It’s time for you fantasy fans to show off your knowledge by submitting pen portraits of AFL players.
As with last year’s crop of reviews, I am opening up the site to enable you to submit a review of any current AFL player, which I will look over for quality and then publish on their FanFooty profile. If you feel like you want to write a mid-season review for your favourite player, submit your entry of around 150 words – warning, it must be at least within 130-170 words or it will be slashed or ignored! – in the comments of this post.
In short, here is what I want the feature to be: an analysis of what sort of fantasy player he is, followed by a bit of a wrap of how his season has gone so far. I’ll post the good ones with attribution of your user name, and a nice picture of the player to go with it. . Please, be gentle and don’t be nasty.
Note that there will only be one review per player, so if the name appears on the list of completed reviews then choose someone else. You can submit as many reviews on new players as you like. Thanks in advance for all your contributions! We got over 35 last year, I’m hoping to push way past 50 this year. 100 would be nice! 🙂
Completed player reviews: Robbie Gray, Joel Selwood, Greg Broughton, Adam Cooney, Leon Davis, Nick Riewoldt, Daniel Hannebery, Stephen Hill, Brad Green, Jarrod Harbrow, David Hille, Andrew Swallow, Aaron Sandilands, Adam Goodes, Heath Shaw, Mitchell Banner, Dane Swan, Barry Hall, Luke Hodge, Tony Armstrong, Daniel Giansiracusa, Tom Rockliff, Sharrod Wellingham, Matthew Pavlich, Ben Nason, Leigh Montagna, Gary Ablett jnr, Kurt Tippett, Scott Pendlebury, Shane Mumford, Paul Chapman, Brian Lake, James Podsiadly, Jarrad Grant, Corey Enright, Paul Duffield, Relton Roberts, Jonathan Brown, Leigh Brown, Beau Waters, Dustin Martin, Luke Power, Brent Stanton, Richard Douglas, Jordan Russell, Michael Barlow, David Armitage, Matthew Boyd, Jack Riewoldt, Brendon Goddard
mervneagle
June 16, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Brendon Goddard is the archetypal jack of all trades, both in fantasy football and the real thing. He has taken his game to a new level this season and is seriously challenging Gary Ablett Jnr. as the number one fantasy footballer.
In supercoach he has dipped below the magical 100 mark only once; for a 98 against the Bulldogs in round 6. He has scored 131 or better on 8 of his 12 outings so far in 2010. In dreamteam he has scored over 100 in 9 of his 12 outings.
His value is as a fantasy player is accentuated given the fact that he can be chosen as a defender or a midfielder. He is durable, fair, and is rarely beaten in a one on one contest. Goddard is a beautiful mark, a precise kick and he has more than repaid the Saints for the faith they invested in him by taking him with their number one pick in 2002.
He doesn’t come cheap however. His price has exploded through the 700k mark in recent weeks. He is worth every penny.
numberwang
June 16, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Clearly football talent runs in Riewoldt family as Jack Riewoldt has proven in the first half of this year. Whilst Richmond fans haven’t had too much to cheer about this season, Jack has come in leaps and bounds and is now favourite for the Coleman Medal.
Not only does he sit on 45 goals at the half way mark of the season but his aerial talent, accuracy and tackling make him a perfect inclusion to any DT or SC forward line. He is nearing premium forward status as his and his team’s confidence grows as we have seen with his 120 point average in the last five weeks and in only his 4th year, he can only improve and one many will be considering come finals time.
No longer do Tiger fans mourn the loss of Richo as Jack emerges from the shadow of his cousin.
SungMach15
June 16, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Matthew Boyd was once under-rated by both the general public and fantasy minds alike but is more recognised nowadays due to his in-and-under work. He along with Daniel Cross is the Western Bulldog’s leading contested ball winner and one of the most consistent players in their team.
Boyd is a durable player but a hand injury has seen him miss 2 matches this season so far which are the first matches he has missed in 5 years. He has an average of 111 in DT at the halfway point of the season and this is a remarkable achievement considering his output was lower than usual for the first couple of weeks coming off the hand injury. He has managed a low score of 75 with his highest being 156 against Hawthorn. Additionally, he has managed 7 tons out of 10 games played.
Boyd’s price peaked at $478,800 and has been low as $416,300 this season. Currently he is priced at $427,000 which is relatively cheap for a premium midfielder.
tom_legend
June 16, 2010 at 10:32 pm
David Armitage has been another example of a pre-season hype that has failed to deliver. In 2009 Armitage struggled to break into the strong St. Kilda team. In his 3 games however he did not disappoint, averaging 9 tackles, 91 Dream Team points and 97 Supercoach points.
