Tag: Stephen Coniglio

#18 Most Relevant | Stephen Coniglio

Rarely can a premium still be seen with significant value built into it’s price. Stephen Coniglio has that potential in 2023. But, as good as he has been, and can be, is Cogs the perfect player to start within our teams? Or should we be watching what happens under a new coaching regime?

PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Stephen Coniglio
Age: 29
Club: GWS Giants
Position: Midfield/Forward

2022 Highest Score: 
130 Vs North Melbourne (AFLFantasy)
174 Vs North Melbourne (SuperCoach)

Career Highest Score: 
192 Vs Gold Coast | AFLFantasy (2019)
207 Vs Gold Coast | SuperCoach (2019)

2022 Average: 
98.4 (AFLFantasy)
101.3 (SuperCoach)

SuperCoach Price: $557,700
AFLFantasy Price: $871,000
AFLDreamTeam Price: $893,100

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WHY IS HE RELEVANT?

For over a decade, we’ve spoken favourably about Stephen Coniglio in fantasy football circles. The Giants co-captain has spent multiple seasons as part of this series and in the conversation of being a valuable premium and value pick since his debut in 2012. However, over recent seasons Cogs has shown whether he’s playing as a centre-bounce midfielder or as a high half-forward when he’s on the park, he’s still a damaging prospect for opposition teams to play against.

The 2022 season started promisingly enough, stalled in the middle and flew home over the final few months. His average of 98.3 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 101.3 in SuperCach places him as the second-highest-ranked forward available this year based on averages. For a true reflection of Stephen’s season, the year should be split into two halves. He had the nine games of the season under Leon Cameron and then what he did in the next twelve under interim coach Mark McVeigh.

No fantasy coach enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of the final few months of Leon’s coaching reign. But the positive is it created some inbuilt value into his price point for 2023. He’s priced at 98 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 101 in SuperCoach. But shown in the twelve games he played under McVeigh, he could score upwards of ten points per game higher than he’s priced at. You rarely get this much potential upside with premiums at this pricing range, but with Stephen, we have it.

This scoring under McVeigh echoes some of his historical data of years gone by. In 2018-2019 he averaged 110.3 & 103.6 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 108.4 & 101.2 in SuperCoach. So the data is really clear. If we can get Cogs north of 60% of centre bounces, then we’ve got a serious top-end forward-eligible premium that can score at the same levels as our midfield premos.

Even though our forward lines have taken a significant hit with the loss of MID/FWD DOPP to Bailey Smith, Marcus Bontempelli and Luke Parker as a notable big three, we’ve still got some top-end talent, and Coniglio, based on proven scoring, can be right in the conversations as a top tier forward this season.

Over previous seasons there had been significant concerns about his injury history. And while he’s still yet to play a full season, he played 95% of games last year and 94% of 2020, showing that he’s just as likely recently to play out the majority of a season as he is to miss big chunks. Therefore the injury narrative can get in the bin.

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MY TAKE

Whenever a team undergoes a coaching change, that can significantly change several elements. From a club culture, the game style, the best on-field 22 mix, and even player roles can all see significant transformation under a new coach. We saw this play out in real-time last year under the difference of how Leon utilised Stephen Coniglio as opposed to Mark McVeigh.

Fantasy football coaches must seek answers to several primary questions to make an informed decision regarding Cogs in your starting squad. First, what is the game style that Adam Kingsley will deploy at GWS? Will this game style be conducive to fantasy scoring? What is the midfield mix like for the Giants? And what roles will Stephen be asked to fulfil within this?

What does the midfield mix look like for GWS? Regardless of the mix and approach, I can’t see Tom Green missing out on being a senior figure and being the one that they build this new Giants era around. We spoke about him earlier in the 50 most relevant here. But who is standing at centre bounces alongside him? Is it a heavy reliance on experienced hands in Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio and Callan Ward? If that’s the case, the path to a 105+ average is potentially very clear and simple.

Also available for consideration in the mix for Kingsley and co are Lachie Ash & Harry Perryman, who’ve both sown potential through the guts when given opportunities, all be it limited. It could be trickier if the CBA mix is expanded and spread more evenly to include these lads. And then the likes of Finn Callaghan, Harry Rowston and even Toby McMullin are all likely key pillars of the future. Does ‘Pipes’ Kingsley give them just glimpses, or will he throw them into the deep end at the centre bounce? Ultimately, we will know season proper, but how you view this mix will inform the decision substantially around his selection on your side.

How much of what Kingsley sat under at Richmond as an assistant coach will translate to GWS? Historically we’ve seen Richmond over the recent era give us only a few fantasy prospects. While Collingwood got a new coach from the Richmond regime last year, we also saw a need for genuine fantasy prospects at the top end. Does that mean we’ll see something similar from Adam at GWS? Ultimately, the trend isn’t positive, but it’s far from definitive. As I spoke about with Rids on the podcast, this GWS midfield, in a pound-for-pound battle at the top end, is still one of the most elite units in the AFL. Just as probable as a poor fantasy-friendly game style is that he plays to his playing cattle strength and leverages the elite midfield players on the list.

Many coaches will have Josh Dunkley as their first forward selected and would strongly argue that by season’s end, he’ll be the top-performing forward in 2023. The fact he is already it and done in a split MID-FWD role at Western Bulldogs, the expectation of an even higher performance as a pure midfielder at Brisbane is highly valid. Only a few currently eligible forwards have the potential to match Dunkley, let alone challenge him for that mantle. Stephen has the proven scoring ceiling to not just go on hot runs of a few months of 110+ but has multiple seasons of average north of 100.

As of February 1st, 35% of DreamTeam, 34% of AFLFantasy and 21% of SuperCoach players have him on their side. So either with a valid reason or not, there is a level of high selection confidence across the community that Coniglio will be open to the top performing forward this year. That’s likely because at his ‘downside,’ he’s still a mid-high 80’s performer. While the upside

He will be cheaper than this if he’s a player attending anything higher than 60% centre bounces. However, he is valuable, and he can take a season away from you if he has a hot start through the midfield.

If you have any significant doubts about Coniglio, he’s an upgrade target for you. Whether that be in a role or how the Giants structure up. If you trust two or three more premium forward options than Coniglio, then he’s an upgrade target for you. The fact that the community is split on what to do makes him highly relevant, and his early season performance will impact your season’s success.

DRAFT DECISION

The first forward off the board on draft day will be Josh Dunkley. That seems a fait accompli universally across all drafts and formats. But where will Stephen Congilio go? Some have him ranked second, while others are hesitant on the GWS midfield and will fade him marginally. Either way, he’ll be in the first handful of forwards selected.

Forward premiums fall away fast this year, and the popular community sentiment is to lock away the best forward early. Should this sentiment get actioned, I can see coaches leaping for him in the first round. If he doesn’t go there, he’ll be a snaffled up as an early selection in the second round

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Ten Moves That Made The Season

There are so many variables that go into making a successful fantasy football season. A good starting squad certainly contributes, but at the end of the day, ‘success’ comes from making the right trades at the right time. So retrospectively, MJ looks back at the 2022 season and the moves that could have made the difference this season.

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Rory Laird | Trade In | Round Six

For many in the preseason, Rory Laird was one of the players on the radar. He was coming off the back of averaging over 110 across the formats. Sadly, a hand injury in the preseason against Port Adelaide prevented many from starting with him. 

Every game Rory has played would’ve been a great time to get him in, given that he hasn’t dropped under 90 all season. However, at round six, he was at his lowest price point.

