20 down, four to go!

We’ve made it to the AFL Fantasy finals! Well, some of us have made it. In default leagues, the quest for a flag has been narrowed down to eight contenders and the next four fixtures will help determine whether you have bragging rights over your mates for the summer, or if you’ll be left to wonder what could have been. At this stage of the fantasy campaign, punting a bench spot for a rookie with loophole potential is a popular move. Some coaches however are still patching holes and need a few more cash cows to help them facilitate their final upgrades – and for those coaches, I’ve cast a wide web over the rookies who are still in action to help you identify those cheap players who can help you claim a premiership.

Rookie/cash cows are typically defined as players who started the season priced at $400,000 or lower

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Cash Cow King – Round 20

Another week, another potential five votes for Daniel Curtin? The second-year Crow dropped another 90+ score in Round 20 and he’s showing no sign of slowing down! Harry O’Farrell pipped Curtin for the highest cash cow score last weekend thanks to 19 disposals and 13 marks, while his Blues teammate Will White earned a nomination for kicking a pair of snags on Thursday night. Murphy Reid and Tom McCarthy squared off in the Western Derby and earned a nomination for their efforts on Saturday, although, Curtin surely gets the lions share of the votes this week.

*If you’re having issues submitting your vote try clicking “view results” first and that should resolve the problem 🤞

Who's gets your vote as the most important cash cow in Round 20?

• Harry O'Farrell (103)
• Will White (82)
• Murphy Reid (88)
• Tom McCarthy (82)
• Dan Curtin (97)

View Results

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Round 20 Power Rankings

After 20 weeks of action, these are the top 10 cash cow performers in season 2025!

Power Ranking 2025 #AFLFantasy Cash Cows Round 20 💰🐮

1. Daniel Curtin ↔️
2. Max Hall ↔️
3. Tom McCarthy ⬆️ 1
4. Clay Hall ⬆️ 1
5. Levi Ashcroft ⬇️ 2
6. Murphy Reid (NR)
7. Harvey Langford ↔️
8. Kai Lohmann ⬇️ 2
9. Elijah Hewett (NR)
10. Luke Trainor (NR) pic.twitter.com/26NAmQVuy4

— SportsbyFry (@sportsbyfry) July 28, 2025

Making Moves

No one is chasing a rookie as a trade priority this late in the season, so as a result, I’ve streamlined the article before I get stuck into the awards a few weeks from now. If there’s a cash cow I don’t cover that you’ve got questions about, feel free to drop them below or hit me up on my socials.

DEFENCE

Harry O’Farrell ($386K, 103, BE -12) – Credit where credit is due, but O’Farrell won’t maintain this pace. The Blues’ backman recorded 37, 36, 43 and 37 points in his previous four games before a scoring binge against the Hawks last Thursday. Don’t get sucked in.

Tom McCarthy ($648K, 82, BE 49) – While Tom McCarthy has been a loyal player for coaches over the past 4-6 weeks, now is the time to cash him in. You could wait another week, as his breakeven of 49 is certainly achievable. However the temptation to punt him to a $230K player and net yourself over $400K is real. His form has been impressive, but if he’s still on your field it’s time to plan an exit strategy.

Riley Hardeman ($487K, 73, BE 28) – Shoutout for the 70+ score, but we needed this in Round 13, Riley!

Jy Farrar ($301K, 71, BE 0) – Could he be a sneaky cash cow over the final few rounds? Priced at 30, Farrar could make a quick $80K-$100K over the next few weeks for Gold Coast – even if he doesn’t kick three goals each week. One to consider for those who are still desperately trying to make money.

Luke Trainor ($526K, 65, BE 59) subbed off – We’ve all moved on from the roller coaster that is Luke Trainor by now, but a tip of the cap for scoring 65 points before being handed the red vest.

Jedd Busslinger ($272K, 63, BE 6) – This is the score I thought we’d get from the Buss months ago! Of course, it’s mainly Bevo’s fault that Busslinger wasn’t in the senior side and for those who still have the Dogs key back sitting at D7/D8, let’s hope he can string some scores together to close the season.

Saad El-Hawli ($373K, 59, BE 18) – Featuring in his first game since Round 10, Saad El-Hawli once again racked up a respectable score. Given the injury issues the Bombers are facing, you’d think he can play out the season – although, he didn’t wow me in the patches of the game I watched.

Rhett Bazzo ($306K, 48, BE 8) – As an Eagles key defender, you’d think there will be plenty of touches on offer for Bazzo in the final month of the season. Not one I’d be targeting though.

