Round 21 of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season continues this Friday night at Optus Stadium as Fremantle host the Western Bulldogs. Draftstars are offering $50,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
Two of the competition’s most exciting sides collide at Optus Stadium in what is shaping as one of the better contested games of the round. Fremantle are coming into the game with the minor premiership all but sewn up and genuine premiership contenders if not favourites at this point in the season. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have been in patchy form but still carry elite individual talent capable of winning any game and will be desperate to move into the top 6 and avoid the wildcard. They currently sit tied on premiership points with Adelaide and Melbourne with an outside shot at a top four spot not without the realm of possibility. The selection news shapes the fantasy picture significantly. Fremantle welcome back Hayden Young from illness in place of Corey Wagner — a big inclusion for the Dockers. The Bulldogs are managing two forwards with Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman both sitting out, replaced by Laitham Vandermeer and Louis Emmett. The loss of Naughton and Weightman reshapes the Bulldogs’ forward line entirely. Fremantle are favourites at home and the contest should be tight, but the matchup data creates some very clear fantasy lanes.
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AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 21 Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs
AFL Fantasy Round 21 Friday: Where to Attack?
Right away i’m going to Fremantle’s half-back corridor as the primary attack avenue on this slate, and the data backs it up in a big way. The Western Bulldogs have been giving up 9 points above league average to designated kickers and nearly 7 above average to wings/attacking half backs — two of the most generous positional concessions in the competition. This has long been a trend for the Bulldogs with the way they structure up and I expect the Dockers to take full advantage on their home ground building play from the back half.
The other major angle is through Fremantle’s inside midfield. Surprisingly, the Bulldogs have been giving up over 6 points above average to inside midfielders. The Dockers are massive favourites at home with the bookmakers having them expected to win by over 6 goals, so combining this with the data, full team Docker stacks are the obvious play.
Going back the other way it is no surprise that Fremantle are a stingy side when it comes to opponents fantasy scoring. Sitting on top of the ladder they are also conceding close to the fewest fantasy points in the league and below average scores across every position on the ground. This further supports the Dockers stack play.
Game Script – Fremantle half-backs, midfielders, rucks and forwards – stack the lot!
AFL Fantasy Round 21 Friday – Our Value Fantasy Picks
The value plays are very tough on this slate. I would be looking to spend more on the mid price Dockers where I can. That said, given the lack of obvious plays take advantage of the fact that the Dockers should win convincingly, and look for their cheap players who can hit the scoreboard. Options such as Isiah Dudley ($7,390) or Michael Fredrick ($9,050) would make for good boom or bust plays in this matchup.
If you are interested in a Bulldog, Jedd Busslinger ($8,960) has displayed a reasonable floor in recent weeks without Bailey Dale in the lineup, posting back to back 70 point games. He won't break the slate for you but on a single game slate like this sometimes taking that floor score is best.
AFL Fantasy Round 21 Friday – Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Matthew Johnson ($11,330) cannot be ignored right now, over the last three weeks he has been inserted into the Dockers inside midfield, attending over 50% of their centre bounces in each game. This has resulted in a serious uplift to his fantasy scoring, posting a three game average of 91 fantasy points and a 107 point performance last week against the Eagles. The return of Hayden Young ($10,800) into the side may eat into this role a touch, however Young is another mid price play I like for the Dockers as well. I would look to pair them up together given how big the Dockers are favourites on this slate. It is an elite matchup for Fremantle inside midfielders and you can even look to add in Murphy Reid ($12,870) as a third mid-priced play if you can spend up that high.
The backline is another key area with the Dockers players expected to blow past their averages in this matchup. Jordan Clark ($11,860) and Luke Ryan ($12,130) are the two players who take the majority of the Dockers kick-outs and both sit nicely in that mid priced range with big upside potential in this matchup.
AFL Fantasy Round 21 Friday – Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Luke Jackson ($14,360) is the ruck lock of this slate. He faces a Western Bulldogs side that has been giving up 5 points above league average to rucks. The Bulldogs have no dominant ruck presence currently as English is playing far from his peak and Jackson at Optus Stadium is one of the most reliable individual plays in the competition. He just posted 109 last week after back-to-back quieter scores and he posted a massive 129 point game against the Bulldogs earlier in the year.
Caleb Serong ($14,040) looks to be finally free from the ongoing tags he was experiencing earlier in the year and it has unleased his fantasy scoring. His last three games have posted three straight scores over the 100 point barrier with a 102, 111 and 101. As noted above, the Bulldogs are giving up above average scores to the role, they rarely if ever employ a tag and the Dockers are expected to win the game easily. That combination plus the fact Serong is still priced at around $14k flat make him my starting point for the premium option in my Dockers midfield stacks.
BIG FADE: Tim English ($13,260). Fremantle have been the most restrictive team in the competition for rucks, conceding 11.5 points below league. English is an elite ruckman and a tempting name, but Luke Jackson wins this hitout battle at Optus Stadium and English’s ceiling is genuinely capped here. Even worse, he has been in some of the worst form of his career this season. struggling through multiple injuries and spending less time in the ruck contests as the Bulldogs share more of the role with Rory Lobb.
Here is our Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Friday
Weather Report for Friday 31st July
Optus Stadium (Perth) — 14 degrees, clear. Good conditions for the Friday night blockbuster under lights.
AFL Betting Markets Round 21 Friday
Odds: Fremantle ($1.11) vs Western Bulldogs ($6.10)
Points: 167.5
Line: Fremantle -37.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Friday Preview and Betting Tips. Our experts break down the game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
