IT WAS AFL Fantasy carnage over the weekend and the pain looks set to continue into the preliminary finals.
Dayne Beams, Michael Barlow and Callan Ward have already been ruled out, while popular picks Steve Johnson, Josh Kennedy, Scott Pendlebury, Nathan Fyfe, Ben McGlynn, and Brent Harvey are all possible no-shows.
With all these huge names potential absentees, league finals have been left wide open and any remaining teams are now a chance as this year's finals take on a 'last man standing' feel.
As I say every week, The Fantasy Pig, Tom Rockliff is the must-have. He is clearly the best Fantasy player in the competition and he proved that again on the weekend with 165. Assuming that all finals teams have Rocky, I am going to focus on some other midfield options to replace our injured stars, given the bulk of the carnage has hit us right in the guts.
Here are my top three to take you to ultimate glory (unless they pull out as well):
1. Matt Priddis [MID, $581,782] ticks all boxes and should finish the season with two big games. He has been in sensational form, scoring over 100 in 10 out of his past 12 games including two of his career-best scores of 146 and 147 in the past month. This week he plays the Demons at home, where there is a lot to get excited about. In his last six games vs the Dees, he has a low score of 97, with a high of 154 and his recent form at Subiaco has been unquestionable with six straight 100s including 143, 146 and 147. If you are lucky enough to make the GF, he has never scored under 100 against Gold Coast, which is West Coast's round 23 opponent. The Suns have been leaking a lot of points lately so he will likely finish the season with a bang.
2: Joel Selwood [MID, $591,782] has been in Beast Mode the past five weeks to give him an average of 124 in that time, including three scores over 130. Despite a poor showing against the Hawks earlier in the year, Hawthorn is one of his favourite teams to play and he is coming into this one on the back of some red-hot form. The following week he is back home at Skilled Stadium, where he scored 130 in his most recent appearance, to face the Lions in the last home and away game for the year. It should prove a high scoring affair.
3: Lance Franklin [FWD, $520,055]. It may be worth throwing one of your FWD/MID dual-position players into the midfield to free up a spot for Buddy. He was in sensational form against the Saints for a score of 157 last week and expect his high-scoring ways to continue against the Dogs and Tigers in the next two. Historically, he looks set for a big preliminary final with previous scores of 115 and 119 against the Dogs and he scored 115 at Etihad Stadium in his last game there. The Dogs have looked vulnerable defending big forwards in recent weeks, as we saw with Drew Petrie cracking the ton against them last week. Another bag of goals is on the cards.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Jordan Lewis [MID, $577,010] is in career best form with a three-game average of 134 and scores of 144 and 156 in his last two games. He looks a safe bet, but he has not scored 100 in his past seven games against the Cats, so keep that in mind.
Young guns Dyson Heppell [MID, $535,436], Toby Greene [MID, $520,817] and Rory Sloane [MID, $539,193] all look set for big scores this week and are worthy of bringing in for a pinch-hit, as well as Trent Cotchin [MID, $521,223] who should continue his good form against the lowly Saints.
WHAT ARE THE TRADERS' MOVES?
Warnie
Lance Franklin, Jobe Watson IN
Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury OUT
Using DPP, Warnie will trade the injured Beams for the in-form Franklin. If Pendlebury is out, he'll pick up one of his Bombers.
Calvin
Matt Priddis, Dane Swan IN
Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams OUT
Calvin is turning a negative into a positive by bringing in his favourite player, the original Fantasy Pig, Dane Swan.
Roy
Matt Priddis, Buddy Franklin IN
Michael Barlow, Dayne Beams OUT
I am hopeful that Stevie J or Josh Kennedy are fit to hit the park, otherwise I will be two trades short of fielding a full-strength team for the all-important prelim. I am not holding my breath.
For all the top trade tips in this crucial period of Fantasy, hit me up on Twitter: @RoyDT
