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The Traders have previewed every club as coaches work on their Fantasy teams ahead of the 2025 season.
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Jordan Dawson (MID, $1,080,000) arrived at the Crows in 2022 and in that season he posted a personal-best average of 101. He then dramatically improved that in the following season to average 113 but last season Adelaide's "Mr Fix It" slipped to 105. This makes him a genuine under-priced premium. This season, the highest averaging midfielder available is Adam Treloar, who averaged 110. We know that Dawson has the ability to average 110-plus and he showed this again when he averaged 110 in his last six games. If Dawson can remain as a permanent midfielder and not be used all over the ground, he is a serious starting option and capable of being a top-five midfielder. Adelaide is an intriguing watch this pre-season, with recruits Isaac Cumming (MID, $575,000) and James Peatling (MID, $634,000) making an impression. Read Calvin's full Crows preview here.
The Crow Calvin is most likely to start with: Sid Draper (MID, $331,000)
An ACL injury in Opening Round last year meant Keidean Coleman (DEF, $521,000) missed the remainder of 2024 and receives a 27 per cent discount on his price. He was hot property this time last year following his end to 2023 where he averaged 89 in the last 12 games. This culminated in a score of 106 in the preliminary final and 122 in the Grand Final loss to the Pies. Coleman had Fantasy coaches loving what they were seeing where he had 63 points at quarter-time. Coaches keen on the discounted Lion will need to monitor his work on the track throughout February. If he plays in Opening Round and performs well, Coleman will be hard to pass up with a breakeven of 51. Read Warnie's full Lions preview here.
The Lion Warnie is most likely to start with: Levi Ashcroft (MID, $328,000)
It's been another interrupted pre-season for Blues star Sam Walsh (MID, $1,089,000) due to a hamstring strain. But the big news came with Nic Newman (DEF, $1,052,000) ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury. So who could benefit? Roy suggests it could be Sam Docherty (MID, $782,000) or Ollie Hollands (MID, $640,000), and even potentially Jack Silvagni (FWD, $455,000). Read Roy's full Blues preview here.
The Blue Roy is most likely to start with: Jagga Smith (MID, $334,000)
Make no mistake about it, Nick Daicos (MID, $1,074,000) is one of the best players in the game, and will be for many years to come. Although he has lost his defender status, he is slightly under-priced based on his average of 105 after reaching 109 the year before. Some say you're only as good as your last game and if that's the case, expect Daicos to come out flying after he ended the year with a career-high 157. Read Calvin's full Magpies preview here.
The Pie Calvin is most likely to start with: Dan Houston (DEF, $964,000)
The Bombers selected Isaac Kako (MID/FWD, $304,000), an NGA player, with pick 13 to fill a need in forward 50. Everything is pointing towards the dynamic small forward who has shown creativity and speed being in the Bombers' best side. While we can't expect big numbers from a forward pocket, Kako is a good chance to play in round one and be a slow-burning cash cow on the forward bench. He averaged 1.7 goals and 85 points for the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League and 65 points for Vic Metro at the Marsh Under-18 Championships. Keep an eye on former No.5 pick Elijah Tsatas (MID, $600,000), while Dylan Shiel (MID, $769,000) has shifted into a new half-back role. Read Warnie's full Bombers preview here.
The Bomber Warnie most is likely to start with: Zach Reid (DEF, $230,000)
Star midfielder Andrew Brayshaw (MID, $1,073,000) will start the year with a bit of meat on the bone after averaging 105, well down on the 110 and 113 he managed the previous two seasons. After some disappointing and frustrating performances during the year including scores such as 67 and 78, it was order restored in the last eight games where he was back to his hard-working best to average 113, which included 123 and 124 to finish the season. Read Roy's full Dockers preview here.
