As the World Cup campaign for our beloved Socceroos comes to an end, we can speculate the reasons why it ended early till the cows come home…poor line-ups and team selection by Pim in the opening game, dodgy red cards X 2, missed chances that my dead grandmother could have converted, etc, etc.

That being said, the focus switches back to footy and being in the middle of the split round, we have ample time to discuss what’s happening in the league, specifically in relation to injury news and team selections.

Now obviously there has been some news and incidents over the last few weeks that have a huge impact on fantasy coaches including Missy Higgins rolling his ankle on a depleted Etihad Stadium, Waite being suspended for third time this season, Aka Daka being club suspended for comments regarding the sexual orientation of footballers, Diddles out injured with a ‘hip’ (can be a very scary injury description for coaches), Voss finally admitting Brown Dog will be out for a month and a recent update on his injury speculating he ‘could’ be out for longer, and the Kreuze Missile doing an ACL and electing for traditional surgery meaning he is out for 12 months. The other BIG news is that Roo could be back in the Saints forward line sooner than expected.

So let’s start with the injury news (SC relevant) and in the mix for a return from injury for this week’s games are Davis (Adel), Luke Ball & Alan Didak, Matthew Scarlett, Cameron Mooney & Joel Corey (both unlikely), James McDonald and big arms Bradshaw.

Looking to Round 14 and we have McLean, Hille, Palmer, Broughton, and Gray due to return, while Higgins is a very good chance to come up against the Hawks.

Now let’s get on to the 2 issues affecting tens (dare I say hundreds) of thousands of fantasy coaches around the country and they are “What to do about Kreuzer”…and Brown.

More over the break including the teams for week 2 (more…)

What to do, what to do, what to do?

28 years old. Taken at pick 30. Shattered coaches on the weekend.

His results for this season so far are:

130 (WCE)
171 (CAR)
141 (PTA)
81 (WBD) – This is where the mystery illness took hold
39 (MEL) – A 39 against last year’s wooden spooners.

As with last week and Riewoldt, this one player has dominated our comments. So here’s my thoughts.

So what’s going on?
(more…)

Rhyming with Roo is so much easier that trying to rhyme with Riewoldt.

Consult on Rievoldt?

Anyways, I’ve broken the options I’m considering into three sections.

Uber premiums – guys who are scoring big points.
Up and comers – Potential premiums who are scoring the big points.
fallen premiums – Those guys who haven’t hit the ground running just yet, though history tells us that sooner or later, they’ll come good.

Anyways, on with the show
(over the break)
(more…)

Alright, with all the teams down for the Christmas period, this will probably be my last post for the year.

Unless you cop a drunken Christmas/New Years greetings.

So I figure, I’ll make the last post a spot check for where each team is. Broken down into the three major categories we care about.

1. Who’s injured?
2. Who’s been pencilled in for the midfield
3. Who’s been training the house down!

Adelaide:
Injuries -
Otten (knee)
Moran (knee)
Symes (knee)
Bock (heel)
Van Berlo (back)

More in the midfield – Dangerfield
Training the house down – Walker

Brisbane:
Injuries –
Clarke (knee)
Bartlett (knee)
Golby (knee)

More in the midfield – Brennan, Staker

Carlton:
Injuries –
Jamison (hip)
Waite (knee)

More in the midfield – McLean.
Training the house down – Gartlett, Yarran

Collingwood:
Injuries –
Medhurst (back)
Anthony (sholder)
Fraser (knee)
Dick (shoulder)

More in the midfield – Ball
Training the house down – Jolly

Essendon:
Injuries –
Neagle (groin)
Hurley (wrist)
Slattery (leg)
Hille (knee)

Fremantle
Injuries –
Dodd (shoulder/wrist)

Training the house down – Palmer, Hill, Mayne, Duffield, DeBoer

Geelong
Injuries –
Johnson (hil)
Menzel (groin)

Training the house down – Drum

Hawthorn
Injuries –
Franklin (minor foot)
Burgoyne (knee)

Melbourne
Injuries –
Garland (foot)
Blease (leg)
Wonaeamirri (hamstring)