Since this time and over the last fifteen games, he’s scored fourteen AFLFanatasy/DreamTeam tons; eleven are over 120 and gone at an average of 126.6. In SuperCoach, he’s performing even better. He’s scored a ton in every game in the fifteen-game stretch; eleven are over 120, and the lowest score in his last four games is 140. Since round six, he’s going at a SuperCoach average of 131.

He’s never been ‘cheap’ this year, but if you’ve not outlaid the cash for him this season, you are probably not where you want to be in the rankings. He’s been one of the biggest difference makers this fantasy football season.

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Tom Liberatore | Trade In | Round Six

One of the great blessings for coaches this year, especially in SuperCoach, was the addition of forward status for Tom Liberatore. Libba spent the first few weeks of the year as a forward, building back fitness after having an injury-interrupted preseason. However, we saw a substantial spike in his fantasy football scoring from round six onwards, which aligned with a consistent return to his centre bounce midfield role. Since round six in SuperCoach, he’s scored eleven tons from fifteen games and has had only one score dip below 90. During this stretch of the game, he’s averaged 111. Even more impressive was if you grabbed him at the end of round five, you’d have been paying $521k for him.

To put that scoring into perspective, he’s currently the 17th highest scoring option in all of SuperCoach this year and is ranked third for all forward options. But, alongside this high scoring, consistency has been a notoriously low ownership number. Even now, under 15,000 coaches (9%) of teams own him.

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Darcy Cameron | Trade In | Round Seven

When Brodie Grundy went down with a longer term injury in round six, it was clear that Darcy Cameron would get the primary share of the ruck responsibility. However, the hesitation in bringing him in immediately in round seven was still there because we hadn’t seen him dominate outside of the NEAFL/VFL.

Since round seven, you’ve been handsomely rewarded if you did take the plunge and trade into him blind. He’s returned with six AFLFantasy/DreamTeam tons at an average of 93. While in SuperCoach 98 with seven tons. These scores are excellent in light of what we paid for. However, it’s a slight dip in what he’d been doing for most of the year. Between rounds 7-19, Darcy averaged 102 in AFLFantasy and 104 in SuperCoach in an eleven game stretch. He’s been one of the season’s best picks, and arguably, without him, you’ve been playing ‘catch up’ all year.

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Mason Redman | Trade In | Round Seven

2022 is the year of previously irrelevant names pushing themselves into premium territory. Mason Redman has always been a good footballer in the backline, but that’s never translated into fantasy scoring. Until now. Over the past twelve games, Essendon has utilised Mason more, and we’ve seen the spike not just in possessions, marks and tackles but also in his fantasy output.

Over the year’s first six weeks, he averaged 76.5 in SuperCoach and 71 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. Since round seven, he’s posted seven SuperCoach tons, including 144, 152 & 177. During this stretch of games, he’s been averaging 106.5. While in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he’s posted five tons, four of which were over 120 and averaged 96. It might not be the biggest ‘pop’ of all players in this article, but he’s had arguably the best ceiling of all our premium defenders.

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Jordan Dawson | Trade In | Round Seven

In hindsight, what a critical week of trading round seven appears to have been, with many teams being potentially able to make season-defining trades. Without a doubt, Jordan Dawson is having a career best season at his new club. He’s not been ‘poor’ to own at any point of the season. At the end of round six, he’d delivered two tons across the formats and averaged 92 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 99 in SuperCoach. It’s good scoring, but he’s been going better!

Over the past fourteen games since round seven, he’s been an unstoppable force! In AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he’s gone at an average of 104, including nine tons and just one score under 85. While in SuperCoach, he’s averaged 113, scored ten tons, five of which have been over 130, and Dawson has dipped his scoring under 90 in just one game.

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Patrick Cripps | Trade Out | Round Eight

No player started the 2022 fantasy football season stronger than Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps. Even with a hamstring related injury early in round four and missing the subsequent match, he was still fire and a season defining selection. If you include his injury affected game, he still averaged 116 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 125 in SuperCoach. Using the power of hindsight, coaches that jumped off here not only maxed out his value and points scoring but also gave themselves some considerable better sleep at night.

From round eight and over the next twelve games, he’s averaged 95 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 101 in SuperCoach. These are far from ‘poor’ scores, but when coaches were paying for him to be a 110-120 premium midfielder and getting scores well below. So perhaps there are some lessons for coaches to ponder for future seasons. 

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Braydon Preuss | Trade Out | Round 10

Sigh! Every week since January, I’ve spoken about Braydon Preuss this year in a podcast or an article for the Coaches Panel. So at least my decision to place him inside the top ten of the fifty most relevant seems justified now. To say owning Preuss in 2022 created some headaches might be an understatement, but the reality is the entire ruck division this season has been a dumpster fire.

He was one of the most relevant players from round three and the following seven weeks. During this stretch (yes, he missed round five with a suspension), he averaged 98 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 110 in SuperCoach. At round ten, when he was out of the side with illness. Any coach who jumped off him would have been rewarded. This ‘sick’ week was followed up by an additional week of him missing with covid, the bye and then being overlooked. By the time he did get back into the side in round fourteen, he was subbed out of the game early in the first quarter with an ankle injury. Preuss didn’t make it back into the Giants side again until round nineteen.

Safe to say, if coaches took the first ‘exit’ on Preuss and pocketed his cash, they would’ve saved themselves plenty of heartaches.

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Stephen Coniglio | Trade In | Round Thirteen

Many coaches started with Stephen Coniglio. He loomed as one of the best value picks in our starting squads in 2022. With multiple 80+ scores, including a few tons in the opening seven weeks, ‘Cogs’ was doing exactly what he expected. However, in rounds eight & nine, he played heavily as a forward and returned multiple poor scores. As a result, a high volume of fantasy footballers traded him out, especially with his bye break just around the corner.

Over rounds ten and eleventh, we saw him spike back into the midfield, and unsurprisingly the scoring returned to where it had been for the year. While holding Cogs was the right call at round thirteen after the bye, he was ripe for the picking. In SuperCoach, he would’ve set you back just over $430k, AFLFantasy $704,000 and DreamTeam just under $670k. From the bye, he’s averaged 110 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 115 in SuperCoach.

If you traded back into Cogs at this time, well done. Even more so if you ‘kept the faith’ and held him.

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Harry Himmelberg | Trade In | Round Thirteen

What a crazy season 2022 has been! When players like Harry Himmelberg are among the most vital trade moves of the year. That’s not having a go at Harry, but rather stating that before his flip into the backline, he’s been someone even draft coaches in deep leagues haven’t even considered. The scoring run of Himmelberg did start in round eleven against Brisbane. It’s here when he was deployed across the backline and scored 101 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 126 in SuperCoach.

After the GWS bye rounds, Himmelberg was ripe for picking. A risky pick, no doubt, but triple nonetheless. He’d have set you back $350k in SuperCoach, $472k in AFLFantasy and $511k in AFLDreamTeam. The nine game stretch has had some monster high scoring matches (north of 150+). In addition to some games, he struggled to get to 70. However, he’s averaged 101 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 115 in SuperCoach. Additionally, he’s gained DEF status and has become a helpful linkman in creating squad versatility as injuries have hit teams.

Owning him has been a gauntlet to run most weeks, with interim coach Mark McVeigh constantly hinting at him returning to the forward line. However, for the most part, he’s been a phenomenally smart pick for the brave coaches that jumped on.

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Zach Merrett | Trade In | Round Fifteen

Until a week ago, nobody would’ve questioned Zach Merrett’s inclusion in the list. But, as disappointing as his scores last week may have been, the reality is that he’s been among the top scoring premiums across the formats. After the bye rounds, Merrett was a popular buy low premium, but it wasn’t until round fifteen that he started to turn the scoring on. These past seven weeks, he has averaged 125 in SuperCoach and 121 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam.

