Memph's team - Aiming for top 500

[Memphistopheles]

I have put together a tentative team. My goal is to beat last year's overall ranking which was inside the top 800 and get into the top 500.

It will most likely change as the pre-season continues but so far I quite like what I’ve got.

It is a bit weak down back, but I do have a bit of cash left over so could tweak it a bit. Hopefully the rucks will make up for the weak backs to start with.

What are your thoughts?

Backs: Goddard, Deledio, Duffield, Grimes, Clarke, Bugg, Morris, Smedts, Darley.

Mids: Swan, Ablett, Boyd, Selwood, Shiel, McDonald, Magner, Neale.

Rucks: Cox, Sandilands, Giles, Stephenson.

Forwards: Franklin, Goodes, Pavlich, Martin, Brown, Hampton, Hall, Saad, Zorko.

Cash left over $88,600

[Justin Bieber]

With that team you might get in the top 500. It's going to be hard though since coaches are only getting better.

But strong side with a couple of uniques, really good rucks and mids. Maybe your fwd line is a little weak for my liking.

[azzacooney]

very good side but i really think u need to tinker the backline, u need 1 more premium in ya backs if ya can get it. will work out better for u in the long run, maybe giles as 2nd ruck and upgrade a back?

[Memphistopheles]

very good side but i really think u need to tinker the backline, u need 1 more premium in ya backs if ya can get it. will work out better for u in the long run, maybe giles as 2nd ruck and upgrade a back?

Thanks for the advice.

I agree my team is a bit weak in the backs. I do have $86,000 to spend so could look at doing something there.

However, I will not be downgrading one of my rucks to do it and using Giles as a second ruck.

I think both Cox and Sandilands will outscore whichever premium back I choose. Also Giles is not consistent enough to be second ruck. He is just a cash cow for me.

What I could do though is get a cheaper premium ruck and use the cash to upgrade a back rookie. However, I really think Cox and Sandi will be the top two scoring rucks his season and would like to start with them.

The other option is to downgrade one prem mid to a mid-pricer (Sloane, Shuey etc) and then upgrade a back rook to a prem.

[Memphistopheles]

With that team you might get in the top 500. It's going to be hard though since coaches are only getting better.

But strong side with a couple of uniques, really good rucks and mids. Maybe your fwd line is a little weak for my liking.

Thanks for the rate.

What would you suggest to upgrade the forward line?

And/or what would you do with the extra cash I have?

[Spite]

Sandi to mummy and then use all remaining money to make duff a better premium? Maybe boyd to rockliff/murphy/mitchell to help with the money issue?
Solid team, but I'm biased because it is very similar to mine :P

[Jukes]

Pros: Good choice of rookie mids and forwards. Strong rucks and forwards.
Cons: A lot of money left that should be used. Weak backline. Few risky forwards in Pav, Goodes and Hall. No uniques.
Overall: It is a good team but in it's current state I don't think top 5000 but with a few tweeks and more unique players could get you into the top 2500.

[Memphistopheles]

Thanks for the input fellas.

At this stage I can use that money on an upgrade a slightly non-premium back (Duffield or Grimes) or forward (Brown) to a premium without having to downgrade my rucks.

Unless I can see a really eye-catching alternative I highly doubt either Cox or Sandilands will leave my team.

The trades I have my eye on are Brown--->Sidebottom or Duffield--->Birchall.

However, I think Duffield will get back to premium back status this season under Ross Lyon and is as steal at his current price.

Brown i'm a little less sure on and he may be the one to make way, either for Christenson or Sidebottom depending on what I want to do.

Not sure how you see Goodes and Pavlich as risky Jukes? They are proven DT performers and should be in the top 10 forwards at the end of the season. Hall looks like he will play (Gold Coast have no forwards) and should be a good cash cow.

I am also looking at someone other than McDonald as a mid rookie as I'm not convinced he won't be rested every couple of games to help him get through the season.

The other thing I like with this team is that with that much left over cash I can afford to make a trade before the price rises (rnd 3) to get in anyone I may have missed that really looks good.

[Memphistopheles]

Backs: Goddard, Deledio, Duffield, Grimes, Clarke, Bugg, Morris, Smedts, Darley.
Mids: Swan, Ablett, Boyd, Selwood, Shiel, McDonald, Magner, Neale.
Rucks: Cox, Sandilands, Giles, Stephenson.
Forwards: Franklin, Goodes, Pavlich, Martin, Brown, Hampton, Hall, Saad, Zorko.
Cash left over $88,600

Ok so I have since made a few adjustments to my team and i'd like to canvas some opinions.

Backs: Goddard, Deledio, Shaw, Duffield, Hargrave, Lake, Ellis, Bugg, Baguley
Mids: Ablett, Swan, Boyd, Shiel, Hogan, Dev Smith, Magner, Neale
Rucks: Cox, Sandilands, Giles, Stephenson.
Forwards: Franklin, Goodes, Pavlich, Martin, Sidebottom, Pfeiffer, Saad, Hampton, Hall

The reason I have made these changes is as follows.

I thought my backs were a bit weak and also there aren't many good back rookies. So I kept the good ones (Bugg and Ellis) and one who I think could be a smokey and take Hibberd's spot on the Bombers lists (Baguley) and used some money to upgrade Clarke--->Shaw and Darley---->Lake. Grimes also reminded us why we shouldn't pick him so I swapped him for Hargrave.

I have gone for just three mid premiums because there is plenty of good rookie options here. Also I heard Barlow is likely to be out for a while so I'm thinking by the time he is back I could possibly make a straight swap to get him in for a cashed-up rookie. Hayes was sacrificed purely because he was the mid-pricer. The rookies I choose here may change, however I would like to have  a mid-for link (Smith or Zorko) in there.

The rucks haven't changed however I will monitor the Stephenson/Redden situation carefully and chose the appropriate one come round 1.

I also had to downgrade Christensen in the forward line (to Pfeiffer atm) to do the back upgrades and I also got rid of Brown to Sidebottom.

This team does, however, only leave me with $1200 left over.

I think it is less risky than the previous team although the backline is still lacking a bit. However, with Williams now missing 12 weeks for the Bulldogs both Lake and Hargrave should play which means only one rookie (Ellis or Bugg or Baguley if he's upgraded) needs to play each week.

Also with Smith, Pfeiffer and Hampton in my team I can rotate my midfield and forwards around to get the best rookies starting each week. It also means I need 2 of 5 forward rookies to play each week which I think is a safe number. And, the other four mid rookies - Hogan, Shiel, Neale and Magner should be easily in the best 22 for their respective teams.