Okay here is my run down of each of the Brisbane player’s DT and SC potential for this year as I see it. Overall I have to say that I will not be taking more than one or two Lions guys this year. The best 22 is just too uncertain with any of the guys from 15 to 30 in the depth chart capable of playing from week to week. I can see guys being brought in and dropped pretty regularly at least early in the season whilst Voss works out his best combination. That does not make for good fantasy prospects. Anyway on with the show.
Adcock – seriously consider in DT
He will have a lower profile but could easily be one of the top defenders this year. He had a slow start to last year before starting to hit form at midseason with regular 100s. He was injured in round 15 and so has a 5/11 counting in his price. He also came back not 100% for the semi-final and his 44/61 depresses his price as well. Despite one very good SC season he is much more of a DT prospect and its unlikely that I will have him in SC. Unlike most of our guys he looks to have trimmed down a bit in the offseason. A move back to the midfield is not out of the question.
Austin – can’t see him getting enough games
Played the last 4 games for the Lions but with the new players coming onboard and a relatively healthy list I struggle to see him getting many games at least early in the year. Still if he does get picked he is attractively priced at 42 in DT and he should be good for a 20+ point increase in that average. Too much job security risk for me though. Not suited to SC.
Banfield – monitor closely and maybe a downgrade target later
Banfield is another who may struggle for games early but he is one definitely worth watching closely in the NAB. He has bulked up a LOT in the offseason and looks ready to go. His pace would be handy in the side (Voss is trying to improve this aspect of the side) and he performed pretty well in the reserves last year. He is also mature aged and I am sure the Lions will want to have a look at him at some stage to see if he has what it takes. It is quite likely that he might debut a bit later in the season and he could be a good downgrade target when cashing in your cows.
Bartlett – keep in mind for midseason
He is coming of a knee reco and whilst everything is coming along very well there is no way the Lions are going to rush him into the side especially with the depth that they acquired through trades this offseason. Still he has fitted into the Lions very well and his kicking skills will be very handy for a team a bit lacking in this area. I expect him to get games about midseason and again he is one to monitor when you are doing your midseason upgrades.
Beams – forget it a long way off
He is a rookie who only came back to the game last year. No chance of playing this year I think.
Black – solid option but not enough upside
Always good for 90/95 but not much higher than that given that he wears the hard tag each and every week. He is consistent but is not a true premium scorer and does not seem to have the upside of others at his price.
Brennan – consider as a forward
It would be nice but I am betting him being named as a ruck option this year but as a forward he does have some appeal. He will play more in the middle this year with some time up forward and will be given a free roaming commission which should allow him to up his scoring more. He was much more consistent last year with more midfield time and I see that continuing this year. Priced at 85/89 he is not cheap but he is definitely worth considering especially in SC.
Brown – maybe for SC but only a maybe
There is a bit of divergence of opinion on what Fevola means for Brown’s scoring with a theory going around that he will return to playing higher. Historically at 28 there is a significant drop off in the production of power CHFs. The Lions have sought to combat this by making Brown into a true FF and I can’t see that trend changing next year with Fevola there instead of Bradshaw. I think his production is likely to be pretty similar to this year and as always Brown is a prime candidate for a few ordinary games in a row dropping his price right down. Accordingly he is a good upgrade target but not a great starting prospect.
Buchanan – not for me
He is likely to play but seems pegged for a forward pocket role which usually makes players irrelevant for fantasy purposes. There is the new team bounce factor but he has never been a particularly high scorer and with him solidly positioned in a pocket I will stay away.
Charman – only in the case of injury
If Clark and Leuenberger go down by all means jump on board but even then do not expect anything above 70. Still priced at 38/30 he does have some value in those circumstances. There is some conjecture about whether he is second or third (third for me) on the depth chart but either way his TOG and job security are likely to be big negatives to anyone considering taking him. Rucks are a pain this year but there are better options out there.
Clark – no I can’t see him maintaining his scoring
Came from nowhere to be one of the premium rucks last year but that was when the Lions no other ruck options and his TOG was huge. With Leuenberger and Charman fit again he is still the number 1 ruck but there is no way I can see him maintaining his TOG. I think he and Leuenberger will be able to play together at the same time (Clark as a floating HB) but there is no way I can see his scoring remaining at 94/94. Having said that he is still very young in ruck terms and definitely on the up. Its not out of the question that he could become the next Cox and so watch how Voss plays him in the NAB.
