Eliminate or Be Eliminated – Round 13

At the risk of putting the total mozza on myself, it’s time to introduce a new column to DieHardFooty – and it’s one I hope runs for many weeks to come.

My team in AFL Dream Team – Pay The Rent (there’s a great story behind the name but it’s a ‘you had to be there’ moment so I won’t waste your time with it, just take my word for it) – is currently ranked 1,119 out of 193,002 teams, but even better still, it’s Round 13 and I’m still remaining in the Eliminator.

If you’re not up with the Eliminator competition, firstly get out from under that rock, and secondly, here’s a quick run down:

From Round 6, the first 131,072 complete teams entered in the overall Aurion V6 AFL Dream Team will compete in the League of Champions Eliminator competition, matched up based on previous week rankings and playing head to head for survival. Each winner proceeds to the next Round, until there is one standing at the completion of Round 22!

That one team left standing will win $5,000 in COLD HARD CASH!

Anyway, I was going to post a bit of a rundown last week, but after being matched up against the 98th ranked team in the comp, and looking hopelessly outmatched, I thought it would be much easier to save face and just quietly die away from the limelight. Enter a combination of excellent scoring from my lads (by my standards anyway) of 2076, and somewhat of a weak team effort of 2046 from the opposition and Pay The Rent go merrily dancing on through.

This week I’ve come up against a team ranked in the 8000s – Harel’s Heroes – and seeing it’s not a foregone conclusion that I will get the royal spondooli boot it’s time to have a look at my matchup to see if I will be dreaming of greenbacks for another week…

Here’s my team:

Defenders: H Shaw, P Burgoyne, C Cornes, Ibbotson, McLeod, Osborne, and X Ellis (99% I’m going to upgrade him to Andrew Mackie). Emerg: Urquhart

Midfielders: Swan, Ablett, Carazzo, Stevens, Judd and Palmer. Emerg: Cotchin

Rucks: Cox and Simmonds.

Forwards: Franklin, Didak, Pavlich, J Brown, B Johnson, Bock and M Stokes. Emerg: Tippett or J Morton

Now be kind – I know it’s not a superstar lineup, but in my first year of Dream Team where I have some semblance of a clue, I can live with it.

Now here’s where I differ against the mighty Harel’s Heroes:

Defenders: P Burgoyne, Ibbotson, Osborne, McLeod and most like Mackie – takes on Birchall, Johncock, Gram, Goddard and Austin Wonaeamirri.

Midfielders: Swan, Ablett, Carazzo and Judd – versus S Thompson, Bartel, Cross and J Lewis.

Rucks: Both the same.

Forwards: Franklin, Didak, B Johnson, Bock and M Stokes – versus R Murphy, the Porpoise, Chapman, Cyril and Tippett.

If I’m going to get the job done, it’s up to my forwards. Another 15 points will be much appreciated from Tippett, and Bock can feel free to continue on his merry way after his booming 151. Also Chad and Mackie down back will be needed to deliver the big games I know they can.

Anyway, hopefully this is the first of a long running column, in my quest for the bundles of cash. Let’s hope I’m back next week for part 2!