The Swans are losing some depth in the back line, Dempster and Roberts-Thomson are out and now Kennelly will miss a few games.
From the Swans site:
Kennelly out, Ablett questionable
Injury list after Round 5
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Kennelly will have to be traded, but he is worth a lot so nearly any fantasy defender can be added. Lockyer, Gilbee, Sinclair, McPhee and McMahon are just some of the options. Malceski, a fantasy centre, is having a big year and will have more of the ball with Kennelly out. C Bolton and Barry are good fantasy defenders. Another player with the Swans could have improved stats for the next month, so watch to see who the Swans add to their back line when teams are announced.
1: West Coast Eagles 5-0 win-loss record (1 in last AFL Power Rankings)
If Jay Schulz had kicked more accurately it could say 4 and 1 for the Eagles, not 5 wins. They have a big test against the Bulldogs coming up.
2: Sydney Swans 3-2 (3)
The Swans could be in a little trouble if Kennelly and Ablett are out for an extended time, but they are hoping they will be available next week. Jolly continues to play great, and he will have a big battle with McIntosh next round.
3: Adelaide Crows 3-2 (2)
That was a close game but they didn't get the win, Adelaide once again slowed everything down but missed by a point. It is back to Adelaide next week and they should get a win.
4: Fremantle Dockers 2-3 (4)
That is two wins in a row, after three consecutive losses, and a trip to Brisbane is what could stop them getting to 3 and 3. Michael Johnson's play was good news, Jeff Farmer's incident was the bad news.
5: Port Adelaide Power 4-1 (5)
They will be hoping for rain every week, they washed over the Magpies and then drenched the Saints. They should swamp the Demons next round. Michael Wilson was very good this season so they will miss his contributions, but they have quite a few players who could be added to their lineup.
6: Western Bulldogs 3-2 (6)
The Bulldogs will take part in the AFL MotR as they visit the Eagles. McDougall wasn't fully fit but played for their VFL team, it seems that he won't make the trip to take on his former team.
7: Essendon Bombers 3-2 (7)
They didn't lose because Hille and Jetta didn't play, they probably lost because Bolton and Bradley did. Expect those two to once again line up for Bendigo. They must defeat the Hawks to regain their momentum.
8: Brisbane Lions 3-2 (11)
They certainly turned around their accuracy in front of goal from the previous week. Chris Johnson playing forward was a good move. Hadley is a bonus for them and they will eventually get Lappin back again too.
9: St Kilda Saints 2-3 (9)
It's back under the roof next week and a chance to get a win. Hayes and Thompson will be out. Riewoldt, Gehrig and Koschitzke might be too much for Carlton to stop.
10: Geelong Cats 2-3 (8)
The worst coach in the AFL might have been decided in the Kangaroos - Cats game. If they lose to Richmond, the worst coach might be turned into a former coach.
11: Hawthorn Hawks 3-2 (10)
They do miss Mark Williams, but it does allow Lance Franklin to have a bigger role in the forward line. The Hawks are overdoing the handballs, they might look at going more direct with kicks.
12: Collingwood Magpies 3-2 (12)
They are off to Adelaide, and will be very fresh after an extended break. Didak is back at 100%, and with him in the forward line they are a chance to win against any team.
14: Kangaroos 2-3 (14)
It's a win streak. But it won't be easy to extend it with the Swans their round 6 opponent.
13: Carlton Blues 2-3 (13)
Their future ruckman, Hampson, is playing as a key forward for the Bullants so that isn't helping. Cloke and Ackland put in the effort, and Cloke also put a few goals through too, but they are undersized for AFL ruckmen.
15: Richmond Tigers 0-5 (15)
They got to within 4 points of last year's AFL Premiers in the 4th quarter, so they must be doing something right. Newman and Raines are performing at half back, which should allow Deledio to stay in the middle. Polak is doing what the Tigers hoped he would do when they traded for him, and with him and McGuane helping Gaspar defend the tall forwards it should free J Bowden to play in a more attacking position. The Tigers will be confident as their current form is better than Geelong's.
16: Melbourne Demons 0-5 (16)
The Power return to the MCG to face the Demons, it wasn't long ago that the Power beat the Magpies there and that was with Tredrea not at his best, so the Demons are looking at another loss. Maybe Neitz will be back, but that may not be enough. If the Demons lose the next two games then it is time to look to next year, with playing the youngsters and sending their veterans to the surgeon so they are ready for next year.
The Hawks have Lance Franklin and he nearly won the game with 6 goals, the Bulldogs had more players kicking goals and they were also more accurate. West and Cross combined for 45 handballs, an impressive stat.
Bulldogs 110 - Hawks 93
Fantasy Player News
Western Bulldogs
West: 41 possessions, a good pick for a fantasy team captain.
Darcy: 2 goals, but also 4 behinds, so with some accuracy he will bring in fantasy points.
Gilbee: 22 kicks and 9 marks.
Murphy: 3 goals and 15 possessions, looks safe to play him in fantasy teams now.
Hawthorn
Roughead: 2 goals, was a more important player for them with Williams out.
Franklin: 6 goals, but fewer possessions than in his other games.
Crawford: 29 possessions and 6 marks.
Ladson: 30 possessions, a player to sign if he keeps that up.
Geelong only played the second half, and they did make it interesting late in the game. The Kangaroos played a physical and smart game from the first bounce. The Simpson was huge with over 40 possessions, and he had plenty of help from Wells, McIntosh, Harvey, Harris and Sinclair.
Kangaroos 118 - Cats 102
Fantasy Player News
Kangaroos
Simpson: 25 kicks, 16 handballs, 5 marks, 3 tackles and a goal.
Swallow: 20 possessions, a player to think about signing for fantasy teams.
Wells: It looks like he will be consistently good, which is what fantasy teams need.
Harris: 23 possessions, only 6 kicks but lots of handballs.
Geelong
Selwood: Won the contested ball, and if he didn't he put on one of his 9 tackles. Could be worth starting if he keeps getting over 20 possessions.
Chapman: Back to his normal big stats, 4 free kicks for and a goal were added to 32 possessions.
Mooney: The only one of their big forwards to regain some form, kicked 3 goals.
Ling: Fantasy points with 3 goals, 5 free kicks for and 25 possessions.
The game was only decided in the final minute of play, the Crows kicked one more goal but the Dockers had 7 more behinds. McManus had 20 possessions in his milestone game, Johnson had 13 in his first game of the season and Dean Solomon had 12 tackles.
Dockers 58 - Crows 57
Fantasy Player News
Fremantle
Hayden: 20 possessions, is playing an important role in their back line and might help fantasy teams.
Johnson: Had a good second half, when he began running more. Had 7 tackles and will be a very useful fantasy defender.
Tarrant: Only 1 goal, but had 13 kicks. Not a big fantasy star with his new team at the moment.
Solomon: A surprise as he has been good for fantasy points, 12 tackles provided some extra points.
Adelaide
Thompson: 29 possessions, 9 marks and also kicked a goal.
Stevens: Bock has cooled off, Perrie isn't that great too, Stevens continues to play well with 3 goals.
Knights: 27 possessions, his fantasy points would have been higher but he gave away 3 free kicks.
8
Shaun Burgoyne.
Midfielder for the Port Adelaide Power.
There was a lot of talent available in the 2000 AFL Draft. The Power were a big winner with their picks, which included Kane Cornes at number 20 and Domenic Cassisi at pick 50. The Power were also successful in the first round, when other teams were selecting Luke Livingston, Laurence Angwin and Trent Sporn the Power were patiently waiting for pick 12 so they could take Peter Burgoyne's brother, Shaun Burgoyne.
S Burgoyne started off his AFL career in more of a small forward role compared to where he plays now. In his first season of AFL, 2002, he kicked his best career result with 5 goals in a game. He finished that year with 24 goals. The next season he increased his output to 39 goals.
In 2004 he had a bigger role in the middle, fewer goals but also increased stats everywhere else. He also played in the winning AFL Grand Final side that year.
Last year he had his best year, and was awarded more Brownlow votes in 2006 than all his previous seasons combined. His previous career highs for a season were 345 disposals and 79 tackles, in 2006 he recorded 458 disposals and 115 tackles. Big games against West Coast, 34 possessions, and Adelaide, 9 tackles, showed that he will step up when the biggest challenge is presented to him.
2007 looks like it will be Shaun Burgoyne's biggest year so far in the AFL. More personal awards are expected, with another spot in the All-Australian team and being among the leaders for the Brownlow, but it will be the September games that show how big a player he really is and he will have a much bigger role in the next AFL Grand Final he plays in.
Shaun Burgoyne information:
185cm, 90kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 7
The Tigers were close again, but one thing that wasn't close was the free kicks. As Kane Johnson would know, the Tigers had 13 and the Eagles had 29. Richardson had a run around the MCG, which was effective at times, it was left to Schulz to kick goals and he only kicked 4 behinds. Wirrpanda and Hansen continued to kick goals, and Lynch joined them this week with 4.
Eagles 99 - Tigers 76
Fantasy Player News
West Coast
Armstrong: 21 possessions and 6 marks, helping fantasy teams when he doesn't kick goals.
Embley: 34 possessions, a big fantasy points game.
Wirrpanda: More goals, he kicked 3 and added 15 kicks and 7 marks.
Rosa: 22 possessions and 7 marks.
Priddis: Still playing in the middle, 4 tackles and 22 possessions.
Richmond
J Bowden: This is closer to the Joel Bowden fantasy game, 33 possessions and 10 marks.
Tambling: 4 early goals, has stepped up his game the past few weeks and is someone to add to fantasy teams.
Richardson: 14 marks as he had an onball role for some of the game, but also gave away 3 free kicks.
Hughes: 3 goals, should stay in the team and will be on fantasy teams if he repeats that.
Newman: 21 possessions, 9 marks and 6 tackles.
There were plenty of goals under the roof. In the first half it was the Lions' accuracy that kept them in it, and it was their run in the final quarter that got them the win.
Lions 136 – Blues 124
Fantasy Player News
Brisbane
Brown: A big fantasy points game with 15 marks and 27 possessions.
Johnson: Time to think about signing him again, he had 8 marks, 3 goals and 11 kicks.
Power: Kicked 2 goals, setup a few more with his 26 disposals.
Hadley: 12 kicks and 5 handballs, his fantasy price will be going up.
Carlton
Whitnall: A big game with 11 marks and 3 goals.
Cloke: Fantasy points were helped by an unexpected 3 goals as well as 4 free kicks for.
Betts: 5 tackles and 3 goals, Betts might be a useful fantasy forward to have.
Melbourne tried hard but the Swans got the win as expected. There will be injury news from this game, with Kennelly and Ablett going down.
Swans 109 – Demons 60
Fantasy Player News
Sydney
Malceski: Still time to sign him for fantasy AFL teams, 28 possessions and 12 marks here.
Kirk: The captain could have been a good choice for fantasy captain too, with 32 possessions, 7 tackles and 5 free kicks for.
J Bolton: 8 tackles and 24 possessions.
Hall: 8 marks and 4 goals.
Jolly: Kicked another goal, also had 34 hitouts and 5 tackles.
Melbourne
Bruce: 20 kicks, 11 marks, 7 tackles, Bruce is an elite fantasy player.
Davey: 3 goals, so his form slump is over.
Petterd: He was on the jazz in his first game, 20 possessions and a goal, expect him to play a lot more games.
Moloney: Back after a week off and had 27 possessions.
Brett Voss kicked half the Saints' goals, their big forwards were well held and they will now be without Hayes and Thompson so the Saints have a few problems. The Power got a big game from Tredrea, and the Cornes and Burgoynes did their usual thing.
Power 96 - Saints 43
Fantasy Player News
Port Adelaide
Tredrea: It just took him a couple of games to get going, kicked 3 goals, so an option for fantasy teams now.
Rodan: The Power start him on the bench and then unleash him, 20 possessions and 2 goals in another big fantasy points game.
Wakelin: 18 kicks, although a couple were not the best, but unlikely to continue to get the big fantasy numbers.
Pettigrew: Has found a spot as a defender, 19 possessions.
Lonie: 16 kicks and 7 tackles.
Wilson: Was hurt early and is expected to miss some games, Pearce or Motlop could fill his spot.
St Kilda
Voss: His first game of the year, will be signed by fantasy teams if he gets 3 goals and 18 possessions again.
Harvey: Their best player again, and his 31 possessions would have been good for fantasy teams too.
X Clarke: 21 possessions as he continues to be a solid fantasy player.
Fiora: 21 possessions, injuries to other midfielders mean he will continue to have a big role for them.
Gehrig: Will be much better under the roof next week, didn't kick a goal in this game.
Thompson: Out for over a month, will open a spot for Armitage to play.
Hayes: Also could miss a lot of games, will have to be traded off fantasy teams.
7
Scott West.
Midfielder for the Western Bulldogs.
He's been in the league a long time now. West didn't even come through the draft system. Like Koutoufides and Neitz, West was recruited through the zone system. He played his first game in 1993.
Very often over 30 possessions, he has been in the 40s a few times as well. His career-high for possessions in a game is 45. Averaged out over his career, he has a ratio of around 1 kick for every handball. In recent years his handballs totals have been increasing while his kicks numbers have decreased a bit.
Kicking goals has been something he let his teammates do, and he often set up their chances. In around 300 games, West has approximately 100 goals and 100 behinds. It was his first year in the league when he kicked the most goals, with 21.
Scott West might have been an Essendon player if he lived down the road, instead he became one of the all-time greats for the Bulldogs.
Scott West information:
178cm, 80kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 6
Ever since they filled their Save Our Skins tins the Tigers have been on a youth movement, "wait till next year" or talking about 2011 has been the norm. The 2007 Richmond team has started the season like the 1991 team did. The 1991 team would grow to be a force in 1995, so the 2007 team really might be great in 2011. It must be remembered that old Dear and young Richardson were just some of the players added during the early 1990s.
1991 FB T Free, S Turner, B Bower
2007 FF R Tambling, M Richardson, G Polak
1991 HB B Young, A Goodwin, A Banik
2007 HF K Pettifer, J Schulz, A Krakouer
1991 C W Campbell, C Lambert, T Powell
2007 C G Tivendale, K Johnson, C Hyde
1991 HF T Nichols, B Gale, M Pickering
2007 HB A Raines, J Bowden, B Deledio
1991 FF C Naish, J Hogg, T Keays
2007 FB C Newman, D Gaspar, L McGuane
1991 Foll D Cloke, M Knights, D Weightman
2007 Foll T Simmonds, S Tuck, N Foley
1991 bench C Smith, T Esler, M McQueen, D Ryan
2007 bench C Hughes, D Jackson, J King, S Edwards
1991 emergency S Ryan, S Bowden, N Bower
2007 emergency J Oakley-Nicholls, M White, A Pattison
This would be a game of the yellow versus the black. Turner versus Richardson at one end and Gaspar versus Hogg at the other. It looks like it would be an even contest.
Cloke, Gale and maybe Hogg could all rotate through the key forward spots and the ruck. Simmonds, and his backup Polak, would have a mobility advantage over them, but would not be able to match them physically, so the ruck spot could be a draw. It is also hard to split the smalls around the contest too, maybe Knights would give the 1991 team the advantage.
Richardson would be the best forward on the ground, so the current team might be able to outscore the 1991 team if they got the same amount of supply into their forward line. But the 1991 team could rely on Naish to kick a few goals too.
Neither team had, or has, a very good back line. The current one would use the ball better as J Bowden, Raines and Deledio are all skilful players. This run from the back half might be enough to overcome any disadvantage in the middle for the 2007 team. So the 2007 team might win a close game.
The 1991 team would have players like Daffy, Rogers, Prescott, Maxfield, D Kellaway, G Dear and Richardson added to it to make it a contender in 1995. While the 2007 team might be ahead of the 1991 team, they will need to find some more help if 2011 is going to be a big year.
Port Adelaide v St Kilda
The Tip: Power by 24 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Kane Cornes
Chance For An Upset: The Saints were not good last week, they will need a big turnaround in form to win this game and a lot of that might depend on Gehrig. If Gehrig kicks some goals they are a chance.
Port Adelaide
They win if....they continue to get goals from a large number of forwards.
They lose if...Hayes and Dal Santo have a big game and outplay the Burgoynes.
The Good News: Playing in the rain didn't stop Collingwood winning their next game, and the Power had more time to rest.
The Bad News: There isn't a lot of bad news there, Pearce is still out but will be back soon.
St Kilda
They win if....whoever they decide to play as a tall defender has a good game.
They lose if...Clarke is too old to battle Lade and Brogan.
The Good News: Fraser Gehrig is back after a week off, and he will be very enthusiastic when he starts this game.
The Bad News: They are without their top 3 tall defenders.
Richmond v West Coast
The Tip: Eagles by 100 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Quinten Lynch
Chance For An Upset: Daniel-san was a big underdog and he won, but he was coached by Mr Myagi and not Terry Wallace. If Richardson has a big day then the Tigers might too.
Richmond
They win if....Richardson has a big day, Simmonds wins his ruck contest with Cox/Seaby and the Eagles have a few injuries.
They lose if...they allow the Eagles' onballers to do as they please.
The Good News: Raines was quiet in the first 3 rounds, he was much better last week.
The Bad News: There is no other Saturday afternoon game, so if it becomes unwatchable there isn't another game on a different channel to watch.
West Coast
They win if....they continue doing what they are doing, and they have the same team as last week so that is their intention.
They lose if...they take this game lightly, the Tigers have a lot of star players who could make it tough for them.
The Good News: Worst versus first, so they should continue their streak.
The Bad News: They have to stick around and then visit the AFL, and they don't seem to understand the importance of that.
Carlton v Brisbane
The Tip: Lions by 11 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Simon Black
Chance For An Upset: This is an even game, Carlton beat them before and could do it again.
Carlton
They win if....Brown is contained and Fevola isn't, lots of pressure on Setanta "Santa's Helper" O'hAilpin and Daniel "I’m Not Roger" Merrett for this game.
They lose if...the ClokeLand ruck combo don't punish the Lions' big ruckmen by finding space around the ground and also going forward to kick goals.
The Good News: They beat this team, at the same venue, not long ago.
The Bad News: Brad Fisher has been very effective in his role as a secondary forward around Fevola, he will be out of action for around a month.
Brisbane
They win if....Brown kicks better than he did last week.
They lose if...Patfull and McGrath don't help out in the forward line and on the scoreboard.
The Good News: Roe was good last game, and his long kicking will be an asset in this game.
The Bad News: No Lappin again.
Sydney v Melbourne
The Tip: Swans by 66 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Barry Hall
Chance For An Upset: Stranger things have happened, but it won’t happen this time.
Sydney
They win if....they turn up with their team, unfortunately their opponent can't do that due to so many injured players.
They lose if...they are thinking what it says above, but Sydney won't lose two in a row.
The Good News: Nick Davis returns, so they aren't far away from putting their best team on the field.
The Bad News: They were terrible last week, but that was the Crows in Adelaide.
Melbourne
They win if....Dunn dominates, leave him and Davey in the forward 50 and see what happens.
They lose if...they play without Neitz, Green, Robertson, McLean, Jones and Frawley.
The Good News: It's at the SCG so their fans have a valid reason for not attending this week.
The Bad News: It's all bad, now Green is out too.
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs
The Tip: Bulldogs by 17 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Daniel Giansiracusa
Chance For An Upset: The Hawks are missing a couple of important players, including Mark Williams who can win a game by himself, so it will be difficult for Hawthorn.
Hawthorn
They win if....they find a big full forward who has a Dunstall-like game.
They lose if...they are slow.
The Good News: They have won 75% of their games so far.
The Bad News: Mark Williams is out for possibly 6 weeks.
Western Bulldogs
They win if....their forward structure they had last week fires again. They have the small, medium and large options to choose from with Johnson, Murphy and Darcy.
They lose if...they are unable to stop a big Hawthorn forward line.
The Good News: They won last week, and add Akermanis and Cross to that team.
The Bad News: They don't have anyone to play on Lance Franklin.
Geelong v Kangaroos
The Tip: Cats by 5 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: David Wojcinski
Chance For An Upset: Geelong have the habit of losing when they should win, but that is less likely to occur at their real home ground.
Geelong
They win if....Hawkins, Ottens, Mooney and N Ablett kick goals. Ottens didn't play last week, the others went goalless.
They lose if...King can't keep up with McIntosh.
The Good News: The game is at Kardinia Park.
The Bad News: If they lose this game there will be unrest there, and deserved it would be because they have the players to contend.
Kangaroos
They win if....someone like L Brown kicks a few goals again.
They lose if...they don't pay attention to Bartel and Enright.
The Good News: The Kangaroos have a chance to get a win streak going.
The Bad News: All the off-field stuff.
Fremantle v Adelaide
The Tip: Dockers by 12 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Matthew Pavlich
Chance For An Upset: Any team can win this, a slight advantage to Fremantle with home ground advantage.
Fremantle
They win if....Pavlich and Tarrant have plenty of space up forward.
They lose if...their forwards don't stop the run the Crows have from the back, Solomon could be important here.
The Good News: Michael Johnson is back in the team, and he will combine with Mundy for a lot of possessions in the back line.
The Bad News: They only have 1 win, and are playing against an in-form opposition.
Adelaide
They win if....they execute their game strategy like they did last week.
They lose if...McLeod is stopped.
The Good News: They know South Australian teams can go to Subiaco and defeat the Dockers.
The Bad News: They won't be able to shut down a team as good as they did last week.
Port Adelaide v St Kilda
Port Adelaide
FB: Thurstans, Wakelin, Wilson
HB: Surjan, C.Cornes, Symes
C: Cassisi, S.Burgoyne, Salopek
HF: Mahoney, Tredrea, Rodan
FF: Ebert, White, Lade
Foll: Brogan, K.Cornes, P.Burgoyne
bench: Bentley, Krakouer, Lonie, Pettigrew
emergency: Chaplin, Logan, Thomas
In: Brogan
Out: Logan
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Too late to change fantasy teams for this round, but plenty of things to watch. Lade's stats might take a small hit with Brogan back but it might not occur in this game. The Saints don't have many tall defenders and Lade might kick a few goals in this game, and he will also be tough for Clarke to stop around the ground too.
St Kilda
FB: Gilbert, Goddard, L.Fisher
HB: Voss, Koschitzke, Gram
C: Blake, Hayes, Harvey
HF: Montagna, Riewoldt, Ball
FF: Brooks, Gehrig, Milne
Foll: M.Clarke, Baker, Dal Santo
bench: Attard, X.Clarke, Fiora, Thompson
emergency: Gwilt, McQualter, Rix
In: Brooks, Gehrig, Gilbert, Voss
Out: S.Fisher, Gwilt, McQualter, Rix
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Voss is in for his first game of the season, and this year he doesn't have to be called "B Voss" as he is the only one playing now. Voss might become a regular for the Saints and might have some potential for fantasy points. If Koschitzke is a big defender it might make Barry Brooks a solid fantasy player, in his one game last season Brooks was able to kick a few goals.
Richmond v West Coast
Richmond
FB: Newman, Gaspar, McGuane
HB: Raines, J.Bowden, Deledio
C: Tivendale, Johnson, Hyde
HF: Pettifer, Schulz, Krakouer
FF: Tambling, Richardson, Polak
Foll: Simmonds, Tuck, Foley
bench: Hughes, Jackson, King, Edwards
emergency: Oakley-Nicholls, White, Pattison
In: Hughes, Jackson
Out: Bowden, Polo
AFL Fantasy Watch:
It's going to be a busy time for Daniel Jackson, on the Stargate TV show on Friday and playing AFL on Saturday. He probably won't be a big fantasy player. A player who has taken a big slide in AFL fantasy is P Bowden, from a top 20 spot last year to now a regular in the VFL. Edwards is a player to watch for a fantasy bargain.
West Coast
FB: Wirrpanda, Glass, Hurn
HB: Waters, Hunter, Selwood
C: Embley, Priddis, Braun
HF: Stenglein, Hansen, Chick
FF: Armstrong, Lynch, R.Jones
Foll: Cox, Judd, Kerr
bench: Rosa, Seaby, Staker, B.Jones
emergency: Graham, LeCras, Fletcher
AFL Fantasy Watch:
The Eagles had huge stats last week, that should happen again.
Carlton v Brisbane
Carlton
FB: Gibbs, S.O'hAilpin, Thornton,
HB: Scotland, Whitnall, Houlihan
C: Waite, Bentick, Walker
HF: Carrazzo, Cloke, Wiggins
FF: Kennedy, Fevola, Lappin
Foll: Ackland, Murphy, Simpson
bench: Anderson, Betts, Jackson, Russell
emergency: Blackwell, Hartlett, Bower
In: Jackson
Out: Fisher
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Fisher's injury should make someone a better fantasy player, it could be Whitnall, Kennedy, Wiggins or maybe C Cloke.
Brisbane
FB: Johnson, Merrett, Roe
HB: Adcock, Brennan, Copeland
C: Sherman, Fixter, Stiller
HF: Harding, Brown, Notting
FF: Rischitelli, Patfull, McGrath
Foll: Charman, Black, Power
bench: Hadley, Begley, McDonald, Allan
emergency: Wood, Moody, Sheldon
In: McDonald, Allan
Out: Moody, Wood
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Time to sign Charman, or at least think about it for next week, as Wood is out of the team. Hadley is still a cheap fantasy player for someone wanting a midfielder.
Sydney v Melbourne
Sydney
FB: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, C.Bolton, Mathews
C: Buchanan, Kirk, McVeigh
HF: R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
FF: Schneider, Hall, Ablett
Foll: Jolly, Goodes, Fosdike
bench: Everitt, Davis, Schmidt, Crouch
emergency: Grundy, Moore, Laidlaw
In: Davis
Out: Grundy
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Davis is obviously a player to watch, he might not be used too much in this game though. Jolly has been getting a lot of fantasy points, he won't have it easy against White and Jamar in the ruck, but he may again sneak forward and kick a goal or two which is helping his fantasy points.
Melbourne
FB: Bruce, Carroll, P.Johnson
HB: Brown, Rivers, Bell
C: Moloney, McDonald, Yze
HF: Johnson, Miller, Pickett
FF: Dunn, Jamar, Davey
Foll: White, Bate, Johnstone
bench: Petterd, Godfrey, Sylvia, Garland
emergency: Bizzell, Ward, Buckley
In: Rivers, Moloney, Johnstone, C.Johnson, Petterd, Garland
Out: Wheatley, Whelan, Jones, Green, Ward, Bizzell
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Time to forget about Bizzell, but plenty of other Melbourne players could help fantasy teams. Davey and Yze are back in form, Dunn kicked some goals last week and there are also two new players. Garland, a big forward from Tasmania, was good in the VFL and might kick a goal or two in this game. Petterd is a much better fantasy option, a small player in the back line who can get a lot of the ball. He is also the closest thing to Hannibal Smith that the AFL has had since Mick Peppard played for the Bombers.
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs
Hawthorn
FB: Guerra, Gilham, Sewell
HB: Ladson, Hodge, Brown
C: Birchall, Mitchell, Lewis
HF: Young, Franklin, Bateman
FF: Boyle, Roughead, Dixon
Foll: Campbell, Osborne, Crawford
bench from: Ellis, Taylor, McGlynn, Murphy, Muston, Smith, Thurgood
In: Ladson, Smith, Thurgood, Murphy, Muston
Out: Williams, Jacobs
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Fantasy teams this week could be in trouble if they had Williams and Jacobs playing. Williams is out for a month. Gilham will be a player to look at next week, he has been playing well. There is obviously a lot more opportunity for someone around goals with Williams out and Dixon, Boyle or Roughead might see their fantasy points go up.
Western Bulldogs
FB: McMahon, Harris, Morris
HB: Gilbee, Wight, Hargrave
C: Eagleton, S.West, Cross
HF: Giansiracusa, Johnson, Griffen
FF: Murphy, Darcy, Akermanis
Foll: Minson, Boyd, Cooney
bench from: Addison, Williams, Harbrow, Ray, Power, Higgins, Robbins
In: Akermanis, Cross, Power
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Williams and Harbrow are possibilities for this match, if they only keep one of them playing AFL this week it might be Williams as they need some height. Both players are a chance to help fantasy teams if they keep playing with the Bulldogs. Cross will be back to his high possessions, Power was very good before he was hurt and still might be someone to sign next week, Akermanis is a player to wait and see when it comes to fantasy points.
Geelong v Kangaroos
Geelong
FB: Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
HB: D.Johnson, Egan, Milburn
C: Wojcinski, Bartel, Stokes
HF: Chapman, Mooney, Kelly
FF: Hawkins, N.Ablett, G.Ablett
Foll: King, Ling, Corey
bench from: Prismall, Blake, Selwood, Varcoe, Byrnes, Ottens, Tenace
In: Selwood, Ottens, Varcoe, Tenace
Out: Hunt
AFL Fantasy Watch:
G Ablett and Ottens are named so that is important for fantasy teams. Chapman hasn't been at his best so far this year, he cost a lot and if he doesn't bring in huge fantasy points for this game it might be time to trade him.
Kangaroos
FB: Archer, Petrie, Gibson
HB: Pratt, Watt, Firrito
C: Wells, Harris, Rawlings
HF: Adams, Brown, Swallow
FF: Harvey, Edwards, Campbell
Foll: McIntosh, Grant, Simpson
bench from: Sinclair, Jones, Grima, Trotter, Moran, Green, Smith
In: Adams, Moran, Smith, Trotter
Out: Thomas
AFL Fantasy Watch:
If Moran plays it won't be good for McIntosh's stats. Brown kicked goals last week and if he does it again he could join a lot more fantasy teams.
Fremantle v Adelaide
Fremantle
FB: Hayden, McPharlin, Mundy
HB: Grover, Johnson, Dodd
C: McManus, Hasleby, Black
HF: Headland, Pavlich, Solomon
FF: Bell, Tarrant, Gilmore
Foll: Sandilands, M.Carr, J.Carr
bench from: Cook, Walker, Webster, Campbell, Crowley, Warnock, Collard
In: Johnson, Warnock, Collard, Cook
Out: Parker
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Johnson is an important piece of their back line and a good fantasy defender. Sandilands probably won't lose many stats if Warnock does play, Collard is someone to watch if he plays and he might be a surprise fantasy player if he stays in the team.
Adelaide
FB: McLeod, Rutten, Bassett
HB: van Berlo, Stevens, Doughty
C: Burton, Goodwin, Mattner
HF: Knights, Bock, Reilly
FF: Porplyzia, Perrie, Welsh
Foll: Hudson, Edwards, Thompson
bench from: Griffin, Bode, Shirley, Torney, McGregor, Douglas, Vince
In: Bode, Shirley, McGregor
AFL Fantasy Watch:
McLeod has been worth the big money for fantasy teams, there have also been some bargains to find at Adelaide with Knights and others producing.
Midway through the first quarter it looked like Essendon would have an easy day, Lloyd had a bunch of scoring shots and Collingwood struggled to get the ball in their forward half. Collingwood turned it around as they contained Lucas, Didak kicked goals and Anthony Rocca launched the football for a team-lifting goal. Alwyn Davey had his usual chase, tackle and holding the ball decision but he was also caught by a Collingwood player once too.
Magpies 95 - Bombers 79
Fantasy Player News
Collingwood
Rocca: 8 marks, 11 kicks, 3 goals. A good game for fantasy points, could have been even better as he kicked 4 behinds.
