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<p style='font: inherit;]My, my, my, hasn't the fantasy football landscape changed from one year to the next. 2012 Grand Finalist Warburton languish at the bottom reaches of the table and Mount Buggery, who were ruthlessly bundled out of the finals in the first week are perched above all others at the top of the ladder.
<p style='font: inherit;]'Limited sample size' I hear ye coaches retort, and whilst true, already at the opening stages of the season I believe we're beginning to see some pretty significants portents of the shape of things to come (apologies Stephen Wells). The young fruit is beginning to ripen and those teams that went young in the original draft, well their list are beginning to, errr, come to fruition.
<p style='font: inherit;]Read on, dear traveller, as we contemplate in the previews how teams have changed from '12 to '13, and how in some instances ,they've stayed the same and their problems remain.
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]WOY WOY WIZARDS[/b]vs<strong style='font: inherit;]SARAH ISLAND SAVAGES[/b]
Woy Woy set out in 2012 to turn the clock back to 2010, failed dismally, and now find themselves in 2013 faced with an even greater challenge, trying to go back even further in time to reach the Woy Woyian golden age. They're clearly working some kind of magic, Darren Jolly managing to be the first player score in the negative in the ORFFL. In fact I'm struggling to remember the last time that's happened ever...




Question; is this a sign that the Wizards are going back in time, or just an example of how they're literally going backwards on the scoring front?



If I sound disparaging towards my opponent this week it's merely because I'm pretty sure they beat in R17 last year. And because I think their uniform is stupid.



For Sarah Island, life's a beach without Nic Naitanui. Not a tropical one either, a Tasmanian one at the onset of Autumn. While Josh P. Kennedy remains a measure of consistency and David Mundy has continued his '12 finals form to become the player he was drafted to be, Mitch Robinson and captain Leigh Adams have started slow, no doubt due to the delayed start to their preseasons.



The Islanders have their work cut out for them this season, attempting to be the first ORFFL club in history to back up a Premiership. Also, they seem to have lost new recruit Garrick Ibbotson, and it's not like it's a big island or anything.
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]WARBURTON WANDERERS[/b]vsPOOWONG POTOROOS
What's happened to Warburton, or should I say in popular parlance, where are Warburton at? Second last year, but yet to trouble the scorers this year. Their defensive line, arguably their weakest lin last year, has become an even greater affliction. Everyone's favourite fantasy MJ, Michael Johnson looks a cheap imitation of his '12 self, the rest are struggling to even get on the park, let alone score at a reasonable level. Despite last week Hamish Hartlett remains an exception, however the decision to draft James Sellar has come home to an unwelcome roost - they've had to play him.



The Wanderers need more from Colin Sylvia - but who doesn't, right? - and summer recruit Bernie Vince, who thus far has been a bit of a bust. A word I honestly never thought I see in the same sentence as Mr. Vince. On the bright side though, Travis Boak may finally have arrived at a season where he averages over 100. Cometh the captaincy, commeth the scoring responsibilities (apologies to Nick Maxwell).



Poowong find themselves in the not nearly as uncomfortable position of 9th at the 2/17 mark of the regular season, and they have plenty to be chuffed with despite dropping an early game. I speak of their development program. Recruits Adam Cooney (106), Mike Pyke (113), Nick Malceski (81) and Brad Crouch (85) integrating seamlessly into the West Gippy line-up.



Other than that it's business as usual for the Potoroos. Gary Ablett and Scott Thompson remain a force, Nick Lower remains more akin to a farce, trading scoring well but never playing with playing always but never scoring (good tagger but). Needs Steve Johnson to return this week to help revive a floundering FWD line.



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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]MILIKAPATI SNAKES[/b]vsPOPANYINNING PYRITE
I like to think of teams defence as the arse of the team, and in Milikapati's case the arse has completely fallen out of its team. Brett Deledio move into the middle was always going to hurt that last line, despite Grant Birchall remaining a true premium defender now entering his prime years. The problem is the other 3 positions the snakes have to fill every week in that line with unproven youngsters in Nick Smith, Mark Baguley, Jordan Murdoch and Zach TUOHY to name but a few.

They're bleeding back there.



Tactically the move to hand cuff developing ruck men Zachary SMITH and Daniel GORRINGE will pay dividends long term, but in the mean time they're suffering considerably throwing a 21 year old boy up against the more experienced types in the ORFFL every week in the R1 position.



For the Pyrite they've gotten off to the perfect start, winning both of their opening games while not having to play at their best in order to do it. Good going. David Myers, Brent Moloney and Jack Viney appear inspired off-season inclusions, while Josh JENKINS at this point in time seems to be relishing his greater role in the side.



Daniel Rich, to be true, looked a great deal better in the unaccountable preseason matches, but Jack Riewoldt and Jarryd Blair look like forming a formidable forward force for many years to come.



Phew.
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]MALLACOOTA MAGICIANS[/b]vs<strong style='font: inherit;]MERTON MEERKATS[/b]
Match of the round. The Magicians look in frightening form and Merton should keep winning if the AFL-sister team does likewise.




