Round Five of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season will continue this Sunday another huge daily fantasy contest on offer from Draftstars with over $60,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
Gather Round wraps up this Sunday with a super fun three game slate. The day kicks off at Norwood Oval with Geelong hosting West Coast in one of the most lopsided matchups of the round — the Cats are 47.5-point favourites against an Eagles side that was hammered by Sydney last week. Geelong will be without Mark Blicavs who is being managed ahead of his 300th game, however the inclusion of James Worpel will add depth to their midfielder. For West Coast, Elijah Hewett and Deven Robertson will bolster their midfield while they have also made a change to their ruck setup bringing in Bailey WIlliams.
The afternoon game at Barossa Park is equally one-sided with GWS returning from a bye as 38.5-point favourites over a Richmond making for another strong game stacking opporunity. The Giants have switched up their ruck setup with Madden coming in for Kieren Briggs and their young stud big man Aaron Cadman making his debut up forward. Richmond will continue to struggle with their ruck role as Oliver Hayes-Brown makes his debut and they welcome back Noah Balta.
The night game at Adelaide Oval between Port Adelaide and St Kilda is the intriguing toss-up of the slate, with the Saints installed as slight favourites despite Port having home ground advantage. Port welcome back Todd Marshall to sure up their back line.
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AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round Five – Sunday
AFL Fantasy Round Five – Sunday: Where to Attack?
We continue to blend prior year trends with what we have seen through the first four rounds of 2026.
The Geelong vs West Coast matchup is the primary stacking game on this slate and there is simply no reason not to load up with Cats players. Over the last 10 games West Coast gave up above average points to inside midfielders and general forwards, in particular, making from the formation of a perfect stack of Cats players. With Geelong such heavy favourites at a ground with similar dimensions to GMHBA Stadium, their midfield and forward line should fill up with possessions all afternoon.
GWS vs Richmond is another solid stack option with Richmond giving up the second most points in the league to inside mdifielders over the last 10 games (over 6 points per game above league average), and the most points in the league by a mile to key forwards at a whopping 11 points per game above league average (which will be great for Aaron Cadman's first game of the year).
In the last game of the day we can target St Kilda with backs as usual given they continue to give up the most points in the league to designated kickers at over 8 points per game above league average (and above average points for all defensive positions).
Game Script – GWS key forwards, Geelong forwards and midfielders, Port Adelaide backs
AFL Fantasy Round Five – Sunday: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Hunter Clark ($9,770) is one of the most underprice players on the slate today coming in for his first game for St Kilda this season. He has posted scores of 91, 83 and 90 across his last three games for an 88-point average — and that consistency from a defensive/midfield hybrid role is exactly what you want from a value play on a four-game slate. St Kilda are slight favourites in this matchup and Clark's ability to accumulate across half back and through the midfield makes him a safe and reliable floor play.
Mitchell Edwards ($7,880) is one of the better value plays on the Sunday slate, and the role here could not be clearer. With Mark Blicavs confirmed managed for this week Edwards steps up as Geelong's sole ruckman against West Coast. This will be an elite matchup for him taking over this role with West Coast have giving up the fourth most points in the league to the ruck position over the last 10 games at over 10 points per game above league average. If you are put off by Edwards recent scores capping out in the 50 point range lets look over to GWS ruck Nick Madden ($10,890) for a few thousand more. Kieren Briggs has been dropped by Adam Kingsley with Madden earning his first senior start of 2026 on the back of a dominant VFL performance against Collingwood that featured 36 hitouts, five clearances and four tackles. The matchup is as good as it gets. Richmond head into this game without Toby Nankervis and with Samson Ryan suspended, leaving debutant Oliver Hayes-Brown as their only ruck option for his first AFL game. Madden going up against a first-gamer in the ruck is essentially a free pass to dominate the hitout count and centre bounce numbers all afternoon. His three AFL appearances in 2025 produced scores of 63, 47 and 80, and that 80 tells you the ceiling when he gets genuine ruck opportunity
AFL Fantasy Round Five – Sunday: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Darcy Byrne-Jones ($10,800) is one of the most compelling plays on this entire slate after having a role change last week and posting 107 points. The 30-year-old was moved back to half back — the role in which he won the 2020 All-Australian blazer and John Cahill Medal — after several seasons operating as a small forward, and the immediate effect was extraordinary. He collected 26 disposals and 10 marks in a dominant defensive display that Port Adelaide described as exactly what they had been looking for, with Byrne-Jones himself confirming to media this week that the role change came as a surprise but felt natural given his background. To make this play better he has an elite matchup for backs against the Saints.
Aaron Cadman ($10,030) is one of the most compelling plays on this slate due to his upside and matchup in first game of the season. Last year we started seeing his potential with a 122 point game against Brisbane and a 104 point game against Geelong. As noted at the top, this week he races the team giving up the most points in the league to key forwads over the last 10 games and the Giants are heading in as over 6 goal favourites making for an optimal environment for a big fantasy return.
AFL Fantasy Round Five – Sunday: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Bailey Smith ($18,070) is the standout premium on this slate and arguably the best fantasy value play of the entire Gather Round weekend when you factor in the matchup. He has been extraordinary in 2026, posting 124, 154 and 130 for an average of 136 points through three rounds — a figure that makes him arguably the best fantasy scorer in the competition this season. At $18,070 he is expensive but you are getting a player averaging 136 points against the team that gives up the most points in the league to midfielders. He will fill up through the centre bounces, clearances, tackles and outside run all afternoon and there is a real ceiling of 150+ in this matchup. Lock and load.
Kane Farrell ($13,260) is in the form of his life and is one of the clearest matchup plays on this entire slate given his opponent. The Port Adelaide half-back possesses one of the most elite left feet in the competition and has established himself as the Power's primary kick-in taker and ball-launching distributor from the back half — a role that is a goldmine for fantasy scoring. His last three scores of 79, 109 and 96 for an average of 95 points are outstanding and reflect the level he has consistently operated at through 2026, building on career-best numbers of 20.3 disposals and 526 metres gained per game in 2025. St Kilda have been giving up the most points in league across half backs and to designated kickers consistently for years since Ross Lyon took over.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Fantasy Round Five – Sunday
Weather Report for Sunday 11th April
Norwood Oval – 18 degrees and mostly cloudy
Barossa Park – 20 degrees and partly cloudy
Adelaide Oval – 18 degrees and partly cloudy
AFL Betting Markets Round Five - Sunday
Geelong ($1.08) vs West Coast ($8.00)
Points: 192.5
Line: Geelong -47.5
GWS ($1.11) vs Richmond ($6.70)
Points: 178.5
Line: GWS -38.5
Port Adelaide ($2.35) vs St Kilda ($1.61)
Points: 172.5
Line: St Kilda -8.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Sunday Preview and Betting Tips. Our experts break down each individual game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
