Catch up with the latest Official A-Leagues Fantasy talking points from the weekend, brought to you by Liberty.
Another weekend of Official A-Leagues Fantasy action is in the books, and several high-scorers caught the eye, creating the big talking points at the end of Round 8 in both the Liberty A-League and Isuzu UTE A-League.
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Consider these low-ownership fantasy prospects with massive upside
The 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season is now well and truly in business – and as the rounds roll on, players with low fantasy ownership are beginning to prove their worth.
Wanderers defender Aidan Simmons (DEF – $321k) is one of those players. In just 2.1% of teams, Simmons usurped Gabriel Cleur as the first-choice right-back under Marko Rudan last season, but lost his place to Tate Russell at the start of the new season due to injury.
A hamstring injury of his own kept the 20-year-old out until Round 6, when he returned off the bench against Brisbane Roar. Another substitute appearance against Melbourne Victory was to follow, but in Round 8 Simmons made his first start of the season, assisting Dylan Pierias’ winner in a 1-0 triumph over Adelaide United.
Three of Western Sydney’s defenders are ranked inside the top five highest-scoring defenders in fantasy this season, making Simmons a viable fantasy selection should he continue starting games from here on out.
Other low-ownership players to consider are Melbourne City’s Marin Jakoliš (FWD – $397k) who scored 21 points in Round 8’s 3-3 draw with Central Coast. Jakolis has a three-game average of 14.3 points per game, and is in less than 1% of fantasy teams after eight rounds.
His City teammate Leo Natel (FWD – $178k) is another player with tremendous fantasy upside if he hits his straps. With Mathew Leckie’s four-to-six week layoff with a hamstring injury, and the potential of Jamie Maclaren departing for the Asian Cup in January, Natel should receive ample opportunities to make his impact in the final third for City. The Brazilian winger scored 12 points in Round 8.
But perhaps the most surprising name on the list of low-ownership players to consider is Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (FWD – $411k).
The Jets striker’s price is at a premium after his seven goals in seven games, but his ownership of less than 3% is simply astonishing at this point in the season.
Stamatelopoulos is on penalties for the Jets, and sits second on the Golden Boot standings. But despite scoring 83 points this season for far, and sitting 13th on the overall points-scoring leaderboard, there are currently 27 forwards in the game with higher ownership percentage than the Newcastle spearhead in piping hot form.
Beware the Victory winger who’s ‘smiling again’ after two-game purple patch
Melbourne Victory are almost unrecognisable 2023-24 compared to last season – and you can say the same about Daniel Arzani.
An off-season signing from Macarthur FC, Arzani has made seven starts in eight games to begin the new campaign, and although he’s yet to put together a full 90-minute performance under Tony Popovic, his new coach appears to be getting close to the best out of the 24-year-old showing signs of returning to his eye-catching best.
As a result, Arzani has quickly become an enticing prospect in Official A-Leagues Fantasy.
Scores of 15 and 17 in the last two rounds are a result of his first assist and goal for Victory in the league; valued at just $285k after eight rounds, Arzani’s price is expected to climb another $68k on current form after Round 9.
Up next for Victory is a massive Melbourne Derby on Saturday night; Arzani has relished the big occasions of late, with his two best fantasy hauls coming in back-to-back games against Victory’s two other big rivals Western Sydney and Sydney FC.
After Arzani bagged his maiden league goal for his new club in a 3-0 win over the Sky Blues in Round 8, Popovic outlined what he wants to see from Arzani moving forward to unlock his full potential.
“It’s good to see him smiling again,” Popovic said.
“He’s understanding (if) he wants to get back to the levels that he was playing at some years back, he needs to be consistent, he needs to score goals, he needs to understand the team dynamic and he needs to work for the team.
“He’s working hard – he’s still (got) a long way to go. We need him to finish at that level for a whole game, but he’s definitely making progress.”
Van Egmond treats owners to massive price spike before end of guest stint
Emily van Egmond, take a bow.
The Matildas midfielder returned to Newcastle Jets and the Liberty A-League for a mere four-game guest stint, but in that time she was a force to be reckoned with.
Van Egmond scored 70 fantasy points across four games, with three individual scores above 20 points. When she arrived in Round 5, some fantasy managers elected to bring Van Egmond into their squads, predicting a major increase in her value before the end of her guest stint.
By the end of Round 8, Van Egmond was owned by 222 fantasy managers – and now they all have extra value in their budget to play with due to her $153k increase across four rounds.
Van Egmond’s 22-point total in Round 8 saw her take a spot in the Fantasy Team of the Week alongside Jets teammates Sarina Bolden and Lauren Allan.
Allan bagged a brace in a 4-2 win over Western United, with her 30-point haul the best of any player in the Liberty A-League in Round 8.
Perth Glory keeper Morgan Aquino’s 20 points came as a result of a brilliant individual performance in a 0-0 draw with Sydney FC, while three Melbourne Victory players earned a place in the strongest fantasy XI after a 2-0 win over Canberra United: goalscorer McKenzie Weinert, midfielder Alana Murphy and defender Jamilla Rankin.
Phoenix dominate Team of the Week on return to top of the table
It was yet another brilliant week for Wellington Phoenix in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
A comprehensive 3-0 win over Macarthur FC on Monday night catapulted four of Wellington’s best performers into the Fantasy Team of the Week – headlined once again by goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, who made a penalty save and kept a clean sheet on the way to accumulating 26 fantasy points.
Kosta Barbarouses scored two goals and assisted one in a 22-point fantasy showing; Bozhidar Kraev scored a goal of his own, and assisted one of Barbarouses’ goals. Tim Payne assisted the other. All three made it into the Team of the Week.
But with 39 points in Round 8, Mariners winger Ángel Torres was the standout fantasy performer of the weekend. A hat-trick scored in an entertaining 3-3 draw with Melbourne City helped the Colombian’s value skyrocket by $106k. Torres is now valued at $529k, an increase of more than $350k to his starting value this season.
