DEFENDERS
Get ‘Em
Isaac Quaynor, Magpies ($292K, 48, BE 19)
A matchup with the reigning premiers on their home soil was always going to slow Isaac Quaynor. Another fresh batch of injury woes means that even if Jeremy Howe does return this week, Quaynor should still survive the changes to their Round 17 side. Should, but nothing’s certain. His somewhat sketchy job security means investing in Quaynor comes with some risk and I probably wouldn’t tick it off unless you’re desperate for a D6.
Hold ‘Em
Sydney Stack, Tigers ($522K, 81, BE 70)
If you’re going to upgrade Stack to the likes of Lachie Whitfield or another heavy hitter down back, by all means, now is the time of the season to do so. However, if you find yourself in a position like me, Stack consistent 70’s-80’s can hang around while other, more pressing needs are addressed.
Jordan Clark, Cats ($471K, 75, BE 48)
Finding his mojo in recent times, Clark more than deserves his spot in the “hold ’em” group. A three-round average over 85 has been a nice boost for 12% of the league and if he maintains these numbers, Clark should be one of your last bench downgrades to close out the year.
Hugh Goddard, Blues ($170K, 16, BE 41)
Not exactly the Blues debut that Hugh Goddard owners would have liked. He was on track for a sub-20 first half, but his day ended early after a head knock that we now know is a fractured cheekbone. He’ll be sidelined for a few weeks, but I still think it’s wise to hold Goddard and hope he can generate some dough in the fantasy finals.
Watch ‘Em
Callum Wilkie, Saints ($435K, 66, BE 60)
A picture of consistency Callum Wilkie is still featured in nearly 12% of teams. His 60’s can be valuable on your bench and until a clear downgrade target emerges, there’s no harm in keeping Wilkie as your emergency cover.
Noah Answerth, Lions ($345K, 36, BE 46)
Even after stringing some good performances together, Answerth probably won’t climb much higher than $350k this year, providing he gets there first. If he’s one of your only playing emergencies he could be worth holding on to, but cashing him in within the next few weeks is a smart choice.
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Tigers ($224K, 48, BE, 2)
Eggmolese-Smith was always playing with borrowed time in Richmond’s side and he could be chopped out of the lineup as early as Thursday night. He has shown good tendencies in his first two AFL games, but the Tiges have their sights set on much loftier goals in 2019 over developing their youngsters.
Drop ‘Em
N/A – No relevant rookie/cash cow DEF’s land in the “Drop ‘Em” category this week.
On The Outside Looking In
Xavier Duursma (Power, $528K) – Seven days is a long time in fantasy footy and after being unceremoniously dumped from Port’s Round 18 team, Duursma is in line to return this weekend.
Griffin Logue (Dockers, $340K) – Logue only appears here because it is my job to inform you he had eight touches in the WAFL for 52 points. High point totals aren’t his m.o. so he could be a sniff, but probably not.
Corey Ellis (Suns, $309K) – One of his side’s best in NEAFL action, although I don’t think it’ll be enough for Round 18.
Chris Burgess (Suns, $193K) – I got his name right this week, but Burger will surely remain on the outside looking in.
Harrison Jones (Hawks, $170K) – Despite gathering 24 touches and 12 tackles (for a score of 107), Jones has suffered a PCL injury that’ll keep him out for the rest of the year.
MIDFIELDERS
Get ‘Em
Kyle Dunkley, Demons ($196K, 36, BE 14)
Game number two wasn’t any more impressive for Kyle Dunkley as his brother took centre stage on Sunday. He managed just five touches and with another tough midfield in West Coast on the horizon, I’d be surprised if he holds his spot in Melbourne’s 22 to play the Eagles.
Kicking your first AFL goal with your brother on the mark before hitting him with the double cobras? You best believe Kyle Dunkley’s Sunday was better than yours! ? #AFLDogsDees #Fightback30 #MightyWest pic.twitter.com/gP0HHxWHxm
— SportsbyFry (@sportsbyfry) July 14, 2019
John Noble, Magpies ($187K, 54, BE 8)
Fellow mid-season draftee John Noble was handed his debut last week and didn’t disappoint in trying conditions. Noble managed 18 disposals in the Pies’ Friday night victory and with plenty of doubt surrounding some popular names, he’ll likely hold his spot in the side to play GWS.
Hold ‘Em
Sam Walsh, Blues ($672K, 100, BE 95)
The only reason I would advise someone to trade Sam Walsh right now is if they were landing a top-tier talent like Josh Dunkley or Lachie Whitfield. Apart from that, there’s no reason why Walsh can’t stay in our sides for the rest of the year with numbers like this. Don’t overthink it.
Nick Hind, Saints ($293K, 39, BE 36)
New FWD Nick Hind could see his midfield minutes uptick with Brett Ratten at the helm. After Alan Richardson’s departure, it’s unclear exactly what role Hind will play for St Kilda now, so I’d advise holding him for the next fortnight and getting a decent look at what we can expect from the Saints’ youngster.
