Are there other option aside from the two-headed ruck dragon? Will you be considering this Bulldogs defender over the bye-round period? Did this Collingwood stars brain snap cost you the week and more? There are so many questions coming out of round 12. But let's turn our attention back to fantasy footy for a second and identify some risers in form and others who should be falling out of favour with all fantasy coaches. Let us know your thoughts on who we have down below on all of our social channels twitter, facebook, instagram, discord.
RISERS
Liam Duggan – DEF, West Coast Eagles (161 points)
It might be time to start considering Liam Duggan as top 6 defender material. Averaging 111 GDS fantasy points through 12 rounds of the 2023 season, with his best game coming most recently in round 12 against the league leading Collingwood Magpies if you don’t mind. Duggan lit up Optus Stadium for 24 kicks, 9 handballs, 13 marks and 2 tackles for a monster score of 161 GDS fantasy points against a team that is top 3 to scare again for defenders. Adam Simpson clearly loves the ball in his hands as Duggan is being trusted more and more as the season goes on to break the lines with both his speed and ball usage skills. He’s not a must-start yet… but you have to consider him.
Caleb Daniel – DEF, Western Bulldogs (160 points)
I've tried to steer clear of pretty much all Bulldogs players who aren't Tim English or Marcus Bontempelli this season but Caleb Daniel listed is a defender in GameDay Squad Aussie Rules is really starting to make a case. I was extremely put off by Adam Treloar coming back into the fray, I thought the midfield time Daniel had been getting in recent weeks would be stripped off him and with little to know time around the ball, the thought of starting him felt too risky. I was right on about half of that thought, Daniel registered zero centre-bounce-attendances for the first time in 6 rounds BUT he also scored his highest score so far this season! In a loss, Daniel torched Geelong for 21 kicks, 14 handballs, 6 marks, 5 tackles and scored a goal just for good measure which took him to 160 GDS fantasy points. This also marks Daniel's sixth triple digit score in a row! He has to be considered over the bye-period minimum.
Toby Nankervis – RUCK, Richmond Tigers (110 points)
Mid-season and we're getting some point-of-difference ruckman peak through the cracks come selection time! Last week Keiren Briggs was in this spot in the blog and this week, Richmond co-captain and big man, Toby Nankervis. Like Briggs, I know it's always going to be hard to sway from the stability of a Rowan Marshall or a Tim English player card, but when there are opportunities to sweep on one of the Sean Darcy (When fit), Toby Nankervis or Kieren Briggs types, whether it be due to injury, bye-rounds or positive matchups, then the consideration come selection time needs to be serious. Nankervis especially is putting his hand up to be a serious contender to be mentioned in the same breath! He missed time earlier in the season due to injury but you really cant knock his consistency. In his seven games so far this season, Nank the tank is averaging 118 GDS fantasy points and has failed to fall below a triple digit score so far this year. I'm not saying to drop your Tim English cards, but Briggs and Nank deserve to have some thought thrown their way, especially in a few weeks when English is on a bye.
FALLERS
Jordan De Goey – FWD, Collingwood Magpies (62 points)
This is all part of the "fun"? when owning and starting Collingwood star Jordan De Goey… He can EASILY surpass 130+ GDS fantasy points but he can also just as easily go for 70 GDS points and get suspended for up to four weeks at the same time! In what was a complete loss of any thought, De Goey left the ground to collect Elijah Hewett square across square across the jaw. So while, De Goey ruined your week 12 leaderboard ranking with just 69 GDS fantasy points, he’s also made your forward selections increasingly harder over the bye-round period.
Michael Voss – COACH, Carlton Blues (0 points)
Carlton is in the absolute pit of misery they fall to 14th on the AFL ladder off the back of five straight losses! Terrible for Carlton fans, embarrassing for Carlton’s staff and a plain annoying for fantasy owners! Specifically for those who own Sam Walsh and Sam Docherty. The Sam’s have been some of the best fantasy assets in all of fantasy football for years now, but Michael Voss walks through the door and decides to make Sam Walsh, one of the best contested ball winners in the league, a weird hybrid half-forward flanker who is only averaging 48% centre-bounce-attendances per game! Then there’s Sam Docherty, who has been one of, if not the best intercept marking, quarterback half back flankers in the league, yet Voss has turned him into a winger? Or a deep midfielder? I honestly don’t know what you call it but to me he finds himself in no man’s land more often than not. Luckily for owners it hasn’t affected their scores too badly... yet... but Docherty has definitely become less consistent and scores such as Sam Walsh’s 67 GDS fantasy points will unfortunately inevitably occur due to the randomness of his role.
Rory Laird – MID, Adelaide Crows (93 points)
Just when we all thought Rory Laird returned to somewhere near his 2022 form, coach Matthew Nicks goes back to destroying his time-on-ground percentage again! Laird was coming into this round 12 clash with the Gold Coast Suns with back-to-back scores of 151 GDS fantasy points and 143 GDS fantasy points and in what was a game where Adelaide needed their best ball winning men out on the park instead of the pine, Laird ranked 19th for TOG percentage for the Crows in the game. Unless theres something behind the scenes that makes a percentage like that feasible and understandable, it's worrying to know that level of opportunity is somehow in the world of possibilities.