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Fantasy Therapy | Round 4 Review | AFL Fantasy Q&A #PODPOD
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Holmesy - Holmesysheroes
Lewy - Hawk Tuah (Pittonet Thang)
Harmey - Hirdy’s Heroes
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Welcome
00:00:18
Holmesy
G'day and welcome to the Pod Pod brought to you by Marrera's Magic. I'm your host Holmesy. No introduction today, no accolades, it's over, I'm washed, but we're here back for another round review.
00:00:32
Holmesy
Yeah man, fantasy footy has been pretty brutal to start with all these injuries and carnage and whatnot, but I mean, at the end of the day, it is why we play the game and I'm very interested to see how a lot of good coaches start to navigate and continue working through this very, very tricky season.
00:00:51
Holmesy
As always, I'm joined by two-time top 10 finisher and runner-up in 2019, John Harmyoff. An okay week, despite ah a pretty underwhelming captain score, mate, but going well.
Challenges in Fantasy Footy Season
00:01:02
Holmesy
How are you?
00:01:03
Jon Harmey
Hello, how's times Yeah, I'm not going too bad, mate. I, um, you know, it was just one of those weeks where I haven't added up my score, but I thought I needed to because I felt like I should have got time more points than I did on the field. But anyway, that's life.
00:01:18
Holmesy
ah The old Calvinator website not adding your score up correctly. We've we've heard that one before, Harmi, and maybe I have to go back and and check mine as well. We have our perennial top 1K finisher and gather round specialist on the eve of the big event, Louis, back for another week, mate. ah you Are you looking forward to this week? ah I heard last last year, Saturday, you were you were nowhere to be seen after a big night the night before. Do you reckon you can get through the four days this time around?
00:01:46
Lew
Yes, yes. ah Was I not anywhere to be seen on the Saturday? ah I beg to differ on that one. on that one I might have um been at the casino or something, but I'm good. I'm fresh off a week off. I'm feeling really good about fantasy. I'm feeling really good about the weekend upcoming. um I'm super excited. There's going to be Big fantasy showing from a lot of the community, which is going to be great. So I know there's a couple of events going on over the weekend, which I'm sure we will be attending. So very excited to to get around everybody.
Weekend Event Plans and Fantasy Ranks
00:02:19
Holmesy
Can you confirm over the weekend that you got into a certain DM and sent every single keeper trade that you'd done in one of your sides just to highlight how well you're going because you only play keeper league now? Is that correct?
00:02:33
Lew
Yes, after a pretty poor weekend, I retreated deep into the keeper depths and I had to find some positives. So I looked back to November when I was doing my off-season trading and I was pretty happy with some of the results. But look, ahll I'll be honest, I'm pretty, you know, fantasy hasn't gotten off to the best start here. But, and don't take this condescendingly, I'm taking this as a positive.
00:03:01
Lew
you know not often are we in these ranks in AFL fantasy at this point in the year. So ah I'm genuinely looking forward to the upside from here and how we can find a way to, to dig ourselves out of this hole. You know, there's not too many positives, as I said, but,
00:03:19
Lew
Yeah, I'm just keen to see what can we do from here. where We're in the rank 40,000. It's certainly not great. Good thing that we give advice every week. But um I think it's going to be a nice little peek behind the the window and on what um is kind of uncharted territory for all of us except Army.
00:03:38
Jon Harmey
You could reach out to Dossie and just see what it takes to keep the motivation going.
00:03:42
JORDAN D'SENA
Mm-hmm.
00:03:43
Lew
Yeah, i think ah I think I'll be consoling in Dossie a couple of times this weekend, and who will also be at the Gather Round. So, yeah, we love our Dossie at the Pod Pod.
00:03:54
Holmesy
he did ah He did actually just message me about two minutes ago to let me know where he's going to be for beers on on Friday. Lou and shout out to our friend Dossie. I haven't listened to the Supercoach podcast just yet, but I believe he went from 1,000 to 30,000 over the weekend. So, yeah.
00:04:08
Holmesy
over the weekend so
00:04:10
Lew
is Really? Really?
00:04:11
Holmesy
yeah
00:04:12
Lew
ah
00:04:15
Holmesy
back where he belongs unfortunately we love you dosy boy and Geordie mate keeping credibility going on the podcast not wallowing with with me and Lou out in the 30,000 plus rank group you're you're going strong and going well but mate how are how you looking forward to to gather around this weekend
00:04:17
Lew
ah
00:04:33
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, no, that's
Gather Round Excitement
00:04:34
JORDAN D'SENA
exactly right. Keen for the the week ahead. It's going to be massive and we've actually lined up pretty much. Well, Holmes, you you're flying over. So there's 10 of us in a row. Going watch about four games at Adelaide Oval. Can't wait to, you know, be checking the scores every couple of seconds on on live and, yeah, getting around Gather Round. So super keen. And, um yeah, I thought maybe we could have launched into some of these premiums this week and, um you know, had a bit of a good week with Gather Round. But it seems like our trades are kind of already locked in, which is kind of makes it an easy week, I think. But obviously lots to discuss.
Fantasy Scores and Player Highlights
00:05:14
Holmesy
You're right, Geordie. I can't wait to fly in and maybe go to the Essendon-Melbourne game on the weekend and watch Darcy Parrish lope around for a 50. Lockie Blackiston at fullback, not touching the footy. like my my My team's in a great spot to be watching all that footy on the weekend.
00:05:31
JORDAN D'SENA
Yup, now Windsor as well.
00:05:33
Holmesy
Hey, whoa. He has the Bombers matchup.
00:05:35
JORDAN D'SENA
okay Hopefully, I hope you can go 90 plus for you again.
00:05:36
Holmesy
that's I can't like to be can't wait to be watching that.
00:05:42
Holmesy
Yeah. Well, let's get stuck into the round that wasn't. Lou, unfortunately, I'm not that much in front of you, but we do need to start with you.
00:05:46
Jon Harmey
Thank you.
00:05:50
Holmesy
So why don't you give us your score, your rank and and your picks for the week?
00:05:53
Lew
Yeah, I scored 1591. So rural low areas this year. My rank is 47,000. I think that's actually come in a bit. So that's nice.
00:06:05
Lew
ah State i pick of the week is Jack Steele for 112. Shout out, Holmesy here. um I've been a ah perennial hater of Jack Steele for many, many years.
00:06:17
Lew
um and certainly still am from a football sense. But in fantasy, I'm glad he's delivering. um I think he's the most overrated recruit of the year too, by the way. I think he's doing exactly what he did at the Saints, but he did come cheap.
00:06:31
Lew
And then my dossie pick of the week, I'm going to go with Jack Watkins. This is
Player Analysis and Trade Decisions
00:06:36
Lew
an absolute mare. I brought him in on debut. uh the decision was between him and farrow and uh there's about an 80 point swing there that was done on the saturday morning so those trades always sting a little bit um just hoping he can hold his spot and maybe generate a little bit of cash but uh he's probably left me a trade behind with with farrow looking like he might be a priority here so yeah not the not the greatest week but onwards and upwards from here hopefully
00:06:44
Jon Harmey
Ouch.
00:07:07
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, that one's a tricky one, Lou. I was actually talking, i think it was to Lemon last night actually about this. And it's not often that those 50-50 calls burn you as much as they do. Yeah, we we get the rookie roulette wrong at some stage. But in terms of Watkins versus Farrow, it's a genuine 50-50 call. You know, Watkins had the better matchup against Richmond. He'd put up in 90 and then had a really good sort of first half the week before.
00:07:34
Holmesy
Farrow hadn't really shot the lights out, had a pre-season game where he barely touched it before he was dragged at half-time and managed to save his score the week prior. But before that, he was on 30 basically at three-quarter time. So process was there.
00:07:47
Holmesy
You just, these 50-50 calls, sometimes it goes against you and that unfortunately was one of those times.
00:07:55
Lew
Yep, doesn't make me feel much better, but I understand the sentiment.
00:08:00
Holmesy
Beautiful. I was next, Lou, and I wasn't much further ahead than you. So I had the 16.05, which has me at a rank of about 33,419. Not about that's what my rank is.
00:08:14
Holmesy
My Stato pick of the week, I'm just going to shout out Caleb Sorong here. He wasn't a good pick, but that's back-to-back 120s for Caleb now. When he doesn't get tagged, he's actually getting on the outside a bit. He's tackling hard.
00:08:26
Holmesy
he's He's actually been quite a good pick at the moment. He's he's priced at 105, also averaging 105, which is on the heels of the top eight mid. So if he can continue this and stay away from the tags, he might end up not being the worst pick for me considering I got him priced at about 98.