A big strength at Merton is their fine eye for drafting unheralded midfielders at the right time. Shaun Grigg last year and Taylor Hunt this. Although the Meerkats remain a liability in the back half, Tyrone Vickery looks to be coming into his own going on 23 years of age and Dustin MARTIN continues to deliver amazing first half performances.



Mallacoota in this author's opinion scored the pick of the draft in 22 year old FWD Michael Walters. His average will clearly drop at some stage, but it won't matter. Compatriots Nathan FYFE and Michael BARLOW are playing unhindered this year and showing it; Jarrad McVeigh reminding his coach of the scores that he's capable of. They also have the 2nd best ruckman in the land in Ben McEvoy, a player who missed a fair chunk of 2012.



Magicians definitely looking ominous in spite of their predicted tough opening draw. Watch out if Jack Redden and Harley BENNELL find some touch while the rest of the side keeps theirs.
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]MOUNT BUGGERY DISAPPOINTMENTS[/b]vsHUMPTY DOO HAMMERHEADS
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]Mount Buggery sit perhaps unexpectedly on top of the ladder after two rounds in absolutely tremendous touch and Humpty Doo have managed to win a game already. So this should be a cracker.
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<p style='font: inherit;]It's really all coming up milhouse.jpeg for the Disappointments, and you know what that means? Let the good times role! Jamie Elliott was electric over the weekend, and the coach's decision to move Tom Rockliff forward and #Pearce|Danyle|PTA back has paid enormous dividends already; midfield stars Steele Sidebottom and Brent Stanton picking up any scoring slack in the centre. Jack Watts may have been scoring unlike the best D/F in the game, but where one door closes in his face, another one opens for Mount Buggery and in steps Jackson Allen.
<p style='font: inherit;]Up top in Humpty Doo we're not allowed to use the 'R' word, so let's just call it a development year. Dylan Shiel looks a bonafide player for the future in year 2 at the club and #Garlett|Jeff|COL is relishing the extra attention of the coach picking him out and tacking him under his wing. There's plenty of football left to play even this year, but the downward trend to Liam Shiels scores from year to year to year is, on the other hand, worrying. Coach needs to release the shackles and free him up. It's going to be a long, lean year otherwise.
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]COULTA COULDABEENS[/b]vs<strong style='font: inherit;]BONNIE DOON BANDITS[/b]
Battle of the cellar dwellers (no offence to either coach, team or management). Both side's winless going into this encounter, coming out of it, not so much (it's far too early to call one of those things where no one wins).




For the Bandits by the lake, preseason recruit <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=1137&name=Michael HIBBERD">Michael HIBBERD[/url] has helped solidify a backline that was a disaster zone in 2012, combining wonderfully with <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=836&name=Mitchell GOLBY">Mitchell GOLBY[/url] and <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=726&name=Ryan Schoenmakers">Ryan Schoenmakers[/url] who continuing on their gradual upward scoring trajectory. In the middle <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=2063&name=Stephen Coniglio">Stephen Coniglio[/url] is showing why in this author's opinion he'll end up the best player of his draft class. Or at least the best mid. And <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=167&name=Dean Cox">Dean Cox[/url] and <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=250&name=Jonathon Griffin">Jonathon Griffin[/url] remain the best one-two-punch ruck combination in the ORFFL. At least as of now.



Bonnie Doon's problems lie up forward, and the shallowness of talent they have running through the middle of the park. <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=133&name=Dale Thomas">Dale Thomas[/url] returning this week is a boon up front, but the Bandits will need <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=274&name=Kurt Tippett">Kurt Tippett[/url] on the park to really take it up to the big boys of the ORFFL.



Over at Coulta, it's a story of jobs for the homeboys. But if they're good at their work, does it really matter? #Pttard|Jasper|PTA is proving the legion of doubters wrong this year, <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=265&name=Justin Westhoff">Justin Westhoff[/url] likewise - in fact he probably has an even longer list of detractors. <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=234&name=Jay Schulz">Jay Schulz[/url] and <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=61&name=Brad Ebert">Brad Ebert[/url] are far less maligned in the court of public opinion, but they've been quietly averaging at or above the 100 mark all the same.



It's in the ruck that the Couldabeens have been falling over, which is not generally a great quality for Ruck men. With <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=489&name=Trent West">Trent West[/url] and <a href="http://tooserious.net/Player.aspx?id=716&name=Jarrad Redden">Jarrad Redden[/url] both averaging under 45 it's just a case of suck it and see if it gets better. Surely can't get worse, right?
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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]QUEENSTOWN QUOLLS[/b]vs<strong style='font: inherit;]PURNULULU BUNGLE RANGERS[/b]



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<p style='font: inherit;]<strong style='font: inherit;]GLENROWAN GUNSLINGERS[/b]vs[span style='font: inherit;]JIMCUMBILLY JACKRABBITS
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