TooSerious

<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;]This week the Best Buys has been delayed a bit, due to some very annoying mechanical issues and subsequently no transport, but for those battling it out for finals hopefully it has been worth the wait. Some unpredictable results have seen a variety of POD players emerge in time for the finals, but also some poor performances from SC stalwarts.
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<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;]This week the Best Buy is Brodie Grundy from Collingwood, the highly touted young ruckman who has now made his way onto the bubble. Great timing for many, if he can keep getting games, and especially for those with non-playing options on the bench. The ruck set-up at Collingwood is far from settled however, so it would be wise to wait until teams are announced before making the move.
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<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;]As interest drops off late in the season it would be useful for us here to know how many people are still reading and relying on the Best Buys each week, and whether it will be worthwhile continuing through the finals. So if you're a regular reader, or merely drop in from time to time as needed, let us know your thoughts on whether the Best Buys will be needed after this week.





DEFENSE

MID-PRICERS

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<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Teams will be out soon, but I'm heading to a recital. woo!
<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Will get them up when I get home (Unless someone is awesome before then)
<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]St Kilda v Hawthorn - Friday 7.50pm AEST @ Etihad
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Saints<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
B: D.Roberton, J.Blake, S.Dempster<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
HB: J.Geary, J.Gwilt, B.Murdoch<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
C: F.Ray, L.Hayes, L.Montagna<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
HF: D.Armitage, N.Riewoldt, C.Jones<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
F: S.Milne, T.Lee, J.Newnes<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
R: B.McEvoy, N.Dal Santo, J.Steven<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
I/C: J.Webster, J.Saunders, D.Minchington, T.Curren<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
EMG: T.Hickey, S.Ross, A.Schneider<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
In: J.Blake, J.Gwilt, J.Newnes, B.Murdoch,D.Minchington<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
Out: T.Simpkin (Leg) , R.Stanley (Shoulder) , A.Siposs (Shoulder) , A.Saad (Leg) , S.Dunell (Omitted)<br style='font-size: 14px; background-color: #fbfbfb;[/img]
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Hawks<br style='font-size: 14px;...

Ablett v. Melbourne



Rd 19 2012: 165 SC points, 33 disposals

Rd 23 2011: 125 SC points, 28 disposals

Rd 10 2010: 138 SC points, 32 disposals

Rd 16 2009: 124 SC points, 40 disposals

Rd 6 2009: 91 SC points, 25 disposals

Rd 19 2008: 84 SC points, 22 disposals

Rd 3 2008: 115 SC points, 29 disposals

Rd 3 2007: 130 SC points, 30 disposals



Average is 122 SC points with 30 disposals.



Note: Most recently tagged by Morton and Magner but still managed 165. He is averaging 138 in his past four games against them. Only managed 100 last week which had followed scores of 116, 178, 120 and 115 in the weeks prior (average of 126 from five games).



Kennedy v. Collingwood



Rd 8 2013: 56 SC points, 18 disposals

PF 2012: 132 SC points, 30 disposals

Rd 20 2012: 168 SC points, 40 disposals

Rd 14 2011: 124 SC points, 24 disposals

Rd 13 2010: 68 SC points, 26 disposals



Average is 110 SC points with 28 disposals.



Note: Poor score in Round 8 this year when he was tagged out of the game by Macaffer and finished the game with 18 touches at 56% disposal efficiency. Had averaged 141 against Collingwood in the previous three matchups. He is in terrible form at the moment coming off scores of 68, 82 and 108. He has averaged 93 in his past eight games after starting the season averaging 116 in his first ten games.



Pendlebury v. Sydney



Rd 8 2013: 119 SC points, 28 disposals

PF 2012: 142 SC points, 30 disposals

Rd 20 2012: 116 SC points, 29 disposals

Rd 14 2011: 114 SC points, 25 disposals

Rd 13 2010: 97 SC points, 22 disposals

Rd 21 2009: 77 SC points, 13 disposals

Rd 21 2008: 147 SC points, 28 disposals

Rd 14 2008: 75 SC points, 20 disposals

EF 2007: 114 SC points, 24 disposals

Rd 21 2007: 82 SC points, 22 disposals

Rd 12 2007: 109 SC points, 17 disposals



Average is 108 SC points with 23 disposals.



Note:...

Waikikamoocow Incorrigibles 1286 def Wagga Wagga Wombats 1218
In the square off of 3rd vs 8th, both teams had strong motivations to cement finals positions.

Solid work in Def by the &amp;lsquo;Bats was brought undone by Dempsey's injury affected score, while Shiel went well underground after monstering the last 5 weeks.

