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It’s hard to know how the perennial ‘there or thereabouts’ Swans will perform for 2019. Some new faces in the engine room appear likely and assessing the potential relevance for each always makes for an interesting debate.

So to help you with that, we’ve assembled the Panel yet again and pitched a few categories to see who we’ve been keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the Sydney players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: I really do think that Jake Lloyd is the safest of the defender premiums likely to maintain their scoring this year. Load up.

MJ: It’s vanilla, it’s boring but when you talk locks at some point in then year you’ll want to have Jake Lloyd in your side.

Rids: Jake Lloyd. Top 2 defender in DT/AF. Great bye round. Just start with him and solve all other issues.

Tim: Isaac Heeney. Talk of increased mid minutes for both Heeney & Mills in 2019 among the Swans and he’s already a premium fwd.

Fox: Jake Lloyd, no need to explain just lock him in and throw away the key

The Breakout

Jimmy: George Hewett has definite shades of JPK about him and I expect that sooner or later he’ll be unleashed to hunt the ball instead of just the man.

MJ: It probably won’t be to land him as a keeper by seasons end, but he doesn’t need to be. Oli Florent was spoken about by Luke Parker in our most recent podcast as someone to watch & I agree with him. Skill, poise, class and pace! The kid has it all.

Rids: Ollie Florent Saw this kid play at Punt Road as an 18 year old and was super impressed at the time. Nothing I have seen since has made me have a rethink. Will break out big time in 2019. I am expecting 85+ across all the formats as his development continues.

Tim: Callum Mills Talk of increased mid minutes for both Heeney & Mills in 2019 among the Swans and he was an absolute ball magnet in juniors so a change of role here would interest a lot of fantasy coaches.

Fox: Callum Mills finally after 3 long years we may get to see what this young star has to offer on ball and in the clinches

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Honestly, look elsewhere to start the season but keep an eye out for Matthew Ling on the bubble if/when his time comes.

MJ: If you need a throwaway R3 that has some potential to play then consider Darcy Cameron. Won’t be a massive scorer, but the club loves him.

Rids: Matthew Ling. High draft pick from the year before last. Quick and smart with ball in hand.

Tim: Nick Blakey. Hard to pick one so just defaulted to top ten draftee. Should get some exposure at some stage.

Fox: Nick Blakey knows his way around the club and surely gets a feed from his young mates

The Unique

Jimmy: Callum Sinclair shares the same bye round as Gawn & Grundy but does have the advantage of being significantly cheaper with that gap likely to close somewhat this year if you’re looking to take on one of the big men early. Navigating round 13 will still be tricky, though.

MJ: Even in his debut season we saw some strong indications that Tom Papley can score. Will he go enough to be a hold for the season? Unlikely, but if your looking for a unique stepping stone then he could be your guy.

Rids: Luke Parker. History tells us he is a 10 pt a game better player across all formats than what he averaged in 2018. He will definitely be unique in 2019. His ceiling is huge and could be a serious premium breakout candidate if he gets the mid minutes required.

Tim: Jarrad McVeigh Hard to pick a good unique so just went for a guy who finished the season very well (barring injury).

Fox: Lance Franklin, although he’s 32, still a 95 point averaging Super Coach Star

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: Jackson Thurlow is almost a certainty to gain defender status in the first update of DPP this year and appears to be settling well into the old Mills role.

MJ: Ryan Clarke looks t have secured a running defender role and certainly should provide an upside of 10 points to his current average if not maybe more. Worth a late round pick up for sure.

Rids: JPK. Saw some pictures of this man last week. Wowsers he looks fit. Will definitely slide in drafts this year but is right in the mix for a 100+ avg across the formats.

Tim: Zak Jones. Def status again so keep him in mind.

Fox: Tom Papley, could get a fair bit more of it through the midfield in 2019 and you’re picking him as a forward

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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The Saints have a fantastic early draw on paper with games against the Gold Coast, Essendon, Fremantle & Hawthorn. Is there opportunity for clever coaches to capitalise on this for a handy head start on the competition?

