A self-confessed AFL Fantasy tragic, Brad Crouch will share his insights and AFL Fantasy tips regularly on afc.com.au this season. Today, Crouch identifies the Crows to keep an eye on …

Eddie Betts, FORWARD, $323,300
I think Eddie will kick a lot of goals for us this season and he loves to tackle, which will boost his Fantasy scores. He’s also very durable. He’s only missed a handful of games in the last five or six years, so he’ll play a lot of game time and be a reliable scorer. At $323,300 Eddie’s definitely worth considering as a unique pick in your forward line.

Jason Porplyzia, FORWARD, $313,300
‘Porps’ had a disappointing year by his own standards in 2013, but he’s been unbelievable at training and he took that form into the first two NAB Challenge games. He had 10 touches and a goal in the first quarter alone against Port before he was subbed out and was good again on Monday night. He’s set for a big season. He’s dropped a couple of kilograms and looks really fit. ‘Porps’ might play a little bit up the ground at times, which will help his scoring, and we all know he can take a good mark and kick goals. In 2012, he played some really good footy and I think he’s due to rediscover that form.

Matt Wright, FORWARD/MIDFIELDER, $368,900
Wrighty is another one who was down a bit last season, but his form in the two NAB Challenge games suggests he’s ready for a big year too. He played more as a forward in 2013 and kicked a few bags. He also gets plenty of the ball when he plays in the midfield, so he’s a great option as a dual-position player.

Mitch Grigg, MIDFIELDER, $325,200
Griggy played a few games towards the end of last season so his price has jumped up a bit, but I think he’s still worth the money. He’s had a really good pre-season. He kicks the ball rather than handballing and is good around goals. He’s one who will definitely increase in value this year.

Sam Kerridge, FORWARD/MIDFIELDER, $375,500
Sammy is another player who will be looking for more game time this year. He’s a really good runner and is a chance to slot into the midfield as a tagger with Nathan van Berlo out injured. He also showed last year that he can find the goals. Sammy has the advantage of being a forward/midfielder and, like Griggy, should continue to go up in value in 2014.

Matt Crouch, MIDFIELDER, $203,200
I probably have to mention the brother! It’s a tough midfield to break into, so I’m not sure how many games Matt will get this year. If he plays he’ll get a bit of the ball like he did against Port in the first NAB Challenge game. Hopefully, he gets the footy and feeds it off to me.

James Podsiadly, FORWARD, $409,500
‘Pods’ will set you back just over $400,000, but he averaged more than 75 points a game last year and will be a really important player for us, especially, early in the year with ‘Tex’ out. He’s a strong contested mark, kicks goals and also tackles, so he could have some big-scoring games this season.

Taylor Walker, FORWARD, $282,900
Tex is definitely one to keep an eye on. He won’t play in Round One, but when he does come back be sure to get him into your team and watch his price rise. He’s coming off a serious knee injury and 12 months out, so we have to be patient with him but he’s a quality player and I’m sure he’ll play some really good footy this year.

Sam Shaw, DEFENDER, $197,700
‘Shawy’ had a disappointing 2013 season with a lot of injuries, but when he did play he looked comfortable at the level. He had a good season in 2012 and a strong summer on the track. He looks fit and strong and playing as a third tall can take a lot of marks and use the ball well. He’s priced cheaper than a lot of the draftees, so he’s certainly worth considering.

Charlie Cameron, FORWARD, $115,200
Charlie has been really impressive at training. He puts a lot of pressure on the ball and will lay a lot of tackles. He’s played senior footy in the WAFL and looked pretty good in the NAB Challenge game against Port. He’s a rookie, so he can’t play AFL unless he’s promoted to the senior list but there are a couple of vacant spots there because of long-term injuries, so keep an eye on him if he gets a chance.