EVER since the official Fantasy game of the AFL opened as an early Christmas present in December, almost 50,000 coaches have started piecing together their teams in a quest to gain bragging rights over their mates.
The popular salary cap game, AFL Fantasy Classic, gives coaches the chance to pick a squad of 30 players under the $17.8 million budget that mirrors the salary cap the clubs are limited to in the real thing! Players range from $230,000 all the way to last season's No.1 Fantasy player, Rowan Marshall, at $1,201,000.
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Eager Fantasy players have started picking their teams, trying to find the best value throughout the six weeks since the game launched. With practice matches just around the corner and half-a-dozen weeks before round one, looking at the popular picks from the astute coaches who signed up early gives us a good look at the potential best pre-season picks.
Let's have a look at the most selected in each position.
Ownership figures can be accessed via Coaches Choice for Fantasy Coach subscribers.
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Defenders
Fantasy coaches have commented on social media that the backline is a challenging position and the ownership numbers back that up. Rookie-priced value in Bo Allan and Saad El-Hawli will help keep the budget in good shape, but it doesn't end there.
A fit Keidean Coleman offers plenty of value, but the number of teams he's selected in may fluctuate depending on practice matches and Opening Round. Callum Mills is priced well below his best. He shares the same early bye as Coleman and it might be a matter of picking just one of them.
Harry Sheezel is the player coaches have been happy to pay up for down back. While his scoring dipped when he moved into the midfield last year, there's plenty to like about the third-year player, as there is with Jack Sinclair. He does some of his best work on half-back which is where he's likely to spend most of his time.
PLAYER |
CLUB |
POSITION |
PRICE |
OWNERSHIP |
Bo Allan |
WCE |
DEF/MID |
$295,000 |
56% |
Saad El-Hawli |
ESS |
DEF/MID |
$230,000 |
50% |
Tobie Travaglia |
STK |
DEF/MID |
$319,000 |
46% |
Keidean Coleman |
BRL |
DEF |
$521,000 |
45% |
Harry Sheezel |
NTH |
DEF |
$1,151,000 |
42% |
Callum Mills |
SYD |
DEF |
$759,000 |
38% |
Jayden Short |
RIC |
DEF |
$825,000 |
30% |
Zach Reid |
ESS |
DEF |
$230,000 |
25% |
Jack Sinclair |
STK |
DEF/MID |
$1,046,000 |
22% |
Josh Gibcus |
RIC |
DEF |
$230,000 |
20% |
Midfielders
The most owned midfielders are the draftees. Five of the top six selected were picked up in November's national draft. Levi Ashcroft, Jagga Smith and Sid Draper are being backed in to play in round one, with each carrying more than 50 per cent ownership.
Clayton Oliver is the value pick of the year in the midfield. His history suggests he's closer to the 110 average mark than his sub-80 performance last season. Oliver is looking fit and should deliver an output greater than his starting price.
Other value options include Will Ashcroft heading into his third season off the back of the Norm Smith Medal, new Crows Isaac Cumming and James Peatling who look set for greater opportunity and Will Day who many are hoping claws back the 20 points his average dropped last season.
Naturally, Nick Daicos and Marcus Bontempelli have plenty of love early doors as two of the best players in the competition.
PLAYER |
CLUB |
POSITION |
PRICE |
OWNERSHIP |
Levi Ashcroft |
BRL |
MID |
$328,000 |
56% |
Jagga Smith |
CAR |
MID |
$334,000 |
52% |
Sid Draper |
ADE |
MID |
$331,000 |
50% |
Clayton Oliver |
MEL |
MID |
$797,000 |
43% |
Sam Lalor |
RIC |
MID |
$340,000 |
41% |
Josh Smillie |
RIC |
MID |
$322,000 |
38% |
Will Ashcroft |
BRL |
MID |
$843,000 |
28% |
Will Day |
HAW |
MID |
$760,000 |
25% |
Nick Daicos |
COL |
MID |
$1,074,000 |
25% |
Isaac Cumming |
ADE |
MID |
$575,000 |
19% |
Finn O’Sullivan |
NTH |
MID |
$337,000 |
17% |
Marcus Bontempelli |
WBD |
MID |
$1,101,000 |
17% |
James Peatling |
ADE |
MID |
$634,000 |
17% |
Tom Green |
GWS |
MID |
$1,025,000 |
17% |
Sam Docherty |
CAR |
MID |
$782,000 |
14% |
Rucks
Initially coaches were keen to set and forget, but with Rowan Marshall's stress fracture in his pelvis putting him in doubt for round one, coaches are jumping off.