So to help you with that, we’ve assembled the Panel yet again and pitched a few categories to see who we’ve been keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the St Kilda players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: “Lock” might be a bit strong but there’s a fair case to argue that Jack Steele could end up in the top bracket of Fantasy midfielders this year. Finished the 2018 season with scores of 101, 124, 120 & 145. Loves a cuddle and is the type of contested animal that should seriously thrive under the new rules.

MJ: If you were big on Jack Billings last year I still believe you need to consider him this year seriously. Round one match against the Suns should help get away actively on the fantasy scoreboard

Rids: Seb Ross. Bloody frustrating to own! He will dominate a qtr then not been seen again the next qtr (Richo at fault here as he has been pushed deep backline etc). One thing is for sure though! When Ross plays on the ball, he does not stop finding the it. Lock him in if you are looking for a ‘real’ unique.

Tim: Jack Billings. No locks at the Saints, Billings the best of a bad lot.

Fox: Seb Ross is a ball winning beast with great durability, expecting him to push into 110 territory, will burn the turf early at Marvel Stadium

The Breakout

Jimmy: Hunter Clark is one of those forgotten top ten draftees from recent seasons with immense talent and minimal opportunity to date. Will flourish sooner or later and this could well be his year.

MJ: This feels like I’m dodging the system, but I think Jack Newnes looks sets for a bounce-back season. After being used predominantly off the wing and halfback most of his career in 2018, he for some reason got used as a pressure forward. The JLT role suggests he’s playing back higher up the ground which should see him returning to his more regular scoring form of 2014-2017.

Rids: Jade Gresham. I hope this actually evenuates for Saint supporters. Kid is a ball magnet. Has played as a small fwd the last couple of years but the time is now for the midfield!

Tim: Rowan Marshall. Saints really have only Longer Pierce and Marshall as ruckmen. Sounds like they want to play at least two of the three when fit but if Marshall beats out the others for that spot then he’ll be a massive breakout & cash cow.

Fox: Jade Gresham is likely to launch in 2019, in 2018 we saw 7 games under 60 points in SC and 4 of his best scores were against Richmond x 2, Melbourne and GWS, he’s sure to get hold of a few weak teams in 2019 with a bigger tank, more mid time and 666

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Matt Parker appears to be set for a round one debut (touch wood) and has done all the right things throughout the preseason to give us confidence in picking him.

MJ: The best option here and I use the word ‘best’ loosely is a mature-age recruit, Matt Parker. Has some XFactor about him, something the Saints forward line has lacked for years. Don’t expect 60-70 scores, instead count any time he goes over 50 as a bonus.

Rids: Nick Hind. Mature aged running defender. Likes to run and carry which is something the Saints really do need. Could easily be 2019’s version of 2018’s Sam Murray. One to watch.

Tim: Billy Longer. Following on from above, the same logic could apply here as for Marshall above but assuming Longer becomes the solo ruck.

Fox: Nick Hind poached from Essendon, this mature ager with lightning speed and a K/HB ratio of 2.2 is almost a must have

The Unique

Jimmy: If Jack Steven lines up for round one as reported, you’d be one of only a handful in the competition picking him. Not a bad thing at all given his ceiling and first few opponents.

MJ: Starting with Jack Steele would be ballsy given the number of other options that are more proven like Dusty and Sloane priced near him, but he’s shown the scoring potential late last year and again in the JLT.

Rids: Jack Billings. His 2018 was one to forget yet his overall average was salvaged late in the season. Burned many to the point they wont be back. He will still be popular with those price tags but not as popular as this time 2018.

Tim: Blake Acres. Fwd status, quality player, wins a lot of the ball on his day.

