Tag: Adam Cerra

Way Too Early 2023 Fantasy Football Watchlist
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Read Time:9 Minute, 28 Second

The AFL trade period might still be in full swing, but it’s never too early to think about the upcoming fantasy football season, right? Gulp! I had some spare time to put together my way too early 2023 fantasy football watchlist.

Reilly O’Brien

The Adelaide ruckman starts us off in this list not because of his performance throughout the year, but the seeming dread of ruck options that might be startable for 2023. With the likelihood that Gawn and Grundy end up in the same team and Darcy sharing time with Jackson, ROB stands out as one of the few premiums rucks who will have uncontested time in the middle. Coming in priced at 93 and 102 in AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach respectively, the small value that ROB presents to coaches might see him selected as the starting premium ruck option.

Darcy Wilmot

Wilmot impressed when playing in Brisbane’s three finals, holding down a spot through the finals series and putting forward the case for him to be in the best 22 to start next year. He showed a decent role across half back for the Lions and coming in at a basement price for next year he will likely be one of the most picked players when the games launch.

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Adam Cerra

Cerra has been playing as a pure midfielder upon moving to Carlton, performing at just under a 90 average in AFL Fantasy and 92 in SuperCoach. However, he had a year which was interrupted significantly by injuries which saw him struggle for consistency, with his season including a subbed 5 point game and many games where he scored lowly due to returning with low time on ground. Of the 18 games he played which weren’t affected by injury and low TOG, only one of them had a score below 90, and removing these affected games raises his averages to 98.7 and 103.6 in AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach, respectively. As such, there is a minimum 10 points of upside for him, and with an uninterrupted season he could push close to a top 15 midfielder in both formats.

Nick Daicos

The rookie who defied even the highest expectations of coaches finished close to being a top 6 defender in all formats and yet he might still hold more value in 2023. His ability for a first-year player was highlighted by the fact he pumped out seven tons in AFL fantasy and six in SuperCoach, with high scores of 147 and 163 in the formats, respectively. It’s worth noting that in the second half of his season his averages were 95.5 and 93.2 in AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach, respectively, including games where he even drew tags. With a reduction of the number premium defenders likely, Daicos may be able to improve enough into 2023 to push into the top 6. 

Darcy Parish

Coming off a breakout year in 2021, Parish started 2022 where he left off, averaging 108.5 in AFL Fantasy and 118.5 in SuperCoach before the Bye. After the bye, Parish had an injured game where he was subbed out, followed by two different injury stints which saw him play just 4 full games for the rest of the year. Uncertainty around the Bombers remains with a new coach, but being priced at least 10 points under his proven ability, Parish is an under-priced premium to consider starting. 

Hayden Young

Fast becoming one of my favourite players, Young was finally able to string together a full season of AFL and had what many would consider a third-year breakout. He averaged just under 90 in AFL Fantasy and just over 90 in SuperCoach with phenomenal consistency, registering only two games under 75 in AFL Fantasy and three under 75 in SuperCoach. With another preseason under his belt and the potential for him to move further up the ground with the departure of Acres, Young could easily become a top 6 defender in 2023.

Max Holmes

The unlucky man to miss out on the premiership in 2022 for the Cats will surely have a point to prove, and with Joel Selwood retiring the opportunity for midfield time for the young cat presents us a potential breakout candidate. He will come in priced at 63.5 and 65.5 in AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach, respectively, and in 2022 he showed his fantasy chops with a 7-game stretch at the end of the season prior to finals where he went at 80 in both formats. If he were to retain forward status, I would consider him an almost must start player for 2023.

Harry Himmelberg

A tale of two halves of the season and two different coaches for Himmelberg, with his move to a defender at round 10 significantly changing his scoring output, with at one point him having one of the highest 3-round averages in fantasy. If you think that the new coach Adam Kingsley will keep Himmelberg in an intercept defender role for 2023, there is up to 20 points of upside for him, and he has the potential to be the highest averaging defender next year.

Ben King

The twin to Max didn’t play a game in 2023 due to suffering an ACL injury in February. Whilst picking players off a severe knee injury is risky, the fact that he will come in near or at basement price with an extended recovery period might mean he can sit on your forward bench through the early part of the season and be a slow burn cash cow. The fact that he will likely be a starter for the Suns in every game he is fit means that he will be a great option for the 2023 season, just don’t rely on him for a fieldable score.

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Josh Ward

Another candidate for a second-year breakout is Ward, who also showed his fantasy chops in the second half of 2022. After breaking back into the team in round 17, Ward went on to average 89 in AFL Fantasy and 78 in SuperCoach, presenting over 15 points worth of upside compared to his season average. If Tom Mitchell is on the outs as it appears, the additional responsibilities that could go to Ward could see him be a Mid-Price option worth starting.

Christian Salem

Salem has shown in the past that he can achieve an average in and around the 90’s which in a typical year is verging on the top 10 defenders. However, he will come in priced at 80 across all formats due to suffering an injury barely 10 minutes into round 1. Salem them returned with an 82 average across his last 9 games in both formats. Whether there is enough for Salem to be an underpriced premium worth picking for 2023 remains to be seen, but he remains firmly on the watch list.

Will Phillips

One of the forgotten players at the Kangaroos due to missing the entire year with glandular fever, Phillips will receive a significant discount coming into the 2023 season due to not playing game. Opportunities exist for the young Roo to stake a claim for a midfield role in the rebuilding Kangaroos, and it is likely that Phillips will line up in round 1 for the side should he have an injury free preseason. Priced near basement and with Mid/Fwd DPP, Phillips is one who will probably end up in the majority of teams come the start of the fantasy season next year.

Connor Rozee

Rozee has shown throughout the 2022 season that he can match it with the best players for scoring potential, especially forwards. The issue is he has also shown a floor which is completely unacceptable for salary cap formats, with his scoring output entirely dependent on his midfield time. If listed as a forward for next season, he should be heavily considered as a starting option if given midfield time through the preseason and will probably be one to mull over even if only a midfielder.

Tim Taranto

Richmond a tricky team to pick a player from who could present value for 2023 due to their gamestyle being relatively unappealing for fantasy, highlighted by the fact that no player averaged over 100 in either format in 2022. However, the trade in of Tim Taranto finally has me excited about owning a Tiger in fantasy again. Taranto has shown phenomenal fantasy prowess when given a full-time midfield position and with Richmond likely to give him plenty of CBA’s, he could easily push a 105 average across formats. Time will tell whether he retains forward status into 2023, but he is still worthy of a spot in your early drafts for next season.

