Round 6 had it all, with some premo monster scores but also some uber frustration from rooks, particularly in an hour of need. But as the saying goes with your premos, you’ve gotta know when to hold ’em (not this round).
Fremantle v Bulldogs
Freak: Bont (148)
Flop: Young (77)
Rookie Roulette: Wagner (62), Sturt (43), Johnson (41), Jones (33)
Bont finally put together a four-quarter performance and didn’t get Bevo’d. He padded out every stat line as if he’d captained himself. Darcy (112) was going to get a jump on English (129) until once again English showed he can score against even very restrictive ruckmen. Serong (114) continued to fire. Brayshaw (99) and Macrae (99) owners could’ve done with an extra point just for psychological purposes. Libba (97) got concussed late so surely Macrae goes bananas next week against Hawthorn.
Risk-takers who brought in JJ (67) can hide behind his breakeven. The only flag is that potential head injury. Young’s scores still seem to have a cap on them. Listen, if you’re holding him count yourself lucky that you don’t have Richards (47) who is actually the real Flop for me it’s just that I’m the only moron who owns him.
Port v West Coast
Freak: Rozee (133)
Flop: JHF (38)
Rookie Roulette: #Ginbae (62), Lord (37), Trew (37), Williams (32)
Is upgrade season here? Popular target Butters (88) came very very close to the Flop when he gave away a free to be on 57 after 3QT. Why is he starting on the pine? Confusing and aggravating. Drew (123) took a lot of Butters’ CBAs but Port’s run is juicy and he should come good. Hunt (90) really delivered in a week where others did not.
Rozee cashed in against West Coast with a great VC/C score. JHF was still sitting at 18% ownership at round 6 and you should upgrade back to Day with some DPP action.
GWS v Brisbane
Freak: Cogs (135)
Flop: Neale (73)
Rookie Roulette: Ashcroft (66), Angwin (54), Cadman (35), Rowston (33), Wilmot (22)
With Green holders taking a hit, the expectation was that Jelly (125) and Cogs would be the beneficiaries. That’s precisely what happened. It’s nice when this game does what it’s meant to. Unless like me you don’t have Cogs and you have Green riding the pine. The problem we have is that Brisbane have found a way to win without Neale or Dunkley (86) scoring well. Neale was on my radar but it’s hard to bring him in off the back of that.
Much of this round was dictated by rookie roulette and Wilmot (22) has done his dash. I hope you got him out of D6. Angwin looked impressive and should hold despite Green returning. Whitfield (83) is one of a heap of mid-range backs who were only ok and he junked it right up at the death.
Geelong v Sydney
Freak: Stewart (100)
Flop: The MRO for making me field Roberts, literally everyone else
Rookie Roulette: Gould (20), Roberts (19)
Absolute. Unmitigated. Disaster. As if the GreenDay hold couldn’t get any worse, our fresh recruit and Green cover Roberts (19) was subbed out before half time. Here I was, being ever so grateful I fielded Roberts over Wilmot and holy hat it was the WRONG MOVE. If you had the double Day/Wilmot Green/Roberts disaster you can delete your team and you can delete mine too.
Right, so that’s the bad news out of the way. Just kidding, we’re just warming up. Gulden gave away about 75 free kicks and honestly his vomitus 70 was flattering. Duncan scored 44. FORTY FOUR. Chad Warner scored FIFTY THREE. Absolutely desgustang display. What the actual. I cannot.
Hawthorn v Adelaide
Freak: Laird (120)
Flop: Jones (37)
Rookie Roulette: Greene (71), Mitchell (68), Pedlar (67), Michalanney (60), Mackenzie (45)
We could’ve had Mitchell instead of Roberts. We could’ve had Greene over Mackenzie. In a round when we had to play more rookies than normal, the influence these line-ball calls have had is crushing me if I think about it too hard.
Sicily (115) bounced back nicely and Dawson (103) faded late but returned another good score, whilst Newcombe (122) has taken full advantage of Day’s absence. I’m wondering if he’s done so well that Day’s CBAs might be affected. You’d think Worpel (88) would lose out. He’s not been bad, but I think you cash out now.
Unlike JJ, Chayce Jones is a failed pick. There wasn’t even a good cash bump. Do I sound flat? This round has just been horrible.
Carlton v St Kilda
Freak: Walsh (131)
Flop: my decision making
Rookie Roulette: Cincotta (76), Hollands (75), Cowan (48), Phillipou (48)
More line ball calls, more pain. Hollands to Roberts netted you -56 points, Mackenzie to Cincotta would’ve got you +31. I feel sick. It’s gross that I’m wishing I had Cash Cowan on ground.
Why did Carlton get 6 tonnes and still lose?! The Saints only had RoMar (100)?! Crouch got 75! Steele got 78! Unbelievable scenes.
In finally some good news, Sam Walsh returned to his best. Very very good. It would be an aggressive move but I kinda love it.
Gold Coast v North
Freak: Weller (133)
Flop: injury gods
Rookie Roulette: Humphrey (57), Sheezel (47), Comben (33), Phillips (22)
Oh. My. God. The carnage is just becoming unbelievable. I don’t remember a round like it. Captain option Miller (48) did a meniscus. LDU (66) did an ankle. Phillips got subbed out. Sheezel had a role done on him, got moved forward and Hall (83) took all his points. This round was a genuine nightmare.
Shall we try and find some good news? Ziebell (99) survived Hall? Anderson (102), might be an option while Miller is out? He’ll be the number 1 tag target but if you’re keen on him I wouldn’t talk you out of it.
Melbourne v Richmond
Freak: Taranto (138)
Flop: Grundy (55)
Rookie Roulette: Ryan (69), Chandler (59), McVee (57), JVR (50), Young (24), Laurie (12)
Oliver (105) wasn’t a late out! The luck is turning! Taranto racked up along all the stat lines, including a game-high 10 tackles. As expected, Gawn’s (97) return hampered Grundy, who has to go. Petracca (106) raised the bat and there was a somewhat reasonable score from old mate Gus Brayshaw (80).
You can jump off stepping stone Pickett (37) who’s now losing cash. Short (117) was superb, but notably played off half back, which affected Baker (53). Like Mills, Baker’s versatility can get in the way of his scoring. Melbourne are too tall imo and face a selection crunch, but who’s dropping JVR after that?
Collingwood v Essendon
Freak: Daicos (140)
Flop: McGrath (67)
Rookie Roulette: Menzie (48), Davey (30), Kelly (24)
This was old school fantasy. Don’t know the teams? Good luck! If you were hoping for a loop via Davey that didn’t work.
Epic comeback from the pies to mirror my team with Nicky D single handedly dragging me over 2000. Parish (94) was pretty disappointing with a medal on the line and no Zerrett to compete for points. I’d say the same for Setters (86) except he tagged De Goey (99) and knocked out a 34 point final term once it was released. McGrath headlines the mediocre backs and if there was ever a week he was going to get mid time this was it, but it didn’t happen.
Ok, I’m picking myself up and dusting myself off. Thanks for indulging my ranting. How boring would this game be if every week went exactly as planned? Cincotta is going to fix everything. We’ve got this, lets goooooo!
Bring them in: Cincotta, Angwin, Day
Cop it on the chin(cotta): Butters, Dunkley, Gulden
Put them in the bin: Pickett, Grundy, Mackenzie
