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The Return of Lew | What the Ruck? | AFL Fantasy Q & A #PODPOD
3.1k Plays11 days ago
We have a full deck on board this week as the AFL Fantasy pre-season starts to heat up. We are just a week away from un-official practice games getting underway and with less than a month to go, our starting squads are starting to take shape! Holmesy, Harmey and Lewy are here as always to continue guiding you through this pre-season.
In this episode, the lads discuss many of the hot topics that are circling in the community at this point in time. The boys also sit down for an emergency ruck chat, talking about all things strategy and players in a year where picking 2 ruckmen has been as tough as ever! Lastly, they throw it out to the listeners and answer a bunch of questions!
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Transcript
Introduction to AFL Fantasy Classic Preseason Excitement
00:00:18
Holmesy
Today and welcome to the pod put its homes are here talking all things AFL fantasy classic for you on this Monday 10th of February. That's right. We're nearly halfway through February. The practice matches and the official practice matches are all about to begin. And I think we're under a month until AFL fantasy is back for 2025. So it's a exciting time of the preseason. Things are really starting to ramp up and we have a full ah Host on deck view this week the full panel as always my co-host two-time top ten finisher John Harvey runner-up in 20 not 2019 So he's here army. Thanks for jumping on man. How are you going?
00:00:56
Jon Harmey
Yep, going pretty well, thanks, host Homesy. So yeah, as you said, man, I'm a month away. So Thursday in four weeks' time, so going to be coming around pretty quick, I reckon. Be good.
00:01:10
Holmesy
Yeah, that's right. It is
Upcoming Practice Games and Player Performances
00:01:11
Holmesy
exciting. And we managed to get him back on despite the Super Bowl being on this morning. We were we were a little bit worried. We had cans sent to us, photos of cans at what, early in the morning, lou but you are here. thank you for Thank you for joining us and gracing us with your presence.
00:01:26
Lew
It's a pleasure, host, Holmsey, keen to sit here and talk a little bit of fantasy, like your boys said, we're 31 days away. And I think there's a couple of practice games coming up this weekend. There's the Indigenous game that's on Saturday night. So ah we're going to start getting drip fed a little bit of sort of more real stuff as we look towards that opening round where we're really going to have our sort of magnifying glasses out.
00:01:52
Holmesy
Yeah, you've ah you've thrown into it early, Lou, which is good. So, Hami, why don't you give us a little bit of a rundown of what footy that we can expect to see late this weekend, over the weekend.
00:02:02
Jon Harmey
Yes yeah well as Lou said that Indigenous All-Stars game ah this Saturday the 15th but obviously overshadowed by the main event the Western Bulldogs versus Essendon earlier in the day on Saturday so I'm sure that'll be a a cracker and all eyes will be on Riley Sanders who we've been talking up for for months on the podcast and everybody's now jumping on board.
00:02:24
Jon Harmey
But um yeah a few other days where we have games next week. So it comes to Monday, um Geelong and Hawthorne. And then on Thursday, Gold Coast and Brisbane and Collingwood in a three-way.
00:02:40
Jon Harmey
And then Friday, we have GWS in Sydney and Adelaide versus Port Adelaide. And then the final game being on Saturday, Carlton and St Kewter and North Melbourne and Melbourne. so But you've got to remember, these are the unofficial practice matches, Holmesy, so they could be bloody anything. Remember, sometimes you have six game quarters or you know a game and then two VFL outfits. and So we don't really know what we're in store for, but it would still be nice to see some of the players running around and see those that aren't, I guess.
00:03:13
Lew
And I think they usually stream them on the on the club websites and there'll be plenty of links being sort of flicked around.
00:03:14
Holmesy
Look.
00:03:17
Jon Harmey
That's right.
00:03:19
Lew
And I'm sure Twitter will be lighting up ah in terms of preseason notes there too. So it's gonna be plenty of information over the next week. So Hami, when did you say that kicks off the first preseason game?
00:03:31
Jon Harmey
ah The pre-season or...
00:03:32
Lew
Or unofficial, unofficial preseason game?
00:03:33
Jon Harmey
yeah Yeah, it's just Saturday. yes it' the fifteenth Yeah,
00:03:34
Lew
This Saturday. Okay, cool. So, and we'll be missing the indigenous all stars within that, obviously.
00:03:40
Jon Harmey
Celebrating the Bombers big win. First win of the season.
00:03:46
Holmesy
Lou,
Unpredictability of Unofficial Matches and Player Fitness
00:03:47
Holmesy
when you're when you're sitting down and potentially watching a few of these unofficial practice matches, what are you looking for from your players? Because as Jaime said, you know, there' there's going to be squads of up to 30, maybe even more. Sometimes there's six quarters, sometimes they do VFL and all that kind of stuff. So if you're looking at a player just to get a bit of an indication, what are the key things you're looking for?
00:04:07
Lew
Oh, the main one and we say it every single season is roll, isn't it? So that's what you want to be looking for because that's what potentially that player is going to be playing throughout the rest of the season. There's going to be lots of sort of red herrings sort of thrown in there. Time on ground is always going to be a bit iffy. Like you said, there's 30 players on a list.
00:04:26
Lew
playing in the same game, so they're going to be rotating heavily. Some clubs are going to be trying different things that they aren't necessarily going to bring into the real season, whereas other clubs are going to be doing sort of a, you know, a bit of a stage show ah to round one. So I think the big thing we can take out of it is roll. um Everything else is just, yeah there's a little bit of smoke around, I think, at this stage.
00:04:49
Jon Harmey
From Emery Homsey back to last year, the thing that we are looking at is the blurry camera vision from behind the goals, like swinging around. It's like somebody's sitting in the stairs with a camcorder.
00:05:02
Lew
If it also, you know, the eye test is a bit of a cliche, but you can tell when your players that you're liking are sort of rolling on top of the ground compared to you know dragging one leg after the other as quite often you see in the in the later rounds of the season proper.
00:05:02
Holmesy
i yeah
00:05:17
Lew
So if your players are looking fit, they're playing the right role. it's a tick tick right there and if the score reflects that as well then that's a bonus but sometimes we yeah we find ourselves wanting our players we're keen on to underperform a little bit don't we?
00:05:28
Holmesy
Oh, yeah.
00:05:34
Holmesy
Yeah, look, that that eye test is super crucial. I remember a couple of years ago when ah Patrick Cripps was priced in the high 80s, and then he came out in those preseason games. And albeit they were the unofficial games. He just looked like a man on a mission. You could just tell with the ah eye test that but he was in for a big year. And a lot of the time, those senior players don't have to don't have to show up for those practice games. But if they do and they're looking unreal, then that's just ah another piece of information. The other thing I like to look at is Yeah, they're going to be longer games a lot of the time, but how are the teams setting up from that first center bounce in the first quarter? um Sometimes we see you know teams will experiment later on, but typically that first that first center a bounce in that first quarter is a lot like they're going to roll out in round one as long as those players are playing, and that gives a key indication of you know their plans sort of moving forward before they experiment. harming
00:06:27
Jon Harmey
There's always um a few players that start like, come out of the blocks, isn't there? Or everybody gets up on Twitter or Facebook or whatever and lights them up. Who do you reckon it's going to be, Holmsey? Who's your pick for the best performing unofficial ah practice match player?
