The Team:

As the Saints showed the footy world last year, and so far in their pre-season this year, they are going to be one of the teams to beat in 2010. It is from teams such as St.Kilda that it is best to pick your premium players and key-positions. The catch is that players from St.Kilda will come at a premium due to their consistency last year - however, it should be expected that many Saints will maintain their 2009 averages this year, meaning that you should be happy to fork out premium prices for many of their players. The Saints game-plan is certainly one which complements dream team - not only is it a high-possession one, but it also involves a lot of tackling - the highest in the league! The other benefit of the Saints for DT purposes is their great run with injuries in recent seasons - the hiring of David Misson to elite performance manager a few years ago has proven wonders for the Saints soft-tissue issues. So load your team with premium Saints in 2010 - they will play consistently, justify the money spent on them and are all very likely to play 20 - 22 games this year!

Who’s Hot?:

Nick Riewoldt ($468,100): Coming off his best pre-season in five years, the captain is looking bigger, fitter and stronger than ever! Riewoldt was injured through a lot of 2009 yet still dominated games - consider what he will be like this year whilst fully fit and with a point to prove! You need to have him!

David Armitage ($321,100): This is Armo’s fourth year on the list, and now with a spot in the team vacated by Luke Ball, he has a huge opportunity to cement himself a position in the best 22. Had a super summer so my money is on him having a big year.

Jack Steven ($200,400): Taken as a bottom age player in 2007, Steven has shown the Saints plenty of promise, dominating in many VFL games last year and having a great debut game late in the season. Big things are expected this year from him and he is every chance to play a number of games and score highly.

Ben McEvoy ($194,100): Has added considerable bulk and muscle to his frame in the off-season. Lyon said that he has been the most impressive ‘kid’ this pre-season, running personal best times in all the time-trials, including leading the 3km! Should be able to force his way into the best-22 this year.

Adam Schneider ($348,000): A change of role in 2010 should see his scoring potential grow greatly. He will be playing through the midfield much more this year, and as he proved at the end of 2009, this position can be hugely lucrative for him as he averaged 100 points across a five-game period towards the end of the year.

Brendon Goddard ($455,700): Will be one of the first picked players in many sides, and rightly so! He is a star midfielder but can be picked up also as a defender! A massive positive! Also, he has shown already this year that he is a star DTer because he does it all - kicks, marks, goals and tackles! He is a complete DTer and will rarely give you a bad game! 

Who’s Not?:

Jesse W Smith: Has come to the Saints to get over his injury woes. So far he is looking much better, however he will not be ready until mid-season, putting him out of consideration for your starting team.

Lenny Hayes: Has had an interrupted pre-season due to a calf strain. Unfortunately, he corked the same calf against Freo, however he is expected to be ready for round one.

Raph Clarke: Pulled his hamstring in the intraclub game - could be ready round one, but I doubt he will get a game due to lack of match practice.

Robert Eddy: Been in a moon boot for most of the pre-season and would have to be very lucky to be selected early before proving himself at Sandy.

Andrew Lovett: Has been sacked by the club and will therefore play no part in their tilt at the flag. You don’t deserve the car if you’re silly enough to pick him! 

The Bargain:

David Armitage ($321,100): Often it can be hard to find the big improvers in the higher ranked teams as positions are often pretty well held by more experienced players. The only time that a younger player can ever really take a large step (as opposed to cameo roles which only score between 50 and 60 points) is typically due to a long term injury or retirement, or in St.Kilda’s case, the walking out of one of their senior players in the form of Luke Ball. The Saints have been so well-equipped with inside midfielder talent that they have not recruited once since Armitage in 2006, obviously expecting the likes of Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball to be at the club for many more years. However, when the unexpected happened and Ball walked out on the Saints at the end of last year, there was only really ever one man who would step up into that spot - and that was Armitage. His only real competition will come from the likes of McQualter, Jones and Geary - all of whom have either already secured a different position in the team (so why rob Peter to pay Paul?) or are not as good as Armo under the packs. Assuming Armo does step up this year and play 20 - 22 games, what are his chances of scoring well? Well… so far this pre-season, Armo has scored 99 points against Collingwood, 50 against Sydney (whilst being tagged by Brett Kirk - this WON’T happen in the real season) and 92 points against Freo on Saturday night. So he is proven this year he is up to the task, and last year was no difference - despite only three appearances, he averaged 92 DT points (including a whopping average of 9 tackles per game) and also winning himself 3 brownlow votes against Hawthorn! As a junior, he averaged 22 disposals through the TAC cup and was one of the higher ranked midfielders coming into the draft (and was subsequently taken at pick 9 by the Saints). Where he really shines in the Saints team is his ability to win his own ball, but also present a good option wide of the contest - the exact work rate lacked by Luke Ball that saw him dropped for several games last season. He also has an ability to go forward, averaging nearly a goal per game in his AFL career so far. To summarise, I believe that Armo is one of the better mid-priced players in the year’s dream team - not only should he play 22 games in a top-4 team, but he also has the runs on the board to show he is a great dream teamer. He should be one of the league’s biggest improvers in 2010, and if he is not, there will be plenty of questions asked, as are the expectation on his shoulders. 

The Kid:

Tom Lynch ($94,500): Lynch came to the Saints with the 13^th pick in the 2008 draft, lumped with plenty of Saints fans who saw him finally as the answer to their third forward worries. Unfortunately, 2009 saw no senior action for Lynch, a year in which the Saints made a very low number of changes to their team across the course of the year - almost the least on record. However, the one position that was far from set for the year was the position of a third tall in the forward line - the role was sporadically shared between James Gwilt, Sean Dempster and Robert Eddy. But still, none of these three became first choice, with the role being one that seemed to put each out of their comfort zone. The weekend’s game against Freo gave DT coaches a chance to look at Lynch for the first time in 2010 - and he was very impressive. Whilst not quite big enough for a key position, he certainly should be strong enough (and is definitely mobile enough) to hold down the third tall spot alongside Riewoldt and Kosi in 2010. It may be a bit much to ask of a second year player who has never played a game in the home and away season, but Lyon would surely want to develop Lynch as quick as possible as he is far and away the most suited player for this position in the Saints side. DT-wise, he is very good - he was ranked as the best forward (for DT) in his draft, mainly due to his high leads, which brought in plenty of marks, kicks and tackles. I’d want to see him named in round one first before selecting him. But Lyon has proven he doesn’t like to mess with structures, so if he plays round one, you can nearly be assured he will play plenty more games throughout the season. 

The Premium:

Nick Riewoldt ($468,100): For the second year in a row, Riewoldt was the highest scoring forward in dream team, and in 2010 it looks unlikely that there could be any better option! There is reason behind his high scoring - not only does he have one of the better marks in the competition, but his workrate is regarded as some of the best in the entire league, giving him the ability to venture far up ground for possessions, before gunning it back to the forward line to take a strong mark and kick a goal - simply put, he outruns and outclasses his opponents nearly every week. When choosing a premium priced player, it must be remembered why you are paying the big bucks for them - it is not necessarily to make money out of them, but to consistently get large scores, and never to be traded out barring injury. However, every now and then a premium comes along that has the potential to not only reap those large scores consistently, but also with a strong likelihood to improve on his previous years score. This appears to be the case for Riewoldt in 2010 - for the past number years he has struggled into the season (and often been inconsistent for the first several rounds) due to a lack of pre-season, but this year he has completed his first pre-season in five years, meaning he should step straight into the season in full flight - so far in the NAB cup he has shown he is in great form, scoring 85 and 86 points, both from very limited time on ground. Simply put, Riewoldt should be one of your first picked players - especially in 2010 as he looks even more like a premium than in years gone by. No longer can a coach have the usual excuse, “I’ll pick him in round five when he’s $100k cheaper,” as this year he is likely to come out swinging! 

The Smokey:

Adam Schneider ($348,000): Schneider has played as a forward for the majority of his career - this was up until late last year when Lyon gave him a turn through the midfield for the last half-dozen games of the season. As it seems through watching the NAB cup, it does not look like his time in the middle from last year (where he averaged 100 points across five games) will be a one-off. This NAB series we have seen him line up at the centre square for all three games, only moving forward occasionally (and therefore boosting his scoring power with a couple of goals) - he has clocked up scores of 104, 60 and 79 in his three games so far, and has looked at home in the midfield through each. He is still speculative due to the fact that St.Kilda still don’t seem 100% settled on each player’s positions for 2010, with Ross Lyon still tinkering with players in different roles. I do believe however, that Schneider will stay in the midfield for the majority of 2010 - with DalSanto and Goddard set to spend more time in the forward line, the logical conclusion is that Schneids will be the man who moves up the field to allow this. I believe that for the money you pay for him there should be a reasonable increase, but don’t expect much more than $50k - he may just prove to be more of a mid-priced keeper.

