Hey Presti: Team projections for Round 1 2009 AFL season, version 5.0

This will be the first and last time Simon Prestigiacomo appears on the FanFooty front page, I promise. 🙂

I have added injury, suspension and retirement lists for each team, including the two official additions to the long term injury (LTI) list. Keep in mind that these are all projected for round 1, so that some who are currently injured are not included because I expect them to recover in a month’s time.

Richmond
FB: Jordan McMahon, Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore
HB: Chris Newman, Luke McGuane, Andrew Raines
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Daniel Jackson
HF: Joel Bowden, Cleve Hughes, Brett Deledio
FF: Mitch Morton, Jack Riewoldt, Nathan G. Brown
Fol: Troy Simmonds, Kane Johnson, Nathan Foley
Int: Adam Pattison, Richard Tambling, Matt White, Shane Edwards

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Edwards, Tambling, White, Jackson
Waiting: Adam Thomson, Robin Nahas, Ben Cousins, Jake King
Injured: Graham Polak, Trent Cotchin, Mark Coughlan

After the Collingwood game, I hope you lot in the comments are not going to persist with the Cousins-for-round-1 talk. He had jelly legs after the first quarter, threw up at half time and copped a knock to the head that put him out of commission for the post-match media circus. He is not ready for a real AFL game, and he won’t be ready by round 1. Sure, he was given a lot of soft possessions by the other Tiger midfielders, and the quality of his disposal was still plain to see, but he would be a liability in the Richmond 22 for round 1, in a match they should be going all out to win. Two of the players who Cousins might have thought to replace in Jackson and White had excellent games, while Tambling continued his solid preseason. The only one with a real question mark to my mind is Edwards, who has obviously been earmarked for a role but might not be cut out for it. Thomson did nothing wrong at all, and he is first cab off the rank for that 22nd slot in my opinion. Nahas, meanwhile, got criticised for only getting a handful of touches but that’s what forward pockets do, it’s the scoreboard production that is more important to a coach. He did set one goal up, but didn’t register a score himself.

Carlton
FB: Chris Johnson, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton
HB: Paul Bower, Jarrad Waite, Heath Scotland
C: Shaun Grigg, Chris Judd, Kade Simpson
HF: Ryan Houlihan, Matthew Kreuzer, Andrew Walker
FF: Eddie Betts, Brendan Fevola, Chris Yarran
Fol: Cameron Cloke, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy
Int: Shaun Hampson, Richard Hadley, Adam Bentick, Mitch Robinson

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Scotland, Bentick, Hadley, Yarran
Waiting: Jordan Russell, Jordan Bannister, Jake Edwards, Joe Anderson
Injured: Andrew Carrazzo, Robert Warnock
Suspended: Setanta O’hAilpin, Nick Stevens

A nice hit out against the Kangaroos did nothing to upset the balance of this team.

Hawthorn
FB: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Thomas Murphy
HB: Luke Hodge, Campbell Brown, Grant Birchall
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Clinton Young
HF: Cyril Rioli, Lance Franklin, Stuart Dew
FF: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Michael Osborne
Fol: Robert Campbell, Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman
Int: Simon Taylor, Mitch Thorp, Travis Tuck, Ben McGlynn

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Campbell, Hodge, Lewis, McGlynn
Waiting: Brent Renouf, Jarryd Morton, Josh P. Kennedy, Cameron Stokes
Injured: Trent Croad, Xavier Ellis, Tim Boyle, Rick Ladson

I see Thorp as an essential component of this side going into round 1, as his versatility (combined with Brown’s swingman capabilities) makes him a potential fly in the ointment for Geelong who go into the match with problems in their key talls. He would be an interesting matchup on McKenna or Lonergan at either end. Tuck is locked in for not only this match but the first month or two, and maybe even 22 games, while McGlynn is only just ahead of the chasing pack at the moment. The injuries to Bateman and Osborne on the weekend probably won’t open up frutehr spots, seeing as both were named for this week.