00:06:43
Holmesy
Oh, you've put me on the spot here, Hami. For who's a, some ah some of those North boys, what about a Harry Shiesel coming out and and having 40 in the first practice game just to to assert his midfield dominance? He'd be a good shout.
00:06:58
Jon Harmey
Yeah, no, not too bad. Lou, who do you reckon? Anybody got your eye on to jump out of the box?
00:07:02
Lew
Or I could see Richmond doing a bit of a stoppage heavy game. um So maybe Toronto fills up.
00:07:13
Holmesy
And which bombers player are you talking about, Hami? Zach Merritt?
00:07:14
Jon Harmey
Okay.
00:07:17
Jon Harmey
No, no. Hugh Garcia, obviously, from Saints is Who I'll Be Watching this weekend.
00:07:24
Holmesy
That was such a long setup, Hami. Well done, mate.
00:07:27
Lew
it it is ah It is a good point though that those outside players in these games are going to do something fierce because of the defence just isn't there.
00:07:27
Holmesy
You've got him in there.
00:07:34
Lew
We've seen it in previous years where you know scores 150 plus and then it comes the season proper and and you don't even get close so yeah you've got to be careful of those ones as well because those outside players thrive.
00:07:35
Jon Harmey
Yes.
00:07:47
Holmesy
Wasn't there that the famous Jaden Short 170, you know, in a preseason game, I think there was.
00:07:48
Jon Harmey
Oh yeah.
00:07:52
Holmesy
So yeah, those outside players tend to feast.
00:07:54
Lew
Yeah, and I think, was it Max? No, it was the other Geelong player. Jordan Clark a couple of years ago too, I think went 180 plus and sucked us all in too.
00:08:05
Holmesy
Yeah, yeah, that's right. All right, lads, what we're going to do is we're going to spend a bit of time talking about the rucks today because ah personally, I think the rucks are the most fascinating line at this point in the preseason. We've
Impact of Jack Sinclair's Injury on Teams
00:08:17
Holmesy
spoken a lot about the defenders, but I think the rucks are ah really starting to heat up. But before we do that, we are going to get into some of the hot topics that are going on in the AFL fantasy community at the moment. harmy and The first one I've got is ah Jack Sinclair. So, Hammy, I had a quick look on Twitter today, but I don't see anything from the club confirmed how bad it was. They said that he's escaped a serious hamstring injury, but that doesn't mean that he won't be missing the the standard 21 days from now, which would put him pretty touch and go for round one. He was it was a stalwart in a lot of our teams. that I know I pretty much put him in at D1 and a lot of my early teams were centered around him being there.
00:08:56
Jon Harmey
Mm.
00:08:56
Holmesy
Does that rule him out for you at this hamstring so close to the preseason knowing that he started slow off the back of a calf last year too?
00:09:04
Jon Harmey
Yeah, it's just really bad timing, isn't it? Like, just about couldn't be worse. um For us fantasy coaches, seeing that injury come through, it's a shame because I was quite keen on him as well, but I think I'm going to remove him from the list at the moment. I tell you what um my mind did turn to though, mate, is um who, like, who's a benefit? And I think maybe it's Wanganin Melira.
00:09:28
Jon Harmey
uh that should be getting all the ball and kick-ins coming out of that same back line so him is probably worth a look okay
00:09:35
Lew
He's getting some crazy hype on X I've noticed as well. Apparently it's just the absolute quarterback at Saints training and every opportunity there they try to feed it to him. So I got to agree with you there, Harvey. And ah Sinclair came in with a little bit of value in 2025, we suspect. I think if he starts a little bit slower than he might be one of our early upgrade targets over those first sort of six to 10 rounds.
00:10:00
Holmesy
Yeah, and it's not just Sinclair, but I mean, over the last few weeks, we've rattled off a number of senior players at St Kilda that are now battling injuries. So, I mean, one thing's for sure, there's going to be value in this St Kilda team. So, whether it is a ah Hugo Garcia or someone getting that midfield role in the absence of Philippu, who's going to take those roles down back now with Sinclair potentially out, Dougal Howard out and and Josh Battle leaving. So, there is going to be points on offer.
00:10:26
Holmesy
It's just going to be a big pre-season watch to see which of these players are going to ah going to stand up. And that brings us to another injury. Or, Lou, you got something you want to tell us?
00:10:34
Lew
No, I was just going to say, if Ari Schoenmaker comes out in the official pre-season game, and let's say he drops an 80 off 70% game time and has a nice roll, is he a mid-pricer down back that you two are considering?
00:10:40
Jon Harmey
Yes.
00:10:54
Holmesy
Look, i I'm not goingnna um not going to rule him out because we don't know what rookies we're going to get. I think it's going to come down to what available rookies we have in the backline and are they able to score? Now, if we're short on rookies or we just get a whole bunch of lockdowns that don't really have ah a spot in the 22 or aren't going to score, then absolutely, here's someone we need to look at because The information that we have at the moment is that he's potentially going to be a best 22 lock. And we know that St Kewer to have a system that allows their defenders to score. So absolutely, we look at it harmi, but it will also depend on what rookies we get. But it's because I think it's going to be a lot, in theory, a lot easier to get a 20, 25, 30 point increase from a rookie than and maybe a showmaker where the bar's a lot higher.
00:10:54
Lew
And especially so Sinclair's out, I suppose.
00:11:38
Jon Harmey
Yeah, like i'm and I'm definitely interested. I mean, his price is just under $500,000, isn't he? So, um yeah, if he came out and hidden 80, 30 points upside, geez, I think we'd definitely have to turn around and have a look at that one, Lou.
00:11:52
Holmesy
Do you think he gets kick outs, Louis?
00:11:54
Lew
ah You'd have to assume so he's got a booming um booming boot on him and very accurate So I think you'll get a bit of a slice Wangany Malira is going to be back there So you think he gets probably half a chop there and then maybe yeah 25% we're looking at and it's probably a bit unfortunate Sinclair is unlikely to play those practice games because if Show and Maker does Put one out of the box and there's still that bit of cloudiness there as to how they actually do line up around one and and the rounds following
00:12:22
Jon Harmey
Yeah.
00:12:26
Holmesy
Yep. So the other big injury news, out it's nothing
Kitty Coleman's Setbacks and Fantasy Alternatives
00:12:30
Holmesy
new. We've been speculating for a while, but ah Kitty Coleman has suffered a setback in his recovery from ACL. So there's a there some swelling in his knee. And at the moment, he's he's out of full training indefinitely as they build his his loads back up. So they've ruled him out of round zero. And then they say that it could potentially be up till gather round before he's back up and and fully ready to play AFL.
00:12:51
Holmesy
we we preach in the preseason that these underpriced players in your premiums, they need to have an an uninterrupted preseason and be fit and healthy ready to go so that they can get off to a flyer. And Louie, this this player Coleman just basically is everything that we don't want in terms of a player coming back off injury. So that definitely rules him out as a starting pick. But Is he someone that you look to target early on is it as an underpriced player or do you think that we need these players at the start of the season and the upside won't be really enough when we're starting to do upgrades and things like that around around five, six, seven?
00:13:24
Lew
I'd be a little bit cautious. I think I'd like to see one, two, even three games of Kitty Coleman first. Just because the Lions, they don't necessarily need to be roaring early on in the season.
