Fantasy: 2021 Sydney Targets

With the 2021 H&A season beginning on March 18 @aflratingsPete provides a fantasy outlook for Sydney.

Each team will be previewed over the pre-season, stay tuned on @aflratings_FS for all fantasy news & updates for the 2021 season.

Fantasy podcast: @PlusSixPodcast

Coaching Tendencies/Game Style

Sydney are on the back end of a rebuild, senior coach John Longmire has been patient in recent years opting to maintain selection integrity rather than just gifting younger players games.

Josh Kennedy & Luke Parker have been a staple of the Swans midfield for some time, both were used at a high rate at centre bounces in 2020. Oliver Florent & James Rowbottom were given plenty of opportunities in the middle of the ground last season, they’ll be part of that mix again in 2021.

We should see a sprinkling of new talent in the Sydney team next season, high draft picks Logan McDonald & Braeden Campbell should see action along with Errol Gulden while Will Gould should be on the radar for a debut in 2021.

Sydney weren’t a high disposal team in 2020, the Swans were ranked 10th averaging 292.8 Disposals in the H&A season. Under Longmire Sydney do like to defend deep in their own Inside 50 often retaining possession on the exit.

The pre-season will be an interesting watch for the Swans, just who is on the radar for a debut will be key for fantasy decisions at Round 1.

Article by @aflratingsPete

Fantasy: 2021 Nth Melbourne Targets

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AFLRATINGS.com.au (@aflratings.com.au)

Follow on Twitter @aflratings_FS

Follow on Facebook AFLRATINGS

2021 Targets

Jake Lloyd DEF

Lloyd will come with a hefty price tag again to start the 2021 season & justifiably so, in 2020 he scored 80pts or more in a whopping 82.4% of games & again showed a high ceiling scoring 100pts or more in 35.3% of games.

The Sydney game style under senior coach John Longmire ranks amongst the worst in the AFL for Inside 50 Differential (2020: -7.5 Ave, Rank 17), this equates to more opportunities for Lloyd who is used at a high rate exiting defensive 50 for the Swans.

Jamming Lloyd into your Round 1 team won’t be an easy task which places more importance on your roster build, he should be a high priority to start the season with.

Pairing Lloyd with Lachie Whitfield may create some leverage over the field with many likely to opt into starting with just one.

Will Gould DEF

It was a little surprising not to see Gould debut in 2020, with no second tier competition available for AFL players in 2020 due to Covid-19 it’s likely his development was somewhat restricted to practice matches that at times had little substance in playing hubs.

With no action in 2020 the salary for Gould will begin at rock bottom, that will attract a high amount of ownership & assist in roster construction throughout the 2021 pre-season.

Gould played most of his junior career across half-back & has the ability to hit a number of important fantasy criteria in box scores, tracking his progress throughout the pre-season should be a priority.

If Gould is named Round 1 there’s not much to think about, just click & collect!

Follow AFL updates on Twitter @aflratings

Braeden Campbell MID/FWD

Selected at pick 5 in the 2020 AFL Draft Campbell is a ready made fantasy prospect, he will form part of the next generation midfield for Sydney.

Campbell is a high contested type player, he averaged 15.8 Disposals, 3.0 Marks & 7.0 Tackles in the 2019 NAB League.

As a reminder these numbers relate to a full year ahead of Campbell being drafted in 2020 (The 2020 NAB League was cancelled due to Covid-19), it is wise to visualise an increase on those numbers with expected growth & development.

The DPP status for Campbell is an added bonus for 2021, his elevated salary due to his high draft position shouldn’t be a hindrance if he is on track to debut in Round 1.

*2020 AFL season: 16 Min Qtrs