Opinion 2025: PRESEASON TRAINING, MATCH SIM & GAME NOTES (Non Discussion)
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Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs at UTAS Stadium, 5.20pm AEDT
HAWTHORN
B: T.Barrass 37 S.Frost 8 F.Maginness 20
HB: J.Scrimshaw 14 J.Battle 24 K.Amon 10
C: C.Mackenzie 28 J.Newcombe 3 J.Sicily - C 6
HF: C.Macdonald 31 C.Nash 11 M.Chol 18
F: H.Morrison 1 D.Moore 13 J.Ginnivan 33
Foll: L.Meek 17 W.Day 12 J.Ward 25
I/C: B.Macdonald 42 J.Worpel 5 W.McCabe 27 J.Weddle 23 M.D'Ambrosio 16 J.Gunston 19 N.Watson 34 M.Ramsden 38
Emerg: S.Mitchell 40 N.Reeves 7 H.Hustwaite 44 J.Serong 29
Notable absentees: Changkuoth Jiath, Luke Breust, Mitch Lewis, James Blanck, Calsher Dear
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: J.O'Donnell 18 R.Lobb 7 L.Cleary 36
HB: J.Freijah 27 L.Bramble 29 T.Duryea 15
C: B.Williams 34 T.Liberatore 21 S.Davidson 42
HF: J.Dolan 26 A.Naughton 33 M.Kennedy 8
F: L.Vandermeer 23 S.Darcy 10 J.Harmes 22
Foll: T.English 44 R.Sanders 9 M.Bontempelli - C 4
I/C: J.Croft 16 H.Gallagher 12 R.Garcia 38 R.Gardner 43 A.Jones 32 B.Khamis 24 L.McNeil 30 C.Poulter 25
Emerg: C.Hynes 6 J.Busslinger 5 O.Baker 13 L.Kennedy 35
Notable absentees: Bailey Dale, Ed Richards, Cody Weightman, Jason Johannisen, Liam Jones, Adam Treloar, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan
Brisbane v Adelaide at Brighton Homes Arena, 7.10pm AEST
BRISBANE
B: B.Starcevich 37 J.Payne 40 R.Lester 35
HB: D.Zorko 15 H.Andrews - C 31 D.Wilmot 44
C: J.Fletcher 3 H.McCluggage 6 J.Berry 7
HF: C.Cameron 23 E.Hipwood 30 C.Rayner 16
F: K.Lohmann 1 T.Gallop 22 L.Morris 13
Foll: O.McInerney 46 J.Dunkley 5 L.Neale 9
I/C: W.Ashcroft 8 L.Ashcroft 10 L.McCarthy 11 S.Day 14 H.Smith 25 C.McKenna 26 Z.Bailey 33 N.Answerth 43
Emerg: D.Robertson 2 W.McLachlan 28 J.Tunstill 29 D.Joyce 41
Notable absentees: Keidean Coleman, Tom Doedee, Darcy Gardiner, Callum Ah Chee, Darcy Fort
ADELAIDE
B: J.Worrell 24 M.Keane 48 H.Bond 40
HB: M.Hinge 20 N.Murray 9 R.Laird 29
C: I.Cumming 44 J.Dawson - C 12 L.Sholl 38
HF: B.Keays 2 R.Thilthorpe 7 A.Neal-Bullen 28
F: J.Peatling 25 D.Fogarty 32 T.Walker 13
Foll: R.O'Brien 43 I.Rankine 23 J.Soligo 14
I/C: D.Curtin 6 L.Nankervis 27 M.Crouch 5 L.Pedlar 10 T.Murray 39 S.Draper 34 L.Murphy 4 C.Jones 1
Emerg: B.Dowling 31 S.Berry 3 J.Borlase 35 O.Ryan 22
Notable absentees: Josh Rachele, Max Michalanney, Wayne Milera
HAWTHORN
B: T.Barrass 37 S.Frost 8 F.Maginness 20
HB: J.Scrimshaw 14 J.Battle 24 K.Amon 10
C: C.Mackenzie 28 J.Newcombe 3 J.Sicily - C 6
HF: C.Macdonald 31 C.Nash 11 M.Chol 18
F: H.Morrison 1 D.Moore 13 J.Ginnivan 33
Foll: L.Meek 17 W.Day 12 J.Ward 25
I/C: B.Macdonald 42 J.Worpel 5 W.McCabe 27 J.Weddle 23 M.D'Ambrosio 16 J.Gunston 19 N.Watson 34 M.Ramsden 38
Emerg: S.Mitchell 40 N.Reeves 7 H.Hustwaite 44 J.Serong 29
Notable absentees: Changkuoth Jiath, Luke Breust, Mitch Lewis, James Blanck, Calsher Dear
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: J.O'Donnell 18 R.Lobb 7 L.Cleary 36
HB: J.Freijah 27 L.Bramble 29 T.Duryea 15
C: B.Williams 34 T.Liberatore 21 S.Davidson 42
HF: J.Dolan 26 A.Naughton 33 M.Kennedy 8
F: L.Vandermeer 23 S.Darcy 10 J.Harmes 22
Foll: T.English 44 R.Sanders 9 M.Bontempelli - C 4
I/C: J.Croft 16 H.Gallagher 12 R.Garcia 38 R.Gardner 43 A.Jones 32 B.Khamis 24 L.McNeil 30 C.Poulter 25
Emerg: C.Hynes 6 J.Busslinger 5 O.Baker 13 L.Kennedy 35
Notable absentees: Bailey Dale, Ed Richards, Cody Weightman, Jason Johannisen, Liam Jones, Adam Treloar, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan
Brisbane v Adelaide at Brighton Homes Arena, 7.10pm AEST
BRISBANE
B: B.Starcevich 37 J.Payne 40 R.Lester 35
HB: D.Zorko 15 H.Andrews - C 31 D.Wilmot 44
C: J.Fletcher 3 H.McCluggage 6 J.Berry 7
HF: C.Cameron 23 E.Hipwood 30 C.Rayner 16
F: K.Lohmann 1 T.Gallop 22 L.Morris 13
Foll: O.McInerney 46 J.Dunkley 5 L.Neale 9
I/C: W.Ashcroft 8 L.Ashcroft 10 L.McCarthy 11 S.Day 14 H.Smith 25 C.McKenna 26 Z.Bailey 33 N.Answerth 43
Emerg: D.Robertson 2 W.McLachlan 28 J.Tunstill 29 D.Joyce 41
Notable absentees: Keidean Coleman, Tom Doedee, Darcy Gardiner, Callum Ah Chee, Darcy Fort
ADELAIDE
B: J.Worrell 24 M.Keane 48 H.Bond 40
HB: M.Hinge 20 N.Murray 9 R.Laird 29
C: I.Cumming 44 J.Dawson - C 12 L.Sholl 38
HF: B.Keays 2 R.Thilthorpe 7 A.Neal-Bullen 28
F: J.Peatling 25 D.Fogarty 32 T.Walker 13
Foll: R.O'Brien 43 I.Rankine 23 J.Soligo 14
I/C: D.Curtin 6 L.Nankervis 27 M.Crouch 5 L.Pedlar 10 T.Murray 39 S.Draper 34 L.Murphy 4 C.Jones 1
Emerg: B.Dowling 31 S.Berry 3 J.Borlase 35 O.Ryan 22
Notable absentees: Josh Rachele, Max Michalanney, Wayne Milera
Geelong vs Essendon
Watched the 1st half, don't see a huge point in more game as both will play round 0 and give definitive answers.