Fox: Jack Billings showed us his value in the second half of last year averaging 97 DT and 93 SC in his last 10, we get him to the equivalent of 10 points cheaper this year

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: There’s a strong chance that if you’ve finished your draft already, Tim Membrey is still sitting on the waiver wire untouched. Check out the Saints’ early draw and consider for your last forward spot if perhaps otherwise a little light there. And if he does perform early, don’t hesitate to trade for anything better than a half-eaten packet of chips should you get the opportunity.

MJ: I spoke about Jack Newnes earlier, but you should be able to grab him super late and get returns of 80+ scores. Massive win!

Rids: Dan Hannebery. It was only 2 years ago that Hanners was a first rd selection. Fast fwd to 2019 and suddenly he becomes a m7/m8 in one of the greatest slides I can remember. Keep an eye on him. Cheap for me is round 15 onwards.

Tim: Will tip in for Blake Acres again here.

Fox: Billy Longer will be sitting there for most of your draft, but could be anything if he sole rucks, his last 7 games in 2017 netted him a whopping average of 99 SC points

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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With JLT out of the way and just a handful of days remaining until the real thing starts, it’s time to finish off our research and start finalising our teams with confidence.

So to help you with that, we’ve assembled the Panel yet again and pitched a few categories to see who we’ve been keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the Richmond players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: Dusty is the obvious selection here but I also wanted to highlight that Jack Riewoldt averaged 93 in SuperCoach last year, has an elite ceiling, and the common consensus has Lynch improving Jack’s output rather than hurting it. Just a thought.

MJ: Don’t over complicate things. In SuperCoach start with Dustin Martin. I explained here when I wrote about him in the 50 Most Relevant.

Benny: There is no one on this list that screams lock. There is plenty of value though. Dustin Martin presents as an interesting candidate just twelve months on from his legendary 2017. He is one that should be considered by all, if not simply for the fact that prime age champions who drop in average by 20+ should always be worth monitoring.

Rids: Toby Nankervis. Every chance to improve his averages again in 2019 as he completes another preseason. People forget that he is still very young and shouldnt peak for another couple of years. Big chance for top few in the rucks.

Tim: Alex Rance. Premium in SuperCoach, dude is too good to ignore and also Richmond’s fantasy scoring wasn’t great last year but I expect that to improve somewhat.

Fox: Dustin Martin has to be a Super Coach lock, went to the summit in 2017, before dropping 20 points in 2018, 666 and Tom Lynch demand more Dusty clearances and goal assists

The Breakout

Jimmy: Number one ticket holder of the Jack Higgins fanclub right here so take it with a grain of the proverbial. Kid sure knows how to find the ball and is slated for increased midfield time this year. Snag-kicking ball magnet? Yes please.

MJ: More due to price point as a ‘breakout’ which is injury affected but Tom Lynch will dominate the competition at his new home if his body gives him the chance. A combination of the new AFL rules plus one of the leagues elite midfield now delivering him first-class supply should mean be pushing his averages pushing the verges of a top 10 forward.

Benny: Jayden Short – Steadily lifting his average and becoming a reliable option to drive the Tigers forward. Entering his fourth season, Short will continue to push past the likes of Houli and the move of Ellis to the wing may afford him greater opportunity. A speedy runner with a penetrating kick, the rule changes seem to suit him nicely.

Rids: Tom Lynch. Yes I know he has already broken out previously. It is his starting price though. He is currently 71st on the list of fwds in DT for price. I expect him to finish top 10 for avg. That is a massive return.

Tim: Jack Higgins. Would be a big shock if this kid never became a good player so will surely take another step towards that this year.

Fox: Jack Higgins is a guy who could quite easily follow Clayton Oliver with a 2nd year 30- 40 point spike if he plays predominant mid minutes

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Is there room on the interchange bench for Oleg Markov to finally get a sustained run? The Richmond back six is harder to break into than Fort Knox, but in his fourth year in the system it’s now or never for him.

MJ: He’s fighting an uphill battle but it sounds like Riley Collier-Dawkins is doing everything possible to knock the door down for a round one debut.

