West Is Best – Round 9 Update

Given the DT Talk Tbetta League’s recent success, I’ve been asked to provide and update on our progress. I enlisted the help of Benny and Hawker to explain why we’re so awesome and how those in Aki’s Beasts of the East League have no chance of catching us. Benny kicks us off:

 

The Legend: 

A wise man once said “Some people think Dream Team is a matter of life or death. I assure you, it is much more important than that”.

Ok, I may have made a few sneaky changes/improvements to the famous Bill Shankly quote, but the message still rings true. Back in the days of old (February of this year), two men had an idea. It was a moment of inspiration that would alter the game – nay, the very nature – of Dream Team forever. It was a notion written in the stars, destined to come forth and pit the very best minds DT head-to-head….

And thus began the West vs East battle.

 

The Facts:

Tbetta’s Westies were a ragtag bunch of misfits, gathered from the doldrums of the DT community (Twitter). Meanwhile, Aki had recruited DT stars from around the globe to represent the East. You could have found better odds of Zac Dawson winning the Brownlow than West downing the East! But after locking horns for nine long rounds, it’s the underdogs who are not only prevailing over the East, but over 99.94% of the 25,262 leagues in the competition to be sitting at 14^th overall.

It’s been a titanic effort from the #WestIsBest lads, with all of the top 8 ranked inside the top 2000 overall and every single member ranking inside the top 20,000. Let’s get into the teams and see how they are travelling, thanks to Hawker. In order of Ladder ranking, we have:

 

 DT TALK Tbetta:

1. D.Mons – Weekly score 2178 – Overall Ranking 233

Is absolutely flying at the moment and still has plenty to go. With both Swanny and Heppell sitting on the pine and a forward line that includes Sidebottom, Robbo and Beams the Toyota is well in D.Mons sights!

2. newkas guns – Weekly score 2145 – Overall Ranking 458

There’s not much between the Guns and Mons at all. Newka doesn’t have Swan on the pine but does have Cloke, who surely cannot keep stinking it up.

3. Dawks – Weekly score 2135 – Overall Ranking 873

My side has had both Ablett and Swan sitting on the pine and has dropped from the top 300 over the last couple of weeks. With Beams coming in this week, Hargrave being upgraded and Swan to come back in, onwards and upwards! Hopefully!

4. Pokemon Hunter – Weekly score 2193 – Overall Ranking 1101

Just outside the top 1000 with plenty of upside. One of the astute coaches who picked B. Ebert and L.Hayes and has made plenty of cash in the midfield.  Martin at F7 shows a really solid forward line.

5. Dunny’s Destroyers – Weekly score 2163 – Overall Ranking 1222

Here is a Star of the DT world, our very own Dunny, author of The Friday Scramble. He still has Swan and Heppell to come back with plenty of upside in his team. Has shown he has patience as a coach, he still has Broughton (unlike myself and may others who dumped him after the first two shockers)! Wise man.

6. Betta Than Tbetta – Weekly score 2198 – Overall Ranking 1920

You have got to love the name! Sean is our own Tbetta’s brother.  As his name suggests, he actually is better than Tbetta! (Well, at the moment). Like many, he still has Heppell to come back and a star-studded forward line with Martin at F7.

7. Ben FC – Weekly score 2109 – Overall Ranking 5433

Ben FC is coached by another well-known DTer, and has his own blog at bennydt. It’s a great read so give it a follow! Ben finished 23^rd overall in DT in 2011 so he’s a well-credentialed fantasy mind.  He’s yet another coach who has Heppell waiting in the wings to come back. He’s set himself up really well for the all-important bye rounds – I think you are going to see a big jump in the rankings from him soon!

8. DT Dominators – Weekly score 2106 Overall Ranking 1662

The Dominators have some jets in the midfield in Stanton, Thompson and Ablett – not to mention Boyd, Pendles and Jelwood! This midfield can cause some serious damage and it’s only an upgrade in the forward and back lines away from an awesome side.