General - Very nice conditions, strong sides for both teams and going hard at it, a good hitout with plenty of solid indicators. Have scores for this one, watched without looking at them closely (I glanced across them yesterday), have HT and FT so some commentary about kicking on will be in reference to that. Remember that SC ratios are out of whack with all the extra players.
Geelong - Nothing surprising here for mine, very similar side to last game and played well. Honestly, they've been the same side for years and I don't see any groundbreaking moves by them. Look poised to probably be a lot better than the sum of the parts and right in the mix as it always seems they are.
Missing (Potential best 22) - Stanley, Smith, Bruhn, Conway, Mannagh, Clark, Martin, Bews, Cuthrie & Clohesy - IMO only Smith is firm best 22 and Bruhn and Guthrie are likely. Some of these guys played in 2nd half, suggests they're on the outside right now.
Cameron - Looked cherry ripe out there, very fit and covering an immense amount of ground for a preseason hitout. Played fairly high which keeps him a lot more involved and showcases the field kicking. If it wasn't for the bye I'd have a lot more interest here as I think he's a bit underpriced after a relatively poor season last year.
Kolo - Seemed to be rotating with O'Sullivan to me, when I do their team it's between them for a spot. He did nothing noteworthy at all which is the story of his entire career and why Scott likes him so much. Tough to say who is ahead, O'Sullivan had the higher highs and the lower lows and clearly has more potential but coaches love boring and dependable defenders.
Holmes - Pure midfield role to my eye, had the hatchet out a bit but was good overall. I still like him as a top 10 defender in SC and think he's got 10-15 points of potential upside, I don't see any reason he can't push towards 110 mark as he looks set to be their #1 midfielder. The problem is that 110 is kind of the requirement if starting him with the bye and while capable he definitely could miss it as well.
Knevitt - Great role again, in the first midfield group. Had a very solid half and while he did nothing to demand the spot in the regular season he definitely didn't do anything to lose it either. Both Smith and Guthrie are threats looming for this spot though and round 0 will give the answer. He'd be a must field rookie if the role holds though.
Bowes - Strong midfield role as well and really cashed in on it in the first half. Very similar story to Knevitt regarding whether the role sticks, his versatility is kind of his curse in fantasy. MID only makes him a lot less desirable as an option.
O'Sullivan - Really good start to the game, couple of mistakes in Q2 but overall he was solid. I'd say he's probably 40/60 to be there round one but it's a good start he started with the ones to me. We get the answer in round one, I think he'll generally score a lot better than this also.
SDK - Was absolutely destroyed by Draper in the ruck in Q1, was a lot more competitive in Q2 against mostly Bryan. We will see come round 1 I guess where he's at, I'm not sure their 2nd rate midfield can really hold up to such a huge hitout disadvantage so it's going to be very interesting to see if he can make up for it at ground level. There's flashes and there's definitely potential but his fantasy profile is kind of out of whack, basically the hitouts aren't likely to be a huge addition and he doesn't tackle very much either so far, so you kind of take away two huge aspects of rucking scoring well there, he's also not really shown a lot in clearance work which is the other addition, so basically just becomes an around the ground player which as a pretty low skill guy is a question itself. Could show more come round 0 and there's a winning pick outcome that's very possible but there's also a lot of losing outcomes here. Personally, this game is an X for me but round 0 will be the real answer. Was mostly setting up behind the ball as the ruck when it was forward.
Humphries - Really solid off HB. I think he's a great value pick but the bye negates a huge portion of that and I'm not convinced he can score enough from his price to justify it. Quality player though.
Stengle - Small forward, stock standard.
Duncan - Felt like very low TOG but apparently was 54% to HT, HF or wing, couldn't actually tell but not in the gluttonous HB role and I'm not convinced he's best 22 at this point.
Dempsey - Pure wing, was alright.
Atkins - Seemed to be more HB than mid to me, I wasn't actively watching for him though and definitely had some mid minutes.
Miers - At HF and very active. Another I'd look at a lot longer without the bye factor. The bye basically forces the best case outcome as the minimum to me, so rather watch for as an upgrade target if he proves it. Looks in great nick and primed for a big year to me.
Neale - FF and took F50 ruck work. Was good. Wouldn't shock if he has a borderline pickable output this year, definitely draftable in draft comps.
Mullin - Played defense, was solid but really doesn't show a natural inclination towards winning the ball or finding space to be an option to receive it which severely limits the fantasy relevance. He's borderline relevant at his price if best 22 but I really hope it doesn't come to that down back!
Danger - Played as a KPF again, didn't notice any midfield rotations. I expect he gets some come season proper, especially if things are going poorly in mid but think it's a clear plan for them. Played solidly. Not sure he's relevant even if he got FWD status.
O. Henry - Playing forward, felt like he basically came on as the extra KPF when one was resting, he was alright but nothing special.
J. Henry - Standard role in defense, played well.
Zuthrie - Ditto.
O'Connor - He was also in defense and played decently.
Stewart - Started at the first CB, didn't notice any after that, just playing the same old role. Definitely think he can get back towards 110, basically comes down to whether he's tagged relentlessly or not and if he is whether they spring him free like last year or just eat it. He didn't do anything special in this one, just in the right role as you'd expect. He's right in that no man's land that if he gets back to his best he's just about worth the pick despite the bye but if he's only halfway there he's probably not worth it. With Mills down, he's a lot more viable though. IMO, he's the best option of the bye guys right now.
Close - Standard small forward role. Was solid.
Blicavs - Started at FB, took some ruck, looked to be forward a bit also. Basically standard "where the hell is Blicavs playing" stuff. Not on my radar personally.
Watched the 1st half, don't see a huge point in more game as both will play round 0 and give definitive answers.
General - Very nice conditions, strong sides for both teams and going hard at it, a good hitout with plenty of solid indicators. Have scores for this one, watched without looking at them closely (I glanced across them yesterday), have HT and FT so some commentary about kicking on will be in reference to that. Remember that SC ratios are out of whack with all the extra players.
