AFL Demons vs Eagles Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 9, 2026
Last updated: May 10, 2026, 2:42AM | Published: May 6, 2026, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Demons vs Eagles Round 9 DFS contest starts at 1:10pm AEST on May 10, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you build your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Round 9.
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 strongest 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've reviewed players from each team in the Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles match-up to help you find the best selections on Sunday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $17,010 | 113.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB, FWD) | $6,040 | 53.5 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE, MID/FWD) | $11,800 | 65.1 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Reuben Ginbey (WCE, DEF) | $7,030 | 52.7 | 7.5 |
According to Fantasy Insider's DFS model, our "stud" is the highest projected scorer across the slate, while "value" picks provide the most "bang for your buck," meaning they're 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 those needing to stay under the salary cap, "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 | Tom McCarthy (WCE) | $13,030 | 87.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Reuben Ginbey (WCE) | $7,030 | 52.7 | 7.5 |
| Fade | Josh Lindsay (WCE) | $10,260 | 60.2 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Brady Hough (WCE) | $8,120 | 59.2 | 7.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Jack Steele (MELB) | $15,430 | 101.9 | 6.6 |
| Value | Caleb Windsor (MELB) | $9,760 | 68.5 | 7 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $11,800 | 65.1 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Harvey Langford (MELB) | $9,350 | 63.2 | 6.8 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $15,920 | 100 | 6.3 |
| Value | Bailey Laurie (MELB) | $6,040 | 53.5 | 8.9 |
| Fade | Milan Murdock (WCE) | $11,800 | 65.1 | 5.5 |
| Cheapie | Jobe Shanahan (WCE) | $6,280 | 47.1 | 7.5 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $17,010 | 113.2 | 6.7 |
| Value | Max Heath (MELB) | $7,600 | 56.8 | 7.5 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Demons vs Eagles Round 9 teams, consider starting with a value player like Bailey Laurie. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Reuben Ginbey.
On the other hand, according to our model, Milan Murdock is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if putting together multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Demons vs Eagles slate closes at 1:10pm AEST on Sunday. 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 Demons vs Eagles Round 9 slate. The unique insights here can help you maximize points while adhering to the salary cap when you make your AFL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised AFL Demons vs Eagles line-ups, check out the Fantasy Insider Cruncher on Draftstars! It's free to use when you're logged in.
For more on this game, dive into our full Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles prediction, where you will find the latest odds and tips for the main betting markets.
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.