Geelong
FB: Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett, Harry Taylor
HB: Darren Milburn, Andrew Mackie, Joel Corey
C: Corey Enright, Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Paul Chapman
FF: Ryan Gamble, Tom Lonergan, Mathew Stokes
Fol: Brad Ottens, Gary Ablett jnr, Cameron Ling
Int: Mark Blake, Simon Hogan, David Wojcinski, Max Rooke

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Hogan, Gamble, Wojcinski, Milburn
Waiting: James Kelly, Dan McKenna, Shannon Byrnes, Travis Varcoe
Injured: Matthew Egan, Tom Harley, Tom Hawkins

My feeling at this stage is that the Cats won’t go with McKenna just yet, though he may well debut in round 2 as so many good kids did last year. He did look the goods in the Crows game, and he’ll be an emergency at worst, so he may even get into the 22 by the back door eventually.

Collingwood
FB: Simon Prestigiacomo, Nathan J. Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Harry O’Brien
C: Nick Maxwell, Scott Pendlebury, Tarkyn Lockyer
HF: Leon Davis, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak
FF: Dale Thomas, John Anthony, Anthony Corrie
Fol: Josh Fraser, Shane O’Bree, Dane Swan
Int: Cameron Wood, Marty Clarke, Ben Johnson, Sharrod Wellingham

In: Maxwell, Prestigiacomo
Out: Shannon Cox, Sean Rusling
Iffy: Anthony, Wellingham, Rusling, Corrie
Waiting: Cox, Brad Dick, Dayne Beams, Steele Sidebottom
Injured: Paul Medhurst, Anthony Rocca, Rusling

Medhurst is supposed to resume next week, but I’ll believe it when I see it, so Corrie gets a reprieve. I don’t like how they’re holding back Rusling though, so I’ve removed him as I did with Rocca. Presti has to get a gig, with Maxwell likely moving up the ground to follow someone like Goodwin. I could believe either Cox or Wellingham filling that 22nd spot, with Beams an outside chance.

Adelaide
FB: Graham Johncock, Ben Rutten, Scott Stevens
HB: Andrew McLeod, Nathan Bock, Brad Moran
C: David Mackay, Scott Thompson, Chris Knights
HF: Simon Goodwin, Nick Gill, Richard Douglas
FF: Tyson Edwards, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia
Fol: Ivan Maric, Nathan Van Berlo, Brent Reilly
Int: Patrick Dangerfield, Michael Doughty, Robert Shirley, Bernie Vince

In: Dangerfield
Out: Jonathon Griffin
Iffy: Rutten, Van Berlo, Gill, Dangerfield
Waiting: Taylor Walker, Aaron Kite, Jared Petrenko, Brodie Martin
Injured: Brad Symes, Greg Gallman

I agree with the comments made last week that four talls is probably one too many, so Griffin is the low man on that particular totem pole. The Collingwood team named above looks fairly small, so I think Neil Craig would be wary of giving up too much on the ground.

Brisbane
FB: Lachie Henderson, Daniel Merrett, Joel Macdonald
HB: Josh Drummond, Joel Patfull, Jed Adcock
C: Tim Notting, Bradd Dalziell, Travis Johnstone
HF: Luke Power, Jonathan Brown, Jared Brennan
FF: Tom Collier, Daniel Bradshaw, Rhan Hooper
Fol: Matthew Leuenberger, Simon Black, Michael Rischitelli
Int: Mitch Clark, Ashley McGrath, Troy Selwood, Daniel Rich

In: Collier
Out: Jamie Charman
Iffy: McGrath, Selwood, Clark, Rich
Waiting: Albert Proud, Jason Roe, Cheynee Stiller, Scott Clouston
Injured: Charman, Pat Garner, Todd Banfield, Daniel Murray, Joel Tippett, Sam Sheldon

I don’t like what I’m hearing about Charman’s fitness. Without him, Michael Voss would have to go with a combination of Leuenberger and whoever else can run to a stoppage when Looey’s buggered. Clark might be the main candidate, though it would be a sacrifice of the role he should be playing as third tall forward. Collier is supposedly going to play a lot of games this year, according to Lion fans, so round 1 is as good a time to start as any.

