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Trade Review | Blake Acres
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Read Time:4 Minute, 1 Second

Career High SuperCoach Score: 144 vs Brisbane (2018)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 126 Vs Melbourne (2016)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 88.4 (2018)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 85.2 (2022)

Impact on new club

Plenty went right in season 2022 for Carlton. They had the Brownlow Medalist in Patrick Cripps, the Coleman Medalist in Charlie Curnow, and one of the best’ feel good’ returns with Sam Docherty playing AFL after his cancer battle. But, even though plenty went right for the Blues, there were still some clear gaps in the list.

One of the gaps they’ve needed to fill is across the wings. The inclusion of Adam Cerra last year did make a difference, but he’s not a pure outside wingman. So instead, Carlton opted to make his game time almost a 50/50 inside/outside split. They’ve also tried to use young star Sam Walsh similarly. Furthermore, Nic Newman and even Zac Williams got some rotations up the ground when they were healthy and available to play.

The trade for Blake Acres means that the Blues should have the full midfield complement to finally make their return to playing finals football.

Patrick Cripps is the clearance beast, and George Hewett is the unheralded defensive inside hard nut. I predict Carlton will run them heavily at centre bounces, similar to what they did in 2022. They’ll then rotate Sam Walsh and Adam Cerra through the CBAs and a wing. At the same time, Matt Kennedy finishes out the midfield 5. Now with Acres, the other ‘outside’ midfield role no longer has to be flipped around across multiple players every week. With Blake in the side, Carlton no longer has glaring gaps in the best 22. It’s time for the Blues to push for the flag.

Impact on the old club

Over the past few seasons, the Dockers midfield depth has started to thin. A combination of retirements and trades has seen them lose Adam Cerra, Darcy Tucker, David Mundy, and Blake Acres.

While Acres might not have the name recognition that either Mundy or Cerra has, he’s still a significant loss for the club. In addition, Blake had created a damaging partnership with James Aish.

The club ran quite a tight centre bounce rotation this year. It was predominantly Andrew Brayshaw, Will Brodie, David Mundy and Caleb Serong. If fit, I’d suspect the Dockers are hoping that Nat Fyfe will pick up most, if not all, of Mundy’s midfield minutes.

Over the past few seasons, the Dockers have hit the early portions of the draft hard. So they’ll be looking to fill the wings with some of the talent already on the list. The most obvious option that comes to mind is Nathan O’Driscoll. He showcased plenty of promise in his twelve games this year. His running power and skills should only grow with another preseason. Long term, I think NOD has the potential to be a phenomenal footballer.

Local lad Neil Erasmus is more of an inside midfielder that can be damaging forward of the ball, but he does have the ability to get it done on the outside. I think he replaces Mundy in the best 22 and should eventually slide more into the centre bounce rotation.

Fantasy Summary

Last year was a career high AFLFantasy/DreamTeam season from Blake Acres, with an average of 85. However, while still solid, his average of 83 in SuperCoach wasn’t as high as in his 2018 or 2020 seasons.

He posted five tons in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and four in SuperCoach, in addition to multiple scores of 90+. Given that Acres spends most of his game rolling across the acrs on the wing, his scoring variance and ceiling are heavily linked to his team’s success. That is due to either their ability to win the ball at stoppages or to pick up possessions of the intercept.

In salary cap formats, he’ll need to increase his scoring average by 20 points per game for him to become relevant. However, at Carlton, I don’t forecast this to be possible. Why? Because Carlton’s game style is considerably less dependent on uncontested possession and marks than Fremantle. For example, Freo was ranked fourth for marks last year, while the Blues were tenth.

Outside of possessions, Acres next highest scoring column of AFLFantasy points came through marks. Almost 20% of his scores came through that column, averaging six per game. Last year of all Carlton players, only Sam Docherty and Nic Newman took more grabs than him.

I expect Acres still to be a fine late round selection in draft leagues. His ability to regularly post scores north of 90+ should still make him a viable option, even if it’s only a bench option.

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CP Writers

mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Trade Review | Liam Jones
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Read Time:1 Minute, 19 Second

Career High SuperCoach Score: 147 Vs Fremantle (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 112 Vs Collingwood (2014)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 77.3 (2017)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 55.8 (2011)

Impact on new club

There were several areas that the Bulldogs feel down in structurally in 2022. One of them will be addressed immediately with the arrival of Liam Jones. At Carlton, he rebuilt himself into one of the best one-on-one defenders in the AFL. He’s arrival at the kennel will instantly tighten up the Bulldogs structure. Additionally, it’ll place additional selection pressure on their other talls in Alex Keath, Zaine Cordy and Ryan Gardner. Jones is an improvement upon all three and should take the opposition’s #1 key forward prospect.

Impact on the old club

With Liam Jones opting out of playing in the AFL under the vaccine mandates, it meant that Carlton has already moved away from his services in 2022. Therefore, Carlton has no impact with him not being eligible for selection last year.

Fantasy Summary

Key position defenders that excel as lockdown options should never be seen as viable fantasy footy prospects. And Liam Jones is no exception to the rule. Especially in AFLFantasy scoring formats, he’s never averaged over 55. So even in a deep draft league, it’s a clear ‘no.’

