Footy Tragic

Hey all,

Sorry about the lateness getting this one up! Now it is all there, hope you enjoy it!!

Toby

 

Geelong vs Collingwood:

Geelong:

• Joel Selwood was fantastic in his 100^th game, giving the Cats plenty of midfield grunt, especially early in the game (and even managed a couple of cheeky goals). He won 29 disposals for the game, along with 6 tackles and continues to get better and better this year, despite worries his powers would wane in the absence of Ablett.
• Steve Johnson bounced back pretty convincingly after being a late withdrawal last week. He spent a lot of time up the field, racking up 25 touches and 8 marks, but his 9 tackles was certainly impressive. This position really works for him from a DT perspective, so hopefully we can see plenty more of it over the coming weeks!
• Jimmy Bartel was another to look good for the Cats – well, at least later in the game he did. After a pretty quiet first half, playing mainly on a HFF, Bartel was pretty quiet, but came into the game when it really heated up late and was one of the key reasons for the Cats getting over the line. Still isn’t producing huge DT numbers week to week and this position won’t really help – but at least he looks in good touch.
• Paul Chapman had another rather quiet game, causing his price to go into free-fall. Whilst he isn’t necessarily out of form, he just isn’t getting as involved in games as he was earlier in the year – opposition teams are also putting a lot more work into him. Finished this outing goalless and with just 20 touches.

Collingwood:

• Heath Shaw had another possession-fest, winning plenty of ball off half-back as well as when he zoned up through the midfield. Money is currently suggesting that he would have been the best choice to trade for from Grimes, or any other defender for that matter, if he can keep this form up.
• Dale Thomas looked good (although also a tad stupid in his long sleeves), playing exclusively through the middle and managed to find space pretty easily. Managed himself 26 touches and 5 tackles, and although he seems to be the forgotten man of the Pies’ midfield rotation, he is still a super DT pick.
• Simon Buckley was a real surprise packet, playing Ben Johnson’s role off half-back – he won 26 disposals in this role and looked good. Unfortunately though, Johnson shouldn’t be far away, so don’t expect these sorts of scores for too long – but that said, I’m sure his owners are getting a bit more cash out of him than originally anticipated!
• Alan Didak continues to look off his game, again playing predominantly in the forward line. Only won the 13 possessions and 4 tackles, and whilst his price is going to seem tempting at the moment, it may be worth waiting until he starts showing some real form before pouncing.

 

North Melbourne vs Melbourne:

North Melbourne:

• Daniel Wells’ game was brilliant, and one of his best for quite a while. He played through the middle and tore the Dees up for four quarters, clocking up impressive stats in all columns – 29 disposals, 8 marks, 6 tackles and 3 goals. Wells is typically a maligned player and inconsistent too, but if he can keep playing like this he has the potential to be one of the best players in the league – no wonder North are always frustrated by him!
• Todd Goldstein dominated, and it was with little surprise, considering Melbourne went in with Stefan Martin as their number one ruck. Goldstein’s form this year has been great anyway, so this dominant display was not overly surprising. He won 30 hitouts and 26 disposals – great numbers for a big man. With an average of 112 over the past month, he is clearly one of the in-form ruckmen this year.
• Aaron Edwards finally took his chances this week after being elevated from the VFL thanks to a 10-goal haul. So often players are put in the seniors thanks to great VFL displays, only to have about four touches, so it was great to see Edwards go BANG! He kicked 6 goals straight from 16 touches and 10 marks. Don’t put him in your DT though… he is still way too inconsistent.
• Drew Petrie was the big disappointment from this game – he spent the majority of the game forward (bar his last quarter when thrown into the ruck, and where he got the majority of his points) and only kicked one behind in a team to nearly rack up 20 goals. It seems he may prove to be very inconsistent this year.

Melbourne:

• Stefan Martin was the only Dee to crack the DT ton and he was pretty reasonable – honestly, I’m not a huge fan on Martin’s and he really only scored these sorts of numbers as he was allowed to be the #1 ruck in the absence of Jamar. He HAS certainly improved on his 2010 form and doesn’t look quite as lost out there anymore, yet still, I wouldn’t even consider him for your teams.
• Michael Newton was another interesting one – he started on fire in the first quarter, rotating between the ruck and up forward and proved quite a headache for Firrito, booting two goals. He did slow down a bit after the first break, but he still looked pretty good most of the game. Another inconsistent Dee though, so again, he is another I wouldn’t be considering.
• Nathan Jones was one of Melbourne’s better players and finished the game as their leading disposal winner with 27 touches. He has always been a pretty solid player, without really setting the world on fire. Unfortunately though, the Demons played terribly for three quarters and it meant there was very little ball to go around.
• Luke Tapscott started the game well and it appeared like he may be the player destined to replace Grimes in the back-half, but after playing a loose role early, he began to play more one-on-one in the backline and it killed his scores. He looks to have just about peaked in price now so may be worth considering a trade.

 

Adelaide vs Gold Coast:

Adelaide:

• Nathan Van Berlo played one of his best games this year and had his first real ‘captain’s game’ I thought – after the Crows started poorly, he was the player that covered the most ground and won the hard ball to click his troops back into gear. He is more of a SC option than a DT one as he rarely wins stacks of ball, but a few more games like this could certainly make me think otherwise.
• Patrick Dangerfield showed no signs of concussion as he ripped the game apart – especially in the second half. As I continue to say, it seems to be the classy HFF/Mid types that are tearing up Gold Coast, so Dangerfield always seemed likely for a big score. Booted a career-best 6 goals amongst 23 disposals and looked great in the process.
• Matthew Wright really impressed me in his fifth game – he was really creative up forward and proved to be very tough under packs – an attribute I hadn’t seen in him in his past few games. He had an amazing second half and did some things to really suggest he will be a decent player – finished with 24 touches and 2 goals.
• Chris Knights finally cracked the ton this week, for the first time this year. He started slowly (like the rest of the team), but as the Crows won the game back, Knights lead really well up the field and even spent some time through the midfield to help him win his points. It’s great to now have this score in his rolling average, meaning he will be good for at least another couple of price rises.

Gold Coast:

• Gary Ablett (he is no longer ‘jnr’ as he moved to Gold Coast to find his own identity) was insanely good – his first quarter was probably the best first quarter of football anyone has played this year (yes, even better than Judd’s a fortnight ago!). In that quarter alone he racked up 16 touches and kicked 3 goals – two of them from outside 50 and on the run. The little champ showed signs he will be able to rack up the big scores in a losing team, finishing the match with 41 disposals and 8 tackles. He looks in fine form, and at just over $400k, looks like he has bottomed out.
• Zac Smith you beauty! Smith clocked up his second ton in a row with another dominant ruck display. Not only is he impressive around the ground, but he appears to be one of the few ruckmen in the league who are dangerous when moved forward. Finished the game with 20 touches, 22 hitouts and 2 goals.
• David Swallow was actually pretty quiet, despite what his first DT ton suggests. He had 19 touches for the game, but was pretty poor with his disposal at times, which his SC owners will be ruing. He did rack up 12 tackles though, which are fantastic numbers and the main reason he managed to get the score he did. Seems he has a couple of price rises left in him yet!
• Matt Shaw was one player to impress me who I haven’t really noticed too much in his past few games. He played off half-back and looked composed and happy to take the game on. Unfortunately he has already increased in value now, and isn’t averaging incredible numbers, but regardless, it looks like the Suns have ANOTHER good player on their hands…

 

Brisbane vs Essendon:

• Tom Rockliff was solid again for the Lions, racking up 30 touches and 8 marks. He went head-to-head with Watson in the middle and was aided by the fact Watson struggled most of the game with a hamstring strain, so was not at his best.
• Pearce Hanley was good for the Lions in defence, and alongside Adcock and Drummond, worked to provide some good run from defence. He won’t rack up huge numbers, but typically uses the ball pretty well, so could be a reasonable SC option.
• Rohan Bewick was a real disappointment after finally coming back into the team after a couple of weeks off. He made a few major blunders that resulted in turnovers – one of which was accompanied by vision of Vossy who was livid. Hopefully he can keep his spot in the team, although I would be worried it is fiercely under pressure.
• Bryce Retzlaff’s score suggests he is not even worth considering, but he actually played a very good role for the team and worked really well to keep Fletcher honest – a very challenging task. He only won 4 disposals and missed his one shot on goal, but showed enough signs that he could be competitive and hold his spot.