For 2010 he was no star in the Nab Cup, but was still in the team for round 1. Inconsistency has been a major problem of his first half to the season. For the first 4 rounds he was up and down in both competitions before balancing out in an average of 69.43 in DT and 70 in Supercoach. These may not sound to bad but without high scores in rounds 2 and 4 they would be much lower. After being dropped for round 7 and then 9 Armitage injured his knee and is looking at 4 weeks on the sideline. Hopefully when he recovers Armitage, either this year or next, will be able too finally deliver and provide consistent high scores.
SungMach15
June 16, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Michael Barlow was picked up by Fremantle in the rookie draft of 2009 and was overlooked by many clubs including the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Richmond. He has proved to be a fantastic player and a magnificent scorer in DT and SC. He has played all games bar 1 this season due to hamstring tightness.
His scoring has been unbelievable this season with his lowest scores of 46 and 78 against Geelong and St. Kilda respectively. His performances have not gone unnoticed by opposition coaches with some putting a tag on him but the only effective ones have been Cameron Ling and Clinton Jones.
Started off the season at $105,800 and now is currently priced at $434,000 and still rising. Surprisingly, a minority decided not to pick him and this has proved to be a costly decision with Barlow managing 7 tons and 2 scores in the high 90s in the games he has played so far. Based on current form with a DT avg of 108.7 and a SC avg of 116, he is a ‘keeper’ at this point in time.
migman19
June 16, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Highly touted as a junior and a number 9 draft pick in 2004, Jordan ‘Noof’ Russell has finally come good on his obvious potential in season 2010. The 24 year old has now cemented his position in the Carlton backline and blossomed into one of the competition’s premier running backmen.
Fantasy Coach’s who took a punt on the South Australian bred talent will be pleasantly surprised with his output as we enter the second half of the season. Dream Team scores of 101, 103, 106 and a massive 152 in Round 7 against St Kilda have bumped his season average to 90.8, 17.7 points up on his 2009 average. His ability to read the play and setup counter attacks for his team have made him the ‘go to’ man down back, which has inevitably seen both his disposal and marking averages increase also.
With games against Brisbane, West Coast, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond still to come in the latter half of the year, there is no reason why Russell can’t keep up his current average.
Word Count: 168
vc_bombers
June 16, 2010 at 11:44 pm
After an average first 6 games of the season, Richard Douglas has fired up the jets and become one of the breakout players of the season. Douglas’ averages are up by over 20 in both forms of the game, from 69 to a touch under 90 in Supercoach and from 65 to 87 in Dreamteam, which has seen his price going up over $100,000.
His blistering form at least warrants consideration as a trade option, averaging 116.67 and 110.83 in his last 6 games in SC and DT respectively. The forward is averaging over 20 possessions a game, but his tackling is also pumping up his scores, with 29 in the last 6 rounds. With Adelaide’s football improving, this unique pick (less than 2% in both forms), could improve on his scores and be the player to get you the league win.
xztatik
June 16, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Brent Stanton:
While he’s not a SC superstar, Brent Stanton is the perfect DT player. The hard-running midfielder combines a high kick-to-handball ratio with great marking and tackling numbers to ensure that any time that he gets around 25-30 touches, the result is a huge score for your team. The fact that he is a garbage time specialist doesn’t hurt either, with Stants regularly slipping into defence to end the game with some cheap kicks and marks.
In 2010, Stanton has been up and down, racking up colossal numbers on occasion while also struggling with back and ankle injuries that have caused him to miss two games. Taggers have also been a problem, with ‘The Pink Pig’ Cameron Ling holding him to 72 in round 12 after Jobe Watson saw most of the attention early in the year. However, he has still improved on his 2009 DT average and has a chance to lift it further in the second half of the season.
Junk Time
June 17, 2010 at 12:06 am
Triple premiership player and All-Australian, Luke Power is showing no signs of ageing in the dreamteam department. The Oakleigh Charges product is statistically having one of his best years to date. His monster 147 in round 10 showed many coaches he’s still got potential in him.
With his new role at half back flank, Power is averaging 91.4, despite his round six measly score of 40. Voss’ new game style of free-flowing football allows his ex-teammate to set up from half back, racking up a touch over 23 disposals a game.
Only missing seven games in eight years, Power is one of the most durable players in the AFL. This rare upside is evenly matched with his constant ball winning ability.
After being a steal at $337,200 in round eight, Power’s 147 exploded his price to a hefty $398,600. With his priced now maxed out, keep him on your radar as a cheaper option to a fifth or sixth midfielder.
