Footy Tragic

Port Adelaide vs Collingwood:

Looking Good:

• Dane Swan: Despite being the focus of a mid-week interview where he told the interviewer that possession numbers were not important to him, he proved that secretly he does love being number one on the stats sheet and we will continue to love him for it. Finished with 39 touches and 7 tackles, with 16 of those disposals coming in a mega second term!
• Scott Pendlebury: Pendlebury was a strong competitor and only fell short of the ton by a bit. Needs to kick the ball more for such a damaging user by foot, but the fact he was able to rack up 30 disposals was still a great thing.
• David Rodan: Port’s best player, especially in the second half, where his three goals really kept the Power in the contest. Was at his zippy best and won 26 disposals with 8 tackles.

Disappointing:

• Jack Anthony: Again played the swingman role, which is killing his scoring. He looked good in a couple of passages through the middle but did little else. Could also be in trouble for a high hit late in the game.
• Matt Thomas: Sacrificed his own game to tag Daisy Thomas, yet still didn’t nullify him. Tried every trick in the book to ‘accidentally’ hurt Thomas, but fortunately it was to no avail.
• Travis Cloke: Was quite anonymous for most of the night with Dawes the main tall target in the Collingwood forward line. Was also reported in the first quarter, which at worst would see him miss a week.

Blip on the Radar:

• Brett Ebert: Ebert was on fire in the first quarter, kicking three goals and racking up plenty of the ball up field – in fact, nearly half his DT points were acquired in the first term. Ebert has proven this year that at best he is an inconsistent scorer – he has the ability to break a game open as he showed here, but all too often his massive head seems to weigh him down too much, causing some very low scores.

Geelong vs Hawthorn:

Looking Good:

• Jimmy Bartel: Jimmy was great through the middle playing a classic ‘Bartel’ game – plenty of disposals, lots of tackles and a good number of marks. He was best on ground in this tight affair and continues to prove why he is such a loved DT figure!
• Lance Franklin: Kicked another three goals, but again his work around the half-forward line was class – finishing with 22 disposals as a key forward is fantastic, even in today’s day and age.
• Paul Chapman: Chappy started hard before fading through the middle of the game as Gibson, his direct opponent, began to get on top of him, but fortunately he came home strong, finishing with 24 disposals, 7 tackles and 2 goals.

Disappointing:

• Corey Enright: Had a heavy forward tag given to him by Lewis, meaning Mr.Consistency scored his lowest score for the season. With the constant opponent he just wasn’t allowed the freedom or space to rack up his usual cheap ball, nor one-twos out of the backline.
• Xavier Ellis:
  

  If I were an Ellis owner I would be so sick of him by now – so often he starts games strongly before fading away in the second half. In this game, at quarter time he was the second highest point getter on the ground with 33 DT points – he then went on to rack up just 21 points for the rest of the game. Disappointing and frustrating stuff.

• Jarryd Roughead: Once again the Buddy showed prevented Roughy from having0 much effect on the game as he constantly played decoy to Franklin’s leads. He finished with two goals, but it should have been more when playing on a lower-grade defender such as Lonergan.

Blip on the Radar:

• Brad Ottens: Ottens returned this week from his extended stint on the sidelines with injury and competed well. My worry though is going to be how long he will last before re-injuring himself. He has such a poor injury history that he is simply not worth the risk of bringing into your team. Don’t even give the notion a thought – I’d trade Mark Blake in before Ottens and that’s saying something!

West Coast vs Adelaide:

Looking Good:

• Ricky Henderson: He’s only played a few games, but he was sensational across all four quarter as a ball-winning half-forward. He kicked three goals and racked up 22 disposals, making plenty of coaches with him as emergency happy when Goddard withdrew later that night.
• Kurt Tippett: Tippett turned this game all on his own off his own boot in the last quarter when the game was still up for grabs. He looked so powerful in the forward line and both marked and kicked very strongly – two features of his game that haven’t been so brilliant this year. He could perhaps be on the rise and a good late-season smokey to come good for finals.
• Matt Rosa: Was given the freedom to be his own player this week instead of having to follow an opponent’s tail as a tagger and he thrived with the opportunity, as he has shown several times before. I wouldn’t trade him in this year, but I am certainly penning his name into my watch-list book for 2011.

Disappointing:

• Josh Kennedy: Only kicked the two behinds whilst being totally dominated by Rutten. The lack of quality delivery is really going to make it hard for him to beat a strong opponent such as Rutten.
• Phil Davis: For those who own Davis, now is the time to stop playing him on the field – whilst he was a good scorer for a few weeks, he is now being given exclusively shut-down roles, meaning his scoring has been very poor. He is certainly playing his role in the team, but unfortunately this is not going to help your Dream Team.
• Andrew Strijk: As seems to be an odd trend with 2010 debutants, Strijk had an average third game, punishing those who brought him into their squad for his ‘bubble’ game. I doubt he will lose his spot, but that won’t help those coaches who lost their games by a small margin.

Blip on the Radar:

• Everyone from West Coast: I don’t mean this to sound as harsh as it does, but at this stage of the year, avoid trading in any players from teams on the bottom of the ladder – especially the likes of West Coast who are going to have to start playing the kids to show how bright the future is to the members. We saw them make five changes this week – proof that there won’t be a consistent lineup in the Eagles for the remaining rounds.

Brisbane vs St.Kilda

Looking Good:

• Leigh Montagna: Was the Saints best, especially in the second quarter. Watching him closely, he is such a hard worker, running from contest to contest, it is no wonder why he scores so much every week.
• Simon Black: The Saints chose to focus their tagging attention to Power, allowing Black to run free, which saw him be one of the most damaging midfielders on the ground, racking up 29 touches, 9 marks and 7 tackles – all huge stats.
• Daniel Rich: His lack of form through the midfield has seen Voss move him to defence, a move that may just turn his season around. He was great, matching up on one the Saints small forwards and playing a rebounding role, with his great disposal off half-back really helping the Lions solve their recent issue of clean disposal out of the back half.

