The Plus Four: Round 21

Posted by Warnie on 23/8/10 • Categorised as The +4

Who honestly cares about this game anymore? Maybe I’m just bitter that I’m no longer in the finals and am probably lucky that I’m not. My side is hideous and wouldn’t be doing enough to be considered a threat anyway.

Carnage ahead of the Grand Final

This could be a shocking round for players not playing through injury and suspension. The big names who could miss the Dream Team Grand Final are Luke Hodge (knee), Shane Mumford (knee), Adam Cooney (hamstring), Grant Birchall (hamstring), Ben Cousins (hamstring), James Podsiadly (suspension), Beau Waters (suspension)… with quite a few others ‘sore’ after the weekend. We could see a few rested this week too. General Soreness will strike. Watch out for him. Make sure you check the injury list when we post it tomorrow.

Late withdrawals suck donkeys nuts

We saw quite a few of these this weekend. Just about everyone would have been effected in some way with Andrew Mackie, Clinton Jones, Paul Haselby, Ryan O’Keefe, Colin Sylvia and Paddy Ryder all late outs. Not much we can do about those, but for those with Mackie, you could have known about that before lockout. So stay tuned… and don’t trade until those lists are in (usually 90 mins before the first bounce). Could save you a zero.

Again, we will probably see a whole heap of these this week too! FMDT.

The Freo Shockers

Not only did the Dockers murder our Dream Teams this week with a lot of us trading out Mathew Pavlich, they also murdered the spectacle that was the game at Aurora Stadium on Saturday. This should have been a great contest. Two top eight teams playing ‘finals’ style footy. But no, we saw B-mantle not kick their 2nd goal of the game until a few minutes into the last quarter. The positive was that 8 Hawks cracked the 100 in DT and for those who got in Cyril Rioli for Pav, would have been very happy. Personally, I hope the Dockers don’t win another game for the rest of the year after that disgusting display.

Cats Kick to Handball ratio

It’s been talked about a bit, but the Cats kick to handball ratio improved for the good of Dream Team on Friday night. While it is a great thing to kick instead of handball for the extra point, the problem was that we didn’t get the possession football that means for high DT scores on Friday night. Only 3 players cracked the ton. Fingers crossed that they can finish off the DT season down at Kardinia Park this week with some thumping scores… without players being rested!

Grand Final Episode of DT TALK

Tonight we will be filming and putting together the final episode of DT TALK for 2010. We chat to Tom Murphy from the Hawks, there is one last UnderBenny as this is the end of his awesome career, we’ll have some advice for you to win your DT Grand Finals and lastly, some BIG news in relation to Dream Team rules for 2011 with the inclusion of Gold Coast and subsequent byes. Make sure you check that on Tuesday when it’s online!

516 Comments

Scrumdidaliumptious
August 23, 2010 • 8:28 am

Great work warnie, First comment! Just though i’d add that
b3nj11
August 23, 2010 • 8:30 am

Great write up Warnie! Looking forward to watching the final DT episode!
Bibby
August 23, 2010 • 9:03 am

If Waters gets rubbed out then footy has definately gone soft. He hit him straight up the middle and may have just clipped his chin but it was a great hit and shouldn’t be sanctioned
- juddy69
  August 23, 2010 • 3:37 pm
  
  true dat was a wicked bump
Leigh (aka Cousins Coke n Ice)
August 23, 2010 • 9:12 am

Im in agreeance with you Warnie. That first paragraph says it all. Im in 1 grand final (Not the tackling tit-ed cup either!) with Kouta’s SEN league, and with the suspension outs this week (Pods & Waters), the late withdrawl syndrome (Paddy Ryder) etc, im looking at starting the granny with 4 possibly 5 donuts. Wouldnt matter how many trades I had left! FMDT!!!
toasted
August 23, 2010 • 10:28 am

Welcome to the DT lottery. Hodge, Mumford injured and PODS likely to be rubbed out. Will ROK come back.

I love DT. At least I am fighting a grand final. it will be a case of last man standing. Donut city
Spector
August 23, 2010 • 12:09 pm

I have been watching Freo with excitement all year (actually a West Coast supporter) and to see what they did with their side this weekend is atrocious. I have never seen this happen in any sport and I agree that they now deserve to lose the rest of their games.

So many things point towards the game getting soft. If it were a final all those blokes would have been playing on Saturday – weak as piss!

