Footy's Back! Cracking the Round 1 Super Saturday DraftStars Slate

Super Saturday is here with a massive four-game slate to sink our teeth into for Round 1, 2026! We’ve got an absolute feast of footy spanning Docklands, Kardinia Park, the SCG, and the 'G, giving us contrasting styles and ground dimensions to exploit. Whether it’s contested beasts battling under the roof or intercepting defenders mopping up on the big decks, there are plenty of fantasy points just begging to be snapped up.

Our FootyBets.ai models have run the numbers, and a few clear standouts are dominating our optimal builds. Here are the core players you need to consider to climb the leaderboards:

Brodie Grundy (Sydney Swans) The Swans big man is an absolute lock, appearing in 100% of our top 10 optimal lineups. Projected for a massive 119.3 points against the Lions at the SCG, Grundy is primed to dominate the hit-outs and get to work around the ground with his elite follow-up clearance work.

Tom Stewart (Geelong Cats) Also featuring in all 10 optimal builds, Stewart (projected 88.2 pts) is the general down at Kardinia Park. When the Cats play at home, the ball lives in his hands. Expect him to rack up those lucrative +6s (kick and mark combinations) as he dictates play from half-back against Freo.

James Tunstill (Brisbane Lions) Rounding out the 100% club is Tunstill. Projected for a solid 51.1 points, he is exactly the kind of busy, pressure-heavy forward who consistently finds enough of the footy inside attacking 50 to easily hit value.

Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs) Under the fast roof at Docklands against the Giants, 'Libba' is in his element. Appearing in 8 of our top 10 lineups (projected 88.4 pts), his scoring floor is incredibly safe thanks to his appetite for contested possessions and his massive tackle counts.

Tom Atkins & Jhye Clark (Geelong Cats) The Cats' engine room is offering massive upside today. The rugged Tom Atkins (7/10 lineups, 89.4 pts) will feast on tackles and inside ball, while young gun Jhye Clark (7/10 lineups, 51.3 pts) looks set to thrive with increased midfield minutes, giving you a brilliant point-per-minute return.

Position-by-Position Quick Tips

• RUC: Don't overthink it—lock in Brodie Grundy. The model has him as the undisputed ruck king of this slate.
• DEF: Anchor your backline with elite distributors like Tom Stewart or Callum Mills, then look for value in guys who take the kick-ins or push up onto a wing.
• MID: Balance your engine room. Pair the established inside bulls like Tom Liberatore and Caleb Serong with young ball-magnets like Jhye Clark to maximize your ceiling.
• FWD: Look for reliable veterans with friendly positional status. Scott Pendlebury (now a FWD!) is popping up in 60% of our builds, offering class and composure alongside busy role-players like James Tunstill.

Ready to take down the contests? Scroll down to see the exact Top 10 optimal builds generated by our AI and get your teams sorted!