52 Pickup – The Diamonds

Every year, there is the bolter. The Ivan Maric, Patty Dangerfield, Dayne Beams, Steele Sidebottom et al from 2012. The Jed Adcock from 2011. The players, that for whatever reason, come from nowhere and become DT relevant. However in 2013, with two trades per week, every week, we can pick these players in our initial starting squad, knowing that if it doesn’t work out – the chopping block is waiting.

It might be due to a change of club, change of role, the ‘3^rd year breakout’ or the return from injury. These are also the premium players that are generally overlooked by a majority of DT coaches, for no particular reason.

Introducing 52 Pick Up – the players that weren’t looked at in the #DeckofDT, but who are well worth considering for a spot in your starting squad!

Up next – the Diamonds. These are the players that generally fly under the radar, are proven performers, and yet just can’t sneak into our sides. These are your Point of Difference players. You just about can’t go wrong selecting these Gems! Also – for all of you DT Shiva and players in other Draft style leagues… these are the players that might somehow slide a few rounds and pick them up in the mid-late rounds!

DIAMONDS

Shane Tuck (RIC) – $538,900

Jack Redden. Joel Selwood. Sam Mitchell. Kieran Jack. In fact everyone, except 12 players, scored fewer points than Shane Tuck in 2012. Tuck averaged 104.8, and played in all 22 games in 2012. I haven’t heard him mentioned once in pre-season 2013. 14 games over 100, and 6 of those were over 120… including 2 above 150! Don’t get me wrong, I know why he isn’t selected. Of course there is risk involved with picking someone of his calibre. You just get the feeling that, regardless of how well he plays, he is one bad game, or even a bad decision away from being dropped back to Coburg. But he does the team things; he is one of, if not the most unselfish footballer going around. He tackles. Lots. He averaged 5.6 tackles per game in 2012. He gets a lot of the ball – his own ball, which is what Richmond need – to give it to Deledio, Cotchin and the likes. He had less than 20 touches only twice in 2012 – and in one of those games he was subbed off (Round 1) in the 3^rd quarter. Will be a real Draft smoky in 2013, and can be selected with confidence in Dream Team.

Brock McLean (CAR) – $516,200

I love Brock. I love the way he exposes wankers on Twitter. Good fanks. Traded to Carlton from Melbourne for a first round pick before the 2010 season, and battled. Played 10 games in his first two years at the blues, were he was ‘too slow’, and that he wouldn’t amount to anything other than a Northern Bullants player. Fast forward to Round 9, 2012, and he forces his way back into the Carlton side. First game back – 105. Plays every game for the rest of the season, and averages 99.8, including a season high of 156! Has been spoken very highly by new coach Mick Malthouse, and by all reports is absolutely tearing up the track this preseason, including dominating the intra club games. Pick him for an excellent point of difference, and now with the two trades per week – it won’t cost ya!

Kieran Jack (SYD) – $505,800

He’s a gun. Undoubtedly a future star of the competition, if he’s not already there. Highly skilled, tough as nails, loves a tackle… however it’s the tagging roles that he is sometimes given that frighten most. Since the huge improvement of Craig Bird last year, and the more free flowing game style the Swans have employed under John Longmire, Kieran was somewhat let off the chain. His last four years season averages read a bit like a yoyo – 62 in 2009, 90.5 in 2010, 78.3 in 2011 and 97.6 in 2012… He had 7 Scores above 110 in 2013 (two against GWS – and he’ll get two play them twice every year – forever). Look to him to push the 110 average in 2013.

Shaun Grigg (RIC) – $505,100

It seemed like every Richmond game I watched in 2012 he was sitting by himself on the wing. And it reflected in his scoring, increasing his average by 14 points per game on 2011, to a very respectable 97.5. The first stat that jumps out at you is his consistency. Not once in his 22 games did he have less than 20 touches, and in only 4 games did he drop below 80 points. He will be monitored very closely by me in the #DTShiva draft, as I get the feeling he will fall a long way down the rankings due to his significantly lower profile than two other prolific ball winners at Tigerland. Does he have it in him to improve to a 100+ average in 2013? Definitely. Entering his third season at Richmond, I will bend the ‘third year breakout’ rule to include him.

Liam Anthony (NM) – $499,200

Never mind the fact in his four seasons on North Melbourne’s list his game numbers read 10, 7, 13 and 18. He is a ball magnet. He was dropped in 2012 after Round 7 (when he scored 104 DT points mind you) to work on the defensive side of his game, and returned in Round 13 and cemented his spot in the side. He had a 7-week run of scores averaging 106.6 to end the 2012 season, only dropping under 100 once. In fact, in his four seasons at North Melbourne, he has averaged 96.2, 95.1, 76.4 and 96.8. He appears to be over his shoulder problems, and looks at building on his sensational end to 2012. Might enter the DT premo group in 2013. At just a touch under $500K – he is a real smoky that warrants very careful consideration.

Michael Barlow (FREO) – $495,300

We all know who he is. We will never forget the start of his AFL career – when at one stage he was a Brownlow contender, until he snapped his leg in two after colliding with a player that will remain nameless – because we will never forget what Rhys Palmer did to us. Struggled to find his feet in 2011 after a long road to recovery, however in 2012 he showed signs of why we ooh’d and aah’d over him in 2010. Scored 100+ 14 times in 2012, and averaged 96 in all 22 games. This could be his year. Another solid pre-season under his belt, and we all know his ball winning capabilities. Will be a highly sought after pick on draft day, and should also be looked at for a spot in your 8-man midfield in Dream Team 2013.

