AFLW footy is back! Our first look at the refreshed and re-jigged squads of 2024 was a delight to see and has AFLW Fantasy coaches across the nation making wholesale changes to their sides.

Yes, it is just a practice game. And yes, a few key players were missing and caused a little bit of a team shuffle. The top-line superstars of AFLW Fantasy are not those we need to be too worried about. But when it comes to our mid-priced unique picks where there are plenty of narratives pushing you to pick one player or another, pre-season form can help us narrow our watchlist.

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For instance - if they cannot find midfield time when the big midfielder is missing, why would they get it with the full team together and premiership points on the line?

With Fantasy scores now available for us, let's take a look at which unheralded players excited Fantasy coaches with an impressive game over the weekend.

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Stocks up

Serene Watson (DEF, $413,000)

In our first game of the weekend, Serene Watson announced herself as a Fantasy option. Previously a lockdown defender, the addition of Paige Trudgeon at St Kilda has freed up Watson to become a key distributor off half-back for the Saints, racking up 78 Fantasy points and six marks as her switch-kicking helped open the ground up. The 23-year-old was recently added into the St Kilda leadership group and may be gearing up for a breakout Fantasy season.

Kate Lutkins (DEF, $369,000)

A three-time All-Australian, 2021 premiership player and 2021 NAB AFLW Grand Final best on ground winner – and she will cost you peanuts. After an ACL and her first pregnancy, Lutkins returned to the footy field last Friday and showed she has barely lost a step. Her six marks and 10 kicks helped propel her to 57 Fantasy points, while keeping Caitlyn Greiser scoreless in an under-siege backline. She does not need to hit the heights of her 74 average in season two to be a valuable play. 

Eilish Sheerin (DEF, $925,000)

Unheralded?! Yes, Sheerin may be the third-highest averaging Fantasy defender coming into the 2024 season, but the shift into the midfield is real. Sheerin's 64 Fantasy points came from just three quarters of footy, with her contested pressure and speed in the midfield a large part of the Tigers' dominance early. It is quite possible that this role could propel Sheerin to be the No.1 defender in the game in 2024. 

Ruby Tripodi (FWD, $379,000)

We were hoping that Tripodi could establish herself as a regular in North's best 21 this season, but her performance on Saturday blew all expectations out of the water. With plenty of centre-bounce attendances and clean use with ball in hand, Tripodi was brilliant in North's demolition of GWS. She may not score 66 Fantasy points each week with Jenna Bruton to return to the midfield, but she has set herself up as a valuable rookie in our forward lines.

Jordyn Allen (DEF, $680,000)

On a wet day where many struggled, Jordyn Allen was exceptionally clean. She collected nine marks, providing a crucial link in the Pies' attempts to clear their defensive 50. With the flexibility to swing between wing and defence, the Pies want the ball in her hands. Allen has a decent price to launch into.

Aisling McCarthy (MID, $882,000)

As we searched for Fremantle's replacement to the inactive Kiara Bowers and Ange Stannett, we completely overlooked McCarthy. On a wet day, McCarthy was a monster at the contest with 15 tackles and five clearances for 132 Fantasy points. The former Eagle has always been a decent tackler, but at Fremantle she could take this to the next level as the predominant midfielder. 

Aisling Moloney (FWD, $558,000)

In a half where the Bombers consistently stifled Geelong's ball movement, Moloney proved herself a reliable avenue forward. With nine disposals, four marks and the only Geelong goal of the half (a checkside from the boundary no less), Moloney was everywhere early. She was sidelined early in the third quarter with a minor cramp, keeping Moloney to 52 Fantasy points for the day. Beyond a difficult match-up in round two, Geelong's fixture may let Moloney get off to a flyer!

Sofia Hurley (MID, $916,000)

Hurley's ownership is criminally low, with the youngster certain to step into the middle for the Swans in 2024. Her 83 Fantasy points on the weekend undersell her potential, with nine touches and three tackles in the first quarter alone. Alongside fellow Fantasy superstar Laura Gardiner, this dynamic Swan is a unique midfield option that could go bang to start the year. 

Mattea Breed (MID, $351,000)

I will put my hand up – even as a Hawks supporter, I did not see this coming. Breed moved into the midfield against the Swans and looked extremely comfortable, collecting 18 touches and five tackles for 76 Fantasy points. At this bargain price and such a friendly role, Breed cannot be ignored.

Lucy Wales (RUC, $840,000)

While noting that the Swans were without their primary ruck Ally Morphett, Lucy Wales had a phenomenal game. Leaping into her first season as solo ruck, Wales had 18 disposals and a whopping 43 hitouts for 125 Fantasy points. Her presence around the ground has vastly improved from last season – can we overlook her early fixture and lock away Lucy Wales for the season?

Analea McKee (FWD, $300,000)

Even in a tough match-up against the Gold Coast (who finished fifth in 2023), McKee proved to be a reliable target at half-forward for the Bulldogs. Roaming up the ground to assist the Dogs transition, McKee pulled in four marks and laid four tackles to finish with 54 points on the day. For a basement-price forward with terrific job security, McKee is one putting her hand up for round one in your team.

Sinead Goldrick (DEF, $600,000)

With some opportunities arising in the Melbourne midfield, Sinead Goldrick did her chances no harm against the Power on Sunday. Her running power saw her feature all over the ground, with her 94 Fantasy points among the best on the day. Goldrick has not traditionally been an accumulator for the Demons, but the Irish cross-code athlete is rated highly at the club and seems likely to help fill the midfield void early in the season.

