Greetings all! Today, I look at one of the great innovations of AFL Dream Team, the Dual Position Player. Often an issue that causes more discussion than any other when AFL Dream Team opens at the start of each season, this article looks at: What are DPPs? How are they chosen? And speculates on: Who may gain or lose the status in 2013? Welcome to Mad Monday!

 

The History of the DPP

 

 

Dual Position Players (DPPs) are relatively new on the AFL Dream Team circuit. First introduced in 2008, players were eligible to be selected in multiple positions in ones team. Players like Bryce Gibbs, Luke Hodge, Colin Sylvia and Shaun Higgins were a feature in many teams for their ability to be picked in both a Midfield position, and a Defender or Forward position. Coaches however took a while to embrace DPPs, as once selected, they could not be shifted from their position. If you selected Shaun Higgins or Colin Sylvia as a midfielder, they could not be shifted to the forward line unless they were first traded out and then back through a double trade. Luckily for many coaches Shaun and Colin had a history of getting blown over by a feather, and coaches could rectify their mistakes by trading them out.

In 2010 we saw the true power of those eligible for DPP status. Innovation by Virtual Sports allowed the use of substitutions between positions for matching DPP pairings. A player with a Mid/Fwd status could be swapped to another line for DPPs of the same status. This meant that you could have both Colin Sylvia and Shaun Higgins on different lines, so when one broke down, they could be benched and the other one could come in and take their spot. Unfortunately for many coaches both of these players would often break down at the same time and coaches could rectify their mistakes trading by them out.

But the true power of DPPs comes from rookies who hold the status. Drafting pairs of rookies with a DPP status and splitting them across two lines essentially adds an extra player to both benches, strengthening your teams cover and dynamics. Heppell, Hibberd & Buckley (DEF/MID), Mzungu, Prestia & Krakouer (MID/FWD), it was these players in 2011 who helped us through the Rolling Bye Rounds with bench cover.

 

 

Time Shall Weary Them

 

 

So that brings us to now. In recent years we have seen players like Luke Hodge, Bryce Gibbs, Drew Petrie & Kurt Tippet lose their DPP status, and players like Steele Sidebottom, Mitch Robinson, Dustin Martin & Dayne Beams gain it. Why? Great rhetorical question! To find out, one must go to the source. The ones who make the decision on DPP status is Champion Data, not Virtual Sports, the creator of AFL Dream Team, like some (including myself) would initially think. I contacted Champion Data to find out what gives a player Dual Position status.

 

 

Gaining & Losing DPP Status

 

 

Champion Data, despite the seemingly odd missed tackle, are the best at what they do in the country. They record, compile, and analyse the nine AFL matches each week, looking at every stat – from number of marks dropped by Tom Derickx, to time spent in the pack pocket watching grass grow for Greg Broughton and Bryce Gibbs. All of this data is then collaborated for publication at the start of each year for the release the AFL Prospectus. Here’s the important bit…

According to Champion Data; “during the writing of the AFL Prospectus all the [Champion Data] writers meet to discuss position changes for the upcoming season. The use of statistics, heat maps, playing history and vision helps us in our decision on the positions”. Roughly translated, Dual Position Players are chosen at the discretion of Champion Data, based on available data (both statistical and visual), looking at where a player plays on the field and where they have played previously.

So what does that mean for players who have been flagged as having new role during the pre-season, such as when Brenton Sanderson publically suggested Jason Porplyzia would gain more midfield time in the 2012 season, or Alastair Clarkson’s comments around Cyril Rioli every year?

As explained by Champion Data: “We avoid anticipating possible role changes as they don’t always eventuate despite what a coach may say during a pre-season”. In other words, decisions around DPP status are only made on history, not speculation. So with that known, we can start to speculate on what that means for the 2013 season?

 

 

2013 Dual Position Speculation

 

 

Possible 2013 Status:
(D) = Defence only, (M) = Midfield Only, (F) = Forward Only. (DF) = Def/Fwd, (DM) = Def/Mid, (MF) = Mid/Fwd, (RF) = Ruc/Fwd. (DMF) = Def/Mid/Fwd.