X Clarke - one to watch when he comes into the side
He is very temptingly priced and I had him in my side before reading Voss’ comment that he is not expected to play before round 8. If he can stay on the park there is no way you cannot make money with him and if you need to free up money or do a sideways to a guy actually likely to play he might not be a bad option. Injury risk is extreme although Voss has a lot of confidence in his staff.
Collier – a definite maybe if he is playing
Coming into his third year he is a guy definitely in the mix for a spot in the 22. Macdonald tipped him last year as the guy most likely to take his spot and with his departure it is there for the taking. The problem is that he is competing with the likes of Hawksley, Raines, Hanley and even Maguire for the spot. He is big, mobile and has good run off and would add a dimension to the side which gives him a good chance of selection. He is priced at 41/42 and would be good for a significant increase in scoring if he gets games.
Cornelius – only in the case of injury and probably not then
He is really the only KPF option that the Lions have behind Brown and Fevola. Even then as a second year KP I would not expect him to score very much and given he is not minimum priced I would find it hard to take him. With Brown and Fevola fit it is an easy decision to say maybe next year.
Drummond – full priced and not for me
SC specialist who if he is left free will kill teams hence teams almost always have a defensive forward sit on him. As a consequence his scoring was pretty inconsistent last year having some huge games and other pretty mediocre ones. I think he is pretty full priced and he still missed 4 games last year. Durability is always a major factor with Drummond and given this risk and the probable lack of upside I will probably look elsewhere.
Dyson – not this year
He is a rookie who I can’t see getting games this year.
Fevola – can’t see his scoring improve
For the first time he actually has another star key forward competing for marks and goals. I think he will do very well with a bit of the pressure off him as far as double teams go but I can’t see him improving his scoring. He is already at 89/93 and the only way is down I think for a guy that plays as close to goal as he does.
Golby – not at the moment
I really like the kid but he is a rookie coming off major knee surgery during last season. Every seems to point to him being a non-factor this year. Personally I think he may be a shot later in the year but even still that is a pretty big call with the depth the Lions have this year.
Hanley – if selected get him in your side
Job security is the only factor for me with Hanley. He is named as a back and is a player that can really rack them up. He is a physical player with excellent speed and reasonable disposal skills all of the things Voss is looking to get into the side. He was promoted I think for a reason and is right in there with a good chance of being selected. There will be a lot of pressure on him from other guys though if he is picked. Personally I think he is good enough to hold his position and he should score every nicely in his third year in the system.
Harwood – some chance
With the Lions in need of inside help and Harwood being an inside specialist there is a chance that he could get a game but it is a bit of a long shot for mine. If he plays he is likely to score pretty well given he is a high possession guy who knows how to tackle and a professional preseason will also do him a lot of good I think. Personally I do not think it is likely this year but you never know. There are better midfield cow options out there.
Hawksley – could be a nice unique
Finally broke into the side in round 18 and kept Macdonald out of the side in the finals which showed the confidence Voss had in him. He did defensive jobs last year and limited his run off a bit but he is a good user of the ball who can hurt teams going the other way if he is given the opportunity to do so. Job security is the issue with guys like Collier, Raines and Hanley all pushing for his spot but if he is selected he is good for an easy 20 point increase in his 45/56 scoring of last year.
Johnstone – could reward but a big gamble
On paper priced at 74/73 he looks very tempting and if you have the kahoonies he could give you 20 more points than that and an easy upgrade to a true premium. Teams know that any sort of attention causes Johnstone to disappear but with the continued emergence of Rich you have to think that Black, Rich and probably Drummond are more likely to wear the close checkers than Johnstone next year. The other concern is that his overall effort particularly defensively has seen him dropped from the team multiple times in the last two years. It is entirely possible that if he starts the year and his head drops he could be consigned to a lengthy stay in the reserves.
Leuenberger – I love him but no
Is competing for the second ruck spot with Charman and whilst I think he should win that one, the question is how much TOG will he get as the second ruck. Clark has excellent endurance and could easily dominate TOG and when Leuenberger has shown that he needs TOG to perform at his peak it does not look good for his fantasy value. If for any reason Leuenberger started as the number 1 ruck (because of injury or Clark playing as a backman) then jump on board because he could well do what Clark did last year.