The Team:

The rule of thumb for dream team tends to be that you try and pick as many of your high priced players from winning sides as possible. And again this year, it seems to be the case. However, just as important to your side as the premiums is the rookie priced players - these are the players that are going to provide you with the cash to further upgrade all of your injured or underperforming premiums and mid-priced improvers. And the only places to find good quality rookies, likely to be given every opportunity at senior level is in the bottom few sides. This year, unless if we are greatly surprised, Richmond will again be one of those teams - their players will often be inconsistent and the side may lose occasionally by 100 points, but the plan for the coaches will always stay the same - play the kids! This kind of theory is perfect for dream teamers looking to chock full our benches with underpriced kids - and Richmond have a few gems! And the best part is, if you cannot find a player who fits the bill for your bench, it is always worth looking at rookies from these bottom teams as their younger players are likely to be given much more of a chance than those belonging to St.Kilda or Geelong.

Who’s Hot?:

Brett Deledio ($422,200): Really pushed himself over the pre-season after last season coming to the much publicised realisation that he was simply coasting and nowhere near the quality of player he could be. Should be set for a big year!

Dustin Martin ($149,500): The first year player has flown through his first AFL pre-season. Often told by coaches to stop over-doing things, such is his willingness to succeed - looks to have a work rate of the great Robert Harvey and if he is even half the player, he will be a super dream teamer!

Jack Riewoldt ($327,400): Had another solid pre-season and at his age, we should be able to expect some consistency from Riewoldt. Now with Polak in the forward line, he will no longer get the opposition’s key defender making it more likely that he will fire! 

Who’s Not?:

Trent Cotchin: Whilst he is currently competing in the NAB cup games, his lead up to the season was far from complete; he spent most of his time on a modified program so as to not re-injure himself. So far he is looking good, but skepticism reigns!

Ben Cousins: Had both hand and shoulder surgery in the off-season, meaning his aging body is surely ready to start slowing down this year.

Nathan Foley: In doubt for round one with repeated issues with his ankles. He has had off-season surgery but is still not 100% - I wouldn’t recommend him for this reason.

The Bargain:

Trent Cotchin ($296,200): Only half a paragraph ago I was criticizing Cotchin for coming into this season underdone, however, he is not so much underdone due to injuries, but rather a fear of injuries. Now as strange as that sounds, there was reason behind this madness - For Cotchin’s first two seasons at the Tigers, he suffered from several long-time injuries such as an Achilles issue and a hip complain, together ruining half of his debut season and most of his second year. Now with this much injury history in such a short space of time, any DT coach would need to be presented with a very persuasive case to so much as consider placing him in their team. Firstly I should say, I’m not here to convince you to get Cotchin or not get him, but rather to present you with the facts and let you make your minds up for yourselves. When selecting a player for your team, it is always worth looking at players priced in the same price-bracket whom you could be otherwise choosing - and if we look at Cotchin’s neighbors, we see two very popular DT names - Armitage and Masten - both players promising a meteoric rise in 2010 and whom many DT coaches are locking into their teams. So why would you choose an injury prone player from a team likely to finish with the wooden spoon over two players with little injury history and just about as much upside? Well… As a junior, Cotchin was an elite inside and outside midfielder - he not only won nearly 50% of his disposals from a contest, but delivered the ball with precision into the forward line (he averaged 8 inside 50s a game!). He averaged 28 disposals through the 2007 TAC Cup and was one of the best players throughout, subsequently causing Richmond to take him with their second pick in the draft. Whilst junior stats don’t always tell the complete story, Cotchin played some fantastic football in his debut season, averaging 17 disposals (great for a first year player). From there he has shown glimpses of his immense talent, again averaging 17 disposals in his injury interrupted 2009 season, using his boot as many times as his hand to deliver the ball - a great stat from a DT perspective. Whilst none of these numbers are really going to blow you away, Cotchin’s pure class and promise he has shown in his limited games has many coaches still considering him despite his bleak injury history. Honestly, I believe he has more upside (i.e. scoring potential) than Masten and Armitage, however, he must be fit to reach his peak. So far this pre-season, his monitored program is proving dividends with him looking ready to line up in round one for the first time in his short career. Also worth noting is that he scored 62 points against the Cats on the weekend, however played very limited game time and from all reports played with class and poise which suggested that 2010 may finally be his year. 

The Kid:

Dustin Martin ($149,500): I think there would be little chance that Martin is not in every single Dream Team in 2010 - those that do not have him round one will waste a trade getting him in for round two. Rarely do Dream Teamers get such a treat as we have gotten in Martin - he is a highly skilled, ball winning, solid bodied first round draft pick! At 186cm and 88kg, he has a body ready to step straight into the seniors and dominate. And is isn’t puppy fat he is carrying - look at any photo of the kid and he is ripped enough to think he’s been at this caper for years! Through his TAC Cup, Martin averaged 25 disposals, 3 tackles and nearly one goal - he is a speedy centreman, capable of both winning his own ball (average contested possessions: 38%) and also delivering it perfectly to his forwards. As for his pre-season, it has been flawless - he has been one of the most impressive and professional Tigers on the track in the pre-season and there is no chance he will be on the sidelines for round one. He is a certain starter for the Tigers in round one and should be at worst your 6^th midfielder - He is the most essential first year player since Marc Murphy! 

The Premium:

Brett Deledio ($422,200): After a breakout year in 2008, Deledio’s first half to 2009 was less than spectacular. But when caretaker coach Jade Rawlings threatened to drop him to the VFL midway through the year, it seemed to be the spark his year needed. Now, he labels that moment as a turning point in his career - when he realised the hard yards needed to be a consistent AFL midfielder. Hopefully this year we can see more of the same as Deledio at his best can easily be classified as elite. So far this pre-season his game has looked good, averaging 90 points across the two NAB games he has played. Deledio in 2009 was the highest disposal winning Tiger, as well as the one to play the most minutes for the year - quite an achievement for a midfielder! Both these stats bode well for him as DTer as it suggests both his teammates and coach want him on the field and with the ball in his hand. And whilst he wasn’t great at breaking some of the harder tags, he did prove by the end of the year that he was capable of escaping a taggers clutch through hard work, dispelling many fears of him being taken out of matches due to being the Tigers key midfielder. Now due to not being eligible as a forward his appeal does go down, but at a bit over $400k he does present the option of a consistent ball-winner who has the capacity to score some very large numbers. Whilst he may not be the first choice player in his price bracket, my gut feel is he could at least maintain his 2009 average of 96 points. 

The Smokey:

Daniel Connors ($156,000): If there was ever a list made of some of the biggest DT teases, Connors would certainly be up there. Since being drafted at pick 58 in the 2006 draft, Connors has played a total of just 10 games - poor for an uninjured player in a side such as Richmond’s, crying out for talent. Typically through his career, he has been played on a half-forward flank, never scoring particularly high DT scores, despite coming to the club in 2006 quite highly rated. In 2009, Connors presents himself as a great smokey pick due to his new role as a sweeper off the half-back line. As Raines showed in 2009, this role in Richmond is not particularly lucrative, but at a starting price as low as Connors’, there is plenty of room for improvement. So far in the NAB cup we have seen him play twice, and both times in this new role, suggesting it will be permanent, rather than an experiment - in week one he scored an impressive 98 points followed by a reasonable 64 against the Cats. The only drawback to Connors this year is that despite regularly being labeled as a forward/midfielder in previous seasons, Virtual Sports have named him purely as a midfielder. I believe he has the potential to make plenty of money for your side and score well in the meantime, however structurally he may prove an inconvenience in your side. But have a play with your team structure, and if you can fit him in, he could prove an inspired choice as he should gain in value by over $150,000.

