The youngsters have plateaud, the high-priced stars are injured and the solid mid-range contributors aren’t contributing.
I can’t speak for every coach out there, but reality hit this DT mentor in a big way this week.
Scott Lucas was dropped after six indifferent games, Gary Ablett and Shaun Higgins were injured and Jared Rivers’ courage saw him crocked against West Coast.
Thankfully, a welcome resurgence by Fremantle and the better form from some Tigers have provided a much-needed pool of well-priced talent to restock an ailing squad.
And no player looks better value than Richmond ruckman Angus Graham.
The young Tiger has rocketed into the list of top 10 overall Dream Team movers on the back of a fine month of football, capped by a 118-point game against the Brisbane Lions.
Graham’s value has risen by more than $137,000 to $224,200 – still a very enticing price for a ruck capable of a 100-plus-point performance.
Despite being outside the overall top 10, fellow Tigers Robin Nahas, Mark Coughlan and Andrew Collins have all shot up in value, reflecting their side’s more competitive showings in recent weeks.
It’s a similar story at Fremantle, where players of all sizes are flourishing.
After a slow start to the year, giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands has finally increased his overall value with a mammoth 139-point game against Carlton on the Gold Coast.
And his more compact teammate Stephen Hill is coming to grips with the speed of the big league, adding 78 points to his tally for an overall rise of almost $100,000.
Hill was a popular choice after a strong showing in the NAB Cup and at $242,000, he still offers reasonable value for a talented onballer with plenty of scope for improvement.
At the other end of the spectrum, many of the same faces remain among the struggling Dream Team performers, headed by Freo’s Chris Tarrant.
When we last checked, Taz was the only player to have dropped in value by more than $100,000 but two others have now cracked the ton.
Melbourne’s Matthew Bate and Hawk star Lance Franklin still haven’t lived up to their lofty reputations while injured Hawk Luke Hodge is also on the cusp of joining the $100K club.
They’ve been joined by some new faces in the biggest loser club, including star Swans Barry Hall and Jarrad McVeigh.
Swans coach Paul Roos has defended Hall to the hilt after the big forward’s five-possession outing against Geelong, but the DT stats don’t lie.
Hall managed just 21 points, slumping to an overall price of $264,000 – more than $90,000 less than he was worth at round one.
And teammate McVeigh, the Swans’ reigning Bob Skilton Medallist, is emblematic of the Swans’ inconsistency.
After a 127-point game against Hawthorn in round two, Macca’s been on the slide with a series of 50-point performances sending his value down by $85,000.
But you might want to wait a week before clearing out the older Swans in favour of some cygnets.
The Bloods host the old enemy, West Coast, at ANZ Stadium this weekend and if the early rounds are any guide, the Swans should cash in with a big one.
Toyota AFL Dream Team Round 7
Top 10 movers
1. Garry Moss (Haw) $272,500 (+$197,200)
2. Brendan Whitecross (Haw) $268,100 (+$181,500)
3. Jack Ziebell (NM) $275,800 (+$157,200)
4. Angus Graham (Rich) $224,200 (+$137,600)
5. Andy Otten (Adel) $258,000 (+$131,500)
6. Shaun Higgins (WB) $336,100 (+$124,200)
7. Sam Gilbert (StK) $344,300 (+$122,400)
8. Liam Picken (WB) $197,000 (+$121,700)
9. Daniel Rich (BL) $243,600 (+$117,000)
10. Alex Rance (Rich) $200,000 (+$113,400)
Top 10 losers
1. Chris Tarrant (Freo) $182,900 (-$129,100)
2. Matthew Bate (Melb) $244,300 (-$109,800)
3. Lance Franklin (Haw) $327,600 (-$100,400)
4. Luke Hodge (Haw) $330,000 (-$98,800)
5. Travis Johnstone (BL) $277,000 (-$93,200)
6. Barry Hall (Syd) $264,000 (-$91,600)
7. Daniel Giansiracusa (WB) $325,100 (-$88,200)
7. Adam Cooney (WB) $323,400 (-$86,600)
9. Brett Jones (WC) $226,000 (-$85,500)
10. Jarrad McVeigh (Syd) $287,300 (-$85,000)
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