Sweenfury
June 17, 2010 at 12:12 am
Dustin Martin is almost Judd like in the way he can always get his hands free, and just throws of tacklers with ease. Is extremely strong for an 18 year old especially in the core. Although some may be disappointed in his overall output this year (averaging 65.9 in DT and 77.5 in SC), in recent weeks he has really stepped up his scoring especially in Supercoach scoring 83, 98 and 99 in the last 3 weeks. His scoring in Supercoach is normally above his Dream Team, meaning he gets his own ball and uses the ball well. He looks to have an extremely damaging long right boot, and also is extremely capable on his left. He always tends to have an impact even when he isn’t getting too much, with his ability to win clearances, and use his long kick to break the lines. Although a somewhat disappointing year after his amazing pre-season, there is no doubt he will be an extremely good fantasy player in years to come.
m0nty
June 17, 2010 at 2:11 am
Excellent submissions so far, keep them coming! I’ll start adding them to the profiles tomorrow.
SungMach15
June 17, 2010 at 8:20 am
Beau Waters was avoided by some at the start of the season due to his history with injury but many fantasy coaches could not go wrong at snapping him up at the start of the season priced at $152,800 in Dreamteam and $151,100 in Super Coach.
He has accumulated 8 80 scores with 6 of them being tons and 3 of those tons coming in round 10, 11 and 12 consecutively. His low score of 49 against Fremantle and 3 other 60’s can be ignored by the fact of his capabilities to deliver out a huge score.
He has played all games this season and his price has risen to above $390,000 in DT/ SC and may rise for a few more weeks with a low breakeven. For a majority of fantasy coaches, Waters is locked in as their 7th back but a minority traded him to a ‘premium’ a few weeks ago. West Coast has decided to play Waters forward in recent weeks but generally has not hindered his scoring.
tom_legend
June 17, 2010 at 9:28 am
He is back and spudding it up more then ever! Leigh Brown, everyone’s giant potato friend, has been having another predictable year. After playing 20 games in 2009 he has played only 6 games to round 13. After a dismal first 4 rounds, Malthouse finally dropped him, but the VFL could not contain this superstar and he was back for round 11 and 12! His only decent score was in Round 11 when he got 78 DT points and 84 Supercoach points. Fluke? You betcha.
He is averaging 47.3 in DT and 45.1 in Supercoach. Again we have waited for him to produce his breakout year and this looks like its not going to be it. Come on spudelicious, try pulling out a ton before you get dropped again as you are nearing the end of your career.
stevesowde
June 17, 2010 at 9:45 am
After a scintillating start to the season by racking up big Fantasy centuries, luring thousands of Fantasy Footy coaches to recruit the powerful forward in the process, big Jonathon Brown has had another injury plagued season coming up to the mid-year break battling an “abdominal strain†which has crippled his fantasy scores.
Finally benched in Round 11 by coach Voss up in Brisbane, Brown will sit the next few weeks out until he is fully recovered, and Fantasy coaches across the country will have to decide whether to trade or hold on to the champion forward.
Peaking for DT in Round 3 at $441K, Brown has sunk to a season low of $305K prior to the mid-year break – which makes him one of the bargains of the season when he returns fit. Playing fit, Brown easily averages 100 points – and this coach, for one, will be keeping him.
Junk Time
June 17, 2010 at 9:53 am
m0nty take away the ‘d’ in priced in the first word of the last line. Priced = Price.
Thanks
stevesowde
June 17, 2010 at 10:10 am
After promising very little during the NAB cup, it is no wonder that Relton Roberts has been the biggest spud of this Fantasy coaches season to date. Hastily and foolishly recruited in the final minutes before Round 1 lockout due to being named to debut, Relton certainly hasn’t let an opportunity to fail pass him by.
After a sizzling start to DT in Rounds 1 and 2 with 38 and 18 respectively, Relton decided to hit the town to celebrate his plunging Brownlow odds, staying out far too late for Coach Hardwick to tuck him into bed – and has found himself relegated to the VFL for the remainder of the season.
Coming up to the split round mid-year, with premium forwards like Jonathan Brown, Alan Didak, Colin Sylvia and Big Buddy Franklin all missing games through injury or suspension, this Fantasy coach is really regretting picking a spud of a bench player who can’t get a game with the big boys.
Barlow
June 17, 2010 at 10:34 am
Prestigiacomo is a DT god and deserves to be in every squad. Refusing to throw himself into the fantasy spotlight like so many of his greedy team mates, Presti enjoys scores in the mid 20s: enough to satisfy the coaches intelligent enough to pick him, whilst modest enough to avoid a frenzied influx of trade-ins which would surely follow if he stepped it up into the 40 region. A must-have for any Dream Team wanting to be taken seriously.
xiamendude
June 17, 2010 at 11:11 am
Paul “Duffman†Duffield the 187cm, 88kg, all running, all handballing, all kicking defence/midfield man from the Fremantle Dockers.
Recruited from South Fremantle (WA) and making his debut in 2006, his initial impact was sporadic at best, averaging 72.4 in 2006, 57.8 in 2007 and 68.5 in 2008. 2009, however, was the breakout year of the Duffman, ripping up the green stuff and posting a career best of 97.4 SC points.
