With salary caps set at $10 million and $13 million across the SuperCoach and AFL Fantasy platforms respectively, filling every position with a premium player is simply not possible.
In order to field a team that both keeps you under the cap and allows you to be competitive, selecting a smattering of rookies is essential.
Obviously, these young names won't make up the bulk of your weekly totals, but should you select the right ones early, your bottom line and your win/loss column will look healthy.
Although we don't know whether any of these names will break through the banner in round one just yet, their pre-season track work has piqued our interest.
These are each club's rated rookies that look primed for early debuts.
Hawthorn
Connor Downie (MID)
SuperCoach price - $117,300
AFL Fantasy price - $202,000
With Tom Scully departing the Hawk's nest this off-season, his wing position is vacant for suitors.
Evidently leading the pack after last week's intra-club hit out is new recruit, Connor Downie.
The NGA academy product's praises were sung by assistant coach Brendon Bolton after the โprobables' v โpossibles' match up.
Tom Phillips and Connor Downie impressed in @HawthornFCโs intraclub match, but Jack Scrimshaw hobbled off with an injury scare. https://t.co/PDb8h5RMS1
— AFL (@AFL) February 18, 2021
"He's a really focused young lad and is soaking up all the information," Bolton said.
"His workrate up and down the ground has been a strong suit, so that was a pleasing little step for him today."
Downie's sizable frame and his fifth-place finish in the club's 2km time trial also suggest that he is ready to make the jump.
The former Eastern Range's midfielder averaged a tasty 82 supercoach points in his 2019 season.
Tyler Brockman (MID/FWD)
SuperCoach price - $117,300
AFL Fantasy price - $180,000
Like Downie, Tyler Brockman's star has risen sharply after impressing in match simulation this pre-season.
Although taken with the Hawks final draft pick last season (pick 46), the Western Australian small-forward's speed and defensive pressure could see him replace Paul Puopolo immediately.
Whilst with Subiaco, Brockman averaged 86 supercoach points at Colts level last season.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, wait for a larger pre-season sample size before locking and loading.
Connor Downie 117k MID and Tyler Brockman 117k FWD both played in @HawthornFC โAโ team during todayโs practice match.
Brockman was a standout. Will play Round 1. #RookieWatch #SuperCoach
— SuperCoach IQ (@SuperCoachIQ) February 18, 2021
