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.
It’s fantasy finals time and North Melbourne takes on St Kilda, a team it defeated by 59 points in Round 17 last season.
No prizes for guessing that Todd Goldstein ($673,000) featured heavily in that win. He collected 39 hit-outs, 20 possessions, and two goals in a commanding display. Goldstein has taken his game to even greater heights in 2015, and the AFL coaches recently voted him the number one ruck in the competition.
While St Kilda’s developing ruck stocks should pose no trouble for Goldstein from a fantasy perspective, his matchups in the run home will see him take on his main ruck rivals – Aaron Sandilands ($496,000) and Ivan Maric ($388,000). Goldstein could only manage fantasy scores in the 70's against Sandilands and Maric earlier this year. This suggests that while Goldstein is an undeniably solid finals purchase, he does come at a hefty price and with a level of risk.
It’s also a little unknown how Jack Ziebell ($498,000) will fare this weekend, as he hasn’t played St Kilda since 2012, thanks to both injury and suspension. However Ziebell has been in blistering form this year, not missing a game.
Ziebell’s scores have been solid against North’s remaining opponents in the fantasy finals, so he looms as a great pick up, as does Shaun Higgins ($476,000).
Even though Higgins' score was slightly below his average against Richmond in Round 6, he was still damaging, kicking three goals and using the ball extremely effectively. His form in the last two weeks has been scintillating, topping 30 disposals and 110 fantasy points in both games. It's very hard to ignore output like that, particularly at a price well under $500,000.
Around the Grounds
In case you missed the memo, fantasy stud Tom Rockliff ($533,000) is back in town. After returning in Round 15, Rockliff has been at his fantasy best, with one abysmal score under 60 points (against North Melbourne, no less) and all the rest in the 110-120 range.
In the next few weeks Rockliff plays Carlton and Adelaide, teams he has scored 153 and an astounding 180 points against in previous outings. While he may not scale the same heights this year, Rockliff may benefit from the season-ending shoulder injury to recruit Dayne Beams ($571,000). Regardless, a midfielder of Rockliff’s talent just has to be bought, especially when he’s at a rock bottom price.
Another midfield star way underpriced is Rory Sloane ($446,000), who plays Essendon and Brisbane in the next fortnight. His score of 68 against Brisbane this year should be ignored, as he suffered a broken jaw during the clash. What should not be ignored is Rory’s 160 points against Brisbane last year. It’s an indicator of how damaging the sandy-haired Sloane can be
