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AFL Fantasy 2014 launches on January 24
| LACHIE WHITFIELD (GWS) | JACK VINEY (Melbourne) | |
| Fantasy position | Midfielder | Midfielder |
| 2014 price | $388,400 | $377,300 |
| Price change from 2013 | +$204,700 | +$274,000 |
| 2013 average | 71.11 | 69.10 |
| 2013 high score | 121 | 115 |
| Age | 19 | 19 |
| Key Fantasy stat | The no. 1 draft pick from 2012 shone in his first season at the elite level and quickly looked at home in AFL. His ability to find space and mark the ball (over five a game), then dispose of it well (17.5 a game) was where most of his AFL Fantasy points came from last year. | This hard-nut teenager will be a clearance king and is well on his way already. As one of Melbourne's best inside midfielders, Viney averaged four tackles and 17.5 disposals a game, impressive numbers for a first-year player. |
| Value for money | Expect a significant rise in output from the Whitfield this year – he would have learnt a lot from his 2013 season. He's got the potential to win plenty of the ball for the Giants so at less than $400k he looks a good get. | Viney has shown in one year that he has the right attitude for an AFL player. However his price could be considered high for a second-year player, particularly as a member of a side unlikely to make finals. |
| Job security | Whitfield played 19 games in his first season, and would be be expecting to play at least that many again this year. | Viney is of the toughest young players you'll ever see and Paul Roos would want him in the side at every opportunity. |
| Where he'll play | Whitfield would hope to spend as much time as possible in the GWS midfield but can be pushed forward as an option. His elite disposal means the Giants' forwards can lead at Whitfield with confidence and that's a quality Leon Cameron won't be able to get enough of. | With another pre-season under his belt Viney should be up to the challenge of a regular midfield spot. His ability to win clearances and feed the ball out will prove vital for the Demons. |
| Injury concerns | None | Viney missed a large chunk of last season with a foot injury but has looked good this pre-season. |
| The case for | A superstar in the making, players of Whitfield's calibre don't take long to start significantly impacting games. He uses the ball so well and the Giants love it in his hands. Finishes when in range to boot, offering valuable Fantasy points with every goal. | Like Whitfield, another pre-season will allow Viney to play harder for longer and find even more of the ball. His hunger for the contest and for personal improvement is obvious and his high tackling numbers are the kind of thing that reward savvy Fantasy coaches. |
| The case against | The Giants bagged a solitary win in 2013 and while Whitfield was one of their success stories, losing teams don''t generally bring the points in Fantasy. Entering his second season, he also shapes as a potential tagging target for wary opposing coaches. | Viney was a revelation in his first season when he started with an incredible display in his first game against Port Adelaide. However by mid-year he was injured and already looking run down as Melbourne's regular thrashings took their toll. Could the same pattern repeat this year? |
| The verdict | Lachie Whitfield - the former top pick no longer has to play with quite so much pressure with the arrival of Tom Boyd. With added weight he'll be better equipped to tackle, his fitness will have increased with another pre-season and he now knows exactly what to expect at the elite level. His decision-making and disposal is first class and it's hard not to see Whitfield seriously upping his game in 2014. | |