Players who may lose the DPP status

Despite having an interrupted season due to an over-zealous tackle; Andrew Carrazzo (M) has seemingly spent a large proportion of this season in a pure midfielder role. A similar case could be made for Patrick Dangerfield (M), who has finally been released through the middle since Neil Craig’s departure from West Lakes. Adam Goodes (F) is ‘no longer needed’ in the Swans midfield, and is deep forward, as has Matthew Pavlich (F) under Ross Lyon. Brett Deledio (M) and Jordan Lewis (M) appear to be at running through the centre square far more than they used to, and the Dynamic Duo (Dayne Beams (M) & Steele Sidebottom (M)) may not be so dynamic next season as they continue to fish the ball out around clearances.

Players who may gain DPP status

If the introduction of the substitution rule has done anything, it has forced coaches to be more versatile with the positioning of which they field their troops. Pearce Hanley (DM) is streaming out of the backline, ball in hand, spending plenty of time in the middle. Fellow Lion Daniel Merrett (DF) has been a solid target up forward, as well as the lock-down man in defence, as was Nathan Bock (DF), for as much as it lasted. Cyril Rioli (MF) and Stevie J (MF) are sneaking forward to snag goals more so than sneaking up the ground to spend time in the guts, and Patrick Ryder (RF) would be rewarding punters who back him kicking the first goal of the game, as he lines up in the forward fifty most weeks.

Daisy Thomas (MF) has been pushed forward as the Dynamic Duo take control, Jack Steven (MF) is named in the forward pocket every week, and Greg Broughton (DF) spends more time in pockets than my car keys do. Of more interest is Bryce Gibbs (DF) spending 80% of his time in defence as a current listed midfielder (cheers Ratten), and Jack Grimes (DF) is pushing up the ground on a regular basis as the Demons play their twelfth year of their five-year rebuilding plan. Brendon Ellis (DM), well to be honest he is all over the shop, and Shaun Hampson (RF) somehow finds the motivation to get out of bed (I wouldn’t!), and play both as a forward target and in the ruck.

Dom Cassisi (DM) may become Dream Team relevant as he has spent a large chunk of the year playing in the backline, as could his teammate Hamish Hartlett (DF). Another Hamish, the big one, Hamish McIntosh (RF) is spending as much time forward as in the ruck as he fits in around Goldstein, and Shaun Grigg (DM) would be one of the most selected players next year as he slowly takes over from Deledio, rebounding of the back flank. In fact, many rucks have spent nearly 50% of their time Forward, so joining Ryder, Hmac & Hampson could be Ayce Cordy, Matthew Kreuzer, Zac Clarke & Jon Giles (all RF).

But this brings us to the dream list, or as I like to call it:

 

 

The ‘it’s never going to happen’ DPP list

Yes, Gary Ablett (MF)is the leading Gold Coast Suns goal scorer in 2012. But based on the criteria from Champion Data, specifically relating to heat maps and playing vision, there is no way I see this happening. He is at every centre bounce, around every clearance, and gets his goals coming out of the midfield. He is a midfielder.

Yes, Dean Cox (RF) has spent a significant amount of time in the goal square this season due to NicNat’s rise. But he is selected to play ruck, and still goes to every contest he is nearby as the ruckman. I’d imagine the statistics would show he is still winning a majority of possessions due to his ruck time, and not his forward time. Ditto for Aaron Sandilands (RF).

Yes, Brendan Goddard (DMF) is all over the shop at the moment. He also plays everywhere. But not only would a TPP, Triple Position Player be messy, it would essentially force every coach to pick him for team dynamics. On his current form, he’ll be lucky is GWS pick him.

Yes, Tom Rockliff (MF) is probably the most likely of this list to get the nod, but even then I doubt it. Despite significant time deep in the forward line, most of his possessions still seem to come from midfield time, and unless he plays Full Forward for the rest of the year to tilt the status in his favour, I just can’t see it happening.

 

Public Forum

 

 

Who do you see swinging both ways next season? Have I got it wrong? And what changes to the DPP system would you like to see?

For instance, @AuzzBazz suggested on twitter that DPP status should not exist for premium players, and instead should only be reserved for mid-priced and rookie players. This would encourage selecting more unique teams, and players who would otherwise not get the nod due to their mid-priced, midfielder status. Would it be too difficult to distinguish where to draw the line? What do you think?

Share your comments below or send me your thoughts via twitter. And until next Monday,

 

Keep Dreaming,
Griff