Round 20… The penultimate round of the home and away season in Fantasy land! Coaches will be cock-a-hoop for the most part, with some big scores from some of the biggest dawgs in the game!

As always, plenty to recap on!

20 down, 4 to go… Must be time for The Weekend That Was!

Carlton vs Collingwood

Studs

Newman (123) – Lowkey that’s three tons in the last month for Newmo! Takes his average to 92.5 which you take any day of the week.

Curnow (100) – The man can play! Granted he does have 25 goals vs Worst Coast + Norf in three games this season, however, he has gone and kicked six vs the top of the table Pies. For the sake of the fantasy community, can we petition for Carlton to play West Coast again???

Duds

Hewett (66) – A popular trade target for cash-strapped coaches noting Walsh’s absence fell well short of expectations… I get why it was a play but the fact is Hewwy isn’t featuring in the alpha squads this time of year!

Adams (50) – Wow… Adams scores vs Carlton this year: 27 and 50. Nuff said.

Cox (14) –

Big Mase counting how many kicks he had on the night…

Western Bulldogs vs GWS

Studs

English (153) – Timmeh! Nuclear stuff from the big ghost. He honestly feels like a bit of a cheat code… Basically a 4th midfielder who is genuinely extracting piss!

Whitfield (134) – Some out of this world scoring down at MARS and Whitfield joined the party with 36 touches and 9 marks! Huuuuuuuge.

Treloar (134) –

Briggs (130) – BRIGGSY! To go from BWS’ third ruck last year to the dominant #1 in the space of 12 months is a testament to his growth. Those who held will have inflatable head syndrome!

Cogs (129) – Name a more consistent footballer in 2023, I’ll wait… Another 34 and 9 tackles for consistent Cogs!

Kelly (122) – After an inconceivable 30 a couple of weeks ago, Kelly has shown that form slumps are only temporary! He has hit back nicely with a 3-round average of 108. That’s up there!

Duds

Bont (86) – Wow that was weird… In such a high scoring fantasy game you’d have thought the Bont would be pushing 130+! Genuine anomaly as we know Bont and stud are synonymous!

Himmelberg (62) – Okay, so we knew with this selection it was never going to net us top-6 kinda scoring but Harry, it was an absolute points fest out there! Even with a few kick-ins only managed a measly 62…

Daniel (39) – He has two scores<50 in the past five years… 20 and 39 both at Ballarat! Yeah, just let that sink in.

Geelong vs Freo

Studs

Bray (122) – Legend. Probably rivals Cogs as the most consistent player in the game – so durable and you just know what you’re going to get!

Stew (112) – Let’s just say… Thank f*ck clangers and kicking into the man on the mark aren’t negative points! Stewwy had his share of mares but all we see is +3 – happy days!

Ryan (112) – With great respect to Ryano, he doesn’t look like much of an athlete. What he may not have in physique he makes up for in footy smarts and elite positioning. The kinda guy you’d want to take the field with!

Duds

Sonny (22) – Probably a better sub than starting player if that makes sense.

Q Clash

Studs

Dunkley (137) – Oh my days Josh Dunkley! I sincerely hope you tried to get him back in… High breakevens about as relevant a West Coast as a football club rn.

McCluggage (115) – Hugh and class have always fitted in the same sentence but it has been his wishy-washy role that has put fantasy coaches off… He has four tons in his past five games and may be under-priced!

Ando (110) –

Ned Flanders (103) – You know what they say – it pays to keep an eye on players roles! Flanders was again in the guts and getting his hands dirty with 32 touches and 7 marks!

Duds

Zorko (84) – Can’t be accusing blokes of snatching at your nurries when there aren’t any there to begin with.

Neale (60) – For an ‘uber premo’ far out he does this more often than he should! A third of his scores are below 80, a third! Lift Lachie!

Essendon vs Sydney

Studs

Errol (142) – Gulden child. In what world would you pass up on a genius like this guy?! Gives me shades of the Sicily bus last year that of course I was not on!

Merrett (140) – Massive in a losing cause. Merrett really has elevated again in 2023 and his balance of inside vs outside is second to none!

Lloyd (127) – Llllllooooyd! Never. In. Doubt. Particularly down @ Marvel in the pristine conditions under the roof!

