon Cameron doesn’t generally work out well. Preuss was impressive in his first match as a Giant rucking solo, racking up 34 hitouts, 16 disposals, 12 contested possessions, seven clearances and 109 KFC SuperCoach points. He looks to be a no-brainer as a third ruck option who can generate us cash and provide cover if one of our ruckman go down. His price won’t rise until his third game in round 5 – that’s if he isn’t rested - so it is not worth taking the risk, unless it is to avoid a zero (I’m looking at you, Hayes R2 owners).

Reef McInnes (Coll) $123,900 MID
Ave: 61

The second-year Magpie is another to keep tabs on this weekend after he collected 14 touches on debut. McInnes averaged 61 points at VFL level last year and looms as a solid rookie scorer.

HOLD
Josh Rachele (Adelaide) $230,500 FWD-MID
BE: 42 Ave: 70.7

I nearly fell off my chair seeing Rachele was the most traded out player of the week. That’s right, a rookie who scored 118 KFC SuperCoach points on debut just two weeks ago. He managed the 36 points in the Showdown but it wasn’t a true reflection of his output, losing 11 points by giving away a 50m penalty in the dying minutes of the match. Including the pre-season, Rachele has averaged 76.4 points across five matches as a Crow and moving him on after one price rise – with a manageable breakeven of 42 - could turn out to be a major regret.

Josh Ward (Hawthorn) $196,400 MID
BE: 9 Ave: 47.7

I can understand the reasoning for trading out Ward, whose possession tallies haven’t amounted to strong KFC SuperCoach scores. Hawthorn’s top pick has tallied 20 disposals the past two weeks for solid returns of 53 and 54, but the potential is there. Remember, it only takes one big game – like his 120-plus outing in the pre-season – for the cash to roll in.

 

[Shannon]

FIELD OR BENCH
Been struggling to navigate the rookie roulette? Find out which cheapies to field and bench in round 4 to ensure you aren’t leaving points on the bench.

DEFENCE
FIELD

Mitch Hinge

Paddy McCartin

BENCH

Sam De Koning

Josh Gibcus

Fairly straightforward in defence, where Hinge and McCartin have become onfield locks. De Koning was struggling until he was swung forward late against the Magpies, and probably isn’t a player we can trust to field at this stage. Same goes for fellow key position player Gibcus.

MIDFIELD
FIELD

Jason Horne-Francis

Nick Daicos

Jackson Mead

Dylan Stephens

BENCH

Josh Ward

Connor MacDonald

Brady Hough

I was one of those who was stung by a paltry score of 23 from Stephens, but it was up against difficult opposition and his time on ground (69 per cent) didn’t help. But considering his ceiling, which he showed in his 95-point outing the previous week, I am willing to give him another chance against the struggling Kangaroos - every Brisbane player scored above 57 points against them in round 3. Mead looks to be a more reliable on-field pick than Stephens if you have him after a promising performance in the Showdown, while it is probably best to keep the two Hawks boys on the bench for now.

FORWARD
FIELD

Tristan Xerri

Will Brodie

Charlie Curnow

Nic Martin

Josh Rachele

BENCH

Jack Hayes

Corey Durdin

The major predicament for KFC SuperCoaches this weekend will be choosing between the likes of Martin, Rachele, Hayes and even Durdin, and Martin looks the safest bet of the trio. Not only will Martin provide us with a truckload of cash, he also looks to be an above average on-field scorer in the forward line. If you have to field a couple, I think Rachele could prove the doubters wrong against a Bombers defence that often struggles to restrict the influence of small forwards. Durdin could also bob up for another good score, but his donuts in the second half against the Bulldogs makes me nervous. We are unlikely to see the lofty heights of Hayes again with Paddy Ryder’s return resulting in a permanent move to the forward line for the Saints cheapie last week. Curnow’s high ceiling makes him a juicy on-field option for owners against the Suns.

LOWEST BREAK EVENS
Nic Martin -124

Stephen Coniglio -48

Beau McCreery -48

Lachie Gollant -48

Jake Bowey -46

Hugh Dixon -42

Mitch Hinge -37

Tristan Xerri -36

Thomson Dow -31

Will Brodie -23

Charlie Curnow -23

Patrick Naish -21

Sam Skinner -18

Brady Hough -18

Paddy McCartin -17

 

[Socrates2]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: The rookies to buy, hold, sell and play on field in Round 4
Don’t get lost in corrective trades and the fast-starters, the rookies are still the most important part of KFC SuperCoach. Here’s who to buy, hold, sell and bench in Round 4.

Dan Batten

It’s time for KFC SuperCoaches to pick Nic.
Not the regular lockdown pastime, nor the electronic music festival, nor the nutty chocolate bar.

It is the ‘Nic’ of the Martin variety who should be front of mind for the 49 per cent of KFC SuperCoaches that don’t own the mature-age Bomber.

Martin has started his career in fine nick (alright, I’ll stop now) and boasts a jaw-dropping Break Even of -124 ahead of Essendon’s clash against Adelaide this weekend.

Rookies took a back-seat last week as coaches clambered to get Patrick Cripps, George Hewett and Isaac Heeney, but cash generation is critical for KFC SuperCoach success and should be the main priority with our corrective trades out of the way.


There’s a giant option – in more ways than one - on the way, and it is worth factoring him into our rookie trade plans as well.

BUBBLE BOYS
Nic Martin (Essendon) $102,400 FWD
BE: -124 Average: 92.5

After missing round 2 due to the AFL’s health and safety protocols, Martin collected 20 possessions and eight marks on his way to 71 points against the Demons. Martin, who was a late addition to Essendon’s list, has fitted in well playing on a wing and up forward, and looks to have great long-term job security.

VERDICT: MUST-HAVE. His round 3 score is probably closer to what we can expect from him rather than his round 1 monster, and if he keeps scoring 70s he will skyrocket past $250k and beyond. Lock.

Hugh Dixon (West Coast) $102,400 RUC-FWD
BE: -42 average: 51.5

Dixon has managed two games for the Eagles while best-22 members have been sidelined through Covid and injury, and his 10 disposals, seven hitouts and 61 points against his former side in the derby could see him remain in the line-up. The SSP pick-up is dirt cheap and has valuable ruck-forward status, but forward/ruck Bailey Williams should be back from HS protocols this week.

VERDICT: PASS/HOLD. Can’t see him holding his spot in the Eagles side long-term. And even if he does, the scoring probably won’t be worth burning a trade – especially with the forward rookie riches at our disposal.

Thomson Dow (Richmond) $198,900 FWD-MID
BE: -31 Ave: 74.5

Dow is the wildcard option this week after raising the bat for a KFC SuperCoach ton against the Saints. The former first-round selection led the Tigers for contested possessions and clearances, winning 23 disposals and scoring 100 points while attending 29 centre bounces. His score of 49 in round 2 was injury affected, with the midfielder subbed out of the match with injury. Richmond is crying out from a lift from their next wave of midfielders and Dow is leading the charge, with his burst from stoppage and contested ball-winning giving him scope to remain in this lucrative midfield role.

VERDICT: CONSIDER. A point-of-difference rookie who can set you apart. However, some SuperCoaches have been burnt picking Dows in the past.

Lachie Gollant (Adelaide) $123,900 FWD
BE: -48 Ave: 60.5

Gollant was one of the rookie surprises of round 3, booting four goals from five kicks to score 79 points in just his third game. The 20-year-old showed great signs in the Showdown, but there’s a question mark over his long-term job security with Taylor Walker back this week and Riley Thilthorpe currently in the SANFL.

VERDICT: PASS. Not going to kick four every week, and there’s no shortage of forward options around.

Sam Skinner (Port Adelaide) $123,900 DEF/FWD
BE: -20 Ave: 46.5

Skinner was locked in most KFC SuperCoach sides throughout the pre-season but was stuck behind the queue of Power key defenders before an injury to Aliir Aliir in round 1. This coupled with off-season knee surgery for Tom Clurey paved the way for Skinner to make his Power debut, posting scores of 45 and 48. Aliir will remain on the sidelines for another 2-3 weeks but Clurey has made a speedy recovery and could return this week.

VERDICT: PASS. The timeline isn’t long enough to justify a trade, especially considering his scoring has been so-so.

Sam De Koning (Geelong) $123,900 DEF/FWD
BE: -15 Ave: 44

De Koning missed round 2 with a concussion sustained in Geelong’s season opener and remains on the bubble for the 37 per cent of coaches who don’t own the Cats tall. The 21-year-old was used at both ends of the ground against Collingwood and had more success up forward, where some late possessions saw him reach 50 points.

VERDICT: WAIT. Wouldn’t say he is a certain starter this week but if he is picked, it may be worth jumping on considering his DEF-FWD status and the lack of rookie defenders about.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda) $162,300 DEF
BE: 2 Ave: 47

The silky Saint has played two games and looked solid, but he is only projected to rise $20k from his elevated starting price. While he is renowned for his Wanganeen-Milera ball-use, he is averaging the 12.5 disposals so far.

