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Shannon · 6 Jul 2022

SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for round 17 of the AFL season

There are seven rounds to go, but the KFC SuperCoach rookie of the year race is over. Plus, the best captaincy picks and the stats behind two underperforming premiums.

KFC SuperCoach Plus projected Clayton Oliver to go massive last week against a favourable opponent and it’s a similar story for Lachie Neale in round 17.

This week’s SuperCoach Plus article digs into the data behind the reduced output of popular picks Patrick Cripps and Jayden Short, names the rookie of the year and outlines the kick in kings of 2022.

Here’s 11 things you need to know ahead of an all-important weekend of SuperCoach.

1. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR GOES TO...
He is favourite to take out the AFL Rising Star Award in about two months, but we are happy to call it now — Nick Daicos is the rookie of the year in KFC SuperCoach. Daicos was the most owned player in the game but his ownership has dropped from a high of 134,000 to 77,000, with many coaches trading him out over the byes – bad timing, as it turns out. Daicos has averaged 115 over his past four games, ranked third among defenders in this time behind Jordan Dawson and Adam Saad. He posted a season-high 143 against Gold Coast, playing a near-perfect match on the stats sheet – collecting 37 disposals and losing just 8.3 points from his score from three handball clangers. His price jumped another $41,900 this week to $482,100 with a Break Even of 43 against North Melbourne – a projected score of 104 will send him above $500k, a remarkable effort after starting the year valued at $193,800.

2. SHORT’S SLUMP
Jayden Short’s move out of the backline looked like a winner for KFC SuperCoach when he scored 152 against West Coast in round 7. But he hasn’t scored above 110 since and has only three 100-plus scores in eight rounds. He has won between 21 and 25 disposals in each of those games but has been hit by poor efficiency while averaging seven contested possessions, 3.4 clearances and 3.4 tackles. His five-round average of 87.4 ranks 45th among defenders and he has now dropped $53,800 below his starting price to a season-low $481,400. Based on SuperCoach Plus projections he’ll be in the $450k range in 3-4 weeks, although owners will be hoping a round 18 encounter with North Melbourne can buck the trend.

3. KICK-IN KINGS
Losing kick-in duties has hurt Short’s output, although he remains Richmond’s No. 1 kick-in taker this year despite not having any in his past nine games. Since then the job has been shared by players including Nick Vlastuin, Daniel Rioli, Nathan Broad and Hugo Ralphsmith. Daicos, meanwhile, helped boost his total with six kick-ins against Gold Coast – playing on from all six. Daniel Rich has had more kick-ins than any other player this year (98) but two possible buys this week aren’t far behind. Steven May is a bargain at $379,100 (Break Even 45) and he has taken 89 kick-ins in 13 games and played on from 86 of them, although he took only two last round. Bailey Dale is another great option (five-round average 111) and he has played on from 86 of his 88 kick-ins this year, including eight from eight last round. If kick-ins are really your thing, you can’t go past Sydney’s Nick Blakey – he has taken 61 kick-ins this year and played on from all of them, the only one of the top-25 kick-in takers with a 100 per cent play-on record.

4. CRIPPS DROP-OFF
Another early-season KFC SuperCoach star causing headaches for more than 98,000 owners is Patrick Cripps. He hasn’t dropped off a cliff like Short but Cripps’ output has clearly slowed after his barnstorming start to the season, when he averaged 125.6 over the first eight rounds – including an injury-affected 38. Since then he has averaged 96.1 and he hasn’t hit the ton since round 13. Cripps is still finding plenty of the ball – averaging 28 disposals, 15.4 contested possessions, 7.2 clearances and 3.8 tackles – but his scoreboard impact has evaporated. After kicking 13.4 in the first eight rounds, he has 3.2 since and just two goals since round 11.

5. WATCH ON HEWETT
Sam Walsh’s surge and Carlton’s luxury of having all its gun midfielders in the team together may be hurting Cripps’ output, and there is a watch on another Blue in George Hewett. The former Swan has had an outstanding season, averaging 111.8 points, but after not falling below the 111 mark in the first 11 rounds he hasn’t hit it since, averaging 97.8 over his past four games and dropping more than $30,000 in value. But there is no reason to panic with his centre bounce numbers still strong and an average since round 11 of 26.6 disposals, 10.2 contested possessions, 4.2 clearances and 4.8 tackles.

6. CRISP SAVED BY LAST
Jack Crisp was selected in many KFC SuperCoach starting teams for his reliability and durability. He has been a success on both fronts, playing every match to take his run of continuous games to 178 – Clayton Oliver is next on the list with 126 ahead of Todd Goldstein (102), Christian Petracca (98) and Jack Macrae (89) – and recording between 24-36 disposals in every game from rounds 2-13. But his scores have taken a dive in the past two weeks with disposal tallies of 19 and 18 respectively. He scored just 79 points against the Suns, of which 45 came in the final term when he spent time in defence. He was the top-ranked Magpie in the final term with 10 disposals (five effective), two intercept possessions and one tackle. He only had one negative act in the quarter, which was a handball clanger for a loss of 4.3 points.

7. SWAN’S SCORE EXPLAINED
Close games can either make or break your SuperCoach score, and in the case of Luke Parker – it broke his score. He only had four disposals in the tight final term against Essendon, of which two were effective. Parker lost 10.1 points in total from two negative acts – one free against and one clanger kick – to finish with 98 points. He lost $4400 in value and has a Break Even of 142 against the Bulldogs this week.

8. SPLINTERS FROM THE BENCH
Mature-age recruit James Tsitas made his AFL debut for Gold Coast last round and managed just 26 points from five disposals and a tackle. But he wasn’t helped by spending a majority of the match on the bench. Tsitas played just 40 of 119 minutes, with his 35 per cent time on ground by far the lowest in the match, although fellow debutant Hewago Paul Oea played just 49 per cent of the game – both remarkably low percentages in the modern era. Of the other 17 teams last weekend the lowest non-injury or sub-affected TOG was 57 per cent for Richmond back-up ruckman Ivan Soldo. It’s worth noting Patrick Dangerfield played just 62 per cent of the Cats’ game against North Melbourne and scored 96 points.

9. NEALE’S BUNNY
Lachie Neale lost his spot as the topscoring player in KFC SuperCoach in 2022 to Clayton Oliver after the Demon’s 176-point masterclass against Adelaide. But he could win it back this weekend. Neale (who now trails Oliver by 27 points) faces Essendon, and to say he enjoys playing the Bombers is an understatement. He has a career average against them of 126.8 in 12 matches with a jaw-dropping average in his past three of 170.6. That is based on two scores in the 150s and 198 in round 2 this year, when he had 41 disposals and two goals. After criticism for failing to tag the Lions ball magnet, Bombers coach Ben Rutten said: “It’s a great question and one that we’re constantly discussing as a coaching group what the pros and cons are because there’s always a cost whenever you make a move like that.”

Neale is projected to score 144 by SuperCoach Plus, but he could go larger than that. Oliver himself averages a formidable 127.6 points per game in seven outings against Geelong, including totals of 159 and 130 in his last two matches.

10. ROUND 17 BUNNIES
Neale isn’t the only player with an incredible record against his round 17 opponent. Max Gawn is listed as a test on Melbourne’s injury list and he would be champing at the bit to return against the Cats after scoring 159 in his past two games against them. In round 23 last year he had 26 disposals and kicked the matchwinning goal in a nailbiter at GMHBA Stadium, then matched that with a stunning give-goal preliminary final. Tim English is also set to return from injury this week and he has a great record against the Swans, scoring 152 against them in round 3 this year and 126 and 145 in their previous two encounters.

11. LOOKING LEFT-FIELD
There are other good options if you want a left-field C or VC this round. Rory Laird scored 178 last time he faced Hawthorn and Touk Miller scored 153 in his last game against Richmond, while Marcus Bontempelli averages 129.3 in his past three against Sydney (Jack Macrae averages an even 100 over the same period). Patrick Cripps is off the captaincy radar for most but if you’re hoping for a big rebound against West Coast in the last game of the round, his record against the Eagles isn’t cause for optimism. His past three scores against them are 81, 93 and 78.

The Saltshaker · 7 Jul 2022

Anybody have this on Nick Daicos Nick Daics, Heral Sun

Shannon · 7 Jul 2022

The Saltshaker said:

Mick McGuane: 12 reasons why Nick Daicos is already a genuine star of the competition
Nick Daicos should be in the All-Australian mix, and he could be the best first-year player of the modern era, writes Mick McGuane. Here are 12 reasons why.

Mick McGuane

I was lucky enough to play alongside my childhood hero at Collingwood.
My locker ended up being next to the Peter Daicos who wore No. 35 on his back, so I got to know his nuances and studied his games very closely across seven seasons we spent together with the Magpies.

I remember bumping into Peter and his two young sons — who grew up Carlton supporters — in the car park at Princes Park about eight years ago.

Josh would have been about 15 years old and Nick would have been around 11, and, as I had a chat to Peter, I watched his two boys have a kick.

They had technique and control and, even at a young age, you could tell they had the potential to be something special with the way they handled a football.

In watching Nick in his first year of AFL football this season, my mind can’t help but draw comparisons to Peter, with his sublime skill level, attention to detail, the way he uses the ball and the decisions that he makes.

Collingwood has itself another beauty — who would not look out of place in the All-Australian side this year if he keeps up his current form.

Here are 12 reasons why Nick Daicos is already a genuine star of the competition.

1. His Footy IQ is off the charts
If you haven’t seen Nick’s kick to Josh which set up a goal in the last quarter against Gold Coast last week, go and watch it.

If you have seen it, go and watch it again.

Nick was switched to the forward line at that point of the game and rolled up as an extra player at the stoppage on the wing.

He gathered the loose ball after it spilt free from the ruck contest in a one-touch motion and had the nous and the knowledge to understand what his team was doing with its off-side wingman – which in this case was Josh.

Nick didn’t turn towards goal and bomb the ball long like many first-year players would, but instead looked laterally across the ground.

In one step, he assessed the situation and weighted the ball perfectly to his brother on the other side of the ground.

Josh didn’t break stride in his run and kicked what was an important goal for the Pies.

You could see Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury pointing to Josh as Nick gathered the ball, but Nick was already one step ahead and had decided that for himself without instruction.

He knew what was next before it happened and that is how smart players become great players.

