AFL Trade Period 2024 and Fantasy

The 2024 AFL Trade period was a lacklustre affair with just 28 players changing clubs and minimal Fantasy relevance. I’m late to the party for my annual trade period blog which I update after each move. I was overseas for most of the trade period so I wasn’t in a position to do it. Instead, I’ve gone with a club-by-club summary of the player moves.

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In the tables I’ve included what each player will be priced at. If you want to work out what their price will be based on 2024 pricing system, you can multiply the priced at figure by 9030. Currently we don’t know what the pricing will be for 2025.

Also included is a projected position. These are with thanks to Heff over at the Keeper League. He’s published a list of positions with what Champion Data finished the year with. These may or may not be what we see in 2025, but they should be close. Some may have DPP as their position model that Heff grabs doesn’t include Fantasy DPPs outside of MID/FWD.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Alex Neal-Bullen		FWD	79	79	23	🤷
Isaac Cumming		MID	56	61.3	4	📈
James Peatling		MID	62	61.8	17	📈

The Fantasy relevant players whoo have made the move to the Crows are the former Giants. They are both likely to be named as MID-only players.

James Peatling is most likely to play in Adelaide’s engine room and there will be plenty of upside. He wore the green vest in seven of his 17 games this year. from round 19 he got a decent run at it with 50%+ CBAs in each game for an average of 88.1. There is a 33 in there that brings that down (alright Cal, I took it out… now it’s a 97.3 average). You could look at him as a midpriced option for your midfield priced at just 62 with 30 points upside.

Isaac Cumming has become a winger in the last couple of years and his Fantasy numbers have decreased. Let’s go back to 201 where he averaged 83.5 and then backed it up with 90.6. Signs are pointing towards a half-back role as a player of need with Brodie Smith on the way out. A watch will be what Lairdy’s role will be after spending the end of the season playing in defence. Could Cumming be the midpricer midfielder of 2025 that we pick knowing we can move him back following the first set of DPP changes? If he can get his numbers back to his best, he might be a medium-term keeper.

As for Alex Neal-Bullen, things probably won’t be changing too much for him … and might be someone I don’t jump on at his 79 average in Draft as – at this point – I don’t know how it’ll all look for him/Crows.

No incoming players.

Nothing to mention here except that Joe Daniher retired and we’ll be seeing what they may look at as a SSP / delisted free agent to fill the void.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Nick Haynes		DEF	67	71.5	8	🤷

What are we going to see from Nick Haynes? He’s possibly a 70s guy at best which doesn’t make him too relevant outside of deeper draft leagues. He’s probably coming in as a bit of depth but should fill a need for the Blues. One to track in the pre-season which can then tell some stories about those around him in Carlton’s backline (ie. Nic Newman). Haynes averaged 119.3 from his nine VFL games.

Matt Kennedy left. He was used all over the place, so we will need to keep an eye on where things settle. Health of the list is going to be important for the Blues.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Harry Perryman		DEF	74	74	19	🤷
Dan Houston		DEF	94	94	22	⭐

One of the best Fantasy players to make a move in the Trade Period was Dan Houston. He’s pumped out a 90+ average the last three seasons ranking as the 11th, 13th and 11th best defender based on average. A nice solid late D1 or early D2 in Draft. He copped a five-match suspension after a big hit in the Showdown in round 23 meaning he’ll be missing the first round the Pies play. Collingwood are likely to be an Opening Round team (this looks like happening) and if things are the same as this year, the game he sits for won’t count for Fantasy anyway. There probably isn’t upside in Houston with what we know so far and the way the Pies’ game plan has changed, but who knows.

Can we consider Harry Perryman? In ddraft maybe. But he did pump out averaged of 84.6 and 86.5 in 2021 and 2022. His mid-70s returns since is probably closer to where he’s at. Again, hard to know what things will exactly look like at the Pies. It’s a no in Classic, but there will be some Draft relevance one way or the other.

No incoming players.

