Footy Tragic

 

I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed writing last week’s article about Brent Stanton. Its been increasingly frustrating for me to hear fellow Bomber supporters always blaming Brent when things go wrong, so it’s nice to give credit where credit is due.  But Stanton’s not the only whipping boy around.  In fact, I think it’s pretty standard across the board that each team has their very own version, most of the time unfairly so.

Once you’ve got the mantle it’s near impossible to shake, and quite often I think the media like to run with it, which just makes the situation worse.

This was most definitely the case on Saturday night when watching Richmond take on Collingwood at the G.  Hearing Brian Taylor bang on all night about Alex Rance was sickening. The basis of his attack was upon Rance’s “poor disposal and decision making”, which was funny, considering just how wrong Taylor actually was.

Anyway, the Pies walked away on Saturday night with the win, but it certainly wasn’t the landslide affair that many expected.  The Tigers proved competitive for all but 5 minutes of the game, and the scoreboard didn’t do their effort justice. I think a lot of that should be credited to a much improved effort shown in the back half of the ground, an area that Richmond clearly struggled with against Carlton in round 1. Unlike the previous week Richmond had no trouble maintaining possession in their defensive half.  The Tigers went out of their way to hit up the safe options, adopting a low risk, very patient approach requiring a lot of discipline to be sustained over four quarters.  Very reminiscent to style of play we’re accustomed to see from St.Kilda.

All of Grimes, Morris, Houli, Bachelor and Rance had 20 disposals or more.  But in spite of having the toughest task manning Travis Cloke, Rance actually topped the disposal count with 34 touches, at an incredibly high efficiency rate of 84%.

Not exactly numbers of a turnover king, right?  Admittedly Cloke was effective too, kicking 3 goals and getting 18 touches of his own, but in no way was Rance disgraced in their one on one match up. His offensive game was brilliant, having the most running bounces, the equal most rebound 50′s, and the 2nd most possession total on the whole ground.  At time’s he’ll makes you nervous, that’s just his style of play, but if you can look past that he’s actually quite efficient with his disposal, winning unusually high possession numbers for a key defender in the process.

Rance, like Stanton, is another that I think cops it more than most and unfairly so.  Yes, he had a tough start to his career, but if anyone could be given some slack surely it’s a key position backman developing in a side that’s being belted most weeks. He was fed to the wolves, so what were we to expect?  The football media is too quick to write someone off.  If you can look past reputation and perceptions that might cloud your judgement, Rance has come a long, long way. At age 22 he’s still young and has much improvement left. He’s not quite the lock down defender that Matthew Scarlett is, but in fantasy terms he’s the closest thing to Sam Fisher I can think of.  We should keep a close eye on Rance in coming years. He was a ball winner as a junior, and deserves credit this week after a whopping 138 AFL Dream Team & 125 SuperCoach points. Call me crazy but I like the kid.

 

BRISBANE VS. CARLTON

Brisbane

No rookie priced players.

Carlton

Paul Bower (91 DT, 93 SC) – Bower’s score would’ve been a huge boost for his owners on a couple of major fronts. Not only are they handy points that you’d take from a premium defender, they will greatly assist his cash flow early on. I suspect most Bower owners would have him for a quick cash boost early in the year, so this is a promising result, but there is the lurking threat of Michael Jamison and Nick Duigan returning through the VFL. The Northern Blues had a bye on the weekend, for reference. For Bower, it will be a greater challenge trying to score big against Collingwood this week, but at least he has this high score rolling through his price rises.

 

ESSENDON VS. PORT ADELAIDE

Essendon

No rookie priced players.

Port Adelaide

Jarrad Redden (48 DT, 60 SC) – It was a tougher outing for the young ruckman in his second AFL game, but he still posted a score not to be ashamed of. He’ll have games like this now and then, depending on his opposition and Patrick Ryder jumped over him a fair bit, winning 46 hitouts to Redden’s 18. He’ll still be a great money maker this year. In related news, Brent Renouf had 15 hitouts, nine touches and two goals for Norwood in the SANFL.

Chad Wingard (33 DT, 39 SC) – There were fleeting flashes of brilliance in an overall quiet day for Wingard, who was subbed out in the third quarter. He’s close to the best midfielder Port had though. His combination of class and hardness is something they really lack. I guess it won’t be his day every day, but I still think he’ll score well.

 

SYDNEY VS. FREMANTLE

Sydney

No rookie priced players.

Fremantle

Josh Mellington (12 DT, 20 SC) – The thing I feared last week happened. Without goals he was useless and anonymous before being subbed out of the game with a corky, which puts him in doubt for this week. If any of you took him as a smokey based on my advice, please know that I have him in my SuperCoach team and will be burning a trade on him when he inevitably misses this week.

 

WEST COAST VS. MELBOURNE

West Coast

No rookie priced players.

Melbourne

James Magner (106 DT, 92 SC) – Admittedly I missed this game, but hey, his numbers don’t lie. He was the only Melbourne player who had more than 30 touches and despite a few turnovers, everything I’ve read suggests he was pretty much their only competitive player. It’s two weeks in, so if you’re one of the few people who doesn’t have him you simply must trade him in this week. He is unavoidable.

 

ADELAIDE VS. WESTERN BULLDOGS

Adelaide

No rookie priced players.

Western Bulldogs

Clay Smith (53 DT, 28 SC) – It wasn’t quite the impact he had on debut and his SuperCoach score was quite poor in comparison to his AFL Dream Team score. The conditions were pretty greasy and skills were down across the board with only six players scoring a SC ton and nine in DT, but this was a bit more like his NAB Cup scores when looking at disparity between the two competitions. He was subbed off at three quarter time.

Tory Dickson (25 DT, 39 SC) – He started as the sub, but after coming on after three quarter time I thought he had a good impact. Hopefully this sees him keep his spot in the team, but if not he’ll be a popular trade out target. Even if he’s picked there’s still a bit of early chatter around the scenes about trading Dickson or Aaron Hall out for a forward rookie that teams have missed (Kennedy, Milera). If he’s picked this week, I’m likely to stick with him, for what it’s worth.