H Shaw: 23 kicks and 13 marks, fantasy points also helped by receiving 3 free kicks and not giving away any.
Pendlebury: 21 possessions and a goal as he continues to play a big role.
Lockyer: 12 kicks, 5 tackles and 2 goals brought in fantasy points.
Cloke: Maybe T Cloke is the better brother for fantasy teams, he had a lot of the ball with 13 marks and 17 kicks.
Essendon
Davey: One of the biggest surprises in fantasy AFL, not too late to sign him after his 3 goals and 5 tackles.
Fletcher: A huge fantasy points game with 25 kicks.
Michael: Very good for fantasy points with 13 possessions and 5 marks.
6
Brad Johnson.
Forward/midfielder for the Western Bulldogs.
Brad Johnson was introduced to AFL fans by the 1993 AFL Draft, which was televised at that time. Gaspar went at number 1, Footscray were up at pick 11 and took Johnson. They also drafted Sedat Sir, and traded their other picks for Richard Osborne and Robert West.
For the first three years of his career he was a very good player for Footscray, then for the 1997 season his team became the Western Bulldogs and Johnson stepped up into the elite of AFL midfielders. Starting that year, and continuing until today, he has been over 300 kicks every season. He also started another streak then, with over 100 marks and 100 handballs every year too. Three seasons in his career he has reached 500 disposals for the year. Very rarely injured during his career, Johnson has been a player that the Bulldogs could always depend on.
Recently he has played full forward for the Bulldogs, and despite his size he has been very successful. He actually uses his small stature as a weapon against the bigger defenders of the AFL. He will take a bigger defender out of his comfort zone and into the middle of the ground, there Johnson gets possessions and then races back to the forward line, with his defender struggling to catch him. If a quicker, but smaller defender is opposed to Johnson then Johnson outmarks them repeatedly.
Johnson had never reached 50 goals in a season until 2006, when he kicked 74 goals. He not only made the All-Australian team but was given the captaincy as well. He is also the captain of the Bulldogs now, and he might be able to hold up the cup and fulfil his wish to "win a Premiership".
Brad Johnson information:
182cm, 85kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 5
Round 4 goes to Bryce Gibbs.
B Gibbs
Kicks: 10
Handballs: 2
Marks: 5
Tackles: 2
Goals: 0
J Selwood (Mathew Stokes substituting for round 4)
Kicks: 10
Handballs: 7
Marks: 8
Tackles: 3
Goals: 2
Coach Thompson dropped Joel Selwood for the second week in a row, but there was no late callup for Selwood this time, although it was reported that he made the trip and would have been available if needed. There also wasn't a win for Geelong as they went down to Tasmania and down to the Hawks. Gibbs made the trip to Perth to face the Eagles, it was a record setting game, for the other team.
Gibbs had several roles during the game, including a defensive role as he slowed down Wirrpanda later in the game. There were few goals for his team, and few highlights for Gibbs. Gibbs didn't do many things wrong, when compared to his teammates, and he played nearly every minute of the game. Selwood missed Geelong's loss, in previous games he has setup a goal or two each time and the Cats could have used him as the supply to their big forwards was not the best.
As J Selwood didn't play another young Cat was selected, before the game commenced, to compare with Gibbs. Stokes had a good game, kicking a couple of goals. Gibbs gets this round versus Selwood, but Stokes had a better game than him.
Gibbs will take part in the big rematch of the NAB Cup Grand Final. Carlton play Brisbane on Saturday night. Selwood could be back in the Geelong team that takes on the Kangaroos. The Cats are coming off a loss, the Kangaroos had a win last round, it should be a close game.
B Gibbs 2 - J Selwood 2
The previous Gibbs/Selwood watch.
This is a team with a lot of big fantasy stars, unfortunately it seems half the team performs one week and then takes the next one off. In round 4 the midfield didn't play too well, while the forwards and defenders picked up their stats. In the previous rounds the midfielders were great. A couple of trades added an exciting fantasy player and should help the team.
B David Mundy
B Daniel Pratt
B Andrew Raines
B Grant Birchall
B Graham Polak
B Jason Roe
B Adam McPhee
C Sam Mitchell
C Bryce Gibbs
C Steven Salopek
C Paul Hasleby
C Marc Murphy
C Jordan Lewis
R Dean Cox
R Ben Hudson
F Jared Brennan
F Barry Hall (captain)
F Chad Cornes
F Corey Jones
F Gary Ablett
F Alwyn Davey
F Lance Franklin
B Xavier Ellis (emergency)
B Matt Riggio
C Joel Selwood
C Lindsay Thomas
R Jonathan Griffin (emergency)
R Brent Renouf
F Shannon Cox
F Matthew Campbell (emergency)
There is a chance that Koschitzke goes to full back next round. That was some of the reason why Koschitzke was traded for Adam McPhee. Another reason is that Koschitzke might be more of a third option, now that Riewoldt and Gehrig will be in the team together too. McPhee has been playing great and should continue to get the stats while there is room for his fantasy value to rise a bit more too. Pratt, Polak and Raines didn't excel in the first 3 rounds but they all turned it around for round 4. Birchall, Roe and Mundy were solid but not as spectacular as they should be, Roe has room to improve as it was his first game back from injury.
Hasleby was captain last week and he had a lot of the ball against Melbourne. The two Carlton midfielders, Murphy and Gibbs, had a bad round as they were overrun by the Eagles. Lewis was again a big player for fantasy stats, Mitchell was quieter than normal as Ling contained him. Salopek didn't have a big game in the MCG rain.
Cox played great in the ruck, Hudson has been a solid player but his minutes are a bit low as the Crows are happy for Griffin to also get a good run in their ruck. One option in the coming weeks could be to trade Griffin for a star ruckman, which would make Hudson an emergency. McIntosh was a possible choice but the Moran situation will have to be watched there.
Hall was contained by the Crows, Melbourne might not be able to do it so Hall is the captain for this round. The big news is the trade of Waite for Shannon Cox, which means that Alwyn Davey starts from now on. B Fisher's injury at Carlton should help Waite as he becomes more important now, but waiting for Waite to get big numbers wasn't working. G Ablett had plenty of fantasy points last week, Franklin was good and C Cornes was great. When Corey Jones dropped a mark in front of goal against Brisbane it meant a loss of quite a few potential fantasy points, when he dropped another one just seconds later it could have meant he would be traded but he is still on the team and should play better this round. Jared Brennan has been solid.
Some of the bench players have been fantasy steals, and some are yet to play. The Hawthorn Football Club made a risky pick a couple of drafts ago when they took Xavier Ellis but it was a good choice for this fantasy team. He should play plenty of games this season and will be a useful emergency if any defenders are hurt. Riggio started the season well but well out of favour with Coach Laidley, that doesn't hurt the fantasy team too much.
L Thomas and J Selwood are solid players for a fantasy bench spot. They will improve their fantasy prices and should play many games for their AFL teams this season. An injury or two at Geelong and Selwood will be getting 20 possessions a game, Thomas knows the general direction for the goals and he should kick more accurately after starting the season kicking many behinds.
Griffin has been good for the Crows, he has had a slight increase in fantasy value too. When Maric returns it might mean that Griffin won't be playing for Adelaide. Renouf has been a good player in the VFL, and has been used in the ruck and in other spots. There is a chance he might see some games with Hawthorn, and injuries to players like Croad, Dowler and Thurgood might open a spot for him.
Davey and Campbell were the bench forwards at the start of the year. Davey is now given a chance to start and Campbell had a couple of games when his points would have been useful if the also started. Shannon Cox was a cheap player to sign, his fantasy value could go up a bit and his fantasy points average with Collingwood this season is quite good too. Jack Riewoldt was nearly signed instead of Shannon Cox, but as Richmond haven't mentioned him lately the safer choice was made.
Fantasy teams have to be finalized tomorrow for round 5. Here are the players who did have an injury and now could be playing on the weekend, and their availability could affect other players on their teams. Also listed are some players who were injured last round.
Adelaide
You wouldn't expect many changes to the team that defeated the Swans.
Matthew Bode (hip) - test
Ivan Maric (hip) - test
Ken McGregor (achilles) - test
Robert Shirley (hand) - test
Brisbane
If you are going to have Lappin as a starter then make sure there is an emergency midfielder on your team too. Maybe it is a good time to sign Brown, he will be kicking a lot better this week. Roe was a good player last week, it might be the right time to buy him as he will be better this game and should be a star for fantasy points for the rest of the year.
Nigel Lappin (thigh) - test
Troy Selwood (back) - test
Carlton
Waite hasn't been the fantasy star he could have been, but with Brad Fisher out of the lineup it could mean his stats go up. Josh Kennedy might also have a bigger role over the next month. If you had Fisher then trade him, he was a good investment at the start of the year and brought in a lot of fantasy points and also increased in value. Carlton players will have the ball a lot more this week, so don’t drop anyone by judging them on their stats last week.
Brad Fisher (cheekbone) - 3-4 weeks
Fremantle
Michael Johnson should return as his suspension is now over. Warnock might be included to assist Sandilands. The Dockers have a much tougher game this week, so some players will see a drop in stats compared to what they did against Melbourne.
Shane Parker (groin) - test
Robert Haddrill (knee) - 1 week
Geelong
G Ablett still played great after returning to the field and going into the forward line after having an injury against the Hawks. But better to be safe and have a forward named as an emergency if you have G Ablett in your fantasy forward line.
Gary Ablett (calf) - test
Hawthorn
Young has been one of the best fantasy players who started at a low price. There are a few options here, he has gone up in price and could be traded for another good midfielder. Leaving him on the bench or having an emergency at his position are other options for fantasy coaches.
Rick Ladson (knee) - test
Joel Smith (knee) - test
Clinton Young (shoulder) - test
Richie Vandenberg (hamstring) - 1 week
Kangaroos
They might give Thomas a break this week. For fantasy teams, he should be on the bench anyway. The Kangaroos won a game and might be reluctant to alter their team too much, that is good news for fantasy coaches.
Lindsay Thomas (chest) - test
Melbourne
These are just some of their players with short-term injuries. Melbourne won't have an easy game against Sydney so maybe wait a week to see if a few star players are returning from injury.
Daniel Bell (concussion) - test
Nathan Brown (calf) - test
Travis Johnstone (hamstring) - test
Brent Moloney (groin) - test
David Neitz (knee) - test
Jared Rivers (hamstring) - test
Paul Wheatley (shoulder) - test
Nathan Jones (ankle) - 2-3 weeks
Matthew Whelan (hamstring) - 2-3 weeks
Port Adelaide
It doesn't seem that Brogan will play, but Pearce could be a chance. C Cornes may not be as effective this week as he won't be able to roam around as much, with the Saints a chance to have Gehrig, Riewoldt and Koschitzke up forward. Of course Cornes will still be good for fantasy points, but it might not be a week to play him as a fantasy captain.
Dean Brogan (ankle) - test
Daniel Motlop (ankle) - test
Danyle Pearce (hamstring) - test
Richmond
Forget about Brown this week. Too risky to have him in a fantasy team at the moment. Richmond is also a possibility to cause fantasy teams problems this week as they could change around their team a lot. So maybe don't sign any fringe players there for this week.
Nathan Brown (leg) - test
St Kilda
Their best 3 tall defenders are out. Maybe Koschitzke goes to the back line, but he probably starts up forward and moves if things go bad with Tredrea. Koschitzke at full back might not be the best spot for fantasy points. Blake might get the job on Tredrea. Gehrig might be someone to sign, he should have lots of energy after missing a week.
Barry Brooks (hamstring) - 1-2 weeks
Sam Fisher (hamstring) - 3-4 weeks
Sydney
Buchanan could be replaced in the team by Davis. Fantasy coaches might wait a week until signing Davis. But Buchanan will have to be traded.
Nick Davis (foot) - test
Amon Buchanan (knee) - indefinite
West Coast
The Eagles won't need to rush any help into the team for their round 5 game. They can let Butler have another week off.
Sam Butler (groin) - test
Western Bulldogs
Akermanis, Cross and Power could all be playing, according to their coach. If Cross is on your team, put him in as a starter and have an emergency ready too. Akermanis wasn't a big fantasy points player in the early rounds so don't be in a rush to sign him.
Jason Akermanis (hamstring) - test
Daniel Cross (adductor) - test
Brett Montgomery (ribs) - test
Sam Power (hamstring) - test
Essendon v Collingwood
Essendon
FB: McVeigh, Michael, Slattery
HB: McPhee, Fletcher, Ryder
C: Dyson, Stanton, Heffernan
HF: M.Johnson, Lucas, Hird
FF: Monfries, Lloyd, Davey
Foll: Laycock, Peverill, Lovett
bench: Bradley, Bolton, Johns, Watson
emergency: Houli, Jetta, Lonergan
In: Bradley, Bolton
Out: Hille, Jetta
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Ryder and Laycock will have a bigger role now that Hille is officially out of the team for this game. Ryder should have a good game for fantasy points, with time in the back line and in the ruck. Laycock wasn't bad in the game against the Saints, he got some fantasy points by going forward and giving the Bombers another tall target in the forward 50. Alwyn Davey might have began the season on a lot of fantasy benches but now he is doing enough to start on fantasy teams, he should get plenty of minutes in this game as the Bombers are missing Jetta and didn't bring in another small. Dyson is someone to sign, he wasn't there at the start of the season but now is back in the team. Just a guess, but Mark Bolton won't be helping fantasy teams.
Collingwood
FB: Lockyer, Prestigiacomo, Cox
HB: H.Shaw, Clement, R.Shaw
C: Pendlebury, Toovey, Thomas
HF: Maxwell, Cloke, Didak
FF: Swan, Rocca, Johnson
Foll: Fraser, O'Bree, Dick
bench: Burns, Davis, O'Brien, Bryan
emergency: Richards, Egan, Iles
In: Didak, Bryan
Out: Licuria, Richards
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Bryan is a much bigger offensive threat than Richards so he might bring in a few fantasy points if he kicks a goal or two. Didak has a big price tag in fantasy games, a fantasy coach would have to be brave to sign him right now, but Didak could get hot and kick a bunch of goals. Toovey gets another game and his fantasy potential might be a bit better than Shannon Cox or Brad Dick, although all three would be cheap additions to a fantasy team and could have a big year if they keep their spot in the Collingwood team. Pendlebury has been kicking goals and winning the ball, he would be a good player at a reasonable price for a fantasy team and he should have a big game.
The Tip: Collingwood by 21 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Josh Fraser
Chance For An Upset: Everyone is picking Essendon, but if Fraser has a big game with Hille out it could give an advantage to Collingwood.
Essendon
They win if....they overwhelm Collingwood with Lloyd, Lucas, Johns and Hird in the forward line.
They lose if...some of their veteran stars are more hurt than Essendon is admitting.
The Good News: It was easier to play under a roof against a depleted Saints' team than be out on the MCG during a storm against a powerful opponent in Port Adelaide.
The Bad News: They are without their big, experienced ruckman.
Collingwood
They win if....they use the ball better and cut down on their turnovers.
They lose if...Rocca doesn't give a bunch of goals.
The Good News: Didak returns and he could win the game with a few freakish plays.
The Bad News: They didn't bring in Ben Reid.
Early Tips For Round 5
Port Adelaide v St Kilda : Power by 24 points
Richmond v West Coast : Eagles by 100 points
Carlton v Brisbane : Lions by 11 points
Sydney v Melbourne : Swans by 66 points
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs : Bulldogs by 17 points
Geelong v Kangaroos : Cats by 5 points
Fremantle v Adelaide : Dockers by 12 points
Chad Cornes of the Port Adelaide Power.
For the first few minutes of the Port Adelaide - Collingwood game it seemed that the Magpies had made a winning move. Maxwell was assigned to Chad Cornes as a defensive forward, initially he was successful as he not only contained Chad Cornes but was able to exploit Cornes on a couple of occasions. This advantage did not last long.
Cornes was soon getting the ball while the effectiveness of Maxwell decreased. The conditions didn't make it easy for the players, as the weather was inclement. The opposition didn't make it easy for the Power, their team had a change from the previous round, in Clement.
The second half was all Chad Cornes, there wouldn't have been one part of the ground where he didn't do something positive for his team. There should be a stat recorded for what he did, something like goals saved, for when a player stops a goal. At an important part of the game, with scores very close, it was C Cornes who marked on the goal line to stop a goal. Later, when the Power had the lead, he also was there to stop another certain goal.
When there was 1 point in it, the play of Chad Cornes changed the outcome of the game. During the 3rd quarter Collingwood were playing well and Ben Johnson was running through the centre square and was going to send the ball into attack. Now Ben Johnson is a very fast runner, not surprisingly, but Cornes made a big stop as he put out one hand and tackled Johnson to the ground. The Power grabbed the ball, Mahoney grabbed his chance to kick a goal and the Power had grabbed the momentum. Maybe a minute later it was Cornes again, he had the ball in the middle and everyone expected a chip pass, Cornes decided that the Power had an option at half forward and sent the ball long to White. That decision resulted in another goal to the Power, through Michael Wilson.
Chad Cornes will always be remembered for how he and his family reacted when Port Adelaide drafted him, but there have also been many highlights on the field and he has performed on the MCG. His latest performance makes him the AFL Player Of The Week.
Chad Cornes's profile at the Port Adelaide site
The AFL Player Of The Week for the previous round, Brendan Fevola.
Lynden Dunn had a good game on the weekend, and fantasy coaches who played him, or Yze, might have gotten a good result. There will be plenty of chances to find fantasy steals as the Demons will have to continue going to their VFL players to find the numbers for their AFL side. Neitz is a lot closer to returning than many other Demons, first round pick James Frawley could be playing for Melbourne next month and Ricky Petterd might make his debut on the weekend.
From the Melbourne Football Club site: Demons rate Neitz 50-50 for Swans clash
Melbourne’s Injury List
David Neitz - Knee - Test
Russell Robertson - Knee - 5 weeks
Clint Bartram - Knee - 5-7 weeks
Brock McLean - Foot - 2-3 weeks
James Frawley - Foot - 2 weeks
Brent Moloney - Groin - Test
Travis Johnstone - Hamstring - Test
Matthew Whelan - Hamstring - 2-3 weeks
Daniel Bell - Concussion - Test
Paul Wheatley - Shoulder - Test
Nathan Jones - Ankle - 2-3 weeks
Nathan Brown - Calf - Test
Jared Rivers - Hamstring - Test
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Once players like Neitz, McLean and Rivers are back to full fitness they should be back in AFL fantasy teams. For fantasy coaches who want to see an increase in value, possibly for a fantasy bench player, then Frawley and Petterd could be players to look at in the coming weeks. Melbourne have to play them for several reasons, not just because of the injuries but also because the youngsters might be better right now than several of the older players that have been there in the first 4 rounds.
5
Brendon Lade.
Ruckman for the Port Adelaide Power.
Lade has been with the Power since the very start. A very solid foundation to build a team around, Lade shared the ruck spot at Port Adelaide with Primus for several seasons. When Primus was out injured it was Lade who increased his production to keep the Power switched on. Lade also missed a lot of games around season 2000 and 2001 with an injury, he returned better than ever.
Whatever the role is that the Power need Lade to do he is up to the task. If he has to take the centre bounce and then patrol around half back he can dominate in the air. With the play of Cornes, the Chad one, in recent seasons there hasn't been a big need for Lade to help down the back line. The forward line has been a different situation this century, with or without Warren Tredrea the Power have a use for Lade in the forward 50. Lade kicked his biggest total for goals in a game during the finals of 2003, with 5 goals. In 2004 he kicked goals nearly every game, sometimes as a forward and other times punishing the other team's ruckman by going into the forward area and kicking a goal.
The ruck position is where Lade has done the most damage, and a couple of thousand hitouts prove that. His best ever game was 34 hitouts. The totals may look impressive but it is the quality of the hitouts that make Lade stand out from other ruckmen. The timing, the understanding he has with the onballers, he is one of the best at cleanly hitting the ball to a teammate who is in a position to clear the ball from the stoppage.
Lade is being awarded for his achievements now, recognition that is coming a bit late. His 2006 All-Australian selection was well deserved. Lade was a great player last century when he was wearing number 20, now with number 5 he is a winner of the AFL Grand Final and one of the top 3 ruckmen in the AFL.
Brendon Lade information:
199cm, 101kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 4
If the AFL schedule was decided by who was doing something first, then the Kangaroos would be on TV a lot more on Friday nights. They are not, so as there has never been a reason why Anzac Day is the exclusive property of two specific teams then that should be addressed.
A Grand Final rematch from the previous season, played on the MCG for Anzac Day, would be a good game. But it would likely deprive an interstate team of a real home game, where they would have their own crowd and better financial results. It could also make it difficult to fill the MCG.
So if it is two Victorian teams at the MCG it is a lot fairer. But after the game is taken away from Essendon and Collingwood the question is who gets it, and some teams do not deserve it. Two teams who could be rewarded are the highest finishing Victorian teams from the previous season. But things could change from September to April, and it could end up being a game of 16th versus 11th.
A random draw, the last Victorian teams to win a Grand Final, the last two to play in one, two different rivals every year, the winner of the previous Anzac Day game taking on a new challenger, the teams being voted on by fans, the RSL choosing who plays, a coin flip, the two highest scoring teams from the previous year, a vote by members of the Australian military, a poll of the AFL coaches, there are lots of ways to come up with a set of rules to say which two teams will be privileged to play on Anzac Day.
Here is the idea, it will reward those who are most important to the games, the fans. Officially take the game off Essendon and Collingwood. Then it will be up to the fans to decide if their team plays in the Anzac Day game. The two teams in Victoria which have the highest membership totals should be rewarded with the big game in April.
There it is, no longer will Essendon and Collingwood have ownership of the Anzac Day game. It will be open to all teams in Victoria. It could persuade more members to sign up for all Victorian teams. When everything is added up the teams will be announced. Of course, right now the highest membership totals would mean a game between Essendon and Collingwood.
Here is a quick look at some of the players in the SANFL who are playing well and could be added to the Crows or Power teams in the coming weeks. With Brogan out the Power might add another tall, not that Lade needs help, and the Crows have a big injured list and might look at John Hinge.
News from The Advertiser: SANFL players burning for an AFL game
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Ryan "What you talkin' 'bout" Willits hasn't had it easy in the SANFL, being played in non-preferred positions and having to change clubs. It might take an injury to Tredrea, or White, before he gets another chance with the Power. Chaplin was a good fantasy player last season, the Power have gone with other tall options in the back line now but he could come back to the Power soon, and to fantasy teams. Deluca could be added to the Power when they play the Saints, he will have very little fantasy value in the AFL. Matt Thomas was a good player when he got a chance last season, there would need to be a couple of injuries before he played enough for fantasy points. The Crows probably don't need Hinge at the moment, but with so many players out they might want to add a healthy body. Hinge wouldn’t be expected to do a lot for fantasy teams.
1: West Coast Eagles 4-0 win-loss record (1 in last AFL Power Rankings)
Judd versus Deledio, Cox versus Simmonds, Glass versus Richardson, the Eagles might have a tougher game than they expect next week. That still doesn't mean that there is any real chance of a loss, but you never know. The Eagles are in great shape on the field, against Carlton every one of their players was in double figures for possessions and every player marked the ball at least once. Hansen is kicking goals again, so is Wirrpanda, a bonus as kicking a big enough score is one of their only real concerns.
2: Adelaide Crows 3-1 (3)
They might have the best coach, so that makes up for having one of the longest injury lists. The McLeod guy is another thing the Crows have that other teams don't. They have another big game next round.
3: Sydney Swans 2-2 (2)
Sydney will get back on track next week, they host Melbourne. They lose Amon Buchanan with an injury.
4: Fremantle Dockers 1-3 (4)
The Dockers don't really have anything to celebrate, they had to defeat the Demons who were missing half their stars. A win against the Crows next Sunday and they will have accomplished something. Michael Johnson will strengthen their back line.
5: Port Adelaide Power 3-1 (5)
The Power versus the Saints will be a game to watch, Riewoldt and C Cornes could put on a show.
6: Western Bulldogs 2-2 (6)
The MCG on Friday Night had a flock of seagulls there and the Bulldogs ran, they ran so far away from the Tigers. Statistically he might have been the worst player on the ground, remember it was his first day at the job though, but Tom Williams might have been the best part of the win for the Bulldogs. It was reminiscent of the early years of Craig Ellis, before he was a key defender or a fashion designer Ellis was a tall and athletic midfield player. Williams is a bit taller than Ellis too and could still develop into a midfield player which was one idea the Bulldogs had for him when he was drafted.
7: Essendon Bombers 3-1 (9)
They can't complain about the short time to get ready for their big game against Collingwood, the Magpies had a much tougher lead up to it. Jetta is expected to miss, a much bigger problem for the Bombers would be Hille missing the game, but they know that Laycock plays well against Collingwood.
8: Geelong Cats 2-2 (7)
Geelong have beaten last year’s 16th placed team as well as the Demons who lost their big stars. Maybe they are not as good as they should be, maybe Ottens is of much greater importance than people realized, their game against the Kangaroos should sort things out. It could also indicate which coach in the AFL is in the most trouble.
9: St Kilda Saints 2-2 (8)
Another injury to a tall backman, they are nearly all out of action now. Jason Blake was a good player when moved there, Gram and Goddard are capable of playing out of their height division. They have to find someone to play on Tredrea. Gehrig will return and they missed him when playing the Bombers.
10: Hawthorn Hawks 3-1 (12)
They did have an easier start to the year than some teams but they still had to win their games. Their Tasmanian home ground advantage helped against Geelong, as did their Tasmanian players like Birchall and Taylor. The Hawks have two big tests coming up at the MCG, the Bulldogs and Bombers.
11: Brisbane Lions 2-2 (10)
While the Lions shouldn't be greedy, if Brown had kicked a few more goals they could be 4 and 0. Of course they should also be thankful that Brown is back, without him they would be a lot worse off. Their last two games have also been affected by the absence of Lappin.
12: Collingwood Magpies 2-2 (11)
If they get Didak back for the game on Wednesday it will improve their chances a lot. The Magpies showed a lot of hustle and determination on the MCG last weekend and if they bring that again on Wednesday they will come away with the win. Expect at least one or two surprises when the team is selected.
13: Carlton Blues 2-2 (13)
They got their trip to West Coast out of the way and now have a much easier month of games to look forward to. First up is a rematch of the NAB Cup Grand Final. Fevola could be on his way to the tribunal.
14: Kangaroos 1-3 (15)
They got a win and will be confident as they go to Kardinia Park. McIntosh is certainly not one of the bad apples of the AFL, and every game he increases his reputation among the top young ruckmen.
15: Richmond Tigers 0-4 (14)
It doesn't get easier next week, the Eagles are visiting the MCG. It is time for something radical, so send in your tactics and ideas to Punt Road. The Bowden brothers deep in the forward line, Richardson on a wing, Riewoldt at centre half forward, they need to hit the Eagles with something unexpected.
16: Melbourne Demons 0-4 (16)
A trip to the SCG next week, so the unhappy days will continue. Pickett isn't done, either is Dunn, so Melbourne supporters did have some good news on the weekend. Melbourne fans shouldn't be throwing in the towel yet, but they should have the towel within easy reach.
None of the big forwards for Geelong could kick a goal. It was a donut in the goals stat for Mooney, N Ablett and Hawkins. The highlight of the game had to be Simon Taylor, that is probably not going to be a phrase repeated very often. Big Taylor picked up the ball near the 50m line and decided to just kick it as hard as he could, it went through for an unexpected goal and the Hawks needed it as the final margin was 4 points. Both Taylor and Campbell also took strong marks in the back line that helped Hawthorn secure the win.
Hawks 76 - Cats 72
Fantasy Player News
Hawthorn
Birchall: 23 possessions as he had home ground advantage.
Guerra: A big game for fantasy points, 19 kicks and 8 marks.
Franklin: Fantasy teams were helped by his kicks and tackles, but a tad inaccurate shooting for goal.
Hodge: 19 kicks, he is playing better for fantasy stats over the past couple of games.
Ellis: His best game so far, and was important in the 4th quarter, a good emergency defender for fantasy teams.
Lewis: 26 possessions and 10 marks, opposition teams ignore him but fantasy teams might consider signing him.
Geelong
Bartel: Big numbers with 31 possessions, 6 tackles and 3 free kicks for and 0 against.
Enright: 20 kicks for Enright.
Milburn: Inconsistent for Geelong but great for fantasy teams, had 17 first half possessions.
Ling: Had another stopping role but still managed 22 possessions.
The Dockers didn't have it easy as they recorded their first win of the season. It was a tight contest in the first quarter as Melbourne had more scoring shots than Fremantle. The big stars for the Dockers then took control and it was all over, except for an exceptional goal by Yze.
Dockers 137 - Demons 92
Fantasy Player News
Fremantle
Pavlich: 6 goals and 12 marks, Pavlich has some big games on the MCG.
Hasleby: 21 kicks and 8 marks against an undermanned Demons' midfield.
Sandilands: A lot of hitouts which was expected, a bonus for fantasy numbers with 2 goals.
Headland: 29 possessions and 3 goals.
Webster: Never a regular, that could change after 3 goals.
Crowley: 14 kicks and 8 handballs.
Hayden: 22 possessions as he increased his fantasy points output compared to previous games.
Melbourne
Yze: 25 kicks, and a spectacular goal, he might be getting signed to a few more fantasy AFL teams.
Dunn: A good effort for his first game of the season, kicked 3 goals.
Miller: Hasn't been a fantasy superstar with Neitz and Robertson out, but is solid for stats, also kicked 3 goals.
White: 22 possessions is a good game for a fantasy ruckman.
McDonald: Old McDonald had a big game, including 17 first half possessions.
Bruce: 9 tackles provided some bonus fantasy points as he didn't kick a goal in this game.
Davey: 2 goals and 17 kicks, he is back for AFL fantasy teams looking for a forward.
The Eagles had a big win, and nearly all their players had huge games for fantasy points. Wirrpanda kicked the goals, Lynch collected the possessions, so that was something different. Judd was the same as always, very good.
Eagles 100 - Blues 39
Fantasy Player News
West Coast
Judd: 35 possessions, his price in AFL fantasy leagues just went up, as did his 2008 contract.
Priddis: 25 possessions as he cements a spot in their lineup.
Cox: He is back to his best. Hitouts, possessions and also kicked a goal.
B Jones: 30 possessions.
R Jones: 22 possessions and 5 tackles.
Staker: 22 disposals as he continues to play well.
Armstrong: 26 possessions and he might be an underrated fantasy player this season.
Lynch: Didn't kick a goal, still contributed for fantasy teams with 19 possessions and 8 big marks.
Carlton
Whitnall: A good game with 12 marks and 13 kicks.
Bentick: 17 possessions and 4 tackles, didn't have a bigger role with Stevens out.
Scotland: A little bit down on his usual fantasy average, although that's because the other team had the ball.
Walker: 14 possessions and 7 tackles.
* Remember that it is a short week for adjusting AFL fantasy teams. Only a couple of days to trade players.
It was wet, and the Power have the team that can dominate in those conditions. With their many small forwards, and their big ruckman, the Power were able to adjust their setup and get the win. Collingwood were a good chance for three quarters, but a couple of Cornes made the difference in the end.
Power 84 - Magpies 66
Fantasy Player News
Port Adelaide
C Cornes: They stopped him at the start of the game, but then he had 20 possessions in the second half.