Disappointing:

• Justin Sherman: Was hardly sighted through the whole game – in fact I couldn’t even tell you where on the ground he played as I saw such little of him. Just 6 disposals is poor – especially for a player who wasn’t even tagged.
• Jack Steven: Seemed to suffer a bit from game time and lacked the luck that has seen him snag some vital goals the past couple of weeks. Will hopefully stay in the squad as his forward pressure has been great – also, his arrival has allowed Schneider to move into the midfield.
• Jason Gram: Played just over 60% game time in his first game back from injury. He floated in and out of the game, but clearly struggled to adjust to the pace for most of the game. Will be better after a few games back, but may need some time.

Blip on the Radar:

• Amon Buchanan: Didn’t have much of an opponent in the Saints backline as Fisher and Gilbert preferred to rebound than pay him attention. He has already shown this year though that he is not a viable DT option. He COULD have been a 2010 bargain, but fortunately not too many fell for the trick.

Richmond vs Fremantle:

Looking Good:

• Daniel Connors: AGAIN, he looked great off half-back and through the middle – This kid plays like he has some drive now. The past few years he has always seemed talented, but quite possibly be one of those players who doesn’t put in the yards and misses out on really making it. This year since his drinking indiscretion, Connors has been great, here amassing a career-high 35 disposals.
• Chris Newman: I keep saying not to pick up players from bottom teams, but if I were to break my own rule, Newman would be the man – he has been really consistent this past month or so and it simply loving being the Richmond captain at such an exciting time. His work off half-back is great and he also has the ability to play through the midfield – almost like Pavlich… but a defender.
• Adam McPhee: McPhee was Freo’s best player, playing mainly as their loose man in defence – he cut off so many Richmond forways forward that he was almost the player that kept Fremantle from being blown out. Good to see him back in defence where he belongs.

Disappointing:

• Hayden Ballantyne: Had little effect on the game, but will be remembered as the player that gave away the crucial 50-metre penalty late in the fourth quarter to put Richmond in front.
• Ben Nason: GODDARD ISN’T PLAYING!! I NEED YOU TO PERFORM! IT’S JUST A BLOODY CUT! PUT A BANDAID ON IT AN GET BACK OUT THERE, THEN IF IT’S REALLY TOO HARD, JUST SIT BEHIND THE BALL AND PLAY KICK-TO-KICK!!
• Ryan Crowley: Back to a tagging role this week, meaning no mega quarters, heck, not even any goals!

Blip on the Radar:

• Adam McPhee: Had to give him the credit for his good game… But let’s be honest… It’s Adam McPhee…

Sydney vs North Melbourne:

Looking Good:

• Adam Goodes: Paul Roos thought he’s “try something different” and throw Goodes into the midfield to try and re-invigorate him, and boy did it work! Goodes was prolific, racking up 33 touches and 11 tackles in one of the best individual games of the weekend. The only worry is that he was put back forward late in the game (and kicked three match-winning goals!), with Roos later hinting that this is where he would continue his season. So don’t get too excited about continued midfield time… yet.
• Tadhg Kennelly: Kennelly finally showed some form after plenty of terrible matches in a row. Running off half-back he amassed a whopping 34 disposals – his largest tally of the year.
• Nick Malceski: The Swans other rebounding defender was also having a good day at the office, equalling Kennelly’s 34 disposals. Malceski also kicked a goal, but unlike Kennelly he chose to handball more than kick.

Disappointing:

• Drew Petrie: I don’t quite understand why all these players keep getting rushed back a week too early – Petrie spent the game still clearly hampered by his foot injury and thus never got into any sort of rhythm. But by-golly, he’s gonna be cheap in 2011!
• Lachie Hansen: Although Petrie was ineffective, the Kangaroos still aimed most of their attacks at him, meaning the in-form Hansen was hardly able to trouble the statisticians. Only kicked the one behind.
• Jarrad McVeigh: The game of McVeigh was more a testament to the tagging skills of Rawlings than it was an indictment on McVeigh – so far in 2010 McVeigh has been one of the hardest men for taggers to stop with his leg-speed and great ability through traffic, but Rawlings worked hard all day to totally nullify him from the contest.

Blip on the Radar:

• Lewis Roberts-Thomson: I don’t know what it is about LRT, but he seems to suck some DTers in more than many other players. I can tell you now though that he is NOT the type of player you want. He plays the full-back role in a low-possession team, yet sometimes is allowed to junk up a bit – not Brian Lake junk (which sees a lot of points earned from reading the play) – simple, honest, “OMG I don’t wanna kick this up the middle” sort of junk stats. Stay wellllllll away!

Essendon vs Melbourne:

Looking Good:

• Brad Green: Green started strongly with the first goal and didn’t let up from there, pushing on for best on ground honours. He finished the game with five goals, switching between half-forward and the midfield.
• Jason Winderlich: One of Essendon’s few standouts – ran hard all day and continued to rack up the pill. He finished with 30 disposals and seven marks, but really lacked much help from his teammates.
• Colin Sylvia: Made it back into the side for the first time in a few weeks and played very well, treating those owners who have kept hold of him through thick and thin. Kicked two goals amongst 29 disposals. Like Green, Sylvia rotated through the forward line and on the ball.

Disappointing:

• Patrick Ryder: Was quite easily beaten by Jamar, which was surprising. He held his own in the ruck but only managed the 10 disposals around the ground. Paddy tends to play better with Hille in the side, who should hopefully return next week.
• Kyle Reimers: Played the game as a forward and only contributed a goal. Reimers is a player who could be anything, and I think we can see this in DT land, but unfortunately his inconsistency robs him. Really needs a big pre-season next year and we could hopefully look to 2011 as a real breakout year for him.
• Paul Johnson: Was essentially a pointless inclusion as Jamar was allowed to pretty much ruck on his own anyway.

Blip on the Radar:

• Jay Neagle: Performed well with three goals, but I worry about Neagle’s consistency at his age. He won’t perform too well against top teams yet, plus he is not the type of player to be targeting at this time of year anyway.