Rowan Marshall

Ryder retiring has opened the door for Marshall to be the solo ruckman for the Saints in 2023. He has shown his ceiling when Ryder has been injured, notching high scores of 163 in AFL Fantasy and 173 in SuperCoach. The main concern is if the Saints will want to play Tom Campbell alongside him, but with limited Ruck options that will present value for 2023 he might be the easy option for a reason. Let’s just hope he stays a solo ruck!

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Callum Mills

Mills joined the 200 club in SuperCoach in 2022 with a monster 214 against Hawthorn, posting 162 in AFL Fantasy in the same game. The ability for him to pump ceiling games during the season puts him in the upper echelon of premium midfielders behind only Oliver, Laird, and Neale. The biggest issue for Mills is his floor, with the Swan posting 7 sub-100 games in AFL Fantasy and SuperCoach, however two of these came early in the season when he had low TOG due to recovering from an Achilles injury. If he can have an uninterrupted preseason and another year in the midfield, Mills could stake a claim to being the number one midfielder across all formats.

Campbell Chesser

Chesser was hyped up as a potential rookie to start in 2022 even with his inflated price due to being pick 14 and was even on track to debut in round 1 before suffering multiple injuries through the year. A complete preseason for him should allow for him to stake a claim in the Eagles best 22 for the 2023 season, and with the team headed towards a rebuild, getting games into the classy young defender is sure to be a high priority. He will come in at basement price and should easily be a starting defender rookie for your team.

Bailey Smith

Smith started the 2022 season in phenomenal form, posting 8 tons in 9 games at an average of 118 in AFL Fantasy and an average of 101 in SuperCoach. However, he had an extended break through the middle of the season due to suspensions and slowed down in the back half of the year. The likely departure of Dunkley will open more midfield time at the Dogs and if Smith were to retain Forward status there is an argument that he is almost certain to be in the top 6. As usual, the Dogs midfield rotation will be a watch, but if Smith is entrenched in it then he has one foot firmly in my 2023 team.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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AAMI Community Series Review | Blues Vs Demons
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Read Time:4 Minute, 8 Second

The beloved preseason community series got underway at Marvel Stadium. While the Blues started strong, the demons flew home late to only narrow lose the game. But let’s be honest, it’s the fantasy footy research we are here for. So here’s my take on the Blues and the Demons clash.

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Max Gawn

Spent his time splitting 70/30 in the ruck with Jackson, when he wasn’t in the ruck he sat behind play for plenty of marks. He looked great in the role but important to keep in mind there was no Steven May. That all being said, if you were keen on Gawn before this game then there’s no reason not to be now. Looked very lively and competed well at every contest.

We wrote about him earlier in the preseason for the 50 most relevant, check it out here.

Clayton Oliver & Christian Petracca

Never got out of first gear but still looked so sharp and clever with the footy. Oliver is just so good in the inside and quick with his disposal while Petracca looked fantastic offensively at all stages. Luke Jackson Some of his ruck work is absolutely elite for such a young player. He should be a hit out to advantage beast in years to come. He followed up his ruck work with getting busy around the contest, but it won’t be enough to select him even despite his additional forward status.

We wrote about them both earlier in the preseason for the 50 most relevant. For Clarry, check it out here. And CP5 here.

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Patrick Cripps

This was the surprise packet for me. Not because he isn’t good enough to dominate a preseason game but because of the way he went about it. I haven’t seen Cripps so fit, strong and quick in the contest in years. He really did run rings around the strong Melbourne midfield and the Blues dominating the overall centre clearances reflected that. If you weren’t super keen on him prior to this game you may choose to tread cautiously…but at his price it’s undeniable there’s already built in value, and if he can get back to anywhere near his best it’ll have been a worthwhile pick.

George Hewett

Did exactly what we wanted to see. Spent nearly all his time in the centre of the ground, and more importantly, won plenty of the footy – something we needed to see from him as he’s predominantly been a defensive midfielder in the past. He passed the eye test from me and I noticed his spread from stoppage was really good. He was a little unlucky to be burnt on some short passes so I wouldn’t worry about his mark tally of 0. Just the 1 tackle as well which isn’t the George Hewett I know. I’m the real stuff I expect him to fill up a few more stat lines.

We wrote about him earlier in the preseason for the 50 most relevant, check it out here.

Adam Cerra

Started out slowly but built into the game as it went on. There’s no doubting he’ll be spending plenty of time in the middle and it was evident how clean he is with the footy in close. Unfortunately, I didn’t see him spread too much from stoppage, and a few of his touches were easy ones. The game was a bit more contested than usual for a preseason game and you could easily use that performance as a good indicator for growth. If you were already keen there’s no reason not to be after that performance.

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Corey Durdin

Looks a handy young player. Super quick and agile as well as doing some clever things with the footy. He won’t be a large scorer, and there may be an injury cloud over him now – but he could be somebody you tuck away at M8 if there’s a shortage of rookies.

Matt Kennedy

Was everywhere and looked dangerous just about every time he had it. Has a seriously good pair of hands on him and some impressive goal sense for a player that used to be more of a contested midfielder. When he did spend time in the midfield he was just as eye catching though – he’s awkwardly priced so I couldn’t go near it but Voss may have helped him unlock some of his potential this year.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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AFL Trade Review | Adam Cerra
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Read Time:3 Minute, 4 Second

Towards the end of 2021, Adam Cerra started to deliver on his fantasy potential. But does a move to Carlton help or hurt his scoring output? 

Career High SuperCoach Score: 138 vs Richmond (2021)

Career High SuperCoach Average: 90.2 (2020)

Career High AFLFantasy Score:  147 vs Richmond (2021)

Career High AFLFantasy Average: 87.3 (2021)

Impact on New Club

The Blues have spent the better part of three seasons trying to get the midfield mix right. However, when fit, Patrick Cripps is still among the most damaging contested ball midfielders in the competition. At the same time, Sam Walsh could be staking a claim to be the midfielder in the AFL in the next two seasons. 

Beyond those two, the Blues have always looked out of balance whether it was too slow with Marc Murphy, Ed Curnow & Will Setterfield surrounding them. Or too volatile with Zac Williams, Paddy Dow and Lachie O’Brien surrounding them. The Carlton faithful must be hoping that Adam Cerra (along with George Hewett) can once and for all help settle the midfield down.

I believe Cerra will play more of an outside/wingman role for the Blues. It’s in this portion of the midfield that his skills and the Blues list need perfectly collide. 

