WHO DO you want to see your squad facing over the coming month as the 2016 AFL Fantasy finals play out? The answer is 'cannon fodder'.
The woeful Dons, Lions, Dockers and now the Tigers all fit comfortably into this category, so when making your trades, be on the hunt for players set to face this troubled quartet.
Fremantle (1816) and the Lions (1733) are clear ladder leaders for average Fantasy points conceded in the last three rounds – indeed the Dockers have given up 1800-plus in four of the last five weeks as memories of Ross Lyon's stingy defence fade into the distance.
Josh Kennedy's 150 against Fremantle last Sunday, along with Dan Hannebery's 145, showed the value of having midfielders facing teams which have already put the cue in the rack.
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Right now would be a good time to stock up on Cats, as they face cannon fodder teams for the next three weeks, then a likely must-win game at home against Melbourne in round 23.
Assuming you have Danger (and a big gold stamp to anyone who's made Fantasy finals without him), then Joel Selwood (MID, $529,000) and Mitch Duncan (MID, $485,000), along with veterans Jimmy Bartel (DEF/MID, $452,000), Corey Enright (DEF, $450,000) and Andrew Mackie (DEF, $414,000) are all worthy of consideration.
If you want an outlier to spring a surprise over a more fancied opponent, Rhys Stanley (RUC/FWD, $329,000) and Steven Motlop (FWD/MID, $404,000) will tantalise and frustrate, but could easily deliver 110-plus games in a blowout.
The Crows have a similarly easy draw, but watch out for the round 22 Showdown against Port as a potential banana skin.
Scott Thompson (MID, $455,000) and Tom Lynch (FWD, $433,000) each have ownership of fewer than 5000, so would make a perfect point of difference for your squad. Likewise, you never know when Josh Jenkins (FWD, $390,000) might pull out a monster score.
After all, if John Butcher (FWD, $226,000) can do that to the Lions…
Who gets the cannon fodder games during Fantasy finals?
Round 20
Adelaide (v Brisbane Lions)
Geelong (v Essendon)
West Coast (v Fremantle)*
Collingwood (v Richmond)
Round 21
Carlton (v Brisbane Lions)
Gold Coast (v Essendon)
Geelong (v Richmond)
Adelaide (v Fremantle)
Round 22
St Kilda (v Richmond)
GWS (v Fremantle)
Geelong v (Brisbane Lions)
Western Bulldogs (v Essendon)
Round 23
Carlton (v Essendon)
St Kilda (v Brisbane Lions)
Western Bulldogs (v Fremantle)
Sydney Swans (v Richmond)
* beware Western Derby form, which is typically unreliable (as are the Eagles)
This week's top five price rises
1. Sam Naismith (RUC/FWD, Sydney Swans) +$45,000: $247,000
2. Sam Menegola (MID, Geelong), +$42,000: $200,000
3. Ed Langdon (FWD/MID, Fremantle), +$35,000: $313,000
4. John Butcher (FWD, Port Adelaide), +$30,000: $226,000
5. Archie Smith (RUC, Brisbane Lions), +$29,000: $154,000
This week's top five price falls
1. Tom Liberatore (MID, Western Bulldogs), -$32,000: $378,000
2. Sam Jacobs (RUC, Adelaide), -$31,000: $468,000
3. Luke Dahlhaus (FWD/MID, Western Bulldogs), -$27,000: $455,000
4. Mitch Robinson (FWD/MID, Brisbane Lons), -$26,000: $380,000
5, Anthony Miles (MID, North Melbourne), -$26,000: $433,000