VERDICT: PASS. Too expensive for his current output

Jackson Mead (Port Adelaide) $157,200 MID
BE: -3 Ave: 49.3

He isn’t technically a bubble boy, but Mead was the sub in round 2 which meant his price rise was small. Holders were rewarded with a score of 78 in the Showdown, where the third-year midfielder proved he can be a solid on-field option.

VERDICT: CONSIDER. Once his sub score falls out of his price cycle, his rise should be steep. But is his job security high enough?

Nathan O’Driscoll (Fremantle) $123,900 DEF/MID
BE: 6 Ave: 33.5

O’Driscoll was elevated to the senior line-up for the Dockers after a late cameo as the sub in round 2. While NOD hit the scoreboard against the Eagles, he managed 49 points from 12 touches which will see him come under pressure at selection.

VERDICT: PASS... for now. If he keeps his place and scores well in round 4, you should be able to grab him next week.

WATCHLIST/WAIT
Braydon Preuss (GWS) $204,700 RUC
Ave: 109

Some will be tempted to jump on big Preuss this week, but putting your trust in Leon Cameron doesn’t generally work out well. Preuss was impressive in his first match as a Giant rucking solo, racking up 34 hitouts, 16 disposals, 12 contested possessions, seven clearances and 109 KFC SuperCoach points. He looks to be a no-brainer as a third ruck option who can generate us cash and provide cover if one of our ruckman go down. His price won’t rise until his third game in round 5 – that’s if he isn’t rested - so it is not worth taking the risk, unless it is to avoid a zero (I’m looking at you, Hayes R2 owners).

Reef McInnes (Coll) $123,900 MID
Ave: 61

The second-year Magpie is another to keep tabs on this weekend after he collected 14 touches on debut. McInnes averaged 61 points at VFL level last year and looms as a solid rookie scorer.

HOLD
Josh Rachele (Adelaide) $230,500 FWD-MID
BE: 42 Ave: 70.7

I nearly fell off my chair seeing Rachele was the most traded out player of the week. That’s right, a rookie who scored 118 KFC SuperCoach points on debut just two weeks ago. He managed the 36 points in the Showdown but it wasn’t a true reflection of his output, losing 11 points by giving away a 50m penalty in the dying minutes of the match. Including the pre-season, Rachele has averaged 76.4 points across five matches as a Crow and moving him on after one price rise – with a manageable breakeven of 42 - could turn out to be a major regret.

Josh Ward (Hawthorn) $196,400 MID
BE: 9 Ave: 47.7

I can understand the reasoning for trading out Ward, whose possession tallies haven’t amounted to strong KFC SuperCoach scores. Hawthorn’s top pick has tallied 20 disposals the past two weeks for solid returns of 53 and 54, but the potential is there. Remember, it only takes one big game – like his 120-plus outing in the pre-season – for the cash to roll in.

To make a comparson between Thompson Dow and Paddy Dow is ridiculous.
Paddy hasn't come remotely close to scoring 100 in 58 Games, Thompson did it in his ninth game and also he doesn't butcher the ball.
Also that breakeven list left out Willie Rioli at -40 breakeven.

 

[Professor]

Key Tigers in frame to return but another blow for premiership defender

By Jon Pierik
April 5, 2022 — 6.44pm
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Richmond triple-premiership stars Dion Prestia and Jack Riewoldt are on the verge of comebacks against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday but co-captain Dylan Grimes faces at least three weeks on the sidelines.
Prestia has missed the past fortnight because of a hamstring tear suffered against Carlton but has lifted his training intensity in recent days and now needs to only emerge unscathed at training on Thursday to return to the senior line up.
“Dion’s been really good. He’s had a really good last two weeks. So, he’s going to end up having only missed two games. He completed a huge session last Saturday and he’s ticked all the boxes,” Tigers’ physical performance manager Peter Burge said.
Prestia’s return will be much welcomed, for the Tigers were beaten in the midfield by St Kilda last weekend, and still do not know when Dustin Martin will return from personal leave.

Setback: Dylan Grimes.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES
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However, Grimes, who strained a hamstring in the third term against the Saints, faces at least three weeks on the sidelines, continuing a wretched run of injury.
“The last two months, Dylan’s training has been interrupted quite frequently with various things. In January, he had a calf injury off the Christmas break and then he hurt his ankle in training, then he had COVID in the pre-season, then hurt his thumb ... it’s fair to say he’s been very interrupted,” Burge said.
“His preparation hasn’t been perfect and there’s no doubt that’s probably played a bit of a role in this.”
Veteran forward Riewoldt (fractured thumb) was keen to return last weekend but the Tigers felt he needed to complete more training.
“He’s training this week and, if he completes training this Thursday, he’ll be available for selection,” Burge said.
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Nick Vlastuin (hamstring) hopes to return next week, while Kane Lambert (hip) is running and “ticking a lot of boxes”.
Collingwood say veteran defender Jordan Roughead (shoulder) has made excellent progress, having completed full contact training, and is a “chance” to return against West Coast. However, recruit Nathan Kreuger (shoulder) is most likely to return in round five.
The Pies confirmed youngsters Jack Ginnivan, Charlie Dean and Aiden Begg have signed contract extensions. Ginnivan and Dean will remain at the club until 2024, while ruckman Begg has been given a one-year deal.

 

[Shannon]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 5 Rookie bible

KFC SuperCoaches can wait another week on Giant Braydon Preuss. But it’s a different story for two other cheapies set to explode in price. Full Round 5 rookie guide.

KFC SuperCoach rookie scoring can be unpredictable at the best of times, but few coaches that coming from Nathan O’Driscoll.
After a score of 18 coming on as the medical sub was followed by a 49-point effort in the derby, O’Driscoll registered a KFC SuperCoach ton in his third game.

And it makes him top of the list ahead of round 5.

Find out who to buy, sell, hold and watch.

Buy
Nathan O’Driscoll (Frem) $167,700 DEF/MID | Ave: 57 BE: -54

The broadcast mentioned the Dockers were wearing black armbands for the passing of O’Driscoll’s grandmother, and it certainly was an inspired performance from the midfielder in just his third senior game. O’Driscoll, who was high on our pre-season radar, was super impressive on a wing tallying 20 disposals, six tackles, 452 metres gained, 104 KFC SuperCoach points and kicking 2.2. A bigger body at 188cm, O’Driscoll can win it on the inside and outside, with his left boot proving to be a forward-half weapon against the Giants. As a cheapie defender with dual position status and a low Break Even, he shapes as a must-buy despite already rising $43k – and his ton will remain in his price cycle for the next two weeks.

Hugh Dixon (WCE) $164,400 FWD-RUC | Ave: 66.3 BE: -60

Dixon looked to be one poor game away from being dropped but his role as forward and back-up ruckman against Collingwood yielded 96 points. About half of this was in the last quarter, where the supplemental signing went to another level. A long-term injury to ruck star Nic Naitanui should work in his favour, giving the 196cm mature-ager more time at stoppages. If you are in the 52 per cent of KFC SuperCoaches without Dixon, it’s time to jump on.

Neil Erasmus (Frem) $166,800 MID | Ave: 64 BE: -30

Erasmus is down the pecking order but looks to be another solid rookie option from the Dockers. The No.10 pick of last year’s draft has won 18 and 15 disposals in his first two matches and is spending a promising amount of time as an onballer, attending 14 centre bounces against the Giants. His contested ball-winning should allow him to put up consistent scores, posting 70 points from just 15 disposals. The only question mark is his long-term job security with Nat Fyfe to come back in the side, but they couldn’t drop him on form at the minute.

Wait
Braydon Preuss (GWS) $204,700 RUC | Ave: 105.5 BE: -91

Malcolm Rosas (GC) $130,600 FWD | Ave: 71 (one game)

Preuss looked to be the buy of the week after his second-straight ton, but in classic Preuss fashion he found a way to end up back on the sidelines. A reckless elbow to the head of David Mundy saw him rubbed out for a week by the tribunal, so we should be able to nab him ahead of Round 6.

Rosas is the other one to watch after three goals and 72 points for the Suns in Round 4, although,h with the forward rookies going from strength to strength, we may not need him.

Hold
Tristan Xerri (NM) $315,200 FWD | Ave: 81.3 BE: 58

Mitch Hinge (Adel) $266,700 DEF | Ave: 65.5 BE: 29

Jack Hayes (St K) $187,600 RUC/FWD | Ave: 84 BE: -15

Connor MacDonald (Haw) $171,800 MID | Ave: 44.3 BE: 27

Hinge is the main one here after being subbed out with a hip injury against the Bombers. The initial sense from the Crows was that it was a minor injury, so it is worth waiting for official diagnosis if it is a short-term blow, as he has cash to make. If Hinge is your only way to O’Driscoll, it may be worth the punt but offloading a rolling donut or a non-playing rookie is a better move. Hayes and KFC SuperCoaches have had a stroke of luck from a two-week suspension to Paddy Ryder, giving him the chance to support Rowan Marshall in the ruck - as he did in the first fortnight of the season to great effect. Xerri’s breakeven has shot up after a score of 46, but he was off for most of the third quarter with an injury and still appears to have the No.1 ruck role. MacDonald shapes as a slow burn rookie but a score of 23 points doesn’t bode well for his job security.


