So, I'm in a perpetual 'clear my team' and start again cycle and just not happy with the balance of the team... a penny for your thoughts...

Smith / Shaw / Newnes / Lumumba / Goodes / Saad Dalgleish / Mcintosh

GAJ / Fyfe / Beams / Danger / Griffen / Newton / Cripps / Ellis-Y Heeney / Vandenberg / Steele

Burger with Sauce Cox

Gray / Martin / Swan / Salem / Clark / Hogan Lonie / Lambert

After the feedback another alteration here it was

Backs - Gibson, H.Shaw, Newnes, Lumumba, N.Brown (pies), H.Goddard, (Dalgleish, A.Saad)

Mids - GAJ, Pendles, Fyfe, Danger, Cripps, Rich, Wells, NVB, (Ellis Yolmen, J Anderson, Steele)

Rucks - NicNat Jacobs (Cox)

Fwds - Lids, Bont, Swan, Clark, Karnezis, Hogan (Saad, Lambert)

163k

Now it is

Backs - Gibson, H.Shaw, Newnes, Lumumba, B.Goodes, H.Goddard, (Dalgleish, A.Saad)

Mids - Ducky, Pendles, Fyfe, Ward, Cripps, D.Beams , Wells, I.Heeney, (Ellis Yolmen, J Anderson, Steele)

Rucks - Burger, Jacobs (Cox)

Fwds - Lids, Bont, Swan, Clark, Karnezis, Hogan (Saad, Lambert)

92k

If you are worried about balance, this team looks fairly balanced on the prems, midpricers and rookies side (not sure about byes, too much effort to check ). The only issue I see with balance is the 3 rookies on field in the forward line, but if you are confident they will play.

I would be worried about the midfield - for me, Fyfe is the only one that is sure to end up in the top midfielders by the end of the year. Gaz seems to be having problems with something, to have not played in the pre-season. I have him in my team, but am worried about spending that money on him. I hesitate to start with players in new teams, so would be questioning Beams and Griffen. Especially Griffen, after his poor end to last year I made sure I wouldn't start with him this year. Finally, I'm not sure about Dangerfield, but can definitely see the merits in him.

Backline looks good, as do the rucks. My advice to anyone is to start with at least one player in the rucks who is sure to perform. In your case Paxman Sauce is a proven performer, while Leuey could go either way.

Like i said earlier, I'd want another premium in the forward line. Possibly trade out Griffen to a midfield rookie and upgrade one of the forwardline rookies. You could even trade out Griffen, move Lambert to the midfield and then bring in a forward line premium, opening up the DPP link.

Strong second team. EVen the first one isn't bad! Having a look, strong midfield means weak forward line. My only advice would be to trade one of Beams or Fyfe down to a rookie, and upgrade Karnezis to a Gray or Dusty. That would strengthen the forward line, but having Swan and Bonts is risky. Other than that, I think you have a good team, fairly cookie cutter. Good luck

Biggest concern for me Willy would be H. Goddard, can't see him getting games early on, I'd look at Oxley or McIntonsh (of course many things can change cup final teams). Sorry scratch that, your biggest concern is Karnezis, I can't see him suiting up Rnd 1, I'd be looking at ways to turn him into Salem

I think you team is actually pretty well balanced Paxman, I think however I would look for a cheaper option than Smith (Kelly/Murphy) down back and also a cheaper option than Newton (Miller) then upgrade one of your fwds. Not sure if it will give you enough cash to do anything meaningful however or if you have money ITB for that matter

I still think you are carrying major risks in both H. Goddard and Karnezis

Any thoughts appreciated on this lot guys...