 

COLLINGWOOD VS. RICHMOND

Collingwood

Marty Clarke (71 DT, 92 SC) – Marty Clarke looked comfortable again and that sort of game is exactly what his owners would’ve been hoping for. He played with plenty of freedom and went along way to giving his owners peace of mind, not to mention a handy enough score rolling through his price rises.

Paul Seedsman (41 DT, 25 SC) – He started as the sub for the second week in a row, which probably reduces him to fantasy irrelevance. He did join the game fairly early, as Chris Tarrant left with injury. Seedsman picked up 10 touches and five marks, but as a MID only option he’s not a worthwhile buy, especially with so many Magpies soon to return.

Jackson Paine (39 DT, 43 SC) – He kicked the first goal of the match and was workmanlike after that. There is some fear he could drop out of the team at the expense of Cameron Wood. With Chris Dawes currently doing a poor job as second ruck it’s conceivable that the Pies could return to Dawes playing his more natural role, with Wood coming in as second ruck, which would unfortunately leave Paine as the odd man out, despite not looking too bad in his first couple of games. His days could be numbered, but hopefully for his owners he at least gets another couple of games for two price rises.

Richmond

Steven Morris (77 DT, 76 SC) – A much better showing in his second AFL game. He showed his usual toughness at the contest – it can be truly crazy sometimes. He picked up 21 touches with five marks and I think there’s plenty of upside in his scoring, because he only laid two tackles. He ‘s going to make some pretty decent coin if he keeps this up. Richmond have a tough draw to start the season, but it doesn’t get much tougher than Collingwood, so that’s very promising.

Brandon Ellis (61 DT, 54 SC) – It was also an improved performance from Ellis. Like Morris he got his score without much assistance from tackles – actually he didn’t register any. It’s a step in the right direction overall and I still have a lot of confidence in him as a cash cow.

 

NORTH MELBOURNE VS. GWS

North Melbourne

Unfortunately I only saw bits and pieces of this game, so it’s not going to be as comprehensive as the Giants first game, but I would’ve caught more than half of it.

Cameron Delaney (58 DT, 79 SC) – They’re trying mighty hard to find someone who can be a key defender for them down the track. Delaney (not to be confused with his brother, Luke…I always confuse these two) is still pretty skinny, but he had a good debut against easy opposition.  He picked up 19 touches and five marks in defence. He’s done nothing wrong, but with a game against Geelong this week it’ll be a big ask for his still developing body.

GWS

Toby Greene (107 DT, 81 SC) – What an impressive start by the young inside midfielder. He racked up a cool 31 touches to go on the back of his 27 disposal debut. A stat I heard yesterday was that his 58 touches from his first two games puts him second all time for disposals in a players first two games (behind Michael Barlow with 67). Greene will rightfully be a very popular trade in target this week. A lot of disgruntled Coniglio owners will be considering trading to Greene – it is worth consideration with the amount of money you’ll make on the downgrade and the quick money Greene will make, in turn. It’s a consideration though, not a necessary trade – I’d be leaning towards doing it, but it would depend on your cash and trade situation at this early stage.

Jonathan Giles (104 DT, 100 SC) – An underrated start to his career considering we all saw it coming from a mile out. He deserves massive credit for holding down the ruck by himself for his first two games and for those who are playing him as their second ruck – kudos. It’s a bit too early to consider him a keeper, but it would be an amazing bonus if it did play out that way.

Jeremy Cameron (80 DT, 58 SC) – An impressive four goal display earned Cameron the NAB Rising Star nomination for Round 2. He asserted himself on the game in the third quarter and pretty much kicked half of the Giants score by himself. I loved the way he crashed packs, held his marks and worked at ground level. He’s super talented, so you’ll see these flashes from him, but GWS will also have a lot of patches like their first half last week where he’ll get no supply, especially when they play better opposition.

Adam Kennedy (72 DT, 67 SC) – It was another pretty good game in defence by Kennedy. He won plenty of the ball, mostly pretty loose and rebounded fairly well. He only had three marks and one tackle and that’s the difference between this score and his bigger Round 1 score where he got a ton in both AFL Dream Team and SuperCoach. He looks a likely sort, so if you don’t have him he’s worth looking at for a trade in this week.

Devon Smith (72 DT, 53 SC) – A much improved performance from Smith in his second game and this is not surprisingly linked to getting more supply. Like Cameron, he’ll go missing at times due to GWS not being able to get the ball up his end, but he’s a hard worker and I really enjoyed his goal.

Stephen Coniglio (60 DT, 56 SC) – It has been a bit of a disappointing return for investment to this point for the #2 National Draft pick. His scores are fair enough for a mid rookie, but when you pay the extra cash for a high draft pick you’re looking for a bit more scoring power. I still think Coniglio will put up fine numbers this year, but as I mentioned earlier it’s an enticing prospect to trade him to Greene for an immediate cash hit, as well as the quicker rate Greene will go up in price.

Dylan Shiel (58 DT, 63 SC) – Shiel was good around the stoppages and won 19 possessions. He was a little too handball happy, which kept his score down a bit, but this was a much better showing than his first game. There were some signs that he’s on the way, and do keep in mind that he basically had no pre-season, so it’s a big ask for him to gain a lot of his summers fitness while playing the first AFL games of his career.

Tomas Bugg (57 DT, 57 SC) – While the score was nowhere near his fantastic Round 1 performance, I thought Bugg had a way better game (not knocking his debut, which was also very good). Bugg was moved onto Brent Harvey after Sheedy realised it wasn’t a top idea to let Booma run rampant across half back. Bugg did a great job curbing his influence and would’ve banked a lot of credits this week.

Jacob Townsend (54 DT, 44 SC) – Another fantastic tagging job by Townsend, who is looking like one of the more permanent fixtures in the Giants side. High scoring isn’t going to be his go, but he did a very good job on Andrew Swallow, especially in the first half when the Roos were running most rampant.