9. Plenty O’Power – Weekly score 2145 – Overall Ranking 7477

The Power is a good, balanced side with a solid midfield. Barlow at M5 will get better you would think. Boasts a steady backline and a forward line including Sidebottom and Robbo.  You can see this side cracking the top 1000 at some stage.

10. Mean Mess Machine – Weekly score 2234 – Overall Ranking 1675

The machine pumped out a great score this week was ranked 1116 for the round. With Swan to come back and a forward line including Sidebottom, Robbo and Beams we are going to see some big scores on a regular basis from here.

11. Amerons Alphamales – Weekly score 2142 – Overall Ranking 9949

The Alphamales went with a slightly unique backline with M.Johnson and Duffield who can be great points-of-difference. The ruck combo of 211 and Giles is going to score consistently well if Sandilands can stay fit. The forward line including Sidebottom, Robbo and Beams will help punch out big scores as seen this week.

12. extragarlicsauce – Weekly score 2153 -Overall Ranking 13684.

Firstly, what a great name! Well done Coach Jimmy, just reading your side’s name brings a smile! Just a couple of upgrades in the backline would help to shoot up the rankings. If Malceski, Mitchell, Kreuzer and Rocky start giving that little bit more, away you go!

13. Cellar Dwellers – Weekly score 2154 – Overall Ranking 5288

With Heppell to come back in and a forward line including Sidebottom, Robbo, Chappy and Stevie J, beware the Cellar Dweller! No Swan or Pendles at this stage but that just means some great upgrade targets on the radar!

14. Look at my Guns – Weekly score 2210 – Overall Ranking 9756

Another coach with a good sense of humor, and hats off to you for having Ivan ‘The Mullet’ Maric in your rucks! The Guns is another side with a forward line packing a punch, wielding Sidebottom, Robbo, Chappy and Beams. Just have to fix up Cornes and away you go!

15. Cunning Stunts – Weekly score 2110 – Overall Ranking 14763

Great name and a decent side. With Shaw and Stevie J’s high ceilings, the Stunts are just a couple of upgrades away from the top 10000.

16. The 19^th Franchise – Weekly score 2032 – Overall Ranking 19600

This Franchise has a solid midfield including Boyd, Pendles, Ablett, and the mid-priced McCarthy, with Swan to come back. Just requires an upgrade up front and down back to start climbing the rankings.

17. The Angry Pirates – Weekly score 2190 – Overall Ranking 15414

The Pirates are a really solid side surprisingly not in the top 10,000 yet. It won’t be long though, as with Birchall at D6 the defensive line is strong. The midfield has a couple of GWS boys left to upgrade, which will surely give the side a boost. The Pirates still have Mcintosh to return and is another with an explosive forward line including Sidebottom, Robbo and Beams.

18. Tbetta Than You – Weekly score 2123 – Overall Ranking 4047

The Legend himself! Has had some bad luck along the way with LTIs and like me made the mistake of giving Broughton the arse (or was it a mistake in selecting him?). Either way, I hate Broughton too! Tbetta has Heppell to come back and a couple of cows ready to cash in. No doubt the great man will be there at the pointy end of the season!

 

The Wrap:

So, there you go, that’s the #WestIsBest team that has so far nailed the coffin on #BeastsFromTheEast for 9 straight weeks – that’s an Origin run even Queensland can’t top. Its early days still, but this may be a case where a Champion Team beats a team of Champions. Time will tell!

 

Thanks to Benny and Hawker for combining to provide this update. Legends! In their words:

“For the small contingent of fools that managed to make it to the end of this article and somehow like my style, jump over to my blog at bennydt.wordpress.com for more waffling and shit-talk, and follow me on Twitter @BennyFC. Cheers all, and happy Dreaming!” – Benny

“Hope you enjoyed the update, and hopefully I’ll do it on a more regular basis. Don’t forget, West Is Best! (well, I’m from the western suburbs of Melbourne… Haha!). You can follow me on Twitter as well at @hawker68. Cheers! ” – Hawker