Entering round fifteen in AFLFantasy, he’d have set you back $774,000 for SuperCoach it was $529,600 and DreamTeam $774,900. So getting him now will cost you almost $200k more in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and over $100k in SuperCoach. So not only has he been scoring phenomenally, but he’s also returning sensational value for money!

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Upgrade Targets After Their Bye | Round 12

One week of the multi bye rounds is over. We now have six teams that have no more scheduled rests for the remainder of the season. Here’s a club by club breakdown of potential upgrade targets who have had their bye round.

Arguably the season’s feel-good story has been Sam Docherty’s comeback. Throw in that he’s having a career-best season in possession stats, and it’s clear to see why he’s many coaches #1 defensive premium target this week. So far, he’s had eight SuperCoach tons and just the one score under 87. While in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he’s had seven tons and just one score beneath 89. His scoring is so rounded and pure, so while he won’t be a value buy, he will be one of the best backs until the end of the season. 

 Currently, Sam Walsh is in under 10% of teams and on form of the past three games is ranked third among all SuperCoach and eighth in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. Whenever you can get a high-end scoring premium with low ownership, you need to consider them seriously. Many coaches will chase the value of a Merrett or Wines or go for the flavour of the month, Kelly. None are wrong picks, but Sam could be the best premium over the final ten weeks of the year. 

It’s been tough to have been successful so far this year without owning George Hewett. The stepping stone has outdone our wildest expectations and has probably been the best starting squad selection for 2022. By average, he’s ranked as the clear number one defender and tenth in SuperCoach. It’s this format that if you don’t own, he’s seriously hurting you. For AFLFantasy, he’s still been excellent as one of the top few defenders, but what he’s currently not done is hurt you with his ceiling. As yet, he’s still yet to score over 120. All this to be said if you don’t own in SuperCoach, I don’t believe you can be successful without him. In AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, if you want to own him, then absolutely get him, but I think he’d be someone I’d encourage non-owners to try and take on. It may hurt to miss, but we haven’t seen the Blues ‘fab five midfielders’. Perhaps we see him slide a little, and non-owners get a slight advantage. 

The year couldn’t have started any better for Patrick Cripps. Beyond a one-week hammy, he was unstoppable over the season’s first two months. However, in the past three weeks, he’s struggled to reach these heights for a combination of reasons. Cripps has gone at just 79 in AFLFantasy and 92 in SuperCoach. The combination of a week off to freshen up and the likely return of Harry McKay should enable him to be back towards averaging 100+ across the formats. He’s fine to hold if you still own him, but I think there are better options priced around him. 

There is only one Richmond player I have fantasy footy interest in, Jayden Short. On average, he’s ranked second in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and seventh in SuperCoach among all defenders. He’s been one of the best early-season options, and despite just one ton in his past three weeks, I believe he’ll be among the top of the backline picks. He’s not unique, nor is he cheap, but he is bloody good to own!

We don’t have a lot of ‘premium’ forward options available to trade into from this group of six teams. But if you are desperate to bring one in, then Dustin Martin is someone to consider. Since coming back into the Tigers lineup in round eight, he’s averaged 90 in SuperCoach & 81 in AFLFantasy. That’s well below his capabilities, and if you believe he (and his Tigers) can have another hot run of form, he might be worth a punt.

A month can be a long time in football. Just four weeks ago, Stephen Coniglio was someone that coaches were eagerly looking to trade after scoring a 49 in AFLFantasy and 37 in SuperCoach against the Blues in round nine. Since then, the club’s coaching has undergone a major overhaul, and as a result, he’s been thrown right back into the midfield and scored a 145 & 85 in SuperCoach and 120 & 108 in AFLFantasy. The club has confirmed that he’ll maintain this midfield role, and with Tim Taranto still potentially weeks away, he looks like finally being the premium forward we all hoped he could be. If you don’t own him, he’s legitimately one of the best value buys of the week. 

One of the most attractive options coaches consider is GWS skipper Josh Kelly, and understandably so. Multiple times over his career, he’s the ability to average 110+ for a full season across all fantasy formats. In AFLFantasy, he’s the form player in the game with the highest three-round average, with him rolling an average of 126. While in SuperCoach, he’s going at 137 in the previous three games, with only Clayton Oliver going better. He’s no longer a value pick, but if his current scoring trend holds, he’ll be among the top eight scoring midfielders for the final few months of the season. 

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Mark my words, Isaac Cumming is a star and will become one of the best premium defenders in the game. His elite combination of foot skills, intercepting and footy IQ make him phenomenally fun to own. The question is whether or not it happens, but rather will these next ten weeks see him average enough to compete with the best backs in the game. I’d look elsewhere, but he’s a premium gun for the future. 

It’d take a brave coach to reach blind and trade into Lachie Whitfield. He’s been played out of position and been sore for chunks of the 2022 season. As a result, his fantasy footy scores have seen more ‘lows’ than ‘highs.’ But historically, Lachie’s got the capabilities to be the top-scoring defensive option in the game. It’s a risk vs rewards decision for coaches. The encouraging sign is that we’ve seen the correction of both Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio under the new coaching regime back to their strongest roles, and the premium scoring has followed them. Will the same happen for Whitfield? Let’s hope so. 

Over the preseason, arguably the most hyped player was Zak Butters and his evolution into the midfield. While the midfield minutes are there, his inconsistency in scoring is still like a rollercoaster, with nearly 100 points the variation between his highest and lowest scores of the year. A three-round average of 108 in SuperCoach and 90 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam is good, but I’d be hesitant to want to bring him into my side. He’s got the capacity to be a top tier forward on the run home, but he’s just as likely to disappoint coaches on the run home. He’s fine to hold if you own, but it might be wise to continue on that path if you’ve avoided him to date. 

You’ve got to admire what Travis Boak has done over the past few seasons. He’s been one of the most reliable 100+ performers across all game formats. This year he’s still been good with some monster scores, including a 150+ performance back in round two. He’s dropped about $100k across the formats, so he does represent value. But this year, more than recently, Port is spreading the load away from the heavy dependency on himself and Ollie Wines. The Power fixture does look quite tricky over the next six weeks for midfielders. After tonight’s clash with the Tigers, they play Sydney, Gold Coast, Fremantle, GWS and Melbourne. He’s certainly an option, but I like others more, including his Brownlow winning teammate.

When Port Adelaide drafted RUC/FWD Brynn Teakle last week, it was a huge win for coaches. This is for two reasons! Firstly, he’s a RUC/FWD DPP, which enables coaches to move Tim English easily into either of these positions should coverage be needed. Second, he’s also at a team where he’s a genuine chance to pinch a game or two. Sam Hayes has been left out of the side this week, while Scott Lycett is still four weeks away. If you have Sam Hayes at R3, even if Teakle doesn’t play, it’s quite a good trade move. It opens up cash for upgrades and squad versatility. #Winning

Over the past 18 months, the top fantasy selection from Port Adelaide has been Ollie Wines. His seasonal average is down significantly compared to last year, but that’s due to an injury affected game against Melbourne in round four where he got subbed out. Excluding that game, he’s averaging 105 in AFLFantasy & 110 in SuperCoach. He presents value given his non-injury affected average & is someone to seriously consider if you believe he and the pear can get back to previous seasons performances. 

When the round 12 lockouts lifted, plenty of coaches went straight into their midfield and traded into Zach Merrett. And with good reason to, for the better part of his career, he’s been one of the safest 110+ averaging players in the game. A sub 60 score in round nine against the Swans is the primary driver behind his current price point. Outside of that game, his lowest score in AFLFantasy is 92 & SuperCoach it’s 99. The fixture ahead isn’t easy for the Dons, but of all their midfielders, he’s the most bulletproof for scoring and has the best scoring basement. A perfect example of ‘buy low’ on premiums and get an outperforming return on investment.

