ARE YOU confused by the Fantasy lingo? As years have gone by, the Fantasy language has evolved into a complex form.
From people referring to players as 'pigs' and 'cash cows' to the 'coronaball' season of 2020, the Fantasy world can certainly be a weird place to live. Understanding these harmless words and phrases has never been simpler as the Traders have complied an A-Z guide to make your life that little bit easier.
ADP: Average Draft Position. A number that indicates where a player has been drafted based on the previous drafts that have occurred.
Auto Draft: When you miss your pick in Fantasy Draft. The time limit runs out which can be because of indecision, too many beers or internet connection issues.
BCV: 'Before Corona Virus' is used to translate 2020 scores into regular-season scores due to the shortened 16-minute quarters of 2020. All scores and averages of 2020 can be multiplied by 1.25 which will turn them into adjusted scores of the good old days (BCV).
Best 18: A term used over the bye rounds where only your 18 highest-scoring players who are on the ground count.
Bevo'ed: A term used to describe the, at times, unpredictable coaching of the Bulldogs. One minute Jack Macrae is a midfielder … then a forward or a wingman. Based on previous seasons, it's common knowledge that the Bulldogs can't be trusted.
Breakeven: The number a player must reach to maintain their price. For example, Dylan Moore's breakeven in round one is 88 - if he reaches this, his price will increase and if he doesn't, he'll drop in value.
Breakout: A player who has a 'breakout' season will boost their average considerably from the year before. Caleb Serong did this in 2023, increasing his average from 88 to 108.
Burning up the track: An overused term during the pre-season.
Bust: A player who is predicted to have a poor season compared to general expectations. The player might be injury-prone, coming off a career year that may be an outlier or may not live up to the hype.
Captain: Usually your best player. Their score will be doubled.
Cash cow: A cheap player who grows in price, before being sold to make money.
Ceiling: A player's highest score. Josh Dunkley has a huge ceiling as he demonstrated in a game in 2019, when he scored 189.
Champion Data: The official statisticians of the AFL. It provides all of the stats that make up the Fantasy numbers. Fantasy Freako is the 'face' of its Fantasy content and can be found on Twitter. Champion Data, also referred to as CD, give players the initial positions and makes adjustments by adding DPP throughout each year.
Chasing points: Trading in someone who scored well the week before. You chase their score hoping they can replicate it for you. However, this very rarely happens.
Commissioner: The Andrew Dillon of the league. The person responsible for setting up and maintaining the league and making the big calls on settings, most important in Draft leagues. They'll collect entry fees and distribute prizes … and oversee Draft trades. It is important for the commissioner to be unbiased (fair) and honest.
Coronaball: A term used to describe the disrupted 2020 season.
Cover: An emergency who will play and will provide you with cover if an on-field player is a late withdrawal.
Cuddle: Tackle = 4pts.
Customisation: New to draft, leagues now have the ability to set the structure of their teams, rules and the actual scoring categories and points allocated to each. For example, spoils can now be added to your league and you can also increase the value of goals and contested marks, if you like. The game is in your hands. It's awesome!
Donut: When you can't field a full team due to injuries or poor management. A player on your ground may score zero points … a donut.
Downgrade: The term used when offloading a player to a cheaper player to make some cash.
DPP: Dual-position player. A player who carries two positions next to their name. Nick Daicos (DEF/MID) can therefore be selected as a forward or a midfielder and be moved from position to position when needed.
Draft Day: The best day on the Fantasy calendar. The time/date the initial draft takes place for Fantasy Draft leagues where hopefully all coaches can get together and have plenty of banter, responsible drinking and fun.
Emergency: A player selected on your bench to cover an on-field player in case they are a late withdrawal.
Fantasy Pig: The highest and most prestigious status, awarded to a player who goes above and beyond to feast on points. Currently, only the great Dane Swan, Tom Rockliff, Tom Mitchell and Brodie Grundy share the honour.
Fantasy Piglet: A potential pig in the making who is serving their apprenticeship.
Free agent: A player who hasn't been selected in a Draft team who can be selected from the waiver wire. Also known as the scrap heap.
Green vest: The lowest scorer from the Traders each week 'wears' the horrid green vest.
Guns and rookies: A strategy used by Fantasy coaches where they only pick premium players and rookies, totally avoiding the mid-priced options. The idea is that the premiums will score reliably every week, while the decent rookies will score well enough to generate a price rise and later be upgraded.
