Position 2026 AFL Fantasy Defenders

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Love all 3 options. Banks interrupted preseason so would rule him out. IMO Bergman is a no brainer. I think he plays full mid with JHF struggling and Rozee relegated to the backline. McCarthy also plays full mid but I believe Bergman has more avenues to score well as he hits all stat lines. I’m not sure if McCarthy is a tackler or not which may hold him back just that touch

I’ve gone the other route and have McCarthy ahead of Bergman. IMO Bergman hasn’t shown the ability in the midfield to get his hands on the ball enough to really show much scoring improvement. Played more mid minutes last year and showed to many sub 20 disposals games for my liking and again limited in the trials so far.

May improve his output with more time but like many others, I still think his best position is in defence in a Tom Stewart type roll where he’s played his best footy.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Keeper league question

Hold one of little Caleb, Maric or Vlastuin?

 

[JDWCE]

I’ve gone the other route and have McCarthy ahead of Bergman. IMO Bergman hasn’t shown the ability in the midfield to get his hands on the ball enough to really show much scoring improvement. Played more mid minutes last year and showed to many sub 20 disposals games for my liking and again limited in the trials so far.

May improve his output with more time but like many others, I still think his best position is in defence in a Tom Stewart type roll where he’s played his best footy.

One caveat I will flag is McCarthy played mid the last 3 rounds of last year and his scores were 78, 82, 88. Granted he has had a preaseason now and trained in that pos so should improve. But the scores don't scream pick me. I do have stocks in him across draft this year but am hesitant in classic.

Bergman on the other hand, going off his heat maps from last year, it looks as though he played mid (excluding wing) rounds 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 for scores of;
112
88
102
120
64
78
93
average of 93.8

His tackle numbers are bloody handy in those games. Disposal numbers all over the place like you mentioned. I like the fact he has lots of avenues to score.

Perhaps toss of the coin

 

[Tex Danger]

Currentky don’t have Bergman and he’s 1 on the list of players i don’t have and feel uncomfortable without

Squeezed him out to have both of rowsten and bruhn currently and probably need both to fail in OR to go 1 up 1 down and get him back

Or Newman be a non starter making him the guy to become bergman

 

[Cm Perfect]

Newman - Can't pick him as he's clearly not right.

Bergman - Good to start, if he can't put up a score vs North with no Wines, you can look to trade him as he won't get a better opportunity to score than that.

McCarthy - Hard to see him improving his scoring till West Coast start winning games or being more competitive, as there are so many WCE games where the oppo gets a healthy lead and then just chips it around/plays keepings off to play for time. You'd be tearing your hair out as a McCarthy owner in that scenario.

 

[Milo Cyrus]

Newman - Can't pick him as he's clearly not right.

Bergman - Good to start, if he can't put up a score vs North with no Wines, you can look to trade him as he won't get a better opportunity to score than that.

McCarthy - Hard to see him improving his scoring till West Coast start winning games or being more competitive, as there are so many WCE games where the oppo gets a healthy lead and then just chips it around/plays keepings off to play for time. You'd be tearing your hair out as a McCarthy owner in that scenario.

Any chance West Coast start to improve?

 

[bettingonbetts]

Currentky don’t have Bergman and he’s 1 on the list of players i don’t have and feel uncomfortable without

Squeezed him out to have both of rowsten and bruhn currently and probably need both to fail in OR to go 1 up 1 down and get him back

Or Newman be a non starter making him the guy to become bergman

I’m with you, I didn’t have Berg for some time and it made me feel uncomfortable.
Very easy run and you’ll be behind the pack if he starts off with a bang

I think I’ll definitely start with him and happy to trade him before r12

 

[amazingjoshy]

Any chance West Coast start to improve?

 

[4tune8]

I’m with you, I didn’t have Berg for some time and it made me feel uncomfortable.
Very easy run and you’ll be behind the pack if he starts off with a bang

I think I’ll definitely start with him and happy to trade him before r12

Very tempted to trade to Whitfield or Ash in round 5, get 4 great matchups from Port, then another great run from GWS until their round 13 bye which they only share with the Tigers.