It feels odd to say this after his breakout year in 2021, but people are sleeping on Darcy Parish this year. He’s currently on a run of eight consecutive SuperCoach hundreds, with the lowest being a 109. The 10% of coaches currently owning have loved his season, given he also hasn’t dropped his scores under 97. In AFLFantasy, he’s had some more lowly basement games but still hasn’t fallen under 80 all season. Of his eight tons this year, six have been over 110, including a 131 & 146. It might be tough to pay up to him when his teammate listed above is of insane value. But he’s a prospect to consider for those with no salary cap worries. 

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Some potential value might tempt some with Mason Redman. He’s scored two tons and an extra over 90 across the formats in his past three. However, as good as his form has been, I wouldn’t be targeting him in classic. The potential volatility of Essendon gives me no confidence in trading into him.

You want premiums to be captaincy candidates when you pay the top price for a midfielder. Brad Crouch has had a strong season; in SuperCoach, he’s scored six tons and has had one score under 96 all season. In AFLFantasy, he’s also posted six tons and dropped his scoring below 87 just once. However, despite his good season to date, he’s still just averaging 104-105 across the formats. So as good as he’s been, he’s not a captain option, nor is he a value pickup. Therefore, it’s hard to get behind it. 

If there’s one St Kilda player you want to trade into, it’s Jack Sinclair. The running machine is ranked fourth in SuperCoach and fifth in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam for defenders. But it’s his more recent form that’s got coaches salivating at the possibility of trading into him. Over the past three matches, he’s got the highest average among all defenders across the formats. He’s been running at an average of 128 in SuperCoach and 118 in AFLFantasy. He’s not cheap, but he’s been an absolute beast this year. 

Ever since Paddy Ryder became a Saint, it’s been well documented that Rowan Marshall’s scores are heavily impacted when Ryder plays versus when he misses. This year he’s averaging 17.2 points per game less in AFLFantasy and 21.3 in SuperCoach when Ryder plays. So unless Paddy is missing major chunks of the run home, I cannot advocate for trading into Rowan Marshall. 

From the current reports, Jack Steele is still a few weeks off from returning. You should have completed your midfield by the time he’s ripe and ready. Perhaps a luxury trade target later on or if a premium cops an injury or suspension. 

#8 Most Relevant | Stephen Coniglio

It was another challenging season for GWS Giants skipper Stephen Coniglio. He battled through injuries but ended the season with his lowest game tally. But, entering into 2022, he’s fit, firing, and with recently added MID/FWD DPP, he;’s primed to be one of the best selections for coaches in 2022.

PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Stephen Coniglio
Age: 28
Club: GWS Giants
Position: MID/FWD

2021 Highest Score: 
92 Vs Fremantle (AFLFantasy)
92 Vs Sydney (SuperCoach)

Career Highest Score: 
192 Vs Gold Coast | AFLFantasy (2019)
207 Vs Gold Coast | SuperCoach (2019)

2021 Average: 
59 (AFLFantasy)
60 (SuperCoach)

SuperCoach Price: $261,300
AFLFantasy Price: $695,000
AFLDreamTeam Price: $402,500

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WHY IS HE RELEVANT?

2021 didn’t go to plan for Stephen Coniglio. Everything went pear-shaped after starting the season in an OK fashion when he injured his ankle. He wasn’t then seen at AFL until four months later. By the time he got back, he had struggled to find full fitness and wasn’t used by Leon Cameron playing heavy forward 50 minutes. So while frustrating in 2021, it was the very cause that has allowed cogs to be a MID/FWD in 2022.

At his best, Cogs is one of the most well-rounded fantasy footballers of the past few seasons. He has no problems winning the ball inside or outside the contest; he applies high intensity, tackles, and pressure. And when he does go forward, his ability to create scoreboard impact is sensational. Over the years, he’s shown he’s a difficult match up both on the lead and at the feet of the Giants tall forwards.

Generally, in these articles, I look back at a players most recent season. And we could do that for Stephen. Even with the injuries and the poor role, he still had multiple games of 80+ including stuff in the ’90s. Instead, everything about last year feels like an outlier when put in contrast to what he’s done over the previous decade of his AFL career.

In 2020 he missed just one game; in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam, he averaged 78 (98.5 adjusted average) and scored one pure ton and eight additional scores of 80+. Remember that in these shorter games, these formats viewed the 80’s as tons. His SuperCoach season returned at an average of 98 from sixteen of the seventeen possible games. He scored nine tons, including 121 & 141.

The year prior, in 2019, from 15 games in AFLFantasy, he had nine scores over the ton, including four over 120. That number may look small. However, when you drill into those 120+ scores, he goes on and converts them into monster scores. 126, 146, 161 and 192 was what he delivered when getting over 120. Over in SuperCoach, he joined the elite company of scoring over 200. He did this in round 11 against the Gold Coast Suns with a 207. Across the season, he had nine tons and four over 130.

The value of Coniglio in SuperCoach and DreamTeam cannot be understated. We’re getting a player who, over the better part of a decade, is a proven 90-110 performer. If luck breaks coaches’ way, he could be the best value premium of the 2022 season for coaches that start with him.

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MY TAKE

Every year I play these ‘classic’ aka salary cap formats, I still get surprised by how people approach these games. One of the biggest things I notice is how quickly a narrative about a player takes off. For example, ‘Stephen Coniglio’ has been injury-prone for years. But in 2020, he played sixteen of a possible seventeen games, and the one he missed, he was dropped. So has he had a few seasons of poor luck? Sure, but just 18 months ago, he’d had zero issues physically.

The news coming out of the club is very promising. Coach Leon Cameron spoke to the on the AFL website stating,’ We haven’t had a game yet but in the mini-match practises we’re having, he’s moving freely, he’s covering the ground (well), he’s fit.’ He went on further and said that Cogs’ confidence is starting. Ultimately, this is everything we could have asked for regarding his health and availability.

Additionally, the coach has mooted his role that he will spend upwards of 80% of his time on the ground as a midfielder. Should that eventuate, I cannot see a score across the formats under 90. That makes him someone you cannot afford to miss in nearly every format.

The conversation in SuperCoach is simple. He’s just over $50,000 more expensive than Jason Horne-Francis. To get a proven performer of multiple 100+ seasons at this price point. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just pick him. In DreamTeam, if you need a stepping stone in the $400k range and have considered options like Matt Rowell, then Cogs needs to be on that same watchlist. In this format, he’s not as obvious a selection as this price point, more because not everyone needs a player at this range in their starting squads.

I’m not a fan of his pricing in AFLFantasy; I understand what they do and why; I just don’t like it. Regardless, he still has some fat on the bone’ regarding cash generation. Priced at the early ’80s, he could give coaches anywhere from ten to twenty points per game of value. And if not, this format may be more accessible than others. He can be used as a pivot point to the breakout option dominating and playing the breakeven game.

Nobody should be looking at Cogs as a premium to hold for the season. He absolutely could do that, but instead, I’d be planning to move him on and then be pleasantly surprised if his scoring and availability combine to create a premium output.

DRAFT DECISION

If you’ve already been involved in a mock draft, you’ll know this to be true. The forward line stacks out quickly and quite poorly. It’s why a player like Cogs needs to be seriously considered. On the Draft Doctors mock draft simulator, he’s currently being taken at an ADP OF 59. That’d make him a great value late F1 or F2 depending on how you like to structure your drafts. I think he’ll be one of the better forwards this year. I’d happily select him in rounds 4-6.

