BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes Draftstars DFS Preview and Projections for January 3, 2026
Last updated: Jan 2, 2026, 11:59PM | Published: Jan 2, 2026, 10:59PM
Draftstars Australia's BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes DFS contest kicks off at 7:15pm AEDT on January 3, 2026, and Fantasy Insider has looked at the data for each player in the game to help you make winning line-ups.
A reliable Draftstars cheat sheet is essential for BBL fantasy players. This DFS preview is designed to help you put together your fantasy teams for Draftstars' BBL contests and improve your season-long fantasy line-ups on Saturday and beyond.
Fantasy Insider, renowned for its world-class DFS tools and projections since 2015, employs the same machine learning models as Stats Insider to make some of the strongest DFS projections in the world.
With the best BBL fantasy insights and DFS strategies from Fantasy Insider, you're set to win in more BBL fantasy contests.
Cheat Sheet and Projections
We have reviewed players from each team in the Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes match-up to help you find the best selections on Saturday's slate.
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Mitchell Owen (HOB, BAT/BOW) | $17,500 | 61.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Ryan Hadley (SYT, BOW) | $8,000 | 36.6 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Matthew Gilkes (SYT, BAT) | $14,800 | 27.6 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Tim Ward (HOB, BAT) | $8,000 | 28.8 | 3.6 |
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 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
BAT (Batsman)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Mitchell Owen (HOB) | $17,500 | 61.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Nathan McAndrew (SYT) | $10,600 | 42 | 4 |
| Fade | Matthew Gilkes (SYT) | $14,800 | 27.6 | 1.9 |
| Cheapie | Tim Ward (HOB) | $8,000 | 28.8 | 3.6 |
BOW (Bowler)
| Selection | Player | Salary | Proj. Pts | Pts/$1K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stud | Mitchell Owen (HOB) | $17,500 | 61.2 | 3.5 |
| Value | Ryan Hadley (SYT) | $8,000 | 36.6 | 4.6 |
| Fade | Daniel Sams (SYT) | $19,500 | 48.3 | 2.5 |
Conclusion
In DFS, creating an optimal line-up requires understanding key concepts and metrics. When building your BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes teams, consider starting with a value player like Ryan Hadley. To secure one of the highest projected scorers, Mitchell Owen is a strong option. If you're looking for budget-friendly choices to free up salary cap for more studs, check out our cheapie options, including Tim Ward.
On the other hand, according to our model, Matthew Gilkes is one of the worst value options on the slate, suggesting you might want to limit exposure to him if building multiple line-ups.
Ready to go? Draftstars' BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes slate closes at 7:15pm AEDT on Saturday. ENTER NOW!
As with all BBL DFS contests, whether you start with our studs or build around our value picks, leveraging Fantasy Insider's data-driven BBL fantasy news and strategies, combined with your own research, can enhance your chances of winning in the BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes contest. The unique insights here can help you balance star power, value and budget management when you make your BBL DFS line-ups.
For the latest projections and optimised BBL Thunder vs Hurricanes 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.
