Opening Round is done — and with no AFL Fantasy scoring attached, it was our final chance to get a clean look at roles and usage before the real stuff begins in Round 1.

This week, we break down every Opening Round game and what actually matters for draft and keeper leagues.

Some of the big takeaways:

• Connor Budarick racks up 94 as the Bulldogs’ main distributor out of defence.
• Bailey Humphrey kicks four goals for Gold Coast, showing how damaging he can be even without heavy midfield usage.
• Joe Fonti has a big game off half-back for GWS.
• Justin McInerney explodes for 122 in the same role he finished last season in.
• Tanner Bruhn looks set for a breakout year across half-back for Geelong.
• Marcus Windhager piles on 116 playing across St Kilda’s defence.
• And Dan Houston returns to form against the Saints with a 120.

If you’re preparing for your draft, this episode breaks down the final clues before the season officially begins.

We also answer some listener questions at the end.

Become a Keeper League Podcast member:
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Pre-season 2026 is done — and the second batch of fantasy clues are on the table.

This week we break down every practice match and what matters for draft and keeper leagues heading into the season.

The big headlines:

• Tom Blamires signs as an SSP and immediately impacts across half-back for North.
• Jagga Smith gets declared 2G4P before even debuting.
• Elijah Hollands responds to his re-signing with a 100+ performance.
• Zak Johnson continues to build momentum in a half-back role at Essendon.

From there, we work through every match and every fantasy-relevant performance — midfield usage shifts, CBA trends, half-back distributors, ruck roles, wing rotations and which preseason numbers actually mean something.

Plus listener questions on keeper decisions, prospect rankings (2-year vs 5-year outlooks), waiver sleepers and ruck strategy.

If you’re preparing for draft season or looking to get ahead in your keeper league, this episode sets the table for 2026.

Become a Keeper League Podcast member:  https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze

Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/

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Practice matches are done and the first real AFL Fantasy 2026 signals are on the board.

In this episode, we break down the biggest pre-season practice match takeaways for keeper leagues, including role changes, usage shifts, and what actually matters heading into draft season.

We deep dive into Sam Flanders’ monster performance, why he already looks like a genuine 2G4P keeper-league asset, and what his role tells us about Gold Coast’s midfield mix. We also analyse Connor Macdonald’s midfield role, plus Connor Budarick’s move into a half-back distributor role and how that impacts his fantasy ceiling.

There’s also much, much more player analysis in this episode as we go through every practice match from the past week, discussing all the fantasy-relevant players, emerging roles, and performances worth paying attention to — and which ones are probably noise.

If you’re building for the future or trying to identify early keeper league stars, this is essential listening.

If you want to support the podcast and the work that goes into these episodes, becoming a member genuinely makes a huge difference.

👉 Sign up as a Keeper League Podcast member: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links:
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
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Pre-season is flying, and this week on The Keeper League Podcast we’re bringing you a full “in case you missed it” club-by-club update — breaking down all the keeper-league relevant news, role changes, injuries, and emerging opportunities across the competition.

With match sims ramping up and coaches starting to show their hand, this episode is designed to help keeper league coaches spot value early, identify role-based upside, and avoid landmines before drafts really kick into gear.

We also recap the Victoria vs Western Australia State of Origin clash from the weekend, discussing what the game told us (and didn’t tell us) from a fantasy perspective — including ruck scoring trends, shared duties, and how much weight coaches should actually put on an exhibition-style contest.

From Adelaide through to the Western Bulldogs, we touch every club, highlighting:

• Players training in new roles
• Injuries that could open doors for others
• Midfield rotations to monitor
• Half-back shifts, ruck battles, and FWD/MID usage
• Young players quietly building pre-season momentum

This episode is 100% keeper-league focused, aimed at coaches who want to stay ahead of role changes and opportunity spikes before they become obvious on draft night.