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2022 SuperCoach & AFLFantasy Positions Revealed

Champion data have announced the new positions for SuperCoach & AFLFantasy for 2022. As usual, we’ve got some significant positional gains and disappearances. MJ’s back to take you through the changes.

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Defenders

Two of the more prominent big name changes into the backlines for 2022 is North Melbourne pair Aaron Hall and Jack Ziebell. If you owned either player at points last season, you had some fantastic scoring success. Both were value picks, but now coaches looking to start them will be paying up to get them. Of the two, Hall is the most intriguing for owners as I believe he can be the top scoring defender this year. As a rookie, Essendon captain Dyson Heppell moves back to the positional status he started with. He is a defender this season. He spent last season as the Bombers quarterback out of defence and should prove a potential top averaging defender after coming off a 95 in AFLFantasy and 99 in SuperCoach.

Bombers teammate Nick Hind moves from the forward line and picks up defensive status. So too does Jarman Impey and Bailey Dale. Both were midprice revelations for owners last year. In addition, popular cash cows from our starting squad the previous season in Braeden Campbell has also moved down back.

Some of the more exciting gains are Sydney’s Justin McInerney and Carlton’s George Hewett. Both are MID/DEF and should see significant time through the midfield next year. While they might not deliver enough to become premium performers, both should make valuable cash in classic formats while in drafts provide strong returns compared to likely ranking. Speaking of value, it was only two seasons ago Brad Hill averaged 88 in AFLFantasy and 84 in SuperCoach. He’s picked up DEF staus and should have between 10-15 points per game of value inbuilt.

We do have significant losses in this line, and we’ll talk about them shortly. But we have retained plenty of talent. Daniel Rich, Tom Stewart, Caleb Daniel, Jordan Dawson, Christian Salem, Jake Lloyd and Isaac Cumming will still be defenders. In addition, we’ve held onto Jack Crisp and Lachie Whitfield, but both will be MID/DEF.

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Midfield

The midfield seldom has any relevant midfield gains. Instead, it’s about those who’ve lost a positional status in another portion of the ground. By name, Patrick Dangerfield is the most significant DPP loss. The previous MID/FWD now has sole midfield status. I was pretty surprised by this. Without visibility of the data, just on the ‘eye test’, he looked sure to have spent significant time up forward to retain his status. Oh well, maybe an in-season DPP gain for AFLFantasy and UltimateFooty coaches.

The most significant loss from the forwards based purely on 2021 data was Dayne Zorko. Last years number one ranked forward by points is now available as a midfielder only. This means that he drops from a likely second-round pick to potential a fifth or sixth round for draft formats. Isaac Smith, Tom Phillips and late season bolter Harry Schoenberg have all lost FWD status and can now be selected solely in the midfield

The backline moving out and into the midfield are both Callum Mills and Rory Laird. Both were superb last year. Both averaged over 110 across the formats. These are significant averages, and based on scoring, they are more than good enough to be considered in this new line. Of additional benefit would be that they’ll likely be drastically shortened in ownership. It might be a brave starting squad selection, but both have shown they can match it with the top 10 midfielders.

From a cash cow perspective, likely popular duo Jason Hore-Francis and Nick Daicos are midfield only options. However, it’s unlikely to drastically hurt either’s ownership percentage as both looks to be highly owned in 2022.

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Rucks

Usually, this line doesn’t provide us with many gains, and in 2022 that trend continues. The matter of the position from this line is who has gained or lost DPP to afford coaches further flexibility. A potentially significant change to preseason plans to coaches is regarding Rowan Marshall. Many (including me) felt he’d down enough to retain RUC/FWD status, but that isn’t the case. He’s a pure ruck. If you played AFLFantasy last year, you’d recall Sean Darcy gained RUC/FWD status, but nobody should be shocked that he’s just a RUCK this year.

From a DPP perspective, some of the more potential viable options to consider with RUC/FWD status are Peter Ladhams, Ben McEvoy and Tim English. All might be draft and daily fantasy relevant options but will be picked in those formats every week.

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Forwards

I’ve already discussed the losses we’ve had to our forward line. And while they are significant, they are more than replaced with some of the gains we’ve picked up. Arguably the biggest is new MID/FWD Geelong star Mitch Duncan. Last year he averaged 99 in SuperCoach, his lowest since 2016. While in AFLFantasy, he averaged 100, which features a single digit score of eight in round 14. He’s a genuine candidate for the top scoring forward candidate.

Duncan isn’t alone as a new forward pedigree of being the top player in the line. GWS Giants inside bull Tim Taranto scored twelve SuperCoach tons last year and 15 in AFLFantasy. While he might be used to cover the absence early in the year of Toby Greene inside forward 50, I’d be shocked not to see him end the year as a top 10 forward. His captain Stephen Coniglio has had multiple seasons averaging over 100 across all formats. If he can get through the preseason unhindered, he’ll be a sensational pick, given he’ll be priced at 60 even before the likely discount hits. Only another injury interrupted season could stop ‘Cogs’ from being one of the most valuable picks this year.

The other big-name gain is Adam Treloar. Injuries robbed him from getting his 8th straight season of averaging over 100. His MID/FWD status is that he spent the final seven games of the season (including finals) playing off the half-forward line. Should he get back into the primary Bulldogs midfield rotation, then he’ll be challenging to ignore.

His teammate Josh Dunkley retained MID/FWD DPP, as did Jordan De Goey, Chad Wingard, Shai Bolton, Tarryn Thomas and Steele Sidebottom. All of whom can be top 10 ranked forwards after the year. In addition, Kangaroos Tom Powell and Will Phillips are both MID/FWD for keeper league players, while fellow 2020 draftee and Adelaide Crow Luke Pedlar are another new MID/FWD.

AAMI Community Series Review | Swans Vs Giants

What a big day of footy with three state based rivalry clashes. The first of them went down at Giants Stadium. From cash cows to stepping stones and premiums, we’ve got plenty of fantasy relevant players to consider from this game. Here’s my AAMI Community series review of the Swans Vs Giants.

Callum Mills

Got that midfield role though the game, so tick! However, just because he will get this role, it doesn’t automatically translate to fantasy scoring. He should be good, but is it top 6 defensive good? Those intercept marks and possessions will disappear from his score build, so he’ll need to recreate other scoring avenues.

Chad Warner

If he wasn’t on your cash cow radar before the game, he must be now. Split his time between the midfield and forward line and showed he belonged at the elite level.

Sam Wicks

He won’t get 9 tackles in every game he plays. That said, Wicks provided get defensive pressure on the ball carrier. Additionally he got into space and was a dangerous option. At his price point I like some others ahead of him, but he’s showed plenty in this match.

Errol Gulden

In a keeper league, he’s someone I really like. He’s a crafty player with neat skills and has the ability to impact the scoreboard. Having him alongside papley at the club for the next 10 years will be an exciting small-medium forward setup. Kicked a goal, set up some others and added some speed to the forward line.

Braeden Campbell

Was kept busy keeping mindful of Toby Greene. I have no questions he’ll play round one, especially with Callum Mills’ move into the midfield. He’s a beautiful kick and used it well everytime he got near it. Is he worth the premium price tag? Ultimately, the number of cheaper available cows will determine how many pay for him.

Isaac Heeney

Got through the game unscathed and played his regular midfield and forward split role. If you were keen before today, you were given little reason to change the decision.

James Rowbottom

The future of the Sydney midfield was on display today with James playing a central role. The majority of his possessions were contested and he was skilfull enough to finish up with two goals.

He’s not for salary capo formats, but in drafts especially in keeper leagues he’s well worth a list spot. The kid looks like he’ll be a player!

