Rookies dictate our structure. The infamous adage has followed us through the AFL Fantasy offseason as we furiously moved magnets to find the perfect cash cow balance in our starting sides. With a new campaign just days away, we’re left with fewer rookies on our field than in years past – but that doesn’t make the sub $400K club inferior. In fact, the cheap cash cows are annually the best source of cash generation and choosing the right ones in Round 1 can give you a significant leg up over the rest of the competition. I tried to find the happy middle ground between rookies we should start the season with and season-long prospects with my rankings, as this list is designed to help you determine which cash cows we truly need in our teams if we want to be successful in 2025. Good luck for the year ahead!

Rookies/cash cows are typically defined as players priced at $400,000 or lower to commence the season

Make sure to also cast your eyes over:
My DT Talk Preseason Pieces
SBF article – The most important rookies/cash cows for 2025

You can find more fantasy advice from Fry by joining the Fantasy SportsbyFry Patreon community!

DEFENDERS

1. Jaxon Prior, DEF, Bombers

AFL Fantasy Price: $362,000
Preseason Score: 63 from 78% TOG
2024 Average: 96.8 from 15 VFL games

The recycled Bomber has found his way onto the field for over 8% of coaches, including myself. He showed strong scoring signs in the second half of Essendon’s preseason hitout and there’s optimism that Prior can nudge a 60-point average and help us make a chunk of change. If you have to field a player under $400K at D6, Prior is my favourite option – although there are bound to be scoring lulls thanks to his role as a lockdown small. I’m encouraged by Essendon’s tendency to chip the ball around their back line and we don’t need Prior to score 80+ each week to make some convenient cash. Let’s hope he can be a savior in a tricky spot.

2. Zach Reid, DEF, Bombers

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 75 from 91% TOG
2024 Average: 70.5 from 4 VFL games; 17 from 1 AFL game

Prior’s teammate Zach Reid is aiming to FINALLY put his injury issues behind him and string some regular footy together. Since being drafted in 2020, the Essendon defender has only managed 9 AFL appearances, including Round 1 in 2024 before a hamstring injury saw him become a red dot on the bench for the fantasy community. As long as he’s on the park, there’s optimism that Reid will have a place in the Bombers’ best 23 and he should battle away with reasonable scores.

3. Luke Trainor, DEF, Tigers

AFL Fantasy Price: $280,000
Preseason Score: 48 from 40% TOG
2024 Average: 78.6 from 5 Coates Talent League games; 79 from 4 U-18 champ games

Now that he’s been named as a debutant on Thursday night, Luke Trainor’s ownership is starting to climb. Already residing in 20% of teams, the intercepting tall should have access to strong scores while playing a ton of footy in his first season in the AFL system. In his final junior campaign, Trainor averaged a smidge under 80 points and displayed the ability to both lockdown opponents and provide his team with a rebounding option out of defence – a role he should have access to at Richmond in 2025. There’s a chance we can even grow to trust Trainor on our field, but either way I think you should look long and hard at finding room for the Tigers DEF in your backline before the first lockout.

4. Tobie Travaglia, DEF/MID, Saints

AFL Fantasy Price: $319,000
Preseason Score: 20 from 28% TOG
2024 Average: 100.5 from 12 Coates Talent League games; 81.2 from 3 U-18 champ games; 63 from 2 VFL games

This may surprise some as Tobie Travaglia is no certainty to get a gig early in his Saints tenure. However, the Bendigo talent showed he can find the footy regardless of the level or position he played at during the 2024 season. The hopes for St Kilda are that one day he’ll develop into a handy midfield contributor, although Travaglia will likely serve his AFL apprenticeship in defence. Even if he isn’t the radar as a starting pick, the Saints top-10 draftee is one to monitor as a potential downgrade option once he carves out a place in Ross Lyon’s squad.