Sell
Dylan Stephens

Josh Ward

These two can be your path to O’Driscoll or Preuss, allowing you to make some cash and open up dual position flexibility. Stephens was solid in the VFL after being dropped with 22 disposals and 85 points, but it may not be enough to force his way back in this week. Ward had been showing positive signs but managed just nine touches and 41 points against St Kilda.

Pass
Jake Stein (GWS) $176,400 DEF | Ave: 58 | BE: -12

Ben Miller (Rich) $160,400 DEF | Ave: 58 | BE: -9

Reef McInnes (Coll) $123,900 MID | Ave: 41 | BE: -9

Jed McEntee (PA) $123,900 FWD-MD | Ave: 38 BE: -3

Jordan Boyd (Carl) $123,900 DEF | Ave: 37.4 BE: -2

Tex Wanganeen (Ess) $102,400 FWD | Ave: 28.5 | BE: 3

Stein and Miller are both key defenders and, with O’Driscoll ripe for the picking in defence, it isn’t worth getting either of these guys as well. Meanwhile, the other four bubble boys failed to pass 40 in Round 4… enough said.

Lowest break evens
Braydon Preuss $204,700 RUC -91

Hugh Dixon $164,400 FWD/RUC -60

Nathan O’Driscoll $167,700 DEF/MID -54

Beau McCreery $210,900 FWD -49

Willie Rioli $283,100 FWD -40

Nic Martin $195,500 FWD -37

Nick Daicos $304,700 DEF -37

Thomson Dow $250,200 FWD/MID -36

Neil Erasmus $166,800 MID -30

Lachie Gollant $165,000 FWD -26

Elliott Himmelberg $305,700 FWD -21

Jackson Mead $180,700 MID -21

Sam Skinner $123,900 FWD/MID -20

Sam De Koning $158,400 DEF/FWD -19

 

[Bermi]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 5 Rookie bible

KFC SuperCoaches can wait another week on Giant Braydon Preuss. But it’s a different story for two other cheapies set to explode in price. Full Round 5 rookie guide.

KFC SuperCoach rookie scoring can be unpredictable at the best of times, but few coaches that coming from Nathan O’Driscoll.
After a score of 18 coming on as the medical sub was followed by a 49-point effort in the derby, O’Driscoll registered a KFC SuperCoach ton in his third game.

And it makes him top of the list ahead of round 5.

Find out who to buy, sell, hold and watch.

Buy
Nathan O’Driscoll (Frem) $167,700 DEF/MID | Ave: 57 BE: -54

The broadcast mentioned the Dockers were wearing black armbands for the passing of O’Driscoll’s grandmother, and it certainly was an inspired performance from the midfielder in just his third senior game. O’Driscoll, who was high on our pre-season radar, was super impressive on a wing tallying 20 disposals, six tackles, 452 metres gained, 104 KFC SuperCoach points and kicking 2.2. A bigger body at 188cm, O’Driscoll can win it on the inside and outside, with his left boot proving to be a forward-half weapon against the Giants. As a cheapie defender with dual position status and a low Break Even, he shapes as a must-buy despite already rising $43k – and his ton will remain in his price cycle for the next two weeks.

Hugh Dixon (WCE) $164,400 FWD-RUC | Ave: 66.3 BE: -60

Dixon looked to be one poor game away from being dropped but his role as forward and back-up ruckman against Collingwood yielded 96 points. About half of this was in the last quarter, where the supplemental signing went to another level. A long-term injury to ruck star Nic Naitanui should work in his favour, giving the 196cm mature-ager more time at stoppages. If you are in the 52 per cent of KFC SuperCoaches without Dixon, it’s time to jump on.

Neil Erasmus (Frem) $166,800 MID | Ave: 64 BE: -30

Erasmus is down the pecking order but looks to be another solid rookie option from the Dockers. The No.10 pick of last year’s draft has won 18 and 15 disposals in his first two matches and is spending a promising amount of time as an onballer, attending 14 centre bounces against the Giants. His contested ball-winning should allow him to put up consistent scores, posting 70 points from just 15 disposals. The only question mark is his long-term job security with Nat Fyfe to come back in the side, but they couldn’t drop him on form at the minute.

Wait
Braydon Preuss (GWS) $204,700 RUC | Ave: 105.5 BE: -91

Malcolm Rosas (GC) $130,600 FWD | Ave: 71 (one game)

Preuss looked to be the buy of the week after his second-straight ton, but in classic Preuss fashion he found a way to end up back on the sidelines. A reckless elbow to the head of David Mundy saw him rubbed out for a week by the tribunal, so we should be able to nab him ahead of Round 6.

Rosas is the other one to watch after three goals and 72 points for the Suns in Round 4, although,h with the forward rookies going from strength to strength, we may not need him.

Hold
Tristan Xerri (NM) $315,200 FWD | Ave: 81.3 BE: 58

Mitch Hinge (Adel) $266,700 DEF | Ave: 65.5 BE: 29

Jack Hayes (St K) $187,600 RUC/FWD | Ave: 84 BE: -15

Connor MacDonald (Haw) $171,800 MID | Ave: 44.3 BE: 27

Hinge is the main one here after being subbed out with a hip injury against the Bombers. The initial sense from the Crows was that it was a minor injury, so it is worth waiting for official diagnosis if it is a short-term blow, as he has cash to make. If Hinge is your only way to O’Driscoll, it may be worth the punt but offloading a rolling donut or a non-playing rookie is a better move. Hayes and KFC SuperCoaches have had a stroke of luck from a two-week suspension to Paddy Ryder, giving him the chance to support Rowan Marshall in the ruck - as he did in the first fortnight of the season to great effect. Xerri’s breakeven has shot up after a score of 46, but he was off for most of the third quarter with an injury and still appears to have the No.1 ruck role. MacDonald shapes as a slow burn rookie but a score of 23 points doesn’t bode well for his job security.


Sell
Dylan Stephens

Josh Ward

These two can be your path to O’Driscoll or Preuss, allowing you to make some cash and open up dual position flexibility. Stephens was solid in the VFL after being dropped with 22 disposals and 85 points, but it may not be enough to force his way back in this week. Ward had been showing positive signs but managed just nine touches and 41 points against St Kilda.

Pass
Jake Stein (GWS) $176,400 DEF | Ave: 58 | BE: -12

Ben Miller (Rich) $160,400 DEF | Ave: 58 | BE: -9

Reef McInnes (Coll) $123,900 MID | Ave: 41 | BE: -9

Jed McEntee (PA) $123,900 FWD-MD | Ave: 38 BE: -3

Jordan Boyd (Carl) $123,900 DEF | Ave: 37.4 BE: -2

Tex Wanganeen (Ess) $102,400 FWD | Ave: 28.5 | BE: 3

Stein and Miller are both key defenders and, with O’Driscoll ripe for the picking in defence, it isn’t worth getting either of these guys as well. Meanwhile, the other four bubble boys failed to pass 40 in Round 4… enough said.

Lowest break evens
Braydon Preuss $204,700 RUC -91

Hugh Dixon $164,400 FWD/RUC -60

Nathan O’Driscoll $167,700 DEF/MID -54

Beau McCreery $210,900 FWD -49

Willie Rioli $283,100 FWD -40

Nic Martin $195,500 FWD -37

Nick Daicos $304,700 DEF -37

Thomson Dow $250,200 FWD/MID -36

Neil Erasmus $166,800 MID -30

Lachie Gollant $165,000 FWD -26

Elliott Himmelberg $305,700 FWD -21

Jackson Mead $180,700 MID -21

Sam Skinner $123,900 FWD/MID -20

Sam De Koning $158,400 DEF/FWD -19

I was surprised that MacDonald was rated above Ward.
I have both players and both looking like a slow burn in cash generation. Based only on some notes I have on them, I would rate Ward above MacDonald as a better player and more likely to have a spike game.
I haven't seen them play this year, so I am obviously missing something?
Thoughts?

Hold
Connor MacDonald (Haw) $171,800 MID | Ave: 44.3 BE: 27
.........MacDonald shapes as a slow burn rookie but a score of 23 points doesn’t bode well for his job security........
Sell
Josh Ward (Haw) $210,900 MID Avg: 46 BE 29
.........Ward had been showing positive signs but managed just nine touches and 41 points against St Kilda..........

 

[AryaBosses]

I was surprised that MacDonald was rated above Ward.
I have both players and both looking like a slow burn in cash generation. Based only on some notes I have on them, I would rate Ward above MacDonald as a better player and more likely to have a spike game.
I haven't seen them play this year, so I am obviously missing something?
Thoughts?

