After a massive week in AFL Dream Team, we are back for another round. How are you attacking Round 8? Did you make any big trades? Discuss it all here in the comments all weekend. We want to hear your scores after each game so we all get a good idea how the DT community is going!

POST YOUR SCORES: Show your scores as well as how many players have played… if you captain has played, count then as two. So at the end of the round, you have 23 players to have played.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQPZwxAK5Ec

Thanks heaps to Tom Rockliff, Archie Clothing, Meathead Shop, Cadbury Boost and how can we forget or main man Chopper!

Beasts From The East Update

In 1991 I received a phone call from my Under 16’s Cricket coach.  “Stuey, its Crackers here mate.  Adam and Luke (our two gun players) have been suspended at school and can’t play tomorrow.  I need you to open the batting and bowling tomorrow.”  Holy sh*t, this was my first experience with pressure.

Winning the toss was my peak performance for the day.  Padding up I started getting what I thought were butterflies.  A solid if not fluent Number 7 bat, my day usually consisted of 6 steamed dim-sims, a pie with sauce and two orange Lucozades cooling my heels on the boundary while Adam and Luke smashed the ball all over the park.  By the time I was ready to face the first ball I almost shat my pants.  This was my first ever taste of performance anxiety.  The second time was one year later at the Yr 11 formal after party with Skye Goldsworthy.

Since then I breezed through A-grade pennant for Olinda GC dominating opponents.  Marriage proposal and subsequent marriage was a cinch.  Child birth, well not that us males do much, was stress free.

This year I am presently dealing with my third ‘performance anxiety episode’.  Holding up the ladder for #BeastsFromTheEast.

Having been given the task of writing a short weekly update on @Aki_DT #BeastsFromTheEast progress against @tbetta9 #WestIsBest league battle I have, as @robbo_heraldsun would say “dogged it”.

As a Performance Coach I tell my clients “There is no failure, only feedback” so I have decided that I need to take responsibility and update the 3 people that have asked for the status update.

The West is currently having their way with us like Kim Duthie had with Ricky Nixon.  I am hearing on the tweetvine that #WestIsBest is sitting quite comfortably as the 24^th best Dreamteam League in the World whereas #BeastFromTheEast are 241^st.

On Twitter recently I seem to have uncovered a few others that might be suffering from my ‘performance anxiety affliction’.  Needing not name and shame those twits I just want to acknowledge @RainmanDT, @FlossyDT, @McRathDT and @ImpromptuSC for attending the ‘It’s Ok To Be Average’ seminar with me on Sunday night.

Averaging 2051 points a round The Beasts from The East have scored 243,975 total points.  There have been some great performances lead by our director of Coaching Aki, who is sitting 851^st in The World and on top of our points ladder closely followed by @TeeTeeDT  “Faecal Mistifiers” in second and Sam’s “Bucks Premiership” third.

Leading Round 7 performers were @Aki_DT‘s “anNEALEiation” with 2344 points, @JanineMcGlynn “B(r)ogan Power” with 2312 and @Doutheez  “Cousin Coke and Ice” 2302.

Needing a lift are @McRathDT, who scored 2015 (sorry Matty but I am lighting a fire under your belly) and last years Supercoach Legend (this year’s legend in his Dreamteam’s lunchbox) @ImpromptuSC with 2071 in a week where 2200 was par.

At a time when upgrades are happening all over the Dreamteam world, we will stay positive that the #BeastsFromTheEast can trade our way to glory and reel in the #WestIsBest mob who are getting far to cocky for their own good. (my best upgrade this year was a medium to a large McChicken Meal at McDonalds!)

If you have read this far and your thoughts are ‘bloody hell I am not going to get these three minutes of my life back’ please let me know in the comments section and I will return under the rock that I crawled out from to give this update.

P.S.  For those wondering, I made a Golden Duck and my first over I bowled took 16 balls to complete due to 4 no balls and 6 wides.  A great day of my life that I have just relived while writing this update!

Tweet me up @stueyden to feel better about your Dreamteam performance

P.S.S Maybe I need to add DT to my Twitter handle???  Nah it’s not helping Rainman haha

VIEW ON YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/m_s9ePg1BsA
FOLLOW THE LIONS ON TWITTER: @brisbanelions
LIKE THE LIONS ON FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneLionsAFC

Thanks heaps to Jarrod, Kate and Polks for the opportunity to do this! We had a ball. Hopefully Polks moves up the ladder soon!