He could be a viable late draft league option in SuperCoach or custom scoring leagues where intercept marks or spoils are activated. He’s got a few seasons where he’s averaged 70+ and might present some late value in deeper leagues of these scoring formats.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Trade Review | Dan McStay
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Read Time:2 Minute, 30 Second


Career High SuperCoach Score: 125 Vs Gold Coast (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 111 Vs Richmond (2022)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 75.7 (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 65.3 (2021)

Impact on new club

The recruitment of Dan McStay is a fascinating addition to the Collingwood forward line. Dan’s a versatile tall who can impact the game through what he does as a tall marking forward and the option that creates space for his team’s medium and small forwards.

You could argue that Brisbane and Collingwood’s small to medium forwards are comparable. But the key position posts are not. So while we should still see the likes of Jamie Elliott thrive, the lack of dominant talls might become more noticeable and highlight the work of McStay on the side. That could be for better or for worse. As good as Brody Mihocek has been, he’s not Hipwood or Daniher.

It will be interesting to watch over the preseason Collingwood structure up this forward line in 2023. Do they continue to play Mason Cox off the bench? Or will Dan become the relief ruckman/second tall forward? If he moves into the second tall forward and relief ruck role, we might see a more versatile and potent Collingwood forward line. However, we also might see less scoreboard impact as McStay becomes the number two target and gets better opposition defenders marking him. Nevertheless, I think he’s a nice addition to the Collingwood Football Club structural perspective.

Impact on the old club

The role that Dan McStay had been playing for the club was as a third tall forward. His job was to be a competing tall forward but to create important space and separation. He was sometimes required to pinch-hit for moments in the ruck, especially in the later rounds of the year.

McStay allowed others like Charlie Cameron, Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and Zac Bailey to get dangerous at his best.

His departure in isolation could’ve created a need to restructure the lineup; however, with the impending arrival of Jack Gunston later in the trade period, the Lions will have arguably upgraded in this space.

Fantasy Summary

There were a handful of games in 2022 where Dan McStay scored 90+. The most recognisable was in the elimination final against Richmond, where he was forced to play predominantly as a ruckman. This game aside, he still had multiple matches where he scored 90+. But with every score that looks promising, an equally low score in the 40s or 50s would be present. That’s why instead of regularly averaging in the mid ’70s, he’s closer to a low 60s.

Even under a new system and structure, McStay isn’t someone you should consider in salary cap formats at Collingwood, even if he starts to pick up the secondary ruck role. In drafts, he’ll only become a target to consider IF you are in either a deep league or if certain customizations have been activated. Beyond that, he’s a pass there too.

About Post Author

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Trade Review | Tim Taranto
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Read Time:4 Minute, 0 Second


Career High SuperCoach Score: 144 Vs Carlton (2019)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 156 Vs North Melbourne (2019)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 102.3 (2019)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 112.5 (2019)

Impact on new club

If your a Richmond fan, the trading for Tim Taranto is excellent news. Not just because he’s a high calibre player, but because it means the club should buck the trend of embracing a full rebuild after a successful premiership era.

Taranto’s arrival is significant because it stalls any talk of rebuilding. Still, it also adds some significant strength that all too often depended on Dion Prestia’s health. Last year, Jayden Short and Shai Bolton were the clubs third and fourth most used players at centre bounces.

With Taranto now a staple alongside Prestia (and Hopper a likely addition), it will allow Richmond to use Short back as the rebounding defender. And, should they wish, Bolton can be used more as an explosive dynamic.

One of the appeals for Tim heading to Richmond wasn’t just for being at a ‘big Victorian club competing for finals,’ but rather the certainty that he’d be a first choice midfielder weekly. Even with his obvious presence as a forward, I can’t foresee the Tigers using him there beyond a rotational ‘resting.’ With a forward line that includes Tom Lynch, Jack Riewoldt, Noah Cumberland, Shai Bolton, Dustin Martin and Maurice Rioli, there is little to no need for him to be there regularly.

Impact on the old club

One of the biggest knocks on the Giants for years has been the abundance of midfielders and the inability play them all in their preferred positions. The departure of Tim Taranto and likely Jacob Hopper will ease some of the pressure to get strong balance into the midfield unit.

Immediately it should see Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio and Tom Green be the staple ‘big three’ of the midfield. The new coaching regime can then look at sprinkling in the likes of Harry Perryman, Lachie Whitfield, Callan Ward and even Toby Greene should they wish. Or give future early picks a go like Connor Stone and Finn Callaghan.

The Giants also hold four picks inside the top 20, including the high coveted pick three. The club could easily target a high end midfielder with some of these selections.

Regarding the new coaching regime, Adam Kingsley has already indicated that his philosophy is similar to that of how Richmond and more recently Collingwood have played. We should see a much more attacking and potentially lower volume of possession per goal ratio for the Giants under his leadership.

Fantasy Summary

This could be one of the most relevant player moves of the period for fantasy football coaches. Over multiple seasons at the Giants, the scoring pedigree of Tim Taranto has been on full display. When he’s been allowed to play heavily as a centre bounce midfielder, he’s shown over numerous years he can score.

