[span style="">In my previous articles I provided a run-down of the players at Alberton from the main defence training group in part 1, and the midfield training group in part 2. In this, the 3rd instalment of the series, I will scrutinise the players in the forwards training group and then put the rucks under the microscope. So without further ado, I present part 3 of the Port Adelaide Update.<!--more-->[span style="font-weight:bold">Forwards Group[span style="">The main forward group at Alberton, training under the experienced eye of assistant coach Gary Hocking, comprises the following players – [span style="font-style:italic">Brendon AhChee; Mitch Banner; John Butcher; Brett Ebert; Cameron Hitchcock; Ben Newton; Simon Phillips; Jay Schulz; Daniel Stewart; Justin Westhoff; Chad Wingard; Aaron Young; Jarrad Irons (r); Daniel Webb (r).[span style="">As to be expected at an AFL club, several of these players have also spent time training with either the defence, midfield or ruck groups, with several members of those groups also training occasionally with the forward group.[span style="">
Port Adelaide’s forward group want to be a super competitive unit in everything they do in 2012. As a group, they made a decision at the start of pre-season training by “drawing a line in the sand” and put together a set of key values to define how they wanted to be perceived. These values are about accountability to each other and the team, and they are focussed as a group and determined to be a competitive force on the training track and out on the field. Be it training, weights or pilates, they just want to be able to physically challenge the backs in a contest. This competitive determination, as with the defence group, was best demonstrated earlier in the pre-season with the much publicised stoush between Schulz &amp; Trengove. Gary Hocking recalls his time at Geelong where Cam Mooney &amp; Matt Scarlett got involved in a bit of biffo on the track now and then and he says, “It’s this win at all costs competitive attitude between team-mates that will help our forwards become a stronger force in the competition”.
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Despite having a low Inside-50 average in 2011, Port were pretty good with their accuracy last year and were one of the best in the AFL for accuracy overall. Hocking has been working particularly hard with the forward group over the pre-season on their fatigue kicking by putting pressure on the players when they're tired in between drills. Early in the season players are always trying to chase, harass and win the ball back, however he sees it as one of his major tasks as forward coach to ensure that the players still perform when they become physically jaded.

There is no doubt that the forwards are functioning very well as a group on the training track, and this has been evident so far in the pre-season games to date. As a group, the forwards have gone into the start of the season with a goal to be very competitive – even on the training track against their own team-mates (which is all any club has to train against!). [span style="">Hocking says of the forward group, “We have to realise now coming into the season that we are going to be playing against high quality backs and different types of defensive coverage from the opposition. Maybe we'll play against seven backs…how do we deal with that? Maybe it will be six versus six? Different teams will throw up different scenarios against us so I've made sure that we threw these ideas at our players from the beginning of the year so they have some better understanding and awareness of our opponents”.

Hocking is confident that this group is certainly going to be a very efficient and attacking forward line. “When we lose the ball we are going to put an enormous amount of pressure on the opposition, so if we can't mark the ball inside 50, we're going to hunt it instead and try to cause turnovers to score from” he says. “We're not going to be rock stars - we're a hard working 'blue collar' unit”! [span style="">Now onto some info regarding the core midfield group – as with the defence &amp; midfield groups in parts 1 &amp; 2, the comments for each player are broken down as a review of 2011, a pre-season review &amp; potential for 2012, followed by my SC/DT thoughts

<a href="http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/players/playerprofile/brendonahchee/tabid/8475/playerid/23847/category/senior/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx" target="_blank">[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Brendon Ah Chee – Fwd[span style="font-weight:bold"> –[span style=""> SuperCoach $106,600 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $98,700 (2011 ave – n/a)[/url][span style="">Age: 18 Height: 188cm Weight: 82kg 2011 games: n/a [span style="">Port’s 2nd selection (#45) at the 2011 National Draft, from South Fremantle.
