AFL Fantasy 2019 – Round 21 Wrap Up

21 down, 2 to go.

ROUND 21 stuck to the recent trend as another high-scoring weekend for fantasy coaches, with the number #4 now becoming the main talking point. There are now only four teams left in Classic/Draft leagues with the battle for a premiership and more importantly bragging rights, in it’s final few chapters. We also only have four trades left for the season, with coaches eager to make the most of their finals moves in 2019. And finally, after Dustin Martin’s late out and a few other wrinkles, only four points separate the top two teams in the rankings, with the last 18 games set to make the race for the No. 1 spot another potential epic.

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MY TEAM

2430 – The number of weeks since Essendon has won a final…
‪‪Only two scores under 90 helped me top 2,400 again as I look to end the year with a bang. Mitch Duncan as a unique captain looked like a masterstroke at half time, but he failed to finish the job, barely spluttering to a ton. Brodie Smith may have sealed his fate after a dud game with Luke Shuey also lucky to survive the axe this week.

My Team

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF CARNAGE

Players listed below are in doubt for Round 22 and perhaps longer due to injury/suspension issues.

Nick Coffield – A dislocated shoulder suffered in the first term should end Coffield’s season.
Patrick Dangerfield – Another week, another Dangerfield injury niggle. Nothing serious though, with Danger playing out the game after a minor knee complaint.
Brett Delidio – Delidio’s night ended early with a calf issue, but Leon Cameron expects him to be fine for next week.
Rowan Marshall – An awkward landing had Saints fans worried about Marshall, but he returned to finish the game against Freo.
Anthony Miles – Miles only managed to play 49% of the game with a dud ankle, which could see him miss next weekend’s match.
Rory Sloane – Blurred vision forced Sloane out of the clash against West Coast early in the second half, throwing doubt over his Round 22 status.

FRY’S FAVOURITE FIVE

Honourable Mentions: Jack Macrae (132), Clayton Oliver (130), Dayne Zorko (130), Dale Thomas (130)

+5. Jarryd Lyons, Lions (MID, $746K – 158)
JARRYD Lyons saved arguably the best game of his career for his former side, monstering his way to the highest score of Round 21. The proud owner of a five-round average nudging 120, Lyons gathered 34 touches to keep up his rich vein of form, further rubbing salt into the wounds for the Suns after they let him walk in the offseason.

+4. Matt Crouch, Crows (MID, $709K – 151)
THIS is the Matt Crouch that we expected to see more often in 2019. The Crows gun accumulated a season-best nine clearances and 43 disposals against West Coast, picking up a lot of the slack after Sloane went down in the second half. At a tick over $700k, he’s a great trade candidate for the final fortnight of the season.

Matt CrouchImage from dailytelegraph.com.au

+3. Toby Greene, Giants (FWD, $767K – 142)
THIS guy is unreal. Making a late push for the SBF Fantasy Brownlow, Greene is now averaging 134.7 points in his last five, three times going over 140. He’s showing no sign of slowing down and even with recognised midfielders set to re-enter the Giants’ outfit, Greene’s form is so good that I doubt their presence will have a huge effect.

+2. Zach Merrett, Bombers (MID, $735K – 141)
A lot of coaches were worried about Merrett’s output against the fantasy hungry Bulldogs and with Essendon losing by over 100 points, we all expected a low score from the Bombers ball magnet. However, Merrett didn’t let the drubbing affect him, scoring his highest points total since Round 5 and in turn, rewarding nearly 20% of the comp.

+1. Jack Graham, Tigers (MID, $607K – 146)
CAREER best numbers from Jack Graham weren’t found in a lot of Classic teams (6,940 to be exact), but some Draft coaches would have been jumping for joy after his score this weekend. An unreal four-goal, 22 touch, 14 tackle effort helped Graham to his biggest score ever and in turn, may have won a few Draft matchups off his own back.

FRY’S FRUSTRATING FIVE

Dishonourable Mentions: Rowan Marshall (78), Tom Rockliff (71), Bachar Houli (80)

-5. Travis Boak, Power (FWD/MID, $674K – 59)
ALARMINGLY for Travis Boak owners, he spent the majority of the Swans game nestled inside 50 as a forward target. Yes, I know he copped attention from George Hewett and Boak finished by kicking 0.4 with a few straight shots potentially changing his output. Still, if he keeps playing this new role as a more permanent forward, you should seriously consider trading out Boak.

