Footy Tragic

St.Kilda vs Brisbane:

St.Kilda:

• Leigh Montagna finally clocked up his first ton for the year with a great game in the midfield. He was the Saints’ leading clearance winner and looked like he was finally finding his 2010 form again. He should improve over the next few weeks and I’d say he will justify his large price-tag sometime soon.
• Adam Schneider was also very good – he played the majority of the game through the midfield and across half-forward, the role he played for the second half of last year. He racked up the ball a lot in the first quarter and this definitely is a position capable of being very good for DT. Keep an eye on him as whilst he can be inconsistent, he does have the ability to play some big games like this one.
• Brendon Goddard was back in the role which seems to make him more comfortable – he spent a lot more time off half-back with time on the ball. I think the continual changing of positions has probably complicated things a bit for him and he will be much better for the Saints (and dream teamers) if he can just dominate in one position, rather than five!
• Sam Gilbert played the entire game off half-back and whilst his final DT score was nothing exciting, I think he could be a great trade target in a few weeks time. This is the best role for him and he is capable of winning plenty of ball in it. If you can get him for under $300k in a week or two, I think he could be really worth it!

Brisbane:

• Jed Adcock was brilliant again! For those who keep writing him off as ‘fluking’ these high scores really need to watch him closer! He played the majority of the game running off half-back, but his stints in the midfield showed he is more than capable through there too! Spends 80% of his time running hard to put himself in the right positions and the other 20% running to younger teammates to pat them on the back and let them know when they did something good – his leadership for the Lions is clearly so important, so there is no way Vossy will stick him in the back pocket any time soon. The good form of Collier and Hanley will also help his case.
• Jack Redden is a star and one of my favourite non-Saints players. His work at stoppages is really classy, but he also manages to win the ball outside the packs and uses it well too, adding an extra string to his bow. Now with three tons in four games this year, he is a legitimate premium option in DT.
• Daniel Merrett is in beautiful form, and if DT points were given for intentionally knocking the ball out of bounds without it looking intentional, then Merrett may be a must-have. But unfortunately, he is a stopper first and foremost and won’t win nearly as much ball as he did in this game on a consistent basis. Do not consider him.
• Matthew Leuenberger was able to play the whole game up forward thanks to the great ruckwork by second gamer Broc McCauley. Leuey’s presence was really felt up forward and he moves really well for a big guy, but unfortunately he just couldn’t convert his chances, kicking just four behinds for the game. Will generally play between ruck and forward this year I’d say, but it was good to see how capable he is when moved forward.

 

Port Adelaide vs Gold Coast:

Port Adelaide:

• Hamish Hartlett was one of the best for Port, especially earlier in the game. He surprised me with his work under the packs, laying 9 tackles for the game, but his disposal use was also very good. He does appear as a really good DT & SC option, but his issue will always been his weak hammys!
• Troy Chaplin again played as loose man in defence and was often the go-to option on the half-back line. He didn’t play an amazing game, but he did win a fair amount of ball and as I said last week, I really like him as an option in this role.
• Jasper Pittard had another great game in the backline, although his match will be remembered for the horrendous turnover late in the last quarter. Hopefully he won’t lose any confidence from this as so far this year he has proven a real find for the Power.
• Robbie Gray really disappointed me – as many who read my articles will know, I am an unabashed Gray fan, but he played the whole game as if he didn’t expect to be working hard for a kick. In a way, his game epitomised Port’s mindset coming into this game – he saw the Gold Coast as easybeats and a good way for him to get an easy kick – unfortunately for him they proved to be anything but that.

Gold Coast:

• Michael Rischitelli was great again for the Suns and was awarded the best on ground medal, mainly for his work across all four quarters. Whilst he was far from the most prolific in their stunning last quarter, his first three terms really helped get them in a winning position. Has only dropped below 100 DT points once this year, so could be a really good unique pick.
• Brandon Matera was sensational – for a kid who was playing just his fourth game of AFL football, he already looked like a star, booting four crucial (and pretty spectacular) goals. Played the majority of the game as a small forward with time on the ball and continually looks capable of turning a game on his own boot, as he did here.
• Gary Ablett had a really quiet first three quarters, but really turned it on after three quarter time and appeared one of the first Suns players to realise they were in with a chance. We saw some vintage Gary as he burst out of packs with the ball towards the forward line – as his price continues to drop, he looks more and more like a feasible trade target in a few weeks. Fingers crossed this game was the spark he needed to get back to some of his Brownlow-winning form.
• David Swallow was another to really turn it on later in the game. In fact, his first three quarters were really disappointing as he struggled to get anywhere near the ball. But after ¾ time, he turned it on, showing the sort of player he will be one day and won himself 50 DT points in the process.

 

Carlton vs Adelaide:

Carlton:

• Chris Judd was fabulous for the Blues and continues to push forward his credentials as a top-line DTer as well as Supercoach star. Won 32 disposals for the game in a typical Judd-esque hard at the ball game.
• Marc Murphy bounced back strongly after a couple of poor games in a row. He provided some real zip and excitement for the Blues in the midfield with his 34 touches and 7 tackles. Has always proven himself to be a good DTer, so after his couple of poor games and subsequent price-dip, now could be the time to jump on!
• Andrew Walker played his best game for the year against the side that he nearly switched to in trade week last year. He is playing really well and has a lot of enthusiasm about his game – tackling and chasing hard and really trying to set himself or his teammates up for goals. Finished with four really important goals and was one of the reasons the Blues managed to get across the line.
• Bryce Gibbs was thoroughly disappointing – it was not so much that he had a bad game, but just that he never really got into it. He finished with 17 disposals and five tackles, which was OK, but really needs to step up the intensity a bit to be considered a premium DTer.