Ebert: 3 goals as Ebert continues to play well.
Lade: He had 10 more hitouts than the Magpies, also had 2 free kicks for and didn't give any away.
Wilson: Wilson's fantasy numbers were boosted by a couple of goals.
White: Tredrea didn't have a big game but White did, had 18 possessions.
Mahoney: 2 goals and 22 possessions as the conditions suited him.
Collingwood
R Shaw: A Shaw is expected to lead Collingwood in fantasy points, but not this one, he was everywhere for 30 disposals.
H Shaw: Had 19 possessions as the Power paid special attention to him.
Thomas: 24 possessions and 8 marks in the wet, still a bargain in fantasy leagues.
Pendlebury: 2 goals and 5 tackles were added to his 20 possessions for some big fantasy points.
Toovey: Looks to be winning a permanent spot in the team, could be a bargain buy for fantasy teams.
The roof was closed at the Dome, which helped Essendon in this game and might also give them an advantage for their next game. Essendon had 3 players with 30 or more possessions as they ran over the Saints. An injury to Sam Fisher really hurt the Saints' chances as they were small in the back line to begin with.
Bombers 99 - Saints 68
Fantasy Player News
Essendon
Stanton: 24 kicks, 10 marks, and a goal, a good game for fantasy stats.
McPhee: He ran around in space and had 14 marks, over the uncontested kind. 23 kicks and 5 tackles were good too.
Peverill: He has been good this year, 32 possessions here was a but above expectations.
Ryder: Still time to sign him up for fantasy teams, a ruckman in fantasy but an athletic defender for Essendon now.
St Kilda
Fiora: 22 possessions and another good game for fantasy points from Fiora.
Goddard: 16 kicks and 9 marks.
Harvey: He can still help fantasy teams, 14 kicks and 12 handballs.
They finally have a win, and they had good crowd support at their second home. The Kangaroos will be thankful that Brown of Brisbane didn't have his best night for kicking, with 1 goal and 5 behinds.
Kangaroos 87 - Lions 63
Fantasy Player News
Kangaroos
McIntosh: 20 possessions for a ruckman, a big bonus in fantasy AFL games.
Wells: Whenever the Kangaroos were in trouble Wells would speed on by and send the ball forward, 2 goals and 29 possessions.
Archer: Was having a bad year for fantasy points, turned it all around with 19 kicks.
Grant: 20 kicks and 7 tackles.
Brisbane
Notting: 29 possessions, 5 marks and 5 tackles. he is playing well.
Sherman: 21 possessions and 7 marks brought in fantasy points, didn't get a goal like he usually does,
Charman: Was played as a ruckman, had 28 total hitouts as well as 13 possessions.
Hadley: Fantasy steal with 19 disposals.
The score was very low, but the excitement level was up as the Crows stopped the Swans at their own game. Accuracy in front of goal didn't help the Swans, but Sydney needed more than that as the Crows were able to win at the stoppages, something Sydney usually owns.
Crows 61 - Sydney 44
Fantasy Player News
Adelaide
McLeod: 20 kicks and lots of fantasy points.
Goodwin: 19 possessions and 7 marks.
Burton: He was flying, 3 goals was a big return in a low-scoring game.
Knights: 11 kicks and 4 tackles as he keeps getting it done for fantasy teams that signed him at a low price.
Reilly: He was Reilly good with 18 kicks and 4 tackles.
Sydney
Malceski: 20 disposals and 7 tackles, an improved player for fantasy points this year.
Jolly: A surprising season so far, fantasy numbers were boosted by 2 goals and 7 marks.
Crouch: A solid effort in his first game for a while, 6 tackles and 14 possessions.
Goodes: Not dominating yet, had 16 possessions.
O'Keefe: 17 kicks for O'Keefe, but like many on his team he didn't goal.
4
Daniel Cross.
Midfielder for the Western Bulldogs.
Kris Kross might have made you jump, Daniel Cross would make you receive a handball. There are few players in the AFL who are as effective or prolific with the handball.
The Bulldogs used a late pick, number 56 in the 2000 AFL draft, to take Cross. It took a while for Cross to become a regular for the Western Bulldogs, and he struggled to get a game when his uniform number was 38. When Coach Eade took over Cross thought his time at the Bulldogs might have been ending, that wasn't the case.
From 2005, Cross has been an elite AFL midfielder. Often among the league leaders in handballs and total disposals, and tackles as well. Cross recently set a new career-high in handballs in a game with 25, his career low for handballs is 0 as there was actually a game very early in his career when he didn't have a handball. One thing Cross hasn't done well is kick goals, he is hoping to improve that this season.
Gilbee has taken over from Rohan Smith in the back line. Adam Cooney could be the midfielder/forward player who will eventually replace the many things that Brad Johnson does. Scott West also has an heir apparent, Daniel Cross would be that player. Cross finished second to West in the AFL last season for total handballs.
If Simon Atkins was called Axe, then maybe Daniel Cross should be called Smash as their handball skills can be the cause of a demolition by the Bulldogs.
Daniel Cross information:
187cm, 84kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 3
The Tigers got to 100 points, they had goals from Polak, Richardson, Hyde and Schulz but it wasn't enough as the game was played at the pace that the Bulldogs like. Murphy and Darcy showed they are back to 100% health as they each kicked 4 goals. Tom Williams played his first AFL game, he didn't have any influence on the result but Bulldogs' fans will be happy to have a big and mobile player in their lineup and it won't be long until he plays an important role, probably in the back line but there is also the chance he is used as a big tagger in the middle.
Bulldogs 132 - Tigers 100
Fantasy Player News
Western Bulldogs
Murphy: Reported, nothing in it. Big fantasy points game with 4 goals and 8 marks.
Darcy: A big improvement on his previous games, kicked 4 goals and also added 10 hitouts.
West: 35 possessions, stepped up his production a bit with Cross out.
Gilbee: The usual game for fantasy points, 19 kicks.
Cooney: Turned on the fantasy points at the end of the game and finished with 4 goals.
Harris: Richardson didn't play badly but Harris got a lot of fantasy points, with 9 kicks and 7 marks.
Williams: Some potential there for fantasy points in the future, but not in this game as his biggest stat was free kicks against.
Richmond
Polak: He was started on the bench, not a good position for fantasy points but later he would kick 3 goals and have 8 marks.
J Bowden: Getting more fantasy points now, had 10 kicks and 7 marks.
Raines: His bets game this season, 16 kicks and 14 handballs.
Tuck: 31 possessions, fantasy points helped by receiving 4 free kicks.
Edwards: Only played half the game in his debut, had 7 kicks.
The following team might have been possible to assemble before the 2007 AFL season began. There were reasons before the season as to why the players may not have performed as well this year, but the early games have shown they are worth their fantasy prices, and are probably actually worth a lot more.
B: A McPhee – The addition of Michael was supposed to turn McPhee into a much better player for statistics and that has happened.
B: J Adcock – Is really one of the best fantasy defenders now.
B: A McLeod - There was talk that he might play as a forward, that might not have been helpful to his stats, McLeod was left in the back line and is in his 1997/1998 form.
B: D Jacobs - He was a good fantasy player in 2006 before his injury, he has picked up where he left off with fantasy points.
B: A Walker – Always athletic, his football skills are much better and that has boosted his fantasy points this season.
B: D Gaspar - Imagine someone boasting before the season began that they had Darren Gaspar in their fantasy team. But right now they would be laughing as Gaspar has performed.
B: C Newman - It was a bad injury he had so there was the chance he might not play well, so far he has been one of the Tigers' best players and a big help for fantasy teams.
C: D Kerr – Plenty of reasons why he might not perform, but none have slowed him down yet. One of the best for fantasy points through the first 3 rounds.
C: D Rodan - The coaches in the AFL should know their stuff, so when they delist someone it usually means they can't play. Rodan showed this was wrong in the NAB Cup and he has continued that during the real games for fantasy points.
C: B Gibbs – He was supposed to be ready, but didn’t have any really big games during preseason, his performances are now bringing in a lot of points and his fantasy value will keep going up all season.
C: J Winderlich - On the outside of the senior team until this year, he is now a big part of their midfield.
C: B Harvey - The Kangaroos have quite a few problems and some of their veterans are slowing down, Harvey could be speeding up.
C: H Scotland - The Blues finished last in 2006 when part of their strategy was to let Scotland run around half back and the middle and accumulate huge totals of fantasy points. If they changed Scotland's role it could have reduced his stats, but they didn't and Scotland is now even more valuable for fantasy teams.
R: B Lade – When Brogan is out Lade really increases his stats, and Brogan is out of the lineup once again.
R: D Jolly - The reason not to pick him was that Everitt had arrived, but so far both big Swans are helping fantasy teams.
F: J Koschitzke - Eveyone knows that Koschitzke is injury-prone, so there was a reason to avoid him in fantasy teams. There isn't a reason now as he is the bargain of fantasy key position players.
F: B Fisher - They have other options, like big Mr Kennedy, but Fisher quietly goes about his business in the forward line and contributes a lot of fantasy points through his marks, kicks and goals.
F: B Fevola - There was talk that he had a mystery knee problem, that has been forgotten about.
F: S Lucas - It made sense that Lucas overachieved last season when most of the other forwards were out injured, but Lucas is playing better now than in 2006.
F: M Lloyd – He missed a lot of time after injuring himself early last season, but he is the same player and producing for fantasy teams again.
F: B Staker - He wasn't in their team that won last season and the Eagles often struggle to find a position to play him in, but Staker is in the team again and is playing in a variety of roles.
F: D Thomas – He was good for fantasy teams last season, and better now.
B: T Boyle - His spot at Hawthorn was supposed to be filled by Dowler, Thorp or Murphy. Boyle has been a solid player for fantasy teams, especially in the first two games.
B: A Toovey – An unexpected move by Collingwood last week, he kicked some goals and kept his spot in the team.
C: R Hadley - It has been over 2 years since he played, and he wasn't expected to return so early in season 2007.
C: N Lappin - A lot of his teammates in Brisbane have retired, and it seemed that injuries were going to make that a possibility for Lappin. He is back, although he did miss a few games with a new injury.
R: P Ryder - The ruck spot seemed too crowded for tall, but thin, Ryder to get a run. Sheedy surprised all by making Ryder a big defender. Fantasy coaches are surprised by the stats that Ryder can bring in.
R: C Cloke - The Carlton coach was supposed to have wanted Zantuck at the end of the preseason draft and not one of the Cloke family. Now Cameron Cloke is playing minutes in the ruck and getting enough fantasy points when compared to his low starting price.
F: Alwyn Davey – Sheedy said that he wasn’t going to risk the new players in their big round 1 game in Adelaide, then he put Davey and Jetta into the team and they are still there.
F: T Hawkins - Geelong said he was too young and would not play a lot, they left him out for round 1 and lost big, he has been in ever since and is kicking goals like a veteran.
The Dempster experiment is over for now, his knee injury will keep him out of action for a while and he is now out of the team. Only one trade was made, next week there might be a couple of trades made.
B David Mundy
B Daniel Pratt
B Andrew Raines
B Grant Birchall
B Graham Polak
B Jason Roe
B Justin Koschitzke
C Sam Mitchell
C Bryce Gibbs
C Steven Salopek
C Paul Hasleby (captain)
C Marc Murphy
C Jordan Lewis
R Dean Cox
R Ben Hudson
F Jared Brennan
F Barry Hall
F Chad Cornes
F Corey Jones
F Gary Ablett
F Jarrad Waite
F Lance Franklin
B Xavier Ellis (emergency)
B Matt Riggio
C Joel Selwood
C Lindsay Thomas
R Jonathan Griffin (emergency)
R Brent Renouf
F Alwyn Davey
F Matthew Campbell (emergency)
Dempster leaves and Jason Roe, a star performer on this team last season, will take his place. Roe better be over his injury problems or else that will be a bad move. Joel Bowden nearly was the player who came into the team. Last week Mundy and Birchall were good performers. Koschitzke had a solid game too, the expectations this week are higher as with Gehrig out for the game against Essendon it should mean more stats for Koschitzke. Polak and Pratt have been solid, but they could do a bit more. Raines is also a bit down on what he can do, he might have to be moved along next round, Michael Johnson might be the player picked for his spot.
The midfield doesn't have any problems, everyone is producing stats. Haselby gets the captaincy again, his team really should run all over their opposition and Hasleby should be a big part of that.
This week should be good for the ruckmen in this team. Dean Cox is fit now and he won't have too hard a task against the smaller Carlton ruckmen.
Cornes and Hall had big fantasy points games, Gary Ablett was also good while Lance Franklin found the goals again and produced his best result for fantasy points so far. Jones, Waite and Brennan should improve next round. Jones could get the ball more as Hale won't be there, and maybe Waite is kept at half back where he has showed he can bring in fantasy points.
Richmond v Western Bulldogs
The Tip: Western Bulldogs by 30 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Lindsay Gilbee
Chance For An Upset: Richmond could have had a winning record at this time, they let a couple of games slip away, so the Tigers are a chance in this game.
Richmond
They win if....Simmonds runs forward and kicks a couple of goals.
They lose if...Joel Bowden is at full back.
The Good News: Tambling is performing at a high standard.
The Bad News: There is still no Nathan Brown, or an expected return date.
Western Bulldogs
They win if....they rediscover their run and foot skills.
They lose if...the Tigers send Richardson, Polak and Schulz forward and supply them with the ball.
The Good News: Tom Williams finally plays a game of AFL football, it has been a big wait for the high draft pick.
The Bad News: They have a losing streak, not something that was expected.
Collingwood v Port Adelaide
The Tip: Collingwood by 1 point
Best-On-Ground Guess: James Clement
Chance For An Upset: There really isn't a favourite in this game, and both teams are very similar to each other. Lade and Fraser, Tredrea and Rocca, Clement and C Cornes, it should be a close contest.
Collingwood
They win if....their younsters, like Toovey and Thomas, continue to step up while their oldsters, Buckley and Didak, remain sidelined.
They lose if...their ruckmen forget that Lade can kick goals.
The Good News: Clement returns after missing their win last week.
The Bad News: They could be looking too far ahead, to Anzac Day when they play Essendon.
Port Adelaide
They win if....Tredrea can kick some goals.
They lose if...they allow Heath Shaw to run around without an opponent.
The Good News: Rodan returns to the MCG, and he is playing better than he ever did on that ground before.
The Bad News: They will play against Collingwood without Brogan.
St Kilda v Essendon
The Tip: St Kilda by 2 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Nick Riewoldt
Chance For An Upset: This is another close game, maybe some people aren't tipping Essendon because of last week but that was the only game this season when Essendon played a bad half. Essendon are tall at both ends of the ground, they could get the win with the Saints missing some of their taller players.
St Kilda
They win if....players like Fiora and X Clarke can continue to find space and the football.
They lose if...they end up being too short in the back half.
The Good News: Ball should be there, and maybe he replicates Nathan Burke's effort and headwear.
The Bad News: Their G-Train is delayed and won't be available this week.
Essendon
They win if....Lucas catches fire again, he was extinguished in the second half last week.
They lose if...Fletcher unexpectedly finds himself sent to the forward line.
The Good News: Riewoldt's stunt double, Adam McPhee, won't have to play in a key defensive spot with Michael and Ryder in the team now.
The Bad News: They can't find a spot for Courtney Johns.
Kangaroos v Brisbane
The Tip: Brisbane by 18 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Simon Black
Chance For An Upset: When one team has Jonathan and the other has Leigh, it is usually Brisbane's Brown who wins.
Kangaroos
They win if....Petrie fills the hole where J Brown would like to lead.
They lose if...they are out-coached again, and they are going against the Lethal one.
The Good News: Archer is back.
The Bad News: Hale is out and their forward line is a lot smaller now.
Brisbane
They win if....Roe and Adcock can produce run from the back line.
They lose if...Charman and Brown can't co-exist in the forward 50, that’s a couple of big players there but maybe Charman only plays in the ruck.
The Good News: Roe, Lappin and Charman are inclusions.
The Bad News: It is an away game, and the Kangaroos want them to know that.
Adelaide v Sydney
The Tip: Sydney by 5 points.
Best-On-Ground Guess: Craig Bolton
Chance For An Upset: Adelaide is favoured by the majority of tips, so going with Sydney is a risk.
Adelaide
They win if....Hudson and Griffin can at least break even at stoppages with Jolly and Everitt.
They lose if...their forwards don't work hard and allow Bolton, Kennelly and Barry to run with the ball.
The Good News: The Crows have had two big wins.
The Bad News: They have had a tough schedule to open the season, and this could be their most difficult opponent so far.
Sydney
They win if....Goodes runs rampant as the Crows don't have a good matchup for him.
They lose if...they don't get some goals from Schneider, O'Keefe and O'Loughlin.
The Good News: Crouch is ready to start another streak of games played.
The Bad News: A trip to Adelaide is always a difficult encounter.
Hawthorn v Geelong
The Tip: Hawthorn by 11 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Grant Birchall
Chance For An Upset: Geelong in the past didn't win games they were supposed to win, and even though they are the favourites for this game it could happen again. Even the big people at the Cats acknowledge that their team performs in a similar way to a cricket team from the subcontinent.
Hawthorn
They win if....Hawthorn get some goals from Boyle, Roughead and Dixon.
They lose if...they give away too many free kicks.
The Good News: It's their home state advantage.
The Bad News: Nobody can stop Tom Hawkins, so it is the Hawks versus the Hawkins.
Geelong
They win if....King uses his experience against the Hawks' ruckmen.
They lose if...the Hawks can contain the run of Wojcinski and Byrnes.
The Good News: The Abletts are back in action, Nathan returns after missing the game last week.
The Bad News: Ottens won't be playing.
Melbourne v Fremantle
The Tip: Fremantle by 99 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Matthew Pavlich
Chance For An Upset: Both teams are winless and down the bottom of the ladder, Melbourne also have home ground advantage. That is the only advantage they have and an upset is very unlikely.
Melbourne
They win if....Cameron Bruce gets 35 possessions and 5 goals, and he could do it.
They lose if...they don't play a very defensive game and slow everything down.
The Good News: When Pickett is in the team it really helps give them a presence.
The Bad News: They can't kick goals.
Fremantle
They win if....they forget about their previous games and play like they did last season.
They lose if...former Fremantle player Jeff White can run away from Sandilands and kick some goals.
The Good News: They are certainly due for a win.
The Bad News: They had a busy week.
West Coast v Carlton
The Tip: West Coast by 55 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Matt Rosa
Chance For An Upset: Carlton are solid down both ends of the field, they could have a problem in the middle with the height of the ruckmen and the experience and strength of the onballers. If Fevola kicks 10 goals they are a chance.
West Coast
They win if....Dean Cox is anywhere near his best.
They lose if...they underrate the young midfielders of Carlton.
The Good News: Players like Priddis, Rosa and Staker have filled the holes that injuries created.
The Bad News: They are not getting a lot from Hansen at the moment.
Carlton
They win if....Fevola dominates for 4 quarters.
They lose if...they don't go with a defensive tactic in the middle, they need to tag everyone.
The Good News: They won last week so their confidence will be there.
The Bad News: They haven't really used Mr Kennedy effectively.
3
Chris Judd.
Midfielder for the West Coast Eagles.
Hawthorn and St Kilda like to point at that there was some concern about Judd's shoulders, that's why they went with their Lukes in the AFL draft. The Saints were intending to pick him at number 5, he didn't make it as the Eagles took him with pick 3 in the 2001 draft.
The Eagles really should give a reward to those players from 2001, without a very poor season they would have missed out on Judd, and on future success. The 2001 draft also brought in Seaby and Hansen who joined Judd in the Eagles 2006 AFL Premiership side.
Everyone sure seems to like Judd, the umpires give him plenty of votes and free kicks, and the Brownlow in 2004. More important than the umpires are the many Victorian teams who are ready to bring Judd back to his home and the wallets are open and the salary caps will be cleared to fit him in.
Judd might not have peaked yet for his football skills, every season he has increased his handballs and total disposals. His kicks per game have also increased every season. Last season he also stepped up his tackling numbers to have a career-high, he tied his career-high in goals too.
Judd will have a big September, but if he is uncontracted then October could be just as big.
Chris Judd information:
189cm, 85kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 2
They were close to defeating Hawthorn, they were not blown away by the Power and in the first round they had it all but sealed, but Shannon took the goal for granted. Now as they look for their first win some of their home games will be far from their home, as they play three games on the Gold Coast.
Injuries to Thompson and Harding are not a valid excuse as they were in trouble a long time before that. Strange recruiting decisions didn't just rob their future, it also hurt the present as draft picks were sent out for players who didn't provide any benefits to the Kangaroos.
On the field, they have capable players but the team does not put it together. Or when they do have it working they have a bad quarter which undoes all their previous good work. Possibly they are being out-coached, and games are being won in the last quarter against them as opposition teams are able to find ways to defeat what the Kangaroos are trying to do.
A win should come soon, and they have players in all positions who are performing. There is toughness, Harris and Simpson, in the midfield as well as dash, Wells and Thomas. Hamish McIntosh has also been a very good ruckmen for them. In the back line they have Petrie who is one of their best players, Firrito and Watt can play on other tall forwards. The forward line hasn't really clicked yet, but Hale and Edwards are a promising duo and they are complimented by skilful players like Harvey and Jones.
Lachlan Hansen needs to play too. There is no logic in taking Hansen at pick 3 and then not playing him. The Kangaroos are not playing for this year's AFL Grand Final, they need to get Hansen experience and that will reward them in the future.
Round - Opponent - Venue - % chance to win
4 Brisbane Carrara 40%
5 Geelong Skilled Stadium 20%
6 Sydney Telstra Dome 5%
7 Essendon Telstra Dome 25%
8 Carlton Carrara 45%
9 Melbourne MCG 55%
10 West Coast Subiaco 5%
11 St. Kilda Telstra Dome 33%
12 Adelaide Carrara 40%
Richmond v Western Bulldogs
Richmond
FB: Raines, Gaspar, McGuane
HB: Newman, J.Bowden, Deledio
C: Tambling, Tuck, Tivendale
HF: Pettifer, Polak, Hyde
FF: Krakouer, Richardson, Schulz
Foll: Simmonds, Johnson, Foley
bench: Polo, P.Bowden, King, Edwards
emergency: Jackson, Oakley-Nicholls, Riewoldt
In: King, Edwards, P.Bowden
Out: Moore, Pattison, Howatt
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Bowden, the Patrick version, is back for the Tigers but wait at least a week before putting him back in fantasy teams, just to see what his role is and how many minutes he is playing. Pattison out could be good for Polak's numbers, Polak would be expected to see some minutes as Simmonds backup. If you have the fantasy cap space, Simmonds is worth signing for the ruck spot.
Western Bulldogs
FB: McMahon, Harris, Morris
HB: Gilbee, Wight, Hargrave
C: Eagleton, S.West, Cross
HF: Giansiracusa, Johnson, Griffen
FF: Murphy, Darcy, Higgins
Foll: Minson, Boyd, Cooney
bench: Addison, Williams, Harbrow, Ray
emergency: Robbins, Faulkner, Montgomery
In: Williams, Harbrow,
Out: Power, Street
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Minson has been down in production the past couple of games, his numbers should pick up with Street out of the team. Tom Williams is a player to watch, while key position in size it was his draft tests that really showed a lot of athleticism that made him a high draft pick several years ago. Maybe Williams has lost a bit of ability, due to all his foot injuries, but he still has the potential to cover a lot of ground and that can equal fantasy points. Power started the season off with some good games but he will miss a few games and might need to be traded by fantasy teams.
Collingwood v Port Adelaide
Collingwood
FB: Lockyer, Prestigiacomo, Cox
HB: H.Shaw, Clement, R.Shaw
C: Pendlebury, Toovey, Thomas
HF: Maxwell, Cloke, Licuria
FF: Swan, Rocca, Medhurst
Foll: Fraser, O'Bree, Dick
bench: Burns, Davis, O'Brien, Richards
emergency: Johnson, Bryan, Iles
In: Clement
Out: Wakelin
AFL Fantasy Watch:
A lot of fantasy interest in the Collingwood players. Thomas and Pendlebury look like players to sign, there is also value in other young players like Toovey.
Port Adelaide
FB: Thurstans, Wakelin, Surjan
HB: Wilson, C.Cornes, Pettigrew
C: Cassisi, S.Burgoyne, Salopek
HF: Mahoney, Tredrea, Bentley
FF: Ebert, White, Krakouer
Foll: Lade, K.Cornes, P.Burgoyne
bench: Logan, Lonie, Rodan, Symes
emergency: Chaplin, Deluca, Thomas
In: Symes
Out: Brogan
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Symes is back, he was famous for his fantasy points last season so his performance will need to be watched. Brogan is the only out, Lade is a great player for fantasy points when he does share the ruck spot but now he will do a bit more.
St Kilda v Essendon
St Kilda
FB: Blake, S.Fisher, L.Fisher
HB: Attard, Gram, Goddard
C: X.Clarke, Harvey, Fiora
HF: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, McQualter
FF: Brooks, Koschitzke, Milne
Foll: Rix, Ball, Baker
bench: M.Clarke, Hayes, Montagna, Thompson
emergency: Gwilt, Jones, Voss
In: Ball, M.Clarke
Out: Gehrig, Jones
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Gehrig will have a rest this week, it will probably help the fantasy numbers of Riewoldt and Koschitzke. Gehrig will need to be benched for this week by fantasy teams. Ball is back, probably better not to be in a rush to sign him. Fiora and X Clarke have been going along nicely and fantasy coaches who signed them early are getting some good numbers. The Fisher kings continue to bring in a lot of fantasy points.
Essendon
FB: Ryder, Michael, Slattery
HB: McPhee, Fletcher, McVeigh
C: Dyson, Stanton, Lovett
HF: M.Johnson, Lucas, Hird
FF: Laycock, Lloyd, Davey
Foll: Hille, Peverill, Winderlich
bench: Heffernan, Monfries, Watson, Jetta
emergency: Bradley, Johns, Dempsey
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Still time to sign fantasy stars like McPhee and Winderlich. Dyson keeps his place in the team so he is worth considering.
Kangaroos v Brisbane
Kangaroos
FB: Firrito, Petrie, Pratt
HB: Watt, Gibson, Green
C: Sinclair, Grant, Simpson
HF: Wells, Jones, Campbell
FF: Harvey, Edwards, Thomas
Foll: McIntosh, Harris, Rawlings
bench: Brown, Archer, Swallow, Grima
emergency: Trotter, Moran, Sansbury
In: Archer, Grima
Out: Hale, Sansbury
AFL Fantasy Watch:
This round is the time to get Aaron Edwards into your starting lineup. With Hale out he should kick a few goals. Archer is back in the team, he might not do enough for fantasy stats this year. Gibson is a player to consider signing, also think about going with McIntosh if you need a ruckman for your fantasy team.
Brisbane
FB: Begley, Merrett, Roe
HB: Adcock, Brennan, Copeland
C: Sherman, Fixter, Stiller
HF: Johnson, Brown, Notting
FF: Rischitelli, Patfull, McGrath
Foll: Wood, Black, Power
bench: Lappin, Charman, Harding, Hadley
emergency: McDonald, Moody, Mills
In: Charman, Roe, Lappin
Out: Moody, McDonald, Mills
AFL Fantasy Watch:
While Lappin and Charman get the coverage in the media as the important inclusions, for fantasy AFL it is Roe to look at. He is over his injury and will be a very productive player for fantasy points. Lappin would also be worth starting now he is back in the team, maybe wait on trading for or playing Charman as his role is hard to predict. Charman could be a backup ruckman in this game.
Adelaide v Sydney
Adelaide
FB: Douglas, Rutten, Bassett
HB: McLeod, Stevens, Doughty
C: Burton, Goodwin, Mattner
HF: Vince, Bock, Reilly
FF: Porplyzia, Perrie, Welsh
Foll: Hudson, Edwards, Thompson
bench: Griffen, van Berlo, Torney, Knights
emergency: Jericho, Hinge, McIntyre
AFL Fantasy Watch:
No changes, but a few Crows do have some injury problems. Some talk that Van Berlo and Porplyzia were hurt. Hudson is a good fantasy ruck option, his knee is not giving him any problems.
Sydney
FB: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, C.Bolton, Mathews
C: Buchanan, Kirk, Schneider
HF: R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
FF: McVeigh, Hall, Ablett
Foll: Jolly, Goodes, Fosdike
bench: Everitt, Grundy, Schmidt, Crouch
emergency: Vogels, Moore, Laidlaw
In: Crouch
Out: Dempster
AFL Fantasy Watch:
They have a settled lineup so that helps with picking players for fantasy teams. Dempster has a long-term injury and Crouch has been named in his place. Maybe Crouch will bring in some fantasy points but maybe not a lot in his first game back.
Hawthorn v Geelong
Hawthorn
FB: Jacobs, Gilham, Brown
HB: Birchall, Hodge, Ladson
C: Bateman, Sewell, Crawford
HF: Young, Boyle, Franklin
FF: Williams, Dixon, Roughead
Foll: Campbell, Mitchell, Lewis
bench from: Dawson, Ellis, Guerra, McGlynn, Taylor, Thurgood, Osborne
In: Bateman, Thurgood, Dawson
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Bateman is back, again, so maybe fantasy teams can have him in their lineup too. Players like Young, Lewis, Ladson and Sewell have been very good for fantasy teams.
Geelong
FB: Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
HB: J.Hunt, Egan, Milburn
C: Wojcinski, Bartel, Byrnes
HF: Chapman, Mooney, Kelly
FF: Hawkins, N.Ablett, G.Ablett
Foll: Blake, Ling, Corey
bench from: Prismall, D.Johnson, Tenace, King, Selwood, Gardiner, Stokes
In: N.Ablett, Tenace, King, Gardiner, Stokes
Out: Varcoe, Ottens
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Ottens is out so Hawkins and N Ablett will have a lot of the ball kicked to them. King is in, he will share the ruck minutes with Blake, neither player will do much for fantasy points.
Melbourne v Fremantle
Melbourne
FB: Rivers, Carroll, Whelan
HB: Ward, Wheatley, Bell
C: Moloney, McDonald, Green
HF: Bruce, Miller, Pickett
FF: Godfrey, Jamar, Davey
Foll: White, Jones, Johnstone
bench from: Yze, Brown, P.Johnson, Bate, Bizzell, Dunn, Petterd
In: Bizzell, Dunn, Petterd, Pickett, Rivers
Out: Holland, Ferguson
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Pickett and Rivers are definite inclusions, Rivers might be good for fantasy stats this week although waiting one more week before trading for him might be a good idea. Pickett is inconsistent for stats, as they don't count bumps and some of the things he does to help his team win.
Fremantle
FB: Hayden, McPharlin, Parker
HB: Mundy, Grover, Dodd
C: McManus, Hasleby, Black
HF: Headland, Pavlich, Crowley
FF: Bell, Tarrant, Solomon
Foll: Sandilands, M.Carr, J.Carr
bench from: Cook, Campbell, Duffield, Gilmore, Walker, Webster, Warnock
In: Black, Campbell, Duffield, Warnock, Webster
Out: Browne, Longmuir
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Warnock gives them a big ruckman to have as Sandilands' backup. With Longmuir out it will affect the forward line, so there might be even more stats for Pavlich and Tarrant. This is the last game the Dockers will play before Johnson returns, so don't trade for someone like Grover or Parker as Johnson will take their stats next week.
