TooSerious

youch, some pain in that Freo game.

Hill, youch! Mundy, wowsers!

That said though, Pav, Mitchell and Sewell have all put in respectable scores.

Anyone jump on Pav this week? Thinking of getting on next week?

With Gary Ablett still on the sidelines, we once again actually have to think about our captain choices. My top picks are:
<ol>
,<li>Nick Riewoldt vs Essendon. 142, 129, 157, 146 are his last 4 scores, and he loves the Bombers scoring 168 points in his last game against them. Get on.</li>
,<li>Brendon Goddard vs Essendon. Another performing well, with 154 last year.</li>
,<li>Nick Dal Santo vs Essendon. You get the picture? Pick a Saint!</li>
,<li>Jimmy Bartel vs North Melbourne. 144 last year against North, and in wet conditions, without Gazza, should do well. Beware the curse of Rawlings though.</li>
,<li>Joel Bowden vs PA. Bit of a smokey, but he got 223 last time so....</li>
,<li>Chris Judd vs Collingwood. Inside mids do well against the Pies, and Judd is the best of the Blues.</li>
,<li>Joel Corey vs North Melbourne. See Brownlow Bartel. 133 against North last year.</li>
,<li>Scott Pendlebury vs Carlton. Form midfielder of the competition.</li>
,<li>Paul Chapman vs North Melbourne. Kicked 4 last year in a 130 point performance. Hopefully his teammates will mistake him for Gazza and give him lots of kicks.</li>
,<li>Leigh Montagna vs Essendon. Another in form Saint.</li>
</ol>
Also look at: Lenny Hayes, Joel Selwood, Marc Murphy, Sam Fisher, Matthew Pavlich.

Horrible horrible round seven.

Seriously. Round Seven makes the baby Ablett cry!

Players getting pulled, dropped, injured.

What a horrible. horrible week.

Heck, I still havent the heart to look at my shambling mess of a squad to see what I can salvage from this week.

Me thinks Im up for a few zeros this week.

How have you guys faired?

Bock, Goodwin, Fraser, Hodge, Kornes, Salopek, Kerr, Higgins, Brown, Houlihan, Swan

How many have you got?

Luckily my Supercoach team is steady, with only Five of them (Sadly, I moved Houlihan... for Hodge.)

My DreamTeam team on the other hand... ouch.

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

I cant 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 thats what well be using to work out when Im 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 theyll rest him if hes only 90% fit.

"Theres a chance Ill play against North Melbourne this Saturday....the worst case scenario is agains the Western Bulldogs the following week."

Hopefully Gazza doesnt 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 wont be a permanent 2-3 weeks away from returning, like Ottens was last year.

Edit: Here is the <a href="http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,25453495-5016212,00.html" target="_blank">link[/url], courtesy of Spud.

UPDATE: Gary Ablett will miss this weeks game against NM, according to <a href="http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76698/default.aspx" target="_blank">Mark Thompson.[/url]

"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...

See the Bombers fly up, up! Great win last night, but not a great start for anyone with lots of Hawthorn players.

Buddy finally broke the century barrier, but Luke Hodge not only scored 45, but is expected to miss 2/3 weeks in a similar injury to Gary Abletts. Considering a lot of sides are already taking a zero this week, that news couldnt be worse.

On the other hand, for today only, Essendon is a top 4 side! Didnt think I would see that for a few years!

So how is everyone else doing?

On the Seventh round, gods son rested.

Which is terrible news for just about everyone competing for the Buckley this year.

From memory, only two or three teams out their dont have the great man.

They must be licking their chops right now...

Im just gunna give a quick update on the top 10 players from each comp... To keep an air of mystery going on.

<blockquote>
Supercoach

10 - Gary Ablett
9 - Leon Davis
7 - Brendon Goddard
7 - Sam Mitchell
6 - Joel Bowden
6 - Matthew Boyd
6 - Matthew Richardson
6 - Nick Dal Santo
6 - Nick Riewoldt
6 - Paul Chapman
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Dreamteam

9 - Gary Ablett
9 - Leigh Montagna
7 - Bernie Vince
7 - Nick Dal Santo
7 - Paul Chapman
6 - Brent Stanton
6 - Darren Jolly
6 - Leon Davis
6 - Nick Riewoldt
5 - Chad Cornes
5 - Jimmy Bartel
5 - Joel Bowden
5 - Paul Hasleby
5 - Steve Johnson
</blockquote>

So, how are your picks weighing up?

