KFC SuperCoach 2023: Rookie expert Dan Batten reveals final team and top Will Phillips, Toby McLean replacements

It means coaches will be forced to move on Phillips, who had been in more than half of all KFC SuperCoach sides before teams dropped, and Toby McLean (34%), as both won’t play — or worse, could be named as the substitute.

This is how I’ll be replacing the pair:

OUT: Toby McLean and Will Phillips

IN: Harry Sheezel and Alwyn Davey

I rated Sheezel as the best talent in last year’s draft behind Ashcroft and although North may play him more as a forward, Sheezel is built different.

The No.3 selection posted three SuperCoach double tons at under-18 level last year, including two back-to-back.

He also kicked three majors in North’s scrimmage against Richmond and then tallied 21 disposals and 72 points in their final practice game, where he spent time off halfback.

Nearly $200k is a lot to pay, but it’s been done before from top-quality talents. Josh Rachele was able to start the season hot as a small forward last year, while Connor Rozee averaged 77.7 points per game from his first season.

Replacing Phillips in the midfield is Alwyn Davey.

I had him in a previous iteration before throwing Mattaes Phillipou into the mix instead, purely because of Phillipou’s scoring potential.

But the smooth-moving Davey showed he doesn’t need a lot of the ball to reach a solid rookie score, posting 67 points in their final practice game from 13 touches.

The Bombers like him and he has been named in Essendon’s starting line-up for their Sunday afternoon clash in a good sign for his job security.

The extra cash from picking Davey has also allowed me to upgrade Marcus Bontempelli to Lachie Neale, who has a great record against his first five opponents in 2023.

I’ll also be keeping an eye on St Kilda’s team to see if Jack Bytel ($158.6k MID) is named. The midfielder averaged strong VFL numbers last year and had 16 disposals, seven tackles and 73 points in their final practice match.

If you already had Davey and Sheezel before Phillips and McLean’s selection snub, I would consider small forwards Kade Chandler and Noah Long, as well as Ben King if you have the cash.

Chandler probably has the better job security and scoring potential of the pair entering his fourth season, and he was named on the field for the Demons, whereas Long is making his debut after being the final pick of last year’s draft.

Long can be selected as a midfielder given he has MID-FWD status and while he didn’t play in their official practice match, he emerged as a round one bolter earlier this year after a strong first pre-season.

King is the standout of that trio in my view despite coming back from injury, with rock-solid job security, plenty of talent and the potential to post big scores for a cash cow.

SEE DAN’S FULL FINAL TEAM

DEFENCE

James Sicily (Haw) $624,700

Sam Docherty (Carl) $603,600

Liam Jones (WB) $228,100

Reuben Ginbey (WCE) $171,300 DEF-MID

Conor McKenna (Bris) $167,500

Charlie Constable (GC) $123,900 DEF-MID

Bench: Darcy Wilmot (Bris) $123,900, Lachie Cowan (Carl) $117,300

Ginbey, McKenna and Constable are all set to have favourable roles across half-back and I am comfortable fielding the trio.

Jones is the one I was keen to add and Yeo’s untimely injury opens the door for the interceptor. A real blessing in disguise — imagine if the blow had come after round one!

Wilmot and Cowan have been regular fixtures in their club’s ‘A’ team throughout the practice games and I’m backing both to let their performances do the talking as talented outside players with plenty of attacking flare.

Sicily has been settled in my defence since SuperCoach opened, but my D2 has been a revolving door of Stewart, Dawson, Daicos and now Docherty. I’m still unsure if Docherty is the right choice, but his pre-season form and his second half of last season – where he amassed six 120-plus totals – makes me think he has the most upside, at least in the short-term.

MIDFIELD

Rory Laird (Adel) $703,900

Clayton Oliver (Melb) $699,800

Lachie Neale (Bris) $676,200

Tom Green (GWS) $534,600

Jacob Hopper (Rich) $332,000

Will Ashcroft (Bris) $202,800

Cam Mackenzie (Haw) $180,300

Oskar Baker (WB) $123,900

Bench: Mattaes Phillipou (St K) $166,800, Campbell Chesser (WCE ) $123,900, DEF-MID, MID-FWD, Alwyn Davey (Ess) $117,300 MID-FWD

CHANGES

IN: Alwyn Davey Jr and Lachie Neale

OUT: Will Phillips and Marcus Bontempelli

I had been concerned about this rookie line until the emergence of Mackenzie, whose second practice match showed he should get decent exposure at centre bounces in a young Hawks line-up.

