Yep, the is a beauty. Inface, i’m going as far to say it is the best stat in the history of the AFL. This is it:
The Kangaroos’ young gun Ryan Bastinac became the first player in 60 years to kick a goal with a name ending with “ac”. The last person was Footscray’s Max Isaac, scored in round 1 1950. Quite something.
Yes, I may not be be my own, out ont top of my own little DreamTeam world I call my league, but I sure am equal with! Thanks to The Unforgiven who hadn’t lost all year, bowed down to a team in 10th place on the ladder! So now there are 3 teams on top on 28 points, The Unforgiven, Flying Pies and The Chargers (me). I am a bit worried about Daff’s Drop Kicks, who is 4th behind me by a game, has a higher percentge than me (114-116). I did beat Daff in round 5, but I did score 2000……… Just don’t get me started on the Etihad turf and what it could do to my DreamTeam!
Scores: 20,724 points overall. 68,340 points overall. Another drop of this time just a tick over 1000 places. It’s a loss, but not as bad as last week…….It was 7000 point drop!
Last week: 1,953. Finally a decent score. Also, if Shaun Higgins had not got injured in the 2nd term, I would have (probably) broken the ton. But, ’should’vs, could’vs and mabye’s don’t count’, so I wont go on.
League Results: Defeated ‘rossy’s rangers’ (1,806) by 147 points. A solid win, not a percentage booster but a win.
Ladder Posistion: 3rd place, 7-1, 28 points 114.20%.
Centurians: I’ll kick things off with Jarrod Harbrow (103) who in the 3 games he has got 100 points, have all been played on Sunday’s, so i’ll have a look at the Bullies fixture shortly…… Brent Harvey (100) was sharp after a below par score last week. Finally Ryan O’Keefe (102) broke 80 points for the first time since round 7! Gary Ablett (220) as my captain was okay, I keep having thoughts of me changing him to vice-captain for 1 week and hand the captaincy to Chappy (ranked #1 in DT) or Jimmy Bartel, but I wont. Jimmy Bartel (116) was brilliant again, as was one of my favourite players in the game Luke Hodge (131). He is vice-captain of some teams, and rightly so with an average of 110, only 2nd to Gazza and Chappy. On the subject of the #35, he still HASN’T GONE BELOW 100 ALL SEASON! He got 112 last week, and still somehow dropped in value by $15,200. Someone please tell me how that works! But, it was that man again Michael Barlow (138) who led my midfield. After last weeks late withdrawl he came back with over 30 touches and 3 goals against the Crows, and that is all I can ask for.
Ah, Micky B starring again. Keep it going!
Good: Amazigly Shannon Hurn (94) led the ‘good catagory’ against the Cats, the first time he has gone into the nineties all year. Colin Sylvia (93) was respectable in the wet against Carlton, but as I will get to later, I may have to make a trade to my midfield becuase of possibly the crazyest injury the AFL has ever seen. It took a while, but James Gwilt has got over 70 points since round 5. Ben Stratton (75), who I picked in the side for the first time this year over Stephen Gilhan (68 on my bench) worked which I was pleased about. Matthew Kruezer (83) got his average over the weekend, and Adam Goodes (72) was durable.
Bad: Ben Howlett (61) I think will struggle to hold his spot this week but it only young and if he does get the flick, will get reacalled sometime later. James Podsiadly (61) who ranks up there with Mr Sylvia’s crazy injury, slipping on some carpet and straining his groin. Yep. Hamish McIntosh (59) is averaging 61 since he came back from injury 3 weeks ago needs to lift, as does Josh Hunt (58). But the suprise of the round was Bryce Gibbs (58). After 166 last week, he came crashing down to earth but i’m not concerned. Nick Suban (48) may loose his spot to Alex Silvagni this week, who funnily enough is on my bench. But Suban is a up-and-down player, I know that (he scored 88 last week) so i’ll see how I go. I expected big things of Carl Peterson (47) who was named at full-forward for the Hawks in Buddy’s absense, but he didn’t fire.
Ugly, ugly, ugly: Err, where do you want me to start? Shaun Higgins and the word turf go together like Shane Wowodien and a Brownlow Medal (yes, he did somehow win one). Which is not very well. Stupid Etihad turf…….. He (and probably Gibbsy and Suban) cost me the 2000. It may cost me a trade to………….
We wont be seeing the #7 for the Bulldogs for the next couple of weeks. I’m looking at you Etihad……..
