Round 23 of the 2026 AFL Premiership Season continues this Friday night at Optus Stadium as Fremantle host Adelaide in a clash with enormous finals implications. Draftstars are offering $50,000 in guaranteed prize money in their main daily fantasy tournament.
Fremantle have all but locked up the minor premiership and arrive at Optus Stadium with nothing to lose on the ladder (unless they suffer a heavy loss), but everything to prove heading into a finals campaign. For Adelaide it is a completely different story, the Crows are tied for fourth position with Brisbane and a loss here likely ends their top-four dreams. They arrive with genuine intent and have made several changes to strengthen their lineup, welcoming back Darcy Fogarty, Lachlan McAndrew and Jake Soligo while losing Tex Walker to a managed rest. Fremantle lose Murphy Reid to injury but return Alex Pearce and go into this game as narrow home favourites with their first-choice side largely intact. Two elite defensive structures collide on Friday night.
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AFL $50,000+ Friday at Draftstars
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AFL $3,000+ Friday Mini ($2 Entry) at Draftstars
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AFL Daily Fantasy Lineup Tips: Round 23 Fremantle vs Adelaide
AFL Fantasy Round 23 Friday: Where to Attack?
It is no shock that two of the top five best teams in the league are incredibly restrictive to the opposition from a fantasy scoring perspective. So let’s pick through things and work out the best game script.
Adelaide have been absolutely lock tight on roles we love to usually target for high fantasy scoring, giving up the second lowest scoring in the league to inside midfielders, wing and attacking half backs, and designated kickers. That said, there are some small avenues to consider, namely general defenders where they have been conceding over 4 points per game above league average (third most in the league). Also they are sitting just above average for points conceded to key forwards, which is an avenue Fremantle will be well positioned to take advantage of.
Fremantle on the other hand only give up slightly above average fantasy scores to two roles, the designated kicker and wings/attacking half backs. That makes for a nice stacking opportunity of Crows defenders, especially if you think Fremantle will be able to get on top in the game. Areas I would certainly be fading against Fremantle include key forwards (giving up the fewest in the league) and the ruck (also giving up the fewest in the ruck at a ridiculous 13 points per game below league average).
Fremantle will go into the game at home over 20 point favourites, which is quite a big margin expected for a game between two high level teams. This is a testament for how dominant the Dockers have been this year and makes things open up for a nice Fremantle forwards and Adelaide backs game script.
Game Script – Fremantle key forwards, Fremantle ruck/inside midfielders, Adelaide backs
AFL Fantasy Round 23 Friday – Our Value Fantasy Picks
Luke Nankervis ($9,250) is the Adelaide value defensive play and his breakout 2026 season is the primary case for including him on this slate. He has posted 57, 93 and 73 in his last three — that 93 two games ago is a career reference score and signals a player who has found a consistent role in Adelaide's back half that generates a genuine scoring ceiling. Fremantle have been giving up above average points to half backs and designate kickers this season and in a game where the Dockers are 20 point favs, I would be expecting plenty of ball down that end of the ground for the Crows defenders to take advantage of. Take some salary relief with Nankervis and stack him up with one of the Crows more premium options in this end of the ground.
Value plays are always hard in these single game slates between two top tier sides, but I would look to find some value with the Dockers as favourites in this matchup, especially in the forward line. Isaiah Dudley ($6,510) offers decent salary relief to spend up elsewhere and has had 3 of his last four games go over 50, which is a solid enough return. Further up the ground, Nathan O’Driscoll ($9,560) has found some form averaging 72 points per game over his last three matches.
AFL Fantasy Round 23 Friday – Our Mid Price Fantasy Picks
Matthew Johnson ($11,190) has been in the form of his 2026 season over the last three weeks, posting 108, 78 and 107 — a last-three average of 97.7 at $11,190 is seriously underpriced. He has been playing much more of an inside midfield role this season attending an average of 35% of the Dockers centre bounces, but recently he has gone up to over 50% in three of the last five games. I love him in this matchup as a Fremantle play if we are looking stack up the Dockers mids and forwards as favourites in the contest. His last three games against Adelaide have produced 72, 94 and 79 — solid consistent returns in this matchup.
Josh Treacy ($10,030) is the mid-price forward play I want on this slate and the timing could not be better. After a quiet 36 three weeks ago that dragged his price down slightly, he has bounced back with consecutive scores of 96 and 94 — back-to-back near-century performances and a ceiling reference that makes $10,030 look genuinely cheap. Adelaide have been giving up above average to key forwards over the last 10 games and Treacy as Fremantle's primary marking forward should take advantage of that with the Dockers over 20 point favourites at home. His three most recent games against Adelaide have produced 78, 76 and 64 — three scores all in a productive range that confirm a reliable floor in this exact matchup and a player who finds the ball consistently when Fremantle control the game.
AFL Fantasy Round 23 Friday – Our Premium Fantasy Picks
Luke Jackson ($14,940) is the ruck lock on this slate. Adelaide have been giving up above average to rucks at over 2 points per game above league average. Jackson has posted 105, 100 and 109 in his last three for an average of nearly 105 — three consecutive games all above 100 – all with Mason Cox in the lineup as well showing that he shouldn’t impac this output at all. The biggest decision in this head to head matchup, however, is that Fremantle are holding their opponents in the ruck to the lowest scores in the league.
Izak Rankine ($15,240) has been in extraordinary form and is the second premium lock on this slate. He has posted 138, 121 and 103 in his last three for an average of 120.7 — three consecutive scores all above 100 and a last three average that is elite by any standard. His three most recent games against Fremantle have produced 63, 93 and 71, however they were likely in a more forward role. His recent form has been on the back of Rankine turning into a full blown midfielder, attending over 80% of the Crows centre bounces since Round 17. Over three games with scores of 138 and 121 in his last two is so far beyond what his matchup can fully contain.
Here is our Suggested Draftstars Lineup for AFL Fantasy Round 23 Friday
Weather Report for Friday, 14th August
Optus Stadium (Perth) — 14 degrees, clear. Good conditions for the Friday night game under lights.
AFL Betting Markets Round 23 Friday
Odds: Fremantle ($1.32) vs Adelaide ($3.40)
Points: 171.5
Line: Fremantle -20.5
Also, be sure to check out our full AFL Thursday Preview and Betting Tips. Our experts break down the game and highlight some key bets that you can follow!
