Deck of Dream Team 2012: Mitch Robinson

Name: Mitch Robinson
Club: Carlton
Position: Midfielder/Foward
Bye Round: 13
2011 Average: 92
2011 Games Played: 21
Predicted Average: 100

Why should I pick him? Two years ago, the selection of Mitch Robinson would have seemed crazy, but on the back of a breakout season where he averaged 92 from 21 games, the prospect is no longer a joke, and in fact could prove to be a master stroke this season. Robinson’s selection prospects have also increased dramatically with the addition of dual positioning an extremely handy feather in his cap. With Robinson’s continual rise over the first three years of his career and the likelihood of the Blues continuing their development, there is no reason he can’t average 100+ which will be more than competitive among similar priced forwards. An exciting temptation in regard to Robbo is his ability to go on with a ton. Last year he recorded some whoppers with 131, 141, 124 and a final round score of 126 in the loss to West Coast during the finals. Although the last thing Robinson would be aligned to is consistency, he had an amazing patch of good scores between the rounds of 10 and 21 where he scored under 90 just once.

Why shouldn’t I pick him? Let’s face it, Robbo is loose. Every time he attacks the ball he is in danger of concussion (vest effected), a season ending injury or suspension. Also, when Robbo is bad, he can be really bad which was evident in his performances last season where he posted scores of 56, 66, 47 and 39. At times he can be called upon to play very negative defensive roles by coach Brett Ratten which can limit his output and cause DT coaches massive frustration.

Deck of DT Rating: After such a good average last season, I have no option but to rate Robbo a King due to what will be a high asking price hanging over his head and the expectations that come with it. My natural instinct would be to call him a Queen but the high price means we need a 100 minimum average for it to be a truly successful pick. At the moment, I would rate him a 75-80% chance of making team destROY.

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