Potential changes/trades: Well, it all comes down to Thursday night’s selections. I’ll start with my forward line; Pods’s ankle may not come up, which is a problem becuase Higgins is out for 2. Phil Davis got crunched by Aaron Sandilands and broke his collarbone so that’s 4 weeks. That brings another problem, will he hold his place when he is fit again? Mabye the Andrew Mcload knee injury is a blessig in disguise. I’m hoping that Mitch Duncan gets reacalled for the Catters for the Moondog (ankle), and Pods plays otherwise Duncan gets flicked (more money). Then there’s the midfield. If Syliva, with his blood clot in his toe (!) doesn’t recover, and Lewis Stevenson who played last week for the Eagles gets dropped, and Leigh Adams doesn’t get picked (who I have held since he got injured in round 7) it’s another trade, not ideal with only 7 trades left………….. Ah the agony of it all.
On the weekend Domonic Cassisi, the Port Adelaide captain against Hawthorn at a ‘greasy’ MCG laided 10 tackles in the first half alone! Funnily enough, he only ended up with 14 still a great effort but only 4 2nd half tackles, but the ground did dry out. For the record, Jimmy Bartel holds the record for the most tackles in a game, the 2009 Grand Final when he shut down Saint gun Lenny Hayes.
Still on the tackling theme, and still on Port Adelaide, in round 10 in the drenched AAMI Stadium Richmond laid 142 tackles, the most ever in the history of VFL/AFL. A special mention mention goes to Angus Grahman, the Tigers ruckman who had 34 hitouts (a massive number) and 14 tackles, brilliant for a guy who is as big as him.
No, i’m sure we have more members than down at Punt rd. Yes we have better players on our team. And no, we don’t have a abandoned warehouse as clubrooms. But apart from all that buisness, in round 10 my DreamTeam resembled Richmond from round 10. A shocking score, 2nd rate players but we still won! The Chargers now for two rounds in a row have now gone below the 1800 mark! That is terrible, and my overall ranking which a couple of weeks ago was at 38,000 is now down into the 67,000 area. It’s not good. More points have will have to come from somehwere if I want to win this thing, and with only 7 trades left that’s a hard thing to do. That’s the only bad thing about DreamTeam I reckon- You can’t give your players a rev up if you want them to lift. All you are required to do is hope the get the damned ball (which some may I say don’t do enough/consistently) and play well. Shame about that.
Scores: 18,771 points overall. Im sitting 67,230 place overall. That’s a drop of almost 7 thousand spots! Ouch.
Last week: 1,764. Last weeks score (1,796) was the lowest of the year, but this week I trumped it. I can only hope that’s the end of the bad trott and I can/will lift over the coming weeks.
League Results: Defeated ‘Iron Lion Zion’ (1,595) by 169 points. Funilly enough, both I.L.Z (figure it out yourself, shouldn’t be too hard) and The Chargers had 7 of the same players on our teams. They were; Hodge, Hunt, Bartel (was I.L.Z’s captain), Barlow (didn’t play, I.O.Z. had an emergency mid, I didn’t), Higgins, Podsiadly and Peterson.
Ladder Posistion: 3rd place, 6-1, 24 points, 115.15%. Only behind 2nd placed ‘Flying Pies’ on percentage.
Centurians: Only 4 tons this week, hense my bad score. But I guess Bryce Gibbs’ score is worth two 100’s, more on that later. None from my backman this round, the first time that has happend this year. Hense my poor score. So i’ll kick off with Gary Ablett (248), my captain. I was going to make Jimmy Bartel my captain becuase I thought if it was going to rain against the Dees, the conditions would have suited ‘gentlemen Jim’, but it didn’t so thank god I didn’t make him captain. If I had, I would have written ‘hense my poor score’……. Paul Chapman (108) STILL HASN’T GONE BELOW 100 ALL YEAR! Some performence from the bald #35. The people’s hero James Podsiadly (103) was brilliant. He did score 140-odd in SuperCoach, DreamTam’s arch rival becuase you get the stupid points for contested marks, something Pods does a lot, and well. But my star of the week went to the Carlton young gun Bryce Gibbs (166). The best score from anyone this year from my team. His new role of a roaming halfbackflanker is working a treat. Note to teams-Let young Bryce of the chain, I don’t mind!
Good: Adam Goodes (87) threatned to break loose against the Hawks, but ironicly my bench defender Ben Stratton got moved to Goodsey and did a very good job (unfortuanltly). It didn’t help with Goods kciking 5 behinds, 4 in the first quarter, finishing up with1.5. Err…… Nick Suban (88) was good after his 29 point job last week, and Luke Hodge (84), described by Gary Ablett during the week as the ‘best kick in the AFL’ was good enough. Matthew Kruezer (80) continued his good run of form for the Blues, as has Jarrod Harbrow (76). It must be said though, during the year he threatned to ‘break loose’ but he hasn’t……… yet. Shaun Higgins (74) and Josh Hunt (70) weren’t bad but wern’t great.
