What was going on with the Dream Team site last week? It was impossible to get on and make changes to my team on Friday night. - Fred
I got this response from the big chiefs at BigPond:
Unfortunately, the Dream Team site experienced a substantial slowdown in the hours leading up to last Friday’s lockout. It was managed best as possible during the weekend, and measures are now in place to prevent this happening again.
I hope that answers your question Fred!
Theories abound, Jezza, but trawl as one might, a definitive answer cannot be found. Houlihan was dropped after the loss to Hawthorn, with coach Brett Ratten offering the explanation that he hasn't been "ticking the right boxes".
It's easy to get caught up in a player's DT scores and think he's traveling alright; in Houlihan's case he was flying after a price hike of $57,200. But coaches see things differently – they see a game through KPIs rather than DT points … bizarre, I know!
Houlihan had been winning plenty of footy and using it typically well. So given Ratten's cryptic explanation, we can only assume he wasn't doing enough of the tough stuff.
Youngsters Andrew Browne and Dennis Armfield did plenty of it down back against the Pies last week and Mitch Robinson had a crack up forward, so there are no guarantees for Houlihan. He'll come back into the side at some stage but, as mentioned last week, carrying out-of-favour players should be avoided. I'd cut your losses and cash in on Melbourne's Jack Grimes. He's scored 109 and 95 in his first two matches this season and should stick around.
Hi Doc, I'm in a bit of a pickle. You can just tell that Kane Cornes' shoulder is going to affect his DT scores dramatically, so I'm considering trading him. James Kelly looks a bargain. What are your thoughts? - Tom (8 Trades, $88,000)
The first thing to note here, Tom, is that there are durable DT players and then there is Kane Cornes, a certified DT gun with adamantium bones who has played 135 games on the trot.
"It's only because it is Kane," Port coach Mark Williams said after selecting the tagger last week despite his shoulder injury, and that is a more than adequate excuse for you to stick by your man here.
Sure, he did score 34 last week – but there were a few reasons. His midfield time was limited with Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin both dragging him forward while illness has been thrown up as well, ahem.
The value of picking Cornes at the start of the year is that you know he's durable and he'll see the season out. The trade you'll save is worth more than any mid-season cash grab, and I reckon he'll bounce back within the fortnight.
His price may have dropped by then, but that's neither here nor there with a 22-round commitment like Cornes. He'll quite easily shade Kelly for the rest of the season, too.
Hey Doc, I have Tarkyn Lockyer in my team and when he's up he's up and when he's down he's down. I was wondering whether or not I should trade him for Mark Coughlan, who has been consistent so far this season? - Martyn (12 Trades, $16,400)
Hate to pour cold water on another industrious trade, Martyn, but I reckon you're a bit out of line here.
Lockyer's averaging a handy 97.6 DT points per round and, by my reckoning, he's only let you down twice this season with scores of 63 (round seven) and 64 (round five). Plenty of others have done worse, mate.
One of those scores was against the Saints (which you tend to pardon) and the other was against Essendon. The risk with Lockyer is that his role can vary week to week. Big scores like his 133 against North Melbourne and 131 against the Lions come when he's attacking and pushing forward, while the lower scores come when he's given a defensive role, either midfield or down back.
I reckon he's a solid DT player, and he's made you money so far. But if the angst of not knowing what role he'll play each week is too much for you, take a squizz at Geelong's bargain backmen. Andrew Mackie ($344,600) and Corey Enright (364,200) play the same running role of half-back each week and rack up steady points doing it. They haven't been pulling out the odd blinder like Lockyer, though.
Captains
The Little Master is back, and he's brought a DT quandary with him. To 'C' or not to 'C', that is the question. On the plus side, Ablett wanted to play last week, he missed and his Brownlow chances took a hit. So there's no stage like Friday night at the Docklands to make up for lost ground, right? Wrong, the naysayers will tell you. The argument being that he may be used closer to goal with limited TOG.
Personally, I think giving Ablett one week to ease back into things before you burden him with the 'C' is reasonable. Besides, there are plenty of other options this week with Chris Judd, Dean Cox and the man that skippers many teams for the full 22, Jimmy Bartel, all seemingly good choices.
Adelaide had planned for tagger Robert Shirley to take on Judd, but the SANFL tribunal put paid to that cunning plan.
Cox hasn't missed the 100 – a benchmark for your skipper – since round one. And you'd let him get away with that 99. But there's heavy rain forecast out west, so beware.
No such risk under the roof at Docklands for Ablett and Bartel…
This week's top three:
Jimmy Bartel (139 last week)
Dean Cox (129)
Gary Ablett (90 in round six)
Best of luck to you all Dream Teamers!
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
