Sunday Slate Smorgasbord: Dogs to Feast in Round 18

We have a massive Sunday triple-header on our hands for Round 18, featuring Melbourne hosting Richmond at the MCG, Brisbane welcoming Essendon to the Gabba fortress, and the Western Bulldogs taking on the West Coast Eagles under the roof at Docklands. Expect a fast-paced shootout at Marvel Stadium and heavy DFS scoring opportunities across all three fixtures. Our AI has crunched the numbers, and a few key matchups are looking absolutely ripe for the picking.

The Top Targets

• Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs | MID): "Libba" is projected for a massive 108.1 points and appears in all 10 of our optimal lineups. Against an Eagles outfit that struggles to contain inside midfielders, expect Libba to put on a contested-ball masterclass at Docklands.
• Bailey Williams (Western Bulldogs | DEF): Appearing in 10/10 lineups, Williams is a virtual lock in defence. With a projection of 94.7, his intercepting and rebound run will be on full display against a struggling West Coast forward line.
• Oliver Francou (West Coast Eagles | MID): The young Eagle is getting plenty of opportunities in the engine room. Projected for 88.6 points, he’ll have his work cut out for him but should rack up plenty of tackles and clearance numbers to comfortably hit his value.
• Noah Balta (Richmond | FWD): Balta is the go-to forward target on this slate, locked into 10/10 lineups with a projected 75.2 points. His aerial strength at the MCG against Melbourne’s backline makes him a high-floor option.
• Matthew Kennedy (Western Bulldogs | MID): Alongside Libba, Kennedy forms a brutal Bulldogs midfield stack. With a projected 108.9 points and a 70% appearance rate in our top lineups, he is primed to feast.

Position-by-Position Quick Tips

• DEF: Look no further than the Bulldogs' pairing of Bailey Williams and young gun Jedd Busslinger (projected 56.6). They offer the perfect blend of high-floor safety and salary-saving upside.
• MID: Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs) holds the highest projection of the entire slate at 115.5. If you want a slate-winning ceiling, he’s your man, while Melbourne’s Jack Steele (projected 104.2) offers great security.
• RUC: West Coast's Bailey J. Williams (projected 88.5) is the preferred choice over Essendon's Peter Wright (projected 76.8) for his superior around-the-ground mobility and hit-out dominance.
• FWD: Archie Perkins (Essendon) is a fantastic mid-forward hybrid option at the Gabba. Projected at 62.9, he has the capability to easily push past 80 if he gets on the scoreboard.

Ready to lock in your winning combinations? Scroll down to check out our AI’s top 10 optimal DraftStars lineups for this Sunday slate!