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Ablett - Before or after?

AFLOnline — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:37:50 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishardansin

Hating someone because who his father is and what opportunities that may have given him is akin to racism.

lol what?

SuperCoach and Dream Team: Impromptu on Selecting Your Starting Side

Chief — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:35:29 GMT

SJ asks Impromptu six questions on selecting a starting side.

Impromptu finished 1st in SuperCoach and 26th in Dream Team in 2011.

1. What do you consider to be the basic types of players in Dream Team and SuperCoach?

Traditionally, my Dream Team and SuperCoach teams comprise of a set number of premium and rookie players with only a small portion of mid-priced players. Therefore, I favour the 'guns and rookies' approach.

Premiums are there because you need them in your team to score points because, all things being equal, premiums will score more points than non-premiums. Furthermore, if you don't have enough premiums in your initial team then you won't have enough trades to be able to have a full team of premiums, which is an important objective.

Rookies are the cash cows that are there to increase in value and then traded for another rookie to generate cash or upgraded to a premium.

Mid-priced players are players I don't usually pick as you are caught between rookies and premiums. The question that needs to be asked is whether the mid-priced player is a cash cow, a keeper or both?

I always try to look for value in players, however I generally have a rule not to look for value in the midfield. The reason is that historically the midfield is where you score the most points. I also try to avoid high draft pick rookies as they cost more and therefore may impact the structure of my initial team. However, the main reason that I avoid high draft pick rookies is that it is easier to generate cash when a player costs less. For example, it is easier for a player to increase from $100K to $300K rather than $160K to $360K. Naturally, high draft pick rookies in theory have a better chance of scoring more and have better job security than other rookies.

2. What sort of basic 30-player team structure should I aim for in my initial team?

Team structure in 2012 should include:

* At least 10 premiums
* At least 1 permanent captain (Ablett, Swan, Pendlebury)
* A bundle of multi-position players (MPPs) to cater for the bye and injuries
* A balance of GWS rookies, general rookies and mature aged rookies

3. Are there any differences in selecting a team aiming for a high overall ranking compared to aiming to win my league grand final?

My DT/SC team is generally aimed at achieving a higher overall ranking. However, I don't believe there should be much difference in selecting your initial team as they go hand-in-hand. In order to make the league grand final you have to win to make the final 8, which requires you to trade to upgrade your players.

The only time it may impact you is if you need to upgrade a player when aiming for overall position with limited trades remaining, which means then they cannot be saved for league finals.

4. How should I factor in the byes in the selection of my initial team?

I think all DT/SC participants must take the 2012 multiple-bye rounds in consideration, when deciding their initial team selection. I don't believe that you should turn your team upside down to avoid zeros during the bye rounds as it is inevitable. However, you need to try to minimise it to 2-5 zeros for the multi-bye rounds (noting that 2 zeros appears to be the absolute minimum).

My advice is planning your team to avoid zeros even though it may not be your best team.

5. You are well known for your unconventional and lateral thinking with your initial team selection, especially with your previous 8 rookie midfield (2010) and starting without Brendan Goddard (2011), can the BigFooty community expect something similarly unconventional in 2012?

At this stage, Pendlebury, Cox, Sandilands, Buddy Franklin, Judd, Murphy and Gibbs will not be in my initial SuperCoach team, however, I'm considering having Izzy Folau in my team.

6. Finally, give me one final piece of advice that only a SuperCoach winner could tell me!

Always be open minded with other people's DT/SC advice on a strategy, team structure or a player. You may disagree with the advice, but be open minded.

ST KILDA 2011 - great moments

Kildonan — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:36:55 GMT

How To: Embed a YouTube video.

St Kilda highlights 2010

Kildonan — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:18:02 GMT

How To: Embed a YouTube video.

Rd 14 2009 St Kilda v Geelong Highlights

Kildonan — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:12:15 GMT

How To: Embed a YouTube video.

St Kilda Saints 2008 AFL Highlights

Kildonan — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:06:28 GMT

How To: Embed a YouTube video.

End of Year Top 10s

nameless — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:27:14 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artax

Normally opposed to midpricers but hard to go past the likes of Lake, Armstrong & Grimes at their prices

Trying to avoid price, just pure numbers.

Scotland I think might get attention this year and at 32 don't think he'll continue such high scores.

Goodes scores better as a fwd IMO.

Love Redden, had him last year, tackling machine, just thought Rockliff would be better and Redden about the same.

Interesting similarities; Hawthorn 2009 vs Geelong 2012

Mantastic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:34:05 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by HyperAgressiveDonk

Okay $100 that Hawthorn will win the flag. It's money in the bank.

Bookmarking this.

If you're not a good kick at age 19-20, will you ever be?

boomerforbrownlow — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:35:20 GMT

Andrew Swallow did. Slipped down to 43 in the draft because of concerns over his kicking and is now a very good user of the ball

If you're not a good kick at age 19-20, will you ever be?

boomerforbrownlow — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:34:10 GMT

Andrew Swallow did. Slipped down to 43 in the draft because of concerns over his kicking and is now a very good user of the ball

One Andrew Swallow does the summer make

JamieJohnstone — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:39:48 GMT

The first pink fingers of dawn break through the long dark footballess night. North have just announced the first intra-club match of the season.

Other clubs either are or soon will be doing the same.

The intra-club is a strange beast. Even more than those stupid NAB Challenge games you have to play once you get turfed out of the NAB Cup proper (I know) it is utterly meaningless.

Yet without fail, every single intra-club features something, or someone, that will have a major impact on the club�s season.

I would love to know how many star players have suffered serious injuries in intra-clubs but more often than not a young player, especially a draftee, stamps his authority on an intra-club in such a way as to announce his true ability.