It was like the baton change had taken place before our eyes.

2. His ball handling
I’ve always had a philosophy that there are three cornerstones of being a good footballer – you have to win your own footy, you have to handle the footy well when you do win it and then you’ve got to use the footy well when you dispose of it.

Greg Williams was a great ball winner who handled the footy as well as anyone and then used it with class.

Williams wasn’t overly quick, but the game was played at his speed because he rarely fumbled and then had time to dictate what he did with the ball.

There is a little bit of Williams in Daicos, who has similarly elite ball handling skills.

He rarely fumbles, doesn’t get flustered in traffic or when put under pressure and has great composure when he makes a decision on how he is going to use the ball.

3. His ball use by hand and foot
Much like his father, Nick rarely wastes a disposal by hand or foot.

He sees options that others don’t and then executes the skill to give it to a player in a better position.

He is going at a disposal efficiency of 75.5 per cent this year, including a kicking efficiency of 71.2 per cent which rates him above average in his position.

4. He stacks up among his peers
We’ve seen some great players come straight out of underage football and have an impact over the past decade, but the numbers suggest Nick Daicos is the best we’ve seen.

From his 15 games for the Magpies this year, Daicos has averaged 26.1 disposals – the highest disposal average by a teenager that Champion Data has recorded.

Toby Greene averaged 25.6 disposals before he turned 20, while Clayton Oliver averaged 25.1 disposals, Sam Walsh averaged 23.7 disposals and Jack Macrae averaged 23.4 disposals.

They are all different players, but Daicos has superseded their ability to find the footy so far.

As the legendary Richmond great Jack Dyer would say, “He goes where the footy is, not where it ain’t.”

5. He is an exceptional reader of the play
The reason why Daicos is having such an impact for Collingwood this year is his ability to read the play, especially behind the ball.

He has got a midfielder’s mindset as a defender and that’s why he ranks 13th in the competition for intercept possessions between the arcs this year.

Daicos has conviction with his decisions and is happy to back himself to impact the next play, particularly when the opposition are coming forward with the ball.

He’s got the courage to leave his post or his opponent, which is totally aligned to Collingwood’s overall defensive philosophy. They come forward to defend as a team and Daicos does it so naturally he inevitably wins the ball back.

And if his opponent wants to run to an irrelevant area, he will let them go and back his own judgment to position himself where the ball is going to end up.

6. He can make the game stand still
We often talk about Scott Pendlebury’s ability to slow down time in the contest.

David Rhys-Jones is another player from yesteryear that had similar abilities.

It is a relatively rare quality — but Daicos has it.

He can find space in a phone box, but he can also use that space to his advantage to get out and make an effective disposal on the back of already knowing what is around him.

7. He has leadership qualities
I get the sense that Daicos is going to become a real instructional and organised leader on the field, given what he is showing already.

He is not directing teammates to benefit himself, but instead to make sure the side is well set up structurally around stoppage and he puts himself and others in the right positions to cover exits defensively.

The fact that he is already doing a lot of good finger-pointing as a 19-year-old is a credit to him and his leaning capacity to carry out the instructions of the coaches and put in place what’s needed then and there.

I love players who see trends within a game and react accordingly by ensuring teammates play their roles at any point of a game.

On-field leadership is paramount and Daicos is already exhibiting that feature.

8. He brings class to the Magpies
Aside from Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom, I’ve felt in recent years that Collingwood has lacked a little polish.

There are plenty of good grunt players like Taylor Adams, Brayden Maynard and Jordan De Goey.

However, Daicos compliments those players and adds the polish to distribute the ball to advantage of the team. Collingwood’s ball movement is as good as it currently is because Daicos is a huge driver of it.

His run and dare with the footy is as good as I’ve seen from a youngster in his first year.

He just oozes class.

Time will come that opposition coaches with start to use a defensive forward against him to dilute his influence.

Shannon · 7 Jul 2022

Part 2 - over 1000 word limit :-

9. He wants the footy
Watch Daicos closely and you will see him regularly put up his right hand out on the field when demanding the footy.

It’s like it’s a deliberate ploy to give him some extra height so he becomes more noticeable to teammates that have the footy.

He wants the ball in his hands and I love that in players.

That doesn’t mean he’s calling for it every time to just get a possession, but it says he is a player who wants to take responsibility and ownership of the game and has enormous self-belief in what he can do with it once he gets it.

10. He has exceptional balance
How many times have you seen Daicos go to ground this year?

He keeps his feet. He just doesn’t go to ground. His ability to veer right or left to buy extra time comes from the confidence of his balance.

His balance and agility gives him an extra half-second to evade an opponent and make the right decision on how he uses the ball.

11. He’s in the All-Australian discussion
Over the past four weeks, Daicos has averaged 32.8 disposals, 505 metres gained, 7.5 intercept possessions and 1.5 intercept marks.

If he keeps that form up over the final seven weeks, why shouldn’t he be in the mix to at least make the All-Australian squad of 40 this year?

Some people will ask whether a first-year player deserves such an honour.

Why not?

Former Adelaide defender Ben Hart burst onto the AFL scene in 1992 after playing senior football in the SANFL as a 16-year-old and won All-Australian honours in each of his first two seasons.

12. He can get even better
There is no doubt that Daicos is a future midfield star in waiting.

He’s got quick feet around stoppages, good anticipation and doesn’t fumble. He is very creative.

When his body naturally develops a little more, he will be able to win more crucial contests, handle more opposition attention and have the strength to manoeuvre opponents to win a ground ball or a marking contest.

The sky is the limit.

Bermi · 7 Jul 2022

Shannon said:

Is this the same N Daicos that I traded out because I read on this thread "Daicos has been carrying an ankle injury since March, it appears. Will continue to carry it through the season." ?

If so, then this should be added:
13. He has fast healing properties

inwhiterooms · 7 Jul 2022

https://bit.ly/3uukJkO

Anyone got the above?

Hinting at next wave of DPP's.

Shannon · 7 Jul 2022

inwhiterooms said:

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Who will get DPP ahead of Round 18?
The final wave of KFC SuperCoach DPP changes is almost here - but which popular names will qualify for a new position? Find out here.

The Phantom

The final wave of KFC SuperCoach position changes is almost here.
At the completion of Round 17, another batch of dual-position players will be added to the game on the eve of KFC SuperCoach finals.

Giant Harry Himmelberg, the highest-averaging forward in the competition over the past five rounds, is the biggest name locked into new DPP status, spending 36 per cent of his time in defence this year.

The forward-turned-defender has posted scores of 126, 187, 95, 114 and 101 since Round 10 after stand-in coach Mark McVeigh gave him a new role behind the ball.

A five-round average of 124.6 ranks him second of all available defenders, behind only red-hot Crow Jordan Dawson.

Himmelberg’s new dual-position status adds to the appeal of making him your final upgrade or injury replacement, especially if you still have popular DEF-FWD cash cows Paddy McCartin or Sam De Koning.

The other big name right in line for a new position is St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall - but he’s not quite at the 35 per cent threshold just yet.

Marshall reminded KFC SuperCoaches of his scoring power as the No. 1 man, again, in Round 15, scoring a huge 156 points in Paddy Ryder’s absence.

But with Ryder back in the side, Marshall is edging closer to forward status as he spends plenty of time as a marking target in the Saints’ forward-half.

He forward percentage sits at 32.9 ahead of Round 17.

Melbourne star Christian Petracca may have spent more time forward following the Demons’ Round 14 bye, culminating in a three-goal, 189-point performance against the Crows, but it’s a story of too little, too late for KFC SuperCoach DPP status.

Petracca’s forward percentage for the year is still at just 15.5 per cent, and, although closer, it’s a similar story for mid-season hopefuls Sam Walsh (28% forward), Travis Boak (27% forward) and Tom Mitchell (23% forward).

The full list of new DPPs, which also likely to feature popular Eagles rookie Brady Hough, will be revealed next week.

Shannon · 11 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 18 trade guide and all the new DPP players
The final round of dual-position players for 2022 is in. Who is now a DPP and what does it mean for your trade plans? Plus this week’s top targets.

Chasing points is not usually a recommended strategy in KFC SuperCoach, but sometimes the temptation is just too great.
After Harry Himmelberg monstered North Melbourne in round 13 with 37 disposals, 16 marks and 187 KFC SuperCoach points, more than 10,000 coaches promptly traded him into their teams. And it has been a winning move.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK’S TOP TRADE TARGETS

Himmelberg’s new role in defence – he has now spent 38.1 per cent of game time down back this season – has delivered four more scores of 95 or better, and a gain in value of almost $200,000. And now the icing on the cake has arrived, with Himmelberg gaining dual-position status as a FWD/DEF after round 17.

But the GWS swing man isn’t the biggest name in the latest round of position changes.

Rowan Marshall made a late charge to reach 36.1 per cent forward time and qualify as a RUC/FWD DPP for the final six rounds.

Marshall has averaged over 100 KFC SuperCoach points twice in his career, including a career-best 110.2 in 2019.

His scoring power was evident in a 156-point game against Sydney in round 15, but it’s notable that came in the absence of Paddy Ryder. Rucking alongside Ryder, Marshall has averaged 69.5 points in 11 games in 2022. If Ryder becomes unavailable for any reason, keep the big Saint on your watch list.

The other new DPPs are less likely to feature in trade plans, but some could provide some valuable flexibility for existing owners.

At the top of that list is Eagle Brady Hough, who played in three of the first nine rounds but has become a staple of the West Coast team in recent weeks, averaging just under 60 points in his past five games.

The bonus of a new MID/DEF player on the midfield bench could be huge in the closing rounds, opening up the option of moving a DPP premium like Jack Crisp or Jayden Short to the midfield to cover an unexpected out.

Screen Shot 2022-07-11 at 11.48.36 am.png

THIS WEEK’S TOP TRADE TARGETS
Callum Mills $575,300 MID

Few players can rack up KFC SuperCoach points like the Swans midfielder. Against the Bulldogs he had 23 disposals and a ridiculous 16 tackles to post 138, his seventh score above 130 for the year. He has dropped under $600k for the first time since round 6 and is the cheapest he’s been all year. He could be the perfect point of difference when most rivals have Clayton Oliver, Jack Macrae and Co.

