Has this board ruined Dream Team - everyone is identical

[WoGiTaLiA]

What I really want to see is a real fantasy competition like the NFL or NBA leagues(I imagine NHL and MLB are the same) where you have a draft at the start of the season to pick teams. Dream Team is cool but that would be much more fun amongst mates. I know that in the final last year me and my mate only cared about 4 players total as that was all we had different, even our captains were the same, it was stupid really because it was the least exciting game of the year. It was basically like that for the last 5 or so rounds though. With a draft, you are guarenteed having a different team completely.

I wish there was just one league in that format at least.

 

[stainedclass]

It's one thing to pick up the listed players, but another to know who is consistent, and when to trade or not. Noobs will still pick stupid "guns" and trade them after 1 bad performance.But I guess It still gives those Decent players a better chance.

 

[dplggr47]

I'll take the "nerd" comment as a compliment.

It is inevitable that as the industry matures that there will be more and more information about smokies and draftees. In NFL, MLB, NBA and EPL fantasy comps there is saturation coverage of every possible player, you can choose between a dozen fantasy prospectuses in the US every year and there are more fantasy-specific Web sites than you can poke a stick at. It's actually not the norm to have so little fantasy-specific media for AFL fantasy.

It's also not the norm to focus so much on salary cap and have so little private league activity. That will change, I predict, as the amount of fantasy media grows (and if the AFL keeps sabotaging DT...).

i agree the information will inevitably come out... there's lots of information elsewhere as well, not just from Monty... e.g. about price changes, dream team guides, etc.

 

[gatbomb07]

This is one of the better threads i have read here and agree with a lot of what was said, although i wouldnt say it has ruined it. People have to realise that fantasy comps are growing rapidly in all sports and with prizes and cash involved everybody wants to do well. Its about sorting the wheat from the chaff on these boards and its a long season. Plenty of people would have drafted dudds because they were talked about a lot, and people would be silly not to grab the bargains. The newsletters and the like will only grow with the competitions, we better get used to it.

 

[Jolldo87]

Or when nerds like m0nty put structure advice on there website.. that although wasnt that great, it improves shit dreamteamers like raw talent, hawks 08, jedmack, XisdonisgoodX, jollydo and so on (hope i didnt miss anyone too obvious there)

My point is, fair enough share info with eachother.. but monty goes out of his way to literally tell everyone the good picks to get and a structure that has had proven success.

Why help people so much..?

what makes you say i am a shit dreamteamer?

 

[that_dood]

I think this is a top thread and I'm 100% with the posting off complete teams should be banned. I think the way DT is set up it is a very simple easy to understand game that still takes three seasons at least to understand things like how prices go up and down, cash cows, don't buy Darren Glass-esque players, etc. I'm in my third year of DT and only now do I consider myself "DT-Aware"!!!

I think this board will catch people out where players like Dyson (I fell for it as well) get pumped-up so much that it is hard not to pick them. People who do their own research and keep their tricks to themselves will prosper.

Happy DT everyone!!!

 

[Forzaport]

I don't think the DT teams are identical. Sure there are those "must have" players that everyone gets (pav, cornses, cox, etc) and most dream teamers with common sense will pick the bargain players (stevens, porps, simmons, etc). Usually we know which rookies will play round 1, although this year was a real ball breaker.

So ultimately what separates us will be only a small number of players and our ability to successfully trade.

The AFL prospectus, DTGenie, fanfooty, DT Talk, whatever is here and always will be here. I like to get the numbers and make my own choices, not everything that's said in these forums will help people anyway.

 

[Ausyid]

Agree with the first post. Well said.

However IMO this only makes DT harder for those who really feel they are good at it.

I'm up for the challenge, and rather than whinging about it, you should accept it and work hard on gaining whatever advantage you can on those who make their team and base their trades solely on the advice they recieve from bigfooty, fantasy freako, etc.

I could give away all of my DT secrets to everyone on this board, but the one thing which will remain the same is that those who know their AFL, have common sense, and are prepared to take a calculated risk, will always do better than those who rely on others' intellegence.

 

[FRESH BLUE]

Looking at the guy who came first this week, and looking at all your teams....i have realised that this years competition is as similar as it has ever been.

The guy who came first this year has probably the most ordinary team i have seen because of the amount of duds who will drop off. But i have more than half the same players as him.

Im inside the top 750 at the moment, i came 6th last year. After round 1 last year i was around the 10,000 mark after a poor start. But the thing was that everyone was so different that you could make drastic comebacks. By round 15 onwards, the teams became practically identical, but thats understandable because its years end and everyone is jumping on the guys who are having big years.

This year, everyone already has the same players. This board, along with fantasy footy newsletters and all the other sites dedicated to Dream Team has destroyed the fun. Everyone reveals all their secrets and everyone jumps on them.


The thing is, we have to use this board because if we dont we are giving everyone the competitive advantage, and even if you disagree with comments atleast you are reading about certain players and getting an idea.