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Tim Taranto

He’ll be the talk of the fantasy footy town today, given his performance. 31 touches, 11 contested possessions, + a goal. This is exactly the sort of game we can expect from him. When fit, Taranto is a serious fantasy player. He split his time between midfield and forward today.

Josh Kelly

Just cruised around in first gear most of the game. Still picked up a lazy 13 contested possessions and showed his class when needed. He’s a fantasy jet, but the common player won’t jump on after this match given he didn’t tear the game apart.

Kieran Briggs

Played through the ruck for the majority of the game. With Matt Flynn taking a rest, Briggs certainly took his opportunity by the scruff of the neck. He crashed in and made a contest. Whether it’s enough to dethrone Flynn or get a debut alongside him is something I’m uncertain of.

Stephen Coniglio

Subbed off during the third quarter. While he was out on the field, he was an influential presence in the midfielder and won his fair share of clearances. He might not be a top 8 midfielder in 2021, but I think he’s set to go between 100-105 across all formats.

Harry Perryman

With no Lachie Whitfiled early in the season the Giants looked to Harry to provide some run, skill and drive from defensive 50. He’s probably more draft relevant, but is certainly worth noting.

Isaac Cumming

Whenever it wasn’t Perryman, Isaac would get the ‘give and go’ handball from his teammates. He should generate some cash, but with some defender rookies starting to emerge he might not be needed in our starting squads.

Tanner Bruhn

He won’t kick four goals every week. His 11 disposal game was impressive, and he’s all but locked himself in a round 1 debut after an effort like that.

Tom Green

Got his fair share of midfield opportunities. I don’t think he’ll get enough midfield time to push the premium scoring territory.

10 Low Ownership SuperCoach Preseason Targets

We are now just over 20 days away from the first game kicking off for the SuperCoach season.

With so many teams looking similar, I thought I’d look at what high quality players aren’t in more than 10% of teams.

So I decided to look at 10 Low Ownership SuperCoach Preseason Targets.

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Marcus Bontempelli | $623,900
Average 116 | 7% Ownership

Last year we saw Marcus Bontempelli at some of his personal best. In the AFL he ranked 2nd for centre clearances, 6th inside ’50s, 9th for tackles & 18th for score involvements. Impressively he isn’t just an attacking midfielder. Bont is prepared to do the tough defence work. Despite the shorter quarters, he still averaged the same amount of tackles in 2020 that he did from 2019.

In SuperCoach,  he ranked 5th among all mids for both total points and averages. He scored 11 tons; 6 of these were over 120, while a monster 3 went over 160, including his personal best 199. To top the season off, he ended 2020 with 8 consecutive tons to average 135 over the season’s final 8 matches. Over this stretch of games, he was the top ranked SuperCOach midfielder in the game

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Josh Kelly | $615,600
Average 114 | 7% Ownership

Josh Kelly’s SuperCoach average of 114.5 consisted of 10 tons, 5 of them over 120, including that 195 against Richmond. On top of this high ceiling is a strong scoring floor with just one score under 80 all year.

Kelly’s scoring consistency is elite over the previous four seasons, where he’s averaged 113+. The concern isn’t around his scoring potential. The query is around games played. While those concerns are valid (and we’ll talk about them soon), he is in the rare territory of midfield premiums that has shown multiple years, averaging well over 110 in the past three seasons.

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Matt Crouch | $594,700
Average 110 | 2% Ownership

In SuperCoach over the first three weeks, Matt Crouch was averaging 88. However, over the final 13 games, he averaged 115 including 10 tons, five of them over 120 including a career high 162. After the home and away season he ended the year averaging 110 and having just two scores under 90 all year.

It wasn’t just his fantasy output that took a dramatic turn, but it was also his workrate off the ball and defensive efforts. In his first 102 games of AFL, only in 2 matches, he returned a tackle count of 10 tackles or more. However, in two of his final five matches this year, he handed out a 12 in one game and 14 tackles in another. Easily the two highest of his career.

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Stephen Coniglio | $528,900
Average 98 | 2% Ownership

History suggests that Stephen Coniglio is a regular 105+ midfielder. As the skipper for the club for his second season, he’s no doubt striving to get himself and his Giants back into the league’s top echelon.

Even in a ‘poor’ 2020 season, he still managed 9 tons, including a season high 141 against the Lions. The season prior, he joined the elite company of scoring over 200. He did this in round 11 against the Gold Coast Suns with a 207. Across the season, he had nine tons and four over 130.

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Reilly O’Brien | $570,800
Average 106 | 6% Ownership

In SuperCoach Reilly O’Brien ranked as the 20th best performer across the competition for averages and total points. He averaged 106 across the year; it included 9 tons, 4 of which were over 120 and he dipped his scoring below 82 in just one match all year.

O’Brien is the only ruck that can challenge Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy for the top two mantle. Why? Not just because of his obvious scoring capacity, but because he has the least ‘internal’ challenges or challengers to overcome.

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Dayne Zorko | $525,800
Average 98 | 8% Ownership

For SuperCoach, Dayne Zorko averaged 98 across the year, posted 8 tons and showcased his scoring ceiling, with two of those tons being over 120. It was a slower start to the year for Zorko, but after returning from injury in round 6, he averaged 105 across the formats for the remaining 12 games.

If you were to contrast his 2020 scores amongst currently available forward, then in SuperCoach, he’s ranked 7th for total points and 8th for averages.

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Zak Butters | $471,400
Average 88 | 3% Ownership

Already ranked as the 11th most expensive forward, Zak Butters likely develops into a top 10 forward this year. In 2020 he had 6 tons, including a 124 and a 125.

What hurts his scoring last year is that he is still prone to the odd stinker. Last year he had 2 games where he scored under 40. If he can raise that scoring floor to be consistently 60+ for bad games, then he’ll be a legitimate top tier consideration.

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Jordan Ridley | $547,700
Average 102 | 7% Ownership

Last season Jordan Ridley averaged 18 disposals 6 marks, 4 rebound 50’s and went at an elite 87 disposal efficiency. He ranked 2nd for effective disposals per game across the league, 6th for total marks per game and ranked 16th for total rebound ’50s.

His SuperCoach season saw a total increased of 35 points per game from his 2019 average. During the 2020 season, he averaged 101, had ten scores over 100, four over 120 and dipped below 70 in just one game. He ended the season ranked fifth for total points and seventh by the average for all defenders.

Earlier in the preseason, he was featured in the 50 Most Relevant. You can read the full article and listen to the podcast here.

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Nick Haynes | $528,400
Average 98 | 2% Ownership

Nick Haynes averaged 90.8 from 11 games when playing with Zac Williams. In the 6 games he played without him, he averaged 112.2. Across the whole season, he scored 9 tons, including a 148 and a 139.

We now have genuine question marks over a few core defender. Will Lachie Whitfield will be fit round one? Does the MID/FWD role split of Zac Williams be favourable or not to scoring? What makes him even better is the fitness of key defenders Sam Taylor and Phil Davis. With both these talls playing, it frees Haynes to play the pure intercept and peel of role.

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Sam Docherty | $496,000
Average 92 | 7% Ownership

12 months ago, Sam Docherty was one of the hottest names across fantasy football. After 5 rounds, he was averaging 121 in SuperCoach. With news of an injury setback to Nic Newman and Zac Williams playing more of a MID/FWD role, ‘Doc’ looks primed to dominate possession across half-back again.  

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10 Players Who Missed The 50 Most Relevant

Every season after I conclude the 50 Most Relevant, we love to look back at some of the unlucky players to miss the countdown. Here are 10 Players Who Missed The 50 Most Relevant

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Sam Docherty

12 months ago, Sam Docherty was one of the hottest names across fantasy football. After 5 rounds, he was averaging 121 in SuperCoach an adjusted 117 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. His remaining 11 games got nowhere near this level, but it’s a reminder of his high scoring capacity. Was that due to role? The Carlton game style? Or just a natural regression as his body fatigued under a full season of condensed footy? Perhaps it’s a combination of a few of those elements.