West Coast v Carlton
West Coast
FB: Wirrpanda, Glass, B.Jones
HB: Waters, Hunter, Hurn
C: Rosa, Selwood, Braun
HF: Stenglein, Staker, Chick
FF: Embley, Lynch, Seaby
Foll: Cox, Judd, Kerr
bench from: Armstrong, Hansen, R.Jones, Priddis, Graham, LeCras, Brown
In: Graham, LeCras, Brown
AFL Fantasy Watch:
As long as Brown and Graham stay as emergencies, Staker should again have a big role and will be good for fantasy numbers. Cox will be better this week after playing a game and his minutes should be up. Armstrong has been kicking goals, if he continues to do that then his fantasy price will go up.
Carlton
FB: Anderson, S.O'hAilpin, Thornton
HB: Scotland, Waite, Walker
C: Gibbs, Bentick, Houlihan
HF: Carrazzo, Whitnall, Betts
FF: Fisher, Fevola, Lappin
Foll: Ackland, Murphy, Simpson
bench from: Blackwell, Cloke, Hartlett, Jackson, Kennedy, Russell, Wiggins
In: Anderson, Blackwell, Hartlett, Jackson
Out: Stevens
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Stevens is out for the year, so he needs to be traded from fantasy AFL teams right now.
The Power were unstoppable in their first two games, in round 3 they gave the Crows an early lead until Chad Cornes helped the Power get going in the second half, solid play by the Crows and inaccurate kicking by some Power forwards allowed the Crows to hold on for the win. The Power now have to decide if Cornes would help them more in the centre square than he already does at half back.
Story from The Advertiser: Cornes in the middle
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Fantasy coaches who have Cornes on their team will be happy to hear this talk. C Cornes' numbers have been good but not great, when he was in the middle last round it helped him produce his best game for fantasy points so far.
When Cornes is playing against a key forward the other team will try to drag Cornes out of the play by sending their forward closer to goals. This is usually not a useful tactic for Cornes to get fantasy points. With Cornes in the middle, all he needs is a tap from Lade or a handball from Salopek or he can win the ball himself and he will have the football in his hands more and possibly have more fantasy points. If Cornes is at half back he will probably have more marks from opposition kicks, which in some fantasy games can really bring in points, but that could more than balance out with Cornes played in the middle as he would have more total stats and would probably kick a few more goals too.
If Chad Cornes does go into the middle, and averages around 25 to 27 disposals a game, it could make him one of the best fantasy players to have. The fantasy coaches who have the salary cap money and who want Cornes also have a choice as to where he goes in a fantasy team, he can usually be played as a fantasy defender or forward.
The news is certainly different from Princes Park today as Nick Stevens is now out of the Eagles game and may miss many more. There will be more information from the Blues tomorrow.
News from the Carlton site: Nick Stevens to miss Sunday’s match against West Coast
AFL Fantasy Impact:
This is getting confusing for fantasy coaches, maybe with more information tomorrow it will inform people enough so they can figure out if they need to trade or bench Stevens for their fantasy team. If all they say is that Stevens will miss the Eagles game and they don't know anything else then putting Stevens on the fantasy bench this week might be the right move, as long as there is a good player on the bench to bring in. If it is expected that Stevens will miss more than 1 game then trading him must be the way to go.
If you don't already have Gibbs, a Stevens for Gibbs trade would make sense for a fantasy team. There might be more fantasy options at Carlton, everyone knows about Murphy but there is also Bentick and Blackwell who are underrated. Bentick has been a regular this season for the Blues while Blackwell is yet to play in 2007 but he has been named as an emergency. Trading Stevens for Scotland is another trade to consider, if you have the salary cap space to do it.
There are also many other midfielders to trade Stevens for if that move is needed. A bargain like Lewis, Rodan, Mark McVeigh or Scott Thompson might be a good move. There are also, if you have the money in your cap, the big stars like Judd, Kerr, Kirk, Dal Santo and Bruce to select from.
Melbourne had a strange offseason, they didn't really do anything. They could have added a couple of veterans for depth if they thought they were a contender, if they came to the conclusion that it was time for a rebuild then they could have moved some players for draft picks, but nothing happened. Right now, the extra veterans they could have traded for would have been very useful, as they need someone to fill the spots that Neitz, Robertson and McLean had.
It is not going to be easy for Melbourne over the next month or two. They are going to struggle for height in the forward line, players like Dunn and Paul Johnson will be good players but right now they are inexperienced at AFL level. Those two, and Brad Miller, can mark the ball but are not going to kick the goals that Neitz would have.
The Demons are going to have to find goals somewhere as they will be taking on Pavlich, Hall, Tredrea, Brad Johnson and Lynch in the next rounds. Fremantle are also in disarray at the moment, so if a bit of luck goes the Demons' way they could upset the Dockers. Away games against the Swans and Eagles are something the undermanned Demons would not be looking forward to.
Round - Opponent - Venue - % chance to win
4 Fremantle MCG 20%
5 Sydney SCG 5%
6 Port Adelaide MCG 45%
7 Western Bulldogs Telstra Dome 35%
8 West Coast Subiaco 5%
9 Kangaroos MCG 45%
10 Adelaide MCG 40%
11 Collingwood MCG 35%
12 Richmond MCG 50%
During the offseason the Hawthorn Football Club would have been working out which one of Simon Taylor and Max Bailey would be the backup to Robert Campbell in the ruck. When Bailey injured his knee, putting him out for season 2007, it made Taylor the certain number 2 ruckman. But so far this season the Hawks have gone with splitting the ruck minutes, and Taylor has started several games.
In the NAB Cup games it was Taylor who started for the Hawks in the ruck, they continued with this for round 1 as Taylor played more minutes than Campbell. In the last couple of games it is now Campbell who is playing a few more minutes than Taylor. While Hawthorn did lose when Taylor played more, it was against Brisbane in an away game, in the other games the Hawks played against winless teams.
Campbell has played around twice as many AFL games as Taylor. Some parts of the game that Campbell is much better than Taylor are clearances and tackling. Campbell plays a bit like Scott Wynd, he is very adept with the handball and he will also go in to win the contested football. At the moment Campbell is leading all AFL ruckmen in tackles. Taylor is a bit taller than Campbell, but is a bit lighter in weight. He has improved drastically from his earlier games and now does deserve his spot in the team. The potential is there but he isn't a number 1 ruckman at this time.
Hawthorn have a 2 and 1 record so they are going along nicely, but maybe they need to adjust their ruck setup. Going on his performances last season, when Everitt wasn't playing, Campbell has progressed in his development to the point where he is worthy of being considered a number 1 ruckman for his team. A 50-50 split of ruck minutes with Taylor might not be the best option, 70-30 could help the team more.
The Hawks will take on the Cats and there will be plenty of ruckmen in that game, Coach Thompson has said that Blake will play even if King is added to the team. Geelong also have Ottens and Mooney as possible ruck options. Hawthorn follow that game with contests against the Bulldogs, Bombers and Dockers. Campbell and Taylor will be taking on Street, Darcy and Minson then they face Hille, Laycock and Ryder while it gets even bigger for the next round with Sandilands and Longmuir awaiting them.
The tall positions at either end of the ground also need to be sorted out, and Croad's recent injury won't help that, but the ruck spot is something else that Coach Clarkson needs to address. More Robert Campbell, short bursts of Simon Taylor off the bench each quarter, and maybe even an occasional surprise use of Lance Franklin, and Hawthorn might have a more effective output from their ruck spot.
Round 3 goes to Joel Selwood.
B Gibbs
Kicks: 10
Handballs: 3
Marks: 4
Tackles: 4
Goals: 0
J Selwood
Kicks: 11
Handballs: 5
Marks: 5
Tackles: 0
Goals: 0
Up until a couple of minutes before the game it looked like the Bryce Gibbs Versus Joel Selwood Watch was going to need a substitute, as whenever one of the young stars is unavailable another young player on their team is selected for that game. It was going to be Gibbs versus Varcoe until Selwood appeared due to N Ablett's injury.
Joel Selwood joined the action with the game under control for the Cats, while his team had it easy, he certainly didn't have the ideal preparation for the match. His stats were very good for someone who played just over half the game. To be sitting in the stands one minute, and setting up Mooney for a goal just a few minutes later isn't something that normally happens. J Selwood also needs to see about sponsorship for his Mars Bars, they were getting plenty of publicity as Selwood went from eating a Mars Bar to limiting the bite of the Demons' midfield. Selwood also did the things that go unnoticed, it was his shepherd that allowed Wojcinski to turn a 40m run into an 80m run that lead to one of many Geelong goals.
Gibbs also had a big day, in front of a bigger crowd and in a much bigger game. Gibbs played most of the game, spending time as a defender and also with a defensive role in the middle. He played most of the game and was a contributor in their big comeback win. He played a bit of the game on Hird, which shows the coaching staff have total faith in him. Gibbs' best play was in the middle of the third quarter. First of all he found space and received a pass from Scotland so Carlton could clear their defensive 50, not long after there was a stoppage around half forward and Gibbs took the ball and then pinpointed a pass to Fisher who goaled.
Gibbs will visit the Eagles next week, playing on the MCG against Essendon would have prepared him for a big game at a sold-out Subiaco, but he and the rest of his team will be facing their toughest test of the 2007 season. It is also the first game for Carlton this year, also including the NAB Cup, that they will play a team that was in the finals in 2006. Gibbs could be used by Carlton in a similar way to how the Eagles use Wirrpanda, or maybe Gibbs could go down the other end and play as a defensive forward against Wirrpanda. Geelong didn't think they needed J Selwood for round 3, as he was going to make way for Kelly to return, so Selwood may not make the trip to Tasmania. Although in the Melbourne game, Selwood had as many possessions as Kelly even though he played just under three quarters of the time that Kelly had. Hawthorn have a very deep and youthful midfield so Selwood would be a useful player for the Cats to have at their disposal, it would be interesting to see him duel with Mitchell in the middle.
B Gibbs 1 - J Selwood 2
The previous Gibbs/Selwood watch.
Versatile Sydney defender Sean Dempster has injured his knee and will be missing from their lineup for around 6 weeks. The Swans have several players who are possible inclusions for their next game, one is Jared Crouch. While there was a time when Crouch never missed a game he has been out of the Sydney side for around half a season.
From The Daily Telegraph: Crouch ready for return
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Dempster got two thirds of the way to becoming a useful fantasy player. First of all he played every game, more importantly and also a big change from previous seasons he was out on the ground for most of the game, but he didn't explode for fantasy stats like he has the potential to do. He was solid for stats, and kicked an impressive long goal, against the Eagles. In his other games, both Sydney wins, he helped Sydney by playing a close defending role but unlike some of his other teammates in the Sydney back line he didn't have a lot of the ball. Dempster will probably make his way back into the team in a couple of months, his fantasy price will still be low then and if injuries have sidelined one or two of the more attacking Sydney defenders then maybe Dempster will be worth signing again.
Crouch is another Swan who often concentrates on the defensive aspect of his game, while he is affordable as a fantasy midfielder he won't bring in a huge amount of fantasy points. Malceski and Mathews have been getting a bit of the ball, maybe one of them has to move into a more defensive position with Dempster out and it could affect their fantasy numbers.
Brent Moloney may have been Melbourne’s best player this season, and like the rest of the stars for the Demons he could now be listed on their injured players list and not on the team sheet for their game against Fremantle.
The Demons are also without Neitz, McLean, Robertson, Bartram and there are other injury concerns with Rivers, Sylvia, Frawley and Johnstone.
From Fox Sports: Moloney Adds To Demons’ Wounded
Melbourne’s Injury List
AFL Fantasy Impact:
When McLean went down the right fantasy replacement for his spot was Moloney. Even if Pickett does play, and in fantasy AFL he is a midfielder, it would be a bit of a risk to sign Pickett to replace Moloney as he doesn’t produce a big bunch of stats. Malceski, Surjan, Tambling or Wojcinski might be midfield options that are close to Moloney’s price. Sylvia would be a possibility but he also has to prove his fitness. The Demons are probably going to go with Dunn as another inclusion, he has great fantasy points potential, especially with Neitz out, so watch how he goes if he plays.
2
Josh Carr.
Midfielder for the Fremantle Dockers.
Carr started his AFL career with Port Adelaide, taken at pick 7 in the 1998 draft. He, along with his club, would improve over the next few seasons and after contending for a couple of years would win the 2004 AFL Grand Final.
The Power got nothing for Nick Stevens when he left, and the Power point to that and the stand they took in negotiations when they talk about the bounty of draft picks they received for sending Josh Carr to his preferred destination. Fremantle spent big and sent their first three picks in the 2004 AFL National Draft to the Power for J Carr.
It is players like Josh Carr, along with his brother and also Bell, who have brought some toughness and intensity to the Dockers. Before they arrived, or arrived again which is what happened to Bell, the Dockers were running around in circles doing something that looked like the Safety Dance, it wasn't football. Josh Carr may go a bit overboard, and his coach may complain about a few more trips to the tribunal than they would like, but the Dockers are much better since the addition of Josh Carr.
He gets a lot of the football, and too much of the other team's players, but he is an important player for the Dockers and he always provides something for the fans to watch.
Josh Carr information:
178cm, 81kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
Number 1
The Bulldogs once had a very competitive team that relied on players like Kretiuk, Southern, Croft and Dent in the back line. They gave up a lot of height to the big forwards of the AFL. Now the Bulldogs are a bigger team at the back, with Harris and Wight, but they could use a bit more. Luckily for them there are a few options for them to choose from now, and later in the season they will also have Chris Grant available.
Andrejs Everitt: The idea with several players in the recent draft was that they had the skills but needed to add the bulk to survive at AFL level. The Power are playing Nathan Krakouer so that theory didn't work. Everitt should be given a game soon, he could give the Bulldogs a lot of help in the back line.
Tom Williams: He is healthy, seriously, and is playing for Werribee. Williams joined the team through the same draft that brought Ryan Griffen to the Bulldogs, Williams has certainly been around the club long enough even if injuries have halted his progress on the field.
Wayde Skipper: More of a small ruckman type of player, but he can be played as a defender on the slower big forwards. The Bulldogs will be playing a few teams in the next month who can play a ruckman in the forward line, like Melbourne with Jamar and Richmond with Pattison, so the Bulldogs might find a place for Skipper.
Andrew McDougall: The Bulldogs were getting ready to play the Saints, Coach Eade even mentioned that McDougall was able to play as a tall defender, McDougall was dropped and Reiwoldt and his tall friends had a field day under the dome at night. McDougall's best spot is as a forward, he is also an underrated mobile ruckman, but he could be an option at centre half back with Grant injured. They could use him back in the team.
It should be an interesting week at the Bulldogs as they look to get taller, probably one player from the above list will be playing for them in round 4. There is even the chance of a contest between Reiwoldt and Everitt, but Jack versus Andrejs.
Injuries, suspensions, getting team's at the top of their game, the pressure of favouritism, there are a lot of possible excuses for the Dockers. But the expectation was they would be at least 2 and 1 at this stage, if not a perfect 3 from 3.
The NAB Cup removed Fremantle's best small forward and their most versatile defender through long-term suspensions. Farmer is still a few weeks away while Michael Johnson will be back for round 5.
Schammer was a much bigger loss than many thought he would be. It will be the second half of the season before Schammer is able to help the Dockers.
Most of the things that have happened are the Dockers' fault, except for the injuries. They are nearly into double figures for reports, so they are collecting them at a Rhys-Jones rate. Their coach is not impressed with that statistic.
The Dockers have to win this round, it is at the MCG but the Demons are without half their top 10 players. If the Dockers return to Western Australia with a 0 – 4 record it will have huge consequences for their coach and many others.
Round - Opponent - Venue - % chance to win
4 Melbourne MCG 80%
5 Adelaide Subiaco 55%
6 Brisbane Gabba 50%
7 Hawthorn Subiaco 80%
8 Geelong Skilled Stadium 45%
9 St. Kilda Subiaco 55%
10 Collingwood MCG 50%
11 Richmond Subiaco 85%
12 Western Bulldogs TIO Stadium 50%
Brendan Fevola of the Carlton Blues.
With a couple of minutes to go in the first half it looked like Carlton were gone, and as often is the case there was a chance that Fevola would explode. The outburst came on the scoreboard as Fevola kept Carlton close enough as they went to the main break, and afterwards he kicked Carlton a winning score.
8 goals and 11 marks were great numbers, but again Fevola helped his team with a couple of chases. He had 4 tackles for the match and also pressured a couple of Essendon players as they kicked, with Fevola once again turning his speed that he uses on a lead to accomplish a defensive task.
Fevola is the AFL Player Of The Week for round 3, and if he gets close to 8 goals and secures his team a win in the next round then he will likely be back as the AFL Player Of The Week.
Brendan Fevola's profile at the Carlton site
The AFL Player Of The Week for the previous round, Andrew McLeod.
Fantasy AFL coaches, and maybe the real ones at Carlton too, would have been a bit surprised as some said that Nick Stevens was done for the year. Carlton say he will be playing against the Eagles.
From the Carlton site: Stevens undergoes precautionary tests
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Stevens played much better in round 1 compared to his past two games, so maybe there was a problem somewhere. It seems like he will be playing this week so fantasy coaches who have him in the midfield can leave him there. If the initial reports are right and Stevens does have to miss, then Bentick might be a player to sign. Bentick has been playing well but he might get more time in the middle with Stevens out. Of course going for Gibbs would be another trade to make, although he is worth trading for even if Stevens is still playing.
The Tigers should have at least one win by now, they were in a big winning position in two of their games and also hit the lead late in their other game. They could be up in the top 8 but instead they are down the bottom. Their first win of the season should already have been recorded, but now it is a struggle for them in the next month or two.
The absence of Simmonds could be used as an excuse against the Swans, who had Everitt and Jolly, but Richmond were not expected to win that game anyway. But in round 1 Carlton didn't have a real ruckman, in terms of size, and Simmonds was back for the round 3 game against Collingwood.
Gaspar is playing great, Tambling and Deledio are starring, Schulz is providing another aerial avenue to goal. Johnson may have started the season off on the wrong foot, and in the wrong direction, but he is back at his best now. Polak has made their trade with Fremantle and Collingwood look good, he is attacking the ball in the air and pulling down marks or creating the crumbs for the little guys, but the Tigers do need to find a spot for Polak to play and to leave him there.
Richardson is always the big story there, and in the first three weeks there has been plenty of talk about him. Sometimes a tad inaccurate, but Richmond would be a lot worse off if he wasn't there.
The coaching has been questionable, throwing Joel Bowden into the full back spot, and depositing his brother in the VFL were not very beneficial to the Tigers. Telling everyone that nothing good was going to happen until 2011 was probably not the right message to the football world too.
Maybe the worst thing to happen to Richmond was when a relative of another team's captain transferred his allegiance to Richmond before the round 1 game. It has only been bad luck for the Tigers since that happened.
It could all turn around if Wallace can defeat his former team, if the Bulldogs win then the Tigers will be looking for their first win against some other high-quality opponents. The round 12 game against Melbourne could theoretically be between two teams who have yet to win. It might be a different Melbourne team then, compared to now, as they could have a full list to choose from.
Round - Opponent - Venue - % chance for Richmond to win
4 Western Bulldogs MCG 33%
5 West Coast MCG 10%
6 Geelong Telstra Dome 33%
7 Port Adelaide AAMI Stadium 25%
8 Adelaide AAMI Stadium 20%
9 Essendon MCG 40%
10 Brisbane Lions Telstra Dome 50%
11 Fremantle Subiaco 15%
12 Melbourne MCG 50%
Three more teams will have the question asked of them, when will they win again, and it won't be long until Melbourne or Fremantle can answer that while the Kangaroos are the other team who are still waiting. Those three teams will have a post over the next few days.
1: West Coast Eagles 3-0 win-loss record (1 in last AFL Power Rankings)
It's early days but again it is the Eagles and Swans who are a level above the rest.
2: Sydney Swans 2-1 (3)
The Swans will play the Crows to decide who is currently the second best team in the AFL. Jolly could be playing better now that Everitt is there to help, those two big ruckmen will give Sydney an advantage over most teams.
3: Adelaide Crows 2-1 (7)
Another big game from McLeod and another win. The Crows could soon have Johncock, Shirley, Ricciuto, Massie, McGregor and Maric available to add to their team that was victorious on the weekend.
4: Fremantle Dockers 0-3 (2)
A win, or a coaching change, is nearly a guarantee for next week. Survey says a win against the Demons is the likely result. Michael Johnson will improve the team immensely when he returns, but it is going to be a lot tougher this season for the Dockers than people thought it would be before the season started.
5: Port Adelaide Power 2-1 (5)
They lose Brogan for a couple of weeks but at least they have Tredrea back in the team. Lade will take on a bigger role with Brogan out and his contest against Fraser will be very important next round.
6: Western Bulldogs 1-2 (4)
It must be hard for Coach Eade to figure out what is going wrong, their stars are still getting a lot of the ball but for the past couple of games they have been killed on the scoreboard. Maybe Everitt or Williams is needed, perhaps a bold move but it does bring in the height at the back that they require.
7: Geelong Cats 2-1 (9)
Thompson needs to acknowledge that Hawkins is his only chance at saving his job, trying to hide Hawkins and limit his impact is not going to help his team in the long run. While Hawkins is a star that is quickly ascending in the rankings for AFL players, Steven King is someone who is going the opposite direction. Does he play in the VFL, can he fit in the team with Ottens and Blake or does Blake get dropped even though he is doing everything that is required, the Cats have to make a difficult decision about their former captain when he is ready to play.
8: St Kilda Saints 2-1 (8)
Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Gehrig can take the Saints to many wins, although the availability of Gehrig for next week might be a problem.
9: Essendon Bombers 2-1 (6)
Their game against the Saints is the most intriguing matchup of round 4. The Bombers have the tall forwards who will trouble the Saints, who are without several key defenders, while at the other end Sheedy has plenty of tall bodies to play against the Saints big 3.
10: Brisbane Lions 2-1 (10)
They have an away game coming up, luckily it is on the Gold Coast.
11: Collingwood Magpies 2-1 (12)
The Magpies debuted some exciting players but they still have their best prospect yet to debut, Ben Reid. At the other end of the age scale, it seems Buckley is still a few more weeks away.
12: Hawthorn Hawks 2-1 (14)
They still haven't got the structure of their forward line right, but they are getting by as Williams and Franklin are playing very well. Maybe Thorp, who is several weeks away, will help this season while Croad is another option.
13: Carlton Blues 2-1 (13)
They are expected to lose, and lose big, next week but that was also the expectation at halftime on the weekend. If Fevola is kicking accurately then they are a chance.
14: Richmond Tigers 0-3 (15)
It worked for the Saints so it can work for the Tigers, they need to play Riewoldt against the Bulldogs. Simmonds didn't have any problems with his ankle and will be a very important player for them next week. Dropping Patrick Bowden for Simmonds was an unexpected move. Patrick Bowden, who averaged around 20 possessions a game last season, should be in their best 22.
15: Kangaroos 0-3 (16)
They have talent there, which makes their losing even harder to work out. The first thing they need to do is get Hansen back into the team. Harris, Simpson and Harvey are winning in the midfield, Petrie is performing well in the back line and Campbell had a good game on the weekend.
16: Melbourne Demons 0-3 (11)
It is not going to be a good season for Melbourne, they have too many players out and by the time they get back it could be nearly impossible to make the finals. While the fans should not give up yet, they can think about the big ruckman who could be the first choice in the draft and there could also be the uncontracted West Coast Eagles player, who grew up as a Melbourne fan, who might be worth the first pick in the preseason draft. But looking at the present, instead of Judd who would also be a present, the Demons could be getting the bustle of Pickett and the hustle of Dunn back into their team.
Port Adelaide’s big ruckman Dean Brogan will miss a couple of games with another injury. He hurt an ankle against the Crows.
From the Power site: Brogan to miss a week or two
AFL Fantasy Impact:
If Lade is your fantasy ruckman then you are in good shape. If you are looking to sign a ruckman then take Lade and if you have Brogan and want to make a trade then Lade is who you want. But if you want to keep Brogan, and you have a solid ruckman on your fantasy bench, then as Brogan is only going to miss a couple of weeks you could just sit him on the fantasy bench and conserve a trade. Lade is one of the better fantasy ruckmen in the AFL and when Brogan is out he usually is the number 1 ruckman for fantasy points.
The Swans were behind for a lot of the game, they might have won it for O'Loughlin but really it was O'Loughlin at the end who won it for Sydney. O'Loughlins 3 goals were very important.
Swans 96 - Lions 69
Fantasy Player News
Sydney
Fosdike: Doesn't usually have big numbers but he showed what he can do with 23 possessions.
Hall: 12 marks, 13 kicks and 4 goals showed that his knee is fine.
O'Loughlin: Might be worth a look for fantasy teams, he is playing better now and kicked 3 goals.
Barry: C Bolton took the big forward this time, allowing Barry to run around and collect fantasy points.
Schmidt: Is playing well, might be a player to consider if you want a cheaper player, had 19 disposals.
Brisbane
Fixter: 13 possessions, also 8 tackles.
Hadley: Don't sign yet, but with a few more games he could be bringing in the stats.
Harding: An underrated player, had 14 possessions.
Merrett: Had his hands full with Hall but still managed 10 kicks and 9 marks.
Tom Hawkins could have scored 10 goals but he was rested a bit too much on the bench. N Ablett was a late, very late, withdrawal from the Geelong team. Melbourne tried but they were always going to be in trouble with so many of their big stars out.
Cats 109 - Demons 57
Fantasy Player News
Geelong
Hawkins: Could be a great fantasy player, hard to believe that Geelong only want him to play 10 or 12 games.
Bartel: Had a loose role around half back, with 10 marks and 22 kicks, a big fantasy game.
G Ablett: A huge game for fantasy points, 30 possessions, didn't get his usual goals though.
Enright: 24 possessions and 10 marks.
Prismall: Probably value at his fantasy price, getting the ball and now kicking goals too.
Melbourne
Bruce: Melbourne need a lot from him with so many others out, he had 30 possessions.
Brown: When they play him he brings in fantasy points, had 16 possessions in the second half.
Green: Kicked 4 goals, they could continue with the Demons missing Neitz and Robertson.
White: 19 possessions is a good return for a ruckman.
Yze: A bit inconsistent but had 21 disposals, might be too expensive to sign for fantasy teams right now.
Miller: A solid game, had 8 marks but didn't kick a goal.
It was a close game for most of the evening, but again the Kangaroos couldn't kick a winning score and some goals by Williams and Franklin got the win for Hawthorn.
Hawks 91 - Kangaroos 70
Fantasy Player News
Hawthorn
Mitchell: 33 possessions, 5 tackles and even a goal, he brought in the fantasy points.
Williams: Picked up his game after a bad round 1 and again kicked goals.
Franklin: A big game with 3 goals, could have had 4 or 5 though.
Jacobs: Again found a lot of space, had 13 marks.
Birchall: 27 possessions as he provided a lot of run out of the back line.
Brown: Had 11 kicks and 10 handballs.
Lewis: Turning into a big fantasy player, had 7 tackles and 28 disposals.
Kangaroos
Harris: He always gets the ball, had it 29 times which produced a big fantasy points total.
Simpson: The rest at the end of last season has helped him, another good game with 23 possessions.
Sansbury: Added to the team and was useful for fantasy numbers, had 20 possessions.
Hale: Played very well for parts of the game, kicked 2 goals but they might add Moran next week.
Harvey: A very consistent fantasy players, goals and possessions every game.
Petrie: Played everywhere, even added a goal.
Campbell: A good game, has a very low fantasy price, added 3 frees for as well as a goal and 4 tackles.
1
Barry Hall.
Full forward for the Sydney Swans.
He came into the league with a reputation, but as a boxer. It took a while for him to make his mark as a big forward for the Saints, but eventually he replaced many of the things that Lockett previously brought to the team.
Irony can sometimes be very ironic, and Hall followed the path that Lockett had made and went from the Saints to the Swans. The Saints got plenty for Hall, acquiring three good draft choices. Hall went one better with Sydney than Lockett did as he played in a winning AFL Grand Final side with the Swans.
Currently Hall is one of the best forwards in the AFL. It isn't just marks and goals though, he enjoys setting up his teammates too. Often after a long lead and mark, Hall will handball to a teammate speeding by and also free him for a shot at goal by shepherding his opponent. While a goal is something Hall celebrates, it seems he also gets some enjoyment from a good shepherd that often results in someone on the other team getting a closer look at the grass.
Barry Hall information:
195cm, 102kg
Official AFL Profile
Wikipedia entry
There are around 46 more numbers to go, so every couple of days another player will be selected as the best for their number. The criteria is who is the better player right now, so past accomplishments and potential for stardom in the future won't be too important. Feel free to leave a comment with other players who could have represented their number.
How did Essendon lose that, it will take up a lot of this week as they go back over the tape. It was one way traffic for most of the first half as Lucas and Lloyd had setup what looked like an easy win. Fevola got going in the second half and Carlton had one of their biggest wins this century.
Blues 125 - Bombers 122
Fantasy Player News
Carlton
Bentick: 9 tackles were added to his fantasy numbers, also had 14 possessions.
Carrazzo: 23 possessions and 6 tackles.
Fevola: Possibly the best fantasy player of the round, 8 goals and 11 marks.
Murphy: 23 possessions, also had fantasy points with 3 free kicks for.
Fisher: Seems to get under the other team's guard, another big game with 12 kicks and 9 marks.
Scotland: He could be Fantasy Football's MVP, 26 possessions and 9 marks.
Essendon
Lucas: Had 16 possessions in the first half, quiet after that, still a big game for fantasy points.
McPhee: Still playing in a role made for fantasy points, 20 possessions and 9 marks.
Winderlich: A fantasy player that everyone wishes that they had signed, 24 disposals.
Peverill: 25 possessions, including 17 in the first half.
Hird: 29 possessions, but fantasy coaches have to be aware that he might be rested next round.
Dyson: A late replacement, he played just over half the game but had 13 possessions.
The Crows continued on from their game against the Bulldogs and ran past the Power. It was a much closer contest than the score indicated as the Power were inaccurate in front of goal.
Crows 87 - Power 63
Fantasy Player News
Adelaide
Knights: 24 disposals, his fantasy price is going up now.
McLeod: Another 30 possession game, also had 7 marks.
Thompson: 23 possessions, also led his team in tackles with 5.
Welsh: 4 goals, if he is close to that each game he will be a very good forward to have in your fantasy team.
Perrie: 9 marks and 3 goals, keep improving with every game and is now a possible fantasy forward option.
Port Adelaide
C Cornes: 25 kicks, 8 marks, 3 free kicks for, his best game for fantasy points this season.
K Cornes: The usual numbers, 25 possessions.
S Burgoyne: 21 possessions, a typical Burgoyne game, except the kicking at goal.
P Burgoyne: 21 possessions, a typical Burgoyne game.
Lade: Always steps up if Brogan is hurt, so if Brogan does miss next week then trading for Lade is a good option.
Tredrea: Not worth playing in fantasy for this game, should be much better next week.
A big team can beat a quick team, but the Saints also matched the Bulldogs for pace too. Riewoldt will be one the best players in the AFL, and also for fantasy teams, as he is healthy now.