Adelaide:

• Kurt Tippett was one of the Crow’s best and looked very strong in the forward line for the first time this year. Clunked a few good marks and was kicking pretty well, finishing with 3.1 from 8 marks and 13 disposals. Still needs to improve significantly to get out of DT no-man’s land, but he is at least showing signs.
• Graham Johncock had his first good game for the year, after suffering from one of the biggest price-drops this week. He played his typical role in the backline as a rebounding small defender, but used the ball pretty well and managed to find a bit more space than he has found so far this year. Would need a couple more games like this to convince me he has turned the corner though.
• Chris Knights is playing well across half-forward and whilst he hasn’t cracked the ton yet, he has at least been somewhat consistent this season, which will impress his owners. He should be coming into pretty good fitness now, so look for a couple of bigger games over the next few weeks.
• Sam Jacobs was pretty quiet in his first game for the Crows – whilst he had 20 hitouts, he was well beaten around the ground by Warnock and only received 7 disposals. Will get better as he slowly comes back from injury and limited pre-season. I doubt he will really be a good trade target, but could still be worth watching, just in case he does start racking up some big numbers.

 

North Melbourne vs Richmond:

North Melbourne:

• Drew Petrie’s six goals would have been music to the ears of his owners who have done nothing but suffer with him so far this year. He marked just about everything sent his way and totally dominated Rance, who continually infringed as he had no idea how to deal with Petrie’s strength and size. Hopefully there are more games like this is the big guy!
• Todd Goldstein was good, although I didn’t feel he was impressive as he should have been, especially late in the game once Vickery was subbed off. He certainly won in the ruck, but he really appeared to lack much run through the middle and at best broke even with Graham around the ground. Needs to work harder in this aspect as there is no doubting he has it in him.
• Jack Ziebell was terribly disappointing and the longer the game went, the worse he looked. He has clearly had a limited pre-season and it is showing as he just doesn’t seem able to run out an AFL game at the moment. The Roos don’t appear to be heading up the ladder any time soon, so perhaps it is time he was given a run in the VFL to build his fitness. Ben Cunnington is in the same boat.
• Lachlan Hansen finally started showing some signs, although he did fade late. Player predominantly as a CHF and took some good marks, but only kicked the one goal. His place in the team should be safe for another week, although he shouldn’t be considered for DT or SC.

Richmond:

• Dustin Martin is/will be a star – no doubt about it. His game was brilliant, especially for just a second year player. He won 33 disposals, but also kicked four goals – two of them ultra important ones in the last quarter. With his size, tank and ability to play both inside and outside football, this kid has all the assets necessary to be one of the best players in the league in the not too distant future. Just as Kristian!
• Jack Riewoldt was really impressive – his marking and five goals were one highlight, although I’d say the coach would be more happy with his large numbers of score-assists. Riewoldt is now uber-cheap and could be a great sixth or seventh forward for those currently in the market for one – check or Kristian’s article from last week if you need more convincing.
• Reece Conca really impressed me, especially later in the game when he kept SUCH a cool head, despite the closeness of the game. He continues to play off half-back and a score of 70-odd DT points is proving about par for him, which is impressive for a first-year player – this also means he should be good for a final price of around $300k, so hold onto him for a little longer before selling.
• Bachar Houli’s name was mentioned last week in this same article for the fact he hasn’t impressed yet this year – so it was good to see him have a good game, playing the majority of it off half-back in a role similar to Connors (who is currently in the twos). I don’t know how consistent he will be, but it was at least nice to see him kick out the cobwebs and rack up his first ton of the year.

 

Essendon vs Collingwood:

Essendon:

• Dyson Heppell clearly deserves first mention here for his stunning fifth game. Not only did he crack the ton for the first time in his career, but it was the way he went about it – he was one of the most composed Dons coming off half-back and used it really well to set-up a number of their scoring chains. Came third in the ANZAC medal voting, which was testament to his game. Unfortunately though, Hird has already flagged resting him next week due to him pulling up a bit sore and there being only a six-day break between games. Damn.
• Stewart Crameri provided a stack of X-factor for the Dons, and had they got up, would have won a lot of praise for his part in the win. He kicked four very good goals, absolutely smashing Maxwell with his workrate up the ground. Goes on some great leads and he is continually rewarded. Another player who looks like he’s played a lot more than just seven games.
• David Hille may start to find his spot a little under fire in the side – whilst by no means did he play a terrible game, but I thought he was probably the least effective of the three ruckmen played by Hird. I think it was pretty clear that the plan for three ruckmen didn’t work, with all of them being outrucked and outplayed by the Jolly/Brown combo. None of them were effective when moved forward either, so I think a big call needs to be made by Hird.
• Brent Stanton was terrible – I have already commented on the site that I believe this was a drop-worthy performance, but perhaps that is a little harsh. That said, I thought he was Collingwood’s best player on the day – had his hand in about three of their goals thanks to some woeful disposal or lack of skills. The thing is he ISN’T a bad player, but he has a knack to put in some real howlers sometimes. Knights did drop him for games last year, proving he can be in the gun for games like this. Therefore I wouldn’t be too trustworthy of him in my dream team, despite his ability to score huge.

