Andrew Brayshaw – Deck of DT 2025

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Why should I pick him?

Before we start, Andrew and I have had a bit of a ‘thing’ going on over the last few years. We share a love/hate relationship where we go from avoiding each other like the plague to bumping into each other on the gas and riding the rollercoaster once again. Some would call it a toxic relationship, and rightly so. Anyway, after hooking up again early last season, there was a familiar sour taste in my mouth for a number of weeks before he came home hard at the end of the season to finish on good terms once again. Only repeat owners would truly understand.

Despite any relationship you have shared with Brayshaw in the past, I think this year there is enough justification to start with the Docker ball magnet. He is coming into his peak years as a 25 years old and has already proven he can score with the best players in the game, twice surpassing the uber elite average of 110, highlighted by 112 in 2022. Even following a disappointing Fantasy season by his standards, he showed he is equipped with the tools, finishing elite in possessions and above average in marks and tackles.

There were times last year where he didn’t look sure of his role. Fyfe was running through the middle which pushed him forward at times, he looked lost in terms of where he stood in the pecking order following a hot start to the year from Serong and there were weeks he stopped taking the 15m marks he needs to score at a high level as the Dockers tried to tweak their game plan on the run following some heavy criticism of their high uncontested marking game. Lastly, there were weeks he was hampered by injury, including problematic cork that slowed him at times. The negative was none of this worked in Brayshaw’s favor, averaging his lowest total in three years… The positive is, now he is genuinely under priced.

When he is on, he is a Fantasy game changer due to his elite ceiling. He had seven scores of 120+ which included highs of 146 and 148 and those high scores averaged out at 132. When doing my pre season, I love a player that finish’s the season well, even more so in a team that see themselves as a contender (Which Freo randomly do) so are unlike;y to make wholesale changes. Brayshaw did the bulk of his best work in the last ten games of 2024 where he averaged 112 in that time including scores of 124 and 123 in the AFL Fantasy Prelim and Grand Final. A perfect preview of what I expect to see in 2025.

Despite his ability, Brayshaw has always been a unique starting option but his bye throws his hat right in the ring to start next season. It can be like splitting hairs when selecting between the likes of a Tom Green and Bray but with no bye to start the season and a great round 13 bye shared only with St Kilda, the justification is every growing and starting to lean in the Docker’s direction.

Lastly, his durability gives him a huge tick in both formats after playing 23 games in the last two seasons and 22 prior to that.

Why shouldn’t I pick him?

He can be bloody frustrating. Brayshaw has the unique ability to look as good as anyone in the game. Following a good start to the year last season where he averaged his standard 110 across his first four games, highlighted by an impressive 148 from 38 possessions, seven marks and seven tackles which prompted me to trade him in. Then he showed what else he is capable of, backing it up with a three game average of 86, taking no marks on debut for a score of 78.

For someone as good as Brayshaw, and someone who would likely be your number one midfielder to start the year, his floor can be frustrating and feel well short of his peers. His bottom five scores in 2024 averaged just 78, which isn’t good enough for that position in your team.

There is always the chance he falls back into the ‘second fiddle’ position behind Serong which can dry his scoring up to some extent.

The fear of pushing Brawshaw forward is always there due to the fact he rated elite last year for score involvements at 7.3. As a result, he can have low CBA at times and in the eight games where he received under 70%, he averaged just 98.

Brayshaw needs his little marks where he jogs around (not leading, just jogging) and takes uncontested chips. When they went away from that chippy style during the year, it is easy to see why his scoring suffered given his 4.3 marks per game came from 0.0 contested, 0.2 on the lead and 0.1 intercepted. So his value and viability is heavily game style reliant.

Deck of DT Rating.

KING

I think the positives far outweigh the negatives in 2025 and I think Brayshaw’s starting percentages will be as high as they have ever been. From what we learnt last year, fix up trades over the early byes are invaluable, so having someone like Brayshaw who has already proven he can score as well as any midfielder in the game play though the early byes as a VC/C option and then have his bye in round 13 further strengthen the argument. His finish to the year was on par with his best which would suggest the ‘niggles’ that slowed him during the season were long gone and he presents value on his asking price, especially given the tag tends to go to the ‘more damaging’ Serong.

Roy

The most successful DTer out of the boys prides himself on his multiple top 200 finishes... nearly as much as he prides himself on his guns! The coach of destROY wants you to follow him on Twitter: @RoyDT.