TEAMS have dropped and we have some rookies on the table.
Caleb Poulter (MID/FWD, $212,000) will debut for Collingwood on Saturday and the Hawks unleash the 197cm Emerson Jeka (FWD, $170,000). Plus, 21-year-old James Madden (DEF/FWD, $170,000) will also play his first game as Brisbane takes on Port Adelaide on Saturday night. The former Gaelic footballer also comes with handy versatility as he can be selected as a forward or a defender.
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Greater Western Sydney and Draft owners welcome back Lachie Whitfield (DEF, $820,000) for his first game for the year alongside Jesse Hogan (FWD, $459,000) for his first game with his new club.
Flynn-sanity strikes again
'In like Flynn' has quickly turned to 'out like Flynn' as Matt Flynn (RUC, $394,000) finds himself on the outer once again as the veteran Shane Mumford (RUC, $493,000) takes his place.
Flynn has been a rollercoaster ride in recent weeks and it's time to trade the out-of-favour ruckman. Our options are very limited. If you can trade up to Max Gawn or Brodie Grundy, then that is the obvious move but if cash is hard to come by, you will save over $150,000 by going to Reilly O'Brien (RUC, $701,000) who has averaged 111 in his past three games.
Yet to be named
North Melbourne v Melbourne
Essendon v Carlton
West Coast v Fremantle
NOTE: These teams will be announced Saturday at 6:20pm AEDT.
ALL THE TEAMS Check them out
Most traded in
- Jack Ziebell (DEF/FWD, $799,000) – 12k
- Jack Macrae (MID, $871,000) – 6.4k
- Martin Frederick (DEF, $198,000) – 5.4k
- Riley Thilthorpe (RUC/FWD, $302,000) – 4.6k
- Jy Farrar (FWD, $304,000) – 3.8k
With injuries to Josh Dunkley and Dustin Martin, many coaches are jumping on the hot form and role of Jack Ziebell (DEF/FWD, $799,000). Facts are facts. He has been amazing and finds himself coming off scores of 170 and 140, but can he keep it up and will other teams shut him down? This is the $799,000 question. Riley Thilthorpe's (RUC/FWD, $302,000) 94 on debut has attracted plenty of attention, but the correct answer sits with Jy Farrar (FWD, $304,000) who is a marking machine, with the best match-up possible this week.
Most traded out
- Josh Dunkley (MID/FWD, $823,000) – 27k
- Dustin Martin (MID/FWD, $637,000) – 10.7k
- Lachie Neale (MID, $746,000) – 9k
- Errol Gulden (MID/FWD, $495,000) – 4k
- James Rowe (FWD, $335,000) – 2.9k
With three big premiums injured, the most traded-out players this week come as no surprise. With a breakeven of 77 (the score he needs to get before his price increases or decreases), coaches are cashing out on Errol Gulden (MID/FWD, $495,000) who has been sensational this year. He has now averaged 62 in his past three games and it's time to move him down to a cheaper rookie, or up to a premium player.
Best captains to come
In AFL Fantasy your captain scores you double points for that week. Here are Calvin’s top five picks from the games to come for you to consider.
No.1 – Brodie Grundy v Gold Coast
Coming off back-to-back 120+ scores, Grundy has now averaged 122 since round two. Cal Sinclair (Sydney) scored 110 against the Suns in his first game of the year and in this one, Grundy should have a field day winning nearly all the hitouts as he marches towards a huge score.
No.2 – Max Gawn v North Melbourne
Surprisingly, Todd Goldstein has been the third-easiest ruckman to score against this year and in Gawn's most recent game against the Kangaroos he scored 154.
No.3 – Touk Miller v Collingwood
Ranked at No.3 on form after averaging 128 in his past three, he meets a team who have given up so many points to midfielders this year it isn't funny.
No.4 – Clayton Oliver v North Melbourne
Fremantle had a day out against the Kangaroos last weekend with players like Caleb Serong (142), Andrew Brayshaw (121) and David Mundy (113) having one of their best games for the year. Expect Oliver to do the same.
No.5 – Jack Steele v Hawthorn
Steele scored 123 against the Hawks last year and hasn't missed a beat in 2021. The Hawks are the third-easiest team for midfielders to score against as Ben Keays (152) and Rory Laird (109) found out last week.
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