Thousands of leagues and organised commissioners are preparing for afl fantasy draft day this weekend as experts and community figures push final strategy ahead of Opening Round. The Traders — Calvin, Roy and Warnie — have issued targeted pre-draft advice while platform changes and an expanded prize pool promise a different management landscape. Updated Monday 9th March ET.
Afl Fantasy draft day: live tips and targets
Draft activity is expected to dominate the pre-season calendar as commissioners lock in dates, tweak settings and finalise invites. Harry Sheezel has been the first pick off the board in most mock drafts, while Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera holds the average draft pick of No. 1, signalling heavy early demand for elite midfield and swing options. Managers in afl fantasy leagues are being urged to run mock drafts, set pre-draft lists and consider copying an expert’s strategy to avoid early mistakes.
Late-round value is a recurring theme in the pre-draft chatter: Caleb Windsor, Murphy Reid and Elijah Hollands were flagged after notable Community Series numbers, and established scorers with improved roles such as Hayden Young and Jordan De Goey could represent bargains later in drafts. The Traders emphasise preparedness — participating in mock drafts, using a dedicated Draft Kit and locking pre-draft lists were singled out as practical measures to gain an edge.
New features and prizes reshape management
The competition returns with structural changes intended to expand flexibility for managers. The game will introduce a triple position (TPP) designation and a time-on-ground threshold to influence scoring and selection decisions. A TPP player will not lose that designation for the remainder of the season once it is granted; Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was mentioned as a candidate for TPP after splitting time between half-back and midfield last season. To qualify for expanded deployment, a player will need to meet a front-of-stick time requirement tied to the TPP rules.
The time-on-ground threshold means a player who features in less than half of game time can be superseded by an emergency with a higher score, reducing the risk that a season is derailed by a mid-game injury. The Traders highlighted potential breakout and value picks under the new regime: Jagga Smith, Colby McKercher and Sam Flanders were named as priority targets, while ruck candidates such as Lachie Blakiston and Lachie McAndrew offer low-cost upside after shifting pecking orders. The platform’s prize structure is larger this season, with more than $350, 000 in prizes on offer, increasing stakes for cash competitions and tournaments.
Bails’ reveal and community moves to watch
Post-Community Series analysis is already influencing selections. Bails has revealed his AFL Fantasy 2026 team after the Community Series, walking through each selection and outlining why players were chosen. The community push around sample teams and shared ownership means many squads will mirror a core of high-ownership names this week. Club movements also featured in pre-season calculations, with at least one mid-career move cited as likely to increase opportunity for the player involved.
Managers tracking value plays have additional names on the radar: Darcy Parish and Sam Walsh were noted as priced favourably in some pre-season assessments when healthy, and Mattaes Phillipou was mentioned as a potential low-cost inclusion given recent form and role expectations. The interplay between Community Series form, new platform mechanics and ownership trends will be under scrutiny as drafts resolve.
What’s next: drafts will unfold this weekend, teams will lock ahead of Opening Round and community content will convert into final selections; Bails’ team and the pre-season narrative will feed into Round One decisions, and the Patreon promotion winner will be announced on Monday 9th March ET. Expect lineups to shift as managers apply The Traders’ tips and test the new TPP and time-on-ground rules across early rounds of competition.