5. James Leake, DEF, Giants

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Round 0 Score: 42 from 54% TOG
Preseason Score: 66 from 73% TOG
2024 Average: 95.1 from 8 VFL games

A week ago, I had James Leake sitting much higher in these rankings. On the back of Opening Round, coupled with shaky job security, Leake has been moved him down a few rungs. That doesn’t draw a line through him as an option though, with the Giants young gun still in line to build off his performance against Collingwood. As GWS welcomes a few players back over the coming rounds, we could see Leake deployed as the sub which would obviously hurt his scoring ability. Still, a breakeven of -7 can’t be ignored completely and if he can cling onto a place in the team for a few more rounds, then Leake may still do enough to be a solid rookie investment.

6. Bo Allan, DEF/MID, Eagles

AFL Fantasy Price: $295,000
Preseason Score: 13 from 73% TOG
2024 Average: 84 from 3 U-18 champ games; 83.5 from 2 WAFL Colts games; 48.7 from 11 WAFL League games

An illness seems set to keep him out of West Coast’s lineup to start 2025, but Bo Allan should still see ample opportunities in his rookie season. The WA local showed off his versatility in his final season as a junior – at times utilised as a midfielder while being relied on in defence for Peel Thunder’s senior side during a premiership run. His average of 48.7 points in 11 WAFL league games is a strong indicator of the subpar scoring we can expect from Allan in his first year with the Eagles, although he’s still a cash cow we need to remember as we navigate the early portion of the fantasy season.

Best of the rest – Defenders

Saad El-Hawli (Bombers, $230K) – Despite a strong offseason, Saad El-Hawli still remains on the outside looking in at Essendon. We know he can score in a flurry (97.8 AVG from 4 VFL games for the Bombers in 2024) when given the chance – making him a ripper downgrade option to keep an eye on.
Luke Cleary (Bulldogs, $335K) – Starting the season at an inflated rate, there aren’t too many coaches considering Luke Cleary right now. He did churn out 79 points from 83% TOG in the AAMI game and if Bailey Dale doesn’t get up for this weekend, Cleary might emerge as a unique DEF bench pick.
Ben Jepson (Suns, $230K) – There have been encouraging flashes from Ben Jepson since he arrived at the club in the SSP window. However, he still has work to do before breaking into Gold Coast’s outfit and becoming a relevant fantasy factor.
Riley Bice (Swans, $230K) – Riley Bice’s name is worth adding to your watchlist, even if Dean Cox might wait a while to deploy him. At Werribee a season ago, Bice churned out a 90+ average and he has all the traits of a convenient cash cow. Let’s hope he comes in right when we’re looking to offload some bench defenders.
Connor O’Sullivan (Cats, $300K) – The No. 11 pick from 2023 should see more senior opportunities in Geelong’s back-6 this year – I’m just not convinced that Connor O’Sullivan can be a fantasy factor. The tall defender scored 64.8 points on average in the VFL and we’d expect those numbers to dip when he steps up to the AFL level.
Liam O’Connell (Saints, $230K) – St Kilda may hand Liam O’Connell a surprising early debut, but I wouldn’t be touching him. I’ll happily fade him to start the season and make him force my hand as a trade target.

Deeeeep Dive

Not every cash cow can be in the mix for a Round 1 game, however, that doesn’t mean their names aren’t worth remembering. In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced defenders to consider throughout the season.
Karl Worner (Dockers, $315K)
Josh Gibucs (Tigers, $230K)
Luke Beecken (Lions, $230K)
Jedd Busslinger (Bulldogs, $230K)
Kaleb Smith (Tigers, $230K)
Alix Tauru (Saints, $313K)
James Barrat (Saints, $247K)

MIDFIELDERS

1. Levi Ashcroft, MID, Lions

AFL Fantasy Price: $328,000
Preseason Score: 78 from 66% TOG
2024 Average: 145 from 1 VFL game; 107.8 from 9 Coates Talent League games; 88.2 from 4 U-18 champ games

The highlight reel (inserted below) from Levi Ashcroft’s lone VFL appearance last year was enough to have coaches salivating over his fantasy potential. Of course, joining the reigning premiers means that the younger Ashcroft won’t have access to heavy midfield minutes right out of the gate, but there’s just no way we can leave him out of our teams. He displayed an innate ball-winning ability in 2024 and there’s no reason why that won’t translate, in spurts, at the pro level. There are some valid concerns around a potential sub vest to even an early rest for Ashcroft, but that’s not enough to deter us from picking the Lions cub. Gun.

