My Winning Strategy for GameDay Squad Classic: GameDay Squad Classic is hands down one of the best fantasy AFL formats out there. Why? It’s not just the strategy and skill involved—it’s the sheer variety and flexibility in how you can play.
Whether you’re chasing weekly wins or climbing the overall leaderboard, there’s a method to the madness.
Here’s a look at the strategies that helped me finish 6th overall in 2023 and 1st in 2024, earning over $5,000 in prize money—and how you can use them to your advantage.
Sign up for GameDay Squad using the code ‘HB25’ and score 3 free packs to kickstart your fantasy squad!
Salary Cap: The Foundation of Every Classic Team
Let’s start with the basics: your salary cap. A base team of all bronze players costs $11 million, leaving you with $1.5 million in cap space. Every $100,000 spent increases a player’s score multiplier by 0.1x, so the challenge is distributing that budget wisely across your team.
Here’s the trick:
- Stack silver, gold, and platinum cards in positions that score consistently high—like rucks, midfielders, and top-tier defenders.
- Use bronze cards for lower-scoring positions like forwards and lower-tier defenders to free up cap space for your heavy hitters.
In 2024, the highest-scoring positions were rucks, midfielders, and top-tier defenders. I stacked these positions with silver, gold, or platinum cards. On weeks where matchups were uncertain, I spread my risk by using more silver cards instead of going all-in on a few big-ticket players.
Forwards, on the other hand, were almost always bronze cards because they generally don’t score as consistently.
The All-Star Card: Your Secret Weapon
The All-Star card is a game-changer. Costing $700,000 (the same as a Gold card), it offers a 1.35x score multiplier, outperforming platinum cards. The catch? You can only play one per week.
The key to maximizing an All-Star card is timing. Play it when one of your stars has a favourable matchup, and you’ll squeeze every bit of value out of that 0.15x cap advantage. Trust me—it’s worth the investment.
Sign up for GameDay Squad using the code ‘HB25’ and score 3 free packs to kickstart your fantasy squad!
Two Ways to Play Classic: Weekly Wins vs. Overall Strategy
GameDay Squad Classic allows you to approach the game in two completely different ways:
1. The Overall Game
This strategy is all about consistency. Pick the best-scoring meta team every week and aim to stay near the top of the leaderboard. You might miss out on some weekly prizes if your team lacks standout PODs (points of difference), but you’ll always be in contention for a top-5 finish and a prize card.
2. The Weekly Game
This is the high-risk, high-reward approach. Forget the leaderboard—your sole focus is picking a team that can win this week.
Key strategies:
- Track matchups and weather conditions.
- Fade common picks in favour of PODs with high upside.
- Target key forwards or players likely to dominate against weak opponents.
In 2025, I believe the forward line presents the greatest opportunity for this. If your key forward plays the Tigers—play his Legend card (if you have it)!The beauty of Classic is that you don’t have to rigidly stick to one strategy. If you start climbing the overall leaderboard, pivot to a safer, more consistent approach. If you’re falling behind, take some risks and go all-in on PODs for a shot at weekly glory.
Building Your Team: What Worked in 2024
Here’s how I built my team in 2024 to secure the overall win:
- Rucks: Always gold or better—these players consistently scored the highest.
- Mids: A mix of gold and silver cards to spread risk and maximize value.
- Defenders: Top-tier defenders got silver cards, as they were still reliable scorers.
- Forwards: Primarily bronze cards, unless I had a standout gold or platinum forward in a favourable matchup.
The logic is simple: invest your salary cap in the positions that provide the most consistent returns. It’s not flashy, but it works.
Market opportunity: As of January 2025, there’s a significant market opportunity in GDS. The rising cost of platinum cards—due to the lucrative Challenger competition—has left gold cards undervalued. These gold cards are excellent targets to fill up your Classic cap in 2025.
Sign up for GameDay Squad using the code ‘HB25’ and score 3 free packs to kickstart your fantasy squad!
Seasonal Winning Strategy for GameDay Squad Classic: Play the Long Game
While I’ve had my share of weekly wins, I’ve found that focusing on a seasonal strategy delivers the best overall results. The key is matchups.
Each week, I analysed:
- Which teams were vulnerable to specific positions.
- Weather conditions that could affect scoring.
- Players with favourable roles or form.
However, I didn’t take unnecessary risks—I mostly played proven performers each week. This approach helped me win several weekly prizes while staying competitive in the overall rankings. And while I’ve finished 4th a frustrating number of times, consistency paid off in the long run—just look at my 1/1 Prize card, McKercher.
Boom-Bust Strategy: Chasing Weekly Glory
If you’re feeling bold, the boom-bust strategy is your best bet. The idea is to fade common picks and take a punt on unique players with breakout potential.
For example:
- Target key forwards playing against struggling defences—they always have a chance to kick a bag.
- Look for data-driven matchups that suggest one player has a significant edge.
Yes, it’s risky. But when it pays off, it pays off big. If you manage to fade a heavily-selected player during a down week, you’ll rocket up the leaderboard.
What Sets GameDay Squad Apart?
GameDay Squad isn’t just another fantasy format—it’s a whole new way to experience AFL Fantasy:
- Year-Round Competitions – With Starter, Classic, Challenger, and Open competitions running throughout the season (and finals), there’s always something to play for.
2. Flexible Strategy – You can switch seamlessly between chasing weekly wins and climbing the overall leaderboard.
3. Plenty of Prizes – With weekly, seasonal, and finals prizes, you’re never out of contention.
Plus, when your Friday night captain flops with a 10-point first-quarter injury in AFL Fantasy Classic, Draft, or Supercoach formats, GameDay Squad lets you shift focus to another team. No other fantasy format offers that level of flexibility.
Key Takeaways
- Cap Management Is King – Focus your budget on positions that deliver the best returns—rucks, mids, and defenders.
2. Leverage the All-Star Card – Use it strategically for maximum impact.
3. Adapt Your Strategy – Play it safe for overall success or take risks for weekly wins.
4. Use Data to Your Advantage – Analyse matchups, weather, and form to make informed decisions.
Closing Thoughts
GameDay Squad Classic is as much about strategy as it is about execution. Whether you’re building a balanced team for overall consistency or taking risks to chase weekly wins, flexibility is key. With smart salary cap management, strategic All-Star card usage, and matchup analysis, you can climb the leaderboard and secure those coveted prize cards.
Get involved! Sign up for GameDay Squad using the code ‘HB25’ and score 3 free packs to kickstart your fantasy squad!
Cheers, Goal Practitioner
