Afl Fantasy Podcast With The Traders

They strike fear into Fantasy coaches across the land. The multi-bye rounds are here and they're ready to wreak havoc on our teams. This weekend we experience the first of the multi-bye rounds. The MBRs - the shortened acronym means for more time to plan or panic - is the block of three rounds when up to six teams have a rest for a week. For most head-to-head leagues, like the players, you will get a rest as match ups are on hold and will resume in round 14. Coaches playing through these or aiming to rank highly overall, will need to do their best to maximise points over this challenging time. Rules change to help coaches deal with the group of players missing. Firstly, the best 18 scores within your on field 22 count towards your weekly total. Sub on the bench players and aim to have at least 18, if not more, playing in rounds 11-13. Secondly, as a new feature this season, coaches are given an extra trades to use in each of the next three weeks. Three trades per round for the MBRs will definitely help s

It's an honour that has only been bestowed upon two before him. Being crowned a "Pig" is not at all derogatory, it is a term of endearment from Fantasy coaches for players who go above and beyond. Those who greedily feast to bring their owners huge scores. Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell joins Dane Swan and Tom Rockliff in the Sty, a section of the hall-of-fame that houses those who produce incredible Fantasy feats. The two current Pigs, Swan and Rockliff, have been household names in the community and coaches have been rewarded with monstrous scores whenever they have played. Swan has legend status as a pig. His 2012 season where he averaged 133.5, backing up from 120.9 the previous year was phenomenal. Rockliff is the king pig. He holds the record for the highest season average of 134.7 posted back in 2014. This year, he was going at 129.2 before dislocating his shoulder. Coming off his 50 disposal and 177 Fantasy point game, it was time to crown Mitchell as an official pig. We have been tracking his progress

Watching the Fantasy Pig Tom Rockliff go about his business at University of Tasmania Stadium on Saturday afternoon pleased The Traders. That was until the last three minutes of the game. 'Rocky' dislocated his shoulder after racking up an impressive 130 Fantasy points. While the results of his scans are yet to be known, it would be safe to assume he will miss this week and not out of the question that he misses the following week before the Lions' bye. Sadly it looks like he needs to be traded. The positive is that the most expensive and highest averaging player in the competition has an understudy or two. Tom Mitchell scored 132 in Launceston to take his average to 126 as his pig-like tendencies have increased since joining the Hawks. Later that evening at the MCG, Zach Merrett gathered 33 disposals and 12 tackles for 150 points. One of the 'piglets' is the best option to trade the King Pig to, but if you already have the duo, there are plenty of suitable player to bring in to help improve your side as

We are around a third of the way through the season and things start to get challenging. Yes, they may have already have been challenging so far this season with injuries, suspensions and players being managed, but there is more to come. Gold Coast and Port Adelaide face off in China as they play for premiership points for the first time outside of Australia and New Zealand. What scores can we expect from our Fantasy players in Shanghai? Will the long flight hinder the numbers of our stars? The Traders discuss the big matches in the upcoming round and delve into the numbers that each ground has dished up over the last three years. Also in this week's podcast: - Roy, Calvin and Warnie's great start to the season - The highs and lows from round seven - Fantasy news including injuries, suspensions, "Magoos news" and more - Which cash cows to milk - What to expect from the China game and trading strategy - Social media questions answered See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crows are flying, sitting at the top of the ladder at 6-0 and midfielder Rory Sloane (MID, $720,000) is leading the way as the top scoring Fantasy player in the competition. A fracture of Sloane's eye socket interrupted his pre-season limiting his ownership. Even some coaches who started with him when named in round one decided that 68 wasn't good enough and traded him out. Since then, Sloane has scored 152, 139, 143, 132 and most recently, 155. The five round average of 144.2 is a true indication of his form and less than 15,000 coaches own the most expensive player in the competition. Is Sloane a must-have? If he continues this form, then yes. A breakeven of 89 means that he isn't getting any cheaper. The Traders will discuss whether you should shell out the big bucks for Sloane or other premium players around that $700,000 mark or do you look for a fallen premium as cash is hard to come by this season. Also in this week's podcast: • The highs and lows from round four (link to Roy's Form Watch: ht

Every six rounds, the number crunchers at Champion Data work with the team at Fantasy HQ to adjust positions of players to reflect their roles in 2017. Where they line up, gather possessions and their heat maps all go into the mix to award players with dual position status ahead of round six, 12 and 18. In the first round of changes, 24 players have had a position added. Robbie Gray has regained the MID/FWD status that he has held across most of his years. Mitch Robinson and Michael Barlow are other midfielders to pick up dual positioning and could be among the best of the forwards available for the rest of the season. Popular cash cows Andy Otten and Dan Houston have added FWD and DEF status making the duo share the swingman link of DEF/FWD. This may prove to become very handy when trading around the bye rounds. Draft coaches who selected Brandon Ellis and Cameron Guthrie will have some consolation for this slow start to the year with the ability to throw them in defence. On this week's podcast, Roy, C