Benny: Noah Balta demonstrated his capacity as a forward-ruck throughout the JLT series. Unlikely to receive selection alongside Lynch, Balta may have to continue to bide his time in the twos. The talented youngster will be worth keeping tabs on through ’19.

Rids: Callum Coleman-Jones will be the back up to Nank thru 2019. Was easily the best ruck of the 2017 draft imo. Kid will get games in 2019! Otherwise keep an eye on Bolton, Naish, Ross and Balta thru the JLT.

Tim: Riley Collier-Dawkins. The hype draftee hasn’t had a lot of attention in fantasy circles of late, but he was hyped for a reason.

Fox: One of Balta, Naish or Markov could get early games.

The Unique

Jimmy: If you can squeeze two underpriced Tigers into your SuperCoach midfield, it’s sure been a long time since Trent Cotchin started a season priced below $490k.

MJ: With a move back to the wing we could see Brandon Ellis bounce back towards his 90-100 averages once again. Scores like that would place him among the top bracket of defenders and be costing you only a fraction of the price.

Benny: A limited preseason has pushed Tom Lynch into a bewilderingly low ownership percentage. The former Sun has entered a much stronger team where the opportunity will only be amplified. Expectations are high and rightfully so, he may prove a worthwhile acquisition in season with greater fitness.

Rids: Jayden Short broke out as expected in 2018. I expect him to continue that in 2019 and take his game to another level again. Has potential to push 90 avg across the formats which has been proven to be a very decent premium avg for defenders.

Tim: Dion Prestia. The Tiges just haven’t had high fantasy scorers in recent days, but Prestia has at least been a premium mid in healthy times at the Suns.

Fox: Toby Nankervis. The new ruck rules should help his scoring, more of a SC pick, you could throw in a handcuff with Coleman Jones as a safety

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: Load up on Jack Graham with a late pick. Richmond play a lot of Thursday and Friday night games and Graham’s good games have been plenty good enough to warrant a utility loophole. Natural improvement and opportunity should see further consistency enter his game as well.

MJ: There seems to be no love this preseason for Bachar Houli, but he could be the steal of the draft for you. In the three seasons before 2018, he hadn’t dropped his average in any format under 86. Where he’s going in drafts is a steal!

Benny: Unsure whether he’s even in the best 22, but Brandon Ellis does present a classic risk-reward scenario. Playing as a winger, where he established himself as a fantasy behemoth during the formative years of his career, Ellis is likely to enjoy an increase in statistical production. If the planets align, he may be one of the best defenders to own.

Rids: Dustin Martin. A lot will depend if Dusty gains fwd status in UF. He must of been close in SC and AF. If he doesn’t and stays mid only then he will slide.

Tim: Jayden Short. 2018 was a very underrated year in both footy and fantasy terms. Averaged over 80 for large chunks of the season.

Fox: Brandon Ellis looks like he’s been mooted to bounce back on a wing in 2019, been a shadow of his 2014-15 form, worth a late punt.

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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North Melbourne completely overhauled their midfield over summer and finally landed some big / quality / reasonable / different names with that warchest. Whether they got the outside run they were deliberately targeting or just whoever was willing to come to Arden Street is a debate for another day, but in any case it certainly makes assessing their collective fantasy credentials a little more interesting.

So for each coach, we pitched a few categories to see who we’re all keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the North Melbourne players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: The closest I can find to a potential lock is Aaron Hall. If you believe that North recruited him to play the outside game in which he thrived for a period on the Gold Coast, he is a genuine option to become a top ten midfielder in DreamTeam and Fantasy.

MJ: With the news out over the past few days that confirm Melbourne will be looking to play two rucks it opens up the discussion point for Todd Goldstein as SuperCoach option.

Rids: Jack Ziebell. Not many to choose from but Ziebell has done well previously with the right role. Keep an eye on him as it might only take one mid injury for Ziebell to end up back in the mix.C

Tim: No premium locks for North at all in my book.