Essendon:

• David Zaharakis had a great game, playing between the half-forward line and the midfield. He won 25 disposals, kicked four goals and set up bunches of others. He is a real livewire and seems destined for great things – hopefully one of them is consistency.
• Heath Hocking was very good through the midfield for the Dons and continues to prove himself to be not only a good tagger, but also a good ball-winner. His worry though will be his crude elbow to the head of Polkinghorne in the first quarter, which seems likely to rub him out for at least a fortnight.
• David Myers played one of his best games for Essendon, acting as a rebounding defender. He managed to win plenty of ball (30 touches), finding it easy to run off Matt Maguire who was stationed up forward. Unfortunately, it lowered the output from the likes of Heppell, but still it was good to see him finally have a game which suggests he will make it at senior level.
• Michael Hibberd was a late call-up for Essendon, which would have been fantastic news for those who otherwise had him just warming their pine. He played well in defence and although he was beaten by McGrath early, was switched to Banfield and played much better. Has plenty of courage and uses the ball well – hopefully he can keep his spot this time.

 

Sydney vs Port Adelaide:

Sydney:

• Jude Bolton was insanely good through the midfield again, racking up 33 touches and 12 tackles. He started up forward, but moved into the guts later in the game when the game was in the balance and he really helped Sydney overcome a persistent Power outfit. He is another forgotten hero of Dream Team, so there is no doubt he is worth consideration!
• Josh Kennedy looked great, combining really well with Bolton and big Mumford in the middle as Sydney dominated the stoppages. Won himself 31 disposals and kicked two goals for the game and really looks to be coming into the form he hinted at through the pre-season. I just hope for the sake of his owners that he hasn’t been traded out yet!
• Heath Grundy was Sydney’s saviour in defence, stopping and repelling dozens of Port’s forward entries. Whilst he isn’t necessarily playing a rebounding role, he won plenty of his own kicks from intercepting kicks, as well as chipping around in the backline.
• Luke Parker played his first game as a sub, not coming on until the last quarter. But when he did come on he looked fantastic, winning 7 possessions through the midfield and even set up a couple of goals. He looked a really good type and has DT star written all over him. Hopefully he can be more than just a sub next week!

Port Adelaide:

• Troy Chaplin was solid again for the Power down in defence and continues to show a level of DT consistency – an issue in his game the past few years. He is not a typical rebounding defender, but rather knows where to go to get the ball, and where to go with the ball, so his teammates are always keen for him to have it. I’d be still nervous trading him in, but at the moment you could certainly do much worse.
• Matt Thomas is slowly but surely being weened off his tagging duties, now preferring to go head-to-head with his opponent rather than just trying to stop them. Whilst his ball use is not amazing, his courage would only be second to that of his skipper – gives his all for all four quarters, so it’d be great if he could become a viable DT option in the not-too-distant future.
• Ben Jacobs played his much-awaited debut for Port and he was unfortunately rather underwhelming. Not that I went into watching this game hoping he would win 30 touches, but his decision making and intensity really let him down on a number of occasions, which was a shame. To his credit he battled on and wasn’t bad enough to be subbed – hopefully we can have another good look at him next week.
• Robbie Gray was poor again, and as I said last week, he looks like he isn’t 100% fit. He did have his nose rearranged in the second quarter though and played on, which certainly wouldn’t make things easy. I’m really concerned we will never get to see the best of this kid – hopefully he will be a DT star one year soon, but once again, this doesn’t look to be his year.

 

Hawthorn vs St.Kilda (Grrrr…)

Hawthorn:

• Luke Hodge deserves first mention – whilst I don’t think he was BOG, his influence in the second half was immense, proving that his ever shrinking price has halted and he is back in full flight. He started back in defence, but moved into the guts in the second quarter and dominated in the stoppages (mind you, which Hawthorn players didn’t?). At his current price he looks SO tempting – jump on now if you are keen!
• Shane Savage was probably the Hawks best – he was the one that set them alight in the second quarter with a couple of goals and he tore the Saints a new one with his pace on the wing. Finished the game with 26 disposals, 14 marks and 5 tackles.
• Lance Franklin deserves a mention – whilst starting slowly, he gained confidence in the second half when his team was on top and simply dominated Zac Dawson with 5 goals and 5 behinds. Al Clarkson has said this could be the game that invigorates Hawthorn’s season and I don’t think he will be too wrong – it certainly looks to have provided Buddy with his mojo.
• Jordan Roughead was another Hawk to play his best game of the year; forced into the ruck after an injury to David Hale, Roughy dominated the hitouts as well as racking up plenty of ball around the ground. I would be really surprised if Roughy didn’t play this role for the rest of the year – he looks so much more dangerous here than he does at full-forward.

St.Kilda:

• Sam Fisher was one of the only Saints (there were three) who provided a full four-quarter effort and you could sense his frustration by the end of the game. If it weren’t for he and Gwilt, the Saints would have lost by 100 points. He intercepted so many of Hawthorn’s forward entries and was always given the ball by his opponents when the ball was back there – and I mean ALWAYS. With the way the Saints are playing at the moment, trade out any of their forwards and bring in their defenders, as that is the only place their matches are being played at the moment.
• Arryn Sipposs was the silver lining for the Saints – in a bleak day which signalled the end of their powers, Sipposs was the young talent which Saints fans have been so deprived of over the years. He works hard up the field and his skills are beautiful – Goddard-like at times. He got 11 disposals and 2 goals and could be a reasonable downgrade target this week – he may only average 50 – 60 points, but Lyon has already declared him here to stay.
• Jason Gram was rubbish – an outside receiver who can’t win his own ball and as soon as things got a bit tough, he fell away. Continually ran into trouble when trying to take the game on (I’ll at least give him credit for that) and still refuses to handball. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him playing VFL next weekend.
• Andrew McQualter is surely gone and never to be seen again. Not once has he ever stepped up in a big game – EVER. If the Saints want to play finals footy (and the coach appears to be making those noises) then players who can’t cope under pressure (i.e. downhill skiers) don’t have a place in the team. #rantover

 

Western Bulldogs vs Richmond:

Western Bulldogs:

• Callan Ward had a fantastic game, and probably the best one of his career. He has always shown great promise, but it was great to see him take his game to another level. Now may it continue! He played as a tough ball-winning midfielder and racked up 27 touches for the game, as well as 7 marks. I think it’s probably a bit late to trade him in now as a mid-priced improver, but will hopefully prove by seasons-end that he can be a premium option in 2012.
• Lindsay Gilbee will be the Dog to get the votes though – he played a different role to usual up forward and was superb, kicking six goals, including five in the first half. He has had a pretty poor year to date, so it will be interesting to see what happens next with him – will he continue on up forward, or move back to defence? If he stays forward he could be a good option, but with this role will come great inconsistency – remember that!
• Tom Liberatore will likely get a call later today to tell him that he has won the round 8 NAB rising star. He has been in great form this year, but this was his best performance to date. Again he played in close and was very good at the stoppages, winning 25 touches, 6 tackles and 2 goals.
• Ryan Hargrave played his first game for the year and it was a promising one – whilst he didn’t have huge numbers, he did play off half-back quite a bit and went on several runs up the field. This is only his second game back from injury (he played in the VFL last week), so he should only get better. With the lack of defence options this year, I’d say there will be plenty of eyes on Hargrave’s form over the next fortnight.

