Deck of Dream Team 2012: Aaron Sandilands

Name: Aaron Sandilands
Club: Fremantle Dockers
Position: Ruck
Bye Round: 12
2011 Average:  95
2011 Games Played: 13
Predicted Average: 106

Why should I pick him?

Because he is 211cm. Every ball-up, every ruck contest, every collision… Sandi’s going to have a massive advantage (just ask Phil Davis). It means he’s primed for;

1. Hitouts – Ranked 1^st in 2010 with a huge 34.9 per game, and 3^rd in his injury-plagued 2011 with 33.2 a game. That’s a guaranteed 30 points a game before you even count his marks, goals or possessions!
2. +5 Combos – What do you do if you’re coming out of defence under more pressure than Duigan’s shorts? You roost it to the wing where the flesh-coloured Hulk is waiting to swallow it up. Then what does the mammoth do next? He flicks off a handball to the nearest midfielder to then deliver it into 50.
3. The odd goal when resting in a pocket. Over his career he has slowly been kicking more and more goals, until his injury interrupted 2011 of course. In 2012 I wouldn’t be surprised if the 211 kicks close to 20 goals – more than handy points!

He’s also very underpriced, think Dean Cox last year. The value is there, we know what he can do – he just needs to not stub his toe and I guarantee he will deliver in spades like Coxy did for us this year! Sandi only averaged 95 this year, but that includes his 47 from the half a game he played when he was brought back too early, and the subsequent injury-affected efforts to round out the season. Before he broke his toenail though, he averaged a huge 105 – only the great man Dean Cox averaged more than that in 2011!

Why shouldn’t I pick him?

Because of his colossal toe. But seriously, Turf Toe is a one-off injury…. It’s not like he’s made of the same stuff as a Higgins or a Drummond, who would lose a fight with a box of tissues. No, his little piggy has had all the time to recover it needs, and provided he doesn’t have some other untimely injury, he will be the leanest he’s ever been according to all reports out of Dockerland.

As always, the MBR’s need to be considered. Freo share their bye with Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne and Sydney. Mumford, Ryder, and Orren Stephenson are the relevant ones here – but unless you are set on Mummy, Sandi’s basically in the clear (although don’t forget Stephenson won’t be able to cover from the bench).

Deck of DT Rating: ACE – Sandi is close to being locked for me at this stage – only Mumford supplanting him will change my mind. He will definitely improve on his 95 average from this year, and at his price, he’s going to be very hard to ignore. He’s also primed for a Sandi-Berger, McSandi or SandStein combo, and I’m tipping one of those to be the premier ruck combination of 2012. Get on the big 211!