Brendon played 16 games in the WAFL Colts competition for South Fremantle in 2011, winning the club’s B&amp;F award after averaging 16 disposals &amp; 4 tackles mainly playing across half-forward. Ah Chee only played 1 game for WA at the U-18 Championships finishing with only 4 disposals &amp; 1 goal.[span style="">Brendon has fitted into the club really well since being drafted &amp; moving over from WA. A mid/forward, Ah Chee has a very good, strong overhead mark and is clean on the ground. He has a fantastic “Polly Farmer” style handball, he can handball as far as just about anyone on the list can kick it! At a handy size being 188cm, Brendon has got an exciting future ahead him at Port whether as a mainstream forward or on the ball. Will come through the SANFL but is showing some really promising signs after a very strong pre-season preparation.[span style="">Ah Chee has only played about 57 minutes in one T20 and one full NAB matches in the pre-season without racking up much in the way of scores, although he has done a few nice things in his “cameo” stints on-field, particularly in the 2nd T20 game against Adelaide where he came on field &amp; within seconds floated across the front of a pack to take a strong overhead mark. Brendon will develop in the SANFL at the Magpies where he had his first run last weekend. I expect Ah Chee to be a downgrade target in the forward line during the season; however we’ll just have to monitor his SANFL form to see how close he is to getting a call up. When he does make his debut, be prepared to watch his first couple of games then add him when he’s on the bubble. Keep a close eye on this lad folks.
[span style="font-style:italic">Mitch Banner – Mid[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $330,100 (2011 ave – 61) DreamTeam $351,700 (2011 ave – 71)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 21 Height: 179cm Weight: 78kg 2011 games: 9[span style="">
Mitch played nine games in 2011 and kicked 11 goals after getting his opportunity in round 16 due to sustained good form with the Magpies in the SANFL and because he worked extremely hard to improve the defensive side of his game. When he got his chance he held his spot for the remainder of the season and managed to play some good consistent footy and had an impact on the scoreboard with three goals against Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Mitch is certainly one player who the coaches consider could put pressure on for a spot in the midfield in 2012 providing he continues to work hard on all aspects of his game.
Having completed all the pre-season work and built up some strength and improving his endurance, Mitch should expect to play more games in 2012. Playing up forward and in the midfield, Mitch has shown he has the ability to hurt the opposition with his run forward and kicking goals. Where this leads in season 2012 and beyond is up to Mitch, he needs to keep working hard, and continue to improve the defensive side of his game. Mitch is highly regarded by team-mates and coaches alike.[span style="">Expected to feature more prominently in 2012, I consider Banner more of a DreamTeam prospect than SC. If he could find more contested ball &amp; clearances, as well as continue to hit the scoreboard regularly, he could find himself becoming a SuperCoach prospect in the future. Keep an eye on his development this season to see how much he improves. Not this season for me – Pass.[span style="">
[span style="font-style:italic">John Butcher – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $285,100 (2011 ave – 66) DreamTeam $243,400 (2011 ave – 62)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 20 Height: 197cm Weight: 90kg 2011 games: 4[span style="">
As a high draft pick, the wraps have been huge on ‘Butch'. However, serious back injuries set his development back in his first year on the list in 2010, limiting him to the 2nd half of the SANFL season at reserves &amp; league level for the Magpies. With the medical &amp; fitness staff helping him to recover from the back problem &amp; improve his core strength to help avoid a repetition of back issues over pre-season leading into 2011, Butch was finally ready to knuckle down to the task at hand. He had to spend a bit of time in the SANFL, learning his craft initially in the reserves before forcing his way into the Magpies senior team. A mid-season hamstring injury set him back a couple of weeks, but he managed to perform strongly for the Magpies which eventually lead to him gaining an opportunity to make his AFL debut late in the season, playing the last four games. Being a high draft pick, expectations will always be high for Butch, and he really worked hard throughout 2011 to justify these expectations, most notably the way he improved in his application in terms of attitude. His approach to training and becoming an AFL player certainly picked up halfway through the 2011 and he really stood out towards the end of the season kicking 11.1 from his 4 games, competing strongly. Butch is going to play a big part in the future fortunes at Port as the club moves forward.