Richmond:

• Robin Nahas backed up his past month of good, consistent footy with another great game. He is a real livewire and it appears that either no one is able to stop him or no one wants to stop him… Pulled in 31 touches and 5 tackles for the game and slowly but surely is causing me to get my head around the fact that he IS a good dream teamer… Geez.
• Brett Deledio was great again, and despite falling agonizingly short of a DT-ton, he was one of Richmond’s best all day. He started in defence, but moved to the midfield in the second half and really helped push back the margin. Won 30 touches and used it well all day – it is great to have at least ONE consistent defence option!
• Jack Riewoldt it an interesting one – I have a feeling that he is going to disappoint a lot of coaches this year. He actually didn’t have such a bad game, still booting four goals, but he just doesn’t have a lot of effect on the game other than just up forward (as in he doesn’t work too high up the field for kicks or marks). I believe this is a string he wants to add to his bow, but as it stands, he is not getting enough of the ball to be pulling in too many tonnes.
• Bachar Houli, after a couple of good games in a row, spent this one sacrificing himself as a tagger for the betterment of the team. Unfortunately this doesn’t help his coaches when he only racks up 16 touches for the game. He will be up and down all year – honestly, if you have shown patience with him, I think it’s time to get rid of him.

 

West Coast vs Fremantle:

West Coast:

• Matt Priddis was great for the Eagles and deserved the Ross Glendinning medal. There seems very little to be said about Priddis’ game week to week, other than he was tough and uncompromising and won a bucket-load of the ball.
• Nic Naitanui was very good again for the Eagles – this is his second ton in a row and has really started to show that perhaps he can rack up the ball. Although in saying that, he did only win 12 possessions – it was his 10 tackles and 20 hitouts that really won him his ton. I have been sceptical for a while about how good he will be, but his last fortnight has shown he may actually be a very good footballer – not just a freak athlete.
• Ash Smith watch is going well… This week he again showed good signs. Part of me feels like this is a sinking ship and I should just let go, but I do like the kid. He again provided some good rebound for the Eagles, and again made a few errors, but they will keep giving him chances. Ignoring his poor game last week, he has been quite a good DTer so far this year… I am still considering him…
• Daniel Kerr was a very surprising and also very frustrating late out for the Eagles – after showing great signs last week that he was over his injuries and returning to great form, he got out of this game with an adductor injury. This proves the point his body just cannot be trusted and should totally write him off from dream team consideration for the year.

Fremantle:

• David Mundy continues on his consistent scores-only-between-110-and-120 season with another score between 110 and 120. At least he’s reliable! Again he was tagged, but worked through it to the tune of 28 touches and 6 tackles. I know there are a lot of people keen on Mundy and I’m not surprised – he is well worth his asking price as he scores both well and consistently.
• Nat Fyfe is another Docker continuing his great run this year – he is beautiful to watch through the midfield as he is such a talented and smart footballer. He picked up 28 disposals and kicked 2 goals – the train has well and truly left on getting Fyfe into your team, but by season’s end he may still prove himself a top-5 forward, meaning he should be value at any price. I know I’m kicking myself for not having him!
• Paul Duffield was hardly sighted again, especially in the first half. He is playing tight roles in defence, plus looks way out of form, so I think it is about time to cut ties with the blonde Docker. It’s a shame as he is such a great player when up and about, but so far this season he has given his owners absolutely nothing!
• Nick Lower is starting to frustrate me – he drifts in and out of games and then gets subbed, presumably because of his little effect on the game. He only had 10 touches and 5 marks here before getting the red sub vest and I’d say his spot may come under fire next week. It may be about time to start considering your downgrade options for him this week as I’d say he has just about peaked in price.

 

 

GEELONG CATS V COLLINGWOOD

MCG – Fri May 13, 7:40pm

Geelong Cats

B: Josh Hunt, Tom Lonergan, Corey Enright

HB: Matthew Scarlett, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie

C: David Wojcinski, Joel Corey, James Kelly

HF: Travis Varcoe, Steve Johnson, Paul Chapman

F: Daniel Menzel, James Podsiadly, Cameron Ling

Foll: Brad Ottens, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood

I/C: Darren Milburn, Mathew Stokes, Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan

Emg: Allen Christensen, Josh Cowan, Nathan Vardy

In: Steve Johnson, Cameron Ling

Out: Cameron Mooney (Knee), Allen Christensen

Collingwood

B: Leon Davis, Ben Reid, Heritier O’Brien

HB: Alan Toovey, Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Dane Swan, Simon Buckley

HF: Brad Dick, Chris Dawes, Luke Ball

F: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Steele Sidebottom

Foll: Cameron Wood, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Blair

I/C: Sharrod Wellingham, Leigh Brown, Andrew Krakouer, Chris Tarrant

Emg: Tyson Goldsack, Dayne Beams, Lachlan Keeffe

In: Chris Tarrant

Out: Ben Johnson (Back)

 

NORTH MELBOURNE V MELBOURNE

ES – Sat May 14, 2:10pm

North Melbourne

B: Jamie Macmillan, Nathan Grima, Scott Thompson

HB: Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito, Brady Rawlings

C: Benjamin Speight, Shaun Atley, Brent Harvey

HF: Scott McMahon, Aaron Edwards, Lindsay Thomas

F: Samuel Wright, Drew Petrie, Jack Ziebell

Foll: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells

I/C: Lachlan Hansen, Leigh Adams, Ben Cunnington, Kieran Harper

Emg: Cruize Garlett, Cameron Richardson, Cameron Pedersen

In: Aaron Edwards, Lachlan Hansen

Out: Liam Anthony, Cameron Pedersen

 

Melbourne

B: James Frawley, Matthew Warnock, Clint Bartram

HB: Nathan Jones, Colin Garland, Luke Tapscott

C: Ricky Petterd, Lynden Dunn, Brad Green

HF: Colin Sylvia, Liam Jurrah, Addam Maric

F: Jordan Gysberts, Jack Watts, Aaron Davey

Foll: Stefan Martin, Brent Moloney, Jack Trengove

I/C: Michael Newton, Austin Wonaeamirri, Jamie Bennell, Rohan Bail

Emg: Matthew Bate, Neville Jetta, Joel Macdonald

In: Michael Newton, Stefan Martin, Jamie Bennell

Out: Matthew Bate, Mark Jamar (Injured), Jack Grimes (Injured)

 

ADELAIDE V GOLD COAST SUNS

AS – Sat May 14, 2:40pm

Adelaide

B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Luke Thompson

HB: Nathan van Berlo, James Sellar, Michael Doughty

C: Rory Sloane, Patrick Dangerfield, Richard Douglas

HF: Chris Knights, Shaun McKernan, Ricky Henderson

F: Jack Gunston, Kurt Tippett, Matthew Jaensch

Foll: Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Brent Reilly

I/C: Christopher Schmidt, Matthew Wright, Richard Tambling, Brodie Smith

Emg: Myke Cook, Taylor Walker, Jared Petrenko

In: James Sellar, Jack Gunston, Richard Tambling

Out: Brad Symes, Taylor Walker, Jared Petrenko

 

Gold Coast Suns

B: Karmichael Hunt, Nathan Bock, Seb Tape

HB: Campbell Brown, Steven May, Jarrod Harbrow

C: Sam Iles, David Swallow, Trent McKenzie

HF: Nathan Krakouer, Tom Lynch, Liam Patrick

F: Brandon Matera, Sam Day, Jared Brennan

Foll: Zac Smith, Michael Rischitelli, Gary Ablett

I/C: Joseph Daye, Tom Nicholls, Daniel Stanley, Matt Shaw

Emg: Maverick Weller, Jack Hutchins, Dion Prestia

In: Tom Nicholls, Campbell Brown, Steven May, Seb Tape

Out: Josh Toy, Daniel Harris (Hip), Jack Hutchins, Daniel Gorringe (Hamstring)

New: Tom Nicholls (Sandringham Dragons, VIC)

 

BRISBANE LIONS V ESSENDON

G – Sat May 14, 7:10pm

Brisbane Lions

B: Josh Drummond, Daniel Merrett, Ashley McGrath

HB: Pearce Hanley, Matt Maguire, Jed Adcock

C: Tom Rockliff, Simon Black, Luke Power

HF: Jesse O’Brien, Mitchell Clark, James Polkinghorne

F: Todd Banfield, Joel Patfull, Bryce Retzlaff

Foll: Matthew Leuenberger, Jack Redden, Daniel Rich

I/C: Cheynee Stiller, Sam Sheldon, Ryan Harwood, Rohan Bewick

Emg: Matt Austin, Broc McCauley, Joshua Green

In: Sam Sheldon, Ryan Harwood, Rohan Bewick

Out: Tom Collier, Andrew Raines (Concussion), Claye Beams (Ankle)