Impact on Old Club

The departure of Adam Cerra is a significant loss for the Fremantle Dockers. At 22 years of age and after four preseasons, the club would’ve anticipated the investment dividends on him starting to return.

However, they now find themselves needing to replace one of the more versatile options on their side. Cerra provided a combination of poise, class, endurance and speed. Unfortunately, I don’t see any singular player becoming the ‘like for like’ replacement ahead of the AFL draft. So Fremantle will need to look more for a collective replacement approach. 

Yet to be sighted, Luke Valente and Nathan O’Driscoll, along with recruit Will Brodie, will all be hoping for the first chance to set into the midfield mix. However, I suspect a greater reliance to come on James Aish, Darcy Tucker and Blake Acres, who is more suited to the outside midfield roles than the others listed above.

Alternatively, Fremantle might look to wind back the clock and let veterans David Mundy or Michael Walters across the more outside roles. 

Fantasy Summary

When I think of how best to describe Adam Cerra as a player, the first word that comes to mind is class. ‘Chez’ has this uncanny ability to make the complex look easy and find his teammates lace out from seemingly impossible positions. 

The scoring consistency hasn’t yet popped for him. Just last year alone, he delivered just four scores over 100. But what I like about his scoring is the steady build. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 60, 75 (BCV) and now an 87, which includes an injury impacted 15. 

If this current scoring trend continues and maintains at his new club, he should average 95 for the next 7-8 seasons. Additionally, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ever cracked a few seasons over the 105 marker. 

If he plays more as an outside midfielder, it’s notoriously tricky to put up 100+ averaging seasons consistently. Beyond Andrew Gaff, not many have done so. 

At Carlton (his rumoured club of choice), he’ll never get tagged. That will always be Sam Walsh or Patrick Cripps if he can ever get back to his former glory. Having Cerra as potentially the #3 midfielder will be an exciting proposition for Blues fans and fantasy coaches.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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AFL Trade Review Tracker
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Read Time:1 Minute, 13 Second

Over the official two week AFL Trade Period plenty of players have changed clubs. For patreons, MJ’s reviewed every player and the potential fantasy footy implications. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of which players moved and who was confirmed. Worry no more! Here’s your one stop shop to keep track of every trade and MJ’s subsequent review.

Simply click the hyperlink on each player movement to read the article.

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Free Agency Moves

Mabior Chol | Joined Gold Coast

Jake Kelly | Joined Essendon

George Hewett| Joined Carlton

Luke Dunstan | Joined Melbourne

Tim O’Brien | Joined Western Bulldogs

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Trade Moves

Nathan Kreuger | Joined Collingwood

Jeremy Finlayson | Joined Port Adelaide

Will Brodie | Joined Fremantle

Adam Cerra | Joined Carlton

Sam Petrevski-Seton | Joined West Coast

Lewis Young| Joined Carlton

Callum Coleman-Jones | Joined North Melbourne

Robbie Tarrant | Joined Richmond

Patrick Lipinski | Joined Collingwood

Jordan Dawson | Joined Adelaide

Darcy Fort | Joined Brisbane

Jonathan Ceglar | Joined Geelong

Jordan Clark | Joined Fremantle

Max Lynch | Joined Hawthorn

Peter Ladhams | Joined Sydney

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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Keeper League Ranks | Tier Six | Patreon Exclusive
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Read Time:14 Minute, 48 Second

MJ & Kane continue their analysis on who they believe are the top 50 players for a brand new UltimateFooty Keeper league.
In tier six, we look at seven more players and unpack their fantasy potential.

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Adam Cerra

KANEA lot of the glow from Adam Cerra’s time at Fremantle has rightly gone to Andy Brayshaw and Nat Fyfe but Cerra is set to boom. 

After playing much of his AFL career across half-back and half-forward I think we’re finally about to see him released as an inside midfielder. 

In 2021 we saw Cerra’s CBA’s increase and as a result we saw some ceiling in the final rounds of the season. In Round 19 Cerra racked up 129 points thanks to 30 disposals, nine marks and two goals and backed it up the next week with 138 points courtesy of 33 disposals, eight marks and six tackles. 

I know it’s only a couple days but that’s the type of well-rounded scoring that the uber premiums have. With the chatter that Cerra will land at Carlton who are screaming out for midfield support I think we get a 95-100 season from him in 2022 and then consistent 100 seasons after that. 
MJWhen I think of how best to describe Adam Cerra as a player the first word that comes to mind is class. ‘Chez’ has this uncanny ability to make the difficult look easy and find his teammates lace out from seemingly impossible positions. 
The scoring consistency hasn’t yet popped for him, just last year alone he delivered just four scores over 100. But what I like about his scoring is the steady build. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 60, 75 (BCV) and now an 87 which includes an injury impacted 15. 
If this current scoring trend both continues and maintains at his new club, he should average 95 for the next 7-8 seasons. Additionally, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ever cracked a few seasons over the 105 marker. 
At Carlton (his rumoured club of choice) he’ll never get tagged. That will always be Sam Walsh or Patrick Cripps if he can ever get back to his former glory. Having Cerra as potentially the #3 midfielder will be an exciting proposition for Blues fans but also for keeper coaches.
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Bailey Smith

KANEThere’s definitely a lot of merit in taking superstar players even if their scoring isn’t quite reflective of their standing in the game, as there’s always a buyer in the league that wants to own them. 

I don’t want the above comment to downplay Smith’s fantasy ability though. In his three seasons he’s already demonstrated that he has elite scoring traits. In 2021 alone he produced scores of 131,127, 125, 118 to go with a 126 in the semi final against Brisbane. That’s incredible scoring for a third year player.

My major concern with Smith as a fantasy prospect is his role. He’s been so damaging as a wingman with his workrate and capacity to hit the scoreboard that I worry he’ll be locked into this role for the bulk of his career. 

It’s extremely difficult to be a wingman that pushes past 105 and with Bontempelli, Liberatore, Macrae, Dunkley and Treloar all having multiple years of elite football ahead of them I don’t see a need to move Smith into a sought after inside midfield role. 