00:08:43
Holmesy
My Dossie pick of the week, probably a bit harsh because I have a lot of other spuds, but Zach Butters is one I just want to highlight. We thought he was underpriced, especially with his run, but outside of a 144 against Essendon, which was just the absolute graviest of matchups, he has been very underwhelming.
00:09:03
Holmesy
He's getting tagged. He's not tackling. He's not marking. He's getting you know high 20s, low 30s disposals, but just not putting up the scores for us. And, Jordy, I do wonder with this Port Adelaide game style, especially with Rosie not being there, I can't really see Zach Butters as being a top eight mid in this particular side the moment.
Impact of Game Style on Players
00:09:22
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, spot on. I sort of, like Rosie's such a ah ah massive ball winner for us. And I mean, obviously Louis and I go a lot of the games and those two just, they chip it to each other so much, so much. And they're so clean that they trust each other in tight spaces to kick it and mark it to each other. So think it's having effect. He's obviously the captain now as well. So he's taking a lot of responsibility on and um yeah, just hasn't quite found it yet. But yeah,
00:09:48
JORDAN D'SENA
Look, hopefully can bounce back. You know, might be hard. You know, there might be a Garcia or a Wintaga hanging off him this weekend as well. So just have to hopefully he can bounce back for us.
00:10:00
Holmesy
Also, special shout out to Tim English, 51 as my captain. um You know, Essendon's been giving up 1,800 points a week. Inside midfielders have been going bananas. Yeah, we know the Rucks have been struggling a little bit, but Tim English is more of a midfielder than a Ruckman. And for him to be on 48 before he got injured late in that third quarter and then not be able to finish out the game was very tough and is now a forced trade, as you alluded to. Jordy Harmi,
Trade Philosophies and Player Moves
00:10:26
Holmesy
you're up next.
00:10:27
Jon Harmey
Yep, thanks ma so i So I scored 1618 for the week, which must have been a fair bit below average for where I was sitting because I dropped from 9,000 rank to 9,000.
00:10:42
Jon Harmey
to 14,032 so 5,000 spots down which is a bit surprising and but anyway a few things to that your captaining butters wasn't brilliant having sarong on the bench not being able a while yeah not being able to loop him on was a bit of a bugger anyway I'll stay at our pick of the week ah Look, let's let's give a shout-out to the number one ruck in the comp, Lockie McAndrew, 113. Amazing. Everybody worried with Rob coming in, but it didn't stop him with his tackling game and he smashed it, so that was nice to see.
00:11:20
Jon Harmey
Didn't help Holmesy, unfortunately, for the week. And my Dossie Pick of the Week, was looking at the scores and sadly watching the Bombers play, which is hard at the moment,
00:11:33
Jon Harmey
56 points at three-quarter time. I thought, okay, Parrish, I've stuck true to you here. You'll get a bit of an 80, and it won't be the worst hole going around. Zero point last quarter, so he finished on 56 points. Now I just need to get him out of my team because it's a nightmare. so Darcy Parrish can have it.
00:11:53
Holmesy
Yep, right there with Yahami and I'm actually considering trading him out over English this week just to see the back of him because for my own mental health, I just cannot have him in my side any longer. Jordy, finish us off with some respectability, please.
00:12:11
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, I did okay. I got 1660, so only a little bit more than Harmy and my ranks in at 12,772. So it was up a thousand spots there. So Harmy, it must be quite tight because it's only 40 points more and I've gone up and you've gone down um quite a lot. So it must be pretty tight up there. So hopefully this weekend gather around and and the like onwards, we can start to see more more shifts in that. Yeah.
00:12:38
JORDAN D'SENA
But Stato pick, I have to give it to Will Ashcroft again. Another 120 plus. Just looking, yeah, sort like the pick that I was happy with and Klug's out, I think, again this week. So that's going to help him. I was worried that maybe he'd get a tag this week, but he he might avoid that now.
00:12:57
JORDAN D'SENA
So hopefully he can just keep chugging along and and not get too much attention. But the Dossie pick this week might be a bit harsh, but Josh Dacos, 78. I'm giving it to him because he is a premium that I needed this week. A lot of people went, you know, your Whitfields, your um your Ash, your s Sinclair types the weeks before. I needed Dacos this week to to put up 100 plus to make that ah a good pick. I mean, he's going to be a good pick in the future, but just it would have been nice this week. So given him the 78, obviously, yeah Nick Dacos out. He sort of had a little bit of ah a role change.
00:13:39
JORDAN D'SENA
So he gets the Dossie pick.
00:13:42
Holmesy
Yep. No, that's fair enough, Jordy. Sorry, let's go through our trading philosophy now from last week and what we were kind of looking to do. I'm going to save mine to last, Lou, but why don't you kick us off with sort of talking through your
Rookies and Cash Generation
00:13:57
Holmesy
trades?
00:13:57
Holmesy
Yeah.
00:13:58
Lew
ah Following the cash generation route still, so I went Carroll to Watkins, which hasn't worked out great for me so far. And then sort of umming and ahhing over whether or not to trade Doverston. And the decision was made for me in the end. He wasn't named, obviously rested.
00:14:17
Lew
Didn't like that he's a small forward sort of going at 55 to 60% time on ground for North Melbourne, even despite their improvements. So, Because of that, I took him up to Josh Rochelle, which i was quite happy with. I think i think he um you know outperformed his break even, certainly, and and looked pretty solid. and Just over here in SA, watch the news every night and um tune into the sport, and they pretty much hype him up just about every night, it seems. He's definitely going to be playing midfield um from here on. So, yeah, hopefully that actually does come to fruition. And, you know, I've...
00:14:56
Lew
Probably was a little bit sceptical that he could be a top six forward. Admittedly, I probably still am, but I know Geordie was really hot on this guy and I think he's going to be one that we can can potentially hold, you know, pass the bys just given what we might have available to us in terms of forwards.
00:15:14
Holmesy
Are we not worried? I mean, I brought him in as well, Louis, but are we not a little bit worried that in the second half when Adelaide came back, Peatling went into the midfield, Rochelle came out out a bit and Peatling really changed the game for for Adelaide? Are we a bit concerned with Rankin getting a bit more fitness and Peatling and Saligo that he might end up out of the midfield or or playing that 20% to 30%?
00:15:37
Lew
Yeah, I think there's there's got to be a bit of concern. Obviously, all those guys had interrupted pre-seasons, maybe bar peatling there. But um you know the the messaging from the pre-season was constantly that Josh Rochelle is looking a million bucks and he's going to play midfield. So there's probably going to be some games where he plays that 30% CBAs, but I think there'll be enough to level it out where he plays 60% CBAs and it lands somewhere in between. So...
00:16:05
Lew
um You know, given he's ah he' a pretty good footballer, I think that that will suffice in terms of a fantasy average, at least for now anyway.
00:16:15
Holmesy
Jordy, you brought in Rochelle as well as i did. What was your other trade that you did?
00:16:20
JORDAN D'SENA
Yep, so this one, ah did Dobertson to Lindsay. So a bit of a fix up there. Like I was ah a team that traded at Lindsay after round one and it sort of burnt me a bit and I just wanted to get that cash gen going. I watched Lindsay the week before at at the port game and I was just like, wow, like why did I trade this guy out? Like I just had to bring him back in. I think he's going to make a bit of cash. Got a 50.
00:16:47
JORDAN D'SENA
So I did that bit of a fix up and it still allowed me. Yes, so I did parish to Rochelle. So was still able to basically bring in a forward and trade one out, which I've still got Petrarca in the midfield as well, sitting there. So um I've still got that DPP as well. So yeah that was where I landed in bit of cash in the bank.
00:17:07
Holmesy
Yep, so both pretty common themes from you boys in in just trying to fix up a little bit of bit of cash generation and then trying to bring in an underpriced guy in Rochelle who we're hoping can be at least close to the top six forwards for a fair while before we actually get a gauge of who they are. Harmi, what did you do with your trades?
00:17:25
Jon Harmey
Yep, so similar to the boys there, well i ah dropped Dyson Sharp who is ended up being a bit of a failed rookie, um which is a shame, but anyway. So went Sharp to Lindsay and then my other trade was to get a rookie off field because done little bit mucking around but I had an eye to this week when we're back to best 22 I traded a Carroll out and brought in Colby McEacher in my back line, which was looking amazing. Five minutes into the game, guys on 33 points.
00:17:58
Jon Harmey
And then for the next three and a half quarters, he scored 40 points. But anyway, um he had to lock down on Jagger for the last half. I think that's what that was about. But anyway, she's good. I think I'm still happy with McEacher in my team.
