Round 7 of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season will continue this Saturday another huge daily fantasy contest on offer from Draftstars with over $60,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
This week we finally get closer to the traditional Super Saturday slates with a massive four games on offer. The afternoon opener sees Hawthorn host Gold Coast at UTAS Stadium in Launceston - a ground where the Hawks have been absolutely dominant in recent seasons. Hawthorn go in as favourites but will be without James Sicily and Dylan Moore, both suspended by the MRO. Gold Coast are 4-2 and arrive in solid form with Noah Anderson returning to the side. The traditional Anzac Day blockbuster between Essendon and Collingwood follows at the MCG, with a packed house expected for one of the great rivalries in the game. Collingwood will be significantly bolstered with Jordan De Goey returning from concussion. The Bombers meanwhile have been dealt another cruel blow with Jordan Ridley suffering yet another calf injury, ruling him out again. The third game takes Geelong to Adelaide Oval to face a Port Adelaide side sitting 2-4 and searching for form, with the Cats arriving at 4-2 and one of the competition's most consistent units. The Saturday night game is the Anzac Day fixture at Optus Stadium where ladder leaders Fremantle host a Carlton side that has won just once in 2026.
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AFL $60,000+ Saturday
AFL $5,000+ Saturday High Roller ($150 Entry)
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AFL $2,000+ Saturday Micro (50c Entry)
Also this season the AFL Star is back for 2026 with a massive $1 million prize pool! Win your way into the Final by winning a Golden Ticket in a range of qualifiers running every weekend!
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AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round Seven – Saturday
AFL Fantasy Round Seven - Saturday: Where to Attack?
We are now looking at the trends for the 2026 season with six rounds in our rear mirror, but lets caveat that with the fact it is still a very small sample size and if you can find a trend that goes back to the prior year… even better. Four games means plenty of angles… let's dive in.
Very surprisingly, the Gold Coast look the most exploitable team on this slate for the inside midfielder position, conceding a staggering 14 points per game above league average — the highest rate to that position in the competition this season. This is the primary attacking angle across the whole slate and Hawthorn's midfield should feast. Combine that with Gold Coast also conceding above average points to key forwards, and this is provides a potential game stack option if you expect the Hawks to continue their domination at the Tasmanian ground.
Flipping to the Essendon vs Collingwood game, Essendon stand out as the most exposed team to inside midfielders after Gold Coast, giving up over 10 points above average. They have also been conceding 8 points above league average to general forwards and 10 points above average to general defenders. An area to avoid against the Bombers is the ruck where they have been giving up the fewest points in the league. Collingwood on the other side have been giving up boatloads to all defensive positions on the ground, including over 9 points per game above average to wings/half backs, 6 points above average to general defenders and just under 11 points above average to designated kickers (the second most in the league). Given the Bombers game style in recent weeks where they have over possessed the ball at half back, this makes for the perfect play on this slate.
Geelong vs Port Adelaide looks like somewhat of a stay away to me. The Cats are heavy favourites but over in Adelaide I don’t expect it to be easy pickings, and despite the Powers poor record to start the year they have not been conceding huge fantasy scores.
The Fremantle vs Carlton game rounds out the slate with the two most eye-catching defence vs position numbers anywhere on the slate of games. Carlton have been conceding a massive 15.55 points above average to rucks, the highest ruck concession in the competition, and 13.30 above average to general forwards. The Fremantle forward line and Luke Jackson are must-plays. Carlton have also been giving up over 10 points above average to wings and half backs at 100% frequency, making Fremantle's running defenders and wing players a secondary angle. Fremantle are the biggest favourites on the slate with expectations for them to win by more than 6 goals. Bring things home with this hammer game!
