It’s no secret that AFL Fantasy coaches love finding a diamond in the rough. Points of difference, or POD players, can be the difference between getting off to an incredible start or missing the boat on a stellar, unique scorer. We tend to follow the herd at this point of the preseason and back in the ‘vanilla’ fantasy choices. However, finding a hidden gem can set your team up for year-long success.
If you like what you read be sure to check out more SportsbyFry articles by hitting this link. Make sure you keep up to date with the latest AFL and AFL Fantasy articles and follow my fan pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to never miss a minute of the action!
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
Feel free to leave a rating and review to help me move up the charts 👍
Adelaide Crows – Mitch Hinge
Price: $683K
Position: DEF
Ownership: 1.4%
2023 stats: 75.7 AVG from 22 AFL games
There aren’t a lot of coaches rushing to slot Mitch Hinge into their defensive line, although there is some logic in picking the rebounding Crow. After failing to kickstart his AFL career at the Lions, Hinge made the move to West Lakes and has enjoyed two successful campaigns. He improved his fantasy average by 15 points in 2023 and there’s a possibility Hinge pulls off that accomplishment again this season – following a 90.9 AVG in his final 10 games a year ago. It’s a tricky price point to justify choosing Hinge, but the Crows DEF could be a nice left-of-field selection for coaches who want a defensive difference.
Brisbane Lions – Josh Dunkley
Price: $942K
Position: MID
Ownership: 2.3%
2023 stats: 104.4 AVG from 21 AFL games
With the exception of Keidean Coleman, there aren’t many Brisbane players being selected by Classic coaches this preseason. We’ve seen what Josh Dunkley is capable of when he’s firing on all cylinders and I was surprised to see the Lions star in just 1,600 teams. He had a few fantasy lulls in his first year with Brisbane, scoring less than 85 on six different occasions and producing a fantasy average of 90.6 from three finals games. The 27-year-old has produced some ripper fantasy seasons in the past and I’m backing Dunks to emerge as a great midfield POD with another 110-point average in 2024.
Carlton Blues – Orazio Fantasia
Price: $269K
Position: FWD
Ownership: 5.4%
2023 stats: 37.7 AVG from 3 AFL games; 60.1 from 9 SANFL games
One of the cheapest options covered in this article, Orazio Fantasia is someone I’ve had my eye on ever since he switched clubs. Small forwards aren’t traditionally the greatest scorers in the game, but there is value on offer for coaches who are keen on Fantasia. The former Bomber and Power forward checks in with a breakeven of 30 after managing just four senior appearances in the last two seasons. For that reason, we don’t need to see Fantasia go out and score at a tremendous rate with scores in the 50’s or 60’s enough for him to rise considerably in value. Don’t be afraid to pick him even with an abundance of cash cow options in the FWD line.
Collingwood Magpies – Lachlan Sullivan
Price: $200K
Position: MID
Ownership: 0.1%
2023 stats: 113.2 AVG from 20 VFL games
Alright, hear me out. For starters, there aren’t many Magpies garnering fantasy attention outside of Nick Daicos and budding talent Finlay Macrae – making it tricky for me to find a player who stands out as a viable POD option. Enter their newest recruit, Lachlan Sullivan who finally gets a crack at the top level after toiling in the VFL for years. He shone as Footscray’s captain last year by chalking up over 30 touches a game and the 26-year-old will be eager to make his chance count at the Pies. He faces a tall task trying to become a best-22 player at the reigning premiers, but the numbers are there to justify picking him should Collingwood give him a regular gig.
Essendon Bombers – Darcy Parish
Price: $965K
Position: MID
Ownership: 1.7%
2023 stats: 106.9 AVG from 18 AFL games
Last season I pumped up Zach Merrett’s tyres in the same article. This time around I’m giving some love to his midfield partner in crime, Darcy Parish. Appearing in 18 games last year has seen Parish slip down the pecking order for relevant, premium midfielders – although, on a per-game scoring basis we saw him finish as the 12th-best MID. There’s no reason to suggest Parish won’t flirt with another top-10 finish in 2024 and with his future secured at Essendon, he can now focus on racking up 30 touches a game while scoring in healthy doses.