 

[bettingonbetts]

Very tempted to trade to Whitfield or Ash in round 5, get 4 great matchups from Port, then another great run from GWS until their round 13 bye which they only share with the Tigers.

you may be onto something

 

[BennyFC]

Starting to be tempted by Darcy Wilmot if Nic Newman

24

Nic Newman

Age

33

Ht

186cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

13.7

5star

HB

5.9

4star

M

5.5

5star

T

3.3

5star

MG

400.8

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

1.0

1star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

MG

157.0

3star

D

22.4

5star

K

12.8

5star

HB

9.6

5star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.6

5star

MG

387.8

5star

isn't an option for Round 1. Averaged 95 over the last 7 rounds of last year, was swanning around the backline for a heap of marks and taking kick-ins during the preseason game, and surely Zorko will start to slow down a little more and Wilmot will take a little bit more of the ball/responsibility at halfback this year.

Might be my Lions bias showing a little, but I'll be closely watching how he goes over the next couple of weeks

 

[happy_eagle]

Starting to be tempted by Darcy Wilmot if Nic Newman isn't an option for Round 1. Averaged 95 over the last 7 rounds of last year, was swanning around the backline for a heap of marks and taking kick-ins during the preseason game, and surely Zorko will start to slow down a little more and Wilmot will take a little bit more of the ball/responsibility at halfback this year.

Might be my Lions bias showing a little, but I'll be closely watching how he goes over the next couple of weeks

Hard to split between Wilmot and Fletcher and who gets more of it back there.

Or is Fletcher going to be more wing ?

 

[BennyFC]

Hard to split between Wilmot and Fletcher and who gets more of it back there.

Or is Fletcher going to be more wing ?

I personally prefer Wilmot because he takes more kick-ins, is slightly cheaper and also has some more positional certainty in my perspective. I think they will both start the year at halfback, but it wouldn't surprise me if Fletcher was shifted to a wing and Coleman picks up some of his halfback time as the year goes on.

I do think that Jaspa is the better player of the two of them though, future captain material

 

[kraka]

im struggling to justify having both Rozee AND Bergman in my backline.... just feels worng having both

 

[stormee]

Thoughts on Mills as a legit keeper option? Not seeing him in many teams.

 

[4tune8]

im struggling to justify having both Rozee AND Bergman in my backline.... just feels worng having both

They have an awesome first 4 rounds of the season but the really shit round 12 bye. The solution is to trade to a GWS player in round 5 and take advantage of their excellent draw, the bonus is they have the round 13 bye.

 

[4tune8]

Thoughts on Mills as a legit keeper option? Not seeing him in many teams.

Reckon he'll be a top 8 Defender, has the crap round 3 bye where a lot are already chokkas

 

[Tex Danger]

Bergman interesting now.

I was on the fence but leaning toward him being in if possible.
Newman out with suspension would have solidified that but i would have like to seen it in another PS game

 

[DenieD]

Bergman interesting now.

I was on the fence but leaning toward him being in if possible.
Newman out with suspension would have solidified that but i would have like to seen it in another PS game

Bergman has a foot injury atm

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

I know I’ll probably hate myself if I do it, but surely Houston can’t be as poor as he was last year again. Hes a very juicy price…

 

[blackdiamond]

I know I’ll probably hate myself if I do it, but surely Houston can’t be as poor as he was last year again. Hes a very juicy price…

OR should give you a good look, one to keep in the back pocket.

 

[Exambolor]

I know I’ll probably hate myself if I do it, but surely Houston can’t be as poor as he was last year again. Hes a very juicy price…

You have to watch if Jaicos plays more midifeld which is looking likely

 

[JADED]

Archie Roberts good again. Wish he was a bit closer to McKercher in price just in case he doesn't get up.

 

[Sneh]

Archie Roberts good again. Wish he was a bit closer to McKercher in price just in case he doesn't get up.

I swapped Kerch out for Roberts ¯\(ツ)/¯

One look at Kerch was just too much to ask for, thanks footy Gods

 

[JADED]

Blakiston scored 86.
Although not basement priced at $399, he is fieldable.

Just need 1 tonne at some point so we can roll out Blackistonne.