Fantasy: Round 6 Preview
The most exciting news in fantasy circles is that Jack Ziebell will return after missing the last three weeks.
The vice-captain was held to just 67 points in Round 2 after copping the knock early on, but in true Ziebell fashion, played out the game and helped North get its first win of 2014 on the board.
Now that Ziebell is back, Kangaroos' fans and fantasy coaches can look forward to good times. He was a breakout player in 2013, averaging nearly 95 fantasy points per game, and we can expect more of the same this year – hopefully starting with a big game at Subiaco.
Two of North’s changes this week have been forced. Scott Thompson will miss after copping a one-week suspension, while Daniel Wells has been left out of the side due to a foot concern.
The soreness hampered Wells against Collingwood, restricting his impact and fantasy scoring. Here’s hoping he can recover quickly and be back to his best soon, both on-field and in fantasy stakes.
North has also dropped midfielder Ben Jacobs and ruck-forward Daniel Currie.
In to replace Currie is Majak Daw. North's number 38 played six games last year and had an average of just 45 fantasy points across them, but he showed great potential, particularly in a Round 7 game against the Bulldogs when he kicked six goals and finished with 128 fantasy points.
Robin Nahas returns to give the forward line a boost, and will likely also pinch-hit in the midfield. The former Tiger scored 79 against Sydney in his lone game for North so far this year, and that was in just three quarters; expect him to have an impact tonight.
Last but not least, Joel Tippett will makes his North Melbourne debut. The former Gold Coast and SANFL full-back comes in to replace Thompson after showing some impressive defensive nous in the pre-season games.
Tippett’s role as full-back won’t be a fantasy friendly one, but priced at just $115,200 in AFL Fantasy Classic, he’s bound to go up in value no matter what he scores. He could be worth trading in this week to stash on the bench and hope he gets a decent run in the senior side during the year.
North will be celebrating the career of big man Drew Petrie tonight as he plays his 250th game. A consistent fantasy player across the last decade, the interim captain is one to toast for North fans and fantasy coaches alike.
We’ll close on something to be very excited about – skipper Andrew Swallow returns to the VFL this week and may play as soon as next week.
Swallow averaged 100 fantasy points per game in 2012, and opened last year with a five-game average of 111. Upon return, he’ll look to resume his place as one of the premier fantasy players of the competition.
Around the Grounds
There’s a number of important fantasy inclusions this week. Owners of Brisbane defender Pearce Hanley ($466,549) will be overjoyed to hear that the Lion is back earlier than expected from his hamstring injury.
Hanley averaged 103 points per game in the three weeks before his injury.
Pick 9 from last year’s draft, Christian Salem, is set to make his debut for Melbourne against the Swans on Saturday evening. The youngster has great fantasy potential, but at a price tag of $241,200, he’ll have to score fairly well in order to be a good investment.
Jonathan O’Rourke, the no. 2 pick from the 2012 draft, will play just his second AFL game for the Giants on Saturday. After playing only a single game last year, he will line up as the sub. He’s a bargain price at $135,500, but his place in the side is hardly stable, and he could very well be the sub again.
The biggest bargain of the week is no doubt Dane Swan, who proved last week that he can still produce fantasy numbers, with a big score of 145, and at $537,486, he is almost $100,000 discounted on his starting price.