Geelong - Nothing surprising here for mine, very similar side to last game and played well. Honestly, they've been the same side for years and I don't see any groundbreaking moves by them. Look poised to probably be a lot better than the sum of the parts and right in the mix as it always seems they are.
Missing (Potential best 22) - Stanley, Smith, Bruhn, Conway, Mannagh, Clark, Martin, Bews, Cuthrie & Clohesy - IMO only Smith is firm best 22 and Bruhn and Guthrie are likely. Some of these guys played in 2nd half, suggests they're on the outside right now.
Cameron - Looked cherry ripe out there, very fit and covering an immense amount of ground for a preseason hitout. Played fairly high which keeps him a lot more involved and showcases the field kicking. If it wasn't for the bye I'd have a lot more interest here as I think he's a bit underpriced after a relatively poor season last year.
Kolo - Seemed to be rotating with O'Sullivan to me, when I do their team it's between them for a spot. He did nothing noteworthy at all which is the story of his entire career and why Scott likes him so much. Tough to say who is ahead, O'Sullivan had the higher highs and the lower lows and clearly has more potential but coaches love boring and dependable defenders.
Holmes - Pure midfield role to my eye, had the hatchet out a bit but was good overall. I still like him as a top 10 defender in SC and think he's got 10-15 points of potential upside, I don't see any reason he can't push towards 110 mark as he looks set to be their #1 midfielder. The problem is that 110 is kind of the requirement if starting him with the bye and while capable he definitely could miss it as well.
Knevitt - Great role again, in the first midfield group. Had a very solid half and while he did nothing to demand the spot in the regular season he definitely didn't do anything to lose it either. Both Smith and Guthrie are threats looming for this spot though and round 0 will give the answer. He'd be a must field rookie if the role holds though.
Bowes - Strong midfield role as well and really cashed in on it in the first half. Very similar story to Knevitt regarding whether the role sticks, his versatility is kind of his curse in fantasy. MID only makes him a lot less desirable as an option.
O'Sullivan - Really good start to the game, couple of mistakes in Q2 but overall he was solid. I'd say he's probably 40/60 to be there round one but it's a good start he started with the ones to me. We get the answer in round one, I think he'll generally score a lot better than this also.
SDK - Was absolutely destroyed by Draper in the ruck in Q1, was a lot more competitive in Q2 against mostly Bryan. We will see come round 1 I guess where he's at, I'm not sure their 2nd rate midfield can really hold up to such a huge hitout disadvantage so it's going to be very interesting to see if he can make up for it at ground level. There's flashes and there's definitely potential but his fantasy profile is kind of out of whack, basically the hitouts aren't likely to be a huge addition and he doesn't tackle very much either so far, so you kind of take away two huge aspects of rucking scoring well there, he's also not really shown a lot in clearance work which is the other addition, so basically just becomes an around the ground player which as a pretty low skill guy is a question itself. Could show more come round 0 and there's a winning pick outcome that's very possible but there's also a lot of losing outcomes here. Personally, this game is an X for me but round 0 will be the real answer. Was mostly setting up behind the ball as the ruck when it was forward.
Humphries - Really solid off HB. I think he's a great value pick but the bye negates a huge portion of that and I'm not convinced he can score enough from his price to justify it. Quality player though.
Stengle - Small forward, stock standard.
Duncan - Felt like very low TOG but apparently was 54% to HT, HF or wing, couldn't actually tell but not in the gluttonous HB role and I'm not convinced he's best 22 at this point.
Dempsey - Pure wing, was alright.
Atkins - Seemed to be more HB than mid to me, I wasn't actively watching for him though and definitely had some mid minutes.
Miers - At HF and very active. Another I'd look at a lot longer without the bye factor. The bye basically forces the best case outcome as the minimum to me, so rather watch for as an upgrade target if he proves it. Looks in great nick and primed for a big year to me.
Neale - FF and took F50 ruck work. Was good. Wouldn't shock if he has a borderline pickable output this year, definitely draftable in draft comps.
Mullin - Played defense, was solid but really doesn't show a natural inclination towards winning the ball or finding space to be an option to receive it which severely limits the fantasy relevance. He's borderline relevant at his price if best 22 but I really hope it doesn't come to that down back!
Danger - Played as a KPF again, didn't notice any midfield rotations. I expect he gets some come season proper, especially if things are going poorly in mid but think it's a clear plan for them. Played solidly. Not sure he's relevant even if he got FWD status.
O. Henry - Playing forward, felt like he basically came on as the extra KPF when one was resting, he was alright but nothing special.
J. Henry - Standard role in defense, played well.
Zuthrie - Ditto.
O'Connor - He was also in defense and played decently.
Stewart - Started at the first CB, didn't notice any after that, just playing the same old role. Definitely think he can get back towards 110, basically comes down to whether he's tagged relentlessly or not and if he is whether they spring him free like last year or just eat it. He didn't do anything special in this one, just in the right role as you'd expect. He's right in that no man's land that if he gets back to his best he's just about worth the pick despite the bye but if he's only halfway there he's probably not worth it. With Mills down, he's a lot more viable though. IMO, he's the best option of the bye guys right now.
Close - Standard small forward role. Was solid.
Blicavs - Started at FB, took some ruck, looked to be forward a bit also. Basically standard "where the hell is Blicavs playing" stuff. Not on my radar personally.
Essendon - They'd be happy with this, midfield on top, positional moves working, kids having good games, just a positive preseason hitout, imo. Albeit my expectations for them are quite low so that's a win in my books but might not be for the Essendon faithful who tend to like to wander in the dreamland a bit when rating their lists historically.
Missing - Parish, Setterfield, Cox, Laverde, Goldstein, Redman and Guelfi - Only Parish and Redman are clear best 22 to me there, I wouldn't pick any of the others.
McGrath - Small defender with a couple of mid rotations but primarily in defense. Think he should average similar to LY if current setup holds. Was very solid.
Draper - As mentioned on SDK, dominated Q1 in the ruck, was really impressive and does look fit. Interesting to see what they go with in this area. He's got value as a #1 but would be impossible to trust it holds up.
Langford - Standard role as that quasi KPF. Same old.
Tsatas - Role excellent and a lot cleaner with his ball use than the previous game. Lot of questions to answer in round 0 as he's almost identical to Knevitt for mine. Couple of players that could harm his role but in the role advertised he's a lock on field, imo. Big tick.
Caldwell - Main midfield group, still think he's a sneaky premium chance this year now that he seems to have gotten the body right. Not worth the punt with the bye but just the gut feel.
Merrett - Stud, bye kills him for me as a starting pick but he's just so clean.
