WITH the AFLW season within touching distance, the time for too much tinkering with my AFLW Fantasy team is well and truly over.

The latest season of AFLW Fantasy launched at the beginning of August, and since then my team has seen countless changes, restructures, and restarts. 

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However, after a jam-packed month of Fantasy content, be it recording, writing, listening or reading, I feel like I am now in a spot where I feel comfortable about my team heading into the first lockout.

Listen to the AFLW Fantasy Podcast with Free Kick at Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Defenders

Charlie Thomas (West Coast, $941,000)
When I got the very late mail that Eilish Sheerin was out, I needed to make a quick pivot in my defence. Given her incredibly consistent scoring capabilities, Thomas was my first thought as a like-for-like replacement. I may consider a bit of a defensive restructure, so standby for a pivot here!

Ruby Schleicher (Collingwood, $793,000)
Schleicher's credentials as a Fantasy scorer may be lost on those new to the game, but they're nothing to turn your nose up at. If you look past a quiet performance in the practice game against the Dockers (in a monsoon), Schleicher has been a premium defender multiple times in her career, with three seasons with an average over 65, and comes in this year at a discounted price.

Jordyn Allen (Collingwood, $680,000)
I might be getting too caught up in the hype with this pick, but Allen killed it in the Fremantle practice match, taking nine marks, and looking back to her best in defence as a key defensive 50 distributor and pivot on switches. I am still not absolutely certain on this pick, as I've had my eye on Sinead Goldrick and I am not certain I want to overload with Pies, but at this stage, and with Goldrick's injury risk, Allen is in the squad.

Kate Lutkins (Brisbane, $369,000)
Lutkins is a rookie in name only, as she's one of the game's most experienced defenders, and looked to be back to her elite form against Richmond in the practice match. A two-season gap in between playing games means that I will take her discounted price and excellent run to start the year to the bank.

Lulu Beatty  (Carlton, $300,000)
This pick had been Abbey McDonald until she was not named in round one. I've therefore pivoted to selecting one of Carlton's many defensive options at my D5, with Beatty having gotten wraps from all and sundry for her work in the off-season, and having managed to score 56 against Adelaide last week. I am still weighing up whether I start with Serene Watson at this spot with the cash I have left over, but for now, I've gone with Beatty.

Bench: Dayna Finn (Carlton, $316,000)

Midfielders

Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide, $1.664,000)
The only thing higher than Marinoff's price is her ownership percentage. I am picking her for her ability to be a walk-up captain each and every week, a great run of match-ups, and to avoid seeing my ranking plummet as 68 per cent of the competition enjoy watching this Fantasy superstar go to work.

Charlie Rowbottom (Gold Coast, $1,463,000)
Both Jono and I have been strident in saying that Rowbottom can challenge Marinoff as the best Fantasy player in the game in 2024. Gold Coast is expected to run a tight midfield rotation this season, and Rowbottom's ability to accumulate disposals, tackles and avoid being tagged/tackled out of the game is extremely enticing.

Monique Conti (Richmond, $1,379,000)
Conti had her best Fantasy season to date last year, but I feel like there is another level to hit in 2024. With a rejigged midfield setup at the Tigers, a string of enticing opponents to start the year, she presents enough value for me to eschew selecting Ash Riddell or Laura Gardiner.

Isabelle Pritchard (Western Bulldogs, $963,000)
This is the pick I'm most uncertain of, and not unsurprisingly, the most lowly owned player in my starting squad. Pritchard had a few ceiling scores in 2023, but lacked consistent midfield time. I think she's a lock to be the Dogs' No.2 midfielder, and has recently been talked up by former captain Ellie Blackburn as the player she most expects to break out this year. I will pick her for the good early run and round four double gameweek.

Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide, $300,000)
Goody looked incredible in Port's hitout against Melbourne, genuinely played like a third- or fourth-year player. She's as locked into my side as any player can be.

Bench: Mattea Breed (Hawthorn, $351,000), Piper Window (Port Adelaide, $348,000)

Rucks

Alice Edmonds (Western Bulldogs, $1,044,000)
This is another player that I've been consistently spruiking in my articles and on the AFLW Fantasy Podcast. Edmonds has the great combo of easy early run, the round four double gameweek, and little to no competition for ruck contests at the Dogs.

Bench: Eilish O'Dowd (Greater Western Sydney, $300,000)

Forwards

Bonnie Toogood (Essendon, $1,323,000)
The most expensive, and most popular, forward this year, and I'm alllllll about it. She's a weapon around the ground, and extremely difficult to keep down. With the dearth of other premium forward options, Toogood hasn't left the Professors all pre-season.

Kate Hore (Melbourne, $1,111,000)
With the turnover in the Melbourne midfield, Hore is another set to spend more time in there. Particularly with news of Tayla Harris likely playing the early season forward and an injury to midfielder Liv Purcell, I feel like Hore will be far closer to a 50-50 midfielder and forward.

Courtney Hodder (Brisbane, $733,000)
My F3 has been a spot which has changed constantly this pre-season. I've landed on Hodder for her ability to hit ceiling scores in tough games on the back of elite tackling tendencies. If my team needs some kind of late restructure, Hodder may go up to Katie Brennan, or down to a Darcy Vescio, Gabby O'Sullivan or Ellie Gavalas.

Ruby Tripodi (North Melbourne, $379,000)
Tripodi was one of the darlings of the pre-season matches, thriving in a new spot in the North's midfield. There are reasonable concerns about whether the role will hold if Jenna Bruton is put into the midfield in round one, but I am leaning towards the reports out of Arden St that 'Tuba' (apparently her club nickname) has been the best trainer this off-season.

Mikayla Pauga (Greater Western Sydney, $363,000)
GWS's recruit from Brisbane showed exactly the role we wanted to see, running through the Giants' midfield and tackling well. I expect Pauga will be a valuable cash generator for Fantasy teams who can be run on field, as that role, combined with a great sense for the in and under midfield work (read 'tackling'), ought to set a high basement.

Bench: Ella K Smith (Gold Coast, $300,000)

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