After having a great conclusion to 2011 where he made his AFL debut and kicked 11 goals in his 4 games, along with rewarding the club for their faith in him by re-signing a new deal to stay at Alberton, Butch has managed to undertake the bulk of pre-season work leading into 2012. One of 8 young up-and-coming players involved in an intensive boot camp in mid October (see link in intro to part 1 of these articles), Butch had a slight setback with a minor foot problem leading into the Christmas break, however he returned from the break fit and ready to make his mark in 2012. Butch is a strong presence in the forward line, plays with great pressure and strong attack on the ball and overhead marking, attributes highly valued by his team-mates &amp; coaches. Along with Schulz and Westhoff, Butch is expected to develop further this season into a reliable target inside 50.[span style="">There is no doubting Butch’s talent as a strong marking forward as he demonstrated late in 2012, and as a low mid-priced option, many could be tempted to take a punt on him increasing his average in 2012. However, key position forwards are often inconsistent in fantasy scoring terms, especially young key forwards. I do expect Butch to improve on last season’s efforts, but 2012 will also see him face increased attention from opposition defenders. Having watched NAB games to date, Butch has had both good and not so good games, demonstrating the inconsistency one would expect from a 20 yo KPF. Personally I am undecided on Butch so I can’t honestly say yes or no either way. Go with your gut instinct on Butch.

[span style="font-style:italic">Brett Ebert – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $354,200 (2011 ave – 65) DreamTeam $327,300 (2011 ave – 66)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 28 Height: 179cm Weight: 84kg 2011 games: 12[span style="">
Mega had stuff all pre-season leading into 2011, recovering from LARS surgery on his knee, he then picked up tonsillitis and a virus, severely limiting the amount of work he could do over the summer. After coming back from these setbacks through the SANFL, Mega managed to earn his way back into the side following some really solid performances with the Magpies, managing to play 12 games for the year, and definitely started to look like a much better player late in the season. The big positive for Mega is he developed his game to the point where he now has the capacity to play with consistency in the midfield at AFL level.
A very experienced member of the forward group like Westy &amp; Schulz, Mega can be a dangerous forward with his ability to play small or tall inside the forward 50. Arguably one of the best overhead marks in the league for his height, Mega has shown in the last year that he has the capacity to help out in the midfield if a bigger body is required there during games and is usually a reliable kick for goal. Mega has had a big pre-season even though he still needs a little bit of work, has had a slight setback leading into the NAB matches, but he will certainly be around the mark when it comes to selection for Round 1.[span style="">Often anchored in the forward line pretty much all game, Mega-Head has the ability to increase his average a bit in 2012 with some midfield time which the coaching staff has certainly forecast. That being said, for a $354k mid-pricer you would certainly want him to increase that average to 85+ which most likely will be more than he can manage. He can be an exciting player to watch with his strong overhead marking, but not for me in either SuperCoach or DT.

[span style="font-style:italic">Cam Hitchcock – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $259,400 (2011 ave – 48) DreamTeam $254,500 (2011 ave – 51)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 21 Height: 176cm Weight: 73kg 2011 games: 13[span style="">
After bursting onto the AFL scene unexpectedly with 17 games in 2010, ‘Alfred’ appeared to suffer a case of the “second-year blues” in 2011 even though he still managed to play 13 games. ‘Alfred’ needs to work harder at winning the ball more often as well as mature physically, however he's quick, has a great attitude and his enough football smarts to make it difficult for defenders.
‘Alfred’ was travelling well through the pre-season until he hurt his shoulder mid-break requiring surgery. Placed on the LTI list, he isn’t expected to be back until Round 4 or 5 at the earliest. A small, creative forward who can put pressure on the opposition when they bring the ball out, ‘Alfred’ will need to get lots of game time in the SANFL and put pressure on his team-mates for the small forward spot in the side prior to coming back into calculations.[span style="">No possible way known I could recommend ‘Alfie’ for any fantasy game, he just doesn’t score enough – A big PASS from me!!![span style="">
[span style="font-style:italic">Ben Newton – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $113,200 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $104,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 19 Height: 183cm Weight: 75kg 2011 games: n/a[span style="">
Picked up in the 2010 national draft with selection #35, Benny had a horror run in 2011 after coming to the club with an ankle injury very much like that which ended Tredrea’s career. As a result of his lack of preparation, further injury issues plagued Benny throughout the season, resulting in him only managing to play a handful of SANFL reserves games with West Adelaide. Benny managed to show his undoubted class &amp; ability in the games he did play before injury ended his season, resulting in surgery. There is big wraps on Benny at Alberton. Although he hasn’t been able to play much he's a hard worker both on and off the field &amp; has the desire &amp; hunger to be a very good player - with his attitude &amp; determination to succeed he has the potential to be a good player for the club provided he gets time out on the ground.