Hold
Connor MacDonald (Haw) $171,800 MID | Ave: 44.3 BE: 27
.........MacDonald shapes as a slow burn rookie but a score of 23 points doesn’t bode well for his job security........
Sell
Josh Ward (Haw) $210,900 MID Avg: 46 BE 29
.........Ward had been showing positive signs but managed just nine touches and 41 points against St Kilda..........

agree, i would rather ward and his rolling average is better than macdonalds isnt it

 

[mwross91]

I was surprised that MacDonald was rated above Ward.
I have both players and both looking like a slow burn in cash generation. Based only on some notes I have on them, I would rate Ward above MacDonald as a better player and more likely to have a spike game.
I haven't seen them play this year, so I am obviously missing something?
Thoughts?

Hold
Connor MacDonald (Haw) $171,800 MID | Ave: 44.3 BE: 27
.........MacDonald shapes as a slow burn rookie but a score of 23 points doesn’t bode well for his job security........
Sell
Josh Ward (Haw) $210,900 MID Avg: 46 BE 29
.........Ward had been showing positive signs but managed just nine touches and 41 points against St Kilda..........

agree, i would rather ward and his rolling average is better than macdonalds isnt it

I agree - Ward has shown an ability to get the ball too. Just efficiency killing him most weeks.

 

[Shannon]

KFC SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for Round 5 of the AFL season
KFC SuperCoaches were rushing to trade Matt Rowell in after his Round 1 score and, now, three weeks later are looking to dump him. So what’s up with the star Sun?
Scroll down to dig into the stats behind the KFC SuperCoach scores plus 10 more nuggets from SuperCoach plus to help your team.

SuperCoach Plus is a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, a bye planner, the new Trade Assist button and lots more. And now SuperCoach Plus subscribers can see live KFC SuperCoach scores for every AFL game in the 2022 season.

THE MONEY MEN
Don’t let a price rise put you off a KFC SuperCoach rookie trade. Docker Nathan O’Driscoll, who scored 18 as the sub on debut in Round 2, added $44k to his price tag after his third game on the weekend. But he posted a KFC SuperCoach ton and faces a breakeven of -54 – the third-lowest in the competition. He’s settled in an outside role, which makes use of his penetrating left-foot, despite being a contested-ball beast as a junior. It’s a good combination of attributes for KFC SuperCoach and he looks to be a solid money train to jump on this week. Even if he scores 50 in both of his next two matches, he’ll add another $90k to his price tag. Eagles’ SSP signing, Hugh Dixon, is another rookie who’s already experienced a price rise that is worth jumping on. The 23-year-old scored 96 points against the Magpies, where he was particularly impressive forward of centre, and star ruckman Nic Naitnaui is set to miss an extended period. And Dixon’s breakeven is even lower than O’Driscoll’s (-60).

EVERYONE’S JUMPING ON
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 12,000 KFC SuperCoach have traded O’Driscoll into their side. The most-popular trade is injured Blues star Patrick Cripps to O’Driscoll, with more than 2500 coaches making the move. They could soon well change with the Cripps injury not as bad as first thought.

THE MONEY MEN II
The rookie trains aren’t the only ones that have left the station you can still catch. Docker Will Brodie is the sixth-ranked forward in KFC SuperCoach after his huge 135-point performance, on the back of 37 disposals and 21 contested possessions. Of all players to have had 50 or more disposals this season, Brodie is the seventh-ranked player in the competition for disposals per minute. And a breakeven of -16 means he has plenty of money to make yet.

Rory Laird is the No. 1 ranked player for disposals per minute. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos
BALL MAGNET
The No. 1 ranked player for disposals per minute in 2022 is Crow Rory Laird, who has tallied 69 disposals in his two games since returning from a broken hand. Laird finished with 31 touches in just 68 per cent game-time against the Power and then 38 in 77 per cent time-on-ground in Round 4. A huge score of 143 against the Bombers means his price might not fall as much as we hoped it would after the 93-point display on return, with Laird’s breakeven a gettable 136. But, regardless, he could be a great point-of-difference in the midfield, with many forgetting about the star Crow who averaged 116 points last season, given the loss of defender status. He’s in just 400 teams.

NOT SO MUCH A BALL MAGNET
Gold Coast gun Matt Rowell had 32 disposals and 151 points in Round 1 to start the KFC SuperCoach season with a bang. But since then, Rowell has been unable to play his natural game, and hunt the ball consistently. Champion Data match-up stats tell us that Rowell spent time running with Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca in Round 3, Tom Green and Josh Kelly in Round 4, and against the Blues on Sunday, he spent time on midfield quartet Adam Cerra, George Hewett, Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh. And given his kicking efficiency was below 50 per cent – like it was against the Demons in Round 2 – the volume wasn’t there to compensate for what he did with it.

BUT STILL STRONG DEFENSIVELY
The good news is Rowell is still hunting the man, recording 20 pre-clearance tackles in the first four rounds – ranked 2nd in the league. With a breakeven of 68, you can afford to watch for another week, at least.

Aaron Hall should take more kick-ins with Jack Ziebell’s move forward. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
GOOD KICKING IS GOOD SUPERCOACH
Given the way Rowell can win the ball at the contest, he doesn’t need to hit his teammates on the chest by foot. But it’s the key to Aaron Hall’s KFC SuperCoach scoring. The Kangaroos gun, who plays just about the friendliest KFC SuperCoach role in the competition, has recorded 64 effective kicks this season – only Tiger Jayden Short has more. And with North Melbourne coach David Noble hinting that Jack Ziebell will stay forward after his five-goal performance in Round 4, that role might become even better. With Ziebell forward against the Swans, Hall took six of North’s eight kick-ins – playing on with five of them. In the previous two matches, with Ziebell taking majority, Hall took just 11 of the team’s 29 kick-ins. In the only game Ziebell has missed in the past two years, Hall scored 139 KFC SuperCoach points in Round 23, 2021.

DOCH’S TOP OF THE ORDER
After scores of 144, 100, 122 and 135 in the opening four rounds, Sam Docherty is the No. 1 KFC SuperCoach defender and the sixth-ranked overall scorer in the competition. He ranks fourth in the league for uncontested marks and uncontested possessions, sixth for effective kicks, 11th for handball-receives and 17th for total disposals. It’s a remarkable effort to get back to his best given what he’s been through, but it’s easy to forget the Blues co-captain averaged 115 points per game in 2017.

Docker big man Sean Darcy is set for a significant price drop. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images
FALLEN PREMIUMS
After inconsistent start to the year, both with form and body, Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy has a huge Round 5 breakeven of 235 – the highest in the competition. With scores of 72 and 71, Darcy’s price is set to drop by more than $50k, even with a 100-point score against the Bombers. SuperCoach Plus stats tells us that if Darcy averages 97 points over the next three rounds, his price will be down to $529k by Round 7. KFC SuperCoaches who didn’t go with the set-and-forget combination in the ruck should be keeping a close eye on the Dockers star. Gold Coast’s Touk Miller isn’t far behind with a breakeven of 188, after receiving close attention in the past two weeks. Non-owners looked to be facing an uphill battle to get him in after he scored 137 and 140 to start the year, but there’s a chance Miller’s price will now fall below $600k. Keep an eye on Demon Clayton Oliver (breakeven 162), too, with Giants Lachie Ash and Matt de Boer waiting on Saturday night.

HEENEY’S HUGE QUARTER
Some KFC SuperCoaches were hopeful Isaac Heeney’s price rise would be halted at three-quarter time against the Kangaroos. But the star exploded in the final term as the Swans ran over the top, recording 60 of his 131 KFC SuperCoach points, largely thanks to two important goals that resulted in 27.9 points alone.

CAPTAINS CORNER
It’s going to be hard to go past Lachie Neale as VC at home in the first game of Round 5 on Thursday night. He may have failed to score more than 88 in his past two matches against the Pies, but Neale has posted scores of 105, 140 and 133 in his past three home-and-away matches at the Gabba. It’s his 200th game, too, and in his past two milestone matches, Neale has scored 149 (150th) and 128 (100th).

 

[Shannon]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Which players are on track to earn dual-position status
The new group of DPP players will be added into KFC SuperCoach next week and a star Bulldog has made a late run. We reveal who’s a lock to get a new position.

The first mid-season position updates in KFC SuperCoach are less than a week away with the new batch of dual-position players set to be added for Round 6.
In an exciting new feature for the game in 2022, Champion Data will review where players are spending time in the first five rounds and add new dual-position classification where warranted – so a player currently listed as a midfielder could become a MID/FWD or MID/DEF if they are spending around 35 per cent of game time in a secondary position.

To be eligible to gain a second position in Round 6, players must have featured in at least four of the five first rounds.

Gaining DPP status will open up a new world of trade possibilities and bring new players into KFC SuperCoach calculations.

So who’s in line for a possible position change in time for round 6?


