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THE NAB AFL Fantasy season is well underway. Our series of Fantasy Face-offs continues, pitting two similar players against each other to see which one should force their way into your squad.
Today, it’s two experienced key midfielders who haven't played for a while – one missed all of last year after a freak pre-season mishap and the other all but three games because of a knee reconstruction.
Which one do you back to make a bigger impact on his return to senior football?
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| NATHAN VAN BERLO (ADELAIDE) | DANIEL RICH (BRISBANE LIONS) | |
| Fantasy position | Midfielder | Midfielder |
| 2015 starting price | $272,000 | $268,000 |
| Price change from start of 2014 | -$99,000 | -$97,500 |
| 2014 average | N/A (didn't play) | 60.00 |
| 2014 high score | N/A (didn't play) | 71 |
| Currently owned by (% of coaches) | 36.39% | 45.78 |
| Age | 28 | 24 |
| Key Fantasy stat | Up until last year, van Berlo was a very durable and consistent player, having missed just six home-and-away games since 2007. | With his penetrating left boot, Justin Leppitsch has not surprisingly decided to use him off half back. Before last year's injury, Rich recorded the equal best kick rating at the Lions and looked like being more damaging than ever with a greater outside role. |
| Value for money | Cheap, for a player of 182 games experience. However, he played as a tagger before his nasty Achilles injury, which depleted his 2013 average to 68 points. It may be a role he's been released from under Phil Walsh. | Priced cheaper than draftees like Angus Brayshaw, Jarrod Pickett and Jordan de Goey, you at least know Rich is certainly in the Lions' best 22 and will play if his body allows him. Is sure to increase in price, even if he's not a renowned ball winner, and do it early on. |
| Job security | Gets in if fit but you'll want to watch his pre-season before you commit. He's already said he'll need a full summer of training to play in round one against North Melbourne on April 5. | Has done everything he can this pre-season, has been given the final tick from the medical staff on his knee and is in line to play every game in the NAB Challenge. Based on that, you'd expect Rich to be there in round one against Collingwood on April 4. |
| Where he'll play | Van Berlo took on premier players like Gary Ablett, Joel Selwood and Ryan Griffen as a defensive midfielder towards the end of 2013 but looks like being released from that role this season. He will at least start through the midfield with Walsh keen for him to just get his hands on the ball again initially. | Rich is likely to start off half back, which is the coach's preferred position for him. With Pearce Hanley out for an extended period with a hip injury, there could be the opportunity for Rich to roll through the midfield on more occasions but you should be more prepared for him to play as a creative half back flanker given his kicking skills. |
| Injury concerns | Van Berlo sustained one of the unluckiest and strangest injuries of 2014 when a weighted training sled crashed into the back of his leg and severed his Achilles. His rehabilitation was slow and calculated to reduce the risk of re-rupture, as it is always a chance with such a significant tendon. He's fit, apart from that, but there will be the usual concerns about his first year back and the wear and tear on the rest of his body as it gets used to playing again. | As is the case with others coming off ACL troubles, the likelihood of Rich suffering some kind of soft tissue injury this season is reasonable. He's also not been the most durable player before and has missed games every season since 2011. But keep an eye on him in the pre-season and see how he's tracking ahead of round one. |
| The case for | Before he became a defensive midfielder, van Berlo put together solid Fantasy numbers with averages of 81, 94 and 83 preceding 2013. He's set to be given the freedom to find the ball again with Sam Kerridge and Rory Laird in line to take on tagging roles when required. He's been extremely diligent in his recovery and reportedly came close to a late-season comeback last year. | The coach loves the ball in Rich's hands and they'll look to use him plenty coming out of half back. At his low price, you're getting good value given there are untried youngsters boasting higher starting figures despite not being guaranteed to play early on. If Rich is ready to go, and all plans are for him to be there, he'll move straight up the price scale and could give you some unexpected high scores with the potential for him to spend a little more time in the middle with Hanley out. |
| The case against | Bit of unknown about how he'll come back from this injury. He's done everything he can but there's always some doubt, especially regarding whether he'll have the same power in his right leg again. It took Nathan Foley nearly a full year to find his feet after a similar injury so the same patience should be awarded to van Berlo. | As is the case with van Berlo, there's a bit of unknown when a player comes back from a long-term issue. And, with the role Leppitsch wants him to play, Rich hasn't been a prolific scorer in Fantasy since 2012 when he racked up an average of 85. In 2013, he averaged 67 and last year just 60 before he blew his knee in round three. Before he got hurt, he attended only six centre bounces, which further cemented the belief that the Lions really just want the ball in his hands across half back and to rely on their other midfielders to dig it out of the contests. |
| The verdict | Daniel Rich: Both are already popular options with plenty of Fantasy coaches keen to tap into their low starting prices, and upgrade them later on if their consistency drops off. There's some doubt over both of their roles – van Berlo has the history of tagging players and Rich playing off half back – so it's a good idea to keep an eye on their involvement in the NAB Challenge. Based on age and the tricky nature of the former Adelaide captain's injury, I'd take Rich at this stage with his price likely to soar early on. | |