A midfield-forward, Benny has been hampered over the pre-season recovering from off-season surgery and a few niggles, but he will start to get some opportunities in 2012. He's a beautiful left foot kick, understands the game really well &amp; has a good mark for his size. He has a strong desire to prove himself at AFL level which is a positive goal for him to set so he can work hard to realise his goal. Played a brief cameo in the narrow loss against the Eagles in NAB R2 where he managed to rack up 15DT in less than a quarter. Benny will go back to West Adelaide to get some game time into his legs and continue to work hard on his game with the hope he can produce some form to demand selection for his AFL debut.[span style="">Newton has a touch of class about him. A midfielder who can also play forward, I would advise to keep track of his performances in the SANFL and be prepared for when he makes his debut. Looks to be an ideal downgrade target considering the coaching staff are keen to give him a chance as soon as he is ready. Keep a very close eye on him throughout the season.

[span style="font-style:italic">Simon Phillips – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $319,800 (2011 ave – 59) DreamTeam $286,300 (2011 ave – 58)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 24 Height: 174cm Weight: 71kg 2011 games: 8[span style="">
Simon had a tough 2011, coming to the club with a broken jaw then copping another broken jaw at training after he had just got himself right. Then to top that off, he finished the year with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Simon certainly has some exciting attributes, with great speed, sound decision making, solid defensive skills and the ability to kick some exciting goals. If he can overcome the disappointment of the injury setbacks of 2011 and work hard on the track over pre-season &amp; throughout the year, he’ll have a good future at the club.
A small, pressure forward coming off a shoulder injury &amp; subsequent surgery last year, Phillips has managed to complete a full pre-season preparation leading into 2012. Phillips has the ability to excite the fans &amp; coaches alike with his capacity to run &amp; carry the ball along with the application of pressure he puts on opposition defenders when they want to bring the ball out. He's a crumbing type player who can win the ball at ground level and take shots on goal. Phillips aim in 2012 should be to play out the whole year &amp; provide some speed and a link up option through the middle of the ground and half forward.[span style="">Phillips never really got much opportunity for extended time in his 8 games in 2011 as a result of his interrupted pre-season, and this is evident in his scores. Although he has the ability to improve his average by 10-15 points, I am not totally convinced he will string enough games together. At almost $320k there are much better mid-price forward options available – Pass.

[span style="font-style:italic">Jay Schulz – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $343,200 (2011 ave – 63) DreamTeam $294,900 (2011 ave – 60)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 26 Height: 193cm Weight: 95kg 2011 games: 16[span style="">
Sarge suffered a knee injury in round 1 of the 2011 season, subsequently being side-lined for 5 weeks which hurt the structures &amp; leadership up forward. Being a member of the club’s leadership group, Sarge provides strong direction &amp; leadership of the forwards out on the ground as well as being a focal point up forward. A very competitive player, Sarge hunts the ball in the air and on the ground and enjoys setting up goals for team-mates as well as kicking them himself. He was second at the club for contested marking &amp; goal kicking, only kicking two goals less (31) than he did in 2010 despite missing six games.
Sarge has had a very strong pre-season, and has retained his place in the leadership group which is exciting for him. He is an extremely competitive player, be it on field or at training, and this was evident in his stoush at training with Trengove during pre-season in a match simulation drill. Competitive both in the air and on the ground, Sarge will continue to be a genuine target up forward and certainly provides direction &amp; a strong voice for the rest of the forwards. He has fitted into the forward structure perfectly since arriving at the club two years ago.[span style="">Sargeant Schulz can be a bit hot &amp; cold as a fantasy player, as is often the case with key position forwards. However, with an expected increase in forward 50 entries, along with improved delivery from a beefed-up mid-field, there is a realistic prospect he can improve his average in 2012. Won’t be in my team; however some may be prepared to take a risk.

[span style="font-style:italic">Daniel Stewart – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $225,900 (2011 ave – 42) DreamTeam $221,400 (2011 ave – 45)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age:23 Height: 200cm Weight: 93kg 2011 games: 12[span style="">
Snowy had a fairly inconsistent season in 2011, finding himself in and out of the side throughout the year and playing only 12 games. He found it a bit difficult trying to play a dual role as a forward and back-up ruckman, however he just needs to work hard at both aspects and develop his ability to be able to play both roles. Snowy regularly dominates at SANFL level as he possesses a great contested mark, but he needs to continue to work on his competitiveness and consistency.
