NORTH Melbourne only had two players in 2019 average more than 90 AFL Fantasy points a game – the least of all the 18 clubs.
Fantasy coaches are anticipating a change in 2020 and are desperately hoping that some of the Kangaroos' younger brigade can step up and take their Fantasy game to higher levels.
Shaun Higgins (MID, $707,000) was the highest averaging player at the club with 95, followed by Jack Ziebell (MID/FWD, $666,000). This clearly paints the picture that it was the veterans who really flew the Fantasy flag in 2019.
However, a new season brings new hope. So what can we expect?
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Lock them in
In Draft, Todd Goldstein (RUC, $656,000) can be locked into your line-up with confidence.
After averaging 88 last season, Goldstein is a serviceable big man who gets the job done week in, week out. He has only missed 10 games in the past decade and finished 2019 strongly, averaging 96 in his last four games.
Track their pre-season
Opposition midfielders beware: Ben Jacobs (MID, $403,000) is back!
He's back all right, and at a discounted price after missing the entire season. Jacobs is priced at an average of 54 which is very cheap, considering he averaged 78 the year before.
This tagger has been in training since early December and will have his sights firmly set on destroying Fantasy scores of our premium midfielders.
Dual-position tempter
After finishing in the top five in the Roo's time trial, Luke Davies-Uniacke (MID/FWD, $395,000) could be ready to take the next step. After being drafted at No.4 in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft, Davies-Uniacke hasn't really found his feet, averaging 40 and 53 in his first two seasons.
He's much fitter and ready to take his Fantasy numbers to a new level.
Draft slider
It was a season to forget for Luke McDonald (DEF, $431,000) after a season of suspension and injury.
McDonald burst onto the scene in 2017, averaging 86, and despite a slight drop off in 2018 (avg. 70), he is a name that needs to be monitored this pre-season. It was a broken leg that ended his season in round 17 and because of such an interrupted year, he can now be found right down the rankings with an average of just 58.
Bargain basement
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and that's exactly what Aiden Bonar (MID/FWD, $333,000) is hoping for in 2020.
Selected in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft at pick No.11, the former Giant is eyeing off more midfield time at his new club.
Bonar averaged 84 and 78 over the last two seasons in the NEAFL and has impressed the Kangaroos' coaching staff early this pre-season.
Forgotten warrior
Ben Cunnington (MID, $608,000) hasn't missed a game in two years and is actually at a price worth considering. In 2018, Cunnington had a career-high average of 94, before sliding slightly last year to 82.
He is durable, under-priced and a name to write down in your Fantasy black book.
Buyer beware
At this time last year, I was very excited about Aaron Hall (MID, $527,000) and his move to the Kangaroos. After averaging 105 during his time with the Suns, Hall managed just six games with his new team. This means he is discounted and priced at 71 and a bargain for the brave.
|
PLAYER |
POSITION |
2019 AVG |
2019 GMS |
2020 PRICE |
|
Shaun Higgins |
MID |
95.3 |
17 |
$707,000 |
|
Jack Ziebell |
MID/FWD |
89.7 |
22 |
$666,000 |
|
Todd Goldstein |
RUC |
88.4 |
22 |
$656,000 |
|
Jared Polec |
MID |
88.2 |
22 |
$654,000 |
|
Trent Dumont |
MID |
88.1 |
21 |
$654,000 |
|
Ben Cunnington |
MID |
82 |
22 |
$608,000 |
|
Jed Anderson |
MID |
78.7 |
17 |
$584,000 |
|
Jamie Macmillan |
DEF |
75.1 |
18 |
$557,000 |
|
Ben Brown |
FWD |
71.9 |
22 |
$534,000 |
|
Jasper Pittard |
DEF |
71.5 |
22 |
$531,000 |
|
Aaron Hall |
MID |
80.7 |
6 |
$527,000 |
|
Jy Simpkin |
MID/FWD |
66.8 |
21 |
$496,000 |
|
Shaun Atley |
DEF |
66.8 |
21 |
$496,000 |
|
Robbie Tarrant |
DEF |
65 |
22 |
$482,000 |
|
Cameron Zurhaar |
FWD |
64 |
19 |
$475,000 |
|
Paul Ahern |
DEF/MID |
60.6 |
7 |
$463,000 |
|
Mason Wood |
FWD |
61.1 |
18 |
$453,000 |
|
Dom Tyson |
MID |
76.7 |
3 |
$450,000 |
|
Luke McDonald |
DEF |
58.1 |
13 |
$431,000 |
|
Taylor Garner |
FWD |
58.9 |
9 |
$424,000 |
|
Josh Walker |
DEF |
55.9 |
11 |
$415,000 |
|
Kayne Turner |
FWD |
55.8 |
21 |
$414,000 |
|
Marley Williams |
DEF |
55.4 |
17 |
$411,000 |
|
Tarryn Thomas |
FWD |
55.3 |
20 |
$410,000 |
|
Ben Jacobs |
MID |
0 |
0 |
$403,000 |
|
Nick Larkey |
FWD |
53.8 |
17 |
$399,000 |
|
Luke Davies-Uniacke |
MID/FWD |
53.2 |
14 |
$395,000 |
|
Aiden Bonar |
MID/FWD |
42 |
2 |
$333,000 |
|
Majak Daw |
DEF |
0 |
0 |
$333,000 |
|
Bailey Scott |
MID/FWD |
54 |
4 |
$329,000 |
|
Ed Vickers-Willis |
DEF |
-1 |
1 |
$287,000 |
|
Sam Durdin |
DEF |
36.9 |
10 |
$274,000 |
|
Will Walker |
FWD |
0 |
0 |
$258,000 |
|
Tom Campbell |
RUC/FWD |
39 |
2 |
$220,000 |
|
Tom Murphy |
DEF |
0 |
0 |
$217,000 |
|
Charlie Comben |
RUC/FWD |
0 |
0 |
$210,000 |
|
Jack Mahony |
MID/FWD |
0 |
0 |
$204,000 |
|
Flynn Perez |
DEF |
0 |
0 |
$202,000 |
|
Ben McKay |
DEF |
32.7 |
3 |
$192,000 |
|
Kyron Hayden |
MID |
27 |
1 |
$170,000 |
|
Curtis Taylor |
FWD |
24 |
2 |
$170,000 |
|
Joel Crocker |
DEF |
0 |
0 |
$170,000 |
|
Tristan Xerri |
RUC/FWD |
0 |
0 |
$170,000 |
|
Lachlan Hosie |
FWD |
0 |
0 |
$170,000 |
|
Matthew McGuinness |
DEF |
0 |
0 |
$170,000 |
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