Western Bulldogs vs Carlton:

Looking Good:

• Matthew Boyd: This guy just screams captain – gets the hard ball, uses it well, and what’s more, he does it all the way til the final siren. Will never give you half-baked effort, so expect consistently high scores.
• Bryce Gibbs: Played through the middle, which was a sight for sore eyes. He still did drop behind the ball at times, but at least he wasn’t playing a stopper’s role deep in defence. Surprisingly though, he did turn it over quite a bit – though thankfully, this doesn’t make a lick of difference to dream team!
• Brian Lake: Gee he’s good. I’ve decided to stop being so critical of him and just watch him play – and I’ve become to realise that his disposals aren’t just cheapies, but whilst not all contested, he reads the opposition kicks so well, leading to him chopping off plenty of forays forwards with his strong marking. There is no wonder he is leading the competition for marks this year – I take back every bad thing I have said, he IS a great dream team option!

Disappointing:

• Eddie Betts: No easy ball here, Eddie – 7 possessions, no goals.
• Setanta O’Hailpin: Played a shut-down role on Lake – it worked wonders, restricting Lake to just 28 touches and 8 marks… Setanta was also damaging the other way with two of his three disposals hitting the target…
• Paul Bower: His owners would have been relieved to just see him on the field playing footy, but his meagre 59 points would certainly have been disappointing. He played much more defensively orientated than earlier in the season, but as Ratten seems to change everyone’s roles each week, perhaps he will be the rebounder again next week… or maybe a small forward…

Blip on the Radar:

• Shaun Hampson: He was decent, but don’t expect his score to keep doubling every week… Expect a 60 average and not a lot more.

Expert: Dan
Team: Hank Scorpio EDT
Current Ranking: 4,049
Round 15 Score: 2,193
Trades Remaining: 4
Team Changes This Week:
In: Paul Chapman
Out: Michael Barlow

Expert: Toby
Team: Fiora’s Hardnuts
Current Ranking: 1,694
Round 15 Score: 2,215
Trades Remaining: 4
Team Changes This Week:
In: Leigh Montagna
Out: Michael Barlow

Expert: Ben
Team: The Redbacks
Current Ranking: 886
Round 15 Score: 2,256
Trades Remaining: 7
Team Changes This Week:
In: Matthew Boyd
Out: Michael Barlow

PORT ADELAIDE v COLLINGWOOD

Port Adelaide

B: Paul Stewart, Alipate Carlile, Nick Salter

HB: Steven Salopek, Troy Chaplin, Matt Thomas

C: Kane Cornes, Domenic Cassisi, Travis Boak

HF: Justin Westhoff, Jay Schulz, David Rodan

F: Jackson Trengove, Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert

Foll: Dean Brogan, Danyle Pearce, Tom Logan

I/C: Mitch Banner, Cameron Hitchcock, Matt Broadbent, Daniel Stewart

Emg: Jason Davenport, Danny Meyer, Jay Nash

In: Boak

Out: Chad Cornes (susp)

• Boak comes straight back into the team after missing just the one week.
• Chadly Cornes will miss with suspension, although the rest will likely to his withering body some good.

Collingwood

B: Heath Shaw, Simon Prestigiacomo, Leigh Brown

HB: Harry O’Brien, Tyson Goldsack, Alan Toovey

C: Sharrod Wellingham, Dane Swan, Jarryd Blair

HF: Luke Ball, Travis Cloke, John Anthony

F: Dayne Beams, Chris Dawes, Steele Sidebottom

Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas

I/C: Alan Didak, Ben Johnson, Tarkyn Lockyer, Ben Reid

Emg: Josh Fraser, Luke Rounds, Brent Macaffer

In: Sidebottom

Out: Leon Davis

• Sidebottom returns to the side, whilst Davis will miss. Whilst there is no injury listed on the team sheets, Collingwood have stated that Davis in fact has a calf injury.
• Jarryd Blair will play his second game whilst Fraser and Medhurst again miss out.

GEELONG CATS v HAWTHORN

Geelong Cats

B: Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie

HB: Corey Enright, Harry Taylor, Darren Milburn

C: James Kelly, Cameron Ling, Jimmy Bartel

HF: Paul Chapman, James Podsiadly, Travis Varcoe

F: Mathew Stokes, Brad Ottens, Shannon Byrnes

Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett

I/C: Joel Corey, Tom Lonergan, David Wojcinski, Mitch Duncan

Emg: Simon Hogan, Taylor Hunt, Trent West

In: Ottens, Ling, Taylor

Out: Simon Hogan, Taylor Hunt, Trent West

• Ottens makes his usual late-season return before finals, however do not consider him for your team! He is soooo injury prone it is ridiculous!
• Ling and Taylor also return, whilst youngsters West and Hunt miss out.

Hawthorn

B: Campbell Brown, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra

HB: Ben Stratton, Ryan Schoenmakers, Thomas Murphy

C: Chance Bateman, Luke Hodge, Clinton Young

HF: Michael Osborne, Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne

F: Carl Peterson, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli

Foll: Brent Renouf, Brad Sewell, Jordan Lewis

I/C: Josh Gibson, Wayde Skipper, Grant Birchall, Xavier Ellis

Emg: Beau Muston, Jordan Lisle, Shane Savage

In: Brown, Gibson

Out: Sam Mitchell (hand), Beau Muston

• Gibson returns from his long-term hamstring injury, whilst Brown will also bolster Hawthorn’s defence.
• Muston is an unlucky casualty, whilst Mitchell should miss two weeks with a broken hand.