Tim Mohr (48 DT, 49 SC) – This is pretty much the sort of game we should expect from Mohr. He played a shut down role in defence and wasn’t used much. It’s all about his job security with his ability to occasionally step up for a solid score.

Jack Hombsch (37 DT, 67 SC) – You know how you can’t really tell a bloke is a SC specialist until he has a few games with this sort of disparity in his scoring ie. Harry Taylor, Nathan Grima? I completely guessed that Hombsch would be a handy SC option and terrible DT option and I might have been onto something. Hooray! That’s the only decent call in my pathetic SuperCoach team and I made it with my ninth defender. Sigh. He actually struggled in defence a bit, but was good when he got the ball.

Curtly Hampton (32 DT, 29 SC) – A pretty quiet day from the big West Indian fast bowler (tell me you don’t think of him when you see this name). I feel that he, Hoskin-Elliott and Wilson are first in line for a spell in the twos (along with Tomlinson, who is already there).

Will Hoskin-Elliott (31 DT, 24 SC) – He ran past too many contests trying to get the ball fed out to him. You’ve got to win your own nut now and then, son. Go find it in the twos. Talented player, he’ll bounce back.

Nathan Wilson (29 DT, 13 SC) – Unattractive role playing as the deepest forward for a team that struggles to penetrate. I can see him making way for Dean Brogan, who was named in the bests for the reserves last weekend.

Israel Folau (28 DT, 22 SC) – Five possessions this week. After three the week before he’s on track to have 30 touch games by mid season. It’ll be a long haul, but I reckon he’ll start showing signs over the next month. He looks absolutely rooted by the third quarter.

Dom Tyson (17 DT, 18 SC) – Second week in a row he’s started as the sub. He’s actually likely to go down in price, which honestly has him on my watch list if he can get into the starting 21.

 

ST.KILDA VS. GOLD COAST

St.Kilda

Terry Milera (85 DT, 86 SC) – A lot of people are going to jump on this week. His break even in both competitions is tiny (roughly -90 in both) so he will rocket in price. He’s been very impressive. My first thought is to have a little bit of scepticism because he’s only played Port Adelaide (who look much improved, admittedly) and Gold Coast. With his light body and outside style he will probably struggle against higher quality and physical opponents. The Bulldogs will be pretty physical this week, I don’t know what to make of Freo’s physicality and then he has Melbourne, so he could be worth it for a quick buck before facing Hawthorn, Carlton, West Coast and Sydney in the next four. Look at bringing him in for a quick time, not a sick time (I don’t really know what that means, but it does rhyme).

Jack Newnes (36 DT, 41 SC) – He showed a couple of signs on debut, but wasn’t overly involved against pretty meek opposition. You’d want to see him have a good one this week to even have in the back of your mind, but if he isn’t going to score against Gold Coast it’s going to be hard to justify bringing him in.

Tom Ledger (33 DT, 17 SC) – Disappointingly started as the sub and was pretty good after coming on, but the game was already iced. Hopefully he gets another go at it next week, this time without a vest.

Gold Coast

Aaron Hall (26 DT, 30 SC) – He looks like a lively sort, but he doesn’t get involved enough. His pace is valuable for Gold Coast, but he needs the ball fed out to him and they’re not exactly flush with ball winners around the contest, even if Ablett is like having an extra player at stoppages.

Karmichael Hunt (23 DT, 22 SC) – We’re still waiting his first ton. He struggled on the weekend.

 

GEELONG VS. HAWTHORN

Geelong

Billie Smedts (36 DT, 42 SC) – He definitely has something I like, but it’s not ball winning ability at this stage of his career. His goal was very lucky too – he wasn’t even trying to score, but it bounced over the pack and through for a major. I think he’s a better footy player than a fantasy player, sort of like Andrew Mackie.

Cameron Guthrie (35 DT, 52 SC) – He wasn’t too bad, but a bit like Smedts, it’s probably more that he adds more as a player than someone in your AFL Dream Team or SuperCoach.

Hawthorn

No rookie priced players. I can’t tell you how much of a relief that is for the last team of the weekend.

Toby runs through all nine games from the weekend. Who were the AFL Dream Team and SuperCoach Winners and Wieners?

Brisbane vs Carlton:

Brisbane:

• Jack Redden was one of the best for the Lions, although it becomes pretty slim pickings when picking the rest. It was not so much the fact the Lions were woeful, but more so the Blues were just unrelenting from after the first quarter break. Redden led the Lions midfield and still posted a decent score, despite his side’s huge loss.
• Daniel Merrett again played forward in what now seems a permanent role – at least until Brown returns. He is solid up forward, but isn’t going to win too many disposals up that end of the ground, just as he won’t when deep in defence. He booted 2.3 for the night, including a clever one off the ground late in the match. Don’t get tempted by these scores, as they are unlikely to be permanent.
• Tom Rockliff again played the majority of the game up forward, although he didn’t manage to dominate against the Blues as he did the Dees a week earlier. The hope is that Rocky is just filling in as a forward until Brown gets back (not the same role, but the loss of Brown means they lose a lot of scoring power), a role he is pretty familiar with as this is where he played before being drafted. Those that have him in their team shouldn’t panic trade – he will bounce back. And those who don’t have him should keep a very close eye on his price over the coming weeks.
• Mitch Golby had another quiet outing from a DT and SC perspective, although personally I am not overly surprised. Whilst he did chunt out a couple of decent games in the pre-season, that was without the likes of Hanley or McGrath in the team. Now the season proper has started, it appears he will be playing a defensive role on the opposition’s better small forwards each week – hardly a role which lends itself to DT or SC. Unfortunately, it seems the only way he is fantasy relevant is if you have Adcock or Hanley, as his role allows them to be released further up field.