Also, Beau Waters got reported for a legit bump. Was a clean hit, not high and fair. WTF?
- Gambitt
  August 23, 2010 • 8:01 pm
  
  I’m also a WCE supporter and i disagree with you.
  I think the Dockers are entitled to play whichever players on their list they want, they have earned the right to lose a game and still make the finals, it’s not as if they were tanking….
  
  In all probability without a few key players such as Sandilands they weren’t going to beat the Hawks in Launceston and if resting sore players will make them even 2% stronger for the Carlton game then I think its a smart move and I hope they beat Carlton and get a home final over here.
kenrosewall
August 23, 2010 • 12:24 pm

Good stuff Warnie.

Would love it if you could keep a ‘sticky’ thread up for this week with any late breaking DT news i.e. info on Waters, Hodge, Sylvia etc as it happens. I need to be all over the stories this week as my GF is evenly poised.
JamesChaff
August 23, 2010 • 12:57 pm

How did Calvin go this week?

On the Freo front, it was embarrassing. I am a supporter. If they had brought down their players to Tassie they would have had a chance at the top 4. Now unless I am missing something about the rules, but I thought the whole idea was giving your club the best chance of winning, every game?

I must have missed the memo Mark Harvey sent out about throwing games and that being part of their ‘future plans’.
- Nothing
  August 23, 2010 • 2:35 pm
  
  If you’re a Freo supporter you should understand their situation better.
  
  The AFL shafted them with the fixturing of Round 22 – no Friday night game was Fremantle’s only request for Round 22 as they would be returning From Tassie after consecutive 6 day breaks.
  
  Of the outs this week –
  Pavlich has been carrying a leg injury (maybe OP),
  Hill has been so off the boil he has barely touched the ball (lost his run/can’t break a tag),
  Morabito is a first year player who has played every game
  Fyfe has looked slow the last few weeks, another first year player
  Hayden should be dropped anyway looking to have lost his pace
  
  Which leaves McPhee and Mundy as rested.
  
  For Fremantle what would have been better, going to Tassie and losing by 30 points but getting injuries to their best player and a servicable player – Pavlich (Hodge) and McPhee (Birchall) then losing next week to Carlton becuase of the extra burden of injuries or taking a few extra players out of an already depleted team to try and focus on the more winnable game?
  - Hook
    August 23, 2010 • 3:08 pm
    
    Thats such a negative attitude, ahh we would have lost anyway so lets not even try. If you had won that game you would still have a shot at top 4 and a double chance, which would mean a legitimate shot at the flag. I have never seen a team fighting for a top 4 spot throw a game. Really is a defeatest mind set.
    
    Now even if you win the first home final you will get knocked out in the second week. The aim is to win a flag not just 1 final.
    
    If players can’t get up and forget about little niggles for finals then they will never be champions, champions play through the pain
    - Nothing
      August 23, 2010 • 3:36 pm
      
      As a punter would you tip Fremantle with those seven players IN to beat Hawthorn in Tasmania?
      
      Yes they were a very remote chance of top four (Bulldogs lose 2, Fremantle win two), but also the distinct risk of losing two games and missing a home final (anyway). Further, even if they finished top four would you have them any chance to win the flag. Their season has been about development – which they continue to do.
      
      The players would have been trying to win, just like last year Saints tried (and succeeded) to win. The players themselves are all on an AFL list, which means they should be able to compete at AFL level. Most of them were playing for their careers, with the development of the squad very important for Fremantle this year, this game will show which ones can’t make it at AFL level.
      
      It was a strategic move that may prove costly. However it may give them one of the fresher lists coming into the finals – if that happens it will prove a masterstroke. Time will tell.
      - Hook
        August 23, 2010 • 4:06 pm
        
        I understand the reasonings behind it but as a sports fan and a competitor I don’t like the attitude behind it.
        Momentum, confidence, form and desire all play as big as part in winning as fitness does.
        
        My family are all long time dockers members, (except me) and even they said it was a step backwards to a few years ago when everyone thought it was a great accomplishment for the dockers just to make the 8. They should be believing they can win the flag. Do you think Hawks think they can win the flag from 7th? I bet they do.
        