 

Essendon

B: David Myers, Michael Hurley, Henry Slattery

HB: Dyson Heppell, Dustin Fletcher, Cale Hooker

C: Leroy Jetta, Jobe Watson, Ben Howlett

HF: Angus Monfries, Patrick Ryder, Jake Melksham

F: David Zaharakis, David Hille, Kyle Reimers

Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Mark McVeigh, Sam Lonergan

I/C: Heath Hocking, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Kyle Hardingham, Stewart Crameri

Emg: Brent Prismall, Travis Colyer, Michael Hibberd

In: David Myers

Out: Brent Stanton (Shoulder)

 

SYDNEY SWANS V PORT ADELAIDE

SCG – Sat May 14, 7:40pm

Sydney Swans

B: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Ted Richards, Alex Johnson

HB: Tadhg Kennelly, Heath Grundy, Nicholas Smith

C: Rhyce Shaw, Craig Bird, Jarrad McVeigh

HF: Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Daniel Hannebery

F: Andrejs Everitt, Adam Goodes, Ryan O’Keefe

Foll: Shane Mumford, Jude Bolton, Josh P. Kennedy

I/C: Martin Mattner, Lewis Jetta, Nathan Gordon, Luke Parker

Emg: Jarred Moore, Lewis Johnston, Mark Seaby

In: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Luke Parker

Out: Jarred Moore, Mike Pyke (Quad)

New: Luke Parker (Dandenong Stingrays)

 

Port Adelaide

B: Tom Logan, Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove

HB: Michael Pettigrew, Troy Chaplin, Jasper Pittard

C: Steven Salopek, Travis Boak, Kane Cornes

HF: Matthew Broadbent, Jay Schulz, Robert Gray

F: Brett Ebert, Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop

Foll: Dean Brogan, Hamish Hartlett, Matt Thomas

I/C: Danyle Pearce, Daniel Stewart, Simon Phillips, Ben Jacobs

Emg: Jacob Surjan, Mitchell Banner, Andrew Moore

In: Steven Salopek, Matt Thomas, Ben Jacobs

Out: David Rodan (Knee), Paul Stewart, Cameron Hitchcock

New: Ben Jacobs (Sandringham Dragons)

 

HAWTHORN V ST KILDA

MCG – Sun May 15, 1:10pm

Hawthorn

B: Thomas Murphy, Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra

HB: Grant Birchall, Josh Gibson, Luke Hodge

C: Isaac Smith, Sam Mitchell, Matt Suckling

HF: Brendan Whitecross, Lance Franklin, Chance Bateman

F: Shaun Burgoyne, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis

Foll: David Hale, Liam Shiels, Brad Sewell

I/C: Xavier Ellis, Michael Osborne, Clinton Young, Ryan Schoenmakers, Shane Savage, Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo

In: Michael Osborne, Ryan Schoenmakers, Luke Breust, Matt Suckling, David Hale

Out: Rick Ladson, Brent Renouf (Hamstring)

New: Luke Breust (Temora/NSW-ACT U18)

 

St Kilda

B: Jason Gram, Zac Dawson, Steven Baker

HB: Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, James Gwilt

C: Brendon Goddard, Jack Steven, Sam Gilbert

HF: Andrew McQualter, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider

F: Stephen Milne, Arryn Siposs, David Armitage

Foll: Justin Koschitzke, Nick Dal Santo, Farren Ray

I/C: Jason Blake, Clinton Jones, Ben McEvoy, Nicholas Winmar, Jamie Cripps, Ryan Gamble, Dean Polo

In: Farren Ray, Zac Dawson, Nicholas Winmar, Ryan Gamble, Dean Polo

Out: Raphael Clarke, Leigh Montagna (Suspension)

New: Nicholas Winmar (Scarborough), Dean Polo (Richmond)

 

WESTERN BULLDOGS V RICHMOND

ES – Sun May 15, 2:10pm

Western Bulldogs

B: Brennan Stack, Lukas Markovic, Dale Morris

HB: Liam Picken, Ryan Hargrave, Robert Murphy

C: Daniel Cross, Ryan Griffen, Justin Sherman

HF: Callan Ward, Liam Jones, Josh Hill

F: Jarrad Grant, William Minson, Daniel Giansiracusa

Foll: Ben Hudson, Matthew Boyd, Adam Cooney

I/C: Dylan Addison, Lindsay Gilbee, James Mulligan, Brodie Moles, Nathan Djerrkura, Mitchell Wallis, Thomas Liberatore

In: Dylan Addison, Ryan Hargrave, James Mulligan, Nathan Djerrkura, Thomas Liberatore

Out: Tom L. Williams (Ankle), Zephaniah Skinner

New: James Mulligan (Southport QLD)

 

Richmond

B: Chris Newman, Alex Rance, Jake Batchelor

HB: Brett Deledio, Luke McGuane, Dylan Grimes

C: Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Shane Edwards

HF: Jake King, Tyrone Vickery, Shaun Grigg

F: Matthew White, Jack Riewoldt, Brad Miller

Foll: Angus Graham, Daniel Jackson, Nathan Foley

I/C: Robin Nahas, Mitchell Farmer, Jeromey Webberley, Ben Nason, Reece Conca, Bradley Helbig, Bachar Houli

In: Mitchell Farmer, Jeromey Webberley, Bradley Helbig

 

WEST COAST EAGLES V FREMANTLE

PS – Sun May 15, 2:40pm

West Coast Eagles

B: Shannon Hurn, Darren Glass, Ashley Smith

HB: Sam Butler, Will Schofield, Scott Selwood

C: Andrew Embley, Matthew Priddis, Matthew Rosa

HF: Luke Shuey, Josh Kennedy, Mark Nicoski

F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Jack Darling

Foll: Dean Cox, Adam Selwood, Daniel Kerr

I/C: Chris Masten, Bradley Ebert, Nic Naitanui, Patrick McGinnity, Brad Sheppard, Gerrick Weedon, Andrew Gaff

In: Chris Masten, Patrick McGinnity, Andrew Gaff

 

Fremantle

B: Greg Broughton, Antoni Grover, Paul Duffield

HB: Garrick Ibbotson, Luke McPharlin, Adam McPhee

C: Matthew de Boer, Matthew Pavlich, Nathan Fyfe

HF: Stephen Hill, Michael Johnson, Jay Van Berlo

F: Hayden Ballantyne, Christopher Mayne, Kepler Bradley

Foll: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Nick Lower

I/C: Ryan Crowley, Rhys Palmer, Clancee Pearce, Jesse Crichton, Jonathon Griffin, Jayden Pitt, Jack Anthony

In: Ryan Crowley, Jesse Crichton, Jonathon Griffin, Jack Anthony

Out: Dylan Roberton

New: Jonathon Griffin (East Fremantle), Jack Anthony (Collingwood)

 

 

Grimes Trade Targets:

Well, as you will be aware, Jack Grimes injured his foot on the weekend, putting his injury-riddled career on hold for yet another year. Obviously for the Demons this is devastating news as they now don’t even have the ability to trade him out for one of the below names – but lucky for you, this is an option. I have tried to include some options both above and below him in price so that there will be options for everyone. Also, in anticipation of the questions regarding trading in a premium vs rookie, I am under the strong opinion that you should be bringing in a premium right now – there is no point moving backwards for the sake of some cash. Let me know your thoughts on the below, and feel free to add extra names if you wish.

NB: I haven’t included named such as Goddard, Gibbs and Deledio as they already seem to be featuring in most teams.

*Click on the players names to check out their Footy Tragic player page and full list of stats!

 

Heath Shaw ($358,700 – Avg. 92)

Shaw is the most expensive of the options I am looking at and from just a glance over his numbers, he has shown a fair amount of consistency this year – especially over the last month (where he has averaged 104 points). Consistency has always been one of the major things holding Shaw back as a decent DT pick – not so much due to form, but due to his role, coupled with the fact he is often tagged by the opposition. His past month of footy, which includes only one score below 100 (an 85), is a good sign to start with – I think the larger scores are also attributed to a few other factors too; the form of Ben Johnson, Harry O’Brien and Nick Maxwell has seen opposition attention waver from exclusively targeting Shaw; Malthouse is allowing him to be more free – one of the issues used to be that Mick would allow him to be dragged to the goalsquare – not so much anymore; and finally, he is in a much better team, who are clearly the dominant side in the competition at the moment – this will always help get larger DT scores, as they are always going to lead the possession count. So, to sum up, I think Shaw will be a viable option – there are very few consistent defenders this year anyway, so we will forgive him for the odd down game anyway. The fact he only has one bye round left also makes him a good target.

