Another big Saturday slate of AFL matches await us as Round 9 of the 2026 AFL season continues. First up, we head to Marvel Stadium where the Kangaroos are chasing a big scalp as they host the Swans. The Giants will be hunting a big win at ENGIE Stadium against the Bombers in the twilight match, before two night games wrap up the day’s action. The Suns and Saints head to Darwin while the feature match of the day will see the Cats and Pies collide in front of a huge crowd at the MCG.
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AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 9 Saturday
AFL Fantasy Round 9 Saturday: Where to Attack?
While the Kangaroos are significant underdogs against the Swans, they haven’t been a great team to attack from a fantasy perspective. They are the most restrictive in the league to general defenders and the designated kicker, while in the top three for inside midfielders, over the last ten games. The only position they have been vulnerable is in the ruck but Tristan Xerri did miss a few games through suspension to murky the waters. The Swans have also been tough to score against, as you’d expect from the top team in the league, as they are easily the toughest in the league for key forwards. Tread carefully in this one.
The big stacking opportunity comes when the Giants take on the easybeat Bombers who give up big fantasy points all over the ground. In particular, the Bombers are easily the worst midfield in the league, so you can load up on the Giants. The only spot that may be worth considering for Essendon is in the ruck as the Giants have consistently given up above average points in that position. Essendon have made a change in the ruck this with Nick Bryan coming in which may be worth looking at.
The Saints continue to give up the highest points in the league to the opposition designated kickers, so look to target Suns players in that role. However that trend may be tempered somewhat in Darwin if conditions are humid and slippery, making controlled possession more difficult. The Suns don’t give away too much but they have given up points to inside midfielders this season.
The Pies and Cats should be a good game but there’s two distinct trends to look at. The Cats have been poor in the ruck all season and are one of the league worst at over 14 points above average this season. They’ve had a few players go through that position, and bring in the experienced Rhys Stanley this week. We’ll have to see if that helps or hinders the problem! The Pies are generally tight but they do leak points to wings and outside defenders, as well as to the designated kicker so look for Cats in these positions.
Game script: Giants stacks, Bombers ruck, Suns designated kicker, Saints inside mids, Pies ruck, Cats wings/designated kicker
AFL Fantasy Round 9 Saturday: Our Value Fantasy Picks
Leonardo Lombard ($6,720) has looked in good touch in recent weeks with scores of 63 and 56 over the last fortnight and should get conditions to suit in Darwin if the ball is on the ground. He looks hungry and is getting himself into good positions, so it seems a matter of time before it all clicks. He’s a former top 10 draft pick, and earned a Rising Star nomination earlier this season, so it all seems to be falling in place for the young Sun.
Oscar Steene ($7,490) has been developing nicely this season for the Pies in a support role for Darcy Cameron. This week they come up against the Cats who are giving away huge numbers in the ruck position. Rhys Stanley comes in for the Cats to provide some experience, but he’s never been great at restricting his opponents either, so it seems a good spot for the Pies rucks. Darcy Cameron sustained an ankle injury last week and was in some doubt this week to play, so it may be a situation where Steene gets some extra minutes in the ruck. Steene only has a modest 46.5 average this season, but with a high of 72 which might be attainable again here.
AFL Fantasy Round 9 Saturday: Our Mid-Priced Fantasy Picks
Mac Andrew ($10,540) has been a force in recent weeks for the Suns. With Jarrod Witts out last week, I thought Andrew would get more time in the middle as backup ruck, but he was able to score a 96, for the second week in a row, with only a couple of hitouts. Andrew has been linking up well in the back half with 10 marks last week, and gets the gun match up this week against the Saints who leak points in the back half. Looks a good price to hit value once again.
Toby Greene ($13,560) had a bit of a shocker last week, but still ended up with a respectable score of 76, despite a reduced 9% CBAs. Look for a bounce back game here, with the Giants captain keen to cash in against a weak Essendon team. Greene is always happy to ski downhill with his two tons this season coming against the Roos and Tigers, so expect him to run rampant and hit the scoreboard for another ton-plus score here.
AFL Fantasy Round 9 Saturday: Our Premium Fantasy Picks
John Noble ($14,220) has had a price boost but he’s in excellent form coming off a massive score of 144 against the Giants last week for a season average of 92.4. Noble gets the best matchup in the league for designated kickers against the Saints who give up 10 points above the league average to that position. Noble also had 36 disposals last time he played in Darwin. Should be in for another fill up, and you can look to connect him with the likes of Bodhi Uwland ($13,850), Will Powell ($13,090) or Joel Jeffrey ($11,030).
Lachie Ash ($16,600) has been fantastic in 2026 with tons in his last seven matches and a 111.1 fantasy average - a top 10 average for the entire league! Had an interesting role last week where he was thrust into the middle of the ground, attending 61% of the CBA, up from 0% the week prior. It was interesting that this was at the expense of Toby Greene (9% CBAs). It didn’t work out so well for Greene so it will be interesting to see if that switches back this week. Ash was still able to collect 29 disposals for a 103 fantasy score, so it didn’t hurt him too much, but I do prefer to see him winning cheaper possessions behind the ball to boost his fantasy scoring, especially up against the leaky Saints. The other twist is that Lachie Whitfield ($16,700) left the training track early this week after a knock to his achilles. If Whitfield is a late out, then there’s no doubt that Ash would be an absolute lock as he’ll play back and soak up all the Whitfield cheap points. Keep an eye on information prior to the bounce as to his role, but Ash looks a viable play either way.
Here's our Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Saturday
Weather Report for Saturday 9th May
Melbourne - Light rain, 17 degrees
Sydney - Sunny, 20 degrees
Darwin - Sunny, 32 degrees
AFL Betting Markets Saturday
Odds provided with thanks to NextBet!
North Melbourne ($3.42) vs Sydney ($1.32)
Line: Sydney -22.5
Points: 190.5
GWS Giants ($1.11) vs Essendon ($6.70)
Line: Giants -41.5
Points: 189.5
Gold Coast ($1.43) vs St Kilda ($2.83)
Line: Gold Coast -16.5
Points: 192.5
Geelong ($1.50) vs Collingwood ($2.60)
Line: Geelong -12.5
Points: 177.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Previews and Betting Tips for each match. Our experts break down each individual game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
