THE ANNUAL fixture release gives AFL fans plenty to talk about and look forward to as the new season approaches, despite being more than 100 days away. Anticipation has been met with intrigue as the new Opening Round will change how AFL Fantasy plays out.
Eight clubs will play in the Opening Round which means 10 teams are on a bye. Round one will see all 18 clubs play the following weekend which means those who participated in the Opening Round will have a bye in one of rounds two, three, five or six.
So, what could AFL Fantasy look like?
Roy, Calvin and Warnie chat through some ideas on how the game would cope with the four-game Opening Round and the byes that will follow. Do we just start at round one? That's an option. In Fantasy Classic, are bye round rules in for those rounds with two teams on a bye, but with the regular two trades? How do we cope in Fantasy Draft?
Plenty of suggestions are thrown about on the special emergency podcast with feedback taken on board via social media.
Whatever the case, coaches should be preparing for a different looking 2024 but with the philosophy of keeping it simple for all to understand and to make our game fun and easy to play.
Calvin invites one of his students into the studio ahead of next week's AFL Draft. Colby McKercher is tipped to go early on draft night and he shares his love of AFL Fantasy plus some tips on the draftees who could be cash cows to consider in 2024.
Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
In this week's episode …
1:00 - The Opening Round is changing the way AFL Fantasy will be played in 2024.
3:50 - Warnie suggests we don't play in 'Round 0'.
5:15 - How the early byes look and possible Fantasy Classic rules.
7:50 - Brodie Grundy looks like a good buy this year, can you still start him with the early bye?
11:30 - Thoughts on whether price changes include Opening Round scores.
14:00 - Tips on how you can approach your Fantasy Draft league.
18:10 - Keeper leagues might consider editing scores and including 'Round 0' scores when their club has the bye.
20:20 - The mid-season byes follow the same structure as 2023.
24:50 - Colby McKercher joins the show.
27:00 - Calvin taught Colby at high school including another language.
29:30 - Where did Colby rank in Fantasy Classic this year?
31:00 - Colby averaged 111.7 in his nine Coates Talent League this year.
33:30 - Roy thinks a role off half-back could be good for Fantasy in his debut season.
39:00 - The most relevant players of the Trade Period are ranked with Brodie Grundy at the top with Max Gawn who will also benefit from the move.
41:30 - Tristan Xerri is another ruck to consider based on Todd Goldstein moving on.
45:00 - Roy has some thoughts on his bench ruck due to the fixture.
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