Those coaches who have backed Levi Greenwood this year would be very disappointed that he won’t be around for the AFL Fantasy Grand Final weekend.
Greenwood has been nothing short of spectacular and is North’s leading player by average, at 101 points. He misses this week due to a calf complaint, after playing 19 out of 21 games this season.
While he doesn’t rate as a leader in any of the stats sheets, Greenwood has a balanced game, averaging 25 disposals, 5.5 marks, 4 tackles and a nearly a goal a game.
If you’re one of the 3972 fantasy coaches who owns Greenwood, his $524k price tag should mean you can afford a decent replacement.
If you fancy a gamble and want to stay loyal to the Roos, then Jack Ziebell is your man. At $415k, a trade from Greenwood to Ziebell will net you extra cash and possibly pay off points wise.
Ziebell has been a classic example of a high-low fantasy player this year. His low scores of 50-60 have been matched with the occasional collection of 130+.
This includes an inspirational 135 against Adelaide last week, which helped North claim the win and secure a home final.
North Melbourne plays Melbourne this week and this year Ziebell has been at his best fantasy against the lower teams in the competition. He scored 115 against Melbourne in Round 14, so he looks a tempting replacement for Greenwood.
Around the Grounds
While most of the eight seems settled, the last place looks to be decided through an exciting number of match ups. The players in these games have all the more reason to score big fantasy scores.
In the prime position for the last spot in the eight is Richmond, who face Sydney at ANZ Stadium. Key to the Tigers’ success will be Dustin Martin ($485k) and Trent Cotchin ($507k).
While Cotchin gets shut down on a regular basis, Martin is too explosive to contain. He is the fifth-ranked forward in the competition this year and will give the Tigers an added boost as they try to win nine in a row.
Across in Adelaide, the Crows will hope to put St Kilda away, and Rory Sloane is the man to get the job done.
He has been a bit inconsistent of late, but you can’t fault Sloane’s dedication to the game. At $530k, he’s a bit expensive for what he can produce, but a matchup against St Kilda should deliver him points.
Finally, the Gold Coast are an outside chance to make the finals. Everything has to fall into place, and their players need to fire.
In particular, much will hang on Dion Prestia, who is the Suns’ leading points scorer now Gary Ablett is out for the year.
Prestia has two strong scores behind him and at $479k, might be just the last-minute trade you need to win a title.