Saints 116 - Bulldogs 66
Fantasy Player News
St Kilda
Gram: 24 possessions, a very good game and one he can repeat with the Saints missing some defenders.
Riewoldt: Would have been worth playing in his first game of the season, a lot of fantasy points.
Harvey: 24 disposals and a goal.
Baker: Was even taking contested marks against the Bulldogs, had 15 kicks too.
Fiora: A bit quieter than his first couple of games, 17 disposals and 5 marks.
Jones: Riewoldt's Mini-Me had a solid game with 14 possessions.
Western Bulldogs
West: 29 disposals and 7 marks.
McMahon: His fantasy points were up as the ball was in his area a lot, had 20 kicks.
Johnson: A big game for fantasy points, but could have been bigger as he kicked 3 goals, 4 behinds.
Cross: 29 possessions, more handballs than kicks.
Harris: A useful return for a fantasy full back, not great but had 16 possessions.
It's time for Plan B, or maybe C, at Fremantle as they are still yet to win a a game. The Eagles have moved up to Premiership favourites now.
Eagles 101 - Dockers 70
Fantasy Player News
West Coast
Judd: You get what you pay for, in fantasy leagues you pay a lot for Judd and you get many fantasy points.
Staker: The return of a couple of big players for the Eagles freed Staker and he had 21 disposals
Armstrong: Unstoppable at times up forward, had 3 goals.
Priddis: 10 kicks and 10 handballs, looks like he will be a regular player for them in 2007.
Braun: 27 possessions.
Fremantle
Grover: He was good, 12 kicks and 8 marks, but it might not continue with Johnson returning soon.
Mundy: 16 kicks and 7 marks, back to his expected level of fantasy points.
Hasleby: What should be his usual return, 24 disposals.
Walker: The Texas Ranger was great, 23 possessions.
Browne: Had an injury early in the game.
Richmond had another game under control, and once again grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory. There was good news as Simmonds played his first game of the season, Tambling was a star in the first half and Schulz provided an aerial target to help Richardson. Collingwood had to deal with the late withdrawal of Clement but they won the game when Rocca destroyed everyone in the second half, and their three new players also helped a bit.
Magpies 115 - Tigers 90
Fantasy Player News
Collingwood
Medhurst: Only had 5 kicks, not the best for fantasy points but as 4 went for goals it was another solid game.
Rocca: 2 possessions in the first half and 12 in the second. Finished with 3 goals and 9 marks.
Toovey: The best of the first-gamers, kicked 3 goals.
Lockyer: 21 kicks as he spent the game running around in space, a huge fantasy points game.
Thomas: Started on the bench, was quickly into the game and had 19 kicks and 7 marks.
Pendlebury: Added a couple of goals to his 16 disposals.
Richmond
Tambling: His best game ever, with 15 kicks, 9 marks and 9 tackles it showed he can help fantasy teams.
Johnson: 25 disposals and a goal.
Schulz: Probably will be a solid player for fantasy teams, had 9 marks and 3 goals.
Simmonds: A good performance, for fantasy points, in his first game back. Could be signed now and is one of the better fantasy ruckmen.
J Bowden: Played at full back for a lot of the game, Bowden's 2007 fantasy numbers are around two thirds of his average last year. Maybe the Tigers have realized that they won’t win with Bowden out of the action, so his fantasy points could be better next week.
P Bowden: He was nearly played, if Simmonds couldn't go, but now he is playing at Coburg. If he wasn't traded yesterday, he probably will need to be moved off fantasy teams next week.
A couple of players were moved on as there was better value around. The midfield is working well, the ruck combination should be very good now, the back line has a couple of good performers and a few more who have not achieved their potential while the forward line had an injury and a couple of players who were a bit quiet. Still this is better than the AFL Insider Dream Team which started the season with players like Brock McLean and Jason Roe, and also had Hall last round.
B David Mundy
B Daniel Pratt
B Andrew Raines
B Grant Birchall
B Graham Polak
B Sean Dempster
B Justin Koschitzke
C Sam Mitchell
C Bryce Gibbs
C Steven Salopek
C Paul Hasleby (captain)
C Marc Murphy
C Jordan Lewis
R Dean Cox
R Ben Hudson
F Jared Brennan
F Barry Hall
F Chad Cornes
F Corey Jones
F Gary Ablett
F Jarrad Waite
F Lance Franklin
B Xavier Ellis
B Matt Riggio (emergency)
C Joel Selwood
C Lindsay Thomas
R Jonathan Griffin (emergency)
R Brent Renouf
F Alwyn Davey (emergency)
F Matthew Campbell
Polak and Koschitzke have been very good in the defensive spots on this fantasy team. The other defenders have been a bit inconsistent. Mundy and Pratt have shown some improvement and should be better next round. Birchall had a quiet game in round 2, as did Raines and Dempster.
Hasleby, Salopek, Lewis and Murphy have been very good, far better than their initial fantasy prices suggested. Mitchell has been solid. Luke Hodge was traded away, time to get on the Gibbs fantasy bandwagon. Hasleby gets the rotating captaincy for this round.
Hudson played very well against the Bulldogs. Griffin played for fantasy points in round 2 with Cox out. Griffin was solid, and was as good as Lade and some other big fantasy ruckman for round 2 points. Cox playing, assuming he does, will obviously help in round 3.
G Ablett continues to be an elite fantasy player. Jones and Cornes are close to that, but there have been occasions during the first couple of rounds when they went a bit missing during the games. Franklin is covering a lot of ground, which should be good for fantasy points, he will hopefully increase his goals production too. Hall was hurt, couldn't plan for that. Waite could be going back to the back line, they might need his extra height, so his points could pick up. One Lion, Brown, was exchanged for another, Brennan. That probably means that Brown will kick 12 goals this round, but the move was made because for Brown's fantasy price you could get 2.3 Jared Brennans, so Brennan was good value.
N Riewoldt or Tredrea were nearly brought onto the team. Riewoldt's price is just too big to play him in his first game back, or maybe not as he could bring down 15 marks against the shorter Bulldogs, Tredrea is around two thirds of the price of Riewoldt but a lot of his injury problems seem to be recurring so there is some risk in signing him. Lucas was another forward who was considered, as he is playing better than nearly anyone, and Brad Miller came into consideration as the rest of the tall forwards at Melbourne are out. Rodan was a possible choice for a midfield spot too, but Gibbs should continue to have a bigger role for his team.
Next week, assuming that nobody is injured which could force a trade, there might be one trade made to upgrade a position. Maybe Sinclair, or a Fisher, could strengthen the back line. Tredrea, or N Riewoldt, might have proved they are ready with a big round 3 game and they are added to the forwards.
Speedy midfielder Chance Bateman was an inclusion to the Hawks’ team to play the Kangaroos, the only official out so far is Clarke, but Bateman won’t be taking his place.
From the Hawks site: Bateman out of Hawks squad
Hawthorn team to play the Kangaroos
FB: Jacobs, Croad, Guerra
HB: Brown, Gilham, Birchall
C: Ladson, Mitchell, Lewis
HF: Crawford, Franklin, Young
FF: Williams, Boyle, Dixon
Foll: Taylor, Hodge, Sewell
bench from: Thurgood, Campbell, Ellis, McGlynn, Muston, Roughead, Osborne
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Bateman would have been a good player to add to fantasy teams, but now he is not. There is still time to adjust fantasy teams that have Bateman, so trade him or at least have an emergency move off the fantasy bench to replace him for this round.
A couple of games have gone by and most AFL fantasy teams will be in need of an adjustment. Today is an important day for changing your AFL fantasy teams. Here are some ideas for how the players are going, and what they might continue to do, for fantasy points.
Buy: A good move to have them on your fantasy team. "Buy !!" indicates a big fantasy player at the moment, with huge stats or great value when compared to their fantasy price.
Possible Buy: Hard to predict, but might be worth signing.
Watch: A few things could change this player's stats, might be on the verge of selection or could have an injury concern. Their role, and stats, might be uncertain at the moment.
Sell: Might be better to offload them, right now, due to form or injuries. Possibly their fantasy price is too high.
Later: Check back later in the season, it doesn't look like they can help now but an injury could open a spot in a few weeks.
Forget: Just forget about them, they could possibly have a long-term injury or be a new draft pick who is a few years away or be a player who does not get many stats.
Nathan Bassett - Buy
Rhett Biglands - Forget
Nathan Bock - Buy !!
Matthew Bode - Watch
Brett Burton - Watch
Bryce Campbell - Later
Michael Doughty - Watch
Richard Douglas- Watch
Tyson Edwards- Buy
Nick Gill - Later
Simon Goodwin - Buy
Jonathon Griffin - Watch
Trent Hentschel - Forget
John Hinge - Later
Benjamin Hudson - Buy
Luke Jericho - Later
Graham Johncock - Sell
Chris Knights - Buy
David MacKay - Forget
Ivan Maric - Later
Kris Massie - Later
Martin Mattner - Buy
Ken McGregor - Later
Andrew McLeod - Buy
John Meesen - Later
Ian Perrie - Possible Buy
Darren Pfeiffer - Later
Jason Porplyzia - Watch
Brent Reilly - Buy
Mark Ricciuto - Later
Ben Rutten - Watch
James Sellar - Later
Robert Shirley - Watch
Scott Stevens - Buy
Scott Thompson - Buy
Kurt Tippett - Forget
Jason Torney- Watch
Nathan van Berlo - Buy
Bernie Vince - Later
Scott Welsh - Watch
Jed Adcock - Buy
Marcus Allan - Watch
Simon Black - Buy
Daniel Bradshaw - Forget
Jared Brennan - Buy !!
Jonathan Brown - Watch
Jamie Charman - Watch
Mitchell Clark - Forget
Robert Copeland - Watch
Josh Drummond - Later
Ben Fixter - Watch
Pat Garner - Forget
Richard Hadley - Watch
Scott Harding - Buy
James Hawksley - Forget
Rhan Hooper - Later
Chris Johnson - Watch
Nigel Lappin - Watch
Matthew Leuenberger - Later
Joel Macdonald - Later
Beau McDonald - Forget
Ashley McGrath - Watch
Daniel Merrett - Possible Buy
Wayde Mills - Later
Matthew Moody - Watch
Tim Notting - Buy
Joel Patfull - Watch
Luke Power - Buy
Albert Proud - Later
Michael Rischitelli - Buy
Jason Roe - Watch
Chris Schmidt - Later
Chris Scott - Forget
Troy Selwood - Later
Sam Sheldon - Forget
Justin Sherman - Buy
Cheynee Stiller - Buy
Matt Tyler - Forget
Cameron Wood - Watch
Cain Ackland - Watch
Joe Anderson - Later
Mark Austin - Forget
Jordan Bannister - Forget
Clinton Benjamin - Later
Adam Bentick - Buy
Eddie Betts - Possible Buy
Luke Blackwell - Watch
Paul Bower - Later
Andrew Carrazzo - Buy
Cameron Cloke - Watch
Jake Edwards - Later
Brendan Fevola - Buy
Bradley Fisher - Buy
Craig Flint - Later
Bryce Gibbs - Buy !!
Shaun Grigg - Forget
Shaun Hampson - Later
Adam Hartlett - Watch
Ryan Houlihan - Possible Buy
Josh Kennedy - Watch
Anthony Koutoufides - Later
Matthew Lappin - Sell
Dylan McLaren - Forget
Marc Murphy - Buy
Setanta O'hAilpin - Watch
Anthony Raso - Forget
Jordan Russell - Watch
Jason Saddington - Later
Heath Scotland - Buy
Kade Simpson - Buy
Nick Stevens - Possible Buy
David Teague - Forget
Bret Thornton - Buy
Jarrad Waite - Possible Buy
Andrew Walker - Buy
Lance Whitnall - Sell
Simon Wiggins - Watch
John Anthony - Later
Nathan Brown - Later
Chris Bryan - Later
Nathan Buckley - Watch
Scott Burns - Buy
James Clement - Buy
Travis Cloke - Watch
Ryan Cook - Later
Shannon Cox - Watch
Benjamin Davies - Later
Leon Davis - Possible Buy
Chris Dawes - Forget
Brad Dick - Possible Buy
Alan Didak - Watch
Chris Egan - Watch
Josh Fraser - Buy
Tyson Goldsack - Forget
Brodie Holland - Later
Sam Iles - Watch
Ben Johnson - Watch
Paul Licuria - Buy
Tarkyn Lockyer - Possible Buy
Ryan Lonie - Watch
Nick Maxwell - Buy
Paul Medhurst - Watch
Shane O'Bree - Buy
Harry O'Brien - Watch
Scott Pendlebury - Buy
Simon Prestigiacomo - Watch
Ben Reid - Later
Guy Richards - Watch
Anthony Rocca - Buy
Sean Rusling - Later
Heath Shaw - Buy !!
Rhyce Shaw - Possible Buy
Daniel Stanley - Watch
Dane Swan - Buy
Dale Thomas - Buy
Alan Toovey - Possible Buy
Shane Wakelin - Watch
Mark Bolton - Forget
Kepler Bradley - Sell
Scott Camporeale - Forget
Richard Cole - Later
Alwyn Davey - Buy
Courtenay Dempsey - Later
Ricky Dyson - Watch
Dustin Fletcher - Buy
Scott Gumbleton - Later
Chris Heffernan - Watch
David Hille - Buy
James Hird - Buy
Tom Hislop - Later
Bachar Houli - Forget
Leroy Jetta - Watch
Courtney Johns - Later
Jason Johnson - Later
Mark Johnson - Possible Buy
Jason Laycock - Watch
Andrew Lee - Forget
Matthew Lloyd - Buy
Sam Lonergan - Later
Andrew Lovett - Buy
Nathan Lovett-Murray - Watch
Scott Lucas - Buy
Adam McPhee - Buy !!
Mark McVeigh - Buy
Mal Michael - Watch
Angus Monfries - Buy
Jay Nash - Forget
Jay Neagle - Forget
Damien Peverill - Watch
Kyle Reimers - Forget
Paddy Ryder - Buy
Henry Slattery - Possible Buy
Brent Stanton - Buy
Jobe Watson - Watch
Andrew Welsh - Watch
Jason Winderlich - Buy
Peter Bell - Buy
Heath Black - Watch
Andrew Browne - Possible Buy
Adam Campbell - Later
Josh Carr - Buy
Matthew Carr - Buy
Clayton Collard - Later
Troy Cook - Possible Buy
Ryan Crowley - Possible Buy
Steven Dodd - Buy
Marcus Drum - Watch
Paul Duffield - Watch
Ryley Dunn - Later
Jeff Farmer - Later
Daniel Gilmore - Watch
Antoni Grover - Possible Buy
Robert Haddrill - Watch
Paul Hasleby - Buy
Roger Hayden - Possible Buy
Des Headland - Watch
Garrick Ibbotson - Watch
Michael Johnson - Later
Justin Longmuir - Watch
Shaun McManus - Possible Buy
Luke McPharlin - Buy
Calib Mourish - Forget
David Mundy - Buy
Ryan Murphy - Later
Brock O'Brien - Later
Shane Parker - Watch
Matthew Pavlich - Buy !!
Brett Peake - Later
Aaron Sandilands - Buy
Byron Schammer - Later
Dean Solomon - Buy
Chris Tarrant - Buy
Scott Thornton - Later
James Walker - Possible Buy
Robert Warnock - Later
Luke Webster - Watch
Gary Ablett - Buy
Nathan Ablett - Buy !!
Jimmy Bartel - Buy
Mark Blake - Sell
Shannon Byrnes - Buy
Tim Callan - Later
Paul Chapman - Buy
Joel Corey - Buy
Nathan Djerrkura - Watch
Matt Egan - Buy
Corey Enright - Buy
Ryan Gamble - Later
Charlie Gardiner - Possible Buy
Tom Harley - Sell
Tom Hawkins - Buy
Simon Hogan - Later
Sam Hunt - Watch
Josh Hunt - Possible Buy
David Johnson - Watch
Steve Johnson - Forget
James Kelly - Buy
Steven King - Forget
Cameron Ling - Watch
Andrew Mackie - Buy
Darren Milburn - Buy
Cameron Mooney - Buy
Brad Ottens - Watch
Stephen Owen - Forget
Henry Playfair - Forget
Brent Prismall - Buy
Max Rooke - Watch
Matthew Scarlett - Buy
Joel Selwood - Possible Buy
Matthew Spencer - Forget
Mathew Stokes - Watch
Kane Tenace - Watch
Travis Varcoe - Watch
Trent West - Forget
David Wojcinski - Buy
Max Bailey - Forget
Chance Bateman - Buy
Grant Birchall - Buy
Tim Boyle - Buy
Campbell Brown - Buy
Robert Campbell - Watch
Tim Clarke - Later
Shane Crawford - Buy
Trent Croad - Buy
Zac Dawson - Forget
Ben Dixon - Possible Buy
Beau Dowler - Later
Xavier Ellis - Watch
Lance Franklin - Buy
Stephen Gilham - Buy
Brent Guerra - Buy
Luke Hodge - Buy
Danny Jacobs - Buy
Josh P. Kennedy - Later
Rick Ladson - Buy
Jordan Lewis - Buy !!
Matthew Little - Later
Ben McGlynn - Possible Buy
Sam Mitchell - Buy
Jarryd Morton - Forget
Garry Moss - Later
Thomas Murphy - Later
Beau Muston - Watch
Michael Osborne - Watch
Brent Renouf - Later
Jarryd Roughead - Sell
Brad Sewell - Buy
Joel Smith - Later
Simon Taylor - Watch
Mitchell Thorp - Later
Josh Thurgood - Forget
Travis Tuck - Forget
Richard Vandenberg - Later
Mark Williams - Buy
Clinton Young - Buy
Glenn Archer - Sell
Leigh Brown - Possible Buy
Matthew Campbell - Watch
Aaron Edwards - Buy
Michael Firrito - Possible Buy
Joshua Gibson - Possible Buy
Todd Goldstein - Forget
Shannon Grant - Buy
Kasey Green - Watch
Blake Grima - Watch
David Hale - Buy
Lachlan Hansen - Watch
Leigh Harding - Forget
Daniel Harris - Buy
Brent Harvey - Buy !!
Jonathan Hay - Forget
Corey Jones - Buy
Ed Lower - Later
Daniel McConnell - Watch
Hamish McIntosh - Buy
Scott McMahon - Later
Brad Moran - Later
Drew Petrie - Buy
Daniel Pratt - Buy
Brady Rawlings - Buy
Matt Riggio - Possible Buy
Ben Ross - Later
Eddie Sansbury - Watch
Adam Simpson - Buy
Jess Sinclair - Buy
Jesse W. Smith - Later
Andrew Swallow - Buy
Lindsay Thomas - Buy
Nathan Thompson - Forget
David Trotter - Watch
Callum Urch - Later
Gavin Urquhart - Later
Ben Warren - Later
Shannon Watt - Watch
Daniel Wells - Buy
Djaran Whyman - Watch
Clint Bartram - Sell
Matthew Bate - Buy
Daniel Bell - Possible Buy
Clint Bizzell - Watch
Nathan D. Brown - Buy
Cameron Bruce - Buy
Simon Buckley - Later
Nathan Carroll - Buy
Aaron Davey - Buy
Lynden Dunn - Watch
Ryan Ferguson - Watch
James Frawley - Watch
Colin Garland - Watch
Simon Godfrey - Buy
Brad Green - Buy
Ben Holland - Possible Buy
Mark Jamar - Watch
Chris Johnson - Possible Buy
Paul Johnson - Watch
Travis Johnstone - Possible Buy
Nathan Jones - Buy
James McDonald - Buy
Brock McLean - Later
Brad Miller - Buy !!
Brent Moloney - Buy
David Neitz - Sell
Heath Neville - Later
Michael Newton - Later
Ricky Petterd - Later
Byron Pickett - Watch
Jared Rivers - Buy
Russell Robertson - Sell
Colin Sylvia - Possible Buy
Daniel Ward - Buy
Matthew Warnock - Watch
Isaac Weetra - Forget
Paul Wheatley - Watch
Matthew Whelan - Possible Buy
Jeff White - Buy
Adem Yze - Watch
Greg Bentley - Watch
Travis Boak - Later
Dean Brogan - Watch
Peter Burgoyne - Buy
Shaun Burgoyne - Buy
Alipate Carlile - Later
Domenic Cassisi - Buy
Troy Chaplin - Sell
Adam Cockshell - Later
Chad Cornes - Buy
Kane Cornes - Buy
Fabian Deluca - Forget
Brett Ebert - Watch
Jonathan Giles - Later
Robert Gray - Later
Nathan Krakouer - Watch
Brendon Lade - Possible Buy
Tom Logan - Watch
Nathan Lonie - Buy
Nick Lower - Later
Josh Mahoney - Buy
Hugh Minson - Forget
Daniel Motlop - Later
Danyle Pearce - Buy
Michael Pettigrew - Watch
David Rodan - Buy !!
Steven Salopek - Buy
Paul Stewart - Forget
Jacob Surjan - Buy
Brad Symes - Later
Matt Thomas - Watch
Adam Thomson - Later
Toby Thurstans - Possible Buy
Warren Tredrea - Buy
Darryl Wakelin - Later
Justin Westhoff - Later
Damon White - Possible Buy
Ryan Williams - Forget
Ryan Willits - Later
Michael Wilson - Buy
Joel Bowden - Buy
Patrick Bowden - Sell
Nathan G. Brown - Sell
Travis Casserly - Later
Andrew Collins - Forget
Daniel Connors - Later
Mark Coughlan - Forget
Brett Deledio - Buy !!
Shane Edwards - Later
Nathan Foley - Buy
Darren Gaspar - Watch
Ray Hall - Forget
Brent Hartigan - Later
Cameron Howat - Possible Buy
Cleve Hughes - Later
Chris Hyde - Buy
Daniel Jackson - Later
Kane Johnson - Buy
Jake King - Later
Kent Kingsley - Later
Trent Knobel - Forget
Andrew Krakouer - Possible Buy
Luke McGuane - Watch
Danny Meyer - Later
Kelvin Moore - Watch
Chris Newman - Buy
Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls - Later
Adam Pattison - Watch
Carl Peterson - Forget
Kayne Pettifer - Buy
Graham Polak - Buy
Dean Polo - Watch
Andrew Raines - Watch
Matthew Richardson - Buy
Jack Riewoldt - Later
Jay Schulz - Watch
Troy Simmonds - Possible Buy
Richard Tambling - Possible Buy
Will Thursfield - Later
Greg Tivendale - Buy
Shane Tuck - Possible Buy
Matthew White - Watch
Jarryd Allen - Forget
David Armitage - Later
Steven Baker - Possible Buy
Luke Ball - Watch
Shane Birss - Later
Jason Blake - Watch
Barry Brooks - Watch
Matthew Clarke - Possible Buy
Raphael Clarke - Forget
Xavier Clarke - Buy
Nick Dal Santo - Buy
Matthew Ferguson - Watch
Aaron Fiora - Buy
Leigh Fisher - Buy
Samuel Fisher - Buy
Michael Gardiner - Later
Fraser Gehrig - Buy
Sam Gilbert - Later
Brendon Goddard - Buy
Jason Gram - Buy
James Gwilt - Watch
Aaron Hamill - Later
Robert Harvey - Buy
Lenny Hayes - Buy
Brad Howard - Later
Max Hudghton - Sell
Justin Koschitzke - Buy !!
Matthew Maguire - Later
Andrew McQualter - Watch
Stephen Milne - Possible Buy
Leigh Montagna - Buy
Phillip Raymond - Later
Nick Riewoldt - Buy
Michael Rix - Watch
Justin Sweeney - Later
Andrew Thompson - Possible Buy
Brett Voss - Later
Fergus Watts - Forget
Luke Ablett - Possible Buy
Leo Barry - Buy
Paul Bevan - Later
Craig Bolton - Buy
Jude Bolton - Buy
Ryan Brabazon - Later
Amon Buchanan Buy
Jared Crouch - Watch
Daniel Currie - Forget
Nick Davis - Watch
Sean Dempster - Watch
Stephen Doyle - Later
Peter Everitt - Buy
Peter Faulks - Later
Nic Fosdike - Buy
Adam Goodes - Buy
Heath Grundy - Watch
Barry Hall - Buy
Darren Jolly - Possible Buy
Tadhg Kennelly - Buy
Brett Kirk - Buy
Matthew Laidlaw - Later
Nick Malceski - Buy !!
Ben Mathews - Buy
Jarrad McVeigh - Watch
Jarred Moore - Later
Daniel O'Keefe - Later
Ryan O'Keefe - Buy
Michael O'Loughlin - Watch
Simon Phillips - Watch
Ted Richards - Possible Buy
Lewis Roberts-Thomson - Later
Tim Schmidt - Watch
Adam Schneider - Buy
Jonathan Simpkin - Later
Kristin Thornton - Later
Luke Vogels - Forget
Jesse White - Forget
Steven Armstrong - Buy
Michael Braun - Buy
Mitchell Brown - Later
Sam Butler - Later
Daniel Chick - Possible Buy
Ben Cousins - Forget
Dean Cox - Buy
Andrew Embley - Buy
Chad Fletcher - Watch
Darren Glass - Buy
Jaymie Graham - Sell
Ashley Hansen - Watch
Tim Houlihan - Forget
Adam Hunter - Buy
Shannon Hurn - Possible Buy
Brett Jones - Buy
Rowan Jones - Buy
Chris Judd - Buy
Daniel Kerr - Buy
Mark LeCras - Watch
Quinten Lynch - Buy
Eric MacKenzie - Forget
Ben McKinley - Forget
Mitch Morton - Forget
Mark Nicoski - Later
Matthew Priddis - Buy !!
Matthew Rosa - Buy
Ashley Sampi - Later
Will Schofield - Forget
Mark Seaby - Watch
Adam Selwood - Buy
Matthew Spangher - Forget
Brent Staker - Possible Buy
Tyson Stenglein - Buy
James Thomson - Forget
Beau Waters - Buy
David Wirrpanda - Buy
Josh Wooden - Later
Dylan Addison - Watch
Jason Akermanis - Sell
Travis Baird - Later
Matthew Boyd - Buy
Adam Cooney - Buy
Daniel Cross - Buy
Luke Darcy - Buy
Nathan Eagleton Buy
Andrejs Everitt - Later
Cameron Faulkner - Watch
Daniel Giansiracusa - Buy
Lindsay Gilbee - Buy
Chris Grant - Later
Ryan Griffen - Possible Buy
Mitchell Hahn - Watch
Ryan Hargrave Buy
Brian Harris - Watch
Shaun Higgins Buy
Josh Hill - Forget
Brad Johnson - Buy !!
Malcolm Lynch - Forget
Damian McCormack - Later
Andrew McDougall - Sell
Jordan McMahon - Buy
Will Minson - Watch
Brett Montgomery - Later
Dale Morris - Buy
Robert Murphy - Possible Buy
Paul O'Shea - Forget
Sam Power - Buy
Farren Ray - Possible Buy
Matthew Robbins - Forget
Wayde Skipper - Forget
Brennan Stack - Later
Peter Street - Watch
Stephen Tiller - Later
Tim Walsh - Later
Scott West - Buy
Cameron Wight - Possible Buy
Tom Williams - Later
Collingwood v Richmond
The Tip: Collingwood by 24 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Josh Fraser
Chance For An Upset: The Tigers are not playing badly, and had a chance to win both games. If Schulz or Polak can kick some goals to take some of the load off Richardson then it could be another close game.
Richmond
They win if....Richardson gets a good supply of the football
They lose if...small forwards like Krakouer and Pettifer don't stop the run from the back of the Shaws.
The Good News: Simmonds is in the team, but he will have to prove his fitness before the game to play.
The Bad News: Knobel's out for a lot of the season.
Collingwood
They win if....Rocca is too much for Gaspar or any other Tiger to handle.
They lose if...they are inaccurate with their disposals again.
The Good News: Heath Shaw is having a big season.
The Bad News: Johnson will miss.
Carlton v Essendon
The Tip: Essendon by 59 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Adam McPhee
Chance For An Upset: Carlton are shorter and slower, maybe they will have to turn this game into a test of strength. An old-fashioned game, with Cloke and Fevola throwing their weight around, might be the best strategy.
Carlton
They win if....the big Setanta can quiet one of Essendon's big forwards.
They lose if...they play like they did against Geelong.
The Good News: Gibbs is playing like a number 1 draft pick, Murphy is too
The Bad News: No changes to the team that was defeated by the Cats, that is some strange logic.
Essendon
They win if....Hille and Laycock take advantage of their height in the ruck.
They lose if...they underestimate their young stars in Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson and Bentick.
The Good News: They haven't lost, and they have beaten some of the best.
The Bad News: They are so loaded with talent they can't fit in Courtney Johns.
Port Adelaide v Adelaide
The Tip: Adelaide by 8 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Ben Hudson
Chance For An Upset: This is a coin-flip to decide the winner, so no real underdog to consider.
Port Adelaide
They win if....they keep on running.
They lose if...they use Tredrea too much, as he won't be at his best, and ignore some of their other forwards who are playing so well.
The Good News: They enter the game without a loss.
The Bad News: In some ways, the speed and exciting play, the Power are similar to the Bulldogs. That's who the Crows beat last week.
Adelaide
They win if....they can again get goals from Welsh and Perrie.
They lose if...any more injuries take players out of the lineup.
The Good News: Burton gives them the player who can change a game with a freakish mark or goal.
The Bad News: Johncock and Shirley were injured last week, they won't be playing against the Power.
St Kilda v Western Bulldogs
The Tip: Western Bulldogs by 18 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Scott West
Chance For An Upset: The Bulldogs are slightly favoured, but this game is very close to call. The Saints have the best unit of three tall forwards in the AFL, the Bulldogs can't stop them if the ball gets there enough.
St Kilda
They win if....they get the ball into their forward line quickly before the Bulldogs get back in numbers.
They lose if...they are exposed in the foot-speed department.
The Good News: Riewoldt is back and the Bulldogs don't have the player to stop him.
The Bad News: Their back line is severely depleted.
Western Bulldogs
They win if....Darcy is able to bring down some contested marks.
They lose if...their onballers don't dominate.
The Good News: They finally have their full back in the team, and they need him against the height of the Saints.
The Bad News: Akermanis is out again.
Fremantle v West Coast
The Tip: Fremantle by 7 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: David Mundy
Chance For An Upset: The Eagles are the favourites, they have the wins in the AFL this season. But the Dockers have a streak going against the Eagles. The Beau Waters versus Dean Solomon contest, that could be another interesting part of the game.
West Coast
They win if....Lynch is able to play well against McPharlin.
They lose if...they let Tarrant or Longmuir score goals.
The Good News: Hansen is back, they don't lose regular season or finals games with him playing.
The Bad News: None on the field.
Fremantle
They win if....Carr, Carr, Cook and Solomon physically dominate some of the Eagles.
They lose if...they play a low-scoring game, which should benefit the Eagles.
The Good News: Longmuir will help Sandilands in the ruck, and also Pavlich and Tarrant up forward.
The Bad News: Their defensive structure is a tad askew without Michael Johnson, he provides both height and run.
Sydney v Brisbane
The Tip: Sydney by 18 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Peter Everitt
Chance For An Upset: The Lions haven't lost, they have Brown, Black and Power playing well. They will be more than competitive.
Sydney
They win if....Hall is healthy.
They lose if...they allow Brennan to run around by himself too much.