LOCKED IN
Scott Pendlebury MID to DEF/MID

After an CBA increase in Round 3, the Magpies skipper was back mainly in defence against the Eagles. Pendlebury said himself recently that the plan is always for him to go into the middle later in the quarter and it’s clear Craig Macrae wants his players to be versatile. But, at this stage, the new role looks set to make the 34-year-old a defender-midfielder next week. And with an average of 106, he would the sixth-highest averaging defender. At $522k, could he be the straight swap replacement for Patrick Cripps, if you’re set on trading him out, despite the Blues skipper being a chance for Round 6?

Nick Daicos has been used all over the ground in the first three rounds. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Nick Daicos MID to DEF/MID

Daicos impressed against Geelong, finishing with 26 disposals and 91 points as a slight role change saw him spend more time at half-forward. But he started at half-back against the Eagles on Saturday and tallied 32 disposals and a 125 KFC SuperCoach points to all-but confirm his place in the dual-position changes. Could he be a keeper in defence?

Dayne Zorko MID to DEF/MID

After being a must-have FWD-MID last season, he’s edging closer to DEF status. But would he be a must-have as a defender? Zorko had 28 disposals and 105 points against North in Round 3, and didn’t attend one centre bounce. But, in a similar role in the loss to the Cats, the Lions veteran finished with just 11 disposals and 52 points.

Tristan Xerri FWD to FWD/RUC

In Round 3, Xerri attended 64 ruck contests and 23 centre bounces, almost double Todd Goldstein (11 CBAs and 33 contests) in both statistics. Xerri has fast become the first-choice ruckman at North Melbourne and jumped by almost $100k in price. He struggled against the Swans, with Goldstein starting in the third term in the ruck – a quarter he spent considerable amount of time on the bench after high contract drew blood. But the role still looks to be his.

Mason Wood FWD to FWD/MID

Not exactly a household name when it comes to KFC SuperCoach, but Wood has enjoyed his best month of AFL playing in a wing role for St Kilda. It would be an almighty gamble to add him to your KFC SuperCoach team, but MID status is all but guaranteed based on where he’s spent large chunks of the opening four rounds.

Can’t squeeze into the Melbourne midfield? Just go down back and dominate like Angus Brayshaw. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Angus Brayshaw MID to MID/DEF

Take this one to the bank. After spending 75 per cent of game on a wing in 2021 and 11 per cent in defence, Brayshaw has played 100 per cent as a defender in the first four rounds. And he has adapted brilliantly to the new role, averaging 25 disposals, 10 marks and seven intercept possessions per game. Anyone who can score 176 points in a game – as Brayshaw did against the Bombers in Round 3 – is a player to keep an eye on.

Jack Sinclair DEF to DEF/MID

Sinclair’s flowing locks charging through the middle of Marvel Stadium have become a regular sight in 2022 as the Saints defender averaged 116 points over the first four rounds. He spent 85 per cent of game time down back last year but that number has dropped to 33 per cent, with a 59 per cent midfield and 8 per cent forward split making him a very relevant proposition. But after four consecutive KFC SuperCoach tons to start the year, he should be a trade target regardless of his potential new dual-position status.

MAYBE
Bailey Smith MID to FWD/MID

This could be the big one, with the young Bulldogs star, who was a popular KFC SuperCoach forward in his second season in 2020, on the cusp of regaining dual-position status. Smith has spent 33 per cent of his time forward so far in 2022, just two per cent short of the required figure. And with scores of 139, 80 and 122 in his three games for the year, his inclusion to the forward would make things very interesting – how man Bulldogs is too many?

Jason Horne-Francis MID to FWD/MID

The more we see of Horne-Francis, the more likely it seems David Noble wants to use him more in the middle for North Melbourne. After attending 20 in Round 3 against the Lions, the No. 1 pick was used at the 76 per cent of the centre bounces in the loss to the Swans and he has had 13 clearances in the past two weeks. Hopes of Horne-Francis gaining forward status have all-but diminished.

Mitch Hinge DEF to DEF/MID

Hinge had nine of his 16 disposals against Port Adelaide between the 50m arcs, five in defensive-50 and two kick-outs. Hinge spent significant time in defence in Round 1 but has had a more advanced role in the next two matches for the Crows. Then he was injured against the Bombers, so it’s hard to be sure which way this one goes. As it stands, he won’t get dual-position status but if that changes in Round 5 it would allow you to swing him with Nick Daicos.

Tom Mitchell has been spending more time forward in 2022. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Andrew McGrath’s new backline role could be short-lived. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images
Tom Mitchell MID to MID/FWD

This would throw the Hawk among the pigeons. Mitchell’s scores have frustrated his owners so far this season but they can largely be attributed to a new role, with his centre bounce attendance dropping from 70 per cent to 58 per cent and his midfield/forward split evolving from 90/10 to 71/29 in the opening three rounds. An ideal scenario would be picking up a cut-price Mitchell as a forward then hoping Sam Mitchell injects him back into the centre square as some of the Hawks youngsters start to tire, which looked to have happened a bit in Round 4. Mitchell tallied 18 contested possessions and nine clearances against the Saints and, while he isn’t far off from forward status, it may be wishful thinking.

LONG SHOT

Andrew McGrath MID to DEF/MID

McGrath has played more of a centre-bounce role without Zach Merrett as his CBAs increased from six in Round 2 to 22 against Melbourne. That was more than McGrath had in the opening two rounds combined, having registered 15 in Round 1. If McGrath continues to fill Merrett’s role while he’s out injured, the DEF DPP some were expecting will be unlikely.

 

[The Saltshaker]

Anyone got this story on Cripps injury?

Here: Cripps inj update

 

[Shannon]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 6 trade guide and expert advice

After back-to-back KFC SuperCoach tons, Braydon Preuss’ price is set to skyrocket. But who makes way? Here’s everything to consider, plus the best Aaron Hall replacements.

After a week to assess our options and deal with other problems, GWS big man Braydon Preuss is firmly back on the KFC SuperCoach radar.
His season hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing – round 1: suspended, round 2: VFL, round 3: 109 points, round 4: 102 points, round 5: suspended - but those two big scores mean he could be the cash cow of the season.

Priced at $204,700, he has a Break Even of -91 and will gain more than $75,000 in value if he can score 80 points in his next match. Based on SuperCoach Plus projections he’ll be worth more than $400,000 by round 11, and that’s based on an average around 80 points per game - conservative based on his first two outings.

In any normal year any player who can make $200,000 in profit is a no-brainer selection, but this season has thrown up more than its fair share of quirks and complications, especially in the ruck. And that’s not to mention Preuss’s injury history (he has played 20 games in four and a bit seasons), his troubled relationship with the match review officer and the fact he plays for GWS. Preuss’s replacement Matt Flynn was serviceable against Melbourne and could hold his spot, although that might not be a huge concern – Preuss scored over 100 playing with Flynn in the pre-season.

So what should we do this week?

SEVEN WAYS TO GET PREUSS
1. Trade a non-playing bench ruckman to Preuss
This is the easiest choice of the week. If you picked a cheap player who isn’t getting a game on your ruck bench like Charlie Comben or Domanic Akuei, turn them into Preuss ASAP. You’ll lose a dual-position swing but gain back-up if one of your starting rucks misses a game and an instant cash injection.

The only issue here is you’ll need to find some cash to make the move – $102k in the case of Akuei. That might necessitate a second trade such as cashing in a rookie such as Josh Rachele who has appreciated in value to a bubble boy like Gold Coast’s Malcolm Rosas ($130,600 FWD).

2. Trade Jack Hayes or Hugh Dixon to Preuss
The most popular ruck strategy this season was to pick one or both of these rookie rucks, who both started at the bargain basement price of $102,400, at R3.

Both have since rocketed in price, enough to enable a straight swap to Preuss. Easy. Except ... which one makes way?

Ideally you would wait a few more weeks before moving on either cash cow – both still have negative Break Evens and lots more money to make.

Hayes has the higher scoring ceiling of the pair, evidenced by his second ton in four games against Gold Coast on Saturday. But his place in the Saints’ best 22 seems contingent on Paddy Ryder’s availability (he’s suspended for one more match).

Dixon’s scoring is more modest but a 63 average is nothing to sneeze at and the fact he put out a 54 in a huge loss is actually a pretty good sign, especially with Nic Naitanui out with a long-term injury.

If it helps split them, the Saints face GWS – and Preuss – next round, while the Eagles come up against a Scott Lycett-less Port Adelaide.

3. Trade a starting mid-price ruckman to Preuss
If you went cheap in the rucks to start the year, this could be a good time to cash in your winnings and jump on the next money train.

Jarrod Witts is in 19 per cent of teams and has been a fantastic buy, starting the year at $380k and averaging 108.6.

Rowan Marshall hasn’t worked out so well for his 8000 owners, averaging 94 and dropping $70,000 in value. His 125 against the Suns was a season-high but that was rucking without Ryder.

Trading either to Preuss would generate a $300k profit – enough to turn a rookie like Josh Ward into a premium midfielder – and allow you to keep Hayes and Dixon on the bench.

