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Geelong failed to qualify for the finals series last year for the first time since 2006. It was a disappointing season for the club which saw less highs than it’s used to. There were a few players who could hold their heads up high come seasons end; Carji Greeves medalist Mark Blicavs was one of them. He will again provide excellent value for AFL Fantasy coaches as a dual position player.

Premium

Mark Blicavs was a revelation in 2015, so much so that he took out Geelong’s best and fairest award. He shouldered the bulk of the ruck load last season as fellow ruckmen Dawson Simpson and Rhys Stanley had injury-interrupted years. When he wasn’t contesting the bounce, he was hoping to shark a clearance; At times, Blicavs played as a genuine midfielder.

The 24 year old had a breakout season in 2015, lifting his AFL Fantasy average a massive 35 points to just above 97, second only to Joel Selwood at Geelong. This year however his role is likely to once again change.

The Geelong coaching staff faces an interesting conundrum. Blicavs, Zac Smith, Nathan Vardy and a fully fit Rhys Stanley could all put forward a case to be the number one ruckman.

While Blicavs is unlikely to see any less game time, he will spend less time competing in the ruck. However, his AFL Fantasy scoring potential is unlikely to change. Where he doesn’t get hit-outs, he racks up tackles and possessions. Expect another 95-point year from the big man. That and his DPP eligibility make his $539,000 price tag a lot more achievable.

Mid-Priced

Rhys Stanley played only eight games for Geelong in 2015, but needed only one to convince the club that they’d made the right decision in recruiting him. That game was his last for the Cats last season after injuring his foot during the match.

Prior to the injury, Stanley showed an innate ability to work with fellow athletic ruckman Mark Blicavs and was on track for a career-best game. In AFL Fantasy terms it was close as well. If 17 disposals, 24 hit-outs and two goals weren’t enough to whet the appetite of Geelong fans, his goal in the opening quarter, after roving a Mark Blicavs tap, was.

The 25-year-old is a genuine mid-priced option in AFL Fantasy this year, priced at $351,000 and a handy DPP but coaches will need to track his pre-season carefully, after he started in Geelong’s rehab group. If fully fit, Stanley will spend time all over the ground. He is a more than capable wingman, a handy mobile forward and spent time in defence while on St Kilda’s list. He’s certainly another mobile ruckman who can tally possessions well.

Rookie

Zac Bates is entering his third year as a Geelong rookie and needs to make a mark if he wants to earn himself a promotion to the senior list at year’s end. However, he’s likely to get an opportunity to do just that. The Cats have scope to promote two rookie-listed players prior to the beginning of the season and Bates could well be one of them.

Chris Scott has a wonderful philosophy of blooding young players each year, giving them the opportunity to develop and impress at the senior level. Zac Bates could well be the beneficiary of this philosophy in 2016 and he’ll be lively doing so.

After an injury plagued start to his career, the 20 year old was busy in his 12 VFL games for Geelong in 2015, kicking nine goals. Bates is priced at a bargain basement $125,000 this year and although he may play senior football in 2015, he’s unlikely to get an extended run at it.

Breakout

Steve Motlop is hardly a young kid looking to establish himself in an AFL side, but he is primed to break into the elite category this year. Over the past three years, Motlop has lifted his AFL Fantasy average to just a tick under 90 and we foresee him pushing that up towards 100 in 2016.

Consistency hasn’t been Motlop’s strong suit in recent years. He has struggled for fitness and to stay relevant throughout the game, but boy can he turn it on. His pace is excellent, his goal sense incredible and his ability to hit targets off the outside of his right boot is reminiscent of Steve Johnson.

Geelong recruited well during the trade and free agency period and the Cats now have real depth in the midfield. Patrick Dangerfield and Scott Selwood join that group, as does George Horlin-Smith who had an injury-interrupted 2015. As a result, Motlop is likely to spend more time forward of the ball; No doubt Cats fans will see more than 26 goals come off his boot this season.

The live-wire forward is priced just shy of premium, at $496,000 so you’ll have to be sure.

Value

It’s not often you’ll see Jimmy Bartel providing real value for your AFL Fantasy buck. Let’s face it; he’s been too good and too consistent, for too long to be priced anywhere near as enticing as he will start season 2016 at.

Bartel played just eleven games for Geelong in 2015. After injuring his knee in Round 3 against Gold Coast, he required surgery and didn’t return until Round 15. He’s priced at an average of 89.2 (the first time in 10 years it has dropped below 90) but if you take out his injury-affected game, the veteran averaged over 97 in his 10 full games last year.

We can expect a now fully fit Bartel to come out swinging this year, not only in response to an interrupted 2015, but to prove the Geelong doubters wrong. Failing to make the finals for the first time since 2006 hurt Bartel. He’ll be back with a point to prove in 2016 and if his record is anything to go by, it’ll be big.

Where he’ll play is a different story altogether. Bartel is a genuine jack-of-all-trades, and although he starts the AFL Fantasy season as a DEF/MID dual position player, he’s unlikely to fill just the two roles for Geelong. 26 disposals and 109 AFL Fantasy points in Geelong’s final game of the season proves there’s still sting in his tail.