Gabba Goldmine: The Locks and Sleepers for Lions vs Bombers!

The Brisbane Lions host Essendon at the Gabba this Sunday in what promises to be a high-scoring, fantasy-friendly shootout. With both sides desperate to cement their spot in the top eight, expect a fierce contest with plenty of transition play. The fast Gabba deck is primed for high-disposal chains and plenty of scoring, making this a dream slate for daily fantasy coaches.

Our AI has crunched the numbers and identified the core players appearing in 100% of our top optimal lineups. Here is who you need to build around:

• Josh Dunkley (MID, Projected 107.7): The ultimate fantasy beast. Dunkley’s relentless tackling pressure and ability to win the contested ball inside make him a non-negotiable anchor for your midfield.
• Jarrod Berry (MID, Projected 84.2): Berry loves the Gabba. His hard-running link-up play and elite tank will see him racking up uncontested marks and transition disposals all afternoon.
• Andrew McGrath (DEF, Projected 75.6): Lock him in. McGrath’s kick-in duties and rebound out of defensive 50 offer an incredibly safe floor with high-disposal upside.
• Peter Wright (FWD, Projected 76.8) & Archie Perkins (FWD, Projected 62.9): This Essendon duo is a must-have forward stack. "2-Metre Peter" is primed to clunk marks and hit the scoreboard, while Perkins’ midfield-forward rotation offers excellent tackle and clearance upside.

Position-by-Position Quick Tips

• DEF: While Mason Redman (86.5) is a super reliable interceptor, look out for Zach Merrett (111.6) who is projected to go massive if he spends time rebounding off half-back.
• MID: Go big or go home. Lions superstar Will Ashcroft (116.1) is projected for a slate-high score, while Bombers mid Sam Durham (91.2) offers great point-scoring consistency.
• RUC: Nick Bryan (66.4) is the preferred option here, appearing in our optimal builds to help you load up on premium midfielders.
• FWD: Don't sleep on Brisbane’s Conor McKenna (63.9) for some cheeky run-and-carry points from the half-forward flank.

Ready to dominate the slate? Check out our AI’s top 10 optimal lineups below to lock in your winning formulas!