The Team:

Well I’m glad that I didn’t pre-write these articles as so far this pre-season we have seen a totally different Port Adelaide side to the one that finished the 2009 season so poorly. So far they have pumped local rivals Adelaide and done the same damage to top-8 hopefuls, West Coast at Subiaco. Firstly, it was great to see Port win the games so convincingly, and with so many younger players in the squad! But even more importantly, they backed it up in Western Australia -  something they really struggled to do in 2009. I am especially excited about some of Port’s youngsters this year - some of them are in great form, but just as importantly, they look good enough to push for senior selection. Hopefully this can be a big year for Port Adelaide as they are one of the more exciting AFL teams when in full flight. At this stage, I would hardly hesitate recommending you to put a few Port players in your squad - lets just hope they don’t fail us come round one!

Who’s Hot?:

Travis Boak ($396,900): Had a great pre-season and looks every chance to step up and lead the Power’s young midfield.

Steven Salopek ($373,200): After a less than impressive 2009 riddled by injury and form issues, Sal pushed very hard over the off-season and has come back looking better than ever. So far in the NAB cup he has stood out with his great HB/midfield role and penetrating kicking.

Mitch Banner ($94,500): Was an elite ball winner as a junior and after a strong pre-season it looks like he may be ready to replicate those attributes in the AFL.

Robbie Gray ($321,200): Has played his career as a medium forward but has often showed glimpses of star talent, just craving to be moved to the midfield. Fortunately, he worked really hard in the off-season and in row running personal bests and looking very fit. There is a strong chance we will see him in the midfield this year.

Cameron Hitchcock ($97,800): A first round rookie pick who looks a classic excitement machine, tearing up one and a half NAB cup games, showing great work rate and natural footballing ability in the forward line.  

Who’s Not?:

David Rodan: Did his ACL in a training drill and required a knee reconstruction. Due to using the ‘Malceski Method’ to repair his knee, he could be back in action only a month into the season. Still avoid picking him though.

Hamish Hartlett: After a great start to his pre-season, he has been cut down by another hamstring injury. Should be ready for round one, but with Port’s strong team and competition for spots he may find himself in the SANFL to regain touch.

Daniel Motlop: Had several injury concerns over the pre-season and despite playing the first NAB cup he still doesn’t look 100% fit - in fact, his poor showing in that game proved you don’t want him in your team anyway.

The Kid:

Mitch Banner ($94,500): Banner has been on most keen dream teamers lists for a while now - in fact, before he was even drafted people were locking them into their dream teams. Why? Because the kid knows how to get the ball! This is the point in the article where I remind you about the concept of dream team - we are not here to pick the flashiest player, the one with the best disposal, nor even the ones who will put their heads over the ball (and that is not to say Banner doesn’t tick any of these categories), but the ones who just get the ball again and again and again. Well… fair enough to say, Mitch Banner is one of these guys - the year before he was drafted he averaged a whopping 29 disposals through the TAC cup - these are Dane Swan style numbers kids! This is now the point where you turn around to me and give the example, “Bradd Dalziell could rack them up, but Vossy wouldn’t select him cos he’s actually pretty poor at football! Will the same happen to Banner?” Well, no, is the simple answer. Banner came to the club in 2008 known for being on the bad side of average for ball disposal, but it seems that he has worked really hard on this facet of his game for the past 12 months, impressing me (and I’m sure Chocco would be pretty stoked too) with both his ball winning abilities (both inside and outside) as well as his neat disposal. Whilst he ain’t a Brendon Goddard or David Mundy, he is definitely good enough to hit a target enough times to keep his spot in the team. For me, he is almost a must-have. Put it this way - if he is named to play round one, GET HIM!

The Premium:

Travis Boak ($396,900): Every year since he was drafted, Boak has taken his game to another level, as looks to be the case again in 2010. If we were making a list of A-grade players likely to take the step to elite category this year (ala Montagna), Boak would likely head the list. He showed us what he can do in his last few games for the season, averaging 28 disposals from rounds 18 - 22 and in doing so, marking himself as Port’s premium midfield option. The only concern is how he will handle the likely tag, which he will attract in 2010 - previously, players such as Shaun Burgoyne and Danyle Pearce have attracted the harassment, but as teams cotton on to Boak’s ability the attention will surely come! I can tell you that I am not the only one at Footy Tragic who’s excited by Boak - we were all singing his praises towards the end of last year, and with a super pre-season under his belt we are all pretty keen to get him into our teams! Whilst not a lock just yet, his clear room for improvement and undoubted ability make him a hard one to go past at what is quite a reasonable price! 

The Smokey:

Justin Westhoff ($283,600): The talk over the off-season at Port was often about a couple of different things; firstly, who will support Dean Brogan in the ruck - a two man race between Lobbe and Trengrove. Secondly, many were concerned about the form (or lack thereof) of the much-maligned forward, Justin Westhoff. Westhoff was one of the best young players in 2007 as Port made it to the Grand Final, however has failed to come on since due to his heightened amount of attention from opposition defenses. Amazingly, the solution to both of Port’s dilemmas seems to be the one answer; playing Westhoff in the ruck. Whilst not the most amazing tap ruckman (he was thrashed in the centre square by A-grade combo Cox and Naitanui), he works really hard across the ground and still has the talent to be rested up forward when not rucking - a fantastic combination! He was much better than next-choice ruckman, Lobbe, who was beaten both in the ruck and around the ground, suggesting that Westhoff really has the position in the bag if he continues to work hard. As we saw last year with Paddy Ryder, these versatile players can be fantastic DT players, especially when coming at the right price. Currently, Westhoff sits a bit below the $300k mark, but has the potential to do much more. Until he is officially given the role he is still speculative, but if  he does line up in the centre square in round one, you could be doing much worse than to be having him in your team.

The Smokey #2 (Instead of Bargain):

Robbie Gray ($321,200): I’ve gone for a second smokey this week due to Port having no clear bargain on their list, rather just a bunch of well priced kids… Plus, I couldn’t decide between Westhoffe and Gray. Now, I must start by saying I have always had a love for how Robbie Gray goes about his footy - every year since his debut I have spent time with him in my trial team before realizing he is just going to play forward again and subsequently trading him out. But this year is different - this year Chocco had hinted very strongly that he may finally line up in the middle! He even played there in the intra-club and totally chopped! The only question surrounding Gray is HOW much potential does he really have - we have never seen him play midfield for a full game to see what sort of numbers he is capable of, however, I wouldn’t be surprised if he averaged 85 - 90 points a game (similar to Higgins of 2009). He can play both inside and outside and is very creative with the footy and is therefore regularly trusted with it in hand. This shouldn’t be taken out of context, but his work in the forward line has always reminded me of Ablett when he played there for the first few years of his career. Unfortunately, we haven’t see him line up yet this NAB cup, so once again everything is extremely speculative. But please, for your own sake, keep an eye on the kid - I am so confident this will be his breakout season it’s just ridiculous!

The Team:

It was great to get to watch North Melbourne go about their business on the weekend before giving an insight on them here as I was very surprised at how well tuned Brad Scott has them. I have never particularly rated North (at least in the past few years), nor their squad of kids, until watching everything just click on the weekend - Brad Scott has them flicking the ball around in a high-disposal, high intensity game plan which will not only reap rewards for the football club, but also for us Dream Teamers who have a few of the younger Roos in our team. Whilst from the outside, 2010 looks like it should be a rebuilding year for North, captain Brent Harvey has made very clear that they are still aiming for top-8. Whilst up until a week ago I would have sarcastically uttered “good luck with that,” their game on the weekend has given me some faith it all may be possible - and whilst I’m not one to get all gushy about a NAB cup win, I was mainly impressed with their ball skills - one trait which can’t be faked in the pre-season. Although they aren’t rebuilding, according the Harvey, Brad Scott will play many of the kids this season, giving them a taste of the AFL experience. Therefore, don’t be afraid to sample the North youth - they especially have a few beauties between $200k and $300k - as they should all get plenty of experience in 2010, and by the looks of it, Brad Scott’s high possession game plan should see them score you a few points too!

Who’s Hot?:

Sam Wright ($198,800): After only playing a couple of games in 2009, Wright has really impressed the new coach and was trialed in several roles on Sunday night, looking especially good through the midfield.

Ben Warren ($234,800): Has bulked up majorly in the off season, indicating that 2010 could be the twenty-year-olds year. He looked fantastic against the Cats in the first NAB game, kicking 3 goals on Andrew Mackie.

