AFL Dreamteam 2012

[one-eyed]

Keep dreaming
By Dr Dream Team
Fri 16 Dec, 2011

BEING a Toyota AFL Dream Team coach will be more exciting than ever in 2012 with a number of changes - particularly to the trading system - set to alter the dynamics of the competition next season.

After a unique season in 2011 - mainly through the introduction of the Gold Coast and the first year of the substitute rule - next year Dream Team coaches will have more flexibility and versatility in their playing squads.

The new trading system will allow two trades to be completed at a time, and up to three in the bye rounds (rounds 11, 12 and 13).

Most interestingly, after coaches became more familiar with the role of the dual position player (DPP) in 2011, coaches will be allowed to move DPPs as part of a trade without having a matching DPP in the other position.

For instance, coaches can elect to trade out a midfielder, such as Collingwood star Dane Swan. If they have a DPP in their group of defenders who is also a midfielder, like St Kilda's Brendon Goddard was in 2011, Goddard can be moved into Swan's position as a midfielder, meaning coaches can effectively trade a defender to replace a midfielder.

This allows Dream Teamers more variation within their squad, and more opportunities to cover missing players.

Furthermore, in good news for compulsive Monday morning traders, there will be a 'reverse' feature in place right up until each round's lockout. This will reverse all changes made to your team during the week - including trades, captain and vice-captain choices, emergencies and substitutes - and return it to what it was at the start of the week.

Dream Team's 'undo' button will go a long way to safeguarding coaches against late injuries, illness or omissions. Many suffered in 2011 when they traded Heath Shaw into their squads on Thursday, only to see the Magpie banned for the last eight weeks of the Dream Team season under gambling rules on Friday hours before the round's lockout commenced.

The other major changes to the structure of the Dream Team for 2012 are as follows:

-    Squads will revert to 30 players per team (down from 33 in 2011).
-    Head-to-head leagues will increase to 18 teams to reflect the AFL.
-    Head-to-head leagues will start from round three and run through to round 19. Each team plays every other team once before the league finals start in round 20 and conclude in round 23.
-    League games will continue through rounds 11-13, even with six teams having their mid-season bye in each of the three rounds.
-    Total trades will remain at 24. An additional trade (up to three each week) will be available in rounds 11, 12 and 13. A maximum of two per week as usual (from the total of 24) is available for every other round.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/127309/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Dane top dog
By Adam McNicol
Tue 20 Dec, 2011

AFL DREAM TEAM: TOP FIVE PLAYER PRICES
1.     Dane Swan (Collingwood, midfielder) $598,300
2.     Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood, midfielder) $576,900
3.     Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs, midfielder) $573,800
4.     Gary Ablett (Gold Coast, midfielder) $554,700
5.     Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions, midfielder) $554,200

The only non-midfielder in the top 20 is resurgent West Coast ruckman Dean Cox, whose 2012 starting value is $532,000.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/127399/default.aspx

[The Mole]

I believe Daniel Cross will be a better option than Boyd .as has been told he will be more attacking next year instead of his tag role and boyd has been told to defence up a bit more, if this is the case then i think cross will be a better option

[one-eyed]

Huge savings
By Dr Dream Team
Thu 12 Jan, 2012

WE ONLY need to pick four ruckmen in our Toyota AFL Dream Team. But, for many coaches, that's enough selections to go very wrong.

One of the chief reasons behind a Dream Team coach's downfall can be his interchange bench, and the level of spending on players as back-up options. It is especially the case with the ruck division.

Too often, coaches pick three or four genuine rucks, when all they need is two. Some are even suggesting one premium ruck choice will suffice this season.

Certainly three or four rucks over the value of $300,000 is completely excessive, and will only harm your long-term Dream Team health.

There is a general idea among some sections that having a third ruck as back-up is important. But our premium big men are reliable beasts.

In 2011 West Coast's Dean Cox didn't miss a game. Rising Kangaroo Todd Goldstein and developing Saint Ben McEvoy played 21 games each, and Matthew Leuenberger played every one of the Brisbane Lions' 22 matches. Durability - save for Aaron Sandilands' big toe injury - was not an issue.

So here's the approach you should be taking when picking your rucks. Cox ($532,000) should lead the division, and he can be partnered with a sidekick who averages 75 or above.