The Docker Roy is most likely to start with: Andrew Brayshaw (MID, $1,073,000)
There is no bigger lock in Fantasy Classic than Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $598,000). The former Dog is the most selected player so far this pre-season due to his value. Smith missed all of 2024 after rupturing his ACL in December 2023. More than 12 months on, he's on the track at Kardina Park and ticking boxes as he aims for a spot in Geelong's midfield. Being priced at 58 makes Smith plenty of value considering his 2022 return that saw him average 105.6. An inside midfield role is what will make Bazlenka a knockout pick. Even an average of 83, like he achieved in a disappointing 2023, would be enough to make him a top-six forward and around $250,000 under-priced. Read Warnie's full Cats preview here.
The Cat Warnie is most likely to start with: Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $598,000)
At his best, Touk Miller (MID, $955,000) is in the elite bracket, as we saw in 2021 when he averaged 122 points per game. There has been a steady decline since then with averages of 96 and 93 the last two years respectively, but injuries have played a big part in that, playing 13 and 18 games. Disregarding an injured game in round 17 last year, he averaged 104 in his last four games which presents some value given his is priced at 93. Read Roy's full Suns preview here.
The Sun Roy is most likely to start with: Daniel Rioli (DEF, $857,000)
Tom Green (MID, $1,025,000) would be one of my first picked midfielders if it wasn’t for the early bye. He would likely be my M1 after injury derailed a lighting start to the season, eventually averaging 99.9 for the season, well down on the 110.6 he averaged in 2023. Taking on his early bye last year paid off, averaging 127 in the three games leading up to his week off and nailing five big hundreds in his first seven games. His round eight injury on just seven obviously drops his average and asking price, as do the string of double figure scores to follow as he averaged just 87 in the next five games while playing hurt. He was back to normal in the last ten games averaging 109 and he will be worth looking at as an option in round three. James Leake (DEF, $230,000) is a rookie to keep an eye on. Read Roy's full Giants preview here.
The Giant Roy is most likely to start with: Tom Green (MID, $1,025,000)
Will Day (MID, $760,000) had a season interrupted by injuries and is now one of the biggest bargains in the game. After a breakout season in 2023, Day dropped his average last season by 21 points to the 74 he is priced at today. A fit and healthy, Day can average 100, a number he pushed in the back-half of his breakout year. Day is currently owned by only a quarter of Fantasy coaches, which only means… the other 75 per cent need to wake up and start enjoying the Day, although he has spoken about potentially playing forward a little more in 2025. Read Calvin's full Hawks preview here.
The Hawk Calvin is most likely to start with: Will Day (MID, $760,000)
Returning to the track early is on the pre-season training bingo card and Clayton Oliver (MID, $797,000) has ticked that off. His well-documented battles over the last 18 months are hopefully in the rearview mirror and things will be looking up. In Fantasy, if he can get halfway back to his best, then he's a bargain. Oliver averaged 77.7 last year from his 21 games. A far cry from what made him a Fantasy stud from just his second season. From 2017, Oliver has posted a 100-plus average including his last four at 114.3 (adjusted for shortened quarters), 108.7, 112.3 and 113.8. There's genuinely 30-plus points upside for the 27-year-old who will be a highly selected player if everything goes to plan in the lead up to round one. Read Warnie's full Demons preview here.
The Demon Warnie is most likely to start with: Clayton Oliver (MID, $797,000)
Thanks in part to his former coach Luke Beveridge, Roos recruit Caleb Daniel (MID/FWD, $514,000) comes in at a bargain price. In his 15 games last season at the Dogs, Daniel started as a substitute seven times and was subbed out in another. When in the senior team, he played a forward-midfield role and was demoted to the VFL for three separate stints. The 28-year-old was traded to the Kangaroos in the off-season and promised a half-back role. This was great for Sheezel, McKercher, Zac Fisher and Tom Powell plus Jack Ziebell and Aaron Hall before them. Forwards in 2025 won't have the huge numbers at the top end and a potential 85-plus average for Daniel (that he achieved in his five years prior) would cement him as one of the top six forwards for the season. At worst, he's going to increase in value being priced at just 50 points per game. There's a lot of upside and cash to make! Read Warnie's full Kangaroos preview here.