Angus Hastie ($361K, 47, BE 29) – He has avoided the sub vest over the last month, however, that hasn’t helped his scoring rate (45.5 AVG). If you can, trading Hastie out to net a few spare dollars is the optimal play.

Angus Clarke ($484K, 42, BE 59) – Most Angus Clarke owners will have offloaded the young Bomber over the last few rounds, with almost 3,000 coaches swinging the axe this round.

Wil Dawson ($358K, 35, BE 35) – Was generating a small amount of buzz as a cash gen option, but nah…

Alix Tauru ($422K, 27, BE 55) – After posting just one score north of 50 in half a dozen games, it could be time to move off of Alix Tauru. He still looms as an ok green dot on the bench, but the smart move is to take the money he’s made and run.

MIDFIELD

Murphy Reid (563K, 88, BE 41) – Surely the 15,000+ coaches that still own Murphy Reid are all ghost ships, but if any of them are still actively playing, they wouldn’t have been disappointed with his 88-point effort in the Derby. He continues to impress in year one and a podium finish for the Rising Star award isn’t out of the question.

Hugh Boxshall ($399K, 59, BE 21) – An early injury to Lance Collard opened the door for Hugh Boxshall to put up another ripper score, and yet, Ross the Boss still only gave him 48% game time. Boxshall made the most of his minutes and he could be left at M9-M10 for his owners if he keeps maintaining a price rise.

Clay Hall ($563K, 57, BE 44) – Has virtually gone unowned all year, but his second half of the season has been stellar.

Zak Johnson ($454K, 37, BE 69) – Shaking himself free of the sub vest, there was hope that Zak Johnson would recaptrue the vibe and record another strong point total. He didn’t. Having lost $29K in one week, he will only continue to bleed cash so it’s time to send him packing.

Sam Marshall ($248K, 33, BE 27) subbed on – It’s a shame the sub vest and robbed him of a chance to really impress in his few games thus far. Let’s hope the AFL minutes he gets in 2025 can help him become a juicy cash cow for 2026.

Leo Lombard ($274K, 10, BE 42) subbed on – Ditto. A shoulder injury ruined Lombard’s chances of really staking his claim as a best-22 player for the Suns. A full offseason after a year on an AFL list could help unlock his fantasy potential.

Hugh Jackson ($339K, 8, BE 50) subbed on – Another rookie ruined by the vest! Hugh Jackson has lost some of the value he generated and even if the Power turn to their youngsters to close the season, there’s a chance that Jackson will keep coping the fluro.

Harry Rowston ($451K, DNP, BE 53) – After a DNP last weekend, Rowston has to go. He gathered 16 touches, laid six tackles and scored 72 points in the VFL for what it’s worth, but the time to cash him in is now.

Mani Liddy ($441K, DNP, BE 40) – I have a bit more optimism for Mani Liddy, given where Port Adelaide sit a month out from the end of the season. You’d expect the Power to give the mid-season recruit another taste of AFL action in the final month and Liddy torched his SANFL opponents on the weekend with 119 points from 27 disposals, nine tackles and a goal.

RUCK

Thomas Sims ($345K, 59, BE 19) – The highest scoring rookie ruck last weekend – take a bow Simsy!

Finnbar Maley ($333K, 36, BE 34) – Some may have Finnbar sitting at R3 while Xerri is on the sidelines, but I wouldn’t advise chasing him as a green dot.

Lachlan Blakiston ($358K, 24, BE 19) – Similar could be said for Lachlan Blakiston after he came crashing back to Earth in Round 20. 30ish points seems to be the norm for him now.

FORWARD

Daniel Curtin ($816K, 97, BE 64) – Maintained his late-season Rising Star charge, with his third consecutive 90+ score. There’s a world where we could leave Dan Curtin sitting at F6 with Adelaide hitting their straps at the perfect time as they charge towards a minor premiership.

Max Hall ($719K, 79, BE 62) – Max Hall has put together one helluva season and you’d think re-signing him is a priority for St Kilda’s list management team. From a fantasy standpoint, his tenure in our teams is probably over, but he still deserves strong recognition.

Elijah Hewett ($619K, 61, BE 75) – Wasn’t at his explosive best last week, but I won’t be surprised if Elijah Hewett pops for another 75-80+ score or two over the final four rounds.

Taj Hotton ($379K, 49, BE 20) – I really wished that Hotton stayed in VFL colours all season so he could have been a 2026 bargain, but alas, that wasn’t meant to be. The talented Tiger continues to have moments in games and his price tag makes it hard to invest in him at the moment. For those who did pull the trigger, he’s a perfect player to offload come Round 23-24 to facilitate one final upgrade.

