Although Rory Laird (MID, $937,000) cannot be selected as a defender anymore, he still should be strongly considered as a midfielder … and he'll be unique. After averaging 112 in his best season to date, there is an argument that Laird could be even better in the season ahead. In his last 11 games of 2021, Laird found his feet in the midfield, averaging 120 and only dropping under 100 three times from his 22 games played.
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Lachie Neale (MID, $792,000) won the Brownlow Medal in 2020 and enjoyed his best Fantasy season to date. He averaged 122.5 in his second year as a Lion, playing every game for the third season in a row. Last year’s average of 94.5 was Neale’s first sub-100 return since 2014. His injury affected season makes him plenty of value in both Fantasy Classic and Draft as based on long-term form, he’s anywhere between 5-25 points upside in 2022. His last four scores of 120, 110, 140 and 99 coupled with a full pre-season makes him an easy selection for your midfield.
The man, the legend. Sam Walsh (MID, $914,000) continued his impressive rise to the elite ranks, once again adding a new career-high to the resume with an average of 109 points per game. Although we know he is all class, there were questions over his ceiling leading into last season but he blew that concern out of the water with six scores in the 120s, a 132 and a whopping 155. He learned on the fly last year how to deal with a tag with minimal support and his high workrate ensured he was hard to run with. He is more than capable of reaching 115.
Brodie Grundy (RUC, $893,000) was inducted as a Fantasy Pig following his back-to-back 120-plus seasons as the No.1 ruck in the competition. In 2020 he averaged 114, ranking behind Max Gawn. A drop to an average of 107 prices Grundy at this lowest point for four years. The 27-year-old is keen to dethrone Gawn as the No. 1 ruck in the competition and let’s hope the Fantasy points are a by-product of his hunger.
If you’re looking for a durable and consistent Fantasy performer, don’t look any further than Zach Merrett (MID, $925,000). Missing just two games since 2015, the ball-magnet had the best ‘third-year breakout’ of all-time as he averaged a career-high 118 points. He backed it up with 117 the following season and has been triple-figures since. Merrett was back to his best in 2020 when he produced an average of 116. Last year he was going at 115 points per game for the first 17 rounds before some uncustomary low scores due to attention brought his season average to 110. A safe first-round Fantasy Draft selection and a lock to be one of the must-have premium midfielders in Fantasy Classic.
The fabled third-year breakout is something that many Fantasy coaches aim to find when piecing together their pre-season teams. Caleb Serong (MID, $691,000) looks set to increase his output significantly if his end of season form is anything to go by. While he did put up 143 in round six against North Melbourne, it was his final three games of 118, 117 and 116 that has Fantasy coaches most excited. Time on ground has been an issue for Serong, but his minutes increased as the season went on and if this trend continues, a triple figure average is on the cards. Could he add his name to folklore like other third-year players in Zach Merrett with his average of 118 in 2016 or Tim Taranto’s 113 average in 2019? Time will tell.
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Tom Stewart (DEF, $812,000) There is no better sight in Fantasy for an owner than the high-flying Cat taking intercept marks across half-back before linking up for a launch into attack. He provides undeniable stability and consistency, averaging 97 across the past two seasons. His marking game is elite, taking double figures on eight occasions which all converted to scores over 95, including a top of 121 for the season. He always looks capable of averaging over 100 and his last six rounds did nothing to curb that faith with, going at 102 in that time.
Suns workhorse Touk Miller (MID, $1,024,000) took his game to a whole new level last season, regularly running his opponents into the ground and his scoring reflected that. This was an unconventional seventh-year breakout, previously recording a personal-best average of 101 before blowing it out of water with 122. While many expected his early-season purple patch to drop off, it didn't with one score under 100 in the last 12 weeks, which included two 140s, a 150 and a 160. He is signed up and passionate about the club… I can't see the tackling machine dropping off like many predict.
With a career-best average of 114 from 2019, Fantasy defenders don’t come much better than Lachie Whitfield (DEF/MID, $795,000). Whitfield dropped his average under 100 for the first time in four years mainly due to a lack of pre-season and an injury in round 17 when he left the ground on 28pts. He’s one of the best in the business and under-priced, but his durability is always a concern as he has missed 18 games over the last three years.
