Dog Fight at Docklands: DraftStars Fantasy Preview for Blues vs Bulldogs

The Blues and the Bulldogs are set to lock horns under the roof at Docklands this Saturday, and it’s shaping up to be an absolute belter. Expect a fast-paced, high-disposal deck perfectly suited for massive DraftStars numbers as these two midfield-heavy units go to war.

Our FootyBets.ai simulation has run the numbers, and a few key names are emerging as absolute core plays for your builds:

• Matthew Kennedy (WB, MID): Projected for a massive 99.2 points against his old mob! Kennedy is thriving in the Dogs' engine room and will rack up the fantasy points through a high volume of contested disposals, clearances, and heavy tackles.
• Marc Pittonet (CAR, RUC): Featured in 100% of our optimal builds. Pittonet is going to eat up the hit-outs and get his hands dirty at ground level with repeat stoppage clearances and tackles.
• Nick Haynes (CAR, DEF): The intercept king is finding his groove in Navy Blue. Expect him to sit perfectly positioned across half-back, gobbling up intercept marks and rebounding with uncontested kicks to comfortably build his score.
• Joel Freijah (WB, MID): A genuine ball-magnet on the outside. Freijah (projected 87.6) will be the essential link-up man for the Dogs, farming uncontested marks and easy kicks all night.
• Nic Newman (CAR, DEF): Boasting the slate's highest projection (104.0 pts). Newman is the ultimate DraftStars weapon, guaranteed to rack up the +6s (kick and mark) as the Blues control possession in the back half.

Position-by-Position Quick Tips:

• RUC: Don't overthink it—lock in Pittonet as your solo ruckman to anchor your side with a massive floor of hit-out and tackle points.
• DEF: Target the Carlton defensive wall. Haynes, Newman, and even Jacob Weitering are prime candidates for those lucrative uncontested mark chains.
• MID: Matchup narrative! Mix the inside grunt of Kennedy and Patrick Cripps with the outside run of Freijah or Zac Williams.
• FWD: The forward line is a grit-and-grind affair, so bank on Bulldogs pressure forwards like Rhylee West or Louis Emmett to hit the scoreboard and stick crucial forward-50 tackles.

Ready to crack the prize pool? Scroll down to check out FootyBets.ai’s Top 10 optimal DraftStars lineups for this massive clash!