He first emerged as a genuine premium when as a MID/FWD in his second season, he averaged 90 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 88 in SuperCoach. The following season in 2019, he emerged as a genuine premium when her averaged 112.5 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 102 in SuperCoach.

During this 2019 season, he scored fifteen AFLFantasy tons, seven of which over 130 highlighted his ability to deliver a scoring ceiling. That same season in SuperCoach, he registered a ton in thirteen matches.

He backed these scores up in 2021 when he averaged 108 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 97 in Superoach. Even last year, he averaged 111 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 106 in SuperCoach before being impacted by some role variations.

It’s quite simple if Taranto is allowed to be a centre bounce midfielder, he’s someone that should be on our radars. He still presents some value even in the Richmond, largely fantasy football purgatory system. Why? Because Tim is a strongly rounded midfielder. Not only is he a high volume accumulator, but he’s also a powerful tackler and a damaging forward of the ball in front of goals. His disposal efficiency is an area where he can be criticised, but in the Tigers system, where a ‘surge’ mentality of moving the ball forward is the focus, he should only succeed.

He’ll enter the season priced at 96 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam; that’s still 10-15 points per game of value potentially embedded in. While in SuperCoach, he’s priced at 84. Again, 10-15 points per game unders what he should be able to deliver.

If he retains his MID/FWD status, he’ll be one of fantasy football’s most highly owned players next year. However, even as a midfielder only in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he still is someone to consider strongly.

About Post Author

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Trade Review | Ian ‘Bobby’ Hill
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Read Time:1 Minute, 40 Second


Career High SuperCoach Score: 59.4 (2020)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 50.2 (2019)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 106 Vs Carlton (2020)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 79 Vs West Coast (2021)

Impact on new club

One of the fascinating forward structures in the AFL is how the Collingwood Football Club has and looks likely to continue to structure up. It’s clear that Jamie Elliott is the match winner; they’ve got some handy small targets around him in McCreery, Ginnivan and Mihocheck.

The Magpies don’t lack small forward options, but Ian ‘Bobby’ Hill adds some high end pace, clear skills, and he generally makes excellent decisions with the ball in hand. He’ll be an excellent addition to the Magpies forward structure.

It wouldn’t surprise me if, over time, the club gave him some opportunities for a few midfield minutes. However, his turn of speed and ability to manoeuvre out of challenging situations might be worth giving him a centre bounce in each quarter too.

Impact on the old club

His departure has opened the door for the club to target and successfully get Toby Bedford of Melbourne to commit to the club at the time of writing. Over the coming days, Melbourne and GWS will negotiate a trade.

Should Bedford arrive, then the departure of Bobby will barely be noticed.

Fantasy Summary

Rarely do players who spend most of their time inside the forward 50 become relevant fantasy football prospects. Of course, there are always exceptions, historically players like Steve Johnson or Nick Riewoldt. But for the most part, they aren’t relevant options in the salary cap formats of the game.

Over his four seasons in the AFL system, he’s yet to have a season where he’s averaged over 60. So it’ll take something significant to change at Collingwood for him to be someone to consider even late in drafts.

A safe ‘pass’ unless we see a significant spike in midfield minutes during the preseason.

About Post Author

CP Writers

mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Trade Review | Karl Amon
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Read Time:3 Minute, 11 Second

Career High SuperCoach Score: 152 Vs GWS Giants (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Score: 148 Vs Hawthorn (2022)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 93.4 (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 98.6 (2021)

Impact on new club

We didn’t have to wait long for our first move of the AFL trade and free agency window, with Karl Amon moving on day one to the Hawthorn Football Club. Immediately, his arrival provides the Hawks with a healthy option across one of the wings. Last year, he averaged 24 disposals and five score involvements per game. His strengths are his running power and the ability to create space between the arcs.

The arrival of the 27 year old will likely not advance the Hawks immediate finals aspirations. Still, it does give them a strong wingman while the nucleus of Josh Ward, Jai Newcombe and Connor Macdonald develop as the core of the future midfield.

I don’t think it’s a bad addition, especially as his salary is the only ‘cost’ to the club. However, I wonder if the Hawks would’ve been better off investing the game time in a teenager that will be at the peak of his power in 4-5 seasons.

Impact on the old club

Over the past two seasons, Karl Amon has transitioned from helpful fringe wingmen into being clearly the Power’s best outside midfielder. His departure isn’t a disaster for the club as they have several candidates who can transition into this role.

At the 2021 draft, Josh Sinn was a player that Port invested heavily into land last year. His combination of elite speed and silky skills could make for a tasty inclusion onto the wings of Alberton. He’s yet to show much of his skills at the SANFL level, but as a junior, he has the skills worth allowing a crack at it.

Port Adelaide could also look to push Kane Farrell up from the half-back flank into the wings, while Miles Bergman, who’s already back into the best 22, looks to possess all the skills to be an elite wingman. With Xavier Duursma already holding down one wing, Port is blessed with several options that could take the spot opened up by Amon’s departure.

Of course, Port could head to the draft with pick #8 and could look to draft Oli Hollands, Cam Mackenzie or Jhye Clark all of whom could easily play across the wings.