After a massive week in AFL Dream Team, we are back for another round. How are you attacking Round 7? Did you make any big trades? Discuss it all here in the comments all weekend. We want to hear your scores after each game so we all get a good idea how the DT community is going!

POST YOUR SCORES: Show your scores as well as how many players have played… if you captain has played, count then as two. So at the end of the round, you have 23 players to have played.

Melbourne v Hawthorn

MCG – Fri May 11, 7:50pm

Melbourne

B: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Clint Bartram
HB: Jack Grimes, Colin Garland, Cale Morton
C: Ricky Petterd, Brent Moloney, Jack Trengove
HF: Nathan Jones, Mitchell Clark, Jamie Bennell
F: Jeremy Howe, Colin Sylvia, Aaron Davey
Foll: Mark Jamar, James Magner, Jordie McKenzie
I/C: Matthew Bate, Rohan Bail, Jack Fitzpatrick, Tom McDonald

Emg: Lynden Dunn, Luke Tapscott, Joel Macdonald

In: Ricky Petterd, Jamie Bennell, Jack Fitzpatrick
Out: Lynden Dunn, Luke Tapscott, James Sellar (Calf)

Hawthorn

B: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Benjamin Stratton
HB: Grant Birchall, Ryan Schoenmakers, Matt Suckling
C: Brendan Whitecross, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis
HF: Isaac Smith, Lance Franklin, Luke Breust
F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Michael Osborne
Foll: David Hale, Shaun Burgoyne, Brad Sewell
I/C: Clinton Young, Liam Shiels, Shane Savage, Paul Puopolo

Emg: Kyle Cheney, Bradley Hill, Broc McCauley

In: Stephen Gilham, Clinton Young
Out: Luke Hodge (Knee), Jarrad Boumann (Appendix)

Adelaide v Geelong Cats

AS – Sat May 12, 12:45pm

Adelaide

B: Michael Doughty, Ben Rutten, Graham Johncock
HB: Matthew Jaensch, Daniel Talia, Brent Reilly
C: David Mackay, Patrick Dangerfield, Nathan van Berlo
HF: Jared Petrenko, Taylor Walker, Ian Callinan
F: Matthew Wright, Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia
Foll: Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Rory Sloane
I/C: Ricky Henderson, Brodie Smith, Jarryd Lyons, Josh Jenkins

Emg: Brad Symes, Brodie Martin, Tom Lynch

In: Josh Jenkins
Out: Shaun McKernan (Suspension)

New: Josh Jenkins (Essendon)

Geelong Cats

B: Matthew Scarlett, Harry Taylor, Josh Hunt
HB: Corey Enright, Tom Lonergan, Andrew Mackie
C: James Kelly, Allen Christensen, Joel Corey
HF: Mitch Duncan, James Podsiadly, Steven Motlop
F: Steve Johnson, Tom Hawkins, Joel Selwood
Foll: Trent West, Taylor Hunt, Paul Chapman
I/C: Jimmy Bartel, Jesse Stringer, Billie Smedts, Cameron Guthrie

Emg: Shannon Byrnes, Tom Gillies, George Horlin-Smith

In: Tom Lonergan, Joel Selwood, Taylor Hunt
Out: Shannon Byrnes, Mitch Brown, Tom Gillies

GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns

MO – Sat May 12, 1:40pm

GWS Giants

B: Luke Power, Tim Mohr, Adam Kennedy
HB: Tomas Bugg, Phil Davis, Dylan Shiel
C: Tom Scully, Toby Greene, Chad Cornes
HF: Adam Treloar, Jeremy Cameron, Dom Tyson
F: Rhys Palmer, Israel Folau, Devon Smith
Foll: Jonathan Giles, Callan Ward, Jacob Townsend
I/C: Andrew Phillips, Stephen Coniglio, Liam Sumner, Taylor Adams

Emg: Nathan Wilson, Adam Tomlinson, Sam Reid

In: Jeremy Cameron, Israel Folau, Andrew Phillips, Jacob Townsend, Adam Treloar, Chad Cornes
Out: Curtly Hampton, Jack Hombsch (Injured), Dean Brogan (Injured), Setanta Ó hAilpín (Knee), James McDonald (Other (specify)), Sam Reid

New: Andrew Phillips (Lauderdale/Triabunna)

Gold Coast Suns

B: Jared Brennan, Matthew Warnock, Seb Tape
HB: Sam Iles, Michael Coad, Joel Wilkinson
C: Michael Rischitelli, Karmichael Hunt, Trent McKenzie
HF: Harley Bennell, Tom Lynch, Josh Toy
F: Campbell Brown, Sam Day, Luke Russell
Foll: Zac Smith, Josh Caddy, Gary Ablett
I/C: Charlie Dixon, Dion Prestia, David Swallow, Kyal Horsley