00:13:34
Lew
They can sort of tilt towards a flag later on. So I think they'll be cautious with Kitty. They already are being cautious with Kitty, hence why they've ruled him out around zero, which is nice. We're avoiding a bit of a Zach Williams situation.
00:13:46
Jon Harmey
Huh.
00:13:47
Lew
in 2025 but um and he's one that just keep an eye on. He might be a nice cheap sort of defender that we get but um I wouldn't be yeah banking on it yet.
00:13:59
Holmesy
Yeah, the other thing about Kitty Coleman is like Dane Zorko. I ah firmly believe that Dane Zorko is going to be in in the defense for the entire year. Like they just won a flag and he was an All Australian halfback and he was a massive reason why they were able to drive the ball so well out of out of that back line. I can't see them going away from it. So I think he'd be Coleman becomes ah an interesting option if for some reason Zorko goes down, but I can't see them moving him back into the forward line or or the midfield after how damaging he was last year.
00:14:32
Lew
What's interesting about him too is a new boy might have a different opinion but I just don't think he's got that many runs on the board. you know we're We're talking sort of a grand final where everyone's ears pricked up and and the best part of a quarter of round one where he got and a fair bit of it. I'm not convinced that he can be a consistent scorer just yet and that's why I need to wait a couple of weeks to jump on.
00:14:56
Holmesy
The next one we're going to talk about, Harmony, is these mature age recruits. So there's a ah number of these SSP signings that have happened over the, over the, in this pre-season and pre-seasons gone by. We've also got some mature age players that have been drafted and, you know, someone like a Nick Martin was an absolute smash rookie pick as, as an SSP. Um, a couple of years ago, we see these players come in and and just be ready to play when they get given the opportunity because they're seasoned bodies. So we've got ah Max Hall at St Kilda who seems to be putting his hand up. We've got Sam Davidson from the Bulldogs who seems to be getting up on a wing and playing sort of high, high forward as ah as a tall and getting plenty of the ball.
00:15:37
Holmesy
uh Harry Boyd we've spoken about at length and we might discuss in the ruck section of this podcast and and is it Jack Hutchinson at the Eagles um is that the one that's just been invited to train on uh because of Dom Sheed so are these the type of players if given an opportunity early that you like to target in your in your starting squad knowing that they they're a bit more mature and they've got the runs on the board?
00:15:59
Jon Harmey
I'll just think that um depending on the price point that they come in, I think Hutchinson's 380 something, but Maxwell 230, if you're sort of comparing somebody that's 23 years old and sort of game ready, um has grown into their body.
00:16:16
Jon Harmey
comparing them against somebody that's a first year player, you know, 17, 18 year old, I just think that um they might have a bit more longevity in the side. And so, yeah, certainly watching with interest. I mean, somebody like Davidson has been a very good VFL player. So I think that, um yeah, if they sort of get named around one and they look like they're ahead of a few others in the pecking order, certainly um a tick in the box for them starting in your sides.
00:16:44
Holmesy
Yeah, sorry, the I don't have the name off the top of my head, but they've just invited ah someone from Werribee to come down and train as ah as a train-on player for Dom Schied, who's gone onto the long-term injury list with the ACL, so he might be one to watch as well if they want a mature body in the midfield yeah in the absence of Elliott Yeoh and Dom Schied early, but definitely one to monitor.
00:17:06
Holmesy
Lou, lastly, we're we're going to look at some early runs or talk about some early runs. So we know AFL fantasy being a value-based game, you need to get off to a flyer um and you need to build your your cash value early. and And that often comes with picking players that have good runs to start early, which we are going to speak about with the Rucks in a second. But um looking at early runs, so you've got Port Adelaide who have a ah brilliant three-game run to start in terms of their midfielders.
00:17:32
Holmesy
um And you you throw Adelaide in there as well, although their run's not quite as juicy. They've got Gather Round and they've got a few home games around Adelaide at that time, which obviously makes them more appealing as well. f Frio have a great run for Inside Midfielders to start as well as Melbourne and Carlton having a pretty decent run. So with all that set in mind, are you looking to target these players early off early on in the season, hoping to get away for a flyer?
00:17:57
Lew
Yeah, absolutely. You're looking to split hairs in the preseason over some of these players and a good fixture, a nice run, a captain option, all these things play a bit of a factor. So absolutely, I'll be looking at fixture strength. Obviously it's not sort of a bit of a Bible. ah Last year was last year, next year, or this season might be a little bit different, but we can draw some conclusions from it. So um yeah, I definitely will be using it.
00:18:25
Jon Harmey
ah um Hey Lou, so poor Adelaide, they've got a smashing first, five games really. um what What do you reckon about that for somebody like Zack Butters? Somebody that's got a ceiling, could be a captaincy option, is sort of going a bit unnoticed, I suppose. People are really talking about Rosie and Horned Francis because um Arguably, Rosie's a bit under priced and Horn Francis is available as a forward. But Zach Budders, I mean, equivalent price to Brayshore, Dawson, that sort of range. But I mean, he could come out and hit those first few rounds and start on fire. What do you reckon about that?
00:19:06
Lew
Oh absolutely, he's your standard captain option isn't he? I think we we sometimes get caught up um as fantasy coaches in the value and we disregard some of these top priced players and I know last year like Bonneton Pelly was 60% owned wasn't he? ah and a lot of that was sort of autofill and stuff like that. So yeah, I ah don't mind going as Zach Budders as a bit of a pod captain option early that you're paying up for. I think of the sort of active coaches, you don't get a lot that tend to spend above that 105 unless it's a Ruckman. So it's a play for sure.
00:19:46
Holmesy
Is Butters still the the main tag target at Port Lou? Or do you think if Horned Francis gets off the chain a little bit this year and him being that damaging player that he is, do you think it could shift across to Horned Francis?
00:20:00
Lew
ah Yeah, it'll probably be a mix of the two ah with Jason Horne Francis' benefit being that he can hide forward where his butters maybe not to the same effect.
00:20:11
Jon Harmey
Main tag target at Port Adelaide would be Kane Farrell, wouldn't it, Holmes? He's suddenly turned into the best player in AFL.
00:20:20
Holmesy
ah I don't know, he'd have to get out of the rehab group first, I think, before before he's considered there. But man, you're on fire today, Harmee. You might as well start calling you stato with all these jokes.
00:20:31
Holmesy
All right, what we're going to do, we've got a big episode. We're going to answer all of your questions. We've put out a big Twitter post. We've got all those ready to go. But before we do that, I really just wanted to touch on the ruck line. So I've called a bit of an an emergency emergency strategy session because I don't know about you guys, but the ruck line is absolutely doing my head in so far this year. Every time I think I'm happy and content with the players that I've got, something happens to to make me change my mind now.
Debating Ruck Player Strategies: Set-and-Forget vs. Value Picks
00:20:59
Holmesy
A lot of that is because a lot of the ruckmen broke out last year, so they're effectively either fairly priced or maybe even a little bit overpriced. And then a lot of these value options that we have, they're in't they're good in theory, but then, ah you know, as Sean Darcy gets injured or ah there's a news article about Pitnett playing more in a dual ruck set up and things like that. So I'm never, I'm not um not comfortable, so I thought we'd we get to the bottom of it and we just bit of a round table and start talking about the ruck option. so First off, Tristan Cherry. or Actually, before we do that, Hami, what are your two rucks that you currently have? We'll go around we'll go around the room and we'll talk through our current rucks at the moment.