Image from foxsports.com.au
Fremantle Dockers – Jordan Clark
Price: $691K
Position: DEF
Ownership: 2.8%
2023 stats: 76.5 AVG from 23 AFL games
Hayden Young’s move into the midfield creates opportunity down back at the Dockers and so far this preseason, all signs point to Jordan Clark being the one who will thrive. Late last year when Young was thrust into a different role, Clark averaged 22 touches and 87.8 fantasy points while driving Freo out of defence. Those averages from his last five games are fair projections for the 6th year pro in 2024 and his ownership is still low enough for Clark to become a great unique starter in defence.
Geelong Cats – Max Holmes
Price: $685K
Position: MID
Ownership: 0.6%
2023 stats: 75.9 AVG from 21 AFL League games
As Geelong continues to transition to a new era it’s clear that Max Holmes is going to be a big part of their future. The line-breaking Cat hasn’t produced the fantasy numbers a lot of faithful coaches would have liked to see so far, although he continues to take strides in his development. It’s tough to justify starting with Holmes unless he’s guaranteed to be a full-time inside MID. However, the Geelong midfielder clearly possesses the talent to become fantasy-relevant and this season looms as the one where he pieces it together.
Gold Coast Suns – Bailey Humphrey
Price: $463K
Position: FWD
Ownership: 2.8%
2023 stats: 51.3 AVG from 19 AFL games
For the record, I was extremely bullish on Bailey Humprey’s potential as a rookie entering the 2023 season. He showed glimpses of fantasy excellence – particularly in Rounds 9 & 10 last season when he produced consecutive scores in the 90’s. Humphrey will still be a teenager this season though and it would be unfair to expect him to explode and average 80+ points. Still, with Damien Hardwick now calling the shots for Gold Coast, we could see him unleash Humphrey in the midfield more frequently which only benefits his fantasy output.
GWS Giants – Harry Himmelberg
Price: $653K
Position: DEF
Ownership: 1.8%
2023 stats: 72.3 AVG from 22 AFL games
From a fantasy standpoint, there is a big difference between Harry Himmelberg the forward and Harry Himmelberg the backman. Averaging 55.9 in the opening 10 rounds as a threat in front of goal last season, Berg went at almost 86 points to close the year playing in defence. As a result, he enters the new season potentially 15 points underpriced and there are only a handful of coaches currently rolling the dice on Himmelberg. An early bye in Rd 3 will understandably deter most coaches, but there is merit in targeting him despite his week off.
Image from zerohanger.com
Hawthorn Hawks – Jai Newcombe
Price: $842K
Position: MID
Ownership: 5.8%
2023 stats: 93.3 AVG from 21 AFL games
With just 51 AFL games to his name, it’s not hyperbole to say that Jai Newcombe is still improving. The inside bull continues to home his craft as a ball-winning MID after announcing himself as a tackling beast right out of the gate back in 2021. A lot of their young talent has been the talk this preseason out of Hawthorn, as they aim to climb the ladder and take the next step in their rebuild. Instead, I expect Newcombe to be the one who turns heads as he continues to evolve – establishing himself as a consistent 100-105 point player by season’s end.
Melbourne Demons – Jack Billings
Price: $538K
Position: FWD
Ownership: 3.4%
2023 stats: 60.7 AVG from 3 AFL games
The No. 3 pick from 2013 has surely spent some time in your fantasy side over the past decade. Switching clubs at 28 could be the necessary change Jack Billings needs to refind his mojo after a few injury-plagued seasons with St Kilda. He’ll have to battle for his spot in the Demons’ side and his scoring output may be affected by Clayton Oliver’s presence too. Still, a career average of 83.4 fantasy points highlights what Billings is capable of when he gets his body right and a breakeven of 60 makes him a possible starter with a ton of upside.
North Melbourne Kangaroos – Jy Simpkin
Price: $684K
Position: MID
Ownership: 2.5%
2023 stats: 75.8 AVG from 18 AFL games
It’s tough to get a gauge on Jy Simpkin ahead of the new fantasy season. He hasn’t levelled up the way most expected after he produced consecutive seasons averaging 95 points in 2021 and 2022. Part of his shortcomings last year can be attributed to injuries, although the growing midfield nucleus at North means it’s tough to envision Simpkin reaching that 95-point plateau again this season. That doesn’t mean he should be completely ignored though and the possibility of Simpkin adding FWD status during the season only makes him more appealing.