McEacher’s Role and Anecdotes
00:18:13
Holmesy
Yeah, just just talk us through a little bit about that, Harmi, because I mean, my initial thoughts are when I was watching the game was that whenever Finn O'Sullivan left the midfield, so when Walsh would go forward, O'Sullivan would then go back to be on Walsh.
00:18:13
Lew
I'm in a...
00:18:27
Holmesy
And that's when Colby would actually come into the midfield. So are you a little bit concerned with Foss going out that maybe Colby does see a bit more midfield time, which isn't as good for his scoring?
00:18:40
Jon Harmey
That's not exactly how I saw it I saw um in the first half, there was a lot of chipping back, a lot of trying to hold up the play and you know get the right disposal out of the back line. um i just My feeling was he was held to account on playing a defensive role on Jagger Smith in that second half. So,
00:19:00
Jon Harmey
um he wasn't about chasing possessions or chasing the ball. He was actually having to focus on a defender actually defending his player.
00:19:12
Lew
um I'm in a a group chat with a couple of the boys and I was doing a cashier on Friday. I just had the headphones in and and Siri automatically reads you text messages as they come in.
00:19:23
Lew
um So game started, you know, I'm working along and then Constantly on repeat, all I hear is, oh McEacher is everywhere.
00:19:33
Lew
Why didn't we trade him in? This is killing us. Season over. And just for the next 10 minutes, it was absolutely depressing on...
00:19:38
Jon Harmey
Thank you.
00:19:42
JORDAN D'SENA
Was that me, Louis, or...?
00:19:43
Holmesy
Was that Geordie because Geordie was bringing him in?
00:19:45
Lew
ah was It was you, Holmesy, Lemon, it i was Vams, it was non-stop. So, um yeah, that was pretty depressing.
00:19:52
JORDAN D'SENA
ah
00:19:54
Lew
By the time I pulled out my phone and had a look at the the score at the end of the game, I was pretty thankful that that that had stopped just as just because I was considering trading him in. But, yeah, I think that's pretty spot on.
00:20:07
Lew
Your observations there, Harmy?
00:20:10
Holmesy
Yeah, the the thing you said it ah during the game, Louis, I think he came in at halftime, was he only had 88 metres gained in that first half despite having 19 possessions. So he wasn't really being damaging with it at all, which he normally is. He normally very much north-south runs and guns. So it'll be interesting to see if they persist. Caleb Daniel actually got the 10 coaches votes in that game playing playing off halfback, which is...
00:20:35
Holmesy
Very, very interesting. I think he's going to be a good pick, um but there still is that just element of throwing his role around a little bit. And we just want Colby at halfback. We don't we don't want him in the midfield, especially with Sheezo and LDU because he's good in there, but he's just not going to be that 95 guy that we need.
00:20:52
Lew
but And Daniel's looking good. He doesn't look like the sort of crab that he was last year. We've got Parker back there who I think is looking really nice as well. Hardeman is playing twos. Hardeman's a way better player than just playing twos. So he's he's going to come in and then Not sure you boys mentioned it, but Fino Sullivan is now out with a broken jaw. So, Mkirch has every chance to to maybe fill that gap in the in the midfield slash half-forward position. So, definitely one to watch. But, um yeah, his his role has been pretty hard to predict. He's one that's been thrown around all year. And maybe it's just call it Cope because I traded him after round one. But, yeah.
00:21:36
Lew
yeah I think he would still be a nervous trade-in at this point. And if he is going to be a 90-95 averaging defender, I don't mind just waiting to see if that role settles once um you know after this week, potentially, once we see where the magnets sort of fall.
00:21:53
Holmesy
I think what we hope, Lou, is that they bring in maybe a winger or a forward and that Colby goes in and Blumeyers goes back because he's found himself out on a wing and his scoring has really dropped as a result of it. I think we need Blumeyers at halfback if we're going to get those 65, 70-plus scores. And at the moment on the wing, he's more of a 50 to 55 guy, which makes me a little bit nervous to have him on field in in best 22. And unfortunately, I'm going to have to for a while yet.
Pod Challenge and Standings Update
00:22:21
Holmesy
My trades, I took Filippo up to Rochelle. Filippo had to go for me in hindsight. Probably I could have held him and gone Parrish instead considering Parrish lost money and didn't make my best 18 anyway, but that's the game we play.
00:22:36
Holmesy
And then all week I was going Darcy Cameron to Brodie Grundy. I said it in the Trade Insights for Moreira's Magic. And then McAndrew puts up the the score of his life. And I unfortunately had to pivot away from that.
00:22:50
Holmesy
I ended up bringing in the red dot despite the fact I was looking at O'Brien but just thought I'm probably going to need the cash sooner rather than later. which means that i now unfortunately have employed the strategy that I was dead against all preseason and in the early rounds of carrying $1.1 million dollars over with Tim English and no way to spend it this week. So very, very unfortunate with how that all transpired. If I had have still gone Grundy, I would have had an extra, what, 24 points, wouldn't have had to trade English this week and could have fixed some other stuff and just held. But unfortunately, that's the game we play.
00:23:27
Holmesy
All right, moving on to the Pod Pod Challenge. We have two coaches inside the top 100, so that's dropped back from three last week. The Powerhouse currently sitting at rank 31 and Fantasy Porn Stars at rank 60, so two coaches there. Hopefully in the next few weeks, we start to see some of the other members charging into the top 100 as we're now back into best 22 and we should start to see some separation. But as always, just remember that the winner of the Pod Pod Challenge will receive a custom AFL fantasy ring from our friends over at supercoachchampion.com and it's not too late to join the league.
00:24:05
Holmesy
The league code will be in the show description below. But boys, let's get stuck into our hot topics.
Tim English's Injury Impact
00:24:12
Holmesy
to start And Harmi, we do need to start with Tim English. I believe he's all of our R1.
00:24:19
Holmesy
Still unconfirmed of what the timeline is. They've just basically set a low-grade MCL. Some have reported 1 to 3. Some have reported 3 to 6. One journo reported 1 to 12, which is very, very interesting.
00:24:32
Holmesy
But I suppose it's probably going to be around that three-week mark at a minimum.
00:24:32
Lew
you
00:24:37
Holmesy
So it it is a trade. But for some coaches like myself who have all of these other issues in their side and are carrying over cash, I suppose to the interesting point is whether we do need to trade off Tim English this week or we use the opportunity to use that cash to trade out some of the other burning holes and deal with him next week or in a few weeks' time, Harmi. But where are you sitting at the moment with the Tim English bullet?
00:25:00
Jon Harmey
Yeah, well, as you've highlighted, Holmes, it depends on how many other issues everyone's got in their team. um I saw that interview with him going in for scans where he was like hobbling in and he looked ordinary.
00:25:13
Jon Harmey
um Yeah, if anybody's done a medial before, there's a bit of instability.
00:25:14
JORDAN D'SENA
Thank
00:25:19
Jon Harmey
So i don't like can' it's not the sort of thing where he's right to go and then he's 100% anyway. So he sort of might have a couple of games of... easing in, I suppose, put it that way. So anyway, we'll see what happens. For me, it's a trade. um Doesn't matter if it's two weeks or four weeks or, you know, three to five, whatever, you're going to need to get him out of your team.
00:25:44
Jon Harmey
And it's a lot of money sitting on your bench if you're electing not to trade. him So, yeah, and sadly, in that ruck line where we've already stuffed around a bit, um there aren't too many options. So, I feel, you know, looking at it today, i feel as though we we really are a bit limited on who we're going to be looking in as targets, hey?
Ruckman Replacement Options
00:26:05
Holmesy
Yeah, the thing with Tim English is that we all picked him as r one because we thought he was going to be at a minimum either R1 or R2 for the year. And we just wanted to lock him away as a captain option. And as a ruckman, that should in theory benefit from the new rules, which he was. He was winning a lot more hit-out battles and was getting around the ground as well.
00:26:24
Holmesy
Louis, I suppose the really tricky thing from here is we probably, or not probably, I i definitely need to replace him with a Ruckman that I'm not going to trade for the year. I've just got too many issues that I need to fix up.
00:26:36
Holmesy
So you're really looking at a Ruckman that's going to end up being in the top two Rucks for the year. No other ruckman outside of Max Gorn and Tristan Cherry have averaged over 100 so far to start the year.
00:26:48
Holmesy
You've got Max Gorn priced at 124 and you've got Brodie Grundy priced at 103 but is averaging, I think it's 95 or 96. The cash is significant, but talk me through these players because if Grundy isn't going to be inside the top two, then we're just obviously pencilling in another trade later as well.