More in the midfield – Bennell, Jetta, Morton, Watts
Training the house down – Grimes

North Melbourne
Injuries –
Wells (The dreaded OP)
Anthony (hand)

More in the midfield – Greenwood
Training the house down – Warren, Wright, Grima, Ziebell, Bastinac, Edwards

Port Adelaide
Injuries –
Rodan (knee)
D. Motlop (ankle/shoulder/groin)
Carr (ankle)
Davenport (shoulder)

More in the midfield – Lobbe (as ruck), Gray, M. Motlop
Training the house down – Hartlett, Broadbent, Lobbe, Gray, Ebert

Richmond
Injuries –
Foley (ankle)
Cotchin (achillies)
cousins (hand)

St Kilda
Injuries –
King (knee)
Goddard (collarbone)

Sydney
Injuries –
Bolton (shoulder)
Seaby (ankle)
Kennedy (hip)
Thornton (knee)

Training the house down – Kennelly, Malceski, Barlow, Johnston, White

West Coast
Injuries –
Waters (knee)
Cox (groin)
Mackenzie (shoulder)

More in the midfield – NOT Lecras – has remained training in the forwards.
Training the house down – Kerr, Sheppard

Western
Injuries –
Reid (groin)
Tiller (groin)
Murphy (knee)
Hall (ankle)
Howard (hip)

More in the midfield –
Training the house down – Giansiracusa, Akermanis, Everitt, Johnson

It’s just a simple chart to refer to as the pre-season ticks on.

Anyways, I hope that you have your Christmas shopping done early, I hear that the Prospectus is availiable if you haven’t finish yet.

Heck, there might even be a word or two in there written by yours truely… maybe.

But, however you spend your holiday season, enjoy yourself and stay safe ok. It’s a long pre-season ahead of us.

Supercoach backlines of late have been absolutely decimated this year. from injuries, to suspension, we’ve seen it all.

But for the first time this year, I’m having a difficult time in choosing who to bench. And man, it’s a good feeling.

Anyways, here’s my current backline.

Broughton – 159 (98.71)
Grimes – 142 (98.12)
Lake – 134 (87.07)
Bock – 117 (97.40
Hodge – 112 (88.73)
McMahon – 111 (95.93)
Goddard – 99 (114.64)

Cornes – 0 (94.2)
Cheney – NA

I suppose the easy answer would be Brian Lake, having the lowest average there. But to be fair, his 3 round average is sitting on 109.33. Not a bad return.

But no, I digress. The purpose of this post isn’t to big note my backline. (alright, maybe just a little bit… it feels good to have such form! ), but to bring attention to
this article.

Cornes is set for an early comeback! Which should be a nice game against Melbourne to get back into things.

If they weren’t playing Melbourne, I would strongly be considering keeping Studly chad on the bench… but hey, it’s Melbourne.

So, if you were me. Who would you bench? (All, if this is the worst of my problems for the week, I’m gunna be smiling all week! )

Aright, this one deserves it’s own post… People have been umming and ahhh-ing about his upgrade for the week…

Now, your hand might be forced on the issue.

PORT Adelaide will be without young playmaker Nathan Krakouer when it heads to Sydney to tackle the Swans on Sunday.

Krakouer, 21, has been a revelation across half-back but the lightly framed West Australian has developed some soreness over the opening eight rounds.

So, is that going to Duck anyone up? or perhaps has lack of going down will be a blessing is disguise for those who bench him? Plus, a week off might do him wonders.

Terry Wallet is GOOOOONNNEEEEE!!!

That’s right, hot off the presses this morning, a emergency board meeting occured at 11:30 this morning, and the net result.

Ol’ Terry hotpant is shuffling his way back to the twos.

In other news and rumours.

Hill and Suban might be “getting rested”.
Bock is likely to miss this week.
(ps- my back line hates you guys!)
Terry Wallace has been named the new coach of the Tigers.
Mundy should be fine to play
Chapman is “Likely to play”
Ablett is near a shoe-in to play.
Kevin sheedy and Jade Rawlings have mounted a coupe against Terry, more news to follow.
Scott Thompson has been struggling with hamstring tightness… will prove an excellent pickup once that’s sorted…
And Kane Cornes should be right to go.

