SEVEN of the top-20 AFL Fantasy scorers after three rounds are aged 29 or over. It might not qualify as the year of the golden oldie, but it certainly shows a trend that way.
Particularly when you consider just two of that top 20 (Clayton Oliver and Zach Merrett) are aged 21 or younger.
Marc Murphy's explosive start to the year has handed his round one owners $114,000 in value right off the bat, and the 29-year-old is now priced right back where he belongs – in the elite category at $596,000. He's the standout Fantasy leader in that sweet-spot on the graph where money-making and high-scoring meet.
If you started the year with Murphy and fellow veterans Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard, Nathan Jones and Scott Pendlebury in the midfield, Nick Riewoldt up forward and Stefan Martin in the ruck, you would have banked 841 points each round from just seven players (excluding Riewoldt's miss in round two after his knee injury).
Murphy also stands out like a Levi Casboult straight kick in the list of Fantasy's biggest price risers this year – he's the only one in the top 10 over the age of 24.
It shows just how underpriced the tough Blue was at $482,000 to start the season. Others such as Dayne Beams and Jaeger O'Meara were similarly unknown quantities coming back from injury, but only Murphy has torn the competition apart so far.
Fellow veteran Jobe Watson has delivered in similar style, and at $547,000, is still affordable if you have any underperforming midfielders.
Riewoldt is the ultimate Fantasy evergreen. His Fantasy average has dropped below 90 in just two of the last 13 years, and his 137 against the Lions last Sunday was a classic Riewoldt Fantasy game – a ton of marks from hard running, goals at the crucial moments and a strong kick to handball ratio (20 to eight).
So don't let age put you off – if you need a reliable, high-scoring premium, trade in a veteran and back experience to get the job done.
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Top five price rises
- Braydon Preuss, North Melbourne (RUC, $273,000): +$64,000
- Alex Neal-Bullen, Melbourne (MID/FWD, $377,000): +$60,000
- Will Hoskin-Elliott, Collingwood (FWD, $374,000): +$57,000
- Nic Newman, Sydney (DEF, $223,000): +$48,000
- Marc Murphy, Carlton (MID, $596,000): +$48,000
Top five price falls
- Max Gawn, Melbourne (RUC, $588,000): -$46,000
- Ryan Griffen, GWS (MID, $440,000): -$37,000
- Aaron Young, Port Adelaide (FWD, $416,000): -$32,000
- Josh Gibson, Hawthorn (DEF, $404,000): -$32,000
- Harry Taylor, Geelong (DEF, $331,000): -$31,000
Get 'em in
Jayden Hunt, Melbourne (DEF, $407,000): Put in an electrifying game against the Saints, and with a breakeven of 15 this week against the Dockers, he's run-and-gun gold.
Tom Williamson, Carlton (DEF, $169,000): Looked assured against the Dons in the wet, and with five tackles and a score of 67, should hold his place as 'Bolts' bloods the kids.
David Swallow, Gold Coast (MID, $404,000): A site for sore eyes (as long as you've got him) – the former No.1 pick monstered the Hawks and looks back to his elite best, but at barely mid-priced cost.
Bye for now
Ryan Griffen, GWS (MID, $440,000): The veteran had struggled in the opening rounds anyway but will miss at least two months with an ankle injury. A straight swap for David Swallow looks the go.
Cameron Guthrie, Geelong (MID, $456,000): Cut down by a calf injury for the first two games, the hard-running midfielder couldn’t get near it against the Demons and has a prohibitive breakeven of 113.
Josh Caddy, Richmond (MID/FWD, $468,000): Nearing half-time last Saturday, the new Tiger was the only man on the ground who hadn't registered a kick. He finished with 45 points and needs to be moved on quickly.