Once a pig, always a pig. Tom Mitchell (MID, $969,000) was awarded Fantasy Pig status in 2018 after he returned averages of 127 and 129 in his first two seasons as a Hawk. While he missed the entire 2019 season because of a fractured leg, he was back to his best last year. Mitchell played all 22 games at an average of 116. The ball-magnet racked up four 130-plus scores following Hawthorn's bye while averaging 126 in his last 11 matches.
Christian Petracca (MID, $930,000): After years of having his ability, fitness and draft position questioned, Petracca silenced his doubters in no uncertain terms. He was unstoppable at times throughout the year finding plenty of the ball while also regularly hitting the scoreboard, kicking 24 goals for the season and it was reflected by his scoring, stringing huge scores together on a number of occasions. In rounds 16 and 17 he went full beast mode in what could be a preview into next year, scoring 136 and 153 which triggered an average of 118 until season's end. Finally, you are only as good as your last game and he had a lazy 139 in the Grand Final from 39 possessions, three marks, four tackles and two goals.
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As we all know, Aaron Hall (DEF, $914,000) had a phenomenal season averaging 109 for the year and is now the most expensive defender available. Amazingly, Hall had a slow start to the season where he averaged just 67 in his first four games. After that though, he averaged 119 for the remainder of the season and is therefore arguably under-priced.
Ollie Wines (MID, $938,000) stepped up to the plate in a big way last year having his best season to date. He averaged a career-best 112 and earned himself a shiny Brownlow Medal. For the first time in his career, Wines showed he had a ceiling, scoring over 140 for the first time. He achieved this after his bye three times which included two monster scores of 150-plus. Some may say that Wines is now top dollar. However, he did average 118 after his bye and has now proven he has a ceiling to match it with the best of them. He currently sits in four per cent of teams and is a great unique option.
After a career-high average of 93, Jayden Short (DEF, $783,000) was one positive that came out of the 2021 season for the Tigers. In a year where Richmond battled injuries, Short was one of only four players who managed to play all 22 games, registering nine scores in triple figures. Short ranks as the 10th-best Fantasy defender but has plenty of upside heading into 2022. He averaged 98 in his last seven games and clearly has the ability to average 100+.
Jack Steele (MID, $1,018,000): Talk about break out! We all knew the man of Steele had super powers, but they were on full display last season when he averaged a new career high 121 to be the second highest averaging player in the competition. Now, although his price tag gives you images of 'Mini Me' at over 'one… million… dollars' and makes you want to put a line straight through his name… a warning: he has the easiest draw for midfielders across the competition for the first five weeks and the FOMO on captaincy scores will be real considering the guy hit 149, 157 and 162 in the back end of last season, while averaging 133.
Jake Lloyd (DEF, $823,000): The ever-reliable accumulator will no doubt do his thing across half-back in 2022. He had a couple of uncharacteristically quiet games last season which resulted in his average dropping below triple figures for the first time in four years to 98. That could suggest he offers some value given his career-high average of 114* the previous season and his average of 105 over the last six weeks of the season.
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In AFL Fantasy Classic we are always looking for players who under-performed in the previous year to pick them up cheaply, hoping they can bounce back to their best.
Andrew Gaff (MID, $815,000) fits this category perfectly. Gaff has averaged 109, 111 and 111 leading into 2021 but couldn’t average triple figures. However, when the Eagles were winning so was Gaff. He averaged 111 in their ten wins last season, 26 points more than what he achieved in losses.
FANTASY POSITIONS Gun forwards lose status, No.1 defender wide open
With injury effected scores of 33 and 28, Tim Kelly (MID, $707,000) only managed to average 84, a significant drop from the 96 he averaged in 2020.
Both Gaff and Kelly are elite Fantasy players and provide some upside in the new season.
There are very few players in the league who have the Fantasy scoring game of Jack Macrae (MID, $972,000). In just his second season, he averaged 104 and has produced three seasons with 115-plus averages. Macrae’s personal best was 122.6 in 2018. His 2021 season included just one score under 90, making him a safe captain option. Macrae may go outside your league’s top five selections on Draft day and if he’s available after that, then you could have yourself a steal!