Fantasy Summary

Over the past two seasons, Karl Amon has been a handy selection in draft formats with averages in the high 90s in AFLFantasy, and high 80s – low 90s in SuperCoach. Like any wingmen, they almost always score better in AFLFantasy. That’s due to the scoring weighting in SuperCoach being more favourable to contested and high efficiency. Neither of these does Amon excel.

At Port Adelaide, he showed his scoring ceiling with four scores over 120 in AFLFantasy, including a career high against his now club Hawthorn with a 148. However, pure wingmen do experience more scoring volatility than any other midfielder. That’s because they rely heavily upon the services of the inside midfielders. And as promising as the young Hawks midfield looks, it’s not yet to the level of the Power.

In salary cap formats, he’d need to push his scoring north of 10-15 points per game to return a value for money as a midfielder in our starting squads. Even if he stayed at Port Adelaide, I don’t see that happening, so it’s a pass from me.

It’d be in the drafting formats of the game that he’ll be regularly selected. I’d suspect he’s more likely to slide than hold his scoring, but I don’t see him falling drastically off the relevance radar.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Patreon Exclusive | 2021 Draft Class | Top 10 Keeper Ranks
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Read Time:9 Minute, 6 Second

After every season, we ask MJ to rank the top 10 players from the most recent AFL draft class for the keeper and dynasty leagues. Some players have 20+ games of exposure to AFL, while some have barely got games. The hope is that list will help you make some informed decisions with your fantasy football list management.

Embed from Getty Images

#1 | Nick Daicos

Nobody should be surprised that Nick Daicos is the top selection from this draft crop. He was sublime this season, and a genuine case can be made that his debut season surpassed the greatness of even Sam Walsh. A seasonal average of 86 consisted of six tons, four over 110 and a career-high 147 against the Crows in round 18. His season was so dominant that not only did the eventual rising star winner start to cop multiple tags, but there was social media outrage when he didn’t even make the All-Australian squad of 44.

One day Daicos may move into the midfield full-time, but should that eventuate, it just means he’d move from being a 95-105 defender to a 105+ premium midfielder. You can’t lose!

The conversation shouldn’t be why Daicos is #1 on this list, but now a genuine conversation could be had for him to be drafted #1 overall in a brand new keeper league. If he’s not at one, he’s certainly a consideration.

#2 | Josh Ward

Much like Daicos at one, I don’t believe there should be much disagreement among the community with who I’ve placed second on this list. Josh Ward was always touted as a strong keeper prospect after putting up some stringer scores as a junior. However, over his final six weeks of the season, the pieces all started to fall into place for him. He posted two tons, including a monster 133 against the Eagles, to average an impressive 92.6 for a strong conclusion to the season.

Whenever a player has showcased at every junior level high fantasy pedigree and has delivered quality football and fantasy scoring in his debut year at the AFL level, it should build supreme confidence that coaches have got themselves a likely long term premium midfielder on their list.

#3 | Jason Horne-Francis

Before the season’s commencement, the popular perspective was that Jason Horne-Francis was the second best keeper prospect behind Nick Daicos. His slide into third, while hardly a slide, is more a credit to the trajectory of performance by Josh Ward rather than any negativity around Jason.

It wasn’t the season that JHF was hoping for. A combination of some niggling little injuries, form and just adjustments to the big time meant he didn’t live up to the ‘hype’ surrounding him. In his defence, Jason is more of an explosive contested midfielder. Here his speed and power come to the forefront. Even at the junior and SANFL, he was never a high volume possession winner, so to contrast him to Daicos or a Ward is unfair on him.

Despite some ups and downs, he had six games with 20+ possessions and five games scoring 70+. As both North and he improve, he should consistently evolve to be a 95+ scoring midfielder over the coming years. But in 2023, he should be MID/FWD eligible and might be enough to sneak on the field for you.

#4 | Josh Rachele

I believe the top three of this draft class are clear and supreme options. It then opens up incredibly. You could genuinely build a compelling case that

The comparisons of Josh Rachele that he’s a clone of Toby Greene aren’t that far of a stretch. The mercurial forward showcased his fantasy pedigree in round one, where he had fourteen possessions, kicked five goals and popped a ton on debut. He followed it up three weeks later with another triple-digit score with his current career high score of 101.

Since round four, he hasn’t posted a score over 60, but it’s evident that injuries have been a primary factor in returning to his early season performances. What Rachele offers keeper league coaches over his career is a degree of confidence. Josh is super dangerous inside forward 50, so no matter who joins the Crows (cough Rankine), I believe he maintains his forward status long-term. As a result, I’ve placed him up above other likely long-term midfielders that are harder to split.

#5 | Ben Hobbs

Much has been made about the Essendon Footy Club this season. One thing they did manage to get right is the recruitment of Ben Hobbs. Before getting drafted in the NAB league, he played six games and averaged 14 kicks, 11 handballs, three marks, five tackles, and 95 AFL Fantasy points. The comparisons to Taylor Adams and Joel Selwood consistently came through from all AFL recruiters.

It took him a month to crack into the Bombers side, but once he did, he established himself as a permanent fixture of the club. From his seventeen games, he showed in multiple games his developing fantasy pedigree. The highlight was in round eight, where he posted a 95. The slight uncertainty coaches might have is how he’ll fit in the short term into the Bombers midfield. A new coaching regime will only add further questions, but in the long term, he looks like he’s going to be a safe 90+ midfielder.