Sign up as a member here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links:
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

The pre-season rolls on, and we’re back with another episode of The Keeper League Podcast — this time diving deep into keeper rankings and dynasty draft strategy.

Joining us this week is Matty D’Sena as we unpack Heff’s Top 100 keeper league rankings and what they mean for coaches building for both immediate success and long-term upside. Keeper leagues are all about balancing scoring, age profile, role security, and future growth — and this episode is designed to help you navigate that landscape with confidence.

We break down how to interpret and apply the Top 100 rankings, where value pockets exist, and how different team builds should influence your draft decisions. Matty also shares his top dynasty rookie draft targets, highlighting the young players with the strongest mix of opportunity, talent, and long-term fantasy potential.

We cover:

• How to use keeper rankings to shape draft strategy
 • Interpreting Heff’s Top 100 for short- and long-term builds
 • Value tiers and draft philosophy in keeper formats
 • Matty’s top dynasty rookie draft targets
 • Younger players worth prioritising in long-term leagues
 • Strategy discussion around roster construction and timeline planning

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring additional dynasty rookie discussion and deeper analysis of Matty’s rankings.

This episode is focused entirely on draft and keeper leagues — not salary cap formats — helping coaches make smarter decisions today while planning for sustained success.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring extra discussion, deeper analysis, and additional strategy.

Existing members can listen here:
 https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

Sign up as a member here:
 https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links:
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

The pre-season rolls on, and we’re back with another episode of The Keeper League Podcast, this time turning our attention to AFL Fantasy forwards — all through a Keeper League lens.

In this episode, we’re joined by original co-host Kaes as our special guest, bringing his insight and experience to what’s shaping up as one of the most important positional conversations heading into 2026.

With the forward line always throwing up plenty of volatility, role changes, and breakout potential, we take a step back and look at how coaches should be thinking about forwards in draft and keeper leagues — balancing short-term scoring with long-term value, job security, and upside. We discuss what makes a forward worth investing in, how to identify the next big breakout, and where the traps might sit across the line.

We cover:

• How to assess forwards in draft and keeper leagues
• What roles and stats translate best to consistent forward scoring
• Undervalued options and potential bounce-back candidates
• Breakout forwards and younger players worth tracking
• Long-term stash options for keeper formats
• How to approach forward trades, holds, and depth/bench planning
• Listener questions round out the episode, touching on forward depth, keeper value, and how aggressive coaches should be when building out their forward line for both the short and long term.

This episode is focused entirely on draft and keeper leagues — not salary cap formats — with analysis designed to help you make smarter decisions now while keeping one eye firmly on the future.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring extra discussion, deeper analysis, and additional strategy.

Existing members can listen here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

New members can sign up here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links:
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

The pre-season rolls on, and we’re back with another episode of The Keeper League Podcast, this time turning our attention to AFL Fantasy rucks — all through a Keeper League lens.

In this episode, we’re joined by Jordan D’Sena as our special guest, bringing his insight and experience to a discussion that’s set to be one of the most important positional debates of 2026.

With new rules and interpretations coming into play, we take a step back and look at what they could mean for ruck scoring, role security, and long-term keeper value. We discuss how the changing landscape might impact different ruck profiles, whether teams move towards more flexible setups, and how fantasy coaches should be thinking about the position moving forward.

We cover:

• How upcoming rule changes could influence ruck scoring
• What to look for when assessing rucks in draft and keeper leagues
• Undervalued options and potential bounce-back candidates
• Breakout rucks and younger players worth tracking
• Long-term stash options for keeper formats
• How to approach ruck trades, holds, and handcuffs

Listener questions round out the episode, touching on ruck depth charts, keeper value, and how aggressive coaches should be when building their ruck line for both the short and long term.

This episode is focused entirely on draft and keeper leagues — not salary cap formats — with analysis designed to help you make smarter decisions now while keeping one eye firmly on the future.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring extra discussion, deeper analysis, and additional strategy.