Collingwood:

• Scott Pendlebury was clearly the star of the show and it was little surprise when he won his second ANZAC day medal. He covers the ground so well and despite being tagged for all four quarters, his workrate seems always to come out on top. He also dropped forward with great effect, kicking three goals, including one goal gifted to him in the dying seconds – Dustin Fletcher clearly had Pendles as captain in his DT too.
• Travis Cloke was actually pretty quiet for the majority of the game, but came alive in the final quarter to seal the win for the Pies. His contested marking is clearly some of the best in the competition and I think he is now becoming a lot more consistent nowadays – something that used to be a real slight on him.
• Chris Dawes faced his biggest challenge of the year so far, being stood by Dustin Fletcher. Fletch probably took home the honours, but Dawes still got his season-average two goals and still managed 76 DT points, which wasn’t too bad. We spoke a lot about him on the site this week, so it was good to see him play a ‘bad’ game, yet still score reasonably OK.
• Alan Didak still spent a fair amount of time in the forward line, but looks like he is increasing his midfield time slowly. His price is continuing to fall and he should be perfectly placed for an upgrade after Collingwood’s round seven bye. He is currently playing well, but seems not to have the fitness yet to really break his tags.

 

Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs:

Fremantle:

• David Mundy was again fantastic for Freo, more than pushing his claim to be a bonafide elite DT player. Adds a real bit of class to Fremantle’s midfield and they want it in his hands as much as possible – he has also learnt to work hard through a tag. Finished with 29 touches, 7 tackles and a bonus two goals.
• Aaron Sandilands is now the first AFL player to pass the magical 50 hitout number, finishing with an incredible 53 of them!! He’s also pretty handy around the ground too, winning 19 touches, although most of them were just handballs.
• Paul Duffield had a massive first quarter (39 points), causing jubilation to all his owners. Whilst he didn’t quite make the ton, it was nice to see him playing loose in defence and racking up a bit of the ball as we are used to him doing. He is now dirt-cheap and those who don’t own him and are tempted to get him will have another week to check him out before his price bottoms out. He is a great player on his day, so hopefully he can play more games like this as a loose player in defence.
• Rhys Palmer continues to disappoint – I’m not sure why it is that Harvey doesn’t really like Palmer, but he seems to avoid putting him in the midfield where he belongs. He played a majority of this game in the backline and only won the 10 touches. Seven tackles helped his final score, but if you still have him, I think it’s time to count your losses.

Western Bulldogs:

• Matthew Boyd gets first mention here, clocking up a personal best 45 disposals and 7 tackles! His workrate in incredible and it really showed on the wide expanses of Pattison Stadium, a ground where inside midfielders typically have a quiet day. He is in great current form, so there should be little stopping you from getting on board if you don’t already have him!
• Shaun Higgins was actually very quiet for most of the game, but really came good in the last quarter (50 points) with some classy work through the midfield and up forward. Got them in front with one goal and then had another chance from outside 50 which didn’t quite make it through. It was encouraging to see he still had the legs to have a massive last quarter, after being tagged all game – it is proof that he really is as fit as the Bulldogs are claiming!
• Justin Sherman had his best game yet for the Dogs, booting four goals whilst playing on a HFF, which is really his best position. Unfortunately though, four goals and a good game didn’t really translate to Dream Team points, suggesting that he isn’t a player worth considering, despite his deflated price.
• Brian Lake had another quietish game as he returns from injury, meaning he needs to score over 200 DT points next week to keep his current price (And I can hear some of you commenting he has close to done this before…), but I can’t really see this happening! Whilst he is probably still a few weeks away from coming into some form, he is a player really worth watching, as we know the sorts of games he is capable of. Could be a brilliant trade target.

 

Hawthorn vs Geelong:

Hawthorn:

• Sam Mitchell was the highest scoring Hawk again, playing his regular accumulator role through the midfield. As the only Hawk to clock up the ton, he racked up 29 disposals and 7 tackles, confirming his DT elite status.
• Lance Franklin started the game in sparkling form, booting the first two goals of the game with his first two disposals, but Harry Taylor, clearly frustrated, absolutely stopped him in his tracks for the remaining three quarters, restricting him to just one more goal from limited disposals.
• Cyril Rioli had a great game, racking up 19 touches and 5 tackles, but unfortunately went down with a hamstring injury very early in the fourth term. He didn’t look too impressed whilst sitting on the bench, but hopefully the bye week will help his recovery – no news yet as to how long he will be out for.
• Cameron Bruce was poor again, only really having any effect on the game in the last quarter when he was moved forward. Looks a likely candidate for the sub rule a few times this year, so if you have persisted with him this long, I think it’s time to offload him (just like Al Clarkson might too). He simply isn’t getting any better.