Fox: Todd Goldstein is looking fitter with a loss of 5 plus kilos over the break and came home strongly last year with 12 of his last 14 games being Super Coach tons

The Breakout

Jimmy: Jasper Pittard has shown before that he can average around the 90pt mark for extended periods. Look to see how North use him during the JLT in the transition from defence.

MJ: It feels unfair to place him here given Aaron Hall has averaged 90+ in SuperCoach and 100 in AFLFantasy, but given his price point he deserves to be here. If he’s allowed to play attacking and unaccountable footy, he’ll bounce back towards his personal best numbers.

Rids: Jy Simpkin. I have no doubt Simpkin increases all output in 2019 and will spend longer stints in the midfield. Not really fantasy relevant though.

Tim: Luke Davies-Uniacke. This is a pure guess, on the assumption he finds his under 18s form and break out.

Fox: Shaun Atley.  We’ve waited for 8 years now, surely he’s due to smash out an average of 70 plus in his 9th.

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Luke Davies-Uniake was highly rated as a junior and now has a couple of preseasons under his belt. Surely makes at least a little cash from his starting price point.

MJ: The Crows were keen on him and forced the Roos to pay more than they’d hoped at the draft, but Tarryn Thomas will be a modern-day utility and add significant flexibility to a side that’s traditionally very one dimensional.

Rids: Tarryn Thomas. Kid is an absolute stud. Mid only with premium price tag however are the downers. Not sure North will be a decent breeding paddock for cows in 2019.

Tim: Tarryn Thomas. Well he’s their top 10 pick and they clearly like him and have said he could play anywhere (mid, back or fwd) so seems a good chance to get games. Sees himself as ball winner.

Fox: Tarryn Thomas is as good as any prospective kanga cash cow

The Unique

Jimmy: Shaun Higgins averaged about 105 in SuperCoach last season and now has some reasonable midfield support around him. Just a thought.

MJ: Pretty much any Kangaroos player you want. Barely anyone is selecting players from this team.

Rids: Todd Goldstein. Proven old dinosaur that will benefit from no more Preuss pressure. Could easily become a top 2 ruck again in 2019.

Tim: Todd Goldstein. I’m really not sure who North’s backup ruckman is for 2019. Aka Goldy will play every game as a solo ruckman.

Fox: Aaron Hall picked a good team and should be happy to be on the outside of guys like Cunnington, Higgins and Jacobs, averaged 105 DT in 2016 down to 71 in 2018, huge upside

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: We’ve been saying all preseason that it looks like the new rules will assist key lead-up forwards with decent endurance, strong marking, and reasonable supply. Ben Brown would appear to tick all of those boxes.

MJ: A few years ago Luke McDonald was all the rage in drafts but a less than flattering 2018 has seen him drift out of many people’s mindsets. As a late round crack he could just be the smokey that lands you a big league victory.

Rids: Dom Tyson. Really solid pick up by the Roos. I reckon Tyson will go 90+ in 2019. Will be there very late in most drafts.

Tim: Aaron Hall. In the right team and role he has proven the ability to score consistently big. Unsure whether North will allow him that but hey, he has big upside if so.

Fox: Jack Ziebell after a very average year he might get on the end of some decent delivery with the likes of Hall, Bev (Polec) and Higgins, surely becomes a 90+ forward in 2019

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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A huge trade period for Melbourne yielded a lot of new faces at the club, many of which will be competing with established guns for spots in the best 22. It’ll be fascinating to see how they gel and whether the hapless Dees can finally go one step further this year.

Meanwhile for each coach, we pitched a few categories to see who we’re all keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the Melbourne players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: He’s unique, but I’ve had Angus Brayshaw locked into my RDT all preseason and he’s not going anywhere.

MJ: Some may have concerns over him due to offseason shoulder surgery, but I’m having none of it. Clayton Oliver is a top 5 midfielder in every format.