Jack Ziebell ($285,600): Trained purely through the midfield and has put on some bulk to help compete with the bigger bodies. He looked like a star in the making in 2009 and I doubt it will take him very long to show us what he is really made of.

Robbie Tarrant ($94,500): North’s first selection in the 2007 draft has finally gotten his body fit after a few frustrating years riddled with injuries. He has trained as a defender, which is disappointing from a DT perspective as it will definitely limit his output. Judging by his game against Geelong, his role will be purely negating. 

Who’s Not?:

Ben Cunnington: Had a hot spot in his foot, forcing him to wear a moon boot for the month of January. It was discovered early, so there is a chance he could still play round one.

Daniel Wells: Is on the slow road back from OP surgery. They won’t rush him as OP can flare back up very easily. He will be very underdone for the start of the season.

Andrew Swallow: Missed the first half of the pre-season with groin problems, however has been in training since mid-January and played against the Cats. Should be fine for round one, albeit a bit underdone.

The Bargain:

Jack Ziebell ($285,600): It’s hard to classify a bargain in the North Melbourne lineup, so instead I have picked the player I imagine will have the biggest dollar increase in the 2010 season - Ziebell. Ziebell proved to us in 2009 that he is no DT slouch, averaging a reasonable 65 points in his debut season. Unfortunately, his year was cut short by a broken leg in round 12, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the season. There are several things which make Ziebell a potential DT star - firstly, his love for kicking the ball (aka. 3 points) is fantastic, using his boot more than two times for every time he handballed it - the reason? - he has a great football brain and a long, accurate kick, able to pinpoint teammates from 50 meters away with great precision. Ziebell was also a good ball winner in juniors, averaging 18 disposals and 7 marks per game - he also kicked just under a goal a game, showing he is damaging up forward too. There is no chance that Brad Scott will not play him for 22 rounds if possible and I expect his average to jump significantly from 65 to 85 whilst running through the midfield. Get on early whilst his price is still low! 

The Kid:

Ben Cunnington ($141,500): If Dream Team was played in the TAC cup, Ben Cunnington would be Dane Swan. As an example, he averaged 98 DT points across his 13 games - he averaged 22.4 possessions, 5 tackles, 6 marks and nearly 2 goals per game. He is an inside midfielder who relishes a contest, winning 44% of his disposals from under a pack. Despite a minor injury setback this preseason, the labeled ‘very professional footballer’ did everything required of him to get back on the track - he is now training with the main group and I hope we will get a chance to see him this NAB cup before round one. He will certainly be in Brad Scott’s plans for his 2010 midfield, so I see him getting plenty of opportunities with a reasonable game time. And judging my the Roos first game on the weekend, they will be a very quality outfit this year, hopefully winning quite a number of games - this certainly bodes well for scoring potential as players in winning teams always score better. We need to see him play before he is a lock for round one, but I would be betting that Cunnington will make quite an impression in 2010 and is more than worth considering for your opening squad. 

The Premium:

Liam Anthony ($422,700): It seems somewhat surprising to be putting up a name of a player to have only played 10 career matches as my premium, however he certainly deserves the tag. Anthony burst onto the scene in 2009 (much later than many would have hoped, mind you!) as a mature aged recruit, averaging 96 DT points in his 10 games. He is predominantly used as an outside midfielder, however does win about a quarter of his possessions from a contest. In his 10 games for North last year, Anthony was the highest disposal winning Roo, as well as having the highest disposals per minute ratio at the club - two great DT indicators! In short, Anthony proved in 2009 that he is a DT freak. However, the worry often is after a debut season like this, how will it be backed up? And can I really spend over $400,000 on a second year player? Well, after one pre-season game this year, Anthony has worked hard to squash any fears that we in DT land may have had - although hurting his ribs in the second quarter, Anthony played out the game, racking up 38 disposals and 5 tackles in a clearly best-on-ground display. Many more of these games may see his $422K price tag put him in the bargain category! At the end of the day, it won’t be those who pick Gary Ablett from round one that win dream team 2010 - it’ll be those who take risks and gambles and find themselves the next Gary Ablett. Now I’m not saying Anthony is the next Gary Ablett, but I know I wouldn’t want him averaging 110 points and not be in my team… 

The Smokey:

Lindsay Thomas ($268,000): Thomas in now approaching his fourth AFL season, a career to date which has seen him play purely as a small crumbing forward. However, a potential role change looms for Thomas as he has had his best pre-season to date - he is running personal best times in all the trials and has gotten his skin folds down very low. Due to his hard work, there is a strong chance he will be moved to the midfield in 2010 - a position which he was initially drafted to play in 2006, until a shortage of small forwards saw him lining up in the Kangaroos forward line instead of on the centre square. The exciting thing about this move is the fact that Thomas was such a good ball winner as a junior, averaging 28.5 disposals in the SANFL with a kick to handball ratio of 2:1. If he is able to convert his junior stats to an AFL midfield, he could certainly be a bargain pick for 2010. Unfortunately, he did not play the game against Geelong and therefore this move is still speculative, and hence making him a smokey rather than a bargain. But keep a very close watch - if he so much as touches that centre square, pounce immediately!

The Team:

Melbourne finished the 2009 season struggling to stop from winning games and only just managed to scrape through with four wins to allow them the first two picks in the draft. With the new talent now secured, Melbourne will be pushing as hard as they can in 2010 and anything less than eight wins would likely be considered a failure. The trick will be developing the youth as quickly as possible - many will start very raw, but coach Dean Bailey must persist with this policy as have plenty of coaches before him. Due to this, Melbourne is a playing ground for many DT coaches with their plethora of young talent close to guaranteed to get a game this year. The only issue is the secrecy behind Dean Bailey - he refuses to give anything away, such as when kids will debut and how many games he expects them to play. As DT coaches, we want round one to be a lock and for him to spend all season spruiking a ‘youth polity.’ Unfortunately though, Bailey enjoys resting his younger players every few weeks - not a bad idea by development standards, but the game we are talking about is DT, one where we want 22 games from a player regardless if it is good for their health or not! But still, fill your interchange with cheap Melbourne players - hopefully they will be this year’s Fremantle!

Who’s Hot?:

Colin Sylvia ($418,700): Looks a strong chance to build on a very strong 2009 season. He has trained very well and showed he is in good touch with a  good performance in Sunday’s NAB cup game.

Jack Grimes ($392,300): Although 2009 was riddled with injury for Grimes, he showed what he is capable of. Has trained as a midfielder all pre-season and is currently injury free.

Jack Trengove ($153,500): Has fitted into the pace of training with ease. Although he had a mediocre showing on the weekend, I expect he will catch up to the pace of AFL over the next few weeks, ready for round one.

Who’s Not?:

Sam Blease: Is still recovering from the broken leg he suffered mid-2009. I would be surprised if he played many games this year.

Luke Tapscott: Has broken down with a hip injury he sustained at training. Will miss four months of football.

Jack Watts: Has bulked up a fair amount, but recently had an injury set back which will delay his start to the season.

Colin Garland: Further injury setbacks will see him miss the first chunk of the season.

The Bargain:

Jamie Strauss ($94,500): James Strauss was selected by Melbourne with pick 19 in the 2008 National Draft. Strauss was recruited from the Oakleigh Chargers and is listed as 185cms, 82kgs. Strauss represented Vic Metro in the 2008 Under 18 National Championships, where he averaged 14 possessions over his 5 games in the carnival. Strauss is a very athletic, fast (4^th overall in the 2008 Draft Camp for the 30 metre repeat sprints) and hard running midfielder, with elite endurance. Strauss also reads the play very well and is an excellent kick of the football on both sides of his body. Unfortunately for Melbourne, Strauss was cruelled by a series of ankle and leg injuries which saw him play no senior football in 2009 - although, this is a great thing for fantasy coaches as he will start the year at bottom price. He is a hard-bodied midfielder, which should see him given more opportunities than some of his other teammates, especially as he has had a full pre-season. He is also very versatile, as shown on Sunday night when he was thrown between the midfield and defense. Now that he has the fitness and there are spots in the team for him, I am confident that Strauss would be a great value pick in your 2010 team. He is both great value as well as being a more uncommon selection - a huge DT positive!

