The 2026 AFL Finals Series reaches the Preliminary Final stage this Friday night at the SCG as Sydney host Fremantle in a genuine battle between the top two teams of the home-and-away season. Draftstars are offering $70,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
This will be one of the most anticipated games of the AFL finals series and the storylines are extraordinary. Sydney are on a fairytale September run that nobody could have scripted. After a late season scandal saw five players suspended for the remainder of the year, the football world wrote them off — and yet here they are, two wins away from a premiership. They won their qualifying final convincingly and have momentum, belief and the fortress of the SCG behind them on Friday night. The manner in which this group has responded to adversity has been one of the great stories of 2026 and their fans will be willing them home.
Fremantle, by contrast, enter this game through the back door — the minor premiers who were stunned by Hawthorn in the first week of finals, survived a tense semi-final against Geelong at Optus, and now face the daunting prospect of beating Sydney at the SCG. Despite all of that, the bookies have them as 10.5-point favourites at $1.56 — a market that reflects the Dockers’ talent and depth even after the road they’ve travelled. The selection news shapes the fantasy landscape. Sydney welcome back Justin McInerney who provides a massive boost to the midfield rotation, and Lewis Melican returns in defence to fill the void left by the injured Callum Mills and Harry Cunningham. Fremantle go in completely unchanged, which tells you everything about their confidence heading into the biggest game of their season.
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- AFL $70,000+ Swans vs Dockers Final at Draftstars
- AFL $5,000+ Swans vs Dockers Final High Roller ($150 Entry) at Draftstars
- AFL $3,000+ Swans vs Dockers Final Mini ($2 Entry) at Draftstars
- AFL $2,000+ Swans vs Dockers Final Micro (50c Entry) at Draftstars
If you’re new to the Daily Fantasy Sports scene and want to join in on the fun, simply join Draftstars via this link!
AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Preliminary Final – Sydney vs Fremantle
AFL Fantasy Swans vs Dockers – Where to Attack?
This is one of the most complex slates of the finals series from a matchup perspective, and you need to understand the data clearly before you start building. Both teams run elite defensive systems and neither gives up easy points. But there are clear avenues and some very loud alarms to heed.
The loudest alarm is the ruck position — and it affects both primary ruckmen simultaneously. Fremantle have been giving up nearly 14 points below league average to rucks — the most restrictive ruck matchup in the entire competition. On the flip side, Sydney is also no easy beat in the ruck giving up over 7 points. Luke Jackson and Brodie Grundy… two of the top three rucks in the competition this season, will go head to head and your decision at the selection table will likely make or break your team.
The clearest attacking avenue on this slate is through Sydney’s half-back corridor. The Swans have been giving up 5.42 points above average to wings and attacking half backs — their most significant positional concession. In addition, they are also giving up above average scores to designated kickers and general defenders. So on the SCG, if the Swans get on top in the game you can expect the ball to be pinned down in Fremantle’s back line and this will be the perefect stack opportunity from a fantasy perspective. On the flip side of this, Fremantle typically do the same thing to their opponents and therefore give up above average points to attacking half backs and general defenders.
For both sides the back line is the only area of the ground they give up above average scores, the Swans can get a bit caught out by general forwards (small forwards) but apart from that both teams lock sides down well (which is what you would expect from the top two teams this year). So I would be building based off game script, who do you think will win and look at stacking their midfield and forward line with the opposition backs. In this case I am tipping the upset and the Swans continuing to ride the emotion and getting over the line to make another grand final.
Game Script – Swans forwards and midfielders, Fremantle backs
AFL Fantasy Swans vs Dockers – Our Value Fantasy Picks
Jai Serong ($10,310) has been one of the beneficiaries from the Swans losing five of their main players prior to the finals starting. Over their four games Serong has moved into the midfield and attended from 48-85% of their centre bounces and looks firmly entrenched in that role now. It has boosted his scoring potential posting two scores of 104+ during that span of games, and while he is a bit of a boom or bust play that is how we can get him priced nicely at the $10k range still.
Logan McDonald ($9,140) is a play I love if you think Sydney will get the win. He is coming of probably the best game of his life in the first final where he tore Brisbane up for 100 fantasy points and is averaging 79 over his last three games and just under 70 for his last six – creating a solid floor for this price point. He is finally showing the potential expected by the Swans when they took him so high in the draft, and I love that having Charlie Curnow in the lineup will likely pull Alex Pearce off him defensively.
AFL Fantasy Swans vs Dockers – Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
James Rowbottom ($11,860) has been in the best form of his season over the last month and two if his last four scores were over 100 points. He's in a similar vein to Jai Serong in that he is now locked into the inside midfield role with the Swans outs. He has shown upside of 120 points and has an inside game that will be well suited to contested finals football and the SCG.
Karl Worner ($10,890) has been getting decent share of the Dockers kick-ins alongside Jordan Clark ($13,250) in recent weeks. As noted at the top, stacking up the Dockers backs is the play to me with the Swans giving up plenty to their opposition in this area of the ground. If you want to spend up, then Clark is a nice play and in a Sydney win he will be the most likely player to still be able to notch a 100 point game in my opinion. But when salary is tight I love going down to Worner who has shown 126 point upside this season, had a 70 point game earlier in the year against the Swans and has posted a six game average of 82 points.
AFL Fantasy Swans vs Dockers – Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Errol Gulden ($17,400) is the premium lock for me in the preliminary final. You really have to pay a premium for it, but given his role and the fact he is playing at home I think he is the clear stand out for the priced up players. He is producing the greatest form since returning from injury – up there with any player this season. Three consecutive scores of 147, 135 and 122 — a last-three average of 134.7. He is averaging over 109 for the season. Fremantle have been tight on inside midfielders which is the one number that could give you pause, but Gulden will also float on the wings and down to the half back, which is the one area Fremantle have conceded scores.
Here is our Suggested Draftstars Lineup for the Swans vs Dockers
Weather Report for the Preliminary Final
SCG (Sydney) — 17 degrees, clear. Perfect early spring conditions for the biggest game at the SCG in years.
AFL Betting Markets
Odds: Sydney ($2.60) vs Fremantle ($1.56)
Points: 171.5
Line: Fremantle -10.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Finals Preview and Betting Tips. Our experts break down the game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
