Click here to pre-register and to have the chance to win a Gary Ablett 2013 Brownlow lithograph
| RYAN GRIFFEN (Western Bulldogs) | BRENT STANTON (Essendon) | |
| Fantasy position | Midfielder | Midfielder |
| 2014 price | $571,800 | $560,300 |
| Price change from 2013 | +$71,300 | +$11,400 |
| 2013 average | 105.50 | 103.38 |
| 2013 high score | 166 | 149 |
| Age | 27 | 27 |
| Key Fantasy stat | As one of the most prolific ball-getters in the game, Griffen is a Fantasy gun. He ranked sixth in the League in 2013 for total disposals and also laid five tackles a game. That combination means big scores on a regular basis. | Stanton averaged nearly 10 more kicks than handballs a game in 2013, boosting his Fantasy scores considerably. He often finds space and, when free, takes plenty of uncontested marks, an easy source of points. |
| Value for money | Griffen enjoyed a sensational 2013 season, gaining All Australian honours. This saw a significant rise in his Fantasy price – but his consistency warranted it. He cracked 100 points 11 times and registered fewer than 75 points only twice. | Stanton is more than decent value given he posted triple-figure Fantasy scores 13 times in 2013. His form tapered slightly along with Essendon's towards the end of the year, but when his side plays well Stanton usually has a day out. |
| Job security | The club's best player and arguably its most important. If he's fit, he'll play. | Like Griffen, Stanton is one his side's most influential players. The Bombers would want him on the field as much as possible. |
| Where he'll play | Griffen is such an important part of the Bulldogs' midfield. As an experienced ball winner, he'll lead from the front and showed in 2013 he could sneak forward for a few goals as well. | The Bombers love the ball in Stanton's hands through the middle of the ground. His conversion rate kicking for goal remains a bit below par. |
| Injury concerns | Griffen only missed two games in 2013 and has managed at least 20 games a season in seven of the last eight years. Expect nothing different from the new skipper in 2014. | A reliable player who only missed the one game in 2013. Stanton has played at least 20 games a season for the last eight years. That's guaranteed Fantasy points on the board each week. |
| The case for | When Griffen plays well for the Bulldogs it means one thing only for Fantasy footy players: huge scores. He converted six of his 11 100-plus scores into 125-plus in 2013, including a massive 166 in round 10. He's a ball-magnet in his side's midfield and you wouldn't expect that to change in the slightest this season. | Stanton seems to effortlessly chalk up triple-figure scores. His 13 100-plus scores from 20 games last year shows that he's on more often than not. His preference for kicking means that when he finds a lot of the ball he'll score big, and he's gradually keeping the quiet games from being real stinkers. |
| The case against | Griffen is now one of the most expensive players in AFL Fantasy andprobably a little over priced despite his average. At more than $570,000you'd want a player to be consistently hitting triple figures andGriffen didn't do that enough in 2013. While the Bulldogs appear to be ateam on the rise, there's every chance they could struggle to breakeven in 2014 which would limit their captain's scoring. | Stanton fires when the Bombers fire – he's proven that over many seasons. But when his side struggled, particularly late in 2013, the midfielder's form dipped considerably. From rounds 17-22 last year, Stanton averaged just 83 Fantasy points, before a final round 149 restored some faith. If the Bombers rebound in 2014 he'll undoubtedly score well, but if they struggle he's a risky selection. |
| The verdict | Although he doesn't post the highest of scores, Stanton regularly hits 100 – and almost automatically when Essendon plays well. He's more than $10,000 cheaper than Griffen too, and just gets the nod as the smarter AFL Fantasy pick. | |
