Zac Williams shows his trademark pace. Picture: AFL Photos

THREE times a season the team at Champion Data crunch the numbers to award players with a single AFL Fantasy position an additional one to make them a dual-position player (DPP).

Changes are based on players who are lining up in a position that differs from what they are initially named prior to the season commencing.

Champion Data constantly updates players’ positions for internal purposes. If they are playing in a secondary position for more than 35 per cent of the time, they will have that position added. They have employed the same rules, drawing on their own updates, to award DPPs ahead of round six.

Significant role changes, reduced interchanges and the need for players to be more flexible has seen a record number of players gain dual-position status in this rollout.

The next set of additions will occur after round 11 and then round 17.

Add DEFENDER

Jack Ziebell and Dyson Heppell are a couple of the big names to have found themselves playing in the back-50 this season. Their Fantasy points are flowing, especially Ziebell’s compared to his 2020 output, as the responsibility of taking kick-ins add some bonus points.

Ziebell’s teammate Aaron Hall has been doing some of his best work as a defender since shedding the medical sub tracksuit in round two, although he was concussed during North's loss to Geelong on Sunday.

Popular mid-priced player Nick Hind and cash cow Miles Bergman will add some handy flexibility with weekly line-ups and trading.

Player

Club

Initial

Position

New

position

Nick Hind

Ess

FWD

DEF/FWD

Dyson Heppell

Ess

MID

DEF/MID

Tom Cutler

Ess

MID

DEF/MID

Jayden Laverde

Ess

FWD

DEF/FWD

Sean Lemmens

GCS

FWD

DEF/FWD

Tom Atkins

Geel

FWD

DEF/FWD

Zach Tuohy

Geel

MID

DEF/MID

Jarman Impey

Haw

FWD

DEF/FWD

Shaun Burgoyne

Haw

FWD

DEF/FWD

Jayden Hunt

Melb

FWD

DEF/FWD

Jack Ziebell

NM

FWD

DEF/FWD

Aaron Hall

NM

FWD

DEF/FWD

Miles Bergman

Port

FWD

DEF/FWD

Jack Sinclair

St K

MID

DEF/MID

George Hewett

Syd

MID

DEF/MID

Bailey Dale

WB

FWD

DEF/FWD

All smiles for Dyson Heppell. Picture: AFL Photos

Add MIDFIELDER

The addition of midfield status isn’t usually Fantasy relevant as coaches normally pick the players in the lesser position (ie. not in the midfield), but it does add flexibility.

It is interesting, however, to see which players are playing through the midfield or on the wing.

An interesting side-note is that Zac Williams, who was DEF only, is now listed internally by Champion Data as a MID/FWD (his midfield time was greater than his forward role, therefore that is why he added MID status).

Player

Club

Initial

position

New

position

Zac Williams

Carl

DEF

DEF/MID

Jack Crisp

Coll

DEF

DEF/MID

Jack Lukosius

GCS

DEF

DEF/MID

Mark O'Connor

Geel

DEF

DEF/MID

Lachie Ash

GWS

DEF

DEF/MID

Chad Wingard

Haw

FWD

MID/FWD

Josh Mahony

NM

FWD

MID/FWD

Jaidyn Stephenson

NM

FWD

MID/FWD

Zak Butters

Port

FWD

MID/FWD

Hunter Clark

St K

DEF

DEF/MID

Callum Mills

Syd

DEF

DEF/MID

Chad Warner

Syd

FWD

MID/FWS

Liam Duggan

WCE

DEF

DEF/MID

Jack Lukosius takes a breather. Picture: AFL Photos

Add RUCK

Out of necessity, Peter Wright, Chris Burgess and Shaun McKernan have had to shoulder some of the ruck load in the early rounds. While not massively Fantasy Classic relevant (Burgess, maybe), they could be a Godsend for deeper draft leagues… or those who have no options for an injured ruck.

Player

Club

Initial

position

New

position

Peter Wright

Ess

FWD

RUC/FWD

Christopher Burgess

GCS

DEF

DEF/RUC

Shaun McKernan

St K

FWD

RUC/FWD

Add FORWARD

More players added FWD status than any other position. This is mostly due to a significant number of midfielders who are spending time forward rather than on the bench due to the reduced interchanges.

Fantasy favourites Nat Fyfe, Lachie Hunter and Josh Kelly are the big names who are now available as MID/FWDs. The trio have averaged more than 100 on multiple occasions and are in the mix to be among the top forwards for the season.

They should be high on your trade radar after dropping some cash in Fantasy Classic.

Draft coaches will be pleased to see Devon Smith and Jack Billings able to be switched from their midfield.

Popular cash cows Tom Powell, Will Phillips, Charlie Lazzaro, Errol Gulden and Lachlan McNeil have the added flexibility of being able to be moved forward.

Player

Club

Initial

position

New

position

Marc Murphy

Carl

MID

MID/FWD

Josh Daicos

Coll

MID

MID/FWD

Cale Hooker

Ess

DEF

DEF/FWD

Devon Smith

Ess

MID

MID/FWD

Nat Fyfe

Frem

MID

MID/FWD

Sean Darcy

Frem

RUC

RUC/FWD

Lachie Weller

GCS

MID

MID/FWD

Brandan Parfitt

Geel

MID

MID/FWD

Josh Kelly

GWS

MID

MID/FWD

Jonathon Ceglar

Haw

RUC

RUC/FWD

Jacob Koschitzke

Haw

DEF

DEF/FWD

Tom Sparrow

Melb

MID

MID/FWD

Josh Walker

NM

DEF

DEF/FWD

Will Phillips

NM

MID

MID/FWD

Charlie Lazzaro

NM

MID

MID/FWD

Tom Powell

NM

MID

MID/FWD

Jack Billings

St K

MID

MID/FWD

Errol Gulden

Syd

MID

MID/FWD

Lachie Hunter

WB

MID

MID/FWD

Lachlan McNeil

WB

MID

MID/FWD

Tim English

WB

RUC

RUC/FWD

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