If you don’t select these guys, you are rolling the dice, hoping an injury to that player will bring down the rest of your competition. However, past history suggests with these must-haves that they are a very safe bet to build your team around.
1. Jimmy Bartel
Bartel is one of the most reliable Dream Team players in the competition, scoring the second-most points of any player since 2007. The Cats set the benchmark for disposals last year, and it was largely due to their game plan, as they shared the ball around and took a lot of marks. Since averaging 114 points per match in his Brownlow Medal year of 2007, Bartel's performances have remained steady, averaging 113 and 109 in the past two years.
2. Gary Ablett
There’s not much more that can be said about Ablett that we didn’t already know. He led the competition last season averaging 34 disposals per match, which was an AFL record. He was simply unstoppable, racking up in excess of 30 disposals in all but five of his 19 games. His ability to go forward and score is what differentiates himself from everyone else, scoring 20 or more goals in seven of his eight seasons in the AFL. Despite missing games through injury in each of the past two seasons, he’s just too good not to have in your team.
3. Dane Swan
Swan had the most Dream Team points of any player last season, scoring 210 more than the next-best player. He had 48 disposals against Port Adelaide in round 10 and averaged 32 per match for the year. He scored in excess of 100 points in all but three games, topping 120 on 12 occasions. What made his effort even more impressive was the fact he was the most benched player in the competition, demonstrating that you can score well even if you do spend time off the ground.
4. Joel Corey
Corey doesn’t receive the same recognition as his higher-profile teammates, but that doesn’t make him a lesser player. He has been a model of consistency over the past three seasons, averaging more than 100 Dream Team points in each year, providing great value for money for the coaches who selected him. Corey's 2133 points last year was ranked fourth at Geelong, and he was second only to Ablett for average disposals from rounds 11-22. He may come at a price this year, but he is definitely worth it.
5. Dean Cox
It would take a brave coach to go into this season without Cox. He proved he was human last year, succumbing to injury and playing just 13 games - the lowest tally of his career. Despite missing much of the year, his performances prior to the long layoff were of the highest standard, averaging 107 points per match - his most in any season to date. There are very few ruckman that can do what he does, winning plenty of hit-outs and finding the ball at will around the ground. With Mark Seaby leaving the club, the onus will be on him to stay fit and healthy for the entire season.
6. Nick Riewoldt
Riewoldt is the only forward who featured in the top 10 point-scorers of the competition last season. His tally of 2232 points was second only to Leigh Montagna at St Kilda, averaging 112 points per match - his second-best return in any season. His durability and consistency is what makes him such a great Dream Team player, and he's missed just 14 games over the past eight seasons. He led the competition in marks last year, taking 25 more than the next-best forward.