With Adam Saad’s addition and the injury returning Nic Newman, we could see less opposition attention and great freedom of role to allow the Blues co-captain to flourish once again for 2021. If the planets align, he’s a genuine top 3 candidate in our defensive line.

Andrew Gaff

He’s more an AFLFantasy & DreamTeam selection than SuperCoach, but Andrew Gaff is one of the safest premiums going round. He regularly plays 20+ games every season and in DT/AF has been averaging 110 consistently.

The knock on him is probably his lack of ceiling, making him not a reliable captain option. But with that said, Gaff will thrive in return to full length matches.

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Taylor Adams

Coming off a career high SuperCoach average of 109 and an adjusted equivalent of 114 in AFLFantasy, Taylor Adams is no scoring slouch. But we’ve known that for seasons. Back in 2017, he averaged 114 in AFLFantasy and 107 in SuperCoach. So even without the departure of Adam Treloar, ‘TayTay’ has shown he can score

The issue has always been around his ability to play 20+ games. If he can do that again, he’ll be back up towards the top scoring midfielders in 2021.

Jaidyn Stephenson

The highly talented junior fell out of favour at Collingwood last year. And when Jaidyn Stephenson had the opportunity to bail out, he took it and headed straight to Arden Street.

In Collingwood’s Grand Final season of 2019, he averaged 80 across the formats. Not bad for a player who was predominantly used inside forward 50.

At North, the club has been vocal about their desire to play him through the midfield. Generally, when we get a forward eligible option, who’s playing in the midfield, that often turns into a good thing.

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Isaac Cumming

Maybe it’s a story of 12 months too early for Isaac Cumming being a key part of our fantasy football sides. The GWS Giants defensive unit has undergone an offseason overhaul, with Heath Shaw, Aiden Corr and Zac Williams departing the club. This opens up plenty of opportunities for the talented youngster.

Given the genuine question marks around cash cows, spending up that bit extra for his likely job security isn’t the worst idea if he shows scoring promise in the AAMI community series.

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Will Phillips

In a season where rookie security is looking even thinner than ever, North Melbourne’s Will Phillips might be worth paying the cash for. In 2019, Phillips averaged 22.1 disposals across his 10 NAB League matches and showed his class in the contest. Don’t expect Matt Rowell or Sam Walsh style fantasy scores, but he should be handy regardless.

Stephen Coniglio

Like Sam Docherty listed higher, Stephen Coniglio was one of the most popular starting squad options for 2020. However, he delivered a poor season by his lofty standards, including seeing the club drop him.

History suggests that ‘Cogs’ is a regular 105-110 midfielder across all the formats. And as the skipper for the club for his second season, he’s no doubt striving to get himself and his Giants back into the league’s top echelon.

Sometimes our recency bias makes us not consider the obvious jet standing right in front of us. Perhaps ‘Cogs’ will be the one that got away from fantasy coaches in 2021 who were too proud to consider him.

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Toby Nankervis

The injury news of Rowan Marshall and Braydon Preuss has left fantasy coaches scrambling for a second ruck. For those not able to afford a ‘set and forget’ strategy, then ‘Nank’ is one of the better options.

The knee injury to Ivan Soldo means the Tigers will likely stay him as a sole ruck for the season, with various talls playing a supporting role. In 2017 & 2018, when the Tigers adopted this strategy, Toby averaged 86 & 89 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 88 & 98 in SuperCoach.

Last year in the semi, preliminary and Grand Final, he had a three game average of 134 in SuperCoach and 79 (98 adjusted) in AFLFantasy. If he starts the season like that, it’ll be an inspired selection.

In the opening three games of the year, the Tigers play Carlton (Pittonet /De Koning), Hawthorn (Ceglar/McEvoy) and Sydney (Sinclair/Hickey). It’s hardly a daunting three weeks.

Nakia Cockatoo

Pretty simple. He’s cheap, he’s got DPP and is currently injury free. If he’s named round one, he’ll be the most popular rookie priced player in starting squads.

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Jordan De Goey

The departure of Adam Treloar has opened up some midfield minutes in the Collingwood side. Jordan De Goey has shown that when he’s allowed to attend centre bounces and play through the midfield that he’s one of the most explosive and dominant options in the game. A lack of endurance and also Collingwood’s need for goals have kept him often playing forward

All track watchers have spoken about his dominant preseason, and the club has spoken publicly about giving him a greater midfield presence. If he can get over his slight preseason injury setback, then he could be 2021’s version of Christian Petracca.

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What Should I With Stephen Coniglio?

Earlier today Fox Sports journalist Tom Morris broke the story that GWS would drop skipper Stephen Coniglio. For owners in AFLFantasy, SuperCoach & AFLDreamTeam we have another ‘forced’ move in our sides that we need to make. The question we must answer now is, what should I do with Stephen Coniglio?

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Hold Off As Long As You Can

With the giants playing on Saturday night, fantasy football coaches will have four games to view before having Stephen Coniglio locked out. The reason for doing this is so that you can see what your bench cover can deliver. After all, a saved trade later into the round or next week could become incredbly valuable. In the past five weeks in AFLFantasy, he’s averaging 70 and has just one score over 80. For SuperCoach it’s not much better with a five-round average of 82 and the one ton in that time. So while Cogs is a premium player, his current form is far from it. Meaning your bench might be able to help cover his loss.

Geelong’s Brad Close is the type of player who could pop against Richmond. The DPP MID/FWD is the perfect bench cover at this time of year. The Cats have shown a game style where they are happy to control possession and against the chaotic ball movement of the Tigers, this could be even more pronounced this evening. A score of 70 isn’t out of the question, and it could be just enough to save you having to make a trade on Cogs. That trade could then be used the following week, or patch up another missing premium this week where you have weak or no cover.

However, not everyone is in that position. Because of that, a trade might be in order. Given ‘Cogs’ is currently in 39% of DreamTeam, 25% AFLFantasy and 21% of SuperCoach sides my encouragement is be looking to bring in someone that creates some uniqueness in your team So if you have to trade here are some of my best trade suggestions.

I Ain’t Got No Money

Many coaches will be drawn to Josh Dunkley after his heroics last week and understandably so. In AFLFantasy it’ll set you back just less than $10,000 to make that move and with matches against Hawthorn and then Fremantle it’s a decent run. In DreamTeam it’s under $15,000, so it’s certainly an option. For SuperCoach, it’ll set you back around $80k, and while it’s a good trade, it might be out of some coaches price range.

In all formats, you actually make money on trading to Blake Acres. Since returning from he’s scored 129 & 113 in SuperCoach and 108 and 79 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. That extra cash might also come in handy if you have other missing premiums you need to patch up. Additionally, his DPP (MID-FWD) might give you some much-needed squad versatility.

With news of Jarrod Berry missing due to a shoulder injury his teammate Hugh McCluggage could pick up some additional inside midfield time. In SuperCoach you will need to drop $50k to get him but with five tons in his last six games and priced at $508,000 he’s an excellent option who’s in just 5% of teams. In AFLFantasy/DreamTeam bringing ‘Suitcase’ into your side will pocket you some cash

Former Sydney skipper Josh Kennedy is the type of player than could smash out back to back hundreds. His matchups do look tricky against arguably two of the best midfields in Brisbane & Geelong. However, long time coaches know that JPK’s scoring often is elevated against the best teams. His scoring style has always been more favoured towards SuperCoach, but he’s certainly a consideration in all formats.