Ghostship: A team not being actively managed by its coach or the act of not actively managing a Fantasy team.
Interchange: Known as the bench. In Classic, you will have two defenders, midfielders and forwards. One ruck and one more floating player that is called a utility. This player can be from any position you like.
Interrupted pre-season: A player who hasn't been fully training over the pre-season due to complications, such as Sean Darcy this year.
Junk time: A term that refers to a player who gets very busy in the closing stages of a game with lots of kick to kick and uncontested ball boosting their score. A Fantasy coach's dream.
Karma bus: An imaginary vehicle that will run down those who brag. Be careful not to boast to your mates about league victories before all games are completed.
Kissed: When a Fantasy coach gets mega lucky and receives a 'kiss' from the Fantasy fairy.
Late change/late withdrawal: A last-minute change to the original 22 players who were selected when teams were announced. A term dreaded and feared by Fantasy coaches.
Legends: The collective for Fantasy coaches.
Lock: A player who is cemented into your side from the first day you made your team.
Loophole: A term used when Fantasy coaches try to gain a double chance when selecting a captain. This is when you select a player as a vice-captain early in the round, then if you like their score you select a non-playing player as you captain. They will score a zero and the vice-captain's score will be doubled. If the score of the vice-captain isn't any good, select a captain as you usually would. Can confuse many!
Mid-priced: Players who are valued between $500,000 and $800,000.
Mid-priced madness: A strategy that coaches employ to field players of the mid-priced variety, meaning they will have fewer rookies on the field and fewer premium players as well.
More midfield time: A promise made to players from AFL coaches, that never comes true.
Mr Worldwide: Nickname of Marc Pittonet who became a cult hero in 2020.
Par: Stolen from golf, it's the score that would be deemed as average for the week.
Pocketing: Also known as 'handcuffing'. A term used when playing Draft when selecting rucks. Selecting Reilly O'Brien and 'pocketing' him with his potential back-up, Kieran Strachan. If O'Brien misses a game, the Crows may call up Strachan to replace him, unless he's already playing. A good strategy to use when playing Draft.
POD: Player of difference. A unique person not selected by many coaches. Usually under five per cent ownership.
Rage trade: What all good coaches do early in the week, trading out under-performing players to send a message and then 'reverse' the trade later in the week.
Relton Roberts: A term used when a Fantasy coach panics at the last minute prior to the first lockout. They ignore all their pre-season research and jump on a random rookie, they've never heard of, just because they're named. Don't be tricked.
Reverse trade: A button that can be hit, to change any trades you have made leading into lockout.
Scoring: The Fantasy scoring system is a simple formula.
Kick = 3 points
Handball = 2 points
Mark = 3 points
Tackle = 4 points
Free Kick For = 1 point
Free Kick Against = -3 points
Hitout = 1 point
Goal = 6 points
Behind = 1 point
Scrap heap: Also known as the waiver wire. A term used in Draft to describe a pool of free agents.
Set and forget: Selecting a player with confidence, knowing they will be a season-long keeper without causing any frustration. A set and forget ruck strategy was used by many coaches last year by selecting Tim English and Rowan Marshall.
Sideways trade: When you straight swap a player for another player of equal value. Often used over the bye period to prevent your team from scoring zeroes.
Sleeper or slider: Terms that refer to players who may get forgotten about on Draft day and selected as a steal in late rounds.
Snake draft: The most popular format for Draft day where teams will select players in the first round and then the order reverses for the second. For example, in a 12-team league, the coach with pick 1 (round 1) will not pick again until pick 24 (round 2) whereas the coach with the last pick at 12 (round 1) would go back-to-back and have pick 13 (round 2). This continues throughout the draft. Drafting on the turn (either the first or last pick) is often a preferred position for coaches.
Snout: A word associated with a player who showed pig tendencies.
Ton up: A term used when a player scores 100.
TOG: Time on ground.
Upgrade: A term used to when trading to a better player.
Vice-captain: A vice-captain's score will be doubled if your selected captain is a late withdrawal. Can be used wisely in the 'loophole' (see above).
Warne chest: A large sum of money in the bank that you have saved, ready to use the following weeks on a big trade. Very similar to a war chest, and not necessarily Warnie's chest.
