Diehard fan cracks AFL Fantasy top 100

Most football enthusiasts play AFL Fantasy for a bit of fun and some friendly competition against their mates.

However, for one passionate fantasy follower, the 2019 season was simply elite.

Albany teenager Aidan Dallimore, in his gap year after completing high school, finished inside the top 100 from more than 146,000 players across Australia.

With a team salary cap, limited weekly trades and scoring of individual players through their stats on game day, most fantasy coaches know there is plenty of luck but also a lot of skill involved.

Dallimore admittedly spends more time than most working on his team, Yeo-Yo, but the effort led to him finishing 62nd nationally and earning a coveted Top 100 hat.

Dallimore’s overall score of 51,220 points made him the 16th ranked WA player and not far off South Australian winner Craig Wegener (51,937 points).

“Prior to this season my best ever finish was around 5000,” Dallimore said.

“I like it, it’s another way to watch footy and I put a fair bit of time into it so I’m glad it worked out.

“I’d average about 15 to 20 minutes on it a day.”

The 18-year-old said a couple of key moves paved the way for his success.

“Planning ahead for the bye rounds was key, that’s when I got to the top 500,” he said.

“I started with Travis Boak and Adam Treloar which helped and having Jack Crisp at the start worked as well.

“Funnily, I made a couple of grand finals but only managed to win one.”

And as the real-life AFL season reaches the finals, the diehard West Coast fan had a couple of predictions to share.

He said he thinks Collingwood would — unfortunately — win the premiership, with Nat Fyfe or Lachie Neale claiming the Brownlow Medal.