Swans' Fantasy: Gun a unique option, will reliable defender bounce back?

FROM veterans, breakout players, cheap rookies and even a ghost, Sydney has it all when it comes to Fantasy in 2023.

Even though Luke Parker (MID, $871,000) turns 31 this year, you won't find many more durable and consistent players than this veteran. He has only missed one game in the last seven seasons and has averaged 95-plus for the last nine years.

As it sits today, Chad Warner (MID, $785,000) is the most selected on-field Sydney player, but only features in eight per cent of teams. He improved his average by 20 points in his third season to 89 and after averaging 96 in his last eight games, maybe he could take his game to a higher level this season and crack the magical 100-plus mark.

So… what else do the Swans have to offer?

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Lock them in

The Swiss Army Knife of Fantasy is Callum Mills (MID, $983,000).

As we saw in 2022, this guy can do it all. From playing on a wing to full-back, being used as a tagger and then to scoring 162 as a full-time midfielder, Mills can do it all. Although the journey was frustrating at times, he still averaged 111 after averaging 110 the year before.

His multiple roles throughout the year did see scores of 54, 76 and 78 along the way, but at the end of the day, Mills is as good as it gets and if you're after a player of difference then Mills is your man and only sits in four per cent of teams.

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Track their pre-season

In AFL Fantasy we are always looking for value and abnormal seasons. When we look over Jake Lloyd's (DEF, $807,000) last five years you can see a number that doesn't match the others. Last year, Lloyd averaged 91 and before that he went 98, 114, 107 and 102.

Lloyd is a defender who will be around the average of 100 once again. He proved this in his last nine games of 2022, when he averaged triple figures.

Last season, Sydney's game style didn't assist Lloyd and the way he likes to score. He is one to watch this pre-season and in particular in any practice games to monitor whether his Fantasy friendly role has returned.

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Dual-position tempter

If you love a third-year breakout player then consider Errol Gulden (MID/FWD, $735,000). Gulden increased his average last year to 83 after going at 73 in his debut season.

The writing is on the wall for a breakout after he came home like a steam train, averaging 98 in his last six games, with scores of 82, 103 and 55 during the finals.

Now… if he can get to that 95-plus mark like he did towards the end of last year, then he would rank easily as a top-five forward.

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Bargain basement

Bargains galore! But will the Sydney coaching staff come to the party?

In the 2021 NAB AFL Draft, the Swans selected Angus Sheldrick (MID/FWD, $200,000) with pick No.18 and Matthew Roberts (MID, $200,000) with No. 4. Both players played one game last season, but spent the majority of their time in the VFL where they averaged 88 and 91 respectively.

Both are at the bargain basement price and have plenty to offer when they finally become regulars in Sydney's best 22.

We can't go a pre-season without mentioning the ghost that is Will Gould (DEF, $200,000). Why is he a ghost? Well… since being drafted in 2019, the Fantasy community has been eagerly waiting for his debut, but it has never happened.

I can tell you that Gould isn't a ghost… and was seen in the VFL last year on 20 occasions where he averaged 79. Hopefully we see him in person in 2023.

Draft sleeper

Only 18 midfielders averaged 100+ last year and in 2023, James Rowbottom (MID, $726,000) could be one of them. Coming off an average of 82, Rowbottom has much more to offer.

After his bye, Rowbottom attended 54 per cent of Sydney's centre bounces and his scoring flourished as he averaged 97 in his last seven games and 107 in his last five.

If you are on the same page as me and believe that Rowbottom is capable of averaging 100, then bump him up your Draft rankings.

Buyer beware

After scoring 107 in the AAMI Community Series and coming off a wing, 2022 was supposed to be Justin McInerney's (MID, $613,000) year. This was not the case.

Not only did he score 43 in round one, he then missed the next two matches and then bounced back with a nice 107 once everyone had traded him out. He went on to average 69 for the rest of the season and unfortunately, he now sits on many ‘never again lists’. 

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