Carlton:

• Chris Judd was fantastic for the Blues, putting on a classic display through the midfield. With the Blues’ several top draft picks now matured, Juddy is allowed a lot more assistance through the midfield, meaning two things; a – he’s not the only one having to go under the packs to win the ball, b – he doesn’t get the best tag every week. He is playing with much more freedom too, something that will happen when you can trust your teammates. He finished with 33 touches, 6 tackles and 3 goals.
• Jarrad Waite proved how important he is to the Blues’ lineup with 5.1 in a great display up forward. He is the typical modern-day forward with great athleticism and leap – his only issue has been keeping on the park. I wouldn’t trust him in my DT and SC without a few games in a row, but that said, he has the potential to be a great player for either game.
• Paul Bower certainly gave vindication to all the coaches who started him this year. Personally, I was one of many who scoffed that anyone would consider him – firstly, he was nearly delisted last year and secondly, there appear to be plenty of players ahead of him soon to return (Duigan and Jamison to name a couple). However, his game against the Lions was very good – he provided plenty of run and was also very good defensively, receiving praise from the coach in his post-match press conference. He is still only borderline best-22 though, so he would want to continue to perform if he is to stay in the side.
• Bryce Gibbs again started the game in a new role to the week prior, although many would have been excited to see it was in the half-forward role that gained him many DT and SC points in the back-end of 2011. Alas, he was tagged pretty hard and had very little effect on the game, finishing with just 19 disposals. I worry that Gibbs may be a real rollercoaster ride this year with his ever-changing role in the side.

 

Essendon vs Port Adelaide:

Essendon:

• Jobe Watson was again industrious through the midfield for the Bombers, setting up so many attacks with his strong work in the clearances. Whilst he only finished with 25 disposals, his tackle count of 13 was absolutely brilliant! He is so far proving to be the midfield bargain that many hoped he would be.
• Brent Stanton backed up his good effort from last week with another strong showing, finishing the game with 25 touches, 5 tackles and 2.1. There are few better runners in the AFL than Stanton, which means he continues to run and present all the way to the finish. We spoke about him on length last week, so it was great to see more of the same in round two.
• Courtney Dempsey again caught the eye many Dream Team and SuperCoach coaches with a good display off half back. He is certainly a good player when on song, capable of taking the game on and using the ball well. He demonstrated both with a fantastic running goal from outside the forward-50. Personally I am still hugely sceptical about his DT and SC prospects (moreso DT though), but so far he has done a good job of proving me wrong.
• Stewart Crameri was a real X-factor in the forward line for the Dons, managing to take screamers in the goalsquare and also boot goals from outside 50. Probably not DT relevant just yet, but he is certainly becoming a more rounded player.

Port Adelaide:

• Kane Cornes was allowed the play through the midfield by Primus – something that appeared would never happen again after last year. We all know how much ball he can rack up in his tagging roles, but despite now managing two tons in a row, I think his best as a DTer is behind him.
• Brad Ebert has already proven to be an absolute bargain for the Power, ranking in their best few players two games in a row. Whilst his disposal can be a little off at times, for the most part he is a very damaging player. Can win his own ball and with plenty of good outside midfielders on Port’s list, Ebert can be allowed to play his natural game. I know a number of people did start him this year as a smokie and so far he is doing a very good job of justifying that selection.
• John McCarthy is another player that Port snapped up for cheap in the off-season and he is already helping them look a much better team. He is tough, can win his own ball, but also has a decent outside game. He is another mid-priced smokey that can’t be ignored.
• Jarred Redden suddenly found the weight on his back a little bit heavier when Shane Mumford pulled out for the Swans only an hour before lockout. He competed well against Paddy Ryder, but certainly came off second-best with just 11 touches and 18 hitouts. So far this season he has looked very solid, but it seems he could certainly do with some backup from a more experienced teammate.

 

Sydney vs Fremantle:

Sydney:

• Josh Kennedy had a great game through the midfield, likely giving him another three Brownlow votes after finishing last round’s encounter as BOG too. He picked up 36 disposals and 8 marks, now as one of Sydney’s top-tier midfielders alongside Jack and McVeigh.
• Sam Reid was again fantastic for the Swans, pulling down some incredible marks throughout the game. He also looks to be improving his kicking, with his set shots looking much more comfortable than they were in the pre-season. At this age and stage, Reid will be an up-and-down scorer in both DT and SC, however it does appear like he has some dominant years ahead of him.
• Nick Malceski was solid again for the Swans off half-back and will be another scrutinised option this week as every man and his dog want to trade out Broughton. He is playing off half-back and certainly looks like the Malceski we like (i.e. 2010 form). With not many decent options presenting themselves in the backline this year, you could do much worse than Eski.

Fremantle:

• Aaron Sandilands dominated through the ruck, unsurprisingly, considering Shane Mumford was a late withdrawal for the Swans. He managed a whopping 55 hitouts, as well as 18 touches and 5 marks. So far he has had a very good start to the year, although has been slowing a bit towards the end of games (a direct result of a limited pre-season). Should be a good ruck option, despite all the talk of potential resting.
• Nat Fyfe had a pretty disappointing game, being tagged right out of it by Craig Bird. He did still finish with 28 disposals (so it sounds strange I am saying he had little effect), but the majority of those touches were pretty ineffective. Bird had certainly done his homework. Still, I will take 85/92 from a player who has been tagged right out of a game!
• Greg Broughton became the story of the weekend when he put in another average performance. Not only has he been playing lockdown roles in defence, but he hasn’t even looked that good when doing that. There will be plenty of discussion to come about what to do with him, but on face value, he certainly doesn’t look too appealing in your team – especially with the knowledge he is about to cough up a stack of money.
• Paul Duffield was looking very slick again off half-back, notching up 40/55 points in only 1.5 quarters of footy until he went down with what appeared to be a cracked rib. Fortunately, scans have cleared him of any significant injury and he flew home with the rest of the team on Saturday. Fingers crossed he can line up against the Lions next week.