WEST COAST v ADELAIDE

West Coast

B: Will Schofield, Eric MacKenzie, Ashley Smith

HB: Beau Waters, Mitchell Brown, Brad Sheppard

C: Matt Rosa, Matt Priddis, Andrew Embley

HF: Andrew Strijk, Quinten Lynch, Brad Ebert

F: Dean Cox, Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras

Foll: Nic Naitanui, Chris Masten, Adam Selwood

I/C: Scott Selwood, Brett Jones, Lewis Stevenson, Ashton Hams

Emg: Koby Stevens, Ben McKinley, Callum Wilson

In: Jones, Hams, Brown, Smith, Stevenson

Out: Ben McKinley, Beau Wilkes, Bradd Dalziell, Tom Swift, Patrick McGinnity

New: Ashley Smith

• West Coast are finally making a statement at selection with plenty of experienced players to miss, including Swift and McKinley.
• Hams finally returns, whilst Stevenson is also a good inclusion to plenty of midfield benches.
• Smith is named to make his debut – he is a very fast attacking defender who has been playing WAFL seniors for a while. He averages 13 disposals and could be a reasonable target, although i prefer his teammate Strijk, who will play his third game.

Adelaide

B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Scott Stevens

HB: Michael Doughty, Phil Davis, Brad Symes

C: Bernie Vince, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane

HF: Ricky Henderson, Taylor Walker, Nathan van Berlo

F: Jason Porplyzia, Kurt Tippett, Richard Douglas

Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Simon Goodwin

I/C: Brent Reilly, Jonathon Griffin, Tony Armstrong, Matthew Jaensch

Emg: Myke Cook, Jack Gunston, James Sellar

No change

• As advertised, no change at Adelaide, meaning McLeod, Knights and Bock will continue to miss. Griffen is a chance to be a late withdrawal, although he did pass a fitness test today.

BRISBANE LIONS v ST KILDA

Brisbane Lions

B: Tom Collier, Daniel Merrett, Ashley McGrath

HB: Daniel Rich, Joel Patfull, Travis Johnstone

C: Jared Brennan, Tom Rockliff, Justin Sherman

HF: James Polkinghorne, Brent Staker, Luke Power

F: Todd Banfield, Brendan Fevola, Aaron Cornelius

Foll: Mitchell Clark, Michael Rischitelli, Simon Black

I/C: Matthew Leuenberger, Pearce Hanley, Jack Redden, Amon Buchanan

Emg: James Hawksley, Cheynee Stiller, Jesse O’Brien

In: Hanley, Fevola

Out: Sam Sheldon, Jesse O’Brien

• Fevola will return, although question-marks remain as to which Fev we will see. Brown is apparently another week away.
• O’Brien is omitted after debuting last week against Carlton.

St Kilda

B: Brett Peake, Jason Blake, Sam Gilbert

HB: Jarryn Geary, Sam Fisher, James Gwilt

C: Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Farren Ray

HF: Clinton Jones, Justin Koschitzke, Adam Schneider

F: Andrew McQualter, Nick Riewoldt, Stephen Milne

Foll: Michael Gardiner, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna

I/C: Sean Dempster, Jack Steven, Ben McEvoy, Zac Dawson

Emg: Alistair Smith, Adam Pattison, Jason Gram

In: Riewoldt, Koschitzke

Out: Adam Pattison, Rhys Stanley

• The biggest news of the week is the return of Riewoldt – it has been heavily hyped and rumoured that he would return, but still it is great to see his name finally on the teams sheet. The Saints have intimated he will play a much deeper forward role for the first few weeks back, keeping him away from the harder centre-squares.
• The second twin-tower, Kosi, will also return from his ankle injury.
• Talls Stanley and Pattison make way, although rumour is that Gardiner may miss, making way for Patto.
• Gram seems not to have made it into the squad again – potentially he may line up for Sandringham on the weekend, or simply miss another week.

RICHMOND v FREMANTLE

Richmond

B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, David Astbury

HB: Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio, Daniel Connors

C: Mitch Farmer, Daniel Jackson, Shane Edwards

HF: Matt White, Jack Riewoldt, Ben Nason

F: Richard Tambling, Ben Griffiths, Andrew Collins

Foll: Angus Graham, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin

I/C: Kelvin Moore, Tyrone Vickery, Jake King, Jeromey Webberley

Emg: Mitch Morton, Dean Polo, Robin Nahas

In: Webberley

Out: Ben Cousins (illness)

• As expected, Cousins is out due to his early week hospital visit.
• Webberley is a great inclusion for plenty of dream teams. Hopefully he can take a spot in the guts, just as he has been playing at Coburg.

Fremantle

B: Clancee Pearce, Alex Silvagni, Kepler Bradley

HB: Nick Suban, Ryan Crowley, Roger Hayden

C: Garrick Ibbotson, David Mundy, Anthony Morabito

HF: Jay Van Berlo, Matthew Pavlich, Stephen Hill

F: Adam McPhee, Michael Johnson, Hayden Ballantyne

Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Rhys Palmer, Paul Duffield

I/C: Dylan Roberton, Tim Ruffles, Paul Hasleby, Matt de Boer

Emg: Justin Bollenhagen, Byron Schammer, Steven Dodd

In: Tim Ruffles, Nick Suban, Clancee Pearce

Out: Michael Barlow (leg), Antoni Grover (hamstring), Nat Fyfe (concussion)

• With the huge news of Riewoldt’s return, the other huge news, albeit bad news, is the injury to Barlow, as discussed thoroughly this week on Footy Tragic. He will miss the remainder of the season. Fellow midfielder Suban will return.
• Fyfe should miss just the one week with concussion sustained in last week’s win over Port.

SYDNEY SWANS v NORTH MELBOURNE

Sydney Swans

B: Rhyce Shaw, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Nick Smith

HB: Martin Mattner, Heath Grundy, Tadhg Kennelly

C: Nick Malceski, Brett Kirk, Kieren Jack

HF: Daniel Hannebery, Ryan O’Keefe, Josh Kennedy

F: Ben McGlynn, Adam Goodes, Jarred Moore

Foll: Shane Mumford, Jude Bolton, Jarrad McVeigh

I/C (from): Paul Bevan, Trent Dennis-Lane, Lewis Johnston, Brett Meredith, Mike Pyke, Ted Richards, Patrick Veszpremi

In: Richards, Bevan, Meredith, Veszpremi, Johnston

Out: Henry Playfair (back), Craig Bird (foot)

New: Lewis Johnston

• The Sydney forward line has taken another hit with the injury to Playfair and non-showing of Bradshaw. This has led to the inclusion of debutant Lewis Johnston, the Swans first pick in the 2008 draft. He is a tall, fast leading forward, with a great set of hands. Whilst he won’t be expected to make much impact this year, he may prove a permanent replacement for Playfair with his much stronger upside.

