AFL Crows vs Hawks Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Semi-Finals, 2025
Last updated: Sep 12, 2025, 9:32AM | Published: Sep 10, 2025, 9:32AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Crows vs Hawks Semi-Finals, 2025 DFS contest starts at 7:40pm AEST on September 12, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for every player in the game to help you create winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is crucial for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, uses the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to produce some of the best DFS projections in the world.
With the latest AFL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more AFL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed players from each team in the Adelaide Crows vs Hawthorn match-up to help you find the best choices on Friday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL, MID) | $16,840 | 105.6 | 6.3 |
| Value | Sam Butler (HAW, FWD) | $6,690 | 59.5 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Jarman Impey (HAW, DEF) | $14,490 | 86.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Mitch Lewis (HAW, FWD) | $6,980 | 55.7 | 8 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks offer the most "bang for your buck," meaning they are expected to perform well relative to their salary.
Conversely, a "fade" is a player considered to offer lower value for money, based on their expected score relative to their salary. For budget-conscious strategies, "cheapie" options highlight the best value players at lower price points not already mentioned.
In fantasy sports, understanding value—assessing a player's potential output against their salary—is crucial, as players scoring high relative to their cost are key in crafting the optimal line-up.
The "Pts/$1K" metric shows the predicted points for every $1,000 of a player's salary. A higher number indicates better value, making it easier to spot players who could outperform their cost.
Positional Breakdown
DEF (Defender)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Rory Laird (ADEL) | $14,970 | 89.8 | 6 |
| Value | Brodie Smith (ADEL) | $7,850 | 62.1 | 7.9 |
| Fade | Jarman Impey (HAW) | $14,490 | 86.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Mitchell Hinge (ADEL) | $7,850 | 61.3 | 7.8 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jordan Dawson (ADEL) | $16,840 | 105.6 | 6.3 |
| Value | Massimo D'Ambrosio (HAW) | $9,700 | 63.8 | 6.6 |
| Fade | Jai Newcombe (HAW) | $14,120 | 84.4 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Isaac Cumming (ADEL) | $8,960 | 56.7 | 6.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Riley Thilthorpe (ADEL) | $12,970 | 86.2 | 6.6 |
| Value | Sam Butler (HAW) | $6,690 | 59.5 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Ben Keays (ADEL) | $11,340 | 69.6 | 6.1 |
| Cheapie | Mitch Lewis (HAW) | $6,980 | 55.7 | 8 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lloyd Meek (HAW) | $14,970 | 97.6 | 6.5 |
| Value | Mabior Chol (HAW) | $8,640 | 63.5 | 7.3 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Crows vs Hawks Semi-Finals, 2025 teams, consider starting with a value player like Sam Butler. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Jordan Dawson is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, take a look at our cheapie options, including Mitch Lewis.
On the other hand, according to our model, Jarman Impey is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Crows vs Hawks slate closes at 7:40pm AEST on Friday. ENTER NOW!
As with all AFL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven AFL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the AFL Crows vs Hawks Semi-Finals contest. The unique insights here can give you an edge when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Crows vs Hawks line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
Please note that if you use our DFS tips for betting purposes, ensure you gamble responsibly and keep track of your money. For free and confidential support, call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