00:21:39
Jon Harmey
uh we did a ruck podcast and i think i said around that time that you won't get any answers from me because i have got no idea and that hasn't really changed much um to be honest mate i sort of had ron marshall and cherry ah but with Marshall going down with this stress fracture I'm just going to wipe him. So at the moment I've just sat the next most expensive and and best rockman in his place being Max Gorn and I'm waiting for something to present itself to me because at the moment I can't really see it. I mean
00:22:13
Jon Harmey
It could actually be Gorn, you know, like if Marshall is either coming in um unfit or not playing round one, then it may be his Gorn. But yeah, I'm pretty uncertain. I was keen on paying up just to remove some uncertainty and it doesn't seem to have um been paying off at this point in time.
00:22:33
Holmesy
Yeah, look, the the set and forget strategy is something that has worked brilliantly for me in the past. I was I was for it when a lot of coaches weren't. Now, it seems it's it's back in vogue again, and it it makes sense if you've got two ruckmen or maybe even three ruckmen that are going to be so far better than everyone else in the comp.
00:22:51
Holmesy
then why not lock one or two of them away, not worry about trading up and down when there's limited options in the ruck line. I get it, but I'm just i just umm wondering, are they going to be the top ruckman this year? They might well be, but they might be the top ruckman at a 110 average or a 108 average. Now, they might they might be 115, 117 like they are this year, and you've locked them away. You've got your captain options and you don't have to worry about trading, but I just i just worry, Lou. So what are your what are your two ruckmen at the moment?
00:23:21
Lew
um At the moment, I'm Tim English and Tom de Koning. Tom de Koning's been the mainstay there at R2. Tim English is a bit of a new addition. Mitch from Bull Boys wrote a nice article and instigated me bringing him in, but it was previously Tristan Cherry, who who I'm also a fan of, so um sounds like we might be fairly on the same page there, Homsi, is that right?
00:23:49
Lew
in terms of running PDK and and a premium.
00:23:50
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, I... Yeah, so at the moment, that's where I am. Now I have TDK and I have Cherry as well, but... that In my mind, there is a flag on Cherry. Now, I have him ranked very highly. I still have him as R1 or R2. And I still believe that he's going to be one of the best rockmen in the comp. However, I just, we know that AFL fantasy is a trading game. It's all about making sure that you you pay up for the players at the right time and you can get a leg up on the comp by making sure that you're not overpaying and wasting money and
00:24:23
Holmesy
the The reality is Tristan Cherry has the toughest rock run to start based off last year's data. Now we can talk about last year's data as particularly changing and absolutely it can, but with the rocks, it's relatively consistent. You're playing essentially the same rockman as you did last year. Maybe some teams change their system so that they they might be more stoppage heavy, less stoppage heavy. So we do need to take that into account.
00:24:48
Holmesy
but Tristan Cherry has Max Gorn, Jared Wits, Brody Grundy, Riley O'Brien, and I think TDK all in his first six games. Now he does have Tim English to start, so Tim English absolutely is a positive rock matchup.
00:25:03
Holmesy
But I mean, Max Gorn in round two, I wouldn't be confident putting a ah captaincy on Tristan Cherry against Max Gorn. I wouldn't be confident putting a captaincy on him against Jared Wits. And I probably wouldn't be confident putting a captaincy on him against a Brody Grundy either.
00:25:20
Holmesy
you take all that into account, versing those opponents last year was an average of 97. And that included two 120 plus scores against English, which we do um expect. But then that also ah includes a score of 118 that he got against Ned Moyer when Witz wasn't playing. And when he did verse Jared Witz, he scored a 50. So that's my only flag on Tristan Cherry is that I think he's the R1 or the R2.
00:25:43
Holmesy
But if he starts the year going at 100 or 95 or maybe even 105, maybe there's an opportunity for us to get a little bit cute and get him cheaper later on when 55% of the comp has paid up a 115 price tag and he might not get the rewards early harmi.
00:26:00
Jon Harmey
Yeah, well, look, you make a fair point, Holmsey, but I guess I'm just sort of looking at the guys that are down the line a bit and seeing, you know, trying to say, well, where is the value? You know, that you're right. We try and chase value. That's what we're after. Some upside may not be a great deal with cherry, but let's have a look at it. Brody Grundy. Early by, you're not going to go there.
00:26:24
Jon Harmey
Keep going down the line. Wits on the way out. No, early buy. Darcy Cameron, really bought brigs early Briggs, early buy. And he I think he's a 90s guy anyway. I just really, I mean, Tom de Koning, if Carlton are going pretty well, they probably don't want to flog him as being the R1. So there's a chance that he's playing in a dual-ruck setup anyway.
00:26:49
Jon Harmey
Jordan Sweet, um unproven. He had a couple of ceiling games, but really, um you know I don't know if he's cemented himself. Sean Darcy, injured. Ned Moyle, sitting behind Wits. So I'm just really struggling to pick it, sorry, mate. And perhaps over the next month it'll resolve itself for us.
00:27:11
Holmesy
So, Louis, you'd be, I mean, you said you don't have him at the moment, but do you think this is more of a ah safety in numbers thing where if you are going a Tristan Cherry, who's 55% owned, you go with the you go with the rest of the competition and you back yourself elsewhere to make up the the cash that you might potentially lose on a Tristan Cherry. If you start slow, but in saying that, if you if you start slow, but then goes bang like you did in the second half of the year, then it doesn't matter if you don't trade them out anyway.
00:27:36
Lew
yeah Well you make a pretty compelling case and the the ownership is quite frightening and um it probably works in your advantage depending on which camp you're in. If you see this massive ownership on Sherry and you're thinking he might start a little bit slower than um Happy Days but yeah there's of course that risk that he's going to come out and and show some of his ceiling which you did last year I think dropping three 150s in a row.
00:28:01
Lew
um ah i um I was listening to Fanatics and ah Jaden Popowski dropped a stat which I thought stood out to me and that was that um Tristan Cherry got 85 points from stoppages last season which was a world record and far and away 10 plus um to any other player. So whether that's sustainable is a massive question mark on. You'd have to think probably not.
00:28:29
Lew
um So that's got me sort of swaying against a Tristan Cherry, but then you do have to consider if he does start slow, you're starting what we think is going to be a top two ruck. What's the cost of a trade and potentially two trades to get it done? So if you do lose 150K, 200K on a Tristan Cherry early, um can do you make that up later on by just not having to use one, two trades to get him later on in that season?
00:28:56
Holmesy
Yeah, yeah it's ah it's a great point and and part of the reason why we're having this discussion now because it's it's something I've been toying
Marshall's Injury Status and Ruck Selection Implications
00:29:02
Holmesy
with. And look, he he may well come out and continue where he left off at the end of last year and go at 120 to start. And if he does, you you tip your hat to him. i just you've got to look at the matchups and it's just something we need to take into consideration. So it's just something I'm putting there. And Hami, before I throw to you, you you said that you're ruling Marshall out, but Ross ross the boss, Ross Lyon, the goat, he said that there was no stress fracture for for Marshall. He said he's absolutely going to be there for round one. So if Marshall comes out in the in the practice games and has some serious minutes,
00:29:37
Holmesy
is Is he someone that you look at? i'm I'm not ruling it out just yet. If we look at his run to start, he has one of the better runs and he actually averaged 117 against his opponents over the first six last year. We know he has a ceiling which he demonstrated early last year. I know he's had the interrupted preseason, but I think we need to keep an open mind just in case he is there for the practice games and and he's playing minutes.