With a limit on the amount of tall players the team can carry in the forward line, Snowy finds himself in a position where the coaching staff view him more as a ruck/forward. It's a bit more difficult to play as a key forward than in the ruck, and Snowy has worked extremely hard to improve in both areas during the pre-season. One of a group of young up-and-coming players to undertake an intensive boot camp in mid October, Snowy has really shown the benefits of a strong pre-season preparation, adding some muscle to his frame so he can consistently provide a strong contest in both the forward line &amp; in the ruck. Snowy has certainly been of the best forwards over the pre-season in terms of what he's done on-field and in the gym, and the coaching staff are hoping that he can translate this to being very competitive on field throughout the season as he demonstrated in the round 1 NAB games against Carlton and Adelaide.[span style="">Stewart has shown some strong form during the NAB series with his best game being against the Eagles where he worked in tandem with Redden in the ruck, scoring a solid 75 DreamTeam in 90% TOG. Depending on his role in the team in 2012, Stewart has the ability to improve his average but at $226k he’s too expensive to be considered. Pass

[span style="font-style:italic">Justin Westhoff – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $443,400 (2011 ave – 82) DreamTeam $393,700 (2011 ave – 80)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 25 Height: 199cm Weight: 93kg 2011 games: 20[span style="">
Hoff managed to play 20 games in 2011, and while he played some good matches he was also little bit inconsistent at times. Required to play in a variety of roles and positions, Hoff found himself up forward, on the wing, in defence and even in the ruck, often all in the same game. He was No.1 in contested marks at the club and generally has a lot of shots at goal. Hoff is in that middle-tier of players that need to take their game to another level to help the club move forward and climb the ladder. With a strong pre-season working on improving his game, work rate and leadership skills, Hoff has the ability to be a game winner for the club in 2012.
Hoff has had a really big pre-season, managing to complete all sessions. He does large volumes of work, is rarely injured, very durable and possesses a good mix of being able to play up the ground as well as being a genuine forward. Hoff can be a very tricky match-up for opponents as a forward with his capacity to roam up field to gain possessions, and one big thing he's worked hard at over the past couple of seasons is to build his competitiveness. Hoff will always get shots on goal &amp; deliver the ball inside 50, and since the Christmas break his leadership skills have developed rapidly and he now takes more ownership &amp; responsibility for his role in our forward line.[span style="">Humphrey has been a fairly consistent mid 70’s to mid 80’s scorer for a few years now, with the ability to have a strong 100+ game every now and then. He has got to the stage of his career where he needs to take his game to the next level. If he can manage to improve his work rate, gather a few more possessions each week, and continue to take contested marks, he could easily increase his average to 90+. That’s alot of if’s, but with improvement in the side this isn’t totally unrealistic. At $443k Humphrey is worth some consideration without being a standout selection.
[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Chad Wingard – Mid[span style=""> – SuperCoach $171,600 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $157,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="">Age: 18 Height: 182cm Weight: 77kg 2011 games: n/a
Port’s first selection at the 2011 national draft with pick #6, Wingard is an athletic midfielder with a big future. Captain of the SA U-18 team at the 2011 NAB U-18 championships, Wingard averaged 19 disposals (47% contested), 4 clearances, 4 inside 50’s, 1.8 tackles and 1 goal in his 4 games over the 2011 championships. With strong testing at the 2011 draft combine, Wingard recorded the highest running vertical leap, 4th best score in the clean hands test &amp; a top 10 finish in the agility test. Having averaged over 100 CD ranking points at the 2009 U-16 championships and both the 2010 &amp; 2011 U-18 championships, he is a proven elite performer at junior level.[span style="">An exciting midfielder/small forward with loads of class, Wingard has good poise in possession and great ball skills. He has fitted in really well around the club and had a solid pre-season which bodes well for him in 2012. Having been given a shot in the NAB Cup he definitely figures in the plans of the coaching staff this season and should be around the mark for an early debut.[span style="">Being a high draft pick, Chad certainly comes at a price – almost $172k. Has shown his undoubted ability in the NAB games he’s played, but it seems he is being eased into AFL footy in a forward pocket with occasional stints in the midfield. It would be much more conducive to his scoring potential to see him line up on a HFF where he has spent alot of time at SANFL level with Sturt. However, I do see him gaining more midfield time as the season progresses and as he finds his feet in the big time. Worth grabbing as a cash cow – will make money for you!!!

