THE CHALLENGE: Build a competitive AFL Fantasy team where all players on the field cost between $400,000 - $500,000.

THEY said it couldn't be done. They said it was all about guns and rookies. They said it was mid-priced madness. But then they also said Jordan Lewis wouldn't be traded and that Brett Deledio wouldn't leave the Tigers.

So, let's attempt the gutsiest Fantasy strategy around, and pick the best mid-priced side available for round one.

We'll start by filling our bench with cash cows – this is an opening-round team and we'll need every cent we can on the field.

Next, we rule out the injured stars – Isaac Heeney (FWD, $442,000) and Jordan de Goey (MID/FWD, $455,000) would have been locks for this team but one has glandular fever and the other has a broken hand that we now know his dog wasn’t responsible for.

Now, selection time. The rucks are fairly straightforward. Toby Nankervis is too cheap for these purposes but Aaron Sandilands (RUC, $450,000) sits right in the sweet spot.

Matthew Leuenberger (RUC, $440,000) was an option until his hamstring injury but we've plumped for Paddy Ryder (RUC, $411,000) who is on the cheapish side, and brings dual-position flexibility.

Down back, we're flush with options - Bob Murphy (DEF, $486,000) was averaging 102 before his terrible ACL injury last year. Young guns Callum Mills (DEF, $441,000) and Jack Martin (DEF/FWD, $453,000) pick themselves and we've gone with Jamie MacMillan (DEF, $442,000) as a point of difference. No one in the AFL had more kicks than this reliable backman during the JLT Community Series.

The midfield is likewise full of nicely-priced Fantasy monsters. Start with two returning veterans Jobe Watson (MID, $477,000) and Marc Murphy (MID, $482,000) and add Chris Masten (MID, $443,000), who is set to enjoy more free space with Sam Mitchell in the Eagles' midfield mix.

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From there, it's breakout stars all the way – Rory Atkins (MID, $441,000) steps into the Crows' midfield, replacing the departed Jarryd Lyons, while Connor Blakely (MID, $453,000) and Clayton Oliver (MID, $416,000) showed plenty of Fantasy potential last year.

Up forward Jack Steele (MID/FWD, $432,000) has already played himself into nearly a quarter of all Fantasy teams. He's complemented by Devon Smith (FWD, $483,000) and Chad Wingard (FWD, $432,000), players who can win a game off their own boot.

The restriction of the $400,000 - $500,000 price tag is that it keeps popular picks like Jarryd Roughead (FWD, $373,000), Jaeger O'Meara (MID, $364,000) and David Swallow (MID, $355,000) out of our side. So if you wanted to tinker with this team, and add a premium or two based on savings achieved from these returning guns, go right ahead.

For this team, the mid-priced mantra holds firm – no risky rookies clogging up your scores, no over-priced premiums dropping thousands in value after a score of 90.

Just solid scorers on every line. And not a dollar wasted. That's the path to Fantasy glory.