Liam McMahon ($266K, 49, BE 5) – He keeps finding a way to hit the scoreboard, but Liam McMahon isn’t going to be a game-changer in the fantasy finals. May shape up as a convenient downgrade option in the FWD line if you need a green dot, but he’s hardly a must-have.

Levi Ashcorft ($673K, 48, BE 78) – Levi Ashcroft’s numbers have dipped over the last few months and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a rest coming up for him prior to their finals assault. Still, he’s been an elite rokie for the bulk of the campaign and is still the favourite for MVP honours (no offence Dan Curtin).

Zach Banch ($230K, 42, BE 19) – North Melbourne’s mid-season draftee sits as the 3rd most traded in player ahead of Round 21, as fantasy coaches chase a $230K player who is poised to see his fair share of action. I can see some of the appeal, but I’m not convinced he’ll avoid a regular sub vest over the final month, so proceed with caution if you’re expecting him to contribute.

Jobe Shanahan ($412K, 34, BE 37) – I genuinely believe that West Coast have found a player for the future in Jobe Shanahan. That doesn’t mean he will be discussed in fantasy circles very often and he’s fine to move on from if you need a few dollars.

Ashton Moir ($340K, 28, BE 13) – The handful of coaches who have Moir sitting on their bench in the forward line and up until last round, he had shown solid signs in terms of cash gen. Leaving him on the pine for another match or two is probably the wise move.

Tyrell Dewar ($564K, 15, BE 77) subbed on – There was a time when Tyrell Dewar offered us a lot of fantasy upside and promise. However, that ship has clearly sailed.

Oskar Smartt ($278K, 28, BE 17) subbed on – While some of Essendon’s youngsters have been able to flourish as the injury bug ripped through the club, some haven’t. To close the 2025 campaign, Oskar Smartt will probably still see a fair chunk of action, but I can’t suggest making a move for him.

Jasper Alger ($235K, 12, BE 32) subbed on – Another one somewhat ruined by the sub vest and a few injuries. Avoid.

Kai Lohmann ($553K, DNP, BE 32) – For those who were clinging to the hopes of a Kai Lohmann return, it ain’t happening. The Lions FWD is listed as out for another 3-4 weeks with his calf complaint – effectively ending his fantasy efforts this year.

Q & A

I’m adding a Q&A section to the weekly articles to help address the biggest issues we have with our rookies/cash cows. If I don’t get to your answer in the article, I promise I’ll answer it on Twitter – and as always, you can drop your follow-up question below.

Is Max Heath the best value rookie to get, going up in price for the next 3 weeks?

— Joseph Kelly (@JosephKell53124) July 29, 2025

I’m not convinced. Max Heath scored 96 last week for Sandringham, which may see him earn a recall for the senior side, but that isn’t guaranteed. Personally, I think Jy Farrar will be the best money maker over the next three weeks. A breakeven of 0 and a price tag just over $300K makes me lean towards picking him instead of others like Heath, Harry O’Farrell or Liam McMahon.

Any basement price rookies expected to come in to play out the season?

— Dave D (@dirksdt) July 29, 2025

There is no one bashing the door down for selection, but here are a few players I mentioned last week who spring to mind – Luke Beecken (DEF, $230K), Lucca Grego (MID, $230K), Ben Camporeale (MID, $230K) and Geordie Payne (MID/FWD, $230K)

Remember the Name

In no particular order, here are some of the other rookie-priced players to consider throughout the season.

DEFENDERS

Josh Gibucs (Tigers, $230K)
Luke Beecken (Lions, $230K)
James Barrat (Saints, $247K)
Charlie Edwards (Crows, $230K)
Jed Adams (Demons, $230K)

MIDFIELDERS

Luke Urquart (Kangaroos, $230K)
Josh Smillie (Tigers, $322K)
Lucca Grego (Eagles, $230K)
Cody Anderson (Hawks, $230K)
Ben Camporeale (Blues, $230K)

RUCKMEN

Taylor Goad (Kangaroos, $230K)
Tom Campbell (Demons, $316K)
Kayle Gerreyn (Bombers, $232K)
Lachlan McAndrew (Crows, $302K)
Coen Livingstone (Eagles, $230K)

FORWARDS

Geordie Payne (Kangaroos, $230K)
Jordan Croft (Bulldogs, $230K)
Oliver Hannaford (Giants, $289K)

Fry

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