North Melbourne

B: Michael Firrito, Scott Thompson, Brady Rawlings

HB: Sam Wright, Robbie Tarrant, Daniel Pratt

C: Leigh Adams, Brent Harvey, Ryan Bastinac

HF: Matt Campbell, Lachlan Hansen, Ben Warren

F: Daniel Wells, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas

Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Andrew Swallow, Levi Greenwood

I/C (from): Ed Lower, Ben Cunnington, Todd Goldstein, Cruize Garlett, Gavin Urquhart, Leigh Harding, Scott McMahon

In: Petrie, Harding, Urquhart, Tarrant

Out: Jack Ziebell (Leg)

New: Robbie Tarrant (Mildura/Bendigo U18)

• A few good inclusions for North, with the most important being the return of Petrie from two separate broken feet.
• Robbie Tarrant is named to debut, and he has been confirmed by the club as a certain starter. He has been in good form for Werribee at CHB, the exact position he has been named for North. Like his brother, he is a very good athlete with a good set of hands and will hopefully be able to play out the season. He showed in the NAB cup he is capable of scoring between 50-70 points.
• Ziebell is out and will miss the remainder of the season with a broken leg.

MELBOURNE v ESSENDON

Melbourne

B: Jamie Bennell, Jared Rivers, Clint Bartram

HB: Colin Garland, James Frawley, Tom Scully

C: Nathan Jones, Jack Trengove, Brad Green

HF: Lynden Dunn, Jack Watts, Cameron Bruce

F: Colin Sylvia, Matthew Bate, Jordie McKenzie

Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, Aaron Davey

I/C (from): Joel Macdonald, Kyle Cheney, Rohan Bail, Paul Johnson, Addam Maric, Neville Jetta, Liam Jurrah

In: Johnson, Sylvia, Bail, Jurrah, Maric

Out: Jack Grimes (hamstring), Jake Spencer (back)

• Several very good inclusions for Melbourne, and most importantly, Sylvia has returned – this will surely excite plenty of dream teamers.
• The other good news for Melbourne is the return of Jurrah after missing most of the season with injury – he has played a couple of good games for Casey, including a four-goal game on the weekend. Bail will also return to the side after some good early DT form.
• Grimes is out of the side with a hamstring injury which will likely set him back a few weeks.

Essendon

B: Andrew Welsh, Cale Hooker, Heath Hocking

HB: Mark McVeigh, Michael Hurley, Kyle Reimers

C: Leroy Jetta, Jobe Watson, Courtenay Dempsey

HF: Brent Stanton, Scott Gumbleton, Angus Monfries

F: Alwyn Davey, Jay Neagle, David Zaharakis

Foll: Patrick Ryder, Jason Winderlich, Ben Howlett

I/C (from): Ricky Dyson, Brent Prismall, Sam Lonergan, Tom Bellchambers, Travis Colyer, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Jake Melksham

In: Dyson, Dempsey, Monfries, Howlett, Neagle, Colyer

Out: Henry Slattery (soreness), Tyson Slattery , Michael Quinn

• Howlett is back – great news for all those depleted midfields in DT world, whilst Colyer also brings a simliar boost.
• Essendon will be very happy to include Dyson, Dempsey and Monfries, whilst Hille is another 1-2 weeks away.
• Tyson Slattery will miss after debuting last week, whilst no-one should be surprised that Quinn has been omitted.

CARLTON v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Carlton

B: Aaron Joseph, Bret Thornton, Michael Jamison

HB: Andrew Walker, Paul Bower, Jordan Russell

C: Andrew Carrazzo, Kade Simpson, Bryce Gibbs

HF: Jeff Garlett, Setanta O’hAilpin, Ryan Houlihan

F: Marc Murphy, Lachie Henderson, Eddie Betts

Foll: Sam Jacobs, Heath Scotland, Chris Judd

I/C (from): Dennis Armfield, Shaun Grigg, Shaun Hampson, Kane Lucas, Mitch Robinson, Simon Wiggins, Chris Yarran

In: Wiggins, Bower, Lucas

Out: Nil

• Bower is back – again – but can he stay back this time is the question. If you have him, feel relieved and stop have thoughts of trading anyway.
• Lucas also returns onto the extended bench, although i don’t like his chances of making the final cut.

Western Bulldogs

B: Jarrod Harbrow, Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave

HB: Robert Murphy, Dale Morris, Lindsay Gilbee

C: Ryan Griffen, Matthew Boyd, Liam Picken

HF: Shaun Higgins, Brad Johnson, Brennan Stack

F: Jarrad Grant, Barry Hall, Daniel Giansiracusa

Foll: Ben Hudson, Daniel Cross, Adam Cooney

I/C: Nathan Eagleton, Andrejs Everitt, Andrew Hooper, Jordan Roughead, Callan Ward, Tom Williams, Easton Wood

In: Williams, Stack, Everitt, Roughead, Hooper, Eagleton

Out: Mitch Hahn (hamstring), Will Minson (ankle), Sam J. Reid (shoulder)

New: Andrew Hooper (rookie)

• Plenty of changes at the Dogs with Hahn and Minson set to miss a couple of matches each and Reid to miss the year.
• Amongst the inclusions are Roughead, who should play, and Hooper – a young debutant off the club’s rookie list. Hooper is one of the smallest players in the league, standing at just 172cm. However, this doesn’t effect his attack on the ball, averaging over 20 possessions, 5 marks and 3.5 tackles per game in the TAC cup – some of the best stats of all participants. He can be picked as a defender, although i worry about picking him for his job security.

Note: To access all other articles from ‘The Barlow Dilemma’ series, simply scroll down this page.

Dear Footy Tragics,

As you are well aware, it’s Michael Barlow week here at Footy Tragic. Barlow has been nothing short of sensational in his debut season of AFL football. He went from an unloved and unwanted VFL toiler to legitimate Brownlow Medal contender in just 12 months!