00:27:08
Lew
Yeah, well, I mean, it is tricky to talk um between the two. Obviously, Gorn is the the superior player and um you know hindsight sort of tells you that this is a guy we probably should have just locked away um despite the you know the career best average in our starting squads at the start of the year. But You're right, he is expensive, $124,000 at the same token. You know, Team English was expensive to start to. I think he wasn't too far off $115,000. So this is a position we've already chosen to pay up in and we did it for a reason, which was a guy who's going to put up consistent $110,000 plus and be a captain option week in, week out. So...
00:27:49
Lew
Not really too much I can say on Gorn. He's an absolute gun. He looks like he's going to sail into a ninth All-Australian and sort of put up 110 areas again for fantasy coaches.
00:28:00
Holmesy
Thank you.
00:28:01
Lew
um Grundy on the other end, he he's a little bit more interesting, I think. if um you know You could have paid up for Grundy at the start of the year for but less than a million bucks. I think most coaches would would push that button for sure.
00:28:14
Lew
um not unsimilar to last year either where Grundy sort of had a season based on two halves where his first half was a little bit poorer. I think he was maybe even under 100 and then his second half was just ridiculous.
00:28:30
Lew
I know, Jordy, you're a big Grundy fan. You might have the numbers rattling around in your brain.
00:28:35
JORDAN D'SENA
I think we're at 1.21 post buy.
00:28:37
Lew
yeah, 121 in that second half of the year. So we know that he can do it. We know that he's capable. ah Do we have any theories as to why Grundy isn't really performing this year? know his transition points are a little bit down, but that feels like um a bit of an anomaly for somebody like Grundy as well.
Brodie Grundy's Performance Analysis
00:28:56
Holmesy
Man, i just from the outside looking in, and once again, I don't have any data to back this up outside of looking at the ruck contest for Sydney and knowing that they're down, but that's all teams that it's down.
00:29:08
Holmesy
It does seem like Sydney are playing a much more fast brand of footy, much more north-south. Like you just think Blakey, Mills, Bice, when they get it off the halfback, they're just going and they just as there's very little stop-start play, which Grundy definitely was doing his best work last year at at the stoppage.
00:29:27
Holmesy
The thing for me that's getting it over the line with Grundy is that we do need to remember that it's a cash game. And I think we've all been blinded by the fact that we've been carrying over large amounts of cash for most of the year.
00:29:41
Holmesy
But if we think about Tim English, he's now lost a hundred and eleven k and Grundy, not Grundy, Gorn has gone up $20K. So that would be a hundred and thirty k that you need to spend to take Tim English up to Grundy.
00:29:54
Holmesy
which is 130K that you can't use to upgrade your side in the next three, four, five weeks. You combine that with a Connor Rosey that we all lost who lost 70 grand. Some of us had Bergman who lost money. Some of us had Colby who lost money and traded off. I ah know I've lost money on a Philippot. I've now lost money on a Darcy Parish.
00:30:13
Holmesy
It all adds up. And if we're constantly up using our upgrade money to take failed players up to other players, we're eventually going to lose
AFL Fantasy Fundamentals
00:30:22
Holmesy
money. Whereas Grundy has lost a little bit of money, but he's essentially, you know, you're not really going up to him from what he's done previously, Lou.
00:30:31
Lew
Yeah, spot on, Holmesy. And i I think while the cards we've been dealt this season are a lot different to some seasons previous, the fundamentals of AFL fantasy don't change. And we we are hunting that value. And um as we said, the whole process, as we've said for years, is that that value will come home to roost and it will sort of serve you pretty well um later on in the year. So I do favour probably Grundy over Gorn just for the price difference. And Probably what I would say without you know being able to fact my fact check myself in real time is that I'd be surprised if a lot of Ruckman average more in the first half than what they do in the second half. I think you know games tend to slow down a little bit.
00:31:15
Lew
I certainly think that's going to happen this year as well. I'm not sure any coaches have really cracked the you know the case in terms of being able to slow down the game so far, but I've got no doubt that they're working on it, especially for some of these stronger sides. um to prevent some of these blowout wins that we're already seeing so far this season so i think that trend will continue in terms of ruckman personally and i i think you know a big second half ah for brodie grundy will come and um yeah i think priced at 103 that's probably a worst case scenario i think unless you know grundy's jumped off a cliff essentially so
00:31:52
Lew
So, yeah, that's the camp that I lie in. But in saying that, but ah Max Gorn's going to be a great pick. he's He's probably going to give you not as much value, obviously, but in terms of captaincy options and and a safe sort of 110 week in, week out, it's ah it's a pretty comfortable place to be.
00:32:12
JORDAN D'SENA
That's sorry.
00:32:12
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, sorry, you go, Geordie.
00:32:13
JORDAN D'SENA
was just going to jump in what you said little about captains is that would be my only thing with Gorn is the captain. You got a captaincy there. You know, we saw Butters 84. I know English got injured. She's looked at 81.
00:32:26
JORDAN D'SENA
I'm not really sure where to go with my captaincy this week.
Captaincy Choices and Strategies
00:32:30
JORDAN D'SENA
I find it could, I don't really have trust in putting it on Grundy, but with Gorn, I know he's got Blackiston, but you could VC that this weekend and, you know, in the future weeks, it should be a pretty safe captain.
00:32:43
JORDAN D'SENA
So that would be my only thing um that's got me thinking about that is is the captaincy.
00:32:49
Holmesy
Yeah, the fact Gorn's just done it against Wits as well, who traditionally he hasn't scored well against, is ah is a massive tick. I suppose for Grundy, they both have relatively good runs. I mean, Gorn has some unbelievable matchups coming up with Richmond and and the Eagles. But, you know, Grundy has Wits, who Max has just shown you can score against. I think Nank was even scoring quite well before he did his hammy.
00:33:13
Holmesy
He then goes into Briggs or Madden, depending on where how GWS go. He's then got the Dogs, who are probably going to be without Tim English. so you're looking at ah probably a first-game ruck, unless it's a lob, who, let's be honest, he should destroy lob.
00:33:27
Holmesy
Then he has ah the harder one in Max, who he did go 137 on last year. And then Cherry, who we know has been struggling in the ruck department as it is. So ah think it's Grundy for me.
00:33:39
Holmesy
But I can see why coaches just want to pay up for Max knowing that, yeah, he's probably overpriced a little bit, but you can't really see him in the form that he's in going you know sort of below 115. He's a captain option and you just lock it away. Lou.
00:33:51
Lew
Does anybody have an alternative? is Is there a world where you can, if you've got a Steen, if you've got a ah Mitch Edwards or something at R3, can you do something else where fix some things up and and hope and pray to the fantasy gods that Tim English comes back in in three weeks? I know...
00:34:10
Lew
ah Certainly, Jordy and I have held Christian Petrarca for, what, going on four weeks now, albeit it's been best 18. So, we've been able to hide behind that. But is that a play as well for some coaches that maybe want to adjust some other things in their fantasy side?
Handling Ruck Issues and Strategies
00:34:30
Jon Harmey
Well, Holmes, you touched on it. I mean, who who who's going to ruck for the Bulldogs? They will not be wanting Sam Darcy to be rucking the whole game. And Lobb has openly said he doesn't want to do it.
00:34:43
Jon Harmey
So it's that's a bit of a watch, isn't it? Whether they bring in somebody cheaper. But Edwards, yeah.
00:34:49
Lew
Be that Emmett, I reckon, and ah and a slice of Sam Darcy chopping out.
00:34:51
JORDAN D'SENA
Or
00:34:52
Jon Harmey
Yeah.
00:34:54
JORDAN D'SENA
round one, they had that Will Lewis come in and chop out English. So they might bring him in. Jordan Croft, I think, did a bit. So it just depends which way they go.
00:35:04
Jon Harmey
He's injured, isn't he? Yeah. Yeah.
00:35:06
JORDAN D'SENA
i think he played on the weekend.
00:35:08
Holmesy
To answer your question, Lou, I think anyone that already has Steen, you can probably loop that on Friday night just to to get a gauge of what that is. um But from there, I mean, Mitch Edwards doesn't play until Sunday. He does have the Eagles matchup. So you'd think there's probably going to be an okay score for him. He did play, I think it was 69% tog on the weekend, which was well up from the 40% that he's been getting the last couple. So it does seem Geelong are starting to...
00:35:35
Holmesy
to trust him a bit. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable going English all the way down to fix something else up in another line and and be stuck with McAndrew and Edwards. I feel like that's probably too risky with with Geelong.
00:35:47
Holmesy
He's always just, you know, one poor performance away from being managed or being out.
00:35:49
Jon Harmey
before.