But the most important thing about the intra-club is that it is happening. It means the long drought is almost broken. Yeah, sure, the real footy season is still the best part of three months away but we have broken the back of the beast.

Now we can start talking about the intra-club, building up to it. It isn�t much, but to starving man a crumb is the largest of cakes. For after the intra-club comes the first NAB Cup game.

Then, although these actually mean nothing too, at least we have real competitive football.

Before you know it, the strange phoney war weekend between the NAB Cup final and Round 1 is here and it is like the whole long brutal summer of feigning interest in nancy sports like tennis and cricket never happened.

I can�t wait.

GWS - Where Losing Happens

The Punter — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:17:27 GMT

This year, 2012, shapes as a particularly groundbreaking year for many reasons. A new TV deal, a new schedule, and a new team. There is certainly the promise of a interesting and contentious year.

That new team, Greater Western Sydney, will be particularly groundbreaking. Venturing into Australia's toughest sporting market, the AFL is determined to ensure GWS succeed, and they have the resources and willpower to ensure it will happen.

Just like the Gold Coast Suns before them, GWS are taking a long-term approach. But it would appear they are taking that long-term focus to an entirely new level.

Look at the experienced players GWS has brought onto their list for 2012. Luke Power, James McDonald, Chad Cornes and Dean Brogan bring a wealth of leadership and experience to the new club, but it would not be outrageous to suggest that as far as their playing careers at GWS are concerned, all four are probably going to be one season and done. It's hard to see any of them playing again in 2013.

The other experienced players are Phil Davis, Tom Scully, Callan Ward, Sam Reid and Rhys Palmer. They're all under 23. In fact, the only player between the ages of 25 and 29 on the list is a Irishman.

Compare this to the Gold Coast, who, while focussing on assembling as much youth as possible, went after experienced players right in that 25-29 years old age group, such as Gary Ablett, Campbell Brown, Nathan Bock and Jared Brennan. Players you can build a club on, who have already established themselves as quality AFL players.

The Gold Coast won three games in 2011, all against teams sharing positions in the bottom six with them. While being uncompetitive in a number of games, the wins and other good showings would have certainly been a plus for the young side.

Those three wins must have provided the Suns with an incentive to strive for more wins. Now, we all know that professional sportspeople need little incentive to succeed, but winning (and losing, for that matter) becomes habit and habits can become hard to shake.

So then why are Greater Western Sydney risking their long term success by so clearly building a 2012 list not designed to win even one game this year?

Make no mistake, GWS will be highly uncompetitive this year. They have no players who are in their prime. The kids will be exposed to thrashings on a scale perhaps not seen since the century before last when St Kilda was losing their first 49 games. That will not be good for confidence and forming winning habits.

Just a few wins will do wonders for a young club, and everyone is expecting the Gold Coast Suns to kick on in 2012 and win somewhere in the vicinity of six to eight games.

On the other hand, the old fox, Kevin Sheedy, is willing to gamble the future of a highly talented playing list on at least one year that may see the first "imperfect" season at this level since Fitzroy in the 1960s.

I'm hoping GWS will be more competitive than they look on paper. Because losing 22 games from 22 this year may become a hard habit to break.

2012 Questions

Julian_apostate — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:03:45 GMT

Who will be the most improved player? Jake Carlisle

Who will be the biggest disappointment? Leroy Jetta. Again. But Davey will challenge strongly

Who do you think will be our top 5 B �n� F? Watson, Hurley, Heppel, Zaharakis, Hocking

Who would you like to see as our top 5 B �n� F? Hurley, Heppel, Zaharakis, Watson, Dempsey

Which seasoned players may have their spots challenged? McVeigh,

Who will be our top 5 goal kickers? How many will each kick? Hurley 50, Crameri 35. Monfries 25, Zaka 20, Carlisle 20

Where will we finish? 6th

Who will be have a greater impact in their return, Dempsey or Winders? Dempsey

Which first year player will play the most games? Kavanagh

If it comes down to the wire, Hardingham or Myers as a third tall? Myers. Has to be - too slow to play on smalls

If it comes down to the wire, Howlett or Lonergan? Howlett

Second ruck, Hille or Belly? Hille.

Rookie-ing Long, right or wrong decision? Right. Good decision.

Which second year player will play the most games, excluded Heppell and Hibberd? Browne

Gumbleton: How many games will he play? 11.

Carlisle: Will he play forward or back? Forward, unless Gumby strikes form. So forward, I'd imagine.

McVeigh: Best 18, borderline best 22 or a depth player? Borderline best 22.

Fletcher: Last season? Hell no.

Jetta: Can he produce a full season of consistency? Well, he could be consistently poor, so yes. But he does seem to be able to play well when we are 10 goals up and I would like to see him play a few good games to improve his trade value.

Post 2012: Who do you see as our next captain in a few years? Heppel.

Popular actors you don't care for

Crash Davis — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:14:40 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by L_W_P

Have never really understood the appeal of Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman or Geoffrey Rush (Outside of his great work as Barbossa)

I think all of them get waaaaay too much hype locally just because they are Aussies.

I hear ya.
Nothing has ever compelled me to watch any of their films, Blanchett comes across as very bland during interviews, Rush strikes me as a little pompous and holier than though.

A bit about what I do

mightyroos4eva — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:37:53 GMT

Hi guys,
Some of you know that I tend to write up some blogs and post on some other forums.

I am here to tell you that if you don't see me posting a blog up here you will see me posting a blog online.

I have to be really careful with advertising here so that I don't get into trouble. But it's great. Just want you guys to have a look at it.

http://carntheroos4evasviews.blogspo...max-results=34

So without any hesitation come and have a read. IF you want to have your say please make a comment.
Word of warning though. I don't want anything silly or immature being said.