Hey, hey FYI ORFFL folks. The midseason trade and draft period is fast approaching so here be dates, provisional except for the opening of the trade period. Discussion below.

Opening of the MidSeason Trade Period: Mon 8th June, at the conclusion of the Mel vs Col match.
Closing of the MidSeason Trade Period: Thurs 18th June, at the conclusion of the Ade vs Haw match.
Delist 'em If You Got 'em: Frid 19th June, at the conclusion of the WCE vs Ric match.
Beginning of the MidSeason Draft: Sat 20th June, at the conclusion of the PTA vs Car match.
Closing of the MidSeason Draft: When all teams have 26 players.

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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]PURNULULU BUNGLE RANGERS
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]A bit like Glenrowan, the PBR could be a lot of things if they had their full complement of players on the park; a contender for the flag most importantly. First they lost Liberatore preseason to a knee injury, then they lost Swallow during the season to another knee injury. Losing two premier MIDs in a squad that has only four then Myers then a motley collection of F/M's has turned the PBR from a possible contender to a team that will probably finish the season outside the 8.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]This seemingly paints a damming portrait but it ain't really like that at all. Losing MIDs of the calibre of Liberatore and Swallow would wound any team and when fit and coupled with Selwood and Treloar you have a rotation that will be as good as any for the next 4 years. Then up FWD the Rangers have six names averaging over 79ppg and a further four that I'd wager plenty of other clubs would love to have in their side.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]The equation seems simple and I dare say it's hardly the first time I've shared this sentiment with this team. Trade some FWDs for MIDs. Yes, there is a fair chance that they could lose some of 2015's FWD's to 2016 positional switches. Currently though it's a 12:6 ratio in favour of the FWD's, when ideally a side would be playing on field with a 4:6 ratio in favour of the MIDs. In this scribe's opinion, it's just not playing the odds.
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<p style='color: #424242;]/Portals/0/User%20Images/ORFFL/SBS.png
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]SMITHS BEACH SEAGULLS
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]Smiths Beach are an interesting case in my mind. I generally regard them as a good team, loaded with talent in the MIDs and in particular up FWD. Sure their DEF is a bit lacking, but very few teams are without weaknesses in some area of the ground. And yet when I look at the results it's not just that they/re sitting in 11th spot at 4-4, it's that they're sitting in 11th spot for points scored. With a team that fields the likes of Franklin, Parker, Dangerfield, Heppell, Steven and others it begs a closer look at the cause.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]Turns out there are a myriad of subtle reasons that have accumulated to weigh the Seagulls down. Franklin, his recent demolition of Carlton aside, has been having one of his high 80 seasons as opposed to his 95+ ones. Nick Riewoldt has been largely absent and playing a decoy role at the Saints when he has been on field. New addition D/F Frawley has also spent a significant stint on the sidelines and when he has played he hasn't exactly found the scoring groove at his new AFL club. Oh and promising young DEF May has found himself on the wrong end of a tribunal decision and missed a bunch of weeks.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]When you add all this up to me it just equates to bad luck. Smiths Beach has talent, positional balance and a pretty good age profile across their list. Sure they could do with a premier D1 and a better first choice RUC than Hickey, but those things aren't easily obtainable and more importantly they've played the list management game adroitly by giving themselves plenty of options to both cover and develop. They've just been hit with the injury stick. I wouldn't be surprised to see these guys back in the Top8 in time for finals this year and in years to come.
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<p style='color: #424242;]/Portals/0/User%20Images/ORFFL/QUE.png' style='width: 209px; height: 228px;
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]QUEENSTOWN QUOLLS
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]I don't want to say I told you so, but given my nature it's kind of hard for me not to. This team needs MIDs. Mitchell, Watson, Gibbs and Jones aren't enough to take a team deep into August, and when some for those guys start under performing, well they may not even make it. Then again they might given the heat they're packing up FWD and down BAC.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]An average above eighty for a DEF or FWD is what I call a win, and the Quolls have three of each in said areas - with one of those in each area averaging over ninety. Which means they're remarkably well balanced. To add to this they have a further couple in reserve averaging a healthy plus 70. On paper/speadsheet; reads great.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]The problem is that many of those players are what you'd call patchy (and not in the Leigh Adams mould). Dixon can post up tons, he can also post up sub 50's. Same goes for Yarran and Howe. Which means that unless the coaching is spot on, Queenstown's score can vary between an all conquering 1350+ to a lay down low of 1150-. And in this game you'd rather your team being consistently above average than occasionally spectacular.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]So what's a remedy for the Quolls at the midseason break? Most sensibly it's to trade out an inconsistent DEF or FWD for a MID that can produce every week (and probably pick up another in the draft). Not the easiest thing to do at this point in time when I have the feeling that a lot of other ORFFL clubs will be looking to do the same. Either that or get a man on the inside of the GCS to find out whether Dixon is going to play sober week to week. Also a tough ask.
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<p style='color: #424242;]/Portals/0/User%20Images/ORFFL/POP.png
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]POPANYINNING PYRITE