00:35:51
Holmesy
So, Yeah, I think the Steen owners are the lucky ones who get to at least see the score and then you just go from there. But for me personally, I think we've been mucking around so much in the rucks. Yes, they're down, but I still think you just want to take English to ah a top two ruck if you can to just lock that away. Jordy, before we move on quickly because we spent a lot of time here, no love for your boy, Luke Jackson. as a bit of it a bit of a pivot.
00:36:16
JORDAN D'SENA
I was going to say that he's probably that third ruck option underneath these guys.
Luke Jackson as Ruck Option
00:36:21
JORDAN D'SENA
I just think, I'm not sure what his price I'd have to have a look, but he's probably about where he is. Maybe he's got a couple of points upside.
00:36:28
JORDAN D'SENA
um i mean, you met you might be able to go there, but Grundy's like the pretty much the same price. He's probably got more upside. So and just think with him sharing ruck, I just sort of...
00:36:40
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, I mean, he's still an option, but I think you might as well go. and don't think he's going to be a top two, but he's basically where I've landed with it.
00:36:49
Holmesy
No, not with the 75% time on ground. Darcy's time's building. They still like Darcy in there. So I think even when Hayden Young comes back, they're probably... You're going to see more of a forward Jackson. Lou.
00:37:01
Lew
Brian Miracle, would would you go in blind?
00:37:04
Holmesy
I think... Nah, you got to see it. He's going to be managed. That's the reason I i didn't go didn't go him as the red dot.
00:37:09
Jon Harmey
What did he do?
00:37:12
Holmesy
he I think he had three quarters in the VFL on the weekend and even that was managed. So there's every chance he comes in and he's a 50-50 ruck split with either two metre Peter or Blackiston a combination there.
00:37:24
Holmesy
maybe Maybe they go the three-way ruck this week to combat Max and who who knows, Harmi. But... let's Let's move on.
Player Injuries and Strategy
00:37:32
Holmesy
Some of the other injury news already touched on a bit. Finno Sullivan's gone in for jaw surgery two to three weeks as it stands. Hasn't been ruled out this week, but they're going to wait to see how he pulls up from the surgery.
00:37:45
Holmesy
Petrarca is a test, but it sounds like they're going to hold him back for the Essendon game the week after. Holmes apparently broke a finger against Adelaide two weeks ago, but has been jabbing and is expected to play through.
00:37:58
Holmesy
And Grian Myers was the interesting one. Had a knee fitness test before the game that really came out of the blue. He played, saved his score late, but he wasn't his usual Grian Myers. I think he had an 88 fantasy score, but only a 70 super coach score.
00:38:12
Holmesy
He was a bit off it, but we know that he will bounce back against the Eagles this week.
00:38:14
Lew
Thank you.
00:38:16
Holmesy
But Harmi... Nick Dacos is the other sort of hot topic after he was a late, late out on the weekend. Sounds like he's still touch and go for for this week and we know he'll fly and and we know that it'll give him every single chance to play.
00:38:31
Holmesy
If he's out, being 1.2 mil to coach his trade,
00:38:37
Jon Harmey
Unfortunately, think you don't. i mean, he was close enough that they um stuffed around with him before the game, didn't they? he's not going to be far away. And if you miss one more week, I think you've already you've already worn part of the problem and you just wait one more week. I reckon you'd be right.
00:38:56
Holmesy
Yeah, I think if he plays as well, he might not be 100%, which means they might just play him at half back.
00:39:00
Jon Harmey
Hmm.
00:39:01
Holmesy
And if he's getting 40 touches in the in the back 50 and not doing a lot with it, I don't think Freya will tag him. Whereas if he's in the midfield, I think they might consider running a Wagner or someone with him. they They tagged in the first game last year and they lost, and then they didn't tag in the second game and they won. So it is really 50-50, but he has had an ah unbelievable start, Harmi.
00:39:22
Jon Harmey
Yeah, I don't think they'd play him in the back line. I think if they were going to um play him and were concerned about it, it'd just be a lower time on ground management sort of thing.
00:39:33
Holmesy
Beautiful. Now, Jordy, there are a number of highly owned players that are now starting to become a massive concern in our
Underperforming Players Concerns
00:39:40
Holmesy
sides. and And part of that is because of all the popular injuries that we've had. We've had to sideways trade premiums rather than fixing these deadweight mid-prices. But I mean, I'm just rattling off my team here and there's a lot of others, but Parrish,
00:39:52
Holmesy
Now a break-even of 82. He's bleeding money and has to go. Blackiston, he's lost the role in that second half and he's not scoring anyway. His break-even's up there and he's going to start to lose cash soon.
00:40:03
Holmesy
But as we've touched on, Caldwell Harmi is a shell of himself at the moment and he he saved that last quarter massively to get to his 71. He needs to go probably. Walsh hasn't been getting it done. Tagged out of the midfield.
00:40:17
Holmesy
Does that hold this week? it was chairup Was it Cherubak or was it because he was being tagged? That's something we don't really have an answer for at the moment. Carroll starting to get up there. Anyone that still has Filippo. So Jordy.
00:40:31
Holmesy
um I mean, from ah from a selfish point of view, I've got money carried over this week, so I'm actually choosing to fix two of those guys and deal with English later. But for for other coaches, are these are these players more of a priority to fix? Maybe not your Walshes and your Butters, but more of your parish types. Are they more of a priority than fixing English this week if you've got the money to do your trades otherwise?
00:40:57
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, I think Parrish and Blackiston out of this group stands out the most. I mean, I got rid of Parrish last week. It's just a low tog and he's just not in the in a good system. um I think if you can get them out, definitely. Obviously, with English, he's in the ruck line.
00:41:12
JORDAN D'SENA
You can't take a donut. You can't get anyone to come on. So you have to trade him. But if you can get rid of one of those guys and English, I think that's... a massive tick. um You could, like Blackiston after this week is going to get ruck status.
00:41:26
JORDAN D'SENA
So I don't know if that helps that decision of... if that's going to help with this Tim English trade or not, but he will be able to be moved there if you need that. Like, for example, Louis and I have got Vicentini.
00:41:39
JORDAN D'SENA
We actually could trade out of Vicentini next week and move Blackiston there, but he's not making money, so I'm looking at trading him. So I think you've got it right there with those first two.
00:41:51
JORDAN D'SENA
The other ones, I'd probably have Caldwell above Butters, I think, I'm hoping Butters can just sort of bounce back. and And Walsh, I think his CBAs were down, as you said, tagging.
00:41:57
Holmesy
Yeah.
00:42:01
JORDAN D'SENA
Hopefully he's back up to the 80% plus. Like he should be their number one mid-footer, which he was. And hopefully he can bounce back. And Carroll as well. He's one that I was going to trade this week, but now with the injury, I'm happy to hold him, break even to 30. If he can get a 50, it's a little bit more cash.
00:42:20
JORDAN D'SENA
Maybe next week he's the one that goes out. So um i think you've ordered it right at the moment with that list.
00:42:29
Holmesy
Yeah, I just had them down, Geordie. It wasn't actually in order. But yeah, fair enough, I suppose.
00:42:31
JORDAN D'SENA
Oh, no.
00:42:34
Holmesy
Harmi, I'll let you speak in a sec, but let's just talk rookies now, Harmi, and you're the Bombers man. So Farrow is the one that is the popular sort of option this week after he went 60 and then tonned on the weekend.
00:42:46
Holmesy
He's now priced at
Rookie Farrow’s Viability
00:42:48
Holmesy
43. And we sat here last week with Jack Watkins and had the same conversation about paying up for these rookies. I suppose it's it probably seems a little bit different for Farrow because he's playing for the Bombers now They did go back to that chip-chip in the second half just to not lose by 80 points and to make it respectable.
00:43:06
Holmesy
I suppose my question for you is, can you see that sort of being something that Essendon do moving forward?
00:43:10
Jon Harmey
Thank you.
00:43:12
Holmesy
Or was it just a case of that was the way to kind of just stem the bleeding against Bulldogs and Bulldogs just allowed that kind of play? And also with Farrow, what happens if Ridley comes back this week? Does that then push Farrow back to the bench, which means he's a low-tog guy?
00:43:29
Holmesy
And can we then, is the elevated rookie price worth it if we're really only going to get a 60, 65 average out him?
00:43:36
Jon Harmey
Yeah. Look, all good points. the he's well He's not going to average 100, right? so this And I'm not sure whether he's an on-field player for us. So say that up front.
00:43:51
Jon Harmey
The difference is a little bit like bringing in Josh Lindsay last week. They are top-end draft picks. Very, very good players, very skillful players. When we listen in the pre-season, they are the ones that the rookie experts said that they were going to perform well for us. They are playing in teams that need to blood younger players to be more competitive in future years. So I think there's those positive things, those things that are speaking in favour of him being in our teams long term if you choose to trade him in.