 

West Coast vs Melbourne:

West Coast:

• Scott Selwood was the best of the Eagles, taking on an attacking midfield role and playing it beautifully. He has shown over the past few years that he can be a brilliant ball-winner and this game went further again to prove that as he won 34 touches and booted 3 goals, including one beauty from outside 50. He is an oddly priced midfielder, but appears to be well worth the risk – there is no doubting his ability to find the pill.
• Shannon Hurn had a day out off half-back as Melbourne’s forwards had no ability to contain his running power. He played on all day and set up so many Eagles attacks it was ridiculous. But don’t expect disposal counts like this too often from Hurn – he typically gets the job done with only 20-odd touches. In this game he managed to finish with 31 touches and 12 marks.
• Jack Darling was very lively up forward for the Eagles and was one of the biggest focal points with the absence of LeCras and with Kennedy having a quiet day. He booted 4.2 from 16 disposals and 8 marks. Will be a very good player, but also appears to be one who will be a very good DT and SC option in years to come.
• Andrew Embley went down with a shoulder injury – unfortunately, it was one he carried into the season after the club decided not to operate on it. It now requires surgery though and it will sideline him for 12 weeks.

Melbourne:

• James Magner was the only Dee to crack the ton in DT, but we didn’t mind as it appears he is the only relevant Melbourne player in 2012 anyway… He won himself 32 disposals whilst going head-to-head with a variety of Eagles midfielders. Fortunately, it appears he will continue to win plenty of ball regardless of win or loss (thank God, as I don’t think there will be too many wins this year…)
• Jack Grimes was nothing more than mediocre for the Dees – he played a good role though, loose in defence and won a bit of ball. He is certainly good when he gets the pill in his hands, but their defence looks so disorganised that all the defenders seem to be just chasing tail rather than trying to set up attacks.
• Mitch Clark was decent for the Dees, booting five goals from just 12 disposals, although he had zero marks and zero tackles. I still believe he would be better in the ruck. Seriously, why don’t they try it?
• Brad Green – seriously, if he doesn’t get dropped this week, something is really wrong down at Melbourne. Neeld is determined to make a statement, so surely dropping Green is doing just that. Finished with just 11 disposals and no scoreboard impact.

 

Collingwood vs Richmond:

Collingwood:

• Scott Pendlebury was great through the midfield in what was a pretty workmanlike display from the Pies. Pendles already appears to have taken his game to a new level in 2012, so coaches should be doing what they can to squeeze him into their sides. Finished with 29 touches and 8 tackles.
• Dane Swan was better than last week, but there still seems to be something not quite right about him. He is still getting on the end of plenty of cheap ball, but just isn’t managing to pick up as many disposals as the past few years. Whether it is laziness, change of role or simply fitness, I’m not sure, but I hope it finishes soon! I’m looking forward to being able to lock him in every week as captain with zero worries!
• Travis Cloke started really well, with his marking the real standout of his game. He did fade a bit later on (Rance did quite a good job on him too), but he did still manage a reasonable influence on the game with 18 touches, 8 marks and 3.2.
• Heath Shaw continued the theme of underperforming backline premiums with an average score of 66/75. His role hasn’t changed, but he just doesn’t seem to be going for as many runs – perhaps to do with Marty Clarke, who is more similar to him than Davis was. Still managed 14 touches, but he wouldn’t want too many more average games in a row.

Richmond:

• Brett Deledio picked up plenty of ball, playing exclusively as a midfielder. He had some really nice passages of play and typically uses the ball quite creatively. Despite having a very limited pre-season, he still finds himself in plenty of teams – hopefully he is in yours too if he keeps putting out scores like this!
• Alex Rance did a pretty good job on Cloke, still managing to win plenty of ball for himself. A lot of it was cheap and uncontested though (17 marks!), so don’t be counting on him being able to score like this every week! He did try and take the game on at times, although typically it proved not to have been such a good idea when he turned it over. That said, as a young defender he did a very good job on one of the best key forwards in the competition.
• Dustin Martin was pretty quiet again this week, spending a lot of time across half-forward. He did some nice things, but overall was pretty disappointing from a DT/SC point of view. Finished with 21 touches as 3 tackles.
• Steven Morris looked much much better this week, playing across half-back and actually attempting to take the game on a bit and trust his disposal (even though it is a bit shaky). Clearly Hardwick sees a role for Morris and Ellis, hence why they kept their spots after their poor debuts – it also appears he has told them to trust their abilities and go for it, as both looked like they were making conscious efforts to do so. Phew. Maybe they weren’t such bad picks afterall!

Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs:

Adelaide:

• Scotty Thompson was one of the Crows’ best in his 200^th game, picking up 34 disposals and 4 tackles in his typical workmanlike fashion. He has started the season very well and appears fit and in form. If you are in need of a unique midfield premium, then he should be on your list.
• Tom Lynch has been looking pretty good for the Crows so far, despite starting as the sub in both games. He was lucky enough that Richard Douglas went down with an early injury, allowing his out of the red singlet by quarter time. He booted 2.1 from 17 disposals and 11 marks. He was involved in some late junk-time though, which boosted his stats, but I doubt that anyone who owns him will care.
• Taylor Walker is really beginning to take his game to a new level, looking hugely dangerous every time the ball goes forward. Similar to Jack Riewoldt, Walker is dangerous both in the air and when the ball hits the ground, meaning he needs a special sort of defender to stop him. This probably isn’t the year to put him in your team, although that time may not be far away.
• Ian Callinan was disappointing after a pretty solid start to the year in round one. Those who picked Porplyzia over him may suddenly breathing a sigh of relief – at least for now. He only managed 7 disposals and 1.1.

Western Bulldogs:

• Matthew Boyd broke his hoodoo against the Crows with a strong game through the midfield, racking up 28 disposals and 6 tackles, as well as back-to-back goals to put the Dogs within 1 point of the lead in the third term. He is another example of a premium mid carrying his great pre-season form into the season proper. If you don’t have him, why not!?
• Brian Lake was the story of the game for many coaches who watched closely to see if he would bounce back from last week’s woeful effort. Fortunately for many, he did, finishing with 23 touches and 10 marks. He also played a pretty good role on Tipett, limiting him to just 15 disposals and 2 behinds. Another big sigh of relief.
• Ryan Hargrave was very good again with 26 disposals, but the story of his night was an apparent knock to his leg late in the game. Fortunately, the Bulldogs have stated he should be ok for next week’s game, which is great to hear, especially considering all the injury worries we had about him when selecting him in our teams in the first place.
• Clay Smith was much quieter than in his debut game – it’s fair to say there won’t be quite as much racket this week when he misses out on a NAB Rising Star nomination. He managed just 14 disposals before being subbed off in the fourth quarter. It is worth noting though, he wasn’t horrible – just quiet.