Hobbs - Looks like he really got on the bike in the 2nd half, was the 4th mid in the 1st half, final CBA numbers and TOG both suggest that Merrett and Caldwell were more or less done at HT with a bit of a trot out in the 3rd so there's some real inflation to these numbers but he played well in 1st half. Durham playing pretty much pure HF is a huge question to me, is that his role to give the two high draft picks with potentially higher ceilings the chance or was it just a preseason role to let them have minutes now but he'll switch back. I'd be going with it for now as I find Durham kind of limited and he was actually good at HF as well. Hobbs as the 4th mid would be very interesting in SC terms, expensive but every time he gets mid minutes he puts up points, he's just a really natural fantasy scorer. Will get the answer round 0 I guess but definitely firmly on my watch list.
Shiel - I think he got jobbed by CD on this one, I'm definitely not his biggest fan but I thought he played really well again. Couple of shocking kicks but otherwise found targets, won the ball and defended well. It just looks like a winning coaching move to me so far, two good games in the role and his surge running is definitely going to provide value to the team. He's definitely viable, imo, as he'll have some big spike scores to generate cash but he's a fringe pick. Fits well for anyone looking at a value type selection scheme, not sold he's a keeper but he definitely could be down back. Definitely a strong draft league option. Will be watching very closely in round 0 though. If he was 100k cheaper he'd be a lock, imo.
Kako - Looks like he got the old bin out in the 2nd half but he was solid in the first half. I think he's a very strong rookie option, bench to loop level but with DPP he should slot in somewhere nicely in most sides. He's clearly best 22, imo, and he pressures well, presents well on the lead and has some really creative skills at ground level. He's going to be goal dependent largely but he'll get chances. Big tick and showing the junk skills is a huge positive also.
Gresham - He was mostly invisible out there. Was actually shocked he played 70% in the first half, felt like he was going to be a 20% type! Nothing to suggest he's re-found the form he had before the achilles to me.
Ridley - In defense, stock standard for him. He's right on that edge where if things go his way he's capable of 110 but the body is so hard to trust, especially after issues in preseason as well. Bye ruins him for me but he'll forever be on the radar.
Perkins - Pretty pure HF role, played it well. I really like him and wouldn't be shocked if he pushes towards the fringe of keeper scoring from his starting point (like high 80s) but it also wouldn't shock me if he averaged 65 again. Can get him post bye still at a bargain if the former is true so no reason to risk it.
Hayes - TOG was a fair bit lower than the other guys, I thought he appointed himself well but I can't see them going with the 3 genuine talls and Ridley and he's the odd man out. Basically next man up and I saw enough in the 2 games that he'd absolutely be playing ahead of Laverde if I'm in charge but will see. This game was indicative of what I'd expect him to score like though. Could be a downgrade option later in the season would be his most likely path to relevance.
Wright - I saw him high five someone in Q1, I did not see him otherwise and actually had to double check he'd played...
Roberts - Played wing primarily and was not heavily involved, Q2 was more in defense but still not heavily involved. Solid draft option but price is just wrong for the real stuff.
Durham - As mentioned above, played mostly forward, was a bit of a roaming role but with Martin on opposite flank he was a lot more anchored. Thought he played well, be interesting to see if genuine role or just giving the kids a shot, given Hobbs and Tsatas are probably fighting for one role if Durham is mid. Round 0 will answer.
Jones - Wing, was alright but nothing noteworthy.
Bryan - Came on Q2, wasn't as good as Draper in Q1 but still beat SDK mostly. He's really good around the ground and his final score suggests he really showcased that in 2nd half. Definitely will play this year, imo, but would take a Draper injury to be pickable in the real stuff, imo.
Prior - Played as a small defender. I thought he played well and was better than Roberts if they're battling for a spot. Feels to me like Redman punts him out so best case is bench role through HB. I like him as a player, could definitely be viable if he wins a best 22 spot. Feels very fringe to me though.
Duursma - Wing and was the best winger for mine in the half but not by any considerable margin. Same old with him.
Caddy - Came on at QT and was really good. Would like him to play with a bit more of the mongrel that Josh used to play with as right now he tends to avoid trying to damage opponents when he's already got the size and movement to be a bit more wrecking ball. He's a really good talent though.
Reid - He was rock solid, took a variety of matchups and handled them all well. He's got a really nice kick on him and his scoring will be better than many expect for a young KPD, still firmly a benchy to me but I think he's a lock at D8 right now. Durability is a better challenge than best 22 to take on. Fingers crossed for the kid, he looks a terrific prospect if he can get a run at it.
McKay - Stock standard.
Martin - Roaming HF role he finished last year in. Definitely could be fantasy relevant in that role once he gets FWD status and drops a bit in price. I don't think he's a starting option though.
Edwards - Played Q1, I didn't notice him in Q2 and with 48% TOG may well have not played it. I thought he did some nice things, definitely more than Wright for comparison. Doesn't look like he played 2nd half either. R0 will answer, I wouldn't expect he's fantasy relevant just because of how many forward options already exist but he's worth having on your watchlist if he does play round 0 and even more so if he played well. He'd be the very obvious sub off target in games he starts to me though and not a great role either.
Missing - Parish, Setterfield, Cox, Laverde, Goldstein, Redman and Guelfi - Only Parish and Redman are clear best 22 to me there, I wouldn't pick any of the others.
McGrath - Small defender with a couple of mid rotations but primarily in defense. Think he should average similar to LY if current setup holds. Was very solid.
Draper - As mentioned on SDK, dominated Q1 in the ruck, was really impressive and does look fit. Interesting to see what they go with in this area. He's got value as a #1 but would be impossible to trust it holds up.
Langford - Standard role as that quasi KPF. Same old.
Tsatas - Role excellent and a lot cleaner with his ball use than the previous game. Lot of questions to answer in round 0 as he's almost identical to Knevitt for mine. Couple of players that could harm his role but in the role advertised he's a lock on field, imo. Big tick.
Caldwell - Main midfield group, still think he's a sneaky premium chance this year now that he seems to have gotten the body right. Not worth the punt with the bye but just the gut feel.
Merrett - Stud, bye kills him for me as a starting pick but he's just so clean.
Hobbs - Looks like he really got on the bike in the 2nd half, was the 4th mid in the 1st half, final CBA numbers and TOG both suggest that Merrett and Caldwell were more or less done at HT with a bit of a trot out in the 3rd so there's some real inflation to these numbers but he played well in 1st half. Durham playing pretty much pure HF is a huge question to me, is that his role to give the two high draft picks with potentially higher ceilings the chance or was it just a preseason role to let them have minutes now but he'll switch back. I'd be going with it for now as I find Durham kind of limited and he was actually good at HF as well. Hobbs as the 4th mid would be very interesting in SC terms, expensive but every time he gets mid minutes he puts up points, he's just a really natural fantasy scorer. Will get the answer round 0 I guess but definitely firmly on my watch list.