Existing members can listen here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

New members can sign up here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

The pre-season rolls on, and we’re back with another episode The Keeper League Podcast, this time turning our attention to AFL Fantasy midfielders — all through a Keeper League lens.

In this episode, we’re joined by Damon Adams, commissioner of DT Shiva, as out special guest. He'll also give a full update on the competition as registrations open for 2026.

We break down the midfield pool for keeper and draft leagues, identifying undervalued options, breakout candidates, and long-term targets who could shape leagues over the next few seasons.

We run through:

• Undervalued midfielders who could bounce back or jump a tier in 2026
• Breakout candidates primed for increased CBAs, role changes, or opportunity
• Young midfielders and stash options worth targeting in long-term keeper formats
• How pre-season roles, injuries, and list changes impact midfield scoring
• Listener questions covering role security, keeper value, and draft strategy

Damon also gives a DT Shiva update, including:

• Registrations opening February 1
• How the competition works
• Why it’s perfect for coaches chasing a high-level draft challenge, community engagement, and strong rewards

This episode is entirely focused on draft and keeper leagues — not salary cap formats — with analysis designed to help you win both now and in the future.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring deeper midfield analysis, extra player discussions, and more draft strategy.

Existing members can listen here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

New members can sign up here:
https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links

• Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
• Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
• Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
• Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

The pre-season is officially underway, and we’re kicking things off with a deep dive into AFL Fantasy defenders — through a Keeper League lens.

In this episode of The Keeper League Podcast, we break down the defender pool for 2026, identifying undervalued options, breakout candidates, and draft targets who could shape keeper leagues over the next few seasons.

We run through:

• Undervalued defenders who could bounce back or jump a tier in 2026
• Breakout candidates primed for role changes, midfield exposure, or increased responsibility
• Young defenders and stash options worth targeting in long-term keeper formats
• How pre-season roles, injuries, and list changes impact defender scoring
• Listener questions covering role security, rule changes, and defender scoring trends

We also cover a stack of Keeper League Gold Member updates, including improvements to the Mock Draft Simulator and the new Individual Rankings Tool.

This episode is entirely focused on draft and keeper leagues, not salary cap formats — with analysis designed to help you win both now and in the future.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring deeper analysis, bonus player breakdowns and more draft discussion.

Existing members can listen here: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes

New members can sign up here: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Links
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

In this week’s show, Heff and Matty run through a full 2025 AFL Fantasy Draftee Mock Draft, going pick-for-pick through their Top 16 keeper league prospects from last week’s AFL Draft. We break down roles, scoring profiles, long-term upside and which players we would prioritise when building for the future.

We also discuss the key 2025 rule changes — including ruck restrictions, ball-in adjustments and the crackdown on shrugging and prior opportunity — and how these changes may influence fantasy scoring for the next wave of young players entering the system.

An extended version of this episode is available for Keeper League members, featuring deeper analysis, bonus player breakdowns and more draft discussion.

Existing members can listen here: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/bonus-episodes
New members can sign up here: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

You can also view every draftee’s fantasy averages, game logs, player profiles and analysis guide on our website:
 https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/

Links
Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze
Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/
Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com

In this episode, Heff is joined by Jordy as they recap the 2025 AFL free agency and trade period, analysing the fantasy implications of every player on the move. They explore how each trade affects both the departing and incoming clubs — breaking down role changes, potential opportunities, and scoring outlooks for next season. From blockbuster trades to depth moves, the duo discuss who’s primed for a fantasy bump and which players might feel the pinch after key inclusions. Tune in for all the key insights as we get set for the 2026 AFL Fantasy season.

Draftee Data: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/afl-draftee-data/

Website: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/
Membership: https://keeperleaguepod.com.au/keeper-league-membership/

Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/APjqvT22ze

Join the Keeper Fantasy platform: https://keeperfantasy.com/

Play FootyNumbers: https://footynumbers.com
Play FootyHeads: https://footyheads.com