Round 14 was the first of the so-called difficult byes and it wasn’t easy going with some premos scoring well below their averages, however the likes of Tim Taranto, Marcus Bontempelli and Tim English delivered big time.
Port v Geelong
Freak: Houston (108)
Flop: Stewart (66)
Rookie Roulette: Williams (76), Sinn (14)
What a revolting start to the difficult bye rounds. Just as we finish finessing our teams to ensure we have sufficient players, everybody decides to give up. Last week people were dropping 80s off their score, and this week we’re fielding a long list of floppers after only one game. Deep breath, we had Butters (77), Stewart (66), JHF (34), Sinn (14), and trade target Duncan (74), who went to sleep in the second half. Only Rozee (106) and Houston (108) and Dyl Will (76) came through this game unscathed. Geelong all went home at half time and, like us, have to peel themselves off the canvas after this one.
Brisbane v Sydney
Freak: Sheldrick (82)
Flop: Lloyd (87)
Rookie Roulette: Sheldrick (82), Wilmot (61), Lohmann (57), Fletcher (56), Buller (19)
Ok this is a little more like it but this game wasn’t without its complications. Indulge my annoyance that Big Oscar McInerney (134) is my draft ruckman and because we’re not sociopaths we have the bye rounds switched off. Luke Parker (126) was very good and I still think he’s not the worst pick, albeit not a top-8 one. Dunkley (113) put together one of those really borderline VC games and naturally the correct answer was to stick with Taranto, which I of course did not do. Gulden (108) and Neale (100) also performed but the chocolates have to go to rookie saviour and #1 target of last week, Angus Sheldrick. He did it off a miniscule un-subbed 55% TOG. I cannot understand. He’s also unfortunately every chance to get dropped for Mills next week. Lloydy looked on for a good one, faded late and I think it’s fair to say my rolling the dice for the sugar hit of his good run hasn’t worked. Ashcroft (71) had a down game at home at just the wrong time since most would have had to count that score.
GWS v Freo
Freak: Jelly (120)
Flop: Young (79)
Rookie Roulette: Sturt (68), Johnson (37), Cadman (7), Angwin (2)
I cannot explain how aggravating it is for Jelly, who I dragged along with my team for most of the year, dish this sort of thing up on his first game back. Next to him old mate Cogs (110), who a few traded, and Callaghan (108) who I did trade right as he came good. It was a high-scorer all round with Serong (106) and Green (104) tonning up too, but Brayshaw (109) didn’t quite provide a captain’s score. Briggsy (97) continued to be a superb Darcy replacement as, frankly, did Jackson (94).
Himmelberg’s (84) scoring is back up now that the coach has made the wild decision to play him in the correct position. The only issue is there are a few mouths to feed down there. The Freo bye-round backmen, shall we call them, both failed again despite the ball being down there the entire game. Ryan only delivered a 77, whereas Young somehow only managed 79 despite a 65-point first half. The Fyfe (47) experiment has to be deemed a failure at this stage, and the main problem was Freo’s performance overall. As if Longmuir wasn’t having enough of a mare, he then subbed out cult hero Johnson, whose score would have to drop off. I have a small fear his spot is at risk now too.
Richmond v St Kilda
Freak: Taranto (147)
Flop: Me, for not captaining TT
Rookie Roulette: Phillipou (68), Young (37), Clarke (36), Caminiti (34), Ryan (17)
Good LORD TT what can I even say. Brownlow? I really worried myself out of this captaincy pick with a Windhager (85) tag which just wasn’t there. Then it started pelting with rain and it looked like he was in his natural habitat. Crouch (109) is back to his best in what might as well be called the ‘absence’ of Jack Steele (60). This is a stunning tumble down the fantasy rankings and he is just not right at all. If you want to trade him and for some reason you’re looking ok in Round 15 I do actually tick this off. Sinclair (100) has been the correct answer for backline trades over the last couple of rounds and RoMar (103) was a little down in the wet conditions.
Carlton v Gold Coast
Freak: Docherty (125)
Flop: Walsh (82)
Rookie Roulette: Humphrey (75), Cincotta (40), Berry (3)
The Carlton chaps came out swinging and the Suns confirmed a strange trend where teams coming off the bye all suck after a rest. Docherty is a big target pre-Round 16. Cerra (122) has gone 120+ for the fourth time this season, he’s just too much of a roller coaster for me. Anderson (100) only just raised the bat, but I do like him as a bit of a POD coming home. Those rolling with a load of Suns for bye purposes just have one more week to get through, although you may move them on now if you can. Most were passable on this occasion with Rowell (80) going ok-adjacent, Atkins scratching 68 together and Fiorini (75) putting together a monstrous first half, matched only by the woefulness of his second half. Humphrey was good, but I will tick off upgrading him early if you have enough taking the field. I will also controversially tick off using the bye as an excuse to trade Sam Walsh, who has gone 0 for 3 for tons during the bye period.
North v Bulldogs
Freak: Bont (158)
Flop: Ziebell (59)
Rookie Roulette: Phillips (63), Wardlaw (31), Spicer (28), Bergman (20)
With Round 15 looking dodgy, we were probably desperately searching for excuses to trade some we otherwise would not have. Sheezel (98) and Ziebell were potentially in that category, but with Aaron Hall’s omission points were on offer. It’s now looking very hard to trade the Sheez, but for some inexplicable reason Ziebell went completely unsighted in Q3, spending a bunch of time riding the pine. You can trade him. Meanwhile Wardlaw had a very down day and, although there is no question it’s too early, I tick off trading him if you can get something good on the other end.
Marcus Bontempelli, what a performance. It was a painful, painful watch for non-owners and we’ve got to find a way to get him after the byes. He scored not only all his usual points, but most of Macrae’s (83) and Smith’s (78) too.
With the worst of the byes still ahead, it is all about trading bye players who aren’t going to be best in their line. I wouldn’t go trading top 8 players unless you absolutely have to. Do make sure you’re not making your team worse to do it, though. Full disclosure, Sheezel will likely go for me and there are a few underpriced guys coming off the bye who could reward you; namely Yeo, Cameron and Keays.
Bring them in: Crouch, DCam, Yeo, Mills (if he plays)
Cop it on the chin: Young, Stewart, Butters
Put them in the bin: Walsh, Steele, Ziebell, Wardlaw, Cincotta
