Downgrading Ziebell??

A big question for many DT coaches after the lockout next week will be what to do with North's injured forward/midfield rookie Jack Ziebell?

Plenty of coaches will be looking to upgrade Ziebell, while others might fancy downgrading him so they can bolster their side elsewhere. Most DT coaches have Ziebell in as a forward rather than as a midfielder, so I thought I might assess the downgrading options up near the goals and see which cheap forwards are available.

One thing I should mention though, is if you haven't got suitable cover already and will be using Ziebell's replacement in your 22 then I'd suggest upgrading rather than downgrading. But if you're looking for someone to sit on the bench and improve in value then this should help.

Also, I might note following Ziebell's score of 23 in his injured-affected game against the Crows will see his price drop $26k to $246k, so be aware of that when looking at potential trade options, cos every penny is crucial in DT.

Anyway to the forward options and one to look at is Melbourne's 2008 AFL Draft number 1 pick Jack Watts. Now firstly, Watts's value is quite high for a rookie at $150k. If it wasn't so high, it would almost be decision made.

Anyway Watts posted just 24 in his first AFL game against Collingwood a fortnight ago, but Dees coach Dean Bailey claimed today, "I know deep down Jack was pretty unhappy with the way he played. I know tomorrow, without the extra pressure of his first game, I think Jack is going to show something." If he does impress, he's certainly worth a look, and he's got some job security about him, but again the money-factor could be crucial.

Another Demon to think about is youngster Liam Jurrah who'll make his AFL debut on Friday. Jurrah, the number 1 pick in last year's pre-season draft, is priced at $126k which again is a bit high but he promises something having booted 11 goals in his last 3 outings for Casey Scorpions in the VFL. Bailey said, "Liam Jurrah is also pretty quick and agile. We need a bit of speed in our forward line."

There's question marks about Jurrah, who isn't fully settled in Melbourne as he hails from a remote community in the Northern Territory. Indeed job security is a worry for him, so monitor his progress in his first few games before signing him up. But there's no doubt if he impresses he'll stay in the seniors frame with the struggling Dees.

Heading west to Freo there's a few options with $86k Michael Walters probably the standout. Walters, who is also a DT midfielder, posted 70 in his debut a fortnight ago against Port and looked good. He's been named again to play against Geelong this weekend which is really promising.

Dockers footy admin manager Brent Dawkins said about Walters, "All through the year we've played young guys in the side and all of them, without exception, have shown something and held their own. That was the same over in Adelaide two weeks ago when Clancee Pearce and Michael Walters as a late inclusion both held their own in a fairly hostile environment."

Freo's $86k small forward Hayden Ballentyne is another popular option but he hasn't made his AFL debut yet although he's been in the mix with a back problem preventing him from a senior run. Dawkins said about Ballentyne, "We don't want to take any risks with our up and coming players, so we won't rush him in. Hopefully we'll see him in the next week or two."

Another young Docker forward is $86k Tim Ruffles who has been named in Freo's extended squad for Sunday's match against Geelong. Ruffles booted 5 goals last weekend in the WAFL, but it remains to be seen if he gets a game against the Cats, let alone later in the season.

An exciting option is Richmond's high-draft pick Tyrone Vickery who is a ruck/forward priced at $122k. Vickery made his AFL debut last weekend against the Eagles and did okay booting a goal and scoring 43 DT points. There's mixed opinions on Vickery's debut game, some saying they didn't like the look of him (mainly about his hairstyle) and some saying he looked okay.

Richmond caretaker coach Jade Rawlings said about Vickery, "It's pretty tough to play as a key forward and he had to play on Darren Glass, but he was able to get a few touches up the ground. I thought that he just showed some signs that he belongs. He did some things that I was impressed with but he's going to be a work in progress." Indeed perhaps job security is a concern but then again it seems Richmond want to give youth a chance.

Indeed, Richmond's newfound liking of youth suggests cheaper rookie forwards like $75k pair David Gourdis or Alroy Gilligan could get some games, but the big problem here, and above, is job security as ideally you want someone who's playing if you haven't got better emergencies.

There's pricier options up forward with better job security such as North's currently-injured Sam Wright ($136k), Hawthorn's Ryan Schoenmakers ($122k), Adelaide's returning forward Trent Hentschel ($122k) or even Brisbane's improving youngster Matt Austin ($111k).

Beyond that there are some cheap rookies at $86k including one-gamers Bulldog Brennan Stack and Geelong's Simon Hogan while Adelaide's Shaun McKernan could be a bolter as he continues to push for an AFL debut with good performances in the SANFL.

All in all, there's quite alot to weigh up. But again if you haven't got suitable cover already on your emergency bench up forward, then I'd promote upgrading Ziebell. But I know, I for one, have good cover up forward so assessing the young fellas up there could be crucial in making some big bucks and using that on a top-line midfielder or defender. Tough call, hope that helps.