The Good News: Everitt had a big round 2 game.
The Bad News: O'Loughlin is still a bit down in form, but this milestone game might get the best from him.
Brisbane
They win if....their young onballers, like Rischitelli and Stiller, can match it with their more experienced opponents.
They lose if...the Swans run off Charman and Brown and create a lot of attacking moves.
The Good News: Fixter is ready to fire against his former team.
The Bad News: Roe is a no go.
Melbourne v Geelong
The Tip: Geelong by 40 points
Best-On-Ground Guess: Corey Enright
Chance For An Upset: The Demons lose Neitz, Robertson and Rivers so they will start as huge underdogs. A lot will depend on White, he will have an advantage in athleticism over his opponents in the ruck.
Melbourne
They win if....someone unexpected steps in and kicks a bag of goals, maybe one of their ruckman or possibly Bate or even Yze.
They lose if...they don't implement a new, and radical, game-plan.
The Good News: The players they will bring into the team were in good form for Sandringham.
The Bad News: They entered the season with most players available, they are now without their best onballer, tall forward, tall defender and Robertson, he's their second best forward.
Geelong
They win if....N Ablett continues to kick goals.
They lose if...they enter the game thinking they will have it easy.
The Good News: They turned everything around from their round 1 loss.
The Bad News: They are a bit short in the back line.
Kangaroos v Hawthorn
The Tip: Hawthorn by 36
Best-On-Ground Guess: Lance Franklin
Chance For An Upset: The Kangaroos have to win a game soon. They are dominating quarters, even halves, but they can't finish off the game.
Kangaroos
They win if....all their forwards fire. They have the players capable of kicking a winning score.
They lose if...they can't find anyone who can contain Franklin, Petrie is their best hope, or maybe Firrito.
The Good News: A lot of their players are getting the job done.
The Bad News: There won't be any help from Archer, he is out injured.
Hawthorn
They win if....someone like Sewell or Bateman can keep Wells from having an influence on the game.
They lose if...they don't get multiple goals from one of their talls, they can't leave it all to Williams.
The Good News: The additions of Brown and Crawford last week added some needed parts to their team.
The Bad News: Clarke could miss half the season with a foot problem.
Collingwood v Richmond
Richmond
FB: Newman, J.Bowden, Polak
HB: Raines, Gaspar, Moore
C: Polo, Johnson, Hyde
HF: Pettifer, Schulz, Deledio
FF: Krakouer, Richardson, Tambling
Foll: Simmonds, Tuck, Foley
bench: Howat, Tivendale, Pattison, McGuane
emergency: King, P.Bowden, Jackson
In: Simmonds
Out: P.Bowden
AFL Fantasy Watch:
It says P Bowden is out, that's a high-priced fantasy player there. Usually that creates a must-trade situation, but maybe Bowden will be in tomorrow as there is a big chance that Simmonds won't be ready. The best idea could be to not play either P Bowden or Simmonds, but if you can wait until fantasy teams are set you might hear some news before the game starts.
Collingwood
FB: Lockyer, Prestigiacomo, Cox
HB: H.Shaw, Clement, R.Shaw
C: Pendlebury, Toovey, Thomas
HF: Maxwell, Cloke, Licuria
FF: Swan, Rocca, Medhurst
Foll: Fraser, O'Bree, Dick
bench: Burns, Davis, O'Brien, Richards
emergency: Nicholls, Wakelin, Iles
In: Cox, Toovey, Dick
Out: Johnson, Wakelin, Nicholls
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Fantasy coaches who know what they are doing can zoom up the standings whent hey sign the correct new players, in this game there are three to choose from. Toovey might be the groovy choice. Pendlebury and Thomas might be players to sign too.
Carlton v Essendon
Carlton
FB: Houlihan, S.O'hAilpin, Thornton,
HB: Scotland, Whitnall, Walker
C: Simpson, Stevens, Lappin
HF: Carrazzo, Waite, Fisher
FF: Betts, Fevola, Kennedy
Foll: Cloke, Gibbs, Murphy
bench: Ackland, Bentick, Russell, Wiggins
emergency: Blackwell, Anderson, Hartlett
AFL Fantasy Watch:
No change, they do realize what happened last week, don't they? Time to buy Gibbs, Murphy too. Whitnall as a defender could help his stats, depending on who he plays on. Waite hasn't been as good as he could for fantasy points with his move back to the forward line. Fisher has been someone who has brought in the fantasy points.
Essendon
FB: Ryder, Michael, McVeigh
HB: McPhee, Fletcher, Slattery
C: Stanton, Hird, Monfries
HF: M.Johnson, Lucas, Lovett
FF: Jetta, Lloyd, Watson
Foll: Hille, Winderlich, Peverill
bench: Lovett-Murray, Davey, Heffernan, Laycock
emergency: Bradley, Johns, Dyson
In: Lovett-Murray
Out: Welsh
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Essendon provide a few fantasy bargains, with Winderlich, Davey and McVeigh some of the players to look at.
Port Adelaide v Adelaide
Port Adelaide
FB: Thurstans, Wakelin, Surjan
HB: Wilson, C.Cornes, Cassisi
C: Lonie, S.Burgoyne, Salopek
HF: P.Burgoyne, Tredrea, Rodan
FF: Ebert, White, Pettigrew
Foll: Brogan, K.Cornes, Pearce
bench: Bentley, Krakouer, Lade, Mahoney
emergency: Chaplin, Logan, Symes
In: Tredrea, Bentley, Wakelin
Out: Chaplin, Cockshell, Logan
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Tredrea kicked 7 goals in the SANFL, he might be a good signing for this week. Inexpensive fantasy players Rodan and Krakouer are in again. Bentley isn't a Rolls Royce of the AFL, he might not be a good signing. Fantasy superstar of 2006 Brad Symes is still out of the team, surprisingly Chaplin is out too.
Adelaide
FB: Doughty, Rutten, Bassett
HB: McLeod, Stevens, Torney
C: Knights, Goodwin, van Berlo
HF: Burton, Bock, Reilly
FF: Bode, Welsh, Perrie
Foll: Hudson, Edwards, Thompson
bench: Griffen, Douglas, Mattner, Porplyzia
emergency: Massie, Vince, Hinge
In: Burton, Porplyzia
Out: Johncock, Shirley
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Burton is back, he can do a lot for fantasy teams. The Mr Mxyzptlk of the AFL, Porplyzia, is an underrated player. He played well in the NAB Cup against the Power.
St Kilda v Western Bulldogs
St Kilda
FB: Attard, S.Fisher, L.Fisher
HB: X.Clarke, Gram, Fiora
C: Blake, Hayes, Harvey
HF: Montagna, Riewoldt, Thompson
FF: Milne, Gehrig, Koschitzke
Foll: M.Clarke, Baker, Dal Santo
bench: Goddard, Jones, Rix, Brooks
emergency: Gwilt, McQualter, Voss
In: Riewoldt, Brooks, Jones
Out: Hudghton, Birss, McQualter
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Riewoldt is back, Ball isn't. An interesting lineup with M Clarke, Rix and Brooks all named. None of those talls are expected to help fantasy teams.
Western Bulldogs
FB: McMahon, Harris, Morris
HB: Gilbee, Wight, Hargrave
C: Eagleton, S.West, Cross
HF: Giansiracusa, Johnson, Ray
FF: Murphy, Darcy, Higgins
Foll: Minson, Griffen, Cooney
bench: Boyd, Addison, Power, Street
emergency: Robbins, Faulkner, McDougall
In: Addison, Harris, Street
Out: Akermanis, McDougall, Robbins
AFL Fantasy Watch:
It's a setup similar to what the Bulldogs had for the second half of 2006. Darcy will play Grant's big forward role, Minson and Street will share the ruck minutes. Minson didn't do much last round, and his fantasy stats will take a hit here. Darcy should be more useful if he plays the entire game as their only really big forward. Harris is back for his first game of the season.
Fremantle v West Coast
West Coast
FB: Wirrpanda, Glass, B.Jones
HB: Waters, Hunter, Hurn
C: Rosa, Selwood, Braun
HF: Stenglein, Staker, Chick
FF: Embley, Lynch, Cox
Foll: Seaby, Judd, Kerr
bench: Armstrong, Hansen, R.Jones, Priddis
emergency: Brown, LeCras, Graham
In: Cox, Hansen
Out: Graham, Brown
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Cox is back, again. Hansen pushes Brown out of the team, he will also change the role of Staker, this could be good or bad for his stats. Maybe Staker plays more of a midfield role, or he could be sitting on the bench a lot.
Fremantle
FB: Hayden, McPharlin, Parker
HB: Mundy, Grover, Dodd
C: Headland, J.Carr, McManus
HF: Hasleby, Pavlich, Solomon
FF: Bell, Tarrant, Longmuir
Foll: Sandilands, M.Carr, Cook
bench: Browne, Crowley, Gilmore, Walker
emergency: Campbell, Duffield, Webster
In: Dodd, Cook, Longmuir
Out: Peake, Webster, Duffield
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Dodd returns, he only has an average price in fantasy games. Cook is a bit cheaper than most midfielders.
Sydney v Brisbane
Sydney
FB: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, C.Bolton, Dempster
C: Buchanan, Kirk, Mathews
HF: R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
FF: McVeigh, Hall, Ablett
Foll: Jolly, Goodes, Fosdike
bench from: Everitt, Grundy, Schmidt, Schneider, Laidlaw, Moore, Vogels
In: Laidlaw. Moore, Vogels
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Hall is there, he probably plays. Malceski has been playing well.
Brisbane
FB: Begley, Merrett, Mills
HB: Adcock, Brennan, Copeland
C: Sherman, Fixter, Stiller
HF: Johnson, Brown, Notting
FF: Rischitelli, Patfull, McGrath
Foll: Wood, Black, Power
bench from: Lappin, McDonald, Moody, Hadley, Harding, Allan, Charman
In: Lappin, Charman, Hadley
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Sir Hadley is back, possibly as he is only on the extended bench right now, he is at the lowest price in fantasy games for a veteran midfielder. Charman, Wood and McDonald are all in the team. There are not enough minutes, or fantasy points, available for all of them.
Melbourne v Geelong
Melbourne
FB: Holland, Carroll, Whelan
HB: Ward, Wheatley, Bell
C: Moloney, McDonald, Green
HF: Bruce, Miller, Bate
FF: Godfrey, Jamar, Davey
Foll: White, Jones, Johnstone
bench from: Yze, C.Johnson, Brown, Bizzell, P.Johnson, Ferguson, Petterd
In: P.Johnson, Bizzell, Ferguson, Yze, Holland, Petterd
Out: D.Neitz, R.Robertson, J.Rivers
AFL Fantasy Watch:
They are in trouble, losing three of their best players for this game. Fantasy coaches will also need to trade Neitz and Robertson. Petterd has the potential to be a good player for fantasy points, but he is only one of the possible inclusions at this time and isn't assured of playing for the A team, he could be back with Sandringham. Paul Johnson has, for several seasons, been a player who could explode for fantasy points. If the Demons decide to put him in the goal-square he might kick a few goals.
Geelong
FB: Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
HB: J.Hunt, Egan, Milburn
C: Wojcinski, Bartel, Byrnes
HF: Chapman, Mooney, Kelly
FF: N.Ablett, Ottens, G.Ablett
Foll: Blake, Ling, Corey
bench from: Gardiner, Prismall, Hawkins, Varcoe, D.Johnson, Selwood, Tenace
In: D.Johnson, Tenace, Kelly
AFL Fantasy Watch:
They have put Kelly right into the team, so someone from last week is missing out. One of the young boys is a likely candidate for the VFL, Hawkins, Selwood or Varcoe. Maybe they put Gardiner out, as N Ablett has taken his spot. Kelly is an affordable midfielder in fantasy games.
Kangaroos v Hawthorn
Kangaroos
FB: Firrito, Petrie, Rawlings
HB: Sinclair, Watt, Pratt
C: Grant, Harris, Swallow
HF: Harvey, Brown, Hale
FF: Jones, Edwards, Thomas
Foll: McIntosh, Simpson, Wells
bench from: Green, Sansbury, Trotter, Riggio, Hansen, Gibson, Campbell
In: Gibson, Green, Sansbury, Campbell
Out: Archer
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Gibson was a great player in their NAB Cup games. He is someone to watch, possibly sign next week.
Hawthorn
FB: Jacobs, Croad, Guerra
HB: Brown, Gilham, Birchall
C: Ladson, Mitchell, Lewis
HF: Crawford, Franklin, Young
FF: Williams, Boyle, Dixon
Foll: Taylor, Hodge, Sewell
bench from: Bateman, Campbell, Ellis, McGlynn, Muston, Roughead, Osborne
In: Bateman, Roughead, Osborne, Muston
Out: Clarke
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Clarke is out for a while, Bateman will replace what he did. It’s worth signing Bateman.
The following players have started the season off very well. They are bringing in fantasy points at a much higher rate than their initial fantasy prices would have suggested. Fantasy coaches will now have to decide if these players will be able to continue putting up big numbers.
Scott Lucas - He was their main target last season with Lloyd out, and surprisingly they have kept going to him with Lloyd back in the team. If he keeps getting the stats that he has in the first couple of rounds then he will end the season as the best tall forward for fantasy points.
David Rodan - Fantasy steal of the year so far.
Adam McPhee - The addition of Michael was supposed to free McPhee and so far it has.
Nathan Ablett - When the Cats play Hawkins that makes N Ablett a veteran of their forward line. In the opening games N Ablett has been playing like a player with much more experience.
Jared Brennan - The Lions finally found the right position for him on the field, is getting a huge amount of the ball as he is free to run around at centre half back.
Sam Power - Becoming an important member of their team, underpriced in fantasy games.
David Wojcinski - Injuries have been the only thing holding him back in past years, he is fit and sprinting now and should be a good player for fantasy teams.
Chris Knights - Looks set to have a very good year.
Graham Polak - The Tigers need him in the ruck, the back line and at centre half forward. He should have a good year for stats.
Lindsay Gilbee - A lot is expected of him in fantasy leagues and he has exceeded that so far. No reason to think he will slow down.
Simon Black - Better for stats than in many of his other years, so he is playing at a very high level.
Daniel Cross - Always gets a lot of the ball, doing a bit more in 2007.
Brett Kirk - Having a big year for stats.
Heath Shaw - Playing very well.
Tadgh Kennelly - A great player for the Swans and very consistent for fantasy points.
Jed Adcock - One of many Brisbane players who are underrated for fantasy numbers.
Daniel Kerr - Will still have high stats but they won't continue at the current rate, teams will be paying extra attention to him. Will still be very good value at his fantasy price.
Brent Harvey - Is always good for goals or possessions, in the first couple of rounds he has had plenty of each.
Danny Jacobs - His numbers are slightly inflated by the crazy game the Hawks played in Brisbane.
Michael Rischitelli - Moving into the top group of midfielders.
Nick Malceski - Joining in with Kennelly in running the ball out of the back line.
Paul Hasleby - Is only ever slowed by injuries, is healthy and is a prolific player for fantasy points.
Brent Stanton - The leader in the middle for the Bombers now.
Jordan Lewis - The Hawks added Crawford and Brown for round 2, it didn't affect Lewis' numbers.
Steven Salopek - He is for real.
Nathan Bock - He is the answer to the Crows big forward problem.
Peter Everitt - Started a bit slow against the Eagles, he is now used to his new team and could be joining a few more fantasy teams.
Greg Tivendale - The Tigers have been getting very good production from Tivendale.
Clinton Young - Could be the "Symes fantasy player" of 2007, an unexpected player who just keeps getting fantasy points.
Andrew Walker - A lot of the ball is down his end and he, Scotland and Gibbs could benefit from that for fantasy points.
Mark McVeigh - Inconsistent in the past, playing better now.
Aaron Fiora - He has been St Kilda's best player over the first 2 rounds.
Luke McPharlin - More stats than is expected of most big defenders. Could continue for a couple more weeks until Johnson returns.
Tim Notting - Nothing wrong with his shoulder.
Rowan Jones - A quiet player at the Eagles who doesn't have the profile of many of his teammates. But he is also quietly getting a lot of the ball too.
Jason Winderlich - Seems to have taken not only Hird's hairstyle but his stats too.
Scott Stevens - Is used in a number of spots by the Crows, has been good for stats down both ends of the ground.
Trent Croad - Got a lot of fantasy points as a defender, also showed he can still contribute as a forward.
Bryce Gibbs - Those who decided to start him in their fantasy teams are getting the benefits, and they should be able to continue playing him.
Matt Rosa - Was expected to have a bigger role this year, and he does.
Cameron Mooney - He's kicking goals, not hitting players, and he can be used in a fantasy ruck spot.
Brad Sewell - An integral part of their midfield group, getting plenty of the ball.
Nathan Van Berlo - Has graduated from a stopping role and is getting more of the ball now.
Darren Gaspar - An unexpected addition to this list, maybe he can keep getting stats or he might have just been lucky for the first couple of rounds. He did benefit from playing against some of Carlton's forwards who were not playing well in round 1, then in round 2 he was able to keep up with Hall who had ankle and knee problems.
Darren Jolly - May not stay up in the stats for much longer, unless Hall or Everitt aren't playing.
Mark Seaby - He did a lot with Dean Cox out, now he probably goes back into his usual backup role.
Brett Ebert - A decrease in numbers is expected when Tredrea returns, but maybe not a big decrease.
The ClokeLand ruck duo has an average height of 196cm. Both Cloke and Ackland, and Dylan McLaren too, measure in at that mark, above average in height compared to most of the community but very short when measured against AFL ruckmen. Shaun Hampson is 201cm tall, if Pagan is really developing the future he needs to get games into Hampson now. Essendon could be rolling out two big ruckmen against Carlton, so maybe Carlton need Hampson right now too.
Hampson was taken at pick 17, which was a bit of a surprise. The players taken right before and right after Hampson in the draft, Mitch Brown and Leroy Jetta, have already played this season.
There was a big game many years ago between Carlton and Essendon. Carlton made an unexpected move to play Mark Porter in his first ever AFL game in front of a big crowd at the MCG. Porter would have around twice as many hitouts as the Essendon team and Carlton won the game. Hampson doesn't have the experience that Porter had then, as Porter had played in the VFL before joining Carlton, but Hampson does have the benefit of playing in the Under 18 Championships as well as games in Queensland.
Cameron Cloke has been playing better than Ackland, so if they do make a choice it should be Ackland who is wearing the red of the Bullants. They can use Cloke to start the quarters, and he can push back and fill a hole in front of Lucas and Lloyd. Hampson could then take on a tired Hille at the end of quarters or young Laycock. Hampson might be able to run off both players.
Hampson’s profile at the Carlton site.
Foxtel say they have brought back the shows from last year, but without John Barnes on Thursday nights it is not working. John Barnes was entertaining, his replacements are not. Even worse, last week they mentioned the score of the Saints-Lions match, a few minutes before the delayed game was to start on Channel 7.
Barnes is still playing for Essendon, as the distinction between player and runner is a bit blurred there, but he is also needed back on TV. Every football show on TV must have a former Geelong ruckman or tall forward, who says questionable things but that is what makes them entertaining. Newman on Channel 9 on Thursdays, Brownless on Channel 9 on Sundays, and there should also be Barnes back on Foxtel. If Bobby Davis is available, give him another show too, he may not be a former Cats' big but there are none bigger than him when it comes to football shows.
There is also something that should not be on TV, player agents pretending to be unbiased commentators. Newspapers, TV news shows and other media will usually be responsible and point out when a conflict of interest is apparent in their reporting. A newsreader will often add "which is also owned by the parent company of this network" as they let people know there is a relationship between the TV channel and another business. These player agents should do the same, every time they speak a list of the players they represent should be flashed up on the screen.
If the player agents, in their role as a commentator, happen to praise a player they represent, it might not mean they are acting properly in regards to their TV viewers. If they devalue an effort made by someone who they don't represent, it also opens up various possible reasons. Most sports have a rule about player agents talking to other players, yet these player agents are interviewing players on the field.
Sportspeople will fall off a dirt-bike, get in a brouhaha or injure themselves surfing or skydiving and often these incidents can have contractual ramifications. The job of the player agent is to protect their investment so they describe these things not as they are. The job of the AFL commentator is to tell the viewers the truth and to bring in ratings. Someone can look after the individual player, and therefore themselves, or they can look after the viewing public, they obviously cannot do both.
The real problem is that, although the commentators can say they are unbiased, there will always be a problem believing anything they say. It is important for the AFL, the broadcasters and any other media to not only do the correct thing but to also be seen to be doing the correct thing.
You can go to the AFLPA site and find out who the player agents are, look for the names of former Kangaroos Liam Pickering and Ricky Olarenshaw.
Search for an Agent
Where it says "For a complete list of agents: click here", do what it says and click it to get the entire list of player agents.
Round 2 goes to Joel Selwood.
Gibbs
Kicks: 15
Handballs: 3
Marks: 7
Tackles: 3
Goals: 0
Selwood
Kicks: 13
Handballs: 4
Marks: 6
Tackles: 3
Goals: 1
Gibbs and Selwood went at it at the Telstra Dome and Selwood's team had a big win. Gibbs played nearly the entire match, Selwood was only out there for around two thirds of the game time, but their stats were very close.
Gibbs played in several spots, he had a lot of the ball in the back half, possibly because that was where the football was for most of the game. Selwood was just one of many Cats who were running through the middle and sending the ball repeatedly into attack. He passed to a teammate for a goal and also recorded one himself.
Next weekend both players should be featured on the MCG. The Blues play Essendon and the following day the Cats play Melbourne. Gibbs is a certainty to play, Selwood should again be picked as there is no valid reason for Geelong to drop him.
B Gibbs 1 - J Selwood 1
The previous Gibbs/Selwood watch.
This week should be the first of many times this season that the Saints have Nick Riewoldt, Gehrig and Koschitzke together in the forward line. Few teams in the AFL have two great tall defenders, so as they need three to contain the Saints there are many teams who are going to be in trouble.
The Saints play the Bulldogs, one of the shorter teams in the back line. If the Bulldogs have their usual dominance in the centre then they won’t have to worry about the Saints’ forward line, if they play like they did against the Crows then Wight, Harris and the rest of the Bulldogs defenders will be under siege.
Story about Riewoldt and Ball returning, from the Herald Sun: Riewoldt back, Clarke a worry
AFL Fantasy Impact:
N Riewoldt would have been signed by many people when they first assembled their fantasy teams. Before the season started he would have been moved out for another forward. Now that he is back, and has had a long time to recover from his injury, maybe he could be signed for round 3. If Barry Hall is ruled out of playing in round 3 then Riewoldt is at a similar fantasy price to him.
Melbourne have two losses, an injury to young star Brock McLean and will now be without most of their forward setup. Neitz is gone for a month, Robertson is gone for a month, Dunn is still out injured too, they are in trouble.
Maybe they go small, with Davey given plenty of space in the forward 50. They could play like the Power, and use Davey, Green, Bruce and maybe Yze in a similar way to what Port Adelaide play with Ebert, Mahoney and their small forwards.
Miller will most likely be the big forward that Melbourne kick to with Neitz sidelined. How well he plays over the next month could determine Melbourne’s success in season 2007.
From the Melbourne Demons site: Neitz, Robertson to miss a month
AFL Fantasy Impact:
For fantasy coaches they need to be aware that the large chasm in the forward line at Melbourne left by Neitz and Robertson will be filled by someone, and they could quickly become a big fantasy player. Brad Miller would be the best choice, he did kick 3 goals against Hawthorn. A Melbourne ruckman also becomes a better fantasy player, they can’t get fantasy points sitting on the bench but maybe White and Jamar will be spending more time on the ground as they can also go forward. Bate could be played closer to goal, taking Robertson’s role. With increased goals it could increase Bate’s fantasy points significantly.
Everyone will have to wait until Thursday, but players like Colin Sylvia, Adem Yze and Paul Johnson could be possible inclusions. Wait until teams are named before trading for any of those players in fantasy leagues. Johnson can provide a marking option in a forward line. 2006 draft pick Colin Garland could also get a surprise game, for fantasy leagues he has a very low price. Ben Holland could be back for the Demons as they need his height.
Don’t forget about Dunn, he might get a VFL game in a week or two and then be playing for the Demons after that.
Andrew McLeod of the Adelaide Crows.
The Crows were in trouble, injuries had robbed them of most of their offensive power and they were coming off a loss to the Bombers. The Bulldogs were the big favourites, even before Burton was ruled out of the round 2 team. The Crows also lost Graham Johncock and Robert Shirley during the game but many Crows stood up. There was one player who is not adverse to dominating on the MCG and he was the best of all the Adelaide players, and also the AFL Player Of The Week, Andrew McLeod.
He had around 10 possessions in each of the first three quarters, finishing the game with 35. He stopped many attacks by the Bulldogs and also got up the other end and setup a couple of his teammates for goals. McLeod ran into space and collected 9 marks, but he also won the contested ball too. McLeod had a win, 20 kicks, 15 handballs and was the round 2 AFL Player Of The Week. His reward for all this, a showdown with the Port Adelaide Power next weekend.
Andrew McLeod's profile at the Adelaide Crows site
The AFL Player Of The Week for the previous round, Brad Johnson.
1: West Coast Eagles 2-0 win-loss record (3 in last AFL Power Rankings)
There is still plenty of room to improve, that's scary for 15 other teams.
2: Fremantle Dockers 0-2 (2)
Still a good chance to win in round 3, and they need a win soon. With Pavlich and Tarrant forming a potent attack it should be enough to kick a winning score. They looked like they had depth but suspensions and injuries have affected them.
3: Sydney Swans 1-1 (4)
They will be hard to stop with the Everitt-Jolly ruck combo working well.
4: Western Bulldogs 1-1 (1)
They lost a game, and Akermanis for a couple of weeks. The good news is their back line will be improved with Harris now available.
5: Port Adelaide Power 2-0 (7)
Exciting and effective, and Tredrea is ready to play too.
6: Essendon Bombers 2-0 (6)
Time for Sheedy to ask for his contract extension. Everything has gone according to plan there, they are healthier, bigger and much quicker.
7: Adelaide Crows 1-1 (8)
Effort, discipline and coaching can overcome a lot of injuries. It also helps to have Andrew McLeod getting over 30 disposals.
8: St Kilda Saints 1-1 (5)
Injuries are the big problem at Linen House Oval, they also have the same problem at Moorabbin. While the Saints will be exposed in their back line with Maguire and Hudghton out, they might be able to compensate for that if they finally get Gehrig, Koschitzke and Riewoldt on the ground together down the other end.
9: Geelong Cats 1-1 (9)
The Cats have a chance for a big win streak. They certainly did the right thing by playing Hawkins and Varcoe, and also Selwood.
10: Brisbane Lions 2-0 (13)
They can still add Charman, Roe and Lappin to their team that defeated the Saints. Wood is good and is feeding the ball to the rejuvenated Lions midfield.
11: Melbourne Demons 0-2 (10)
They started 2006 very slowly too, so it could all change if they get a couple of wins soon. Their upcoming schedule of games is not easy, and injuries could really make it hard for them. Luckily they have a few players at Sandringham who can step into the team. If Byron can play they need to bring him in.
12: Collingwood Magpies 1-1 (12)
Lucky in round 1, a bit unlucky in round 2. They still have a few players to add to their team, and players like Didak and Buckley will be needed as Collingwood have a big month ahead of them.
13: Carlton Blues 1-1 (11)
They could be in trouble, with upcoming games against the unbeaten Bombers and Eagles.
14: Hawthorn Hawks 1-1 (14)
There are still a few problems there, but also reasons to be optimistic. Lewis, Ladson, Young and Sewell have all improved.
15: Richmond Tigers 0-2 (15)
Jack Riewoldt would have been a player to add, his injury in the VFL will push that back a few weeks. Still waiting for Simmonds.
16: Kangaroos 0-2 (16)
They are close and must get a win soon. McIntosh has been good, Petrie is playing well, Hale is providing a target, they certainly have the size to trouble teams.
Plenty of teams in the AFL will have to try another plan as they will be without important players next week, Melbourne could be in the most difficulty as several of their forwards are hurt.
The Bulldogs will have to wait at least a couple of weeks to have Akermanis in their side again. He has another hamstring problem. The Dockers will be without midfielder Brett Peake, who will miss a month.
From the AFL site: Akermanis out for a fortnight
Graham Johncock looked to have a serious problem with his ankle and later today the Crows will find out how long he misses. They will also be without Robert Shirley, Brett Burton should be available.
From The Advertiser: Crows' plans put on hold
Neitz is gone for a couple of weeks and Melbourne also has Robertson to worry about as he also hurt a knee.
From The Age newspaper: Knee injury to sideline Neitz
The Swans should have Hall playing, he hurt himself a couple of times in the game against the Tigers but should be there when they play the Lions.
From the AFL site: Hall will play even if 90 per cent fit: Roos
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Akermanis could be replaced by Faulkner at the Bulldogs, that is also an option for fantasy coaches although there are many others to consider for a fantasy forward spot. Both Abletts, Bock, Tredrea and Franklin are options.
If you have Peake you will need to trade him, Deledio might be someone to consider. Cheaper Dockers midfielders for fantasy are M Carr, McManus, Duffield and Headland.
Johncock is an expensive player in fantasy games, so if you need to trade him you can replace him with another star defender. Jacobs, Corey Jones, Wirrpanda, McPhee or Roe can bring in fantasy points. Johncock could also be traded for another Crow and Mattner, Bock or Stevens can all get the ball. It seems Massie is a possibility to replace Johncock in the Crows’ back line, he was a good fantasy player in 2006 because he had a very low starting price, he may not be worth playing this season. Shirley’s injury could open time for Porplyzia.
Brad Miller seems to have found the form he had a while ago, when he was a big player for fantasy points. Without Neitz, and Dunn, he should be a good player. Another tall forward the Demons might consider is Paul Johnson, he is a cheap fantasy ruckman and for the Demons he could replace the size of Neitz in the forward line.
Melbourne started well, then their day went bad as they lost their important forwards and then the game. Mark Williams was the key to the Hawks' win, kicking 6 goals.
Hawks 116 - Demons 94
Fantasy Player News
Hawthorn
Williams: A very accurate kick, also got fantasy points for marks and free kicks.
Crawford: Would have been worth playing for his first game of the season, still time to sign him.
Ladson: Had a lot of the ball, 18 kicks.
Jacobs: Just a solid game, when compared to the amount of fantasy points he had against Brisbane.
Campbell: For once he was used more than Taylor, and that produced a lot of fantasy points, had 7 tackles.
Melbourne
Bruce: Probably the best player on the ground, also one of the best for fantasy stats.
Miller: Had a good game for fantasy points, with 3 goals, and might continue to bring in the stats with the Demons missing some of their big forwards.
Carroll: Was very active, 15 possessions and 8 marks, so a good game for a fantasy full back.
According to the Wikipedia site, "Rodan's primary weapons are his speed and agility", but that is describing a monster who lives in Japan. According to many Port Adelaide fans, David Rodan's primary weapons would also be his speed and agility. Every team in the AFL had several chances to grab David Rodan, now he is playing for the Power and grabbing the football nearly 20 times a game.
The Power had the Burgoynes, Ebert, Mahoney and Pearce on their list, and in the draft they already had picked Boak, Krakouer and Gray, so they had the small forward/midfielder position under control and still went for Rodan with the last pick of the 2006 AFL National Draft. Going on the first 2 games, and the preseason when Rodan was also a star, the Power made a wise choice.
