AFL Fantasy - Die Hard Dream Team Captains - Round 15

It is Captains time again after the split round gave me a week off - TEAMS ARE UP. Unlike Aker I felt like I got a full weeks break, and the 2 game week-end left me stress free as I pretty much had the DT win in the bag already.

This round however will be much different. It is the biggest match of the season for me thus far coming up against my fellow Die Hard Footy boyee, Tristan Heffernan (aka Hef). Not only do I need this win to keep the finals dream going (don’t ask, injuries, a top 8 overall score but not lucky enough to collect the wins, insert any other Dream Team excuse you can think of here – Vin from DTT knows what I am talking about), but Hef is our league leader and ranked 721st in the World (and still battling it out in the eliminator - look out for his latest eliminator installment later tonight).

Given all that, and the fact that I know big Hef is waiting on my captain’s post to make his captain decision this weekend, leaving me with the moral dilemma of providing bogus information for the good of my Dream Team. It was tough, but do not sweat it, Die Hard Footy is a professional unit and I wouldn’t hang all the readers out to dry like that.

Best Performers in the Season Thus Far

Rank	Name	Team	DT Average	DT Value
1	Gary Ablett	Geelong	117.1	$489,900
2	Dane Swan	Collingwood	108	$442,100
3	James Bartel	Geelong	106	$396,700
4	Dean Cox	West Coast	104.9	$396,900
5	Joel Corey	Geelong	104.6	$384,200
6	Scott Thompson	Adelaide	104.3	$436,800
7	Daniel Cross	Western Bulldogs	101.6	$379,600
8	Marc Murphy	Carlton	100.6	$409,200
8	Matthew Richardson	Richmond	100.6	$413,400
10	Kane Cornes	Port Adelaide	98.9	$375,300

*

Now let’s go through game by game…

CARLTON v ST KILDA

Marc Murphy – 111.75 over the last four rounds. Marc Murphy has solidified his spot as one of the premier Dream Teamers this season, and posted well with 122 earlier this year against St Kilda (last year he didn’t do as much against the Saints but Murph is on a different level career wise this season).

Nick Stevens – 95 over the last four rounds. Just 76 against Saints earlier this year and didn’t play against them last season, Nick’s last two games have been belters but consistency is the question.

Chris Judd – back in the team after the concussion he received from rejuvenated Matty Lloyd, but just isn’t doing enough this year to be a DT captain.

Nick Riewoldt – 111.5 over the last four rounds. Two huge performances from Riewoldt as he has led up the ground and provided more targets (even if many are towards the opposition’s sticks). If he continues this style of play he is meeting his DT potential – 125 and 85 against Carlton last year.

Luke Ball – 84.25 over last four rounds. Not in good form, only managed 63 and 87 against the Blues last season – give him a miss.

Lenny Hayes – back in from injury, not captain material though.

Die Hard Captains – Marc Murphy and Nick Riewoldt

COLLINGWOOD v ADELAIDE

Dane Swan – 111.25 over the last four rounds. Dane is number 2 in the league for DT, but doesn’t seem to garner the same respect as the other gunners. He can drop under 100, but also has the capability of massive captain drooling scores – the kid loves the Crows style as well – posted 128 and 118 against them last year.

Alan Didak – 87 over the last four rounds. Up and down a tad of late, Didak might be kept in check by the Crows defense – didn’t play against them last year.

Scott Thompson – 102.25 over the last four rounds. Dropped off from his blazing form a few weeks earlier, Thomo has crushed a few DT’ers hearts in the last two weeks. He had 109 and 91 against the Pies last year.

Nathan Bock – 99.75 over the last four rounds. No significant scores against the Pies last year.

Simon Goodwin – a consistent 90 pointer, not captain score material.

Die Hard Captain – Dane Swan

GEELONG v FREMANTLE

Gary Ablett – 125 over the last four rounds. That average tells you everything you need to know considering Gaz was rested in the forward line last week and only notched up 78 on the DT board. Despite his form there are questions – will he be up forward again this week? Will Freo hold him with intense tagging like earlier this year when he managed just 76? I am not sure – Ablett had 111 and 89 against the Dockers last season.

James Bartel – 105.25 over the last four rounds. Bartel exploded last weekend, and I am bulking up my side with him as I enter my There. Is. No. Tomorrow. mode. Unfortunately he only posted 85 against Freo earlier in the year, as well as 85 and 126 last season.

