With less than a month until the new AFL season and only days until the first practice games, eager AFL Fantasy coaches are finetuning their squads and their notes in preparation.
It’s important to monitor the upcoming practice games (view the full schedule here), but make sure you’ve got some preliminary thoughts on what you’re keeping an eye on, such as roles or styles.
One area where you’ll need to be shrewd is with value picks who can make or break your season, if you get the right or wrong ones.
So we’ve compiled a team of AFL Fantasy experts to nominate a value pick in defence and up forward to help you prepare.
Our AFL Fantasy Expert Panel is;
- Max Phillips @MaxiPhillips, top 1000 finisher in AFL Fantasy and finished 80th in 2022 AFLW Fantasy,
- Gary Flynn @Flyer_66, 54th in 2022 AFL Fantasy,
- Ben Lamont @Lamontstars, 255th in 2021 AFL Fantasy,
- Nick Boxhall @MuxleyPFS, top 300 in 2022 AFL Fantasy,
- Nick Millar @Time_Millar, 5th in 2020 AFL Fantasy.
Max Phillips @MaxiPhillips
Two injury-affected seasons has gifted us Elliot Yeo ($625K DEF) as a popular value pick in defence for 2023. The 29-year-old held a 100+ average in seasons 2018 and 2019 and is set to command a half-back/midfield hybrid role with West Coast this year. Priced off an average of just 57 and currently in a third of all teams, Yeo looks a strong starting selection down back.
Forgotten Bulldog Toby McLean ($401K FWD) has resurrected himself to Fantasy relevance following two ACL injuries. The 2016 Premiership player managed just five games in the last two years (one as an unused medi-sub) and comes into 2023 priced at just 45. He reeled off a Fantasy ton in the Western Bulldogs’ Elimination Final loss to Fremantle to rekindle memories of his 2018 season where he averaged 94. A Dogs side without Josh Dunkley and Lachie Hunter bodes well for McLean’s job security and should make him a popular stepping stone in the first third of the season.
Gary Flynn @Flyer_66
After a disappointing 2022 season where he averaged 61, Will Day ($537K DEF) is poised to take a significant step forward this season. With the departures of Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara, there are plenty of midfield minutes and CBA’s up for grabs at Hawthorn this year. Day is a classy ball user and has been playing as an inside mid in their recent match sims. This is a contract year for Day and after putting negotiations on hold he will be keen to maximise his next deal. Fantasy coaches wanting to spend up in the forward line will need to save in defence and Day could be your man. Watch his role closely in the upcoming practice games.
The last three seasons have been pretty much a write off for Wayne Milera ($441K FWD) playing a total of 14 games across that time. Twelve of those games came last year, mainly across the half forward line which we know can be a fantasy graveyard. After not missing a beat during pre-season, Milera is now training with the defenders and by all reports will line up at half back this year. He has previously been a 77 point player in this role and IF he can replicate that scoring he will have 27 points of value on his starting price. When selecting a player at this price point you know there is significant risk, but you should keep a close eye on him over the next few weeks.
Read our intraclub rundown from Friday/Saturday’s games
Ben Lamont @LaMontstars
What do you really need from a mid pricer to make it worthwhile? I guess it all depends on their starting price. Jayden Hunt ($379K DEF) may not be a name that jumps off the screen, but priced at just 42 and in new colours, hear me out… Hunt has been in and out of Melbourne’s side over the past 5 years as he was unable to lock down a specific role. Back in 2017 though, he averaged 72 off half back including a 5 game start at an average of 90 and a final 5 game average of 82. He has been earmarked for a wing role and by all reports having an excellent pre-season. What do we need? As essentially a glorified rookie, 67 would be 25 points of upside and could be a nice cash builder to start the year.
Now this one feels even worse, but if Jack Ziebell ($537K FWD) is returning to the defensive role he had in 2021, then it could be one of the picks of the year. Priced at just 60, Ziebell went at 100 in 2021, yes 100! Thats 40 points of upside right there. This included an 11-game stretch at 112, with a top score of 170. Although we cannot expect those sorts of heights, we know Clarko likes to have an experienced head down back to control the play. You would have to be brave, but if he can get even close to 90, it could be a season defining pick.
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Nick Boxhall @MuxleyPFS
Noted to be playing across half back Charlie Constable ($332k DEF) is known for being a hungry ball winner with a big frame to help, with Gold Coast set to give him a fantasy friendly role makes him a good value pick for your defence this season. Charlie finished last year’s VFL season like a house on fire, averaging 135 in his last 4 games with scores of 121, 129, 129 and 161.
Traded to Port Adelaide in the off-season Jason Horne-Francis ($553k FWD) an aggressive strong bodied mid/fwd should see plenty of CBAs for the power this season. A ferocious tackler and classy footballer. JHF priced at 62 went over 70 AF points last season 5 times and added in a 94. With the power being the highest team of accumulating fantasy points in 2022 and JHF getting plenty of mid minutes, he could be the value player you seek in your forward line.
Nick Millar(time) @Time_Millar (NUMBER 5 IS ALIVE)
Not sure if Nick Daicos ($769K DEF) counts as value given his price tag, but it’s money sub-premo and we know he’s capable of those 100+ scores on a regular basis. Plus throw in reports of him spending a lot more time in the midfield this year he might just be the best second year player ever (until Will Ashcroft next year obviously).
If you like long elongated unsubstantiated pre-season hype (AND WHO DOESN’T!) then look no further than Sam ‘Ned’ Flanders ($508K M/F). If reports are true then there is barely a building left standing in the Gold Coast municipality after tropical cycling Flanders trained down every domicile within a 50km radius. The only downside is that potentially none of this is true and he just comes out and does what he’s always done and is kind of shit. But at the end of day, fantasy is built on the baseless hopes and dreams of mid-February.