#6 | Connor Macdonald

Connor Macdonald is one of my favourites from this draft class. His strengths are his stoppage work, athleticism, and high end defensive pressure. As a junior, he spent his time as an inside midfielder, but at Hawthorn, they’ve spent his time more heavily developing him as a forward. As a result, he picked up MID/FWD status. Even with him receiving next to no inside midfielder minutes, we still saw multiple strong scoring glimpses. In round 18 against the Eagles, he scored 90 from just 13 disposals and two goals. While a fortnight later, he scored an 84 from 19 touches.

For Hawthorn’s rebuild to be a long term success, it’ll require Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara to phase out and allow Macdonald alongside Ward and Newcombe to thrive. To me, he looks like a pure fantasy prospect where he’s strong in and around the ground accumulator but still lacks some polish to attract any opposition midfield attention.

Chances are he’s a forward in 2023, but in the next two seasons, I forecast he’s got the potential to be one of the best midfielders in the game.

#7 | Jake Soligo

Just because you’re not an early draft pick doesn’t rule you out of being a high value keeper league prospect. Since returning to the Adelaide side mid-season, it’s evident that Jake Soligo is a genuinely good footballer. Playing predominantly on the wing, his class, toughness, speed, and elite decision-making are evident. And as the season went on, he built a stronger ‘inside’ midfield game.

The current fantasy knock on him is he’s yet to post a score north of 80, and while it’s a valid perspective, I think it could be a flawed concern. While the proof in scoring is important, sometimes we need to project in light of his role and opportunity. In his past thirteen games, he’s had nine that have ranged between 61-78. 

Internally the club believe they’ve found a clone to Rory Sloane, and if his career can mirror anything like that of his current captain, both the Crows and keeper league owners should be thrilled.

#8 | Marcus Windhager

I’ve got to admit; that I’m a big wrap for Marcius Windhager. He has some explosive midfield traits, possesses clean hands, and has a great turn of speed. At the AFL level, we largely saw him through the midfield, especially in tagging roles, but as a junior, he showcased that he can also roll forward and hit the scoreboard.

I’ve likened Marcus to his skipper Jack Steele, not just limited to the fact that they have similar physical attributes. But because of the hunger, they play both in the contest and provide phenomenal support to teammates without it. He might be a slightly longer burn than others on this list to become a highly relevant prospect, but to me, he’s shown plenty when tagging over the last five weeks of the season. A genuinely good prospect that’s sliding under the radar in some portions of the community.

#9 | Neil Erasmus

Another slider of this draft crop, but that’s more to do with a lack of opportunity. Neil Erasmus was one of the hottest keeper prospects this season, but he spent most of the season in the WAFL. He averaged 23 possessions, 4.6 marks and almost a goal a game from his twelve matches. All season and at junior level, it’s evident that he’s got a significant fantasy footy pedigree.

He got limited opportunities at the AFL level, including multiple subbed games, but his prolific ball winning abilities and strong overheard marking were on display. If this list were only based on projections of what they may become, I’d have Neil safely inside the top five. However, the reality, he still has to force himself into the Dockers best 22. The retirement of David Mundy might just be the gap he needs to force his way into the Fremantle team.

#10 | Tyler Sonsie

Last but no means least is Tyler Sonsie. Again, he leaps past guys like Finn Callaghan, who again have done nothing wrong, but the difference is that Tyler appears to have solidified himself into the Tigers side. His slick hands and elite stoppage work have helped him push past others at Tigerland. As the likes of Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and even Dion Prestia start to graduate from the midfield, we should see Tyler rise into some significant fantasy scores.

As a junior, he was likened to Trent, and it’s clear to see that comparison being lived out as each week passes. The biggest knock on him heading into the draft was around his consistency, but it seems that time in the AFL system is helping. From his six games this year, he had 17 touches or more and had at least one tackle and mark in each game. The raw ingredients are there to become a very good footballer. Depending on the rules and depth in your keeper league, there’s a chance he could be sitting on the player pool & could be picked up today.

About Post Author

CP Writers

mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Is It Too Late To Get Luke Jackson? | Patreon Exclusive
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Read Time:2 Minute, 49 Second

After a dominant first up performance as a solo ruck, many are looking at Luke Jackson as a trade target this week? But is it too late to get him?

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It’s the question that cash and trade strapped fantasy coaches are wrestling with throughout this week. In his first week without Max Gawn, Jackson delivered a 125 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 122 in SuperCoach. He’ll make some decent coin over the next few weeks and likely score well again this week against Reilly O’Brien. But is trading into Jackson the right move?

Giving generalised trading advice can be filled with danger at any time of the season. But it’s even more so in the final third of the year. The reason being is teams are all in varying shapes with the variables of injuries and bullets teams have copped throughout the year. Despite this, I’m happy to make a ‘sweeping statement’ across teams.