[span style="font-style:italic">Aaron Young – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $113,200 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $104,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 19 Height: 188cm Weight: 75kg 2011 games: n/a[span style="font-weight:normal">Selected with pick #36 at the 2010 national draft, Young represented Vic Metro at the 2010 NAB U-18 championships kicking 6 goals in 5 games &amp; ranking #1 over that carnival for goal assists. He has really developed physically since being drafted, and spent 2011 working on his game &amp; gaining experience at North Adelaide where he played 14 reserves &amp; 4 senior games for the season. At reserves level, Young averaged 16 disposals and kicked 13 goals. After finishing with 20 disposals on 2 occasions and 10 marks twice, Young’s hard work was rewarded by being named as emergency for the Power in the last couple of games of the season. An[span style=""> exciting prospect, Aaron is a bit of an unknown in terms of his position on the ground. His size &amp; versatility could see him slotting in on a wing, or across half-forward. With a strong pre-season building up a bit more strength and fitness, Aaron could provide more outside run and carry the team needs going forward.<p style="margin-bottom:0pt;line-height:12pt">[span style="">Aaron is member of the forward group who has had a very good pre-season. He was one of the more outstanding youngsters to shine through during pre-season along with Daniel Stewart. His ability to follow the ball and make genuinely good decisions is promising. He will probably come into the side through a bit of time at North Adelaide; however he has shown some good signs in a couple of NAB performances.<p style="margin-bottom:0pt;line-height:12pt">[span style="">Young could end up being a smoky forward rookie who flies under the radar of many. After getting a run in the last 2 NAB matches, he has shown that he figures highly in the coaches plans. Keep an eye out for his debut, and be prepared to grab him when he’s on the bubble – will get games in 2012 barring injury setbacks. [span style="font-style:italic">Jarrad Irons (r) – Mid[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $234,900 (2011 ave – 43) DreamTeam $235,800 (2011 ave – 48)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 19 Height: 179cm Weight: 75kg 2011 games: 3[span style="">
Jarrad burst onto the scene with a big pre-season leading into the 2011 season. He got his opportunity against Collingwood in round 1 after being elevated to the senior list after Lobbe was placed on the LTI list, and had four shots at goal for a return of 2.2 on debut. Only played three games before being dropped to SANFL, then suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. He's got a great attitude and is a hard worker, and the coaching staff believe he has the ability to provide some more stability both in the midfield and up forward. He needs to continue to work hard and grab his chances when the opportunity arises.
Irons has had a solid pre-season, apart from missing a couple of weeks when he suffered a slight hit to the shoulder. He's a half forward/on-baller who makes good decisions with the ball and works extremely hard as a small forward to get shots on goal. He just needs to bide his time and continue to learn his craft on the rookie list to get opportunities in 2012.[span style="">Probably not a front runner for an immediate elevation to the senior list, and isn’t likely to be on the radar of any serious fantasy player after being burnt last year. Look elsewhere until/unless elevated.
[span style="font-style:italic">Daniel Webb (r) – Fwd[span style="font-weight:normal"> – SuperCoach $113,200 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $104,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="font-weight:normal">Age: 22 Height: 197cm Weight: 92kg 2011 games: n/a[span style="">
In his first season on the rookie list in 2011,'Webby' displayed very consistent form for West Adelaide. He developed across the year and improved his contested marking. He’s a forward, but can also play in the ruck, which is a good sign for the club with support needed for Lobbe in that role in 2012. The coaching staff feels he's got something to offer as the club moves forward. He just needs to keep developing his game and working hard to try and get a spot on the senior list.
Daniel has been hampered by injury with a bit of tendonitis on the knee, but continues to show good signs of being able to play consistently in the ruck and up forward. He's got the desire to keep working hard at improving his game and will develop further in 2012 on the rookie list.[span style="">Highly unlikely he’ll get elevated this season unless a couple of rucks fall victim to LTI’s – Pass.

