Blues vs Tigers: DraftStars Dominators for Thursday Night Footy at the 'G

Thursday night footy is back at the MCG this Thursday, March 12, 2026, as traditional rivals Carlton and Richmond lock horns in a blockbuster clash. The Blues are primed to flex their midfield muscle, while a gritty Tigers outfit will be hungry to ambush them under the lights. It’s a mouth-watering matchup for DFS punters, and our FootyBets.ai algorithm has crunched the data to find the ultimate slate-breakers.

Here’s a look at the key players dominating our AI’s optimal builds:

Toby Nankervis (Richmond, RUC) The Richmond big man is an absolute lock, appearing in 100% of our optimal lineups. "Nank" loves the contested stuff and will feast on hit-outs, follow-up clearances, and heavy tackles around the ground to project a monster 94.6 points.

Oliver Hollands & Lachlan Cowan (Carlton, DEF) Carlton’s defensive duo are set to rack up the fantasy points off half-back. Both feature in every single optimal build, and you can expect them to link up for plenty of uncontested marks and sweeping running disposals. Hollands projects for a massive 82.9 points, with Cowan not far behind at 76.0.

Jack Ross (Richmond, FWD) Floating forward and pushing up the ground, Ross is a versatile weapon for the Tigers. Tipped to find plenty of the Sherrin, he’ll pad his stats with marks on the wing and hitting the scoreboard, making his 79.4 projected points incredibly bankable.

George Hewett (Carlton, MID) The engine room belongs to Hewett tonight. Featured in 80% of optimal builds, he is projected to top the entire slate with 95.8 points through sheer grit—winning the hard ball, racking up contested disposals, and wrapping up Tigers with a mountain of tackles.

Position-by-Position Quick Tips

• RUC: Don't overthink it—lock in Toby Nankervis. He’s the undisputed top dog for hit-outs and tackle volume on this slate.
• DEF: Stack the Blues. Oliver Hollands and Lachlan Cowan will control the tempo and mop up the cheap ball in defense.
• MID: Go heavy on Carlton's clearance kings. George Hewett, Patrick Cripps, and young ball-magnet Jagga Smith will dominate the stoppages.
• FWD: Jack Ross is your Richmond anchor, but pair him with Hudson O'Keeffe as a high-exposure Carlton option to round out your forward line.

Ready to ship the tournament? Check out the Top 10 AI-generated optimal lineups below!