The Kid:

Jack Trengove ($153,500): I would be very surprised if you have not already put Trengove in your 2010 squad - he will likely be the most popular selection for most of the year. And there is very good reason behind this - he came to Melbourne in last year’s draft as the number 2 pick overall. He is a strong-bodied, ball winning midfielder, already with experience at playing against men. We got to see our first glimpse at the kid on Sunday night against Fremantle - unfortunately, he played a rather average game, suggesting that he may take a bit of time to get used to the pace of AFL. My first thoughts after the game were that he was out of my team, but on further thought I am going to keep him, but with much more of an eye on his next few games. I believe he has both the tools and potential to make a mark in 2010, but I want to at least see some signs in the pre-season before I confirm him as a lock. There is every chance that come round 1 he will be flying - but I want to be 100% sure before handing him a Guernsey for my team - especially with plenty of other top-notch kids fighting for a place!

The Premium:

Colin Sylvia ($418,700): It was a long time coming, but Colin Sylvia finally had his break out year in 2009, averaging 95 points whilst playing through the midfield and with stints up forward. Although coming into the 2010 season with a high average and in a bottom-eight team, I believe there is still huge potential in Sylvia and I reckon he will get even better and more consistent. The first concern about Sylvia is his discipline - twice in 2009 he was suspended by Melbourne for breaches of their rules, however I believe with a renewed sense of belief in what he can achieve in 2010, Sylvia will come out swinging in 2010, whilst also keeping his distracting antics at bay. Sylvia is a great Dream Teamer in that he is capable of huge games - some players who average 100 will never score more than 110 - he scored over 120 on four occasions, top scoring in round nine with 159 points. It is also worth noting that Sylvia’s great form did not actually kick in until about round 8 (he averaged 73 until then and 107 from then until the end of the season), meaning that his early average form has pulled his 2010 starting price down well below what is deserved for his talent. He is a lock for me in 2010 - he scores huge numbers, won’t regularly get a tag with Davey in the team and is also a relatively unique pick. Highly consider him for your team too!

The Smokey:

Joel Macdonald ($299,800): Macdonald was the biggest surprise delisting at the end of 2009 and subsequently was picked up by Melbourne with the first pick in the pre-season draft. Macdonald had his breakout season in 2008 with his run from half-back alongside the ever-injured Drummond, but in 2009 was relegated to a much more negating role in the backline as Ash McGrath was preferred ahead of him in the rebounding role. To compare his seasons, in 2008 his average was 75 and in 2009, 68. Whilst these numbers aren’t poles apart, I always thought he had a lot of improvement to come from his 2008 season, and I believe we will begin to see this in 2010. As was evident in the hit-out against Freo, Macdonald is getting trusted with more responsibility, often the go-to man off half-back. He was asked to defend Mayne, the third tall-target in the Freo forward line, breaking away from him at every opportunity. I think the worst case scenario with Macdonald is that there is no improvement, just flatline. However, I do believe there is potential in his new surrounds to add at least another 10 points to his 2009 average.

Dear Footy Tragics,

You may notice that this team summary is slightly different to previous team summaries. That’s because Toby has asked me to complete the Hawthorn team summary. I’m a passionate Hawks fan and I watch every Melbourne game live. Basically, I know the Hawks inside and out. Toby will be back next week, where he looks at Melbourne and North Melbourne - Tuney.

The Team:

The 2010 season can’t come quick enough for Hawthorn as they look to bounce back after a very disappointing 2009. With many of the Hawks big stars now fully fit after an early end to 2009 and the completion of full pre seasons, they are definitely looking to reclaim a top four spot this year.

In terms of dreamteam, I can’t see too many kids debuting for the Hawks this year with the arrivals of Shaun Burgoyne from Port Adelaide and Josh Gibson from North Melbourne. Competition for spots in the Hawthorn side will be hotly contested, so I’ve looked mainly at established players in this team summary, rather than at kids I don’t think will play in 2010.

Who’s Hot:

Jordan Lewis ($411,600): Lewis had a solid season in 2009, averaging 94 points per game after missing the first three matches of the season due to shoulder surgery in the off season. Despite missing a large chunk of the pre season, Lewis came into the side and performed admirably in trying circumstances for the Hawks.

Fast forward to February 2010 and Lewis has completed a full pre season and he is training the house down. Lewis has lost 7kgs in the pre season and moved very smoothly across the turf against Richmond on Saturday night. There is only one way to lose 7kgs in five months as an AFL footballer, and that is with serious gut running over summer. If Lewis can average 94 points per game with a limited fitness base, imagine what he could average with a full pre season under his belt. Lewis is a ball magnet with very strong hands and he loves to tackle. He sounds like the perfect dreamteam player to me.

Luke Hodge ($366,800): As an avid Hawks fan, it was painful for me watching Luke Hodge in 2009. Hodge ended the 2008 season as arguably the best player in the competition, with a Norm Smith medal and Premiership medal around his neck. Unfortunately, Hodge was a shadow of his former self for much of 2009 as he battled through a combination of shoulder and groin problems.

Hodge has completed a full pre season and now looks a picture of fitness after losing 5kgs over the summer. Hodge tore Richmond to ribbons on Saturday night as he cut a swathe through the midfield time after time before delivering passes laces out to Franklin and Roughead. We all know how good Hodge is and now that he is 100% fit, I expect him to dominate the competition again in 2010.

Buddy Franklin (354,900): After watching just 12 minutes of the Hawthorn vs Richmond game on Saturday night, I’d seen enough to be convinced Buddy will kick another 100 goals in 2010. The tape on Franklin’s left hand and thumb is gone, the powerful overhead marking is back and the lightning speed is also back. What’s more, Franklin’s kicking for goal was impeccable. When Hawthorn next meet Richmond in Round 8 at the MCG, Alex Rance should offer to carry Franklin’s bag to the game, rather than stand next to him in the goal square. Rance had nowhere to hide on Saturday night and looked like a deer in the headlights every time the ball came into Hawthorn’s attacking 50.

The great man is now 100% fit after minor foot surgery pre Christmas, so it’s time to get onboard and enjoy the ride. Keep in mind that Buddy will miss Round 1 through suspension.

Who’s Not:

Cyril Rioli ($334,900): Rioli has been put on ice over the last week due to groin soreness. The Hawks are hoping the injury is only minor, but missing a block of training in February is far from an ideal preparation. Rioli is still aiming to be fit for Round 1, but the Hawks will be taking a no risk policy with such a prized asset.

Shaun Burgoyne ($314,600): Burgoyne has only just joined the main training group after knee surgery in 2009. Burgoyne is also aiming to play Round 1, but he won’t have a solid fitness base behind him if he gets up for the season opener.

Clinton Young ($231,300): Young is still a long way off returning to the field due to an ongoing hip complaint. The hard running and penetrating kicking of Young was severely missed by the Hawks in 2009 and I wish him a speedy recovery.

The Bargain:

Rick Ladson ($185,100): Ladson was another player sorely missed by the Hawks in 2009. Ladson is the ultimate professional and he is very highly rated by the Hawthorn coaching staff. Ladson is one of the best kicks in the AFL and he gets the job done on a weekly basis with a minimum of fuss. While Ladson won’t average 90 plus points per game, he will average 70 - 75 points per game and play all 22 home and away matches if he remains injury free.

The Kid:

Ryan Schoenmakers ($181,800): It’s no surprise Port Adelaide tried so hard to lure Schoenmakers back to the city of churches over the off season, because he’s a precocious talent. It’s also no surprise that the Hawks told Port Adelaide to keep their grubby hands off him.

Schoenmakers really is a recruiting manager’s dream: 193cms, 86kgs, elite runner over short and long distance, big vertical leap, strong mark and effective kick on both sides of his body. What’s more, Schoenmakers looks like a natural footballer out on the field and like many quality players, always seems to have plenty of time.

In terms of dreamteam numbers in 2010, I’d expect Schoenmakers to average 50 - 55 points per game. I also expect him to play 22 home and away matches if he remains injury free, because he is currently in Hawthorn’s best 22 and very much in their long term plans.

The Premium:

Sam Mitchell ($449,200): Mitchell is a ball magnet and has been racking up 30 plus possessions on a regular basis for many years now. We’ve all seen Mitchell play many times, so we know what he will do if you select him in your side.

The Smokey:

Xavier Ellis ($305,600): Ellis is yet another Hawthorn player who was severely hampered by injury (hip, foot and ankle) in 2009. I’m pleased to say that Ellis has also done a full pre season and looked very impressive against Richmond on Saturday night. When watching Ellis last Saturday night, I wasn’t looking for him to rack up 40 possessions, I just wanted to make sure he was back to full fitness. I’ve seen enough in his 47 AFL games to know that he can seriously play our great game.

