Marcus Bontempelli in action during the R24 match between Western Bulldogs and Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on August 26, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

PRE-SEASON for an AFL Fantasy coach is all about gathering information. This might be through combing the stats, reading training reports or bouncing ideas off other footy fans.

Roy, Calvin and Warnie have been throwing plenty of names backwards and forwards since Fantasy opened in December. Whether they're looking at value picks for their Classic teams or compiling their Draft rankings and finding a sleeper, they haven't stopped.

Thoughts evolve and this season is shaping up to be one where more players are relevant than ever.

What's the best ruck combination? Do you pick two between Max Gawn, Brodie Grundy and Tristan Xerri? Is having Jordon Sweet as an emergency too much cash on your bench?

How much risk can we take with our initial squads? Does Elliot Yeo play enough games to be a starter?

Elliot Yeo looks dejected after West Coast's loss to Sydney in round 15, 2023. Picture: Getty Images

What structure should we look at in the forward line? What value options are there outside of Harley Reid? Can you start both James Jordon and Taylor Adams despite being teammates with an early bye?

Do we put too much into training reports? The old 'more midfield time' has been replaced with 'he's playing half-back'. Does this make Karl Amon an option based on his numbers to finish last season? How about Marcus Windhager or even cash cow Matt Roberts?

There's plenty to consider as the pre-season progresses. The Traders give their take on plenty of questions collected from social media in a new episode of the Official AFL Fantasy Podcast.

Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

In this week's episode …

2:00 - How many breakouts is too many?

4:40 - Why Calvin is paying up for Marcus Bontempelli.

7:30 - Is Elliot Yeo a legitimate option down back?

11:50 - Compare the pair: Matt Crouch vs Karl Amon.

14:20 - Can Jordan Clark be a starter?

17:00 - Roy is very keen on picking Nat Fyfe.

21:05 - Sam Walsh vs Zak Butters vs Jack Steele.

25:30 - Do you target FWDs and RUCKs early in Draft?

29:40 - Should we look at replacing Tristan Xerri after his face surgery?

32:45 - The boys discuss Cam Guthrie.

34:15 - Tips on getting started with Draft.

38:00 - Is Nic Martin a point of difference worth considering?

41:45 - The best locks per position.

Get AFL Fantasy updates from The Traders in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on Twitter and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.