FootyBets.aiFriday Night Fireworks: Cats Dominate the Double-Header Slate
Round 6 of the 2026 AFL season serves up a massive Friday night double-header for DraftStars coaches. We kick things off down at Kardinia Park where Geelong hosts the Western Bulldogs, before crossing to the SCG for a fierce Battle of the Bridge between the Swans and the Giants. Expect high-intensity footy, huge disposal counts, and a heavily Geelong-flavoured optimal build.
Our FootyBets.ai algorithm has crunched the numbers, and the Cats are heavily tipped to feast. Here are the most selected players across our optimal builds and why they’ll rack up the fantasy points:
Louis Emmett (Western Bulldogs, RUC) The young Dog has locked down the primary ruck spot in an incredible 10 out of 10 optimal lineups. Projected for a sturdy 65.3 points, Emmett’s tap-work and around-the-ground effort make him the perfect foundation for your lineup.
Tom Stewart (Geelong Cats, DEF) Death, taxes, and Tom Stewart mopping up across half-back at GMHBA Stadium. Appearing in every single optimal build, he is projected for a monster 99.8 points. Expect him to feast on intercept marks and launch countless Cats rebounds.
Max Holmes (Geelong Cats, MID) Holmes has taken the keys to the Cats' midfield and is running rampant. Projected for a slate-breaking 111.0 points, his elite tank and outside run on the narrow Kardinia deck make him the undisputed premium ceiling play for Friday night.
Connor O'Sullivan (Geelong Cats, DEF) Partnering Stewart in the defensive 50, O'Sullivan (78.0 pts) is seeing plenty of the footy and features in 90% of our optimal lineups. He provides brilliant stability with his uncontested marking game.
James Worpel (Geelong Cats, MID) Thriving in the Geelong hoops, Worpel brings the pure inside grunt. Projected for a hefty 86.9 points, he’s going to rack up his score through sheer tackle volume and contested possessions at the stoppages.
Matt Roberts (Sydney Swans, MID) Over at the SCG, Roberts (80.8 pts) is our algorithm's favourite Swan. He finds space effortlessly, links up well through the corridor, and is primed for a busy night in the Sydney Derby.
Position-by-Position Quick Tips
- RUC: Lock in Louis Emmett. He owns the projections here, but if you want a strategic pivot, Geelong's Mitchell Edwards is also heavily backed by the AI.
- DEF: Build a wall down at Kardinia. Tom Stewart and Connor O'Sullivan are your undisputed top dogs to rack up the +6s.
- MID: It’s a Cats feeding frenzy. Max Holmes is your premium anchor, while Matt Roberts offers great mid-field balance from the Sydney clash.
- FWD: Big Jezza Jeremy Cameron is primed for a bag at home, while Sydney's Jake Lloyd gives you plenty of half-back cheat-code points with that juicy forward DPP status.
Let the AI do the heavy lifting—check out FootyBets.ai’s top 10 optimal DraftStars lineups below and get ready to climb the leaderboards!