Watch ‘Em
Dylan Clarke, Bombers ($428K, 82, BE 54)
I can’t blame over 2,000 coaches for trading out Dylan Clarke last week after seemingly topping out in value. However, fresh off another 80-point outing, there’s no reason why he can’t continue to sit in coaches last midfield spot until they have the funds to get the upgrade they covet.
Michael Gibbons, Blues ($421K, 70, BE 65)
Fine to keep on your bench at the moment, but I’d be tempted to cash Michael Gibbons in if the opportunity arrises. Gibbo won’t be scoring 70’s for the rest of the year and if he’s on your bench a move to Hanrahan or Noble/Dunkley (should they hold), could net you the $150-$200k you need to patch up another issue.
James Rowbottom, Swans ($363K, 77, BE 12)
Rowbottom managed to stay hot for the Swans, now owning a three-round average north of 80. Added forward status is only a further bonus to the 1.9% of faithful coaches who currently young the young Swan. With Fremantle on the cards this weekend, there’s no reason why he’ll slow down.
Curtis Taylor, Kangaroos ($181K, 11, BE 35)
Jesus, what the hell was that! I had to triple check to make sure that Taylor didn’t get injured in the first quarter, with the second gamer nearly giving away as many free-kicks (3) as he had touches (4). You can’t trade him to anything of note, so for now, hold him and see if he miraculously earns another chance.
Drop ‘Em
Bailey Smith, Bulldogs ($448K, 53, BE 73)
A third dud score in his last month of football makes Bailey Smith a near must-trade for coaches. There are only 4.5% of teams rocking with the long-locked Bulldog at the moment and I would suggest to all 6,500 of them to look for other avenues of production
Jay Lockhart, Demons ($412K, 41, BE 69)
If you’re one of the 10% of coaches who own Jay Lockhart then I recommend looking elsewhere for production. Back-to-back poor scores will only see Lockhart continue to bleed cash, making a trade out the right call.
Tom Atkins, Cats ($357K, 46, BE 64)
A third consecutive score nestled around the 45 mark means Tom Atkins can be flicked out of fantasy sides. Still residing in over 20,000 teams, there are better money makers out there, so I’d axe him ASAP.
On The Outside Looking In
Willem Drew (Power, $402K) – An injury to Ollie Wines could open the door for Drew after another good SANFL showing (24 disposals, 11 tackles, 112 points).
Oskar Baker (Demons, $381K) – If you have held Baker this long then it might be worth giving him another week. 105 points and 26 touches for Casey might see him re-enter the selection mix.
Jackson Hately (Giants, $377K) – Kelly and Cogs’ injuries combined with a 124 point, 32 possession game on the weekend should make Hately a certain starter against the Pies.
Brett Bewley (Dockers, $298K) – Will most likely have to fight Bailey Banfield for the 22nd spot in Freo’s side to take on Sydney after 88 points from 27 possies for Peel.
Jye Caldwell (Giants, $250K) – Now healthy, there’s a chance Caldwell can string strong NEAFL games together and earn his debut before the end of the fantasy season.
Rhylee West (Bulldogs, $220K) – Considered by many as the Dogs’ best-on-ground at VFL level with 23 disposals (81 points) keeping him on the cusp of his first AFL game.
Will Snelling (Bombers, $207K) – Less than Snelling-like numbers (79 points from 18 possessions) are slowing his hype train.
Nick Shipley (Giants, $170K) – Could be in selection contention following his 26 touch, 10 mark game in which Shipley scored 105.
Josh Deluca (Blues, $170K) – 89 points and 19 touches won’t see him get a call-up, but he’s in the mix.
RUCK
Get ‘Em
N/A – No relevant rookie/cash cow RUC’s land in the “Get ‘Em” category this week.
Hold ‘Em
Reilly O’Brien, Crows ($706K, 96, BE 94)
A five-round average over 115 means that anyone who is still rocking with him can continue to field him with confidence. It’d be appealing to move from him to Max Gawn this weekend if ROB is still your R2, but there’s no rush with a decent run to end the season.
Zac Clarke, Bombers ($306K, 86, BE 21)
It appears Zac Clarke CAN fantasy football! I wouldn’t go jumping on the former discarded Docker, but for the coaches that stuck with him after his Round 16 struggles were handsomely rewarded. Let’s see if he can back it up against the rookie ruck king on Friday.
Watch ‘Em
N/A – No relevant rookie/cash cow RUC’s land in the “Watch ‘Em” category this week.
Drop ‘Em
N/A – No relevant rookie/cash cow RUC’s land in the “Drop ‘Em” category this week.
On The Outside Looking In
Darcy Fort (Cats, $253K) – Just 73 points from 15 disposals and 17 hitouts last week. As soon as another ruck rook emerges, you have the green light to deal Fort away.
Archie Smith (Lions, $242K) – Oscar McInerney will probably keep Smith out for the rest of 2019 unless something changes.
Darcy Cameron/Michael Knoll (Swans, $170K) – Cameron re-injured his quad at training and Knoll (12 touches, 22 hitouts, 80 points) still doesn’t appear to be AFL ready.