Jake Stringer out, no one in … the Dons will hopefully settle on their 23 with the likes of Archie Perkins, Ben Hobbs and Elijah Tsatas as the MID/FWDs that can get a slight bump in points, not that Stringer was doing a heap number-wise.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Shai Bolton		MID/FWD	74	73.5	22	📈

Forwards will be tricky again next year and Shai Bolton could be someone we jump on as a stepping stone … or someone who could quite possibly knock on the door as a top FWD. He pumped out an average of 87 in 2023 would rank him as the sixth ranked forward on average. His CBAs have been consitent across his career (hovering around the low 50% mark for the last five seasons), but we saw a drop of 13ppg last season as the Tigers took the wooden spoon. I can’t see any increase in midfield time at the star-studded Dockers, but he will be in a much better team. One ot watch this pre-season.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Bailey Smith		MID/FWD	58	0	0	🔒

One of the biggest Fantasy Classic locks of 2025 is Bailey Smith. He missed last season due to an ACL injury. The former Dog is fit and firing after returning to full training in September, so will hit day one of pre-season without any dramas. Smith will line up in the Cats’ midfield. His Fantasy numbers have been outstanding across his career, hitting 87.3 in his third year and peaking the next, in 2022, with a 105.5 average. In 2023 he averaged 83.2. Smith will retain the FWD status he had from this season making him a good chance to be our F1 as he complements Geelong’s engine room. Being priced at 58 in Classic, there’s 30+ points upside (at a minimum?) and should be a top line FWD considering what we’ll lose when positions come out in December.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Elliott Himmelberg		FWD	49	50.9	9	❌
John Noble		DEF	74	74.4	20	🤷
Daniel Rioli		DEF	84	83.5	23	🤷

The changes for the Suns will be part of the great unknown. What’s going on in the backline with the addition of John Noble and Daniel Rioli? What will this mean for the likes of Wil Powell, Lachie Weller? Alex Sexton is probably done now (if he gets a gig, surely it’s forward) and the big one, Sam Flanders, who enjoyed heaps of time off half-back – especially in the first half of the season. Expect him to be more of that mid-forward option despite his DEF status in Fantasy.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Jake Stringer		FWD	66	65.9	23	🪀

There will be a small part of me that is tempted by Jake Stringer at a new club. We knowhe’s a yo-yo as the emoji suggests, but there could be an uptick from his 66. No, Adam, don’t even think about it.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Josh Battle		DEF	74	74	23	🤷
Tom Barrass		DEF	59	58.7	18	🤷

The Hawthorn backline is in for a shake up. Neither Josh Battle or Tom Barrass will be doing heaps for our Fantasy teams, but it’s the flow on effect that will be of interest. Namely James Sicily. Our beloved SicDawg could find himself in a friendlier role. He had his best Fantasy year in 2023, going at 104.5 There was a decent drop off to 88.4 this year. He lacked the big beast scores of the prior season. One of the issues with Sicily is that he can be thrown forward. This happened on a few occasions throughout the season. Sicily is one to watch off the back of the Battle and Barrass trades.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Tom Campbell		RUCK	31	40.5	2	❌
Harry Sharp		MID	52	45.7	6	🤷

Old mate Dum-De-Dumb Tom Campbell keeps his career alive as Max Gawn’s understudy. The bearded Dee captain turns 33 in December and you’d think there could be more opportunity to have a rest with someone who is competent as a back up ruck. Although he wasn’t the main man when he’s played games with Marshall in the last couple of years, he still gets a share of the ruck contests. Campbell is unlikely to play with Gawn, but if Max is bashed up, there’s a better chance for him to rest after this year where there was little chopping out – and when he missed, it was JVR and Petty carrying the load.

An unluckly one based on the pricing mechanism is Harry Sharp who will be priced at 52. Probably a bit too much to be paying for him.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Jack Darling		FWD	54	53.6	21	❌
Caleb Daniel		MID/FWD	50	50.1	15	💰
Luke Parker		MID/FWD	82	65.9	7	📈
Jacob Konstanty		FWD	22	0	0	🐮

We’ve heard that Caleb Daniel will be playing off half-back for the Roos. This all looks epic for him and his Fantasy prospects. Considering he’ll be priced at 50, it could be a lay up selection for Classic with his FWD status. We’ve seen some good numbers in that role in the past (this year with McKercher, Fisher, Sheezel, even Tom Powell and previously with Ziebell, Hall), so there is upside. Did I mention he’s coming off a season averaging 50 … thanks in part to Bevo handing him a vest in eight of his 15 games. Seeing what happens around that position/role is going to be intriguing. Sheezel is already out of that spot. McKercher isn’t going to last long doing that as he’ll be further up the ground (wing even?). The flow on effect here will be interesting.

Luke Parker will have a touch more Draft relevance than Classic due to the 66 average next to his name. He’ll be better than that due to some vests (don’t forget, though, he scored 72 in 38% TOG in his return game). LDU and Wardlaw are the first two in the guts … with Simpkin, Phillips, Powell, Sheezel all getting a bit of a run at different times. Does Parker get much clock? The 82 is definitely too much to be paying in Classic until we see more.

