G’day, folks. I’m sure the 57 weekly readers of the Stream Team are simply amped to see it’s return in 2022! 

Footy is merely days away and with drafts complete, I’ll be exploring some plug and play options for round 1 (you know, for those who drafted Hunter Clark and Rory Laird in 2 leagues about 15 hours before they got hurt). ANYWAY, there will be coaches out there who need to cover injuries – guys like Walsh, Yeo etc, and that is the purpose of today’s piece. This article may also serve to uncover some valuable waiver-wire leftovers and with the free agent pool being it’s most fruitful right now, these leftovers may even go on to become a main meal for weeks to come. So let’s look at a team of players (4-5-1-4) who are likely to have been left on the wire, but still may have some valuable for this week and perhaps beyond.  

*NOTE*

I’ll be basing my match-up analysis mostly on last year’s data and not the pre-season games, so please keep in mind that some teams will have different lists, playing styles and so forth.

DEFENDERS

Heath Chapman – the kid has shown some fantasy chops this preseason and Freo have an opening draw conducive to scoring for defenders, starting with the lowly Crows this week. In addition, their game-style appeared to be one of high possession in the back half during the AAMI series. If you’re dissatisfied with your last 1 or 2 defenders and Chapman is on your scrapheap, he’s worth a shot and could become a keeper (there’s some definite RIVER* appeal here). 

Hayden Young – *see above*

Brad Hill – scored nicely (86 AF/113 SC) in the final preseason game and should be the Saints go-to guy coming out of defense (especially with Clark out). Hill faces the Pies this week and did you know that defenders score well…. ahh fuck you. If you don’t know by now then you’re one of these ‘new listeners’ that Stevie Fizz has brainwashed me to hate. 

Tom Doedee – matches up on Freo and the Pies in the opening 2 rounds and this is a dream start for defenders. He’s shown snapshots of a fantasy ceiling and is in the Crows’ leadership group. He may just be their general down back this season. 

MIDFIELDERS

Harry Schoenberg – a rusty Matt Crouch, a questionable Jordan Dawson and an absent Rory Laird/Paul Seedsman all point to scoring for a guy like Schoenberg  – a youngster that the Crows will look to develop in the midfield this year. He has some RIVER appeal* while Laird is out and has a reasonable matchup against the Dockers this week. 

Tom Phillips – due to his label of ‘2021 salary cap (and draft) flop’, the stank on Phillips is pungent and he’s going very late in drafts, if at all. He faces the Kangas this week and with a new coach, could Phillips revert back to something close to his scoring form at Collingwood? He scored well in the last AAMI Series match, with a 93 AF and an 87 SC. 

Joel Selwood – the mid that just keeps on giving, Selwood faces a reasonably giving team in Essendon this week. He scored an SC ton on them last year (103) and was a points per minute machine in his most recent preseason game. Yeah, his glory days are a speck in the rear view mirror now, but it’s the start of the season and he’s looking as fresh as Nat Fyfe’s chin and upper lip. 

Jordan Clark – another 2021 stank-o-zoid who is going for cheap in drafts this year. He’s playing a delicious looking half-back role for his new Dockers squad and faces the Crows this week, who as stated earlier, give it up to defenders like… *insert racey joke about promiscuous individual here*. He also has RIVER appeal as I believe he’ll gain back status. 

Seb Ross – fantasy footy’s forgotten… something? I think the boys would call him a JAG. Anyway, I’d struggle to identify a more flavourless pick in drafts but the Saints are without Zak Jones and Hunter Clark (not to mention Luke Dunstan), giving Seb some short-term value. He scored okay in the AAMI series, looks to have a decent midfield role, and faces the Pies this week. He won’t go mega, but as an M7, he’s just fine. 

RUCK

Matt Flynn – it seems as though that all of the relevant ruckmen are suiting up for round one, but if you’re in, say a 14 team league, or you had the stones to go the Flynn/Preuss handcuff, then this week will have you putting those cuffs to immediate use, you kinky bastard. Flynn should have the number 1 ruck role and will score sufficiently, despite a challenging match up against Sydney and Hickey. 

FORWARDS

Josh Battle – also listed as a defender (his true position), Battle has some RIVER* appeal to start the season. The Saints seem to lack prolific, ball-winning defenders right now and Battle could be the beneficiary of that shortage. He plays the Pies this week and should score nicely on them, as the story goes. 

Dan Rioli – like battle, Rioli also has defender status and is a forward eligible player who is actually playing as a defender. He is another guy with RIVER* appeal seeing as Houli isn’t around anymore and could be Jayen Short’s right-hand man. The icing on the cake here is that the Tiges face Carlton in that round 1 fixture we all hate this week, and defenders enjoy getting the Blues. 

Jack Gunston – played 85% gametime in the final AAMI Series match and looked to be moving well. I like him as a stream against the Kangas this week as the Hawks will REALLLLYYY want to be winning this one; wins will be scarce for them in 2022. 

Jack Higgins – Zac Jones and Hunter Clark are missing this week (and more) and Higgins could see some more run in the middle because of it. He plays the rebuilding Pies this round and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Higgins bink an 80 as your F5. 

*RIVER Appeal – when a player’s flow is a little longer and stronger than a stream, meaning he may hold value for multiple weeks to come, whether it be due to a role change, injury or other. 

And there it is, 2022’s first Stream Team article and boy, do I love writing it. I just want to thank the lads at the Draft Doctors for taking me on after I drunkenly tweeted them when I became unemployed in Canada around the byes last year. Here’s to my first footy season home in 3 years!

May your streams flow golden! Ugghhh, yeah… I’ll still run with that.