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PLAYERS / DARCY GARDINER
Updated 17 May 2026

Darcy Gardiner

#147/177·Bye Rd 12·⚠ out - Shoulder (1 week)
DEF
Price $264kBE 39Owned —Bye Rd 12Avg 49.0
ROOKIEBIBLEVerdict
✕ AVOID

Gardiner returned and posted 49 in Brisbane's 41-point loss to Geelong — 10 above his 39 BE but barely registering in a team that got blown away. Cash gen is marginally negative at -$560/wk. At $263.9k averaging 49, the fitness concerns that haunted the early season have not translated into productive output. Avoid — he's playing but not contributing enough to warrant roster space.

Signals1/3 · Weak alignment
Form
Stable
Trajectory
Flat
Consistency
Variable
Recent formSeason avg 49
49
71▲
16▼
Comparable PicksWhy this comparison · Same primary position (DEF), ±$200k price band

Darcy Gardiner

DEF

Zak Johnson

DEF
—
—
Form
R0
16
R3
71
R10
49
R1
48
R2
76
R3
26
R4
63
R9
58
Pricing
Price$264k
Price$263k
Breakeven39
Breakeven39
Cash/wk+$-1k
Cash/wk+$0k

Decision

Should I trade Darcy Gardiner?

Form, breakeven, and a comparable replacement weighed up.

Intel feed

Recent intel

Community Intel· T3

Darcy Gardiner expected to return to Brisbane in R9, with community comments noting he may be an extra week away but is coming back.

u/incuban (comment, score 8); u/This_Ease_5678 (comment, score 4)
Community Intel· T3

Darcy Gardiner noted as one of the Brisbane Lions players under 50% career win rate having started in losing seasons. Community hopeful he can improve his record.

u/knowschartstuff (comment, score 2)
Injury Watch· T3

Darcy Gardiner (shoulder) listed on the AFL injury list with a 5-7 week prognosis heading into Gather Round, delaying his return.

u/mod post on r/brisbanelions
Community Questions

What people are asking about Darcy Gardiner

Mentioned in
  • Should I trade out Joyce this week given he is likely to be dropped with Gallop and Gardiner returning to Brisbane?
    D. JoyceDEFTop: Trade Joyce out now, upgrade to a premo (60%)
    14
  • Will Darragh Joyce hold his spot in Brisbane's AFL team this week?
    D. JoyceDEFTop: Expect Joyce to be dropped this week (80%)
    11