Remove this Banner Ad

Strategy 2026 AFL Fantasy Pre-Season

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Reader mode
DenieD

DenieD

Community Leader
Gumbies FFC - Sweet F.A. Veteran Werewolf - Town of Salem AFL Fantasy Div 6+ Winner - 2024 The Fred Medal 10k Posts Tipping Commissioner Werewolf Player
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Posts
17,025
Reaction score
31,479
AFL Club
Fremantle
Here We Go Again GIF

No rest for the wicked


We were gifted multiple easy picks in the forward line last season, but I reckon forwards will be very tough to pick in 2026 with a lot of the popular options in 2025 losing their forward status.


A lot of midfielders had very average seasons in 2025 - Butters, Anderson, Green, Steele, Walsh, Serong all averaged below 100. Will any of them bounce back in 2026?


Defenders: Only 8 defenders averaged above 100 (NWM, Sheezel, Whitfield, Rozee, Zorko, Holmes, Sinclair, Ash) then it drops down to Martin (who got injured with 97 ave.) then all the way down to Josh Daicos at 94. I think the biggest question will be: if Nasiah keeps his defender status (he should) will you start him? He will be very expensive.

Rucks: Gawn and English were the best and most consistent rucks over the season (being the only rucks to average above 110). Grundy had a purple patch in the middle of the season where he went bananas. Marshall and Xerri did ok, but were well down from their previous season (Xerri being injured and managed for a portion of the season). Darcy Cameron was the only other ruck that averaged over 100 from the rest. Early days but I reckon a lot of coaches will pick Xerri for how underpriced he is. The big question will be if you have him at R1 or R2 and pick one of Gawn/English/Grundy at R1.



Overall most expensive players on averages (above 110+)

Bailey Smith (116.3)
Max Gawn (113.3)
Marcus Bontempelli (111.3)
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (110.8)
Tim English (110.8)
Jordan Dawson (110.2)

Will you start with any of them?
 
DenieD said:
Here We Go Again GIF

No rest for the wicked


We were gifted multiple easy picks in the forward line last season, but I reckon forwards will be very tough to pick in 2026 with a lot of the popular options in 2025 losing their forward status.


A lot of midfielders had very average seasons in 2025 - Butters, Anderson, Green, Steele, Walsh, Serong all averaged below 100. Will any of them bounce back in 2026?


Defenders: Only 8 defenders averaged above 100 (NWM, Sheezel, Whitfield, Rozee, Zorko, Holmes, Sinclair, Ash) then it drops down to Martin (who got injured with 97 ave.) then all the way down to Josh Daicos at 94. I think the biggest question will be: if Nasiah keeps his defender status (he should) will you start him? He will be very expensive.

Rucks: Gawn and English were the best and most consistent rucks over the season (being the only rucks to average above 110). Grundy had a purple patch in the middle of the season where he went bananas. Marshall and Xerri did ok, but were well down from their previous season (Xerri being injured and managed for a portion of the season). Darcy Cameron was the only other ruck that averaged over 100 from the rest. Early days but I reckon a lot of coaches will pick Xerri for how underpriced he is. The big question will be if you have him at R1 or R2 and pick one of Gawn/English/Grundy at R1.



Overall most expensive players on averages (above 110+)

Bailey Smith (116.3)
Max Gawn (113.3)
Marcus Bontempelli (111.3)
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (110.8)
Tim English (110.8)
Jordan Dawson (110.2)

Will you start with any of them?
Click to expand...
Honestly probably none from the 110+ list, if i was to pick one it would be Dawson.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

D1 - Nic Newman
 
Players that I'm watching that could be underpriced:
Defenders:
Nic Newman
Dan Houston (if role changes)
James Sicily
Colby Mckercher (if role sticks)
Keidean Coleman (if he's fit)
Jordan Ridley

Midfielders:
Sam Flanders (if he moves clubs)
Hayden Young (maybe but discount wont be great)
Harley Reid
Sam Walsh
Zac Butters (sucks with a tag)
Caleb Serong???? (surely he averages a ton)
Will Day (not falling for this again)
Stephen Coniglio?
George Wardlaw
Errol Gulden (M1 lock for me)

Rucks
Briggs? (doubt it though)