Danny Stanley (GC) – $476,400

Matty McRath has already done a versus piece on Danny Stanley. And still he is very hardly spoken about, or selected. Averaged 92.4 in 13 games last year (it took him until Round 8 to break into the side), but the stat that interested me was he only scored below 82 once in 2012. That’s a pretty fantastic consistency rating to have – especially for a defender, and he needs to be considered for your AFL Fantasy backline in 2013! If you are doing a draft – then he should be one of the first 5 or 6 defenders selected off the board – don’t miss the boat!

Jarryd Roughead (HAW) – $472,200

I love the big Rough. Yeah, I’m a Hawthorn man, but regardless, he plays footy properly. Big, tough and strong… in 2009 I was really wondering if he had a future at the hawks, now, as a DPP RUC/FWD, he is well worth a spot in your squad. Averaged 91.6 in 20 games in 2012. All this talk about Cox and NicNat as a RUC/FWD, the big Rough will fly under the radar again. Had an amazing 2012 considering he rebounded from an Achilles injury, and apart from that injury, has always been durable. Will play 25-30% ruck, and when not, will go forward to snag the old goal. Worth a spot in your forward line or as your number 1 RUC as a Point of Difference, and for a consistent 95+ average. Select him with confidence!

Andrew Gaff (WCE) – $446,100

I want to fit him in my DT. However, even with the 2 additional midfield spots in 2013, he might struggle to crack it. The kid is a gun. West Coast were stoked to get him in the 2010 National Draft (and also managed Jack Darling 23 spots later). Highly skilled ball magnet, in a team that plays high possession footy, coming into his third year… you know where I’m going with this. Interesting to note he fell all the way to Pick 109 in the Footy Prophet expert draft – and that is an absolute steal! Averaged 86.1 from all 22 games in 2012, after averaging 65.2 in 2011 in 14 games with 5 with the green vest! He had 6 games were he scored 100+ in 2012 – he will double that comfortably this year! If you are going to pick him in your Dream Team this year, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed!

Shane Mumford (SYD) – $425,400

Big Mummy the sausage lover was one of the most selected rucks at the start of last year. The very sub-par performance against GWS (still scored 80-odd, but laboured throughout the entire game). Then we found out he was having back issues. In and out of the side, most of us burnt a trade (to H-Mac – F*CK You H-Mac). He averaged a very respectable 91.4 in 2011, before that dropped away to 82.1 in 2012. A concern is his durability – not once in his 5 seasons of AFL football has he played at least 20 games. And to be honest – I haven’t heard much about him this preseason. If he is fit, and has gotten over his back/hamstring niggles from 2012, then he is underpriced for what he can produce this year – and now with 211 out with injury for at least 8 weeks – he might get more of a look in some of our sides!

Daniel Hannebery (SYD) – $421,800

The 2012 NAB Rising Star winner has played every game for the last two years, averaging 79.7 and 81.5. There is a lot of risk involved with picking him. Injuries – constantly knocking his shoulders out of place, and also is Jonathon Brown courageous – not that it’s a bad thing of course, but it does leave him susceptible to concussion. He also has a knack for low scores. In 8 games in 2012 he scored less than 60. So there is an obvious risk with picking him. But when he is good, he is good. 6 scores over 100, including a season high of 138 against the demons in Round 8. I just get the feeling that he is about to find a whole new level in 2013, as evidenced by his amazing games in the Preliminary Final and the Grand Final last year. Scored 106 points in each, and was a truly influential player in both games. While Josh Kennedy, Ryan O’Keefe, Adam Goodes, Kieran Jack etc get most of the kudos and attention, I can see Daniel Hannebery flying under the radar in season 2013 and becoming a Dream Team player to really keep your eye on.

Mitch Duncan (GEE) – $420,500

As Jimmy Bartel, Chappy, Stevie J and others get older, its players in the mould of Mitch Duncan that need to step up and take the reigns in the Geelong midfield. Averaged 81.3 in 2012 (his third season), an increase of nearly 5 points from 2011. He is very much in the mould of Bartel. Very clever, skilful half forward/midfield player with a strong mark and good goal sense. Now I’m not saying he has the overall talent of Bartel, but he has the ability to play the role of a Bartel has he enters the twilight of his career. Keep an eye on him over the NAB cup to see if his midfield time increases, and watch him carefully over the first few rounds of the AFL season proper.

Jack Ziebell (NM) – $406,400

He was my tip for the Patty Dangerfield of 2013 until word of a bung knee. Expected to be touch and go for the NAB cup, which therefore puts his round 1 chances in jeopardy. Has averaged 65, 66.6, 77.8 and 78.8 in his four seasons at the Roos so far – however I’ll give you this stat… Patty Dangerfield averaged 26, 52.5, 66.6 and 70.5 in his first four seasons at AFL level. They are very similar players, have a ferocious attack on the ball (the ball MRP, not the player), both get in and under the packs, fierce tacklers and they both know where the goals are. In the Round 3 game in 2012 when the kangaroos knocked off the cats, Ziebell had 27 touches, kicked 4 goals and had 139 DT points – Patty Dangerfield numbers. If the kangaroos improve in 2013 the way the crows did in 2012, Jack Ziebell will be a big reason why.

Follow me on twitter @cruttonhutton, and use the hashtag #DTsmokies for anything and everything DT smoky related! (not to mention the #DTshiva… sucktards!!)