THE THRILL of Grand Final week is here but Dane Swan (MID, $555,000) has retired. Talk about bitter sweet!
Still, this is AFL Fantasy’s biggest weekend, where champions will be crowned and runners-up will rue the moment they dared to pick someone other than Tom Rockliff as their captain.
If you’ve made it this far, those final two trades and a captaincy pick are all you’ve got in the kit bag to pinch the ultimate prize.
First, the captaincy. Don’t be creative, don’t be smart, don’t be a maverick. Pick Rockliff and walk away.
Next, the value trades. The top 10 projected scores for round 23 include players outside the elite like Leigh Montagna (MID/FWD, $468,000) who is projected to score 110 and Bernie Vince (MID/DEF, $419,000), projected to score 107.
Montagna, in particular, seems a must have, given he has torched the Lions to the tune of 128 points on average in the past.
Vince seems to thrive at Simonds Stadium, which is where the Demons head this week for their season-closer and where the ex-Crow has averaged a monster 158.
Assuming you have Max Gawn (RUC, $567,000) in the ruck, this would be the week to partner him with Stefan Martin (RUC, $480,000), particularly after Martin’s solid 106 against the Blues last start.
Jack Crisp (MID, $436,000) is another name worth considering given his impressive record against this week’s opponent, Hawthorn. Crisp averages 124 against the Hawks, so if you’re after a midfield point of difference, he could be it.
No matter how thin your bench is this week, don’t be tempted to operate without a playing emergency in each position. It’s round 23, and coaches will be more than happy to pull a player at the last minute with a six-month rest ahead. If that leaves you with a donut due to the lack of an emergency, it’ll haunt you through the summer.
Best of luck to all grand finalists, and remember to do the decent thing and dedicate your win to the original Fantasy Pig himself. Thanks for every point, Swanny. Oink, oink!
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Top five price rises
- Rupert Wills (MID, Collingwood) +$49,000: $291,000
- Sam Menegola (MID, Geelong), +$41,000: $328,000
- David Zaharakis (MID, Essendon), +$38,000: $430,000
- Blake Acres (MID, St Kilda), +$37,000: $369,000
- Andrew Swallow (MID, North Melbourne), +$34,000: $413,000
Top five price falls
- Kurt Tippett (FWD/RUC, Sydney Swans), -$34,000: $431,000
- Jonathon Ceglar (RUC, Hawthorn), -$31,000: $324,000
- Adam Oxley (MID, Collingwood), -$28,000: $313,000
- Jay Schulz (FWD, Port Adelaide), -$26,000: $264,000
- Scott Thompson (DEF, North Melbourne), -$24,000: $247,000
Get 'em in
Heath Shaw (DEF, $454,000): That mid-year Fantasy form slump sees Shaw at an outrageous price for a defender with a 100+ average. Absolutely no excuse if you don’t have him.
Mitch Brown (FWD/DEF: $384,000): A smokey for your backline based on an average of 110 in the past three weeks. You’d want to be short of cash, though.
Luke Hodge (MID/DEF: $433,000): A big game against Collingwood, one the Hawks must win as a four-peat beckons. Step forward Mr Clutch. When the whips are cracking in Fantasy, you want Luke Hodge on your side.
Bye for now
Nic Naitanui (RUC, $388,000): Another year over and he is still yet to average more than 90 in a Fantasy season. He might only get a few games to do so next year.
Brodie Smith (DEF/MID, $400,000): One of the better mid-priced options this year, but another concussion and a six-day break means his round 23 appearance is in serious jeopardy.
Darcy Moore (FWD, $271,000): The young forward’s hamstrings aren’t giving us much of a reason to pick him next year. Confirmed to miss the Pies’ final game of the year against Hawthorn.
