One interesting this I like to do at this time of the season, is to look back at last year and get a quick refresher on exactly who dominated on the road home - Was there a role change? An injury which helped them out, or perhaps they managed to improve their game naturally?

Regardless, over the break, Ive taken a closer look at the top 20 players who improved their averages in the second half of last season over the first (Only taking into account guys who played 5 games min in both halves of the season)

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Rank<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Name<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">Pre12<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Post12<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">Difference
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1.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Allan Christensen<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">36.1667<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">83.6000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">47.4333
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">A Fwd/Mid with another pre-season under his belt, priced at $356,800 could definitely find himself as a fantastic bargain this year. High on the watchlist.
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<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Barry Hall<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">48.2000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">89.8000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">41.6000
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Finished last season well and will hopefully take that form through to his boxing career.
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2.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Andrew Raines<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">36.0000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">71.6000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">35.6000
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Mid priced, MID positioned and an average of 71 in the second half. Just because he was terrible in the first half of the season, that doesnt make him a good pickup. Avoid.
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3.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">David Hale<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">52.8333<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">87.0909<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">34.2576
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Hes a ruck and a forward, which is a win. The second half of last season was pretty damn good with five 90s and two 100s. At 28, hes entering his prime as a ruck and has to be on the watchlist. Funnily, mapping him and Max Bailey on our <a href="http://tooserious.net/player_graph.php?&id=157&pcid=13075&name=David%20Hale">Graphing Feature[/url], you can see that he plays his best football with Max on the field.
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4.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Dayne Beams<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">87.0000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">119.1667<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">32.1667
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">A Fwd/Mid who average nearly 120 in the second half of last season, surely hes a lock at this stage of the year.
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5.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Tom Hawkins<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">54.7500<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">86.5714<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">31.8214
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Quite a decent finish to the year, but can we really trust his consistancy? Personally hes too much risk, but he is surely due to take off one of these years right?
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6.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Colin Garland<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">53.7143<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">85.0000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">31.2857
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">A defender priced at $394,800, an average of 85 would be a fairly solid win - be wary though, checking <a href="http://tooserious.net/player_graph.php?&id=124&pcid=13046&name=Colin%20Garland#">the graphs[/url], there is a certain correlation between his rise in form and the injury of Grimes.
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7.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Luke Breust<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">47.2000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">78.4545<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">31.2545
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">The supersub himself. If Hawthorn stop using him that way, Breust could be a serious second year breakout player. A fair bit of risk for sure, but one to watch in the NAB.
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8.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Matthew Leuenberger<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">86.9091<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">117.5455<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">30.6364
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Hello premium ruck shortlist. Will be Brisbanes #1 with no challengers, while priced at an average of 102, there is some obvious room to grow here. Particularly if you take the arbitary figure of round 15 where he averaged almost 120. There was an injury with Leuey in the past, but with two 22 game seasons in a row, it looks like hes finally grown into his size.
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<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Leon Davis<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">84.6667<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">112.4444<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">27.7778
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">awwww. Poor guy, perhaps if they run a WAFL version of Supercoach?
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9.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Nathan Bock<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">78.6667<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">105.1667<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">26.5000
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">He was a lock in my team til that darn betting scandal. Now hes looking a great upgrade after his round 11 bye.
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10.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Andrew GAFF<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">46.0000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">72.3750<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">26.3750
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">A high Draft pick, Gaff will definitely improve after his early involvement as a Sub last year. That said though, its doubtful that hell improve enough to roll as a premium keeper.
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11.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Adam Goodes<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">95.8182<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">120.5455<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">24.7273
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Goodes was amazing last year, living up to his reputation as starting the season slow and finishing on fire. While age willl catch up to the 32 year old sooner or later, I have a feeling that Ill pass on Goodes this year and upgrade to him if he retains his form in the early season.
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12.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Tom Rockliff<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">100.1111<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">124.5455<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">24.4343
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">An amazing season to the young Rocklobster. A great pick in any competition, it will be interesting to see how he goes this year. Definitely high on the watch list right now.
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13.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Robbie Gray<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">78.2727<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">102.5455<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">24.2727
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">I swear Gray is talked up every year, and until last year, disappoints with injuries. He played 22 last year though, finished the season fantastically and by all reports in training the house down- another F/M to watch closely.
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14.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Taylor Walker<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">51.4286<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">75.3333<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">23.9048
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">yeah... nah, Im sorry Taylor, its a big no thank you.
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15.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Nick Dal Santo<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">108.2727<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">130.4545<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">22.1818
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Smashed it home last season, we were all sad to hear NDS breaking his hand in the early pre-season, but from all reports it hasnt effected his pre-season and the 27yo, 5th highest ave last year, should be ready to kick on again. The biggest question mark for mine is what happens with a new coach?
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16.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Jack Ziebell<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">68.5455<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">90.6000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">22.0545
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Sadly, Jack is missing the first two games through suspension, all but removing him from any calculations early.
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17.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Ricky Petterd<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">66.3333<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">86.4444<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">20.1111
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Petterd is one that has really teased us over the years- and honestly, I dont see the risk being worth it this year.
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18.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Will Schofield<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">50.5000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">70.5000<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">20.0000
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Mid priced and its unlikely that there will be enough upside to select him.
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19.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Michael Johnson<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">62.3636<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">81.8182<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">19.4545
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">A Def/Fwd next year, Johnson has been amazingly consistant in averaging around the 80s for the past 6 years. Thats the only thing hes done thats consistant, with a string of games to start the year bouncing as: 20, 53, 92, 36, 84, 15, 71... Certainly one to watch due to the flexibility of the DPP, but also with the change in gameplan that the stat friendly Lyon brings to the table.
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20.<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">Brent Stanton<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">88.7778<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-1">108.0909<td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2">19.3131
<tr style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:5px;"><td class="mngl-info-tab-col-2" colspan="5" style="border-bottom:1pt solid silver; padding-bottom:15px;">Ah Stanton, how I *want* you to become a premium, but you just cant get your yearly total over a hungy. Still, it was a career best for the man, and with an improving Bombers outfit, and perhaps a little less attention from the opposition, perhaps this will be his year? Personally, I dont have the heart to get him in though!