In a fantasy defensive masterclass, Robbie Tarrant ($310,000) reminded the competition of his potential with a whopping 120 points. In his best outing for the season, Tarrant took 14 marks and had 24 disposals, all of them finding their target.
The defender was pivotal in linking up North Melbourne’s counterattack from defence. Much of his scoring was done in the first half. Although he waned as the game dragged on, still, anything more than 100 is considered a good score and 120 is right up there with the fantasy best.
Jamie Macmillan ($409,000) was also solid in defense, using the ball well and supporting Tarrant on the rebound. His 92 fantasy points included 21 disposals and 10 marks.
Also pitching in with his usual strong effort was Todd Goldstein ($622,000), who as predicted dominated the ruck battle with 54 hit outs. Goldstein wasn’t able to have as damaging an impact around the ground as in previous weeks, although he still finished with a respectable 15 disposals, three marks and 107 fantasy points.
In attack, Shaun Higgins ($461,000) kicked three goals in his first game against his former team, and made most of his 16 disposals count. His 99 fantasy points would have pleased those fantasy owners who backed Higgins in what is shaping up to be his most consistent fantasy season ever. Drew Petrie ($410,000) also kicked three goals and held his own against Bulldog Joel Hamling.
Around the Grounds
It was a great week for fantasy football, with 22 players notching up 120 fantasy points or more.
Once again, Tom Rockliff blitzed the competition with a dazzling 159. It was his fifth score of 120+ in a row, and third consecutive 140+. There may be some grumblings in the media about Rockliff’s captaincy style, but after amassing 45 disposals and 14 tackles, you can’t accuse Rockliff of not leading from the front.
In an interesting move, Collingwood positioned captain Scott Pendlebury closer to the defensive half. The move certainly didn’t hamper the Pie's scoring, finishing on 142 points. He had 11 marks and 33 disposals, most in the defensive part of the ground, and used his excellent delivery to set up on the rebound. It will be intriguing to see if Pendlebury plays in a similar role this week against Essendon.
Showing that you don’t have to be a midfielder to score big, Giant Jeremy Cameron put Carlton to the sword with a seven-goal, 143-point haul. Cameron went berserk in the second half, dominating as few forwards can. He had 17 possessions and 12 marks and the odds are performances like these are going to become more common as he matures.
