First of all, full disclaimer: I do have an affiliation deal with the Keeper platform. Almost a year ago, the creator, Ryan Power, approached me to discuss what my ideal AFL Fantasy keeper league platform would look like. Over the months that followed, we met regularly to discuss different features and tools we thought would benefit the AFL Fantasy community. This led me to want to help promote the platform because I genuinely believe it will be the best platform for keeper leagues. But even if I didn’t have an affiliation deal, I would still choose to use Keeper given the services and features it provides. Here are just a few of the reasons why I’m choosing Keeper for my league going forward.
1. Trust in the Creator and Rapid Development
I have great trust in Ryan Power’s ability to deliver the best possible product for users. Anyone who used Ryan’s old platform, Ultimate Footy, would know that his products have consistently been a clear standout for keeper leagues and draft customisation, setting the benchmark in the past. This history gave me confidence in Ryan’s ability to deliver something exceptional with Keeper. One of my frustrations with other platforms has been the slow response to bugs or issues. It’s not necessarily anyone’s fault—web development work is expensive, contracts can be rigid, and updates are often pushed into one big batch at the end of a season instead of fixing things on the fly.
Where Keeper differs is that Ryan is in complete control of the platform’s development. If there’s an issue or a feature that the community is calling for, he can implement it immediately. For example, when I first moved to Keeper, I found it tedious to import my team by individually selecting and confirming each player. I suggested adding a batch feature where users could input all their keeper selections at once and confirm them in bulk. Within 24 hours, Ryan had implemented it. Compare this to other platforms where I’ve encountered fundamental game-breaking issues that, in one instance, ruined my season in terms of overall ranking in another format. While I was given an apology, which I was grateful for, the issues ultimately remained unresolved, which impacted not just me but many other members of the AFL Fantasy community. With Keeper, you can be confident that bugs will be addressed and improvements made much more quickly.
2. Offseason Mode
One of the standout features of Keeper is its off-season mode. While other platforms are starting to introduce similar features, we don’t yet know how they will function. What makes Keeper exceptional is the ability to get started with your league administration immediately, without waiting for league mates to join.
For commissioners, one of the most frustrating tasks is waiting for all league members to sign up before beginning preseason admin. On Keeper, you can input coaches, assign players to teams, process draft pick swaps that may have been organised earlier on spreadsheets, and complete other administrative tasks well before anyone else joins. If your league is anything like mine, there are always a couple of coaches who wait until the last minute to join because it’s simply not their priority. Keeper eliminates this issue, giving commissioners complete control over the league setup.
3. A Platform Built for League Management
Keeper isn’t just an AFL Fantasy platform—it’s a comprehensive tool designed to manage every aspect of your league. The platform replaces the need for spreadsheets that track trades, rookie selections, league charters, or rule sets. Keeper consolidates everything into one place, so you no longer need to juggle multiple spreadsheets and URLs. All the information you need is at your fingertips.
4. Game-Changing Features and Settings
Keeper’s extensive range of features sets it apart. A major one for me is the tools designed to combat loopholing. There’s often a divide in leagues between coaches who prefer full lockouts so they can set their teams and relax, and the more strategic players who want to tinker throughout the weekend. The compromise has often been a Saturday lockout, but this gives teams with more Thursday and Friday players an unfair advantage.
Keeper addresses this with innovative solutions such as locking captains at the start of the round and penalising emergency loopholing. These tools help level the playing field between casual and highly committed coaches.
Other game-changing features include:
- Key position players as a selectable position.
- FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) waiver systems.
- Future season pick trading.
- Injury, Rookie and Veteran lists for extra lineup flexibility.
- Ability to customise individual player positions.
- Custom line-up settings for specific rounds, which is especially useful during bye weeks.
These features, along with many others, ensure Keeper provides a level of flexibility and control that other platforms might not offer.
In conclusion, the Keeper platform has been designed with commissioners and AFL Fantasy enthusiasts in mind. Its rapid development, off-season tools, and extensive settings make it the most user-friendly and innovative option for managing keeper leagues. As host of The Keeper League Podcast, I’m choosing Keeper as the platform for my league next season.