2. Finn O’Sullivan, MID, Kangaroos

AFL Fantasy Price: $337,000
Preseason Score: 79 from 83% TOG
2024 Average: 75.2 from 4 Coates Talent League games; 46 from 1 VFL game; 41 from 2 U-18 champ games

I’ll admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Finn O’Sullivan from a fantasy standpoint coming out of the draft. Valid injury woes stopped the early consensus No. 1 pick from putting forth an impressive 2024 campaign – although, O’Sullivan did average 88 fantasy points in 2023 as a bottom-ager. His role at North Melbourne is a large reason why the hype has built around O’Sullivan, with the soon-to-be debutant expected to split time between the wing and halfback. If he can access some easy +6’s in defence and win enough of the footy in the middle portion of the ground, the newest Roo should push his average over 70 to start his AFL career.

3. Sid Draper, MID, Crows

AFL Fantasy Price: $331,000
Preseason Score: 42 from 39% TOG
2024 Average: 121 from 1 U-18 SANFL game; 86 from 6 SANFL League games; 59 from 4 U-18 champ games

For anyone looking to offload their Sid Draper stock, I’ll take it off your hands. We all expect the Crows youngster to be eased into life as an AFL footballer (a trend we’ve seen from other Adelaide rookies in previous seasons), but this kid has fantasy star written all over him. A sub vest or three may be thrown his way, however Draper only needs minutes on the ground to access points in a hurry. Once we get clarity over where he sits in Adelaide’s pecking order, that will determine whether Draper should be in consideration for our starting sides. Either way, I envision that we’ll all want the exciting prospect in our teams at some point in 2025.

4. Sam Lalor, MID, Tigers

AFL Fantasy Price: $340,000
Preseason Score: DNP
2024 Average: 90.8 from 4 Coates Talent League games; 68.7 from 3 U-18 champ games

After overcoming a fractured jaw, the Tigers are going to unveil the No. 1 pick in their first (proper) game of the season. As a result, Sam Lalor is finding his way back into our teams after spending the bulk of the preseason sitting between M5-M9. There are already 28,000+ coaches shuffling the magnets to get Lalor in and the prized Richmond recruit is expected to see a ton of senior opportunities. We saw glimpses of his potential against the Eagles a few weeks ago, and even if he plays more time as a forward to start his career, there should still be enough points on offer for Lalor to become a crucial cash cow.

5. Lucas Camporeale, MID, Blues

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 88 from 84% TOG
2024 Average: 89.9 from 8 U-18 SANFL games; 81 from 1 SANFL Reserves game; 79.5 from 4 U-18 champ games

When I was doing my cash cow research around the draft, I thought it would take time before we saw Lucas Camporeale’s name mentioned as a fantasy option – if at all this season! And yet, after his effort against GWS a fortnight ago, the outside specialist is emerging as a legitimate starting option after carving out a place in the side. Scoring a team-high 88 points in that clash gives us plenty to be excited about, but there is still the concern of a bloody vest ruining his cash gen potential. I’m hopeful that even if Camporeale dons the green/red in a few games, he can still do enough when he hits the ground to play a role for fantasy coaches.

6. Harvey Langford, MID, Demons

AFL Fantasy Price: $325,000
Preseason Score: 39 from 55% TOG
2024 Average: 107.3 from 15 Coates Talent League games; 99.2 from 4 U-18 champ games; 49 from 1 VFL game

His numbers as a junior jump off the page and up until recently, I was locking Harvey Langford into my midfield rotation and throwing away the key. I’m still bullish on Melbourne’s top draftee and he should still be announced as a Round 1 debutant (perhaps even by the time you’re reading this) to start the season. The optimism around Langford’s role and scoring potential has dipped on the back of his game vs. Fremantle, despite the fact he’s still expected to play a lot in year one. Even without a MID heavy role at the Dees, Langford should have access to decent weekly point totals, but we can’t squeeze all of these rooks into our midfield.

