One of the most important set of choices you’re going to make all year with your salary cap fantasy team is what to do with the rookies in your team this week and next week. This is especially true given the 70 minutes of madness last week meant that many, many coaches weren’t able to get the right set of rookies into their squad of 30 in the first place. Here’s a guide to the decisions you’ll no doubt be making.
Backs. Big problems here during round 1, which was a surprise given the pre-season performances of many hot young prospects. Instead of the plethora that we all expected to be able to choose from, the only rookie defenders who ended up pulling on a guernsey were Scott D. Thompson, Jake Edwards, Nathan J. Brown and Adam Hartlett. This week many coaches sighed with relief to see the names of Albert Proud, Lachie Hansen, Harry Taylor and Garrick Ibbotson on AFL team sheets, removing the need to trade out those players. However, Hartlett has been suspended and now Scott DT has been dropped!
Who to start in Dream Team (in order): Hansen, Edwards, Proud, Ibbotson, Brown, Taylor.
Who to start in Super Coach (in order): Brown, Hansen, Taylor, Proud, Edwards, Ibbotson.
Midfielders. A fair few were caught out by surprise non-selections during the madness, though Rhys Palmer, Chris Masten and Clint Bartram are among the rookies who were named this week to escape the fantasy chopping block. Some excellent performers here in round 1 but also some duds, most notably the very popular Craig Bird. None of the centre rookies got dropped this week despite rumblings about several players in the weeks ahead, like Travis Tuck and Sam Lonergan.
Who to start in Dream Team (in order): Jarryn Geary, Keiran Jack, Bartram, Cale Morton, Courtenay Dempsey, Tuck, Masten, Palmer, Bird, Brad Ebert, Lonergan.
Who to start in Super Coach (in order): Jack, Geary, Morton, Dempsey, Bartram, Palmer, Masten, Tuck, Bird, Lonergan, Ebert.
Forwards. I went into the season thinking that Kurt Tippett and Cyril Rioli were the two standout forward rookies, and I didn’t even like Tippett yet I put him in my side due to lack of choice. Turns out the forwards are where the action is at with rookies this year: Josh Hill, Colin Garland, Paul Stewart, Ryan Gamble and even Cameron Stokes all delivered decent scores in round 1, and don’t forget the double eligibility of Edwards, Hartlett and Brown from the backs. This week we’ve got Lachlan Henderson, Ben Ross and Chris Mayne joining the party.
Who to start in Dream Team (in order): Garland, Hill, Gamble, Edwards, Rioli, Tippett, Stewart, Henderson, Brown, Stokes, Mayne, Isaac Weetra, Heath Grundy, Ross.
Who to start in Super Coach (in order): Hill, Garland, Gamble, Tippett, Henderson, Stewart, Rioli, Brown, Edwards, Mayne, Stokes, Ross, Weetra, Grundy.
much more settled this week. While last week I was wondering how to field a full team this week my only problem was who to leave out! I guess the comforting thing is even those rookies that I leave out and that sit on the bench have the chance to increase in value from the pine even if their points don’t count.
Jason Gram was disappointing even for a rookie…wait he’s not a rookie he just played like one
Any news on how far away Trent Cotchin is?The paper just says indefinite
Why so low on Scott DT for superocach? He got 75 supercoach points when his team was crap and North Melbourne has a better chance against Richmond.
You missed Tippett in the “Who to start” bit. I imagine he would slot in immediately before or after Henderson (for DT). Considering Crows play Eagles and he may find himself playing on Glass at times.
My starting rookies this week are Edwards, Hansen, Dempsey, Geary, Hill, Rioli and Stewart. Proud, Palmer and Tippett are emergencies, while Bird has a week off.
Scott DT has been dropped.
What do you guys reckon about Jarred Moore. Where does he ft in. Who would you select out of Dyson, Moore, Palmer and Bird? I’m leaning toward the first two.
I have Scott DT (omitted), Mackie (inj), and Hartlett (sus) in the back line. Glad that Proud got a call up!
TUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monty, like you, I’ve got Steve Johnson in both DT and SC, are you thinking of ditching him before the price drop?
Steve: It’s killing me, yeah. I don’t think I will though, he’s a keeper and you have to ride the rollercoaster.
what to do with quinten lynch.. he is just not doing that well this year in DT he’s not that expensive but sill stuck as to what to do with him
i’m thinking dew-> hill and lynch-> BJ
then i’ll be playing a rookie on the field as i have tippett and rioli already but i dont mind that just dont want to see lynch start performing after i’ve traded him
yeh I’ve got lynch too simplicity in the same boat. I want to get my hands on hill for either lynch or pettiffer and use the cash to upgrade a rookie abck to brett thornton. which 1 to drop? I like your plan for ur team thought, sounds solid.
By the way what does everyone think of M gardiner, its not really feasible for me to pick him up but i feel he hasn;t been spoken about enough.
I know im filling up the comment boxes but also does anyone think edwards will keep his spot with kreuzer returning?
i am coming 61st overall and am very happy with my team except - steve johnson. i have a rule never to trade my gun players which i pick from the start of the year but am thinking he just doesn’t look the goods and the extra cash i’ll pick up could be worth the trades. therefore i’ll bring in hill for steve johnson then maybe thornton for hartlett and have a fair chunk of cash left. any thoughts????
any thoughts on Byron Schammer and whether to wait it out with him or what?? i was gonna trade him for one of those rookies you mentioned, but even picking one of them is tough!
p.s. i asked about luke ball last week, you gave a negative response and he must’ve read it or something cos he manged up with 109 in DT this week. still unsure on him after what you said though
any thoughts on what to do about Byron Schammer?? should i wait with him and hope that he gets more game time or just make a money trade and get one of those youngsters mentioned?
any thoughts on byron schammer?? should i wait it out with him or trade him for one of the rookies mentioned so i make some $$$?
any thoughts on byron schammer?? should i wait it out with him for a little longer or just trade him for one of the rookies mentioned (i was thinking geary)??