West Coast
FB: Brett Jones, Darren Glass, Mark Nicoski
HB: Shannon Hurn, Beau Wilkes, Adam Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Daniel Kerr, Chris Masten
HF: David Wirrpanda, Mitchell Brown, Ashley Hansen
FF: Ben McKinley, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Fol: Dean Cox, Matt Priddis, Tyson Stenglein
Int: Mark Seaby, Brad Ebert, Chad Fletcher, Brent Staker

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Wilkes, Hansen, Embley, Ebert
Waiting: Josh J. Kennedy, Jamie McNamara, Matt Spangher, Sam Butler
Injured: Beau Waters, Adam Hunter, Matt Rosa, Nick Naitanui, Patrick McGinnity

NicNat is reportedly recovering more quickly that expected, but I still think the Eagles hierarchy will play it softly with him. Kennedy didn’t do his chances any good by running into Embley at training during the week. Waters is not in the LTI list officially as yet but the news on that elbow is very discouraging. Another loooong year ahead for the boys at Subi.

St Kilda
FB: Matt Maguire, Max Hudghton, Farren Ray
HB: Raphael Clarke, Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard
C: Jason Gram, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna
HF: Jason Blake, Nick Riewoldt, Sam Gilbert
FF: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Adam Schneider
Fol: Steven King, Nick Dal Santo, Luke Ball
Int: Michael Gardiner, Jarryn Geary, David Armitage, Steven Baker

In: Armitage
Out: Clinton Jones
Iffy: Ray, Geary, Armitage, Baker
Waiting: Jones, Sean Dempster, Tom Lynch, Eddy

Armitage has apparently showed much more at training this week than Jones, which is why I switched the two. Not much else to report.

Sydney
FB: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Craig Bolton, Paul Bevan
HB: Nick Malceski, Ted Richards, Martin Mattner
C: Amon Buchanan, Brett Kirk, Rhyce Shaw
HF: Jarred Moore, Ryan O’Keefe, Jarrad McVeigh
FF: Patrick Veszpremi, Barry Hall, Heath Grundy
Fol: Darren Jolly, Jude Bolton, Adam Goodes
Int: Jesse White, Craig Bird, Ed Barlow, Kieren Jack

In: Barlow
Out: Jared Crouch
Iffy: Grundy, Shaw, Barlow, Bird
Waiting: Daniel Currie, Mike Pyke, Crouch, Daniel O’Keefe
Injured: Leo Barry (LTI list), Michael O’Loughlin, Luke Ablett
Retired: Tadhg Kennelly, Nic Fosdike

Barlow looked good enough to fill the Micky O spot for at least round 1, not that there’s much expected out of that spot in the Swans structure.

Melbourne
FB: Paul Wheatley, Stefan Martin, Colin Garland
HB: Matthew Whelan, Jared Rivers, Simon Buckley
C: Brad Green, Brock McLean, Matthew Bate
HF: Cameron Bruce, Brad Miller, Aaron Davey
FF: Colin Sylvia, Michael Newton, Lynden Dunn
Fol: Paul Johnson, Cale Morton, Nathan Jones
Int: Mark Jamar, James McDonald, Jack Grimes, Brent Moloney

In: Grimes
Out: Austin Wonaeamirri
Iffy: Rivers, Newton, Dunn, Moloney
Waiting: James Frawley, Ricky Petterd, Clint Bartram, Addam Maric
Injured: Russell Robertson, Wonaeamirri

Wona’s injury opens the door slightly for other small forwards like Neville Jetta, though given Wona will probably be right for round 2, I think Melbourne will get by with a rotation through the forward line from resting midfielders in that spot. Rivers is most definitely in the gun to be replaced by Frawley if he doesn’t show signs of consistent fitness, with the Melbourne injury list right at this moment reaching double figures: Wona (hammy), Robbo (back), Rivers (ankle), Wheatley (calf), McDonald (corked knee), Jamar (foot), Moloney (shoulder), Bartram (burst eardrum), Whelan (calf) and Maric (hip).