If you picked Tim English at R2 – well played! You would not entertain trading out the top-scoring ruckman in KFC SuperCoach but you could trade out a forward, swing English to the forward line and bring Preuss into your rucks. If that means keeping Hayes/Dixon at R3, you’ll have English on call if Preuss misses a game – the perfect scenario.

4. Trade Matt Rowell to Preuss
Using some dual-position magic you could swap an underperforming midfielder for a ruckman.

Rowell could be the one to go after his second score in the 60s in as many weeks. That 157 in round 1 feels like a long time ago and his cash generation has stalled at around $400k - next week he could even lose money with a likely Break Even over 100.

Trading Rowell out would create a vacancy in the midfield that could be filled by moving any one of our long list of MID/FWD players up from the forward line. That opens up a spot in the forwards – fill that with Hayes/Dixon/English and you have a ruck vacancy for Preuss.

The downside is that for teams who will be playing Preuss at R3 it effectively means swapping out Rowell for a forward bench rookie in terms of weekly scores, but Hayes or Dixon aren’t scoring much worse than Rowell has been lately. You just might be creating a weekly headache of deciding who to play on field out of a crew of productive forward cheapies like those two, Josh Rachele and Nick Martin.

The Phantom will have more on the Matt Rowell situation in his weekly burning questions column over the next few days.

5. Trade a starting top-end ruckman to Preuss
Two weeks ago, trading out Max Gawn was all the rage. Since then, he has scored 160 and 130 (although if you got English in the deal you wouldn’t be complaining). So traders beware.

Now Brodie Grundy is the rage trade of the week after scoring just 53 – his worst score in almost eight years – against Brisbane.

His lowest score before that this year was 96, but, based on KFC SuperCoach price guru Brice Mitchell’s predictions, his price after lockout will be down $75,000 from his starting price and he will enter round 6 with a Break Even of 154. Even if he averages around 100 from here, he’ll be close to $500k in a few weeks.

Based on current averages a switch to Preuss wouldn’t cost you any points on field, you could bank $350k and jump back to Grundy when his price bottoms out or around the Giants’ round 12 bye. And you could keep Hayes/Dixon as cover.

But trading a proven durable top-scoring ruckman is a huge risk – see Gawn’s numbers above – especially to an unreliable player like Preuss.

Grundy’s next three games are against Essendon (av 129 in his past three), Gold Coast (123) and Richmond, a team he has scored eight consecutive tons against including a 140 (last year), 157, 137 and 135.

6. Pass on Preuss
If you don’t love any of the options above, buying Preuss isn’t compulsory.

His likely price gain of $200k can be compared to a baseline of zero if he’s replacing Domanic Akeui, but not if he’s replacing a player who will also be making cash in the time you would have Preuss in your team.

Brice predicts Dixon will make another $103k in his next four games based on a 63 average, and Hayes could make even more if he can stay in the St Kilda team.

7. Get Sam Hayes instead
News late last week that Scott Lycett will have shoulder surgery and miss three months has opened the door for long-time understudy Sam Hayes ($123,900 RUC) to get an extended run in the No.1 ruck role at Port Adelaide.

Hayes is $80k cheaper than Preuss and has much safer job security – Port doesn’t have another ruckman on its list.

On debut against the Blues on Sun, the 22-year-old had just five disposals, but an impressive 11 hitouts-to-advantage saw him finish with 75 KFC SuperCoach points.

Hayes finished the SANFL season strongly last year, recording eight scores of 99 or more in his last 11 matches, including four 120-plus totals.

The other bonus of picking Hayes is it gives you another week to get a big price jump from Dixon or Jack Hayes before cashing them in.

 

[Shannon]

WHAT TO DO WITH HALL

Aaron Hall was on his way to another big score when his hamstring pinged against the Bulldogs on Good Friday.

After entering the game with a Break Even of 154, his score of 71 will result in a price drop of about $37,000 – terrible luck for his 13,000 owners, who will now have to trade him out.

For everyone else (and his current owners if they can stomach it), he’ll be a bargain pick-up a few weeks after returning from the injury, when he is likely to drop under $500,000. Although it’s worth keeping in mind this is his second hamstring problem already this season.

For Hall owners looking for a replacement, Sam Docherty is at the top of the tree for KFC SuperCoach defenders – and has a price tag to match. Despite failing to reach three figures for the first time this year, Docherty has still scored 22 more points than the second-ranked George Hewett.

If you want value, Jake Lloyd reminded us of his KFC SuperCoach powers with 148 points against the Eagles. After a slow start to the year, he has dropped almost $50,000 in price but won’t get a lot cheaper.

Jack Sinclair is another great option after his fifth 100-plus score in as many games. A switch to the midfield is set to deliver dual-position MID/DEF status and he is a great POD – he was in just 2 per cent of teams entering round 5.

If you don’t have any cash in the bank, Alex Witherden could be a sneaky Hall replacement. He missed Round 1 through suspension but since returning to the Eagles line-up has scored 63, 106, 127, 134, and there is plenty of footy in the West Coast backline right now.

He would certainly set you apart – entering round 5 he was in just over 200 teams.

 

[Socrates2]

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 6 trade guide and expert advice

After back-to-back KFC SuperCoach tons, Braydon Preuss’ price is set to skyrocket. But who makes way? Here’s everything to consider, plus the best Aaron Hall replacements.

After a week to assess our options and deal with other problems, GWS big man Braydon Preuss is firmly back on the KFC SuperCoach radar.
His season hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing – round 1: suspended, round 2: VFL, round 3: 109 points, round 4: 102 points, round 5: suspended - but those two big scores mean he could be the cash cow of the season.

Priced at $204,700, he has a Break Even of -91 and will gain more than $75,000 in value if he can score 80 points in his next match. Based on SuperCoach Plus projections he’ll be worth more than $400,000 by round 11, and that’s based on an average around 80 points per game - conservative based on his first two outings.

In any normal year any player who can make $200,000 in profit is a no-brainer selection, but this season has thrown up more than its fair share of quirks and complications, especially in the ruck. And that’s not to mention Preuss’s injury history (he has played 20 games in four and a bit seasons), his troubled relationship with the match review officer and the fact he plays for GWS. Preuss’s replacement Matt Flynn was serviceable against Melbourne and could hold his spot, although that might not be a huge concern – Preuss scored over 100 playing with Flynn in the pre-season.

So what should we do this week?

SEVEN WAYS TO GET PREUSS
1. Trade a non-playing bench ruckman to Preuss
This is the easiest choice of the week. If you picked a cheap player who isn’t getting a game on your ruck bench like Charlie Comben or Domanic Akuei, turn them into Preuss ASAP. You’ll lose a dual-position swing but gain back-up if one of your starting rucks misses a game and an instant cash injection.

The only issue here is you’ll need to find some cash to make the move – $102k in the case of Akuei. That might necessitate a second trade such as cashing in a rookie such as Josh Rachele who has appreciated in value to a bubble boy like Gold Coast’s Malcolm Rosas ($130,600 FWD).

2. Trade Jack Hayes or Hugh Dixon to Preuss
The most popular ruck strategy this season was to pick one or both of these rookie rucks, who both started at the bargain basement price of $102,400, at R3.

Both have since rocketed in price, enough to enable a straight swap to Preuss. Easy. Except ... which one makes way?

Ideally you would wait a few more weeks before moving on either cash cow – both still have negative Break Evens and lots more money to make.

Hayes has the higher scoring ceiling of the pair, evidenced by his second ton in four games against Gold Coast on Saturday. But his place in the Saints’ best 22 seems contingent on Paddy Ryder’s availability (he’s suspended for one more match).

Dixon’s scoring is more modest but a 63 average is nothing to sneeze at and the fact he put out a 54 in a huge loss is actually a pretty good sign, especially with Nic Naitanui out with a long-term injury.

If it helps split them, the Saints face GWS – and Preuss – next round, while the Eagles come up against a Scott Lycett-less Port Adelaide.

3. Trade a starting mid-price ruckman to Preuss
If you went cheap in the rucks to start the year, this could be a good time to cash in your winnings and jump on the next money train.

Jarrod Witts is in 19 per cent of teams and has been a fantastic buy, starting the year at $380k and averaging 108.6.

Rowan Marshall hasn’t worked out so well for his 8000 owners, averaging 94 and dropping $70,000 in value. His 125 against the Suns was a season-high but that was rucking without Ryder.

Trading either to Preuss would generate a $300k profit – enough to turn a rookie like Josh Ward into a premium midfielder – and allow you to keep Hayes and Dixon on the bench.

If you picked Tim English at R2 – well played! You would not entertain trading out the top-scoring ruckman in KFC SuperCoach but you could trade out a forward, swing English to the forward line and bring Preuss into your rucks. If that means keeping Hayes/Dixon at R3, you’ll have English on call if Preuss misses a game – the perfect scenario.

4. Trade Matt Rowell to Preuss
Using some dual-position magic you could swap an underperforming midfielder for a ruckman.

Rowell could be the one to go after his second score in the 60s in as many weeks. That 157 in round 1 feels like a long time ago and his cash generation has stalled at around $400k - next week he could even lose money with a likely Break Even over 100.