 

Sam Fisher ($343,000 – Avg. 85)

Sam Fisher’s brilliant game against the Blues on the weekend was a great audition for a spot in your team this year – his work as a loose defender was class and his workrate to cover space and intercept forward-50 entries was fantastic. Unfortunately though, the slight on Fisher will never be his form, but a worry about what role he will play week to week. In an ideal world, the Saints would player Fisher in a loose-man role every week, but sometimes that doesn’t work out for a variety of reasons. Fisher is not only St.Kilda’s best rebounder, but also their best defender, meaning that if Dawson or Blake are getting smashed by their opponent, Fisher is forced to move to a more defensive role in the backline and so loses his scoring power. Also, his game on the weekend was allowed to happen by the Blues, who didn’t play a man on him as they wanted Yarran running around down the other end – this won’t happen every week, as not every team has a player as good as Fisher on the rebound, so they therefore won’t allow the Saints to play a man back. These couple of issues have translated to his scoring this year with two scores under 60. Unfortunately, Fisher’s highs can be amazing (he has a whopping ceiling), but his lows can be just as bad. Personally, I am a big fan of Fisher and I think that his scoring will become better and more consistent once the Saints are winning a few more games. However, you will have to roll with a punches a bit with his scoring, which I know some coaches won’t have the tolerance for.

 

Corey Enright ($344,200 – Avg. 89)

If you are searching for scoring consistency in the backline, then Enright is your man. He is not the type of player to pull out many massive scores, but by the same token, he rarely pulls out many poor ones. That said, his past month has been pretty average since his good start to the year – the past four games have seen an average of 77, including no scores over 100 and two under 70. So this is a bit of a concern. Watching him, there has been no major change to his role – he still works well across the backline and rebounds well, but he just hasn’t been seeing as much of the pill as he has in previous years. There’s nothing to say Enright won’t come good, but based on the current scoring levels, I would be a little hesitant to trade him in. Some coaches will also look ahead to the second week of finals and see he has a bye then – another thing to worry about. Personally he wouldn’t be my choice right now, but if you want to back him in to bounce back, then I won’t be telling you you’ve done the wrong thing.

 

Robert Murphy ($321,100 – Avg. 84)

Murphy is another whose specialty in consistency – he has only one score below 80 this year, but then again, only one score over 100 (vs Gold Coast). His role in the backline for the Dogs is very good – he looks very comfortable back there and his good disposal and ability to read the play work in his favor. In fact, I’d have to say he is one of the in-form rebounding defenders so far this year. The issue is, he doesn’t win stacks of the ball – he just uses it well, meaning that a score of 80 – 90 from Bob is going to be about all you should hope for. He is also a dual-position player, which is an added bonus – you could switch him forward if you wish (probably only relevant if you have McKernan) or keep him in the backline. Eade actually uses him as a DPP for the Dogs too – he has swung Murphy forward on a number of occasions this year and each time he has competed well. He is certainly in form, as I mentioned, but you will just have to understand he has a pretty low ceiling.

 

James Frawley ($283,800 – Avg. 72)

I wanted to pick a couple of smokies for this article and in this case, Frawley is my man. With Grimes going down for the year, the Dees are going to have to find another player capable of stepping up into his rebounding role for the year. Personally, I believe Frawley is the most likely for this spot. The first suggestive sign was in the game last week – after Grimes went down with his injury 5mins in, Frawley was moved to being the loose man for the Dees and hence racked up his biggest DT score for the year – 105. Frawley is also one of the few Demons defenders who could really play this role well – he isn’t afraid to take the game on, he is a very good user of the footy and also has a good defensive side if needed. With the likes of Rivers, Warnock and Garland in the team, the Dees also have the ability to cover off any tall opponents without the need for Frawley. Now it is probably worth mentioning again that this selection would be a very brave one – there has only been one game to suggest Frawley will be the replacement for Grimes, so this trade would have the potential to backfire on you considering Frawley typically only averages 63 points a game if he continues to play his usual role. So to do this, you would have to have some balls – but if it pays off, imagine the bragging rights!!

 

Ash Smith ($265,800 – Avg. 70)

Smith is a bit of a smokey of mine for this year, and those of you who read my Weekly Wrap may remember me gushing over him after his first game of the year. In that game he scored a respectable 94 DT points and played a role which suggested the Eagles were looking to give him the ball as often as possible. He provided very good run for them, as well as holding an opponent pretty well. He was ranked #1 at WCE for rebound-50s during his 8 games last year, so it is certainly the role they want him to play. Unfortunately, in game number two on the weekend just been, he scored a pretty poor 47 points, playing a much more defensive game. When he did get the ball he used it well, but there was no huge DT score to backup my theory that he would be a great mid-priced backline option. That said, I am still willing to put his name forward as an option – his first game still impressed me and I doubt it was one out of the box. Also, considering his average score last week, his price shouldn’t move too much this week, meaning you really have another week or two to have a look at him if you are interested. He would certainly be a unique option that many of your opponents wouldn’t have and he does have the potential to make you some cash. I wish I had more to suggest he is destined for a breakout year, but it seems he is just another pick for which you will just need to put your balls on the line if you are keen.

 

Still not sure?? Try our player search function to find your perfect player!

 

Well, welcome to the ‘Boys on the Bubble’ article – it’s my turn this week and it seems I have wrangled myself a pretty easy draw here, with only four players on the bubble this week. So, to make up for this, tomorrow I will attempt to put out an article with some ideas for trade targets from Grimes. I have the morning off, so will try an knock something up for you then!

*Denotes game where used as a sub.

 

Jamie Cripps (DEF – $92,500 – 35*, 37*)

Cripps was the Saints’ first selection in the draft last year and was recruited as a pacy half-back/winger with good disposal skills. He was not recruited as a good ball-winner, but as I just mentioned, as a good ball user, so Dream Team is not his natural game (he will be better suited to Supercoach in the future). His role for the Saints in his first two games has been on a half-forward flank – a role Lyon seems to like giving his younger players when just starting out, and one which is unfortunately not too DT-friendly. Cripps has averaged 36 DT points in his first two games (in both games he has only played a half) and he has looked pretty good, without breaking any games open. I’d say he will hold his spot for at least a little while longer, but right now I think there are a few more promising kids (for DT purposes) getting games over the next fortnight and I think they will be better options for trading into your team than young Cripps.

 

Cameron Pederson (DEF – $98,400 – 97, 42)

Pederson would have to be one of the unluckiest guys to get dropped this year, after a stunning debut game where he was close to the best on ground player for North, roaming between ruck and half-back. He found himself back in the VFL the following week due to the amount of more senior ‘big guys’ getting games at North. It has taken him six more rounds before he got his second game, as a late inclusion for Lachie Hansen. He has proven himself a good ball-winner with his ability to find space and ready the game. But unfortunately, due to the fact he was dropped after such a stunning game initially, I just can’t see him holding his spot much longer in this lineup. If there is any sort of player North have an abundance of, it is tall players, so I think Pederson will have to bide his time in the VFL for a little while longer, until there is an injury to allow him a spot.

 

Kieren Harper (FWD – $92,500 – 61, 40)

Harper has impressed me a little more than I was expecting him to in his first couple of games. As a junior, he played his games as a medium sized forward with a good knack to play up the field and provide a link between the midfield and forward line. In his two games so far for the Roos he is pretty much playing this role – it’s not going to be a role that sees a high number of disposals, but he could be expected to score between 40 and 60 points each week and therefore slowly tick over some cash. His job security seems reasonable – he has no major competition for spots from more senior players, and in a team dwelling in the bottom parts of the ladder, we should expect the Roos will give him plenty of opportunities this year. Personally I don’t think he is worth trading in, but that’s just because I can’t see him scoring particularly well and therefore making too much cash, although as I have said, his job security should be pretty reasonable. Personally I would be looking toward Liam Patrick or Isaac Smith instead.

