AFL Hawks vs Demons Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for Round 23, 2025
Last updated: Aug 15, 2025, 6:33PM | Published: Aug 13, 2025, 9:35AM
Draftstars Australia's AFL Hawks vs Demons Round 23 DFS contest begins at 4:15pm AEST on August 16, 2025, and Fantasy Insider has crunched the numbers for every player in the game to help you create 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 Round 23.
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 best DFS projections in the world.
With the best 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 Hawthorn vs Melbourne match-up to help you make the best choices on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB, RK) | $16,460 | 110 | 6.7 |
| Value | Harrison Petty (MELB, FWD) | $7,360 | 63.2 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Josh Ward (HAW, MID) | $12,480 | 73.6 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Harry Sharp (MELB, FWD/MID) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
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 refer to 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 | Christian Salem (MELB) | $14,040 | 90.3 | 6.4 |
| Value | Tom Barrass (HAW) | $6,000 | 42.7 | 7.1 |
| Fade | Karl Amon (HAW) | $13,220 | 82.7 | 6.3 |
| Cheapie | Jack Scrimshaw (HAW) | $8,320 | 59.2 | 7.1 |
MID (Midfielder)
| Selection | Salary | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $13,680 | 87.3 | 6.4 |
| Value | Harry Sharp (MELB) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
| Fade | Josh Ward (HAW) | $12,480 | 73.6 | 5.9 |
| Cheapie | Jai Culley (MELB) | $7,680 | 57.7 | 7.5 |
FWD (Forward)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) | $13,680 | 87.3 | 6.4 |
| Value | Harrison Petty (MELB) | $7,360 | 63.2 | 8.6 |
| Fade | Jack Ginnivan (HAW) | $12,420 | 74.5 | 6 |
| Cheapie | Harry Sharp (MELB) | $6,000 | 50.4 | 8.4 |
RK (Ruckman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Max Gawn (MELB) | $16,460 | 110 | 6.7 |
| Value | Mabior Chol (HAW) | $8,940 | 64.1 | 7.2 |
Conclusion
When building your AFL Hawks vs Demons Round 23 teams, consider starting with a value player like Harrison Petty. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Max Gawn is a strong option. If you're seeking budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, explore our cheapie options, including Harry Sharp.
On the other hand, according to our model, Josh Ward is one of the worst value options in this game, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' AFL Hawks vs Demons slate closes at 4:15pm AEST 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 Hawks vs Demons Round 23 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 Hawks vs Demons 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 Hawthorn vs Melbourne 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.