Duffman’s SC power comes from his limited FA (0.9 career average, -8 SC points), improved Acc% (66) and the new/improved midfield of the Dockers (Sandi’s great hit outs, combined with Barlow and Hasleby/Duffman). It is important to note, his role changed with the inclusion of Silvani on the backline and limited use of Schammer and Palmer in the 2010 season.
Overall, Duffman is generally underrated and underused in many SC teams. His ability to bring in roughly 80-100 SC points a week, occasionally getting the 120’s, can be a great addition to that 5-6 spot on your backline.
chucknorris
June 17, 2010 at 11:25 am
Corey Enright represents a great package for someone looking for a third backmen next to Hodge and Goddard. His consistency defines him. Since 2006 his yaerly average has never dropped under 85 DT and 90 SC. And missing 1 home and away game in 5 seasons. A guy like Drummond can give you higher scores, but they miss the games that Enright plays. And plays well.
He gives Geelong a great drive off half back to supply that blue ribbon midfield. His disposal as with all the Geelong elites is amongst the best in the comp. He also has a great pair of hands but it is his decision making that sets him apart.
For any serious fantasy punter, he warrants automatic selection as your third premium back. But buy him and own him with confidence that your not just owning a winning player, but playing in a winning team which means more more points for your team every week.
saliba29
June 17, 2010 at 11:32 am
There were a lot of doubts if Jarrad Grant was ever going to make it as an AFL player at the start of the 2010 season but since been giving the opportunity early in the season he has taken it with both hands. Grant has cemented his spot in the Bulldogs 22 and is ever growing in confidence.
What makes Grant such an exciting player is that he has so many strings to his bow. Great height very cleans hands, footy brains and lighting quick pace. Although his set shot goal kicking is suspect at times. After his first 8 games of 2010 Grant averages a healthy average of 72 DT and 70 SC.
Grant will continue to play a half forward role for the Bulldogs which means he will rack up a heap of marks and few goal assists and a goal a match. He is only going to get better as a player and has the potential for an average of 80-100 in the next few seasons.
chucknorris
June 17, 2010 at 11:51 am
Posiadly (JPod 2.0) – in 2009 a man with a football career barely alive. But “Bomber” Thompson said just before the 2010 draft – “We can rebulid him”. And rebuild him they did. This guy didnt wait to seize his second chance – he grabbed it by the throat. AS a fantasy bargain, he’s up there with the all times steals. At $77K DT and $83K SC at the satrt of the season – it just doent get any better than this. His price has risen almost 500%.
Along with Barlow, the fairytale of 2010. How a good 28 yo VFL player who was a physio at Geelong can become one of the great power forwards in the AFL in 2009, still says there’s something great about this game we love. There was said to be a protest march in Geelong when he was rested (oh, sorry injured) in R8. Such is the cult following of this Lazurus of players. And why is he so popular?
Because he’s more than just a great forward. Watch this guy play and he just circles the goalside 50% of the ground like a shark. His marks inside 50% stats are awesome. His contested marks inside 50% stats are ubelievable.
And he’s a great kick. I remember when I used to go to footy and say “How did he kick that” where with all these kids running around who are athletes first and footy players second – when they line up and miss goals, I find myself saying “Why cant they kick those anymore” – he has shown up the kids running around that kicking long goals has become a lost artform and Pods is doing his best to start a renaissance is accountable long distance goal kicking.
HE is the total package. A brute of a man. I saw him lay 4 tackles in 10 mins against Richmond this year at Kardinia Park. OF these 4 tackles, 3 Richmond players needed to be benched after being caught by the most determined player playing football this year. Dont mess with the Pod.
UpDog
June 17, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Brain Lake is looking at cementing a spot in many coach’s fantasy teams. This 195cm Bulldog has stood out this year as one of the best premium priced defenders averaging 21 disposals and 9 marks a game. He also heads the competition in marking by 7, followed by the Saint’s Sam Gilbert.
There is also a lot to like Fantasy wise too, averaging 98.3 in DT and 105.3 in SC, this gun has scored over 100 5 times in DT and 7 times in SC, one of these games being a MASSIVE 192/172 in DT/SC, being the highest individual DT score over the last 10 years. With only 2 scores below 80, his lowest score of 55 due to a hamstring issue, this marking machine is looking to find a spot in many coaches teams next season.
Spector
June 17, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Paul Chapman has long been a hit and miss player when it comes to fantasy football. He regularly racks up big points and then just as frequently does his hammy. Things look more promising this year though; with a new program put in place for “Chappy†during the pre-season he looks to be fitter and stronger than ever before.
