THERE were some thumping scores in round seven, but I would like to start with the celebration of Green Day, which has become the catch cry for the coaches that bit the bullet and held suspended duo Tom Green (MID, $897,000) and Will Day (DEF/MID, $768,000).
Coaches were instantly rewarded for showing faith with outstanding returns after the GWS ball-magnet compiled 31 touches to go with a season-high 13 tackles for 136, while the smooth-moving Hawk collected 30 possessions, took five marks and kicked a goal for 100.
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No stranger to posting huge scores out of the blue, Nic Newman (DEF, $826,000) had one of his day's out against the lowly Eagles, taking a season-high 14 marks to go with 34 possessions to record a week-high 164 for his one per cent of owners.
On the more Fantasy-relevant front, how was Rowan Marshall's (RUC, $939,000) performance on Friday night?! Carrying the weight of VC responsibility for a huge percentage of the top 30K coaches, the big fella didn't let anyone down in his favourable match-up with the Power, scoring his sixth hundred on the trot with a season-high 159 from 26 touches, six marks, 10 tackles and 38 hitouts in a stat-stuffing performance.
Star forward Charlie Curnow (FWD, $767,000) outscored his opposition with a whopping nine goals to post an impressive 151, while in-form Demon Christian Petracca (MID, $938,000) continued his hot run with 142 to give him a three-game average of 117.
Now, the Suns have had an easy month in terms of opposition that give up Fantasy points and as a result of making the most of their opportunities, there are a number of them putting their hand up for selection. From a premium perspective, it has been hard to ignore Noah Anderson (MID, $912,000) in that time. Following a slow start to the season, he has turned it around with 159, 107, 102 and 134 and now carries the No.1 midfield mantle with Touk Miller on the sidelines.
A player who has scored like a premium all year is Darcy Macpherson (DEF/FWD, $747,000) who is averaging 106 in his last three on the back of 119 which included nine marks. There are also a couple of high risk, high reward players I would like to talk about … they are Brayden Fiorini (MID, $559,000) and Rory Atkins (DEF/MID, $386,000). With cash hard to come by, are they a way to get rookies off the ground? See below for details!
MOST TRADED IN
- Brayden Fiorini (MID, $559,000)
- Rory Atkins (DEF/MID, $386,000)
- Ryan Angwin (MID/FWD, $251,000)
- Alex Cincotta (DEF/MID, $301,000)
- Will Day (DEF/MID, $768,000)
MOST TRADED OUT
- Reuben Ginbey (DEF/MID, $482,000)
- Will Setterfield (MID, $787,000)
- Mattaes Phillipou (MID/FWD, $416,000)
- Fergus Greene (FWD, $386,000)
- Cam Mackenzie (MID/FWD, $434,000)
TOP FIVE PRICE RISES
- Nic Newman (DEF, $826,000) +$70,000
- Tom Hawkins (FWD, $624,000) +$65,000
- Alex Cincotta (DEF/MID, $301,000) +$63,000
- Ned Reeves (RUC, $528,000) +$59,000
- Charlie Ballard (DEF, $531,000) +$58,000
TOP FIVE PRICE FALLS
- James Harmes (MID/MID, $516,000) -$71,000
- Ben Keays (FWD/MID, $646,000) -$56,000
- Matthew Kennedy (MID, $714,000) -$55,000
- Jack Scrimshaw (DEF, $546,000) -$54,000
- Harry Schoenberg (MID, $453,000) -$53,000
LOWEST BREAKEVENS
- Alex Cincotta (DEF/FWD, $301,000) -20
- Samson Ryan (RUC/FWD, $353,0000) -1
- Matthew Johnson (MID, $280,000) 0
- Rory Atkins (DEF/MID, $386,000) 3
- Ryan Angwin (MID/FWD, $251,000) 3
HIGHEST BREAKEVENS
- Brad Crouch (MID, $912,000) 147
- Luke Davies Uniacke (MID, $824,000) 135
- Clayton Oliver (MID, $1,020,000) 134
- Matthew Kennedy (MID, $714,000) 134
- Mitch Duncan (DEF, $727,000) 133
STOCKS UP
Will Day (DEF/MID, $768,000): After fitting seamlessly back into the midfield following a two-week layoff, the Hawks young gun remains one of the bargains of the competition, especially considering his defender status. He is averaging 103 and carries a three-game average of 109 with a BE of 64 leading into a nice match-up with the Dockers. He carries a season-low of 92 and should be traded in sooner rather than later.