Geelong:

• Jimmy Bartel was the star for the Cats, turning it on in the second half with a vintage display from under the packs. He was one of the pivotal players in their win and looks 100% over his injury from last year – it is so great to see him back at his best. Finished this game with 27 touches and 7 tackles.
• Joel Selwood was pivotal from the first bounce and never really slowed down, despite copping the tag from Sewell. He has been tagged most weeks this year, so it is great to see he has developed his ability to break them after it was an issue with his game last year.
• Paul Chapman was great again, dismissing the theory that players need a full pre-season to have their maximum effect. Kicked three massive goals amongst his 23 touches – also had 10 tackles. So it seems that Chappy isn’t going to bottom-out, so if you want him, now is the time to pounce… well wait til after his bye this week first!
• Mitch Duncan had another very good game and appears to be one of the coach’s favourites, which will help him with selection each week. Kicked three

 

THIS WEEKS BYES:

• Melbourne Demons
• Sydney Swans
• West Coast Eagles

 

BRISBANE LIONS V ST KILDA

Brisbane Lions
B: Jed Adcock, Daniel Merrett, Cheynee Stiller
HB: Pearce Hanley, Joel Patfull, Ashley McGrath
C: Tom Rockliff, Simon Black, Jack Redden
HF: Luke Power, Tom Collier, Jesse O’Brien
F: James Polkinghorne, Mitchell Clark, Todd Banfield
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger, Andrew Raines, Daniel Rich
I/C: Aaron Cornelius, Broc McCauley, Jared Polec, Rohan Bewick
Emg: Amon Buchanan, Bryce Retzlaff, Claye Beams
In: Tom Collier, Broc McCauley
Out: Claye Beams, Ryan Lester (Foot)

• Beams out will be a bit of a disappointment, although he hasn’t really done much since his first good game.
• Collier and McCauley in, but I can’t see this helping too many teams

St Kilda
B: Sean Dempster, Zac Dawson, Steven Baker
HB: Jason Gram, Sam Fisher, James Gwilt
C: Brendon Goddard, David Armitage, Sam Gilbert
HF: Farren Ray, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider
F: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Leigh Montagna
Foll: Ben McEvoy, Nick Dal Santo, Clinton Jones
I/C: Jack Steven, Andrew McQualter, Rhys Stanley, Alistair Smith
Emg: Jason Blake, Raphael Clarke, Nicholas Winmar
In: Steven Baker, Justin Koschitzke, Andrew McQualter
Out: Raphael Clarke, Brett Peake, Ryan Gamble

• As reported earlier in the week, Gamble, Clarke and Peake all out of the team
• Baker, Kosi and McQ all in – disappointing to see McQ in the lineup over the likes of Winmar.
• Will Johnson was apparently set to debut but has a really  minor knee injury.

PORT ADELAIDE V GOLD COAST SUNS

Port Adelaide

B: Tom Logan, Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove

HB: Michael Pettigrew, Troy Chaplin, Jacob Surjan

C: Travis Boak, Matt Thomas, Cameron O’Shea

HF: Matthew Broadbent, Chad Cornes, Robert Gray

F: Brett Ebert, Justin Westhoff, Daniel Motlop

Foll: Dean Brogan, Hamish Hartlett, David Rodan

I/C: Steven Salopek, Jason Davenport, Jasper Pittard, Cameron Hitchcock

Emg: Kane Cornes, Mitchell Banner, Daniel Stewart

In: Jason Davenport

Out: Paul Stewart (Knee)

• Nothing really exciting here, although Kane Cornes has been left out again this week.
• Happy to see Davenport included though

Gold Coast Suns

B: Josh Toy, Jack Hutchins, Seb Tape

HB: Karmichael Hunt, Nathan Bock, Jarrod Harbrow

C: Sam Iles, Jared Brennan, Trent McKenzie

HF: Harley Bennell, Charlie Dixon, David Swallow

F: Daniel Gorringe, Josh Fraser, Brandon Matera

Foll: Zac Smith, Gary Ablett, Michael Rischitelli

I/C: Luke Russell, Daniel Harris, Daniel Stanley, Matt Shaw

Emg: Maverick Weller, Alik Magin, Rex Liddy

In: Gary Ablett, Jack Hutchins, Sam Iles, Harley Bennell

Out: Maverick Weller, Alik Magin, Michael Coad (Hamstring), Dion Prestia (Soreness)

New: Jack Hutchins (Sandringham Dragons, VIC), Sam Iles ()

• Sam Iles’ inclusion will make a number of happy coaches as he has been the mystery missing man so far this year.
• Ablett and Bennell also return with Hutchings named for his first game in the backline.
• Coad is out for most of the year and Prestia is disappointingly out with soreness.
• Cox owners will be happy to see Zac Smith wasn’t rested this week too!

 

CARLTON V ADELAIDE

Carlton

B: Jordan Russell, Michael Jamison, Simon White

HB: Jeremy Laidler, Nick Duigan, Aaron Joseph

C: Andrew Walker, Bryce Gibbs, Heath Scotland

HF: Kade Simpson, Jarrad Waite, Mitch Robinson

F: Christopher Yarran, Shaun Hampson, Jeffrey Garlett

Foll: Robert Warnock, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy

I/C: Eddie Betts, Andrew Carrazzo, David Ellard, Edward Curnow

Emg: Paul Bower, Dennis Armfield, Kane Lucas

In: David Ellard, Aaron Joseph

Out: Lachlan Henderson, Andrew Collins

• Two Carlton whipping boys come out in Henderson and Collins, but Eddie Betts keeps his spot.
• Ellard was good in the pre-season so will be worth watching – Joseph is just a tagger, so no real relevance there.