Jack Steele $549,800 MID

The value uber premium of the competition, Steele will be available for about $550k despite hitting three figures in his three games back from a shoulder injury. He hasn’t quite hit top gear yet but we know what he can do after averaging 138 points per game after St Kilda’s bye last year.

Tim Taranto $441,100 MID/FWD

One of the forgotten men of KFC SuperCoach in 2022, Taranto was high in forward premium discussions in the pre-season and started with three tons in the first four rounds before suffering a drop in form then a back injury. But after scoring 56 in his return game he has posted 111 and 109 in his past two and is dirt cheap at around $440k.

Mitch Duncan $486,600 MID/FWD

You could cut and paste the above description for Duncan, who is slightly more expensive but has a stronger body of form with a five-round average of 104 after scoring 121 and 117 in the past two weeks. The Cats have a great run home.

Patrick Dangerfield $438,100 MID

Dangerfield’s return of 114 against the Dees could have been much higher if he had kicked straight in front of goal - finishing with 0.4. It was just his second ton of the season but the signs were ominous after his 96 from just over 60 per cent game time the week before. If you’ve got a spare trade he could be an incredible player to bring off the bench in your midfield.

Isaac Heeney $440,900 MID/FWD

Heeney bounced back with 112 points from a four-goal effort against the Bulldogs, but will drop further in price and can be bought for under $450k this week. The rollercoaster can be tough but he could be a great MID/FWD F7 if you can loophole his scores off the bench.

Luke Davies-Uniacke $567,300 MID

The Kangaroos gun is arguably the form midfielder of the competition. He has scored 120-plus KFC SuperCoach points in three of his past four matches, with his effort against the Magpies on Saturday one of the most complete individual games of the season - 33 disposals, 11 tackles, 12 clearances and 149 KFC SuperCoach points.

Connor Rozee $520,500 MID/FWD

Ken Hinkley rated Rozee as one of the best midfielders in the comp after his dazzling 154-point game against the Giants. Now a key member of the Power engine room, he has scored 98 or more in five of his past six games and offers dual-position flexibility – and a huge upside.

Tim English $576,000 RUC/FWD

If you held off a week before grabbing one of the top scorers of KFC SuperCoach in 2022, well played. English’s 97 was well below his 160 Break Even which will result in a big price drop this week from his pre-round 17 price of $605,100. The fact he was outmuscled in the ruck by Sydney’s third-string option Sam Reid wasn’t a great sign, but his scoring power still almost got him to 100.

Jase Burgoyne $117,300 DEF/MID

The son of Port Adelaide champ Peter Burgoyne has made an impressive start to his AFL career, scoring 65 and 68 KFC SuperCoach points in his opening two games. Not many coaches are in the market for a rookie at this time of year but if you need extra cash for an upgrade Burgoyne is the standout bubble boy this round.

Dan Rioli $484,300 DEF/FWD

If we’re picking on form – and price – the reborn Tigers half-back has to be in the conversation. Rioli has posted 127 and 129 points in his past two games and has set new career-highs for disposals three weeks in a row (27, 28, 31). Filling the Bachar Houli role, Richmond loves to get the ball in his hands and he’s not afraid to run down the ground for a ping at goal. He was $425k a few weeks ago but he’s still very affordable.

Professor · 11 Jul 2022

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1546429189704019968

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/joshmoney__/status/1546429189704019968

Shannon · 12 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s burning questions and Round 18 trade advice

Should we trade Clayton Oliver? Who could get tagged next? How many trades should I have left? The Phantom answers the big Round 18 KFC SuperCoach questions.

The Phantom

Clayton Oliver’s finger injury aside, it was a relatively incident-free weekend of KFC SuperCoach.
Sure, the taggers were back at it again – and it didn’t end very Caldwell for some – but there was no Tom Stewart-style suspension, an injured ruckman or an Aaron Hall soft-tissue problem.

Ah, Phant, Covid is still here…
Hmm. Yes, it is – and it was the Lions who took a big hit, forced into making five H&S protocol changes for the Round 17 clash with the Bombers.

“We could lose a few more, to be honest,” Lions football boss Danny Daly said of the outbreak which has reached 22 on Monday.

Insert grimacing face emoji here.

We’re not saying it will be Lachie Neale this week but, that’s the thing, we don’t know what will happened in the final six weeks.

But it is the middle of winter, and cases are increasing across the country.

Stay strong, and keep those last few trades up your sleeve.

Trades?
Ha.

The second-ranked KFC SuperCoach in the world is trying to hang on with zero trades remaining – he’s been climbing in recent weeks, too.

So you’re not alone if you’ve used all of yours. But six weeks is a long time.

Oliver might be out in Round 18 and he hasn’t missed a game through injury since his debut season of 2016.

Anything can happen.

It’s why, again, it’s probably still too early for that luxury upgrade. Trust me, I want more than 92 (Patrick Cripps) and 50 (Tom Green) from my last two midfielders, too.

So, keep Oliver?
I think so, yes. The Dees haven’t even ruled him out of Sunday’s game against Port Adelaide. At worst, he misses this week.

What about if I have no cover?
This is a more difficult question. If you have four or more trades remaining, then I’d look at covering the donut by trading Oliver.

As the most expensive player in KFC SuperCoach, one trade is all you will need.

Ask yourself this, though – how much will the replacement outscore Oliver by from here?

On average, Oliver would make up 11 points per game in the final five weeks on Callum Mills, the fifth-highest-averaging midfielder in the game.

So even if Mills scores 110 this weekend, the difference between copping a donut and trading Oliver could be 55 points.

Sure, Mills could bang out another double-ton in Round 18, but you get what I am saying.

I would take the donut, if it was your last trade.

I would do the same if you are just focused on your leagues – unless, of course, it’s do-or-die this week.

I have cover but I have 6 trades left?
Well, look at you. Nice work.

In that position, then, yes, I’d look at every opportunity to make up ground.

Unlike those with one or two remaining, you are unlikely to lose the ground you make up when you can’t cover a premium who misses multiple rounds in the run home.

Who should I pick then?
Mills is the only one of the top-five KFC SuperCoach midfielders priced at less than $600k. At $575k, he’s great buying ahead of Round 18.

Sure, Horse likes to throw him around from time to time – *rolls eyes* – but his 138 points against the Bulldogs was his seventh score of 130 or more this season.

And the Swans still have Adelaide, GWS and North Melbourne to play in the run home.

Seeing as you have trades to use, Oliver to Mills also gives you a handy $150k to use on that luxury move or save for that looming rainy day. And he’s still in less than 19 per cent of teams.

I like Mills as the best luxury upgrade target for KFC SuperCoaches in a different situation, too.

St Kilda skipper Jack Steele is great value, too, at $549k but back-to-back scores of less than 110 puts him behind the top-tier guys in the past fortnight, anyway.

What about an M9/F7 trade?
This is also an avenue you should definitely explore, if you have the trades.

I wrote about Patrick Dangerfield last week and, at $438k, following a 114-point performance – a KFC SuperCoach ton which could’ve been much bigger if he didn’t kick four behinds – against the Demons, he’s still great value.

After scoring 96 in just 62 per cent game-time against the Kangaroos on return from injury, Dangerfield was on the field for 79 per cent of the Round 17 win.

The Cats play three of the last four home-and-away matches at home, against the Dogs, Saints and Eagles, and we know Dangerfield at his best can go as big as any player in the competition.

If you like the idea of dual-position ‘premium’ cover on the bench, Giant Tim Taranto is another we spoke about last week. And he didn’t let us down, tallying 23 disposals, 13 contested possessions, seven tackles and 109 KFC SuperCoach points in the big loss to the Power.

He’s still available for $441k.

Phant, did you see Tom Green’s game that night?
Unfortunately, yes. I don’t think I’ve seen him perform any worse – he was clumsy with, and without, the ball and nothing went his way.

Green is another luxury trade I would make if I wasn’t down to two.

Next year, though.

Back to taggers, which of my players should I be worried about next?
Well, Horse Longmire likes to use Ryan Clarke on the opposition’s playmaking defender so, if Clarke stays in the side, Jordan Dawson (Round 19), Aaron Hall (Round 21) and Jack Sinclair (Round 23) again would have to be in his sights. Or does Clarke go into the midfield this week in attempt to quell the influence of Docker Andy Brayshaw? I’m just thinking out loud.

Over at the Bombers, Jye Caldwell stepped into the role with huge success, restricting Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale on Sunday. Sorry to bring it up, again.

Essendon plays Gold Coast (Touk Miller), GWS (Stephen Coniglio) and Port Adelaide (Connor Rozee) in the run home, teams with in-form game-breakers through the midfield.

Last one, what does David Noble’s departure mean for KFC SuperCoach?
Well Noble had nothing to do with the strength of Aaron Hall’s leg muscles, so probably not a lot.

It will be interesting to see where skipper Jack Ziebell lines up under stand-in coach Leigh Adams, while a heavily-discounted Tarryn Thomas might get his chance again.

Go, Jed Anderson

Shannon · 14 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Round 18 trade guide

With Clayton Oliver under an injury cloud, having cover is crucial in KFC SuperCoach. And Champion Data’s guru has found four guns who could blitz off the bench.

Fantasy Freako

As we enter the pointy end of the season trades are at a minimum for most KFC SuperCoaches.
No doubt there will be hurdles to overcome in the run home and having adequate bench cover is paramount, preferably in each position if you can manufacture it.

Bench cover is not only for potential injury or suspension, it can also be used in a strategic way to maximise weekly scores. Having a non-playing bench player enables you to loop the other one if the fixtures allow it. For example, if you still have Nic Martin on your bench and he is in your midfield, and he scores 101 points in the early Saturday game, then you could easily bench someone line Patrick Cripps, who has only hit 100 points just twice in his last eight matches.

Below I have highlighted the best value bench options for the run home.

DEFENCE: DAYNE ZORKO $391,900 DEF/MID

The 2022 season hasn’t been a great one for Zorko – averaging a career-low 81

points. Unfortunately for SuperCoaches, injury has played its role, missing rounds

15 and 17 already. He’s also in some doubt to play this week as he continues his

recovery from a hamstring injury.

Zorko’s scores have been all over the place this year, scoring 100-plus points seven

times, while dropping below 80 in seven other games. At his best though he is one of

the most prolific scorers in the game and after dropping in price by $203,500 already

this season, he comes in at a low $391,500.