Rodan's profile at the Power site
Here are some possible decisions that clubs could have made after the 2006 AFL season, and if they could go back and change their minds they certainly would.
Adelaide
Bryce Campbell or David Rodan?
Campbell was supposed to be a recruit who was ready, an injury has kept him out of games, but he wouldn’t be anywhere near as effective as Rodan is.
Brisbane
Rhan Hooper or David Rodan?
If they knew Hooper would not be there for the preseason then they might have moved him along, Rodan would have been a more than adequate replacement.
Carlton
Matthew Lappin or David Rodan?
Both short, but one of them has effort, determination, strength and youth on his side. Rodan would have been a good compliment to the height they have in the forward line with the Blues playing Fevola, Fisher, Whitnall and Mr Kennedy.
Collingwood
Tyson Goldsack or David Rodan?
The Magpies have a few small forward options like Medhurst and Davis, Rodan would have been a welcome addition to that group.
Essendon
Mark Bolton or David Rodan?
Bolton seems to have been at Windy Hill as long as Sheedy has, no real surprise that he was brought back. Jetta, Davey and Hislop were good draft picks as the Bombers wanted to address their midfield, Rodan could have been another asset that the Bombers could use in the middle as well as around the goals. Rodan did kick 5 goals against Bendigo last season, so the Bombers would have known that Rodan could still play.
Fremantle
Adam Campbell or David Rodan?
They traded Medhurst, Rodan would have been a perfect replacement. If they knew that Farmer was going to have a lengthy suspension then Rodan might have been a draft pick by the Dockers.
Geelong
Steven Johnson or David Rodan?
With Nathan Ablett stepping up to the usual Ablett standard of play there may not be a spot for Johnson when the Cats do consider him for selection. Geelong have G Ablett, Chapman, Varcoe, Byrnes and Stokes who can play in the forward line but Rodan would have been another option and could have allowed Chapman and G Ablett more time in the middle too.
Hawthorn
Joel Smith or David Rodan?
Smith is not part of their future, his spot is now taken by Birchall, Guerra, Young and Brown. The Hawks have an exciting forward line and the marking power of their talls would have been complimented by Rodan.
Kangaroos
Ben Warren or David Rodan?
The problem with the Kangaroos has been their propensity for acquiring "recycled" players, but drafting Rodan would have been a good move compared to a lot of the things the Kangaroos have done with drafts and trading.
Melbourne
Isaac Weetra or David Rodan?
The Demons need a lot of immediate help, in the forward line and the midfield. Rodan would have fitted in very well.
Richmond
Carl Peterson or David Rodan?
The Tigers could have drafted him, although that would have meant the coach admitting a mistake, they obviously declined to do that. While at the time the delisting could be justified, if the Tigers could undo what they did then Rodan would still be in yellow and black.
St Kilda
Matthew Ferguson or David Rodan?
The Saints thought Ferguson was the best player available, he wasn't. Rodan would have been a player who could play the way their new coach wants the Saints to play.
Sydney
Peter Faulks or David Rodan?
The Swans don't have many holes in their team, but if Nick Davis is out then the Swans don't have a lot of small forwards to choose from. Rodan's tackling is something that would have helped him fit in with the Swans style of play.
West Coast
James Thomson or David Rodan?
The Eagles still need to find more goals, Rodan would have been a solution.
Western Bulldogs
Paul O'Shea or David Rodan?
The Bulldogs are overloaded when it comes to small forward/midfielders. Maybe O'Shea, who was the Bulldogs’ last choice in the draft, becomes a good player in a couple of years, but Rodan running around with Akermanis and Johnson in the Bulldogs' forward line would have been worth watching.
The Kangaroos are playing well, they are just not able to win. The Power ran over the Kangaroos as they went small in their forward line and players like Rodan, Mahoney and Ebert could not be stopped. Ebert finished with 5 goals.
Power 122 - Kangaroos 104
Fantasy Player News
Port Adelaide
Ebert: Will still have a place with Tredrea playing, but may not be able to repeat a 5 goal, 8 mark game.
C Cornes: Not up to last year's numbers yet, had 14 kicks and was played in a better role compared to round 1.
K Cornes: Always one of the best fantasy players, 28 disposals.
S Burgoyne: Quiet in round 1, so must have been loud in round 2, 27 possessions and 2 goals.
P Burgoyne: Similar stats to his brother, so he had a good game after missing round 1.
Rodan: AFL fantasy bargain of the year, so far, another 18 possessions and 2 goals.
Surjan: A great pickup in fantasy leagues last season, Surjan was everywhere here for 25 disposals
Kangaroos
Jones: Recorded most of his stats in the 2nd quarter, finished with only 8 disposals but 4 goals.
Simpson: Plenty of kicks, most hit their target.
Petrie: Not as valuable this season as he can't be a ruckman in fantasy teams, had 20 disposals in this game.
Firrito: 19 possessions in the back line.
Harvey: Lots of goals and possessions resulted in a huge fantasy points total.
The Bombers keep winning, the Dockers keep losing. Tarrant had a big game but Lucas did a bit more down the other end.
Bombers 122 - Dockers 112
Fantasy Player News
Essendon
Winderlich: 22 possessions and 8 marks, a bargain fantasy player.
Stanton: 20 kicks and a goal, is the Bombers' best in the middle.
Lucas: Hird is staying out of his area, and Johns and Gumbleton aren't playing, so Lucas has the space and the stats. Kicked 5 goals.
McPhee: McPhee could be a regular double-double player for kicks and marks, against Fremantle he had 16 kicks and 10 marks.
Watson: Had 19 possessions, but spent a third of the game on the bench, so there is room for increased stats.
Fremantle
Hasleby: 22 possessions and a goal, should have a big year as he combines well with Sandilands at stoppages.
Bell: 12 disposals in the 1st quarter, finished with 20 and also added a couple of goals.
Tarrant: 9 marks and 4 goals, it looks like he can help fantasy teams this year.
Walker: 11 kicks as he found a lot of space, not an expensive player in fantasy leagues.
M Carr: Missed round 1 with a suspension but had a big round 2 with 19 possessions.
The Crows made the Bulldogs look slow, as well as short. Bock again starred as a forward but this time he had help as Welsh and Perrie contributed. As the Bulldogs didn't have a tall forward line it also allowed Stevens to play as a forward, he also had a big game.
Crows 110 - Bulldogs 72
Fantasy Player News
Adelaide
Bock: Should be a consistent fantasy forward this season, kicked 4 goals and also had 9 marks and was awarded a couple of free kicks.
McLeod: One of the Crows who beat the Bulldogs at their own game, finished with 35 possessions.
Hudson: Had 19 possessions, also kicked a couple of points so there is a chance for a few goals as well in 2007.
Knights: A bargain fantasy player who should be a regular for the Crows, had 22 kicks.
Stevens: Unstoppable early in the game, for fantasy points he had 13 marks and 3 goals.
Bassett: Their leader in the back line, had 17 kicks and 11 marks.
Western Bulldogs
Gilbee: His usual game of a lot of accurate kicks, one of the best fantasy defenders and had 26 disposals.
Higgins: Played better in the second half, finished with 3 goals and 6 marks.
Power: 21 disposals and is a cheaper player in fantasy games.
Wight: Tried hard as he was the only really tall defender there, all his possessions were considered effective.
Sydney full forward Barry Hall injured his knee early in the game against the Tigers. He did leave the field when it happened but returned several times. He was not very effective in the second half and he may not be available when the Swans play the Lions.
From The Age: Hall knee injury scare for Swans
AFL Fantasy Impact:
O’Loughlin kicked a couple of goals and might have a bigger impact if Hall misses next week. Both of the Swans’ big ruckmen added goals, they could spend less time on the bench and more time in the forward line with Hall out. The Swans had Grundy and Richards as options when Hall was hurt, they didn’t do much against the Tigers, Vogels was there for round 1 and is a possible replacement of Hall misses.
Richmond were close but the Swans had the height, both Everitt and Jolly each recorded more hitouts than the entire Richmond team.
Swans 88 - Tigers 72
Fantasy Player News
Sydney
Goodes: Back in form after a quiet round 1.
Malceski: Had 19 kicks, someone to add to fantasy AFL teams.
Everitt: A lot of kicks and contested marks, also kicked a couple of goals.
Jolly: A solid game for fantasy stats, but Everitt would be a better player to sign.
Hall: Injured early in the game, may miss next week.
Richmond
J Bowden: Getting better but not as good as last season, had 18 disposals.
Gaspar: Another good game from Gaspar, 13 possessions.
Hyde: 5 tackles and 2 goals provided some fantasy points.
Deledio: A big game for fantasy points, 21 possessions.
Geelong got on a run and could not be stopped. Hawkins, Varcoe and Selwood showed they are ready for AFL. Ottens spent more time in the ruck which left more space in the forward line for the Abletts and Mooney.
Cats 162 - Blues 84
Fantasy Player News
Geelong
N Ablett: Still too early to be sure but it looks like the other Ablett could be a fantasy star this season, had 8 marks and 5 goals.
G Ablett: First time ever that his brother had a better game, Gary still had 28 disposals.
Wojcinski: 21 disposals and covered more ground than anyone, although bounces don't equal fantasy points.
Ottens: Had kicks, marks and handballs as he played as a forward and ruckman.
Byrnes: Had 21 disposals, should be a good fantasy player this season.
Carlton
Scotland: Back to his huge fantasy points totals, someone to play as the fantasy captain with 37 possessions.
Murphy: Was held for a half last round but wasn't stopped by Geelong, had 30 disposals.
Gibbs: Like Scotland, he played in the back line and there was plenty of the ball down there, he had 15 kicks.
Judd and Kerr got the Eagles another win, and once again it was a close game.
Eagles 87 - Magpies 75
Fantasy Player News
West Coast
Judd: Just the usual 29 possessions, also added a couple of goals and that added up to a lot of fantasy points.
Kerr: That's two games in a row that he has been among the fantasy points leaders.
Priddis: Now used to playing AFL, a big game for the inexpensive fantasy midfielder with 10 tackles and 21 possessions.
Wirrpanda: Effective for fantasy points as a forward, kicked 3 goals.
Collingwood
H Shaw: 21 kicks, worth the big fantasy price.
Rocca: Not a lot of stats, but 4 goals.
Pendlebury: 21 possessions, could be a bargain in fantasy leagues.
Essendon v Fremantle
Bombers:
In: Jason Laycock
Out: Kepler Bradley
Dockers:
In: Matthew Carr, Luke Webster
Out: Steven Dodd, Ryan Murphy
The Bombers wanted to get Hille some help, and Laycock is another big body to play against Sandilands. Carr returns from suspension while Dodd is out a game after deciding to put his foot down. Webster gives them a different type of forward to Murphy.
Fantasy points news: With Bradley sitting, it could help Ryder and Lovett-Murray with their fantasy points. Hille may have less playing time with Laycock in, so he might miss out on a few fantasy stats. If you had Murphy in your fantasy side then your emergency will play for him, Webster probably won’t play enough to be considered for fantasy teams next week.
Port Adelaide v Kangaroos
Power:
In: Peter Burgoyne, Josh Mahoney
Out: Shannon Motlop, Darryl Wakelin
Kangaroos:
In: Aaron Edwards
Out: Matt Campbell
Motlop kept the Power in the contest last week, P Burgoyne is a more than adequate replacement. Mahoney will also add to their attack. Wakelin could be out a while after loosing his spot. Edwards, and his 100 goal reputation, is a needed inclusion as they need more marks in the forward 50 and he will be a leading forward to compliment big Hale.
Fantasy points news: P Burgoyne will have enough fantasy points to justify starting him for fantasy teams. Mahoney might be a different story, Rodan and other players will now share his role. Edwards looked like a big fantasy signing until he was left out of their round 1 team. He will be worth his minimum cost and with a few goals could be worth a lot more.
Western Bulldogs v Adelaide
Bulldogs:
In: Matthew Robbins
Out: Brett Montgomery
Crows:
No change, yet.
Montgomery is injured and the Bulldogs add another quick forward beside Johnson with Robbins in the team. The Crows could be without Goodwin or Burton but they are both in the team at the moment.
Fantasy points news: The Bulldogs are again playing Minson in the ruck, with Darcy as his backup, so with Street out that will help the fantasy points for those two players. Robbins doesn’t get many fantasy points, with Johnson playing so well and with the forward line having more options with Akermanis and others added it might make Robbins a player to avoid for fantasy teams. The Crows have Bode and Porplyzia named as emergencies, they can both bring in fantasy points but they first have to get into the team.
Every team in the AFL has a couple of big name players, here is a team comprising only players who have big names. Sam Hunt won't be appearing here, no Josh Hunt either, it was a nine letter minimum for their last name. Here is a team that shows why AFL teams don't have the players' names on the back of the jumpers.
FB Richie Vandenberg, Simon Prestigiacomo, David Wirrpanda
HB Scott Pendlebury, Luke McPharlin, Greg Tivendale
C Travis Johnstone, Michael Rischitelli, Daniel Giansiracusa
HF Adam Schneider, Justin Koschitzke, Michael O'Loughlin
FF Russell Robertson, Matthew Richardson, Jason Akermanis
Foll Aaron Sandilands, Anthony Koutoufides, Jason Porplyzia
bench Nathan Lovett-Murray, Jason Winderlich, David Wojcinski, Steven Armstrong
emergency Andrew McDougall, Michael Pettigrew, Lewis Roberts-Thomson
This team has a good future too, Gumbleton from Essendon and J O-N from Richmond will be able to step in when players like Kouta and LRT leave, and then there is the biggest name of all with a Matthew Leuenberger with the lot.
The VFL is the place to see the future, as well as the past. Former fan favourites like Spriggs and J Cloke are now with VFL teams, but it is the AFL stars of tomorrow who are the real news. Collingwood fans will want to see Reid and Brown, the Saints will want to play Armitage soon but for now he is a Scorpion and second overall pick Scott Gumbleton will be playing at Windy Hill.
Some of the draft picks in VFL action:
Sandringham v Geelong
Ricky "Hannibal Smith" Petterd would be a useful players for the Demons at the moment, but until then he will be a Zebra. The Cats of the AFL will have Selwood and Hawkins and their VFL team will play Djerrkura and another speedster Simon "Not Hulk" Hogan. This is the televised game on ABC.
Bendigo v Tasmania
The Bombers have height in their forward line in the AFL and their VFL team is similar with Scott Gumbleton combing with Johns and Neagle. Big Kangaroo prospect Todd Goldstein will play in the ruck for Tasmania.
Williamstown v Werribee
Nathan Brown in the back line and Ben Reid up forward will be the players to watch for Collingwood fans. Reid might have a short stay in the VFL as Malthouse has talked about playing him while Brown might need an injury to Wakelin or Prestigiacomo before he gets his chance. Some of the Bulldogs' quick prospects like Hill and Lynch will be playing for Werribee, A Everitt is another draft pick who will be playing there this season.
Casey v North Ballarat
David Armitage should have a lot of the ball for the Scorpions. Urquhart will be a chance to play games for the Kangaroos this season, he will start the season with North Ballarat.
Port Melbourne v Frankston
The two teams who are not connected with a team in the AFL will play each other in round 1. No AFL draft picks to watch in this game, there are plenty of former AFL players to see though.
Coburg v Northern
J Riewoldt moves from Tasmania to Coburg in the VFL, he could be moving into the Richmond forward line next to Richardson in a few weeks. The future of the Carlton ruck group, tall Hampson, will be on display.
Box Hill, who are loaded with Hawthorn draft picks, don't play in round 1. When Thorp is healthy he will be playing for them and big Renouf is another player to watch.
New players to watch:
Bendigo: Jason Cloke and Hayden Skipworth can get back into the AFL with a big season for the VFL Bombers.
Box Hill: Nick Smith can develop his game with the Hawks.
Casey: Troy Makepeace is a better player than many others in the AFL.
Coburg: Fortunato Caruso will probably average 30 possessions a game.
Frankston: It worked last time they went to the West Coast Eagles for a player, now they have signed Adkins.
Geelong: Phil Read leaves Sandringham to join the Cats.
North Ballarat: Tom Roach, like David Rodan, was unwanted by the Richmond Tigers and former Essendon ruckman Tristan Cartledge also joins the team.
Northern: Former Collingwood player Adam Iacobucci joins the Bullants.
Port Melbourne: Luke Livingstone won't be overwhelmed like he was in the AFL, David Spriggs should be one of the VFL's best new players and a good chance at the Liston medal.
Sandringham: Tomi Johnston will provide some run for the defending champions.
Tasmania: They were in the headlines last year for the wrong reasons, now they have former Cat Koulouriotis to provide some help on the field.
Werribee: The Sheringham brothers will add some run, former Cat and Swan Paul Chambers gives them another big body.
Williamstown: Former Tiger Limbach could fill a forward spot for the Collingwood-affiliated Seagulls.
Some of the stars of the VFL from season 2006.
VFL Team of the Year 2006:
FB David Biagi, Scott Pollard, Andy Biddlecombe
HB Daniel Harford, Justin Crow, Jordan Doering
C David Gallagher, James Byrne, Kyle Matthews
HF Tim Hazell, Digby Morrell,Brett Geappen
FF James Podsiadly, Aaron Edwards, Salim Hassan
Foll Warren Carlyle, Brett Johnson, James Allan
bench Jacob King, Neil Winterton, Steven Greene, Matthew Sharkey
2006 VFL Coach of the Year: Barry Mitchell
Liston Medal 2006
A Edwards Frankston 18 Votes
B Johnson Williamstown 17
D Harford Northern Bullants 14
J Byrne Geelong 13
J Allan Werribee 11
C Fortnam Frankston 10
D Teague Northern Bullants 10
J King Coburg Tigers 9
D Morrell Northern Bullants 9
E Poyas Sandringham 9
J Rawlings Tasmania 9
B McGlynn Box Hill Hawks 8
M Marigliani Frankston 8
S Byrnes Geelong 8
S Moloney North Ballarat 8
L Blackwell Northern Bullants 8
N Sautner Sandringham 8
N Smith Sandringham 8
P Read Sandringham 8
J Podsiadly Werribee 8
T Robertson Werribee 8
The Lions made the Saints look like the Hawks from a week ago. When the Saints had the ball all they could do was share it amongst themselves at half back, when the Lions had the ball they were much more effective and this week were also able to deliver to Jonathan Brown.
Lions 102 - Saints 50
Fantasy Player News
Brisbane
Jonathan Brown: He's back, kicked 5 goals.
Daniel Merrett: Possibly his best game ever, stopped Gehrig and also had 14 kicks and 14 marks.
Michael Rischitelli: 27 possessions and 6 tackles, an underrated fantasy midfielder to sign.
Cheynee Stiller: Always contributes, had 8 tackles and 23 possessions.
Jared Brennan: All his 23 possessions were kicks, that is good as they are worth more for fantasy points than handballs.
Colm Begley: A solid game with 16 disposals.
Ben Fixter: 15 possessions, 7 tackles and 6 marks were good numbers and he has established himself as a regular player now.
Scott Harding: A cheaper player to think about signing, had 17 possessions.
St Kilda
Aaron Fiora: Again he was one of their best, and would have helped fantasy teams, maybe he will have a big year after all.
Justin Koschitzke: The ball wasn't down his end a lot, but he did get 2 goals and 5 marks.
Max Hudghton: Injured and could miss a few games.
Sam Fisher: The Fishers kicked the ball to each other a lot, it added up to a good fantasy points total for each player.
Nick Dal Santo: The Saints had a few players down on stats, but Dal Santo was again good for fantasy points
The Power have played very well during the preseason and their round 1 win over Fremantle. They did this without possibly their most important player, Warren Tredrea. It looks like Tredrea will be back, he is not only fit but is kicking accurately with 7 goals and 0 behinds for the Port Adelaide Magpies.
From The Advertiser: Tredrea back in lethal form
AFL Fantasy Impact:
On that form it could be worth it to trade for Tredrea next week. Or wait to see how he plays against the Crows and then sign him. There could also be some forwards, like Ebert and White who won’t be as good for fantasy points when Tredrea does return, although there might be room for all three to collect fantasy points as they are all mobile marking players.
Brisbane vs St Kilda
Brisbane
FB: Moody, Merrett, Roe
HB: Adcock, Brennan, Copeland
C: Sherman, Lappin, Stiller
HF: Johnson, Brown, Notting
FF: Rischitelli, Patfull, McGrath
Foll: Wood, Black, Power
bench: Begley, Fixter, McDonald, Harding
emergency: Mills, Tyler, Allan
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Lappin is not going to play, according to news reports. Could result in a bigger role for Fixter or Begley.
St Kilda
FB: Baker, S.Fisher, Goddard
HB: Gram, Hudghton, L.Fisher
C: Thompson, Ball, Montagna
HF: Harvey, Koschitzke, Blake
FF: Milne, Gehrig, X.Clarke
Foll: M.Clarke, Hayes, Dal Santo
bench: Fiora, McQualter, Rix, Attard
emergency: Birss, Brooks, Voss
In: Hudghton
Out: Maguire
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Ball won't be there it seems. Hudghton is there for Maguire, if Hudghton does play where he is named it might make him useful for fantasy points, assuming that S Fisher takes Brown.
Richmond vs Sydney
Richmond
FB: Newman, Gaspar, McGuane
HB: Raines, J.Bowden, Moore
C: Tivendale, Johnson, Tambling
HF: Pettifer, Polak, Deledio
FF: Krakouer, Richardson, Schulz
Foll: Pattison, Polo, Foley
bench: P.Bowden, Tuck, Howat, Hyde
emergency: Oakley-Nicholls, King, Hughes
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Staying with the same team from round 1. Polak is named as a forward, he was good for fantasy points there last week.
Sydney
FB: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, C.Bolton, Dempster
C: Buchanan, Kirk, Mathews
HF: R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
FF: McVeigh, Hall, Ablett
Foll: Jolly, Goodes, Fosdike
bench: Everitt, Grundy, Schmidt, Schneider
emergency: Laidlaw, Moore, Vogels
In: Grundy, Schmidt, Schneider
Out: Davis, Phillips, Vogels
AFL Fantasy Watch:
The Swans remove 3 forwards from their previous lineup, Schneider should take a lot of their stats.
Geelong vs Carlton
Geelong
FB: Mackie, Scarlett, Enright
HB: D.Johnson, Egan, Milburn
C: Wojcinski, Bartel, Byrnes
HF: Chapman, Mooney, Selwood
FF: Gardiner, Ottens, G.Ablett
Foll: Blake, Corey, Ling
bench: N.Ablett, Prismall, Hawkins, Varcoe
emergency: J.Hunt, S Hunt, Tenace
In: Byrnes, Hawkins, Varcoe
Out: Harley, J Hunt, Tenace
AFL Fantasy Watch:
It's good news if you had Hawkins or Varcoe on your fantasy bench. The Cats are also staying with Selwood, and he should improve on his first game. If you have Harley you need to trade him, as he will be out for an extended time, Egan could have more fantasy points with Harley out.
Carlton
FB: Houlihan, S.O'hAilpin, Thornton,
HB: Scotland, Whitnall, Walker
C: Simpson, Stevens, Lappin
HF: Carrazzo, Waite, Fisher
FF: Betts, Fevola, Kennedy
Foll: Cloke, Bentick, Murphy
bench: Ackland, Gibbs, Russell, Wiggins
emergency: Blackwell, Grigg, Hartlett
AFL Fantasy Watch:
If Whitnall does play as a defender it could help his fantasy points, as the Cats have named a tall forward line it could also mean that Waite also plays in the back line.
West Coast vs Collingwood
West Coast
FB: Wirrpanda, Glass, Staker
HB: Waters, Hunter, Hurn
C: Embley, Selwood, Braun
HF: Stenglein, Brown, Chick
FF: Armstrong, Lynch, Seaby
Foll: Cox, Judd, Kerr
bench: B.Jones, R.Jones, Priddis, Rosa
emergency: McKinley, LeCras, Graham
In: Cox, Embley
Out: Graham, LeCras
AFL Fantasy Watch:
There are injury concerns for Cox, Embley and Judd. Mitch Brown gets another game and he has a low fantasy price.
Collingwood
FB: Lockyer, Prestigiacomo, Wakelin
HB: H.Shaw, Clement, R.Shaw
C: Pendlebury, Lonie, Thomas
HF: Maxwell, Cloke, Licuria
FF: Swan, Rocca, Medhurst
Foll: Fraser, O'Bree, Johnson
bench: Burns, Davis, O'Brien, Richards
emergency: Cox, Nicholls, Toovey
AFL Fantasy Watch:
The defenders for the Magpies were great for fantasy points last round, they will be busy again. The tall forwards for Collingwood didn't do a lot in round 1, expect better numbers from some of them in this game. Fraser should be back to his high fantasy numbers, especially if Cox does not play.
Port Adelaide vs Kangaroos
Port Adelaide
FB: Wilson, Chaplin, Thurstans
HB: Surjan, C.Cornes, Lonie
C: Cassisi, S.Burgoyne, Salopek
HF: P.Burgoyne, White, Rodan
FF: Ebert, Lade, Pettigrew
Foll: Brogan, K.Cornes, Pearce
bench from: Cockshell, Logan, Bentley, Wakelin, Krakouer, Thomson, Mahoney
In: Thomson, Mahoney, Bentley, P.Burgoyne
Out: Motlop
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Motlop is replaced by Peter Burgoyne. Both Burgoynes should be good for fantasy points, Shaun was a bit quiet last game.
Kangaroos
FB: Archer, Petrie, Firrito
HB: Riggio, Watt, Pratt
C: Rawlings, Harris, Sinclair
HF: Grant, Brown, Simpson
FF: Harvey, Hale, Jones
Foll: McIntosh, Swallow, Wells
bench from: Green, Trotter, Campbell, Thomas, Sansbury, Hansen, Edwards
In: Green, Sansbury, Edwards
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Moran isn't named so time to sign McIntosh for fantasy teams. Riggio gets another game, he should be a good player to have as an emergency defender for fantasy teams.
Essendon vs Fremantle
Essendon
FB: Ryder, Michael, McVeigh
HB: McPhee, Fletcher, Slattery
C: Stanton, Hird, Monfries
HF: M.Johnson, Lucas, Lovett
FF: Welsh, Lloyd, Watson
Foll: Hille, Winderlich, Peverill
bench from: Bradley, Lovett-Murray, Davey, Dyson, Jetta, Laycock, Heffernan
In: Dyson, Laycock, Heffernan
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Sheedy has talked about including Laycock, to help Hille against Sandilands, and that could affect Hille's stats. There is still time to sign Winderlich, who is a fantasy bargain, and it looks like McPhee is going to also have a big year.
Fremantle
FB: Grover, Parker, Hayden
HB: Mundy, McPharlin, Headland
C: Solomon, J.Carr, McManus
HF: Hasleby, Pavlich, Bell
FF: Peake, Tarrant, Longmuir
Foll: Sandilands, M.Carr, Crowley
bench from: Browne, Duffield, Murphy, Walker, Campbell, Gilmore, Webster
In: M.Carr, Campbell, Gilmore, Webster
Out: Dodd
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Bell is named in the team, if he does play he should be good for fantasy points but make sure you have an emergency midfielder as he could miss.
Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide
Western Bulldogs
FB: McMahon, Hargrave, Morris
HB: Griffen, Wight, Gilbee
C: Eagleton, S.West, Ray
HF: Giansiracusa, McDougall, Akermanis
FF: Murphy, Darcy, Johnson
Foll: Minson, Cross, Cooney
bench from: Boyd, Addison, Faulkner, Higgins, Power, Robbins, Street
In: Faulkner, Robbins, Street, Addison
Out: Montgomery
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Minson is probably worth having in your fantasy team even if Street does play, although the only change could be a smaller player in to replace Montgomery.
Adelaide
FB: Johncock, Bassett, Rutten
HB: McLeod, Stevens, Torney
C: Mattner, Shirley, van Berlo
HF: Edwards, Bock, Reilly
FF: Knights, Welsh, Perrie
Foll: Hudson, Goodwin, Thompson
bench from: Griffen, Bode, Doughty, Douglas, Burton, Vince, Porplyzia
In: Bode, Vince, Porplyzia
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Bode should help their forward line, and fantasy teams. Maybe Porplyzia also plays, he has good fantasy potential. Burton may not play due to a knee problem.
Hawthorn vs Melbourne
Hawthorn
FB: Jacobs, Croad, Guerra
HB: Sewell, Gilham, Birchall
C: Ladson, Mitchell, Bateman
HF: Crawford, Franklin, Clarke
FF: Williams, Boyle, Young
Foll: Taylor, Hodge, Lewis
bench from: Campbell, Ellis, McGlynn, Dixon, Roughead, Osborne, Brown
In: Dixon, Crawford, Brown
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Crawford and Brown will be good additions for fantasy teams. They could also decrease some of the stats of players like Young, Guerra and Ellis.
Melbourne
FB: Bartram, Carroll, Whelan
HB: Ward, Rivers, Bell
C: Moloney, McDonald, Green
HF: Bruce, Miller, Robertson
FF: Jamar, Neitz, Davey
Foll: White, Jones, Johnstone
bench from: Bate, Yze, C.Johnson, Brown, Bizzell, Godfrey, Wheatley
In: Wheatley, Rivers, Brown, Bizzell, Godfrey
Out: McLean, Holland
AFL Fantasy Watch:
Rivers was going to be one of the better tall defenders for fantasy points, as Melbourne have included him then it is safe for fantasy coaches to sign him too.
There were some impressive performances, a few good surprises and a couple of problems. The captaincy has been changed but no players have been traded yet.
B David Mundy
B Daniel Pratt
B Andrew Raines
B Grant Birchall
B Graham Polak
B Sean Dempster
B Justin Koschitzke
C Sam Mitchell
C Luke Hodge
C Steven Salopek
C Paul Hasleby
C Marc Murphy
C Jordan Lewis
R Dean Cox
R Ben Hudson
F Jonathan Brown
F Barry Hall
F Chad Cornes (captain)
F Corey Jones
F Gary Ablett
F Jarrad Waite
F Lance Franklin
B Xavier Ellis (emergency)
B Matt Riggio
C Joel Selwood
C Lindsay Thomas
R Jonathan Griffin (emergency)
R Brent Renouf
F Alwyn Davey (emergency)
F Matthew Campbell
Polak had a big game, even though he was played as a forward. Birchall was another good performer. Koschitzke paid dividends for all those who played him and at his fantasy price he will be signed by a lot of teams now. Raines was solid but should do better. It isn't time to put Dempster in the dumpster as there were a lot of positives from his game. He didn't have a lot of stats but he was certainly around the action a lot, now he just has to get into the action, his long goal was a good play too. His playing time was well up on his previous games, Dempster also had more fantasy points than Goodes, although that won't happen again this season. Mundy was quiet but it was only 1 game.
Salopek and Hasleby were safe choices, as they did a lot more than their fantasy prices suggested. Jordan Lewis joined them with bringing in a lot of fantasy points, he was much better than his teammates Mitchell and Hodge. But Hawthorn should play better now and with that should come increased production from their two most important midfielders. Murphy was stopped in the first half but was a star in the second half of his game.
Hudson wasn't bad for his first game in a long time, he will be better with every game. Worsfold took out Dean Cox from his lineup, which didn't help this fantasy team. Griffin has been named as an emergency now.
