Keidean Coleman – Deck of DT 2024

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Why should I pick him?

Keidean Coleman was one of my first-picked players when the AFL Fantasy platform launched just before Christmas. The evolving Lion strung together some impressive games in the back half of the 2023 campaign, turning heads with his performances in the finals. We tend to switch off a bit as coaches once the fantasy season concludes, but the numbers that Coleman racked up in the finals shouldn’t be ignored.

Most are aware of what Brisbane’s half-back did on Grand Final day, picking off relentless forward entries from the Magpies to record a fantasy score of 127 from 26 disposals – starting the match ON FIRE with 13 touches and 63 points in the first quarter! There were a few junk stats amongst those possessions, but one week earlier against Carlton, Coleman had another dominant showing out of defence. He scored a game-high 106 from 21 touches (18 kicks) to help the Lions advance to the final game of the year for the first time since 2004. Those two finals games weren’t the only occasions that Coleman flourished down the stretch of the fantasy season as he benefitted from the absence of Brisbane stalwart Daniel Rich.

Announcing his retirement after 275 AFL games, Rich didn’t play again for the Lions after he was subbed off in Round 13 last season for, you guessed it, Keidean Coleman. Playing just 9% of that contest further hampered Coleman’s 2023 average, but in the final 12 games (finals included) he played without Rich in the side, Kiddy went at an impressive scoring clip of 88.7 fantasy points. There’s no reason why the smooth-moving Lion can’t replicate an 80-85 average in 2024 as he further cements his title as Brisbane’s main ball-user out of defence.

He ranked second at the club to Connor McKenna for kick-in’s last season and even if Coleman is forced to share those responsibilities again, he has shown an ability to push further up the ground and build his score with consistent +6’s outside of the defensive-50. An average of 76.8 from 42 games in the past two seasons indicates that at worst, Coleman is underpriced by roughly $70K and coupled with the retirement of Daniel Rich, he ticks a lot of boxes as a value pick for coaches ahead of his 5th pro season.

Why shouldn’t I pick him?

For all the good that comes with selecting Keidean Coleman, there are a few concerns that will make some coaches avoid the talented backman.

Coleman did enhance his scoring ability without Daniel Rich in the side, but he hasn’t shown us a great scoring pedigree in the past. He has only cracked the 100-point threshold 6 games in his 64-game career and for all the buzz around the consistent ball that Coleman accumulates, he isn’t the greatest user by foot. Fellow Brisbane defenders Darcy Wilmot (75%) and Brandon Starcevich (79%) owned better kicking efficiency than Coleman (70%) and as I mentioned above, Connor McKenna was their preferred kick-out specialist.

That may mean that instead of thriving and bumping his scoring average into the high 80’s, Coleman may be destined for another year scoring in the 70-point range as he focuses on his role as a defensive stopper to help the Lions go one better and finish as premiers in 2024. I’m still convinced that there will be a bump in Coleman’s usage, however it might not be great enough for him to become a reliable, weekly scorer for the fantasy community. Even if the budding Brisbane back replicated the numbers he produced in the second half of last season, his 88.7 AVG would see him ranked as the 16th-best DEF in the same range as Callum Wilkie and Mason Redman.

No offence to the likes of Wilkie and Redman, but they aren’t the type of players that fantasy coaches will want in their team for the entire season. Choosing the wrong ‘stepping stone’ type can leave you a step behind the rest of the competition as Andrew McGrath owners from a year ago can tell you. Again, I have more faith in Coleman for the upcoming season, but even if he has all the tools to succeed that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to live up to his potential.

Perhaps the biggest red flag that comes with starting Kiddy in your team is his Round 2 bye thanks to the newest schedule quirk the AFL has thrown at coaches. Our best 18 scorers will be the only ones that count during the early bye rounds and selecting Coleman knowing you will need to find a rookie to replace him in the second game of the season is a risk. It would be wiser to wait until Coleman’s bye passes to avoid a potentially slow start should he throw up a dud or two in the first few games against Carlton and Fremantle.

Deck of DT Rating.

QUEEN

I toyed with the idea of ranking Keidean Coleman as a King, but Queen feels like a more appropriate label for the Brisbane backman. By no means do I expect Coleman to become a top-6 DEF and score 100+ at will, but there is a blueprint to fantasy success for Coleman in 2024 and his mediocre starting price makes him a player that every coach should seriously consider. He has bounced between different spots in my backline as I’ve continue to tweak my structure, although there are currently over 11,000 coaches who agree that Coleman is worth a place in your initial squad of 30.

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Fry

An Australian coffee/burrito enthusiast who is the frustrated owner of 16 fantasy teams. Writer for SportsbyFry and DT Talk ?