McGuire – a good reserve back option
He looks fit and has done everything asked of him so far this preseason and is a good chance I think to slot into CHB next season. He has never been a high scorer and is not a cow option but he is an excellent prospect to actually play games and if you put him on your bench you can cover 0s with a solid 40 points. He should be priced only slightly higher than most rookies and his job security is likely to be higher than virtually any rookie back option this year. Someone to definitely consider.
McCauley – too many ahead of him this year
He is a mature aged rookie ruckman and if he has been in our side last year he would have played a lot of games. As it is he has at least Clark, Leuenberger and Charman ahead of him. Barring a major injury crisis again hitting our rucks I think you have to look elsewhere.
McGrath – could well be a defensive option
The evidence points to the possibility of McGrath coming of age fantasy wise next year. Personally I have my doubts the main reason being that he is the Lions best small defender and like last year will be given shut down roles pretty regularly. His scoring went through the roof from round 15 which is what has gotten people excited. From round 15 onward he averaged 84 (enough for a keeper in the backs) and as he is priced at 70 (73 in SC) he looks like an attractive option. Bear in mind though that round 15 coincided with Adcock’s injury and he will be back come round 1. If Adcock is released to the midfield and McGrath is given a freer role then he could be a good option. He has been on a modified program to date although nothing major has been reported.
McKeever – no way
Irish key position rookie – enough said.
Merrett – improving but a long way from being a fantasy option
The big guy looked much, much better with the ball in his hands last year and I am sure he will be used more in the coming year but he is coming from a long way back and its highly unlikely he will ever be fantasy relevant. You do not win anything in fantasy land with full backs in your side.
O’Brien – maybe next year
Light, tallish HBF/mid first year who is a year away from contending for a spot in the side. He will play a lot of time in the reserves and work on his body and hopefully he should be in the mix at this time next year.
Patfull – good SC option this year
Patfull’s problem has been that he is just too good a defender and his defensive work has just been too important to allow him to run off much. If Maguire comes into CHB Patfull will be freed up to take the third tall and trigger the attack from defense. I can see him easily slotting into a role similar to what Maxwell did this year for Collingwood and scoring similarly. His 51/71 differential already shows you how suited he is to the SC game and with some freedom he could be a very nice scorer and excellent unique option. Priced at only 51 he is not out of the question either in DT as he is cheap, durable, has excellent job security and likely to bump his scoring by at least 15 if Maguire plays which is likely imo.
Polkinghorne – should be close to the top Lion on your list
Firmly established in the Lions 22 he should be up there with Dangerfield when considering cheap young forwards pegged for a move into the midfield. He showed good improvement over the course of last year and there is plenty of speculation by those inside and outside the Lions that Polks will be playing a lot more midfield time next year. He is a solid unit with good inside skills and both could be used by the Lions midfield brigade. He is nicely priced at 52/52, coming into his third year and with an uninterrupted preseason behind him. He should be good for an average in the 70s which might not make him a keeper but makes for an easy upgrade to one.
Power – consistent but without upside
Lukey will be 30 come the start of the season and whilst he has consistently scored in the 90s for a while there does not really appear to be much upside with taking him especially as a mid only. At his price of 96/97 I think there are better options.
Proud – huge hit or miss prospect
Proud is a huge scorer at reserves level, racking up possessions, tackles and even goals but has been kept on a very tight leash at AFL level. If he is given free rein in the midfield he could really go bang and make you look like an absolute genius if you took him. He is priced at 51/47 so the price is right and is a potential option in both competitions. He has had an interrupted preseason recovering from potentially career ending foot problems so I am thinking atm that he might not be in the 22 come round 1. Still keep an eye on him as he is not without a chance of coming good.
Raines – will he play?
He was obviously brought to the Lions for a reason but he only managed 3 games last year for the team that finished 15th (admittedly there was injury issues there for a while). Whatever the excuses that should not fill you with a lot of confidence given the Lions are going to be pushing hard for the top 4. Still a change of club usually sees a good bounce and he seems to be doing everything right at the Lions so far so he is not without a chance. He needs to improve his kicking I think to hold his position but he is a good runner who showed a lot of early scoring potential and priced at 49/43 he will be on a few radars. Personally I think there are better options (Hawksley, Hanley, Collier, Sheldon) but I was regularly wrong last year trying to pick what Voss was going to do.
