Where does the potential value lie in a team such as Adelaide during 2011? Not being from SA, it would be great to get some reality check info on some of these guys. With more senior retirements at Adelaide than almost any other club towards the end of 2010, new players at Adelaide must have about the highest chance of seeing game time, surely? Andy Otten aside (he's a lock in my team at this point), I'm thinking about these guys: Brodie Smith: $123k DEF. Captained SA in U18 GF last year. Surely will be part of the new inclusions in 2011. Daniel Talia: $110k DEF/FWD. Injured for some of 2010, surely gets a look in this year. Luke Thompson: $103k DEF. Tall defender, elevated from the rookie list to the main list at end of 2010. Ian Callinan: $91k FWD/MID. Rooklie listed (unlike the others) but mature age (28). Could come straight in to the Adelaide team? BOG in the 2010 SANFL GF. Anyone got further info on some of these blokes?
Andy Otten will be in everyone's side - he will play the sweeping role vacated by McLeod. He may even be given a run in the midfield on occasions. I don't think Brodie Smith will break into the Crows side this year. He needs another year in the SANFL to develop his body. Luke Thompson will struggle to get into the Crows backline. They already have Rutten, Davis and Stevens to fill the key position roles in the backline. Unless one of these get injured during the season, Thompson will not make the side. Callinan is the interesting one. He was a gun in the SANFL for Centrals. Is a deadly shot for goal and gets enough of the ball in the midfield as well. Surely he will get some opportunities during the year to prove he has what it takes at AFL level.
Callinan is especially interesting to me with DP FWD/MID and the rock-bottom start price. I hope he plays and plays well during the NAB cup.
Callinan is reminding me heaps last year of Pods haha! It is pretty much the exact same. Both really old in drafting terms as well as bottom priced in supercoach. Its legend... wait for it.. Dary!!!
No doubt about it, Otten and Callinan are extremely popular picks at the moment. Barring injury and assuming Callinan is promoted (he will be), an insane number of teams will have both at the beginning of the comp.
I think the Adelaide backline has to be where the value is and that isn't just Andy Otten. I think the crows should put on a good showing in the NAB cup this year and we will have plenty of chances to see who is going to be stepping up in that part of the ground. Phil Davis is a ready made player, very mobile for a KPP and could take many of bock's SC points at under 300k........and maybe for the very brave could Richard Tambling end up in the mcleod role....would anyone dare go there???
Appears media silence on Talia. Can't get a read on him at all. But a first rounder likely KP forward or back might just not be able to force his way in.
Any news on Chris Knights? Appears to be a popular pick at $237k with a lack of mid-range forward cash cows other than Petrie.
<blockquote>Quote from Gods_Gift on February 2, 2011, 20:10 Callinan is reminding me heaps last year of Pods haha! It is pretty much the exact same. Both really old in drafting terms as well as bottom priced in supercoach. Its legend... wait for it.. Dary!!!</blockquote> JPod - 193cm, 102Kg, can allegedly bench press 140Kg. (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/james-podsiadly-has-felt-the-difference-between-vfl-and-afl/story-e6frg7mf-1225897724648) Callinan - 172cm, 74Kg. He'll be nowhere near Pods in terms of contested marks, pretty sure he'll get games but I can't see him making anything like the same impact. That said, I have been wrong before...