00:44:29
Holmesy
I suppose, Harmi, so gun to your head, what do you think he's going to average from this point on?
Evaluating Rookie Value
00:44:34
Holmesy
Because for those of us that haven't brought him in, it's not about what he's done. Yes, we're going to get basically 50% of that cash rise from last week due to how the pricing system works. But really, it's about what he's going to do from this point moving forward. So if we say he's going to be 65, which is still up there, we are seeing some rookies go a little bit higher than that at the moment, but they are starting to come back.
00:44:57
Holmesy
that's 22 points of value for for what we're paying. And then when you compare that to, let's just use some examples. So, you know, Josh Lay priced at 30.
00:45:07
Holmesy
He only has to go 52 to be the same amount of value. a James Leake priced at 30, the same. You know, a Wade Dirksen, who's priced at 25. Yes, there's job security issues, but he only has to average 47 to be the same value.
00:45:22
Holmesy
And you've also got extra cash to be able to upgrade elsewhere. So I suppose... Yes, Farrow's a good option, but paying up 43 for him can be a bit of a risk as we saw for Watkins last week.
00:45:34
Jon Harmey
The difference is he's got that 100 in his price already, doesn't he? So he's going to be more accelerated than some of the guys you have mentioned there, Luke.
00:45:43
Lew
I think what you're paying up for is job security here, right? Like Josh Lide, James Leake, Wade Dirksen, I wouldn't be necessarily confident they'll be there and next week, let alone the week after. so You know, Essendon are in a position where they they need to blood these youngsters. And I think Farrow looks a million bucks. He was hyped up during the preseason. And he's going to be a guy that probably does get a good crack in that half-back role, you know, probably for the rest of the season. So, you know, I think with with these sorts of rookies that are in those cushy half-back roles, that's what we've seen over a number of years is that they can score pretty well.
00:46:24
Lew
So I don't mind paying up 43 and hopefully he can go at closer to 73, 30 points upside from this week onwards and and be a guy that we can field or loop in our sort of D6, D5 position.
00:46:39
Lew
i'm I'm pretty bullish on him this on this week and that's coming from a coach who has carried over cash just about every week. Also coming from a coach, ranked 40,000. So um hoping that that cash generation does pay dividends later on. But I think he's far and away the best rookie option this week.
00:47:00
Holmesy
Geordie, do you agree with everything Lou said? to To be fair, I'm on board as well. I just wanted to play a little bit of devil's advocate because we have seen in the past when you pay up for some of these rookies, they don't always pay off and it is a lot easier to get the same cash gen, albeit not as quick harmy from some of the lower guys.
00:47:18
Holmesy
But what's your opinion, Geordie?
00:47:20
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, I'm on board too. I think I'm i'm pretty much going to lock that in. I think, like, as Louis said, like Josh Lala, I think Marshall's coming back. All these GDS players coming back for Leak.
00:47:31
JORDAN D'SENA
Dirksen was at Wiedering. Like, there's they've all got question marks over them. Yeah. What rookies are coming through after Farrow? I mean, I don't know. So I just, I feel like I just want to get him, make some cash.
00:47:43
JORDAN D'SENA
And obviously the the English trade, it does mean I'm holding cash for another week, but um I just think that's what I'm going have to do. And I think, yeah, I'm on board. Just he's got DPP as well. It's it's it's handy. It's flexible. You might be able to might be able loop him as well with that. So um yeah, I'm pretty much going lock it in.
00:48:04
Holmesy
Yep. Yeah, nah, fair enough. And I think Redmond's still out medium term. I think it's six to eight. Ridley can barely stay on the park. We know that. Wouldn't surprise me if Harmi... I know they won't because they're paying him a ah shitload. But if Ridley comes back and plays tall, maybe they move past to Ben Mackay, who's who's really not giving anything.
00:48:24
Holmesy
But they won't do that because it's Scott. But yeah, I think Farrow...
00:48:27
Lew
He gained a metre on the weekend. I think you're harsh by
00:48:31
Holmesy
He did gain a metre. One metre's gained for the entire game. um Unbelievable.
00:48:35
Lew
Half his length.
00:48:38
Holmesy
All right, boys, let's get stuck into some
Listener Questions and Strategic Advice
00:48:41
Holmesy
of these questions.
00:48:41
JORDAN D'SENA
Thank you.
00:48:41
Holmesy
But before we do that, a reminder as always that Pod Pod AFL has once again partnered with Q Platforms in 2026 to help answer all of your AFL fantasy questions. So if you'd like an answer from a 47,000 ranked coach in lieu or a 33,000 ranked coach myself, feel free to head ah head over to askmeonq.com forward slash podpodafl. The link is in the show description below.
00:49:06
Holmesy
you will get a guaranteed fully personalized audio answer to any of your team review questions, individual players or strategy questions. So if you want to do that, check out the link in the show description below, as I mentioned. But Lou, the first one is from good friend and sponsor of the show, Bontsville Wizard. Hey, lads, I can get Windsor to Farrow.
00:49:28
Holmesy
Parrish to Callaghan or do I hold Windsor as I think he's finding his groove and trade out Blackiston to Leak instead with his defender forward flexibility? It still means he can do Parrish to Callaghan. So is it more important to trade out Windsor this week or is it more important to trade out Blackiston?
00:49:46
Lew
Yeah, I think trading Blackiston to leak is trading one problem for another. Personally, I'm not sold on the job security there. um ah do see Windsor maybe gaining his groove a little bit, but I also think there's going to be a cloud over him every single week on whether or not he's going to be a trade out.
00:50:04
Lew
Farrow looks like he's going to be a pretty good goer in terms of a rookie so I'd be pretty comfortable with wins at a Farrow in terms of Parrish to Callaghan I think that's an absolute smash play I can see Callaghan being well and truly in the mix to be a top midfielder this year and Parrish just um he's just been crap hasn't he he's he's been absolutely no good For lack of a better word, you know maybe this sort of game style has has passed him by, but I was hoping for a turnaround. I've still got Parrish. I think given my rabble of a team, I might still have Parrish next week, but he's one that's just got to go because think the most ineffective fantasy players in your side are the ones that just do not move the needle at all. you know He's not going down, but he's not going up either. He's just a waste of space right now.
00:50:55
Holmesy
He is going down, Lou. I give you the hot tip. He's going down. The one thing I will say, and I'm a big Finn Callaghan guy as well, and he was someone that I've looked at this week, the Richmond matchup is good but without being really good. But then I think he has a date with James Jordan the week after against Sydney. And then the week after that is Finn O'Sullivan if he's back from the broken jaw. So maybe two tags in the next three.
00:51:18
Holmesy
He's my only flag with Callaghan. Maybe you don't get some of the ceiling scores, but do really like him as an option and think he's going to be a top eight mid or close to it this year.
00:51:29
Holmesy
Jordy, this one is from Taser, another good friend of the show. What do you think about Parrish to Farrow and then Vicentini to Grundy, which would hold English through his injury? So kind of similar to what I'm thinking in terms of fixing something else in your side if you can still do the same trades.
00:51:46
Holmesy
But what do you think about actually getting off Vicentini this week?
00:51:51
JORDAN D'SENA
Oh, I don't know about this. Like, in theory, it seems good because you're upgrading and you're going to get potentially two rucks, right? You're hoping that English and Grundy are your R1 and R2 for the year and you've got McAndrew getting money on the bench. I just think McAndrew, he's scoring so well.
00:52:09
JORDAN D'SENA
Like he could go, like what he did on the weekend. Could he just could be within 10, 20 points of Grundy? Like maybe you're better off just running him R2 with the rest of the comp and banking the cash.
00:52:22
JORDAN D'SENA
I don't know. I'm just, I'm a bit unsure about that one. um But I mean, you could do it, but I just think I'm happy running McHanju, I think, in the R2 spot for now.
00:52:34
Holmesy
Yeah, I'm with you. It's just in my certain my circumstance, it's getting rid of Parrish and Blackiston. As bad as Vicentini has been sitting there and it's money that you can't access at the moment, um I'm not sure he's an urgent trade-out compared to some of the other guys that are actually starting to lose cash. Harmy.
00:52:52
Jon Harmey
Yeah, you said that a couple of times tonight, Holmes. Just to be clear, like, if you're not if you're not um trading out English, who your rucks in? McAndrew and a Steen type then?
00:53:06
Holmesy
No, I'm still, because I've got a million in the bank, Harmi, I'm still going to trade out Parrish to a ruck. So I'm still going to bring in Grundy and then fix Blackiston at the same time.