Shiel - I think he got jobbed by CD on this one, I'm definitely not his biggest fan but I thought he played really well again. Couple of shocking kicks but otherwise found targets, won the ball and defended well. It just looks like a winning coaching move to me so far, two good games in the role and his surge running is definitely going to provide value to the team. He's definitely viable, imo, as he'll have some big spike scores to generate cash but he's a fringe pick. Fits well for anyone looking at a value type selection scheme, not sold he's a keeper but he definitely could be down back. Definitely a strong draft league option. Will be watching very closely in round 0 though. If he was 100k cheaper he'd be a lock, imo.
Kako - Looks like he got the old bin out in the 2nd half but he was solid in the first half. I think he's a very strong rookie option, bench to loop level but with DPP he should slot in somewhere nicely in most sides. He's clearly best 22, imo, and he pressures well, presents well on the lead and has some really creative skills at ground level. He's going to be goal dependent largely but he'll get chances. Big tick and showing the junk skills is a huge positive also.
Gresham - He was mostly invisible out there. Was actually shocked he played 70% in the first half, felt like he was going to be a 20% type! Nothing to suggest he's re-found the form he had before the achilles to me.
Ridley - In defense, stock standard for him. He's right on that edge where if things go his way he's capable of 110 but the body is so hard to trust, especially after issues in preseason as well. Bye ruins him for me but he'll forever be on the radar.
Perkins - Pretty pure HF role, played it well. I really like him and wouldn't be shocked if he pushes towards the fringe of keeper scoring from his starting point (like high 80s) but it also wouldn't shock me if he averaged 65 again. Can get him post bye still at a bargain if the former is true so no reason to risk it.
Hayes - TOG was a fair bit lower than the other guys, I thought he appointed himself well but I can't see them going with the 3 genuine talls and Ridley and he's the odd man out. Basically next man up and I saw enough in the 2 games that he'd absolutely be playing ahead of Laverde if I'm in charge but will see. This game was indicative of what I'd expect him to score like though. Could be a downgrade option later in the season would be his most likely path to relevance.
Wright - I saw him high five someone in Q1, I did not see him otherwise and actually had to double check he'd played...
Roberts - Played wing primarily and was not heavily involved, Q2 was more in defense but still not heavily involved. Solid draft option but price is just wrong for the real stuff.
Durham - As mentioned above, played mostly forward, was a bit of a roaming role but with Martin on opposite flank he was a lot more anchored. Thought he played well, be interesting to see if genuine role or just giving the kids a shot, given Hobbs and Tsatas are probably fighting for one role if Durham is mid. Round 0 will answer.
Jones - Wing, was alright but nothing noteworthy.
Bryan - Came on Q2, wasn't as good as Draper in Q1 but still beat SDK mostly. He's really good around the ground and his final score suggests he really showcased that in 2nd half. Definitely will play this year, imo, but would take a Draper injury to be pickable in the real stuff, imo.
Prior - Played as a small defender. I thought he played well and was better than Roberts if they're battling for a spot. Feels to me like Redman punts him out so best case is bench role through HB. I like him as a player, could definitely be viable if he wins a best 22 spot. Feels very fringe to me though.
Duursma - Wing and was the best winger for mine in the half but not by any considerable margin. Same old with him.
Caddy - Came on at QT and was really good. Would like him to play with a bit more of the mongrel that Josh used to play with as right now he tends to avoid trying to damage opponents when he's already got the size and movement to be a bit more wrecking ball. He's a really good talent though.
Reid - He was rock solid, took a variety of matchups and handled them all well. He's got a really nice kick on him and his scoring will be better than many expect for a young KPD, still firmly a benchy to me but I think he's a lock at D8 right now. Durability is a better challenge than best 22 to take on. Fingers crossed for the kid, he looks a terrific prospect if he can get a run at it.
McKay - Stock standard.
Martin - Roaming HF role he finished last year in. Definitely could be fantasy relevant in that role once he gets FWD status and drops a bit in price. I don't think he's a starting option though.
Edwards - Played Q1, I didn't notice him in Q2 and with 48% TOG may well have not played it. I thought he did some nice things, definitely more than Wright for comparison. Doesn't look like he played 2nd half either. R0 will answer, I wouldn't expect he's fantasy relevant just because of how many forward options already exist but he's worth having on your watchlist if he does play round 0 and even more so if he played well. He'd be the very obvious sub off target in games he starts to me though and not a great role either.
Richmond vs Collingwood
Watched 2.5 quarters, Pies not relevant with round 0 and was getting ugly!
General - Hard game to take much from for mine, epitome of bruise free footy by both sides, Pies basically put the foot down the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of the first half but otherwise both teams were very content to avoid the idea of contact where possible. Low pressure helps the skills side.
Tigers - They've got some Melbourne at their worst vibes going on, the list is terrible so it's going to take some masterful coaching to not lose by 70+ most weeks. They did have some moments and they actually looked alright when they could lock it in the forward 50 and force scrambled clearing kicks but that's about it. Would actually be a pretty solid effort by any side that finishes below them this year.
Missing - Prestia, Ralphsmith, Smillie, Balta, Gibcus, Lynch, Lalor, Hotton - Yeah, a bunch of kids and the two old guys who miss 15 games a season, aka this is basically best 22.
Vlastuin - Standard role down back for him. Not really trying too hard. Should see a lot of supply.
Hopper - Pure midfield role, I mean he tried reasonably hard and he'll do that. He could almost be fantasy relevant just on the someone has to get the ball and someone has to tackle the other team theory but Tigers' fans would be praying that a couple of the kids can push him out of the main midfield group. Honestly not sure how many other sides he'd be getting a game with, basically a Will Brodie type but really shouldn't be a team's #2 mid.
Ross - And he was their #3 midfielder which is even scarier. Somehow, he's actually fantasy relevant in that role because the #3 mid will basically score 85 at every club and can go higher. He's such an ordinary player though I just can't believe they'd play him over any of the kids by round 10, albeit he can have done the job by then. He's a hard test on the "dont pick bad players" rule against the "pick guys with perfect roles that are cheap" rule!
Mansell - Their defacto full forward in this game, can't fault his game, he played very well and tried even harder. One of the few here who'd get a game at most clubs. Not fantasy relevant though. Loved his ground level pressure work.
Miller - KPD, he wasn't awful but he wasn't good. He's not relevant.
Taranto - Is their #1 mid, somehow the Tigers have created a scenario where Jack Ross is their "high skill" midfielder
. He's Taranto, he tries hard. He's probably fantasy relevant because he's going to likely get 25 chances a game to tackle at CB alone. He was solid and looks fit which is a positive and I mean it when I say he's actually a really decent value pick in the mids, a guy who isn't getting nearly the talk he should be, imo.