[span style="">Rucks[span style="font-weight:normal">The rucks have had the added bonus of having Shaun Rehn join the club as an assistant coach this season. This has helped to fast track the development of this young but vital group. The primary members of this group are of course Matthew Lobbe, Jarrad Redden, Brent Renouf &amp; Mitch Curnow (r), with Daniel Stewart, Jackson Trengove, Justin Westhoff &amp; Daniel Webb (r) also spending some time training with the ruck group. <a href="http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/players/playerprofile/matthewlobbe/tabid/8475/playerid/18340/category/senior/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx" target="_blank">[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;text-decoration:underline;color:#000000">Matthew Lobbe[/url][span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> – Ruck[span style=""> – SuperCoach $408,700 (2011 ave – 76) DreamTeam $357,100 (2011 ave – 72)[span style="">Age: 23 Height: 200cm Weight: 98kg 2011 games: 10
After a solid pre-season leading into the 2011 season had Matty looking like being a viable back-up to Brogan, he unfortunately dislocated his shoulder shortly before the season started. After being placed on the LTI list which enabled Irons elevation, Matty worked hard to recover from this setback and regain some fitness enabling him to get some touch at reserves &amp; senior level at West Adelaide by mid-season. After showing glimpses of form in the SANFL, Matty got his chance when Brogan got injured in round 14. He held down the #1 ruck spot even when Broges returned to the side for a farewell match in round 24, and acquitted himself well against more experienced opponents. Matty has shown how hungry he is to be successful at this level after having a taste of senior footy in 2011, he’s a strong lad, has great running ability and is extremely competitive. [span style="">Matty was one of the most outstanding performers over the pre-season preparation until his hip injury curtailed it. His recovery is going well and he hasn’t been written off as a chance for Round 1, although somewhere between rounds 1 &amp; 4 appears most likely. Although this injury &amp; subsequent surgery has set him back a bit, he had built a very solid fitness base prior to the injury, so it will mainly be finding a bit of form &amp; touch that he needs most before playing. The preferred #1 ruck choice of the coaching staff, Matty will now find he has both Redden &amp; Renouf to battle for that position. He's shown alot of promise throughout his time on the list, but ruckmen generally take a bit more time to develop than other players. His competitiveness was outstanding in his 10 games in 2011, and he had a bit of influence around the ground often getting to ground level to win the ball, tackling &amp; doing the 1%er’s. Matty has also grown in terms of his leadership and being able to take control of the midfield. He will be given every opportunity to take over the No.1 ruck mantle in season 2012.[span style="">After playing just 3 games in his debut season of 2010, Lobbe showed some promising signs of improvement in his 10 games in 2011. It will be very interesting to see how much he has developed over summer under the tutelage of Rehn. With his hip injury setting him back a bit late in the pre-season, he will work his way back into the team early in the season, however I can see the potential of him working in tandem with Redden until he reaches full fitness &amp; touch. Expect some improvement from him when he does reach peak fitness, but from a mid-price ruck prospect you would have to say there are better options out there – probably a year or two early for Lobbe to come under serious consideration. <a href="http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/players/playerprofile/jarradredden/tabid/8475/playerid/19960/category/senior/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx" target="_blank">[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;text-decoration:underline;color:#000000">Jarrad Redden[/url][span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> [span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">– Ruck[span style=""> – SuperCoach $113,200 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $104,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="">Age: 21 Height: 205cm Weight: 103kg 2011 games: n/a
