FootyBets.aiDraftStars AFL Round 9: Riding the Orange Tsunami on Super Saturday
Super Saturday delivers a mouth-watering four-game slate for AFL Round 9. We kick off with the Suns and Saints sweating it out up in Darwin at Marrara Oval, before heading down south for North Melbourne vs Sydney under the Docklands roof, GWS hosting Essendon at Engie Stadium, and a massive prime-time blockbuster between Geelong and Collingwood at the MCG. Expect plenty of high ceilings today, especially from a Giants outfit that our models absolutely love.
Here’s a look at the heavy hitters dominating our optimal lineups this week and why they are set to rack up serious DraftStars points:
- Lachie Ash (GWS Giants): Appearing in 100% of our top lineups with a monstrous projection of 116.6 points. He’ll be given plenty of space off half-back to take uncontested marks and rack up the +6s (kick and mark) against the Dons.
- Ben Jepson (Gold Coast Suns): Also locked into every single optimal lineup. Projected for a very handy 69.7 points, Jepson offers fantastic midfield volume and work rate in the Darwin heat.
- Toby Greene (GWS Giants): The GWS skipper is an absolute must-have up forward. Projected for 101.3 points, Toby pushes up the ground to grab midfield disposals before drifting deep to hit the scoreboard.
- Noah Anderson (Gold Coast Suns): Landing in 9 of our 10 lineups, Anderson (projected 103.1) is an elite ball-winner. Expect him to dominate the clearance numbers and rack up the tackles in what should be a gritty clash against St Kilda.
- Billy Cootee (Sydney Swans): A forward-line staple today (8/10 lineups). Projected for 64.5 points, Cootee provides the forward pressure, tackling, and opportunistic goals needed to round out a winning build.
- Kieren Briggs (GWS Giants): The preferred big man on the slate, featuring in 80% of our optimal builds. He’s going to bash and crash his way to a solid 73.9 projected points through hit-outs and his trademark follow-up ground ball gets.
Position-by-Position Quick Tips
RUC: Kieren Briggs is the clear optimiser favourite for his reliable floor. However, if you want a massive ceiling pivot, don't sleep on Sydney's Brodie Grundy, who boasts a towering 105.0 point projection.
DEF: Load up on Lachie Ash as your anchor. If you want to differentiate, look toward the MCG clash—Geelong duo Max Holmes (109.3 pts) and Tom Stewart (95.3 pts) have the pedigree to absolutely fill their boots with uncontested ball.
MID: It's all about Noah Anderson at the top end, while young guns Ben Jepson and Collingwood's Angus Anderson are popping up frequently in the models to balance out your midfield combinations.
FWD: Toby Greene is non-negotiable today. Pair him with hard-working options like Billy Cootee or Brent Daniels to lock in guaranteed baseline points through tackles and inside 50s.
Check out the FootyBets.ai Top 10 optimal lineups below and get ready to dominate your Saturday slate!