Even if Smith stays out on a wing for the next five years he’s too good of a player to average less than 90 points. I don’t think the fantasy output will match his superstardom but it will be more than good enough for many years to come.
MJI gotta be upfront with you. In keeper leagues, you want players that can score, but you always want to enjoy the player on your list. Thankfully, Bailey Smith ticks both of those boxes for keeper coaches.
Smith is genuinely one of the most watchable players in the AFL right now, and at just 21 years old when the season starts he’ll continue to only get better. 
Since debuting for the club he hasn’t missed a game. And in that debut year, he finished with an average of 69. Many know about my ‘games to first-ton’ metric for keeper values. For Bailey, it took him 14 games before that first ton. However, he had 3 scores over 90 before that. 
In 2020, he delivered a BCV average of 86 which included one pure ton and an additional six over 80. Remember in 2020 ‘80 was the new 100’ due to the shorter game time. 
For the season just gone, he averaged 87, scored six tons which included four over 115. 
The score build is there. He wins the contested ball, also accumulates the uncontested stuff, he tackles, marks and kicks goals. He’s well and truly the total package!
The lack of positional stability is of concern, as that impact both his ceiling and scoring basement. But at just 20 years of age at the time of writing, he has plenty of time to lock down a permanent position. 
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Sean Darcy

KANEIt was the breakout season we’ve all been waiting for from Sean Darcy. The 23-year-old ruckman played 21 games (his previous best was 15 out of 17 in 2020) and demonstrated the scoring power we saw glimpses of in his first season. 

Darcy’s average of 94 points was headlined with scores of 133, 132 and 122 but also brought down with scores of 44 (vs St Kilda, limited by injury and played forward) 59 (vs West Coast & Nic Naitanui) and 64 (vs Collingwood & Grundy). 

There’s clearly two massive challenges for Darcy as he aspires to match the top rucks. Firstly, his body. He needs to string seasons of 20+ games together and missing just three games in the past two seasons is an encouraging sign. Secondly, increase his floor. You can’t have 30-40 dips on your average when you face the best rucks in the competition. 

With a rising list around him and obvious role guarantees, Darcy has all the traits to be a long term ruck option. If you’re picking him in this range I think you have him pegged as a 95-100 player going forward. If you’re higher on him don’t be afraid to make your move earlier, if you lower on him well he’ll be well and truly gone by the time you’re comfortable to take him.
MJEver since Sean Darcy broke onto the football scene back in 2017 it;’s been clear he has the fantasy pedigree. A debut score of 80 was followed up a week later with a 114. The potential has always been there, but the injury issues in his body had previously let him down. Prior to this year, he’d never played more the 15 games in a season.

In 2021 he played 21 games, scored nine tons including three over 120 and an extra eight more scores over 80. And to be honest I thought he was pretty perfect in his year. But can he get better? In theory, yes, but for him to elevate himself to the Brodie Grundy territory of rucks, he’ll need to continue to improve on his endurance and athleticism. 

If he can do that, it’ll provide him with the necessary opportunities to push that average north of 105-110. 
Valuing rucks in any draft is both difficult and divisive. Everyone has differences of opinion. And that’s fine, but from a topline perspective, I’ll say this. Would you be prepared to spend a round 4 round draft pick on a player who’s 23 years old and likely top 3-4 in his line for the next 7+ seasons? For me, the answer is clearly ‘yes,’ which is why he’s in this tier on our list. 
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Matt Rowell

KANEAre you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of coach?

The junior pedigree and first four games of Matt Rowell are historic but injuries and some underwhelming performances since have put a halt to much of the hype. 

For a player like Rowell who has 10+ years ahead of him I think there’s always going to be at least one coach who jumps early so to get him I think you’re going to have to reach inside the top 25 picks. I feel comfortable in the 30s and wouldn’t be expecting 100+ in 2022 but more so high 80s, low 90s. 

No doubt Rowell could be a top 10 prospect as soon as 12 months from now and reward the coach that selects him for a long time. Ideally from now and draft day in Feb/March you’d love to hear that he’s tearing up the track in preseason and is healthy.
MJHow long can we be prepared to hold onto his junior numbers and start of the 2020 season and believe these as normal? 
In 2020 before succumbing to his season ending shoulder injury, he scored 64, 108, 104, & 78 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam resulting in an average of 70.8 or 88.5 adjusted. 
In the NAB League for Oakleigh, Rowell averaged 123 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. From his seven games, he averaged 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions, eight tackles and four marks per game.
This year, 12 games, an average of  55 and he didn’t score over 80 all year. The past 2 seasons of serious injury hits are a little concerning, but not alarming. At 20, he’s got a mountain of time on his side. 
I still think Rowell has the potential to be a 110+ averaging midfielder, and positively for new keeper leagues, he’s probably slipped a round or two in peoples eyes for when they target to draft him.
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Reilly O’Brien

KANEWhen to pick a ruck is always a challenge in a keeper and largely it depends on the setup of your league. Clearly the deeper the league the more valuable they become, particularly if you have the utility position activated. 

For this list, we’ve gone with 10 teams and one ruck on the field so the value is lesser but there’s always a need for a good one. 

The hard thing with ROB is what is his value? The upside looks to be near the best in the league as he’s demonstrated stretches of 110 scoring, however, in 2020 he had some scores that were shockers from a fantasy perspective and as a result his average fell into the 80s. 

With the reports ROB was carrying injury throughout much of the season I see him averaging near 100 for the next 3-5 years. The Riley Thilthorpe addition is a massive positive for ROB in my opinion as it means the Crows won’t play a second traditional ruck and instead have a talented ruck-forward in Thilthorpe to share the ruck duties with. 
MJWhich is the real Reilly O’Brien? Is it what he delivered in 2021? Or is it closer to his previous efforts when holding the #1 ruck mantle? 
From 20 games last year he averaged 86, scoring 5 tons and just an additional seven scores 80 or higher. Pleasingly for owners looking for ‘upside’, his 6 lowest scores came in the opening 10 rounds. But in the last 10 games of the year, he dropped his scores under 87 just twice. 

In 2020 he averaged 86.7 Avg (108 adjusted average) and scored 6 tons and 5 additional scores 80+.  While in 2019 he averaged 95 from 18 games. 
The club has confirmed that for major portions of the season that he was carrying some injury concerns of his lower back. So for me, there’s enough data for me to have greater confidence to think he’s closer to 2019/2020 scoring than 2021.  
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Zak Butters

KANEZak Butters is on his list largely for the eye test. The way he plays the game and the skill set he has projects as an elite player for mine. 

Now that’s not to say he hasn’t demonstrated some scoring power already. 

In the shortened games of 2020 Butters delivered scores of 114, 97 and 85 and in 2021 he produced scores of 119, 91, 90 and 88 in the full length games. 

This more than enough scoring for a player who has only played three seasons and hasn’t seized a prosperous midfield role. 