Yeah I hate to say I told you so, but Dayne Beams is out with a groin injury.  Steele Sidebottom has been named in an extended bench, but if you put your faith in him getting a run, you have faith in him getting a run ahead of Shaw.   Maybe if he doesnt come up, but youd think Stanley with more AFL experience and a 4 goal performance in the VFL would get the gig.

Big ins and outs this week though.   I think a few people would have Richardson, Yarran, Houlihan, Wells, Pratt, Hartlett, Ablett, Knights, Beams - all out.

And for a change, Cheney is on the extended bench.   I would say zero chance of getting a game though.

The ins and outs and extended benches:

Essendon: In: Neagle, Bellchambers, Houli Out: Dustin Fletcher (leg), Scott Lucas, Leroy Jetta (knee)

Hawthorn: In: Birchall, McGlynn, Stokes Out: Brent Guerra (back), Jarryd Morton, Brent Renouf

Richmond: In: Brown, Cousins, Simmonds Out: Matthew Richardson (hamstring), Jordan McMahon, Mitch Morton


Brisbane: No changes

Carlton: In: Chris Yarran, Shaun Hampson Mark Austin Richard Hadley Out: Greg Bentley, Setanta O’hAilpin, Andrew Carrazzo, Ryan Houlihan

Fremantle: In: Pratt Out: Ryan Crowley (foot) New: Luke Pratt (Swan Districts)

North Melbourne: In: Wells, Campbell, Ross, Goldstein Out: Pratt (knee), Greenwood, Power, Lower

Port Adelaide:In: Davenport Out: Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) New: Jason Davenport (Geelong)

Geelong: In: Harley, Ling Out: Gary Ablett (groin), David Johnson

Sydney: No changes

Western Bulldogs: In: Ward, Welsh, Williams
I/C (from): Dylan Addison, Callan Ward, Nathan Eagleton, Andrejs Everitt, Daniel Giansiracusa, Liam Picken, Scott Welsh

Adelaide: In: Knights, Maric, Moran, Shirley, Symes Out: Cook, Griffin
I/C (from): Shirley, Symes, Maric, Knights,...

<blockquote>GARY Ablett will miss up to three weeks for Geelong following scans on his injured groin.</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25426395-19742,00.html?from=public_rss" target="_blank">http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25426395-19742,00.html?from=public_rss[/url]

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, (Im talking top 200 or so here), well you probably dont need my help because youre doing so well. Seriously, though, Im 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 cant trade out of Gary Ablett. Instead, you just have to find a way to get a playing substitute for 2/3 weeks. Unfortunately, there arent 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 <a href="http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76249/default.aspx" target="_blank">debut[/url] 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 dont want to get rid of Gazza or get one of these rookies, a clever upgrade of...

Because Ablett deserves his own topic, Im gunna run on the forward front.

Firstly <a href="http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76234/default.aspx">Lucas dropped[/url].

<blockquote>
ESSENDON has dropped out of form forward Scott Lucas after the veteran again struggled in his sides 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 Essendons VFL affiliate the Bendigo Bombers this weekend or taking a week off from football altogether.
</blockquote>

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

The irrepressible Richoman, is slightly more repressible now, a <a href="http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76230/default.aspx">season ending injury[/url] burning him, and a lot of coaches.
<blockquote>
RICHMOND superstar Matthew Richardsons 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.
</blockquote>

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 youve 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....

<Magpie bias enclosed>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I saw is the man who has BT as one of his many fans,  the KING of Leon is number 2 in Supercoach scoring this year, second only the The Great One – GAJ...w[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">ho by the way could be out this week!
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"> 
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">So Mr King of Leon could be king of the rodeo!  You want to use somebody to get in the team this week to cover Boomer absence; well here is an option who might get more than four kicks.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"> 
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">Averaging 137 – more than the Dal or the God, Neon (or "Sex" Magic as he prefers to be called) has blitzed in the last few weeks, with the young mans profile going up so much Im sure I can hear California waiting for him.[span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span style="font-size: small;">[span style="font-family: Calibri;">I still consider him a flat track bully, but he has come on call for my midfield without Wells (he is at a high point in the cycle admittedly…but 137 is a huge average after 6).   Over at fanfooty, Mollys chambers might not be full enough to get him, but 137 again I cant argue with a bit of the old holly roller novocaine after seeing that up in lights over lunch.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">[span...