Geraldton student in AFL Schools Fantasy football grand finalThursday, August 25, 2016 - 10:43 AM

GERALDTON Senior College Year 10 student Declan Clayton has made it into the AFL Schools Fantasy football grand final after causing an upset against New South Wales’ student Thomas Mewett.

Thomas was ranked number six across the more than 150,000 Australian competitors (not just school players) heading into the match with Declan team Clayto’s Champions ranked 174.

Declan was able to post a score of 2474 compared to Thomas’ 2340 to advance to the grand final match and edge closer to claiming the National Champion prize which includes a $500 AFL merchandise voucher, iPad and football signed by Trent Cotchin.

Declan will face South Australian competitor Max Drogemuller from Prince Alfred College in the grand final after Max defeated the Victorian competitor.

Declan said he knew he was having a good year but being top of the state was a ‘wow’ moment.

“It’s hard to believe that I got this far,” he said.

AFL Fantasy is an online football game where competitors have to select 30 players (22 on the ground and eight emergencies) at the start of the season while sticking to a budget.

Throughout the season they can trade two players each week to make their team stronger.

The AFL Fantasy Schools began as a state and territory-wide competition across the first 19 rounds of the AFL season with the top competitor from each state or territory progressing to the finals.

Declan topped Western Australia and made his way through the first three rounds of finals defeating Victoria in the first round to advance straight to the preliminary final followed by the good win against the New South Wales competitor on the weekend.

Max’s team, BBC KING, will be another tough challenge for Declan with the South Australian ranked 92 across Australia after posting 2499 points last week, 25 more than the Geraldton student.

Declan said he was excited and nervous ahead of the grand final.

“I’m a bit nervous for the weekend as one of my players was suspended so it makes it a bit tough,” he said.

“He is a good player. I guess it’s all part of the challenge!”

The students’ teams are very similar with the sides only having seven different players though there could be as many as two more after this week’s trades.

Both teams will have to trade out Adelaide’s Rory Sloane after he was suspended for one match while the other trade is unknown.

The choice of captain, who gets their score doubled, will also play an important part in securing a win.

The winner of the grand final will be decided following round 23 of the AFL season

.