Friday Night Lights at the MCG: Dees vs Cats DraftStars Blueprint

Friday night footy returns to the home of football as Melbourne takes on Geelong in a high-stakes blockbuster at the MCG. Expect a fierce battle in the trenches with massive fantasy upside across both sides. Our FootyBets.ai cruncher has crunched the numbers to reveal the key targets for your DraftStars lineups.

Key Players to Lock In

• Jack Steele (MELB, MID - Projected 100.0 pts): Featured in 10/10 optimal builds, Steele is an absolute tackling machine. His relentless inside contest work and high disposal floor make him a non-negotiable core piece.
• Oliver Dempsey (GEEL, MID - Projected 87.7 pts): Another staple appearing in every single top model, Dempsey provides crucial outside run, linking up inside-50 entries with marks and score involvements.
• Max Gawn (MELB, RUC - Projected 107.9 pts): Big Maxy commands the airwaves. Dominating hitouts and floating back for uncontested intercept marks, he boasts one of the highest floor-ceiling combos on the slate.
• Jake Bowey (MELB, DEF - Projected 100.9 pts): Bowey is primed to rack up massive kick-in and rebound-50 stats out of defence, pushing well past the century mark in 80% of our top lineups.
• Jay Polkinghorne (GEEL, FWD - Projected 61.9 pts): Appearing in 9/10 builds, Polkinghorne provides essential forward-half pressure, tackling work, and goal-scoring punch.

Quick Position Tips

• RUC: Max Gawn – The undisputed king of the ruck; a total set-and-forget anchor.
• DEF: Jake Bowey & Trent Rivers – Double up on Melbourne’s high-volume rebounders to farm easy kick and mark stats.
• MID: Jack Steele & Oliver Dempsey – The perfect blend of hard-nosed clearance work and high-energy wing play.
• FWD: Jay Polkinghorne & Jhye Clark – Reliable Geelong options who lock down the notoriously tricky forward slots in almost every top combination.

Scroll down to explore the AI's Top 10 optimal lineups and build your winning DraftStars entry tonight!