Recruited with pick #54 at the 2008 national draft, Reddo has always been viewed as a long term project player. Having now started to fill out his big, strong frame, Reddo has the body to match it with the best rucks in the AFL; however he has been given the chance to learn his craft in the SANFL over the past few years at reserves &amp; senior level. He averaged 9 disposals &amp; 15 hitouts in 12 games at senior SANFL level, and finished the year on a high after having a strong influence on the outcome of the 2011 SANFL Grand Final, helping lead Woodville-West Torrens Eagles to the premiership.[span style="">Reddo was one of the 8 young up-and-coming players to undertake an intensive week long boot camp in mid-October, and that was a perfect lead in to a strong pre-season preparation for him. He is a big young lad who is really starting to grow into a man &amp; the midfielders love him at stoppages because of his strength and positioning. He’s a great stoppage ruckman and although he hasn’t got through every session, his aerobic capacity is improving. That is still an area that he’s got plenty of improvement in before he can become a regular AFL ruckman. He’s very good when he’s fresh, and he primed himself for a big NAB Cup series knowing he would be required to shoulder the ruck duties with both Renouf and Lobbe recovering from injury. [span style="">He is an [span style="">exciting ruck prospect for the club and he has a strong desire to take over the mantle of #1 ruckman at the club in the future. He's a beautiful tap ruckman, but he just needs to improve his running power and his ability to cover the ground and get to more contests before he can be considered the clubs #1 ruck. Reddo has shouldered the ruck load throughout the NAB Cup series with some support from Stewart &amp; Renouf, and he showed he was able to compete at this level, especially in the game against West Coast where he managed to beat Cox in the hit-outs. There's a lot of upside to Jarrad, he has shown the most benefit over pre-season from the addition of Rehn to the coaching ranks, however he just needs to improve his running power &amp; endurance so he can take he’s game up another notch.[span style="">Wow, Redden has really blossomed over the pre-season under Rehn’s guidance, he’s strong and competitive, and looks set to share the ruck duties with Lobbe in 2012. The only concern for me is if the club can fit both into the 22 – I believe they can because they are both capable of playing forward, Redden has proven this over the past couple of years at SANFL level. Redden showed some signs of a tough NAB Cup series in the final game against Melbourne, however I feel a week off will have him cherry-ripe for a big game against McEvoy in Round 1. Has proven himself to be a good solid rookie ruck and I can’t see any reason to not select him – Lock him in to R4 and prepare for the $$$’s to roll in - will be a good value cash cow.

<a href="http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/players/playerprofile/brentrenouf/tabid/8475/playerid/23780/category/senior/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx" target="_blank">[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;text-decoration:underline;color:#000000">Brent Renouf[/url][span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> – Ruck[span style=""> – SuperCoach $248,400 (2011 ave – 57) DreamTeam $265,000 (2011 ave – 54)[span style="">Age: 23 Height: 200cm Weight: 98kg 2011 games: 7
Port traded with Hawthorn to get Renouf on the list to add to the inexperienced ruck stocks following Brogan’s departure. Having been a member of the Hawks squad for 5 years, Renouf played 52 games in the brown &amp; gold, including the ’08 premiership, so his experience at a professional club will be invaluable to this young group.[span style="">Renouf hasn’t had a huge pre-season, being on a modified program due to suffering from knee tendonitis amongst other things, however he has shown some strong leadership and intensity within the young ruck group. Renouf’s work ethic and commitment to getting his body right has been outstanding, and his strong voice &amp; influence amongst the ruck group has been important over the pre-season. Had only minor minutes in the NAB match against Fremantle and appears to have slipped down the ruck pecking order behind Lobbe &amp; Redden, however he still has the opportunity to win a place in the side for Round 1 with Lobbe still working on his recovery from hip surgery.[span style="">Never been a good scorer from a fantasy aspect and I can’t see that changing – would need to produce stellar performances in the first couple of rounds to work up the ruck pecking order but that appears unlikely after having minimal effect in his brief minutes in NAB game against Fremantle. Can Pass with confidence. [span style="">

<a href="http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/players/playerprofile/mitchellcurnow/tabid/8475/playerid/22311/category/rookie/season/2012/selected/bio/default.aspx" target="_blank">[span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;text-decoration:underline;color:#000000">Mitch Curnow[/url][span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"> (r) – Ruck[span style=""> – SuperCoach $113,200 (2011 ave – n/a) DreamTeam $104,200 (2011 ave – n/a)[span style="">Age: 19 Height: 201cm Weight: 84kg 2011 games: n/a
Mitch is a developing ruckman who is light in the body and is viewed as a long term project much like Redden was 4 years ago. In his 1st year on the rookie list in 2011, Mitch spent the season at Sturt playing reserves &amp; some U-18 matches as an overage player. The club is he’ll get a full year with Sturt at reserves level, working on his competitive instincts as his body continues to grow. He’s got good skills for a big lad and he’ll be given every opportuni