“Chappy†is currently averaging 117 in DT and 125 in SC. It appears as though his slight change in role this year is making him a more consistent fantasy premium. With Ablett spending more time up forward, Chappy seems to be getting a longer run through the midfield and while he isn’t kicking as many goals as he used to, he has compensated by racking up huge amounts of ball (29.5 disposals per game, #3 rank in the league).
Could this be the first season since 2006 where he puts in 22 games? Many proud owners will be kissing his shiny bald head if he does.
TiMmMMmY
June 17, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Shane Mumford –
After being drafted by Geelong in 2008 he was elevated very early in the season after showing some good pre season form, he managed to only play the 3 games in 08 but put together a handy 18 games in 09 and a dt average of 55.2. After Geelong choosing Mark Blake over Mumford at the end of 09 he was traded to Sydney on a 4 year contract exceeding over 1 million dollars along with Sydneys other new ruckmen recruit Mark Seaby. Since being at Sydney he has shown great form and has become one of the competitions dominant ruckmen for the year. 2010 has been a break out year on the footy ground and in the dreamteam points averaging a very respectable 78.4 as we approach halfway through the season.
Enantiomer
June 17, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Scott Pendlebury has had a slow start to the season after many expected him to improve on his 98.3 average last year. His kick to handball ratio has been frustrating for his DT owners who see handball after handball with kicks far and few between. Just imagine how many extra points he could accumulate if only those handballs turned into kicks!
However in recent weeks, his output has been very promising with three consecutive tons. Perhaps the consistency we had all been hoping for has finally arrived. Pendles is finally repaying the faith of his buyers and even snuck into the top 10 dt rankings. If his form continues, he could soon compare to the likes of Ablett and Swan. Being priced at around $450k at the start of the season, the likes of Selwood, Boyd and Mitchell were around that price range but for now, he looks like the pick of the crop.
Ninjarino
June 17, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Kurt Tippett had many a fantasy coach eager with anticipation during the pre-season due to his expected form explosion and listing as both a forward and a ruck. However, his own performances throughout Season 2010 have echoed those of the rest of his team, as he has slumped to an appalling DT average of just under 58 points per game, well down on his 2009 average of 72.6.
With his team showing some signs of improvement heading into the second half of the season, and having a price tag of more than $70 000 cheaper than his original, the tall Queenslander looms as a genuine possibility as a unique pick-up for brave fantasy coaches in search of an edge over their opponents. Tread very carefully…
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Gary Ablett will be remembered as one of the legends of the modern era, and his 2010 season has been absolutely sensational. Gary has maintained his 2008 and 2009 form, and has reached the point in his game where we expect him to be named in the best every single week, which he usually is.
The question at the start of the year was “Do we get him or not?†The answer has been a resounding yes, with his DT average hitting 123.8 and his SC average being a solid 136.1. His lowest scores for DT and SC have been 96 and 97 respectively, so GAJ is clearly worth his price tag on figures alone. Un-tagable, accurate, hard at the contest, and freakish, Gary has it all. Forget the talk of GC17, his girlfriend and family …this bloke will give you a great score every single week. He’ll break a game apart, and if you watch him closely, he hardly coughs a ball up.
litjens
June 17, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Leigh Montagna:
The man with a silent g in his surname. He just is one member of an elite midfield unit, but fantasy wise he is arguable the best Saints midfielder. After a great 2009 season avg 115.8 in DT and 125.1 in SC, Montagna has backed it up with another great start to 2010 proving that it was no fluke. He has had 8 DT and SC tons this year, and some sub 150 scores to boot.
His consistence is what separates him from his fellow midfield group seeming to cope with a tag when it is applied. With a very accurate 43 goals 4 since 2006, he has only missed 3 games since the start or the 2006 season providing great durability.
Due to a 74 and 92 (SC) in his rolling average between round 7 and 9, coaches saw his price hit a tempting 535,700 at a time when many where looking to upgrade there cashed up mid-field rookies.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Ben Nason started 2010 as a skinny kid who thought he did an ACL in his first NAB cup game. Fortunately for his owners, Nason has been one of the finds of 2010. In a team that looks as though all is not lost, he could be the smokey matchup that helps to turn the tide.
Taken at pick 71 last year, he wasn’t highly rated, and to be fair he wouldn’t have played every game this year at any another club. But the fact is that has played 12 games straight and doesn’t look like stopping. He was never going to score as highly as Daniel Rich or Jack Trengove, but living and playing with Dustin Martin has definitely helped his scoring. He’s kicked 3.0 twice and 10 goals for the year, meaning he’s a decent cash cow for a backman (especially this year).
One of the quality buys at 89k and 94k in DT/SC, he’s done his job and probably won’t earn any more dollars.
litjens
June 17, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Miss read the goal stats. Please remove the “43 goals 4 since 2006”, could add “increased his goal avg to 0.9 per game in 2010 with the absence or Roo.
m0nty
June 17, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I’ve published the first 26. So far I’m very very happy with the quality of entries, keep it up! Thanks to everyone!
