By Matthew James and Footy Prophet
Right
Lenny Hayes capped off a fine career on Sunday afternoon, breaking the all-time tackle record and scoring 108 fantasy points in his final outing. The much-loved Saint has been a fantasy stud over the journey, incredibly averaging 86 or more points in his past 12 seasons.
His longevity has defied his tough and uncompromising game style, and to go out with an Ultimate Footy average of 95 this season shows his class. Hayes was a fantasy star before it was fashionable, and despite enduring two knee reconstructions, he was never far from his ball-winning and frenetic tackle-laying best.
In a gesture of confidence for Luke Dunstan, the young Saint was presented with Hayes' No. 7 jumper in the aftermath of the game. Dunstan has shown in his early games that he has many of the hallmarks that Hayes exhibited over his career, laying 60 tackles in his debut season and averaging 75 fantasy points. Here's hoping the St Kilda No.7 will feature in our fantasy teams for a long time yet.
wRong
While 107 fantasy points from Geelong veteran Corey Enright may not seem to fit the wRong criteria at first glance, there's every chance that fantasy football fans have seen the last of the star Cat. It's a shame, as Enright has been one of the most valuable components of fantasy teams – a defender that racks up high disposal numbers and rarely misses games.
He may have lost a step, but he's still an elite AFL footballer and if he hangs up the boots at season's end as expected, it will seem to be too early. Enright has averaged 82 fantasy points in Ultimate Footy this season, his ninth consecutive year of 80+ production. He's been durable, playing at least 20 games each season, and from the outsider's perspective, he's certainly good enough to go around again. Enright toyed with the idea of retiring at the end of 2013, however, and the end of yet another champion's career seems just around the corner.
Ridiculous
Tom Mitchell took until the last round of the home and away season to register his first fantasy ton of 2014, but his 138 points against Richmond will ensure he finishes the year with an average of 87 points – only marginally below his stunning second-year achievements. Team balance and injury has restricted the Sydney youngster to just six games this year, taking his career tally to 18, but it's clear from his handful of games that he's an elite fantasy talent. He laid 13 tackles on Saturday, to go with 29 disposals, and he'll again be a prized commodity in 2015 Ultimate Footy drafts. There are few players at his age who can score as prolifically, and while his 64-disposal game in the reserves back in May might be a distant memory, Mitchell and fantasy coaches across the country have their eyes set firmly on the future.
Regrettable
Unfortunately for many, fantasy finals in 2014 have been decided more by who has not been present, than by those who have performed well. Brisbane duo Tom Rockliff and Dayne Zorko both missed the final game of the season against Geelong, throwing fantasy line-ups into disarray in what would have been the grand final match-up. Rockliff has been the king of 2014, breaking numerous scoring records, and his absence would have been keenly felt. Zorko is no slouch himself having returned to the form that saw him labelled 2012's best breakout player. The absences of other star fantasy names have been well documented, but the last-minute withdrawals of the Lions pair, along with Carlton captain Marc Murphy, was the nail in the coffin of what has been an unfortunate year on the injury front.
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