MORE midfield time is the goal for Jack Billings (FWD, $618,000) in 2019. He was a popular selection last season following his breakout year that saw him take his average from 79 to 95 in 2017.
Although he enjoyed a round one score of 123, his first half of the season was indifferent. Billings’ average of 74 in the first 11 rounds saw his price plummet by almost $200,000. A week in the reserves reinvigorated the 23-year old as he went on to average 97 for the remainder of the year.
Billings could be a highly sought after player in Fantasy Classic and Draft if he can increase his time around the ball.
Another Jack finished the year in flying form. Jack Steele (MID, $685,000) averaged a career-high 94.4 for the season but like Billings, dominated post-bye with an average of 109. Embracing his role as a run-with player, Steele laid 7.5 tackles per game in the run home to help boost his Fantasy numbers.
Seb Ross (MID, $779,000) will be remembered by the 2018 AFL Fantasy Classic champion, James Robinson, for the final-quarter heroics that helped him take home a Toyota.
The ball-magnet is, however, building a very handy Fantasy resume scoring 121, 105, 160, 143, 107 and 122 in the final six rounds to finish the season averaging 107.3.
Missing just one game in the past three seasons, Ross is a dependable player who could be a great addition to your Draft team and a point of difference in Classic to start the year.
PAY UP Top-priced players revealed
With newly acquired forward status, David Armitage (MID/FWD, $557,000) went from being irrelevant for most coaches to an interesting prospect next season.
His Fantasy career has seen him average 107 back in 2015 but he has generally been a mid-to-high-80s guy for the last decade. Armitage may offer some late-round Draft value.
DOUBLE DELIGHT Check out the full DPP list
If there ever was a December lock, it’s Dan Hannebery (MID, $434,000). The former Swan has put his injuries of the last two years behind him and is undertaking a full pre-season.
At $434K, there is limited risk in starting with Hannebery, even for coaches who avoid mid-priced players. It was only a couple of seasons ago that he averaged 110.8 and 108.4 that put him in the bracket of the elite Fantasy scorers.
The Saints’ first two picks at the NAB AFL Draft, Max King (FWD, $264,000) and Jack Bytel (MID, $190,000) have been with the rehab group in their short time at the club.
King was taken at No.4 and is recovering from an ACL injury sustained in April. He booted eight goals and scored 141 Fantasy points in his only TAC Cup game this year.
Missing most of his draft year due to a back injury, Bytel averaged 95 points in his seven games for Calder. The 41st selection will remain in the rehab group until the new year.
BIGGEST BARGAINS Check out Warnie's early picks
For the first time, Jack Newnes (MID/FWD, $481,000) is available as a forward and will come into calculations as an under-priced player based on his previous output.
Having played every game since 2014 and averaging 86 from 2014 to 2017, Newnes’ scoring slid dramatically last season. The 25-year-old returned an average of 66.3, his lowest since his sophomore year. Newnes is one for the watchlist as he hasn’t been a name on the lips of many Fantasy coaches over the years but there is plenty of upside at that price.
You don’t often find many 11-year veterans at a price as low as this. Nathan Brown (DEF, $211,000) is a textbook reason why we look to avoid key defenders in Fantasy. In his first year at the Saints, he set a record for the fewest Fantasy points scored by someone appearing in all 22 games.
Player | Position | 2018 Average | 2018 Games | 2019 Price |
Ross, Sebastian | MID | 107.33 | 21 | $779,000 |
Steven, Jack | MID | 96.68 | 22 | $702,000 |
Steele, Jack | MID | 94.43 | 21 | $685,000 |
Billings, Jack | FWD | 85.19 | 21 | $618,000 |
Dunstan, Luke | MID | 82.5 | 16 | $599,000 |
Savage, Shane | DEF | 81.67 | 18 | $593,000 |
Acres, Blake | MID/FWD | 80.5 | 12 | $584,000 |
Webster, Jimmy | DEF | 78.82 | 17 | $572,000 |
Armitage, David | MID/FWD | 76.8 | 15 | $557,000 |
Sinclair, Jack | MID | 74.2 | 20 | $538,000 |
Roberton, Dylan | DEF | 63 | 4 | $537,000 |
Gresham, Jade | FWD | 73.18 | 22 | $531,000 |
Austin, Logan | DEF | 79.57 | 7 | $525,000 |
Carlisle, Jake | DEF | 71.41 | 17 | $518,000 |
Geary, Jarryn | DEF | 70.95 | 20 | $515,000 |
Marshall, Rowan | FWD | 70.5 | 12 | $512,000 |
Membrey, Tim | FWD | 68.75 | 20 | $499,000 |
Lonie, Jack | FWD | 66.91 | 11 | $486,000 |
Longer, Billy | RUC | 44.4 | 5 | $484,000 |
Phillips, Ed | MID | 72.86 | 7 | $481,000 |
Newnes, Jack | MID/FWD | 66.32 | 22 | $481,000 |
Hannebery, Dan | MID | 59.86 | 14 | $434,000 |
Kent, Dean | FWD | 57.6 | 5 | $431,000 |
Clark, Hunter | DEF | 58.07 | 15 | $421,000 |
Coffield, Nick | DEF | 56.4 | 10 | $409,000 |
McKenzie, Daniel | DEF | 55.23 | 13 | $401,000 |
Rice, Bailey | DEF | 52.45 | 11 | $381,000 |
Bruce, Josh | FWD | 59 | 3 | $379,000 |
McCartin, Paddy | FWD | 49.77 | 13 | $361,000 |
Long, Ben | FWD | 49.5 | 10 | $359,000 |
White, Brandon | DEF | 49 | 6 | $336,000 |
Pierce, Lewis | RUC | 55.67 | 3 | $319,000 |
Battle, Josh | FWD | 47.67 | 6 | $304,000 |
Paton, Ben | DEF | 49 | 3 | $281,000 |
King, Max | FWD | 0 | 0 | $264,000 |
Brown, Nathan | DEF | 29.07 | 15 | $211,000 |
Bytel, Jack | MID | 0 | 0 | $190,000 |
Parker, Matthew | FWD | 0 | 0 | $178,000 |
Joyce, Darragh | DEF | 19 | 2 | $170,000 |
Clavarino, Oscar | DEF | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
Langlands, Doulton | MID/FWD | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
Alabakis, Sam | RUC | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
Wilkie, Callum | DEF | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
Young, Robert | FWD | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
Hind, Nick | MID | 0 | 0 | $170,000 |
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