TiMmMMmY
June 17, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Nick Malceski
One of the best buys so far for Super Coach and Dream Team Coach’s in 2010, with an outstanding averaging of 91.9(dt) and 105.4(sc) as well as a price rise in excess of $110,00k in both forms he has been a star from the start. Cursed by injury and not playing all 22 games since 2007 Nick Malceski has slotted straight back into the Sydney Swans backline this year after having his first decent pre season in wile. With scores of more than 100 he has hit regularly five times in dream team and eight in Super Coach shows that he can be more than just a handy backman, If he can keep up his fitness Nick Malceski is not only going to be a very handy backmen for coaches but also a “premium playerâ€
Barlow21
June 17, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Matthew Pavlich’s move back to the forward line has been one of many dockers successes this year. Pavlich has stared for the dockers kicking 40.22 including 3 five goal games against Geelong, St.Kilda and West Coast.
In SuperCoach, Pavlich is averaging 110 points which is up from his 99 point average of 09. Meanwhile in Dream Team he is averaging 99 including a season high 136 against Brisbane. Pavlich has played all 12 games this season and will help Fremantle push for a top 4 position and finals berth.
Matthew Pavlich has once again shown his quality in captaining the dockers and will be favourite to be the All Australian Captain. Pavlich is arguably is career best form and at 29, still has plenty of years to offer.
Pavlich is an extremely durable player and being priced at $391,000 for DT and $552,000 for SC he is the complete player for your Forward-line or Midfield with his MVP capabilities.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Sharrod Wellingham started off 2010 like a house on fire. His DT and SC averages for the first 6 games were 98.1 and 98 respectively. For a starting price tags of $286,200 (DT) and $365,400 (SC), those averages were fantastic for his owners, netting them a hefty profit. A lot of coaches thought that he would be this year’s Bernie Vince; have a low starting price, then spike up into premium contention.
But then a calf injury hit. He sat out rounds 7 and 8, and has come back into a Collingwood team that is not playing anywhere near as well as they did rounds 1-8, and his scoring has suffered. Since his return his DT/SC averages have been 51.8 and 42. Big, big drops in the grand scheme of things, that have resulted in big drops in his price.
He hasn’t looked the same since he came back. He’s lost confidence and touch, so it’s best to avoid for the rest of 2010…but not 2011
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Tommy Rockliff had an eye catching NAB cup this year, so a lot of faces were surprised to see he wasn’t picked round 1 or 2 by Vossy. However, he’s turned his fortunes around having played the next 9/10 games which DT and SC averages of 79.3 and 77.
Not bad for a highly rated teenager that slipped through to the pre-season draft in 2009, and seemingly couldn’t have the impact of Bushranger teammates Steele Sidebottom and Jack Ziebell.
Rockliff is an interesting player. He’s hard at the contest, is good under pressure, and runs around for a few cheap kicks in the backline, so his scoring always has a high ceiling without question. Had a great game against North Melbourne (116/140), and is building more confidence on field as he finds his feet at Brisbane.
With a number of injuries occurring, don’t even think about moving him out just yet. Let him ripen, and earn his rising star nomination, then cull him for a nifty profit. He could just yet be the pick of the three Bushy teammates by the end of his career without question.
m0nty
June 17, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Try that Malceski one again please, Timmy. A few more sentences with information about his injury would help.
TiMmMMmY
June 17, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Daniel Giansiracusa – Daniel is one the players you love one week and hate the next, with yoyo scores all through his career nothing has changed in 2010. He has the ability to hit massive scores and then back it up them with 50 and 60’s the week after. Heading to the mid season break Gia has an average of 90 in both forms of the game which sounds great overall but its only when you look into it further that you find how up and down his scoring can be, with scores of 154,142 & 125 already this year in Dream Team followed along with 51,56 & 61 shows that Gia can be a headache on a week to week basis with all coaches but it’s the type of player like Gia that can make you win those close crucial games and an “x factor†coming to finals.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 4:14 pm
In what has been a bleak old year for the Adelaide Crows, Tony Armstrong is one of several shining lights to appear in 2010, giving hope to all Crows fans that they will soon rise again.
After a poor first up DT/SC score of 36/18, many had their doubts about the former Calder Cannon, and being in the system for two years, you would not have looked stupid to think “put the line through him early and have him play out in the SANFL until it’s overâ€. But it looks like we have a player on our hands. Since round 8, he’s played 4/5 games, returning DT/SC averages of 89.5 and 85. If he keeps up this kind of form, he’ll net you a fine profit by round 22, and could provide serviceable coverage if one your top 7 go down in midfield.