Bad: New recruit Ben Howlett (65) was okay, but with Andrew Welsh back for the Bombers this week, even though young Ben is named he may struggle to keep his spot. Another midfielder of mine, Colin Sylvia (63) had a day to forget against the Cats, as did Shannon Hurn (62) playing the Blues, shut down by Andrw Carrazzo. Carl Peterson (62) was servicable, probably 10 more points would have been helpful. But Jimmy Bartel, the gun midfielder who I know was captain of some of my mates DT’s got 67! A terrible score. As I said last week, if it was going to rain, my pick was going to be Jimmy, not Gaz. Thankgod. Hamish McIntosh (66) in his first game back since round 7 was disapointing, as was my biggest disapointment of recent rounds Ryan O’keefe (60). From being my vice captain to not breaking 80 since round 6 is poor. He is a keeper though.
Ugly, ugly, ugly: James Gwilt (54) who hasn’t broke the 70 point mark since round 5, is this close to getting the chop. Stephen Gilham (43) could also join Mr Gwilt’s boat and go to the bench. They are now good bench cover, nothing else. But the biggest choke of all, Brent Harvey (39). The NM skipper, had a dog of a day, 39 points is terrible. The whisper going round, and I have plenty of contacts in football world are saying that Boomer’s suspect elbow, which he snaped last year and has always had problems with, is sore. But he is a star, so he will lift.
I hope Boomer looks and turns round the corner for this week game
Potential changes/trades: Ben Stratton (65) who was my emergency last week comes in for Stephen Gilham. That’s it though. I may make a late trade, Gwilt out and downgrade to a cheepie to squeeze some cash in him so then I can upgrade to a better defender. Lewis Stevenson has been recalled for the Eagles, so he is an emergency. Gilham is also an emergency, and Phil Davis (64 emerg) is an emergency for Harvey incase he’s a late withdrawl. I’m concerned Hamish McIntosh, who has come back from a bung shoulder, and a trip from Subiaco may not pull up. I do have Wayde Skipper (ave.40) on my bench, but he is not an emergeny so i’m banking on big Mac to play, and if Richmond loose, my DreamTeam better not resemble them! I hope it’s not a trend…..
It was ugly, it was shocking, not really needed and could have done without it. Yes, Barry Hall’s headlock was terrible………… No i’m refering to my DeamTeam score. It was was shocking score for myself, but I still won my league match. But, looking at the rest of my league results I had the 2nd best score of the round, so obviously other Dreamteamers shared my agony. Shaun Higgins didn’t pull up so my ’super dud’ Phil Davis from Adelaide had to play, and again failed. He’s an aright backup but idealy i’d like more from Phil. I made one trade after last week’s post- OUT- JAKE ORREAL, IN- WAYDE SKIPPER. This was becuase Hamish McIntosh, the Kangaroos ruckman. Skipper (i’m not referring to Gary Ablett or Ricky Ponting, but my new ruckman) Orreal was a Sydney ruckman but is out injured for the rest of the year, and becuase Sipper had played one game up to me buying him (he scored 37), I could afford it. So in a round of headlocks, bad umpiring and Geelong winning, all I cared about was my Dreamteam. Funny ’bout that……….
Scores: 17,007 points overall, 60,678 place overall out of 302,959. I’ve stayed about the same in the overall ranks. I have slipped down though from 48,000 a couple of weeks ago.
Last Week: 1,796, my worst score of the season, but I won! It was a tough round, a few players not up to scratch. But that’s to be expected.
League Results: Defeated ‘the cats’ (1,663) by 133 points. I was lucky. ‘the cats’ had Luke Mcpharlin (Freo) who didn’t play and Matthew Warnock who was in the same boat, authough he had Will Thursfield from Richmond as his emergency defender, so it covered one of the losses.
Ladder Posistion: 3rd place, 5-1, 20 points, 115.89%
Centurians: 6 centurians from round 9. Gary Ablett (my captain) again was a bi off color, only making 210. Jimmy Bartel (125) was superb, i’m still getting over me getting Jimmy for Paddy Dangerfield, who got 63 this week. Ha, ha! I knew Colin Sylvia (107) would turn the corner after pilling up 97 points in rounds 7 & 8. A solid score. Paul Chapman STILL HASN’T DIPPED BELOW 100 THIS YEAR! He got 107 this week against the Pies. Adam Goodes (103) got over the ton for the 2nd week in a row. But it was Luke Hodge (129) who lead my DreamTeam like he lead the Hawks defence in the 2008 Grand Final brining home the bacon for The Chargers.