In other news, Terry has been named the new coach of the tigers

Here’s to hoping the selection table is kind tonight.
(oh and 150+ comments on the last post. Good discussion guys! You make this place an awesome place to visit! )

Gary Ablett could play next week against the Kangaroos, according to his article in the Herald Sun today.

I can’t be bothered writing out the whole thing, but here are the highlights.

“the scan showed the hips are found and there is no inflammation around the pubis bone” No osteitis pubis then.

“We do regular tests to measure our core strength, and that’s what we’ll be using to work out when I’m back at 100% and ready to play”

“This week the aim is to ramp it up (at training)”

“I want to make sure I get it right now rather than having to battle through games later on” This suggests they’ll rest him if he’s only 90% fit.

“There’s a chance I’ll play against North Melbourne this Saturday….the worst case scenario is agains the Western Bulldogs the following week.”

Hopefully Gazza doesn’t do the Richo thing and makes sure he is fully fit and ready to go when he does return. But at least we know it won’t be a permanent 2-3 weeks away from returning, like Ottens was last year.

Edit: Here is the link, courtesy of Spud.

UPDATE: Gary Ablett will miss this weeks game against NM, according to Mark Thompson.

“While Ottens is yet to hit the training track, star onballer Gary Ablett has been running at 80 per cent but will not be risked this weekend against North Melbourne.

After missing last week’s win over the Sydney Swans with an adductor strain, the 24-year-old has been banging down medical staff’s door to prove his fitness, but Thompson said the Cats would not be swayed.

“The plan was always for two weeks and when it initially happened we gave a range (of weeks out) and two was the plan,” he said.

“Nothing has changed in our eyes. We’ve designed a rehab program to get him up to play not this week, but the following week.””
Shame.

GARY Ablett will miss up to three weeks for Geelong following scans on his injured groin.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25426395-19742,00.html?from=public_rss

Everyone PANIC! With Beams and Hartlett also injured and other benchwarmers in Liam Anthony and Mitch Robinson still warming the pine, this is a big problem.

If you are in serious contention for the overall, (I’m talking top 200 or so here), well you probably don’t need my help because you’re doing so well. Seriously, though, I’m going to propose the unthinkable and say that I would trade out Jesus. With over 100 thousand on offer as well as the benefits of proven performers Neon Leon, Chris Judd , Jimmy Bartel, or Nick Dal Santo (who are all options for the captaincy as well, which we have to think about now )

However for the rest of us mortals who just want a league win, you can’t trade out of Gary Ablett. Instead, you just have to find a way to get a playing substitute for 2/3 weeks. Unfortunately, there aren’t that many playing cheap midfielders, so a straight swap with another of your non-playing rookies may be impossible. Andrew Collins (153,100), David Zaharakis (205,700) or Matt De Boer/Adam Cockie if they are selected (83,400/94,200) are your best options. Tom Swift (94,200) is another rookie who impressed in the preseason who is likely to make his debut this week, though Cockie is probably ahead of him (he made his debut first didn’t he?)  The advantage here is you get money and only need one trade, but you lose a lot of points and have to worry about them playing each week. This is probably the best option if you are low on trades.

If you don’t want to get rid of Gazza or get one of these rookies, a clever upgrade of one of your non playing rookies is the only other option. Some stars at bargain prices include:

Luke Power, BL, avg 96, BE 108, $448,800
Adam Selwood, WCE, avg 106, BE 83, $441,000 *
Adam Goodes, SYD, avg 100, BE 131, $490,900
Kane Cornes, PA, avg 92, BE 92, $450,100
Farren Ray, STK, avg 103 BE 42, $447,400 *
Luke Hodge, HAW, avg 88, BE 120, $518,000

*I’m still not convinced about either of these, but their numbers are hard to ignore.

If you can afford them, Power and Goodes are the best options here, (Hodge should really be in defense).