        What happens now if dockers finish 6th and get the final against the Hawks? Hawks are going in with all the momentum and belief just handed to them. Anyway I’m sorry to rant it just goes against my morals of always trying to do the best you can.
      - Birdy
        August 23, 2010 • 5:01 pm
        
        i wonder if they would have still rested all those players if they knew sydney would win! ( GO THE SWANNIES )
      - McScoundrel
        August 23, 2010 • 5:33 pm
        
        The New England Patriots rested all bar one of their two first teams (offense and defense) a game before one of their title winning seasons. What’s the problem? If you had’ve loaded up on Hawthorn at the line, you’d be laughing!!!
  - :P
    August 23, 2010 • 4:57 pm
    
    will fyfe be playing this week
Roy
August 23, 2010 • 12:59 pm

great writeup warne dawg! im back following dt again, i hadnt checked my third league for a while and im in the sport 927 grand final! cuuuuum on destROY
Arod
August 23, 2010 • 2:39 pm

I got through to the GF in two of my leagues but they were very hollow victories (lucky), my opposition decimated by late withdrawals and rested players. My feelings are that with player management as it is and the end of season departures so significant over the last few years, DT could be improved. Could we just play from rd 1 and have the GF rd 18 to avoid finals resting and end of season surgery. The additional benefit is those coaches who identify/select quality rookies before the season starts won’t have everyone pick them up before the first game. Then again season 2011 might have enough changes already.
Samsa
August 23, 2010 • 4:40 pm

good write up warnie,

with waters not getting rubbed out that is one less player i need to worry about.Hopefully Rok,Sandi,pav come back and hodge plays then i can hopefully use my last trade to upgrade a backmen like carrots,shaw hargrave to someone like lake or upgrade someone in my forwards like rok,brown.gia to somebody like chappy.
sugnayeragam
August 23, 2010 • 4:47 pm

Waters has been cleared, Pods has got 2 weeks, J Hunt 2 weeks and Leigh Brown 1 week.
eeepobreci
August 23, 2010 • 4:55 pm

Good write up, Warnie.
Well I’ve just lost Pods & Hunt, just as well Waters was cleared!
No trades left so really hope Hodgey plays as I will cop a donut & my opponent has Strijk/Smith to cover!
Praying that I regain the services of Sandi,Hayes & Pavlich!!!
I think general soreness should be changed to general SOFTNESS!!!
Could be a “clayton’s,” GF for me!
- :P
  August 23, 2010 • 4:59 pm
  
  HUNT!!!!!!!!!!!
  WHAT HAPPENED TO HUNT?
  - :P
    August 23, 2010 • 4:59 pm
    
    Geelong’s Josh Hunt also faces a two-match ban and Collingwood’s Leigh Brown has also been cited.
maanco
August 23, 2010 • 5:11 pm

Does anyone know how virtual sports works out discounts on players at the beginning of the season?
Is there such thing?
Leroy
August 23, 2010 • 5:11 pm

Fuck this! i get Mummford in this week for Sandi with my last trade, as i needed every point i could get!
now hes done a medial ligament!
no cover! Sandi is back this week!
IM SOOOOOO PISSED OFF!!!! got 2 grannies to win guess not
- maanco
  August 23, 2010 • 5:17 pm
  
  well i had 3 late exclusions and could only cover one with 50 points and now im out of finals FMDT
Leroy
August 23, 2010 • 5:14 pm

oi Warnie
keep bagging out those Dockers mate, That team that went down there still would of wiped the floor with your pathetic bunch!
Freo to smash the blues and then smash the Hawks at home in the 1st week of the finals!
That would shut the haters up!!!
Patto.
August 23, 2010 • 5:21 pm

Anyone consideirng Fevola next season if he has a good preseason?? Will be extremely cheap.
- maanco
  August 23, 2010 • 6:00 pm
  
  possibly it would have to be a realy good preseason though
  He will be between $200,000-300,000 though
- Gambitt
  August 23, 2010 • 8:09 pm
  
  I guess it will be similar to getting Hall this year
Noodles71
August 24, 2010 • 6:41 pm

Good stuff Warnie!
Late withdrawals make fantasy footy rubbish……….
There needs to be a solution.

Trackbacks

To get your own image for your comment posts, visit www.gravatar.com and sign up for an account. You will need to upload an image which will be associated with the email used for registration. Use the same email address when posting your comments on this site and your gravatar image will appear next to your comments, normally within 24 hours.