7. Josh Smillie, MID, Tigers

AFL Fantasy Price: $322,000
Preseason Score: DNP
2024 Average: 96.5 from 12 Coates Talent League games; 72 from 3 U-18 champ games

Placing Josh Smillie here is a bit of a dice roll with the Richmond recruit having a fairly interrupted run in his first summer on an AFL list. The talent is undeniable and Smillie is expected to be a crucial cog in the Tigers’ future midfield brigade. That likely means they won’t rush him back to play. Having faced a few setbacks this preseason, don’t be shocked if we see Smillie deployed in the VFL for a few weeks before breaking into the senior team. When he does, there are high hopes that he’ll be given enough midfield clock to produce for the coaches who bring him in.

8. Hugh Boxshall, MID, Saints

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 66 from 62% TOG
2024 Average: 92.6 from 7 WAFL Colts games; 72.7 from 3 U-18 champ games

Another bolter from the preseason, Hugh Boxshall has found a place on the bench for over 20% of the fantasy community. A handball-happy inside MID, Boxshall excelled for Claremont in the WAFL junior last year and his work ethic over the summer has put him in the frame to play a similar role for St Kilda at times. There’s no official word on if Boxshall is debuting yet, however that news should drop soon and give coaches confidence to lock him in at M9 or M10. There is of course a worry that Ross will deploy Boxshall as the starting sub on Sunday against the Crows, but I’m backing the youngster in to play his role.

Best of the rest – Midfielders

Xavier Lindsay (Demons, $310K) – Melbourne’s first-rounder was unlucky to not break into the top-8 MID’s for 2025, having put forth a breathtaking stretch during his final junior season. He rose to fame after accumulating 30 touches in the U-18 Grand Final last season – scoring a juicy 148 points in the process. I expect some dry stretches from a scoring standpoint, however I won’t be surprised if we’re looking at a rookie shuffle to trade Lindsay in following a fast start.
Angus Hastie (Saints, $230K) – With a few other tantalising $230K options for our MID bench, I haven’t given Angus Hastie much thought as a starting pick. Poised to earn more AFL opportunities in year two, the budding Saint has sub risk written all over him after seeing a vest in four of his five senior games in 2024.
Tom Hanily (Swans, $230K) – Just checking in on the Sydney sub, who earned the first AFL debut of the season and scored 30 points in just 31% of game time. That’s not enough for us to consider the cheap Swan out of the gates and until he shakes the sub role, he can’t be trusted.
Murphy Reid (Dockers, $292K) – I’m a huge fan of Murphy Reid’s skillset and he has shown he can score at the junior level – I just can’t see him getting enough of a run in the senior team to be relevant. Maybe the likes of Nat Fyfe and Matthew Johnson will be forced out of the CBA’s for Reid, but it’s more likely that he rocks the fluro green to start his tenure on an AFL list.

Deeeeep Dive

Not every cash cow can be in the mix for a Round 1 game, however, that doesn’t mean their names aren’t worth remembering. In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced midfielders to consider throughout the season.
Tom Gross (Eagles, $230K)
Luke Urquart (Kangaroos, $230K)
Clay Hall (Eagles, $267K)
Jaxon Binns (Blues, $230K)
Sam Marshall (Lions, $268K)
Cooper Hynes (Bulldogs, $283K)
Zak Johnson (Bombers, $230K)
Ben Camporeale (Blues, $230K)

RUCKS

1. Harry Boyd, RUC, Saints

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 50 from 78% TOG
2024 Average: 117.4 from 18 SANFL games

It’s Harry Boyd or bust at R3 to start the season. The Liam Reidy hype has faded and no other candidate has put their hand up as an option – leading to Boyd becoming the 11th most owned player (honestly thought he would be higher) at the time of typing. If you don’t know the back story from St Kilda’s SSP addition, he has dominated the SANFL for the past few seasons – with impressive averages of 116.3 points, 20.1 disposals, 41.7 hitouts and 10 clearances from 20 games in 2024. Time will tell if he’s deployed alongside Rowan Marshall or not, but as long as he’s picked, Boyd is a lock.