Emg: Daniel Stanley, Matt Shaw, Jeremy Taylor

In: Gary Ablett, Michael Coad, Michael Rischitelli
Out: Maverick Weller, Matt Shaw, Nathan Bock (Leg)

Richmond v Sydney Swans

MCG – Sat May 12, 4:40pm

Richmond

B: Steven Morris, Alex Rance, Chris Newman
HB: Bachar Houli, Dylan Grimes, Jake Batchelor
C: Shaun Grigg, Dustin Martin, Brandon Ellis
HF: Brett Deledio, Brad Miller, Nathan Foley
F: Reece Conca, Jack Riewoldt, Jake King
Foll: Ivan Maric, Trent Cotchin, Shane Tuck
I/C: Daniel Jackson, Shane Edwards, Robin Nahas, Matt Dea

Emg: Angus Graham, Luke McGuane, Matthew Arnot

In: Daniel Jackson
Out: Tyrone Vickery (Leg)

Milestones: Dustin Martin – 50 games

Sydney Swans

B: Martin Mattner, Ted Richards, Alex Johnson
HB: Nicholas Smith, Heath Grundy, Rhyce Shaw
C: Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack, Daniel Hannebery
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Sam Reid, Ben McGlynn
F: Jude Bolton, Jesse White, Trent Dennis-Lane
Foll: Mark Seaby, Josh P. Kennedy, Luke Parker
I/C: Nick Malceski, Craig Bird, Lewis Jetta, Andrejs Everitt

Emg: Nathan Gordon, Tony Armstrong, Tommy Walsh

In: Jesse White, Trent Dennis-Lane
Out: Adam Goodes (Quad), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (Bruised Heel)

Brisbane Lions v Collingwood

G – Sat May 12, 7:40pm

Brisbane Lions

B: Pearce Hanley, Matt Maguire, Niall McKeever
HB: Mitchell Golby, Joel Patfull, Daniel Rich
C: James Hawksley, Tom Rockliff, Josh Drummond
HF: James Polkinghorne, Jonathan Brown, Todd Banfield
F: Ashley McGrath, Daniel Merrett, Patrick Karnezis
Foll: Billy Longer, Simon Black, Jack Redden
I/C: Andrew Raines, Ryan Harwood, Jared Polec, Dayne Zorko

Emg: Bryce Retzlaff, Joshua Green, Jack Crisp

In: Josh Drummond, James Hawksley, Andrew Raines, Niall McKeever, Dayne Zorko
Out: Jed Adcock (Groin), Aaron Cornelius, Ryan Lester (Soreness), Ben Hudson (Soreness), Jack Crisp

New: Dayne Zorko (Broadbeach (QLD))

Collingwood

B: Heritier O’Brien, Ben Reid, Nathan Brown
HB: Simon Buckley, Nick Maxwell, Tyson Goldsack
C: Dane Swan, Sharrod Wellingham, Jarryd Blair
HF: Heath Shaw, Chris Dawes, Ben Sinclair
F: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak
Foll: Cameron Wood, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom
I/C: Alan Toovey, Martin Clarke, Lachlan Keeffe, Paul Seedsman

Emg: Kirk Ugle, Peter Yagmoor, Jackson Paine

In: Alan Didak, Jarryd Blair, Paul Seedsman
Out: Ben Johnson (Shoulder), Alex Fasolo (Knee), Kirk Ugle

Essendon v West Coast Eagles

ES – Sat May 12, 7:40pm

Essendon

B: Dyson Heppell, Cale Hooker, Courtenay Dempsey
HB: Kyle Hardingham, Jake Carlisle, Dustin Fletcher
C: Brent Stanton, Jobe Watson, David Zaharakis
HF: Jake Melksham, Stewart Crameri, Angus Monfries
F: Alwyn Davey, Patrick Ryder, Leroy Jetta
Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, Ben Howlett
I/C: Ricky Dyson, Sam Lonergan, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Travis Colyer

Emg: Mark McVeigh, Henry Slattery, Cory Dell’Olio

West Coast Eagles

B: Sam Butler, Darren Glass, Shannon Hurn
HB: Beau Waters, Eric Mackenzie, Jacob Brennan
C: Matthew Rosa, Matthew Priddis, Andrew Gaff
HF: Chris Masten, Quinten Lynch, Josh Hill
F: Luke Shuey, Jack Darling, Scott Lycett
Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Selwood, Daniel Kerr
I/C: Mitch Brown, Patrick McGinnity, Brad Sheppard, Ryan Neates