Short - Easily the Tigers best in the period I watched. Great role and will get absurd levels of supply I dare say. Played out the game. For mine he's what we think he is in this role. A 95-105 type guy who will have a couple of mares and a couple of blinders. At his price, with his bye, that's a good pick if he can stay healthy, which is admittedly a huge if at this point. Realistically given how underpriced he is, he only has to make it 6 rounds and not go down in Q1 if he's injured to be a good starting pick.
Rioli - I mean he tries hard and I like his pressure efforts. It would be better if he didn't actually try to get the ball for his side though!
Nankervis - Worked hard and was involved around the ground, I've done him dirty above, he's definitely the most skilled guy in their midfield group and I'm not sure you ever want your ruckman to be by far the best kick in your midfield! He looks fit and ready for a big year. I've said it in the ruck thread but I have that sneaky good pick feeling with him. I don't think I've got the balls but kudos anyone who does if it works!
Dow - Apparently, per the commentators, he's been masquerading as an AFL player for 6 years now. I feel like I've had about as much influence on an AFL field in that time. File him under the if I was a Richmond fan I'd hope the kids have forced him out by round 5 category. In that elite group of guys where I've watched him a lot and I'm still not sure what trait he had that got him drafted, like there are guys that can kick, or run, or tackle or find the ball or whatever where you're able to say "that's why they got drafted" even when they're no good, it's much rarer to be in that group where I can't work it out. Watch him go and have an excellent season now to prove me wrong
Brown - Good little player. Was solid in defense and good with the ball. Should have plenty to do this year. Too expensive for mine.
Ryan - Forward and ruck, he played fairly well. Think he's going to be a pretty good player long term. Would only be fantasy relevant if Nank out long term.
McIntosh - For all I've said above about their midfield, the most amazing thing is McIntosh as the #4 mid. He probably tries harder than all the rest of them but at some point you probably need to pick a mid that kicks it to the team he's playing for or really has any tangible skill beyond trying hard and being really, really good at running. I've never seen a coach go with the the only criteria I'm picking mids on is trying hard before so it's at least going to be a really interesting experiment to watch, watch it be sensational!
Armstrong - Big kid, moves well and had a couple of moments. Got abused in the ruck by Cameron but would think that Ryan will be the F50 ruck most of the time. Definitely a lot of potential, young KPF in a terrible looking side on the fringe of the best 22 is not fantasy relevant.
Broad - Solid and dependable down back.
Trezise - Played wing, played well. Love that he actually looks to take his time with the ball and find a teammate, as the only guy outside their ruckman across the midfield doing that it really was pronounced to see. There's a really good player here and hopefully gets plenty of chances. Super awkwardly priced but would be among the better options in that price range. He looked good enough in the contest that I'd be seeing if he can play midfield proper pretty soon. One to watch, definitely an intriguing option in draft formats.
Sonsie - Really solid game from him. Playing a pretty difficult HF role and it felt like he bobbed up in just about all their best passages. The price isn't unreasonable but that role is pretty difficult to score in consistently. Not the roaming HF that can be good but more anchored. Liked that he was composed with ball. Another I'd watch closely to see if he can take a genuine midfield role. Let's be honest even if they don't just burn out from lack of talent, that midfield is mad injury prone as well so minutes could open up.
Banks - Played HB as advertised. I don't know if he junked in the time I wasn't watching or if he just scored better than it felt like but was a bit surprised by how "well" he scored. I like him though and actually think he's a very good midprice option. Definitely one to watchlist for those playing in that Garcia minefield region as he could be the pick among it. Shame he's a mid instead of either DEF or FWD to start the year. FWD would give him some low end keeper prospects and DEF would give him genuine starting on field option value. MID it kind of feels a bit wasteful as think there's better options.
Bauer - One of their best. Great attack on the ball in the air and kept trying. He's very raw and very undersized but he gives it a fair crack. For mine he's the clear option to start in place of Balta for now and probably mobile enough that he could play alongside Balta/Lynch/Ryan. I like the look of him, bit of a young McStay about him.
Campbell - Role not as advertised, if he got midfield minutes I didn't notice it. Seemed to be stuck in a similar role to last year. It's amazing how fast that massive group of forward options went away this year
Blight - Was rock solid down back. He's not a great option to start but he's an option and that might be all we get this year down back. I think the 65 he averaged last year is a pretty reasonable target this year. Not a great role but will see plenty of it and he loves to intercept so that helps big time. Watchlist. Noted that FF have a shoulder knock next to him so something to watch out for also.
Green - Did some nice things up forward. If I'm saying Sonsie had a bad role, then his was even worse. Did a good job finding pockets to be dangerous. He's cheap enough to consider. From their respective roles, I'd probably pay the 30k extra for Sonsie but honestly, there's better options at this point in time. He's got some AFL qualities though and worth playing for the Tiges.
Watched 2.5 quarters, Pies not relevant with round 0 and was getting ugly!
General - Hard game to take much from for mine, epitome of bruise free footy by both sides, Pies basically put the foot down the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of the first half but otherwise both teams were very content to avoid the idea of contact where possible. Low pressure helps the skills side.
Tigers - They've got some Melbourne at their worst vibes going on, the list is terrible so it's going to take some masterful coaching to not lose by 70+ most weeks. They did have some moments and they actually looked alright when they could lock it in the forward 50 and force scrambled clearing kicks but that's about it. Would actually be a pretty solid effort by any side that finishes below them this year.
Missing - Prestia, Ralphsmith, Smillie, Balta, Gibcus, Lynch, Lalor, Hotton - Yeah, a bunch of kids and the two old guys who miss 15 games a season, aka this is basically best 22.
Vlastuin - Standard role down back for him. Not really trying too hard. Should see a lot of supply.
Hopper - Pure midfield role, I mean he tried reasonably hard and he'll do that. He could almost be fantasy relevant just on the someone has to get the ball and someone has to tackle the other team theory but Tigers' fans would be praying that a couple of the kids can push him out of the main midfield group. Honestly not sure how many other sides he'd be getting a game with, basically a Will Brodie type but really shouldn't be a team's #2 mid.
Ross - And he was their #3 midfielder which is even scarier. Somehow, he's actually fantasy relevant in that role because the #3 mid will basically score 85 at every club and can go higher. He's such an ordinary player though I just can't believe they'd play him over any of the kids by round 10, albeit he can have done the job by then. He's a hard test on the "dont pick bad players" rule against the "pick guys with perfect roles that are cheap" rule!
Mansell - Their defacto full forward in this game, can't fault his game, he played very well and tried even harder. One of the few here who'd get a game at most clubs. Not fantasy relevant though. Loved his ground level pressure work.