In SuperCoach and DreamTeam, I cannot advocate for trading into Luke Jackson! All the news from Melbourne is that Max will be back next week. As a result, coaches will likely only get one more week of maximum output before his scoring returns to something that resembles his prior scoring trend. Which, for the record, is low 70’s in AFLFantasy and low 80’s in SuperCoach. Even with the flexibility of long-term structure support as a RUC/FWD DPP, it was a move that needed to be made last week to capitalise on the maximum games of Gawn’s absence. By getting him now, your chasing points missed and have lost the trade’s full value. A vast majority of teams in the limited trade formats aren’t in the luxurious position of trading into bench depth, which, based on his scoring history, you’ll need Jackson to become.

Ultimately, in these formats, it was a last week trade!

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In AFLFantasy, it’s a little more team dependent. The weekly ‘use or lose‘ two trades mean that coaches can play a slightly different strategy. Should Jackson score 90 this round, he’ll increase his value by approximately $43,000. Should Gawn return the following week and Jackson returns to scoring a 70 he’ll still make a further $21k. One more week beyond that of a 70, he’ll increase his value by just $3,000.

I highlight this to ask one question? Is the forecast scoring of 160 points over two weeks and $64,000 generated the best moves for your team? After that, you’ll likely want to trade him out.

For some teams, it’s how they can get a cash cow off the ground and make some money simultaneously. So for those scenarios, I don’t hate the move. However, most teams can do better over a three week period from a cash generation and points on-field perspective.

So is it too late to trade into Luke Jackson? Unfortunately, for most coaches and their teams, the answer is yes.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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MJ’s SuperCoach Best For The Rest of ’22
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Read Time:10 Minute, 24 Second

We’re a third of the way through the SuperCoach season, so we asked MJ to create his ideal ‘best 22.’ He believes that these players will be the top-scoring in each line until the season’s conclusion.

DEFENDERS

Sam Docherty 

The return of Sam Docherty has been superb. He will be a top-three defender for the season and outside of Max Gawn is the only non-midfielder currently inside the top 15 total points scorers in SuperCoach. What’s encouraging for us is I still think he could get better. The Blues still have multiple matches against Collingwood and another against the Tigers and Crows. All of these teams are bleeding points to opposition halfbacks. Lock and load post bye if you don’t have him. 

Jayden Short

The addition of Jayden Short should surprise nobody. All preseason he was an obvious selection. However, the departure of Houli meant that he was now the clear and exclusive best user of the footy for the Tigers in defensive 50. 

Beyond one bad weel against the Crows, he’s scored 109+ in the other seven matches. His role, quality ball use, and Richmond’s dependency on him are the perfect combination to make him a clear top-three defender in 2022. 

Scott Pendlebury

The gang at SuperCoach have handed us a genuine gift, with Scott Pendlebury gaining defensive status. While he may no longer possess the monster ceiling of his past, he no longer is competing with the best scoring midfielders. Now an average of 110 is enough to be among the best backs in the game.  

With games against Adelaide, North, Essendon and Gold Coast after the byes, he could explode in the middle portion of the year against what loom to be fellow bottom-six sides. 

I’d love to see some more ceiling games (130 or higher) from him, but I believe they are coming. However, his low scoring variance and the high floor have got him into my best for the rest. 

Tom Stewart 

Tom Stewart continues to be one of the best defenders in the game. His intercepting skills and efficient ball use are perfect for SuperCoach scoring. 

Just one score so far this year under 97 is following the trend of 2021. That year he had just three sub 90 scores all year. The positive news is he’s activated a newfound ceiling this year to go with his good historical floor. 

I’m a big fan of Tom and believe he’ll be a ripping pick for those who get him.

George Hewett

Missing the past two weeks with a corked calf will mean George Hewett is unlikely to be one of the top six defenders overall for points. But this listing isn’t year-round, but rather it’s from this point onwards. 

In the six matches he’s played, he’s gone 110+ in each of them, and given his experience and the current role he’s playing for the Blues, I don’t see that scoring trend slide. 

James Sicily

I was sceptical that James Sicily would bounce back to his premium best after missing so much football. But thankfully, for him, Hawks fans and current owners, he’s bounced back to his best.

Historically, he’s a player that gets hot with his scoring for a few months and then has some cold patches. And while that’s still a potential risk, I don’t see that happening for one major reason. The Hawks are a rebuilding side; the ball will spend plenty of time inside the Hawthorn defensive half giving him plenty of opportunities to get the ball. 

MIDFIELD

Lachie Neale

This shouldn’t need too much explanation. He’s had multiple seasons at Brisbane, where he’s averaged 120+. 2022 appears to be no different. I think he’s had a better performance than his Brownlow Medal year. Barring an injury, he’s one of the best SuperCoach players this year. 

Jack Steele

Despite posting his lowest score of the year last weekend, Jack Steele is one of the more reliable premium midfielders. But It’s an outlier. He won’t have ten clangers and four frees against over a regular fortnight, let alone in a single match. What makes him so reliable as a VC/C option is a fact he scores in every possible column. So even if you can dry up his disposal tally, he’ll just get it done through tackles. Steele is one of the most bulletproof premiums in the game. 

Jackson Macrae

I dubbed Jackson Macrae the most relevant player in the preseason because of how reliable a premium midfielder he is. He’s averaging 125 from his eight games, while his scoring floor is a little worse for wear. However, his ceiling is arguably bigger. From the five tons he’s posted this season, his lowest is 133. 