 

Adelaide

B: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Brad Symes

HB: Richard Tambling, Luke Thompson, Michael Doughty

C: Brodie Smith, Andy Otten, Nathan van Berlo

HF: Chris Knights, Taylor Walker, Richard Douglas

F: Ricky Henderson, Kurt Tippett, Matthew Jaensch

Foll: Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield

I/C: Brent Reilly, Bernie Vince, Brodie Martin, Shaun McKernan

Emg: James Sellar, Myke Cook, Matthew Wright

In: Michael Doughty, Richard Tambling, Sam Jacobs

Out: Ivan Maric, Myke Cook, Matthew Wright

New: Sam Jacobs (Carlton)

• Great to see Jacobs named for his first game of the year, although this isnt going to help Moran owners.
• Maric is out, as are youngsters Cook and Wright.
• Doughty and Tambling should both benefit the side too.

NORTH MELBOURNE V RICHMOND

North Melbourne

B: Brady Rawlings, Nathan Grima, Scott Thompson

HB: Michael Firrito, Robert Tarrant, Cameron Richardson

C: Daniel Pratt, Daniel Wells, Brent Harvey

HF: Liam Anthony, Lachlan Hansen, Ben Cunnington

F: Leigh Adams, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas

Foll: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell

I/C: Scott McMahon, Cruize Garlett, Samuel Wright, Jamie Macmillan, Ben McKinley, Shaun Atley, Cameron Pedersen

In: Daniel Pratt, Jamie Macmillan, Ben McKinley, Cameron Pedersen

Out: Aaron Edwards

• Edwards is the only out so far, but it is surprising to see McKinley named in his spot (so far).
• Atley may be worried for his spot, but it is likely Pederson, Macmillan and Garlett will make up the three emergencies.

Richmond

B: Chris Newman, Alex Rance, Reece Conca

HB: Brett Deledio, Luke McGuane, Jake Batchelor

C: Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Shane Edwards

HF: Jake King, Tyrone Vickery, Shaun Grigg

F: Matthew White, Jack Riewoldt, Bachar Houli

Foll: Angus Graham, Daniel Jackson, Nathan Foley

I/C: Shane Tuck, Daniel Connors, Robin Nahas, Matt Dea, Ben Nason, Dylan Grimes, Brad Miller

In: Luke McGuane, Shane Tuck, Daniel Connors, Alex Rance, Matt Dea, Ben Nason

Out: Will Thursfield, David Astbury, Bradley Helbig

• No huge surprises here, with Richmond cutting a couple of tall defenders before their game against North. Should help Petrie owners though!
• Good to see Tuck finally named and Connors should be a certain inclusion. You’d think Rance and McGuane would be likely too, considering the players that have come out.

ESSENDON V COLLINGWOOD

Essendon

B: Nathan Lovett-Murray, Dustin Fletcher, Henry Slattery

HB: Brent Stanton, Cale Hooker, Dyson Heppell

C: Ben Howlett, Heath Hocking, Jake Melksham

HF: Angus Monfries, Kyle Hardingham, David Zaharakis

F: Jobe Watson, Michael Hurley, Stewart Crameri

Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Mark McVeigh, Leroy Jetta

I/C: David Hille, Sam Lonergan, Patrick Ryder, Andrew Welsh, Alwyn Davey, Kyle Reimers, Michael Hibberd

In: David Hille, Henry Slattery, Andrew Welsh, Alwyn Davey, Kyle Reimers, Michael Hibberd

Out: Courtenay Dempsey (Knee), Jason Winderlich (Knee), Brent Prismall

New: Michael Hibberd (Frankston)

• Dempsey and Winderlich are out for the rest of the year, whilst as usual no-one knows what’s happening with Prismall.
• Hibberd coming in is fantastic news for many coaches – hopefully he will be worth the wait!
• Welsh and Hille would be two pretty likely inclusions too.
• McVeigh and Crameri are both under injury clouds too, so make sure you have backup for them!

Collingwood

B: Chris Tarrant, Nick Maxwell, Heritier O’Brien

HB: Ben Johnson, Ben Reid, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Dane Swan, Luke Ball

HF: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Leigh Brown

F: Steele Sidebottom, Chris Dawes, Dayne Beams

Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Blair

I/C: Leon Davis, Alan Toovey, Brad Dick, Sharrod Wellingham, Cameron Wood, John McCarthy, Andrew Krakouer

In: Brad Dick, John McCarthy, Darren Jolly

• Jolly would be almost a certain inclusion for Wood.
• Krakouer would also be very luck to hold his place over Dick.
• McCarthy, Wood and Krakouer as emergencies I reckon

 

FREMANTLE V WESTERN BULLDOGS

Fremantle

B: Jay Van Berlo, Antoni Grover, Dylan Roberton

HB: Greg Broughton, Luke McPharlin, Paul Duffield

C: Nathan Fyfe, David Mundy, Adam McPhee

HF: Kepler Bradley, Christopher Mayne, Stephen Hill

F: Hayden Ballantyne, Michael Johnson, Jayden Pitt

Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Pavlich, Garrick Ibbotson

I/C: Ryan Crowley, Rhys Palmer, Michael Walters, Matthew de Boer, Jesse Crichton, Jack Anthony, Nick Lower

In: Michael Walters, Jesse Crichton, Jack Anthony, Nick Lower

Out: Nick Suban (Leg)

New: Jack Anthony (Collingwood)

• Suban is the only exclusion so far, whilst Lower and Anthony are probably the only two possible inclusions of those named. After Freo’s big win though, you would think Lower for Suban would be the only change.

