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:
Marlion Pickett was the standout riser this week with a substantial 71% increase in centre bounce attendances (CBAs). The Richmond midfield has been dealing with numerous injuries, prompting them to experiment with various combinations. The introduction Adam Yze and him trying to work out his team as the coach has likely contributed to these trial tactics as well.
Jack Petruccelli experienced a significant uptick in CBAs, stepping into the role usually filled by the absent Harley Reid. However, this change might be temporary, so monitoring the situation next week is crucial to determine if it represents a more permanent shift.
Kozzy Pickett also saw an increase, with an additional 5 centre bounce attendances. Nonetheless, it was his forward craft and goal-kicking that truly enhanced his fantasy score this week, more so than his midfield work.
Fallers:
Izak Rankine’s role shifted significantly, seeing less time in the midfield and more as a forward. This adjustment coincides with the return of Matt Crouch and Jordan Dawson’s consistent usage at the centre bounces in previous weeks, which likely influenced the redistribution of midfield duties.
Trent Rivers returned to the halfback line following a temporary midfield stint due to Christian Salem’s injury, although he still managed to capitalize on Salem’s absence in defence for additional fantasy points.
Will Day experienced a decrease in his centre bounce attendance numbers compared to his last game due to returning from injury with a managed workload to ensure he remained unscathed.
Surprises:
Jake Stringer’s increased involvement in the midfield came as a surprise, and his effectiveness against Collingwood suggests we might see him there more often, which could enhance his fantasy value given his forward classification. As a result, Jye Caldwell’s reduced midfield time, resulting in a 40% drop in CBAs, was unexpected given his recent strong performances. This may be a matchup-based strategy, requiring close monitoring to see if it’s a temporary or long-term adjustment.
Additionally, North Melbourne’s midfield configuration this week was particularly surprising. Jy Simpkin received a significant 54% of the centre bounces, and Paul Curtis got 26%, both overshadowing Tom Powell, who was limited to just 14% of CBAs. Given Powell’s previous effectiveness in the midfield, this shift appears to be part of an experimental approach by North Melbourne. It seems unlikely to continue, and hopefully the Kangaroos will revert to leveraging Powell’s proven capabilities in future games.
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Crisp | CW | B,C | 81 | +2 | 40.5 | 76 | +40.5 | +35.5 |
| Jarrod Berry | BL | C | 64 | +17 | 14.6 | 49 | +49.4 | +34.4 |
| Jack Sinclair | SK | B | 24 | -44 | 26.1 | 55 | -2.1 | +28.9 |
| Harry Sheezel | NM | B | 50 | +21 | 14.1 | 41 | +35.9 | +26.9 |
| Ed Richards | WB | B | 88 | -5 | 40.2 | 65 | +47.8 | +24.8 |
| Liam Baker | RI | B,F | 79 | +31 | 38.1 | 62 | +40.9 | +23.9 |
| Jake Stringer | ES | F | 71 | +15 | 28.3 | 51 | +42.7 | +22.7 |
| Jack Ross | RI | C | 52 | +4 | 30.4 | 51 | +21.6 | +20.6 |
| Scott Pendlebury | CW | C | 93 | +14 | 62.6 | 82 | +30.4 | +19.4 |
| Nick Daicos | CW | B,C | 85 | -3 | 68.7 | 87 | +16.3 | +18.3 |
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
