Position 2023: Forwards Discussion
- Thread starter KLo30
- Start date
I may be mistaken, but I think R15 was a bye (a bit strange given how frequently they were playing, but I suspect it was welcome!).
Footywire seem to show home and away game counts on the SuperCoach page, but the full game list (including finals) if you click through.
It seems a bit odd/inconsistent, but now that I think of it, it’s exactly the info that I’d like to see for both views.
Footywire seem to show home and away game counts on the SuperCoach page, but the full game list (including finals) if you click through.
It seems a bit odd/inconsistent, but now that I think of it, it’s exactly the info that I’d like to see for both views.
You're correct. Played 17 games plus the final. I was going to post the same as you a few days ago, but saw the gap and but didn't physically count the games. 
This is one of those interesting positions, there'll be value plays that come along but the premiums seem so strong it's going to be hard to chase them.
DPP is always the interesting one here, I think the list of guys who would get it is actually a lot smaller this year, most of the fence sitters have started with M/F already. Probably have Gawn, Bont, Petracca, Boak, Parker and Keays that might be highly relevant if they got it but the forward group as a whole might be strong enough to not be as game shifting as it was last year.
Dunkley - I actually don't love the uncertainty here, especially with his durability record (albeit Brisbane are brilliant for this) but there's a very strong upside case to be made.
Coniglio - Pretty much ditto. We'll see how the new coach uses him but surely he's playing midfield where he's a 105-115 type guy.
Heeney - Durability again sketchy but otherwise he's a pretty solid play to get a premium when he plays. I can't help but feel like he's the worst of the group though as the midfield dream seems all but dead with so many other emerging past him.
Butters - Durability again is pretty terrible and his style of play and inability to put on the size to play that style is a very real concern. There's upside here though.
Moore - Be interested to see his role, first one without durability concerns but probably also has upside concerns compared to others.
Hawkins - Probably be a strong upgrade target once again during the season.
Lynch - Durability a major issue for mine, upside is significant if the team is much improved but I can't do it.
Rozee - I think the best of the lot because he's genuinely underpriced if his role is sustained and it should be. Durability has been a problem once again but I can see him pushing 110 range. My personal first picked.
Taranto - Another durability mess but genuinely underpriced and capable of 105 range scoring. No real competition for role unlike in the past and should get huge midfield minutes. I wonder if being at a better side might help his issues, especially one that has a lot of elite ball users that like to swoop past and play outside so that maybe he actually handballs more often and reduces the clangers. Perhaps the Tigers even get him to actually work on his kicking in the o***eason? Hard to go past.
Cameron - Actually think he might have a huge season. Durability is the problem though again and his downside risk is much stronger than some of the other guys and the upside not any better.
Walker/Dixon/Gresham/Curnow - Nope for mine.
Himmel - Posted it in the defenders thread, if he's playing defense he's a lock, if he's not he's a hard pass.
Bolton - There's always a case but I think with Hopper, Martin and Taranto he should get less midfield which makes him an easier pass for mine. That said a stronger side might actually help him, not in a dissimilar position to Heeney entering last year in that regard.
D. Martin - I think the midfield days are probably just about done and that he probably settles into a 95 type scorer, durability has become a major issue and while his golden ticket will remain strong I'm not sure he can push the level needed.
Lipinski - Has fallen back to basically where he was with the Dogs unfortunately.
Gulden - There's a case here but I'm not going to make it, I think he gets stuck on a wing with Rowbottom and Parker being limited to pure midfield roles and Warner and Mills just being better. I expect Papley still gets midfield time even if I don't understand it at all. That doesn't really leave anything for Gulden. He's so talented I still think he could push towards 95 anyway but without a genuine midfield role I don't see the 105, which is where I think the target line is this year with the options we've got.
Cameron/Jackson - You'd start as rucks, imo. Have covered in that thread.
Zorko - Very interesting one, if he had a full preseason and his role looked solid, it's hard to not pick him. Was clearly playing under serious duress all of last year, played out of position for almost all of it also. Went 105+ in 4 of the last 6 seasons prior to last year and was 96+ in the other two. At his price you pretty much take that.
Anderson - Have to at least watch for what his role is, can score 105+ as an inside grunt and they have room for one of those.
McKay/Naughton - It wouldn't surprise me at all if either of them went 95+ but I don't think that's a high enough target given it wouldn't surprise me if they averaged 79 either.
N. Martin - Watching his preseason, started with a boom but kind of ground down as the season went on. New coach makes it interesting.
Bailey - I don't see how Dunkley helps him. Needs midfield to score and I can't see it. Kind of guy who's been too good close to goal to get his best fantasy role.