Western Bulldogs

B: Lukas Markovic, Brian Lake, Brennan Stack

HB: Dale Morris, Tom L. Williams, Robert Murphy

C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Justin Sherman

HF: Callan Ward, Barry Hall, Shaun Higgins

F: Josh Hill, Jordan Roughead, Jarrad Grant

Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney

I/C: Dylan Addison, Lindsay Gilbee, William Minson, Liam Jones, Liam Picken, Mitchell Wallis, Thomas Liberatore

In: Dylan Addison, William Minson, Liam Jones, Mitchell Wallis

Out: Daniel Giansiracusa (Leg)

New: Mitchell Wallis (Calder Cannons)

• Gia comes out of the side, with Hall and Cross both under injury clouds too.
• In comes Wallis for his debut game (possibly), whilst Addison, Minson and Jones would be much more likely names for the emergency list.

 

HAWTHORN V GEELONG CATS

Hawthorn

B: Brent Guerra, Josh Gibson, Matt Suckling

HB: Rick Ladson, Stephen Gilham, Grant Birchall

C: Cameron Bruce, Sam Mitchell, Clinton Young

HF: Liam Shiels, Lance Franklin, Shaun Burgoyne

F: Chance Bateman, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli

Foll: Brent Renouf, Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell

I/C: Xavier Ellis, Jordan Lewis, Brendan Whitecross, Jordan Lisle, Shane Savage, Riley Milne, David Hale

In: Brendan Whitecross, Jordan Lisle, Riley Milne

New: Jordan Lisle (Blackburn/Carey Grammar/Oakleigh Chargers)

• Three inclusions onto the extended bench and I highly doubt any of them will actually make the final side. The only possible change could be Lisle for Hale, but it is unlikely.

Geelong Cats

B: Corey Enright, Matthew Scarlett, Taylor Hunt

HB: Tom Lonergan, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie

C: James Kelly, Cameron Ling, David Wojcinski

HF: Travis Varcoe, Steve Johnson, Joel Selwood

F: Paul Chapman, James Podsiadly, Mathew Stokes

Foll: Brad Ottens, Joel Corey, Jimmy Bartel

I/C: Josh Hunt, Darren Milburn, Cameron Mooney, Tom Hawkins, Daniel Menzel, Mitch Duncan, Allen Christensen

In: Mathew Stokes, Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan

• Stokes, Hawkins and Duncan are all best-22 players, so all should come in, although it is an interesting bench.
• Mooney may be dropped after a poor start to the year, with Hawkins set to replace him. Menzel and Christensen could both also face the chop. In saying that, I really can’t imagine either of Milburn or Hunt are safe either.

 

 

Captain Dan’s Captains: Round 5

Well, Dane Swan was pretty much the right call last week. Only six players outscored him last week and at a stretch only Thompson and Sylvia could be considered captain options. I am a bit annoyed that I mentioned Sylvia vs. Gold Coast last week, but was a little dismissive of it. I guess it goes to show that the Suns are always a great team to have captains against.

Once again, I’ll give you a few warning signs, though last week’s ones were kind of crap. I pointed to Buddy, Gibbs, Thompson, Sandilands and Watson having poor records against their respective opponents.

-        Brisbane are attractive to have a captain against, but the main Saints trio all wave red flags. Riewoldt and Goddard have average records against them. I’ve taken into consideration that Roo’s comeback game from his hamstring was against Brisbane, but his record isn’t great before that. Goddard also has two weeks running on his captain suspension (see: Round 3 article). Montagna generally goes well against them, but he’s in pretty bad form for his high standards.

-        Hodge and Buddy don’t have standout records against Geelong. Buddy could be a SC consideration with a bit more surety, but I’d give Hodge a bit longer, personally.

-        Sandilands doesn’t seem to go as well against the Bulldogs. His last game against them he was clearly playing injured, but that’s not an isolated sub ton against them.

Gary Ablett

I wasn’t intending to write about Ablett, because missing last week is an obvious concern, however I have some memory of Ablett tearing Port a new one. A quick look at his numbers confirms this. His first SC double ton was against Port in 2009 when he scored 206 against them down at Kardinia Park. He looked quite good against the Bulldogs in Round 3 and if he gets named this week you’d have to have some confidence he’s pretty right to go. It’s not like they’re going to be competitive, so they don’t need to play him hurt.

Last three vs. Port: 136 DT, 170.7 SC

Last three at Football Park: 104.7 DT, 121.3 SC

Chris Judd

I thought I’d give Judd a bit of a mention this week. Even though his numbers don’t look good against Adelaide, it’s important to note that he always struggled to shake Robert Shirley’s tag. Last year Judd scored 121 (DT) and 148 (SC) against a Shirley-less Crows. I’m only ever more likely to consider Judd in SC, but he’s a pretty solid option both ways because I don’t think Adelaide has someone who can contain him.