Beams' sub par effort late in the game will have coach Lenny fuming.

Cox got big but it wasn't enough to hold off a great team effort by the &amp;lsquo;Cows.

Plenty to like about Chels' outfit with Fyfe finding great touch and Crouch living up to expectations.

Prediction - WWW by 16
Actual - WI by 68

Birdsville Battlers 1110 def by Venus Bay Vultures 1117
This low scoring affair of 4th vs 9th, went right down to the wire, with Fitzy desperate for a win to keep his finals hopes alive.

Watson/Blair vs Cloke in the dying minutes was a heart-stopper. However Cloke's 4 majors late in the piece was far from influential.

The unfortunate injury to Brown-dog was pivotal in the wash-up, lets hope he heals up well and rolls around for another year.

Stand out performances were light on in this tussle, with Watson and Wells the only tons recorded for the game.

Prediction - VBV by 57
Actual - VBV by 7

Darraweit Guim 1157 def by Powlett Plains 1174
Another low scoring nail-biter with 6th vs 7th both looking to shore up a top 4 berth.

Some big scores from Harvey and Hutchings had the Packers down early, but Ball, Harry O and Bellchambers fired late to snatch the glory.

Both teams trotting out some below average scores up Fwd to confound selectors.

Prediction - DGD by 138
Actual - PPP by 17

Marble Bar Misfits 1328 def by Mount Beauty Uglies 1457

With a comfortable win to the Uglies favoured by many, the Misfits came with nothing to lose and almost snaffled a win.

With the Bar hosting a bevvy of Giants affiliates, these young kids got the team flying with Ward, Bruce, Smith and Cameron all shining....

As I mentioned, it was an average but improved round for the donors in round 19, with a nice even 2200 points. That score gave us a 40,136 weekly ranking, and saw us rise a huge 117 places to 25,277 in the overall race for glory. It doesn't look like we're going to make it this year, but we're still stying!
To get ourselves a nice round number we had the following scores from our boys:
Backmen:
Hanley 108
Goddard 105
Clisby 101
Heppell 77
Webster 74
Gibbs 73
Midfielders:
Cotchin 144
Griffen 126
Dangerfield 111
Pendlebury 105 Captain 210
Selwood 103
Ablett 100 VC
Kennedy 68
T Mitchell 48
Rucks:
Cox 149
Goldstein 82
Forwards:
Rockliff 166
Johnson 106
Kennedy 101
Franklin 53
Zorko 52
Westhoff 43
Bench:
Ibbotson
Thurlow
Vlastuin 74
Martin
Nicholls
Currie
Staker 42
Rowe 75
Down back there were no missed potential points, with Ibbotson being a late out and Thurlow not playing yet again. The rest of the defence did quite well, with three topping the ton, and three 70's rounding it out. From a bunch of defenders we can't really complain.
In the mids we had all of our premiums top the ton, except for Kennedy who had a bit of a shocker really. The rookie Mitchell put in his worst performance of the season, which now throws his neck firmly over the chopping block. To make matters worse, the benched Vlastuin outscored both of these guys, with his 74 points. Once again we tried the captains loophole with Gazza and Pendles, giving permacap first crack, and then deciding that 100 points wasn't enough, so we ended up with permacap-in-waiting's 105. Unfortunately we could have gone Cotchin or Griffen and picked up 21 or 39 extra points.
In the rucks we had big Coxy putting on a last-quarter show, bringing in 149 points, and new recruit Goldstein pulling down a slightly disappointing 82 points. No bench scores, so no missed points here.
Onto the forward line, where Westhoff must have missed out on the...

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<p style='margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;]So things aren't official, I haven't re-checked any of these scores but there may as well be something up with the results and the table going into the last week before the finals.
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<p style='margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;]Three teams still fighting it out for the last two spots in the finals so there's so lots of football to go. Anything Can HappenTM. The results from last week:
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<p style='margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;][span style='font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;]SARAH ISLAND SAVAGES[span style='font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;] 1318 def[span...