Emg: Thomas Swift, Koby Stevens, Murray Newman

In: Mitch Brown, Ryan Neates
Out: Adam Selwood (Hand), Ashton Hams (Suspension)

New: Ryan Neates (Claremont (WA))

Milestones: Beau Waters – 100 games

North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs

ES – Sun May 13, 1:10pm

North Melbourne

B: Jamie Macmillan, Scott Thompson, Luke Delaney
HB: Daniel Wells, Michael Firrito, Kieran Harper
C: Shaun Atley, Andrew Swallow, Brent Harvey
HF: Ben Cunnington, Todd Goldstein, Samuel Wright
F: Aaron Edwards, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac
I/C: Ben Warren, Leigh Adams, Liam Anthony, Cameron Delaney, Cameron Pedersen, Will Sierakowski, Brad McKenzie

In: Todd Goldstein, Ben Warren, Cameron Delaney, Will Sierakowski, Brad McKenzie
Out: Robert Tarrant, Aaron Mullett

New: Will Sierakowski (Hawthorn), Brad McKenzie (Sturt)

Milestones: Jack Ziebell – 50 games

Western Bulldogs

B: Robert Murphy, Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave
HB: Daniel Cross, Mark Austin, Dylan Addison
C: Liam Picken, Matthew Boyd, Shaun Higgins
HF: Adam Cooney, Jordan Roughead, Patrick Veszpremi
F: Thomas Liberatore, Ayce Cordy, Daniel Giansiracusa
Foll: William Minson, Ryan Griffen, Luke Dahlhaus
I/C: Jarrad Grant, Justin Sherman, Mitchell Wallis, Clay Smith, Fletcher Roberts, Daniel Pearce, Tory Dickson

In: Jarrad Grant, Clay Smith, Fletcher Roberts, Daniel Pearce, Tory Dickson, Ayce Cordy
Out: Easton Wood (Hamstring), Liam Jones (Back), Nathan Djerrkura (Hip)

New: Fletcher Roberts (), Daniel Pearce ()

Fremantle v Port Adelaide

PS – Sun May 13, 2:40pm

Fremantle

B: Garrick Ibbotson, Zac Dawson, Adam McPhee
HB: Michael Johnson, Luke McPharlin, Tendai Mzungu
C: Paul Duffield, Ryan Crowley, Stephen Hill
HF: Matthew de Boer, Christopher Mayne, Clancee Pearce
F: Hayden Ballantyne, Matthew Pavlich, Zachary Clarke
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Michael Barlow
I/C: Jay van Berlo, Greg Broughton, Dylan Roberton, Alex Silvagni, Jonathon Griffin, Lachie Neale, Lee Spurr

In: Aaron Sandilands, Jay van Berlo, Alex Silvagni

Port Adelaide

B: Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Jacob Surjan
HB: Tom Logan, Troy Chaplin, Ben Jacobs
C: Kane Cornes, Domenic Cassisi, John McCarthy
HF: Hamish Hartlett, Justin Westhoff, Matthew Broadbent
F: David Rodan, Daniel Stewart, John Butcher
Foll: Brent Renouf, Bradley Ebert, Travis Boak
I/C: Brett Ebert, Danyle Pearce, Paul Stewart, Simon Phillips, Aaron Young, Cameron O’Shea, Darren Pfeiffer

In: Brett Ebert, Danyle Pearce, Simon Phillips, Cameron O’Shea
Out: Cameron Hitchcock (Hamstring)

St Kilda v Carlton

ES – Mon May 14, 7:40pm

St Kilda

B: Jason Gram, Sam Gilbert, Jason Blake
HB: Tom Simpkin, Sam Fisher, Sean Dempster
C: Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard
HF: Jack Steven, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna
F: Stephen Milne, Rhys Stanley, Terry Milera
Foll: Justin Koschitzke, David Armitage, Clinton Jones
I/C: Jarryn Geary, Farren Ray, Jamie Cripps, Arryn Siposs, Dean Polo, Ahmed Saad, Beau Wilkes

In: Farren Ray, Jamie Cripps, Beau Wilkes

Carlton

B: Aaron Joseph, Lachlan Henderson, Michael Jamison
HB: Zach Tuohy, Nick Duigan, Jordan Russell
C: Kade Simpson, Bryce Gibbs, Heath Scotland
HF: Andrew Walker, Jarrad Waite, Mitch Robinson
F: Jeffrey Garlett, Shaun Hampson, Eddie Betts
Foll: Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd
I/C: Paul Bower, Bret Thornton, Dennis Armfield, David Ellard, Kane Lucas, Edward Curnow, Joshua Bootsma

