Why does Luke Beverage hate fantasy football? Is it time we finally take some serious consideration into a young Suns star? Maybe you can teach an old dog (Kangaroo) new tricks? There are so many questions coming out of round 2. 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
Jack Ziebell – FWD, North Melbourne Kangaroos (133 points)
Jack Ziebell has started the season red hot in 2023, with scores of 131 GDS fantasy points in round 1 and then another tasty score of 133 in round 2 has put Ziebell straight back onto the mind of every GDS coach in the country. Ziebell, who is listed as a forward in GameDay Squad Aussie Rules has been playing a high volume kick - mark role deep in defense for North Melbourne. Clarko obviously want the ball in Zeibell’s hands, and with him being listed as a forward in GameDay Squad, he’s almost become a must-have for all squads! I suspect he’ll be a very good point-of-difference selection for the next few weeks, and if he keeps this up, he might just find a way into just about every team out there!
Brad Crouch – MID, St Kilda Saints (122 points)
Somewhat under the radar, Brad Crouch has quietly being going about his business in a very productive way! He’s averaging 113 so far this year and he could be about to go to the moon with his midfield partner Jack Steele missing the next four odd weeks with a shoulder injury sustained in round 2. So with Crouch becoming the main man in the engine room for the Saints, there’s no better time to go find your self a Crouch and stick him in your squads as a great player of difference. In four games without Steele in 2022, Crouch averaged a more than respectable 115 GDS points, he looks to be going around even better this year so I can see him averaging around the 117-122 GDS fantasy points mark easily over the next few weeks.
Matt Rowell – MID, Gold Coast Suns (110 points)
Matty Rowell isn’t everyone’s cup of tea on the GameDay Squad Footy show, but god I love him. I may be biased and I can admit he’s certainly not back to his rookie year level before injury, but it’s easy to see that Rowell is gaining confidence and he’s getting more and more stuck into the contest. His early form for 2023 is proving just that! Scores of 132 GDS fantasy points in round 1 and 110 in round 2 against a stout Essendon midfield means that Rowell is certainly in red hot early season form. The new few games for the Gold Coast Suns aren't going to get any easier facing Geelong, St Kilda and Fremantle in their next three outings. The Suns will look to lean on Rowell to do as he has done, affecting the game on both ends with his ferocious defensive and tackling ability, but to complement that, he's shown in these first couple of weeks that he's able to break away from the contest and take the odd mark like he used to and, he's starting to show glimpses of the ball winning dominance in packs and stoppages that Suns fans and Rowell owners have been crying out for since his rookie year. I am a Suns fan, but i'm also a realist, with that being said, it's starting to become really difficult to not get excited by Matty Rowell in 2023.
FALLERS
Bailey Dale – DEF, Western Bulldogs (76 points)
I’m not sure where we stand with Bailey Dale at the moment. He’s been massively underwhelming, averaging only 74 GDS fantasy points so far in season 2023 after averaging 110 GDS fantasy points in 2022 and finishing the season as the 10th ranked defender in the game. It’s not like the ball isn’t pinging around the Western Bulldogs backline either, in round 2 defenders Hayden Crozier scored 120 GDS fantasy points, along with Alex Keath and Josh Bruce scoring 98 and 96 a piece each. There is still time for Dale to turn things around and become the high volume kicking defender we saw last year, but as we stand today, he’s just too volatile a scorer to warrant any trust.
James Rowbottom– MID, Sydney Swans (68 points)
I’m getting more and more concerned with James Rowbottom’s level of scoring so far in 2023. Rowbottom took his game to another level last year in 2022, averaging 96 GDS fantasy points on the year. So far in 2023 however? A measly 81 GDS fantasy points. His centre-bounce-attendance percentage is a core concern that desperately needs some improving. Rowbottom finished 2022 averaging a percentage of almost 60% CBAs per game but in the first two rounds of 2023, we’ve only seen an average of 52 % CBAs, a number which I thought would be in the high 70's percent for Rowbottom. Rowbottom remains one of the better dynasty assets in the league, but he can’t be started while only averaging 52% CBAs and averaging just 81 GDS fantasy points per game.
Jack Macrae – MID, Western Bulldogs (82 points)
After a trademark Jack Macrae performance in round 1, Macrae then disappointed owners after spending just over 30% of the game in the Western Bulldogs forward 50! His score reflected as much as well, scoring 124 GDS fantasy points in round 1 and then miserable score of 82 GDS fantasy points in round 2. It’s obviously not Macrae’s fault that he spent so much time in the forward line, Luke Beverage however clearly hates fantasy footy. Another gripe I have with Macrae at the moment… his kick to handball ratio. Which has historically been a problem but in his round 2 matchup against St Kilda the ratio was diabolical, 18 handballs to 7 kicks and when you’re spending so much time in the forward line, that ratio becomes even more of a problem for Macrae owners. Until he decides to put it on the laces or until Beverage takes into consideration the mental health of Macrae owners, I won’t be starting him.