FootyBets.aiSaturday Super Slate: Unpacking Round 1's DraftStars Goldmines
Footy is back, and so is the daily fantasy grind! This Saturday's two-game Round 1 slate features the Giants hosting Hawthorn at Engie Stadium, followed by a heavyweight midfield battle as the Lions take on the Western Bulldogs under the Gabba lights. With only two fixtures to pick from, nailing your core combinations is absolutely vital to soaring up the DraftStars leaderboards.
Our FootyBets.ai model has run the numbers, and a clear core of must-have players has emerged across our top 10 optimal lineups. Here are the blokes the AI is backing to rack up the fantasy points:
Will Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions, MID) - 10/10 lineups The young Lions ball-magnet is an absolute lock. Fully unleashed in the Brisbane engine room, his ability to accumulate touches on the inside and outside gives him an incredibly safe floor and a massive ceiling.
Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs, MID) - 10/10 lineups Death, taxes, and Libba at the bottom of the pack. The veteran Dog thrives in contested, high-pressure games. Expect him to pad his score with a mountain of tackles and clearances against the Brisbane midfield.
Phoenix Gothard (GWS Giants, FWD) - 10/10 lineups The young Giant is a unanimous AI favourite. He brings electric forward pressure, meaning he doesn't just rely on goals to score—tackles inside 50 will quickly tick his tally over.
Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane Lions, MID) - 9/10 lineups Pairing him with Ashcroft is a masterstroke. McCluggage gets on the end of the handball chains and loves finding space on the wing, leading to plenty of uncontested marks and inside-50 entries.
Darcy Fort (Brisbane Lions, RUC) - 8/10 lineups Taking charge of the ruck duties for the Lions, Fort is heavily favoured by our model. He’s set to score consistently through sheer volume of hit-outs and around-the-ground contest work.
Michael Sellwood (Western Bulldogs, DEF) - 8/10 lineups A crucial piece for your backline. Sellwood is primed to mop up across half-back, providing plenty of those sweet +6 kick-mark combos as the Dogs look to rebound out of defensive 50.
Positional Quick Tips
- RUC: Darcy Fort is the optimal volume play, but if you want to pivot for a massive ceiling, Tim English is a proven DraftStars monster.
- DEF: Lock in Michael Sellwood for consistent rebounds, and look to veteran Dayne Zorko if you want a premium distributor off half-back.
- MID: It's all about the Gabba clash. Stack Ashcroft and Liberatore as your anchors, then sprinkle in Marcus Bontempelli or Ed Richards for game-breaking upside.
- FWD: Phoenix Gothard is your essential building block. Pair him with Jake Riccardi, who can clunk a few grabs and hit the scoreboard for the Giants.
Ready to dominate Saturday footy? Check out the FootyBets.ai Top 10 optimal lineups below and lock 'em in!