Greene - Have to watch him, with so much midfield talent gone there's definitely spots for him and he'd be their best mid if he went there. Even just as a forward he's severely underpriced but the 95 range is low end, even from this price so I think I'd want to see some midfield time at the very least. So many wildcards with the new coach.
Cunnington - Must watch despite his crazy high price for a 49 average but he's 100+ capable if he's fit and firing. Definitely a case that he phases out this year though.
Hill/Graham/Ainsworth - There's a case on each of these, I'm not going to make it though.
Rayner - I think Dunkley kills him also.
Stringer - Has to be watched at the very least. When fit he's capable of 100+. Durability is wretched, work habits not much better so it's likely he's ruled out by round 1 but there's strong value here.
Langford - Strong value again here. Durability again an issue but he can score.
Lukosius - God only knows at this point, he's putting together one of the most underwhelming careers I've ever seen but the talent is just so prominent, maybe it clicks. Will watch like I do every year.
Wingard - Seemed on the outer last year but will forever watch because he's still a 100+ guy in the right role. I don't expect this advances past the preseason watch but never know.
JHF - Interrupted preseason is a negative, not sure of role is another. Talent level is extreme and maybe with a point to prove after the way the Victorian media rubbished him for daring to go home but god only knows. Wouldn't shock me if he averaged 105 in the right role though.
Hobbs - Rate him very highly, intrigued by how they use him, for mine he's their 3rd best midfielder already and should get a prime role because his potential is just far higher than Caldwell or Shiel.
Fyfe - Absolute lock if fit. There's just no benefit to fading him if his preseason holds up (I haven't followed yet but haven't heard of any issues either). Even playing 50/50 split he's capable of 105+, especially given the Dockers are a genuinely decent side now so the forward time isn't just rotting away.
Bruhn - I'll watch closely, he was brutally misused at GWS (shock) but someone has to fill the Selwood opening and he's got the potential to do that. I think it might be just too far for him to jump but will watch just in case.
Powell - Another talent that was badly wasted by bad coaching last year. Very intrigued to see how Clarkson uses him as he's another capable of 100+ scoring in the right role.
Thomas - Well he's gone and done something stupid already that will probably end up with a suspension but will watch anyway, I almost started him last year and rate his talent highly. Sadly his brain might be as much of a negative as his talent is a positive, just can't get out of his own way.
JUH - I'll be watching, started to show genuine flashes last year and will get a weak defender this year. Not a keeper but if the rookies aren't there then this price range comes into play.
Allen - Same story as JUH to be honest, at a price point where he presents value. Will be their #1 forward and I think the Eagles will be closer to 2021 level than 2022 where their whole season fell to pieces which makes that a potentially very lucrative role, I also rate him highly. I don't see any reason he can't match a Curnow/Daniher type performance where you get good cash generation from a block of strong games.
Fantasia - Cheap enough to watch.
Henry - Ditto.
B. King - Ditto.
DPP is always the interesting one here, I think the list of guys who would get it is actually a lot smaller this year, most of the fence sitters have started with M/F already. Probably have Gawn, Bont, Petracca, Boak, Parker and Keays that might be highly relevant if they got it but the forward group as a whole might be strong enough to not be as game shifting as it was last year.
Dunkley - I actually don't love the uncertainty here, especially with his durability record (albeit Brisbane are brilliant for this) but there's a very strong upside case to be made.
Coniglio - Pretty much ditto. We'll see how the new coach uses him but surely he's playing midfield where he's a 105-115 type guy.
Heeney - Durability again sketchy but otherwise he's a pretty solid play to get a premium when he plays. I can't help but feel like he's the worst of the group though as the midfield dream seems all but dead with so many other emerging past him.
Butters - Durability again is pretty terrible and his style of play and inability to put on the size to play that style is a very real concern. There's upside here though.
Moore - Be interested to see his role, first one without durability concerns but probably also has upside concerns compared to others.
Hawkins - Probably be a strong upgrade target once again during the season.
Lynch - Durability a major issue for mine, upside is significant if the team is much improved but I can't do it.
Rozee - I think the best of the lot because he's genuinely underpriced if his role is sustained and it should be. Durability has been a problem once again but I can see him pushing 110 range. My personal first picked.
Taranto - Another durability mess but genuinely underpriced and capable of 105 range scoring. No real competition for role unlike in the past and should get huge midfield minutes. I wonder if being at a better side might help his issues, especially one that has a lot of elite ball users that like to swoop past and play outside so that maybe he actually handballs more often and reduces the clangers. Perhaps the Tigers even get him to actually work on his kicking in the o***eason? Hard to go past.
Cameron - Actually think he might have a huge season. Durability is the problem though again and his downside risk is much stronger than some of the other guys and the upside not any better.
Walker/Dixon/Gresham/Curnow - Nope for mine.
