NEXT up in our 2026 Fantasy preview series is Melbourne.

What happened last season?

Average points ranking: Ninth
Top three averaging players: Max Gawn (113.3), Jack Steele (95.9), Christian Salem (93)
Biggest price increase: Harvey Langford (+$286,000)
Biggest price drop: Harry Sharp (-$271,000)

>> See the full list of players, positions and prices

List changes

IN
Oscar Berry (Category B rookie), Max Heath (trade, St Kilda), Changkuoth Jiath (trade, Hawthorn), Thomas Matthews (No.30 draft pick), Brody Mihocek (trade, Collingwood), Riley Onley (Rookie Draft), Latrelle Pickett (No.12 draft pick), Jack Steele (trade, St Kilda), Xavier Taylor (No.11 draft pick), Kalani White (Category A rookie, father-son)

OUT
Jack Billings (delisted), Kynan Brown (delisted), Tom Fullarton (delisted), Marty Hore (delisted), Judd McVee (trade, Fremantle), Clayton Oliver (trade, Greater Western Sydney), Christian Petracca (trade, Gold Coast), Oliver Sestan (delisted), Charlie Spargo (free agent, North Melbourne), Will Verrall (delisted), Taj Woewodin (delisted)

Fixture watch

The Dees are right in the mix for starting spots given their huge on-field personnel shake up and the fact they don't have an early bye.

In their first five weeks, they don't have a 'hard' match up and face two teams who are considered easy to score against in the Saints and Bombers, which is a nice carrot to boost their selection prospects even further.

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

Lock them in

It's hard to imagine that after such a long and dominant career, 34-year-old Max Gawn (RUC, $1,188,000) is coming off his career-high average of 113.3. Unlike the previous season, there was no slowing down at the back end last year, in fact the big fella looked determined to carry his team to the end with an amazing 117.7 average in his last six games. Gawn may take a small hit with the new ruck rules but his ability to cover the ground and take marks around the ground means he has the tools to maintain his elite numbers.

Track their pre-season

Big name recruit Jack Steele (MID, $1,006,000) will be ready to come out and prove a point. The Dees have said he is there to play as a midfielder, not a half forward as we saw at times last year which saw the former Saints skipper drop his average from 106.6 to 95.9. Despite the role change last year, Steele was still one of the best points per minute players in the game, so his return to a full time midfield role will likely bump the 30 year old's average straight back into triple figures, an area he is very familiar with given his career high averages of 110.7 and 121.9.

Bargain basement

Xavier Lindsay (MID, $550,000) showed plenty of promise last year, becoming one of our favourite cash cows. The 19-year-old recorded three impressive 80-plus scores which included 94 and a season-high 98. He comes in at a bargain price given he wore the green vest on four occasions and was also injured in the first quarter of round three on just 12. Without those games, he would have averaged 64.2 in his debut season and he is priced at an average of 52.4.

If fellow youngster Harvey Langford (MID, $658,000) can force his way into the midfield, a second year breakout is well and truly on the cards as he is capable of blowing his average of 62.7 out of the water, so track his pre season carefully.

Draft sleeper

With no Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, veteran Jack Viney (MID, $927,000) is every chance to return to his best. Last season he posted an average of 88.4, well down on the 100 he managed in 2023. He will have to heavily contribute to filling the void and last year the tackling machine showed he can still score with the best in the game positing highs of 119, 120 and 134. You could round your midfield out with far worse than a bloke capable of laying 10-plus tackles in a game, as we saw on four occasions last year including tallies of 13, 15 and 16.

Custom stat star

If your league gives goal kickers some extra love, Kysaiah Pickett (MID/FWD, $915,000) is worth bumping up your draft order given he still hits the scoreboard despite making the most of his ever increasing midfield time. Last year he managed to snag 40 despite attending 69 per cent of CBAs.

Buyer beware

Christian Salem (DEF, $975,000) is coming off an outstanding season where the 30 year old managed the second highest average of his career with 93. The most impressive stat from last year however was the veteran's durability where he managed 23 games, well clear of what we have come to expect the last four years where he has tallied 13, 16 and 17. He comes into the season as the eighth highest ranked defender on the board and he could get a bump due to the injury to Jake Bowey (DEF, $907,000), but remain wary of the recent games played history before launching too early based purely on projected average.

Catch up on every club preview

ADELAIDE Still value in breakout gun, will youngster get his chance?
BRISBANE Young guns shape as options, eyes on defender again
CARLTON Lock and load this young gun, beware of star veteran
COLLINGWOOD The Daicos to watch, star has plenty of upside
FREMANTLE Gun duo may offer value, keep an eye on rucks
GEELONG Consider impressive forward, beware of star veteran
GOLD COAST Star recruit one to watch, rookie an option
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY Must-have defender, keep an eye on former Demon
HAWTHORN All eyes on star mid again, can captain recapture best?
PORT ADELAIDE Duo hard to ignore, fast start beckons
ST KILDA Lock in Nasiah, how will ruck tandem play out?
SYDNEY Lock in star ruck, is Gulden a bargain?
WESTERN BULLDOGS Don't sleep on ruck, can Bont continue hot streak?

With an all-new platform, AFL Fantasy Classic will launch in late January. Fantasy Draft is already available on web, but the app will also launch in the new year.

Get expert advice from The Traders during the pre-season in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on X and Instagram and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.