AFL Fantasy is back for another year, and the team at Footy Prophet will again be supplying NMFC.com.au with premium fantasy analysis and tips for the 2016 season.
North Melbourne is set for its final clash before Round 1 when they take on Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
This means AFL Fantasy coaches have one last chance to determine which Kangaroos will force their way into their squads.
Thankfully, a lot of key AFL Fantasy players have been named, and their presence demands close attention.
After an impressive 78 last week, the third highest score for North, Daniel Wells will line up again and if he gets through unscathed, he is all but a lock for your team.
As a forward, Wells sits at $293,000 for AFL Fantasy, but he’s likely to significantly add to that price if he stays on the field.
Many people are also considering Jed Anderson who, like Wells, is a forward, and costs only $224,000.
Anderson scored 49 points in the first round of the NAB Challenge, which probably wasn’t enough to reassure fantasy coaches.
He’ll need to produce a good score this week and do so in a manner that seems repeatable during the season in order to work his way into a few more teams.
There are a few more big inclusions for the Kangaroos who are bringing a lot of experience back into the side for this final game.
Ben Cunnington, Michael Firrito, Scott Thompson, Shaun Atley, Brent Harvey and Jarrad Waite all return to the side with Harvey probably being the most fantasy relevant of that group.
Harvey is $451,000, but has been a reliable option for the last 15+ years and that’s probably not about to change.
Brad McKenzie, Trent Dumont, Mitchell Hibberd, Farren Ray, Robin Nahas and Majak Daw are among the outs for this week.
A lot of people had Mitchell Hibberd in early drafts of their team, but his omission from the final NAB Challenge game doesn’t bode well for his chances of an early debut.
Ryan Clarke is set to play his third game and has been one of the standout midfield rookies across all clubs so far in the NAB Challenge.
He’ll need to impress here to be in consideration for Round 1, but if he does make the cut, he’ll find his way into a lot of teams.
As far as the Hawks go, they’ve named a very strong side for this match and are clearly preparing for Round 1 which makes this very much a dress rehearsal for the Roos.
Fantasy: NAB 3 Preview
AFL Fantasy coaches have one last chance to determine which Kangaroos will be in their squads.