00:53:16
Holmesy
That means I carry English over for a week. It actually means I can get Kalani White out of my R3 to use as a loop option with Cook in the midfield, which helps. And then i'll I'll deal with English next week. So I'm not holding English at the moment.
00:53:32
Holmesy
for the three weeks because I want him around. It's more just I think the other guys are more urgent trade outs and I have the cash to still do those trades. So that's what that's the the reason behind that.
00:53:45
Jon Harmey
Okay.
00:53:47
Holmesy
All right. Harmi, I'll stick with you. This one's from Mark. So he's trading English to Grundy as he prefers the value to Gorn. Would you trade Windsor to Nassai Wanganin-Millerah or Blackiston to Farrow?
00:54:00
Holmesy
So what's the more urgent trade there, bringing in Farrow from a failed Blackiston or taking Windsor, who hasn't been shooting the lights out, up to a potential underpriced Nassai Wanganin-Millerah?
00:54:12
Jon Harmey
Yeah, look, and I'm in the same position, could do this second trade, as Mark's kind of describing. I think you really should be going Blackiston to Farrow. and make i mean, the guy could it could make 80 grand this week. So i think that at this point of the season, trying to build up that um to overall team value and and We've spoken about Farrow. I think he's a good trade in. So I think you just hold hold Windsor. I mean, he was in the middle for 25 CBAs and didn't score too bad. So I think you can hold him. for and He's still making money. You hold him for another couple of weeks. It's not going to hurt you.
00:54:48
Holmesy
Louis, this one's from Yarns. I used a red dot in round one to VC English and loop the Jaxx 112. Now he needs to prioritize cash gen. So his question is, does he trade English and Blackiston to the Gorn slash Farrow or does he take English in the red dot to Grundy and Farrow? So if he uses the red dot, he has to go the value in Grundy or if he goes Blackiston, he can get Farrow and get Gorn instead. So what's more important, trading out the red dot that's absolutely not going to make any cash or getting off Blackiston?
00:55:25
Lew
I'll probably lean towards the red dot, I think. um what What about you, Holmesy?
00:55:32
Holmesy
um um um I mean, without knowing what the red dot is and whether it's a red dot that might actually potentially play or whether it is a a thrown away player that's no chance to play. I i think I'm Blackiston, to be fair. Blackiston's going to start going backwards very soon, especially if he is starting to play at full back with with Brian returning.
00:55:52
Holmesy
I think you've you've made your bed with that red dot for now and you've just got to keep trading around that and then you potentially look to do that a little bit later on if you've got no other trades you can do. Especially if you think that, now I'm not saying you have to go Gorn over Grundy, but if that's the trade you want to do, i wouldn't be disheartened for trading out Blackstone over the red dot.
00:56:12
Lew
Par me, tiebreaker.
00:56:15
Jon Harmey
um Yeah, look, probably Blackiston. I mean, he's he hasn't done what we wanted. and I think, yeah, the red dot may come in handy.
00:56:27
Jon Harmey
Don't know. That's a toss of the coin. If it were my if look, I had this last week. I tried out the red dot. So i probably red dot. There you go
00:56:36
Holmesy
Jordy, I'll go to you for this one just because it's still too raw for Louie. This one's from Tony Enlund. Hi guys, is Watkins a trade now? And would McAndrew and Steen be a reasonable play leaving English on the bench? 23.
00:56:52
JORDAN D'SENA
Let's just have a look at Watkins. Oh, Louie's giving me thumbs up. he's He's off him. What is Watkins' break-even? I might just have a little look. I mean...
00:57:00
Holmesy
twenty three
00:57:00
Lew
29. there you go.
00:57:03
JORDAN D'SENA
23. Oh, look, I don't think it's the worst thing. Like if you need to hold him, he's going to make a little bit more cash and hopefully that role can change, but he could be a trade depending on your team. I know the other part of the trade is, or or the question is, would McAndrew and Sting be a reasonable play leaving English on the bench? And I think you...
00:57:24
JORDAN D'SENA
Cover that homestead with you. Loop Steen first and that could help pivot his trades. I'm going to say Watkins is, it's the team dependent. Oh, lu yeah. I mean, Louis just written he could be dropped. That could make a decision for you. So um look, I'm okay holding him because of that break even. I think he's going to go over 23 week.
00:57:47
Holmesy
Harmi, this one's for you. Three players from Hugh F. Jack Steele versus Finn Callaghan versus Ashcroft. So Steele's priced at $112, Callaghan priced at $105 and Ashcroft priced at $104.
00:58:00
Holmesy
Which do you like best out of those three options?
00:58:05
Jon Harmey
Well, I'll be honest, the one I like best out of those is Will Ashcroft. Brisbane have got a really good run coming up and I worry with Finn Callaghan about those tags um and I feel like you've missed the boat on steel. You're paying, you know, well, what's it going to be?
00:58:26
Jon Harmey
id eat Over, know, 100 grand cheaper to get to Will Ashcroft. So that's probably out of the three the one I would like the most.
00:58:35
Holmesy
Yep, if we look at scheduled strength over at morerasmagic.com. So Brisbane do have the best run over the next five for inside mid. So North, no Fino Sullivan tag, into Melbourne, into Adelaide, into Essendon, and then Carlton. So that's pretty much as good a ah run as it can get.
00:58:53
Holmesy
I think even when Klug comes back, Jordy, he's going to be on managed minutes. And Neil's probably the guy that goes out of there now. I think Ashcroft is well and truly cemented in there.
00:59:02
JORDAN D'SENA
Yep, and Dunkley's also not really doing Dunkley things at the moment.
00:59:02
Holmesy
So...
00:59:06
JORDAN D'SENA
um I think it's really his midfield, hopefully. Hopefully.
00:59:10
Holmesy
yeah so Yeah, I agree. So because of the tags for potential tags sorry for Callaghan, Steele being that extra price guy, so priced at 112 versus the other two, i think I'm Will Ashcroft in that circumstance as well.
00:59:25
Holmesy
Louis, this one is from the Cockrule. Who's the best defender under 900K to go up from Blackston too?
Defender Options Analysis
00:59:35
Lew
Oh, you've got a few here, don't you? Stuart, Clark, Roberts and Dale. What do we think of Roberts?
00:59:40
JORDAN D'SENA
Waste.
00:59:41
Lew
Because he he got a lot of preseason hype and he he came in a little bit cold, but obviously a couple of big games. The last couple, we did mention that Essendon are going to share the ball around in defense if they're going to to try and avoid being smashed in in some certain games. Is Archie Roberts sort of the one that can get involved in that? I did notice that He did get a bit of media flack that he might be a little bit junky, but you know that's kind of what we want from our fantasy players. So ignoring that is is is Clark. is i Sorry, Roberts may be the option there.
01:00:18
Lew
Jeez, Dales is cheap though, isn't he?
01:00:19
Holmesy
good Yeah. Jordy, I'll go to you because I mean, I just put these four players on as as players that I just noticed were cheap for what we've seen that they can do.
01:00:22
JORDAN D'SENA
Mm-hmm.
01:00:29
Holmesy
But albeit Roberts, we haven't actually seen it. He's actually priced five points higher than what his career best average is. And outside of the 137 on the weekend, actually he's only scored over what he's priced at once.
01:00:41
Holmesy
Do you like Roberts at all?
01:00:43
JORDAN D'SENA
I just think I was looking at this, like if you're got you can't get to those top premiums, I think I would rather go down and go to like a Newman or a McKercher.
01:00:54
JORDAN D'SENA
I know they might not be top six, but they're going to improve on their price. And then you can look at, you get more data on this, or you can then go up to yeah your Whitfields and your you cal um your Ash.
01:01:03
Lew
Thank you.
01:01:06
JORDAN D'SENA
So I'd probably go Newman or McKercher, I think, and bank about one thirty k
01:01:11
Lew
I think Newman's a massive shout, right? and Like he had kick-ins on the weekend. He's going to get plenty of the ball in that Carlton defense. And um he could be that sort of general back there that that just controls the ball movement.
01:01:25
Lew
We've seen the ceiling and what he's been able to average across the season over multiple years for Carlton. So, you know, yeah, I like Newman. I also don't mind Coleman still, Kitty Coleman.
01:01:37
Holmesy
was going to say my boy, Louis, better times.
01:01:37
Lew
I think he's a,
01:01:38
JORDAN D'SENA
Mm-hmm.
01:01:40
Holmesy
I had him.
01:01:41
Lew
Yeah, I still think he can go like, you know, 85 areas. So that's another one if you really want to get, you know, pretty cheap.
01:01:51
Holmesy
Yeah, priced at 69.
01:01:51
Jon Harmey
Thank you.
