A new Lion finally showing us what he can do in new colours? The other Port Adelaide young gun that needs to be talked about more? And is this players big name the only thing keeping him in consideration? There are so many questions coming out of round 8. 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
Josh Dunkley – FWD, Brisbane Lions (199 points)
Yes... You did read that correctly, 199 GDS fantasy points from the new Brisbane recruit in a game that Dunkley coaches were desperately crying out for! Just to exemplify the magnitude of Dunkley's Friday night score, 199 GDS fantasy points is 2023's highest score yet, and just 13 points shy of GDS highest recorded score! We know that Dunkley had a score like this in him, but it has to be said that Dunkley has been disappointing. Up until round 8, Dunkley had only mustered up a GDS per game point average of just 108, massively down on his 2022 season average of 124 GDS points per game. Disappointing up until now... And this is why you hold trust in guns like Dunkley, they find their form eventually and can win you weeks with scores such as 199! Dunkley filled the stat sheet to get to 199, recording a quadruple double with 22 kicks, 11 handballs, 11 marks and 13 tackles. He's reminded everyone of just how good he is, i'll back him to go on with this level of performance now.
Wil Powell – DEF, Gold Coast Suns (123 points)
Is 2023 the year we see Wil Powell truly breakout to be a startable player-of-difference? I mean, his game style proves he has all the tools to be a genuine fantasy stud, the ball will be in the backline for the Suns more often than not and we are now starting to see glimpses of legit fantasy scoring power. Powell’s game allows him to generate fantasy points due to his high volume kicking, as well as his overhead and intercept marking ability. We saw this first hand in round 8 as Powell tallied 18 kicks, 7 handballs, 11 marks and a tackle for a more than respectable 123 GDS fantasy points. This is third round score over 100 GDS fantasy points and with teammates Charlie Ballard and Ben Long going down with injuries in round 8, there might be no better time than now to jump on the Wil Powell train.
Zak Butters – FWD, Port Adelaide Power (131 points)
Zak Butters… every time he goes near the footy he’s going at 150km/h and I can’t help but to cringe just about every contest he’s involved in, but he’s now absolutely trending in the right direction. With low time-on-ground percentages and growing centre-bounce-attendances per game, there’s no better time to go and find yourself a Butters player card to hang on to for a very long time. Butters has his problems, he’s injury prone, just about as injury prone as you can get, but when he’s fit and firing, he’s on the same level at least as his team mate Connor Rozee and deserves to garner the same level of fantasy interest as well. Butters’ 131 GDS fantasy points in round 8 came from 16 kicks, 12 handballs, 5 marks and 6 tackles, expect him to get better as the season comes on and I’m tipping him to close the season firmly in top 6 forward discussions.
FALLERS
Isaac Cumming – DEF, Greater Western Sydney Giants (77 points)
I’ve been extremely patient with Isaac Cumming this season, I thought a 24 year old who averaged 110 GDS points per game in 2022 would go on to push for top 6 defender status, boy was I wrong… To this point in the 2023 season, Cumming is averaging just 87 GDS fantasy points in a role that barely looks to have changed. Sure, Lachie Whitefield has moved back down to defence but I hardly think it warrants the discrepancy in averages between the two seasons. To add fire to the flame, Cumming could only manage a score of 77 GDS fantasy points against a Western Bulldogs outfit the leaks more points to defenders than the titanic. Cumming has gone from fringe top 6 conversations to pretty much unstartable.
Patty Cripps – MID, Carlton Blues (80 points)
I know the magnitude of man I’m going after here but Patty Cripps cannot be started in fantasy. He’s a champion of the game and a weapon on his night but for what he gains in Brownlow votes, he loses in fantasy points. Cripps has shown some awesome fantasy scoring ability in the past but has often been up and down in his season averaging, and the same can be said for his round by round scoring as well, often boom or bust, Cripps is a guy who with 5 midfield slots to chose from, should be down your pecking order for fantasy. His season to this point has been indicative of that as well with four games comfortably over 100+ GDS points and 4 games falling below the triple digits mark. Cripps’ round 8 performance was his worst yet, scoring just 80 GDS fantasy points as Carlton fell to the Lions on Friday night. Cripps is a player that is extremely match up dependent and can win you a week or two, but just far too risky for me. Don’t be dragged in by the big name.
Brodie Grundy – RUCK, St Kilda Saints (63 points)
Brodie Grundy was immense when Max Gawn was out from rounds 3-5 where he averaging 115 GDS points per game through that period. Three games on from Gawn’s return and Grundy has averaged just 80 GDS fantasy points across the three game span. Grundy has been a fantasy superstar for such a long time but I feel now that the move to Melbourne and the partnership with fellow ruck superstar is the dagger through the heart for his fantasy stock. An elite athlete and competitor, Grundy might be able to get you out of trouble every now and then, but Grundy cannot be viewed as a consistent must starter any more. Sad times, and while the partnership looks great for Melbourne as a team, it’s killed Grundy as a fantasy asset (Unless injury occurs again).