it's all coming together

Think someone back asked about the rookies so thought I'd give this a go. Most of this is done by memory, so I may have missed players, mainly done on what I think scoring potential and job security are for them in relation to others.

Port's "Rookie Rumblings":

Defence - Expensive
Naughton > Coffieldᴹ > daylight > O'Shea > Cole > abyss

Defence - Cheap
Doedee > Murray > Finlaysonᴹ > Murphy > Stoddart

Midfield - Expensive
Ad.Brayshaw > Brodie > Dow > LDU > Clark

Midfield - Cheap
Kelly > Banfield > Barry > Holman > Choose a DPP > *crickets*

Rucks - Anyone
Cameron > Loophole > English > Pittonet

Forwards - Expensive
Daylight > Fogartyᴹ > Stephensonᴹ > Raynerᴹ > Daylight

Forwards - Cheap aka "throw darts in the hope someone averages over 50ppg" (p/b West Coast's reserves)
Fritsch > Giles-Langdon > Ryan > Garlettᴹ > Venables > Rioli > Keeffeᴰ > Waterman


Bolded the ones I think are locks. Inb4 list becomes irrelevant tomorrow

Looks pretty good tbh, Cogs Armo and Bundy all decent MP and many will have them if they bust anyway, most people seem to be in or out of the Sicily camp, I am out of it myself. As Mike said Walters may be a dodgy choice.

The way you've detailed the changes can make it a little tough to read what the real team is now, that said I figured it out so it can't be too hard

Every line is improved by the changes imo, looks like a much better platform to start from.

If Walters plays midfield he's the lockiest of locks, if he's spending more time up forward he's not.

I don't get the Armitage love at all personally. Could be wrong of course (pre-season is all speculation) but would rather take the risk on JOM's knees than him.

He isn't in my team, I prefer Cogs by a mile, but Armitage is priced at least 20 points below his expected average, and last years injury/ illness isn't likely to reoccur.

Looks pretty spot on to me atm, Ahern for North also likely while Cole almost certainly misses at least round 1 now though I've read nothing either way.

I guess Armi to me looks like to much like his ceiling is stepping stone at best. He needs to be averaging over 90ppg to be worth it even then.

As for the rookies, yeah I'd have put Cole before O'Shea (whom I don't rate at all, Blues have so many options to choose over him) before the news of his father. Terrible

Didn't list Ahern because he's a trade down target, training with VFL team atm. Hopefully perfectly timed to start at our Rd 6/7.

Writing all that out was actually good, I didn't realise how little there was in regards to actual midfielders to choose from. Very much the case there I think to load up on prems and use a DPP forward (or Finlayson) to prop up bench.

Forwards are just a mess. Guys like Fogarty, Keffee and Waterman are all looking like playing until best 22 players come back. The rest look to be hide-in-the-pocket type players.

Basically nailed it I think Venables is a bit closer to the front of the cheap FWD rookie list but there isn't much competition on that line.

This is where my team is at.

Downgrading one of Coffield or Rayner to a 120k option (albeit with worse JS) then using cash in hand would allow a 402k mid-pricer. I can't find anyone at or just below this price who I like enough to start however. Any suggestions?

Please give me some thumbs action:

Thumbs up: keep Coffield and Rayner
Thumbs down: ditch both and select a 402k MID or FWD and a 123k option on the other line instead.

Darcy Fogarty and Tom Doedee confirmed to play round 1 (I think)

Maybe Sicily?

Quite similar to my team in many players. A lot to like.

Decent chance that Greene gets himself suspended and misses some games in 2018. I toyed with starting him myself, but this potential issue has recently seen him leave my team.

I am worried that Fogarty will play one or two early games and then sit on the bench for a few months. Can't pick him myself.

A popular pick at the price, no doubt. I watched him play JLT1 and killed it for SC while playing as an attacking half-back. But then he disappeared in JLT2 and went back to rubbish SC scoring. I suspect this up-down formline will continue in 2018 unfortunately. Can anyone convince me otherwise?

One for the thumbs:
TU - J Kelly, W Brodie +250k
TD - L Parker, P Cripps

@Jason Downgrade Rayner, upgrade Liberatore

@Iain First option if you use that $250k somewhere too.