2. Archer Reid, Eagles

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 42 from 77% TOG
2023 Average: 48.5 from 15 WAFL games

The only other R3 option I’d consider at this point is Eagles big man, Archer Reid. With Matt Flynn and Bailey Williams ahead of him in the pecking order, the points won’t exactly flow for West Coast’s inferior Reid and there are no assurances that he’ll be picked at all to clash with Gold Coast on Sunday. Even if he does find a place in Mini McQualter’s team, Reid will likely play the R2 role and churn out scores in the 20-40 point range. For those coaches looking to start with a red dot on the pine, he’s probably your best shot thanks to the Eagles playing 11 Sunday games in the first 14 rounds.

Deeeeep Dive

Not every cash cow can be in the mix for a Round 1 game, however, that doesn’t mean their names aren’t worth remembering. In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced ruckmen to consider throughout the season.
Max Heath (Saints, $230K)
Taylor Goad (Kangaroos, $230K)
Tom Campbell (Demons, $316K)
Kayle Gerreyn (Bombers, $232K)
Lachlan McAndrew (Crows, $302K)
Nic Madden (Giants, $230K)

FORWARDS

1. Sam Davidson, Bulldogs

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Preseason Score: 102 from 82% TOG
2024 Average: 68.6 from 17 VFL games

Given the injuries that struck the Western Bulldogs over the summer, we knew that some of their players would benefit from a fantasy sense. We didn’t know that mature-age recruit Sam Davidson was going to vault into contention on the back of his epic 100+ score vs. Hawthorn! He played a role as a lead-up forward for Richmond’s VFL side last year before the Doggies pounced on him with Pick No. 51 and I falsely assumed that would be the role he played under Luke Beverdige. Since moving up the ground onto a wing, Davidson has shown the ability to accumulate possessions and get involved in scoring chains – with over 25,000 coaches plugging him in F6 ahead of Round 1. Whether you choose to deploy him on the field or on your bench, it’s clear that we all need Davidson to start the season.

2. Connor Stone, FWD, Giants

AFL Fantasy Price: $230,000
Round 0 Score: 50 from 77% TOG
Preseason Score: 51 from 87% TOG
2024 Average: 84.2 from 15 VFL games; 16 from 4 AFL games

Scoring 50 points wasn’t a breathtaking effort on Sunday, but the double price rise that Conor Stone will get has made him a popular starting pick in our forward line. After flirting with a move to Essendon in the offseason, Stone has since found a home in the Giants’ back-6 and there is optimism that he can hang around there for a while. Checking in as a basement priced option, the value is hard to pass up at the moment and adding DEF status is Round 6 will be another handy string in his bow.

3. Isaac Kako, MID/FWD, Bombers

AFL Fantasy Price: $304,000
Preseason Score: 81 from 86% TOG
2024 Average: 85 from 12 Coates Talent League games; 64.8 from 4 U-18 champ games

It became obvious through the preseason that Isaac Kako is going to be a handy contributor for Essendon in 2025. The question on everyone’s mind is, will that translate to fantasy success? Traditionally, small forwards don’t tend to provide us with the greatest scoring upside and if he can’t hit the scoreboard then there are bound to be some 40’s mixed into Kako’s box scores. Kicking four snags and scoring 81 against Geelong gave us a glimpse of what Kako is capable of, and his job security in the Dons’ senior side is rock solid to start the year. I’m keen to see what this exciting draftee is capable of starting Friday night against Hawthorn.