Shineah Goody (MID, $300,000)

She is every bit as good as advertised. From the first centre bounce, Goody was the most prolific ball-winner for the Power, collecting 25 disposals, seven marks and five tackles on her way to 110 Fantasy points. The front-runner for best newcomer in 2024, leave Goody out of your side at your own peril.

Sachi Syme (MID, $400,000)

Following the retirement of Erin Phillips, a finger injury to Abbey Dowrick and Hannah Ewings announced as inactive for 2024, there is a massive turnover in the Port Adelaide midfield. Coming into her third season, Syme had first crack at filling this void on Sunday and was ferocious at the contest – seven tackles helped her reach 81 Fantasy points. Syme showed enough that she should keep the role in round one and be a popular rookie-priced pick. 

Dayna Finn (DEF, $316,000) / Darcy Vescio (FWD, $598,000)

As the Blues' defence fought to stave off a Crows onslaught, their ball movement through half-backs and winners saw plenty of points shared around. The Blues have unveiled a much-improved kick/mark game so far this pre-season, one that Finn and Vescio are both well placed to capitalise on. Finn's 83 and Vescio's 69 Fantasy points were among the best Blues on the day, and far outstrip their starting prices.

Stocks Down

Ella Roberts (MID, $1,081,000)

There is no denying Ella Robert's talent, top-scoring for the Eagles on a difficult day against the Saints. But the youngster spent much of the day forward of the ball, providing a target up the field for the Eagles and failing to attend a single centre-bounce before the three-quarter time break. At such a high price tag and with coach Daisy Pearce talking up her impact playing forward post-game, it is hard to justify starting Roberts.

Bianca Jakobsson (DEF, $483,000)

The vice-captain once again is playing the sacrificial lockdown role at the Saints, with the addition of Paige Trudgeon helping others. It seems unlikely she will return to the high-scoring Fantasy days of 2022.

Gabby Seymour (RUC, $853,000)

Poppy Kelly seems to have grabbed hold of the Tigers' ruck division, with Seymour sliding across half-back to support the defence. While this may improve the Tigers as a whole, her Fantasy impact is likely to drop with less time around the contest. 

Gabby O'Sullivan (FWD, $512,000)

The much-anticipated Fremantle midfield mix has been revealed, and Gabby O'Sullivan did not look to be a part of it. The key players in the mix were Aisling McCarthy, Dana East, Hayley Miller and Megan Kauffman. A role behind the ball may be slightly more beneficial to O'Sullivan than her forward role of 2023, but there may be some floor scores this season.

Lilly Pearce (RUC, $300,000)

Pearce was part of a trio of Cats run through the ruck, and despite having a team-high 14 hitouts, her impact around the ground was lacking (ending the day on 20 Fantasy points). With a shortage of cheap ruck options, she will stay in the mix for a R2 spot in our squads but do not expect much cash generation this year.

Montana Ham (MID, $620,000)

The former No.1 draft pick has finally had a full pre-season and is ready for a full season of footy. But unfortunately, her time away has her a little down the pecking order in the Swans midfield. While her height and presence in the forward line will be great to watch, the role for Fantasy just is not there.

Ellie Gavalas (FWD, $519,000)

While Gavalas pushed up to stoppages in the forward half, the Bulldogs have decided that Gavalas is more important as a roaming half-forward than a pure midfielder. There were some promising moments, but the ceiling we had hoped for may be beyond this role for Gavalas.

Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner (FWD, $420,000)

The No.1 draft pick played deep forward for the Western Bulldogs and was blanketed by some experienced key defenders. As a young key forward, Westo's talent may take some time to translate to the Fantasy game, with expectations for the 18-year-old needing to be tempered.

Matilda Scholz (RUC, $979,000)

In a surprising turn of events for breakout Matilda Scholz – who finished fourth in the AFLW's Rising Star award last season – it was Olivia Levicki who was the primary ruck for the Power last Sunday, with Scholz pushed into the forward line. Whether or not this persists into the main season is unclear, but it is certainly a major red flag for Fantasy coaches.

Hold Firm

Courtney Hodder (FWD, $733,000)

Alarm bells would have been ringing as Courtney Hodder sat quietly at forward pocket in the first half, but all concerns were allayed after half-time. Hodder's move into the midfield ignited the Lions, as she collected 67 Fantasy points in the second half to deliver a brilliant come-from-behind win. With Ally Anderson to return, concerns she may be pushed out again are not unfounded – but Hodder's impact is surely too great for Brisbane to ignore.

Ruby Schleicher (DEF, $793,000)

A wet day severely limited Schleicher's impact, with the intercepting superstar only registering one mark in the stormy conditions. A lowly 44 Fantasy points may not inspire coaches, but her approach to the contest was impacted by the broken nose she is recovering from. When the premiership points are on the line, there is no doubt the real Schleicher will stand up. 

Bonnie Toogood (FWD, $1,323,000)

For a hefty $1.323m price tag, it is hard not to feel let down by a 61-point effort against the Cats last Saturday. But while the stat sheet may not be flattering, Toogood looked every bit of the superstar from 2023. Her marking power was on song early, and she floated behind play whenever Geelong seemed to get on top of the contest – an incredible Fantasy role. There are no time-on-ground stats from the weekend, but Toogood was rotating off at least twice a quarter as the Bombers looked to keep her primed for round one.