AFL FANTASY is open for 2021 with a raft of new features. 

This year promises to be the biggest and best yet with one of the most exciting announcements we've ever had ...

>> FANTASY DRAFT CUSTOMISATION IS FINALLY HERE!

You asked, we listened.

In 2021, all Fantasy Draft leagues will have the ability to customise more components of their entire league. From team sizes to points system to including additional stats categories and even having the option of becoming a Keeper League, we have put the power back in your hands to make your league everything you want it to be.

So what are the new features?

For the first time ever there will be a subscription available to Fantasy Draft leagues to unlock features. Some of these new features will be available free of charge, whilst others will be part of a subscription.

There will be two Fantasy Draft subscriptions available, but in 2021 only we will be offering Custom Scoring Advanced Stats and player season average projections free for all users. These features will fall under our Pro-Deluxe package so as a result this subscription won't be offered until the 2022 season.

GLOBAL UPDATES:

• Squad sizes – ability to choose more players in your squad than ever before. You can decide how many players you want on the field from each position as well as having more bench players than have been offered before.
• Line-up flexibility - ability to leave empty spots in your team line-up. Substitute a player from on-field to bench without swapping another player, and visa versa.
• Line-up flexibility - ability to drop a player from your team without adding another player and, if your team does not have a complete team list, you will be able to add a player without dropping one.
• Ability to action both Free Agent and Trade requests at any time (while players are locked).

 FREE FEATURES:

• Custom Scoring Basic Stats – the ability to decide how many points you want to attribute to any of the basic stats we have an offer (eg. if you want a kick to be worth five points in your league, you can change it)
• Access Custom Scoring Advanced Stats Categories (only free for 2021, will be paid feature in 2022) – more details on the available categories are below
• Player season average projections (only free for 2021, will be paid feature in 2022). Note, player game score projections will still be part of the Fantasy Coach subscription package.
• Additional lockout option - first Saturday game will now be added as a lockout setting along with the current options of full lockout and rolling lockout.
• Replace coach - commissioners will now be able to replace members in their league that have a drafted team with a replacement coach.
• Delete league - commissioners can now delete leagues up until the league's live draft commences.
• Keeper Leagues - leagues are granted the ability to keep a certain number of players from year to year. After the commissioner regenerates the Keeper League, teams will select which players they intend to keep from their previous year's roster. The commissioner will select the number of players that teams can keep, which can vary year to year. The number of Keepers can range from 1 to the entire size of the team list. In 2021, commissioners will need to set their league as a Keeper League and users will only be able to select Keepers from the 2022 season.

WHO'S PLAYING WHERE Check out the full list of 2021 Fantasy positions

PAID FEATURES (these features fall under the new Pro Lite subscription package. This can be purchased when creating your league for a cost of $29.99 per league. So if you have a 10 team league and want to split the cost per head, you're looking at $3 per person):

• Customisable Emergency Settings - if your league has emergencies set to ON, then you will have the ability to decide the percentage of playing time required for a player on-field to hit in order for the emergency replacement not to be activated. This setting can be customised from 0% - 90%.
• Customisable draft order - this feature grants teams the ability to trade their picks before the draft. The league commissioner will access a view of their league draft where they can filter by each round and make changes to every draft pick.
• Disable position changes - allows leagues to disable the automatic updating of dual-position players throughout the season.
• Edit teams - allows the commissioners to edit all teams within the league. Commissioners can edit any team line-ups by making captain and vice-captain changes, as well as substitute players.
• Edit match results - grants the league ability to adjust points in head-to-head match-ups. The commissioner is able to edit results after the lockout has been lifted.
• Custom finals system - grants commissioners and the leagues the ability to configure and customise their finals set-up. Commissioners are able choose the:
  1. Number of teams that compete in finals.
  2. The start round of finals.
  3. The configuration of the Consolation Finals format

CRYSTAL BALLING The Traders' way-too-early draft rankings for 2021

What are the stats categories available?

If you're getting tired of the basic stats on offer, you're in luck! Not only can you pick and choose any of the basic stats that you want to include, but we also have a range of new categories that you can include. And for the first time ever, you can decide how many points a player will earn for getting a kick, handball or even a clearance or spoil.

BASIC: Kicks, Handballs, Marks, Tackles, Free Kicks For, Free Kicks Against, Goals, Behinds, Hitouts

ADVANCED (new): Goal Assists, Disposals, Effective Disposals, Ineffective Disposals, Rebound 50s, Inside 50s, Clearances, Spoils, Contested Possessions, Uncontested Possessions, Contested Marks, Free Kick Differential, Clangers

>> Every stat category has the option to be valued between the range of -10 to 20.

2020 was a tough season for all Fantasy coaches and we're excited to put all of that behind us and embark on bigger and better things from 2021 and beyond.

AFL Fantasy is open now and you can already register, create your league with the new settings available and have a play around. Right now it is open on fantasy.afl.com.au only with the AFL Live Official App launching at some point later in January. Live Drafts can be scheduled but won't be available until mid-February but there's a lot to digest between now and then.

Happy trading and good luck!