00:30:00
Jon Harmey
Yeah, well, yeah, you said Ross the goat. I don't know what he's the goat of. I don't know if it's AFL coaching, perhaps press conferences, because I'm not that confident. I'm certainly not as confident as what he is by the sounds of that.
00:30:12
Lew
misconduct.
00:30:14
Jon Harmey
Holmesy, stress fracture in the pelvis. Just sit a couple of weeks out and she'll be right. I'm not convinced. So I guess we'll see. Yeah, you're right. I mean, if he comes out pre-season match one and has 40 hit outs and 120 fantasy points. So I'm right back on board perhaps, but not just at the minute.
00:30:35
Holmesy
With Gorn, are you worried that he had an interrupted pre-season as well? So heys he's only just returning now.
00:30:39
Jon Harmey
but No. Not now. I mean, you've already bumped out Cherry, so now I'm down to Gorn in English as myself. Forget. I can't lose Gorn as well. now Look, he he's been back in full training for a while, so um that's not much of a concern for me.
00:30:56
Holmesy
Lou, can you just give us a little insight into the article and what made you change your mind about um about Tim English now? He was the number one player, averaging player in the comp in the previous year. And we've seen over the journey when he's up and going, he's that extra midfielder getting all all the extra ball around the ground. Adam Trelour is out, which means there's 110 points to go around in that midfield to start the year. So what's what's got you are considering a ah Tim English considering he's currently not training either?
00:31:23
Lew
Yeah, it was that last point that you mentioned there, Homsey, with the points coming out of that midfield from a midfielder perspective. We know that Tim English, he's not filling up on hit outs. He's pretty much relying on getting the ball to build up his score. So I think with that coming out of the midfield, there's potentially um room for him to pick up a couple of extra touches there. And that's on top of him dropping four disposals last season. So ah why that happened? um Not too sure. Mitch has made a pretty good case here and I recommend that you go have a look at that um on the Dream Team Talk website. um But yeah, I just think a guy that's gone 117 priced it. What is it 102 off the top of the head? I think that
00:32:07
Holmesy
104, I think, but yeah, pretty close.
00:32:09
Lew
104, yeah, I think that if he can even meet halfway there, it's a smash pick, and if he maintains it's it's a bit of a safe island in terms of being able to jump off to the guy that does sort of um stick his head out the sand, be it a sherry or a marshal gorn or what have you later on in the season.
00:32:30
Holmesy
Yep, yep, I agree there. Hami, before we move on, we do need to touch on Tom de Koning because no we we look, at his ah we look at his record last year when Pitnet didn't play and I think the stat going around is that in games where Tom de Koning was the sole rock and had above 80% time on ground when he wasn't injured, I think he averaged 103.
Tom de Koning's Fantasy Potential as Sole Ruck
00:32:52
Holmesy
But we are dealing with a small sample size here and the data does suggest that PitNet was, that they did prefer to play PitNet at times last year, whether that was due to injuries or not.
00:33:05
Holmesy
I'm not too sure. We know that Charlie Kurnow is struggling in the preseason at the moment to be fit ready for round one.
00:33:09
Jon Harmey
yeah
00:33:12
Holmesy
at At the end of the day, what's to say that Pitnett won't be in and out of this side? And and we know that when Pitnett's in, Tom de Koning is he's a shell of what he can do when he saw the rock. So it's a pretty risky start, is it not? Like we've we've put him in there because he's valued, but it's it is risky.
00:33:30
Jon Harmey
Yeah, I'm not sold at this point. time That's ah what I said to you. You can sort of pick holes in it. And I think that there is a risk that Pitnet plays. So ah the Charlie Kurnow injury news is just compounding the issue. So, yeah, I think we'll probably need to see it. I think we'll probably need to see that he is R1 without Pitnet in the team.
00:33:55
Holmesy
Lou, out of some of these value options before we move on, so some some that Harmi mentioned before. So you've got Kieran Briggs who started slow last year. I think Toby Green got stuck into him at the presentation night saying that he came back to the start of pre-season fat and took a while to get going. But he he averaged over 100 post-buy. He did have off-season knee surgery and he's only just getting back into full training now. So that that's a flag in itself with the early buy. You've got maybe Maybe I'll ask you, Jordan Sweet being the Portman, do you think there's some natural development in ah in a Jordan Sweet to maybe push it up? He's already averaged pretty high highly off the back of a year where he had solo rock when he was playing. What what can you see from a Jordan Sweet?
00:34:39
Lew
Oh there might be a little bit he can squeeze out. He's 27 so he is quite mature. He's spent a lot of years in the VFL and ah he sort of broke through into the AFL last year for Port. I think he's got the number one rock roll now. I think Soldo's probably going to play in the twos for the season unless there's an injury really. so But coming in price at 82, ports rucks have never shot anything out of the park. I think Scott Lysette, who's you know no world beat as best, was about 86. And Ryder was never um massive either. He pushed maybe mid-90s. So but if he could do that, you're laughing, but totally different player. I think Jordan Sweet's just your stock standard ruckman that gets around the ground and and puts up his 70 or 80 like a Tom Hickey type. But I probably wouldn't put my chips on him to start.
00:35:31
Holmesy
one One question I have for you as as the Port man, Port were last year a pretty low stoppage team. they did They did increase in the last five games, but that could be opponents based. If they move to being a more front half team um and and locking the ball in in the forward line, is Jordan Sweet the type of ruckman that'll be going down into the forward line to take those ruck contests or is he going to sit back and are you going to have one of your forwards do the rucking?
00:35:57
Lew
Nah, I think he'll sit back. I think we've got far too dangerous a forward line when those midfielders are also pushing forward in there as well. So I think he'll be that sort of anchor that sits back on ah defensive 50 for us.
00:36:13
Holmesy
Yep, beautiful. All right, so what we've done, we've we've put the we've put the requests out. We're going to answer a whole bunch of listener questions. But before we do that, just a reminder that in 2025, the PodPod has partnered up with Q Platforms as a way to help answer all of your AFL fantasy
PodPod's Partnership with Q Platforms for Personalized Advice
00:36:31
Holmesy
questions. So we're going to get through as many as we can today, but if your question doesn't get asked, um a way to make sure that it's guaranteed that you can get the response you're after is to head to askmeonq.com slash Pod Pod AFL. That is Q-U. um It's just a way to help out Pod Pod. If you want to help us give back to us after all these podcasts over the years, that would be greatly appreciated. ah For a small fee, you have the ability to get a fully personalized audio response for us.
00:37:01
Holmesy
for all of your AFL fantasy questions, including full team reviews, questions on individual players, strategy questions, and then in season, things like trade questions and vice-captain, captain options. So super excited to be able to to give back to the community and and for you guys to be able to help us out as well. But for now, we're gonna get through as many of these questions as we can. And the first one we have is from the PodPods, number one fan, HK Doss, with a typical Dossie question. Hami, how's your super coach team lining up?
00:37:32
Jon Harmey
Yeah, no, I haven't done that at all. It convinced me to do it last year and I didn't look at it up for the first 10 weeks of the season. So look, a similar thing, probably um looking like an auto field for round one there, Dospy.