It’s an obvious pass on Jack Darling, but we’ll have a look at Jacob Konstanty as a rookie-priced player. Don’t expect too much, though. The small forward averaged 60.9 from his 12 VFL games with a top score of 84.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Joe Richards		FWD	49	50.9	9	🤔
Jack Lukosius		FWD	61	61.3	21	🤷
Rory Atkins		DEF	59	42	3	❌

I’ve been a Jack Lukosius lover, but unless he’s playing off half-back (or a wing at a stretch), he’s not going to be a Fantasy player for us. It feels like he’s in that world of being a third tall up front now. With Dixon done, that seems like the logical role. Can he be better than 61? Of course, but will we see him hit the 86 average from 2021, unlikely … unless things go his way for role. He can use the ball well. I guess I can only hope.

Dan Houston out opens up some space at HB. Who gets a bump in points? Farrell? Burgoyne? Evans? Burton?! Maybe it’s a spread to pick up the points from the Fantasy stud in Houston.

I don’t think we can expect too much from Joe Richards, but it is worth noting he scored 81 on debut and backed it up with 94 a fortnight later. He was then injured throughout the byes. Maybe one to stash? As for Rory Atkins, grab him for SANFL Fantasy! Love you RAT … and your VFL form (in 10 of his seconds games, he scored 129+ for an average of 144.

No incoming players.

Opportunity will come as four of their best 22 (maybe even three of their best five?) left the club during the trade period. Kids will be getting opportunities. Watch this space for when we talk draftees as they have a swag of picks in the first round or so. Jayden Short may spark some interest priced at 80.5. This is 10+ points lower than each of his previous three seasons where he went 90+. A huge watch with Rioli traded to the Suns.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Jack Macrae		MID/FWD	71	71.2	18	💰

“Jack’s really hungry to re-establish himself as one of the premier midfielders in the competition” … oh boy! Jack Macrae has been Bevo’d and we are getting an absolute bargain if he is, in fact, playing as a midfielder in 2025 as he pulls on the red, white and black! There’s not much that we need to say about Macrae’s history for anyone following Fantasy for a year or longer. He went into 2024 priced at his lowest since 2014. For someone who averaged 122.6 at his peak in 2018 and boasting a triple-figure career average (which does include this year’s horrific numbers featuring some vests), it’ll almost be a no-brainer to grab him from the get-go. Sure, there has been a significant drop off. He’s slow – how does that fit with Jack Steele? There’s also a question on who ends up in the midfield. Where is Brad Crouch? At this point, we could be alooking at a top fix forward who will be underpriced by around 20 points.

No incoming players.

Not much changes for the Swans. Obviously Parker left, but he was in for less than a third of the season.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Jack Graham		MID/FWD	65	64.5	14	🤷
Liam Baker		MID/FWD	79	78.5	18	🤔
Matthew Owies		FWD	49	48.9	23	❌

Three players who likely walk into the Eagles’ best 18. As a small forward, Matthew Owies won’t be on the radar … and Jack Graham just doesn’t hit numbers. In his 14 games last year, including six where he hit 50% of the Tigers’ CBAs, he didn’t score over 87. In those six games, he averaged 76.5, so not even a big jump on the 65 he averaged. In deeper leagues, he could be a late round smokey who will be deep on the draft board list.

Liam Baker is the best Fantasy name that has ended up at the Eagles. He should retain his DPP, but like Graham, his numbers weren’t massive. Just five of his his 18 games gave us returns of over 90. History shows that 2024 was his best Fantasy season since debuting in 2018.

Player	From	Proj. Position	Priced at	2024 AVG	2024 GMS	Emoji
Matthew Kennedy		MID/FWD	77	77.1	23	❓

What are you thinking Matthew Kennedy? You were Mr Fix It at the Blues and you’ve gone to a club with a midfield squeeze (and also tight rotations). Treloar, Bont and Libba are the main men with Ed Richards the next banana. Throw in Riley Sanders who will be getting more as his career progresses, the loss of Bazlenka, Macrae and Daniel won’t be opening up any time in the guts. That said, Kennedy should have MID/FWD status and he had a handful of games in the vest. In games he had 40% or more CBAs for the Blues and not wearing the vest, he avearged 105.8. Cherry picking stats, but we know wat he’s like when playing a nice role outside of being that half-forward. If opportunity presents, we can look at him as an option, but if he’s going to be that half-forward, we could be in for a tough time as owners.

Warnie

Co-captain of DT Talk since we started this thing in 2007. Best finish was 13th in 2009... that was a long time ago. Follow on Twitter: @WarnieDT