That floor will improve as the Dogs start to get more regular ‘best 22’ options back in the side. He’s a weekly VC/C option, and he has rarely let us down over the past five years. So even with a few poorer games this season, I still want him in my best for the rest. 

Patrick Cripps

He is averaging 140 in his six full games of the year and the lowest score of 119. Patrick Cripps is simply putting together a phenomenal season. He’s gone on hot streak runs similar to this over his career, but there is something noticeably different about him and the Blues this season. 

Cripps isn’t just relying on an insane contested footy volume to score well. He’s also impacting the scoreboard and using the footy well in space. He’s not value anymore, but he is screaming a 115+ average for the rest of the season and is a genuine captaincy candidate. 

Clayton Oliver

In 2020, Clayton Oliver didn’t miss a game and averaged in the low 120s. In 2021 he did it again. Playing every match and averaging in the low 120s… You see where this is going don’t you? So far, he’s averaging in the loew 120s and han’t missed a game. It’s obvious, if you’ve got history and current data that you can average 120 no matter the line your in you make the best for the rest squad. 

Callum Mills

If you don’t own Callum Mills yet, that’s OK. But I’ll be honest with you; you’ve missed his ceiling game of the year. It’s rare for a player to score a 200 once in their career, let alone twice in the same season. 

But regardless, we’ve not got over 20+ games of data over the past 18 months to see that Mills is a genuine top tier SuperCoach midfielder. He’s one of the most well-rounded players in the game scoring through a brilliant mix of inside/outside ball-winning, tackles, and score involvements. To top it off, he rarely wastes the ball.  

Touk Miller

Last year Touk Miller was the surprise packet premium of the season. He went from a good SuperCoach performer to being one of the best. Unfortunately, for various reasons, Miller hasn’t started this year as he ended in 2021. And yet, he’s only had one score below 99 all year and has pumped out three scores above 135. An average of 118 is his basement for the year. I think he’s going to be closer to 125+. 

If you opted not to start Touk, he should be firmly on your target as a trade-in option. But you’ll want to hurry to avoid paying top dollar. He’s already starting to make back some of his lost salary. 

Andrew Brayshaw

For some, this is an obvious inclusion, while it’s less clear for others. Those in the obvious column are doing it simply because what he’s done this season with four scores of 125+ including the 189 is the trend they see that he’ll continue with. While others think his hot stretch is in the past and with matches against Melbourne, Brisbane, Carlton, Port Adelaide and St Kilda between round 11-17, the challenging games are ahead of him. 

While I could’ve included Keays, Boak Bontempelli, Green or even Petracca to round out the final spot in the midfield, I cannot ignore what he’s done, and I can’t see a genuine tagger upcoming or legitimate reason to suggest he doesn’t go 115-125 over the next ⅔ of the year. I just like Brayshaw more than them in my best for the rest. 

RUCK

Max Gawn

This is a no brainer. He’s the clear and supreme top ruck. Barring injury or suspension, nobody is capable of doing what he can in this line. It’s going to be hard to have a successful season without him.

Jarrod Witts

At the start of the year, I would’ve probably laughed myself out of the room for suggesting it, but I think It has to be Witts. Grundy’s LTI mean he’s not a consideration. I have zero trust in Sean Darcy’s body to hold up. Even Braydon Preuss has shown on multiple occasions this year that he’s prone to brain farts and missing games through suspension. Through the power of elimination, I’ve landed with Jarrod. So far, he’s had four scores over 130 and just dipped under 88 once. Given his experience and proven scoring history, I see no reason why this trend stalls. 

FORWARD

Josh Dunkley

Much like Max in the rucks, Josh Dunkley appears to be the clear and supreme top forward in 2022. His combination of inside ball-winning, tackles and score involvements makes him a dangerously good scorer. Good luck going against him! 

Tim English

The breakout of Tim English is finally here! Before his injury, Tim proved to be a dominant scorer and valuable RUC/FWD cover on each line. With him anticipated to be back this round, I expect him to continue on where he left off. 

Tim Taranto

Of all the forwards I’ve added into the ‘best for the rest’, Tim is the one on the shakiest of grounds. That’s not just recency bias where he has a three round average of 81. But rather, he has signs over his career that he has no problems winning the ball. However, he’s also not the most efficient user of the footy. Therefore, his scoring can have a high variation and sometimes struggle.

Nevertheless,  I think he’s going to be good enough. It’s why he’s made a list. But when I make an updated list in another 6-8 weeks, don’t be shocked to see him go. 

Tom Liberatore

We’ve been given a gift via Luke Beveridge! With the bulldogs playing him heavily in the forward over the year’s opening rounds due to building his fitness-based, it forced champion data to give him FWD status. Although Libba is a contested beast, his ability to win in tight footy with high efficiency is a rare combination. 

He’s got multiple seasons of 100+ averages in that position. And the dogs look a million times better when he’s at centre stoppages. Lock him in for a triple figure average. 

Luke Parker

We could echo the same sentiments for Luke Parker as we did for Libba. With Buddy Franklin and Tom Papley missing multiple games early, the Swans deployed Parker with a heavier forward role. But he splits his time between midfield and forward and in each position. Before 2022 his lowest seasonal average of the past five seasons was 99. I’m confident he averages 100+ from here and provides super value for coaches. 