Duds

Beta Martin (67) – Classic. Just when yours truly gives him a pump up, he goes and has his worst score @ Marvel this season. Like clockwork!

Mills (58) –

Parker (52) – I mean, a champion of the game but when it comes to The Weekend That Was we take no prisoners! Worst score of the season for L.Parker.

Crom vs Port Adelaide

Studs

Dawson (134) – Hahaha honestly how funny is it that we have Daws available as a defender?! It’s a legit hack! He has played midfield since R3 and is a genuine beast!

Tex (131) – The renaissance continues! Incredible to think that the masses had retired Tex three years ago, only for him to pull out some of his best in the past three seasons. IF Tex is within striking distance of the Coleman in R24, THEN lock him in they have West Coast!

Laird (115) – Holders rejoice. Desk Pig picking up right where he left off with 26 touches and 13 tackles showing that he was over any soreness from the week prior!

Duds

Butters (83) – Gee you are an annoying little man, Zak. 32 touches for 83 points?! Four FA’s didn’t help either but he now has to be on the chopping block based purely on form!

Keays (62) –

Hawthorn vs St Kilda

Studs

Crouch (133) – Boom! 13 touches and 2 goals in Q1 and didn’t slow down from there to finish with 32 disposals and 3 goals. Man can ceiling!

Nas (125) – Shock me. Nas enjoying the pristine conditions under the roof at Marvel! What a season he is putting together – he’d have to be putting his hand up as one of the league’s most improved for season 2023!

Day (119) – Speaking of improved! Despite an earlier suspension, Day has been awesome starting as a mid pricer that many got on when Yeo was ruled out early. He seemed to be splitting his time again midfield and behind the ball – music to coaches ears!

Steele (116) – Getting back to his big tackling best, adding 48 points in hugs alone on the afternoon! Legend.

Ro (114) – Set ‘n’ forget. Enough said!

Duds

Dyl Moore (78) – I have no doubt this bloke could average triple figures but the fact is his role stinks! Simples.

Melbourne vs Richmond

Studs

Gawn (131) – He’s just the numero uno – it’s that simple. Max has gone bonkers of late with a three round average of 136 to be one of the form players of the competition!

Petracca (118) – Make that nine tons on the trot for C.Petracca! Imagine if he could kick ’em straight in front of the big sticks.

Duds

Taranto (77) – After a nuclear start to season 2023, Timmy has slowly started to make his way back to the peleton with a five round average of 96! Now I’m not saying go and trade him, but he probably isn’t as essential for the six coaches that don’t own him.

Cotchin (38) – Been one of the Tiges greatest, but it may just be time to call time, Cotch.

West Coast Eagles vs Norf

Studs

LDU (120) – Gun. Vindicating why he has been one of the most traded in players over the past fortnight! Norf’s midfield is primed for him to cement himself as the biggest dawg.

Sheed (110) – Yeah so he really shouldn’t still be in anyone’s team… If he somehow still resides in your team please proceed to nearest Newsagency and enter the Powerball for this week!

Duds

Witherden (48) –

Chesser (31) – So the guy averages about 42 so he’s the closest thing to a perpetual fantasy dud that you’ll see! Thank f*ck he is at the Eagles!

The Juggernaut Review

2537.

‘Peaking at the right time’ has a nice ring to it but suffice to say that would be an early crow, something I have been all too familiar with over the past two seasons since the birth of Fantasy Fanatic, only to get burnt badly! Got the 3/3 dubs in leagues, allowing me to scrape in to the eight in one of those by a bee’s dick!

So finals time is finally upon us! Four weeks that will lead to pure elation for a select few, and misery for the others wondering what coulda, woulda, shoulda been.

With only eight trades and four weeks to play with, this is the time of season where coaches can get creative with their trading strategy. The general conundrum is – will I try and nullify one of my opponents guns or go after someone who I think will go off due to matchup, venue history, etc.? You can throw consistency out the window now as the focus shifts to maximising points from here on in. For example, I have one eye on Crom’s R24 matchup with West Coast given the Texan is in contention for the Coleman! Whether I am in any grand finals or not is another thing…

So how did we all go in round 20? Flex your score in the comments below!

Best of luck next week legends!

Yours in Fantasy,

Fantasy fanatic #70