The Barlow story draws some parallels to the tone of this article, with the five players I have written about below all being unloved and largely unwanted. The difference between Barlow and the players below is a lack of love from DT coaches, rather than AFL recruiters.

In Barlow’s case, AFL recruiters put a line through his name simply because he was (apparently) too slow and not damaging by foot. The recruiting officers of 15 AFL clubs were derelict in their duties by ignoring the facts that Barlow was a ball magnet, with very strong hands, an excellent long distance runner and extremely courageous. To top matters off, Barlow is also a more than adequate kick, who gets forward and kicks goals! It didn’t matter what Barlow did, recruiters wrote him off due to their own preconceived ideas and bias against him.

Sometimes it takes courage to ignore the herd mentality that is a strong part of human nature. However, for those with sufficient intestinal fortitude to back your own judgment and ignore the temptation to be a sheep, your reward may pay handsome dividends. If you are looking for proof, just ask the Fremantle Football Club who backed their own judgment with Barlow.

When assessing replacements for Barlow, please consider these players who are not only unique, they represent excellent value:

• Kade Simpson ($403,900) – 14 games played with an average of 106, in 10,356 teams.

Simpson has taken his game to another level in 2010, boosting his 2009 average of 89 points per game to 106. Simpson is also incredibly durable, not missing a game since 2005.

• Brad Green ($395,300) – 14 games played with an average of 101, in 3,134 teams.

Green has been a very reliable and consistent DT choice for years, but he plays for an unfashionable team in Melbourne. Unfortunately for Green, the Demons have been cellar dwellers while Green has been in the peak of his career. You could do a lot worse than insert Brad Green into your DT.

• Shane Tuck ($397,400) – 12 games played with an average of 99, in 1,376 teams.

This guys papers were stamped the moment new coach “Dimma” Hardwick arrived at Punt Round. Tuck was only at Richmond in 2010 to serve the final year of his contract; otherwise he would be on the scrapheap. Hardwick said that “we’re playing the kids” and Tuck certainly was not in the long term plans. Well, Tuck forced his way into the Richmond side in Round 3 and has played every game since. He has also averaged 101 points per game over the last 5 matches. I take my hat off to Shane Tuck, a true survivor just like his Dad.

• Andrew Swallow ($364,900) – 14 games played with an average of 94, in 3,406 teams.

Swallow is fast becoming an A grade midfielder in the AFL, yet we never hear about him. Why? He plays for North Melbourne. Swallow is a ball magnet and he also loves to tackle. He’s gold for any DT coach and his price is extremely tempting.

• Jude Bolton ($395,600) – 14 games played with an average of 92, in 2,675 teams.

Bolton is durable, courageous, a ball winner and a magnificent tackler. He also has averaged 114 points per game over the last 4 games. Why then is he in so few teams? Due to the herd mentality described above.

Good luck!

First of all, I would like to salute Michael Barlow for his stellar 2010 season that ended abruptly in most unfortunate circumstances. There wouldn’t be many footy fans out there that haven’t fallen in love with his sudden rise from gun VFL on baller to one of the top midfielders in the AFL in only 14 matches. I wish him the best in his recovery and as a sign of a true DT star he reached his break even score before getting injured.

I won’t go too far into my personal philosophy, but one thing I will say is that uniqueness is a very, very minor part of the equation when you’re talking about bringing in the big boys. I’d rather back my own judgment on who is going to score the most points – total points is the key. Basically I think it’s pointless to worry too much about unique when it could work against you. Montagna is great, but the least popular of these five players…if you choose Montagna over Ablett because of uniqueness, it won’t have done you any good if Ablett outscores him (that’s just an example, I’m certainly not saying that Montagna can’t/won’t outscore Ablett).

Here is a look at the premium options to bring in for this rookie listed sensation.

Dane “The Champ” Swan – $512,100 MID, Avg: 121.64 (hasn’t missed)

I think Swan can now officially claim the title of the best DT’er in the game. Ablett has him pipped for average this year, but Swan’s durability is a huge plus in his favour. The thing I love about Swan is that he has no trouble really smashing a ton. Eight times this year he has scored 120+, in three games he has scored 100-119 and in another three games he didn’t crack a ton.

When he tons up, he is probably the best at going on with the job. He’s DT’s version of Ricky Ponting. There’s a reason why he’s the most expensive player in the game – his consistently high output this season sees him continue to go up and up in price. He’s actually below his starting price at the moment and is likely to go up this week with a break even of 117. Swan is one of those rare players where you can expect a 117 from, not just hope for.

Main DT asset: He’s hard to tag, loves the cheap stuff and in some cases opposition don’t consider his disposal damaging enough to warrant a tag.

Brendan “Everywhere” Goddard – $478,900 BAC/MID, Avg: 113.21 (hasn’t missed)

Followers of this site will know that I’m a fan of the DP system. The flexibility it allows you is fantastic, especially if you happen to receive an injury to a DP player. If you haven’t got Goddard in your backline already, don’t turn your nose at the prospect of getting him into your midfield.

He’s scored the third most amount of points this season (behind Swan and Montagna) and if you’re desperate to squeeze him into your backs, it’ll cost you a hell of a lot more money than the $24K it costs to upgrade Barlow to Goddard.

Goddard is the only player to have scored six straight 120+ games this season (not counting Ablett’s streak because he missed a game in the middle of that run) and quite possibly ever – maybe a someone with nerdier stats than I have can confirm. This is a streak he is currently enjoying. He’s had three sub 100′s this year, but all were in the first five weeks. He’s scored tons in nine straight games and St.Kilda have an incredibly soft draw in the run home (only two Top 8 teams to come).

Main DT asset: Fantastic versatility allows him to move to any part of the ground to find the ball.