Matthew Flynn (Giants, $170K) –Any chance we had of Flynn stealing a late-season debut has evaporated after the big Giant tore his ACL in the NEAFL.
FORWARD
Get ‘Em
Oliver Hanrahan, Hawks ($257K, 72, BE -10)
It did come against Freo, but Hanrahan continued to stay hot with his second straight 70+ score. He doesn’t come cheap now, but I still think if you take his scoring potential and job security into account, there might not be a better rookie target than the Hawks small forward right now.
Ian Hill, Giants ($243K, 65, BE 15)
Kicking three goals in your first AFL game won’t likely see you dropped anytime soon. However, the fact that Hill kicked three snags and still only managed a 65 is concerning to me. He may hang around, but my guess is he’ll appear in a few more contests, to help the Giants get healthy for finals, then return to the NEAFL team.
Tyson Stengle, Crows ($232K, 68, BE 8)
Hill wasn’t the only player with an impressive debut on the weekend after Tyson Stengle’s three-goal cameo in Adelaide crushing W over the Suns. Also similarly to Hill, I could see him playing two or three games for the year before being sent back to the reserve side, so he’s probably not the smartest investment right now.
Hold ‘Em
Will Setterfield, Blues ($479K, 82, BE 59)
Cripps’ presence didn’t slow Setterfield down as he continues to provide 28.4% of the comp with one of the best stories in the second half of the season. If he keeps putting up these type of numbers, coaches will want to start looking for a spot on their field for Setters!
Shai Bolton, Tigers ($438K, 115, BE, 11)
2019 hasn’t been the greatest season for Shai Bolton, but he might not have played better footy than he has in the last fortnight. Backing up his 116 against Gold Coast with a 115 against GWS will see him continue to thrive in 1.69% of lineups, especially if he can keep finding so much of the footy.
Mabior Chol, Tigers ($331K, 50, BE 20)
Conditions against the Giants didn’t suit Chol greatly, leading to him registering just 48% TOG. It was good to see him still find a way to score 50, especially with Toby Nankervis’ impending return. The new DPP player with added ruck status now could be a handy bench/swing piece for owners in the stretch run to close out the year.
Jarrod Cameron, Eagles ($301K, 101, BE -3)
There’s only one relevant Eagles cash cow right now, but boy oh boy is he relevant! We’ve seen another West Coast youngster in Jack Petrucelle star in front of the sticks earlier this season, but Cameron’s play could see him stay in the side for the long haul. 10 goals from four games is impressive, but four straight, 13 touches and seven tackles for 101 against in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final proved to us that Cameron is the real deal.
Watch ‘Em
Gryan Miers, Cats ($429K, 96, BE 56)
Last week’s Gryan Miers update: “My gut also tells me that now I’ve gone on to bag Gryan the great he’ll reach his breakeven of 89 and only further confuse coaches”. I feel fairly confident in just copy and pasting something along these lines each week until the end of the season. Hold, for now.
Mitch Lewis, Hawks ($374K, 80, BE 21)
Lewis’ heroics last weekend didn’t have as much impact on the game, but his effort in Launceston might have been the best outing of his career. Fresh off three goals, two behinds, 16 touches and even six hitouts, Lewis is playing great footy right now and he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Drop ‘Em
Connor Rozee, Power ($458K, 65, BE 77)
I’ve given Rozee as many chances as possible, but the youthful Port star needs to be moved on now. His 65 was an alright output, but there are a few tough opponents coming up on Port’s schedule that could make life tough for the teenager. It’s been real Connor, but it’s time to hit the road.
Zak Butters, Power ($396K, 52, BE 65)
Butters is in a similar position to his Power teammate, the only problem is he isn’t as good at fantasy. It’s nothing personal Zak, it’s just business…
Nick Larkey, Kangaroos ($326K, 29, BE 52)
Disturbing heart palpitations impacted Nick Larkey’s performance against Essendon and it could cause him to miss some game time. All reports indicate that the issue is minor, but with very little to play for in the rest of the year, don’t be surprised if Larkey is put on ice soonish.
Josh Corbett, Suns ($268K, 38, BE 54)
While Corbett’s scores aren’t going to blow you away, it’s always nice to have some source of production on your pine. Here’s hoping the Suns can put forth a better effort against the Blues and Corbett can hit the scoreboard after managing just 3.8 on the year from nine games.
On The Outside Looking In
Liam Baker (Tigers, $511K) – There’s plenty of competition for spots in Richmond’s side now, making it tough to squeeze Baker into the lineup for this weekend.
Matthew Parker (Saints, $369K) – Dropped for the first time this season Parker didn’t suit up for Sandringham last weekend.
James Rose (Swans, $330K) – Rose didn’t exactly demand a recall to the AFL side after 91 points and 23 touches in the NEAFL.
Izak Rankine (Suns, $266K) – A new hip complaint could keep Rankine from making his debut this year.
Brayden Ham (Bombers, $207K) – No VFL action for Ham last week. He’s still close, but no certainty to return in 2019.
Ben Davis (Crows, $171K) – Carryover emergency for the Crows means Davis could still play games in 2019.
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