Forwards:
Brent Daniels
Mattaes Phillipou (barring fitness)
Jason Horne-Frances (finally priced correctly)
Dylan Moore?
Elijiah Hollands (barely)
Daniel Curtin
Max King (hear me out, priced at 52 and gets a further 30% discount to a rookie price)

Feel free to add any you'd like or feedback on these
 
nikkig98 said:
Players that I'm watching that could be underpriced:
Defenders:
Nic Newman
Dan Houston (if role changes)
James Sicily
Colby Mckercher (if role sticks)
Keidean Coleman (if he's fit)
Jordan Ridley

Midfielders:
Sam Flanders (if he moves clubs)
Hayden Young (maybe but discount wont be great)
Harley Reid
Sam Walsh
Zac Butters (sucks with a tag)
Caleb Serong???? (surely he averages a ton)
Will Day (not falling for this again)
Stephen Coniglio?
George Wardlaw
Errol Gulden (M1 lock for me)

Rucks
Briggs? (doubt it though)

Forwards:
Brent Daniels
Mattaes Phillipou (barring fitness)
Jason Horne-Frances (finally priced correctly)
Dylan Moore?
Elijiah Hollands (barely)
Daniel Curtin
Max King (hear me out, priced at 52 and gets a further 30% discount to a rookie price)

Feel free to add any you'd like or feedback on these
Click to expand...
Cooper Lord if has the same role that he played in the last few games.
 
Will Brodie - Port. (If he gets there)
Not sure how he'll be priced. Hasn't played for ages.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

JADED said:
Will Brodie - Port. (If he gets there)
Not sure how he'll be priced. Hasn't played for ages.
Click to expand...
Don't quote me on this but the general rule is usually

1. Up to 30% discount based on how many games under 10 they played this year = Will gets 30% discount.
2. Discount is applied to the highest average in the last 2 years = Will hasn't played AFL in the past 2 years.
3. If not applicable, then it applies to the last season they played, which for Will was 2023 when he averaged 67 from 5 games.

So I think from all that he'd get a 30% discount on an average of 67. Which would price him at an average of 47, which in this years salary cap would be equivalent to $480k.

Last time I recall it happening was Sam Naismith, who was absurdly priced because his last season he played like 2 games and averaged 90, despite missing the past few years.
 
happy_eagle said:
AFL Commission were meeting today to talk about rule changes for next year including potentially getting rid of the sub rule.

Hope they do.
Click to expand...
Subs already been confirmed gone i think, 5 on the bench though, so rooks will get low TOG anyway.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

happy_eagle said:
AFL Commission were meeting today to talk about rule changes for next year including potentially getting rid of the sub rule.

Hope they do.
Click to expand...
Lasoo freekick (last touch out of bounds) will have a bearing on chip mark players between the arcs = more +6's, and less hitouts for rucks as less boundary throw ins.
Strongly rumoured to come in eventually.
 
Reader mode
Status
Not open for further replies.

Remove this Banner Ad

Similar threads

TY24
    • Like
  • Locked
Teams 2026 AFL Fantasy - Rate My Pre-Season Team
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
302
Views
15K
Barrybran
Barrybran
Zevon
    • Like
    • Haha
Game Day 2026 Round 8 Fantasy Discussion
11 12 13 14 15
Replies
371
Views
5K
mitchzz
mitchzz
Zevon
    • Like
    • Haha
  • Locked
Game Day 2026 Round 7 Fantasy Discussion
44 45 46 47 48
Replies
1K
Views
19K
PrancingPony
PrancingPony
DenieD
    • Love
    • Like
  • Locked
Game Day 2026 Round 6 Fantasy Discussion
44 45 46 47 48
Replies
1K
Views
20K
DukeX
DukeX
DenieD
    • Like
    • Love
    • Haha
  • Locked
Game Day 2026 Round 5 Fantasy Discussion
35 36 37 38 39
Replies
961
Views
16K
Tso1967
Tso1967
DenieD
    • Like
  • Locked
Game Day 2026 Round 4 Fantasy Discussion
52 53 54 55 56
Replies
1K
Views
23K
Mr Gor
Mr Gor
DenieD
    • Love
    • Like
  • Locked
Game Day 2026 Round 3 Fantasy Discussion
43 44 45 46 47
Replies
1K
Views
19K
Sneh
Sneh

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom