FOOTY'S back and it is hard to describe the feelings of watching many of our premiums dominate on opening week. However, with the highs, Fantasy always finds a way to level us out with some lows and there were certainly a few players worth big bucks who didn’t come to the party. All in all, I don’t think I can remember an opening round with so many massive scores, making the traditionally elusive first-round score of 2000 very achievable.

Fantasy Pig

‘He looks half a step off’ they said; ‘It will take him a good month’ they said. Ah, no. Dyson Heppell was not only ready to go, he was ready to play the best game of his career. Hep D led from the front with an inspirational performance, gathering a whopping 34 possessions, taking eight marks, laying seven tackles and booting three goals for 156. Well done to any coaches that backed him in at the start, because his discounted price was certainly not a fair reflection of this ability and he remains under-priced for anyone interested in bringing him in this week.

Honourable mention: I often hear the term ‘chasing a unique’, which is why many of the 50 per cent of coaches who didn’t select Taylor Adams started without him. The danger with trying to avoid a popular player is that they are usually popular for a reason and Adams certainly rewarded the coaches who were happy to be ‘vanilla’. He played predominantly through the midfield while collecting 33 possessions and laying an impressive 12 tackles on his way to 151.

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Rage trades

Who would have thought the Power could beat the Swans in Sydney? Not many, and even fewer if they knew Robbie Gray would finish his career-worst game of 21 points from eight possessions. Thankfully with the loss of DPP, Gray has low ownership in Classic, but I know he was bumped up plenty of draft orders with the assumption he would once again be awarded forward status throughout the year and that score alone would be enough to lose any head-to-head match-up. I know he was underdone, but seriously, 21.

Honourable mention: A common pre-season question was ‘Who do I select out of Luke Parker, Josh Kennedy and Dan Hannebery?’… hopefully you didn’t go with the latter. With so many alternative midfield premiums dominating this week, it is nothing more that salt in the wound for regretful Hanners owners after he churned out an absolute shocker with 18 possessions, no tackles and a disastrous 49 points. I usually say to stay strong with premiums, but a rage trade of Hanners sends a more than acceptable message to your playing group.

• Around the state leagues: Who shone in your club's twos?

Piglet

Will Hoskin-Elliott played a lot more behind the ball than I expected and his tally of eight marks reflected that after an impressive debut for the Pies in which he scored an impressive 95 including 22 touches and a goal. It was a game that provided plenty of uncontested possessions so I don’t expect him to score this well every week, but nonetheless, a worthy cash cow in the forward five or six position.

• Nine things we learned from round one

The top five

  • Dyson Heppell: 156
  • Taylor Adams: 151
  • Andrew Gaff: 144
  • Rory Laird: 142
  • = Marc Murphy: 139
  • = Dustin Martin: 139

Trade targets

  • Rory Laird
  • Will Hoskin-Elliott
  • Dyson Heppell
  • Marc Murphy
  • Zak Jones

Fantasy Mailbag 

Yes, the last thing we want is an early donut and no cash generation due to a lack of playing rookies. We need to back the big guns … unless they were as bad as Robbie Gray, then I would understand.

Yes, that’s a good change of structure due to an unfortunate situation.

I would hold Smith over Houli.

I still like the Dogs boys in Luke Dahlhaus and Jack Macrae, but if you want to generate some cash to another area, Jack Steele did enough to warrant selection.

Do not touch Doc, he is a gun.

Great trade, good thinking … Lock it in!

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