Paul “Hamstring” Chapman – $459,600, FWD/MID, Avg: 118.6 (missed one game)

I’ll write a bit more on Chappy, because he’s the most intriguing case. He has been amazing for those that took the risk on him this year. His hamstring issues from past years are well documented and it’s always been enough to put me off (I have never owned Chappy). This year it’s been more painful than usual. Normally I’ve been able to sit there, watch him rack up points and smugly say “he’ll miss games.” His last full season was in 2006 and since then he has missed 6, 5 and 5 games each year.

This year he has been so dominant that even if he were to end up missing four more games (having already missed one) you could argue that you’re well up anyway, due to how badly the rest of the forwards are underperforming and how ridiculous his scoring has been (lowest score of 99).

The big call for those of us without the bald one is whether or not we’ve missed out on the best of Chappy and will simply trade him in only for him to miss his obligatory few games in the run home. One thing that does work in his favour, is that even if he gets injured you have his DP link.

Not that this should sway you, but I just want to put my scenario out there as it’s probably a common one – Rockliff is currently my 8^th forward. If I got Chappy and, heaven forbid, nothing has changed, then I can sub Chappy to my forward bench, play a capable DP forward (I have ROK, Pav, Higgo, Goodes) and then put Rocky’s inevitable ton in as my 7^th forward.

Best case scenario, Chappy averages more than these other four guys in the run home and you’re a massive winner. Worst case scenario (if you’re DP equipped with good forward coverage) is that Chappy spends a couple of weeks on your forward bench. I wouldn’t have the stones to take him if I didn’t have Rocky as my 8^th…but now I’m seriously considering it. It would be an unfortunate estimated 20-30 point loss for each game he misses, but if any one of these other premiums misses a game you’re probably losing 50+ points with whoever you’re covering – the Catch 22 is Chappy’s higher likelihood of missing games.

Main DT asset: DP capabilities allows you to take on his injury risk.

Leigh “The Unique” Montagna – $459,900, MID, Avg: 114.57 (hasn’t missed)

Of these five, Montagna has the least love in Dream Team, in roughly 43K teams. For the most part I’d say this is because he’s simply not as big a name. For a bloke that averages 114 he does kind of fly under the radar, at least of mainstream thought. Any keen DT’er knows that Montagna is an absolute stud of the game.

Some people say he doesn’t get tagged, but I’ve watched St.Kilda live a few times and his work rate to break a tag is fantastic. A lot of sides will attack St.Kilda by stopping their outside run and Montagna is their best man for that. It’s important to stop Dal Santo’s kicking, so he attracts the most attention, but there is this belief in the wider footy community that I don’t quite subscribe to, and that is that Hayes is the second mid to stop for the Saints. He’s a gun, no doubt, but it’s harder to put a tight tag on such an inside player – that’s why I reckon more teams look to get the ball to the man he’s feeding: Montagna.

That sounds like I’m talking Monty down a bit, but remember it’s his ability to break a tag that impresses me so much. He works so hard, so when it looks like he’s picking up cheapies on the TV, he’s probably just busted his balls to get into that position. The Saints have a delicious (thanks Bruce) draw, as mentioned above with Goddard and Montagna is every shake to score the most in the run home.

Main DT asset: Easy run home and ability to break tags.

Gary “I Traded Him In Last Week WTF?!” Ablett – $456,900, MID, Avg: 121.85 (missed one game)

I feel a bit dirty turning my back on the great man after anointing Dane Swan as the new champ. Given that I traded him in last week, I’m hoping my words motivate him to push to new heights he’s never reached before. I know that he’s a regular reader of Footy Tragic.*

It’s hard to argue with form though and Ablett has been a little down by his very lofty standards. Now, don’t get me wrong, down by his lofty standards has still resulted in six straight tons and only one score below 100 this year (a 96). You’re also not likely to get him much cheaper than this either.

The risk with Ablett, like Chapman, is that he has a bit of a habit of missing games here and there to freshen up for finals. It’s not as strong a trend as Chappy, but it’s still gotta be in the back of your head.

Finally, who would’ve thought that you’d be able to SIDEWAYS trade Barlow for Ablett by Round 15 – it’s an absolutely absurd notion, but once again, thank you very much for your contribution this year, Michael Barlow.

* Blatant lie.

Main DT asset: Commands the ball. Begs for it! PLEADS FOR IT! The master of the ol’ 1-2.

Wash up: At the end of the day, I just can’t bag any of these guys and it really comes down to personal preference and who you already have anyway (you’d have to have AT LEAST two of these guys already). Everyone will have their own reasons for going to whichever way they end up going. Good luck with your choice.

And not to forget…bargain basement:

Andrew Strijk – West Coast ($77,800, BAC, Break even: -65)

I know it’s all about Barlow and the midfield this week, but it is worth noting that there is a good downgrade target in the back line this week. Strijk looks a likely type and a few weeks ago I pumped him up as someone on the horizon and sure enough he debuted that week. He’s likely to provide good depth on your bench for the rest of the season for those nervously holding the likes of Hams, Webberley or even Maguire.

Until about 6pm AEST, things were normal. Life was good. The weekend was thriving and Fremantle were enjoying their huge win over an underperforming Port Adelaide. But then disaster struck - two Freo players, Palmer and Barlow, ran towards the forward-50 arc with arms outstretched, eyes on a ball they each thought they could mark… But suddenly the flowers all wilted, fairies died, the sun went down and over 160,000 DT coaches shed a tear as Barlow had his left leg pushed from underneath him, snapping both his tibia and fibula in the process. Barlow’s season ends, and now we look to trade the good man out.

Theatrics aside, Barlow’s debut season has been a masterpiece - it has been the greatest DT rise in the history of dream team - Better than Rich, Trengove, Priddis, Sidebottom, Riewoldt, Hodge, Judd, Anthony and all others before him… The kid has been a superstar, and not only should we thank him for his ultra impressive high scoring, his consistency, his legacy… but also the fact he left behind him an impressive pot of money – $454,600 to be exact. So this week at Footy Tragic is going to be Barlow week – for the next three days, each Footy Tragic contributor will write up an article with suggestions for the forthcoming trade, arguably the biggest of the season. It is likely that many coaches will ponder the different theories behind the trade, so today my article will contain trade advice, proposing to you how best to deal with the situation. Tomorrow, Dan will look at the premium mids who have been the cream of the crop all year, analysing who will be the best pick for your team. Wednesday, Ben will look at the less selected players who may have slipped below everyone else’s radars, for those coaches looking for a slightly alternative selection. So good luck, and happy trading!