Miller - KPD, he wasn't awful but he wasn't good. He's not relevant.
Taranto - Is their #1 mid, somehow the Tigers have created a scenario where Jack Ross is their "high skill" midfielder
. He's Taranto, he tries hard. He's probably fantasy relevant because he's going to likely get 25 chances a game to tackle at CB alone. He was solid and looks fit which is a positive and I mean it when I say he's actually a really decent value pick in the mids, a guy who isn't getting nearly the talk he should be, imo.Short - Easily the Tigers best in the period I watched. Great role and will get absurd levels of supply I dare say. Played out the game. For mine he's what we think he is in this role. A 95-105 type guy who will have a couple of mares and a couple of blinders. At his price, with his bye, that's a good pick if he can stay healthy, which is admittedly a huge if at this point. Realistically given how underpriced he is, he only has to make it 6 rounds and not go down in Q1 if he's injured to be a good starting pick.
Rioli - I mean he tries hard and I like his pressure efforts. It would be better if he didn't actually try to get the ball for his side though!
Nankervis - Worked hard and was involved around the ground, I've done him dirty above, he's definitely the most skilled guy in their midfield group and I'm not sure you ever want your ruckman to be by far the best kick in your midfield! He looks fit and ready for a big year. I've said it in the ruck thread but I have that sneaky good pick feeling with him. I don't think I've got the balls but kudos anyone who does if it works!
Dow - Apparently, per the commentators, he's been masquerading as an AFL player for 6 years now. I feel like I've had about as much influence on an AFL field in that time. File him under the if I was a Richmond fan I'd hope the kids have forced him out by round 5 category. In that elite group of guys where I've watched him a lot and I'm still not sure what trait he had that got him drafted, like there are guys that can kick, or run, or tackle or find the ball or whatever where you're able to say "that's why they got drafted" even when they're no good, it's much rarer to be in that group where I can't work it out. Watch him go and have an excellent season now to prove me wrong
Brown - Good little player. Was solid in defense and good with the ball. Should have plenty to do this year. Too expensive for mine.
Ryan - Forward and ruck, he played fairly well. Think he's going to be a pretty good player long term. Would only be fantasy relevant if Nank out long term.
McIntosh - For all I've said above about their midfield, the most amazing thing is McIntosh as the #4 mid. He probably tries harder than all the rest of them but at some point you probably need to pick a mid that kicks it to the team he's playing for or really has any tangible skill beyond trying hard and being really, really good at running. I've never seen a coach go with the the only criteria I'm picking mids on is trying hard before so it's at least going to be a really interesting experiment to watch, watch it be sensational!
Armstrong - Big kid, moves well and had a couple of moments. Got abused in the ruck by Cameron but would think that Ryan will be the F50 ruck most of the time. Definitely a lot of potential, young KPF in a terrible looking side on the fringe of the best 22 is not fantasy relevant.
Broad - Solid and dependable down back.
Trezise - Played wing, played well. Love that he actually looks to take his time with the ball and find a teammate, as the only guy outside their ruckman across the midfield doing that it really was pronounced to see. There's a really good player here and hopefully gets plenty of chances. Super awkwardly priced but would be among the better options in that price range. He looked good enough in the contest that I'd be seeing if he can play midfield proper pretty soon. One to watch, definitely an intriguing option in draft formats.
Sonsie - Really solid game from him. Playing a pretty difficult HF role and it felt like he bobbed up in just about all their best passages. The price isn't unreasonable but that role is pretty difficult to score in consistently. Not the roaming HF that can be good but more anchored. Liked that he was composed with ball. Another I'd watch closely to see if he can take a genuine midfield role. Let's be honest even if they don't just burn out from lack of talent, that midfield is mad injury prone as well so minutes could open up.
Banks - Played HB as advertised. I don't know if he junked in the time I wasn't watching or if he just scored better than it felt like but was a bit surprised by how "well" he scored. I like him though and actually think he's a very good midprice option. Definitely one to watchlist for those playing in that Garcia minefield region as he could be the pick among it. Shame he's a mid instead of either DEF or FWD to start the year. FWD would give him some low end keeper prospects and DEF would give him genuine starting on field option value. MID it kind of feels a bit wasteful as think there's better options.
Bauer - One of their best. Great attack on the ball in the air and kept trying. He's very raw and very undersized but he gives it a fair crack. For mine he's the clear option to start in place of Balta for now and probably mobile enough that he could play alongside Balta/Lynch/Ryan. I like the look of him, bit of a young McStay about him.
Campbell - Role not as advertised, if he got midfield minutes I didn't notice it. Seemed to be stuck in a similar role to last year. It's amazing how fast that massive group of forward options went away this year
Blight - Was rock solid down back. He's not a great option to start but he's an option and that might be all we get this year down back. I think the 65 he averaged last year is a pretty reasonable target this year. Not a great role but will see plenty of it and he loves to intercept so that helps big time. Watchlist. Noted that FF have a shoulder knock next to him so something to watch out for also.
Green - Did some nice things up forward. If I'm saying Sonsie had a bad role, then his was even worse. Did a good job finding pockets to be dangerous. He's cheap enough to consider. From their respective roles, I'd probably pay the 30k extra for Sonsie but honestly, there's better options at this point in time. He's got some AFL qualities though and worth playing for the Tiges.
Pies - Rarely got out of 2nd gear, when they did it was quite obvious. Fielding a very strong side and seemed to be taking it fairly serious as far as tactical moves go. They'll be putting some pretty heavy review work into the last 10 minutes of Q1 though, they let their effort drop way off and the Tigers were genuinely on top of them, good time to do it. They're not going to play the Tigers every week and if they do that against some of the quality sides they'll find themselves 5 goals down very quickly.
Missing - De Goey & Maynard. Maybe Mitchell scrapes best 22 but I don't see where.
Lipinski - Playing wing, was solid. Not a strong fantasy role for him. Also his score blew my mind, not sure if he went crazy after I stopped watching or I just didn't notice him but that's a huge score.
Quaynor - Defense as expected, I don't see any reason to expect him to score better, he's he cover man to allow the others to fly.
Elliott - Small forward, generally deepest. Was solid and looks fit.
J. Daicos - Playing mostly HB, Tigers didn't put one iota of work into stopping him (or anyone else) off HB so was just free to roam. Will be watching him for the DPP change if he gets it because he'd be very relevant. Elite kicking ball magnet playing loose HB can go very hard.
Schultz - Small forward as expected, I think there's upside after his disaster of a season last year but not enough to take on the bye.
Houston - HB as you'd expect. He'll score well. Going to be a nightmare for opposition coaches to pick one of him or J. Daicos to shut down at HB while also accounting for Nick. I generally don't like guys at new teams playing the same role, early bye on top of that. So a watch for mine but he's got top 5 potential.
