Five cheap midfielders to pick in your KFC SuperCoach team

Sometimes you need to pay up for the large pointscorers, however discovering bargains who will rating effectively above their beginning worth are the gold nuggets each KFC SuperCoach participant is looking for.

Look for gamers who can profit from a change of function, transferring to a brand new membership, or who’re underpriced as a consequence of harm final yr.

You additionally want rookie-priced gamers (beneath $250,000) to fill the spots in your bench – often first-year draftees – and on the sphere – extra skilled cheapies who needs to be extra dependable scorers – to suit everybody beneath the wage cap.

Here are 5 gamers to have in your radar in 2023.

JACOB HOPPER $332,000

Could be the cut price of the yr. Hopper has moved from GWS to Richmond, the place he’ll immediately grow to be one of many Tigers’ main midfielders. He averaged 67 factors in seven injury-impacted video games for the Giants final yr, however overlook these numbers. The three years earlier than that he averaged 96, 91 and 97 and you’ll anticipate that type of return at Punt Rd.

Verdict: Just decide him.

WILL ASHCROFT $202,800

SuperCoaches usually hesitate at paying over $200,000 for a first-year participant however Brisbane’s new father-son gun is an exception to the rule. Ashcroft, chosen at decide 2 in final yr’s draft, has put him monumental numbers throughout his junior profession together with video games towards senior opposition for the Lions’ VFL aspect final yr. It’s a powerful onball unit to interrupt into however Ashcroft is collaborating in centre bounce drills at pre-season coaching.

Verdict: Talent-spotters have likened him to Nick Daicos, who was a first-year sensation in KFC SuperCoach in 2022.

WILL PHILLIPS $158,300

We are but to see the perfect of the No.3 choice within the 2020 draft largely via circumstances exterior his management. Last yr Phillips fell sufferer to Covid and two bouts of glandular fever and by no means obtained on the park. That explains the low beginning value for a teenager touted as a future star when he was given Brent Harvey’s well-known No.29.

Verdict: In his third yr within the system Phillips ought to get loads of alternative within the North Melbourne midfield and be a dependable on-field possibility in KFC SuperCoach.

OSKAR BAKER $123,900

One of the nice issues about KFC SuperCoach is it throws the highlight on gamers you may by no means anticipate to function in your fantasy crew. Baker was delisted by Melbourne on the finish of 2022 after taking part in 15 video games in three seasons. Last yr he was named thrice, however was the unused substitute in two of these (he had 15 disposals and 4 tackles within the different match). The Dogs pounced, signing Baker as a pre-season rookie, and he has caught the attention in match simulation at Whitten oval.

Verdict: Luke Beveridge loves a mature-age success story (suppose Anthony Scott, Robbie McComb) and there’s a spot on the wing up for grabs after Lachie Hunter’s departure. On my bench for now.

JAMES WORPEL $309,300

Hawks robust nut was a fantastic decide in KFC SuperCoach just a few years in the past when he averaged 97 factors a sport in his second season. He hasn’t matched these heights since, and final yr he performed simply 11 video games for a mean of 56 factors. We know he’s higher than that and he’s set to get thrown again into the first-choice midfield rotation after the departure of star onballers Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara.

Verdict: Kicking effectivity can work towards him however has no issues discovering the ball and has produced a powerful pre-season. I’ve Hopper simply forward of him however nonetheless nice worth.

Five star midfielders to select in KFC SuperCoach

Getting your arms on the footy is the quickest means for gamers to attain KFC SuperCoach factors, so it’s no shock midfielders are the most important weapons in Australia’s favorite fantasy sport.

In truth, 14 of the highest 20 scorers in 2022 had been midfielders.

The KFC SuperCoach scoring system rewards gamers who can win their very own ball and use it effectively, whereas tackles are one other good method to construct a giant rating.

When selecting your beginning squad you need to goal for 3 or 4 top-end midfielders – priced over $600,000.

When spending that type of money you’re aiming for a mean of 110 factors per sport or larger; final yr Jack Steele was the Fifteenth ranked midfielder in KFC SuperCoach with a mean of 109.8. Four midfielders had been in uncommon air with averages over 120 – these are the blokes you may make your captain each week, which helps justify spending the large bucks.

Here are 5 gamers to think about on your high midfield slots this yr.

RORY LAIRD $703,900 MID

Laird was the No.1 scoring participant in KFC SuperCoach in 2022 and is the one participant priced above $700,000 to start out this yr. That’s an entire lot of the wage cap however Laird is definitely worth the outlay – final season he scored 93 in his first sport of the yr as he recovered from a damaged hand, then went on a streak of 17 video games through which he scored 114 or higher, together with seven scores over 140.

Al’s verdict: If you don’t begin with him, it’s going to be very onerous to get him as a result of his tremendous consistency (he solely scored beneath 100 twice final yr and so they had been 93 and 97) means his value doesn’t come down.

CLAYTON OLIVER $699,800 MID

If you may’t carry your self to pay over $700k for Laird, Oliver is the subsequent most suitable choice – you’d be taking an enormous danger beginning with out both of the 2 midfield superstars. Oliver’s common of 127.1 in 2022 was slightly below Laird’s ?, however he has the added safety of averaging no less than 120 for 3 seasons in a row, so it will be an enormous shock if he doesn’t do it once more this yr.

Al’s verdict: Oliver additionally boasts superb sturdiness, lacking only one sport via harm up to now six seasons – an underrated ability in KFC SuperCoach. I want I may begin each Oliver and Laird but when it comes down to 1, the Demon is simply in entrance.

MARCUS BONTEMPELLI $639,500 MID

The Bont is constructed for the KFC SuperCoach scoring system, which rewards gamers who win key contests and get up in huge moments. He’s additionally a superb lengthy kick and hits the scoreboard. His versatility could be a problem when Luke Beveridge begins him out of the goalsquare, however with Josh Dunkley gone and the arrival of Rory Lobb, we should always see Bontempelli taking part in extra as a pure midfielder in 2023.

Verdict: He was hampered by an ankle harm final yr and performed out of place at instances and nonetheless averaged 116. If he will get a free run within the midfield, the sky’s the restrict.

TOUK MILLER $662,400 MID

The Gold Coast captain hasn’t missed a sport up to now three seasons, and scored no less than 98 factors in 53 of his 60 video games in that point. Last yr he got here house like a steam practice, averaging 129 over the ultimate eight rounds. He additionally posted extra scores above 150 than another participant final yr, making him a fantastic captaincy possibility.

Verdict: Elite two-way working and excessive deal with numbers imply Touk is all the time within the motion. Won’t allow you to down.

JACK STEELE $604,400 MID

Unusually for gamers on this listing – and on this value bracket – Steele may current some actual worth in 2023. After averaging 122 in 2020 and 126 in 2021 his common dropped to 110 final yr, however that included a sport when he injured his shoulder earlier than halftime towards Geelong. There’s no cause to suppose he can’t get again to his 120-plus methods beneath Ross Lyon this yr – the actual fact he is among the AFL’s high tacklers helps rather a lot – which suggests he’s about $60,000 cheaper than he needs to be.

Verdict: New coaches all the time an unknown issue however it’s onerous to see Steele being given any function apart from profitable the footy within the clinches. He’s the Fifteenth-most costly mid however anticipate him to complete the yr inside the highest 10.

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Originally printed as KFC SuperCoach 2023: The high midfielders to think about this yr