The new A-League season is now well and truly underway in all its goal-rich, ill-disciplined uniqueness and soon the top coaches of Australia will have settled on their preferred XIs and squad pecking order.

The early season form of their outfit will have been weighed against the rest and most will have a fair idea of where they stand amongst the top sides of the competition.

That’s right; Fantasy A-League coaches are warming to the task of a whole new season bursting with poor transfers, expert captaincy decisions and the ultimate glory of mate-against-mate bragging rights.

You’ll have to excuse my current insufferable smugness as I happened to scoop the Fox Sports’ FourFourTwo Blogger’s League last season. Whether this can be solely attributed to all other participants failing to retain the same level of interest as I did through the course of the season remains to be seen.

While those of you not caught up in fantasy football madness will look at the rest of us with some bewilderment as we stress over whether Van Dijk or Smeltz is most likely to score this weekend and curse our luck when Matt Simon bags a brace, there is greater meaning to this whole sideshow.

There are several things we – FFA and the A-League, specifically – can learn from the AFL, especially the little things. Little things such as fantasy football.

Off the top of my head, I would say playing AFL Dream Team – one of two AFL fantasy juggernauts – increases my viewership of matches from what would be a relatively standard three or four per week to around six to eight. I would expect similar for a healthy portion of the other 304,503 users who registered in 2011. Similarly, I know of one friend whose interest in Australian Rules Football grew unexpectedly after engaging with the Dream Team universe.

Dedicated websites featuring analysis, tips, statistical scrutiny and fantasy-based humour, official and unofficial iPhone apps, live chats with AFL-sanctioned ‘gurus’ and player score updates during match breaks all play a significant role in growing what has become a vast discourse.

In the lead-up to and opening two weeks of the new A-League season I have been surprised by the uptake of our own fantasy football matters. Discussion on Twitter concerning A-League fantasy appears to have risen approximately 30% - a statistic with absolutely no grounding in fact or research; it’s “just the vibe of the thing.” My genuine research, however, tells me more than 20,000 users are registered for Fox Sports’ admirably marketed competition.

On the other hand, the A-League’s Official Fantasy Football competition has far fewer participants at the time of writing. This number in itself isn’t necessarily important – it’s quite possible fans simply prefer the structure of Fox Sports’ competition – but what does frustrate is that I, a self-confessed fantasy sports fan, was completely unaware an ‘official’ competition existed. For once, I don’t think this can be attributed to my own ignorance.

I’m loathe to criticise FFA on this topic – and they have made an effort, evidenced by ‘The Scout’ feature on the A-League website – given they have much more pressing matters at hand, but fantasy football should be regarded as worthwhile for greater promotion (note: not necessarily advertising). Consider this as more a friendly word of advice, Ben. You reading this (yes, you in the shirt!), however, can contribute immediately and effectively.

First, sign up – you can do so at aleaguefantasy.foxsports.com.au or fantasy.footballaustralia.com.au. Second, hit the FourFourTwo discussion thread stickied under the Australian Football sub-forum and join one of the posted leagues. Third, get yourself over to www.fantasyhal.com.au and/or www.goldenboot.com.au. If you’re inspired, I urge you to create your own sources of Fantasy A-League insight and let us all know about it in the comments section below.

I acknowledge that some of you will see all this as trivial, but you would be wrong. Expanding the A-League dialogue is paramount to growing the game, and fantasy football gets people talking. And interested, and laughing, and whingeing, and frustrated …