 

Liam Patrick (FWD – ($97,600 – 21*, 79)

Liam Patrick has come into the AFL already with a mass of expectation on his shoulders, considering he is the cousin of high-leaping Demon, Liam Jurrah. And whilst in his first game (as a sub) there was very little excitement from him, his game on the weekend against Brisbane was certainly something special. He took one of the marks of the year and then kicked one of the goals of the year, proving he will give Jurrah a run for his money in the excitement stakes for years to come. As for his scoring ability, I think he will be pretty up and down each week, but should manage to keep his spot in the team for most of the year. He will play the third tall role in the forward line, whilst also moving up the field and into the midfield as we saw him do against Brisbane, as well as in the NAB cup. Personally, I am a fan, and I believe that he is probably the best pick of the four boys currently on the bubble – he should manage some reasonable scores this year, but as I said earlier, I wouldn’t count on consistency, just excitement!

 

So the much hyped new article (through self promotion) will be a weekly look at all of the state leagues around the country. The idea behind this is to centralise information about those guys on the fringes on senior selection, with more of a focus towards rookie priced players to keep on your radar.

 

I’ll be dividing it up by clubs and how each of their reserves are going. Naturally I’m not able to watch 15-20 state league matches (not to mention state league reserves) that all the AFL listed players will be playing in, but most weeks I’ll be attending at least one VFL game and trying to squeeze in the time to watch the match of the round as broadcast on ABC for the VFL, SANFL and WAFL. Unfortunately I was away last weekend, so my very first article comes on the back of having not seen a VFL game last weekend! Regardless, a power of work will be done each week, through a variety of channels and means (oh, we have our ways!) to bring this one to you.

 

Adelaide

8 players in SANFL Seniors (Vince, Milera, Maric, Cook, B.Martin, Riley, Lyons, Sellar)

4 players in SANFL Reserves (Shaw, Roach, S.Martyn, Von Bertouch)

 

The big news for the Crows is that Bernie Vince looked to have found form playing for WWT Eagles, picking up 33 touches, including eight marks and 2.1. It was a 136 DT point effort, which is what I picked him up for to do in the AFL! He’s gone from my team and now I kinda hate him for being a big reason for my bad start. Surely he goes straight back into the Crows side this week against GC.

 

Tim Milera is a rookie listed small forward at the Crows. And when I say small, I mean small, standing at only 171cm. He kicked 4.0 and amassed 71 DT points for the Port Magpies against Bernie’s Eagles, backing up another four goal performance last week against the Bloods. The Crows could do a lot worse than promoting another rookie to find a spark. I believe they have the room. Callinan was their nominated rookie (unlucky!) and Wright and Schmidt have been promoted for LTI’s to Porplyzia and Mackay, but Phil Davis can be added to the long term injured list…Milera could be one to keep an eye on.

 

Former NSW Scholarship player Aidan Riley picked up 23 touches and a goal for Sturt. Ivan Maric and James Sellar were both reserves for the Crows, but it doesn’t appear either did a whole heap to push for a recall. Maric spent a bit of time up forward for Port Magpies picking up 10 touches, 2.0 and 13 hitouts, while Sellar got 13 touches and 12 hitouts, though did manage six marks and 2.1 for Glenelg. Jack Gunston was kept out of action altogether, so I would assume he was the traveling emergency for the Crows.

 

Brisbane

That last one went entirely too long. I can’t keep that up for 17 teams, so I’ll keep it brief and only mention stand out performances.

 

Brisbane reserves played cross town rivals, Gold Coast Suns in the NEAFL. It wasn’t a great day for them either, getting trounced all day by their young upstart neighbours. There aren’t any stats on the NEAFL site unfortunately, but the Lions only named three players in their bests – Matt Austin and two top up players.

 

Broc McCauley had a good battle in the ruck with Tom Nicholls. After Nicholls got on top on the first quarter McCauley bounced back well in the second term and kicked a goal. He seems to be out of the Lions side for structural reasons, rather than his own form. 42K DT and 51K SC coaches will be hoping he’s back making money soon.

 

Jared Polec did some nice things, but his kicking apparently let him down. Unfortunately Xavier Clarke only last one quarter before succumbing to an injury to his upper leg. Dude can’t catch a break…

 

Josh Green was kept out with a fitness query over Luke Power for the AFL game.

 

Carlton

14 played for Northern Bullants Seniors (Tuohy, Henderson, Cachia, McInnes, Lucas, Davies, McLean, Watson, McCarthy, Dare, O’Keeffe, Carter, Bray, Hampson).

It’s a bit hard with the VFL stats not being published online, but there were four Blues listed players named in the best players. Jarryd Cachia is a tough as nails on baller and was named BOG for the Ants. He’s on their rookie list, however and I’m pretty sure they don’t have the room to upgrade one at the moment. Blues fans?

 

Brock McLean was named second best and has been in some pretty good form in the reserves lately. The Blues have a bye this weekend, but you’d suspect he’s the one that will come in for Curnow, considering his strong inside game.

 

Recently promoted Irish rookie Zach Tuohy was named in the best players, so is continuing his push for senior selection. Long kicking Rhys O’Keeffe has had some injury worries over the past two years, but he was also named in the bests this week. Matthew Watson played on Brendan Fevola, who kicked three goals.

 

Collingwood

Didn’t just have a bye in the AFL, they had one in the VFL too.

 

Essendon

16 played for Bendigo (Myers, Jenkins, Neagle, Browne, Quinn, Davis, Steinberg, Carlisle, Hibberd, Ross, Dyson, T.Slattery, Williams, Silverlock, Prismall, Colyer).

 

OK, straight to the one we all want to know about (and have probably gone out of our way to look up anyway) Michael Hibberd was named sixth best for the Bombers. You could argue he was stiff to get dropped in the first place, but someone had to make way for Fletcher – realistically he was the logical choice.

 

In what could be considered bad news for Hibberd owners is that David Myers was named BOG for Bendi. He’s not an entirely dissimilar player and Myers had his moments in the pre-season. I had him earmarked as someone who might come on this year and he was quite a talented junior (a former #6 Draft Pick). He played this game in the midfield, which he tends to do for Bendigo, but is usually played as a third tall in the backline for Essendon. First year player Alex Browne was named in the best players, playing in the guts, as was Brent Prismall and rookie listed Tyson Slattery. Travis Colyer kicked three goals, while Alwyn Davey was kept out as an emergency for Essendon.

 

There was an excellent match report written on Bomber Blitz. The author, saladin, was also impressed with the ruck work of country football superstar Josh Jenkins and the defensive work of Jake Carlisle.

 

Fremantle

WA and SA teams will cause me a lot of headaches this year, because all of their reserves are scattered throughout their respective state leagues!

 

9 players in WAFL Seniors (Shepheard, Bucovaz, Griffin, O’Brien, Michie, Crichton, Sibosado, Schammer, Mellington).

 

First year player Viv Michie was the third highest ball winner for the Peel Thunder with 21 touches, while Jesse Crichton managed 17, along with eight tackles. Michie had a great pre-season, so could still be around the mark.

 

Another first year Docker, Josh Mellington plucked six marks for West Perth. He scored 2.2 among 16 touches. He’s very young (only just snuck in age wise for the last draft) but could be a show for some games this year as a forward, though it’d probably take for a few Dockers to fall over.

 

If something ever happens to Sandilands (or Bradley…or Michael Johnson) then Jon Griffin showed a bit with 38 hitouts and 15 touches (including 13 kicks?!)

 

Geelong

14 played for Geelong VFL (Walker, Blake, Drum, Gillies, Guthrie, Stringer, Burbury, J.Simpkin, Schroder, S.Motlop, B.Johnson, Cowan, M.Brown, Vardy).

 

Mitch Brown and Nathan Vardy kept up their good recent form of kicking goals. Brown has been on fire lately, and while it sounds like he was not quite as good this week he still kicked two. Ruckman/forward Vardy also kicked another two, though neither got named in the bests. They’d both be a chance for games this year, especially Brown, who is a very talented key forward just getting his body right after a couple of frustrating years.