It is worth considering fielding Phillips over Baker in round 1 with the Roos facing the Eagles, but Baker may have a point to prove coming up against the side who delisted him.

Wingman Baker wasn’t initially in the starting side for the Bulldogs until an early injury in their second practice game, but his stunning ton means you have to slot him on your bench.

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The Eagles appear eager to give Chesser plenty of opportunity as they regenerate their list, with his performance on a wing in their first practice game convincing me to pick slot him on my bench. His dual position swing with Constable is an added bonus.

Meanwhile, Ashcroft has occupied a spot in my 2023 starting side since June last year.

I have flirted with selecting fellow father-son Alwyn Davey at M11 but have opted for Phillipou, who has better scoring potential.

He showed he is already capable of turning a game in their opening practice game, where he turned it on with some big moments. I may switch back to Davey if I need some extra cash to spend elsewhere, though.

I’m not too concerned about the Laird tag scare. Us KFC SuperCoaches overthink just about everything, and I’m not going to let one potential tag in round 1 stop me from picking a guy who averaged 136 points in his final eight matches last year.

Green is the wildcard. I feel he will definitely outscore his price in as a full-time centre-bounce role, but can he jump into the top eight?

RUCK

Jarrod Witts (GC) $605,100

Rowan Marshall (St K) $506,500

Bench: Nicholas Madden (GWS) $102,400 RUC-FWD

With plenty of inconsistent rookie forwards, the 204cm, 112kg Madden may be my most important ruckman.

The Giant will be used as an emergency loophole play in my forward line who can swing with Ratugolea. It will allow me to get a look at a forward with volatile scoring like Ben King or Fergus Greene, and bank their score if they go above 60.

I was reticent to pick a ruck who is going to be sharing the load, and Yeo’s injury freed up some cash to go with Witts over Sean Darcy.

Witts who will have the ruck share to himself at the Suns and has a favourable match-up against the Swans first up, and then takes on Sam Draper and Rhys Stanley in the following fortnight.

Speaking of Sydney, I have had fleeting moments where I have considered Peter Ladhams ($429,400) as a short term play while Tom Hickey is sidelined. Call me crazy but noone would have picked Witts to be the the top ruckman last year, so who knows what will happen in 2023!

FORWARD

Josh Dunkley (Bris) $596,400 MID-FWD

Connor Rozee (Port) $513,800 MID-FWD

Tim Taranto (Rich) $503,100 MID-FWD

Errol Gulden (Syd) $472,000 MID-FWD

Harry Sheezel (NM) $198,300 FWD

Esava Ratugolea (Geel) $174,000 RUC-FWD

Bench: Fergus Greene (Haw) $123,900, Ben King (GC) $176,300

IN: Harry Sheezel

OUT: Toby McLean

My forward line has had the least change over the past month, with Gulden’s inclusion for Nat Fyfe the main move.

Fyfe could fire in the first eight rounds but Errol can make you pay bigtime with increased midfield time.

Dunkley, Rozee and Taranto are in most teams and appear logical picks with Rozee and Taranto in particular underpriced for what they can produce.

For the rookies I’m going with job security, flexibility and ceiling.

Ratugolea should hopefully have a decent run in the Cats side in defence and he acts as my ruck swing with Madden.

My rookie punt, which I’ve copped some flack for in the office, is Ben King.

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Hear me out. Rock-solid job security, the potential for spike games in an improving side with Essendon in round two, where he could kick a bag. Not sure I could trust him as an on-field scorer every week, but Madden can help me get him on-field if he goes large.

Greene should be in every side after two impressive practice matches and his average of 90 points in the VFL last year.

FINAL ROOKIE WORD
Check the teams, avoid rookies who you think will be sub risks and if you’re tossing up between two cheapies, go with the one with better job security. There is always an element of luck riding the rookie roulette, so hopefully it goes your way in round one!

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach 2023: Rookie expert Dan Batten reveals final team and top Will Phillips, Toby McLean replacements