Isaac Heeney

Everybody keeps talking about Heeney’s season being his ‘breakout’ year. And while I understand what people are trying to imply, it’s not true. Before 2022, he’s had multiple seasons averaging in the 90s and has shown he’s a reliable premium. 

What he’s shown more this year is a stronger frequency of hitting the ceiling over 130. With Papley & Buddy dominating the forward line, I suspect we’ll see his MID/FWD split continue. 

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Team Reveals | MJ’s Preseason DreamTeam | Patreon Exclusive
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Read Time:4 Minute, 39 Second

It’s here! For DreamTeam assistant coach subscribers, you can now start picking your initial squad. So on day one of the picker opening, we asked MJ to select his team. As a Patreon, he’s given you exclusive first viewing. Enjoy!

Defenders

If you’ve been a Patreon or follower of the Coaches Panel for some years, then you’d be familiar with my thought process with premiums. First, get the player you believe is the best performer in the starting squad for the season. In the backline, I think that’s Jake Lloyd and Lachie Whitfield. At worst, they might drift to a low 90’s performer. But at best, they can excel weekly past 105 and have proven they are VC/C candidates. Caleb Daniel has some slight value to him, but in reality, he’s shown for the better part of three seasons that he’s a 90+ defender. Of all premiums on my side, he’s the one most likely to be changed early. But for a structure hold, it works fine. Wayne Milera is a stupid good value. The fact he’s cheaper than Jason Horne-Francis means there is zero risk even with a poor injury history. Josh Sinn, I believe, will see tons of footy for Port this season. He’s laser fast, makes good decisions with the ball, and adds a fresh dynamic to the Power. Gould/Worrell/Wilmont should all be pressing for games early, but they’re just placeholders at this stage in the preseason. 

Midfielders

With your starting midfield premiums, you need a minimum of two captaincy options for any given matchup. With Jack Steele and Jackson Macrae, I’ve ticked that box. Both are dynamic scoring options and have been among the best games to hundreds conversation rate over the past few seasons. Zach Merrett keeps getting it done. Year on year, he’s shown he’s a 110 performing midfielder. Barring a preseason scoring explosion, he might slide a little under the radar. But in reality, Zach is one of the safest picks. I know Andrew Brayshaw ‘broke out’ to the premium territory last year, but I think he gets into the elite scoring category this year. I believe he’ll match it with the Merrett/Laird/Mills types and be a 110 averaging performer. Lachie Neale is valuable, I don’t think he rebounds back to his ‘BCV’ scores of 2020, but he’s a safe 100-105 guy based on his history. At worst, he’ll drift into becoming a reliable M8 by the close of the season. At the same time, Matt Rowell could be anything. Here are the three scenarios, and all can work. Best Case – It becomes a premo and a season-long hold. Middle Ground – I hold for a period of games can make a quick upgrade via him. Worst Case – His scoring fails, but I move him to the stepping stone that is firing. The reality is there’s not a bad scenario. I’ll start with five rookies in the midfield with this structure. It’ll come as no surprise that Nick Daicos and Josh Ward feature. Both are developing teams that’ll give opportunity, plus they have a scorinåg pedigree as a junior. All of Mead/Goater/Clark is just the placeholders but should push for games in 2022. 

Rucks

This line is possibly the most on-field vanilla side, but in reality, the value of Braydon Preuss at R2 is immense. When available, he’s the top ruck option at GWS and will be one of the most relevant players for DT. Brodie Grundy is the premium ruckman I trust the most for scoring, health and role consistency, so he’ll lead my ruck division into battle. While Sam Hayes could see plenty of games with the departure of Peter Ladhams. 

Forwards

Before Leon Cameron started playing around with player positions, Tim Taranto averaged 110 last season. Plain and simple, if he gets back to his heavy midfield role, he’d have been in the mix as a top tier midfielder. The fact he’s FWD eligible makes him near impossible to pass up. The same is true for Mitch Duncan. He’s one of the most reliable 95-105 scoring players every match. Yes, he’s got some increasing injury concerns, but those will be mitigated by having him in the starting squad and with what I expect to be a high ownership percentage. It feels like a luxury to have Josh Dunkley at F3. But, in reality, he could well be the top forward in the game. Pre-injury last season, he showed his scoring power. If you believe he’s got a safe role (which I do), then I can’t see a world where he won’t dominate the year. Stephen Coniglio would be on the radar as a MID only, but as a DPP MID/FWD, he’s skyrocketed up my relevance rankings. Historically he’s got the ability to be a 100+averaqging player, and with him being one of the most popular players to own, I can’t see any risk to starting with him. My final four is Luke Pedlar, who should see a significant uptick in games and midfield minutes for the developing Crows. Elijah Hollands should be the most owned player in the game. He’s a basement price and DPP cash cow that’ll play round one. Lock and load. Both Smith and Maginness are just placeholders until the cash cows become clean in Feb/March. 

So that’s the team, line by line. It’ll almost certainly change, but hopefully, it gives you the ideas of how I plan to attack the season early on. Here’s what it looks like in full. 

About Post Author

CP Writers

mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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