Dual-position status allows you to use Zorko to cover two positions, and if you still own a Paddy McCartin or even a Sam De Koning, it is an easy switch to make.

MIDFIELD: JARRYD LYONS $436,600 MID

After averaging 100-plus points from 2019-21, Lyons has dropped to 93 points per game this year, and as a result his price has plummeted by $203,500 – the equal third-biggest drop of any player in the league alongside teammate Zorko.

He posted solid numbers up to Brisbane’s round 14 bye, averaging 24 disposals, 10 contested possessions, six clearances, six tackles and 99 points. But these have fallen since round 15, averaging just 18 disposals, five clearances, three tackles and 69 points.

Will he continue to post sub-par scores in the run home? It’s impossible to answer. But I do think he has enough runs on the board and he ticks a lot of boxes as a bench option from here on in, with a clash against the Suns on the horizon in round 19, a side he has scored at least 100 points against in each of his last six matches.

PATRICK DANGERFIELD $438,100 MID

Dangerfield is SuperCoach royalty, and he reminded everyone one of his worth last week against the Demons, finishing with 31 disposals, 13 contested possessions and 112 points.

Ordinarily, SuperCoaches would be all over him at his ridiculously low price, but his year has been hampered by injury – missing six matches in total. With two games under his belt after his latest setback, let us not forget that Dangerfield piled on 155 points in round 1 and the Cats have the best run home of any team with three of their last six games in Geelong.

If you still own Nic Martin and he is in your midfield, then a swap to Lyons or Dangerfield is a huge move.

RUCKS

The ruck department has caused SuperCoaches heartache this year, and the injuries continue to mount, with Toby Nankervis the latest to succumb.

Unless you have Tim English in your forwards and can use a DPP swing to give you cover, you could potentially have to trade Nankervis, or any other ruckman that goes down in the run home.

If you have plenty of trades up your sleeve and your team is in decent shape, then you could potentially afford to trade out Sam Hayes to give you a playing bench option if he’s still in your team. Any one of Sam Draper or Rhys Stanley could fill that bench void and give you

adequate cover.

FORWARD: JAMES HARMES $384,500 MID/FWD

Harmes’ role has changed over the last three rounds, and he has been used a lot more in the middle, attending 12, 14 and eight centre bounces, respectively. He is averaging a respectable 84 points over this period and could be a handy option towards the end of the year.

Obviously, he is a far better SuperCoach option if he’s in the midfield and if Clayton Oliver does miss this round through injury, one would expect Harmes to play as a centre bounce midfielder against the Power on Sunday.

Robbie Gray ($348,900) is an alternative option to Harmes on the back of 72 and 80 points in that order in his last two games.

Shannon · 18 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Best point of difference trade targets for round 19
With one round remaining before KFC SuperCoach league finals, now is the time to set your side apart with these point of difference picks.

Al Paton and Tim Michell

6 min read
July 18, 2022 - 9:48AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

There are just five rounds to play until the Holy Grail of fantasy footy is held aloft.

And while the race for the top spots in the overall rankings are heating up, most players will be turning their attention to their private leagues where there is one home-and-away match remaining before the four-week finals series kicks off in round 20.

Watching head-to-head match-ups reveals many teams are looking increasingly similar, with a small number of players deciding victory or defeat.

That means you can get a big advantage by grabbing an in-form player who isn’t in a lot of KFC SuperCoach teams.

You will need a truckload of cash as well as a valuable trade (or two) to snare super POD Rory Laird, who remains in fewer than one in five teams despite being one of the best scorers in the game.

But dig a bit deeper and there are more gems to be found who won’t break the bank.

Here are 11 point of difference guns who can set your team apart for the run home.

Rory Laird $676,500 MID

Ownership: 15 per cent

Almost 1400 coaches bit the bullet and traded Clayton Oliver to Rory Laird before round 18, and it could be a KFC SuperCoach-winning move. Laird broke the AFL tackle record with 20 against Collingwood, to go with 31 disposals and nine clearances for a monster return of 154 points – his second 150-plus score in the past month, when he is averaging 141.3. Those are Oliver-like numbers than can doom you if you come up against an opponent with him in a knockout KFC SuperCoach final. He’s also arguably the safest captain option in the AFL with just one score below 114 since round 4 (and that was a 105).

Tom Liberatore $604,300 FWD/MID

Ownership: 7 per cent

The tough Bulldog recorded his seventh consecutive KFC SuperCoach ton against St Kilda, amassing 131 points. Liberatore has largely flown under the radar as KFC SuperCoaches focused on getting his teammates Marcus Bontempelli and Tim English into their sides. As of Round 18 he only featured in 7.4 per cent of teams, making him one of the best unique options available. Libba has only failed to hit triple figures once since round 8 and even that was a score of 92. In nine games against Western Bulldogs’ next opponent Melbourne he averages 120 KFC SuperCoach points. Don’t stress about paying almost $600k, he’s worth it.

Todd Goldstein $521,900 RUC/FWD

Ownership: 7 per cent

How many forwards have put up these numbers over the past month: 120, 120, 135? Goldy’s one blemish was a 55 against the Cats, but Tristan Xerri did most of the ruckwork that day and he’s out injured for the rest of the season. The 34-year-old’s expert craft was on full display when he set up Cam Zurhaar for the matchwinner on Saturday with a brilliant tap from a boundary throw-in. And as a bonus he provides cover in case of a ruck injury thanks to his dual-position status.

Chad Warner $544,600 MID

Ownership: 1 per cent

Some KFC SuperCoaches have already heralded the rising Swan a must-have player for 2023. But, why not get on well before the pack? Warner is one of the form players in the league over the past month and has a three-round average of 137. Warner’s 35-disposal game against Fremantle was a season high. Three weeks ago, his mammoth score against Essendon was thanks to 25 disposals and three goals. Warner’s ability to combine contested ball with an attacking threat are why so many are bullish about him making the jump to become an elite KFC SuperCoach midfielder. He would be an almighty point of different pick, only featuring in 2690 teams as of Round 18. Regardless of whether you jump on, make sure he’s on your watch list for next year.

Jack Steele $562,200 MID

Ownership: 10 per cent

We’ve been waiting for the Saints captain to explode as a KFC SuperCoach scorer and Friday night might have lit the fuse, with his 133 points against the Bulldogs his best score since round 6. Steele has scored tons in his four matches since returning from injury, tallying 35 tackless in that time, and he hasn’t had fewer than 23 disposals in any match this season. The Saints are still in the finals race, so don’t expect him to slack off any time soon. Despite a modest price rise this week he is still more than $123k cheaper than his starting price.

Bailey Smith $532,000 FWD/MID

Ownership: 3 per cent

Smith returned from suspension with a typically-prolific performance, tallying 29 disposals and 91 KFC SuperCoach points against St Kilda. A kicking efficiency of only 50 per cent cost Smith a Round 18 ton and his season efficiency of about 54 per cent is the only knock on his KFC SuperCoach scoring. Smith is set to be available for more than $50k less than Liberatore which might force him into the thinking of teams with less cash reserves. He was set to be one of the most-popular mid-season additions in KFC SuperCoach before his suspension for headbutting Zach Tuohy. Smith was in less than 4 per cent of teams in Round 18 and with a point to prove, he could be in for a monster finish to the season. He scored 139 against the Demons in Round 1, Western Bulldogs’ next opponent. Take advantage of the fact many others have burned through most of their trades by capitalising on Smith’s return.

Dylan Moore $513,500 FWD

Ownership: 3 per cent

Another Sam Mitchell magnet move which has worked wonders. Moore has become a key cog of the Hawthorn midfield in the past four rounds and his scoring has spiked as a result. Moore has scored 112, 90, 135 and 113 in his last four matches, recording 29 and 25 disposals in the past two weeks against Adelaide and West Coast. Moore’s ability to swing forward and hit the scoreboard makes him such a dangerous option for Mitchell to deploy. Perhaps most impressively against the Eagles, he had seven clearances to back up a game where he managed five clearances from 15 centre bounce attendances against Adelaide. The story goes that Moore was playing for his career in the last round of 2020 when he starred against Gold Coast. Less than two years later he’s a bona fide star and someone we’re likely to be talking about a lot heading into 2023. He performs with little fanfare and is still in less than 3 per cent of sides.

Luke Davies-Uniacke $590,300 MID

Ownership: 1 per cent

He’s in fewer than 1000 teams, but the Kangaroos clearance machine has the fifth-best five-round average in KFC SuperCoach - ahead of Andrew Brayshaw, Jack Macrae and Zach Merrett. His 110 against the Tigers was his fifth ton in his past six matches, with that run including a 149, 138 and 124. North is suddenly in form and pinching another win before the end of the season is a real possibility with matches to come against Hawthorn, Essendon, Adelaide and Gold Coast.

Shannon Hurn $562,100 DEF

Ownership: 1 per cent

The veteran Eagle’s price got as low as $444k after Round 7, when he scored his second hundred of the season against Richmond. Since then his value has jumped by more than $110k as a result of seven triple-figure totals in eight matches – the other score was 99. The Eagles defence comes under pressure most weeks which gives Hurn the chance to combine his two great skills – intercept possessions and elite kicking. He had another nine marks to go with 27 disposals against Hawthorn, of which 23 were kicks. Hurn also had 27 kicks out of 28 disposals against Carlton in round 17. That’s 50 kicks in two weeks from 55 disposals and we know the KFC SuperCoach scorers love elite kicks. Hurn featured in fewer than 1000 teams in Round 18.

Zach Merrett $615,500 MID

Ownership: 8 per cent

Merrett might not end the season with an average as high as, say, Jack Macrae, but all we care about now is banking the most points over the next five weeks. And on current form, Merrett is as hot as they come, banking 136 KFC SuperCoach points against the Suns on Sunday to back up his 140 and 147 the previous two weeks. The Bombers playmaker had 36 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency as he carved up the Suns midfield, and this is no fluke. Merrett has averaged 115-plus the past two seasons and at least 100 points a game every season since 2016. And if we’re talking about hot PODs, his teammate Mason Redman (in 1 per cent of teams) piled on 152 points on Sunday for a six-round average of 119.5.