Rids: Clayton Oliver has already gone to uber status in just 3 seasons of footy. Imagine what he could average if he kicked a little more.

Tim: Clayton Oliver. One of the best young talents in the league in a team on the up. Viney back too hopefully.

Fox: Clayton Oliver. 16 Super Coach tons at an average of 114 in just his 3rd season, has that been done before?

The Breakout

Jimmy: Jack Viney is priced at about 82 in both DreamTeam and Supercoach but could easily nudge premium territory when fully fit.

Rids: Christian Petracca. People jumped on him maybe a year early I think. It is 2019 that is shaping as the year he will push that average close to 100. Still working on the tank but the Dees really need his skills around the ball if they are going to take the next step.

Tim: Kade Kolodjashnij. Hard to pick a breakout as such but KK’s reputation has stalled in recent years so with a fully healthy season and a good role he could remind us all what he could be.

Fox: Kade Kolodjashnij. Could this be the year he finally puts all his problems behind him, mooted for a spot on a wing in a decent team should be conducive to a 20 point rise

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Tom Sparrow has shown a little something this preseason. Definite watchlist.

Rids: Marty Hore. Dees always seem to pluck someone from the VFL. Fritsch and Hannan were the last 2 and they got used a lot. Dees would not have selected him for depth so keep an eye on him during the JLT.

Tim: Marty Hore. If he gets games, which is the big uncertainty. Mature age defender from the Pies’ VFL.

The Unique

Jimmy: Astonishing to think that Max Gawn is being largely overlooked across all the formats and even sliding out of the first round of most drafts. Load up.

MJ: In SuperCoach Tom McDonald is a worthy top 10 average forward and given he averaged over 97 his ownership numbers are scarily low. The departure of Jesse Hogan does mean he’ll now get the #1 defender, but I doubt any scoring fall short will be substantial.

Rids: Angus Brayshaw. Had an amazing 2018 going from VFL first 3 games to entering uber premium status running his own game on a wing. Kid just knows how to find the ball. There is even an argument his price tag represents value due to his first few games.

Tim: Jack Viney. Was notably listed at #18 in keeper rankings on another site a couple of years ago and is now fully fit. Has some huge games and some small ones but will be unique.

Fox: Angus Brayshaw as a pure mid, coaches hate seeing dpp being stripped but this guy is special, after a slow start we saw a 25-28 point increase across the formats and he’s likely to add half of that again in 2019, pick him and let him reward you

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: Bayley Fritsch has mid-only status going into round one but a very strong chance to be granted DEF in the first round of new position allocations in both Ultimate Footy and AFL Fantasy. If he can improve on his 75 average from last year, the best case is that he becomes a clear starting defender for you and worst case he’s handy mid depth.

Rids: Michael Hibberd. Had a shocking fantasy footy 2018 due to a lack of tall defenders at the Dees. The acquisition of May should mean Hibberd becomes the running half back general again. He will drift big in drafts. Handy d3/d4 option with massive potential to be a top 10 defender.

Tim: Steven May. Pretty solid defender in draft leagues in recent years. Has averaged mid-70s to mid-80s over the past two in large patches of the season, ignoring injury games. Well worth having and should be available slightly later than he should be.

Fox: Bayley Fritsch with his skill set and precise kicking he could well be the go to guy in defense, worth a late punt

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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One soldier out, one soldier in. Mitchell might be done for the year already but as always, that only creates opportunity for other players and the Hawks will be highly relevant again across the various fantasy formats.

So for each coach, we pitched a few categories to see who we’re all keeping an eye on this preseason – a player to lock in now, an expected breakout contender, the best cash cow, an interesting left-field option, and a sneaky name to file away for a value draft pick.

These are the Hawthorn players on each Panelist’s watchlist right now:

The Lock:

Jimmy: Jaeger O’Meara is a genuine underpriced premium this year. Got better as the year went on last season and displayed some excellent consistency, multiple 120+ scores and didn’t put up any trash scores after the first month.

