THERE are plenty of similarities between AFLW Fantasy and the long-running men's AFL Fantasy game. However, coaches participating in the exciting new format need to be across the differences.
The core premise of AFL Fantasy Classic has been running for almost two decades. The salary cap-based game sees coaches pick a squad of players within the allocated budget and selected players score points based on their output in home and away matches.
Scores are compiled on the traditional AFL Fantasy scoring formula of basic stat categories of kicks (3 points), handballs (2 points), marks (3 points), tackles (4 points), hitouts (1 point), goals (6 points), behinds (1 point), free kick for (1 point) and free kick against (-3 points).
AFLW and AFL games differ in some areas and the Fantasy games also have a few tweaks that vary from each other.
The squad
Coaches in AFL Fantasy pick a squad of 30 players with 22 scoring each week. In AFLW Fantasy, the squad is made up of 21 players with 16 on-field scorers.
Five defenders, five midfielders, one ruck and five forwards will play as the 16 on-field scorers every round with one emergency for each position on the bench. An additional utility player, from any position, is the fifth bench player.
An emergency will replace a non-player in their respective position. The utility will not act as an emergency, but can be substituted with a corresponding player with the same position status, on field or on the bench.
Player pricing
The salary cap should be familiar for players of AFL Fantasy in 2023 as both games share the $15.5 million budget.
Due to a smaller player pool, a different range of player scoring due to shorter game time and the much smaller Fantasy squad size, individual player prices are much different to the men's game.
Last season, Kiara Bowers was the top Fantasy player. She averaged 121, playing all 10 games. The Docker is the top priced player at $1,703,000.
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Prices are based on a previous season's performance. Their average is multiplied by the 'magic number' (approx. 14,074) which equates to the price. There are discounts applied to players who miss five or more games from the previous season.
Putting Bowers' price into context of the men's game, Rory Laird averaged 120 in 2022 and started the season valued at $1,066,000. While their output was similar in their previous seasons, the price discrepancy comes down to the higher magic number (men's was approx. 8,850) as a result of the smaller player pool, scoring and smaller Fantasy squad size.
Basement price is $300,000 in AFLW Fantasy compared to $200,000 in the men's competition.
Fantasy gameplay
Overall, the gameplay of AFLW Fantasy will be familiar to those who have played the men's game.
Picking a squad under the salary cap will generally be made up of premiums, mid-priced players and rookie-priced players. For many, it will be about trying to find value in their selections.
Players will gain value if they outperform their 'priced at' figure and drop if they don't hit their breakeven. The mechanics of the game are likely to see more volatile price changes than the men's game.
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Coaches will have three trades per week after round one, totalling 27 trades for the season. This may mean that coaches might be a little more aggressive with their trading.
One other difference from the men's Fantasy game is the single-position players. Champion Data has provided positions based on a player's position from last season. While some play as dual-position players, like the men's game, they have been allocated the position they played in the most. There will not be in-season position adjustments.
The actual game
AFLW games are significantly shorter. While each quarter in a men’s game is 20 minutes plus time on, the women’s game has 17-minute quarters with much more limited time on called. Last season, quarters were two minutes shorter.
Coaches should keep this in mind regarding score expectations.
Fantasy score builds are different when comparing the games. While the scoring is the same, there are fewer disposals and AFLW has a greater kick-to-handball ratio and there are slightly more hitouts.
Tackles is where there is the biggest discrepancy, with significantly more in AFLW.
Bowers led the League for tackles last season, averaging 14.6 per game, so 58.4 points of her 121 average came from tackles. Ebony Marinoff (9.7) and Cathy Svarc (9.3) also collected big numbers.
From a Fantasy perspective, the new game will be an exciting challenge for the long-time AFL Fantasy fans to take on. There will be plenty of Fantasy knowledge and logic that will help playing the inaugural AFLW Fantasy season, but the differences will add to the fun of exploring the new game in the quest for League glory, the Toyota Corolla Cross or a coveted top 100 hat.