Tom Stewart $562,400 DEF

Ownership: 11 per cent

Stewart won’t play next week, so don’t rush to bring him in now. But he’ll be available in round 20 and could be the POD of the KFC SuperCoach finals given his scoring power in defence. In two of his past three non-injury affected games, Stewart scored 174 and 161 KFC SuperCoach points. Earlier in the year he posted 187 against the Dockers, and he has had 40 disposals twice in a game this year. The Cats finish their season with matches against the Bulldogs (home), St Kilda (home), Gold Coast (away) and West Coast (home). If you can somehow find the cash to swap a player like Jack Crisp or Jayden Short to Stewart, it could pay off massively. Keep him in your thoughts for next week.

Shannon · 19 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s burning questions and Round 19 trade advice

With Paddy Ryder injured, is it time to make a big KFC SuperCoach move in the forward line? The Phantom answers the week’s biggest questions.

The Phantom

4 min read
July 19, 2022 - 1:13PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Guess who’s back.
Back again.

Marshall’s back.

Tell a friend.

No, it’s not 2002.

This time – 20 years later – it’s Rowan Marshall who matters.

With teammate Paddy Ryder ruled out for what is likely to be the rest of the minor round, the St Kilda big man has shot right back into the KFC SuperCoach frame.

Why Phantom?
I know he’s averaging 87 for the season, but that’s because Ryder has played 12 of a possible 17 matches.

In the five games without Ryder in 2022, Marshall has averaged 113 points per game – a 37-point increase on when the 34-year-old is in the side.

The biggest reason for the discrepancy is his performance when Ryder was rested in Round 15, with Marshall finishing with 23 disposals, 15 hitouts-to-advantage, 12 contested possessions and 156 points.

After posting similar numbers – 109-point average without Ryder last season – it’s something we’ve been talking about for a while.

Only time – and Ryder – now stand in the way of Marshall becoming a fully-fledged KFC SuperCoach premium.

Remember his scores from the run home last year?

127, 158, 123, 73 and 120 – four of those came when Ryder was missing.

And you thought Cameron Smith’s finish was good.

What ruckman am I trading out then?
That’s the best part – well, second.

Marshall gained dual-position status as a forward-ruck last week.

Yeah, it flew over the head over of a lot of other people, too, but now it’s very, very relevant.

Hang on, what’s the best part?
His price tag of $460k.

I’ve enjoyed the story to here, Phant, but, c’mon, I only have 2 trades left…
Yes, unfortunately, trading in solo-ruck Rowan Marshall for the final five games will just be a fantasy to many in the KFC SuperCoach community.

But if you have a few more up your sleeve, this could be the chance to get a jump in the overall rankings game.

Ideally, you trade one of those rookies you’ve kept stashed on the bench to Marshall, and push someone out of your forward line as bench cover or loophole option.

Otherwise, Marshall could be your man for that underperforming premium.

Think Patrick Cripps, Tom Green, Jayden Short, even Jack Crisp.

I’m not sure I’d be trading Josh Dunkley, though, despite scores of 80 and 62 in the past two matches.

Read further analysis on the Cripps move in this week’s trade guide here.

I didn’t say I wouldn’t use one of those two trades…should I?
It’s a question I’m weighing up myself. But my team has dropped in the rankings for three consecutive weeks.

My points-of-difference aren’t Aldi-like – good different.

I should really maintain the company line here at burning questions, and say it’s still too early to exhaust all your trades.

There’s still enough time for you to lose any ground you make up if you get hit with a premium donut or two in the final two or three weeks.

But. Yes, you knew it was coming.

My man Tom Green is horribly out of form.

And, well, he’s been GWS’d – again.

With Jacob Hopper back, and Callan Ward returning to the onball mix, young Crow Sam Berry had more tackles (17) than Green (7) and Josh Kelly (9) had centre bounce attendances combined in Round 18.

Berry’s tackle count was also more than Green and Kelly had disposals, with the star Giants registering just 14 each.

“When a loss happens like today and last week there are always consequences from a selection point of view,” coach Mark McVeigh said post-match.

I wouldn’t say Green is untouchable at the minute – by any stretch.

If he was dumped, Marshall would be my man.

So, you want Green to be dropped?
I didn’t say that...

Is Kelly OK?
McVeigh said Kelly was in concussion protocols in his post-match press conference, meaning the star midfielder will miss this week’s clash with the Blues.

But there’s been no further confirmation.

We were constantly updated about Lachie Whitfield’s hip injury, so I’m sure the Giants will let us know as soon as they do.

...

He’s not Clayton Oliver, and his role looks to have been affected by the return of Hopper, so, if you have the trades left, I’d move him on.

Again, though, I wouldn’t use your last trade on what is likely to be a one-week absence.

Speaking of injury, Brodie Grundy is close, is it time to trade Darcy Cameron?
Not yet.

Cameron tallied another 17 disposals and 10 contested possessions against the Crows, but his final KFC SuperCoach score of 78 was hit by a 45 per cent kicking efficiency.

It was wet and windy, though, hardly ideal conditions for a big man.

Grundy is due back in the next fortnight and I’d wait and have a look just how he fits back into the side first.

“I have spoken to Brodie about playing more forward,” Magpies coach Craig McRae said last week.

“He’s been in the line meetings with the forwards and doing some forward craft.”

Given how McRae has been using Cameron and Mason Cox as a duo, Cameron’s role may not change all that much.

In saying that, I don’t think he’ll outscore Marshall from here, but it would be a very luxury move to pull the trigger now.

But I’ll leave you to make that call.

Without me.

dlanod · 19 Jul 2022

Shannon said:

I really want him, but already have Goldy and English rotating in a R/F role. Worth trading English to Marshall? :O

Shannon · 20 Jul 2022

SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for round 19 of the AFL season
What has happened to Jarrod Witts? And Tim English? See the numbers behind the KFC SuperCoach scores plus vital selection and captaincy advice to help your team this week.

SC Plus Article

7 min read
July 20, 2022 - 12:23PM

The ruck has gone from the safest position in KFC SuperCoach to the most volatile, unpredictable, and frustrating.
After a string of injuries all season last round threw up more major issues with popular big men including Jarrod Witts and Tim English.

Scroll down to dig into the numbers behind the KFC SuperCoach scores plus why Zach Merrett and Christian Petracca have turned the corner, more incredible Nick Daicos numbers and this week’s best captain picks.

SuperCoach Plus gives you the numbers behind the scores as well as a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, 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.

And you get exclusive weekly analysis articles just like this one!

1. RUCKING HELL

Round 18 wasn’t a good weekend for big men – of the 13 most selected ruckmen in KFC SuperCoach, the highest score was 94, shared by Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson. Crow Reilly O’Brien, who had averaged 120 points over his previous three matches, scored 53 against Collingwood. He attended a whopping 92 ruck contests in the wet conditions and won 40 hitouts, but just six of them were to advantage. Max Gawn’s score was even lower, returning a season-low 50 points after collecting 16 disposals but just three hitouts to advantage. Even mid-price star Darcy Cameron had his lowest score since round 6. In fact, only four players with ruck designation in KFC SuperCoach hit three figures – Todd Goldstein (135, in 7.3 per cent of teams), Sam Draper (113, 5.3 per cent), Mark Blivacs (102, 4 per cent) and Darcy Fort (112, 1.5 per cent). One ruckman who went big was Braydon Preuss. Unfortunately it was in the VFL, where he had 23 disposals, 11 marks, 44 hitouts and 143 KFC SuperCoach points. After Matt Flynn scored just 45 points on the weekend, he could be in line for a long-awaited senior recall.

2. WITTS END

Twelve rounds into the season Jarrod Witts was one of the picks of the year and the clear No.1 ruck scorer in KFC SuperCoach. At that stage his average was 119.5 after recording his seventh-straight 100-plus score. His ownership jumped from 53,000 to more than 85,000 over the next two weeks, which coincided with a knee injury to Max Gawn. But things have gone a bit pear-shaped since then. After dropping below 80 points just once in his first 12 games, Witts has fallen below that mark three times in his past five matches. He has recorded a kicking efficiency of 29 per cent, 33 per cent and 44 per cent in these games, while having six, six and 11 hitouts-to-advantage, well below his season average of 13.

3. ENGLISH PATIENCE NEEDED?

Another ruckman in a form slump is Tim English, who loomed as a must-have player for the run home after his huge first half of 2022, when he averaged 128 in his first six matches. But after a succession of unlikely injuries he has returned from concussion with two underwhelming performances, mustering 97 points against the Swans and just 51 against St Kilda last Friday night. He had 13 and eight disposals in those two games – his two lowest tallies of the year – and has won a combined five contested possessions in the past two weeks. He failed to generate a clearance against the Saints on Friday night and had just one tackle to his name. He also lost a total of 19.5 points from his score from negative acts. After gaining more than $120,000 in value to round 12 he has been going backwards since and remarkably SuperCoach Plus projects he’ll be valued at about $483,000 in two weeks even if he scores in the 90s – barely above his starting value of $482,600.

4. ORDER OF MERRETT

Fortunately, the form of some players is heading in the other direction. Essendon’s Zach Merrett was the value trade-in of round 13, when his value dipped to $530,200 coming off Essendon’s bye. More than 10,000 coaches jumped on board and after scores of 90 and 91 in rounds 13-14, Merrett has caught fire with four straight tons and a three-round average of 141 – ranked No.2 in the competition behind Clayton Oliver. He has hit the scoreboard with a total of three goals and seven score assists, with his third quarters the catalyst – scoring a total of 187 points, ranked No.1 in the league. It’s no coincidence that the Bombers have won three of their past five games, with the two losses by a combined 19 points.

5. BACK ON TRAC

Another midfielder running hot right now is Christian Petracca. His three-round average of 140.3 sits just behind Merrett on the back of two monster scores – 189 against the Crows and 141 against Port Adelaide on Sunday (with a 91 against Geelong in between). Without Oliver for the first time since 2016, Petracca racked up 30 disposals (17 contested) and 10 clearances against the Power, going at an elite 71 per cent by foot. Hitting the scoreboard has also boosted Petracca’s numbers – booting a combined three goals in those two big games and having three score assists. On Saturday night Melbourne faces the Western Bulldogs. In their past two encounters – last year’s grand final and the rematch in round 1 – Petracca scored 160 and 163 KFC SuperCoach points.