In: Jarrad Waite, Chris Judd, Edward Curnow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYZEQMrH5Q

My sole goal is to destroy my mates in my league, win a few beers, a bit of coin and most importantly have gloating rights all summer.  There are many tricks to a league win, and I am just going to run through a few I have picked up to start.  Feel free to have a crack at me, but I speak generally and there are exceptions to all the generalisations and issues I raise below.   But I want to highlight the issues and then you apply them, adapt in your own way to your league – the one you must win!

TRADES

Firstly ladder position at round 19 is not that important, so clear out that competitive nature of yours, you do NOT have to be no 1 on the ladder to achieve the right result. Your sole goal in the home and away season  is too finish top 8, lets hope top 4, starting finals with 4-6 trades.  You need the trades in finals, monitor and guard them with your life.  Plan them out now roughly if you really do care.   Analyse the teams in your comp, know your weak links, easy wins, likely losses.  Do what you need to do to make finals, and minimise your trading where possible.   The trick is not to leave your run too late, whilst cashing up so you do not make top 8.  You may cop a bit of flack from your mates during the home and away but suck it up… until finals, then let rip.

I can almost guarantee that the top 2 in your league will have 0-1 trades left heading to finals.  They are going to fall over themselves with a any LTI’s etc.  Let them have their minutes glory during the home and away, hold your fire – smack’em in the finals.    Finishing 8^th with 6 trades is more important that finishing first with 0-1 trades.

The other little trick, is pretend to you mates, that you have used more trades than you have, I use a plus 3 rule, so you don’t forget.  ie. I have used 19 trades however when my mate rang on Friday I told him 16 – he promptly traded as only used 17.    Feel free to encourage mates to trade unnecessarily, in any way you like.

ROUND 20

For a League win this is just as important as trades.  Much more important if chasing a public league win.  You need to set your team for round 20, start thinking strategy now, especially if you are certain of a top 8 finish.  The biggest problem with round 20 is Collingwood v Swans at ANZ.  The Swans are a shut down side and merciless on DT gods.  Beware, you have been warned.

Hawks v Melbourne, GC V GWS.  These will likely be ripper DT friendly games.  Gablett if on the park, might smash out a lazy 150.  But the first GWS v GC game yesterday needs to be reviewed.   I have not done that.   Overall you need to get across round 20 now, and work out who you think will rip out a lazy tonne, and who will stink it up.  We all know that Swan is better than Mitchell, but in round 20 who will you back?  A big call, made way to early but I am backing Mitchell for round 20.

The Problem with the Hawks is round 22 – tragically they run into the Swans at the SCG.   Load up with Hawks for round 20 & 21.  Trade a couple for Round 22.   GWS actually has a great run, in some respects through the finals.  GC round 20 and then Melbourne in round 21.  Melbourne by that time, may have a new coach… but if they have not sacked him yet and run the current game plan of ‘absolute feeble efforts’, at about that time the Melbourne players themselves look for a new coach ala Geelong game.   I think GWS will get plenty of the ball and rack up at leisure the DT points in two consecutive games.   Hence say a Greene might be good for 2 tonnes in consecutive weeks….   So do you upgrade him… to Swan type or hold, save the trade ahh the imponderables of DT.

Anyway could analyse every game and team but wont at this stage, give everyone something to think about on a league win against the boys. I have plenty of other tricks up my sleeve..  so all good.  I note my name could not be published as my mates will read this…

Calvin has asked me to update his top five for the week, having forgotten before lockout that Greg Broughton – not Dane Swan – is, of course, the best candidate for your captaincy this week! Argghh, you know he’s right! Averaging 149 points against the Gold Coast from his, er, one game against them, Broughton will also benefit from increased time on ground and more midfield exposure with Nathan Fyfe now in cotton wool for the forseeable future.

Righteooo, I’m off to move house then, because Calvin knows where I live!

After a massive week in AFL Dream Team, we are back for another round. How are you attacking Round 6? Did you make any big trades? Discuss it all here in the comments and the chat all weekend. We want to hear your scores after each game so we all get a good idea how the DT community is going!

POST YOUR SCORES: Show your scores as well as how many players have played… if you captain has played, count then as two. So at the end of the round, you have 23 players to have played.