The best case for someone like Butters is that he becomes what Robbie Gray was in his prime. From 2014-2016 Gray averaged 96, 97 and 98 points while maintaining forward status and could always be relied upon for a big game.    
MJThe balance of keeper leagues is paying for a player at what they will be, and not just what they have. The risk to do this is you can pay for a layer ‘earlier than others’ as your forecasting potential.
At 21 years old the signs are there that Zak Butters knows how to deliver fantasy points, just looks at some of the signs from 2021.
R5, 119 |  36 touches, 6 tackles and a goalR20, 88 | 22 touches, 6 marks, 1 goalR21, 90 | 19 touches, 2 goalsR22, 91 |  25 touches 
I see another 8+ seasons of 85+ seasonal averages from Butters. There is a ‘small risk’ he moves into a predominate midfield role and loses that forward eligibility. However, the upside is that if he’s around the ball that much to lose FWD status, he’s probably averaging 95+ anyway. So in reality it’s probably not much of a loss. 
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Jordan De Goey

KANEJordan De Goey might be the most complicated player in the 50!

At 25 years of age he should be in the prime of his career and based off his second half of the season his scoring is certainly good enough (106 from Round 11-23).

Where it gets tricky to project De Goey going forward is the new coach – Craig McRae. How does he envisage De Goey in his Collingwood side in 2022 and beyond? What is the split between midfield and forward? 

I can’t see De Goey’s average falling below 80 and that would be with playing the majority of his time forward. Sole midfield his average should be edging towards triple figures as he has all the tools in his fantasy game to do so. 

The ideal mix is clearly just enough forward time to remain forward eligible with the rest in the midfield hunting the ball. If this happens I can see De Goey as a 90-100 player and constant top forward.
MJMr Upside is what I want to call Jordan De Goey. Much has been made about both his notorious start to 2021 scoring and a stunning ending. 
2021 was a tale of two scoring halves from his seasonal average of 84. Between rounds 1-10 he averaged 57 including an injury affected 3. However, from rounds 11-23 he averaged 106 with a high of 125 and a low of just 93. 
I don’t have any concerns about him losing forward status both in the immediate and long term. De Goey is far too imposing a forward 50 option, and no coach would want to lose him from there permanently. 
The greatest unknown for him is what’s the game style of the Magpies under McRae? Will it be high ball retention like last year? Or will they be looking for more impact per possession? I still rate him as a career 80+ FWD from now till retirement.  

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AFLFantasy & SuperCoach Dream Trade Scenarios
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Read Time:5 Minute, 30 Second

This Friday, the AFL offseason goes into full gear, with the free agency period commencing. The following Monday, the trade period officially opens. Then, every team other than Melbourne, the eyes move quickly to the 2022 season. With one question in mind, how their sides can improve and claim premiership success.

For AFLFantasy & SuperCoach players, it’s a time where players are coming and going that can create fantastic outcomes for our fantasy footy in 2022. So with the trade period about to open, I decided to look at some of my AFLFantasy & SuperCoach Dream trade scenarios.

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Jordan Dawson | Adelaide

Ask any Adelaide Crows fan about the clubs greatest need of improvement area, and they’ll almost universally say the same thing. Quality ball use! For years the Crows have lacked class both with their inside forward 50 entries and defensive rebounds. So the addition of Jordan Dawson to play predominantly across the wing will be a massive coup for the club. When he announced Adelaide as his club of choice, it was arguably the best offseason move for the club since the arrival of Eddie Betts.

Dawson is an elite ball user by foot and will use his booming left boot to get his teammates out of trouble while also providing players like Riley Thilthorpe silver service. Last year at Sydney, he averaged 88 in AFLFantasy and 101 in SuperCoach. As a Crow, I expect his disposal efficiency to maintain at a high level while also a small spike in his volume of disposals. Jordan should retain defensive status and, as such, be a genuine top ten option in 2022.

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Patrick Lipinski | Collingwood

Patrick Lipinski has struggled to establish himself inside the Bulldogs best 22 for most of his time at Whitten Oval. Now, with Collingwood courting him, Lipinski could emerge as a solid fantasy prospect. In 2019, he played 17 games just two seasons ago and averaged over 80 across all formats. In AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he averaged 85 and scored three tons. Positively he also dropped his scoring under 70 in just two games. While in SuperCoach, he averaged 81, which featured two tons and an additional four scores over 80.

He’ll be priced in the low 50’s in salary cap formats, and if he has a MID/FWD status, he might be a popular breakout option amongst the community. I think he’ll be at his most significant value in drafts. He’s one to watch in that format of the games.

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Adam Cerra | Carlton

When I think of how best to describe Adam Cerra as a player, the first word that comes to mind is class. ‘Chez’ has this uncanny ability to make the complex look easy and find his teammates lace out from seemingly impossible positions. But, unfortunately, the scoring consistency hasn’t yet popped for him. Just last year alone, he delivered just four scores over 100. But what I like about his scoring is the steady build. Over the past three seasons, averages have increased 10-15 per season. 

If this current scoring trend continues and maintains at his new club, he should average 95+ next season. Additionally, it wouldn’t surprise me if he cracked around the 100-105 average marker.  At Carlton (his rumoured club of choice), he’ll never get tagged. That will always be Sam Walsh or Patrick Cripps if he can ever get back to his former glory. Having Cerra as potentially the #3 midfielder will be an exciting proposition for Blues fans and fantasy coaches.

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Peter Ladhams | Geelong

To be upfront Peter Ladhams has more been linked with GWS Giants as part of a possible deal with Jeremy Finlayson. But in reality, a move there would see him stay as a backup ruck option. The club in most need of a lead ruck is Geelong. For years the club has been on the ruck merry go round, and a player like Ladhams in that ecosystem could flourish and benefit both parties.

It’s only a small sample size, but in four games of 2021 where he played as the #1 ruck with no Scott Lycett, he averaged 93.5 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 96.3 in SuperCoach. That’s an increase of over 27 points per game when he shared the role.

Does he end up a Cat? From a fantasy footy perspective, it’d be a match made in heaven!

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Jordan Clark | Fremantle

Talented Junior – Check
Deprived of Opportunity – Check
The rival club needs his skill – Check
Vacancy in the same rival side – Check
Draft capital to secure a deal – Check
Fantasy Pedigree – Check

In reality, if Jordan Clark wants to play as many games of AFL as possible, a move from Geelong is almost a necessity. For one reason or another, the Cats have overlooked him on multiple occasions. Just 24 months ago, Clark was one of the hottest young prospects in the league after averaging 13 possessions, four marks and nearly three tackles per game.

A move to Freo (or frankly anywhere at this rate) provides him with the opportunity to use his elite speed and strong footy IQ and, importantly for us as fantasy coaches, a chance to deliver. He’ll be priced in salary cap formats at just over 40 and should provide a solid return on investment. Remember, in his debut year; he averaged over 60.