Port Adelaide Power – Dan Houston
Price: $837K
Position: DEF
Ownership: 2.1%
2023 stats: 92.7 AVG from 23 AFL games
We all know that Dan Houston is capable of some mouth-watering fantasy numbers – is this the season he becomes a top-6 DEF staple? In recent times the Port star has yo-yoed between huge scores and dud performances which is a large part of why he isn’t in more fantasy sides right now. The massive gulf between his best and worst games has made it hard to trust Houston and there are a lot of alternative defensive premiums that coaches prefer. And yet, at the age of 26 and fresh off a maiden All-Aus appearance, the writing is on the wall for a massive Dan Houston season.
Richmond Tigers – Liam Baker
Price: $630K
Position: DEF/FWD
Ownership: 2.9%
2023 stats: 69.8 AVG from 23 AFL games
Thanks to the uncertainty surrounding a lot of the top-dollar fantasy forwards, coaches are opting to chase value elsewhere. Versatile Tiger Liam Baker isn’t getting much of a look at the present, but the DEF/FWD should be on the radar for the fantasy faithful. Inconsistency around his role each week has meant Baker is yet to fire from a fantasy standpoint, however, all the preseason reports out of Richmond indicate he’ll be getting a lot more midfield clock. We’ll have to watch him intently in the preseason games to see where Adem Yze deploys him, because if it is in the engine room a breakout campaign is on the cards for Baker.
St Kilda Saints – Brad Crouch
Price: $932K
Position: MID
Ownership: 0.4%
2023 stats: 103.3 AVG from 23 AFL games
Similar to Josh Dunkley and Darcy Parish, there aren’t many obvious reasons to ignore Brad Crouch this preseason. Sure, he’s 30 years old and picking a fully-priced MID isn’t usually a smart tactic when building your initial fantasy side. In saying that, we’ve seen Crouch average at least 103 points in four of the last six seasons and after his slow finish to 2023, some would argue that there is meat on the bone in terms of fantasy upside. If you’re looking for an extremely unique player that no one else is picking, you can’t get much better than Brad Crouch.
Sydney Swans – Angus Sheldrick
Price: $513K
Position: MID
Ownership: 1.9%
2023 stats: 62.4 AVG from 7 AFL games
I found it difficult to choose a Swans POD that I have faith in – so I’ve settled for an ascending young gun that clearly won’t be any worse in 2024. The big question surrounding Angus Sheldrick regards his place in Sydney’s best-22, as there’s no certainty John Longmire will pick him for Round 1. If he does get the nod, then we know Sheldrick can score – producing an impressive four-game span averaging 91.2 points around the bye period last season. There are a lot of Swans fighting for MID minutes, but I know I’m not the only one hopeful of seeing Sheldrick get a run.
Image from dailytelegraph.com.au
West Coast Eagles – Liam Duggan
Price: $869K
Position: DEF
Ownership: 3.8%
2023 stats: 96.3 AVG from 22 AFL games
Liam Duggan produced career-best fantasy numbers a season ago, cracking the 95-point threshold to finish the year as the 7th best defender for total points. Entering a new season, there’s the belief that Duggan is capable of even greater scores following the retirement of backline mainstay Shannon Hurn. Recently elected as West Coast’s co-captain, we may even see Duggan filter through the midfield with more frequency in 2024 and any MID minutes he does get will only likely enhance his scoring rate. I’m not totally convinced he’ll push for top-6 DEF status, but that shouldn’t rule out the Eagles skipper from your fantasy thinking.
Western Bulldogs – James Harmes
Price: $637K
Position: MID/FWD
Ownership: 1.3%
2023 stats: 46.8 AVG from 9 AFL games
It’s a shame that James Harmes is priced at 71 points otherwise his ownership would be much, much greater. Switching from the Dees to the Dogs last offseason, Harmes is expected to play a role in the midfield although it’s hard to trust what Luke Beveridge says regarding their on-ball rotation. With that said, Harmes has shown he can be a decent scorer over his nine-year AFL career regardless of his playing position and there’s a chance he becomes a nice alternative FWD option. Again, his starting price isn’t ideal but if you’s struggling to find a unique forward you trust, Harmes may be your answer.
Banner from theadvocate.com.au