AFL Fantasy Draft: First Preseason Game Reactions
Following the launch of our AFL Fantasy Preseason News summary, the first round of AFL preseason games (better known as “unofficial match simulations”) have now wrapped up. These games have given us our first real look at how players are tracking ahead of the 2025 season. While it’s still early, we’ve seen enough to start forming opinions on who’s still primed for a big year, who’s still a wait-and-see, and who’s setting off alarm bells.
To make sense of it all, we’ve categorized players into four distinct weather patterns. Think of this as your AFL Fantasy Draft Forecast—a quick snapshot of who on the back of the first hitout are still shining, who has some clouds lingering, and who’s heading into stormy conditions.
☀️ Sun – Clear Skies Ahead
These are the players who did everything right in their first hit-out. If you were high on them coming into the preseason, nothing has changed to make you reconsider. Whether it’s a breakout contender living up to the hype or a premium gun reaffirming their dominance, these guys are looking like they are still safe picks.
Examples:
Nick Daicos (MID) – Looked as polished as ever, dominating with his elite ball use.
Max Holmes (DEF) – Got a large chunk of CBAs and was utilised a lot in transition.
⛅ Overcast with Sun – Mostly Bright, But a Few Clouds Remain
These players largely impressed, but there’s still something to keep an eye on. Whether it’s role uncertainty, fitness concerns, or just needing another solid performance in the next match, they’re not quite locked in yet.
Examples:
Tom De Koning (RUC) – Huge upside if he is the sole ruck but he played along side Pittonet in the trial game.
Dan Houston (DEF) – New club, role was there but the possessions were not. Should be fine but we want to make sure he does more in the next game.
🌧️ Overcast with Rain – Slippery Conditions Ahead
Not completely out of the picture, but the warning signs are there. These players might be carrying injury concerns, looking out of form, or finding themselves in an unfavorable role.
Examples:
Jarrod Berry (MID) – With the development of Will Ashcroft looks to be even further down the pecking order.
Mitch Hinge (DEF) – A lot more mouths to feed off half back now and will be too reliant on kick ins to boost the score.
⛈️ Storm – Stay Away, Danger Ahead
Whether it’s injury setbacks, role uncertainty, or simply a lackluster showing, these players are ones to avoid—at least for now. It’s only preseason, but early signs are pointing towards trouble.
Examples:
Will Setterfield (MID) – Just too many ahead of him in the pecking order.
Toby Greene (FWD) – We had already seen a scoring regression from Toby over the last couple of years and with even more options in the small forward brigade, he’s becoming a large avoid for our AFL Fantasy Draft lineups.
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