It was a round where things started evening out. Some of the players that exceeded expectations early on gave their coaches a reality check. One man who is consistently getting the job done for his coaches is Marc Murphy. Carlton's skipper started at $482,000 and after four rounds is now worth well over $600,000. Murphy is the highest averaging AFL Fantasy player following scores of 139, 125, 145 and 124. While there has been a fast start to the year from our premiums, Murphy is the only player to have scored more than 120 in each game. If you're in the 73 per cent of coaches who don't have him, is it too late to get him? The Traders discuss the big movers of the opening four rounds and how to get the most out of the cash cows in your team. Roy, Calvin and Warnie dissect the best trades and discuss the selection dilemmas facing Fantasy coaches ahead of round five. Also in this week's podcast: • The highs and lows from round four (link to Roy's Form Watch) • Chop's chopping block • Fantasy news including

A long term injury isn't something that any footy fan likes to see, especially Fantasy coaches. Max Gawn (RUC, $588,000) is set to spend the better part of the next three months on the sidelines following surgery on his injured hamstring. Melbourne's ruckman went down in the second quarter on 32 Fantasy points, meaning the most expensive ruckman at the start of the season dropped $46,000 in value this week. The main talking point on this week's episode of the Official AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders is what to do with the 208cm hole left in the ruck division. The 24 per cent of Fantasy Classic owners have a few choices. One is to find the cash and trade up to the in-form Brodie Grundy (RUC, $623,000), or basically straight swap him to Stefan Martin (RUC, $582,000) who is in the form that made him the top ruckman of 2015. These are simple moves, but could be get clever with the moves and make get more points out of our squad? Roy, Warnie and Calvin discuss the Max Gawn trade and help Fantasy Draft ow

TWO ROUNDS in and AFL Fantasy coaches are starting to get an idea of what's working and what's not. Cash cows are the backbone of your Fantasy Classic side. The cheap players are how you are able to generate the coin to upgrade players in your squad so you can get as many premiums in when it comes to the finals in the last four rounds of the year. If you don't think you have the best cash cows in your team at the moment, you need to make them a priority with your two trades this week. Roy, Calvin and Warnie work through the best moves to make ahead of round three. Also in this week's podcast: - The hits and misses from round two - Fantasy news including injuries, suspensions, "Magoos news", breakevens and more - Trading strategy in the early rounds - Social media questions answered - At look at "PACK 'ER UP BOYS", Trion's team that won the week - A sneak peek at Calvin's captains research See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Round one scores have been tallied, new prices calculated and we're ready to make our first trades. With the weekly price movements, we need to be smart when using our two trades. There were some very high scores this round with 62 players breaking the 100 point barrier. It's important not to just chase last week's big score as Roy, Calvin and Warnie look at the best strategy for this first week of trading on the Official AFL Fantasy Podcast. Also in this week's podcast: - Warnie's lockout experience. - What we learned from round one including the slow burning rookies. - The top team of round one, Paul Forrester's "raulup" that scored 2373 (see team below). - Your social media questions answered. - The Traders' team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a long, hard pre-season for AFL Fantasy coaches. Some who were seeking redemption from last year, like Warnie, started as soon as the 2016 season finished. While others have been quietly absorbing information over the last couple of months and are happy with where their squad sits. For quite a few, this is the week when the first virtual step is taken on the Fantasy training track. Teams need to be finalised before the first bounce on Friday night, but if you wish to have a Tiger or a Blue, then they'll need to be locked away before 7:20pm AEDT on Thursday night. The Traders guide you through every step of the way on the all-important final podcast ahead of round one. Also in this week's podcast: - The Traders' team is unpacked. - Roy discusses team structure. - The best of the sub-$250K players. - Calvin's captain tips including the loophole. - Team Vanilla - the most popular picks this year. - Warnie catches up with Russell Shore, the winner of Fantasy Classic in 2016. - Your social media q

Roy, Calvin and Warnie discuss the official Fantasy Draft game of the AFL with hints and tips for beginners to experts. Play now at http://fantasy.afl.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

...and breathe. The 27 matches of the JLT Community Series are in the can and Fantasy numbers are being crunched as we countdown to the round one lockout. The challenge of playing AFL Fantasy Classic is selecting a starting squad that will score maximum points while staying under the $11M salary cap. To be able to fit as many premium players in your squad, you need to find players who are priced below what their output will be. Pre-season matches give coaches a bit of an idea of who is under-priced based on their potential role when the real thing starts in round one. The $150K players are best suited to the bench. But if you can get away with a couple to start on your field, then they not only act as cash cows but can provide handy points both directly and indirectly. They can allow you to select more premium players, getting an edge over your opponents. Plenty of under-priced players put their hands up across the course of the JLT Series, but it's important to pick those who are likely to take that form

