This weekend had massive scores and no bullets. April Fools! What a nightmare. Alex Lee-Arney goes through game by game to assess the good and bad performers, plus a little more.

Author: Alex Lee-Arney

Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Freak: Dunkley (116)
Flop: trading Macrae (111)
Rookie Roulette: Ashcroft (71), Wilmot (66), Jones (18)

This game was brimming with fantasy fodder. Dunks revenge game? Check. Wilmot primed for a loop? Check. Macrae dramatically dumped many? Check. For the holders, you’re welcome. Many of us pulled the trigger when Constable was named on an extended bench. Oh, and I held Bailey Smith (71) who was parked somewhere on a flank with just one CBA.

Fear of Bevo’s ‘innovation’ was hovering over the pre-game like Jackson Macrae hovering around a stoppage: this could go either way. Did innovation mean playing Bont (94) at full back? Or for Bevo was it innovative to play midfielders in the midfield? Ultimately it was the ground-breaking move to instruct all of his players except Baz to a) get the football and b) kick it through the big pointy things. For Macrae traders, the consolation is that the CBAs still weren’t there.

Anyway, my week came to a screaming halt on game one. I have nobody to blame but myself. Actually scratch that I’ll blame Bevo.

Collingwood vs Richmond

Freak: Nankervis (120)
Flop: Cameron (52)
Rookie Roulette: Tylar Young (33), Samson Ryan (15)

You’d feel for the coaches who brought in Darcy Cameron. It was a good move, but the Fantasy Footy Gods had other ideas, made worse if you had him because of the Xerri/Gawn debacle. Apparently starting Nank was the elite move?

Samson Ryan returned to 2022 form and dished up 15. R3 is still a crapshoot but in DCam’s absence keep an eye on Oscar Steene ($200K).

Timmy Taranto (111), what a lock. He’s a legitimate VC/C option. JDG’s (120) output continues along its rollercoaster and I don’t see that changing.

Daicos (100) showed again why everyone should’ve had him from the start. Five marks in slippery conditions and raised the bat in a low-scoring scrap. I think you can still bring him in but don’t break your structure to do it.

Hawthorn v North

Freak: Day (128)
Flop: Worpel (57)
Rookie Roulette: Sheezel (106), Mackenzie (94), Brockman (80), Phillips (67), Comben, (54), Bergman (51), Greene (45)

This game was a tale of elation and devastation. Did you see the LDU news 2 minutes before play and think ‘that’s a cruel April fools’? Or did you trade Constable for Day? This actually made my Macrae trade look vaguely reasonable.

What worried us out of Sicily (132)? He’s looking superb. Moore (132) rewarded 8% of coaches, but he won’t play a midfield-less North every week, and he had 0 CBAs.

King of the rookies (and, ahem, highest averaging player in my team) Sheez let us believe he was only human for a half but had an outrageous Q3. The rest of the rookies did their job, except for Mackenzie who did both his job and Worpel’s. 

GWS v Carlton

Freak: Docherty (136)
Flop: Callaghan (48)
Rookie roulette: Hollands (56), Cowan (45).

As if that was only the second worst free-kick this round? It summed up Cogs’ (86) night. Callaghan was similarly underwhelming, but the blow was softened by Doch’s return to vintage brilliance. Josh Kelly (126) holders will be smug and he’s a priority if you’ve got luxury trades. He’s a star and he’s finally got the role.

Many rolled with Cowan and/or Hollands on field with this week’s bullets. We would’ve liked a bit more out of them but we’re all in the same boat.

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St Kilda v Essendon

Freak: Wood (118)
Flop: Stocker (55)
Rookie roulette: Davey (56), Caminiti (55), Menzie (41), Phillipou (40),

This game was a nervous one. Setterfield (88) and Stocker were amongst the most traded-in and got off to a horrible start with 15 points between them in Q1. Setters settled, but Stocker had a shocking 67% TOG. Then they both got injured. What a mess.

Mason Wood was the midpricer we all missed, but he copped an AC joint late. To the 1.5% owners I can only tip my hat. RoMar (100) ticked the box. Drapes is weirdly restrictive so we are taking that.

Brad Crouch (122) is going to be a ripping unique with Steele out. He’s a tag risk but I wouldn’t talk you out of it. Parish (120) and Merrett (103) are now both PODs to monitor.

The Essendon backs continued their merry go round. This round Ridley (102) benefitted but we’ve seen enough to know none are keepers.

Port Adelaide v Adelaide

Freak: Rozee (113)
Flop: Laird (83)
Rookie Roulette: Michalanney (68) Pedlar (67),

Well, that Sholl free kick was the worst of the round and it would’ve been the most egregious thing to happen in this game if not for Rory Laird’s putrid score. I desperately justify it by flagging that Port are restrictive and he had 3 FAs. He’s dropped a heap of cash, so will be massive target soon.

Rozee has been unlucky this year and he managed 113 despite copping yet another head knock early. Dawson (81), JHF (68) and Butters (60) were disappointing and if you didn’t offload JHF last week, now’s the time.

Pedlar has been rubbed out for one week. I’d hold, he’s got cash to make and good JS.

Gold Coast v Geelong

Freak: Stewart (126)
Flop: Bruhn (42)
Rookie Roulette: Oea (35)

What a flop of a fantasy game and bizarre scenes for Geelong who go 0-3. Special mention to old fantasy friend Lukosius (90). Wittsy (80) and Miller (88) weren’t at their best. I’m still interested in Bowes (80), but probably not enough to pick him. Stewart’s remarkable return was outstanding, but if you still have Bruhn he’s got to go.

Nothing further to see here, moving on.

Melbourne vs Sydney

Freak: Oliver (111)
Flop: Warner (56)
Rookie Roulette: Van Rooyen (76), Chandler (66), McVee (61), Roberts (11)

What was unusual about this game was the decision not to turn the lights off halfway through. This bamboozled Oliver who struggled to a season-low score. It was 111. What an absolute gun. I’ll kick myself for not starting him all season.

Grundy (106) was good sans Gawn, but the rest of the game was riddled with disappointment with Gulden (71) and Warner at the top of that list. JVR is the rookie target of the week.

Freo v West Coast

Freak: Serong (127)
Flop: Cox (25)
Rookie Roulette: Ginbey (82), Hewett (55), Chesser (51), Long (54), Johnson (24)

Absolute carnage rounded out Sunday night. Our fantasy favourites were relatively unscathed, with the possible exception of Chesser, who I think could miss next week.

Serong has once again declared himself a breakout candidate and this time I think it’s real. JLO pulled a bit of innovation himself and played Sean Darcy (128) in the ruck. A remarkable, creative strategy. Brayshaw (90) and Young (80) were serviceable although a little disappointing. Ginbey was good again. I don’t think any other Eagles scored any points because they were all injured.

Overall trade thoughts

Bring them in: Kelly, van Rooyen, Crouch

Cop it on the chin: Brayshaw, Laird, Dawson

Put them in the bin: Bruhn, JHF, Callaghan