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]I don't know how this team is sitting where it is. It baffles me. Boggled is my mind. I understand that they've won 5 games and understand the idea that if you've won more than 50% of your games you generally end up in the top half of the ladder (generally). But how? How? You and I are about to find out.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]Upon having a look at the team the answer I've come up with is positional flexibility and sheer luck. I don't want to talk much about the latter but the former is something quite interesting. I'd laughed preseason regarding Popanyinning's decision to head into the season with 4 RUCs on their list. Not at the Pyrite in a mocking or pitying fashion, rather a more smirking well played, old bean kind of way when the opposition does something creative and dastardly. Depriving other clubs of back-up RUCs by grabbing 4 of them yourself is a cunning tactical decision, and Popanyinning have been employing this tactic for a long time in the ORFFL.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]What's different this year is that the change in HO's are scored has dramatically changed the ranking landscape for RUCs. Anecdotally (and I'll be the one telling the anecdote) the change in how these points are scored have favoured RUC's that win more of the ball around the ground, with the points won from a HTA or to a neutral result acting as an adjunct to scores generated from possessions and disposals as opposed to being the primary source for points scored in a match. Sinclair and Clarke are thriving under these new interpretations as 2nd RUCs at their AFL clubs and as FWD's for Popanyinning.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]Which is just as well because lest we forget this is a team that moved both Riewoldt and Betts off it's books last year, leaving the quixotic Jenkins to be the one to storm into breach. Look overall the Pyrite have probably over-achieved to date this season, but given their age profile and positional balance I think they'll find themselves challenging for real in the next few years. They'll be, in the words of noted poet laureate Dwayne Russell, CrazyGood, Oh Baby, This Could be the firestarter, twisted firestarter, whoa, yeah, baby!
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<p style='color: #424242;]/Portals/0/User%20Images/ORFFL/BUN.png' style='width: 209px; height: 228px;
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]BUNDALONG BULLFROGS
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]These guys are my second team. Not the team that I coach, but the one that I'm cheering on. It used to be Humpty Doo, now that they're too good, I've had to switch allegiances. Bundalong it is! I'm going to enjoy it while it last because in a year or two they'll probably be where HDH are sitting now.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]So why do I think a team that finished dead last in 2014 will be a future contender just a few years later? One, they weren't that bad in '14 (list-wise, on-field they were terrible). Two, they drafted spectacularly well in the preseason. McGovern, a 23yo 94ppg DEF is everything you could ask of a P1. Screw this waiting around for development bullshit. Same goes for Miller picked up in the third round. Yeah, as a first year player he's got plenty of progression ahead of him, but all it's really taken for him to be a worthy member of the Bullfrogs best 15 is for him to take off the subs vest. And then there's a clutch of players in Newton, Laverde and Lamb who haven't yet earned a place in the best 15, definitely from this observers point of view have the talent to make a big impact in years to come.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]The only thing is that none of the above are really long-term prime MIDs (watch Miller get some kind of FWD classification for '16). Which is really the only missing piece for Bundalong. They have their premier DEFs and FWDs, a slew of handy, talented and developing role-players, but are missing another prime mover to partner up with Cotchin in the middle of the ground. Don't get me wrong, Miles is as tough and honest as they come, but his ceiling is that much above where he is now. How Bundalong obtain this missing piece is up to them, but if they keep playing like they have been this year and it's going to be harder for them to draft to draft it.
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<p style='color: #424242;]/Portals/0/User%20Images/ORFFL/WAR.jpg
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]WARBURTON WANDERERS
<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]I'll say one thing about Warburton, they know how to compete. For the last 2-3 years I've written them off as a force, yet with canny trading and astute needs-focussed drafting they continue to find themselves not only in the 8 (or on the cusp), but knocking off other contenders. The first time it happened I thought that maybe they'd got lucky, now I know that this coach and this club have genuine list-management skill.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]The Wanderers list strategy for me starts with the solid MID core they drafted in 2012. Boak, Hartlett, Murphy, Hill, Griffen and Scully. All young enough at the time to be in their prime for a good 5-7 years henceforth. Around those 6 MIDS Warburton have slotted in DEFs and FWDs who can simply get 'er done without the need to waste years and list spots waiting for their scores to approach something worthwhile.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]This year it's Picken who's turned it on, putting on 27ppg from his '14 average. Not bad for a Hammerhead discard. Not only that, Higgins, Varcoe, Goldsack and Hansen are also having career best years - at least their careers in the ORFFL. Which is just as well, because aside from the evergreen Harvey and those D/Fs mentioned above, their FWD line is an absolute shambles. Dawes is injured, Black's MIA, Sylvia's dead and former Disappointment Watts may as well be.
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<p style='color: #424242;][span style='letter-spacing: 0px;]In years past I'd probably be dismissive of Warburton's prospects in this year and beyond given what their FWD line looks like. I now know better and they've proven their grit in the face of adversity. This is one team I refuse to turn my back on.