I tried. I did. I tried to sit down and write a review.
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I honestly really did, but man, this afternoon game was absolutely painful.
Heck, as an Essendon supporter, who's fantasy teams have been mis-firing, this entire year has been a little bit painful.
The whole ASADA this has certainly put a certainly filter over the season.
You know what assumes me however? I'm of the feeling, that the end result is going to be that the Dons get off. That at worse, the players receive warnings and Vlad hits us with a stick for bad governance.
What strikes me however, is how dreadful the media have been. (Oh course, this is all opinion- that makes it ok to say right?)
Dreadful. Completely missed the main story that's been going down. That being Dank. The man who this whole drama has centered around.
My belief is that in the end, it will come out as Dank, using the club to move drugs. Bad governance, yes, but hell, what a massive story for all these 'investigative' journalist to have missed.
Instead no, we get opinions offered as fact, repeated week in week out until the general feeling is that it is fact. Then, in the end, claim their insinuations of cheating were just that, insinuations. A blatant abuse of their position and power.
Probably should have waited til the results of the ASADA report come out to post this, but hey- it's been a long year.
Feel free to drop into the comments and comment on how the Dons deserved it for their bad governance. Perhaps they did? Feel free to drop in, proclaim that it's shit and Hird is a dirty cheat. That's you're opinion. Not mine- and if it gets reported as I'm expecting, then damn, I'd hope you'd be man enough afterwards to come back and stick in an apology.
Oh, on the fantasy front, I snuck into the finals of my $100 cash league (GF winner takes all).
Go you good thing!
Also, I'm adding <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=2067&name=Chad Wingard">Chad Wingard[/url] to my watchlist for next year. Damn...

<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Got distracted by an absolute ripper of a game. Go the Roos!
<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]And yanno, anything else football you might want to talk about.

Mount Beauty v Marble Bar
Marble Bar coach Len will be doing his best this afternoon to put Bama's final's chances on ice when he pays a visit to Mount Beauty. The Misfits will keen to move on from last week's loss to the Grasshoppers, with several players 2014 careers being under scrutiny. The key match up in this game is Nicholls vs Leuenberger, as whoever gets first hands on the pill will use it well. The midfields from both sides scream potential with Steven, Ward, Sewell and Greene coming up against Cotchin, Sidebottom, Bennell and Wingard. Enright and Stanley will have their hands full with Martin and Rioli, while at the other end Jeremy Cameron will be hoping to give young Guthrie a football lesson.
Prediction : Mount Beauty by 110pts
Match up to watch : Nicholls vs Leuenberger

Iron Knob v Charlies Opening
Match of the round with the top of the ladder Codpieces taking on the Spelunkers at Iron Knob. Loads of questions to answer at this match. How will Bandit cover the loss of Swallow? Will Ben Reid make the trip? Will GAJ bother getting out of bed? Will big Minson try and find Charlie's Opening, and if he does what will he do with it? Bandit is fired up for this one, but without Swallow in the guts he may struggle. On paper it appears Charlie's Opening have the edge in defence and up forward, but the tag team of Minson and Goldstein promises to make Giles' afternoon a long one.
Prediction : Iron Knob by 40pts
Match up to watch : Petrie v Henderson, Jack V Ablett

Waikikamoocow v Wagga Wagga
Another home game for the silverside suckers, but a difficult match up against the Wombats. Lenny has the Wagga boys up and about, and this game looms as a genuine concern for Chels. Goose Maguire may have played his last game for the Cows, with Russell likely to take his place. The Waikicks have arguably the best midfield in the comp on paper with Fyfe, McVeigh, Hannebery and Mitchell, but Lenny will do...

<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Need a win to make the finals?
<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Perhaps a win for the double chance?
<p style='font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 18px;]Either way, these teams will matter.
North Melbourne v Geelong<br style='color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;[/img]
Etihad Stadium, Friday August 2, 7.50pm AEST<br style='color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;[/img]
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NORTH MELBOURNE

In: L.Delaney, B.Jacobs

Out: N.Grima (back), A.Swallow (Achilles)



GEELONG

In: J.Hunt, J.Bartel, T.West, M.Blicavs

Out: J.Podsiadly (suspension), D.Simpson (Knee), M.Brown, G.Horlin-Smith



Greater Western Sydney v Melbourne

Skoda Stadium, Saturday August 3, 1.45pm AEST



GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

In: S.Coniglio, L.Whitfield

Out: S.Darley, W.Hoskin-Elliott (concussion)



MELBOURNE

In: D.Terlich, C.Garland, J.Spencer

Out: J.Frawley (hamstring), C.Dawes (calf), S.Blease



Hawthorn v Richmond

MCG, Saturday August 3, 2.10pm AEST



HAWTHORN

In: S.Burgoyne

Out: J.Simpkin



RICHMOND

In: L.McGuane, O.Stephenson, D.Astbury

Out: R.Petterd (groin), T.Vickery (concussion), M.Arnot (back)



West Coast v Gold Coast

Patersons Stadium, Saturday August 3, 2.40pm AWST



WEST COAST

In: D.Glass, B.Sheppard, A.Embley

Out: M.Brown, C.Masten (ankle), C.Morton



GOLD COAST

In: R.Thompson, D.Prestia, D.Swallow,...