Redden – second year syndrome candidate
He broke into the team in round 15 and held his spot all the way through to the end of the season showing some class along the way. He looks like a good player and should be comfortably in the 22 for round 1. My problem with him for next year though is that he is a bit expensive, priced at 67/65 and I have a great reluctance to taking second year guys who have performed well in their first year (the second year is usually a consolidating year as other teams know to keep an eye on them). Still with a full preseason behind him he could well improve his scoring. He knows how to score with a couple of 100s in his 10 games but for me I think a break out season is more likely next year rather than this one.
Retzlaff – not ready
First year key position taken at the bottom of the draft – not on my DT or SC teams.
Rich – too soon to be in your side again
Teams will put a lot more work into stopping Rich next season and I don’t think you are likely to see any material improvement in his scoring this year. He is going to be tagged and he still lacks the running power to really make the taggers job difficult. Bringing up the rear again this year in the time trials did not fill me with a lot of confidence. He will still be great to watch but he shouldn’t be in your fantasy side.
Rischitelli – take at your own risk
He has fallen a long way in the last couple of years and despite playing every game last year he is a long way from assured in the team come round 1. Poor skills and a lack of a position makes him very much a fringe player this year. He won’t be going anywhere near my sides this year.
Rockliff – maybe just maybe
Is probably the only true small forward that the Lions have on their list and as such he is not without a chance of playing quite a few games next year. When those games come though will be the question. He has good goal sense, reads the play very well and has an ability to move into the midfield as showed in the reserves toward the end of last year. If he has bumped his athleticism up a bit in the offseason he could play more and earlier than most expect. Keep your eye on how he goes in the preseason and if he is named I would jump on. This is a year where there are not many good bottom priced first year options and he could easily be one. If he is not picked early keep him in mind when cashing in your cows later in the year.
Selwood – nup
The coach loves him and given he is priced at 49/64 you might think it is worth a punt that he could improve his number but let me just give you a few other numbers – 10, 13, 14, 16, 17. Those are the number of games he has played in each of the last 5 years. Enough said.
Sheldon – hmmm probably not
Last year he played 19 games mostly as a negative half back occasionally playing a run with role in midfield and his scoring of 45/43 reflected that. Given our lack of any decent small forward option he played a game or two up forward at the end of the year and it looks like that is the role he should play this year from comments and training reports. Coming into his 4th year (he is still only 20) it is fair to expect another improvement from him but playing in the forward pocket and being given stopping jobs on the opposition quarterback is probably not going to help his scoring much. He is also no certainty to be in the 22 given the acquisitions this offseason.
Sherman – he is back but can he step up again
If you take him priced at 86/91 you have to do so on the basis that he is going to up his scoring again to the 100 mark. Given that last year in the Lions system there were no 100 point scorers that may be a big ask. I am confident of a small increase probably to the 90/95 mark but probably not much more than that. Everything seems to be going alright for him this offseason though and he is still only 22 so its not like he should have peaked.
Staker – perhaps perhaps perhaps
He seems very confident he is going to be in the 22 come round 1 and given what Voss gave up for him you would hope so. He has been a model of inconsistency in his career to date (eg he scored 102/116 in round 4 last year and 15/13 in round 5) but if he got it all together he could make you some serious money slotting in as a forward. He has stated a couple of times that he has been promised time as a HF alternating with Brennan through the midfield. So he will have every opportunity to score and with the new team bounce you have to consider him priced at 53/51. As a half forward he is likely to be able to float around without much company given the focus that Brown and Fevola are likely to get so he could well score pretty well. In preseason photos he looks heavy and I am struggling to see him having the engine to play significant time in the midfield notwithstanding that like virtually all players he will trim down between now and the start of the season. Despite what he has said I think his starting position is far from assured and the pressure will be on him to perform. That fact that he could only manage 6 games last year for a bottom 4 side again would worry me if I was taking him.
Stiller – a tagger now so no
He was converted into a tagger by Voss this year and whilst I think he grew into the role as the season progressed there are very few taggers who you are going to want in your side. This is especially the case when he will be competing with Selwood for one spot in the side.