01:01:52
Holmesy
I think I'm with you, Jordy. I don't think you pay up. Although Dale is cheap, admittedly, at 83 for what we've seen he can do. But I don't think he's fit at the moment. So yeah, I'd be going down to a a Colby or a Newman, maybe even a Coleman if you like that, and then looking to go up when you can actually get up higher later on down the track.
01:02:12
Holmesy
Harmi, this one's from Shane Harris. Hey, legends. Have Richards and English. I also traded out Roberts last week, so tells you how well I am seeing them.
01:02:16
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah.
01:02:20
Holmesy
Have 370K in the bank. Should I still be looking at value with a Grundy and Steele, or should I pay up for Nick Dacos and Max? Thoughts here.
01:02:30
Jon Harmey
Do not pay up for Nick Dacos based on what we saw on, was it Friday night? um Grundy have no concern trading him in. Max have no concern trading him in. But yeah, I think you're looking at a different midfielder. Geez, he's unlucky with Richards there, isn't he? Anyway, yep, yep. So I think you're right with English to either Grundy or Max and then Richards to the best midfielder you can get. But if you if you're looking at Nick Dacos, man, you're...
01:03:00
Jon Harmey
yeah you're you're looking at any midfield really, aren't you? So should be heaps of options.
Tom Sparrow’s Potential Value
01:03:05
Holmesy
Jordy, I'll go for you for this one because you are port man alongside Louis, but Darcy Byrne-Jones in defense on the weekend racked it up back there.
01:03:16
Holmesy
Is there any interest in a Darcy Byrne-Jones?
01:03:19
JORDAN D'SENA
Louis like laugh reacted it.
01:03:24
JORDAN D'SENA
um like
01:03:27
Lew
I'm a bit harsh on him probably because he did have that defensive role. um I'm just a jaded Port fan.
01:03:32
JORDAN D'SENA
I think he's. Yeah, I think he's more of a draft. Like he might pop a score. I need to see it another week. I think I just can't trust.
01:03:43
JORDAN D'SENA
That, I mean, he plays Saints this week. Like, that's meant to be a good matchup. um But, yeah, I don't think I could do it. I don't think. Unless he comes out and does it again this week.
01:03:54
Holmesy
Yeah, it's it's grim areas, isn't it? I think he's a good draft pick if you can get him off the waivers. But I would need to see it again.
01:04:00
JORDAN D'SENA
Hmm.
01:04:01
Holmesy
But if he if he goes back-to-back tons, he probably gets away from you pretty quick. But I think I'm a little bit scarred by what Port Adelaide have been doing. And Marshall should be coming back this week, which is hopefully another ball user back there.
01:04:14
Holmesy
What does that look like? I'm not 100% sure. But, Lou, this one's getting even looser. But you can't knock what he's been doing. Tom Sparrow, back-to-back tons, 70% center bounces last two weeks.
01:04:27
Holmesy
Talk to me about Tom Sparrow because he's a forward and he's he's quite cheap. I'll get his price up while you're talking.
01:04:34
Lew
Yeah, i mean, what can you say about Tom Sparrow? That is really the season that we're in, isn't it, at the moment? um Yeah, I mean, look, he's shown some fantasy chops for a couple of years, hasn't he? He's just never been able to put it together.
01:04:48
Lew
um Looks like he's got that role in the King system, but Melbourne aren't scoring massively from a fantasy output, are they, Holmesy? Do you have those numbers on hand?
01:05:00
Holmesy
Yeah, I think they're i'll I'll get it up for you if you keep talking. I think they're mid-pack, but you you keep going.
01:05:05
Lew
Do know cruel it is to get me to pad on Tom Sparrow while you bring up stats?
01:05:09
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah.
01:05:12
Lew
There's only so much you can say. He's named after a bird.
01:05:14
Holmesy
at melbourne Melbourne are ranked, so they're about 10th or 11th. So they're averaging 15.36 per game. To put that into perspective, Eagles are last last with 13.47 and Brisbane are first with 16.70. So right essentially right in the middle, but you're right. And the last two weeks has been built off massive tackle numbers. I think he had 10 tackles on the weekend and nine the week before.
01:05:37
Holmesy
I think he was on 26 at halftime before having a monster second half. I couldn't pay 72 for Tom Sparrow. ah But in the forward line, if you had have done it a week or two ago, you'd be off to the races.
01:05:49
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah, and like Trent Rivers has been out the last two weeks, so he's basically been the beneficiary of that. So is Rivers going to come back?
01:05:57
Holmesy
Has has King retired Trent Rivers?
01:06:01
JORDAN D'SENA
I mean, what's going on there? Maybe.
01:06:04
Holmesy
From state of origin WA to not being best 23 for Melbourne, quite bizarre.
01:06:07
JORDAN D'SENA
Yeah.
01:06:09
Jon Harmey
Injured though, he's been injured hasn't he? That's they've been saying.
01:06:11
Lew
Nah, I think he got the drop.
01:06:12
JORDAN D'SENA
He got dropped.
01:06:12
Jon Harmey
Yeah, yeah, no, he's been carrying something so that's why it's impacted his performance.
01:06:18
Holmesy
Alright Harmy, last question. This one is from Jake Husey over on our Instagram page.
Prioritizing Trade-Outs
01:06:25
Holmesy
He has English, TDK, Salem and Windhager that all need to go.
01:06:30
Holmesy
what do I do? So I suppose English is the first one that has to go because if you don't have a Ruckman, you need to trade to a Ruckman. But out of TDK, Salem and Windhager, what's the priority there for trade outs?
01:06:43
Jon Harmey
Well, yep, English got to go, um in my opinion. TDK, well which ruck are you're going to? We've spoken about that a lot tonight. I think you're potentially just holding for the time being there until, um you know, maybe English comes back in...
01:06:59
Jon Harmey
Drops another $100,000 and you pick him up cheap, something like that. Salem, and look, he's good enough for the time being. I think Windy, you can probably get to a decent midfielder um would be my guess. Salem also has the Bombers this week. So, yeah, getting Windy up to a good mid might be the way to go. And as I said, English, you're going to have to trade. So there's there's my thoughts.
01:07:21
Holmesy
Yeah, and I think Windy probably, it's likely that he maybe has a run with role with Butters, although Garcia probably does it. So I don't think you know what you're going to get from Windhager, but you have the ability to get him up to a ah mid. Hami, does it change your thoughts that Windy's going to get DPP at the end of this round and you'll be able to swing him back as of next week?
01:07:41
Jon Harmey
Probably not, i' probably prefer to have Salem over Windy in the back line anyway.
01:07:47
Holmesy
Fair or enough. Boys, that is going to wrap us
Gather Round Conclusion and Social Media
01:07:50
Holmesy
up. Another huge episode. Thank you all for that. Jordy, before we finish off, can you just give us some closing thoughts on Gather Round, where you, Louis and myself are going to be over the weekend and and where the listeners might be able to catch up for us for a beer while we're while we're there?
01:08:06
JORDAN D'SENA
Yep, for sure. So, yep, super keen. I think the big one will be the Friday. So that's obviously we're all going to be at that, the DT talk show. So come and yeah come and say hey and then we'll head off to LA Doval. So we'll be there on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So probably the hill, Louis is a safe bet. We'll be there, i would assume at some point. So that would be a good one. And yeah, the the show on the Friday, I think. would be the best two spots. Come say hi and talk fantasy.
01:08:39
Lew
the The Malt Shovel got a good workout last year, so i think that would be a safe bet as well in terms of a ah watering hole.
01:08:48
Holmesy
And Harmi, where are we going to catch up with you?
01:08:53
Jon Harmey
2027, gather round maybe.
01:08:56
Holmesy
Gee, I don't know, mate. The only reason I was able to get over here this year was because of my win last year and I'm miles off that. So i might not have the cash, Harmi.
01:09:05
Jon Harmey
Tell you what, mate, 2028, when they bring it to Tassie when the Devils are in the comp, you can stay at my place and we'll have a ca catch up then.
01:09:13
Holmesy
Oh, yeah, the new digs. Forgot about that yet. No, that'll be good. And that new stadium with the roof, I'm sure there'll be some good footy good foototy played there. So that will wrap us up. um Make sure you're following us on X at PodPod AFL. Make sure you're subscribed to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your content.
01:09:34
Holmesy
I'm not sure when our next podcast will be next week as I'll be traveling back from Adelaide on the Tuesday, but we will be doing a round review at some stage. Keep her an ear out on the socials for that.
01:09:46
Holmesy
Have a good weekend. Hope you enjoy Gather Round and we'll be back soon to chat. Bye.
01:09:50
Lew
Bye.