Himmel - Posted it in the defenders thread, if he's playing defense he's a lock, if he's not he's a hard pass.
Bolton - There's always a case but I think with Hopper, Martin and Taranto he should get less midfield which makes him an easier pass for mine. That said a stronger side might actually help him, not in a dissimilar position to Heeney entering last year in that regard.
D. Martin - I think the midfield days are probably just about done and that he probably settles into a 95 type scorer, durability has become a major issue and while his golden ticket will remain strong I'm not sure he can push the level needed.
Lipinski - Has fallen back to basically where he was with the Dogs unfortunately.
Gulden - There's a case here but I'm not going to make it, I think he gets stuck on a wing with Rowbottom and Parker being limited to pure midfield roles and Warner and Mills just being better. I expect Papley still gets midfield time even if I don't understand it at all. That doesn't really leave anything for Gulden. He's so talented I still think he could push towards 95 anyway but without a genuine midfield role I don't see the 105, which is where I think the target line is this year with the options we've got.
Cameron/Jackson - You'd start as rucks, imo. Have covered in that thread.
Zorko - Very interesting one, if he had a full preseason and his role looked solid, it's hard to not pick him. Was clearly playing under serious duress all of last year, played out of position for almost all of it also. Went 105+ in 4 of the last 6 seasons prior to last year and was 96+ in the other two. At his price you pretty much take that.
Anderson - Have to at least watch for what his role is, can score 105+ as an inside grunt and they have room for one of those.
McKay/Naughton - It wouldn't surprise me at all if either of them went 95+ but I don't think that's a high enough target given it wouldn't surprise me if they averaged 79 either.
N. Martin - Watching his preseason, started with a boom but kind of ground down as the season went on. New coach makes it interesting.
Bailey - I don't see how Dunkley helps him. Needs midfield to score and I can't see it. Kind of guy who's been too good close to goal to get his best fantasy role.
Greene - Have to watch him, with so much midfield talent gone there's definitely spots for him and he'd be their best mid if he went there. Even just as a forward he's severely underpriced but the 95 range is low end, even from this price so I think I'd want to see some midfield time at the very least. So many wildcards with the new coach.
Cunnington - Must watch despite his crazy high price for a 49 average but he's 100+ capable if he's fit and firing. Definitely a case that he phases out this year though.
Hill/Graham/Ainsworth - There's a case on each of these, I'm not going to make it though.
Rayner - I think Dunkley kills him also.
Stringer - Has to be watched at the very least. When fit he's capable of 100+. Durability is wretched, work habits not much better so it's likely he's ruled out by round 1 but there's strong value here.
Langford - Strong value again here. Durability again an issue but he can score.
Lukosius - God only knows at this point, he's putting together one of the most underwhelming careers I've ever seen but the talent is just so prominent, maybe it clicks. Will watch like I do every year.
Wingard - Seemed on the outer last year but will forever watch because he's still a 100+ guy in the right role. I don't expect this advances past the preseason watch but never know.
JHF - Interrupted preseason is a negative, not sure of role is another. Talent level is extreme and maybe with a point to prove after the way the Victorian media rubbished him for daring to go home but god only knows. Wouldn't shock me if he averaged 105 in the right role though.
Hobbs - Rate him very highly, intrigued by how they use him, for mine he's their 3rd best midfielder already and should get a prime role because his potential is just far higher than Caldwell or Shiel.
Fyfe - Absolute lock if fit. There's just no benefit to fading him if his preseason holds up (I haven't followed yet but haven't heard of any issues either). Even playing 50/50 split he's capable of 105+, especially given the Dockers are a genuinely decent side now so the forward time isn't just rotting away.
Bruhn - I'll watch closely, he was brutally misused at GWS (shock) but someone has to fill the Selwood opening and he's got the potential to do that. I think it might be just too far for him to jump but will watch just in case.
Powell - Another talent that was badly wasted by bad coaching last year. Very intrigued to see how Clarkson uses him as he's another capable of 100+ scoring in the right role.
Thomas - Well he's gone and done something stupid already that will probably end up with a suspension but will watch anyway, I almost started him last year and rate his talent highly. Sadly his brain might be as much of a negative as his talent is a positive, just can't get out of his own way.
JUH - I'll be watching, started to show genuine flashes last year and will get a weak defender this year. Not a keeper but if the rookies aren't there then this price range comes into play.
Allen - Same story as JUH to be honest, at a price point where he presents value. Will be their #1 forward and I think the Eagles will be closer to 2021 level than 2022 where their whole season fell to pieces which makes that a potentially very lucrative role, I also rate him highly. I don't see any reason he can't match a Curnow/Daniher type performance where you get good cash generation from a block of strong games.
Fantasia - Cheap enough to watch.
Henry - Ditto.
B. King - Ditto.