Tom Stewart (DEF, $776,000): I know I sound like a broken record but while the star Cat remains this cheap, I need to keep encouraging coaches to grab him! His ownership is still only 20 per cent, so get used to it. Due to his round one injury, he remains super cheap on the back of 113 last weekend which give him a five-game average of 100. He has a BE of just 73 leading into a game against the Crows and the Cattery.
Brayden Fiorini (MID, $559,000): Not for the faint-hearted, the Pasta is putting his hand up for selection given the difficulties to upgrade to premiums at the moment. The Suns whipping boy provides a stepping stone option if he can stay in the team following a score of 112 which gives him a BE of 31. He has proven in the past he can score like a premium when given the opportunity, but personally I would have liked to see an increase in CBAs without Miller, when unfortunately we saw the alternative. It remains a play.
Rory Atkins (DEF/MID, $386,000): If Fiorini is considered high risk, turn it up a few more notches and allow me to introduce you to the forgotten man, Rory. Since moving to the Suns in 2021 he has managed just 18 games with very little positives to talk about from a scoring perspective. Previously we had seen some positive signs at the Crows including 80+ averages on three occasions. Well, he is fresh off his best performance for the Suns with 25 possessions and 11 marks which gives him a BE of three. The Suns have had an easy run of match-ups but he was used frequently in the slow controlled play and went at a high disposal efficiency. Job security is non-existent, scoring will be tough this week vs the Dees but he has a BE of just three.
Jack Steele (MID, $937,000): Although he has a BE of 117, I would be comfortable launching into the Man Of Steele this week. The Saints skipper looked back to his best following the second game since his return from injury with 28 possessions, 11 tackles and a goal for a season-high 128. He has some nice match-ups on the horizon with games against the Roos and Hawks within their next four.
STOCKS DOWN
Will Setterfield (MID, $787,000): The Bombers recruit is having an outstanding season with an average of 97, well north of what his original asking price suggested. Until last round, he was carrying a low score of 86 in what had been a remarkably consistent start for his new club which also included three hundreds. Unfortunately, he is coming off his first disappointing game where he managed just 54 from 19 touches, two marks and a season-low one tackle. It leaves him with a BE of 126 leading into a tough match-up against the Power at AO.
Andrew McGrath (DEF, $662,000): The Bombers VC isn't reaching the heights coaches hoped at the start of the year and needs to be moved on as a result. He is averaging 75 following his score of 66 on the weekend which was his second score in the 60s in a row. He has a BE of 96 which is a big ask against the Power on their home deck.
Reuben Ginbey (DEF/MID, $482,000): The big-bodied Eagle quickly became a fan favourite after bursting onto the scene with scores of 92, 71 and 82 before slowing in recent weeks which is no surprise given the way he mixes it up with seasoned midfielders. His tackling has been a highlight, averaging over seven per game, but the time has come to move him on. He has a BE of 67 and a three-game average of 52 which suggests he will continue to drop in value.
Mitch Duncan (DEF, $727,000): The star Cat's price continues to plummet on the back of another underwhelming performance that leaves him with a three-game average of 55 and a BE of 133. He appears a shadow of the player we saw pull the boots on for the first time this season in round four for a score of 127 and must be traded before he drops any further. On the flipside, when he finds form later in the year, he is going to be a bargain and if you do decide to hold, he does have a nice bye.
Mattaes Phillipou (FWD/MID, $416,000): The Saints have themselves a ripper here, but from a Fantasy perspective, his job is done for this year and we will no doubt see a lot from him in the future. He gave his price a nice boost in rounds four and five with scores of 66 and 70, respectively, but has dropped off the past two which gives him a BE of 50 which matches his three-round average. It's not a matter of urgency but it's a good time to use him as part of an upgrade.
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