Fair to say I wasn’t spitting blood over Luke Hodge’s score, it was super!
Good: Michael Barlow (97) was again very good, unlucky in that he had 6 points taken off his score for two frees against. Brent Harvey (94) was one of the only good players for North Melbourne against the Dogs, and suprisingly Jarrod Harbrow (95) was quiet in the same game, but still racked up the points. Bryce Gibbs (92) and Josh Hunt (91) who was a nice additon in to the ‘good’ catagory. James Podisadly (continued) his great run of form, as I went through in this post among other things about the ‘J-Pod’………. Ryan O’Keefe (76) rounds out the players that I was happy with……….
Bad: Matthew Kruezer (69) dipped below his usual standard, as did Shannon Hurn (63). Carl Peterson wasn’t great against the Blues, one of the only Hawks not to be. That group of ‘theonly Hawks’ would include my new ruckman Wayde Skipper (41). But, when McIntosh gets back Skipper will be good on the bench. Phil Davis (32) was close to being very ugly, but scraps in becuase 1. he doesm’t score very big and 2. he came in for Shaun Higgins.
Ugly, ugly, ugly: Fremantle. I could just leave it at that. But I wont. I’ll start off with Alex Silvagni (37). He has been very solid for a 1st year player, but his score isn’t exseptable. But, saying that if a look at Nick Suban (29) and compare it to Silvagni, it makes young Alex look like the best player in the comp! Suban, who I brought back in after injuring his knee in round 3, therefore dropping Stephen Gilham (63). I just hope in the long run it works out. The late withdrawl (the MOST hated term in DreamTeam land) Lewis Stevenson hurt. Leigh Adams, my first choice last midfielder, is still out for 1-2 weeks, so i’m hoping if Stevenson doesn’t get up Brodie Moles is back for the Bulldogs. The only problem? Moles hasn’t played since round 5, but did score 101 and is averging 74…….
Something resembling my face when I saw Nick Suban (29) and Alex Silvagni’s (37) scores. At least I didn’t put the computer in a headlock………..
Potential Trades/changes: No trades UNLESS, that’s a big unless Lewis Stevenson and Moles aren’t back for thier respective clubs so i’ll have to make ANOTHER trade. I’ve got $213,700 if I trade Moles, so I would get Ben Howlett ($210,200) from Essendon who got 93 last week and is averaging around 74. Higgins i’m assuming will be back so he comes in for Davis. Same with McIntosh, he will swap with Skipper. That’s it.
It was a gret game, I loved it, probably becuase the Cats prevailed but I enjoyed it. A MCG on a Friday night full of 88,115 people is quite something. Here are some pictures I took of the game.
The ‘J-Pod’, the ‘i-Pod’, ‘Pods’ or my favourite ‘The Couger’ call him what ever you want, James Podsiadly is a superstar. If you wanted a definition of a cult hero he would be the one. My opinion is that one day, when his footy career is over (that could be in 3 years, he is 28……) he will become mayor of Geelong. This is why………..
To gather how popular Pods is, now wherever Geelong play there is the Geelong cheersquad, and the Geelong Podsquad. People all over Australia now refer to him trough his nickname, ‘Pods’ which essentially means he has made it as a cult hero. But the biggest of all, at Skilled Stadium the cheer that Pods gets from the faithful, is equal to the cheer that Gary Ablett gets whenever he gets near the ball.
James Podsiadly, ever since he kicked his first goal against Fremantle in round 3, he is/was destined to become Mayor in my opinion. We have seen Geelong players become Mayor, albeit for a day before. Think Cameron Ling in 2007. And Tom Harley in 2009. Pods has everything going his way. He can play football, he seems like a nice guy, popular and everyone loves him. So, Pods is everything the current mayor of Geelong isn’t. Probably the only thing that could thwart his chances is looking back at his records when we vote, and see ‘2002 season- Collingwood: 3 NAB Cup games, 1 goal. Nobody likes Collingwood in Geelong as far as I know, but i’, sure the sheer good will people have towards our new hero, no one will care. The Fanatic’s Opinion isn’t usually wrong, so I can say this with confidence. JAMES PODISADLY WILL BECOME MAYOR OF GEELONG.
Just remember, VOTE 31- PODS!
The Fanatic
Lance Franklin was dominating the first half of the Hawthorn-Carlton match. Bruce McAvaney was gong crazy, as was Richo about ‘Buddy’. But Dennis, as always summed it up best.
“Franklin dominated that passage of play like…….. like Bruce Springsteen at a Bruce Springsteen concert. The only man in the spotlight.”