00:37:45
Holmesy
Now, Dos, if you want new questions on the show in the future, mate, a bit like are the Draft Doctors, where no Super Coach questions here, mate. If you really want to actually finish inside the top 10K for once in your career, maybe ah maybe ask some AFL fantasy questions, Lou.
00:38:00
Holmesy
But this one's for you at No Haynes.
00:38:02
Jon Harmey
I think I, hey, actually, I think I won Dossie's comp last year. That's a super coach comp he got us to enter. Anyway, so we're getting distracted.
00:38:12
Holmesy
Yeah, that doesn't that doesn't shock me. I think Dossie was outside 10K in Supercoach as well, so very on brand there. Sorry, Lou, back to you at No Haynes, No Gain. Please rank the cheap Coleman replacements in defence. So we've got four players here, SDK, Shownmaker, Sin and Millera. Can you give me a rank of those players, please?
00:38:34
Lew
I put SDK at the top, provided he's got that ruck roll at Geelong. That's one we're going to be watching in the pre-season, big time. I'm unconvinced whether or not that's the case. Shown Maker, I'm going to go second. I know he's only a second year player, but that um Saints game style is quite advantageous to that type of a player, so I'll put him there.
00:38:56
Lew
ah put Malia a third, bit of a legacy pick there. I'm not sure where he's even training to be honest with you, but he has been a bit of a scorer in the past and um yeah through process of elimination. i'm I'm not a big fan of of Josh Sin. I don't think he's got the foot skills to make it um at the level. So he's one i'm I'm just going to steer clear of and massive sub risk, even if he does get a game.
00:39:22
Holmesy
Maybe we need to get Jordy on the podcast one day, Lou, to to chat about his boy, Josh Sin.
00:39:26
Lew
balance that air out. yeah
00:39:28
Holmesy
Yeah. Hami, there was a bit of a sigh from you. You don't agree with the SDK at at number one out of those options?
00:39:35
Jon Harmey
ah um I'm just not sure he's the number one ruck, that's all. That's my only thing there, Holmes. I guess it depends on how long they want to persist with Reece Stanley. He's going to have to be a handover at some point, isn't there? I don't know who it is to though, that's all. and They actually don't mind going with the undersized ruck as well at times, don't they? With Blix or somebody else. so and i and just I'm not sure he's the number one ruck, that's all.
00:40:01
Lew
You're always going to have that Conway shadow too.
00:40:05
Holmesy
Yeah, that's it. You're going to have the the revolving door of the rucks at Geelong. And I think maybe you take the punt if he's opening round, he's the ruck in round one, he's named as the ruck, then and maybe there's the play to take a punt and get him through to his bye. But I think he's going to be one of those players you'd be nervous looking at the team sheets each week. And I typically try to steer clear of those players because it's a nervous enough game as it is.
00:40:29
Jon Harmey
Sort of guy that you'd be happy to take a late time fly on in a draft comp I reckon.
00:40:34
Holmesy
Yep, yep, 100%. Hami, I'm going to stick with you. This one's from Scratch and Neil1. Thoughts on Ed Richards. What does he have to go to be a smash pick slash a good pick? So, Ed Richards priced at about 86, I think, off the top of my head. Full-time midfielder, no trellor. Is he an option?
00:40:55
Jon Harmey
Yeah, priced at 86. Look, when he was in the midfield there, he had some really good scores, but he is his sort of score seemed to fluctuate a bit, even if he did have a heap of CBAs. So, yeah, look, no tra law in there, who I'm hoping is going to benefit Sanders. but I mean, he was in the midfield rotation last year. I expect he'll be in the midfield rotation this year. and I think I have said on a previous pod that just with JJ going back, I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the back flank at at points as well, but audit and I don't know. To answer the question, I don't think he's going to go enough for it to be a smash pick. Price at 86, he's not 100 guy, so I don't think he's got too much upside.
00:41:39
Holmesy
Yeah, I mean, I suppose the counter argument is for that with those those Bulldogs midfielders all score. You had Treloar go 110. You had Bont go 107. Even Libba when he's up and about without those injuries is ah is a mid 90s guy. So look, if in the absence of Treloar, if Richards becomes the M2, then there is scope for him to to go big and break out. he He's got to raise that floor. But Look, I think I'd be happy to bump him up my draft board, but I think as a classic pick, it wouldn't surprise me if he breaks out, but I'm not banking on it.
00:42:11
Jon Harmey
Yep, but then we get to round one and it's Latham Van Der Meer in the center bounce for the first bounce of the game.
00:42:18
Holmesy
Yeah, true. like Lock that in.
00:42:21
Holmesy
Lou, I'm going to throw to you for this one. This one's from Locky99. So we didn't actually touch on this, but Liam Reedy at R3. So I don't have his price off the top of my head. I think he he scored 50 and 50 in his last two games last year, which means he's going to have a pretty heavy discount off that.
00:42:21
Jon Harmey
Anthony Scott.
00:42:37
Holmesy
But I think he's still in the in the 400s. If it comes out that Darcy is out for a bit more of an extended period. So, you know, first four or five rounds. Could we pay up for a Liam Reedy on the bench if there's no Harry Boyd? Or if there is Harry Boyd, is there room to play both of them and and have Boyd at utility? But is Reedy someone you'd consider at R3?
00:42:59
Lew
No I don't think so because we're probably looking at what anywhere between one and four games he plays one game let's say he drops a 60 and his cash isn't moving until the week after really and then it's really that fortnight that you need him to play so there's a bit of uneasiness when he's coming in at a price tag of 410k for me and It seems like we might get a Harry Boyd. It seems like we might get it an Archer Reed. I've heard a few other 200K Ruckman types that might even be close as well. So I ah don't think it's something we're actually going to have to worry about, but ah even so, I think it's something that I'd avoid now that they've got Tracy um and Luke Jackson playing in the same side as well.
00:43:44
Jon Harmey
In bit value though, Holmesy, in the Fantasys pricing model. So averaged 51.5 last year, coming in priced at 39. So there's 11 points upside already.
00:43:59
Holmesy
Yeah, look, i I think we keep an open mind. um Look, he's not someone I've put too much thought into, but we do know Frio have the easiest ruck run to start. If you're telling me it's not going to interest you, if he's lining up against SDK in the ruck round one for a 70-80 to get off to a good start and and then gets a Bailey Williams in round three in the Derby. Look, there's there's scope, but yeah, I think we we crossed that we cross that bridge when we come to it if we don't get any other options. But I think for now,
00:44:25
Holmesy
um There's enough options that are ah that are that are around that we don't need to consider it. But thank you for the question. Look, Bank the Clean, we've already spoken a lot in depth about the rucks, but Ninjaspoon1 says, with best 18 in early buy-arounds, is it worth looking up match-ups in these rounds as a point of difference, like the Port boys having an okay run? So, Hami, I think that goes back to the, you know, do we go a little bit more guns and rookies to sort of attack the early buy-arounds to get some ceiling scores? Is that a strategy you're sort of looking to target early with these buys?
00:44:58
Jon Harmey
ah Yeah, well, as we sort of spoke about earlier in the pod, I actually do like some of the teams that have got a good run early and no early buy. So I'll just reel off a few, hey. Port Adelaide. We spoke about Adelaide, Freo, Melbourne, Carlton. So there's a few teams there that are probably more keen on the run that they've got and the fact that they don't have an early buy. so um Yeah, I mean it speaks to your Dawson, your Braeshaw, those top-end guys within those teams that have got a nice run coming up.