Some riskier options at even cheaper prices (for those on a budget) are:

Andrew Swallow, NM, avg 93, BE 43, $400,500
Troy Selwood, BL, avg 80, BE 62, $368,100
Travis Tuck, Haw, avg 80, BE 68, $341,800
Heath Hocking, ESS, avg 86 BE 43, $340,100
Garry Moss, HAW, avg 80, BE -6, $292,500
Mark Coughlan, RICH, avg 84, BE -19, $246,600

Of these, I like Coughlan the most, but you would have to hope for a raise in output if you want to keep them for the rest of the year. The advantage of these though is that you don’t need a huge amont to get there.

To get the cash, consider downgrading to Levi Greenwood (Def, NM, 94,200 avg 55) or one of your forwards to Brent Macaffer (Fwd, COLL, 94,200, avg 65).

There are plenty of players around, so hold off getting Buddy for another week (he’ll probably drop again this week anyway ) and fix up your midfield (unless you have Richo or Scott Lucas, in which case start reading Walesy’s article.)

Because Ablett deserves his own topic, I’m gunna run on the forward front.

Firstly Lucas dropped.

ESSENDON has dropped out of form forward Scott Lucas after the veteran again struggled in his side’s loss to the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night.

Coach Mathew Knights said on Tuesday that Lucas has been given the option of either turning out for Essendon’s VFL affiliate the Bendigo Bombers this weekend or taking a week off from football altogether.

With luck, it will just be for the week, but if you’re still keeping the faith in him, it’s looking bleaker all the time.
(DT-wise though, it might be worth waiting a week as he’s appreciating value over there, not LEAKING IT LIKE A SIEVE!)

The irrepressible Richoman, is slightly more repressible now, a season ending injury burning him, and a lot of coaches.

RICHMOND superstar Matthew Richardson’s season could be over with immediate surgery required to repair a tear in his left hamstring tendon.

The 10-12 week recovery period would leave him precious little time to get match-fit before the end of the season, with Richmond struggling at 1-5 and looking set to miss the finals.

Unfortunately, Richo has dropped 70k in value first before his little holiday, but it is definitely time to trade him out.

So what do we have to play with. 475k.

All of my *honest* suggestions will weigh in higher than that I think.

Neon Leon (627k – currently playing at 677k), is a freak at the moment. If you’ve got the cajones, he might be worth a looking.
Roo (617k – currently playing at 664k after a slow start), is going from strength to strength, however, might be too expensive now to represent good value.
The Chapstick (548k – currently playing at 571k), is looking good value. Particularly with Ablett missing a few weeks.
Pavlich (547k – currently playing at 547k after a slow start), looks to have played himself back into some form and is looking very tasty.

However, if you simply can’t free up the funds. You might want to look in the direction of.
Stevie J. (468k – currently playing at 495k), and like Chappy, might find some extra points with Gaz being out of the equation.
Lids – Looks to be hitting the trough. Might have a week before he starts to raise though.
Roughy – A big game on the weekend will see his price start heading up. If he can back that up against the Dons, he’ll be great value.

And finally, forwardWatch.

The idea here is to keep an eye on those premium forwards (started the season at 500k +) who are dropping in price. Ideally with the plan of snaring them up as a bargain.

Franklin. Price: 441k – Lost – 134k – BE: 115 – Still looks to have some falling to do. Though it will only take one game to turn it around.
I’ve heard rumours (from the comments here no less!) of Buddy still dealing with issues around his thumb. Worrying signs…

O’keefe. Price: 467k – Lost – 92k – BE: 109 – Still looks to have some falling to do. Though it will only take one game to turn it around.
Just looks to have fallen off the wagon. While he’s not getting horrible scores, it has been a steady, steady decline.

Lids. Price: 476k – Lost – 73k – BE: 72 – Finally looks to have bottomed out.
Another 100+ score and he might get himself off this list.

Lloyd. Price: 444k – Lost 73k – BE: 160 – Unless he plans on finishing the year as he did last year, I would steer clear of this superstar… (no bias intended…)

Brown. Price: 486k – Lost 52k – BE: 85.5 – Might be bottoming out, Sadly with Brownie, it takes two good games to get off the ground. He’s hit one of them, but whether he can back it up or not is a different story.

All round, a bad week for Supercoachers the nation over.

Luckily, there is a lot of value there, if you’ve got the funds to secure it… *waves to Ablett*…