In conclusion, Ellis is fit, he’s underpriced and he’s in my side.

Good luck!

The Team:

Geelong have been premiers two of the past three years, and in 2010 will certainly be pushing hard again to make it to the last day in September. Not only are Geelong a great team on the field for the football skills, but are also the leading team for Dream Team, giving them an extra special place in our hearts. Their game plan revolves around over-possessing the ball through the corridor in an almost keepings-off kind of way. Due to this method of play, many of their elite midfielders finish games with huge dream team scores. It is not uncommon for at least 10 players from the side scoring over 100 points in a game. In short, Geelong players are fantastic choices for your dream team - the only catch is that they don’t come cheap, however they are certainly worth every cent you pay!

Who’s Hot?:

Joel Selwood ($453,400): Has bulked up even further, inferring he could be destined to take his game to yet another level in 2010. In only his fourth season, there is every likelihood that he will get better - get on early!

James Podsiadly ($77,800): The mature aged recruit is looking great on the track and has had a senior spot open up for him with the injury to Mitch Brown. He is fitting in very well, looking very good in all of the drills.

Marcus Drum ($209,500): Sounds like the change of scenery has really helped him mentally as he is ticking all the boxes this pre-season. With Harley’s retirement, there is an opening in the team for him if he works hard enough.

Tom Hawkins ($296,500): Is looking very fit and powerful - seems to have finally found the right combination of the two (in seasons past he has always been too much one way or another). He is training at CHF and in the ruck, therefore the potential is high if he can finally deliver on the hype.

Mitch Duncan ($89,500): The first year player is really impressing with his work-rate and delivery of the ball. Whilst it would be very hard to break into Geelong’s lineup, some players and coaches would not be too surprised if he were to play a few games this year.

Who’s Not?:

Steve Johnson: The hip injury that cruelled the second half of his 2009 campaign is still effecting him. He has been training on and off since Christmas, however his best-afield in the Geelong intraclub may be suggesting he is better than has been let on.

Matthew Stokes: Has been suspended by the club until at least round 8 due to drug trafficking charges. If he is found guilty, more charges may be laid. A shame as he would have been quite a bargain in 2010.

Mitch Brown: Going under the knife on his troublesome leg and will sit out the rest of the pre-season. He has been moved to the long term injury list, meaning he won’t be available until at least round 8.

Brad Ottens: Nearly lost his hand in a boating incident, however is training well despite the set back. Word is that his knee is now 100% - still, it is pretty hard to believe though!

The Bargain:

Josh Hunt ($164,100): Hunt required a full knee reconstruction after rupturing his ACL in the NAB cup final of 2009. Due to the injury, he missed the full season and is hence at a very tempting starting price. Hunt has never previously been a player to consider in Dream Team due to his average of around 65-odd points a game - certainly not enough to win you many DT games. However, due to his very low 2010 price, 65 points a game would definitely be welcomed (players who average 65 would be priced around $250,000), especially if he is being played as your 7^th defender, a player whom you expect to be upgrading later. The benefit behind playing Hunt as your 7^th defender ahead of a player such as Brad Sheppard is that you know that Hunt is likely to play 22 games and score you 60 - 70 points every week (unlike rookies whose positions in their teams are far from guaranteed). You know he will reach around $250,000 and you can then trade him out for someone of much higher value. He will still have to win his place in the team back, but I can’t see this being an issue - Bartel and Kelly (who played his role for parts of 2009) will move back to permanent midfielders, allowing for Hunt’s return.

The Kid:

James Podsiadly ($77,800): At 28 years old, Pods was a little hard to put into the ‘kid’ category, but in his first AFL season (in a while…), I will allow him to count. Also, he is the only ‘kid’ likely to play many games for Geelong. Podsiadly has been the best forward in the VFL competition for a number of years, four times being named in the VFL team of the year. In 2009, he booted 68 goals for Geelong’s VFL side whilst playing as a player/coach. It is worth noting at this point that rookie contracts are not given out to players willy-nilly, just so that a team can carry as many players as possible - Geelong would have selected Pods with a role in mind - at 28, he does not need to develop in the VFL and really only has a few years left, so it is obviously short-term gain which they recruited him for. So far this pre-season he has impressed so much that he has had Bomber Thompson re-thinking his 2010 forward structure, just to accommodate him. They have played three talls before, and I think it could work - watch his pre-season, and if the structure works, he is a lock. Also, with Mitch Brown being moved to the long term injury list, there is room in the senior squad for a rookie - currently Pods is odds-on favorite.

The Premium:

Gary Ablett Jnr ($522,000): As I have struggled to choose a premium for some other clubs, Geelong was just as hard, but for a different reason - they have way to many to choose from - Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Selwood and Enright could all be classed as premiums. However, I’m going with the most premium of the lot and arguably the best player in the AFL - Gary Ablett. Ablett’s pre-season’s are pretty low-key - he works himself really hard, but unlike many other players in February, he doesn’t talk himself up, nor claim to have become a new person - he is a hard worker and mentally tough and that is why he comes out in round one of every season better than he was the year before. Even though I think it is close to impossible for the good man to improve on what was a brilliant season of football in 2009, culminating in the Brownlow medal … He is only 25, so still in the height of his powers - even if he doesn’t improve on 2009, I don’t think there would be too many disappointed people if he simply matched his output. There is little doubt that this will happen - he has trained as well as ever and still has a strong team behind him, pushing for one more shot at glory before they likely begin their descent back down the ladder.

The Smokey:

Marcus Drum ($209,500): Drum asked to leave his former team, the Fremantle Dockers at the end of the 2009 season and was subsequently traded to Geelong. His timing couldn’t have been better as not long after his arrival, Geelong skipper Tom Harley hung up his boots. Harley was a mid-sized defender, capable of playing on either talls or smalls and zoning off, intercepting opposition forays into their attack. Drum plays a very similar role, and hence with some hard work and dedication he has the capability of breaking into Geelong’s best 22. Drum was initially recruited by Freo as a first round pick - he was a ball-getting defender with a great ability to read the play - all very similar attributes to Geelong’s Harley. He has so far had a strong pre-season and is currently looking likely to secure the opening in Geelong’s defense. I still want to watch him in some games before I make my decision on him, but my current thought is that he could be a great price pick for the 2010 season.

The Team:

Fremantle are still a very young team, but as was proven two years ago by Hawthorn, that can no longer be used as an excuse for sitting idle at the bottom of the ladder. Fremantle needs to improve this year - not only for the team itself and their fans, but also for Mark Harvey - one more season at the bottom of the ladder will have many people asking some harsh questions. However, I think he has done well with what he has been given -  he has given up on recycling players and gotten rid of all the veterans, now totally focusing on the youth and therefore the future. As a DT coach, it is hard not to love Mark Harvey - so far he has given us Palmer, Suban, Hill and everyone’s favorite, Broughton! Whilst there are few elite players on Fremantle’s list, it is always worth stocking up on a couple of their cheaply priced rookies - players such as Morabito, Barlow and Fyfe look like getting a chance this year, so keep your eyes peeled - you are far better off punting on a Freo rookie than one from the Saints or Geelong. Also, if they play better in 2010 as expected, the value of the players will rise accordingly as they have more possession of the ball.

Who’s Hot?:

Matthew Pavlich ($404,900): Has trimmed down from last year, helping his fitness base. He will move more forward of centre this year, a big positive as far as DT is concerned - Pav was always a better player as a marking forward than as a midfielder.

Ryan Crowley ($242,400): After missing a lot of 2009, he seems determined to make 2010 his after great form on the track. Gary Ablett, look out!

Stephen Hill ($255,100): Has put on 5kgs yet hasn’t lost any of his zip. He played undersized for 22 games in 2009, so no reason he can’t do the same this year. Freo are expecting big things!

Garrick Ibbotson ($313,800): Training really well - looks bulked up and very fit. Only worry is that there have been talks of him becoming a tagger - no good for fantasy purposes.

Luke McPharlin ($276,800): Claims it is his best pre-season yet, however he will be played exclusively in defense, so this won’t help us too much in DT land.

Paul Duffield ($392,700): Really pushed himself on the track after his breakout season in 2009. I’m expecting big things from the boy with the flowing blonde locks!