Pendles - Still refuses to age, midfield, good and solid.
McStay - Looked very sharp. Well and truly back and will benefit greatly from Membrey. Not fantasy relevant for mine but was also playing 2nd ruck and did ok at it, which would help Cameron a lot.
Perryman - Midfield role, was solid. Awkward price, plus round 0 but he's always scored solidly in midfield and he should get a decent chance. Do worry where JDG fits in when fit as it's obviously ahead of the likes of Perryman but do they flip out Pendles/Sidey instead or is it Perryman that goes. He's the type that is either going to be a great or terrible starting pick. It's not for me with that 100 being required for his starting price and the 90 being the bare minimum even for just his bye but he's definitely got both those numbers as possibilities so could be a decent pick. I'll be watching, kudos if he works for anyone brave/crazy enough to start him!
Cameron - He was solid. Without the bye he'd be a really strong option, with it he can still work it's just that you lose the tread water outcome that is very possible as being acceptable so he basically has to be a keeper. McStay as R2 definitely helps his case though if they go that route.
Sidey - Playing mid. Underpriced but not worth picking for mine.
Hill - Small forward and was very lively. Looks ready for a good season to me but not fantasy relevant.
Crisp - Started wing, seemed to be mostly there and maybe some HB. Not relevant in that role.
McInnes - He was in defense and the TOG says he played almost the whole game, I didn't notice him a lot but to be fair I think he was off in the patch the Tigers actually locked the ball that end and it wasn't there much of the rest of the game. It's one of him and Markov that goes out for Maynard for mine, so probably depends if they want taller or smaller and could be a week to week prop. He could score well but I think there's better options again.
Membrey - Really solid first outing. He's a great addition for them that should have a big year. Hasn't played in a side half as good as this one since he left Sydney and still kicked bags so should be able to have an impact.
Moore - Solid in KPD. Upside after last year's mare but not enough, imo, to be selectable. Strong draft option though.
McCreery - Small pressure forward as expected.
WHE - Wing/HF, standard role.
N. Daicos - Sure didn't look like the interrupted preseason mattered. He was absurdly prolific. We know that. The negative is the bye, he wont play Richmond every week and he'll probably have an opponent most weeks, if not an outright tag. He's absolutely capable of that 130 he needs as a starting pick, hell I'd probably back him over everyone else if I had to pick a 130+ guy this year, but it's still a huge ask for a guy who still hasn't really worked out tags coming off a pretty major injury in the preseason that does have a nasty habit of recurring. That said, sure can't fault anyone who backs him in, he's about as pure a SC talent as we've ever seen.
Markov - Beard outshines his football skills. He was solid playing as a small defender. As mentioned, it's him or Reef that goes out for Maynard, imo.
Howe - Rock solid in defense.
Mihocek - Rock solid up forward.
Missing - De Goey & Maynard. Maybe Mitchell scrapes best 22 but I don't see where.
Lipinski - Playing wing, was solid. Not a strong fantasy role for him. Also his score blew my mind, not sure if he went crazy after I stopped watching or I just didn't notice him but that's a huge score.
Quaynor - Defense as expected, I don't see any reason to expect him to score better, he's he cover man to allow the others to fly.
Elliott - Small forward, generally deepest. Was solid and looks fit.
J. Daicos - Playing mostly HB, Tigers didn't put one iota of work into stopping him (or anyone else) off HB so was just free to roam. Will be watching him for the DPP change if he gets it because he'd be very relevant. Elite kicking ball magnet playing loose HB can go very hard.
Schultz - Small forward as expected, I think there's upside after his disaster of a season last year but not enough to take on the bye.
Houston - HB as you'd expect. He'll score well. Going to be a nightmare for opposition coaches to pick one of him or J. Daicos to shut down at HB while also accounting for Nick. I generally don't like guys at new teams playing the same role, early bye on top of that. So a watch for mine but he's got top 5 potential.
Pendles - Still refuses to age, midfield, good and solid.
McStay - Looked very sharp. Well and truly back and will benefit greatly from Membrey. Not fantasy relevant for mine but was also playing 2nd ruck and did ok at it, which would help Cameron a lot.
Perryman - Midfield role, was solid. Awkward price, plus round 0 but he's always scored solidly in midfield and he should get a decent chance. Do worry where JDG fits in when fit as it's obviously ahead of the likes of Perryman but do they flip out Pendles/Sidey instead or is it Perryman that goes. He's the type that is either going to be a great or terrible starting pick. It's not for me with that 100 being required for his starting price and the 90 being the bare minimum even for just his bye but he's definitely got both those numbers as possibilities so could be a decent pick. I'll be watching, kudos if he works for anyone brave/crazy enough to start him!
Cameron - He was solid. Without the bye he'd be a really strong option, with it he can still work it's just that you lose the tread water outcome that is very possible as being acceptable so he basically has to be a keeper. McStay as R2 definitely helps his case though if they go that route.
Sidey - Playing mid. Underpriced but not worth picking for mine.
Hill - Small forward and was very lively. Looks ready for a good season to me but not fantasy relevant.
Crisp - Started wing, seemed to be mostly there and maybe some HB. Not relevant in that role.
McInnes - He was in defense and the TOG says he played almost the whole game, I didn't notice him a lot but to be fair I think he was off in the patch the Tigers actually locked the ball that end and it wasn't there much of the rest of the game. It's one of him and Markov that goes out for Maynard for mine, so probably depends if they want taller or smaller and could be a week to week prop. He could score well but I think there's better options again.
Membrey - Really solid first outing. He's a great addition for them that should have a big year. Hasn't played in a side half as good as this one since he left Sydney and still kicked bags so should be able to have an impact.
Moore - Solid in KPD. Upside after last year's mare but not enough, imo, to be selectable. Strong draft option though.
McCreery - Small pressure forward as expected.
WHE - Wing/HF, standard role.
N. Daicos - Sure didn't look like the interrupted preseason mattered. He was absurdly prolific. We know that. The negative is the bye, he wont play Richmond every week and he'll probably have an opponent most weeks, if not an outright tag. He's absolutely capable of that 130 he needs as a starting pick, hell I'd probably back him over everyone else if I had to pick a 130+ guy this year, but it's still a huge ask for a guy who still hasn't really worked out tags coming off a pretty major injury in the preseason that does have a nasty habit of recurring. That said, sure can't fault anyone who backs him in, he's about as pure a SC talent as we've ever seen.
Markov - Beard outshines his football skills. He was solid playing as a small defender. As mentioned, it's him or Reef that goes out for Maynard, imo.
Howe - Rock solid in defense.
Mihocek - Rock solid up forward.