Much like Xavier Clarke in his early days, watch his 2010 unfold closely. I think you’ll find him to be a quiet achiever, scoring well and hopefully taking on more games as he goes.
MrRiosWan
June 17, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Already the favorite of many to take home the Brownlow, Luke Hodge has set his 2010 season alight in fantasy terms, dipping under 100 three times in DT and only once in SC.
Free from a nagging groin injury which hampered his efforts in 2009, and saw his price start at a tasty 485k in 2010, Hodgey has nailed coin after coin in the slot with his silky left bootlace. It is not surprising then that nearly two thirds of the SC population have him locked in their starting 22, with only GOD jnr higher than him in the popularity stakes.
A dominate midfielder, somtimes third man up backman, and effective forward. Hodge is usually somewhere near the ball, and his averages of 112.5 and 129.5 in DT and SC respectively attest to that.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Big, bad, bustling, Barry Hall. We all drooled over him during the NAB cup, as he kicked goal after goal after goal, and we all had him pencilled into our teams, and the Doggies into Grand Final. The Dogs though have been very inconsistent, and the pressure that is on them to achieve can be seen every time they step onto the ground.
Barry though, has had quite a solid season in the Doggies jumper. It’s never easy for a player to swap clubs and find their feet, especially at 33, but Barry has kicked 43 goals, and is averaging 79.5 and 84.6 in DT/SC. His best is brilliant. He scored 130/153 against his old Swans, and tore apart Brisbane recently (125/129). His worst is terrible. He produced 42/29 against the Dees on a horrid night, but has scored three SC tonnes in his last 5.
Barry was always going to take time to find his feet, however he’ll continue to score and bag goals. You just need to be aware of the odd low game that will arrive due to the nature of being a focal point in the forward line.
(sorry it’s a bit over Mont…I’m really happy with the way I wrote this one though)
SungMach15
June 17, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Dane Swan has continued his prolific scoring in 2010 backing up his efforts in 2009. He is accumulating an average of 30 disposals a game and is one of Collingwood’s major contested ball winners along with Scott Pendlebury and Luke Ball.
His stats in 2010 so far are: #1 in total DT points, #2 in total disposals, and #3 in total kicks whilst averaging 5 tackles a game. Swan is one of the most benched players in the competition due to his gut-running around the ground but continues to attract large amounts of the footy and is managing around 80% game time every match.
Just over the halfway mark of the season, he has managed to hit the magical 100 mark 9/12 times and he doesn’t stop there continuing to score 110 in all 9/9 games.
With these scores mean a price tag of $488,800 but he is worth every cent due to his durability and ability to finish games strongly. He has not missed a match in 4 years and is a must in any fantasy midfields.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Mitch Banner started off 2010 in ripping form. A fantastic NAB Cup campaign, and a solid DT/SC score of 79/90 in round 1 had a lot of coaches thinking “I’ve found a gem hereâ€. Why wouldn’t you think that? It is his second year on Ports list, he’s put on some bulk, he’s learnt his spot, and now he’ll graduate to AFL level, providing a good cash cow option, ripe for the culling come midway for a premium upgrade somewhere else.
His next two rounds though were questionable. He played a tagging role in both, and his outputs were 48/31 against WCE and 38/44 against Brisbane. He played quite a good NAB cup game against WCE, so that score for the regular season is definitely not good.
He hasn’t been sighted since, and it doesn’t look like he’ll get a mention for the rest of 2010. Don’t forget about him though. He had a ripping U/18 carnival, and went head to head with Rich against WA for Vic Metro, and completely dominated. He’ll reappear hopefully, just not in 2010.
g_dawwg
June 17, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Heath (Heater) Shaw, Possibly the most frustrating fantasy player in the competition. Coaches were delighted with his rd 1 score of 143 dt and 139 sc, but he has sinced managed just 2 dt/sc tonnes in the next 10 rounds. Some of his most recent scores (48, 67, 49dt)are the reason his price has plummeted by over 88k to date. These low scores show his inability to cop a forward tag meaning that he is rarely able to indulge in cheap kicks across the backline. Now priced at a modest 275k Shaw could prove to be a great buy, as we know he is well capable of huge 100’s.
TiMmMMmY
June 17, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Dane Swan – Swan has been a Dream Team champion and Mr reliable for many years now, averaging over 100 points in his last 5 seasons and 119 in 2010. With Scores of 150, 128 & 123 in the last 3 weeks it shows that there is no need to panic putting him as your Captain every week. Swan is a ball magnet that racks up huge amounts of possessions in such a quick time and therefore keeping all Dream Team Coaches happy. Swan is currently ranked #2 in the AFL for most possessions, #3 in kicks and #11 in handballs. He is also ranked #1 in Dream Team at the moment ahead of other star like Garry Abblett Jnr, Paul Chapman and Breandan Goddard. With only 137 games under his belt we are going to see plenty more of the heavily tattooed 26 year old and plenty more big scores.
