WITH only a month left in the season, is it time to zig while others zag?

In round eight, of the top 10 most highly owned players in AFLW Fantasy, only three players scored above their season average, and 50 per cent scored at least 10 points below their season average. With a lot of coaches now having rookie-free teams, the final month of the season is where we need to start considering if highly owned 'premiums' are hitting the same heights as in earlier rounds, and if trading them out will generate the cash needed for upgrade in other areas. In particular, early runaway favourite No.1 defender Zippy Fish has been well down on form, scoring above 70 only once in the past month. If you are a coach in need of an aggressive move, there is a case to be made for trading her out (more on that below).

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Round eight was also the week where some of the most popular trade targets put in some of their best scores of the season. The forwards pair of Erone Fitzpatrick (105) and Ash Centra (100) were both excellent, and Tarni White (99) and Maddison Gay (99) excelled in tougher match-ups. All four present as excellent options to target for the final month of the season. The most surprising score of the weekend was Laura Gardiner's stellar 122 in the dreaded North Melbourne fixture. With some easier match-ups on the horizon, and with renewed hope that a full-time role in the midfield is hers for the taking, non-owners now must grapple with the agonising choice of whether to trade in this season's most confounding enigma.

Coaches have been spared any bad news on the injury table or in the MRO report to the most highly owned players, making for a clean week of trades, and with it, the chance to improve and differentiate for the run to the finish line.

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Top five price rises

Sabrina Frederick (RUC, $635,000) +$154,000
Heidi Talbot (MID, $459,000) +$138,000
Ash Centra (MID/FWD, $775,000) +$137,000
Mia Austin (FWD, $655,000) +$121,000
Darcy Davies (RUC, $727,000) +$120,000

Top five price falls

Ally Morphett (RUC, $641,000) -$124,000
Isabella Lewis (MID, $575,000) -$121,000
Jacqueline Dupuy (FWD, $578,000) -$120,000
Eilish Sheerin (MID, $839,000) -$116,000
Emelia Yassir (FWD, $387,000) -$102,000

Top targets

Maddison Gay (ESS, DEF, $812,000) - 99 Fantasy points
Following her latest injury hiatus, Gay has returned to the Essendon line-up and reminded everyone why she is the most important player on the Bombers' list. Not only was she instrumental across half-back with 21 disposals and four rebound 50s, but she pushed into the middle in the second half to kickstart the incredible comeback that saw Essendon claim its maiden win of the season. This helped her reach season highs in tackles (five), score involvements (four) and her first goal at Essendon. Gay is one of the most reliable defenders in the Fantasy game at the minute, and is incredibly lowly owned right now – just 10 per cent of the top five per cent of coaches have Gay in their team. The pick of the defenders this week, for those with cash to spare.

Ash Centra (COL, MID/FWD, $775,000) - 100 Fantasy points
Good things come to those who wait, and it feels like we have been waiting forever for Collingwood to play Centra in the middle of the ground. Centra did not see a single centre bounce attendance across the first five weeks, but that has changed dramatically – Centra is now a primary midfield rotation and the Fantasy scores have followed with a 68, 87 and 100 since then. Her efforts against a difficult match-up in Melbourne were impressive, collecting 30 disposals and five tackles. With a much more favourable match-up to come against St Kilda this week, Centra is an easy pick up this week to help your team come home strong in the final four weeks.

Erika O'Shea (NM, DEF, $727,000) - 78 Fantasy points
A fresh hamstring concern for Emma Kearney put a dampener on her 100 games celebration on Sunday, and will be a real loss for the Roos' defensive line. But in her absence, her share of football needs to be mopped up by someone and O'Shea stands out as the best candidate. She has been an incredibly reliable performer in 2026 – scoring between 73 and 86 in seven of her eight games – and the additional ball off half-back might help push her to the next level. Interestingly, her best and worst scores of the season came without Kearney, so Fantasy coaches are flirting with a bit of the unknown here. But at her cheap price and with a fantastic run for defenders ahead, jumping on O'Shea is a risk worth taking.

Megan Fitzsimon (MEL, MID, $783,000) - 104 Fantasy points
With Kate Hore, Shelley Heath-Barker and Eliza McNamara all out injured late this season, Dees coach Tom Wilson has turned to Fitzsimon to step up in the middle. In that more prominent role, she had her best game of the season, collecting 24 disposals, 14 contested possessions, 10 tackles, six clearances and six score involvements. It is hard to find cheap midfield options at this time of the season, so Fitzsimon's role change is a blessing for those looking to catch up with the top teams without having the cash to pay up for the more expensive unique options. 

Mim Strom (FRE, RUC, $852,000) - 116 Fantasy points
Strom delivered for all the coaches that took the plunge and gambled on her fantastic breakeven last week, bullying the Eagles through the centre for 11 contested possessions, six tackles and seven clearances. She now faces a very difficult opponent in North Melbourne this week, before finishing the year with three of the best ruck match-ups you could hope for. With her price only increasing from here (her breakeven is just 63), is it worth jumping early to ensure you have her on the run home?

