The number #1 ranked fantasy ruckman in the making? A 2022 giant fantasy asset coming back into form? What to make of a young Sydney stars 2023 performances? There are so many questions coming out of round 13. But let's turn our attention back to fantasy footy for a second and identify some risers in form and others who should be falling out of favour with all fantasy coaches. Let us know your thoughts on who we have down below on all of our social channels twitter, facebook, instagram, discord.
RISERS
Luke Jackson – FWD, Fremantle Dockers (131 points)
We have been harping on all year about Luke Jackson, his talent and how well he’ll be able to score when he has a sole ruck job for Freo, in round 13 we got our first look at what it might look like with Jackson playing in that role and boy oh boy, what a performance it was! 23 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles and 33 hit outs on the night took him to a colossal score of 131 GDS fantasy points! We know he has these games in him, all he needs is the opportunity to match his talent. Sean Darcy has been in the news as rumours start to swirl around his future at Freo, if Jackson trike does finally become a sole ruckman, he’ll be a card everyone will want to have on hand.
Taylor Walker – FWD, Adelaide Crows (204 points)
Not one but two Tex Walker bags for our Saturday afternoons! Tex was everything in Adelaide’s trouncing of potentially the worst defences we have ever seen on paper. West Coast have been brought to their knees by injuries and those coaches out there who saw the writing in the walk will be stoked with Tex kicking 10 goals (!) while tallying up 18 kicks, 3 handballs, 11 marks, 2 tackles and even 5 hit outs to take home to a monstrous 204 GDS fantasy points! Tex is a playing that might not be a week to week starter in fantasy but he does obviously have high volume goal scoring ability, in plus match ups he needs to come into consideration!
Harry Himmelberg – Forward, Greater Western Sydney Giants (95 points)
Harry Himmelberg is a fully fledged buy option as of right now! For those who wanted to wait and see if the defender role he's been deployed as is legit, (HIM)melberg spent 77% of his time-on-ground in the defensive half for the Giants in round 13, his third game on the trot where he's spent drastically more time in defence than anywhere else. If that's not enough to get coaches excited, here are GWS coach Adam Kingsley's post-game thoughts; "We trialed him in the first 10-11 games as a forward. But I think his best position is half-back... He's going to be really special back for us for a long period of time." I mean, it doesn't get more conclusive than that! Himmelberg averaged 96 GDS fantasy points in 2022, a season where he was deployed *mostly* as a defender, he's a genuine sleeping Giant and a definite trade target for when he returns after his round 14 bye.
FALLERS
Tim English – Ruck, Western Bulldogs (86 points)
Number one ranked ruckman and second highest averaging scorer in GDS Aussie Rules coming into round 13 Tim English absolutely stunk up Marvel Stadium as Scott Lycett of all people were able to stifle one of the biggest weapons in the league! For the very first time this season English walked away without triple digits! Finishing the game with just 86 GDS fantasy points after scoring a goal and tallying up 5 kicks, 12 handballs, 4 marks, 1 tackles and just 20 hit outs. English owners will and should be extremely frustrated when you take into consideration Port Adelaide give up the most points to ruckman, everything was pointing to English dominating but nonetheless, English flopped and the English vs Marshall debate
James Rowbottom – MID, Sydney Swans (87 points)
Coming into round 13 the name I was most keen on watching was young Sydney stud James Rowbottom. With Luke Parker suspended and Callum Mills still recovering from injury, I though Rowbottom was set for a performance that would remind us of his 2022 form. Rowbottom's opportunity did increase, he spent more time in the midfield and spent a good 77% of time-on-ground. He was also faces the team that gives up the second most amount of points to midfielders to this point in the season. Everything was pointing to a large Rowbottom game but all he could muster up was a measly 87 GDS fantasy points. It's hard to figure out what's going on with James Rowbottom but one thing is for sure... he has the talent to turn his form around.
Alex Witherden – DEF, West Coast Eagles (60 points)
Similar to James Rowbottom here, Alex Witherden had every chance to put up a banger score in round 13 and fell flat on his snout! No Liam Duggan, no Shannon Hurn, no Tom Barrass, no Jamaine Jones, no Jeremy McGovern and Witherden could only scrape up 60 GDS fantasy points... I mean I know they got towelled up by 120 points but one thing is for sure, the footy was down his way! This is exactly the problem with Witherden, we know he can score really well for fantasy when he's selected and fit, he show's us a couple of games where he goes for 130+ but then these games of 60's and 70's creep in and you lose all the faith. He's still a watch because of his scoring power but the trust isn't there.