The Kangaroo Warnie most is likely to start with: Caleb Daniel (MID/FWD, $514,000)
Players with an early bye play one less game over the first four rounds and this only adds to why Port Adelaide players are extremely relevant in 2025. Connor Rozee (MID, $996,000) is one of the premium midfielders to target. He is cheap considering he ended the year averaging 97, compared to the 106 he had the year before. Read Calvin's full Power preview here.
The Port player Calvin is most likely to start with: Connor Rozee (MID, $996,000)
Richmond's main midfielder Tim Taranto (MID, $980,000) only managed 15 games last season and averaged 96. He ended the year with a season-high 145, however that was only the third time he scored over his 2023 average of 112. We always hunt value in AFL Fantasy Classic and based on the numbers above, Taranto could be 20 points under-priced. The big question is … does he have the support around him to get back to his very best? His pre-season games will need to be monitored closely. Another one to keep an eye on is Kane McAuliffe (MID, $396,000) who came to the Tigers last season. In his nine games, he received plenty of midfield opportunities despite only averaging 40. McAuliffe did wear the substitute vest three times, but if the Tigers are willing to back him in with a full season, he could be in for a big year. Read Calvin's full Tigers preview here.
The Tiger Calvin is most likely to start with: Tim Taranto (MID, $980,000)
Injuries have caused chaos at the Saints, with popular forward option Mattaes Phillipou (MID/FWD, $656,000) to miss the start of the season due to a stress fracture in his leg, forcing a reshuffle. Rowan Marshall (RUC, $1,201,000) is racing the clock to be available for round one due to a stress fracture in his pelvis, but St Kilda did sign Harry Boyd (RUC, $230,000). "Put him at R2," says Calvin. Read Calvin's full Saints preview here.
The Saint Calvin is most likely to start with: Jack Macrae (FWD, $732,000)
Callum Mills (DEF, $759,000) hasn't had much luck the last couple of years with untimely injuries keeping him from his best. It's only a couple of years ago when he averaged 110 and 111 in 2021 and 2022 to be as prolific as anyone in the game with high scores of 152 and 162 in those seasons. That is a far cry from what we have seen in recent times, managing just seven games last year which triggers a discount on his 2023 average of 84. He averaged 70 last season and is priced at 74 which makes him an absolute bargain if he has a good pre-season, especially if Coxy plays him in a fruitful role. Read Roy's full Swans preview here.
The Swan Roy is most likely to start with: Callum Mills (DEF, $759,000)
When you look at Liam Baker's (MID/FWD, $805,000) career-high average of 79, it's nothing to write home about but the underwhelming number is a reflection of his versatility and ability to patch holes for the Tigers. If he can find a more consistent midfield role for the Eagles, there could be some upside given he averaged 88 when receiving 28 per cent or more CBAs last season. Ryan Maric (MID/FWD, $421,000) and Jack Hutchinson (FWD, $385,000) are also set for role changes. Read Roy's full Eagles preview here.
The Eagle Roy is most likely to start with: Liam Baker (MID/FWD, $805,000)
During the last four seasons, Bailey Dale (DEF, $950,000) has been on the cusp of being a premium Fantasy defender. He’s been the Dogs’ go-to player to take kick-ins during that time and is coming off his personal best Fantasy season where he averaged 92.6. A durable player who hasn’t missed a game in the last four years had an indifferent start to 2024 where he scored just 47 in Gather Round and started the following game as the substitute. He followed up with 160 and 134 showing his ceiling. Plus, there are eyes on Ryley Sanders (MID/FWD, $656,000) and Matt Kennedy (MID/FWD, $791,000) after Adam Treloar (MID, $1,129,000) was ruled out for the start of the season due to a calf injury. Read Warnie's full Bulldogs preview here.
The Bulldog Warnie is most likely to start with: Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $1,101,000)
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