AFL Fantasy is back for another season, and the team at Footy Prophet will again be supplying NMFC.com.au with premium fantasy analysis and tips for the 2015 season.
North Melbourne looks likely to regain skipper Andrew Swallow and important forward Ben Brown for the clash against Collingwood. It’s news that is great for North fans and fantasy coaches alike.
Swallow was doing some of his best work last time we saw him, against Essendon in Round 7. He laid eleven tackles in the win – all the more impressive given we now know he was doing some of that with a broken thumb.
He finished with 97 points in that game but his season average is still hovering at 82, a mark he can certainly improve on given his fantasy efforts. The captain isn’t locked in to play just yet but if he does he will get a great chance to build on his fantasy average.
Brown looks likely to return this week having been named in the starting 18 on Thursday night. He missed last week’s loss to Fremantle after a knee injury against Essendon.
The key forward hasn’t blown us away with his fantasy scores so far this year but is certainly worth keeping an eye on. He is in a good position in the team as arguably the most dangerous third tall in the league.
Other possible inclusions for the week include Scott McMahon and Majak Daw, neither of whom have played a game at AFL level yet this year, and Kayne Turner, who we have not seen since he was dropped after Round 5. We wouldn’t consider any of them a guarantee to spend a long run in the side even if they’re named this week so be wary of them in a fantasy context. Ben Jacobs and Mason Wood are the only confirmed outs from the team this week at this stage.
Some fantasy performers to keep an eye on this week are two of North’s best – Brent Harvey and Todd Goldstein.
Harvey scored his first fantasy ton of the year against the Dockers last week, having a good game against the flow of general play. Goldstein on the other hand has had a rough few weeks in fantasy fortunes, still offering a lot in the ruck but not racking up points the way he did earlier in the year.
Around the Grounds
As always this week’s teams are dotted with a few big ins and a few big outs.
Some of the more notable fantasy players to miss are Carlton trio Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Chris Judd, Port Adelaide’s Paddy Ryder and Kane Cornes, Hawthorn defenders Grant Birchall and Matt Suckling, Gold Coast’s Dion Prestia and suspended Eagle Elliot Yeo.
However our losses are balanced out by inclusions, with the likes of Luke Hodge, Jack Viney, Will Minson, Jack Macrae, Lachie Whitfield and Nick Riewoldt all returning for their respective sides.