North Melbourne
FB: Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito, Josh Gibson
HB: Jesse W. Smith, Lachie Hansen, Gavin Urquhart
C: Adam Simpson, Daniel Harris, Daniel Wells
HF: Matt Campbell, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
FF: Corey Jones, David Hale, Jack Ziebell
Fol: Hamish McIntosh, Brady Rawlings, Brent Harvey
Int: Andrew Swallow, Sam Power, Scott McMahon, Leigh Harding

In: Ziebell
Out: Ben Ross
Iffy: Ziebell, Urquhart, McMahon, Swallow
Waiting: Ross, Josh Smith, Ed Lower, Scott D. Thompson
Injured: Robbie Tarrant
Suspended: Aaron Edwards (club)

I liked Ross a month ago, but now… not so much. Zabeel is the new colt.

Port Adelaide
FB: Michael Pettigrew, Alipate Carlile, Nathan Krakouer
HB: Peter Burgoyne, Troy Chaplin, Domenic Cassisi
C: Travis Boak, Chad Cornes, Kane Cornes
HF: David Rodan, Justin Westhoff, Danyle Pearce
FF: Daniel Motlop, Warren Tredrea, Brett Ebert
Fol: Dean Brogan, Steven Salopek, Shaun Burgoyne
Int: Brendon Lade, Josh Carr, Paul Stewart, Robbie Gray

In: Krakouer
Out: Mitch Farmer
Iffy: Krakouer, Stewart, Gray, Salopek
Waiting: Jacob Surjan, Marlon Motlop, Jason Davenport, Wade Thompson
Injured: Jackson Trengove (LTI list)

Krakouer looked the better of he and Motlop on the weekend, so he gets the spot they’re all fighting over. Trengove’s injury gives Thompson the inside running for an early rookie elevation and a huge jump in fantasy popularity.

Essendon
FB: Sam Lonergan, Dustin Fletcher, Courtenay Dempsey
HB: Adam McPhee, Patrick Ryder, Andrew Lovett
C: Kyle Reimers, Jobe Watson, Bachar Houli
HF: Jay Neagle, Scott Lucas, Scott Gumbleton
FF: Alwyn Davey, Matthew Lloyd, Leroy Jetta
Fol: David Hille, Brent Stanton, Mark McVeigh
Int: Tom Bellchambers, David Myers, Hayden Skipworth, Angus Monfries

In: Dempsey
Out: Jay Nash
Iffy: Dempsey, Lonergan, Neagle, Myers
Waiting: Nash, Tayte Pears, Ricky Dyson, Jason Winderlich
Injured: Andrew Welsh, Jason Laycock, Brent Prismall, Michael Hurley

I’ve been holding onto Nash for this long, no more. They’ll play Dempsey until he gets injured, I suppose.

Fremantle
FB: Michael Johnson, Antoni Grover, Marcus Drum
HB: David Mundy, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Paul Hasleby, Byron Schammer
HF: Kepler Bradley, Matthew Pavlich, Daniel Gilmore
FF: Chris Mayne, Chris Tarrant, Des Headland
Fol: Aaron Sandilands, Rhys Palmer, Ryan Crowley
Int: Brett Peake, Stephen Hill, Steven Dodd, Clayton Hinkley

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Peake, Hinkley, Hill, Headland
Waiting: Scott Thornton, Josh Head, Nick Suban, Greg Broughton
Injured: Hayden Ballantyne
Suspended: Dean Solomon

Can we start a grassroots campaign to get Peake out of this 22? Anyone?

Western Bulldogs
FB: Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Dale Morris
HB: Ryan Hargrave, Tom Williams, Andrejs Everitt
C: Ryan Griffen, Daniel Cross, Nathan Eagleton
HF: Robert Murphy, Mitch Hahn, Daniel Giansiracusa
FF: Shaun Higgins, Brad Johnson, Jarrad Grant
Fol: Ben Hudson, Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd
Int: Will Minson, Callan Ward, Dylan Addison, Josh Hill

In: nil
Out: nil
Iffy: Eagleton, Everitt, Hill, Ward
Waiting: Tim Callan, Jarrod Harbrow, Sam Reid, Stephen Tiller

Good for Dog fans to see a practically full list to choose from.

You all saw Ben on Thursday night. Is that the way a player who is fit to AFL standard is supposed to play? He looked like he could use about six of those sort of gallops before he could run out a full 120 minute game playing against men. Apart from anything else, those vomits can’t be good for his body. I’m sure you all have your own opinions, so tell me in the comments.