Brisbane Lions: Dream Team Preview

This is the next of our submitted Club Dream Team Previews. Thanks to Sam for sending this one in! You will receive a stubby holder and if your article is one of the two that gets the most Facebook “Likes’ (just above this blurb), you’ll get yourself an AFL Prospectus! Read on!

The Lions finished a disappointing 13^th in 2010 and the pressure will be on Michael Voss and the team to turn it around. With Fev possibly out of the mix it’ll be even harder, but with their refurbished list and long list of injuries from 2010 including Brown, Drummond and Maguire abolished, they will be pushing the top 8 in 2011.

There are a host of new comers to the Lions including former Premiership winning assistant coach Gary O’Donnell and brownlow medallist Shane Woewodin, along with high draft picks Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis.

To the fixture and all clubs say they have a good fixture but the Lions actually do. They play only 2 teams from the 2010 top 8 twice (Sydney and Fremantle), along with an extra game at the GABBA because of the inclusion of the Gold Coast Suns. Their byes are round 4 & 19 , which both happen to be rounds in which no league games are played, so if you’re going for a league win, you’d want to have a host of lions players in your team.

Defenders

Looking at the defenders… Adcock Adcock Adcock. That’s the only lions defender you have to consider. The highest averaging defender last year (not including Adcock) for Brisbane was Josh Drummond, averaging 73, showing there are no players to choose for their value. Adcock should be considered as his value will be really good after his horror 2010 season. Dropping 22 points in average from 2009 to 2010, he’s sure to be much cheaper than his potential of his 2009 average, 85.

Jed Adcock is really the only one to consider, although there are many to just not mention for the rest of your dream team career. Daniel Merrett is one. He has never averaged over 50 in a season, and doesn’t look like doing it anytime soon. He is a full back, their job is not to score points and yet over 9,500 people had him in their teams at the end of 2010. Keep away from him. If you must draw something positive, his average from year to year has never gone down, so you’re almost guaranteed to get more than you paid for.

Midfielders

With a new look midfield, no Rischitelli, Brennan and Sherman, it’ll be time for the youngsters to come through and take the reigns. Although the superstars are still hanging around in Luke Power and Simon Black, they will be a quality option If you want consistent scores for a cheaper price than the Swans/Abletts etc. Power finished the year averaging 87, but scored 75 or over, 71% of games. Black on the other hand averaged 92, scoring 75 or over, 78% of time. They are both ultra-consistent and would be good picks for medium to expensive range players.

Along with the proven players, there are many that are starting to get noticed. Rich, Redden and Rockliff are all young players that have shown promise in the past, and with more game time to fill the gaping hole left from the departures; they all have potential to be pushing the triple figure average.

Jack Redden averaged 79 as a teenager and showed that he can consistently churn out high scores, scoring over 90, 45% of the time.

Daniel Rich had a terrific 2009, winning the rising star award, but for all the criticism of him in 2010 his average was only 2 worse in 2010. He was played quite often off the half back line, as the loose man, which is a good sign. He could play there more as Travis Johnstone is no longer at the club, although he will probably play more in the midfield as Josh Drummond will come back across half back and they’ll need desperate help in the midfield. Keep an eye on where he plays in the preseason though. He is also playing in his 3^rd year which as we know means he is destined for a big year.

Tom Rockliff averaged 87 in 2010 and was really a surprise packet. Hopefully he will be classified as a forward like last year, and you’ll be able to pick up a good quality midfield/forward that has great potential.

All three, Rich, Redden and Rockliff are 20 and on the up, and with a lot of responsibility on the three, they could all be heading for a 100 average.

Rucks

To the ruck stocks, and unless there are injuries or terrible form I can only see Clark and Luenberger playing.

Mitch Clark dropped 18 points from 2009 to 2010, but is likely to stay close to his 2010 average in 2011, as he now is sharing the ruck time with Luenberger.

Matthew Luenberger was terrific last year averaging 77 and playing all 22 games, compared to the 3 in 2009. He and Clark differed in average by 2 in 2010, with Luenberger coming out on top. If I had to choose out of the two, I’d go Clark as he rests up forward.

They are two, consistent, good quality, mid priced ruckman, aged 23 and 22 respectively, with plenty of potential to rise in average.

Forwards

The first name that comes to mind is Jonathon Brown. If he plays 20 games+ he will be in the top 5 scoring forwards. He is a champion, and the word coming out of Brisbane is that Brown has lost a few kilos with the help of newly appointed physical performance manager Brett Burton. His average dropped 8 points from 2009 to 2010 (mainly because of injury), but with a good preseason he could be headed towards an average of 100.

Of course Brendan Fevola has to be mentioned. His average dropped into the 50s in 2010 after being in the 80s the two previous years. If Brisbane pick up their act as well as Fev, and stays uninjured, he could form a great partnership with Brown, and be a terrific cheap pick-up this year.

If you don’t want to spend mega bucks, or need to fill up your last forward spot, youngster Patrick Karnezis might be the right one. He’s a medium/tall forward that averaged 89 dream team points and 3 goals a game during the TAC Cup Season. He’s got great hands and if Fev fails to come up he could be called up to the starting line-up in his position.

The Lions will have a better year this year than in 2010, and that will mean the increase of dream team points throughout the team. They will play plenty of youngsters, and much of the responsibility will fall on them, meaning that there are potentially and hopefully a few Michael Barlows throughout the team. If you’re going for a league win, hop on the Brisbane band wagon, if you’re not still hop on, because there’s going to be some quality dream teamers in the lions outfit in 2011.