This could be one of the premium choices, such as Leuenberger ($459,100), Goldstein ($491,600), Sydney Swan Shane Mumford ($452,400) and Sandilands ($469,900).

Or you could favour a slightly cheaper option in Demon Stefan Martin ($408,900) or one of Essendon pair David Hille ($409,700) and Patrick Ryder ($394,400).

Once you have your two stars picked, the process becomes very simple. Spend no more than $240,000 combined on your two reserve ruckmen. Any more expenditure means there's less to spend on players who will actually take the field.

In Dream Team it's OK to be thrifty and, this season, there are many solid options in this budget.

Jonathan Giles ($117,800) will play a significant amount of the season for the Giants and should be an adequate fill-in if required. Geelong's 29-year-old draftee Orren Stephenson ($98,700) and 208cm Magpie Jarrod Witts ($98,700) are also potential pick-ups.

For a slightly more expensive option, first-round draftee Billy Longer ($148,200) should offer solid scores in the games he plays for the Lions.

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=127818&utm_medium=RSS

[one-eyed]

Dream time

By Dr Dream Team
afl.com.au
Tue 17 Jan, 2012


THE 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team competition is the most fun you can have in footy beyond watching your team win.

The idea is simple: you're an AFL coach with a squad of 30 players at your disposal. Each week, you choose your best 22 to take on an opponent.

You're competing against 17 other teams in your Dream Team league. So gather your mates and prepare to duke it out all season to see who has the sharpest football brain.

Below are frequently asked questions about Dream Team, and some hints to get you started.

So come on! Sign up for the official fantasy game of the AFL players and coaches when Dream Team begins on 1 February.

PICKING YOUR TEAM
Number of players
Your 2012 season starts with picking your squad of 30 players (down from 33 last season). In Toyota AFL Dream Team, every player from every AFL club is available to everyone taking part. They're ranked by their virtual salary, based on a number of factors including previous form and projected performance this season. You start with a salary cap of $8,780,000 but need to have 30 players before round one.

Type of players
You have to pick a starting line-up of 22 (seven backs, six midfielders, two rucks and seven forwards) as well as eight reserves. If you need help you can press the 'auto-fill' button, which selects your team according to how much you have left in your budget.

Salary cap
Each player costs a certain amount of money based on recent form and your only restriction is keeping within the $8,780,000 salary cap - the same as real AFL clubs.

Selection strategy
There are many selection strategies, but one of the most common is to fill half your squad with star Dream Team players and the other half with cheaper options who are set to rise in value across the season. Finding a balance with your squad is important.

Injury and form
Dream Team relies on the real-world workings of football, so that scores are assessed according to the actual match statistics of individual players. But this also means that suspended or injured players are, therefore, unavailable for Dream Team.

Once you've picked your squad, all you have to do is check back with your team every week to make sure your players are in form and not injured or sidelined by the tribunal. You can spend as much or as little time as you want every week on the make-up of your team and the changes you want to make.

You can swap your reserves in and out of your starting 22 week-by-week, and even nominate three emergencies, in case some of your first-choice players don't end up taking to the field. Unlike an actual AFL coach, you can even trade players in and out of your squad (more below).

SCORING POINTS
Scoring system
Each member of your Dream Team will score a certain amount of points depending on the number of possessions he gets.
 
The more possessions, goals, tackles and free kicks your players get each week, the higher your team scores.

Points are awarded as follows:
Kicks: 3 points
Handballs: 2 points
Mark: 3 points.
Tackles: 4 points
Free kicks for: 1 point
Free kicks against: -3 points
Hit-outs: 1 point
Goals: 6 points
Behinds: 1 point.

Captain and vice-captain
Your nominated captain scores double points, so finding the right skipper is paramount. You also choose a vice-captain who will become captain, and score double points if your nominated captain doesn't play.

Live score checks
You can stay in touch with how your players are scoring by logging on to the Match Centre on AFL.com.au and watching their Dream Team scores update live over the weekend.

CHANGING YOUR TEAM
Trading
Part of any good Toyota AFL Dream Team strategy is managing your list of players during the season through trading. If a player suffers a long-term injury or loses form, you can trade him out and bring in a replacement before the next round (and before your outgoing player's value starts to drop too far).

Player value
A great trading strategy is using your playing list like a stock portfolio - buy inexpensive players on the rise, and then trade them later when their value skyrockets.

