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:
Alex Neal-Bullen: With Christian Petracca facing a heavy tag and subsequently moving forward, Neale-Bullen took on 52% of CBAs, spotlighting his potential temporary boost in fantasy value due to tactical shifts.
Liam Duggan: Previously playing in defence, Duggan moved into the midfield, attending 30% of CBAs and scoring an impressive 102 points.
Jackson Mead: Mead filled in admirably for Connor Rozee in the midfield, taking 42% of the CBAs. Although his increased involvement is expected to be temporary, his performance during Rozee’s absence is noteworthy.
Fallers:
Darcy Parish: A strategic tweak in Essendon’s midfield saw Stringer taking more centre bounces, which coincided with a significant -33% drop in CBAs for Parish, adversely affecting his scoring output. This change highlights a potential shift in Essendon’s approach to their midfield dynamics.
George Hewett: Starting as a sub led to a -35% reduction in Hewett’s CBAs. However, with Adam Cerra injured again, Hewett might see an increase in his role, potentially affecting Matthew Kennedy‘s varied roles.
Shai Bolton: Bolton saw a -35% decrease in his midfield usage, as Richmond opted to push him forward, allowing Thomson Dow more time in the midfield. This strategic placement could reshape Bolton’s scoring.
Surprises:
Ed Richards: Perhaps the biggest surprise, Richards experienced an +80% rise in CBAs due to Tom Liberatore’s concussion, impacting expected increases for other midfielders like Jack Macrae, who saw reduced usage due to Richards’ return to the midfield.
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 | 90 | +8 | 87.7 | 90 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
| Jack Steele | SK | C | 100 | +15 | 86.6 | 75 | +13.4 | -11.6 |
| Lloyd Meek | HW | R | 83 | -12 | 86.2 | 86 | -3.2 | -0.2 |
| Jarrod Witts | GC | R | 90 | +5 | 85.6 | 86 | +4.4 | +0.4 |
| Tristan Xerri | NM | R | 76 | -16 | 85 | 84 | -9 | -1 |
| Max Gawn | ME | R | 72 | -16 | 84.6 | 81 | -12.6 | -3.6 |
| Toby Nankervis | RI | R | 85 | -9 | 84.3 | 86 | +0.7 | +1.7 |
| Lachie Neale | BL | C | 90 | +5 | 84 | 84 | +6 | 0 |
| Tim English | WB | R | 65 | -27 | 82.6 | 81 | -17.6 | -1.6 |
| Oscar McInerney | BL | R | 84 | -4 | 82.5 | 83 | +1.5 | +0.5 |
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
