It's one of the best rounds on the AFL calendar and it kicks off tonight when Max Gawn's Demons take on Richmond. Some coaches might be looking at Gawn as a captain option after he scored 125 last week and 134 against Richmond last year.
Then on ANZAC Day, we have two games, with the main event kicking off at 3:20pm AEST between Essendon and Collingwood at the MCG.
With so many Fantasy relevant teams and premium players featuring early this week, it's more important than ever to have your captaincy plans ready and your trades ready to fire.
Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
FANTASY LATEST Tips, strategy, draft, podcasts, more
Trap or treat?
Here are some of the traps to avoid and some treats worth considering for the round ahead.
Nick Daicos (MID, $1,053,000) – TREAT
A treat once again! Daicos has now scored 130-plus in three of his last four games and doesn't look like slowing down. He's the favourite for the ANZAC Day Medal and will take some stopping.
Jai Newcombe (MID, $985,000) - TREAT
Newcombe's next opponents are West Coast, Richmond and Melbourne. It doesn't get much easier than this. Newcombe has averaged 114 in his last four games and will be huge over the coming weeks.
Christian Petracca (MID/FWD, $890,000) – TREAT
Fantasy coaches are on the money and like what they have seen from Petracca. He is coming off back-to-back 100-plus scores and his next two opponents are Richmond and West Coast. Perfect!
Dylan Shiel (DEF/MID, $799,000) - TRAP
After scoring 91, 93 and 97 in his last three games, Shiel's name is starting to come up in conversations. Although he's doing this in just 66 per cent game time, it's too much of a risk.
Kysaiah Pickett (FWD, $783,000) - TRAP
Don’t get me wrong, Pickett has been awesome averaging 101 in his last three games and has increased his time in the middle. However, I feel we have seen this before... and know how it ends.
Most traded in
• James Tunstill (MID/FWD, $260,000)
• Nick Daicos (MID, $1.05M)
• Matt Carroll (DEF, $314,000)
• Max Gawn (RUCK, $1.02M)
• Christian Petracca (MID/FWD, $890,000)
It's hard to find rookies coming through that are worth downgrading to, but coaches are launching into Brisbane's James Tunstill (MID/FWD, $260,000) and Carlton's Matt Carroll (DEF, $314,000). Both have been getting games in recent weeks and are the best options, from the limited options we have. Campbell Gray (DEF/MID, $230,000) is another one to keep an eye on as he will debut for the Tigers tonight. The 21-year-old stands at 195cm and can play across multiple positions. The only question is ... will he start in the substitute vest?
Most traded out
• Luke Trainor (DEF, $513,000)
• Christian Moraes (MID,$451,000)
• Tom De Koning (RUCK, $954,000)
• Max Hall (MID/FWD, $501,000)
• Sam De Koning (DEF/RUCK, $684,000)
Prior to wearing the substitute vest last week, Luke Trainor (DEF, $513,000) was on fire and was coming off a score of 90. Unless you have nothing else to fix in your team, he doesn't need to be traded. Trainor has a great match-up this week and only has a breakeven of 58, something he'll achieve with ease against Melbourne tonight.
Draft: One-week wonders
A strategy in Draft is to find one-week streaming options. This means finding a player who has low ownership (most likely on the waiver wire) and is an option for a one-week play. You may require a player like this to fill any holes in your team while you wait for an injured player to return or for one of your players to gain dual-position status.
Here are some players with low ownership that might be worth a punt on for this week.
Luke Trainor (DEF) v Melbourne – Trainor was averaging 81 in his last three games before being vested last week. Melbourne give up plenty of points to defenders and Trainor should cash in.
James Worpel (MID) v West Coast – Check the free agents because Worpel still might be there. Since returning from injury he is coming off scores of 104 and 85, and only has the Eagles this week.
Peter Wright (FWD) v Collingwood – Two-metre Peter played his first game last week for a huge 119. He is only in one-third of draft leagues and clearly has the ability to be huge on his day.
Draft: Captain smokies
In Draft, every player is unique so it's important to think outside the box when it comes to finding a captain. Here are some options to consider if you're a lucky owner.
Jordan Clark v Adelaide @ Optus Stadium, FRI 8:10pm AEST
Similar players to Clark have feasted on the Crows already this year. In recent weeks we have seen Whitfield 143, Holmes 123, Rioli 113 and Daniel 115 score with ease. Clark could be massive!
Matt Roberts v Gold Coast @ People First Stadium, SUN 1:15pm AEST
After seeing Nick Vlastuin score 129 from 13 marks last week against the Suns, my attention quickly turned to the Sydney defenders. Roberts is coming off 96 and will hit triple figures in this match-up.
Jai Newcombe v West Coast @ Marvel Stadium, SUN 4:45pm AEST
Form is everything, and Newcombe is coming off back-to-back scores of 118. The Eagles give up plenty and Newcombe already has a huge 140-plus score under his belt already this season.
Live Teams Show
The Traders will be live tonight to cover all the important ins and outs as teams are announced. They break down the popular trades, discuss captains and answer all your burning questions. Watch the Live Teams Show every Thursday night via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App and ask your questions in the comments.
Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Calvin's best remaining captains
No.1 – Lachie Whitfield v Bulldogs @ Manuka Oval, SAT 7.35pm AEST
Whitfield is the No.1 player in the game, averaging 123 in his last three games after a huge 143 last week. He also loves playing in Canberra where he averaged 121 last year. Whitfield even scored 147 and 100 against the Bulldogs in 2024 and has scored over 100 against them in 11 of his of 15 games.
No.2 – Zach Merrett v Collingwood @ the MCG, FRI 3.20pm AEST
Even after a disappointing 81 last week, I'm very happy to back Merrett in again. He has scored 120, 123, 146, 121 and 115 in his last five games against Collingwood and averages 120 in his last six Anzac Day matches. He's one of those players who steps up on the big stage and will be great again.
No.3 – Nick Daicos v Essendon @ the MCG, FRI 3.20pm AEST
Daicos is coming off 131, 136, 76 and 136. Like every week, Daicos will cop attention and the Bombers have Will Setterfield and Sam Durham at their disposal to slow him down. He scored 102 and 98 against Essendon last year and in his last two Anzac Day games he has scored 98 and 140.
No.4 – Jordan Dawson v Fremantle @ Optus Stadium, FRI 8.10pm AEST
He's reliable and has now scored over 115 on four occasions this year. Dawson is coming off an impressive 123 and meets a team he scored 100 and 122 against in his last two games. Dawson has the ability to fill all the stat lines and should be too good for the Dockers on Friday night.
No.5 - Andrew Brayshaw v Adelaide @ Optus Stadium, FRI 8.10pm AEST
Brayshaw has averaged 116 in his last three games and his 106 last week was his lowest score in his last four games. The Crows can be a tricky match-up and this year they have only allowed two opposition midfielders to score over 110 against them. Back him in... he'll be fine.
Get expert advice from The Traders during the season in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on X and Instagram and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.