Tristan Xerri is the main choice as the top ruck with the value of Tom De Koning sitting beside him.
Watch for Saints SSP signing Harry Boyd to become the consensus bench ruck.
PLAYER |
CLUB |
POSITION |
PRICE |
OWNERSHIP |
Tristan Xerri |
NTH |
RUCK |
$1,175,000 |
54% |
Tom De Koning |
CAR |
RUCK |
$900,000 |
27% |
Max Heath |
STK |
RUCK/FWD |
$230,000 |
25% |
Rowan Marshall |
STK |
RUCK |
$1,201,000 |
24% |
Coen Livingstone |
WCE |
RUCK/FWD |
$230,000 |
13% |
Forwards
The most selected player in Fantasy Classic is ex-Dog and new Cat Bailey Smith. Not only does his discount make him extreme value, his role as an inside midfielder has coaches salivating at what he can offer. An easy selection!
His former teammates who found new clubs, Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae, make up the ex-Dog trifecta as their roles are tracking towards being much better under new coaches.
Mattaes Phillipou was in around 50 per cent of teams earlier this week but with news that he will miss the early part of the season, his ownership is plummeting. Ryley Sanders has been a popular replacement so far.
PLAYER |
CLUB |
POSITION |
PRICE |
OWNERSHIP |
Bailey Smith |
GEE |
MID/FWD |
$598,000 |
70% |
Caleb Daniel |
NTH |
MID/FWD |
$514,000 |
61% |
Jack Macrae |
STK |
FWD |
$732,000 |
54% |
Elijah Hewett |
WCE |
MID/FWD |
$332,000 |
49% |
Jason Horne-Francis |
PTA |
MID/FWD |
$919,000 |
39% |
Isaac Kako |
ESS |
MID/FWD |
$304,000 |
37% |
Daniel Curtin |
ADL |
FWD |
$300,000 |
35% |
Mattaes Phillipou |
STK |
MID/FWD |
$656,000 |
31% |
Joe Berry |
PTA |
FWD |
$298,000 |
14% |
Ryley Sanders |
WBD |
MID/FWD |
$656,000 |
12% |
Team Vanilla
This consensus team is made up of 30 of the 34 most selected players. $60,000 remains in the salary cap.
Coaches who have signed up early doors have come up with the consensus forward line. Bailey Smith, Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae are common with Jason Horne-Francis leading the way in F1 and a rookie such as Elijah Hewett in F6.
Ryley Sanders has moved into the forward line for Mattaes Phillipou whose stocks are plummeting.
This structure – with these names specifically – is the preferred method.
The midfield has been built from the ground up. Rookies and value selections everywhere. Coaches have shown here, and across the lines, they are happy to pay up for the cash cows. Benches aren't just full of $230,000 basement-priced players. Clayton Oliver and three rookies on field looks to be the bones of midfields. As we see through ownership numbers, there are a mix of players to fill out the other four on-field positions in the midfield.
Defenders are arguably the position where coaches have the fewest 'locks'. Question marks surround Keidean Coleman's availability, Callum Mills has the round three bye and is there a lot of upside for Jayden Short in Richmond's system?
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There's still plenty to think about.
Tapping the bye detector on this squad sees six on-field players with an early bye, but of most concern is the round three bye. This team features five players, six if you include Levi Ashcroft on the bench, with the round three bye. It wouldn't be advised to go in with this structure!
All in all, this 'hype' squad looks solid and there's plenty of big scorers together with value selections and 2025’' likely best cash cows.
Maybe you will start with a selection of these vanilla players and sprinkle some hundreds and thousands to give it something a bit extra?
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