Round 9 of the 2025 AFL Premiership season will get underway this Thursday night with a rare clash out west for Collingwood who will play Fremantle at Optus Stadium. The Magpies are currenlty sitting in second spot and will be looking to continue their successful start to the season and hold onto a top four spot with a tough away game. Meanwhile, Fremantle are sitting just outside the top eight and will be desparate to upset the Magpies to force their way into finals contention.
As always this is all about the daily fantasy and this massive Thursday night game draws another massive $60,000 prize pool at Draftstars in their main contest. In addition, there are a variety of alternate contests:
AFL $60,000+ Dockers vs Magpies
AFL $5,000+ Dockers vs Magpies High Roller ($150 Entry)
AFL $3,000+ Dockers vs Magpies Mini ($2 Entry)
The AFL Star contest is back again for 2025 and Draftstars are once again offering the biggest prize pool in Australian DFS history with a $1 million guaranteed final with $250,000 top prize! There are qualifiers and satellites running for every AFL match.
Betting Markets
Fremantle ($1.84) vs Collingwood ($2.00)
Points: 160.5
Line: Fremantle -1.5
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Additionally, we have a full Fremantle vs Collingwood Betting Preview where we provide our best bet for the game as well as a great value Same Game Multi!
Weather
Perth - 29 degrees and sunny. Perfect conditions.
Where to Attack?
As you would expect, Collingwood have been one of the hardest fantasy teams in the league to score against this season. They have been holding key forwards to the lowest fantasy mark in the league at 9 points per game below league average, and the second lowest fantasy points to inside midfielders at just under 6 points per game below league average. If there are any points of attack against the Magpies, it is through the backline where they are giving up slightly above average scores to attacking half backs and general defenders.
Fremantle on the other hand have been getting killed in the ruck at over 9 points per game above league average, which is the one of the highest marks in the league this season. General forwards have been ripping them apart with the Dockers giving up the third most points in the league to that role. They are also giving up above average points across the backline.
Game Script – Collingwood midfielders and forwards, Fremantle backs
VALUE PLAYS
SUB WATCH - Neil Erasmus ($8,420) has struggled to find his way in the team since being drafted, and when he has been selected, will often find himself as the sub. But with the Dockers now looking short-handed through the midfielder with Hayden Young now out with a hamstring injury and Jeager O’Meara also still out, Erasmus might get a good look in this week. If Erasmus is not the sub he will be a lock as a value play on this single game slate as he should get plenty of opportunity through the middle. He has been accumulating big numbers at the WAFL level, including back-to-back games of 28 and 30 disposals thought his first and second game this year.
Tim Membrey ($8,910) has shown upside of over 100 points this season, and with the Magpies going in a little short handed up forward, I expect him to be one of the main targets in this matchup. As mentioned above, the Dockers have been conceding point to forwards and if Collingwood get on top in this matchup, Membrey looks to be solid value on this single game slate that has limited value options.
MID PRICED PLAYS
Harry Perryman ($11,080) should look to see midfield opportunity this week with both Scott Pendlebury and Jordan De Goey out of the lineup. Through the early stages of the season when the Magpies were light on mids, they were using Perryman in around 50% of their centre bounces and this was his best patch of fantasy scoring including two 90 point games. Both Ned Long ($12,280) and Steele Sidebottom ($14,330) will also get plenty of time through the middle with this lineup and should be considered at higher price points.
PREMIUM PLAYS
Luke Ryan ($13,510) is the designated kicker for Fremantle and the backline is one area where Collingwood have been conceding above average fantasy points to the opposition this season. Ryan’s upside is in the 120-140 range and if the game script is calling for Collingwood forwards, I love playing Fremantle down back to capitalise on where the ball will be spending most of the time.
Darcy Cameron ($15,290) has been one of the top rucks in the league this season averaging 107 points per game. He is fresh off a 140 point performance against Geelong last week and now will face a ruck lineup that has been getting obliterated all season conceding the third most points in the league in the position. There is no way I can look to spend on Fremantle players who will be splitting the ruck role, so would rather will spend up on Cameron with the aim of hitting a big score in a top matchup.
Suggested Draftstars Team