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Potential New AFLFantasy Dual Position Players | Round 12
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Read Time:6 Minute, 39 Second

After round 12 the next and final DPP’s will be announced for AFLFantasy. Here is a look at just some of the players that are in contention to pick up an additional position.

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ADD DEFENCE

The dockers are struggling with talls down back with injuries to the key defensive stocks of Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce. Brennan Cox has been sent down back to try and battle opposition key forwards. His scoring isn’t relevant for even the draft format, let alone classic. But it’s a role change that needs to be awarded. Similarly, Bulldog Ryan Gardner has had a role change. When playing for the doggies, he’s now playing exclusively as a defender.

Sam Mayes, The former Lion, has forced his way into the power side and in the past three weeks has looked at home across half-back and up across the wings. An average of 66 including a season-high score of 92 puts him right in the mix to sneak on the field in most teams backlines. A handy DPP pick up if this is awarded.

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ADD MIDFIELD

Over the past month, the Crows midfield has had a significant change due to several factors including injuries to Brad Crouch and Rory Sloane. As a result, the coaching staff have moved Rory Laird into the midfield. His most recent clash against the Pies has certainly highlighted just how good of a midfielder he can be. Lock this DPP in!

Premiership Tiger has been increasing his midfield time every year. Now Shai Bolton has been forced to increase his time in the guts with injuries to Trent Cotchin, Josh Caddy and Shane Edwards choosing to stay home from the hubs. His value in draft leagues has certainly increased because of it. Not someone to target in fantasy classic.

The move to Fremantle has seen the former Magpie James Aish become a crucial part of replacing Ed Langdon and Brad Hill. Playing predominantly as a winger Aish is having a personal best season in terms of his relevance for draft coaches Currently as a back eligible player he’s ranked inside the top 20 for total points scored. As with every player that every gains centre status, it only ever adds flexibility to your squad and not adding to points on the field for owners.

Like teammate James Aish, 20-year-old Adam Cerra has taken his opportunities with departures in a few former teammates and started to make the midfield role his own. As a player, he’s a great user of the ball on both sides of his body, strong over the footy and clean at ground level. After being selected at pick five in the 2017 draft, Docker fans (and draft league owners) are starting to get some glimpses of the player he’ll become. Does being awarded DPP make much of a difference to owners? Probably not, but it validates the role change he’s had in 2020.

Last year the fantasy football community was hoping that the VFL midfielder star would get his chances in an undermanned Carlton midfield. It didn’t eventuate in 2019, but in 2020 Michael Gibbons has forced his way into the Carlton midfield and playing a significant support role to Patrick Cripps. Like his teammate, Matt Kennedy is getting plenty of time through the Carlton midfield. He’s been a handy pick up off the waiver wire for astute coaches.

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ADD RUCK

With Nic Naitanui taking the lead ruck role the Eagles have often used another tall as the relief ruck. West Coast turned to Oscar Allen to help bring some support. This year he’s averaging career-high hitouts a game and providing viable support to NicNat.

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ADD FORWARD

It’s always dangerous to make big bold predictions, especially with premiums. However, with Dayne Zorko, I’m happy to go there. Lock in the Lions skipper as a DPP MID/FWD at the end of the round. A few small niggling injuries might have been the thing that cost the Brisbane captain from picking up a position this previously. Regardless, Dayne Zorko has had a drastic role change in 2020, spending plenty of time-based inside forward 50.

The Lions midfield is heavily centred around Lachie Neale, Jarryd Lyons and then a floating cast of thousands which includes Zorko, McCluggage, Berry and Rayner amongst others. If you track his most recent form run, he’s arguably a worthwhile pick in fantasy classic as a midfielder. The addition of this forward status will make him one of the most highly sort after prospects this week.

Current owners of Patrick Dangerfield and Nat Fyfe will be holding their breath in the hopes that either would be awarded a new DPP. Nobody would deny they have spent significant forward minutes over the past few games, but if we are to count the season as a whole not just recent weeks, then we might just be missing out on them both. It could come down to the roles they play this weekend. If I was to make a prediction, then I think both miss, but it won’t be by much. As a Danger owner, I hope he gets it.

Popular cash cow Sam Simpson has also been squeezed out of the midfield unit at Geelong and is now spending a lot of time off half-forward. Should he gain FWD status, he could become a handy option for another week or so before he hits his cash generation peak.

One last Cat, I promise. But Geelong has moved the magnets around a ton this year, and rebounding defender Zac Tuohy has spent plenty of time in the last month as a forward. The core reason behind the move is Geelong recognising the need to get quality inside 50 entires. Anyone that’s spent time watching Tuohy can vouch for his quality delivery of the football by foot. He’s probably only draft relevant now given I don’t see him matching it with the top tier backs. However, if you’re one of the few that have him in classic, you’d be happy with this potential new squad versatility.

The Fremantle big man Rory Lobb has spent the majority of the season playing a split role with Sean Darcy. What might not bode well is early in the season Rory Lobb was forced to ruck solo when Darcy went down injured. However, over the past month, it’s been much closer to a 50\50 split especially without Jesse Hogan playing up forward. Whether this split of time is enough in AFLFantasy’s eyes is enough will ultimately determine if he’s awarded DPP. A draft relevant only addition.

Demon Luke Jackson should pick up forward status, but isn’t a relevant fantasy prospect just yet.

Lastly, James Sicily has spent a few quarters down inside the Hawks forward line. However, it’s just nowhere near enough time to warrant the addition of a new status.

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UltimateFooty: Round 6 Positional Changes
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Read Time:8 Minute, 4 Second

After rounds 3, 6 & 9 the drafting format of Ultimate Footy awards additional player positions to players that have had a role change in season. As always players are required to have played a minimum of 3 games to be eligible and to be playing the new position as their primary role in the side.

In total 12 players have gained an additional position, two players have gained back status, five gaining centre, one new ruck and four have picked up forward status. Let’s look at who they are and the relevance to your draft sides and leagues.

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Kyron Hayden | Add Back

The big-bodied midfielder has found a home more recently in the Kangaroos backline and because of this has picked up the new position. As far as relevance for UltimateFooty coaches, there is none. A seasonal average of 33 from five matches and a top score of 45 is the type of scoring you only wish on your opposition and want nowhere near your squad. Pass… Next!

