Crows v Dogs DFS Showdown: English the lock, Dawson the dagger

Adelaide Oval hosts a juicy Saturday clash as the Crows look to spoil the Western Bulldogs’ run-and-gun rhythm. Expect a high-possession battle with plenty of uncontested marks, switch kicks and tackle opportunities — perfect DFS fodder.

Studs to build around - Tim English (RUC, WB): Appears in every optimal for a reason. Elite hitouts to advantage, around-the-ground marks, and midfield link-up give him a rock-solid floor with 20+ disposal upside. He’s the safest captaincy anchor on the slate. - Ed Richards (MID, WB): Projection screams ceiling. His burst from stoppage, metres gained and repeat tackles mean he scores across all columns. If the Dogs control territory, he feasts with +6 kick-mark chains. - Jordan Dawson (MID, ADE): The Crows’ metronome. Premium kick user who racks up marks on the switch, wins clearances when pushed inside, and adds tackle juice. Massive ceiling with scoreboard and set-piece involvement. - Joel Freijah (MID, WB): Volume machine on the wing/inside rotations. Works both ways for easy marks in space and a steady tackle count; perfect glue piece in balanced stacks. - Riley Thilthorpe (FWD, ADE): Adelaide’s aerial target with secondary ruck moments. Contested clunks, hitout snippets and multiple snag upside make him the priority Crow up forward.

Position-by-position quick tip - RUC: Target Tim English as your core. If fading, you’re betting on Adelaide’s talls impacting stoppages enough to mute him — a high-risk pivot. - DEF: Bulldogs half-backs are your friends. Bailey Williams offers dependable mark-kick volume; Michael Sellwood profiles as a value-style accumulator. Connor Budarick and Bailey Dale bring upside if the Dogs dominate back-half possession. - MID: Start with Dawson and Richards as your 1A/1B, then mix in Freijah for stability. Sprinkle Ryley Sanders for balanced output; Izak Rankine adds explosive pace if he sees CBAs. - FWD: Prioritise Riley Thilthorpe, pair with Taylor Walker for scoreboard correlation. Cody Weightman is your volatile spike-play in Bulldogs stacks.

Want to see how it all fits? Our Top 10 optimal DraftStars lineups for Crows v Dogs are waiting right below.