DEF: H. Shaw, J. Kelly, J. Newnes, H. Lumumba, B. Goodes, A. Saad (K. McIntosh, A. Oxley)
MID: G. Ablett jnr, S. Pendlebury, J. Selwood, R. Griffen, D. Rich, C. Ellis-Yolmen, P. Cripps, I. Heeney, (T. Miller, J. Anderson, A. Vandenberg )
RUC: T. Goldstein, M. Leuenberger (T. Read)
FWD: R. Gray, B. Deledio, D. Swan, M. Bontempelli, T. Bellchambers, M. Clark (J. Hogan, K. Lambert)
CASH LEFT: $14,100

Its a good mix of G & R. A bit wary regarding Rich, unless your aim is to trade him up, not an undervalued keeper. Will be a toss up as to which rookies get the green vest, if they're picked to play. I have Vandenberg on the field as a mature age rookie. Not totally convinced on Heritier yet, will wait to see how the first few rounds transpire.

Cheers Shark, yeah Rich would certainly be getting upgraded somewhere along the way and I agree that Lumumba is a risk but I struggled to ignore the form he showed in the NAB.....by final teams however I could even downgrade him with the aim of upgrading Luey or even Rich

I agree, solid team but D. Rich may not make as much money as you want him to. You'd be in a tough situation if he made 50k or so and be neither here nor there, scoring reasonably well but not at premo keeper level. I like your Bellchambers pick.

Any tips greatly appreciated:

DEF: Hodge, Newnes, Kolo K, Ibbotson, B Goodes, A Saad (A Oxley, K McIntosh)
MID: GAJ, Pendles, Fyfe, Ward, Dangerfield, Cripps, J Anderson, I Heeny (Vandenberg, Ellis-Yolmen, Steele)
RUC: Goldstein, Clarke (M Cox)
FWD: Gray, Bennell, Swan, Bomtempelli, Salem, Clark (Hogan, Krakouer)
Cash: $11,000

Thanks!

Is Steele guaranteed to play? I heard he was almost assured the vest if he did?

Clarke is an interesting one, you obviously feel he is going to bounce back to 2013 scoring but that would rely on Sandi not playing.. a bit of a risk right there!

Krakouer probably more of a downgrade target at this stage rather than a rookie to start with, i would look at a Lambert/Lamb/Lonie to fill that spot and hopefully earn you some $$$

DEF: Shaw, Johnson, Newnes, Lumumba, KK, Goodes, (Brown, Saad)
MID: Rocky, Pendles, JJK, A Swallow, Sheed, Cripps, J Anderson, Ellis-Yolmen, (Heeney, Vandenberg, Miller)
RUC: Maric, NicNat (O'Brien)
FWD: Gray, Martin, Lycett, McCarthy, Salem, Clark (Hogan, Lambert)
Cash: 277,500 - i really want to have Sheed and McCarthy but like my other rookies and have the cash to make the corrective trade if needed. Perhaps i am stretching myself too thin - McCarthy to Swan?

personally i feel a little cash should be set aside to make corrective changes, ie if say an Oxley or McIntosh needs to be upgraded before a price change who are you going to be able to afford?

Is there anywhere to see a full list of all elevated rookies ? I found this article that mentions the deadline to upgrade was last Tuesday. Yet I still see Vandenberg and other non-elevated rookies in many teams. Am I missing something ?
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-03-24/rookie-elevations-named

I stand to be correct but I think that upgrades had to be done by that time to take their senior lists to the minimum number of required players. There are a couple of clubs that still have additional spots available on their senior lists, any rookie upgrades in those situations can occur whenever.

Gibson, Hibberd, Johnson, Newnes, Goodes, Edwrads (McIntosh, Hamling)
Ablett, Pendles, Fyfe, JSelwood, Cripps, JAnderson, Henney, Ellis-Yolmen, (Miller, Saad, Lambert)
Goldstein, Bellchambers (Read)
Gray, Bartel, Martin, Swan, Clark, Hogan (Byrne, Steele)

187k left

Tear it to pieces. I'm trying to figure out a way to bring in NicNat for Bellchambers, but can't get enough money together...

Agree with Stripey here G.Dubz in that you need to look at a replacements for Krakouer and Steele and Clarke is a big risk for mine. You do have quite a few POD's which is good to see