Game Script – Fremantle forwards, pick your adventure in the midfield from Collingwood / Hawthorn / Fremantle, lock and load Essendon backs
AFL Fantasy Round Seven - Saturday: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Jye Amiss ($7,670) is the standout value play in the Fremantle vs Carlton game. The young forward has been developing nicely in 2026 and posted 101 last week in his best performance of the season. Carlton have been giving up over 13 points above average to general forwards — the highest in the competition — and with Fremantle as big favourites at Optus Stadium, the ball will be flowing into their forward line all afternoon. At under $7.7k with a 101-point ceiling just last week, the upside is enormous.
Jordan De Goey ($9,500) returns from concussion this week and steps back into a Collingwood midfield that has been building momentum. His last three scores of 70, 52 and 54 reflect the disruption of his concussion absence and managed returns, but his 2024 average of 79.8 points and ceiling of well over 100 are the reference points that matter at his price. With Sidebottom also back, the Collingwood midfield structure is as close to full strength as it has been all season. Essendon have been conceding over 10 points above average to inside midfielders and over 13 points above average to general forwards — both positions De Goey occupies across a game. At $9,500 for a player of his quality returning to full fitness in the best possible matchup, he is a genuine boom-or-bust tournament play with serious ceiling upside.
AFL Fantasy Round Seven – Saturday: Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Kyle Langford ($10,100) has been one of the most interesting positional stories of 2026, and his half-back role over the last two weeks has translated directly into fantasy production. Brad Scott shifted the experienced forward across the half-back line as part of Essendon's possession-based game style, and the 103 points he posted two weeks ago shows exactly what the role can generate. The data backs the matchup emphatically as the Magpies have been giving up over 10 points above average to wings and half backs, the most generous rate to that position of any team on this slate. Stack up the Bombers backs on this slate and count your winnings!
AFL Fantasy Round Seven - Saturday: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Nick Daicos ($17,050) is the most dangerous individual Collingwood play and the best value at his price on the slate. He has posted 128, 96 and 140 in his last three games for an average of 121 points and in the Anzac Day blockbuster environment at the MCG, his contested ball and disposal generating ability is at its absolute peak (his last three games on Anzac day have been 120, 98 and 140). Essendon have been conceding over 10 points above average to inside midfielders — the second highest rate in the competition. Daicos is a lock in any Collingwood stack.
Luke Jackson ($15,460) is the most compelling situational premium on this slate for the second week running. He has posted 103, 131 and 97 in his last three games for an average of 110 points and his ceiling of 131 last month shows exactly what he can do when given the right matchup
Archie Roberts ($16,870) has been the revelation of the 2026 season and arrives at the Anzac Day blockbuster in the form of his life, having posted 117, 164 and 136 in his last three games for an average of 139 points — the highest three-game average of any defender in the competition. The Essendon half-back generates intercept marks, rebound possessions and metres gained at a rate that seems almost impossible for his price, and this week's matchup is an absolute gift. Collingwood have been conceding over 10 points above league average to wings and half backs at 100% frequency and over 10 points above average to the designated kicker — both positions Roberts occupies. In a packed MCG on Anzac Day with the ball spending significant time in Essendon's defensive half, Roberts will be accumulating from the opening bounce. He is the lock of the round.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Fantasy Round 7 Saturday
Weather Report for Saturday 25th April
UTAS Stadium (Launceston) — 14 degrees, partly cloudy
MCG (Melbourne) — 16 degrees, clear
Adelaide Oval — 19 degrees, partly cloudy
Optus Stadium (Perth) — 22 degrees, clear
AFL Betting Markets Round 7 Saturday
Hawthorn ($1.69) vs Gold Coast ($2.19)
Points: 180.5
Line: Hawthorn -6.5
Essendon ($2.92) vs Collingwood ($1.41)
Points: 179.5
Line: Collingwood -16.5
Port Adelaide ($4.10) vs Geelong ($1.24)
Points: 184.5
Line: Geelong -27.5
Fremantle ($1.11) vs Carlton ($6.70)
Points: 175.5
Line: Fremantle -39.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Saturday Preview and Betting Tips for each match. Our experts break down each individual game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
