Carlton was a big improver last season and ended up with 12 players within the top 150 AFL Fantasy scorers, which does not leave me with much to talk about in this article.
Before we start looking at players, I want to mention that Carlton heavily targeted outside runners in the off-season. They added Blake Acres from Fremantle and drafted two players who have outside games, so it will be interesting to see if these are players, they will look to use more in 2023 and if it will affect their game plan which in turn impacts their fantasy scoring.
With that in mind, here are some players that are worthy of a look for Carlton.
Take a listen to our latest podcast: Pre-season 2023: Carlton Blues with Roy from AFL Fantasy with The Traders.
The Undervalued
A few seasons ago, Zac Williams was an elite defender when it came to AFL Fantasy. Since moving to Carlton, things have not gone to plan for Williams. Over the past two seasons, he has suffered injuries that have caused him to miss large chunks of the season. He was also trialled in the midfield for Carlton which did not work out and negatively affected his fantasy scoring. Preseason reports suggest he will settle back into defence for Carlton, which is where he is best suited to play. If he can settle into the role and remain injury-free, we could see him bounce back this season.
Paddy Dow deserves to be undervalued. In fact, after fooling us all a couple of seasons ago, he is lucky to have any value at all. But given that Sam Walsh is going to miss the start of next season, there is a chance that Paddy Dow could come into the side. However, even if he does get a decent run at it, I am not convinced he has what it takes to be a fantasy scorer. I will be avoiding him.
The Breakout Contenders
A switch to defence was good for Mitch McGovern last season and we should see this continue in 2023. He missed most of last season through injury, but when he did play, he put up some handy scores playing as the interceptor across half-back. If he can stay fit, I can see him averaging 70-80 points per game, which you’d take from your last defender.
If Tom De Koning could secure the number one ruck role at Carlton, he could be one of the best AFL Fantasy rucks in the competition. However, it has been said that Carlton plans to use Marc Pittonet as the main ruckman with De Koning rotating between the midfield and forward line. Pittonet missed a lot of football last season and Carlton already has ample forward options, I still think De Koning is a chance to break out if the circumstances above do not eventuate. Even if he does continue in his current role, I think he is a good chance of being the number one ruck in future seasons, so he is a low-risk option for me.
The Stash Options
Jack Carroll showed good signs when he made his unexpected debut last season. He scored 87 in his first game of AFL, which showed promise, but was unable to back it up in the following rounds and was later dropped back to the VFL. He played up forward in the senior team, which was the reason for his poorer scores, but as a junior, he was a decent midfielder and a good AFL Fantasy scorer. If he can secure a midfield role in future seasons, he should be a decent player to have in your fantasy sides and is worth holding on to if you can get your hands on him.
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