Strategic Planning Around Early Fixtures and Buy Rounds
00:45:33
Holmesy
Yeah, and look, in in years gone by when I've been successful, I've started with players that are priced heavily. I've probably done it more than most, but 2021 I started McCray and Merritt both priced at 110. And yes, that's paying a heavy price for those guys, but they ended up going 120 to start the year for the first half and I was away. so You can always pay up for players if they if they do have value. And the early run is going to be a big part of that if you can get some ceiling scores early. So absolutely like that in the best 18 model, ah but don't sacrifice too many of your spots on field to do it. We still need to make sure that we minimize the rookies where we can. Lou, this one's for you. This one's from Sexy Sam Flanders. Now he is considering Briggs in the ruck line. However, the buy makes it difficult.
00:46:19
Holmesy
He wants to know, and I suppose this is the caveat on no Sean Darcy, does starting a Luke Jackson or someone with Ruck forward status in your forward line help you unlock an R2 option if they have a buy?
00:46:32
Lew
I don't love it. It feels like you're expanding your risk profile there. I think I'd rather just make one single decision rather than two separate ones as a means to perhaps plug a hole later. I know the buyers there, but I think I'd just pick players on their own merit rather than trying to get cute with trades.
00:46:53
Holmesy
And speaking, I think you did it as well, Hami, but speaking with experience after picking Luke Jackson last year with Darcy being out to start the year, you need a plan to get off that as soon as possible when Darcy comes back, because Luke Jackson is not a premium scorer when he's in the forward line, at least not to this point in his career. And it just is way too awkward around that rounds four, five, six, seven, when you need to get off him, when you're trying to upgrade and get other players out of your side. so Luke Jackson is not someone I'm looking to target as ah as a Freo supporter. I think they like him as that X Factor forward and we've seen him have ah have a floor when he's in that role. So not for me. Hami, this one is from Woody's Wallies. How many round three bi-players can we carry in our defence? Pretty, pretty good question.
00:47:41
Lew
I.
00:47:41
Jon Harmey
yeah Yeah, and one that I've struggled a bit with. ah I was pretty keen to get it down as low as I could get it, but then I really liked Callum Mills, so I brought him in. and Then I saw that um Parryman was playing in the midfield, so I brought him in, and I could really see an argument for um having Matty Roberts in your team as well.
00:48:03
Jon Harmey
so I'm not sure at the moment. um Yeah, as I said, I've sort of got two sitting there and I wouldn't really like to go more than that. um But I guess, yeah, time will tell. The rookies are probably going to help us a bit, I feel, in that with Travalia and Alan. Leek, oh, he's got a bye, doesn't he? um Zach Reed. There are others in the backline that don't have bye, so he might be all right there to bring him on field.
00:48:36
Holmesy
lou i I mean, I suppose the the other part of this situation is how many of the same buy around do you have in other lines? So for example, Baylee Smith, Levi Ashcroft, Will Ashcroft, any of these players. But when I've been thinking about it, do you hate the idea if if those value players in defence are the guys, do you hate the idea of just copying a lower score for one week, knowing that you can potentially make it up later?
00:49:04
Lew
is Is in copying the bar that way
00:49:06
Holmesy
Yeah, as in like knowing that you might, you know, maybe you do start Mills, Roberts, and Perriman, for example. So three players on that buy in the ruck line, and you're bringing on two rookies that are pretty horrendous that you're not going to get a big score from. Just just taking a smaller hit for that particular week, knowing that you're your score for the round isn't going to be as big as everyone else's if they're not taking these buy players. But if they do end up being the value players that we need, then you're going to make up those points later on down the track.
00:49:35
Lew
Yeah, I don't mind it. We probably overreacted last year, and now I think this preseason we're perhaps overcorrecting a little bit. So um that sits somewhere in the middle. i'm Personally, I'm trying to avoid them just to keep things as little headaches as possible um in terms of my flexibility when I'm trading throughout that period. But I think that's definitely a strategy. I think it's going to take It could take years for this whole opening round if it remains strategy to be sort of fleeced out properly. I think i think there's a lot of room to move here, so ah do I do encourage any listeners to to go out and try new things, maybe get the ah get the partner to sign up and and do it that way.
00:50:19
Holmesy
Lee, I'll stick with you for this one. So this one's from Korsab213. Is it worth planning for the round 12 buy now as there is a lot of potential keepers out that week and it's one of the hardest buys? Or, I'll throw this one in there, is it just better to pick the best players at the best prices at this point in time knowing that AFL fantasy two trades a week, we're going to get injuries, we're going to be flipping our squad around and we just deal with it when we get closer to the buy?
00:50:46
Lew
Yeah, bingo. When you see, it gets posted at the end of every single year by various coaches, how many players actually stayed in their team from round one to 24. It's only ever like five or six. So I wouldn't be planning around round 12 buyers. I'd keep an eye on them in case you're lining up with 10, 11, 12 premiums on the buy there, but I wouldn't be putting it as utter importance there.
00:51:15
Jon Harmey
Except for that round 13, is it the round 13 one where um you've only got two teams on the by and it's no they don't have an early one?
00:51:25
Jon Harmey
So it's is it Saints?
00:51:26
Holmesy
Saints, Saints and Freo.
00:51:26
Lew
Is it States and Freo?
00:51:28
Jon Harmey
Yeah, so that's pretty pretty attractive, isn't it?
00:51:32
Holmesy
Yeah, I think that definitely could be used as a way to split hairs if you're looking to start particular players, like Frio or St Kilda players, and you're tossing and turning between someone else to start the year, that can definitely use be used as a differentiator. But just, I mean, personally, from experience, I haven't started looking at the mid-season buys until around that sort of round seven, round eight, when my squad's a little bit more complete. I've got a little bit more of an idea of which which rookies and mid-prices I still have in my squad and and which premiums I'm looking to have. so don't Don't pay too much attention and attention to it just yet. Maybe just have a look, but I wouldn't let that deter you too much. Hami, this one's from Yoti99. I suppose we had that list just before, but in your opinion, what is the best defender under 560K that's not a rookie?
00:52:22
Jon Harmey
Okay. ah Well, I'll just pad it out for a minute, mate. But at the moment, off the top of my head, I'd say show maker. The Saints is probably the one that I would pick and because that Saints back on is a bit depleted um and is a second year rookie who has good scoring pedigree. So he's probably the one that comes to mind, but I'll just come back to you.
00:52:46
Holmesy
Okay, well, i'm gonna I'm gonna put Louie on the spot here. Uh, Lou, why don't you reveal to us who your D6 is at the moment, who I haven't heard mentioned on any fantasy podcast whatsoever. Harmony might be able to give some insight as well, being a Bombers boy, but why don't you reveal that?
00:53:01
Lew
Oh yeah, put me on the spot for sure. um Jackson, I've got Jackson Pryor there at the moment, so he was on the Lions list for a number of years and he was getting relatively regular game time, you know, three, four, five games a year, but just wasn't able to break into that side.