As stated above, I will focus my following article on the tactics involved with a trade at this point of the game. Firstly, I should make a point – regardless of whether you have one trade or ten trades left, I am of the opinion that you should be making a trade.

Rule #1: Trade – No matter what.

Barlow is the 6^th most expensive player in the competition at the moment, and these are the kinds of players you need to burn a trade on. Essentially, even with just $5,000 in the bank you could trade to anyone except Goddard or Swan, meaning the points gain between a rookie (who may come in off your bench) and one of the many elite midfielders you could choose from is massive. There is NO POINT putting Barlow on your bench and playing a rookie, even if it is a relatively consistent player such as Trengove or Martin. The average gain between these players and someone such as Ablett, Chapman or Montagna is around 50-60 points – easily enough to be the difference between winning and losing your finals.

I feel like a lot of this article is going to be based around what NOT to do, rather than what to do with this trade, but I think that this is due to there being plenty of traps when it comes to trading such a player. For much of the year, our aim has been to target cheaper players, players on the rise whom we can bring into our team, nurture and sell for a profit. However, at this stage of the game, with finals only four weeks away, the aim is now to load up on as many elite players as possible – not to make money. I worry that plenty of coaches will start their searches around the expensive end, then as they pan down the list may begin to find some players considered more a ‘bargain’ than those priced similar to Barlow. Don’t get sucked in, whatever you do! They may be a bargain at $350,000, but in reality, you are probably only buying a player worth no more than $400,000. This to me is stupid when you could quite easily bring an elite player (top 5-10 in the competition) straight into your team. A move like this could quite easily cost you in excess of 20 points a week.

Rule #2: Don’t trade for the sake of a ‘Bargain.’

This brings me straight to my third rule:

Rule #3: At this time of year, breakeven’s are irrelevant!

Who cares about trading in an elite player with a high breakeven if you KNOW they are on the up? Players like Chapman, Ablett, Hodge and Murphy all have somewhat unreachable breakevens, but this in no way means you should wait for them to drop! What’s the point of costing yourself in excess of 100 points just so you can save $10-$30k? No point – exactly. If you can find a reason for that odd game that has sunken their price, then I wouldn’t hesitate to bring them into my team.

This next rule is an obvious one, but it applies now more than ever;

Rule #4: Inspect thoroughly before purchase.

The last thing you want to do is have to trade this player out of your team again in two or three weeks because he has been carrying an injury. Do your research on the players all the way up to an hour before lockout – find the forums for your chosen player’s club and investigate for any evidence or rumour that may suggest he is carrying an injury. Looking at Montagna or Goddard? Visit www.saintsational.com. Looking at Chapman or Ablett? Go to the Cats board on www.bigfooty.com, etc. These forums are free to view and filled with so many club supporters happy to discuss their players (Don’t start threads titled “Is player X injured?” though or you may find your question unanswered). You would be thorough if buying a car or house – the same diligence should be used for your dream team!

This time of year, some teams may begin to rest players, and more often then not, these players are in teams out of finals calculation.

Rule #5: Don’t buy from the bottom 8.

Whilst Scott Thompson, Brad Green or Boomer Harvey may be in great form, the slightest injury concern will likely see them rested. They have nothing left to play for, so their clubs aren’t about to risk a significant injury to any key personnel. Make this rule a constant one for all remaining trades, except for perhaps rookies, as the last thing you want is to discover an article on Friday titled “Cox to sit out season with ankle injury.” Don’t scoff – it may happen.

The number one player in the league at the moment is Dane Swan, and quite possibly he will be out of the reach of many teams, sitting at $57,500 more expensive than Barlow. Whilst theoretically Swan may be the best pickup if you don’t already have him, I believe a double trade is not worth it.

Rule #6: Do not use a double trade to pick up a more expensive midfielder.

When you could quite easily afford players like Montagna, Ablett, Chapman or Boyd, I don’t believe players like Swan or Goddard are worth two trades, especially this time of year.

Perhaps the only time I could condone a double trade would be if you are also looking at upgrading in another position on the ground. Say, for example, you are also short a forward (e.g. Brown is your seventh forward), you could use Barlow’s huge price as leverage to also afford a better quality forward than what Brown’s price may otherwise allow you. One theory I have toyed with, which may be of interest to others, is upgrading Brown to Chapman by trading Barlow to a more mid-priced midfielder. Whilst this goes against plenty of my rules, in theory you are still trading in a top-line midfielder in Chapman, but just in a different spot. Also, arguably, mid-priced midfielders should score better than mid-priced forward, although most midfielders around the $300k mark are probably not going to help your team substantially. This theory would only work if you had enough money in the bank (Approx. $50k) to bring in a midfielder such as Stanton, McVeigh (Sydney), Cassissi or Carrazzo.

Rule #7: Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul

There is no point bringing in an elite forward (or any other position for that matter) if you are just going to fill the midfield spot with rubbish so that you can afford it. The theory can only work if both sides are allotted strong players. So, only attempt this discussed double trade if your finances allow you to bring in TWO premium players, not one and a half!

Rule #8: Press your own trade button.

Think it through, make up your own mind, and when you have decided, press ‘trade.’ At the end of the day, this game should be played on your own terms and you need to be happy with your own selections – don’t let someone else convince you into a trade you may regret, as once that button is clicked, Barlow is gone and there is no turning back.

So I think I have probably made it pretty clear of my suggestions. Personally, I am trading Barlow to Montagna, but am looking forward to hear the cases for plenty of other players over the next couple of days. Best of luck to you for what may prove to be the biggest trade of the season – and as usual, feel free to discuss your own dilemmas or theories below, hopefully we at Footy Tragic or one of your fellow posters can help you come to the correct conclusion.