In the constantly shifting landscape of AFL Fantasy, Centre Bounce Attendances (CBAs) emerge as a pivotal metric for assessing a player’s midfield involvement and, consequently, their impact on fantasy leagues. This past weekend’s action revealed significant shifts in CBAs, highlighting players experiencing notable increases or decreases in their involvement. Such fluctuations are crucial for AFL Fantasy coaches and football enthusiasts, signalling potential changes in roles, fitness levels, or team strategies, and providing essential insights for upcoming rounds.
Risers
Xavier O’Halloran
Xavier O’Halloran saw an uptick in CBAs, rising by 44% this round. He scored well, but this was largely due to kicking 4 goals. If he hadn’t kicked those goals, his score wouldn’t have been impressive, indicating that the midfield role had little impact on his overall fantasy performance.
Jai Culley
Jai Culley was thrown into the midfield on the back of a strong WAFL performance last week. With Harley Reid out suspended, Culley took advantage of the opportunity, seeing his CBA numbers rise significantly. This increase highlights his potential in the midfield.
Jack Macrae
Jack Macrae was utilized more at the CBAs this week, with his CBA percentage jumping by 28% in place of Ed Richards, who missed the round due to concussion. Don’t expect it to continue when Richards comes back in the side.
Fallers
Harvey Gallagher
Harvey Gallagher’s decrease in CBAs was expected with Tom Liberatore returning to the side. Gallagher’s CBA percentage dropped by 77%, reflecting his reduced role in the midfield. His fantasy value may fluctuate based on team selections.
Will Setterfield
Will Setterfield returned from injury but was used more on the wing, resulting in a 22% drop in his CBA percentage. Despite this positional change not affecting his scoring significantly, Setterfield, unfortunately, injured his knee, which could impact his availability and role moving forward.
Harry Sheezel
Harry Sheezel experienced a 49% drop in CBAs, going from 23 to 9, with Jy Simpkin returning to the lineup. Sheezel played forward more but still managed to score well. His ability to maintain a solid fantasy score despite the positional shift is a positive sign for owners.
Surprises
Kozzy Pickett
Kozzy Pickett had his highest attended game for the year in terms of CBAs, seeing a 31% rise, going from 17 to 19 CBAs. With Christian Petracca out injured, Pickett might see more midfield time. However, his fantasy scoring relies more on goals than midfield time, so his value remains tied to his forward performance.
Finlay Macrae
Finlay Macrae’s increase in CBAs didn’t significantly affect his scoring, but it’s a positive sign with a 61% rise, going from 0 to 14 CBAs. With Collingwood missing several midfielders at the moment, Macrae’s role could become more prominent, making him a player to watch. However, he should drop back when other injured players become available.
Jy Simpkin
Jy Simpkin was the third most used midfielder at CBAs for North Melbourne, delivering a monster game and a big score. His CBA percentage increased by 34%, going from 9 to 15 CBAs, which is encouraging for fantasy owners, especially since Simpkin is listed as a forward, enhancing his value with increased midfield time.
Analyse the CBAs from the weekend in our user-friendly tables in our premium resources section – featuring advanced analytical tools to better measure the most significant changes, seasonally and week-to-week.
Preview of Advanced CBA Stats:
| Player | Club | Pos | LG% | LG%vsPG% | Avg% | L3Avg% | LG%vsAvg% | L3G%vsAvg% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reilly O’Brien | AD | R | 82 | -15 | 87.5 | 87 | -5.5 | -0.5 |
| Lloyd Meek | HW | R | 95 | +16 | 86.5 | 88 | +8.5 | +1.5 |
| Jack Steele | SK | C | 85 | +46 | 85.7 | 73 | -0.7 | -12.7 |
| Tristan Xerri | NM | R | 92 | +8 | 85.6 | 89 | +6.4 | +3.4 |
| Jarrod Witts | GC | R | 90 | +5 | 85.6 | 86 | +4.4 | +0.4 |
| Max Gawn | ME | R | 88 | +4 | 85.4 | 89 | +2.6 | +3.6 |
| Toby Nankervis | RI | R | 94 | +15 | 84.2 | 87 | +9.8 | +2.8 |
| Tim English | WB | R | 92 | +7 | 83.7 | 88 | +8.3 | +4.3 |
| Lachie Neale | BL | C | 85 | +9 | 83.6 | 81 | +1.4 | -2.6 |
| Noah Anderson | GC | C | 74 | -3 | 82.6 | 84 | -8.6 | +1.4 |
View more CBA Analysis numbers here.
Key:
LG% – Percentage of CBAs last game
LG%vsPG% – Percentage of CBAs last game versus percentage of CBAs previous game
Avg% – Average of CBA percentage in games played
L3Avg% – Average of CBA percentage over the past three games
LG%vsAvg% – Last game CBA percentage vs average CBA percentage
L3G%vsAvg% – Last three games CBA percentage vs average CBA percentage