 

Josh Cowan has been in really good form lately and while he wasn’t named in the best players he impressed some fans out there with some relatively uncharacteristic hardness. He’s a very impressive endurance athlete, who would also be pretty close to a debut.

 

Marcus Drum is another bloke who just can’t get any luck with injury. He only lasted a quarter before succumbing to injury again. Mark Blake and Jesse Stringer were the only two AFL listed players named in the bests.

 

Gold Coast

I’m not gonna list them all – friggin’ stacks played.

 

DION PRESTIA! It’s a bit hard without stats, but the good news is that Prestia was named second best for the Suns reserves. Considering the Guy McKenna revolving door and the fact Prestia has had some games so far this year it means he could be a chance to return. He’s still in over 50K teams in DT and SC.

 

The big ruckman Tom Nicholls was named BOG. He showed some good signs in the pre-season and could be blooded for a few games, especially with Gorringe going down last week. Jack Stanley, Harley Bennell, Maverick Weller and Taylor Hine rounded out their best players. Weller reportedly had a good battle with Polec.

 

Alik Magin kicked three goals, while Jacob Gillbee and Hayden Jolly chimed in with two each. Keep an eye on Jolly – he’s a great accumulator, so could be a good downgrade option when he gets a chance. Marc Lock (who had been pushing for a recall) and Rex Liddy didn’t return after half time with undisclosed injuries.

 

Hawthorn

Box Hill had the bye.

 

Melbourne

14 played for Casey (Cook, Newton, Evans, Nicholson, T.McDonald, J.Macdonald, J.Bennell, N.Jetta, C.Morton, Lawrence, S.Martin, Spencer, Fitzpatrick, Howe).

 

Despite a huge win, the Dees will be making a few forced changes with Grimes famously gone for the year, Trengove suspended for three and now Jamar out for a month (according to Mike Sheahan On The Couch). Stefan Martin would be a walk up start with Jamar going down. Even though he didn’t play reserves, it’s worth mentioning that Jared Rivers would come straight back in if fit.

 

Joel Macdonald was named in the bests, so could be a decent experienced body to come into the Demons backline, while Jamie Bennell was named second best.

 

Jake Spencer unfortunately did his knee. I know he cops a bit of stick from Dees fans (and other fans too) but it’s no good to see anyone miss a year of footy. In promising news for the Dees, Robert Campbell made his return via Casey reserves and could replace Spencer on the senior list. Jordie McKenzie also made his much anticipated return through Casey 2’s.

 

North Melbourne

9 played for North Ballarat (Mullett, Black, C.Garlett, Norris [not Chuck], C.Delaney, L.Delaney, Richardson, M.Campbell, A.Edwards)

7 played for Werribee (Ross, Warren, Greenwood, Daw, Urquhart, R.Tarrant, Scott [not Brad])

 

First of all to the Roosters and the big news was the 10 goal haul from Aaron Edwards. I reckon the coach may have noticed that one. He was named BOG, naturally.

 

From a fantasy perspective, Cam Richardson was named fifth best. So for the second week in a row he’s been in the best players for North Ballarat. Here’s hoping, for those that have held onto him (myself included) that he can get back into the Roos side and this time not look so overawed. Cruize Garlett also had a good game and would be in the mix for a senior recall too.

 

As for the guys at Werribee, it was good to see Levi Greenwood get back into action. The Roos could use his hardness at the moment. Robbie Tarrant was named BOG for the Tigers, which is something to consider for those keen on trading Cam Pederson in this week. The calls will continue for Majak Daw to get a game, despite the fact North are not at all deficient in the ruck. The big Sudanese Sensation was named second best. Matthew Scott is a tough on baller, who was also named in the bests.

 

Port Adelaide

10 played SANFL Seniors (Jacobs, Surjan, Butcher, Banner, M.Westhoff, Lobbe, Davenport, Webb, C.Cornes, Salopek)

BEN JACOBS! He’s gotta be a big chance this week. In his second SANFL Seniors game for the Magpies he racked up 28 touches (including 14 in the third), five marks and six tackles for 116 DT points. He was named second best behind Adelaide’s Tim Milera (see above) I was very skeptical about how he would bounce back from glandular fever – I thought it would take him a bit longer to be match fit, but he will be right in the mix this week for the Power.

 

Jacob Surjan also played for the Magpies and picked up 23 touches to do his chances of a recall no harm. A couple of other experienced fellows lined up for Glenelg, in Chad Cornes and Steven Salopek. How lovely that my unique in Vince and Kristian’s unique in Salopek couldn’t even crack a senior game by this stage of the year? Anyway, Chadwick had 28 touches and was named BOG for the Tigers, while Sal picked up 22 touches.

 

It’s good to see Matthew Lobbe on the return from injury. Some may have him as a DP ruck/fwd option with Petrie. Lobbe had a modest six disposals and three hitouts for West Adelaide – one step at a time.

 

Richmond

Coburg had a bye, thank god…this is taking FOREVER to write.

 

St.Kilda

12 played for Sandringham (Winmar, Walsh, Andreoli, Lynch, Ferguson, T.Simpkin, Polo, Stanley, Curren, Ledger, Heyne, Archer).

 

It’s really interesting. Nick Heyne was named BOG for Sandy, but no one on Saintsational was talking him up. I don’t think he impressed anyone there, so I’m not sure what the Sandy coaches saw there…must have done some team things, but that doesn’t sound like the Heyne I’ve seen!

 

Conversely, Dean Polo on the return trail from injury drew plenty of praise from Saints fans for his inside work, but didn’t feature in the bests.

 

Some common ground could be found on the games of Tom Lynch and Daniel Archer though. Archer kicked two very nice goals, while some posters on Saintsational compared Lynch’s role to what Sam Fisher does in the AFL.

 

Nick Winmar was disappointing, which is a pity after being named an emergency a couple of times this year (including for Monday night’s game against Carlton). Brett Peake and Ryan Gamble were kept out as injury standby for the Saints.

 

Sydney

15 played for Sydney Reserves (Roberts-Thomson, McKaigue, Johnston, Spangher, Currie, Kruger, Sumner, Seaby, M.Otten, McNeil, Parker, Bevan, Dennis-Lane, Haren, J.White)

 

Luke Parker impressed in a BOG performance against GWS. His hardness and ability to cover the ground are good and he’s a rookie to look out for this year. Lewis Johnston is another. He’s enjoyed a lot of success playing off half back this year after spending the early stages of his development as a forward.

 

Irishman Chris McKaigue was also named in the best players, playing deep in defence, while LRT might not be too far away from getting back into the seniors after a solid performance. Dylan McNeil is another rookie said to have had a good game in the midfield. With Mike Pyke out for a couple of weeks there’s a spot for a tall there. Jesse White was apparently a bit of a flat track bully, kicking three goals on a GWS opponent significantly smaller than him, but you’d imagine it’d come down to him or Mark Seaby.

Matt Spangher didn’t last ten minutes, limping off with a hamstring and Brett Meredith was kept out as an emergency for the seniors.

 

West Coast

15 played WAFL seniors (Dalziell, Masten, T.Houlihan, K.Stevens, Jacob Brennan, J.Jones, B.Wilson, Lycett, Swift, Stevenson, Wilkes, Broome, Strijk, Gaff, C.Wilson)

 

Andrew Gaff will surely come straight back in after amassing 34 possessions, along with 10 marks for 122 DT points. His South Freo teammate Callum Wilson was wayward in front of goal kicking 3.4 along with five marks.

 

Bradd Dalziell was his accumulative self for East Freo, with 36 possessions and 11 marks, but kicked 0.5. Well, kicking has always been his issue. He’d be an absolute DT jet, but he’s just a bit too wasteful with his disposal to hold a spot down in the AFL midfield. He might get another go soon though. Chris Masten, on the comeback from injury was next highest for the Sharks with 34 touches, along with seven tackles. My knock on him has been his inability to rack up points due to his lack of marking and tackling, so this is good to see. Tim Houlihan would be a good one if he could get his body right. A superb athlete who can rack it up, got 28 touches, while Koby Stevens got 23.