6. DAICOS SURGES TOWARDS $600K

What more can we say about Nick Daicos? The rookie of the season scored 163 against the Crows took his three-round average to 135 and five-round average to 122, both ranked No.1 among defenders. Since round 12, Daicos has averaged 121 points – ranked seventh in the AFL – on the back of these stunning averages: 32 disposals (AFL No.4), 14.5 effective kicks (No.9), 15.8 handball receives (No.3) and 21.2 uncontested possessions (No.2). His price surged another $48,700 after his 17th game to an incredible $555,200, a rise of $361,400 since round 1. He’s now more expensive that Sam Docherty, and a trade from teammate Jack Crisp would cost you more than $82,000. Can he get to $600k? SuperCoach Plus projects that will happen in round 20 after games against Essendon and Port Adelaide.

7. PIE OFF TARGET

Daicos’s incredible efficiency is one of the keys to his stellar output (having 40 disposals and three goals also helps) and another Magpie highlights the importance of hitting targets to the KFC SuperCoach scoring formula. Mid-season recruit Josh Carmichael had 24 disposals – all kicks – against the Crows, including 10 ground kicks, the most by a player in a match since 2010. Overall he recorded 12 ineffective kicks (0 points) and six clanger kicks (-16.2 points). Just six kicks hit the target and he lost 27.3 points across the match from negative acts. Fortunately, eight tackles and seven contested possessions helped him post 56 points and he is on the bubble with a Break Even of -50. The lowest BE this week belongs to Tiger Noah Cumberland (-91), who has kicked 5.7 in his first two games and scored 62 and 101 KFC SuperCoach points.

8. WARD COMES GOOD

It took a while but we knew Josh Ward had it in him. The Hawks’ top-10 draft pick was one of the most popular starting rookies this year, selected in more than 93,000 teams for round 1. Unfortunately, only 18,000 got the benefit of his game-high 34 disposals against West Coast plus seven marks, five tackles, six clearances and a season-best 99 KFC SuperCoach points, surpassing his previous best by 34 points. Another Hawks cheapie Connor MacDonald produced a personal-best in the same game, scoring 71 points from 11 disposals and two goals. Handy if you needed either as on-field cover this week.

9. LAIRD SMASHES TACKLE RECORD

Rory Laird has never had problems finding the footy and he uses it well – leading the competition this year for effective disposals per game (25.1) – which always leads to strong KFC SuperCoach scoring. But tackles are an unheralded aspect of his game. He also leads the AFL for tackles per game (8.3), that number boosted by an insane 20 against Collingwood. What was even more impressive is that he achieved that from 22 tackle attempts. Overall, 62.7 of his 154 points came from tackles alone. Despite the inclement weather, it was an efficient display from Laird, losing just 11.1 points from four clanger disposals.

Shannon · 20 Jul 2022

10. CAPTAINS CORNER

When it comes to selecting a captain this round all eyes will turn to Saturday night’s grand final rematch – but which star do you choose? See above for Christian Petracca’s huge recent numbers against the Bulldogs but he has plenty of rivals. If Clayton Oliver returns from injury he averages 132 in his past three against the Dogs in KFC SuperCoach scoring games, plus 139 in the grand final. Marcus Bontempelli – fresh off 181 points against St Kilda – scored 147 on that game to go with his past three average of 122 against the Dees. Josh Dunkley averages 142 in his past three v Melbourne but that is skewed by his crazy 202-point game back in 2019. You can’t say that for the ultra-consistent Jack Macrae – he averages 137 in his past five against Melbourne with a low score in that run of 120. The standout options in other round 19 matches are headed by Andrew Brayshaw, who scored 190 the last time he faced Richmond, Zach Merrett, who averages 120 in his past three against Collingwood, and Jack Steele, who averages 127 in his past three against the Eagles.

11. CONIGLIO ALERT

Some potential captains have mixed records against this week’s opponent – Lachie Neale’s past three scores against Gold Coast are 108, 64 and 151. Touk Miller’s highest score against the Lions in the past five seasons is 115 and Patrick Cripps won’t snap his form slump this round if his recent record against the Giants is a guide – they are his worst team to play against and he averages 70.3 in his past three. But the big red warning sign out of this week’s opposition research is on Stephen Coniglio. Put simply, he hates playing against Carlton – at least since he scored 157 against the Blues in 2018. Since then he has averaged just 40.6 against the Blues including a 14 last year (when he started as the medical sub) and 37 in round 9 this year. However, SuperCoaches who traded him out won’t need reminding that was Leon Cameron’s final game as GWS coach. Since Jarrad McVeigh took over Coniglio has averaged 116.8, falling under three figures just twice.

Shannon · 25 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: Trade guide for round 20 and league finals

Finals are here in KFC SuperCoach. Which players should you target to deliver when it counts over the next four weeks?

The excitement is building and the smell of freshly-cut grass is in the air. It can mean only one thing – finals are here in KFC SuperCoach.
If you’re in a league with a top five, six or eight the quest for league glory kicks off in round 20 with a four-week finals series to determine bragging rights for the next 12 months culminating in round 23 – KFC SuperCoach grand final weekend.

If you’ve saved precious trades for a knockout final or the chance to earn a vital week off, now’s the time to crack open the safe. How can you get maximum bang for your buck? The top-scoring players in the comp are obviously a great place to start, and you should also closely examine your finals opponent to see where you can get an edge – or cancel out a possible advantage they have by trading in a player your rial has that you don’t.

A close look at the AFL fixture is also an excellent guide. You don’t need 23 weeks of high scoring now, if a player like Tom Hawkins can pump out two or three more 140s over the next four weeks and win you a final it doesn’t matter if he’s in the top six scoring forwards for the season or not.

We’ve done the work for you and identified the teams with the most advantageous, and most difficult, fixtures over the final four home-and-away rounds.

This all comes with the proviso that results are unpredictable but based on current form and ladder positions, the teams to be wary of are Collingwood, which faces Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Carlton, the Blues (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Collingwood), the Western Bulldogs (Geelong, Fremantle, GWS, Hawthorn) and the Saints (Hawthorn, Geelong, Brisbane, Sydney).

Think twice about trading in a player from those teams now.

On the other hand, four teams stand out as delivering potentially huge KFC SuperCoach numbers over multiple rounds. Here are the players to target including some bargains and unique picks that could deliver league glory.

GEELONG
Run home:Western Bulldogs (GMHBA), St Kilda (GMHBA), Gold Coast (Metricon), West Coast (GMHBA)

Who to target: The Cats haven’t lost since May and the run could continue all the way to round 23 with three games to come at their home fortress. Tom Stewart ($562,400 DEF) returns from his four-match suspension this week in perfect timing for anyone with a trade they could use to upgrade an underperforming defender like Tiger Jayden Short or Pie Jack Crisp. Take out the game Stewart was concussed in the first quarter and he is averaging 121.8 points a game this year including three scores over 160. Seeing him in my opponent’s team any time over the next four weeks would make me very, very nervous. He should be the No.1 target this week.

If you need a forward Tom Hawkins ($483,400 FWD) showed what he can deliver with two matchwinning goals in the final quarter against Port Adelaide, turbo-charging his score to 141. He loves playing at GMHBA Stadium and could have a field day in round 23 if West Coast has nothing to play for.

He’s also very cheap, which you can also say for Patrick Dangerfield ($425,100 MID), who dropped another $24,100 this week after his career-low 24 points in round 19. We know what he’s capable of, but you would only want to pick him as a loophole off the bench.

SYDNEY
Run home:GWS (SCG), North Melbourne (Marvel), Collingwood (SCG), St Kilda (Marvel)

Who to target: Geelong aside, the Swans are arguably the form team of the competition and they can make a serious push for the top four with that fixture. Callum Mills ($582,600 MID) is No.5 for overall points in KFC SuperCoach this year and although his role on any given day can be unpredictable, any player capable of scoring 214 points in a match should be at the top of your shopping list, especially when you can get him for about $580k.

Chad Warner ($565,700 MID) continued his hot run of form with a 110 against the Crows for a five-round average of 109.8 and would be a huge point of difference, while Isaac Heeney ($477,800 FWD/MID) hasn’t quite returned to his early-season heights but now has three 100-plus scores in a row.

The Swans surprise is forward Tom Papley ($499,000 FWD), who is currently in just 1 per cent of teams. He has been injected into the midfield rotations by John Longmire, attending 28 centre bounces in the past three weeks, and is having an impact. His disposal average has jumped from 13 to 21 and he has put up KFC SuperCoach scores of 128, 106, 127 in his past three matches.

GOLD COAST
Run home: West Coast (Metricon), Hawthorn (UTAS), Geelong (Metricon), North Melbourne (Marvel).

Who to target: The Suns might have left their run for an inaugural finals appearance too late but don’t write them off with three very winnable games in their last four, including a KF SuperCoach grand final match-up against North Melbourne.

Touk Miller ($649,700 MID) is one of the hottest players in KFC SuperCoach – he’s on an eight-match ton run including two 150-plus scores in the past month – but he’s also very expensive. Another hot Sun who you can get for about $80k less is Noah Anderson ($572,900 MID), who has proved he doesn’t have to kick matchwinning goals after the siren to score big with 132, 154, 85, 135 in the past month.

Matt Rowell ($451,200 MID), meanwhile, LOVES playing the Eagles. Discounting the game he was hurt in the opening minutes last year he has met them on two other occasions for scores of 171 in 2020, and 157 in round 1 this year. But after a mid-season resurgence he has been off the boil lately with his past three scores under 90.

ADELAIDE
Run home: Carlton (AO), West Coast (Perth Stadium), North Melbourne (AO), Port Adelaide (AO)

Who to target: Double-up games against the Eagles and Kangaroos give the Crows the chance to finish the season on a positive note. Rory Laird ($686,800 MID) has to be the No.1 target – if you can afford him.

He’s heading towards $700k with a bullet and the coaches who traded him in for Clayton Oliver last week are already 198 points ahead on the deal.

Laird just never plays a bad game; take out his 93 returning from injury in round 3 and his season average is 129.7 with just one game under 116.

In defence, Jordan Dawson ($563,200 DEF/MID) looked unattainable after eight straight tons sent his price over $626k, but it’s coming back down fast after three scores under 100 in his past three.

They were hardly terrible (80, 92, 93) and he is definitely capable of going big – when the Crows played the Kangaroos in round 15 he had 29 disposals and 134 KFC SuperCoach points.

