The Traders take a look at every club's list from a Fantasy point of view and give you the inside word on where the bargains are to be found.
THE Tigers finally made the eight last season and usually with a team on the up, we find AFL Fantasy scores improve for quite a few players.
The biggest lock for the Tigers is... midfielder-forward come half-back Dustin Martin [FWD/MID, $526,000].
Only missing three games across his four-year career has been one of the reasons that Martin has been a popular Fantasy player since his debut.
Last season he played all 22 games to average 97 points ranking him third behind Nick Riewoldt and Patrick Dangerfield for all players available as a forward this year.
There is no doubt that he’ll be one of the top Fantasy forwards this season.
There has been talk over the pre-season that Martin will play off half-back for the Tigers. This proved to be Damien Hardwick's plan in both NAB Challenge games and yielded positive results.
In the first match against Melbourne he finished with 86 points from 72 per cent time on ground and backed it up against Collingwood on the weekend with 114 points from 80 per cent game time.
Even if he holds his average, selecting Martin is a win as there seems to be a lack of premium Fantasy forwards this season.
A bargain on the radar is... the man wearing number three, Brett Deledio [MID, $514,900].
“Lids' was a Fantasy staple as a dual-position player. Sometimes we forget about guys like him when named as pure midfielders.
Deledio hasn’t missed a game since 2007 making him one of the most durable players in the competition. His average of 95 last year was 15 points down on his average from 2012; making him a lot cheaper than it probably should be.
A big NAB Challenge saw him top score in the opening game for the Tigers with 88 points and back it up in Wangaratta with 32 disposals and 134 Fantasy points.
A player of difference is... reliable defender Bachar Houli [DEF, $461,800].
The ball-winning defender doesn’t get a lot of Fantasy love but those who have owned him in AFL Fantasy Elite will know he dishes up solid scores week in, week out.
Last season he averaged 85.3 points posting 11 scores over 90. In five of these matches he topped triple figures.
Houli is a great option if you’re looking for a defender who will get the job done. Don’t expect anything too fancy; you will be getting what you pay for.
The pre-season has taught us... if Anthony Miles [MID, $279,700] get a chance, he could be a smokey.
The former Giant is rookie listed with the Tigers and he has done his selection chances no harm with a solid NAB Challenge campaign. He was the fifth highest scorer against Melbourne and backed it up on the weekend with 53 points in just 41 per cent game time.
Keep an eye on him as a mid-priced option.
Nick Vlastuin [DEF/MID, $375,600] was fantastic for us in his debut year due to his Fantasy friendly game. He scored 91 points against Collingwood from 23 disposals and nine marks.
Big man Ben Griffiths [DEF, $135,500] enjoyed his opportunity in the NAB Challenge with scores of 60 and 68. If he needs to play a role early in the season then he is certainly worth a place as a bench defender.
Twitter talk
@rumballz asks “@WarnieDT: Is Cotch worth picking considering he shares the dreaded round eight bye?”
Heading into his seventh season, Trent Cotchin [MID, $511,300] is considered an under-priced Fantasy player this year. In 2012 he averaged an impressive 110.4 points, the best of his career. Last year, his averaged dropped to 94.1.
Cotchin scored a massive 154 Fantasy points in Richmond’s NAB Challenge win over Collingwood on the weekend. He kicked four goals to go with his 23 kicks, 11 handballs and 11 marks. Those are remarkable numbers.
The concern with Cotchin’s Fantasy game is how he handles taggers. Last season he was up and down when he received added attention. Personally I will back him in to be much better in 2014 and in turn, increase his Fantasy average to triple figures again.
But to answer your question, whilst he shares the round eight bye with a lot of premium midfielders, your initial side should be build around bang for your buck. Cotchin offers this and we should see a 10+ point increase to make his selection over other round eight bye players is worthwhile.
Coach Warnie currently has his eye on...
“Dusty' won’t be moving from my forward line anytime soon. He was basically locked in there for from the get go.
As the Tigers head to the Gold Coast in round one, Cotchin will be in my initial side. He has scored 118, 137 and 114 in his three outings against the Suns.
To discuss #AFLFantasy on Twitter, follow @WarnieDT and the official account @AFLFantasy