TommyFNG
June 17, 2010 at 4:53 pm
An SC star over the years, Adam Goodes has surprisingly lost his best ability so far this season, efficiency.
After being moved into a more permanent forward position last year, Goodesy showed he could still bang out some massive scores with a career high 223 against the Tigers in Rd 19 from only 25 disposals.
However with a SC average of only 87 so far this season, as opposed to 114.3 last season, there will be many fantasy coaches who will be rueing the day they selected Goodes into their line-up at the start of the season at the whopping price tag of $607,200.
However do not be dismayed, one of the greatest & most versatile Aboriginal players in football history, Goodesy always leaves his best work to the second half of the season, where his tank & skill elevate him into premium status
MrRiosWan
June 17, 2010 at 4:56 pm
‘The Tree’ otherwise known as Aaron Sandilands has been a fruitful prediction for many fantasy coaches. On the back of an impressive year in 2009 Sandilands has become the dominate ruckman in the competing, eclipsing the previous title holder Dean Cox. Whether he’s towering above the pack for a mark, or using his formidable frame to get the newly invigorated Freo midfield first hands on the ball, Sandilands has become a stats phenomenon. 10 of his last 12 games have attracted scores of over 100 in SC which has equated to a jump in average of close to 20 points a game. Not a bad feat considering the limited oxygen available at his standing altitude of 211 centremetres.
Hellopplz
June 17, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Andrew Swallow
Has alot of weight on his shoulders being a 23 year old. Leading the young kangaroo’s midfield into this year with Harvey playing more up forward. The first year after his massive breakout year last year.
Has been fairly consistent in both DT and SC. Take out his unusually low round 1 score and hs next lowest scores were just a 77 (DT) and a 75 (SC). Very respectable i reckon. I wouldn’t say he garners alot of attention but certainly would be a great pick up in either form of fantasy game. Averaging 95 in DT and 103 in SC is great for the youngster, especially in SC with 8 tons so far this year with that massive high of 160 points. Rarely gets those 30 disposal games but makes up for it with his tackling skills. He is a tough player who always keeps his head over the ball. If you want a reliable midfield upgrade, don’t be afraid to look Swallow’s way.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 5:13 pm
It is reasonable to think that David Hille would have a terrible 2010 after missing the last 17 games of 2009. ACL injuries are always crippling, and Hille could be excused for having a year with limited output and being rested heavily. Nothing in football is ever predictable though.
Hille has had a very serviceable 2010, playing 11 straight games, before pulling a hammy against the Swans. His DT/SC averages have been 81.5 and 73.2 in a year where a good second ruckman has been very hard to find. He wasn’t overhyped like Tippett or underdone like Cox – and he steadily increased his output from rounds 1-11 before going down.
He can dominate games, as evidenced against St.Kilda and Richmond, and has made his owners over $100k after being discounted in price. Hopefully he can return to his form of rounds 6-9, however the big man may have had his run and lower scores should be expected. Hille will bleed for Essendon though, so keep an eye on him.
xavjustice
June 17, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Jarrod Harbrow’s 2010 has been quite inconsistent to say the least. He hasn’t dominated games, and his run off half back that was so evident in 2009 has not been as effective and powerful as it was last year.
Respectfully priced in both DT and SC by Champion Data, Harbrow was expected to have his breakout year this year, excelling him into premium contention. His scores haven’t reflected so, with mediocre DT/SC averages of 82.7 and 82.8. What is most concerning though is his DT/SC scoring ratio. Against Hawthorn and Collingwood, he hit up two DT tonnes, yet could only produce 72 and 79 in SC. The trend was reversed against Richmond and Brisbane with 74 and 77 in DT being converted to 104 and 118 in SC.
A frustrating player, Harbrow clearly has prodigious talent, but he is yet to hit that consistency of 09 that made him quite the buy. I suspect a bit of complacency has crept into his game (and the Dogs too), and it’s up to Rocket to change that. Buyer beware.
Hellopplz
June 17, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Brad Green
Being probably one of the only Melbourne Demon premiums in any form of fantasy footy, has come back with a bang after injury last year. Anybody would love to have a great midfielder who can be thrown up forward and can actually have an impact there. Green has kicked a decent 27.17 this year. Round 12 being the only game where he didn’t kick a goal.
Averaging 99 (DT) and 93 (SC) seem great. Dt is his game this year. Scored over 100 6 times this year with his lowest 74. Has the consistency to be a solid scorer. Prefers to kick the ball rather than handbal which is always a plus. Not many would have considered Green which makes his even more valuable if your looking to go unique. Wouldn’t have a problem picking Green up even though he is 29 years old. He certainly doesn’t look like it!!