Who’s Not?:

Rhys Palmer: Is nearly fully recovered from a knee reconstruction he received early in 2010. He has used the time off the track to build up his strength and is looking like a man now. However, he still looks like he may miss round one as part of his rehab - worth keeping an eye on though.

Steven Dodd: Shoulder and wrist surgery have cruelled most of his pre-season and he may miss some rounds of football.

The Bargain:

Chris Mayne ($220,800): Every club has their mercurial talent - the player who will be the next big thing - but also the player that only full fledged members of that particular club seem to have any idea about! For Fremantle, that player is Chris Mayne. So much is the hype that in only his second year at the club, his round 18 senior comeback secured the headline story of one Western Australia newspaper, entitled “The Mayne Event.” Mayne is a medium sized forward with the ability for the freakish - he spent the last five weeks of the season playing close to goal and was Fremantle’s leading target inside 50 for those rounds. He has worked hard this off-season and looks to grow his game in 2010 alongside his developing team. He has put on weight and increased his fitness, suggesting to me that in 2010 he won’t be used solely in attack, but also up the field. I, like Fremantle supporters, believe that Mayne is a talent, and one that has the potential to have a breakout season this year. He is priced beautifully for the small risk involved (and has received a nice discount due to only playing five games last year), and I am very tempted myself. I believe that he has the potential to average 70 - 75 points a week, making his low starting price well worth the investment. Keep an eye on his NAB cup, as I have a sneaking suspicion that he is going to turn a lot of heads this year.

The Kid:

Anthony Morabito ($145,500): Morabito was Fremantle’s first pick in the 2009 draft and fourth overall. He is already very strongly built for his age (191cm and 97kg), meaning he will be fine to step straight into the senior side in round one (aided by the fact that Freo love to play the kids). He is a strong user of the ball and also has the ability to win his own, but the problem with his game is that he is far from a ball magnet. Whilst he has more than a few possessions a game, he averaged only 14 disposals across his 10 WAFL games in 2009, a stat that suggests he is more built for supercoach than Dream Team. I believe he still has some worth at the price he is - we know he will play, and would be happy with the 60 - 70 points he may get per game. The thing to consider though is that there are some better first round picks in the same price range as Morabito - consider him for your bench, but I wouldn’t be expecting him on your field too many times this year.

The Premium:

Aaron Sandilands ($419,800): The premium ruck seems to be a dying breed, but fortunately, in the year that Dean Cox fell apart, Sandilands was able to step up and easily take his place as the best DT ruckman. Whilst Sandi is an awkward player to watch on the field with his giant arms and strange gait, he is also a brilliant footballer. He dominates hitouts against every ruckman in the competition, often scoring 30 - 40 points from hitouts alone! Coupled with that, his work at the stoppages is great, getting the most clearances for a ruckman in 2009 and averaging 17 disposals. He was also able to add another string to his bow in 2009 with the ability to kick goals - something drastically underrated for a ruckman in today’s game - Sandi was able to nab himself 13 goals, 8 behinds for the year, and I believe that this will increase further this year as Zac Clarke becomes stronger and more able to support the big guy in the ruck, allowing him to move closer to goal more often. If you are looking for a premium ruck in 2010, I am close to 100% confident that Sandi is your man - he is still young by Ruckman standards (27yo) and showed last year he is still getting better and still getting used to using his size to his advantage.

The Smokey:

Adam McPhee ($340,800): McPhee walked out on Essendon at the end of 2009 for a few reasons - one was to return to the club where he played his first game of AFL. Another reason was for the three-year contract Essendon weren’t prepared to offer. And thirdly, to quote, “For [his] own ego,” to play midfield, as promised to him by Mark Harvey. From the moment I heard this snippet of news, I was licking my lips with excitement - whilst McPhee isn’t necessarily the most exciting player to don some AFL boots in the past while, he is a big-bodied player, capable of winning his own ball and taking a contested mark - two traits which translate very nicely into Dream Team - especially when played through the midfield! As McPhee is moving to a young team in Fremantle, I expect he will be given much more responsibility, i.e. a greater leadership role in the midfield, similar to that played by Pavlich through 2010 - Freo need hard-bodied players around the stoppages to prevent the likes of Hill, Suban and Palmer from being beaten around, and that is where McPhee will step in. He will be great lining up on the square and at winning his own ball, I also imagine he will be a great tackler and be moved forward occasionally to kick some goals. Get the gist of what I’m saying? We have never seen him play midfield before, but if he can translate his regular game into that of a midfielder, I believe his game statistics will take quite the rising. Watch him in the NAB cup - if he chops, get on board!

The Team:

Essendon’s young list finally began to gel together throughout 2009, albeit sporadically. The hope is that they can continue on from where they left off last year, despite the loss of two veteran goal kickers, Lloyd and Lucas. They have plenty of kids to fill their places, but the only worry is that many of them are untried, therefore forecasting an uncertainty of direction for Essendon’s 2010 campaign. The internal hope is that they will continue upwards from their solitary 2009 finals appearance, and anything less than that would be considered a failure. They have the cattle to do it, especially after discovering some great young talent in 2009 in the form of Hurley, Ryder and Zaharakis. The only question is - are they too young to back 2009 up, especially with the amount of teams staking a claim for a top-eight spot in 2010? Essendon are OK Dream Teamers - their only issue is the inability of players to play a full season, seemingly always struck down by injury. I wouldn’t load up on Essendon’s list, but some of their third or fourth year players (and young veterans with something to prove) could certainly prove to be worth a spot in your team.

Who’s Hot?:

Mark McVeigh ($268,400): After a 2009 marred by injury and suspension, McVeigh has been carving a determined figure this pre-season. He is injury free and looking very fit. Starred in the intra-club and is a bargain at his starting price.

Brent Prismall ($419,600): Has had a full pre-season after he spent 2008/2009 recovering from a knee reconstruction. He is looking fit and being talked up as a future leader at the club.

Scott Gumbleton ($94,500): Not a standout, but he is on the park - a feat in its own right. He is so highly rated it is ridiculous - we just need to see it on the field, but this could (touch-wood) be his season. He WILL play if fit.

Andrew Welsh ($374,400): Had most of his 2009 cut down with injury, but has spent this pre-season working like a dog and is very fit. He will play a big role in the midfield, seeing his point scoring go skyward.

Who’s Not?:

Jason Laycock: Missed 2009 with injuries that proceeded to ruin most of his pre-season. Only this week, he sustained a calf injury, pushing his rehab further back a month.

David Hille: Is still recovering from a knee reconstruction he received mid way through 2009. Despite the hype of his game in the intra-club, it must be remembered he kicked two goals whilst only matched up on a third year player. Apparently, his knee was very sore and inflamed after the match. He is still progressing ok for round one, but proceed with extreme caution!

Tyson Slattery: Stress fracture in his fibula - still not participating in full training.

Michael Hurley: Wrist injury derailed his pre-season, meaning he has been nursed through most contact drills. This will unfortunately make him underdone for the start of the season.

David Myers: Recent hamstring injury has put his pre-season on hold for a few weeks. Otherwise he is looking quite a fit unit.

The Bargain:

Mark McVeigh ($268,400): Mark McVeigh was odds-on favorite for the captaincy at Essendon… up until the second half of 2009. He got suspended - once on the field, and once off it - all but putting to sleep any dreams he had for the role. That, along with his continual injuries, McVeigh’s 2009 was one he would probably rather forget. And that is exactly what it seems like he is doing - he has been working very hard to prove to both his teammates and supporters that he does deserve to wear the red and black guernsey. He is looking very fit, and has proven such with his best-on-ground display at the club’s intra-club hitout, kicking two goals whilst playing in the midfield. The other positive of his 2010 season is that he will be playing purely as a midfielder (who I assume will rest in a forward pocket). In previous seasons, he has shown an ability to win large amounts of the ball and is trusted with it by his teammates (his average dream team points dropped by an average of 28 per game from 2008 to 2009, which is huge!). I expect he is worth significantly more money than his attached price-tag, and due to that is one of the bigger bargains of the 2010 season. All we can do is hope that neither his body nor his head let him down again.