Yoshiura – iiya
Rookie stick figure. Will need a year or so (although he probably is heavier than Hill was last year).
Adcock – seriously consider in DT
He will have a lower profile but could easily be one of the top defenders this year. He had a slow start to last year before starting to hit form at midseason with regular 100s. He was injured in round 15 and so has a 5/11 counting in his price. He also came back not 100% for the semi-final and his 44/61 depresses his price as well. Despite one very good SC season he is much more of a DT prospect and its unlikely that I will have him in SC. Unlike most of our guys he looks to have trimmed down a bit in the offseason. A move back to the midfield is not out of the question.
Austin – can’t see him getting enough games
Played the last 4 games for the Lions but with the new players coming onboard and a relatively healthy list I struggle to see him getting many games at least early in the year. Still if he does get picked he is attractively priced at 42 in DT and he should be good for a 20+ point increase in that average. Too much job security risk for me though. Not suited to SC.
Banfield – monitor closely and maybe a downgrade target later
Banfield is another who may struggle for games early but he is one definitely worth watching closely in the NAB. He has bulked up a LOT in the offseason and looks ready to go. His pace would be handy in the side (Voss is trying to improve this aspect of the side) and he performed pretty well in the reserves last year. He is also mature aged and I am sure the Lions will want to have a look at him at some stage to see if he has what it takes. It is quite likely that he might debut a bit later in the season and he could be a good downgrade target when cashing in your cows.
Bartlett – keep in mind for midseason
He is coming of a knee reco and whilst everything is coming along very well there is no way the Lions are going to rush him into the side especially with the depth that they acquired through trades this offseason. Still he has fitted into the Lions very well and his kicking skills will be very handy for a team a bit lacking in this area. I expect him to get games about midseason and again he is one to monitor when you are doing your midseason upgrades.
Beams – forget it a long way off
He is a rookie who only came back to the game last year. No chance of playing this year I think.
Black – solid option but not enough upside
Always good for 90/95 but not much higher than that given that he wears the hard tag each and every week. He is consistent but is not a true premium scorer and does not seem to have the upside of others at his price.
Brennan – consider as a forward
It would be nice but I am betting him being named as a ruck option this year but as a forward he does have some appeal. He will play more in the middle this year with some time up forward and will be given a free roaming commission which should allow him to up his scoring more. He was much more consistent last year with more midfield time and I see that continuing this year. Priced at 85/89 he is not cheap but he is definitely worth considering especially in SC.
Brown – maybe for SC but only a maybe
There is a bit of divergence of opinion on what Fevola means for Brown’s scoring with a theory going around that he will return to playing higher. Historically at 28 there is a significant drop off in the production of power CHFs. The Lions have sought to combat this by making Brown into a true FF and I can’t see that trend changing next year with Fevola there instead of Bradshaw. I think his production is likely to be pretty similar to this year and as always Brown is a prime candidate for a few ordinary games in a row dropping his price right down. Accordingly he is a good upgrade target but not a great starting prospect.
Buchanan – not for me
He is likely to play but seems pegged for a forward pocket role which usually makes players irrelevant for fantasy purposes. There is the new team bounce factor but he has never been a particularly high scorer and with him solidly positioned in a pocket I will stay away.
Charman – only in the case of injury
If Clark and Leuenberger go down by all means jump on board but even then do not expect anything above 70. Still priced at 38/30 he does have some value in those circumstances. There is some conjecture about whether he is second or third (third for me) on the depth chart but either way his TOG and job security are likely to be big negatives to anyone considering taking him. Rucks are a pain this year but there are better options out there.
Clark – no I can’t see him maintaining his scoring
Came from nowhere to be one of the premium rucks last year but that was when the Lions no other ruck options and his TOG was huge. With Leuenberger and Charman fit again he is still the number 1 ruck but there is no way I can see him maintaining his TOG. I think he and Leuenberger will be able to play together at the same time (Clark as a floating HB) but there is no way I can see his scoring remaining at 94/94. Having said that he is still very young in ruck terms and definitely on the up. Its not out of the question that he could become the next Cox and so watch how Voss plays him in the NAB.