With all teams having played twice in the JLT Community Series, we are getting a bit of an idea of who could be in each club's best 22 for round one - including the all-important Fantasy bargains. Roy, Calvin and Warnie discuss the Fantasy hits and misses of the six games from the weekend. The boys analyse the players who are impressing as we piece together our Classic squads and who might be moving up the Draft rankings. Also in this week's podcast: - Game-by-game notes on Fantasy relevant players. - The Tom Rockliff playing forward debate. - The outcome of the Bacon Cup and AFL Media drafts. - The best sub-$250K players to select. - Social media question time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another weekend of JLT Community Series action has a few more names make their way on the Fantasy watchlist including Jack Steven (MID, $630,000) who played a blistering first half on Thursday night. The Saint went at over two Fantasy points per minute. Steven's ownership increased off the back of that performance as many coaches remembered that he was the highest averaging midfielder of 2015. Roy, Calvin and Warnie highlight some of the best performances of the weekend including potential dual position additions we may see this year. Dustin Martin (MID, $646,000) is a good chance to add FWD status while Brent Stanton (MID, $574,000) has a role that sees him playing significant minutes in the defensive 50 Register for AFL Fantasy - http://fantasy.afl.com.au Also in this week's podcast: - Game-by-game notes on Fantasy relevant players. - The changing ruck strategy including thoughts from Glenn Luff from Champion Data on the third man up rule and Fantasy. - Roy's look at the best of the swag of under-price

The first weekend of the JLT Community Series saw plenty of AFL Fantasy numbers for us to sink our teeth into. Warnie looks at who would be the top scoring players had they played a 'full' game. Although Roy says, we must #StayStrongJLT... but which players have confirmed their places in our Fantasy squads, made their way onto the watch list or may have had a line drawn through their names following the first six matches of the pre-season? Also in this week's podcast: - Game-by-game notes on Fantasy relevant players. - AFL.com.au's rookie expert Callum Twomey names his top 10 draftees to watch for your Fantasy team. - Fantasy question time from social media. - A JLT team made up of good performers from week one See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Third quarter featuring special guest, Luke Hodge. The Traders call Hawks v Cats from an AFL Fantasy perspective from University of Tasmania Stadium, Launceston. 17 February 2017. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of the JLT Community Series, committed AFL Fantasy coaches are preparing their notepads to jot down any information they can to help them select their squads. The Traders take you through what you need to look out for over the next four weeks Roy, Calvin and Warnie will be bringing you the action from the Hawks v Cats game at University of Tasmania Stadium on Friday 17 February. Tune into the live Fantasy radio call from 7:15pm AEDT streaming on AFL.com.au and via the official AFL Live app. Also in this week's podcast: - Notes from the recent intra club games and other Fantasy relevant news. - Jackson Thurlow joins the boys to chat about his pre-season and which Cats to keep an eye on for you team. - Fantasy question time from social media. - Advice to help you stay strong with all of the Fantasy relevant news floating around up until the first lockout of the season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the biggest questions this pre-season involves which ruckmen should make their way into your AFL Fantasy Classic team. Over the last few years the top two ruckmen from the previous season haven't backed it up. Will Max Gawn be the man again? Does Brodie Grundy start 2017 how he finished last year? Or do we see Stefan Martin and Todd Goldstein bounce back? Roy, Calvin and Warnie discuss different structures for your ruck line up and how best to spend your cash. Register for AFL Fantasy: http://fantasy.afl.com.au Also in this week's podcast: • Who is burning up the track and training the house down. • A look at Roy's team and his tips in selecting your squad. • Wil Wagner from The Smith Street Band discusses his Fantasy Classic team. • Fantasy question time from social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new season of AFL Fantasy launched last week and The Traders have wasted no time in getting their squads together. Roy, Calvin and Warnie are back in the studio for their weekly podcast discussing the big issues facing Fantasy Coaches ahead of the round one lockout. In the latest episode of the Official AFL Fantasy Podcast, the lads discuss their squads as they stand and what to expect in 2017. PLAY NOW: http://fantasy.afl.com.au Also in this week's podcast: New features of the game. The first cut of The Traders' Classic team. Predictions for the top scoring players in each position (see list below). Fantasy question time from social media. Starting squad strategy - guns 'n' rookies versus mid-priced players, who the bargains are of 2017, which ruckmen to select and more. Lions' midfielder Dayne Beams chats about his pre-season and Jack Ziebell shares his best buys from the Roos. MORE: http://afl.com.au/fantasy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.