<h2 style='margin-bottom: 11px;]LADDER

<table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' style='color: #444444; margin-bottom: 10px;]
<tbody>

<td class='LadderHeader center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]Pos
Club
P
W
L
D
F
A
%
Form
pts



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]1
Sarah Island Savages
9
8
1
0
12853
11298
113.76%
WWWWW
32



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]2
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Humpty Doo Hammerheads
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]8
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]1
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]0
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11360
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10495
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]108.24%
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]WWWWW
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]32



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]3
Mallacoota Magicians
9
7
2
0
11216
10572
106.09%
WWLLW
28



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]4
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Coulta Couldabeens
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]6
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]3
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]0
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11387
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10785
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]105.58%
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]WLWWW
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]24



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]5
Milikapati Snakes
9
6
3
0
11185
11161
100.22%
WWWWW
24



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]6
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Mount Buggery Disappointments
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]5
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]4
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]0
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11604
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11337
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]102.36%
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]LWWLL
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]20



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]7
Warburton Wanderers
9
5
4
0
11161
11037
101.12%
WLWWL
20



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]8
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Smiths Beach Seagulls
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]5
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]4
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]0
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11137
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10628
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]104.79%
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]WWLLW
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]20



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
Purnululu Bungle Rangers
9
5
4
0
10808
11020
98.08%
LWLWW
20



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Popanyinning Pyrite
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]5
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]4
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]0
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10207
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]10528
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]96.95%
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]WLWWL
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]20



<td class='LadderCell center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]11
Bundalong Bullfrogs
9
4
5
0
11251
10971
102.55%
LLWLL
16



<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #dddddd; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]12
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate ' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: left;]Queenstown Quolls
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]9
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]4
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlternate center' style='background-color: #eeeeee; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 5pt; border: 0px; text-align: center;]5
<td class='LadderCell LadderAlter