X Clarke - one to watch when he comes into the side
He is very temptingly priced and I had him in my side before reading Voss’ comment that he is not expected to play before round 8. If he can stay on the park there is no way you cannot make money with him and if you need to free up money or do a sideways to a guy actually likely to play he might not be a bad option. Injury risk is extreme although Voss has a lot of confidence in his staff.
Collier – a definite maybe if he is playing
Coming into his third year he is a guy definitely in the mix for a spot in the 22. Macdonald tipped him last year as the guy most likely to take his spot and with his departure it is there for the taking. The problem is that he is competing with the likes of Hawksley, Raines, Hanley and even Maguire for the spot. He is big, mobile and has good run off and would add a dimension to the side which gives him a good chance of selection. He is priced at 41/42 and would be good for a significant increase in scoring if he gets games.
Cornelius – only in the case of injury and probably not then
He is really the only KPF option that the Lions have behind Brown and Fevola. Even then as a second year KP I would not expect him to score very much and given he is not minimum priced I would find it hard to take him. With Brown and Fevola fit it is an easy decision to say maybe next year.
Drummond – full priced and not for me
SC specialist who if he is left free will kill teams hence teams almost always have a defensive forward sit on him. As a consequence his scoring was pretty inconsistent last year having some huge games and other pretty mediocre ones. I think he is pretty full priced and he still missed 4 games last year. Durability is always a major factor with Drummond and given this risk and the probable lack of upside I will probably look elsewhere.
Dyson – not this year
He is a rookie who I can’t see getting games this year.
Fevola – can’t see his scoring improve
For the first time he actually has another star key forward competing for marks and goals. I think he will do very well with a bit of the pressure off him as far as double teams go but I can’t see him improving his scoring. He is already at 89/93 and the only way is down I think for a guy that plays as close to goal as he does.
Golby – not at the moment
I really like the kid but he is a rookie coming off major knee surgery during last season. Every seems to point to him being a non-factor this year. Personally I think he may be a shot later in the year but even still that is a pretty big call with the depth the Lions have this year.
Hanley – if selected get him in your side
Job security is the only factor for me with Hanley. He is named as a back and is a player that can really rack them up. He is a physical player with excellent speed and reasonable disposal skills all of the things Voss is looking to get into the side. He was promoted I think for a reason and is right in there with a good chance of being selected. There will be a lot of pressure on him from other guys though if he is picked. Personally I think he is good enough to hold his position and he should score every nicely in his third year in the system.
Harwood – some chance
With the Lions in need of inside help and Harwood being an inside specialist there is a chance that he could get a game but it is a bit of a long shot for mine. If he plays he is likely to score pretty well given he is a high possession guy who knows how to tackle and a professional preseason will also do him a lot of good I think. Personally I do not think it is likely this year but you never know. There are better midfield cow options out there.
Hawksley – could be a nice unique
Finally broke into the side in round 18 and kept Macdonald out of the side in the finals which showed the confidence Voss had in him. He did defensive jobs last year and limited his run off a bit but he is a good user of the ball who can hurt teams going the other way if he is given the opportunity to do so. Job security is the issue with guys like Collier, Raines and Hanley all pushing for his spot but if he is selected he is good for an easy 20 point increase in his 45/56 scoring of last year.
Johnstone – could reward but a big gamble
On paper priced at 74/73 he looks very tempting and if you have the kahoonies he could give you 20 more points than that and an easy upgrade to a true premium. Teams know that any sort of attention causes Johnstone to disappear but with the continued emergence of Rich you have to think that Black, Rich and probably Drummond are more likely to wear the close checkers than Johnstone next year. The other concern is that his overall effort particularly defensively has seen him dropped from the team multiple times in the last two years. It is entirely possible that if he starts the year and his head drops he could be consigned to a lengthy stay in the reserves.
Leuenberger – I love him but no
Is competing for the second ruck spot with Charman and whilst I think he should win that one, the question is how much TOG will he get as the second ruck. Clark has excellent endurance and could easily dominate TOG and when Leuenberger has shown that he needs TOG to perform at his peak it does not look good for his fantasy value. If for any reason Leuenberger started as the number 1 ruck (because of injury or Clark playing as a backman) then jump on board because he could well do what Clark did last year.
