AFL Giants vs Hawks Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Opening Round 2026
Last updated: Mar 7, 2026, 4:42AM | Published: Mar 5, 2026, 2:49AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Giants vs Hawks Opening Round DFS contest starts at 4:15pm AEDT on March 7, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you build winning line-ups.
An accurate Draftstars cheat sheet is a must for AFL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you assemble your fantasy teams for Draftstars' AFL contests and enhance your Supercoach team for Opening Round.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to come up with 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 have reviewed players from each team in the GWS GIANTS vs Hawthorn match-up to help you find the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lachie Whitfield (GWS, DEF) | $16,760 | 114.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Tom Barrass (HAW, DEF) | $6,000 | 49.4 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Finn Callaghan (GWS, MID) | $16,040 | 101.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Max Gruzewski (GWS, FWD) | $6,000 | 46.3 | 7.7 |
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'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 | Lachie Whitfield (GWS) | $16,760 | 114.3 | 6.8 |
| Value | Tom Barrass (HAW) | $6,000 | 49.4 | 8.2 |
| Fade | Josh Weddle (HAW) | $11,520 | 75.1 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Jack Scrimshaw (HAW) | $9,640 | 70.2 | 7.3 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Clayton Oliver (GWS) | $14,420 | 110.2 | 7.6 |
| Value | Clayton Oliver (GWS) | $14,420 | 110.2 | 7.6 |
| Fade | Finn Callaghan (GWS) | $16,040 | 101.1 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Sam Butler (HAW) | $8,120 | 59.5 | 7.3 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Dylan Moore (HAW) | $13,250 | 90.4 | 6.8 |
| Value | Max Gruzewski (GWS) | $6,000 | 46.3 | 7.7 |
| Fade | Toby Greene (GWS) | $13,950 | 90.3 | 6.5 |
| Cheapie | Mitch Lewis (HAW) | $6,910 | 52.6 | 7.6 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Lloyd Meek (HAW) | $13,560 | 87.9 | 6.5 |
| Value | Kieren Briggs (GWS) | $11,770 | 82.1 | 7 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your AFL Giants vs Hawks Opening Round teams, consider starting with a value player like Tom Barrass. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Lachie Whitfield is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Max Gruzewski.
On the other hand, according to our model, Finn Callaghan is one of the lowest value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building out multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Giants vs Hawks slate closes at 4:15pm AEDT on Saturday. 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 Giants vs Hawks Opening Round 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 Giants vs Hawks 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 GWS GIANTS vs Hawthorn 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.