Trading Rowell out would create a vacancy in the midfield that could be filled by moving any one of our long list of MID/FWD players up from the forward line. That opens up a spot in the forwards – fill that with Hayes/Dixon/English and you have a ruck vacancy for Preuss.

The downside is that for teams who will be playing Preuss at R3 it effectively means swapping out Rowell for a forward bench rookie in terms of weekly scores, but Hayes or Dixon aren’t scoring much worse than Rowell has been lately. You just might be creating a weekly headache of deciding who to play on field out of a crew of productive forward cheapies like those two, Josh Rachele and Nick Martin.

The Phantom will have more on the Matt Rowell situation in his weekly burning questions column over the next few days.

5. Trade a starting top-end ruckman to Preuss
Two weeks ago, trading out Max Gawn was all the rage. Since then, he has scored 160 and 130 (although if you got English in the deal you wouldn’t be complaining). So traders beware.

Now Brodie Grundy is the rage trade of the week after scoring just 53 – his worst score in almost eight years – against Brisbane.

His lowest score before that this year was 96, but, based on KFC SuperCoach price guru Brice Mitchell’s predictions, his price after lockout will be down $75,000 from his starting price and he will enter round 6 with a Break Even of 154. Even if he averages around 100 from here, he’ll be close to $500k in a few weeks.

Based on current averages a switch to Preuss wouldn’t cost you any points on field, you could bank $350k and jump back to Grundy when his price bottoms out or around the Giants’ round 12 bye. And you could keep Hayes/Dixon as cover.

But trading a proven durable top-scoring ruckman is a huge risk – see Gawn’s numbers above – especially to an unreliable player like Preuss.

Grundy’s next three games are against Essendon (av 129 in his past three), Gold Coast (123) and Richmond, a team he has scored eight consecutive tons against including a 140 (last year), 157, 137 and 135.

6. Pass on Preuss
If you don’t love any of the options above, buying Preuss isn’t compulsory.

His likely price gain of $200k can be compared to a baseline of zero if he’s replacing Domanic Akeui, but not if he’s replacing a player who will also be making cash in the time you would have Preuss in your team.

Brice predicts Dixon will make another $103k in his next four games based on a 63 average, and Hayes could make even more if he can stay in the St Kilda team.

7. Get Sam Hayes instead
News late last week that Scott Lycett will have shoulder surgery and miss three months has opened the door for long-time understudy Sam Hayes ($123,900 RUC) to get an extended run in the No.1 ruck role at Port Adelaide.

Hayes is $80k cheaper than Preuss and has much safer job security – Port doesn’t have another ruckman on its list.

On debut against the Blues on Sun, the 22-year-old had just five disposals, but an impressive 11 hitouts-to-advantage saw him finish with 75 KFC SuperCoach points.

Hayes finished the SANFL season strongly last year, recording eight scores of 99 or more in his last 11 matches, including four 120-plus totals.

The other bonus of picking Hayes is it gives you another week to get a big price jump from Dixon or Jack Hayes before cashing them in.

Trade Jack Hayes to Preuss? Gmab Herald-sun

 

[wolfbunny]

Better strap in boys and girls its going to get messy for the next broadcast rights deal that Gillion wants to tick off before he departs!
Not strictly about SuperCoach nor HS article but thought it would be of interest to some around here.
Let the carnage begin! 🤣
Interesting that viewing numbers are down, I guess the players dont believe that its their fault. AFL might need to loosen some of these contentious new rules quickly imo or it’ll get worse for viewing numbers if last weeks games are an example going forward!

https://apple.news/AUcq8pVySRr6HIH6MHd3Hlg


Streaming companies want to broadcast AFL as players seek huge pay rises


The bid from big foreign players comes as the Seven Network’s offering declines in popularity and the AFL needs money to fund its player contracts.


Two of the world’s biggest streaming companies are bidding for the first time to broadcast AFL games, at the same time as the league requires significantly higher broadcast revenues to pay for the salary claims of male players and a near doubling in pay for the AFLW.


The Age can reveal that global streaming platforms Amazon and Paramount have both expressed interest in being part of the AFL’s broadcasting deal beyond 2024. Both companies have responded to a letter sent out by the AFL to gauge interest from prospective buyers.


It comes as the players are seeking more money, but fewer people are watching footy on the Seven Network, the free-to-air broadcaster. Channel Seven’s AFL ratings are down more than 18 per cent, compared to five years ago, as people turn to subscription TV and streaming.


Fox Footy’s numbers are also down 13 per cent, while Fox’s streaming service, Kayo, has gone from zero viewers in 2017 to an average 139,000 in the first month of the season.


Outgoing league chief executive Gillon McLachlan flagged in his resignation media conference last week that his two key remaining tasks were to negotiate the next broadcast deal and complete the players’ next collective bargaining agreement.


Sources inside the league say the two are linked by the requirement for more cash.


AFLW players have asked for a huge 107 per cent pay increase year-on-year for the upcoming season. While the AFL has not agreed to those terms, senior sources at both league headquarters and the players’ association believe a deal will be struck in the next week that could see the average women’s wage double for the upcoming season.


It means the highest-paid women’s player, before any Additional Services Agreement, will go from $37,000 to close to $70,000. The average wage will jump from under $28,000 to potentially more than $50,000. The women had offered to increase their total commitment in hours (excluding finals) from 338 to 611, but they were told by the AFL a significant increase in hours was unnecessary.


Each club will be able to spend between $50,000 and $100,000 except for the two highest-paid players on each list, which sits outside the Additional Services Agreement cap.


There is wide agreement within the league that AFLW players have been underpaid, but even so, male players have made it clear they would not volunteer to sacrifice any of their own, much higher pay to help fund the growth of the women’s game.


Under the current deal, the male players receive 28 per cent of the league’s revenue, and they have told the AFL the increase to female players’ salaries should be found from the other 72 per cent.


That flag in the ground has caused considerable internal friction. Several senior women’s players, when contacted by The Age this week, said they thought they had been ignored by their own players’ union for too long. The decision to begin pay negotiations in the AFLW grand final week was seen as a slap in the face.


“Imagine starting the men’s pay deal talks in grand final week in September,” one player said.


Meaningful contract conversations with the men are yet to take place, and it remains unclear whether they are seeking a pay increase from 2019, prior to COVID-19 hitting.


Given so much of the AFL’s revenue comes from the broadcast rights, the potential introduction of a disruptor like Amazon, Paramount, Ten or even Nine (which owns this masthead) is of great value to the league.


Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, with a market capital of $US1.55 trillion, has purchased the rights to Thursday-night football in the NFL to be streamed on Amazon Prime. Industry sources have told The Age that if a company like Amazon was to involve itself in broadcasting football in Australia, it would follow a similar path to its purchase of one game a week in the NFL.


Australian streaming service Stan (owned by Nine) announced a broadcast deal in 2020 for rugby, which is worth $100 million over three years.


If the AFL could negotiate more five-day breaks with its players in the next contract negotiations, Thursday night football could become a permanent fixture beyond 2024, meaning this game could be sold in isolation.


Paramount is now owned by CBS Studios, who also took over the Ten Network in Australia. Paramount Plus in Australia entered the market for streaming live sport when it purchased the rights to soccer’s A-League last year.


Paramount’s affiliation with local TV network Ten would come as an added bonus to the AFL, who would have the flexibility to negotiate with a free-to-air channel.


In 2017, an average AFL game would see Seven out-rate Fox by more than half-a-million people. In 2022, that difference has nearly halved.


As revealed by The Age in 2019, the AFL sent a team to the US on a covert, fact-finding mission to visit the head offices of Amazon, Google and Facebook. In what will be seen as a major part of his legacy, McLachlan has been ahead of the curve in the digital space when it comes to broadcasting as compared to many other Australian sports.


The AFL would not comment on negotiations. Amazon and Paramount have been approached for comment.


Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

 

[Darkie]

Better strap in boys and girls its going to get messy for the next broadcast rights deal that Gillion wants to tick off before he departs!
Not strictly about SuperCoach nor HS article but thought it would be of interest to some around here.
Let the carnage begin! 🤣
Interesting that viewing numbers are down, I guess the players dont believe that its their fault. AFL might need to loosen some of these contentious new rules quickly imo or it’ll get worse for viewing numbers if last weeks games are an example going forward!

https://apple.news/AUcq8pVySRr6HIH6MHd3Hlg


Streaming companies want to broadcast AFL as players seek huge pay rises


The bid from big foreign players comes as the Seven Network’s offering declines in popularity and the AFL needs money to fund its player contracts.


Two of the world’s biggest streaming companies are bidding for the first time to broadcast AFL games, at the same time as the league requires significantly higher broadcast revenues to pay for the salary claims of male players and a near doubling in pay for the AFLW.


The Age can reveal that global streaming platforms Amazon and Paramount have both expressed interest in being part of the AFL’s broadcasting deal beyond 2024. Both companies have responded to a letter sent out by the AFL to gauge interest from prospective buyers.