 

Tom Swift had 28 touches for Claremont, so quite a lot of Eagles reserves racked it up on the weekend.

 

Western Bulldogs

15 played for Williamstown (Roughead, Hahn, Mulligan, J.Schofield, Djerrkura, Hooper, Addison, Hargrave, Dahlhaus, Tutt, Cordy, Lake, Reid, E.Barlow, Panos)

 

Luke Dahlhaus and Nathan Djerrkura were apparently impressive for Williamstown. Djerrkura was named emergency last week for the Dogs, so this game could’ve pushed him back into contention for a spot. Dahlhaus is on their rookie list and at the moment the Dogs don’t have a long term injury, with Ryan Hargrave returning in this game. It’s good to see Hargrave back out there.

 

Brian Lake played well when moved forward, though the reports don’t suggest he was doing as well in the backline early in the game. He kicked two goals. Matthew Panos is another rookie listed player and he bagged four goals, while Andrew Hooper and Ayce Cordy were also named in the bests. After a couple of years of injury it’s also good to see Cordy stringing a few games together.

 

KRISTIAN’S KAPTAINS

In case you’re wondering, I’ve kicked out Dan for the rest of this year because he’ll be delivering a pretty special weekly article from tomorrow that I think everyone will find very useful, so make sure you’re on to that!

I’ll be following pretty much a similar format to Dan in relation to the captain’s article, looking at mainly match-ups and history against that opposition.

Also, one thing worth noting is I really don’t follow Super Coach that much, so if I make some type of outlandish captain suggestion, please, whack me back into line!

When looking at my potential captains for the next round, I cast an eye over the fixture first to see if there’ll be any potential ‘smashings’. All the games are fairly even this week, which seems to be a growing trend since the competition is now so even. Probably the two games that stand out would be Adelaide vs Gold Coast at AAMI and Sydney vs Port Adelaide at the SCG. Carlton has the bye this week.

What I found interesting while collating my stats, is that not one of the premiums this year actually has an outstanding record against their opposing team this round.

What I’ll do in my captains articles is list a good number of players who I think will do well this week and provide their last five performances against that particular team in both Dream Team and Super Coach. Then I’ll narrow it down to about five genuine captain choices and provide a description of why I think they’ll do well.

*NOTE: The first score is from the game most recently played.*

 

JIMMY BARTEL VS COLLINGWOOD

DT: 117, 78, 125, 147, 106

SC: 108, 51, 114, 131, 81

Jimmy’s looking somewhat back to his absolute best this season and still remains one of the most reliable captain choices out there. He comes up against the Pies on Friday night at the MCG, a team that he has a very good record against in the past. There’ll be no tag on him you wouldn’t think, as Wellingham will most likely go to Chapman or Selwood. I can see Jimmy going to head to head with one of Pendlebury or Swan and finding a ton of space all night. The question is whether the Cats will be able to keep up with the Pies after their bye. I think either way, Jimmy will provide a solid captain’s score, he’s all heart this guy and will give his all to get the Cats over the line. I don’t think you can go wrong.

 

PAUL CHAPMAN VS COLLINGWOOD

DT: 92, 100, 107, 130, 152

SC: 71, 99, 114, 142, 160

Here’s another Cat that likes to play against the Pies. I for one was burnt on the weekend by Chappy, as I’m sure many others were. He’s been in blistering form to start the season, yet against North Melbourne on his home turf he turned in a miserly 76. I think Collingwood will take a good look at Chappy this time around, now that there’s no Ablett running around for Geelong, but I don’t think it will be a hard tag as such. I don’t think he’ll be given as much space as in previous encounters, but we also have to factor in that Collingwood is now a much better team. If you feel forgiving, Chapman isn’t a bad choice at all as he’s just as likely to pull out a 150 this week.

 

DANE SWAN VS GEELONG

DT: 141, 127, 94, 68, 112

SC: 141, 131, 106, 79, 116

What a disastrous round it was without the great man. Thank goodness he’s back (well, unless disaster strikes come Thursday night). Putting the ‘C’ straight back to Swan shouldn’t come without consideration though. In my opinion, having watched his last two games pretty closely, I don’t think he’s been quite right. In round four against the Tigers, young Jake Batchelor tackled Swan from behind (was an absolute ripper), and Dane didn’t get up too well. He seemed to have hurt his arm and I’ve noticed in his last two games he hasn’t been entering many packs or laying tackles. I might be totally over-analysing here, but he was definitely uncomfortable. The week off would’ve done him no harm, and I’m sure the Pies wouldn’t have risked him if he was seriously hurt. His last two games against the Cats have been superb and I don’t think Cameron Ling has the game anymore to run with Swan an entire game as he has done in years previous. Lock in Swanny for a big game this week I think!

 

BRENDON GODDARD

DT: 109, 146, 88, 124, 78

SC: 97, 133, 85, 143, 90

BJ’s going to cop it from all angles in the footy media this week unfortunately after his very lack lustre start to season 2011. One thing that champions do well however, is bounce back from adversity. He might have a little injury that’s worrying him I feel, but he’ll get up for this game, I have no doubt. His record is pretty healthy against the Hawks with a solid average of 109 in their past five encounters. Bare in mind, Goddard has only played the Hawks five times in six years. Make no mistake, for every negative article there is about BJ this week, lock in fifteen points to his score. Smash em’ buddy.

 

Joel Selwood vs Collingwood

DT: 100, 96, 96, 114, 93

SC: 83, 94, 83, 108, 101

 

Scott Pendlebury vs Geelong

DT: 113, 101, 81, 74, 108

SC: 113, 110, 96, 95, 141

 

Colin Sylvia vs North Melbourne (YUCK!)

DT: 87, 68, 81, 78, 91

SC: 76, 51, 92, 62, 94

 

Gary Ablett vs Adelaide

DT: 81, 92, 155, 78, 83

SC: 76, 115, 197, 91, 86

 

Brent Stanton vs Brisbane

DT: 89, 88, 73, 174, 98

SC: 91, 93, 78, 133, 106

 

Adam Goodes vs Port Adelaide

DT: 89, 97, 66, 65, 94

SC: 118, 111, 106, 95, 108

 

Jobe Watson vs Brisbane

DT: 58, 103, 128, 91, 98

SC: 81, 111, 117, 117, 91

 

Nick Riewoldt vs Hawthorn

DT: 90, 79, 126, 109, 114

SC: 106, 77, 139, 122, 95

 

Sam Mitchell vs St Kilda

DT: 95, 90, 117, 61, 59

SC: 85, 111, 143, 79, 54

 

Dean Cox vs Fremantle

DT: 79, 93, 103, 98, 96

SC: 94, 96, 72, 81, 86

 

Aaron Sandliands vs West Coast

DT: 89, 88, 116, 85, 57

SC: 58, 114, 136, 93, 77

 

Matthew Pavlich vs West Coast

DT: 98, 119, 136, 92, 96

SC: 93, 125, 130, 111, 124

 

David Mundy vs West Coast

DT: 80, 92, 62, 94, 78

SC: 106, 125, 64, 107, 113

 

Alan Didak vs Geelong

DT: 104, 128, 79, 86, 72

SC: 118, 137, 97, 59, 97

 

Brad Green vs North Melbourne

DT: 135, 114, 70, 86, 72

SC: 114, 100, 115, 93, 70

 

Ryan O’Keefe vs Port Adelaide

DT: 110, 108, 72, 86, 37

SC: 101, 100, 95, 123, 51

 

Leigh Montagna vs Hawthorn

DT: 68, 79, 114, 143, 80

SC: 49, 75, 125, 133, 80

 

Nick Dal Santo vs Hawthorn

DT: 85, 52, 131, 105, 65

SC: 77, 58, 158, 155, 67

 

Daniel Cross vs Richmond

DT: 100, 64, 115, 90, 111

SC: 127, 67, 116, 105, 129

 

Matthew Priddis vs Fremantle

DT: 101, 106, 107, 113, 90

SC: 139, 109, 116, 122, 75

 

Matthew Boyd vs Richmond

DT: 105, 97, 81, 106, 81

SC: 121. 112, 92, 93, 80