The Stream Team – Round 5

So I just locked myself out of my apartment, which has me sitting out the front in the hallway writing the article this week while I wait for a locksmith. Eff me, hard. In more fun and relevant news, I’m heading to Gather Round this weekend! It’s my first time going and I hear it will be lots of footy (duh), blokes and booze, which sounds like a normal weekend for me, just on a much grander scale. I’ll probably see a bunch of fantasy nerds there but won’t recognise anyone but Warnie and the boys so hopefully I can meet them – my content creating idols…

Anyway, the purpose of this article is to suggest one-week streaming options for draft leagues. Each week, I compile a team of lowly owned players (<40% ownership) that are worthy of a one-week pick-up-and-play, helping you fill any gaps you may have in your starting squads.

But first, let’s see how I went last round:

HITS

Dan Rioli (82 AF/73 SC) – not a huge hit, but we’ll take the 82 AF for your D4/5 slot.

Levi Ashcroft (92 AF/82 SC) – he’s a hold while McCluggage is still out, and perhaps even beyond.

Logan Morris (103 AF/104 SC) – BOOM! Key forwards are doing well against the Pies. Keep that in mind.

Riley Sanders (109 AF/122 SC) – more BOOM! He may be a hold while Libba is out, but Richards missed and they face the Hawks this week…

Tom Papley (118 AF/115 SC) – yes, even more BOOM! Paps is a bit of a flat-track bully so don’t expect this output every week if you choose to hold.

MISSES

Logan Evans (49 AF/56 SC) – dang, and I don’t really have an explanation other than maybe DBJ going back to defence and taking his ball?

Callum Coleman-Jones (28 AF/29 SC) – this wasn’t it. Trembath had more hit outs (and scored really well) so maybe he is the go while Xerri is out.

So every one of my forward streams brought the BOOM last week, which was quite pleasing. What wasn’t pleasing was the omission of Alex Davies, who was my Shoe-in of the Week. Now if you recall, I was on a hat-trick of big hits with the Shoe-in, and because Davies didn’t play, I’m just going to declare that I’m still on a hat-trick because no one else is making the rules here…

Here are the lowly owned players that I like as stream targets for Round 5 (ownership % taken from AFL Fantasy):

DEFENDERS

Caleb Windsor (25%) vs. Essendon – he’s actually playing as a midfielder but it doesn’t really matter where you play against the Bombers – you’re going to score.

Jaxon Prior (6%) vs. Melbourne – I’m sticking to this game because it should be a points fest for defenders on both teams, according to recent data. Prior has a 3 round average of ~80 and can put up useful scores, as we saw last year in a lot of classic squads. This one feels safe, but don’t expect the BOOM.

Conor Idun (18%) vs. Richmond – general defenders are loving it against the Tiges so far this season, and Idun is one with fantasy-ton potential. I couldn’t even tell you who’s lining up in Richmond’s forward line right now, so defenders aren’t having to do much defending.

MIDFIELDERS

Dion Prestia (28%) vs. GWS – he’s not inspiring, and is always an injury risk, but he’s averaging 80 AF and was Richmond’s second highest scorer last week. It’s tough out in them midfield streets…

James Peatling (19%) vs. Carlton – he saw a bump in CBAs last week, and his scoring improved as a result. He plays Carlton in the first match of the round, which makes for a perfect loophole play from your bench.

Oliver Dempsey (32%) vs. West Coast – up, down, up, down… such has been the precise scoring pattern for Dempsey this year. He’s got a gravy matchup in Weagles to come, which aligns wonderfully with his scoring trend. I’m almost certain of a 90+ score here. So certain, in fact, that Dempsey is my Shoe-in of the Week, and the one to complete my first ever BOOM hat-trick.

Ryan Angwin (13%) vs. Richmond – I’ll be real here, I knew nothing of this guy coming into season 2026, but in his last 2 games, has put up scores of 89 and 97 (AF) and has a sweet matchup this round. He’s playing an outside midfield role that I believe can bag you some points this week, but this stream takes some guts given the little else I know about this bloke.

RUCK

Matt Flynn (26%) vs. Geelong – we love streaming rucks against the Cats. Ignore Flynn’s score from last week as you simply won’t find another lowly owned ruck with any scoring potential on your waiver wires, trust me.

FORWARDS

Darcy Byrne-Jones (8%) vs. St. Kilda – he was back in defence last week; the position he used to play when he first started out and he actually scored decently playing there. If this role sticks, we could be on a season-long winner here as he was Port’s top scorer last week. If I could be certain he was sticking to this role this round, he’d be my Shoe-in against the Saints for sure.

Ed Langdon (34%) vs. Essendon – he’s scored at least one fantasy ton in his career and is playing Essendon this week. That’s all you need to know.

Jake Stringer (10%) vs. Richmond – he’ll be fresh of his bye and has already put up 2 good scores this year (and 2 30s, LOL). This stream is the most fun you’ll have at Gather Round this weekend, so join me in sinking piss and yelling ‘the Packaaaaage’ every time Stringer gets even close to it.

Alrighty then! The article is written, and now I can start packing for Adelaide. I’ll be drinking my tits off in hopes that I forget the fact that I was charged $1400 for my lock to be picked yesterday, which was clearly a scam that I was oblivious to but have since become aware of. Anyway…

Stream well, and have an awesome Gather Round.

Matty Faz

I like draft-style fantasy footy, frisbees and the Simpsons.