Where will the best AFL fantasy stat bets be in 2016?

YEAH, we all know Hawthorn is the hot favourite to win a ridiculous fourth straight AFL Premiership.

They are a $4.25 chance with CrownBet.com.au, followed closely but the team they vanquished in last years grand final, the West Coast Eagles at $5.50, then the team that they beat in 2013, the Fremantle Dockers, at $8, and finally the rejuvenated Geelong Cats, at $9.

You’ve probably already decided who you’re going to back in for the flag, so let’s shift the focus to the individual players to see who is leading the markets in the statistical areas.

Most disposals

IT’S the usual suspects in the most disposals markets for 2016.

These ball magnets are right at the pointy end of the AFL most disposals markets. And for good reason. The ball seems to follow them every where on the field.

Punters are obviously confident that the great Gold Coast Sun Gary Ablett Junior will return to his vintage ways after missing a hefty chunk of last season with injury.

He is the $8 favourite with CrownBet.com.au to win more disposals than any other player in the AFL this coming season.

But he has hot competition.

Hawthorn superstar Sam Mitchell is the king of the extractors and showed just how good he was by winning the most disposals of any player in 2015.

He had 748 touches in a dominant season that helped lead the Hawks to that remarkable third straight flag.
He is a big reason why they are hot favourites for a fourth.

Sydney Swans’ pair Josh Kennedy ($9) and Dan Hanneberry ($11) are very close in the market, with the former finishing third in the competition with 731 last season.

Hanneberry had a break out year that saw him leap into the upper echelon of midfielders in the competition – he didn’t even finish in the top 20 in 2014.

The punters also think Brisbane beast Tom Rockliff’s strong form to close out last season, after suffering a pair of serious injuries mid year, will hold him in good stead for 2016.

West Coast Brownlow Medalist Matt Priddis is always in the discussion for most disposals, rated an $11 dollar chance as a player who is perennially in the top five.

He shares the same $11 line as Hanneberry and Priddis. If he can string games together, he will be right up there.

There has not been much love for 2015 surprise packet Andrew Gaff, the silky West Coast midfielder had just 10 fewer possessions that the number one ranked Mitchell and, with the Eagles set to continue their dominant form into 2016, he should be able to win plenty of it again. At $13, he looks a good smoky.

Outside of that crew, Hawks hard man Jordan Lewis could also represent good value at $15. Every year, you feel like he is about to slow down, but he just keeps on keeping on. Remember, this is a bloke who is only a season removed from leading the competition in touches.

Superstars Nat Fyfe (Fremantle, $17) and Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood, $21) are always chances, but there are two guys who could be worth a flutter at juicy odds.

One made a massive step last season, while the other is a contested ball machine who is coming back from a serious injury.

St Kilda’s new midfield leader David Armitage has proven he can rack up massive numbers. And, with the Saints set to continue their improvement, built largely on youth, he is a huge smokey at $21. He finished 11th last year with 597 disposals at over 28 per game.

Another guy who should come under serious consideration is Western Bulldogs in and under star Tom Liberatore. Junior Libba has had his fair share of troubles off the field and last season he didn’t even make it on the park after a torn ACL ruined his year.

But the word out of Whitten Oval is that he is training down the house and is set to resume his dominance in a Dogs’ midfield that is vastly improved on the last time he stepped out in the red, white and blue.

Most disposals market:

Gary Ablett ($8)
Sam Mitchell ($8.50)
Josh P. Kennedy ($9)
Dan Hannebery ($11)
Matt Priddis ($11)
Tom Rockliff ($11)
Andrew Gaff ($13)
Jordan Lewis ($15)
Nat Fyfe ($17)
Tom Mitchell ($17)
Steele Sidebottom ($17)
Scott Pendlebury ($21)
David Armitage ($21)
Tom Liberatore ($21)
Adam Treloar ($23)

Odds provided by crownbet.com.au

Most marks

Hawthorn rebound defender Josh Gibson is the favourite to take this one out after ripping down more marks than any one else in 2015.

He is a $5.50 pick with crownbet.com.au, but we feel like he might be up against it.

With no Brian Lake, Gibson becomes the second defender again, meaning he won’t be able to sag off the third forward and run into gaps to intercept opposition kicks like he did last season as he pulled down 207.

Age shall not weary St Nick.

Reiwoldt, the St Kilda captain, led the competition in 2014 with 191 marks and still averaged more per game than any other player last year – 9.7.

That’s the reason he is the second pick at $6

Gibson’s Hawthorn team mate Jack Gunston finished second to him with 179 and he really looks like massive value at a gaudy $10 to lead the competition in 2016.

Put it this way, he is now the Hawks’ spearhead, with versatile big forward Jarryd Roughead set to miss half the season after wrecking his PCL.

That means he has to step up, big time, and it also means those gun Hawthorn midfielders will using their sweet foot skills to hit him up more often.

Get around Gunston.

Other men who could distinguish themselves include big forwards Drew Petrie (North Melbourne, $12), reigning Coleman Medal winner Josh Kennedy (West Coast, $13) and Adelaide Crows giant Tom Lynch ($15).

And don’t write off Port Adelaide utility Justin Westhoff. He seems to get used in a different way every season, but he finished second in the competition in 2014 to Reiwoldt, with 182.

CrownBet.com.au has him at $26 to go one better and those are odds not to be sneered at.

Most marks market:

Josh Gibson ($5.50)
Nick Riewoldt ($6)
Jack Gunston ($10)
Harry Taylor ($10)
Taylor Walker ($11)
Garrick Ibbotson ($11)
Drew Petrie ($12)
Josh Kennedy (WCE) ($13)
Tom Lynch (Adel) ($15)
Easton Wood ($15)
Isaac Smith ($17)

Odds provided by CrownBet.com.au