4. Joe Berry, FWD, Power

AFL Fantasy Price: $298,000
Preseason Score: 48 from 87% TOG
2024 Average: 73.5 from 14 Coates Talent League games; 69.8 from 3 U-18 champ games

I could almost copy and paste the blurb about Kako and just insert Joe Berry’s name. Expected to slot into Port Adelaide’s team as a goalsneak, there aren’t great fantasy expectations from Berry ahead of his rookie campaign. However, it became clear during the draft process that the Power were extremely interested in adding his skillset to their front half and there should be a ton of senior opportunities for Berry in 2025. Almost 11% owned at the time of typing, most are opting to pick the trio listed above instead of targeting Port’s newest weapon, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be another solid source of cash gen on our benches.

5. Elijah Hewett, Eagles

AFL Fantasy Price: $332,000
Preseason Score: DNP
2023 Average: 46.3 from 14 AFL games; 26 from 2 WAFL games

If I wrote this a month ago, it’s possible that Elijah Hewett would’ve been the No. 1 FWD cash cow. Over the last few weeks though, Hewett has been cautiously managed by the Eagles and his availability for Round 1 is still up in the air. He has been unable to stay healthy throughout two seasons in the system – including being sidelined for the entire 2024 campaign with ongoing foot issues. As a result, West Coast will understandably ensure that the 20-year-old isn’t overworked and is eased back into senior footy. If he can improve his time on ground and avoid a vest, then there’s a real chance that Hewett can finally deliver on the promise he has shown as a teenager.

6. Daniel Curtin, FWD, Crows

AFL Fantasy Price: $300,000
Preseason Score: 41 from 77% TOG
2024 Average: 78.3 from 12 SANFL games; 32.1 from 7 AFL games

Another popular preseason addition to most of our squads in the forward line, Daniel Curtin enters the season with a few red flags. Training as a forward while also spending short stints in the midfield has seen Curtin rise into calculations for Matthew Nicks and the Crows, although I’m not sure even they know where to play the gifted young gun. He was subbed off twice and started as the sub twice last year, which obviously impacted his fantasy average. However, Curtin did average 53 points from the three games where he wasn’t vested. He’s a good chance to build on that average this season and as a result, he’ll tempt some coaches as a FWD cash cow.

Best of the rest – Forwards

Max Gruzewksi (Gaints, $230K) – When Kieren Briggs went down last weekend, Max Gruzewski stepped up as GWS’ R2 and attended 22 ruck contests. That coupled with a pair of goals led to a score of 57, which will likely equate to a handy double price rise following Round 1. That will definitely tempt some coaches as they fill out their FWD bench.
Max Hall (Saints, $230K) – There are 4-5 cash cows fighting for a few spots in St Kilda’s Round 1 team and I’m pretty sure that Ross Lyon won’t fit them all in. For that reason and given his unfriendly fantasy role, I’m steering clear of Max Hall to start the season. He excelled as a MID for Box Hill before being picked up in the mid-season draft, however Hall is set to be deployed as pressure FWD at the Saints and his scoring will suffer as a result.
Reef McInnes (Mapgies, $324K) – A score of 49 in Opening Round will help Reef McInnes become one of the few rookies with a double price rise to start the season. He has nestled into Collingwood’s back-6 and seems to have strong job security in that role. I’d rather use my starting funds elsewhere given his susceptibility to poor point totals.
Corey Warner (Swans, $257K) – Another OR specialist, Corey Warner didn’t exactly pop. It was encouraging to see him start in Sydney’s team and avoid the sub vest, but 42 points from 71% TOG isn’t going to cut it.
Harry Armstrong (Tigers, $274K) – Personally, I had Harry Armstrong ranked as the best key forward in the 2024 draft class, so it’s great to see him get a look in early at Richmond. There may be times where he’s sent back to the magoos to hone his craft and even if he plays regularly, an average of 35-45 is on the cards.

Deeeeep Dive

Not every cash cow can be in the mix for a Round 1 game, however, that doesn’t mean their names aren’t worth remembering. In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced ruckmen to consider throughout the season.
Ethan Read (Suns, $230K)
Cody Angove (Giants, $230K)
Isaac Keeler (Saints, $230K)
Ashton Moir (Blues, $230K)
Will Hayes (Magpies, $230K)
Hamish Davis (Eagles, $230K)
Ty Gallop (Lions, $230K)

Fry

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