Jay Lockhart | Add Back

Stay with us, there will be a DPP that helps UltimateFooty community, but Jay Lockhart isn’t it either. The forward turned pressure defender is in a similar scoring boat to Hayden above. A top score of 42 and an average of 34 isn’t worth having on your roster. There is a reason why his average draft position was over 350 and why he’s owned in just 4% of leagues. Pass!

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Brodie Smith | Add Centre

Even before the injury-hit Adelaide skipper Rory Sloane, the Crows have loved using Brodie Smith higher up the ground in 2020. The club loves using his elite kicking skills for inside 50 delivery, and while the Crows forwards are yet to get it done, Brodie is playing his part, and his fantasy football results are starting to show. Even though he had a slow start (35 and 45), his past four weeks have been impressive—Scoring 73, 73, 75 and last week’s 107 against West Coast. In the past three weeks, only Nick Haynes and Callum Mills have stronger averages for those back eligible players. The allocation of centre DPP just enhances your scoring potential, especially if you might be blessed with all the best backs. Using the same three-week rolling average, he’s currently ranked 26th for averages in all of UF.

Ben Keays | Add Centre

Since breaking into the Crows side, Ben Keays has found a role for himself playing as a tagger in the Adelaide midfield. His actual value is the fact that he’s forward eligible and has scored a 68, 72 and 59 in three of his last four outings. In most leagues that enough to consider placing on the field this year. Like anyone who gains a centre positional allocation it only ever enhances squad versatility, not player relevance.

Christian Petracca | Add Centre

The breakout year of Christian Petracca is well and truly on! He’s currently ranked as the top-scoring forward this year for total points. One of the primary reasons behind the scoring boost has been a significant increase in his midfield role at Melbourne. It’s no surprise he’s picked up C/F DPP.

James Aish | Add Centre

The move to Fremantle has seen the former Magpie become a crucial part of replacing Ed Langdon and Brad Hill. Playing predominantly as a winger James Aish is having a personal best season in terms of his relevance for draft coaches Currently as a back eligible player he’s ranked inside the top 20 for total points scored. As with every player that every gains centre status, it only ever adds flexibility to your squad and not adding to points on the field for owners.

Adam Cerra | Add Centre

Like teammate James Aish, 20-year-old Adam Cerra has taken his opportunities with departures in a few former teammates and started to make the midfield role his own. As a player, he’s a great user of the ball on both sides of his body, strong over the footy and clean at ground level. After being selected at pick five in the 2017 draft, Docker fans (and keeper league owners) are starting to get some glimpses of the player he’ll become. He’s ranked inside the top 50 for backs on averages and inside the top 40 based on total points. Does being awarded DPP make much of a difference to owners? Probably not, but it validates the role change he’s had in 2020.

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Darcy Fort | Add Ruck

This new DPP might be a but a very relevant one depending on the ruck stocks in your league. In the Geelong Cats ruck roulette, he’s the current flavour of the month. As such, he should be given the status given that when he has played in 2020 (four games), he’s been the ruckmen. A three-round average of 53 isn’t incredible, but as a bench cover, it’s not the worst. His scoring is significantly higher if you have additional scoring categories turned on.

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Tom Phillips | Add Forward

2018-2019 saw some fantastic scoring from Tom Phillips as he looked to establish himself as one of the best wingmen in the game. Averages of 95 and 90 had his coaches expecting another strong return in 2020. Except for Andrew Gaff, most wingers are seeing a scoring dip, but for Philips, it’s even more significant. For him, it’s more as he’s moved into a higher forward role. The benefit for the coaches that drafted him (Average draft position of 125) is that he moves from a midfielder you cannot field to now someone you can place in your forward line. His 101 back in round two against Richmond feels a long time away given he’s followed it up with four consecutive scores between 51-57. An average of 58.8 is far from stunning as a midfielder, but as a forward in this weird season, it’s not horrendous. He currently ranks inside the top 50 forwards and is ahead of popular picks like teammate Jordan De Goey, Luke Dahlhaus, Blake Acres and Robbie Gray. Small comfort for owners who’ve been frustrated with the return based on where there drafted him.

Jonathon Marsh | Add Forward

The Saints are stacked when it comes to tall defenders. With Callum Wilkie, Dougal Howard and Jake Carlisle taking up the three tall defensive posts the only way for the former Magpie to break into the side was through injury or a role change. For Jono Marsh, his journey back to the elite level more consistently has been through a role change. The offseason departure of Josh Bruce has opened up a tall vacancy to support young star Max King and Tim Membrey. From a fantasy football perspective scores of 39, 65, 41 and 24 are far from what we should want on our lists.

Hayden McLean | Add Forward

The Swans have been decimated for injures to key position players in 2020 and Hayden McLean while in the side as a ruck at centre bounces he has been forced to be a used up forward in general play to create a tall target to support Nick Blakey. A top score of 53 in the last four weeks isn’t huge, but could be handy in deeper leagues or those with additional scoring categories switched on. Regardless, once the talls start to return over the next few weeks I suspect he might not have the strongest job security.

Jarryn Geary | Add Forward

The Saints have had a radical change to their structures in 2020, and that was bound to happen given the plethora of players they brought into the team via the recent trade period. One of those changes was to use Jarryn Geary’s defensive skills up forward on opposition teams best playmaker. In the few times he’s done it he’s done a reasonable job. Given he’s only played four games in 2020 and one of those was an eight his average of 31 means that his fantasy relevance is as strong as the Adelaide Crows goal scoring. Non-existent!

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Close, but not yet…

Many coaches were hopeful that Dayne Zorko had done enough to be awarded forward status. And he was mighty close to picking up DPP. What arguably hurt his cause was that he’s missed multiple games through injury (round 3 & 5) plus missed a majority of the clubs round four clash with injury concerns.

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Marsh Community Series Review | Eagles Vs Dockers
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Read Time:3 Minute, 30 Second

It a late afternoon game at Joondalup the Dockers took the Pre Season Derby win over the Eagles by a miserly one point 55 v 54 after a late and spirited fight back.

The Eagles had the game on their terms early playing a high possession kick/mark brand which magnified a few defenders stats, especially that of Liam Duggan’s 32 disposals and 12 marks.

It looked a laydown misere for the Eagles entering the last quarter before a strong fightback by Fremantle, as the tempo lifted albeit for last 10 minutes with both teams appearing keen to get a win.

Chief outs: West Coast: Darling, Allen and Cole Fremantle: Ryan, Aish, Mundy, and the injured Pearce, Hamling, and Acres.

Nat Fyfe:

A game-high 14 contested, owned by 36% in SC and unlikely to drop off this performance, 11 CBA’s and some time forward for his 115 SC points.