Joel Corey – 98.25 over the last four rounds. Corey is stuck in that one good game, one bad game DT run right now, and this week is the bad game. Corey was the leader of the big three in the famous Fremantle clash earlier in the year with 112; he also notched up 130 and 74 against them last year.

Matthew Pavlich – 108 over the last four rounds. In classic holiday Pavlova form, the big man has a chance to exercise the demons of that poster against the Cats earlier this year (he had 124 in that game, but didn’t manage over 100 against them last season), will he? No.

Die Hard Captain – Talk about confusion, from the absolute certainty I felt last week with Ablett to total Cattery confusion this week. I expect the trio to turn things around at home – go with Ablett or Bartel (if you only have Corey he is still a good option).

ESSENDON v BRISBANE LIONS

Jonathon Brown – 108 over the last four rounds. The 71 two weeks back knocked down JB’s killer DT form, but he is still a quality captain, especially against the Bombers who are well known for their inability to shut down the power forwards. He had 95 against the Dons last year, but I expect a big performance this weekend after a loss to Melbourne.

Luke Power – 111.5 over the last four rounds. One of the only Lions playing a full tilt right now, but Power only managed 71 against the Red and Black last season.

Simon Black – 86.75 over the last four rounds. Just not in captain form right now – he had 104 against Essendon last year.

Die Hard Captain – Jonathon Brown

PORT ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE

Kane Cornes – 100.75 over the last four rounds. Kane was back last game with a solid 131 (thanks mate for having two stinkers as my captain then turning it on when I jumped off). He had 97 and 101 against the Roos last year.

Chad Cornes – The Chad is back, but he isn’t a captain option right now, and might not be for the rest of the season.

Steven Salopek – still out.

Brent Harvey – 102.25 over the last four rounds. In good consistent 100 point nick, you won’t get a poor score from Boomer, but you won’t get a scorcher either. He posted 77 and 110 against Port in 2007.

Die Hard Captain – Kane Cornes

HAWTHORN v SYDNEY SWANS

Lance BUDDY Franklin – 82.75 over the last four rounds. In subpar from starting with the 1 goal 6 debacle against the Crows. I wouldn’t expect Buddy to bounce back against the Swans defense either - he had 58 and 102 against them last year.

Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell – just not feeling them as captain’s right now.

Sydney Swans – DT rule no. 1 – never go there with your captain.

Die Hard Captain – give this game a miss.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v MELBOURNE

Western Bulldogs – while they may not feature the big three of Ablett, Bartel and Corey, they do have the little six, with Cross, Cooney, Murphy, Boyd and Aker all featuring in the top 34 DTers for the season. This balanced attack is what has catapulted the Bullies to second place on the ladder, as well as legitimate premiership contender for 2008. Let’s check them out:

- Daniel Cross – 99.75 over the last four, last 3 games against the Dee’s - 139, 112, 101
- Adam Cooney – 102.5 over the last four, last 3 games against the Dee’s - 67, 121, 93
- Robert Murphy – 92.75 over the last four rounds, last 2 games against the Dee’s 121, 110
- Matthew Boyd – 111.25 over the last four rounds, last 3 games against the Dee’s - 104, 101, 81
- Daniel Giansiracusa – 94 over the last four rounds, last 3 games against the Dee’s - 81, 18, 75
- Jake Akermanis – 99 over the last four rounds, last 3 games against the Dee’s - 93, 54, 75

Brad Green – 106 over the last four rounds. He had 86, 107 and 83 in his last three against the Dogs.

Die Hard Captain – Matthew Boyd

WEST COAST EAGLES v RICHMOND

Dean Cox – 97.25 over the last four rounds. 79 and 93 against the Tiges last year.

Matthew Priddis – 87.25 over the last four rounds. 98 and 87 against the Tiges last year.

Daniel Kerr – rumours have been flying out Kerr possibly being out all week, and although he was named, I would not trust the Eagles considering that this game is possibly winnable for them (translation for those who don’t believe in tanking – Eagles do not want to take a chance on winning the game, thus may rest Kerr even if he isn’t injured).

Brett Deledio – 100 over the last four rounds. He posted just 65 and 68 against the Eagles last year.

Matthew Richardson – OUT (some first round Premium DT pick this bloke has been!)

Die Hard Captain – take a pass on this game (unless Cox is your only legitimate option, and at this point in the season I’d say that means you have no chance anyway).