Trying to toss up whether to go with a strategy of using a midpricer or a Petrie at R2 with a Bellchambers or Vickery type at R3. I have Sandi at R1. I have 5 of the best + D Swallow in the midfield and would have to sacrifice one of these to fit a Cox in. Not sure if fitting Cox in outways the benefit of having one less prem and a rookie in the mids. Then again I'm also aware of the downside. Thoughts??
I'd downgrade one of your mids. There's so many cash cows/undervalued players to choose from. There's not many in the rucks. But that's me
Bloody hell! Jolly was woeful last night! Have had him locked in for a starting ruck spot since the end of last season's H&A games. Now, a total re-think is in order - if he is gonna get dominated so badly by the likes of Bellchambers, Jolly may not be worth the coin!!Might be straight back onto the Russian, who should continue on like a warrior at the Demons again this year....
I've actually taken a risk and have Vickery at R2 with Sandi. With the form he has shown, hopefully he can make enough coin to allow an upgrade into Cox. I figured I would load up on the FWDS as this is the line that is causing the most grief.
I'm really set about starting Fraser as R3 but with Sandi/Cox the only 'lock' it may be too much money in the rucks. That and with Smith looking like a strong case as most peoples R3, it could be another option I'm debating is Sex on the Beach Under the Sun(s). Backup plan is just Smith-Keeffe and be done with the headache. Smith may not play round 1 but what he does have is Game Security.
Jolly started woefully last year from memory came home strong just to get a poor average. I think he's now another mid price nightmare that causes season lasting pain imo.
@ FSB I like the idea of Bellchambers, hadn't considered him at all for R3 as I was wedded to 2 rookies in R3 & R4. The extra 60k odd over a Dr Zachary (Lost in Southport) Smith might be money well spent. I'm thinking that having Bellchambers on the park for first three rounds means if Smith does play rounds 2,3 and 4 and kills it the trade down to him will provide a small amount of cash. If he spuds it up then the saved trade is a bonus.
Is Bellchambers seriously in Essendons best 22 though. With Hille & Ryder already in there to ruck, surely Hird isnt dumb enough to play 3 ruckman with the new interchange rules...
Thats the question Thunda...he has looked pretty good but will they go 3 talls. I think its a chance as both Hille and Ryder can both be good forward options.
Agree with Thunder New inter rules will cut the extra tall forward / ruck option imo.Dons will be more interested imo on Hurley / Jetta in the forward line and Ryder / Hille in the ruck. Swans in a similar spot to Dons regarding this. They have Mummy / Seaby then Bradshaw (If he gets fit) and Goodes imo. So Pyke / J White will be squeezed out and I rate Bellchambers above Pyke but equal to White.
Jamar to me is a good option, and reasonably reliable. He is mobile, can take a mark, kick goals, and is pretty much the Demons only ruckman. Robbie Campbell is a month or two away from being fit, and needs to come off the rookie list to get a game with Melbourne. The rest of the ruck stocks at the D's is pretty young and not overly great at the minute. So for me, Jamar is a good thing, particularly coming off a very good 2010. Sandi and Jamar as #'s 1 & 2 rucks sounds pretty much a season long line up, with a total mystery as who to have as R3 and R4!!!! Z Smith is a common option for #3, but a fourth ruck, that is the hard part!!
Surely after what we have seen this preseason R1&2 are locked in and we can rename this thread "position focus R3 and R4"? which is still a mini-nightmare until we see the rnd 1 lineups.
Just putting it out there as a warning for those looking at Jamar. He basically rules out most of the other premium rucks, as he shares byes with (iirc) Seaby, Mumford, Sandi, Jolly and Cox. Would mean you may have to cop 1, if not 2 0's due to the lack of R3/4 options.
I didnt make it down to Sandy but here is a few peoples thoughts on Rhys Stanley's performance (from saintsational) <blockquote>Stanley-rucked most of the day and some spells up forward, won most of the hitouts against AFL listed ruckman (spencer and gawn), not always to advantage </blockquote> <blockquote>Rhys Stanley started in the ruck and then played full forward got a bit of the ball around the ground in the ruck moved well up foward and got a feww touches. Dropped some marks when he had his opponent done. Looked fit and fast but still has a lot of improvement left in him.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Quote from Ruddy on March 12, 2011, 16:48 Just putting it out there as a warning for those looking at Jamar. He basically rules out most of the other premium rucks, as he shares byes with (iirc) Seaby, Mumford, Sandi, Jolly and Cox. Would mean you may have to cop 1, if not 2 0's due to the lack of R3/4 options.</blockquote> Good point, but Jolly is okay. Jamar shares a bye with Sydney+WC(#5) and Adelaide+Freo(#16) so if you're going to pair him with another gun, Jolly/Ryder look the options
But then you get the problem of Jolly was shocking in his first hit out, and while it is only 1 game, a 1 point SC score is a huge worry for me.
Perhaps Jolley's 1 SC is just what we need. Stay with me here...if he maintains his current form and scores 1 in each of the first 7 rounds, then has the bye, his salary would be $100,500 coming into R9. We have two options, downgrade Fraser who in R8 finally falls apart from the Gaffer Tape holding him together, trousering $200k in the process, or else we cash in R4 (Keefe) for a $150k profit and all have Jolly Sandi Cox (is that "Gay sex at the beach"?) for the rest of the year.
Is anyone considering Mitch Clark? Didn't have the best year last year but is playing for a contract this year. Can be a good incentive. Out of him, Jolly and Hille for R2 for me (Sandi as R1)
JMac...find the money and get Cox. Sandi - Cox looks the Premium ruck combo this year to get on early and stay on. Of the others, I would suggest Jolly way ahead of Clark. Leuenberger will play R1 this year with Clark more time on the forward line, and all reports so far is Clark is out of his depth down there.