Not only have players become identical, but strategies have as well. Due to all the discussion, just about everyone now has ignored mid-range players and picked up all the stars early as a way of minimising trades in the future. Practically everyone now uses the same structure and has the same depth players. Its removed all the fun.


Anyway, the art of this year will be captain selection. You need that extra 20 points over your opponent more so this year than ever. Obviously clever trading is important, but as trade minimilisation is the key to everyone's team this year, pretty much everyone will have the same team by round 10.


Thats just my rant...obviously there are just going to be more and more avenues to footy information. Sorry if i sound like im complaining...i use this site often as well and i suppose it is a necessary evil.

Personally I disagree. I only had 7 starting players the same as the dude who came first this week and I still managed to do quite well (64th ovrall). I think there are some striking similarities between all the teams but there are still way too many different combinations that can be had to say that dream team has been ruined! I still think it's a great game and the more information the better, it just makes it all the more interesting.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

those who know their AFL, have common sense, and are prepared to take a calculated risk, will always do better than those who rely on others' intellegence.

Spot on.

The boys will be seperated from the men eventually.

I know its a tiny minority, but for those of us abroad the banter on this board regarding DT and the freako document was perfect for inside information on pre-season form/first season players etc.

As for the secrets, if folks want to give them up on BF, so be it..

To the OP, 6th last year?? Top effort!

 

[TomaHACK]

Fantastic Thread.....
I remember last year reading people's hot tips and smokies etc:.... and did hopeless.... this yr i only chose players who i thought would have a good yr

 

[tiger trooper]

To dave...

I understand. I had pencilled in Craig Bird before the NAB cup even started, as i had known he inherited Paul Kellys famous jumper. That really annoyed me.

As people have stated it is the same every year, and you can't stop. I took porplyzia out of my side because too many people had him. I took cross out of my side because too many people had him.

I got Boomer Harvey and Colin Garland from melbourne isntead..
There are some players which are must-haves and everyone will have.

If i worked at Visual Sports I would go back to 4 ruckman, and make the Premiums ( bartel cox kane... etc) Extremely expensive and hard to afford 8 or 9.

Of the most popular players i only have 7 out fo the 20... which include cox cornes pavlich brown (which arent really secrects)

 

[Chief]

We'll work on private boards for individual leagues. We have a pilot one up for League 3 I think.

The DT market is always going to get more and more efficient at distributing information. You just have to out-think the market.

We can't stop people talking. If they didn't do it here they'd do it on another forum.

 

[dplggr47]

We'll work on private boards for individual leagues. We have a pilot one up for League 3 I think.

The DT market is always going to get more and more efficient at distributing information. You just have to out-think the market.

think outside the square. can't win by just listening to everyone else. i always purposely try to get as different a team to my brother as possible; though we obviously always have the main premiums.

 

[mabus]

i don't get why people are complaining about afl fantasy comps getting competitive? like the other posters have said, english premier league, mlb, nba, nfl fantasy leagues have far more information available to everyone on the net to research than the any of the afl ones currently do, and those leagues are always competitive.

 

[agileoolong]

Agree 100%

Maybe we should ask the mods if there is something they can do?

Ban posts that name whole teams? I suppose it would be hard to stop but if half of the posts were deleted and infractions handed out to people who constantly do it at least it would serve as a deterrent

Thats why you goto www.footyfantasy.net where they use a draft instead of salary cap. This way no player will be on more than one team within the league. This website was developed because of the fact that dream team and supercoach teams were all the same and it ended coming down to like 5 players that you had different from the opponent and usually they where your rookies.

 

[HairyNosedWombat]

It's an internet forum. It's not the blinkin' CIA. They're not state secrets people...

Although, there's an amusing irony that there's a thread on the DT board whinging about people talking about DT.

 

[Racing To Win]

Personally, i think this is one of the best threads i have read! I agree with what most people are saying. Dream Team is getting easier each year which is annoying. I have been playing for about 6 years also and a lot of the research (fun) has been taken out of it. The fact that you can now select a Vice Captain is an example of making DT easier and letting the average player catch up to the elite. If a player is under an injury cloud and is suspected of not playing, why would you make him captain? This year, people who havent even followed the news can make that mistake and get away with it! Get back to the good old days!
Dont get me wrong, i love some of the changes but there are too many trades allowed. About 4 years ago there used to be two trade periods - rd 7 and rd 14 i think - which made the game a lot more difficult and the good players stood out above the crowd. I'm not saying go back to that but a change to make it slightly harder would be good!
Anyway, thats my opinion on things! Thanks for the great thread guys! Any comments?

 

[LemmingMaster]

Come the end of the year, teams like peckin away and other such teams will still be in the top 100 or so. Even with all this information, the cream still comes to the top.

 

[DaVe86]

thanks for the replies guys.

It was a bit rough to say this board ruined dream team...i suppose i used that heading as a way to attact people to the thread to discuss the issues that have been brought up. Everyones responses have been great.

I think the game in response to this additional information should be made much much harder. As many have said, the information avenues are only going to increase...so now it is up to the game to improve.