Last three vs. Adelaide: 88 DT, 97 SC

Last three at Docklands: 97.7 DT, 100.3 SC

Scott Thompson

Wow, Thompson is in amazing form so far this year. He’s been exactly that unique pick that can get you off to a flying start. 295 DT points in his last two games is amazing and puts him #1 in the league over the past fortnight. You can’t ignore that sort of form and he goes pretty handily against Carlton too. I wouldn’t consider him for my SC team, let alone captaincy, but he’s a pretty hot hand in DT at the moment. Without historically being a mega high scorer there’s some sort of risk, because he can go a bit up and down, but his past two have been massive.

Last three vs. Carlton: 104.3 DT, 95.3 SC

Last three at Docklands: 103 DT, 81.3 SC.

Brent Stanton

I’m not even going to bother with his SC numbers (they’re not great), but Stants loves ANZAC Day! His last two ANZAC clashes have been back to back 139’s. You’ve got to love the way he can get free and considering he’s not a good user of the ball, Collingwood probably aren’t going to mind if he gets it a whole heap – I can’t see them putting a tight tag on him, especially with Watson’s form.

Last three vs. Collingwood: 104.3 DT

Last three at MCG: 108 DT

Jobe Watson

A lot like Scott Thompson, you’ve just got to pay his recent form. Watson seems to be the one who has been most positively effected by the sub rule, because he’s kicking goals more often than he used to with all of his resting in the forward line. He’s generally only reasonable against Collingwood, but he has improved so much this year that you’d have to give him some thought. Personally I’d say a bit more exposed form is required, especially against top teams.

Last three vs. Collingwood: 85 DT, 94 SC

Last three at MCG: 94 DT, 112 SC

Dane Swan

I know it’s a bit weird seeing Swan this far down, but I’m just working my way through the fixture for this round. Last year on ANZAC Day he was kept fairly quiet by Heath Hocking, who I’m sure will get the job again. You can’t keep a good man down though. His last three ANZAC Day’s have been 97, 141 and 83 in DT and 125, 123 and 78 SC. This is separate to the numbers below, which will include his last three in total vs. Essendon. Great form, nominal captain option for most teams, no massive warning flags.

Last three vs. Essendon: 102 DT, 109 SC

Last three at MCG: 116.7 DT, 123.7 SC

Scott Pendlebury

He’s also had a brilliant start to the year, despite being overshadowed by Swan. Last year’s ANZAC medallist (Wellingham was robbed) ticks all of the boxes statistically this week. If you don’t have Swan he’d be close to the top of the list this week. Lonergan could be a chance to get him this week, last year it was Welsh.

Last three vs. Essendon: 98.3 DT, 106 SC

Last three at MCG: 105.7 DT, 110 SC

Matthew Boyd

Boyd travels really well to Perth and has a great head to head record against the Dockers. His inside work makes him hard to stop the amount of ball that he gets, plus he’ll always pull down big tackle numbers. After a poor first game he looked right back on track in his next two games, so it’s predictable, but if you don’t have Swan you’re probably most looking at Boyd or Pendles this week.

Last three vs. Freo: 101 DT, 107 SC

Last three at Subiaco: 110 DT, 121 SC

Daniel Cross

I don’t know what it is about the large ground that makes the Bulldogs pair of inside midfielders play so well. I mean, they’re obviously guns, but the general rule of thumb is that inside players score better in tight confines and runners do better on big grounds. Cross has an exceptional record against Freo and a very good one at Subiaco too. If you’re looking to go a little bit unique this week then Cross is your guy.

Last three vs. Freo: 117 DT, 115.7 SC

Last three at Subiaco: 103 DT, 114.3 SC

Jimmy Bartel

I’ve felt bad not giving Jimmy much love in my captain articles this year (though it turned out to be justified last week). He loves playing Hawthorn though, so it’s as good a time as any to give him a wrap. His scoring has been a bit up and down this year, but I feel a lot safer recommending him this week. The numbers below stack up favourably and I’m confident he can bounce back – there’s probably better options in your team this week, but he could find his way into VC for a lot of teams.

Last three vs. Hawthorn: 121.7 DT, 131 SC

Last three at MCG: 110.3, 111.3 SC

Joel Selwood

It just sneaks into his three game rolling average, but we all remember his 185 (DT and SC) against Hawthorn a couple of years ago. I mean, that game alone is enough to talk about him this week. His two DT scores since then against the Hawks have been a little each side of the 100 mark, with a bit of a better show in SC. He worked his way to 92/95 last week with a massive last quarter against Sydney last week, but the fact he was pretty much absent for three quarters is a bit of a worry. A good option this week, but like Jimmy, there’s probably going to be a slightly safer option.

Last three vs. Hawthorn: 126.3 DT, 141.3 SC

Last three at MCG: 106.7 DT, 122.3 SC

Paul Chapman

Chappy’s numbers against Hawthorn are really good. Not amazing, but really good over the last few years. They’re certainly nothing to turn your nose at, but these good numbers, along with his great start to the season means he is a good trade target and captain option this week (and from now on). I know this is captaincy advice, but as far as trading goes Chappy would have to be one of your first priorities to bring in this year.

Last three vs. Hawthorn: 103.7 DT, 116.3 SC

Last three at MCG: 108 DT, 112.7 SC

 

WHO YOU’D RATHER: ROUND FIVE BARGAINS

So we’re entering the stage of the season where we begin to target some upgrades for our sides.

