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
Sam De Koning
Sam De Koning saw a massive uptick in CBAs this week. Geelong utilized him as their number one ruck, an experiment that ultimately didn’t pan out as he was outplayed by his brother, Tom De Koning. With Toby Conway and Rhys Stanley performing well in the VFL, it’s expected that one of them will return, likely reducing Sam’s CBAs in future games.
Trent Rivers
Rivers stepped into the midfield role due to Christian Petracca’s injury. However, the midfield rotations at Melbourne are quite volatile, with players like Tom Sparrow, Christian Salem, Kysiah Pickett, and Alex Neal-Bullen all getting opportunities. Rivers’ current role might not be consistent, so while his rise is significant, it might be short-lived.
Sam Draper
Sam Draper took over as the number one ruck for Essendon with Todd Goldstein rested. This shift saw his CBAs increase by 50%, going from 8 to 22 CBAs from his last game. Draper’s increased involvement could make him a valuable pick-up, especially as he is listed as a forward. However, his future CBA involvement will depend on Essendon’s ruck setup and whether they continue to rest or rotate Goldstein.
Fallers
Zach Merrett
Zach Merrett experienced one of the most significant drops in CBAs this round. After achieving 100% CBAs in his previous game, Merrett’s involvement in the centre bounces decreased, which allowed players like Durham, Caldwell, and Perkins to get more opportunities. Despite this reduction, Merrett still managed to score well in AFL Fantasy, a testament to his versatility and impact on the game. However, it’s worth noting that this was against West Coast, which means Essendon were probably trailing things and may not be indicative of future trends.
Nat Fyfe
Nat Fyfe saw a decline in his midfield involvement, with a noticeable drop in CBAs. In contrast, Matthew Johnson received more time in the midfield. Fyfe’s reduced role in the centre bounces is a sign that the Dockers are looking to the future, and it could impact his fantasy value moving forward.
Hayden Young
Hayden Young’s CBAs fell as he was utilized more in a forward role. While this positional change didn’t negatively affect his scoring in the current game, as he contributed a few goals to the Dockers’ win, it could be concerning against tougher opposition. Young’s forward deployment might limit his midfield time, and the extra points from goals scored might not come as easily in more challenging matchups.
Surprises
Tyler Brockman
Tyler Brockman’s time in the midfield was an unexpected development this round. His increased involvement was likely a temporary measure due to Harley Reid’s suspension. We’ve seen players like Liam Ryan step into the midfield under similar circumstances. Brockman’s midfield role did not significantly enhance his performance, and it’s unlikely to be a lasting change once Reid returns.
Preview of Advanced CBA Stats:
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.
| 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