Im sure people from virtual sports would read this, so i think the best suggestions to come out of this thread are:

1. Only open up 2 trade periods (r7 and 14). Increase peoples benches without increasing salary cap. We could start it at 10 trades per period...if thats still too easy, go back to 8 the way it used to be. The teams should have 36 players like it once was as well. 30 is not enough depth and lets you overload on the premium players.


2. Decrease salary cap or restrict the number of superstars you can get. Perhaps set a limit of players you can buy over 350g per position. Yes the salary cap reflects a real AFL salary cap....but there are more than 30 people in a team to fit under the salary cap


3. Increase the price of premiums. Make Cornes, Riewoldt etc at the 550g mark.



Ive always thought as well, a possibility could be to have to set a rookie list. Say you have to pick 1 rookie per position in case of injury. You could promote him by dropping a senior player. Thats 200g you would have to set aside for your rookie list.




The more i think about it however, i do not agree with going back to premiums and non-premiums. I reckon that would only make teams more similar. Atleast this way you can mix up your structure. Going back to that means everyone has the same structure. However, you would think people would all have different premium players, so that would make it interesting.




The other great point to come out of this thread is that posting full squads should be banned. There's nothing wrong with asking 'Dyson v Houli' etc and getting solid discussion. But outright posting your full side should not be allowed.



The other point i wanted to make is in regards to earlier posters who have said that they have not picked up cross or porp etc and picked up other players. Thats fantastic initiative and will make you a great league player....but pretty much means that your overall standing will be severely affected. Lets face it, the best sides will have porplyzia, houli, simmonds, cross. To not have them is a disadvantage because there is absolutely no one better at the price.

What has resulted is that people have been forced to change their side which could be at their detriment. But it will make the game more interesting.

 

[FandangoDingo]

To dave...

I understand. I had pencilled in Craig Bird before the NAB cup even started, as i had known he inherited Paul Kellys famous jumper. That really annoyed me.

Brilliant research and great criteria for selecting players. Wow!! You really know your onions!!

I took porplyzia out of my side because too many people had him. I took cross out of my side because too many people had him.

Idiot!

Whinge Whinge Whinge. Moan moan moan. Just get on with it, ya bunch of sooks!!!!

 

[cowsnutz]

I'm going to say something here that may not make sense to some:
This is a game where you can't control other people's actions, only your own. Selections, Captains, Emergencies, Trades. The aim of DT is to score the most points possible. No one else can make you score more points. So instead of worrying about their teams, worry about your own and how you can improve it.

 

[Walesy]

I'm going to say something here that may not make sense to some:
This is a game where you can't control other people's actions, only your own. Selections, Captains, Emergencies, Trades. The aim of DT is to score the most points possible. No one else can make you score more points. So instead of worrying about their teams, worry about your own and how you can improve it.

That's the one!

This game isn't made *easier* but the wealth of information out there!

It's made HARDER!

 

[DIG]

As a long time dreamteamer over 12 years, I've seen the interest in AFL dreamteam increase exponentially - especially the last couple of years.

I agree with most of Dave86's points - it's annoying that utter plebs can put together a decent team by reading forums and newsletters instead of actually watching any footy.

On the other hand, there's no stopping the interest and the talk about it, and overall it's better that so many are interested. In '97 people would think i was a freak when i talked to them about my dreamteam - these days they have one too.

Improvements:

- I strongly disagree that the mods on this forum should be responsible for stopping people posting teams or suppressing info. Kids especially like posting their teams and lets not turn this into the mafia.

- Despite this, this forum is still messy and I wouldn't mind it split between over and under 18s, or even by minimum number of posts. This is one of the rare sensible threads throughout i've seen on this forum - i rarely post here cos of all the crap to plow through.

- The virtualsports comps leave you relying more on trading to cover injuries, than your bench. I like that idea of expanding your bench and limiting trades.

- The premium/ non premium format sucked, especially when they'd call Peter Bell a ruckman!

- Personally i don't have much interest in the virtualsports comps as they stand cos there's no ownership of pyour layers, especially these days, only the prizes are good. The draft format internet games where no-one can have your players are MUCH more fun but just don't have the prizemoney.

- My mates and i are in our 12th year of running a comp, now thru the afl site, but self-modified where we draft our own 20 players for the year and the other 10 are able to be traded. Ox and his mates at SEN have joined our league this year, it works brilliantly - would be great if virtualsports could add a draft option to be able to lock X number of your own players into a private league, sure you have no hope of the big prize - have a 2nd team to go for that, but is gr8 fun.

 

[DaVe86]

I wouldnt want dream team to turn into a draft. I like having the option to pick anyone. That is why it is 'dream team' because it is the side you would theoretically pick if you had a salary cap.


But you make a fantastic point that trades are now used to cover injuries as opposed to your bench. If you had Dean Soloman in your side you would trade him even though he'll be back in 2. Simply put you cant afford to play a bench player in your starting 22. Their sole purpose is to build cash so you can trade to a superstar.


Thats not the way it should be. Your bench should be your avenue of covering injuries/suspensions.