On the topic of Captains, it’s risky, but Rory Sloane historically is a fantasy scorer. You could go for him in AFLFantasy and DreamTeam, but for me, those aren’t the formats. It’s a SuperCoach buy for me. His last two weeks he’s scored 99 & 105, and in the final round of the year, he plays Richmond who he has an excellent recent history against. In his last three games against the Tigers, he’s scored 125, 141 and 96. He’s also in just 1% of sides, so he’d be a super unique pick that could seriously pop.

Others that have a shown a high scoring ceiling this year (but also a risky low floor) that could be options include Jack Viney, Will Setterfield, Ed Curnow, Trent Dumont and Dylan Shiel and even the man that will replace Cogs as skipper this week in Tim Taranto.

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Running Hot

If cash isn’t an issue and you’re looking to grab a unique player and inform then the easy answer is Adelaide’s, Matt Crouch. A five-round average of 135 in SuperCoach has him ranked third for averages in that period. While for AFLFantasy/AFLDreamTeam he’s the clear points leader over the past five weeks. His average in that time is 109 and only Marcus Bontempelli and Zach Merrett average over 100 in the same period. A match for the Crows against the Tigers in the grand final round is a tasty matchup.

On the topic of Marcus Bontempelli, his lowest SuperCoach score in the last six weeks is 106, and in the four weeks prior, he hadn’t dipped below 120. He’s far from unique (26% of teams), but he’s certainly in form.

His teammate Lachie Hunter is much more unique. The Bulldog premiership player is coming off the back of scoring a 130 & 122 and is currently in just 1% of teams. In AFLFantasy and DreamTeam Hunter isn’t cheap ($822,000 AF / $790,400 DT) but in under 5% of teams (AF) and 2% (DT) with scores of 99, 99, 105 and 86 in his last four he’s certainly firing.

It’s hard to go wrong with either Port Adelaide midfielder of Travis Boak or Tom Rockliff. Both are flying at the moment, and both in 2020 and previous seasons they have a massive ceiling about them. A matchup against the wounded Bombers at Adelaide Oval is as tasty as it comes right now. I also like Ollie Wines who is currently averaging 122 in SuperCoach in the past three rounds.

Former #1 draft pick Sam Walsh is enjoying some huge form at the moment. In SuperCoach his last three games he’s averaging 135 and has scored 113, 132 and 161. In DreamTeam/AFLFantasy he’s averaging 99 in that same time frame and scored 88, 96 & 114. Across all formats, his ownership is still low and his matchups against Adelaide and Brisbane aren’t horrible either.

I’ve already mentioned him above, but Zach Merrett is hitting huge form lately. A five round average of 126 in SuperCoach and 101 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. I don’t love his matchup this week against Port Adelaide but his game in the finåal round of the tear against Melbourne does look promising.

Best Buys In SuperCoach And AFL Fantasy | Round 12

The festival of football continues, and for fantasy football coaches we’ll have under 24 hours between lockout lifting and the upcoming round commencing. To help coaches through round 12, let’s look at the players that are ripe for the picking and ready to be traded into your side.

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Defenders

The most hyped trade-in premium defender of the week will be Adelaide Crow Rory Laird. A move into the midfield has seen this diligent defender translate his skills into a contested midfield role. While the role adjustment eventuated a few rounds back against the Kangaroos, it’s his 185 in SuperCoach and 139 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam that has fantasy coaches salivating. He stills presents value, but remember for DT/SC coaches we still need to navigate his bye round. So some purchasing caution might be required.

It’s a high risk/high reward pick, but if Zac Williams can recreate his back half of last year into 2020, then he’s got the capacity to be among the best scoring defenders available. In the final 11 games of the year, he posted an average of 103 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and scored seven tons including three over 120. While for SuperCoach he averaged 107 and posted 8 tons including a season-high 143 against the Kangaroos. An average of 62 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam and 86 in SuperCoach is reasonable enough but his last two scores of 112 & 105 in SC have coaches excited about his potential. The scoring reward is evident. However, the risk is around his durability. Multiple times in 2020, we’ve seen his body let him down. Another injury at this point of the year would severely impact fantasy coaches.

He doesn’t present the value that he did from the start of the year, but the breakout season of Callum Mills is well and truly underway. An average of 100 in SuperCoach is boosted by his 173 in round six against the Tigers. However, outside of this game he still has three additional scores over 110. In AFLFantasy he’s part of the elite club of defenders that have scored a ton in 2020. He’s also ranked 7th for total points, and with a breakeven of 91 he still might have a little bit more cash to drop

Nic Haynes and Jake Lloyd present zero value for money. However, both look to be among the best backs available in 2020. If you got the cash to spend, they are yet to disappoint this year.

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Midfield

You can take your choice with a trio of Giants with Tim Taranto, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly all viable options for coaches. Taranto is the unique option of the trio, and while he can post big scores in SuperCoach, he’s currently more favourable a scorer in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam. Josh Kelly when fit and firing has proven that he’s among the top echelon of scoring candidates regardless of the format you play. The only concern a coach could ever have over him is his durability.

Bye round free Essendon pair Dylan Shiel and Zach Merrett both have the fantasy ceiling to score well and given their potential are relatively low ownership could also be perfect inclusions to wrap up your midfield unit. Of the two I like the consistency of Merrett more, but wouldn’t talk anyone out of Shiel

The Sydney Swans have been decimated to injuries to a lot of their senior leaders. Captain Luke Parker has been a warrior through the middle. In SuperCoach he’s had just two scores under 100 all year, while in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam he’s just outside the top 10 mids based on averages. What makes this potential selection even more exciting is his low ownership numbers. Well worth the investment of funds.

Finally, last week’s targets are all still very relevant for us as options too. Patrick Cripps, Tim Kelly, Elliot Yeo and Andrew Gaff all have a history that they can go on scoring tears that would make them viable buy low options.

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Ruck

Neither of Sydney or GWS has rucks you’d want to target at all. So it’s pretty much Nic Naitanui or a player that is still to have a bye. Here are the players I suggested last week that pretty much remain the same prime targets.

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Forward

One of the forwards with the most likely scoring potential off the bye has already been ruled out through injury. I’m speaking about Toby Greene. Not many forwards can match his scoring potential. However, the concern over multiple years now has been around his durability. Not a trade for this week, but if you like to play a high risk for high reward game than Toby could be your man.

Ultimately the big target for non-owners this week is Lachie Whitfield. A five-week average of 121 in SuperCoach and 95 in AFLFantasy/DreamTeam has the former #1 draft pick showing off just why he was the most highly desired forward of the year. The perfect time to trade him in was at his basement price was well over a month ago. However, if you don’t have him, he’s still cheaper than his starting price.

It’s probably a SuperCoach only target but Tom Papley has shown his ability to hit triple figures. From his ten games this year he’s scored four tons and three additional scores 79+. At $423k and a breakeven nearing 150 you could afford to wait a week, but if you are wanting a cheaper pick and with history of multiple tons then ‘Pappy’ could be for you.

The value pick is still Jy Simpkin, but as we’ve shared with a few players don’t forget his week off is yet to be announced. Even after a reasonably poor game (in terms of his execution of skills) he still managed a score in the mid-’70s across all formats. His scoring (and price point) does lend itself to more for a SuperCoach pick, but he’s still value in the others.

Speaking of SuperCoach selections, Oscar Allen is having a breakout season in our forward lines. He’s still priced under $600k, but has shown in the past few months he can score well. Since round five Oscar has scored: 117, 110, 69, 152, 70 & 72. In addition, less than 1,000 coaches (1%) have him. Not only are ‘value’ picks crucial at this time of the season but also players that set your team apart from the pack.