After rounds 3, 6, 9, 12 & 15 the drafting format of Ultimate Footy awards additional player positions to players that have had a role change in season. At the conclusion of the round we’ll confirm with you exclusively which players WILL gain a new position, but before then here are some players we believe would be in consideration for obtaining a new positional status.
Embed from Getty ImagesJack Sinclair | ADD BACK
Jack Sinclair getting back status is possibly less exciting than what it looked like in the preseason after scoring 112 in the AAMI Community Series. But with the saints trying to squeeze everyone into that midfield Sinclair has been one of the players moved to the backline.
Dyson Heppell | ADD BACK
Dyson Heppell missed getting DPP post round three because he missed the qualification of playing three games. Since then, the Essendon skipper has solidified this defensive role. His likely addition should be a huge boost for his owners, especially if they are running shallow in the backline and deep in the centre. Arguably this will be one of the biggest DPP gains we get.
Bailey Dale | ADD BACK
I was surprised UltimateFooty didn’t award this after round 3, so hopefully, they amend it in this batch of DPP additions. Bailey Dale has forged a role for himself as part of the Bulldogs defensive seven. He’s started to take some of the kick in duties from Caleb Daniel and is showing plenty of XFactor and class. It looks like Bevo has turned another mid/fwd into a centrepiece of the backline.
Miles Bergman | ADD Back
The young forward has been redeveloped as a defender in the offseason and has shown he can get it done in defence at the elite level in his handful of games. Lock it in!
Embed from Getty ImagesChad Warner | ADD CENTRE
Chad Warner has already proven to be one of the best moneymakers of the season. He’s found himself at home as part of the Swans midfield group and should be a walk up DPP addition for UF.
Jack Crisp | ADD Centre
‘Crispy’ has always pushed up the ground even when starting across half back. But in 2021, Nathan Buckley seems quite content to play him at centre bounce more regularly. The possible DPP will open squad versatility and create further options for his owners. It still looks like a top 6-8 defensive premium in 2021.
Mark O’Connor | ADD CENTRE
The Cats have continued to use Mark O’Connor in a defensive midfield role over the past month. Despite picking up an injury last week, he still did enough in my eyes to award him centre status.
Jaidyn Stephenson | ADD CENTRE
He’s playing heavy midfield minutes for the Kangaroos, add centre status. Pretty simple really! Next!
Jack Lukosious | ADD CENTRE
The Suns love his use of the ball by foot and have looked to transform him again into a damaging wingman. When he gets on the end of it, his sublime foot skills are often exploited to help set up deep inside forward 50 attacks from Gold Coast. He’s picking up centre status will add squad flexibility and not gain you more points on the field.
Embed from Getty ImagesSean Darcy | ADD FORWARD
He’s been excellent over the past few weeks, both in his role through the ruck and also in providing a viable tall target option up forward. Normally a ruckman gaining forward status only provides coaches with some squad flexibility, but with forwards struggling to score in 2021, this could be the exception.
Lachie Hunter | ADD FORWARD
The addition of Adam Treloar was always going to have a cascading impact on the Bulldogs midfield that was already stacked for options. It seems that Lachie Hunter is one of those who’s taken the biggest hit, with the wingman now spending a majority of his time playing a forward bound role. If he gains DPP it could be a huge win! Especially with the injury impact of Josh Dunkley missing the vast majority of the season.
Josh Daicos | ADD FORWARD
Josh Daicos was one of the more hyped breakout candidates for 2021. Despite the club moving on both Adam Treloar and Tom Phillips, who were staples of the Magpie midfield previously, Daicos can barely get a CBA. Instead, Bucks has been content to play him as a small forward. As a result, his scoring has decreased to the point where last week he scored a season high 75. Unless his role changes and he plays midfield, he’s set to stay as an irrelevant option in classic. Draft coaches will be hoping to get the DPP so they can atleast something out of what’s been a disastrous selection result so far.
NB: He spent alot of time in the midfield this week, and that might just be enough for UF to hesitate awarding it for another few weeks to see if the midfield role has rebounded.
Josh Kelly | ADD FORWARD
He has barely attended a CBA in the past four weeks and seems to have inherited the role Lachie Whitfield made famous as a high half-forward pushing up the ground. It’d be some solace for coaches that drafted him if he does get it. With an ADP of 23, it’ll be a small consolidation as easily one of the biggest premium busts of the drafting season so far.
Jack Billings | ADD FORWARD
He’ll always be in the conversation for regaining his forward status, given how damaging he is inside forward 50. With the saints trying to squeeze Brad Crouch into that midfield unit, the Saints have used Billings more forward than across the wings. The question for us will be, has he spent enough time forward to his UF’s percentage quota. For me, I’m leaning towards it being a yes, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they opted against it. While he is playing more forward, it’s not an exclusive move.
Devon Smith | ADD FORWARD
See above… He’s a chance! And his owners will be praying he does get it. His average of 73 as a centre is almost someone not worth rostering in most leagues, so he needs it to stay relevant.
Nat Fyfe | ADD FORWARD
Any small chances he had to pick up forward status got smashed last weekend, with the Dockers skipper attending 95% of centre bounces last weekend against North Melbourne. It’s doubtful he gets it, but if he does, then go out and purchase yourself a lottery ticket because that’s a huge dose of luck if he does.
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