Cal’s Scale of Hardness – Defenders

How Does the Scale of Hardness Work?

Based on the data from 2021, teams are coloured according to how many points they gave up to opposition players across the course of the year. This is how the Scale is currently constructed per position.

This data will change as the year progresses… and so will the Scale. The Scale has a new and exciting complex formula in 2022 which takes into consideration multiple components of data which are weighted differently.

The Scale should be used as a resource. A guide in case you are torn between two players and you are looking for a deciding factor after the coin let you down. The Scale is here to help!

Please note… forwards are not covered. The forward we should be targeting in Fantasy should be playing midfield and that should be your area of focus.

Premium Focus:

Jayden Short (DEF, $783,000) – Oh ok… here we go! Short is becoming popular at the moment and has one of the best starts in town. He meets Carlton, GWS, St Kilda, Bulldogs and Adelaide early and posted great scores of 94, 101, 110, 71, 104, 105 and 110 against them last year.

Luke Ryan (DEF, $733,000) – 1% of teams will be loving his start as he meets Adelaide, St Kilda and West Coast. To prove the Scale is da bomb, he had 113, 92 and 112 against them last year.

Christian Salem (DEF, $779,000) – My Scale doesn’t have Salem meeting a “mega-hard” team till round 12. He should get off to a flyer against the Dogs, a team he had 133 on in the Grand Final.

Jordan Ridley (DEF, $671,000) – after a tough start, rounds 4 to 7 look very juicy for the Riddler. If he gets off to a slow start, don’t panic…. His time is coming.

Mid-price predictions:

Wayne Milera (DEF, $378,000) – Just what we need. Fremantle and Collingwood in the opening games doesn’t get any easier than that. Two of the three easiest and Milera should get off to a flyer!

Hayden Young (DEF, $543,000) – 5% of coaches on board and fair enough. Firstly, he’s better than the 68 he is priced at and then look at that early run. It’s a beauty, no hard teams till round 6.

Daniel Rioli (DEF/FWD, $469,000) – Just like Shorty above, if this half-back role is there for Rioli, then he could get off to a rocket start. Does he have the Houli role? If he does, he could reward those braves ones early and improve is average of 56 where he currently sits.

Hugo Ralphsmith (MID/FWD, $258,000) – Slightly risky, but a few nice games could not only improve his stats and his worth in Richmond’s best-22 but maybe make you some money along the way with some nice friendly match-ups. He has to make their teams first, so keep an eye on that.

Scale Sends a Warning:

Caleb Daniel (DEF, $729,000) – Three hard teams straight up for the guy who destroyed Fantasy teams early last year. He loves playing the Demons though, a team he scored 126 and 128 against last year which proves… even the scale can be wrong at times. But still… they rate as some of the hardest so you have been warned.

Dan Houston (DEF, $670,000) – He struggled enough last year and with this start it will be tough again… so be super careful. He had 62 and 70 on the Lions and Hawks last year, two teams he meets in the first two rounds. Proving once again… the Scale is back on track.