It comes as the players are seeking more money, but fewer people are watching footy on the Seven Network, the free-to-air broadcaster. Channel Seven’s AFL ratings are down more than 18 per cent, compared to five years ago, as people turn to subscription TV and streaming.


Fox Footy’s numbers are also down 13 per cent, while Fox’s streaming service, Kayo, has gone from zero viewers in 2017 to an average 139,000 in the first month of the season.


Outgoing league chief executive Gillon McLachlan flagged in his resignation media conference last week that his two key remaining tasks were to negotiate the next broadcast deal and complete the players’ next collective bargaining agreement.


Sources inside the league say the two are linked by the requirement for more cash.


AFLW players have asked for a huge 107 per cent pay increase year-on-year for the upcoming season. While the AFL has not agreed to those terms, senior sources at both league headquarters and the players’ association believe a deal will be struck in the next week that could see the average women’s wage double for the upcoming season.


It means the highest-paid women’s player, before any Additional Services Agreement, will go from $37,000 to close to $70,000. The average wage will jump from under $28,000 to potentially more than $50,000. The women had offered to increase their total commitment in hours (excluding finals) from 338 to 611, but they were told by the AFL a significant increase in hours was unnecessary.


Each club will be able to spend between $50,000 and $100,000 except for the two highest-paid players on each list, which sits outside the Additional Services Agreement cap.


There is wide agreement within the league that AFLW players have been underpaid, but even so, male players have made it clear they would not volunteer to sacrifice any of their own, much higher pay to help fund the growth of the women’s game.


Under the current deal, the male players receive 28 per cent of the league’s revenue, and they have told the AFL the increase to female players’ salaries should be found from the other 72 per cent.


That flag in the ground has caused considerable internal friction. Several senior women’s players, when contacted by The Age this week, said they thought they had been ignored by their own players’ union for too long. The decision to begin pay negotiations in the AFLW grand final week was seen as a slap in the face.


“Imagine starting the men’s pay deal talks in grand final week in September,” one player said.


Meaningful contract conversations with the men are yet to take place, and it remains unclear whether they are seeking a pay increase from 2019, prior to COVID-19 hitting.


Given so much of the AFL’s revenue comes from the broadcast rights, the potential introduction of a disruptor like Amazon, Paramount, Ten or even Nine (which owns this masthead) is of great value to the league.


Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, with a market capital of $US1.55 trillion, has purchased the rights to Thursday-night football in the NFL to be streamed on Amazon Prime. Industry sources have told The Age that if a company like Amazon was to involve itself in broadcasting football in Australia, it would follow a similar path to its purchase of one game a week in the NFL.


Australian streaming service Stan (owned by Nine) announced a broadcast deal in 2020 for rugby, which is worth $100 million over three years.


If the AFL could negotiate more five-day breaks with its players in the next contract negotiations, Thursday night football could become a permanent fixture beyond 2024, meaning this game could be sold in isolation.


Paramount is now owned by CBS Studios, who also took over the Ten Network in Australia. Paramount Plus in Australia entered the market for streaming live sport when it purchased the rights to soccer’s A-League last year.


Paramount’s affiliation with local TV network Ten would come as an added bonus to the AFL, who would have the flexibility to negotiate with a free-to-air channel.


In 2017, an average AFL game would see Seven out-rate Fox by more than half-a-million people. In 2022, that difference has nearly halved.


As revealed by The Age in 2019, the AFL sent a team to the US on a covert, fact-finding mission to visit the head offices of Amazon, Google and Facebook. In what will be seen as a major part of his legacy, McLachlan has been ahead of the curve in the digital space when it comes to broadcasting as compared to many other Australian sports.


The AFL would not comment on negotiations. Amazon and Paramount have been approached for comment.


Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

Channel Seven could improve their ratings simply by getting a half-decent commentary team.

 

[Gruffles]

Channel Seven could improve their ratings simply by getting a half-decent commentary team.

I miss free-to-air Saturday afternoon games personally.

 

[Gruffles]

Better strap in boys and girls its going to get messy for the next broadcast rights deal that Gillion wants to tick off before he departs!
Not strictly about SuperCoach nor HS article but thought it would be of interest to some around here.
Let the carnage begin! 🤣
Interesting that viewing numbers are down, I guess the players dont believe that its their fault. AFL might need to loosen some of these contentious new rules quickly imo or it’ll get worse for viewing numbers if last weeks games are an example going forward!

https://apple.news/AUcq8pVySRr6HIH6MHd3Hlg


Streaming companies want to broadcast AFL as players seek huge pay rises


The bid from big foreign players comes as the Seven Network’s offering declines in popularity and the AFL needs money to fund its player contracts.


Two of the world’s biggest streaming companies are bidding for the first time to broadcast AFL games, at the same time as the league requires significantly higher broadcast revenues to pay for the salary claims of male players and a near doubling in pay for the AFLW.


The Age can reveal that global streaming platforms Amazon and Paramount have both expressed interest in being part of the AFL’s broadcasting deal beyond 2024. Both companies have responded to a letter sent out by the AFL to gauge interest from prospective buyers.


It comes as the players are seeking more money, but fewer people are watching footy on the Seven Network, the free-to-air broadcaster. Channel Seven’s AFL ratings are down more than 18 per cent, compared to five years ago, as people turn to subscription TV and streaming.


Fox Footy’s numbers are also down 13 per cent, while Fox’s streaming service, Kayo, has gone from zero viewers in 2017 to an average 139,000 in the first month of the season.


Outgoing league chief executive Gillon McLachlan flagged in his resignation media conference last week that his two key remaining tasks were to negotiate the next broadcast deal and complete the players’ next collective bargaining agreement.


Sources inside the league say the two are linked by the requirement for more cash.


AFLW players have asked for a huge 107 per cent pay increase year-on-year for the upcoming season. While the AFL has not agreed to those terms, senior sources at both league headquarters and the players’ association believe a deal will be struck in the next week that could see the average women’s wage double for the upcoming season.


It means the highest-paid women’s player, before any Additional Services Agreement, will go from $37,000 to close to $70,000. The average wage will jump from under $28,000 to potentially more than $50,000. The women had offered to increase their total commitment in hours (excluding finals) from 338 to 611, but they were told by the AFL a significant increase in hours was unnecessary.


Each club will be able to spend between $50,000 and $100,000 except for the two highest-paid players on each list, which sits outside the Additional Services Agreement cap.


There is wide agreement within the league that AFLW players have been underpaid, but even so, male players have made it clear they would not volunteer to sacrifice any of their own, much higher pay to help fund the growth of the women’s game.


Under the current deal, the male players receive 28 per cent of the league’s revenue, and they have told the AFL the increase to female players’ salaries should be found from the other 72 per cent.


That flag in the ground has caused considerable internal friction. Several senior women’s players, when contacted by The Age this week, said they thought they had been ignored by their own players’ union for too long. The decision to begin pay negotiations in the AFLW grand final week was seen as a slap in the face.


“Imagine starting the men’s pay deal talks in grand final week in September,” one player said.


Meaningful contract conversations with the men are yet to take place, and it remains unclear whether they are seeking a pay increase from 2019, prior to COVID-19 hitting.


Given so much of the AFL’s revenue comes from the broadcast rights, the potential introduction of a disruptor like Amazon, Paramount, Ten or even Nine (which owns this masthead) is of great value to the league.


Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, with a market capital of $US1.55 trillion, has purchased the rights to Thursday-night football in the NFL to be streamed on Amazon Prime. Industry sources have told The Age that if a company like Amazon was to involve itself in broadcasting football in Australia, it would follow a similar path to its purchase of one game a week in the NFL.


Australian streaming service Stan (owned by Nine) announced a broadcast deal in 2020 for rugby, which is worth $100 million over three years.


If the AFL could negotiate more five-day breaks with its players in the next contract negotiations, Thursday night football could become a permanent fixture beyond 2024, meaning this game could be sold in isolation.


Paramount is now owned by CBS Studios, who also took over the Ten Network in Australia. Paramount Plus in Australia entered the market for streaming live sport when it purchased the rights to soccer’s A-League last year.


Paramount’s affiliation with local TV network Ten would come as an added bonus to the AFL, who would have the flexibility to negotiate with a free-to-air channel.


In 2017, an average AFL game would see Seven out-rate Fox by more than half-a-million people. In 2022, that difference has nearly halved.


As revealed by The Age in 2019, the AFL sent a team to the US on a covert, fact-finding mission to visit the head offices of Amazon, Google and Facebook. In what will be seen as a major part of his legacy, McLachlan has been ahead of the curve in the digital space when it comes to broadcasting as compared to many other Australian sports.


The AFL would not comment on negotiations. Amazon and Paramount have been approached for comment.


Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

Yeah, because 500k a year for some 20 something year old playing footy isn't enough money...
Let's chase down those hundred million dollar deals like the soccer stars get Greed. From the AFL and players.
That, imo is what is truly changing the game.