Sell

Lauren Young (PTA, FWD, $551,000) - 36 Fantasy points
Young has been a handy rookie in 2026, reliably scoring around 60 points every week and allowing for coaches to upgrade elsewhere in their team. But rookie scoring is always fraught with risk. Young's quiet game against the Crows has seen her drop $44k so far, with tough games against the Eagles and Lions to come. It is overtime to thank her for her services and move her on to the premium forward options, lest another floor score drag your Fantasy team down further.

Chantel Emonson (GEE, DEF, $677,000) - 56 Fantasy points
Emonson has similarly been highly reliable in 2026, yet to score below 50 points in any game this season. But as we approach the pointy end of the season, scores around the 55-65 mark are no longer going to cut the mustard. Finding players that can reach those ceiling scores is the best way to separate your Fantasy team from other sides in the competition. If you have yet to clear all your rookies off-field, Emonson is not a high priority trade out. But if you have the option, trading up from the highly owned Emonson could be a way to take that next step up the ranks. 

Isabel Bacon (RIC, DEF, $717,000) - 58 Fantasy points
Bacon's midfield role change this season has been an incredible rise to watch, with Richmond fans getting to see her sizzling best. But a couple concerns have arisen that may make owners a bit concerned – a tagging role on Georgie Prespakis and the impending return of Mon Conti. It is frustrating to know her fantastic role is soon to be (rightfully) impacted by the return of a teammate, but quite another to have floor scores in the meantime dictated by tagging roles. Whether she is a trade this week or next, Bacon is unfortunately one approaching the chopping block and needs to be given due consideration.

Zippy Fish (SYD, DEF, $805,000) - 59 Fantasy points
Fish has hit a rough patch of form, now with three games under 70 in her last four. Some of this can be attributed to difficult opponents, but it is strange to see for one of the stars of the competition. Question marks arise over whether oppositions have found ways to limit her impact, whether 100 per cent time on ground for 2026 is too much for anyone to handle (let alone a 20-year-old) or whether the Swans are finding new avenues to transition the ball forward in their gameplan. Fish still remains the highest averaging defender in the competition and has a gear few others do, so trading her out would be a mighty big call. It is also worth noting that the Swans are fighting for her to remain at the club, and will be trying anything and everything to make her feel like she is playing her best football. But if you wanted to take a big swing late in the season, trading out of the second highest owned player in the competition while they are in the middle of a down patch of form seems a decent way to do it.

Top rookie targets (under $350,000)

With only four rounds to go, it is unlikely that many of the below rookies are going to have much time to earn cash and contribute to an upgrade before the season ends. These options represent the best coverage left for those concerned about a poorly timed late out. If you are confident with the rest of your squad, you may be better off going down to a basement-priced rookie and maximising the amount you can spend on-field. If you are looking for a VC loophole, three teams play on Sunday in three of the remaining four rounds – Fremantle, Hawthorn and North Melbourne. These are the loops that will give you the most flexibility across the final month of the Fantasy season. 

Defenders:
Rhianna Ingram (GC, $348,000)
Madeline Hendrie (CAR, $272,000)
Amelie Borg (PA, $286,000)

Midfielders:
Alice Tentye (ADE, $234,000)
Chelsea Sutton (STK, $256,000)
Noa McNaughton (FRE, $271,000)

Rucks:
Maddie Quinn (SYD, $301,000)
Jacinta Hose (MEL, $200,000)

Forwards:
Evie Long (BRI, $246,000)
Sophie Butterworth (STK, $200,000)
Imogen Trengove (COL, $200,000)

Captains

Right now it feels harder than ever to pick a high scoring captain. The top captaincy choices all scored between 90 and 110 last week (aside from Charlie Rowbottom), and this week's fixture feels purpose built to mess with Fantasy coaches looking to pick a VC and C without any crossover. The top two options in Rowbottom (the most in-form scorer) and Marinoff (runs on the board scorer) both play on Saturday night. There is a case to be made that coaches could get a first-half look at Marinoff before deciding to put the C on Rowbottom, but that seems fraught. With the spots three through to about eight very tightly packed on the captaincy rankings, the perfect strategy feels unsettled. I am leaning towards Rowbottom VC into a Riddell C, but the thought of going with Nina Morrison VC into Rowbottom C is extremely tempting.

No.1: Charlie Rowbottom (v Melbourne, Saturday 8.15pm AEDT)
No.2: Ebony Marinoff (v Richmond, Saturday 7.15pm AEDT)
No.3: Ash Riddell (v Fremantle, Sunday 12.35pm AEDT)
No.4: Nina Morrison (v Greater Western Sydney, Saturday 5.05pm AEDT)
No.5: Ella Roberts (v Port Adelaide, Saturday 3.05pm AEDT)

Other options to consider: Kiara Bowers (v North Melbourne), Tyla Hanks (v Gold Coast), Jasmine Garner (v Fremantle), Liv Purcell (v Gold Coast), Ash Centra (v St Kilda), Alyce Parker (v Geelong), Mikayla Bowen (v GWS)

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