MJ: I don’t see a world where James Sicily isn’t one of the top 6 defenders in all formats of the game. A must start for me in SuperCoach especially.

Rids: James Sicily. One of a small group of defenders that went 90+ in 2019. He is every chance to go that again. Only downside is he is an angry ranga who might miss games thru stupidity.

Tim: With Mitchell being injured, the midfield minutes are on offer for Chad and he’s proven he can be a premium forward when he plays enough midfield. Watch his role and fitness in JLT.

Fox: Chad Wingard is hard to pass up if he’s fit by round one, should get some reasonable mid minutes, awaiting JLT confirmation.

The Breakout

Jimmy: James Cousins is coming into his third season but hasn’t had much of an opportunity so far despite some excellent performances in the VFL. Is this the season that he gets a full-time role with Mitchell on the sidelines?

MJ: Given he gained forward status this year the Hawks best chance at a Fantasy breakout is James Worpel. Will he suffer from second-year Blues or will he reach premium territory? Time will tell.

Rids: The Hawks don’t really have any decent kids coming through that are ready to break out.

Tim: James Worpel. Hard to pick a huge breakout at the Hawks but Worpel seems a popular choice for it.

Fox: Not a huge breakout expected but James Worpel should add a double digit plus rise to his average

The Cash Cow

Jimmy: Jack Scrimshaw seems the obvious choice here. Should get games but don’t expect too many high scores. Watch his JLT role carefully.

MJ: The Hawks drafted Dylan Moore after playing most of his career as an inside midfielder, but last year at the VFL had a role adjustment and played more small forward. With a need for more inside midfield support, he could be a great cash cow.

Rids: Jack Scrimshaw needs to get through preseason and the JLT but the Hawks chased him to replace Burton. Kid was a former top 10 draft pick from the Suns but is yet to debut. Hawks are the right club to get him right and on the park.

Tim: Jack Scrimshaw. I hate this pick but I have nobody else that I can think of. I won’t be picking Scrimshaw (unless something big changes).

Fox: Jack Scrimshaw 3rd year player, Hawks will cast out the GC demons in him, reprogram him and have him firing in 2019

The Unique

Jimmy: I always like having Jack Gunston in my SuperCoach team. Rarely misses a game and is consistently good. Like most forwards, he will have the occasional stinker but he also has the ceiling to make up for it.

MJ: For years the fantasy community have been awaiting to see what Jaeger O’Meara could become. Last year over the previous 12 games he averaged 102 in AFLFantasy & 97.8 in SuperCoach. While not enough to be a season-long keeper its the forward motion for this previously injury-riddled star.

Rids: Chad Wingard This guy could be anything! Will depend on role so keep an eye on him through the JLT. His price tag also represents value in comparison to his history. Definite POD!

Tim: James Sicily. Premium defender nowadays but some will always be scared off due to suspensions.

Fox: James Sicily ownership numbers will be down in SC, but with 8/14 at 109 and a little more sanity from his erratic brain fades should result in him being a reasonable alternative in 2019

The Draft Smokey

Jimmy: Don’t pick him to start the season but do keep an eye on news about Tom Scully as the season progresses. The Hawks got an absolute steal and you might, too.

MJ: With no Tom Mitchell but if Clarko frees up Daniel Howe to hunt the ball not just the man as the tagger then he could be a late-round blinder.

Rids: Liam Shiels. Feels like I say this guy every year for the Hawks. For some reason he is always available late in draft leagues. I love mids that like man hugs and Liam is at the top of that list!

Tim: Liam Shiels Can yo-yo from season to season and game to game but is a chance to be the Hawks’ next captain and will be well worth a mid spot in draft leagues.

Fox: Liam Shiels with Titchell out presents some very decent draft value. Underrated year in year out.

So! Who makes the cut for you in each category? Have your say on Facebook,  Twitter or Instagram

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