 

North Melbourne vs GWS:

North Melbourne:

• Ryan Bastinac had his best game for the club with a whopping 44 disposals and 2.3. Not only did he manage to rack up plenty of the ball, but he used it very well too, breaking the lines and delivering it continually to the chest of his forwards. He is certainly a contender for a breakout year in 2012, although any games against GWS should certainly be taken with a grain of salt.
• Brent Harvey started the game on fire, looking like he was going to crack the double-century for DT. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to keep that sort of scoring up, but he still finished with a pretty decent score thanks to his 32 touches and 2.1.
• Hamish McIntosh spent a lot of time up forward between his time in the ruck and really worryied the GWS defence with his height and marking ability. He took some great pack marks and converted well, finishing with 3 goals from 20 disposals.
• Aaron Edwards was the main focal point for the Roos up forward and enjoyed the solid delivery, booting 5.1 for the night. He’s certainly improved over the past 6 months to become an integral part of their team, but he is still not worth selecting in yours.

GWS:

• Chad Cornes is suddenly making many Dream Team and SuperCoach coaches sit up and take notice. Whilst Chadly was once a DT and SC stud, his years are now long gone – or so we thought. He has been playing loose in defence – a very lucrative role – and has been looking very solid in doing so. He is at a price worthy of taking a risk, and if he has many more 32 possession games in the bank he could be a real steal!
• Toby Greene had a great game through the midfield, winning himself 31 disposals and 6 marks. So far over the first two rounds, Greene has looked like one of the best GWS kids and certainly has the ability to score well. If you need to bring in a midfield rookie this week, Greene could be your man.
• Jeremy Cameron was a very deserving Rising Star nomination this week from his fantastic four-goal performance. It is already obvious how much talent he has – he can mark, kick and also has the agility to take the game on. Scores will be inconsistent this early in his career, but he will be a must-have in a few years time.

 

St.Kilda vs Gold Coast:

St.Kilda:

• Brendon Goddard had a great game, playing off half-back and setting up numerous Saints attacks. His form this early in the season has been hugely promising considering what happened last year. He is getting in the right spots and is being used frequently by his teammates – expect plenty more big scores from him this year.
• Nick Riewoldt had a great game up forward, kicking 4.2 with a much-improved looking kicking action. He dominated against his younger opponents and ventured high up the ground to win the ball, whilst also looking dangerous when close to goal. Whilst a good game against the Suns is not something to be too excited by, the signs were at least there that Roo could get back into some good form in 2012.
• Terry Milera looked great in his second game – he has great pace and takes the game on – something the Saints’ list was really lacking. He also appears to have great courage and attack on the ball for someone of his size – this is something I had originally worried about when he was drafted. He finished with 15 disposals and 2.2. Could be a great buy for the forward line if you are in need.
• Jamie Cripps has been pretty disappointing so far this year, considering so many people paid the extra dollar with expectations that he would be one of the big improvers this year. He did some nice things, but the half-back role he played through the pre-season seems to have vanished. Should come good if given the right chances, but the worry is how long that may take.

Gold Coast:

• Gary Ablett was far and away the best player for the Suns, picking up 40 disposals, 4 tackles and booting two goals. He was given the tight tag by Clint Jones (who wasn’t awful), but still managed the lazy 40… He is a simply a different breed! It looks like you will be able to lock him in weekly for captain with little worry.
• David Swallow showed some good signs through the midfield, picking up 28 disposals and 7 tackles. He is still improving, but it’s clear how much talent he has. Wait another year or two, but pretty soon everyone will be clambering to have him in their DT and SC.
• Aaron Hall put in another pretty disappointing performance. He floated around the half-forward line and had a few inside-50s before being subbed out of the game. His spot in the team suddenly starts to become a bit of a worry.

 

 

We’ve already received a number of messages to get this thread up and going for Round 2. Bryce Gibbs… what are you doing to us, man?!

Who’s causing you grief?

 

Note: Please do your best to keep it clean!

 

 

The Footy Tragic panelists had an in depth look at Round 2 team selection on the show last night. Check out the footage below:
 

The Teams:

 

 

Note: The teams below will be updated as they come in.

 

BRISBANE LIONS V CARLTON

G – Thu Apr 05, 7:40pm

Brisbane Lions

B: Niall McKeever, Matt Maguire, Ashley McGrath

HB: Mitchell Golby, Joel Patfull, Pearce Hanley

C: Jed Adcock, Tom Rockliff, Daniel Rich

HF: Jared Polec, Daniel Merrett, Todd Banfield

F: Jack Redden, Matthew Leuenberger, Ryan Lester

Foll: Ben Hudson, Simon Black, Claye Beams

I/C: Cheynee Stiller, James Polkinghorne, Jesse O’Brien, Rohan Bewick

Emg: Sam Sheldon, Ryan Harwood, Billy Longer

In: Jesse O’Brien

Out: Sam Sheldon

 

Carlton

B: Bret Thornton, Lachlan Henderson, Jeremy Laidler

HB: Heath Scotland, Paul Bower, Christopher Yarran

C: Kade Simpson, Chris Judd, Andrew Carrazzo

HF: Jeffrey Garlett, Jarrad Waite, Kane Lucas

F: Mitch Robinson, Matthew Kreuzer, Eddie Betts

Foll: Shaun Hampson, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy

I/C: Jordan Russell, Dennis Armfield, Zach Tuohy, Edward Curnow

Emg: Brock McLean, Andrew Collins, Sam Rowe

 