00:53:19
Lew
and even got game time last year in a team that went on to win the flag, but went over to the Bombers. ah By all accounts he's been in the ones that pretty much every single matches him and he's looking fine back there. I haven't heard anything for him and I haven't heard anything against him either. but when I look in the VFL averages he went at a 94 which is a nice clip that's off the back of 20 kicks for handball so we've got a good kick to mark ratio there a kick to handball ratio there he's seven marks a game was nice to see as well so clearly just playing that half back roll I think he could be one that
00:53:54
Lew
Might be a sneaky little picket D6 coming in priced at 362K. I'd rather put my money there than a Toby Travaglia for 30K less, um who's a first year player. I think if I was gonna take a bet, I'd go on on the on the former there.
00:54:12
Jon Harmey
and lot A lot of um players competing in that bomber's back lawn at the moment, so yeah you'd have to be sure that he was best 23, I suppose, um if you're going to be paying the 360.
00:54:21
Lew
The big thing in that is that bombers, I remember looking at this stat a couple of years ago, but that bombers um defensive line, they share the ball around a lot and their sort of median average was a lot higher than quite a few other teams.
00:54:35
Lew
So that's what's got me sort of eyeing him off.
00:54:36
Holmesy
highest defense in the comp, yep.
00:54:38
Lew
Yep.
00:54:38
Jon Harmey
Yeah. Hey, look, Holmes, you're the only other one um that I can come to there. To be honest, I'm not that keen on many of them. Sam de Koning, possibly, but one that has also scored OK for us in the the past at a really cheap price, who isn't a rookie, is Griffin Logue, priced at 400, coming back um off missing the season last year in full training. um And he will be best 22, I expect, at North. So he's something that you could consider.
00:55:09
Holmesy
wouldn't be the pod pod without mentioning an irrelevant kangaroos player would it harm me so no don't don't hate it watch him see what he does he he's shown it he has shown he can score um it'll just be interesting i think caleb daniel's taking all that pill in the back line but It is the Pod Pod, and we do like to mention the names that are a little bit more obscure. Hami, I'll stick with you. This one is from Sam Nitschke. Is it too top-heavy to run with Dawson and Brayshore M1-M2? If they see value in both, they both have good early runs. I've said before that I've started two top-end guys. Can you do it? I suppose it means you play an extra rookie on field, but you just need the ceiling scores.
00:55:49
Jon Harmey
Yeah, and the thing with those guys is they're not coming in priced at 117, the bond was last year. They're coming in priced about 105, aren't they? So, um you know, it's not it's not as if it's in the years where you're paying close to 120 averaging players. So, yep, yeah there's there could be upside in that. um Just with Dawson, that role uncertainty has me a bit worried.
00:56:15
Jon Harmey
so
00:56:17
Holmesy
Lou, do you have any other thoughts with that one?
00:56:20
Lew
No, I love it. I think there's probably five points upside in both those players. so it's It's about the balance of the rest of your side. You're always going to tick off those two um big M1s and M2s.
00:56:32
Holmesy
I'll go on the record right now saying that if Crouch was not there round one and it seemed like Crouch was going to be out of the side, Dawson would be the first one that I pick. um I just think, at least at this point in time, there's a there's a bit of uncertainty around that Adelaide midfield and they like Dawson to be their captain, Mr Fixit, which means that he can play some unfriendly fantasy roles at times. but He's got all of the tools to to be the number one player in the comp. Fantasy scoring player in the comp. So yeah, if you, if you like those players and the rookie crop is as strong as we, we think it is, then absolutely you could start both of them and get off to an absolute flyer. Lou, this one's for you. Just a quick one word answer from Eggman, Cometh sin or SDK. I think I know your answer.
00:57:15
Lew
Yeah, SDK, given role.
00:57:18
Holmesy
Beautiful. Army. Uh, lastly, they're from Doug Fitts, Patrick 10. Could we do something crazy in the rocks? So he's thinking of an R1, R2.
00:57:32
Holmesy
He's looking at Flynn at R2 and then Boyd at R3 and then Reid at the utility.
00:57:39
Holmesy
Could we, could we be that crazy?
00:57:39
Jon Harmey
Yeah.
00:57:41
Jon Harmey
I'll tell you, one floor I can see in that mate is um in that utility spot, I like to get a DPP and I usually like a defender mid or mid forward because then you've got the ability to flick players around a bit. Whereas if you had a ruck in there, you're kind of locking up that utility, aren't you? You can't use it um as easily. That and the fact that I don't think Matt Flynn's a very good pick are probably the two things that I have an issue with.
00:58:11
Holmesy
Jay Harmony, with all that talk about the utility, you might be a Super Coach Flex expert this year. You might have to get onto the, see if Al Patton will have you on the the official Super Coach podcast.
00:58:21
Jon Harmey
Oh, I see the host of that podcast. How pattern?
00:58:24
Holmesy
I thought it was golden tonsils, but yeah, not not too sure.
00:58:27
Jon Harmey
No, it's not.
00:58:30
Holmesy
Boys, that's, uh, that'll just about do us a wrap it up, wrap us up. What a, what a bumper episode, guys. Just remember, if you didn't get your question answered or you want to give back to the Pod Pod, head to askmeonq.com slash Pod Pod AFL, where you can get your questions in.
00:58:45
Holmesy
show your support for the Pod Pod and and really help us out. That would be appreciated. But, Hami, once again, thanks for jumping on. Really appreciate it, Lou. I'm not sure. I think we're going to have a ah bit of an awkward week next week. i'm I'm on school camp Monday to Wednesday, which means recording times are are going to be a little bit out. So, so stick with us. It might be a bit of a ah weird week, but we are looking forward to the first week where we actually get to break down a little bit of of live footy and and start to see some matches, which is really exciting, Hami.
00:59:13
Jon Harmey
Yeah, and looking forward to watching that Bombers and Bulldogs game on the weekend and seeing Leif van der Meer in the midfield there, lighting it up for the Bulldogs.
00:59:24
Holmesy
And, uh, Lou, just because we never know when we're going to see you again, you might just disappear into the obscurity, but do you have any any closing thoughts for the listeners?
00:59:32
Lew
No, just yeah i'll but I'll be here next week after the practice game. so ah No, just get excited. we're We're getting pretty close to the start of the season now, so don't go throwing baby out of the bathwater, so to speak, and overreacting to this, that and whatever. There's plenty of news floating around at the moment. but I think there's a general structure that's starting to settle um amongst coaches where it's sort of lying and the rest of the answers will be filled in in a couple of weeks time so don't go stressing and keep tuning into the Podpod and all the other awesome resources out there and we'll try and win your hat.
01:00:11
Holmesy
All I got from that harmony was one coach's panel episode, the Connor Rosie 50 Most Relevant has got Lou back in the zone. Ready? Ready to go. So we we've got him back for, we've got him back for 2025. Thanks MJ. But for everyone else, make sure you're following us at Pod Pod AFL on Twitter. I'm at homsyheroes and you can find the links to the other boys' Twitters there as well.
01:00:34
Holmesy
Make sure you're subscribed to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your content.
01:00:39
Jon Harmey
Thank you.
01:00:39
Holmesy
And if you could leave us a five-star rating and review, that would be greatly appreciated. We'll be back sometime this week with another special guest for an episode of The Homes Files, which I'm really excited for.
01:00:49
Holmesy
But for now, farewell and enjoy the footy this weekend.
01:01:00
Lew
Just in time for Max Army.