Jones and G Ablett were the best forwards. Much more is expected from the other forward players this week. Chad Cornes has been named captain for this round.
Brisbane vs St Kilda
The Tip: Brisbane
Best-On-Ground Guess: Luke Power
Chance For An Upset: The Saints are the actual favourites for this game. If Gehrig gets going they will be hard to stop.
Brisbane
They win if....Brown can mark the ball deep in the forward line.
They lose if...youngsters Merrett and Brennan can't stop the veteran Gehrig.
The Good News: They are coming off a win.
The Bad News: They only kicked 9 goals in the win over the Hawks.
St Kilda
They win if....old Clarke gets his hand to the ball more than young Wood.
They lose if...they play like Hawthorn and don't stop the Lions midfield run.
The Good News: They found out that Sam Fisher can compete against the big AFL full forwards.
The Bad News: Riewoldt just missed selection, he will be out one more week.
Richmond vs Sydney
The Tip: Sydney
Best-On-Ground Guess: Barry Hall
Chance For An Upset: Very, very unlikely.
Richmond
They win if....they can at least break even in the ruck contests.
They lose if...Deledio and the Bowdens are under 20 possessions each, like they were last week.
The Good News: The Tigers said, "Hello, Newman". Newman was one of their best players as he returned after his injury.
The Bad News: Their two experienced ruckmen are out.
Sydney
They win if....they play like they did in the second half last round.
They lose if...some of their older midfielders can't keep up with Richmond's young speedsters.
The Good News: Schneider should be playing.
The Bad News: O'Loughlin is really struggling.
Geelong vs Carlton
The Tip: Geelong
Best-On-Ground Guess: Paul Chapman
Chance For An Upset: Should be a close game, and Carlton have yet to lose in 2007.
Geelong
They win if....they kick the ball long to their big forward targets.
They lose if...Scarlett has a bad game at full back.
The Good News: Nathan Ablett played very well against the Bulldogs.
The Bad News: Harley provided leadership and intensity, they will miss him.
Carlton
They win if....young players like Betts, Gibbs and Murphy keep tackling like they did last week.
They lose if...their ruckman can't get their hand to the ball at stoppages against Geelong's bigger players.
The Good News: Fisher keeps getting into space around the forward line as teams focus on Fevola.
The Bad News: Fevola unexpectedly kicked the ball out on the full, twice, when kicking for goal last game.
West Coast vs Collingwood
The Tip: West Coast
Best-On-Ground Guess: Darren Glass
Chance For An Upset: The Magpies have support no matter where they go so an away trip isn't as daunting for them. Their back line, led by Clement, is in good form so they have the potential to be able to limit the Eagles' scoring.
West Coast
They win if....they start the game in the same manner that they started the round 1 game.
They lose if...Cox, Judd and Embley don't play.
The Good News: Players like Seaby, Brown, Staker and Rosa can contribute when the opportunity is there.
The Bad News: They can't win a high-scoring game, but it doesn't matter as they rarely play in them.
Collingwood
They win if....Fraser and Rocca can dominate in the forward line.
They lose if...they allow as many scoring shots as they did last week.
The Good News: Medhurst was solid with 11 kicks around the forward line and he finished with 2 goals, 2 behinds.
The Bad News: Another week or two until Buckley and Didak play.
Port Adelaide vs Kangaroos
The Tip: Port Adelaide
Best-On-Ground Guess: Chad Cornes
Chance For An Upset: The Kangaroos had their chances last week, they will be kicking more accurately this time.
Port Adelaide
They win if....Rodan keeps going. From struggling in the VFL in 2006 to dominating AFL in 2007, an impressive turnaround.
They lose if...Lade and Brogan don't respect the much-improved Hamish McIntosh.
The Good News: Had their biggest win of the season, but it will be hard to top.
The Bad News: Another game without Tredrea.
Kangaroos
They win if....Firrito can stop Ebert and Petrie can limit White.
They lose if...they are not ready for a physical game from the Power.
The Good News: They nearly got there in round 1.
The Bad News: Archer isn't playing near his best.
Essendon vs Fremantle
The Tip: Fremantle
Best-On-Ground Guess: Chris Tarrant
Chance For An Upset: The Bombers are playing well, they went to Adelaide and came back with a win and now they have home ground advantage.
Essendon
They win if....Lloyd and Lucas are too good for McPharlin and Mundy.
They lose if...they concentrate too much on Solomon.
The Good News: Everything is going to plan so far, Ryder in the back line is going well.
The Bad News: Watson spent a lot of time on the bench last game
Fremantle
They win if....players like Mundy, Parker and Grover can run off their opponents.
They lose if...they don't get contributions from their secondary forward options.
The Good News: Pavlich is one of the best in the AFL.
The Bad News: They fell apart in the second half last week.
Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide
The Tip: Western Bulldogs
Best-On-Ground Guess: Jason Akermanis
Chance For An Upset: The Crows have the talent, especially in the back half and in the midfield.
Western Bulldogs
They win if....they continue to run.
They lose if...the Crows double-team Johnson and another forward doesn't step up.
The Good News: Minson looks ready for a career year.
The Bad News: McDougall and Darcy didn't contribute much to the scoreboard in round 1.
Adelaide
They win if....Welsh kicks 5 goals.
They lose if...the game is played at a fast pace.
The Good News: Bassett is available.
The Bad News: They can't kick enough goals at the moment.
Melbourne vs Hawthorn
The Tip: Melbourne
Best-On-Ground Guess: David Neitz
Chance For An Upset: Both teams are coming off losses, but what the Hawks did last week was far worse than Melbourne's game. If Hawthorn have a different game-plan then they are a chance.
Melbourne
They win if....White is able to dominate against the slower Hawthorn ruckmen.
They lose if...they don’t have marking help for Neitz and Robertson up forward.
The Good News: Ben Holland had a lot of the ball last week.
The Bad News: Brock McLean is nearly impossible to replace.
Hawthorn
They win if....Mitchell, Hodge and Crawford can win in the middle.
They lose if...they replicate any of the strategies they had from round 1.
The Good News: Crawford is available.
The Bad News: They seem to go backwards all the time when they have the ball, they need to kick it long to their tall forwards.
The Crows have lost a lot of forwards to injury and it will be tough for them to win if Brett Burton misses the game against the Bulldogs. Goodwin was hurt early in their round 1 game, it looks like he will be a definite starter for their Sunday game on the MCG.
From The Advertiser: Simon a good thing
AFL Fantasy Impact:
The forwards that the Crows do have playing already have plenty of opportunity to get fantasy points and if Burton doesn’t play it has to mean more than Bock kicks a few goals. Welsh and Perrie didn’t play well against Essendon but should be better this time. During the later parts of the round 1 game, Coach Craig pushed one of his ruckmen into the forward line to give them more height, neither Hudson or Griffin did much there but it should help their fantasy points a little bit if they have a rest in a forward spot instead of on the bench.
The only official change from the round 1 Brisbane and St Kilda teams is Maguire out and Hudghton in. The Lions may have to replace Roe, Lappin or Copeland from their named side and the Saints will also have to wait to see if Ball is playing.
From The Age: Ball's Gabba prospects up in the air
AFL Fantasy Impact:
It is a bad round for fantasy coaches, as the official teams for games on the weekend will be named around the time that the fantasy games lock in the round 2 fantasy teams. While the Monday game is especially tough to plan for, there are problems with tonight’s game if you have Ball or some of the Lions who may not play. Wait until later in the day to see if Ball gets to Brisbane, and if you are playing him in your fantasy team then make sure you have a midfielder named as an emergency.
The Lions get a break as Riewoldt won’t be playing for the Saints tomorrow. The Lions would have struggled to contain all three big forwards, now they only have to worry about Gehrig and Koschitzke. Merrett will get the full forward, probably Gehrig, and Brennan will play centre half back.
News from the AFL site: Hudghton in for Saints; Lions unchanged
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Fantasy coaches will have to wait another week before adding Nick Riewoldt. For this week, Gehrig should continue to kick goals, and Koschitzke will be getting better with every game and should kick at least a couple of goals against the Lions. Brennan had a big game for stats against Hawthorn, he will probably try to run off Koschitzke a lot so Brennan should have another good game for fantasy points. Roe and Lappin are named in the Brisbane team now, if you have them in your fantasy team you can have an emergency defender and midfielder in case one of them doesn’t play. Both Roe and Lappin should be great fantasy players this season.
Jason Roe was one of the best stories out of Brisbane last season, and Nigel Lappin’s round 1 game after returning from a long-term injury was very impressive. But the Lions might have to wait until tomorrow to see if both players are able to play in round 2.
News from The Courier-Mail: Roe injury chaos
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Lappin and Roe were fantasy stars as the Lions mauled the Hawks in round 1. They would have been great signings for round 2 fantasy teams, especially Lappin at his bargain price, but the injury news is a concern now. Even if they are named there is a risk if they have to withdraw from the team tomorrow. Other Lions who could have better stats, if Lappin and Roe miss, are Begley, Fixter and Johnson.
The Cats need someone who brings a different skill-set and a different mindset to the game, the answer could be Tom Hawkins. He is a huge body who will take contested marks, or at least crush a pack and provide an opportunity for the crumbers, and Hawkins can kick goals. He is a genuine full forward, as opposed to Ottens and Mooney who are ruckman/forward combinations. Hawkins is in the same category as other power forwards of the AFL like Brown, Tredrea and Rocca.
Coach Thompson says that Hawkins will be playing soon, it doesn’t seem like he will play against Carlton but a loss in round 2 could mean a round 3 debut for Hawkins. From round 3, Geelong play Melbourne, Hawthorn, the Kangaroos and Richmond. A forward structure that includes the height of Hawkins, Ottens, Mooney and N Ablett could trouble those teams. Another key to success with a big lineup would be the smalls that compliment them, Chapman or G Ablett would need to contribute and some fast players like Brynes, Wojcinski or Varcoe could also help.
From The Age newspaper: Cats licking their lips on Hawkins
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Hawkins’ preseason injury held back his introduction to AFL. With inexpensive fantasy forwards like Alwyn Davey playing in round 1 it made Hawkins a less valuable fantasy bench prospect compared to other players. That strategy will have to be adjusted when he does play, as he could be much better for fantasy teams than players like Jetta, Cockshell, Krakouer, Campbell and other very inexpensive fantasy forwards. In fantasy games that count contested marks he could have real value, with a couple of goals per game, a few contested marks and around 10 possessions he will have a good return for fantasy points compared to his low fantasy price.
The Swans didn't get a lot from Nick Davis in their round 1 game and a foot problem is the reason. He will miss around 3 weeks and that will take away one of the small forward threats that the Swans need to balance their attack of Hall, O'Loughlin and now also Everitt. Sydney's next three games are against Richmond, Brisbane and Adelaide.
News from the Swans: Schneider to replace Davis for Tigers clash
AFL Fantasy Impact:
The headline of the AFL story says how the Swans can replace Nick Davis, fantasy coaches will have to go with another strategy as Davis and Schneider play different fantasy positions. Fraser Gehrig and Russel Robertson are at a similar price to Davis. Simon Phillips could have more time on the ground up in the Swans' forward line, he is a cheap fantasy forward. Schneider is an average-priced midfielder in fantasy leagues, he will be a solid player for fantasy stats but there is always a risk of playing someone in their first game back from injury.
Brad Johnson of the Western Bulldogs.
He had 24 disposals, and 1 out of every 3 were kicks that went through for a goal. He also led his team in contested marks, handed a couple of goals to his teammates and also won the ball at ground level. Without him the Bulldogs may not have won, with him they dominated Geelong for much of the game. Brad Johnson is the AFL Player Of The Week.
Brad Johnson's profile at the Western Bulldogs site
Plenty of leagues around the world announce a player of the week award. The AFL don't so this will have to do for now. Feel free to leave a comment with a suggestion for another player who was worthy of being the AFL Player Of The Week.
The Bulldogs have Luke Darcy to provide a forward target, and Brian Harris will be back for round 3, and they will have to take on more responsibility as the Bulldogs won't have Chris Grant for the next 10 or so weeks. Grant had surgery and has been ruled out for the first half of the season.
There could also be a rookie elevated as Grant will miss a lot of games, possibly former Brisbane Lion Marty Pask is an option if the Bulldogs are looking for size.
From the Western Bulldogs site: Grant undergoes surgery
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Wight should play more games with Grant out. He provides a big defensive presence with his height, he won't ever get a lot of fantasy points but at his low fantasy price he might be worth playing. If you have Grant on your team you will definitely want to use a trade this week and bring in another player. There are plenty of forward and back options to put in for Grant. McPharlin, Chick, Croad and Brennan are all options for either fantasy AFL position. Neither McDougall or Darcy had a big round 1 but there were promising signs, now that Grant is out for an extended time it will make McDougall and Darcy better fantasy players.
Quite a few reports have been thrown out and Pavlich, Lewis, McGuane and Alwyn Davey will be available for their round 2 games. Dodd will miss a week. Other players have until later today to decide if they want to take a suspension or go to the tribunal.
Match review panel news from the AFL site: Dodd suspended; Bassett, Sinclair facing bans
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Dodd’s suspension might mean that Gilmore gets a game. It could also result in Fremantle playing Crowley or Solomon in a defensive role for round 2. Even though Solomon kicked a couple of goals against the Power, both he and Crowley might be better for fantasy points if they play as defenders.
The Power might have owned the Dockers in the second half of their round 1 game, and now everyone can own what the Fremantle players were wearing. Bid on the autographed, match-worn purple jumpers.
Fremantle Online Auctions
Under Club Auction Listings, click on Fremantle to see the match-worn jumper auctions.
There are several Dockers who will be All-Australian players, others have won a premiership at another club and possibly many of the players from round 1 could be in the 2007 AFL Grand Final so there is good investment potential with these jumpers.
Fans of Prince, Barney or anything else purple will also be interested. Mundy’s jumper is a bargain right now, Webster and Gilmore were only emergencies but they deserve some bids. Hasleby might be the jumper to buy, as it looks like Pavlich and Tarrant will go for the big bucks.
Due to a hand injury, Geelong’s Tom Harley will miss around 6 weeks. The Cats will need to adjust things as they didn’t have a lot of height in the back line to begin with. Luckily for Geelong they don’t have a tough schedule for the next 5 games. Scarlett and Egan will be very important as the Cats face Fevola, Neitz, Franklin, Hale and Richardson in their upcoming games.
Geelong Football Club announcement: Finger sidelines Harley
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Maybe Sam Hunt will get his chance now, he is a solid player with a low fantasy price. Players who could be around Harley’s fantasy price include Matthew Egan as well as Graham Polak, Sam Power, Michael Wilson and Ted Richards.
It’s just a coincidence that players who have returned from broken legs are now out with stress fracture-type problems. The Saints’ big defender Matt Maguire might be in better shape than Richmond’s Nathan Brown, Maguire’s problem is in his foot and not close to the original break like Brown has a problem with.
If the Saints wanted to ease Max Hudghton into the 2007 season then they were not planning on him playing against Jonathan Brown for his first game back. That might have to happen now, another option might be Blake.
A short statement from the Saints: Injury setback for Maguire
AFL Fantasy Impact:
The severity of the injury should be announced tomorrow. If you had him in your team you will probably want to trade him. Grant Birchall might be a player to trade for, McPharlin and X Clarke had big round 1 games too. If Hudghton comes into the round 2 team he probably isn’t a good idea, but you never know as in round 1 Croad played on Brown and brought in a lot of fantasy points.
B J Bowden
B P Bowden
B M Lappin
B L Whitnall
B N Lovett-Murray
B G Archer
B D Bell
C A Goodes
C J Bolton
C R Douglas
C B Mathews
C J Surjan
C C Bartram
R R Campbell
R G Richards
F S Welsh
F M O'Loughlin
F J Brown
F B Miller
F M Williams
F J Roughead
F N Davis
Most of these players just started the season slowly and will be among the best at their fantasy position very soon. But if you had these players on your team for round 1 then you didn't get many fantasy points for your money.
This list only includes players who were able to play the entire game for round 1. There were also late withdrawals, players who missed parts of the games with injury and others who were injured very early and took no further part.
In SuperCoach, Archer had a negative number. That doesn't happen very often in fantasy games. Expect Jonathan Brown, Joel Bowden and Adam Goodes to have huge fantasy numbers next weekend. Brown will play against an undermanned Saints back line, Gaspar will probably take Hall so J Bowden will be in the play a lot more, Adam Goodes will also have a big game on the MCG when the Swans play the Tigers.
Round 1 goes to Bryce Gibbs.
Gibbs
Kicks: 7
Handballs: 4
Marks: 4
Tackles: 5
Goals: 1
Selwood
Kicks: 5
Handballs: 3
Marks: 1
Tackles: 1
Goals: 0
Gibbs had it a bit easier as his team dominated for parts of his game, Geelong didn't get going until the very end and then it was too late.
Gibbs' highlight was his goal, a great start for his career, while Selwood found Mooney with a long pass which resulted in a Cats' goal.
The lowlight for Gibbs was the unfortunate incident when a teammate de-shorted him in the rooms as the team gathered to sing the club song. Like everyone else playing for Geelong, Selwood didn't have anything to celebrate after the game but it must be taken into account that they were playing the highly-rated Bulldogs.
Next week, assuming they both play their second game, there could be times when Gibbs and Selwood are directly opposed to each other. Carlton enter the game with a win streak, if you add in the NAB Cup, and Geelong could be strengthened by the inclusion of big King. Geelong's height in the ruck could provide more of the football to the Cats' smalls like Selwood.
B Gibbs 1 - J Selwood 0
The Melbourne midfield will be without star Brock McLean as he broke his foot during the Demons-Saints game on Friday.
News from the Melbourne FC site: Blow for Demons: McLean out for six
AFL Fantasy Impact:
There is one fantasy player that is priced around the same as McLean who would be a good trade, Simon Black. He may not repeat his 21 kick and 18 handball game from round 1 but he will be very good for fantasy points. Melbourne players will have to put in a lot more effort to replace everything that McLean provided. Johnstone, Green, Jones, Pickett and Moloney are Melbourne centres in fantasy who could be traded for. Moloney is the cheapest of the group so his price should go up, Pickett hasn't played yet for Melbourne but could be there for round 2. Brent Harvey, Nick Stevens and Daniel Kerr all had a big round 1 and are currently cheaper than McLean.
1: Western Bulldogs 1-0 win-loss record (2 in last AFL Power Rankings)
If they are good now, the expectations should go up as Darcy and Murphy will improve with some more games and Akermanis and McDougall can also do a lot more.
2: Fremantle Dockers 0-1 (1)
If Pavlich is suspended then they are in trouble, the charge should be thrown out. They will need to make some adjustments, maybe add some height to the back line, but they had good performances from many players and will be hoping Solomon again plays well when the Dockers play his former team.
3: West Coast Eagles 1-0 (4)
The team has more depth than anyone expected, Staker played well, Brown provided a marking target and Rosa had a big last quarter to seal the win. Of course they will be even better with Cox and Embley in the team.
4: Sydney Swans 0-1 (3)
Expect a big win streak now. Everitt was solid but will be better next game.
5: St Kilda Saints 1-0 (10)
Koschitzke, Hayes, Maguire, M Clarke, X Clarke, there were a lot of good stories from their first game. It could get even better with Riewoldt a possibility to play against Brisbane.
6: Essendon Bombers 1-0 (8)
The Lucas handball was the real highlight, as well as his 7 goals. If the Bombers win again on Sunday they will be well on the way to the finals that Sheedy predicted.
7: Port Adelaide Power 1-0 (9)
When the Power play the Crows in round 3 it is possible that the Power are 2 and 0 while the Crows are without a win. As the Power showed against Fremantle, they don't need Tredrea to win, but they will be even better when he does return.
8: Adelaide Crows 0-1 (5)
Things are looking a little troubling, but Ricciuto could be training again very soon.
9: Geelong Cats 0-1 (6)
Maybe King will help, but they need more than just another ruckman. Nathan Ablett is some good news and his confidence should be up after kicking three goals.
10: Melbourne Demons 0-1 (7)
Brock McLean could miss a month, and the Demons will miss him.
11: Carlton Blues 1-0 (12)
Their 5th win a row with "ClokeLand" manning the ruck. Cloke and Ackland joined Gibbs as they sung the club song for the first time after a real AFL game. They might sing it again next week as the Blues once again play a team that wasn't in the finals last season, Geelong.
12: Collingwood Magpies 1-0 (13)
More than slightly lucky, but a win is a win. Didak and Buckley will return soon so there is reason for optimism.
13: Brisbane Lions 1-0 (14)
They won without Bradshaw and with Brown contained. Their midfield will have a bigger test next round as Black, Lappin and Power go against Hayes, Dal Santo and Harvey.
14: Hawthorn Hawks 0-1 (11)
Will be very happy to have Crawford back, but the Hawks need more than that.
15: Richmond Tigers 0-1 (15)
It probably isn't the best time to be playing Sydney. The Tigers will again need another plan as Simmonds won't be ready as the Tigers face Everitt and Jolly.
16: Kangaroos 0-1 (16)
They are in trouble, and really need to win one of their next two games. There is plenty of reason for hope, as Thomas just needs to adjust his sights and he could be scoring plenty of goals, and McIntosh and Hale are playing well.
Melbourne’s Brock McLean will learn today how severe his ankle injury is. He could be out a month, or possibly only miss a couple of games.
News from Melbourne: Mixed news for injured Demons
The Age injury list: The injury report
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Even though he played only a half on Friday his fantasy points were not bad, but fantasy coaches will probably want to trade him until he recovers from the injury. McLean cost a lot in fantasy games so there are plenty of midfielders who can be brought in for him. Demons’ fans could substitute Moloney for McLean as Moloney has a low price compared to his fantasy stats potential, Moloney would also be one of the midfielders at Melbourne who would have to fill the hole that the absence of McLean leaves. If the injury update from the Demons says that McLean is only out a couple of weeks, and you want to conserve your fantasy trades, then maybe you could sit him if you have a good player on your bench. Lindsay Thomas and Bryce Gibbs had solid fantasy numbers in their AFL debuts and will be on many fantasy benches.
The Bombers had a lot of contributors in their win, from new Leroy Jetta to a healthy Matthew Lloyd. There was one player the Crows could not stop and that was Scott Lucas. He was good last year when he had the forward line all to himself, and Sheedy made sure it wasn't too crowded this season as only Lloyd shared the forward space with Lucas. Johns didn't play, Hird played further up the ground and even though Ryder was named as a forward he spent most of his time as a defender which was a surprise move from Sheedy, but also a successful one.
Bombers 105 - Crows 74
Fantasy Player News
Essendon
Lucas: 7 goals, is also a chance for a big round 2 as he could again have a smaller defender on him.
Lloyd: Only 2 goals but a good fantasy points game, had 8 disposals in the last quarter.
Stanton: He just accumulates possessions and his 25 in this game brought in fantasy points.
Winderlich: He wasn't just a cheap fantasy player but also an effective one, 19 possessions and 12 marks.
Ryder: A forward/ruckman but played in the back line and it worked, possibly his best fantasy points game.
Michael: It was a solid fantasy return for a full back.
McPhee: He did play a more attacking game which made him a better fantasy player, worth signing as it should continue.
Adelaide
Bock: The Crows' only useful big forward for fantasy points, Welsh and Perrie had poor games.
Knights: A cheap fantasy midfielder to sign, had 20 disposals and should be a regular player this season for Adelaide.
Thompson: Got the ball and kicked goals, led the Crows in kicks and total possessions.
Goodwin: Went off injured very early in the game.
The Cats could have played a quick defender on Johnson, and Johnson would have won in the aerial contests. Geelong could have gone with a bigger player and Johnson would have run them around the ground. There was no stopping Brad Johnson as his career-game overshadowed the return of Darcy and the introduction of Jason Akermanis.
Bulldogs 113 - Cats 93
Fantasy Player News
Western Bulldogs
Minson: If they don't play Street then sign him up, had 14 disposals and was in the action a lot.
Johnson: The new additions to the team could have taken stats off him, it didn't happen as he kicked 8 goals and still found time for a few runs in the middle which upped his possessions total to 24 for the game.
West: A bit quieter as he had 6 kicks, also added 23 handballs. Will have more kicks next time and more fantasy points.
Gilbee: Will be one of the best fantasy backmen, had 22 kicks here.
Akermanis: Not a big game but will get better for fantasy points.
Darcy: 4 marks and 8 kicks, he will improve with more games.
Geelong
Wojcinski: Started the game very well, quiet in the second half but is a player to sign.
N Ablett: It was a gamble to play him in fantasy games but for round 1 he was definitely worth it. 3 goals.
Mooney: He had a solid game for fantasy points and should be a good player to have in your ruck for the fantasy season.
Chapman: Didn't play NAB Cup but it didn't matter as he was worth the high fantasy price as he led Geelong in kicks.
Including the NAB Cup, Carlton have 5 wins now and they all been against teams in the bottom 8 from 2006. This game was similar to the Carlton-Kangaroos NAB Cup game as Richmond seemed to have it won before Carlton turned it around in the second half.
Blues 115 - Tigers 98
Fantasy Player News
Carlton
Waite: Played most of the game as a forward, still useful for fantasy points with a couple of goals.
Bentick: The midfield stopper for Carlton had over 20 possessions.
Stevens: 30 disposals and 7 marks were very good numbers.
Cloke: He and Ackland split the ruck minutes right down the middle, they both got hitouts against Richmond.
Fevola: Was good for fantasy points, had 3 goals but could have had a lot more.
Richmond
Polak: The new Tiger went forward, had a good game for fantasy points despite kicking only 2 behinds.
Richardson: 3 goals and 10 marks, a good game from one of the better fantasy forwards.
Pettifer: Didn't have many kicks, but more than half of them were goals so he had a good game for fantasy numbers.
Howat: 15 disposals, solid numbers and he should keep his spot in the team.
J Bowden: Both Bowdens were far below their 2006 numbers.
If you spend around $1.80 for a footy tazo you will receive a free pack of potato chips. It's a good deal. For little bits of plastic they include plenty of stats, as the 2006 totals for games, goals, kicks, marks, handballs and disposals are present on the back of the tazo. There are also autographs inserted into the packs.
Here are some players and a look at a team tazo, as well as the back of one player tazo with the stats.
The packs of chips that include a tazo have this advertisement on the front of them.
Go to the Smiths Footy site to learn more, they have a list of the autographs available and other information.
The game at the MCG between the Magpies and Collingwood had everything. A big comeback, a close finish and now nobody will mention Chad Cornes hitting the post in preseason as Shannon Grant, possibly the Kangaroos' most accurate kick, hit the post with a much easier shot.
Magpies 82 - Kangaroos 79
Fantasy Player News
Collingwood
Clement: He patrolled the back line and had a huge game for fantasy points.
Thomas: He was everywhere and his stats went up because of it.
Medhurst: They put his name on the banner, for his 100th career AFL game, and he was very productive.
H Shaw: Got the most disposals for Collingwood, gave away the most free kicks too which affects fantasy points.
Pendlebury: A player to add to fantasy teams, he had a lot of the ball.
Kangaroos
McIntosh: The Kangaroos didn't play Moran, so McIntosh had a big game. If they don't name Moran on Thursday then consider McIntosh for a fantasy ruck spot.
Thomas: If some of his 5 points were goals he would have had a huge fantasy return for his first AFL game.
Simpson: The rest he had at the end of 2006 worked as he was everywhere in this game.
Harvey: With possessions and goals he had a big game for fantasy points.
The Power produced a huge third quarter to run over the Fremantle Dockers. Pavlich kicked five goals but it wasn't enough as Ebert, Rodan, Motlop, White and Lade gave the Power more options to score. Pavlich was reported, probably doesn't get suspended.
Power 121 - Dockers 105
Fantasy Player News
Port Adelaide
Rodan: He did it, he continued his preseason form and had 3 goals and a lot of possessions. Possibly the best value of any fantasy player. Not too late to sign him for your team.
Ebert: The Power needed someone to be a target with Tredrea out and Ebert had a good game, kicked 3 goals and had 6 marks and 4 tackles.
Wilson: 20 possessions was a good sign, might be low in price in fantasy leagues.
Motlop: Kicked 3 goals, which kept the Power in the game early on, but then hurt a foot.
White: A good game with 8 marks, but will lose some numbers when Tredrea returns.
Fremantle
Solomon: Unexpectedly good for fantasy points, a couple of goals as well as 6 tackles.
Pavlich: His usual great game, but his fantasy status could be changed at the tribunal.
Grover: With Johnson out Grover played better, might be a good fantasy option until Johnson returns.
J Carr: A game-high 7 tackles, also had over 20 possessions and kicked a goal.
McPharlin: Had a big game for stats, with 18 possessions.
The Hawks may have had a strategy where they would stop Brown at all costs, they did accomplish that but were not able to contain any of the other Lions.
Lions 69 - Hawks 44
Fantasy Player News
Brisbane
Black: He was close to 40 disposals, fantasy teams that had him will have a good round 1.
Lappin: It was like old times, and if they name him on Thursday it might be a good idea to sign him.
Brennan: A huge game, 27 disposals and 14 marks, watch to see if he can do that consistently.
Notting: Went from having a supposedly serious shoulder injury to a 20 possessions game.
Fixter: 20 possessions means he is undervalued in fantasy games.
Hawthorn
Jacobs: Clarkson won't win with Jacobs doing what he does, but fantasy coaches will. 22 kicks and 20 marks add up to a huge fantasy points total.
Croad: Had a big game despite playing as a defender.
Ellis: 13 disposals in his first AFL game, keep on a fantasy bench for now but it was a solid start for Ellis.
The Eagles defeated the Swans in a close game. That has happened before, but this time a lot of the names were changed. Mitch Brown, the Eagles' first round pick, was very good in his first AFL game. Peter Everitt was a solid contributor for the Swans, but like some of his new teammates he did miss some chances in front of goal.
Eagles 74 - Swans 73
Fantasy Player News
West Coast
Wirrpanda: He was very active in the back line, a good 20 disposals.
Judd: Just an average game for him, which puts him above nearly everyone else, with 27 disposals and 2 goals.
Kerr: His 28 possessions was great, but added fantasy points came from 8 free kicks for as well as 7 tackles.
Seaby: If Cox is not playing then Seaby suddenly becomes a fantasy ruck option.
Sydney
Richards: Had a big game with 20 disposals, was consistent as he had 5 in each quarter.
Malceski: A player to think about signing, had 18 possessions.
O'Keefe: Some of the Sydney forwards were down on stats, but O'Keefe was again a top performer with 22 possessions.
Ablett: An above average game for him with 19 possessions.
The Saints started the season with a win and there is more good news with Nick Riewoldt a chance to play in round 2. Warren Tredrea also could be back next week, during a TV interview he said he was close for round 1 and that he could be back for the Power for round 2.
From the Herald Sun: Riewoldt set for Brisbane clash
AFL Fantasy Impact:
Riewoldt will be one of the best fantasy players when he returns. The question is how that will affect the numbers of Gehrig and Koschitzke, there probably is room for all three and with Gehrig in great form and Koschitzke with such a low fantasy price a fantasy team could benefit from playing any of them.
Tredrea might need a few games to get into his usual form. Players like White may see their numbers decline, and eventually Ebert would lose stats too because when Tredrea is going the Power will be kicking the ball to him
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