ESSENDON V PORT ADELAIDE

ES – Sat Apr 07, 1:45pm

Essendon

B: Courtenay Dempsey, Tayte Pears, Michael Hibberd

HB: Kyle Hardingham, Dustin Fletcher, Jake Carlisle

C: David Myers, Jobe Watson, Jake Melksham

HF: Stewart Crameri, David Hille, Leroy Jetta

F: Angus Monfries, Michael Hurley, David Zaharakis

Foll: Patrick Ryder, Ben Howlett, Brent Stanton

I/C: Sam Lonergan, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Mark McVeigh, Dyson Heppell

Emg: Ricky Dyson, Kyle Reimers, Tom Bellchambers

In: Sam Lonergan, Jake Carlisle

Out: Heath Hocking (Concussion), Cale Hooker (Ankle)

 

Port Adelaide

B: Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Jacob Surjan

HB: Danyle Pearce, Troy Chaplin, Ben Jacobs

C: Kane Cornes, Domenic Cassisi, John McCarthy

HF: Travis Boak, Jay Schulz, Hamish Hartlett

F: Chad Wingard, Daniel Stewart, Justin Westhoff

Foll: Jarrad Redden, Bradley Ebert, Matt Thomas

I/C: David Rodan, Paul Stewart, Matthew Broadbent, Cameron O’Shea

Emg: Mitchell Banner, Simon Phillips, Darren Pfeiffer

In: Jackson Trengove

Out: John Butcher (Hamstring)

 

 

SYDNEY SWANS V FREMANTLE

SCG – Sat Apr 07, 2:10pm

Sydney Swans

B: Martin Mattner, Heath Grundy, Nicholas Smith

HB: Alex Johnson, Ted Richards, Nick Malceski

C: Daniel Hannebery, Kieren Jack, Rhyce Shaw

HF: Jarrad McVeigh, Sam Reid, Adam Goodes

F: Craig Bird, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Ben McGlynn

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

I/C: Ryan O’Keefe, Gary Rohan, Lewis Jetta, Luke Parker

Emg: Jesse White, Mark Seaby, Andrejs Everitt

In: Ryan O’Keefe, Rhyce Shaw

Out: Andrejs Everitt, Harry Cunningham

Milestones: Lewis Roberts-Thomson – 150 games

 

Fremantle

B: Nick Suban, Zac Dawson, Adam McPhee

HB: Michael Johnson, Luke McPharlin, Stephen Hill

C: Josh Mellington, Ryan Crowley, Tendai Mzungu

HF: Paul Duffield, Matthew Pavlich, Jack Anthony

F: Christopher Mayne, Kepler Bradley, Zachary Clarke

Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Nathan Fyfe, Greg Broughton

I/C: Garrick Ibbotson, Matthew de Boer, Clancee Pearce, Michael Barlow

Emg: David Mundy, Jay van Berlo, Alex Silvagni

In: Jack Anthony

Out: Hayden Ballantyne (Suspension)

Milestones: Nick Suban – 50 games

 

 

WEST COAST EAGLES V MELBOURNE

PS – Sat Apr 07, 2:40pm

West Coast Eagles

B: Beau Waters, Darren Glass, Will Schofield

HB: Adam Selwood, Eric Mackenzie, Shannon Hurn

C: Andrew Gaff, Matthew Priddis, Matthew Rosa

HF: Ashton Hams, Quinten Lynch, Jack Darling

F: Josh Hill, Josh Kennedy, Chris Masten

Foll: Dean Cox, Luke Shuey, Daniel Kerr

I/C: Andrew Embley, Scott Selwood, Nic Naitanui, Ashley Smith

Emg: Sam Butler, Patrick McGinnity, Gerrick Weedon

Milestones: Shannon Hurn – 100 games

 

Melbourne

B: Joel Macdonald, James Frawley, Clint Bartram

HB: Jamie Bennell, Jared Rivers, Colin Garland

C: Jack Watts, Jack Grimes, Nathan Jones

HF: Ricky Petterd, James Sellar, Jeremy Howe

F: Lynden Dunn, Mitchell Clark, Brad Green

Foll: Mark Jamar, James Magner, Jack Trengove

I/C: Matthew Bate, Stefan Martin, Rohan Bail, Jordie McKenzie

Emg: Aaron Davey, Tom McDonald, Josh Tynan

In: Lynden Dunn, Ricky Petterd, Jamie Bennell, James Sellar

Out: Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney (Groin), Sam Blease, Josh Tynan

New: James Sellar (Adelaide)

 

 

ADELAIDE V WESTERN BULLDOGS

AS – Sat Apr 07, 7:10pm

Adelaide

B: Ben Rutten, Daniel Talia, Michael Doughty

HB: Graham Johncock, Andy Otten, Brodie Smith

C: Nathan van Berlo, Patrick Dangerfield, Bernie Vince

HF: Jared Petrenko, Richard Douglas, Rory Sloane

F: Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia, Taylor Walker

Foll: Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Brent Reilly

I/C: David Mackay, Ricky Henderson, Ian Callinan, Tom Lynch

Emg: Brad Symes, Matthew Wright, Matthew Jaensch

Milestones: Scott Thompson – 200 games

 

Western Bulldogs

B: Robert Murphy, Brian Lake, Dylan Addison

HB: Ryan Hargrave, Lukas Markovic, Easton Wood

C: Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen

HF: Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Jones, Adam Cooney

F: Daniel Giansiracusa, William Minson, Shaun Higgins

Foll: Jordan Roughead, Thomas Liberatore, Liam Picken

I/C: Jarrad Grant, Nathan Djerrkura, Clay Smith, Tory Dickson

Emg: Ayce Cordy, Patrick Veszpremi, Mitchell Wallis

In: Ryan Griffen, Nathan Djerrkura

Out: Christian Howard (Knee), Mitchell Wallis

 

 