McGuire – a good reserve back option
He looks fit and has done everything asked of him so far this preseason and is a good chance I think to slot into CHB next season. He has never been a high scorer and is not a cow option but he is an excellent prospect to actually play games and if you put him on your bench you can cover 0s with a solid 40 points. He should be priced only slightly higher than most rookies and his job security is likely to be higher than virtually any rookie back option this year. Someone to definitely consider.
McCauley – too many ahead of him this year
He is a mature aged rookie ruckman and if he has been in our side last year he would have played a lot of games. As it is he has at least Clark, Leuenberger and Charman ahead of him. Barring a major injury crisis again hitting our rucks I think you have to look elsewhere.
McGrath – could well be a defensive option
The evidence points to the possibility of McGrath coming of age fantasy wise next year. Personally I have my doubts the main reason being that he is the Lions best small defender and like last year will be given shut down roles pretty regularly. His scoring went through the roof from round 15 which is what has gotten people excited. From round 15 onward he averaged 84 (enough for a keeper in the backs) and as he is priced at 70 (73 in SC) he looks like an attractive option. Bear in mind though that round 15 coincided with Adcock’s injury and he will be back come round 1. If Adcock is released to the midfield and McGrath is given a freer role then he could be a good option. He has been on a modified program to date although nothing major has been reported.
McKeever – no way
Irish key position rookie – enough said.
Merrett – improving but a long way from being a fantasy option
The big guy looked much, much better with the ball in his hands last year and I am sure he will be used more in the coming year but he is coming from a long way back and its highly unlikely he will ever be fantasy relevant. You do not win anything in fantasy land with full backs in your side.
O’Brien – maybe next year
Light, tallish HBF/mid first year who is a year away from contending for a spot in the side. He will play a lot of time in the reserves and work on his body and hopefully he should be in the mix at this time next year.
Patfull – good SC option this year
Patfull’s problem has been that he is just too good a defender and his defensive work has just been too important to allow him to run off much. If Maguire comes into CHB Patfull will be freed up to take the third tall and trigger the attack from defense. I can see him easily slotting into a role similar to what Maxwell did this year for Collingwood and scoring similarly. His 51/71 differential already shows you how suited he is to the SC game and with some freedom he could be a very nice scorer and excellent unique option. Priced at only 51 he is not out of the question either in DT as he is cheap, durable, has excellent job security and likely to bump his scoring by at least 15 if Maguire plays which is likely imo.
Polkinghorne – should be close to the top Lion on your list
Firmly established in the Lions 22 he should be up there with Dangerfield when considering cheap young forwards pegged for a move into the midfield. He showed good improvement over the course of last year and there is plenty of speculation by those inside and outside the Lions that Polks will be playing a lot more midfield time next year. He is a solid unit with good inside skills and both could be used by the Lions midfield brigade. He is nicely priced at 52/52, coming into his third year and with an uninterrupted preseason behind him. He should be good for an average in the 70s which might not make him a keeper but makes for an easy upgrade to one.
Power – consistent but without upside
Lukey will be 30 come the start of the season and whilst he has consistently scored in the 90s for a while there does not really appear to be much upside with taking him especially as a mid only. At his price of 96/97 I think there are better options.
Proud – huge hit or miss prospect
Proud is a huge scorer at reserves level, racking up possessions, tackles and even goals but has been kept on a very tight leash at AFL level. If he is given free rein in the midfield he could really go bang and make you look like an absolute genius if you took him. He is priced at 51/47 so the price is right and is a potential option in both competitions. He has had an interrupted preseason recovering from potentially career ending foot problems so I am thinking atm that he might not be in the 22 come round 1. Still keep an eye on him as he is not without a chance of coming good.
Raines – will he play?
He was obviously brought to the Lions for a reason but he only managed 3 games last year for the team that finished 15th (admittedly there was injury issues there for a while). Whatever the excuses that should not fill you with a lot of confidence given the Lions are going to be pushing hard for the top 4. Still a change of club usually sees a good bounce and he seems to be doing everything right at the Lions so far so he is not without a chance. He needs to improve his kicking I think to hold his position but he is a good runner who showed a lot of early scoring potential and priced at 49/43 he will be on a few radars. Personally I think there are better options (Hawksley, Hanley, Collier, Sheldon) but I was regularly wrong last year trying to pick what Voss was going to do.
