Dr McDreamy, who is the top performing Dream Team coach and how did he or she get there? - Alyssa
Well, Alyssa, let’s have a look here.
Jonathon and his ‘Collingwood’ team (imaginative name, eh?) are averaging 2006 points for the five rounds played so far, even notching up 1967 points in a difficult last round.
Naturally, he’s got all the high-scoring heroes of 2008, but with some terrific bargains making all the difference.
Of all the high-performing youngsters, he’s got most of them, too. Josh Hill, Cyril Rioli, Cale Morton, Rhys Palmer, Kurt Tippett and Austin Wonaeamirri all feature prominently, and have clearly enabled Jonathon to invest in some top-line players.
However, like every Dream Teamer, he’s got a few misfiring heroes, and he’ll be hoping Nick Riewoldt, Jon Brown and Dean Cox can pick up their scores in the weeks ahead.
And, yes, I am the original Dr McDreamy.
Doc, who’s been your biggest disappointment in this year’s Dream Team competition? Heaven knows there’s more than a few that I’m looking to trade away - Gilbert
Gilbert, I suppose it all depends on who you have and what you were expecting. I always found Brad Johnson to be an ultra-consistent forward who always delivered, but a lingering injury – which the Dogs finally ‘fessed up to this week – has certainly halted him from playing his best footy.
Naturally, his value has dropped substantially, and you can now pick him up at the relatively acceptable price of $333,400. So if you don’t have him and you’re prepared to gamble on him getting back to full fitness, he could prove a cheap star.
Of the others, Daniel Kerr isn’t doing what 25,491 people picked him to do; Troy Selwood hasn’t taken the next step as many hoped, while Tyson Goldsack, who made such an impression in 2007, has racked up just 80 points in three matches.
G’day Doc, I've been having an argument lately with some mates. If you looked back through all the years of AFL/VFL history, who would have accumulated the most Dream Team points? - Anthony
Super question, Anthony. I’m convinced Albert Thurgood would have been the one. Apparently there’s nothing he couldn’t do; it’s been speculated he would have averaged around the 150 mark every week. Some player indeed.
Well, look, I can’t be exactly sure old Al would have quite have been that good, or if he would have justified his £2 price tag (not adjusted for inflation). After all, the historical recollections of those days are largely memory-based rather than statistical.
Of the all-time Dream Team stars, it would be a role call of some of the game’s greats.
As for who I think would have accumulated the most total career Dream Team points…well, for sheer ball-winning ability, and the fact that he’s scarcely ever wasted a possession in 21 years, St Kilda champion Robert Harvey would have to go awfully close.
I’d love to see some of our intrepid readers do their all-time Dream Team sides – including captains and vice-captains.
Doc, I don’t know where you got your qualifications from but, two weeks ago, you suggested trading away Simon Goodwin for Daniel Cross. Are you sure you’re a doctor? - Reggie
Well Reggie, I suggest you read the piece again.
I told all Dream Teamers lucky enough to have the in-form Goodwin in their side that while he was playing very well right now, he may not be able to sustain it for the rest of the year.
What you’ve clearly overlooked, however, is that I said you should wait until AFTER the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match (May 10) before making up your mind one way or another. Never did I say you should jump the gun – and even if you did, ‘Goody’ only scored 20 more points than the Bulldog terrier last week.
And if you look a bit further down that article, I also said if you wanted a value bet to try Alan Didak ... who – ahem – outscored both Cross and Goodwin last week.