If a player's price goes up while they're on your list, the extra value they earn goes into your salary cap to spend if you trade them. So you may be able to buy a promising rookie at the beginning of the year, watch his stats and value improve through the season, and then trade him later for one of the game's superstars.

On the other hand, players can also lose value if their form drops away. So choose your players wisely, especially those worth a significant portion of your salary cap.

Trading restrictions
Be careful with your trades. While you can trade up to two players between each round, you only get a maximum of 24 trades for the season. In rounds 11, 12 and 13, Dream Team coaches will be allowed to make three trades a week, rather than two. This year, trades can be reversed up until each week's lockout, meaning you can change your mind on a trade or make a different move if injury strikes one of your players late in the week.

WHO AM I PLAYING AGAINST?
Leagues
Just like every other footy club, your Dream Team will be battling it out for the premiership in your very own league. You and 17 of your mates will have a fixture, ladder and top-eight finals series. The head-to-head match-ups begin from round three, with the Toyota AFL Dream Team finals series running from round 20 to round 23. You can be in up to five different leagues, so you can compete against friends, workmates and family members in different competitions, all with a single team entry.

Overall competition
On top of playing against your mates, you'll be pitting your Dream Team against hundreds of thousands of other competitors in the competition for the major prizes. Here it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's a simple race to the top - your weekly scores (starting in round one) are added together and the highest total at the end of round 23 wins.

The Eliminator
The first 262,144 entrants will be put into a giant tennis tournament-style draw of head-to-head knockout Dream Team combat. Score more than your opponent for the round and you're through to the next round. Score less than them and you're out of the Eliminator. This continues until there's one person left standing.

MOBILE ACCESS
Play on your phone
Toyota AFL Dream Team is fully accessible anywhere you go. Make trades, follow your progress in real-time and never miss the action on the official Toyota AFL Dream Team mobile site. Type http://m.dreamteam.afl.com.au into your mobile browser to access the official website.

There are also iPhone, iPad and Android apps for Toyota AFL Dream Team. Check out the Dream Team site for more details.

PRIZES
The major prize
There are some massive prizes on offer in 2012 with Toyota giving the major competition winner a brand new Toyota FJ Cruiser, worth $50,000.

Win $500 a week
Each week $500 cash is on offer for the best-performing Dream Team each round. The highest weekly score posted throughout the season will also score $2000 cash, meaning anyone can post the highest score of the season in any week and by doing so will make themselves $2000 cash (plus the
$500 for being the weekly winner.)

Eliminator and League prizes
The Eliminator provides an extra incentive to keep your tactical brain in gear all year, with $2000 up for grabs for the winner. Plus there's 10 random cash prizes of $1000 each for players who organise a full 16-team league before the season begins on March 24.

Theme Round prizes
The four themed rounds of the AFL season will feature bonus prizes for the two top weekly scorers, with two tickets to a corporate box for one AFL match, determined by the AFL, including flights and one-night twin share accommodation if required. These prizes are up for grabs for the Anzac Day Round, Indigenous Round, Multicultural Round and Women's Round (for top female scorers only).

Schools competition
Almost $20,000 in prizes will be available for school students around Australia competing for being the best player in their school in the Toyota AFL Schools Dream Team competition. Top students will represent their schools in the Dream Team finals to determine the best student Dream Team player in the country. All Dream Team players of school age will be given the option to join the schools competition automatically.

Following my Dream Team
AFL.com.au is the home of Toyota AFL Dream Team, and the only place to access your team, league, scores and results. Follow the Toyota AFL Dream Team links on the homepage, or go directly via http://dreamteam.afl.com.au.
Each week there will be live scores for your own team (as well as the rest of your league) as the round unfolds over the course of the weekend.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/127904/default.aspx

[Mopsy]

The OER no.1 League has been registered.
The league entry code no. is 376415

[F0551L]

A Dozen Tigers  are primed for bounce down

[Nugget_12]

Would love to join any open DT leagues if someone wants to send me a code! 

[The Mole]

i have a few ill check and get back to you

[The Mole]

989671 for any one interested

[Fluffy Tiger]

Might as well join and get my asrse kicked,

AS IFFFFFFFFF, bring it on

[mightytiges]

I'm in 

The ladder has 18 places so I think there's niw only 4 spots left.

[dwaino]

Just joined the OER league. Team is Chicken Ship.

[Smokey]

I'm in, 2 spots left.

[tiger74]

1 left