Two late withdrawls, two under performing experienced players. With that, you’d think a loss was on? No, The Chargers prevailed again, after the heartbreaking 2 point loss last week . It must be said, the team I was versing hawkbuddyfranklin who had 3 players out, so the 111 point margin would have been less if he had all playing but i’m not complaining. I wasn’t helped by the withdrawal of James Podsiadly on Thursday night, so Phil Davis with an average of 57 had to come in. Although, I didn’t know James Kelly was ruled out, just before the bounce against the Lions so my bench player, Mitch Duncan was called up so when he racked up 71 points, and when Davis got 52 I was annoyed to say the least. Then my ruckman Hamish McIntosh didn’t get up, so it was left to Matty Kruezer to carry the load. He did with 123 points. On to the points!
Scores: 57,560 points overall. DOWN a massive EIGHT THOUSAND places. Terrible. But I guess I pay for a bad score.
Last Week: 1,859, not a great score. Not to happy with it. But, McIntosh and Pods’ withdrawling didn’t help my cause.
League Results: Defeated ‘hawkbuddyfranklin’ (1,748). Would have been interesting if he hadn’t had 3 players not playing.
Ladder Position: 3rd position, 4-1, 16 points, 117.81%.
Centurions: 8100’s this week. Only one came from the back though, and it was Luke Hodge (104) who kept going with his top form. The same couldn’t be said for the rest of my backline, only conjuring up another 329 points from 6 players. Gary Ablett (192) didn’t have his best night in the 81 point thrashing against the Lions, managing 96 but is my captain so double points! Jimmy Bartel (132), my man did very well at the Gabba. I’m still wondering how I got him for Patrick Dangerfield! Beauty. Bryce Gibbs (101) broke the ton even though he got put on to Daniel Motlop in a back pocket! Matthew Kruezer (127), the funny faced blue ruckman saved my bacon in the ruck stocks, getting almost 130 points. Paul Chapman (123) STILL hasn’t gone below 102 for the year, an incredible achievement. Adam Goodes (103) was the only shining light for the Swans against the Dogs, but, the leader of the pack for round 8 was the gun Freo recruit Michael Barlow (146). Almost getting 150 points is fantastic, and gave my score boost.
The gun mature-aged recruit lead the charge with 146 points!
Good: Brent Harvey (88) was solid again. The surprise was My new buy for round 8 Lewis Stevenson (85) from West Coast. I bought him because of a shortage of back-up midfield players, so it’s worked for now! Shannon Hurn (82), another Eagle was good as was Carl Peterson (80). Shaun Higgins (76) was alright, as was Ryan O’Keefe (73) and Freo backman Alex Silvagni (73).
Bad: Phil Davis (52) i’m philosophical about. He’s a first year player, and was on my bench until Pods wasn’t playing, so I can’t expect much from him. Josh Hunt (51) is alright, i’m just annoyed kick outs from behinds don’t count, otherwise he’d be a star!
Ugly, ugly, ugly:Hamish McIntosh (0) kicked things off for me with his late withdrawal. Colin Sylvia (48) AGAIN underperformed. His last 3 round average is 66………… James Gwilt (48) who’s last 3 round average is 53 (!) isn’t doing great for himself after a great start to the year. The biggest surprise of the round for me was Bulldog Jarrod Harbrow (45). He didn’t get much of it but he will improve for sure next week. But no one gets near Stephen Gilham (39) who’s last 3 round average of 32 doesn’t get near anybody. I’m just hoping Nick Suban (ave.69) who I have held since an injury in round 3 is back this week, and I can put Gilham to the bench or i’ll trade Gilham.
Every time I see Stephen Gilham’s score my face resembles something like Jarrod Brennan’s face (above)
Potential changes/trades: Like I said before, i’ll have to see if Suban is back. If so, Gilham to the bench. I Suban doesn’t get up, I will offload Gilham. He has to go. Poidsiadly i’m expecting to be back this week so he comes in for Davis, and if Duncan keeps his place Peterson is out of my forward line. It’s difficult to drop Lewis Stevenson, my new recruit. He’s had a great start in life with The Chargers but Leigh Adams may be back this week, and haven’t dropped this year. Adams is solid but not spectacular, so it’s a tough choice. Also, if Hamish McIntosh doesn’t get up, and if Matthew Lobbe doesn’t get called up for a 3rd game this year, i”l trade one of my bench ruckman for another backup.
Don’t worry little fella’, it’s only BFG Luke Darcy…………
(Luke was umpring a Auskick match for ‘Umpire Apreciation Round’, which I think we should all embrace. This little boy got hit by a stray Luke Darcy knee another kid druing the game.