The Kid:

Scott Gumbleton ($94,500): Gumbleton is one of the higher ranked juniors in the AFL system, however he has played a grand total of just five games! The only reason behind this low tally is injury - hamstring tears, broken collarbones and back complaints. Now that both Lloyd and Lucas have left the nest, Essendon will be desperate for Gumby to play some games this year, as he will be relied upon as one of their main forward-50 targets. So far this pre-season, he has trained strongly and seems to have put his injury woes behind him. The only worry is that this is what we were saying at this time last year, until he broke down again in the NAB cup. I have a suspicion that he may be more likely to play this year - I feel he was rushed last year and that is what caused the stress in his back. This time, he has had all year to recover, with the fitness staff taking every step to make sure he is 100% before playing any games. I think that if he gets named (even for the NAB cup), it infers the coaches are confident in his body - they would rather wait to round 10 and him be ok than lose him again before the year even kicks off. However, if he does play, don’t expect him to be kicking five goals a game. Put him down for an OK average of 50 - enough for him to push for a price of a little over $200,000. Essentially, he could be a great bench player, but I would not be starting him on the field!

The Premium:

Brent Stanton ($443,600): It is very hard to pick an elite player off Essendon’s list as they are still all maturing, however, Stanton best fits the category. He is predominantly an outside player and therefore loves to play on the Dons home ground - the MCG due to it’s large running space and open wings. His only problem is his consistency - whilst he is able to pull down some massive scores, he is known for throwing in the odd shocker - that is until 2009. For the first time in his career, the difference between Stanton’s best and his worst was far, far less. Where in previous years he ranged from 135, all the way down to 37, in 2009 his lowest score was 56 (against St.Kilda’s Clint Jones) and with a total of only five games scoring below 80. But for his six games over 120 and 12 games over 100, his lower scores become more acceptable. And with an average of 103.8 for the final 10 rounds, Stanton showed he is on the up. Whilst he is not necessarily the most premium of premiums, Stanton still represents good value and has the ability to get better. He is also unique - a forgotten tactic in the world of DT, and one which we all very much love at Footy Tragic!

The Smokey:

Jarrod Atkinson ($240,800): Atkinson played the final five games in 2009, after having played five the year before. I was really impressed by him last year, and put him in my ‘players to watch’ scrapbook I kept whilst writing my Weekly Wrap articles (only one more week till they re-start baby!!). He is a pacy rebounding defender, now trusted with the ball by his teammates. Honestly, in his first couple of games, his lack of trust for his own boot didn’t help him, but as he began to trust himself, his deliveries out of defence became much more accurate. As time went on, his teammates would also trust him more as he was given more of a creative license off the back-line. But just as he was hitting his straps, the season unfortunately ended. I am hoping he can take that form into this year with the blessing of Knights to drive the ball out of the defensive-50. If he can become a regular, and presents some form in the NAB cup, there is every chance he could become a big improver this year.

The Team:

As usual, Collingwood are looking at having a decent stab at September action, recruiting seasoned players Luke Ball and Darren Jolly. I believe Jolly will make a difference to the side, especially in September - Ball will be handy, but with the hype of trade week, it becomes hard to think of him as the player he IS, not the player is WAS - he’s give 110%, but is still slow and refuses to kick the ball… Collingwood have their hardest fixture they have had in many years, so this will make it more difficult for them to be winning consistently, but it also means to avoid players who go missing in bigger games, such as Leon Davis. As far as Dream Team is concerned, Collingwood are reasonable without being great - they do kick a lot more than many other sides, so this is a big plus, however they do not over-possess the ball like some of the better DT sides, Geelong and St.Kilda.

Who’s Hot?:

Scott Pendlebury ($454,700): Has apparently been blowing away the coaches with his work effort this pre-season and hasn’t missed a beat. I really like the sound of this - at his age, he should be really hitting his prime.

Darren Jolly ($381,500): Training strongly, and training to be Collingwood’s key ruckman in 2010, with Fraser being trained as a part time forward/ rover. I see a lot of upside in Jolly this year.

Nathan Brown ($161,600): After an average 2009, he has put on stacks of muscle and looks like cementing his spot in the side. He has impressed both the coaches and fans immensely - just be wary that his position of CHB is not ideal for DT purposes.

Ben Reid ($169,200): Has put on some weight and muscle as well as increased his fitness. The coaching staff are hoping he can secure a spot along the half-back line come round one - again, his point scoring wont win you many games though.

Who’s Not?:

Travis Cloke: Has missed a fair bit of training due to a bruised knee he copped towards the end of last year. I think Cloke is one of those players who NEEDS a full pre-season to hit early form, therefore I would be very cautious!

Brad Dick: Still recovering from a shoulder reconstruction and will miss at least two months of the season proper - avoid.

The Bargain:

Paul Medhurst ($289,200): After a breakout season in 2008, concluding with an All-Australian nod, Paul Medhurst’s 2009 was both frustrating and disappointing. This was mainly caused by an ankle injury sustained in round 6 - he went on to miss six games and once he returned in round 13, he failed to come close to regaining his 2008 form. Not only was his form poor, but due to the management of his injury, his minutes per game dropped by 20% from the year prior. He has worked hard over the off season to overcome his injuries, and many reports have suggested he has been successful, despite still training on a modified program. This means that if he is able to begin 2010 in similar fashion to 2008, we could see a significant rise in his scoring, compared to what is expected of him with his lowly starting price of under $300k. Medhurst is a risky one, and could almost fall into the ’smokey’ category if it wasn’t for the fact we know what he is capable of without a nagging ankle injury. Certainly keep an eye on his pre-season before selecting him, but if he shows no signs of soreness in the joint (and consequently plays well), he should be very strongly considered for your 2010 team!

The Kid:

Steele Sidebottom ($254,600): Steele not only arrived at Collingwood with masses of fanfare, but also arrived in Dream Team land with enough fanfare to know something special was about to happen! Steele’s DT average as a junior was staggering, with him clocking just over 160 points in the 2008 TAC cup Grand Final - not too bad! Unfortunately, for much of 2009, Steele delivered little on his promises due to a lack of opportunity, but also lack of body size to be able to compete with the much larger opposition midfielders. After we were losing faith, Steele pulled out a 25 disposal, 10-tackle game against Adelaide in the Semi final. Through this, Steele confirmed two things - it confirmed to us all that he is capable of replicating his large junior scores at AFL level, but also confirmed to Mick Malthouse that Steele is now a best-22 player. Now, one pre-season later, Steele has bulked up his body and looks set for a big year - I believe we will see a big improvement from Steele this year, and his price tag of $254,600 looks very, very appetizing!

The Premium:

Dane Swan ($523,500): Dane Swan is the premium’s premium. If you played Dream Team in 2009, you know who he is - he is the ‘average’ footballer that no opposition coach wanted to tag, even if he racked up 48-possessions, just like he did in round 10 against Port Adelaide. From rounds 13 - 20, Swan racked up at least 30 disposals in each game - Need I say more? The guy is a DT gun - good enough to get stacks of the ball, not good enough to deserve the tag! However, I worry that with the amount of publicity Swan’s season got towards the end of last year, some coaches will begin to put the clamps on the great man - it was proven in the finals that Swan is definitely able to be stopped via a tag, and on both occasions he was tagged, Collingwood lost (whether this has anything to do with the tag or not is another question entirely…). At this price, you want to be sure he will average at least 110 points, at least for the first number of rounds, and personally, I would be a little skeptical - although this may be dependant on how well Pendles and Didak go from round one (ie. They may be tagged instead). Personally, I would be more inclined to spend my money elsewhere, but in saying that, Swan rarely has a bad match and it’s very likely that I will be proven wrong!

The Smokey:

Simon Buckley ($193,300): Buckley only played one game for Melbourne in 2009 due to ongoing hip and groin injuries. This was especially disappointing after his great break-out season in 2008. Unfortunately, Buckley was delisted at the end of the year, but then picked up by Collingwood in the draft. He played most of his time at Melbourne as a rebounding defender and midfielder, a role that would be likely at Collingwood if he is given his chance. He is a good price for the risk involved - the risk mainly being whether he is best 22 or not - personally I don’t believe he is at the moment, but he does have time to prove otherwise in the NAB cup. I do like the price though - he could effectively be your 6^th or 7^th defender, and therefore not be relied upon for huge scores. I think if he does play, it could be expected he will average around 70 points - a good investment at under $200k. Now, I know I say it a lot, but watch his pre-season (and we will even do it for you at Footy Tragic!) and see whether he looks like he will play round one. If round one looks likely, you could do much worse around that price range!