Week Three: Andrew's Team

THE ORCADIANS - Facebook S14

*New buys in italics

FR Stephen Moore (BRM) - $1,185,000
FR Tatafu Polatu-Nau (WAR) - $1,210,000

LK Kane Douglas (WAR) - $577,500
LK Andries Bekker (STM) - $1,305,000

LF Adam Thomson (HGH) - $1,170,000
LF Liam Messam (CHF) - $1,115,000

HV Morne Steyn (BUL) - $1,285,000
HV Daniel Carter (CRU) - $1,300,000

CT Robbie Coleman (BRM) - $687,500
CT James O'Connor (FOR) - $1,220,000

OB Drew Mitchell (WAR) - $1,345,000
OB Gerhard van den Heever (BUL) - $990,000

Team Value: $13,390,000
Cash in Bank: $91,250

I've had a rocky start to the 2011 season - Nonu red carded in week one, whilst Juan Smith lasted all of 2 minutes last round (though he did manage to score 30 points - at that rate he'd have earned 1170 if he'd stayed on for a full 80!). I'll just be happy if all my players manage to stay on the field this weekend...

Desperate times call for desperate measures so I culled my underperformers from last week and for the first time in the competition feel pretty content with my team.

Keven Mealamu's benching was a blow I could have done without (is anyone else going through trades at an alarming rate?) but Stephen Moore's a very adequate replacement in the front row.

Juan Smith limped off the field and out of my team to be replaced by the high-earning Adam Thomson, whose on field workrate seems superhuman at times. Even when the Highlanders lose, as I suspect they will against the Bulls, he'll still tackle and carry like a man possessed.

I preempted the Reds bye a week early by swapping Quade Cooper for Dan Carter. Cooper's not come close to his scoring form of last season and it was a chance to snap up Carter while he was cheap - his price has already risen 150k since I bought him.

In the centres, I was again driven by economic necessity - purchasing James O'Connor while he was relatively cheap coming off the bye and I wasn't too sad to see the back of Digby Ioane, who like all his fellow Reds, hasn't had the brightest of opening rounds.

I had high hopes for Lelia Masaga last week... but after earning me a measly 110 points I decided to trade him in for Gerhard van den Heever. I hated doing this only one week before the Bulls bye, but he was by some distance the best performer in that price range and surely has a good chance to add to his try tally this weekend against the Highlanders.

If, like me, you're hurting for trades already then you haven't seen anything yet. Next weekend sees the Bulls, Reds and Waratahs putting their feet up - that's half my team right there. Remember to sell any players you have from these teams as soon as you can once the round locks and before their price starts to drop in earnest. On the plus side, next week sees the return of the Hurricanes so there will be some bargains to be had from their ranks.

Good luck everyone!

Week Three: Kynan's Team

NO POOFTAHS - Facebook S14

FR Bismarck Du Plessis (SHK) - $1,267,500
FR Kevin Mealamu (BLU) - $1,262,500

LK Kane Douglas (WAR) - $577,500
LK Ali Williams (BLU) - $1,045,000

LF Pierre Spies (BUL) - $1,207,500
LF Ita Vaea (BRU) - $640,000

HV Peter Grant (STM) - $1,035,000
HV Patrick Lambie (SHK) - $897,500

CT Sonny Boy Williams (CRU) - $1,125,000
CT Robbie Coleman (BRM) - $690,000

OB Drew Mitchell (WAR) - $1,345,000
OB Gerhard van den Heever (BUL) - $980,000

Team Value: $12,072,500
Cash in Bank: $19,7000


Just two changes this week. I know Sonny Boy is over-priced and over-hyped, and that the smart person would buy Robbie Fruean - the man who will benefit most from all this genius - but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a big dream, so here's hoping Sonny Boy delivers.

I did buy Peter Grant though, because I think he is going to be a monster points machine once more. He looked fantastic when he came on last week, and I can see him easily averaging around 400pts...that's my prediction - you read it hear first.

Come on "Saders! Crush those Waratahs... they are getting uppity and have always been a nemesis team for the Sharks.