Andrew Brayshaw:

If this guy isn’t in your team or not on your watchlist as a forward you’re doing it wrong. He had 25 disposals, 10 contested, 8 tackles, 14 CBA’s priced at 70 in DT and 71 in SC, went at 1.3 PPM in AF for his 120 points.

Adam Cerra:

A tough one to get a gauge on imho, will definitely be unique but will he deliver, had 17 disposals with just the 5 CBA’s, Darcy Tucker may just be ahead of him atm for more midfield time.

Michael Walters:

If he gets enough midfield minutes he will be a very good pick in 2020. Sonny had a sensational 3rd quarter, the problem is he is a very dangerous forward and Freo lack what he brings to their offence. Regardless of the splits, he will definitely end up one of the top forwards of this year.

Lachie Schultz:

A lively forward rook who a few of us may have started in 2019. Unfortunately, his price has blown out in 2020 but he might need to consider after his 2 decent pre-season games and our shortage of low priced rooks atm.

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Serong and Sturt:

Two rookies to consider if they get named Round 1, with limited game time it’s going to be tough for them.

Stephen Hill:

He was taking the kickins in the absence of Ryan and setting up some creative plays. However, the problem is he’s been diagnosed with some quad awareness and is off for scans this week.

Conner Blakely:

‘Connie B’ didn’t play in the main game but responded to his axing with a BOG in the curtain raiser for Peel Thunder v The Eagles, will that be enough to start Round 1?

Elliot Yeo:

A game-high 33 disposals, 15 CBA’s, 7 tackles, was the top-scoring AFLFantasy player with 126 and he went at 1.4 PPM. His first 7 disposals were kicks but he let himself down a little with 18 of the next 26 disposals being handballs. Kick the ball Elliot.

Andrew Gaff:

Just the 4 CBA’s in his 32 disposals but ended up being the highest SC scorer on the ground with 133 points, also only owned by 2% in SC, an excellent unique option.

Tim Kelly:

He’s a fantastic addition in the midfield for the Eagles, wait until he gets his burners going, 29 with 8 contested, will be one of the best for the Eagles in 2020 imho.

Jarrad Brander:

A fwd/def rookie played a defensive wing type role and looks to have cemented a Round 1 spot, we need these guys.

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Nic Naitanui:

The usual type of game from Naitanui. Low time on the ground with plenty of points. Nic posted a 100 in SuperCoach, 64 in AFLFantasy. NicNat is currently the 14th most expensive ruck in SuperCoach, can you go there as your R2? He’s in 13% of SC teams.

Dom Sheed:

He was too good not to get a mention, played forward a bit and finished with 23 disposals and 2 goals, 99 SC. Champion Data will be looking very closely into his Fwd/Mid splits early in the year. I’m already expecting a Fwd Status addition in AF and UF

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Marsh Community Series Review | Dockers v Blues
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Read Time:4 Minute, 7 Second

An interesting fantasy game this one – there were plenty of watchlist players running around for their first formal match practise of 2020. To start with however, here’s a list to keep in mind of important players who didn’t play:

Fremantle: Fyfe, Hill, Mundy, Walters, Pearce, Wilson, Hayden Young

Carlton: Betts, Cripps, Marchbank, McGovern, McKay, Murphy, Petrevski-Seton

So when reviewing players, their role, their performance & the match just keep the above in mind.

Rory Lobb

Lobb needs mentioning because he had such a big game, however there are some important things to note. The first is that Darcy didn’t play the second half due to a precautionary injury resting (per coach afterwards he should be fine) & the second is that Kreuzer didn’t play the second half either (Kreuze looked good in the first half too) so Lobb basically played ruck against Pittonet for half a game.

Having said that, he looked much better than Darcy in the first half anyway. He was more mobile, took more marks, looked more dangerous – it wouldn’t surprise if Freo again play Lobb as their main ruck and leave Darcy in the WAFL at times as happened last year. It makes for an interesting dynamic for draft leagues.

Andrew Brayshaw

Brayshaw played midfield and he got a lot of it when he was on. An excellent sign for those keen on him as a breakout ‘forward’ this year. Keep in mind the above players who didn’t play though so it’s hard to read anything definitive into his role & likely scoring just based on this game. He does look to be on the up though.

Blake Acres

Per Brayshaw above, had the midfield role we were hoping for (he’s another ‘forward’ this year) however, again, look at the list of outs above. We’ll want to see this role and output again in their 2nd match when Fyfe, Walters, Mundy etc are back.

Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.

Connor Blakely

It’s like a record on repeat here – per Brayshaw & Acres above, Blakely certainly played a lot around the ball and through the midfield. Once again though, we need to see who stays in there when everyone’s playing. I will also note that his disposal wasn’t quite as clean as the other two, although he’s certainly a big lad in there and knows how to find it.

Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.

Adam Cerra

Cerra certainly played a good chunk of the game in midfield and looked very solid. He was also around half-back at times. A clean ball user who was going at a high disposal efficiency throughout, he’s someone they’ll want to give the ball to as well. Role will be important when we get to the next praccy match again though.

Lachie Schultz

Probably too awkwardly priced to really be of note, it was still a really good game from the young forward. His disposal and decision making weren’t always clean but he got involved and threw himself into contests. Four goals straight was also an excellent return.

Caleb Serong

Looked really good, clean and promising. Probably too much in the midfield depth chart ahead of him to be worth his price tag this year but one for the future certainly.

Sam Walsh

Just the lazy 28 touches for Walsh in this game – obviously going to have the 2nd year Blues… But seriously, he looked as good as ever in this game. Too high a price to really be salary cap relevant this year but he will be in future years.

Sam Docherty

Let’s be honest, this is the Carlton player that most fantasy footy players wanted to see in this game. Given his discounted pricing & his previous averages, fitness & form were things that needed ticking off. Well, he’s certainly back to fitness – playing pretty much the whole game (albeit he suggested post-game that he did cramp late).

As for form? He did seem rusty early however grew into the match as it went on and really started to get some of those mark-kick combos in defense and up onto the wing. An excellent first up game for him all things considered.

Please read our full preseason take on him from the 50 Most Relevant Series here.

Mark Pittonet

Had a decent game but only played the 2nd half and that up against Lobb & High Dixon in the ruck. Kreuzer looked really good in the first half so doubtful that Pittonet plays unless Kreuzer gets injured (which, let’s be honest, does happen from time to time). A cheap ruck option for us but unless he’s named Round 1 it seems a premium price too far at this stage.

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mj.want@lightmelbourne.com.au
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