The 2022 AFL regular season has ended, and with that, so has the most challenging fantasy season in recent times. Big name injuries, covid-19 protocols and an entire positional group decimated. That didn't kill the spirits of all the fantasy coaches around the world who stuck it out for the entire season! Now that the season is over for another year, it's time to hand out some online hardware. We will be reviewing every team's fantasy season and awarding those who stood out. To kick us off we have the Greater Western Sydney Giants! Let us know your thoughts on who we have included below on all of our socials - twitter, facebook, instagram, discord.
GRADE
D- I think I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say that the Giants' 2022 season was a massive stinker. Considering the talent they have on their list, I thought going into the season that GWS could make a push for the eight. Finishing 16th on the ladder was a rude awakening to anyone who backed them going into the season, and I'm not sure it's going to get any better. Salary cap issues mean that there are a lot of big names up for grabs in the trade market, the likes of Tim Taranto already on the move to Richmond, Jacob Hopper, Bobby Hill and Tanner Bruhn are all tipped to be traded. So with a mass exodus brewing and a poor season in 2023, things could get dark out west for the Giants.
Most Valuable Player
Josh Kelly
One bloke who can hold his head high after this season is Josh Kelly. Ranking 23rd in game-by-game average league wide with 117 GDS points per game, Kelly was once again tremendous for fantasy this year. Kelly played 21 games this year and averaged 14 kicks, 12.6 handbells, 4.8 tackles and 4.4 marks a game, once again proving that he's one of the better midfielders in the game.
Performance of the Year
Harry Himmelberg
Harry Himmelberg had the biggest score for the Giants in 2022. His big day against North Melbourne in round 13 included :
25 Kicks
12 Handballs
16 Marks
2 Tackles
1 Goal
188 GDS fantasy points!
Rookie of the Year
Jacob Wehr
I thought Jacob Wehr’s debut season was quietly auspicious. Operating mostly on the wing and the half-back flank, Wehr enjoyed an average of 70 GDS fantasy points off the back of 8.7 kicks, 3.3 handballs, 3.6 marks and 3.5 tackles a game. Very handy numbers considering the talent and competition for the ball around him in his positions. Look for Wehr to build on his 70-point GDS average next year with hopefully some more opportunities.
Surprise of the Year
Stephen Coniglio
Off the back of a lacklustre season in 2021, there were a lot of people who were ready to write Stephen Coniglio off going into the season. The majority were basing that off his steep 2021 drop-off in stats and role in the team early on in pre-season and early games of the season. There was also a ton of noise surrounding his captaincy which didn’t help his case for fantasy either, it’s hard to gauge how that much media and fan attention impacts a player. But we saw what happened with the likes of Darcy Parish and Callum Mills, when you play a natural midfielder in the midfield, you’re going to reap the rewards - at the very least in fantasy. Coniglio was superb when he got moved back into the guts, he finished the year with a GDS average of 114 points per game and managed to increase his disposal average per game back up into the mid-20s. Who knows what 2023 is going to be for Coniglio with so many tipped to exit the club, there's every chance 2023 is his best season yet!
Most Improved
Harry Himmelberg
Mark Mcveigh played his best Santa Claus impersonation as he gifted us defender Harry Himmelberg in season 2022. The move down back proved fruitful for Himmelberg's fantasy scores as his game style changed from inside-50 tall target to intercepting/mark-kick defender, which as we know, is a game style that unlocks a flood of points. Obviously, as we saw in the "performance of the year" segment, his ceiling was as high as anybody's but when he played down back, his floor was high as well. The problem moving forward for Himmelberg is the ever-present possibility of him being shifted forward at any time, and how will newly appointed GWS head coach Adam Kingsly decide to play him? All will unfold soon enough but for now, we all love Harry Himmelberg.
Disappointment of the Year
Jacob Hopper
Jacob Hopper will be disappointed with his 2022 season as well. What promised to be one of the most productive and important seasons of his young career, was cruelly disrupted by a knee injury suffered in round 1. Hopper didn't return until round 18 and when he did, he failed to meet the scores many expected at the start of the 2022 season, only averaging 77 GDS fantasy points per game. Hopper is a name expected to leave GWS this off-season, where ever he is I hope he has an uninterrupted pre-season and finds his form again!
Genuinely worrying signs for the Giants going into 2023 from a performance standpoint and with so many starting 22 talent expected to leave. Hopefully, in a fantasy light, this means the likes of Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio and Harry Himmelberg can find even more footy and take their fantasy stock through the roof!
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