Thought I would have a crack

[valkorum]

TEAM NAME: Valkorum

DEF: J. Grimes, B. Waters, G. Birchall, G. Broughton, D. Morris, S. Docherty (B. Staker, T. Clurey)
MID: G. Ablett jnr, M. Boyd, J. Watson, T. Cotchin, S. Pendlebury, T. Menzel, J. O'Meara, O. Wines (J. Viney, N. Hrovat)
RUC: T. Goldstein, M. Leuenberger (B. Grundy, L. McBean)
FWD: D. Cox, S. Johnson, T. Rockliff, D. Thomas, M. LeCras, D. Menzel (J. Daniher, C. Hitchcock)

CASH LEFT: $3,900

[PowerMan]

you'll need more cash left over, maybe about 200k if the magic number goes up.

D Morris is a good POD, is he over his injuries?

wouldn't touch Hitchcock with a bar of soap, he's always injured.. and he could be used as a super sub if he's fit round 1.

apart from that a fairly decent team.

[Justin Bieber]

you'll need more cash left over, maybe about 200k if the magic number goes up.

D Morris is a good POD, is he over his injuries?

wouldn't touch Hitchcock with a bar of soap, he's always injured.. and he could be used as a super sub if he's fit round 1.

apart from that a fairly decent team.

Rolling Lock-Out, could easily change the rookies if they are sub ;)

[valkorum]

If Morris is over his injuries he basically comes in as a rookie - except that you know he will play every game he is fit.

[PowerMan]

you'll need more cash left over, maybe about 200k if the magic number goes up.

D Morris is a good POD, is he over his injuries?

wouldn't touch Hitchcock with a bar of soap, he's always injured.. and he could be used as a super sub if he's fit round 1.

apart from that a fairly decent team.

Rolling Lock-Out, could easily change the rookies if they are sub ;)

quite true

[Mr.Craig]

I think this will be the year that NicNat will come close to matching Cox's average and at 69k cheaper...that's a lot of cash you could use elsewhere without losing many points, if any.

I still reckon Witts has the jump on Grundy when it comes to to filling in for old man Jolly. Also, if you are going to have a bargain basement ruck such as McBean just for the DPP then you might aswell go with Rowe. At least he is a slim chance of getting games at some point. However, I'd much rather see you give up on the R/F link altogether and pick Daw or Currie, if you pick the right one they should give you a bit of cover at times and make some decent coin. People are throwing up Gawn's name aswell but you'd want to see a big pre-season from him, plus he's a little more expensive.

As for Hitchcock, I'm confident a 96k/101k forward rookie will come along that will prove to be a much better pick than him. Tom Lee, McDonough, Paparone, Wood, Kennedy...one of those guys will put their hand up.

Overall, it's a solid team without being flashy.

[henry]

Surely you've got to get Gibbs and/or Goddard in your defence? I reckon they will be the top 2, and I'd take either over the unreliable Broughton. Not sure about starting with Boyd, I reckon his scores will drop with the new kids being given more midfield time. He's not getting any younger and I would definitely consider him as an upgrade target if he's scoring well, just not sure about starting him. Maybe go with Marc Murphy instead? Otherwise solid team, but may need to find an extra couple of hundred k spare as if expected the magic number rises.

[valkorum]

@Mr.Craig

1) NicNat will be lucky to make it to round 1.  He has had groin surgery and is expected to take 3 months to recover.  If Cox goes solo at the start of the season - GET ON (Lycett will come in to team but he wont take any points off Cox)

2) I can easily swap Grundy for Witts - whoever is playing will get the nod

3) Rowe has less chance of getting a game than McBean IMO.  Rowe has Warnock, Kruezer and Hampson ahead of him, where as Mcbean has Maric, Derrickx and Vickery.  I dont think Daw is as good as everyone is making him out to be. 

4) Its quite possible that I will replace Hitchcock with someone else but for now he is in the squad. I would prefer a flanker/midfield type forward than a KPP like Paparone/Shaw/Wood etc.  History has shown that young KPP dont score well at all.

@henry
1) I thought about Gibbs or Goddard and if I dont go with Goddard it will be the first time in a long time that I haven't started with him.  I prob will end up getting him in but at this stage he isnt in.

2) Broughton has burnt a lot of people (including me) but I think he will be back to his juicy best at the Gold Coast playing off a half back flank.  Mark my words - GET ON

3) Boyd is the premium mid I am least happy about but the man knows how to find the footy. 

[kilbluff1985]

Given that Goddard will be playing in the mids not having him is crazy

[valkorum]

Given that Goddard will be playing in the mids not having him is crazy

I am not sure if that actually means an increased output for Goddard.  He gets a lot of points from mark/kick on the half back line.  Pushing in to the midfield may mean he loses this "point scoring source".  I am not sold on whether he can maintain a 100 point average playing solely as a midfielder while not getting the cheap +6 stats

[kilbluff1985]

Given that Goddard will be playing in the mids not having him is crazy

I am not sure if that actually means an increased output for Goddard.  He gets a lot of points from mark/kick on the half back line.  Pushing in to the midfield may mean he loses this "point scoring source".  I am not sold on whether he can maintain a 100 point average playing solely as a midfielder while not getting the cheap +6 stats

i think they will look for him as much as they do Watson, he will probably be our second or 3rd best mid i think he will increase his average

[Mr.Craig]

I'll have to politely disagree with some of that Valk.

NicNat will indeed miss part of the pre-season but I haven't seen any reports which indicate he will be unavailable early in the season. While it is a concern that he might not be fully up to game speed, he is a fit man and the decision to deal with the groin issue now will hopefully mean he is at full force in 2013 (an issue which hindered him at times during this year and no doubt had some impact on his scoring).

Those Carlton rucks are very fragile and Rowe is a 198cm/94kg man who can step up if required while McBean is just a stick figure at this point and is unbelievably raw in terms of ruck experience, having played in other positions a bit. It would take a catastrophe for him to get a game. But I guess that's all beside the point because neither looks like warranting a selection.

Absolutely you'd want a cheap forward who is capable of moving up the ground and getting touches but I really don't think that man should be Hitchcock. Lee may be a KPP but he averaged 79.4 in the WAFL and even if you knock a third off that to adjust for the step up to AFL he would still be averaging more than Hitchcock has ever managed.

But it's your team, totally up to you.

[valkorum]

Article on NicNat
http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2012/12/04/west-coast-look-to-naitanui-back-up/

His recovery from surgery is projected to take at least three months, leaving the hulking ruck force in a race against time to be fully fit for the start of the AFL premiership season in a crunch derby showdown with staunch rival Fremantle in Perth on March 23.

McBean v Rowe - either way I don't see any of them getting any regular games.  If I am at a point where my 4th ruck is needing to play then I have more problems that are more concerning.

I also dont want both NicNat and Cox playing as they will negate the R/F as they both will have the bye at the same time.  Pointless IMO.  The only time it may come in handy is if one of them gets injured and then you prob need to look at trading out anyway

[valkorum]

Version 6.9

TEAM NAME: Valkorum

DEF: B. Goddard, J. Grimes, B. Gibbs, G. Broughton, K. Jaksch, S. Docherty (C. Richardson, T. Clurey)
MID: D. Swan, G. Ablett jnr, M. Boyd, J. Watson, T. Cotchin, O. Wines, A. Morabito, J. O'Meara (S. Colquhoun, J. Viney)
RUC: T. Goldstein, M. Leuenberger (B. Grundy, D. Currie)
FWD: S. Johnson, D. Zorko, D. Thomas, M. LeCras, J. Daniher, B. Staker (T. Lee, M. Shaw)

CASH LEFT: $12,800