Shannon · 26 Jul 2022

KFC SuperCoach 2022: The Phantom’s burning questions and Round 20 trade advice

Set on trading Tom Stewart back into your KFC SuperCoach team? Or dumping Jayden Short? The Phantom has some numbers, and names, you should read first.

KFC SuperCoach burning questions are going to look a little different this week.
With just four rounds remaining, there are fewer problems to solve.

But the ones still hovering are significant.

How many do you own/have you owned on this list?
Max Gawn.

Clayton Oliver.

Tom Stewart.

Tim English.

George Hewett.

Josh Kelly.

Zak Butters.

Braydon Preuss.

Lachie Whitfield.

Darcy Parish.

Aaron Hall.

Luke Jackson.

Nick Vlastuin.

Dustin Martin.

Daniel Rich.

Caleb Daniel.

Dayne Zorko.

Tom Green.

Keidean Coleman.

Mason Redman.

Izak Rankine.

Massimo D’Ambrosio.

It’s a few, right?

No, it’s not a list of the most popular players in KFC SuperCoach – although some of them have featured high on that type of list this year.

They are, in fact, the players who have missed one – or multiple – games through injury, suspension or H&S protocols since round 14.

This year.

That’s in the last five matches.

So can you really exhaust all your trades with three important rounds to play after this week?

Sure, I get the idea, and I’ve been aggressive in my trade this season, too. But, unless you have some significant cover on the bench, I wouldn’t go down to zero trades to just get, say, the returning Stewart this week.

While the players aren’t as popular as those above, a number of big KFC SuperCoach names missed a game in the final four rounds of last season.

Lachie Neale, Tom Stewart, Andrew Brayshaw, Jack Ziebell – he was a points-machine last year if you’re new to the game – Nat Fyfe, Tarryn Thomas, Reilly O’Brien, Shannon Hurn and Scott Pendlebury all caused some form of KFC SuperCoach headache – big or small – late in 2021.

Will Brodie was out, too, but that was because he was dropped by the Suns – AGAIN.

We’ve said it before, but what were they thinking!?

In worrying, and more pressing, news, though, he was seen at Fremantle training this week with a heavily strapped calf. Yes, it’s the middle of the winter and he’s taken on an increased workload, but the scare adds to this argument.

There wasn’t a third Omicron wave sweeping through the nation – and some clubs – this time in 2021 either.

Trading Jayden Short or Jack Crisp to Stewart could give you an extra 20-30 points per week if the star Cat can hit the ground running and Short and Crisp cannot bounce out of their respective KFC SuperCoach form slumps.

That’s a gain of around 120 points over the next month – a similar total you expect from the numerous other premiums on your ground.

But could you cover that said other premium adequately, if at all, if they were suspended or injured before the year is out?

I know I’m going all doomsday on you, but what if Lachie Neale or Jack Macrae were to miss?

In terms of overall points, there’s a chance the Stewart upgrade won’t be enough to o***et their absence.

Yes, I also know you picked reliable premiums – but, remember, Clayton Oliver had not missed a game since 2016 before he sat out round 18.

And, yes, I also know Tom Stewart averages 160 at GMHBA Stadium this season, and it could be the move that launches you up the rankings or wins you that sudden-death final.

I’m just warning you that four weeks is still a long time in KFC SuperCoach.

Phant, live a little, I have trades, should I dump Josh Dunkley?
Last week, I said no, given he could easily jump backed into the first midfield rotation at the Bulldogs and score 140.

But, even on the periphery of the on-ball brigade, Dunkley is still a proven scorer.

Against the Demons, he spent 61 per cent of the game forward – his highest percentage since round 9 – but he still finished with 24 disposals, six marks and six tackles.

The eight clangers – a number of them early in the game – was the big killer in his third KFC SuperCoach score of 80 or less in as many weeks.

He’s had no impact on the scoreboard over this three-week stretch, either, kicking just 1.1.

It’s very much a luxury trade – the five star hotel kind – in my book, I still think he has a couple of good scores left in him.

But on current form, yes, there are points to gain elsewhere.

It’s a straight swap to Rowan Marshall, who rallied late to finish with 88 points in his first game in Paddy Ryder’s latest absence.

Only eight of his 49 hitouts were advantage and he gave away five free kicks – I think he will be right.

You said to hold Darcy Cameron last week, is that still the case?
Maybe not.

I said to have, at least, one look at Cameron with Brodie Grundy back in the side, but that didn’t happen.

And Magpies coach Craig McRae said that’s unlikely to happen in round 20 either, given there was no VFL match last weekend.

But Cameron still played 47 per cent of game time forward against the Eagles (that should be the Bombers actually

), his highest percentage since Grundy last played in round 6.

Mason Cox taking most of the ruck work could be a sign of how McRae plans to work the Grundy/Cameron combination.

It hurt his ball-winning, too, with the athletic big man finishing with just four disposals, after averaging 17 in the previous six matches.

Shannon · 27 Jul 2022

SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for round 20 of the AFL season

Is Patrick Cripps really back? Who lifts with the game on the line – and who goes missing? See the numbers you need to know to dominate your KFC SuperCoach finals series.

SC Plus Article

Finals are here in KFC SuperCoach, and every decision could be the difference between staying alive in leagues or planning for 2023.
Players with trades could gain a vital advantage, while picking the right captain or emergency could be just as important in a tight head-to-head showdown.

That’s why you need SuperCoach Plus.

SuperCoach Plus gives you the numbers behind the scores as well as a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, 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.

And you get exclusive weekly analysis articles just like this one!

Scroll down for 11 key stats to help your team this week.

1. FAST FINISHER

Players who stand up when the game is on the line come to the fore at the business end of the season, as round 19 proved. Marcus Bontempelli has the highest three-round average in KFC SuperCoach of 147.7 after another matchwinning performance against the Demons, with 79 of his 161 points coming in an epic last quarter that featured eight disposals, eight contested possessions, seven clearances, four tackles and two score assists. The Bont added $37,000 to his price tag and has a Break Even of just 40 this week. With projected scores of over 130 in each of the final four rounds, SuperCoach Plus predicts he’ll be worth over $700,000 after round 21.

2. TOMAHAWK FIRES

Tom Hawkins also lifted late when the Cats needed him, landing two huge goals and a score assist, plus four contested possessions and five disposals for a 64-point final term against Port Adelaide. His total of 141 was his second-highest score of the season (he tallied 148 against Essendon in round 1) and his seventh score over 100. Hawkins has a good record against Geelong’s final four opponents and at GMHBA Stadium, where they play three of their final four games. At $483,400, he’s a forward worth considering.

3. WHERE’S WEHR?

More than half of Jacob Wehr’s 26,000 owners had him on the field in round 19, mostly as cover for injured Blue George Hewett. And it looked like a winning move when he had over 50 points at halftime, but his scores dried up completely after that. The Giants rookie scored just five points in the second half – the second fewest of any player on the ground – from one effective disposal and one tackle. But his score of 65 wasn’t a big surprise – he has scored between 60 and 67 in five of his nine matches.

4. IS CRIPPS BACK?

Patrick Cripps broke his ton drought with 118 points against GWS, his first score over 100 since round 13. Cripps won 34 disposals and gained 466 metres, his most since round 2, and his score could have been much higher if not for a kicking efficiency of 39 per cent – including kicking 1.2 from five shots on goal. The secret to his return to form could be as simple as the absence of George Hewett with a back injury. In the three games Hewett has missed this year Cripps has scored 139, 138 and 118 points.

4. MACRAE MAGIC

Jack Macrae had an unusually slow start on Saturday night, recording just four disposals, one clearance and zero tackles in the first quarter against Melbourne. But champs don’t stay down for long. From quarter-time onwards Macrae had a game-high 25 disposals, 22 uncontested possessions and a key goal in the final term to add 82 points in the final three quarters. Macrae is the fourth-most owned player in KFC SuperCoach and ranks fourth for total points in 2022 – behind Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver and Touk Miller – despite not reaching the heights of recent seasons; his season average of 118.8 is his lowest since 2017. He is now priced at a season-low $584,900, a fall of $115,000 from his round 1 value.

5. HITOUT HEROES AND VILLAINS

Winning a hitout is good, but it isn’t worth anything in KFC SuperCoach unless it goes to a teammate – and you can lose points if a tap goes straight to the opposition. The stat has a big impact on ruck scores every week and there were key examples in round 19. Rowan Marshall dominated the hitouts against the Eagles, but of his 48 only eight were to advantage. Marshall also lost 13 points from five free kicks against, which held him to 88 points. Jarrod Witts had a similar issue – of his 50 hitouts against Brisbane, 11 were to advantage and 16 were sharked by the opposition, which helps explain his fourth score under 100 in his past six games. Max Gawn, on the other hand, had his radar fine-tuned after recording just three hitouts to advantage (and 50 KFC SuperCoach points) against Port Adelaide in round 18. Gawn put 15 down the throat of teammates on Saturday night along with 25 disposals on his way to 147 points, his highest score since round 12. Gawn’s price has dropped to $538,800 – the last time you could get him for less than that was in round 3, 2018.

6. DANGER ZONE

Patrick Dangerfield’s season hit a new low against Port Adelaide when he finished with just 24 KFC SuperCoach points – his lowest score in any full match on record. Dangerfield had 11 disposals (five effective), 145m gained, zero inside-50s, zero marks and one goal. He hit the target with just one of his five kicks and gave away 23 points from negative acts. Dangerfield lost $24,100 in value after lockout to drop to just $424,100 – he hasn’t been this cheap since round 23, 2011. He wasn’t the only big name to have a shocker in round 19. Eagle Tim Kelly had just four disposals (three effective) and gave away three free kicks to finish with 11 KFC SuperCoach points against St Kilda in a huge win for tagger Marcus Windhager.

8. RARE CRISP SIGHTING

Fans at the MCG on Sunday witnessed a rare event – Jack Crisp kicking on his right boot. The dashing left-footer has had 235 kicks this year and that was his 17th on his wrong side. It sailed out on the full, costing him 4.9 points in the tight final quarter. But overall his kick rating of -3.2 per cent on his right foot isn’t much worse than his -2.9 per cent rating on his left boot this season. Crisp’s score of 81 was his fifth in a row under 100 and right on his five-round average of 81.6 – ranked 60th among defenders in KFC SuperCoach.