COLLINGWOOD V RICHMOND

MCG – Sat Apr 07, 7:40pm

Collingwood

B: Heritier O’Brien, Lachlan Keeffe, Heath Shaw

HB: Chris Tarrant, Ben Reid, Tyson Goldsack

C: Dane Swan, Luke Ball, Dayne Beams

HF: Dale Thomas, Jackson Paine, Ben Sinclair

F: Travis Cloke, Chris Dawes, Alex Fasolo

Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom

I/C: Alan Toovey, Martin Clarke, Jarryd Blair, Paul Seedsman

Emg: Luke Rounds, Tom Young, Peter Yagmoor

In: Dayne Beams, Chris Tarrant

Out: Luke Rounds, Peter Yagmoor

Milestones: Chris Dawes – 50 games

 

Richmond

B: Steven Morris, Alex Rance, Chris Newman

HB: Bachar Houli, Dylan Grimes, Brandon Ellis

C: Shaun Grigg, Dustin Martin, Daniel Jackson

HF: Brett Deledio, Tyrone Vickery, Shane Edwards

F: Brad Miller, Jack Riewoldt, Jake King

Foll: Ivan Maric, Trent Cotchin, Nathan Foley

I/C: Shane Tuck, Robin Nahas, Reece Conca, Jake Batchelor

Emg: Angus Graham, Matthew White, Addam Maric

In: Jake King, Jake Batchelor

Out: Jayden Post, Addam Maric

Milestones: Bachar Houli – 50 games

 

 

NORTH MELBOURNE V GWS GIANTS

BA – Sun Apr 08, 1:10pm

North Melbourne

B: Scott McMahon, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan

HB: Kieran Harper, Michael Firrito, Daniel Wells

C: Leigh Adams, Andrew Swallow, Shaun Atley

HF: Ryan Bastinac, Todd Goldstein, Samuel Wright

F: Aaron Edwards, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas

Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Liam Anthony, Brent Harvey

I/C: Ben Warren, Matt Campbell, Robert Tarrant, Ben Cunnington, Cameron Delaney, Aaron Mullett, Brad McKenzie

In: Ben Warren, Cameron Delaney, Brad McKenzie

New: Cameron Delaney (Geelong Falcons), Brad McKenzie (Sturt)

 

GWS Giants

B: Luke Power, Tim Mohr, Chad Cornes

HB: Tomas Bugg, Phil Davis, Adam Kennedy

C: Rhys Palmer, Jacob Townsend, Tom Scully

HF: Stephen Coniglio, Jeremy Cameron, Curtly Hampton

F: Nathan Wilson, Israel Folau, Devon Smith

Foll: Jonathan Giles, Callan Ward, Dylan Shiel

I/C: Jack Hombsch, WIlliam Hoskin-Elliot, Adam Tomlinson, Toby Greene, Dean Brogan, Sam Reid, Dom Tyson

In: Tom Scully, Dean Brogan, Luke Power, Sam Reid

Out: James McDonald (Suspension)

New: Tom Scully (Haileybury College (Vic)), Dean Brogan (Port Adelaide), Luke Power (Brisbane Lions), Sam Reid (Western Bulldogs)

 

 

ST KILDA V GOLD COAST SUNS

ES – Sun Apr 08, 4:40pm

St Kilda

B: Jarryn Geary, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake

HB: Jamie Cripps, Sam Fisher, Sean Dempster

C: Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard

HF: Jack Steven, Nick Riewoldt, Terry Milera

F: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Rhys Stanley

Foll: Ben McEvoy, Clinton Jones, Leigh Montagna

I/C: David Armitage, Farren Ray, Tom Simpkin, Nicholas Winmar, Tom Ledger, Jack Newnes, Beau Wilkes

In: Tom Simpkin, Nicholas Winmar, Tom Ledger, Jack Newnes, Beau Wilkes

Out: Brett Peake, Dean Polo (Suspension)

New: Jack Newnes (Northern Knights), Beau Wilkes (West Coast Eagles)

 

Gold Coast Suns

B: Jarrod Harbrow, Matthew Warnock, Jeremy Taylor

HB: Maverick Weller, Steven May, Jared Brennan

C: Matt Shaw, David Swallow, Dion Prestia

HF: Harley Bennell, Tom Lynch, Aaron Hall

F: Campbell Brown, Tom Hickey, Brandon Matera

Foll: Zac Smith, Michael Rischitelli, Gary Ablett

I/C: Karmichael Hunt, Luke Russell, Josh Fraser, Trent McKenzie, Josh Caddy, Liam Patrick, Alex Sexton

In: Maverick Weller, Josh Fraser, Trent McKenzie, Matt Shaw, Liam Patrick, Alex Sexton

Out: Sam Iles, Daniel Gorringe (Achilles), Seb Tape (Teeth)

New: Alex Sexton ()

 

 

GEELONG CATS V HAWTHORN

MCG – Mon Apr 09, 3:10pm

Geelong Cats

B: Billie Smedts, Tom Lonergan, Corey Enright

HB: Andrew Mackie, Harry Taylor, Taylor Hunt

C: Joel Corey, Joel Selwood, Steven Motlop

HF: Mathew Stokes, Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan

F: Paul Chapman, James Podsiadly, Steve Johnson

Foll: Trent West, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly

I/C: Shannon Byrnes, Josh Hunt, Mitch Brown, Allen Christensen, Cameron Guthrie, George Horlin-Smith, Orren Stephenson

In: Shannon Byrnes, Josh Hunt, Mitch Brown, George Horlin-Smith

Out: Matthew Scarlett (Suspension)

New: George Horlin-Smith (Sturt)

 

Hawthorn

B: Brent Guerra, Josh Gibson, Benjamin Stratton

HB: Grant Birchall, Ryan Schoenmakers, Matt Suckling

C: Isaac Smith, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis

HF: Shane Savage, Lance Franklin, Michael Osborne

F: Cyril Rioli, David Hale, Jack Gunston

Foll: Broc McCauley, Brad Sewell, Shaun Burgoyne

I/C: Chance Bateman, Jarryd Roughead, Brendan Whitecross, Luke Breust, Kyle Cheney, Jarrad Boumann, Bradley Hill

In: Jarryd Roughead, Kyle Cheney, Bradley Hill

New: Bradley Hill (West Perth)