 

Every year there’s always a few players who start slow for one reason or another and the lucky people who didn’t select these players at the start of the season pick them up for bargain basement price.

 

However, there are no guarantees that these players will regain their scoring back to where it was the previous year/s, whether it be through a lack of form, injury, change of role, or fixture.

 

This week I’ll most likely be bringing in one of the three players I’ll mention very shortly, but it’s deciding which one of them is most likely to turn their scores around and become a ‘keeper’ for my side for the rest of the season that will cause the headaches.

 

 

GREG BROUGHTON (DEFENDER) $310,800

Gregory would be just about everyone’s favourite Dream Teamer after he burst on the scene in late 2009 and brought relief to everyone’s backline earning instant ‘keeper’ status in his debut season. He averaged 88 playing off the back flank mainly in the back-end of the season and then backed it up with an average of 89 last year. Broughton comes with some injury troubles though. He missed a large chunk of games early in 2009, and then copped an injury mid-season in 2010 which had him sit out 7 games.

 

Broughton would be just about one of the best small defenders in the competition right now in my opinion, and I think this may be hurting his Dream Team scoring. Mark Harvey’s got him playing a very tight-checking defenders role and therefore he isn’t getting as many cheap marks across the half-back flank as we’ve been accustomed to with Broughton. In good news though, he still is winning the ball, averaging just over 20 disposals in his 4 games so far this season. His kick-handball ratio, marks column, and tackle count are well down on previous seasons though.

 

Nic Suban’s injury doesn’t help Broughton at all, but the returns of Tendai Mzungu and Roger Hayden should help him get released.

 

If you have Broughton, I wouldn’t be trading him out. The guy’s a ball magnet, and he will score. At least form is not the issue, because he is playing absolutely brilliantly at the moment, but it’s just not translating into Dream Team scores.

 

The graph WILL go up from here. If you’ve got him, keep him. If you don’t, wait one more week for his price to drop more, then in round six he has a bye, and then in round seven say hello to what will prove to be one of the bargains of 2011.

 

 

PAUL DUFFIELD (DEFENDER) $310,500

In contrast to his teammate Greg Broughton, Duffield has started this season quite poorly, and if it wasn’t for the Dockers injury woes and good form, I think he’d be one of the first on the chopping block.

 

Watching Duffield this season gives me the impression he’s almost a little lost in Mark Harvey’s game plan. Last year we saw Fremantle use the switch frequently on the wide expanses of Subiaco, but this season so far they’d rather kick long down the line and use the switch barely as just a ‘surprise’ tactic.

 

In 2009 and 2010, when Duffield averaged 89 and 87 respectively, he was the main beneficiary of the switch, as he was the Dockers designated kicker out of the back half.

 

This year it seems Harvey feels much more comfortable with Roberton, Suban and even Jayden Pitt taking it out of defence. The injury to Suban may mean Duffield will be freed up in defence as well as getting back in the midfield rotations, which has also been lacking this season.

 

The reason Duffield may be playing so deep in defence is most likely the fact that the Fremantle backline is bereft of quality small defenders at the moment.

 

If you’re looking at bringing him in soon, just be wary of his questionable job security at the moment. A few more shaky games will see him on the outer, and Mark Harvey has been renowned to do some pretty confusing things. Fremantle’s selections will sure be interesting in the coming weeks.

 

 

JACK RIEWOLDT (FORWARD) $263,900

Not often do you really consider genuine full-forwards for your Dream Team, but at Jack’s current price, can you resist?

 

Let’s put some things into perspective. Last year he averaged 84 playing in such a poor side. Most of his points came from ‘mark, kick, goal’ plays, but he also averaged 3 tackles a game, which is great for a key forward.

 

Jack does NOT handball. He averaged 1.6 handballs a game last season. That surely has to be some type of record. He’s only recorded 3 handballs to date so far this season as well.

 

For such a great mark, he also doesn’t take many of them either, only averaging 5.5 marks a game last season.

 

This tells us pretty much everything we already knew, but at his current price, is an average of 85 for the rest of the season acceptable?

 

I wouldn’t be too deterred by his early season form. He mauled the Carlton defence single-handedly in round one, getting himself 106 Dream Team points from six goals. In round two he was concussed in the first quarter without registering a stat. In round three he struggled all night against a brilliant Hawthorn in terrible conditions for tall’s, and on Friday night he managed to snag four goals, albeit for only 55 points, against the best defence in the league.

 

There is no questioning the best is yet to come for Jack. We do know he will kick goals, but will he drift up the ground and get some more marks to boost his scores? He certainly has the athleticism to play that role, and I do think he’s at his most dangerous when he loses his opponent in midfield traffic and then runs back toward goal, so it’s not totally out of the question.

 

We must also not forget that Brad Miller is now in the side. Both he and Vickery are more suited to playing deep. It will be interesting to see how the forward structure works against a weaker North Melbourne defence on Sunday.

 

The Richmond midfield is much stronger than it was last year, so Jack should get much more supply as well. With the tough games out of the way, and a much more competitive Richmond, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack pulls out a 90 average for the rest of the season and storms home for his second Coleman medal while he’s at it (I hope!).

 

I reckon I might pull the trigger on this one, and enjoy the ride.

 

Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks guys.