Redden – second year syndrome candidate
He broke into the team in round 15 and held his spot all the way through to the end of the season showing some class along the way. He looks like a good player and should be comfortably in the 22 for round 1. My problem with him for next year though is that he is a bit expensive, priced at 67/65 and I have a great reluctance to taking second year guys who have performed well in their first year (the second year is usually a consolidating year as other teams know to keep an eye on them). Still with a full preseason behind him he could well improve his scoring. He knows how to score with a couple of 100s in his 10 games but for me I think a break out season is more likely next year rather than this one.
Retzlaff – not ready
First year key position taken at the bottom of the draft – not on my DT or SC teams.
Rich – too soon to be in your side again
Teams will put a lot more work into stopping Rich next season and I don’t think you are likely to see any material improvement in his scoring this year. He is going to be tagged and he still lacks the running power to really make the taggers job difficult. Bringing up the rear again this year in the time trials did not fill me with a lot of confidence. He will still be great to watch but he shouldn’t be in your fantasy side.
Rischitelli – take at your own risk
He has fallen a long way in the last couple of years and despite playing every game last year he is a long way from assured in the team come round 1. Poor skills and a lack of a position makes him very much a fringe player this year. He won’t be going anywhere near my sides this year.
Rockliff – maybe just maybe
Is probably the only true small forward that the Lions have on their list and as such he is not without a chance of playing quite a few games next year. When those games come though will be the question. He has good goal sense, reads the play very well and has an ability to move into the midfield as showed in the reserves toward the end of last year. If he has bumped his athleticism up a bit in the offseason he could play more and earlier than most expect. Keep your eye on how he goes in the preseason and if he is named I would jump on. This is a year where there are not many good bottom priced first year options and he could easily be one. If he is not picked early keep him in mind when cashing in your cows later in the year.
Selwood – nup
The coach loves him and given he is priced at 49/64 you might think it is worth a punt that he could improve his number but let me just give you a few other numbers – 10, 13, 14, 16, 17. Those are the number of games he has played in each of the last 5 years. Enough said.
Sheldon – hmmm probably not
Last year he played 19 games mostly as a negative half back occasionally playing a run with role in midfield and his scoring of 45/43 reflected that. Given our lack of any decent small forward option he played a game or two up forward at the end of the year and it looks like that is the role he should play this year from comments and training reports. Coming into his 4th year (he is still only 20) it is fair to expect another improvement from him but playing in the forward pocket and being given stopping jobs on the opposition quarterback is probably not going to help his scoring much. He is also no certainty to be in the 22 given the acquisitions this offseason.
Sherman – he is back but can he step up again
If you take him priced at 86/91 you have to do so on the basis that he is going to up his scoring again to the 100 mark. Given that last year in the Lions system there were no 100 point scorers that may be a big ask. I am confident of a small increase probably to the 90/95 mark but probably not much more than that. Everything seems to be going alright for him this offseason though and he is still only 22 so its not like he should have peaked.
Staker – perhaps perhaps perhaps
He seems very confident he is going to be in the 22 come round 1 and given what Voss gave up for him you would hope so. He has been a model of inconsistency in his career to date (eg he scored 102/116 in round 4 last year and 15/13 in round 5) but if he got it all together he could make you some serious money slotting in as a forward. He has stated a couple of times that he has been promised time as a HF alternating with Brennan through the midfield. So he will have every opportunity to score and with the new team bounce you have to consider him priced at 53/51. As a half forward he is likely to be able to float around without much company given the focus that Brown and Fevola are likely to get so he could well score pretty well. In preseason photos he looks heavy and I am struggling to see him having the engine to play significant time in the midfield notwithstanding that like virtually all players he will trim down between now and the start of the season. Despite what he has said I think his starting position is far from assured and the pressure will be on him to perform. That fact that he could only manage 6 games last year for a bottom 4 side again would worry me if I was taking him.
Stiller – a tagger now so no
He was converted into a tagger by Voss this year and whilst I think he grew into the role as the season progressed there are very few taggers who you are going to want in your side. This is especially the case when he will be competing with Selwood for one spot in the side.
Yoshiura – iiya
Rookie stick figure. Will need a year or so (although he probably is heavier than Hill was last year).