9. CAPTAINS CORNER

We are spoilt for choice when picking a captain in round 20, which makes the decision one of the toughest of the season. Lachie Neale regained his crown as the top overall scorer in 2022 with 123 points against the Suns and faces one of his favourite opponents in Richmond on Sunday. Neale had 51 disposals and 191 KFC SuperCoach points against the Tigers in 2019 and 149 the next year. His score of 107 against them last year wasn’t as big but it was one of just six tons for Neale in a disappointing season. You can’t go wrong with reliable stars Rory Laird (average 122.6 in past three v Carlton) and Clayton Oliver (average 109.6 in his past three against Fremantle), or you can look at the biggest in-form guns. Marcus Bontempelli averages 124.6 in his past three against the Cats, while Touk Miller scored 137 against the Eagles in round 1 and is flying home with a five-round average of 131.2. Zach Merrett is in even better form – he has a five-round average of 133.4 and faces North Melbourne, which gave up more big midfield points last round (125 to Tom Mitchell and 124 to Jai Newcombe), and could lose multiple players to a Covid outbreak.

10. SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Are those big-name captain options not enough? Here are some left-field targets if you need to pull something out of the bag to win a league final. Luke Parker scored 167 and 128 in his past two games against GWS, and Jack Sinclair – now the No.1 scoring defender in KFC SuperCoach in 2022 – scored 135 against the Hawks in round 4. Patrick Cripps scored 151 against Adelaide in round 8 and is back in form (we hope) and Jordan Dawson scored 134 in that game. If you bring in Tom Stewart this week, putting the V or VC on him could deliver an instant hit. We was subbed out at quarter-time last time the Cats and Dogs met but had 39 points to that point, and scored 120 against the Bulldogs last year. Even more impressive are his numbers at GMHBA Stadium this year – 187, 122, 174.

11. ONE LAST WEIRD COLLINGWOOD STAT

Colllingwood pulled off an incredible win against Essendon on Sunday despite having no players score above 90 KFC SuperCoach points. Seven Bombers scored more than the top-scoring Magpie (Josh Daicos with 90), headed by Zach Merrett’s 133. The Magpies’ team total of 1490 was the lowest by any team in a win this season, and Essendon’s total of 1809 is the most points scored by a losing team this year. Both teams broke records set by Geelong and Port Adelaide the previous day – the Cats’ 1558 points is the second-fewest by a winning team and the Power’s 1741 is the second-most by a losing team.

Ironhawk · 27 Jul 2022

Shannon said:

SuperCoach Plus: 11 things you need to know for round 20 of the AFL season

Is Patrick Cripps really back? Who lifts with the game on the line – and who goes missing? See the numbers you need to know to dominate your KFC SuperCoach finals series.

SC Plus Article

Finals are here in KFC SuperCoach, and every decision could be the difference between staying alive in leagues or planning for 2023.
Players with trades could gain a vital advantage, while picking the right captain or emergency could be just as important in a tight head-to-head showdown.

That’s why you need SuperCoach Plus.

SuperCoach Plus gives you the numbers behind the scores as well as a treasure trove of stats and tools including Break Evens, score and price projections, 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.

And you get exclusive weekly analysis articles just like this one!

Scroll down for 11 key stats to help your team this week.

1. FAST FINISHER

Players who stand up when the game is on the line come to the fore at the business end of the season, as round 19 proved. Marcus Bontempelli has the highest three-round average in KFC SuperCoach of 147.7 after another matchwinning performance against the Demons, with 79 of his 161 points coming in an epic last quarter that featured eight disposals, eight contested possessions, seven clearances, four tackles and two score assists. The Bont added $37,000 to his price tag and has a Break Even of just 40 this week. With projected scores of over 130 in each of the final four rounds, SuperCoach Plus predicts he’ll be worth over $700,000 after round 21.

2. TOMAHAWK FIRES

Tom Hawkins also lifted late when the Cats needed him, landing two huge goals and a score assist, plus four contested possessions and five disposals for a 64-point final term against Port Adelaide. His total of 141 was his second-highest score of the season (he tallied 148 against Essendon in round 1) and his seventh score over 100. Hawkins has a good record against Geelong’s final four opponents and at GMHBA Stadium, where they play three of their final four games. At $483,400, he’s a forward worth considering.

3. WHERE’S WEHR?

More than half of Jacob Wehr’s 26,000 owners had him on the field in round 19, mostly as cover for injured Blue George Hewett. And it looked like a winning move when he had over 50 points at halftime, but his scores dried up completely after that. The Giants rookie scored just five points in the second half – the second fewest of any player on the ground – from one effective disposal and one tackle. But his score of 65 wasn’t a big surprise – he has scored between 60 and 67 in five of his nine matches.

4. IS CRIPPS BACK?

Patrick Cripps broke his ton drought with 118 points against GWS, his first score over 100 since round 13. Cripps won 34 disposals and gained 466 metres, his most since round 2, and his score could have been much higher if not for a kicking efficiency of 39 per cent – including kicking 1.2 from five shots on goal. The secret to his return to form could be as simple as the absence of George Hewett with a back injury. In the three games Hewett has missed this year Cripps has scored 139, 138 and 118 points.

4. MACRAE MAGIC

Jack Macrae had an unusually slow start on Saturday night, recording just four disposals, one clearance and zero tackles in the first quarter against Melbourne. But champs don’t stay down for long. From quarter-time onwards Macrae had a game-high 25 disposals, 22 uncontested possessions and a key goal in the final term to add 82 points in the final three quarters. Macrae is the fourth-most owned player in KFC SuperCoach and ranks fourth for total points in 2022 – behind Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver and Touk Miller – despite not reaching the heights of recent seasons; his season average of 118.8 is his lowest since 2017. He is now priced at a season-low $584,900, a fall of $115,000 from his round 1 value.

5. HITOUT HEROES AND VILLAINS

Winning a hitout is good, but it isn’t worth anything in KFC SuperCoach unless it goes to a teammate – and you can lose points if a tap goes straight to the opposition. The stat has a big impact on ruck scores every week and there were key examples in round 19. Rowan Marshall dominated the hitouts against the Eagles, but of his 48 only eight were to advantage. Marshall also lost 13 points from five free kicks against, which held him to 88 points. Jarrod Witts had a similar issue – of his 50 hitouts against Brisbane, 11 were to advantage and 16 were sharked by the opposition, which helps explain his fourth score under 100 in his past six games. Max Gawn, on the other hand, had his radar fine-tuned after recording just three hitouts to advantage (and 50 KFC SuperCoach points) against Port Adelaide in round 18. Gawn put 15 down the throat of teammates on Saturday night along with 25 disposals on his way to 147 points, his highest score since round 12. Gawn’s price has dropped to $538,800 – the last time you could get him for less than that was in round 3, 2018.

6. DANGER ZONE

Patrick Dangerfield’s season hit a new low against Port Adelaide when he finished with just 24 KFC SuperCoach points – his lowest score in any full match on record. Dangerfield had 11 disposals (five effective), 145m gained, zero inside-50s, zero marks and one goal. He hit the target with just one of his five kicks and gave away 23 points from negative acts. Dangerfield lost $24,100 in value after lockout to drop to just $424,100 – he hasn’t been this cheap since round 23, 2011. He wasn’t the only big name to have a shocker in round 19. Eagle Tim Kelly had just four disposals (three effective) and gave away three free kicks to finish with 11 KFC SuperCoach points against St Kilda in a huge win for tagger Marcus Windhager.

8. RARE CRISP SIGHTING

Fans at the MCG on Sunday witnessed a rare event – Jack Crisp kicking on his right boot. The dashing left-footer has had 235 kicks this year and that was his 17th on his wrong side. It sailed out on the full, costing him 4.9 points in the tight final quarter. But overall his kick rating of -3.2 per cent on his right foot isn’t much worse than his -2.9 per cent rating on his left boot this season. Crisp’s score of 81 was his fifth in a row under 100 and right on his five-round average of 81.6 – ranked 60th among defenders in KFC SuperCoach.

9. CAPTAINS CORNER

We are spoilt for choice when picking a captain in round 20, which makes the decision one of the toughest of the season. Lachie Neale regained his crown as the top overall scorer in 2022 with 123 points against the Suns and faces one of his favourite opponents in Richmond on Sunday. Neale had 51 disposals and 191 KFC SuperCoach points against the Tigers in 2019 and 149 the next year. His score of 107 against them last year wasn’t as big but it was one of just six tons for Neale in a disappointing season. You can’t go wrong with reliable stars Rory Laird (average 122.6 in past three v Carlton) and Clayton Oliver (average 109.6 in his past three against Fremantle), or you can look at the biggest in-form guns. Marcus Bontempelli averages 124.6 in his past three against the Cats, while Touk Miller scored 137 against the Eagles in round 1 and is flying home with a five-round average of 131.2. Zach Merrett is in even better form – he has a five-round average of 133.4 and faces North Melbourne, which gave up more big midfield points last round (125 to Tom Mitchell and 124 to Jai Newcombe), and could lose multiple players to a Covid outbreak.

10. SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Are those big-name captain options not enough? Here are some left-field targets if you need to pull something out of the bag to win a league final. Luke Parker scored 167 and 128 in his past two games against GWS, and Jack Sinclair – now the No.1 scoring defender in KFC SuperCoach in 2022 – scored 135 against the Hawks in round 4. Patrick Cripps scored 151 against Adelaide in round 8 and is back in form (we hope) and Jordan Dawson scored 134 in that game. If you bring in Tom Stewart this week, putting the V or VC on him could deliver an instant hit. We was subbed out at quarter-time last time the Cats and Dogs met but had 39 points to that point, and scored 120 against the Bulldogs last year. Even more impressive are his numbers at GMHBA Stadium this year – 187, 122, 174.

11. ONE LAST WEIRD COLLINGWOOD STAT

Colllingwood pulled off an incredible win against Essendon on Sunday despite having no players score above 90 KFC SuperCoach points. Seven Bombers scored more than the top-scoring Magpie (Josh Daicos with 90), headed by Zach Merrett’s 133. The Magpies’ team total of 1490 was the lowest by any team in a win this season, and Essendon’s total of 1809 is the most points scored by a losing team this year. Both teams broke records set by Geelong and Port Adelaide the previous day – the Cats’ 1558 points is the second-fewest by a winning team and the Power’s 1741 is the second-most by a losing team.

What a rip off for those with SC+, you only get 10 things this week rather than the promised 11 (there is no number 7).