-4. Luke Parker, Swans (MID, $658K – 53)
ANOTHER big name from that same game who failed to fire was Luke Parker. Once upon a time, Parker looked like a must-have player before Sydney started their losing spiral down the ladder. Giving away five free kicks didn’t help his cause, but Parker has got to be moved if you’re still clinging on to him.

-3. Brodie Smith, Crows (DEF, $620K – 65)
ONE of the biggest surprises in the last few weeks has been Brodie Smith’s positive form, with three straight tons heading into the West Coast game. A 3-point first quarter forced him to play catch up with his low score potentially sealing his fate this week. He has served his purpose, but there are plenty of alternative options worth getting this week.

-2. Tom Lynch, Crows (FWD, $645K – 57)
HIS recent numbers suggested that Lynch was a good unique to consider for the fantasy finals, but this game has us thinking otherwise. The last two games of the slate aren’t exactly easy matchups either, but I expect Lynch to bounce back with a few 80’s/90’s to finish the year.

-1. Lachie Neale, Lions (MID, $657K – 74)
IT’S time to be aggressive and move Lachie Neale on if you haven’t done so already. With contests against the Cats and Bulldogs to come, there’s a real chance that to more sub-80’s are on the way. Neale’s still reasonably priced and can be turned into a more reliable premium, making the next two weeks of the season much more enjoyable.

lachie neale

TRADE TACTICS

IN – VALUE forwards are hard to find so paying up for Toby Greene (FWD, $767K – 142) might be the only option if you need an upgrade in your front six. However, down back both Kade Simpson (DEF, $607K – 122) and Dan Houston (DEF, $550K – 103) could be chased, saving a bunch of money in the process. With just two weeks to go, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where coaches will want to make huge changes in their midfield. There may be some coaches who are still trying to move a rookie on though, which makes Dan Hannebery (MID, $521K – 117) a genuinely appealing option. If you need to move down for a cash cow, once again cheaper players will take priority with James Bell (MID/FWD, $170K – 25), Changkuoth Jiath (DEF, $178K – 38) and Jayson Carter (DEF/MID, $193K – 30) all under consideration even though they failed to top 40.

OUT –  FOR one of your final trades there a chance that you’ll be looking to upgrade Brodie Smith (DEF, $620K – 65) down back, despite some great games in the last month. Collingwood and the Bulldogs present a tough ask to close the year with an upgrade probably a wise move. Midfielders Lachie Neale (MID, $657K – 74) and Rory Sloane (MID, $648K – 79) could find themselves axed for two very different reasons, while the role Travis Boak (FWD/MID, $674K – 59) played on the weekend could force coaches to consider trading out the Port star. From a rookie perspective, moving ANY players still on your field must be a priority, with bench downgrades the optimal way to make some extra cash.

WAIVER WIRE WATCH

HE probably won’t be dropping another 140 in Round 22, but we saw exactly what Jack Graham (MID, 30% – 146) is capable of when he’s firing. If he’s still available in your league he could be a great addition with a Grand Final spot on the line. If Graham isn’t on your waiver wire, then there’s probably no chance that Chad Wingard (MID/FWD, 50% – 105) will be. However, if he’s up for grabs, Wingard is finishing 2019 with some solid scores to warrant adding him. Mark Blicavs (DEF, 13% – 85) and Darcy Fogerty (FWD, 1% – 82) are my favourite lesser owned types that you should try and target at opposite ends of the ground, while Peter Ladhams’ (RUC, 9% – 100) wicked game will keep Scott Lycett in the SANFL, opening the door for Ladhams to be a great addition for those desperately in need of a ruck.

MY MOVES

I’M not fully committed to the Brodie Smith move yet, but he’s at the top of my trade out list so far. Unless Fort gets up he’ll finally be flicked out this week with plenty of defenders to choose from as a Smith replacement. Dan Houston and Kade Simpson’s recent run of numbers makes them appealing candidates, with the ability to boast over $100k in my savings very appealing. Trading out Smith for a name like Bachar Houli or Jack Crisp is in my sights as well, but the extra savings for one final Round 23 upgrade has me leaning towards a cheaper option.

My Trades

My Trades
D.Fort → J.Sweet
B.Smith → D.Houston

Peace ✌

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