The Bone of my Contention

The words Roy famously quotes when discussing the likes of Greg Broughton, Shaun Higgins and alike. These guys are the reason the term FMDT exists. Surprisingly some of these guys are amongst the top DT performers in their positions yet they have at different stages and for varied reasons been the Bones of our contentions.

Here are the individual summaries of why I have selected this side as it stands.

Heath Scotland: Heath Scotland? The second best performing defender in the game. Mr Consistency! Heath makes the team (at no fault of his own) because of the flawed prediction of a 3 week injury which saw him return for consecutive hundreds after missing one week. If you traded him…. He would be the bone of your contention.

Grant Birchall: If you were a Birch owner at the start of the season you would no doubt remember Birch being named on the field round 4 and 5 and only to be a late withdrawal in consecutive weeks.

Beau Waters: This one hurts me. He has twice the powers of recovery that Heath Scotland does. 6 weeks! Psshh

Greg Broughton: Captain of my side from his display last year and hasn’t he lead by example. After 2 weeks he averaged 63 and was the bone of contention for many and one of the most traded out players. The next 9 weeks he averaged 92 and once again was the bone of contention for those who sold him (pretty sure he even came into Chook’s Captain calculations). From that time onward he proceeded to piss off everyone else who didn’t sell him by averaging 56 culminating in a vest effected 36 and a week off alongside popular defenders Clarke, Hargrave, Darley and Sam Shaw.

Heath Shaw: The Heath Shaw Headache. I certainly had one when he decided to have a few weeks off with injuries over the Multi Bye rounds. What Heath has done well this year is take just enough time off to have you stressing out about whether or not to keep him. At least this year with the Heath Shaw rule (reverse trades) it has been a little less stressful.

Andrew Carrazzo: 106, 98, 90… nek minnit 1.

Ryan Hargrave: A summary of Hargraves season in 2 rounds. A hero in round 4 after a 48 point last quarter (probably a 35 point last 3 minutes) taking him to a game high 111. Missed the following week vs GWS…

Scott Pendelbury: Popular Captain choice vs Gold Coast…on track for a big score… subbed off at half time and not to be seen again for weeks.

Mark Murphy: Averages 120 until Calvin trades him in. 3 sub 100 scores followed by an injury. Ouch.

James Magner: After 2 rounds we were thinking Michael Barlow. From then on he was tagging our gun midfielders.

Kyal Horsley: Another that was drawing Barlow comparisons. Averaged 54 in his last 5 games played

Gary Ablett: Did you keep him? I didn’t

Thomas Couch: Has shown what he can do when given an opportunity. He was in a lot of starting teams. Too little too late

Matthew Luenberger: Could be heaps of Rucks included here. He was supposed to be ‘set and forget’ didn’t quite work out.

Aaron Sandilands: See Luenberger

Dustin Martin: “Oh we’re from Tigerland… A fighting fury We’re from Tigerland… In any weather you will see us with a grin, Taking Pills and Sleeping In”

Nathan Fyfe: Probably the first nomination for the team this year. For those who held him through his one week break would have been happy after his 91 points vs Carlton despite the $37,700 price drop. They would have been a little less impressed after he injured the shoulder again at training and has been out ever since.

Allen Christiensen: Popular pick as an upgrade after 2 consecutive hundreds. Averaged sub 70 since with vests and an injury spell too.

Adam Goodes: People who buy Adam Goodes do so knowing he is good for 20 plus games. Not this year

Alan Didak: This ones personal. I went Christensen to Didak. He marks inside 50 within minutes. What a great trade. Twang…. 6 points.

Travis Cloke: Im a pies supporter so Trav gets in out of disrespect for the club! Im questioning wether I even want him to sign. The ones who would most like him to sign his contract are his DT coaches!

Dayne Zorko- Similar to Tom Couch. I know a lot of people chasing Kennedys hundred from round one brought in Couch or Zorko as a non scoring player to facilitate this. They should be in soon right. FMDT!

It makes me wonder why I play this game! I have had 16 of the 22 players listed and I know there are other players out there I have missed. The positive is that somehow you can come across these hurdles and come out the end in a decent position (currently ranked 147^th)

So who would be captain of your side? Let us know your disaster stories as venting it may make you (and the rest of us) feel a lot better.

Who else should make it into the side? Failed Premos? Unique Rookies?

Have your say in the comments and vote for your captain!

Hand out your life time bans! #FMDT