EVER wondered how Trent Hentschel kept busy while sidelined for the entire 2007 season with a horrific knee injury? Or how he kept himself motivated to get through the numerous operations and gruelling hours in the gym while on the road to recovery? Well, I have two words for you - Dream Team.

Trent “Rowdy” Hentschel decided that if he couldn’t play, he would coach and last season he steered his Dream Team (well, one of them) to preliminary final glory, before being eliminated by a club trainer who was crowned the eventual winner.

Rowdy, despite having rejoined his teammates for most training sessions, is still focused on the Dream Team year ahead, which kicks off on Thursday night.
He shares his thoughts and tips exclusive to afc.com.au.

“We have three leagues of 16 teams at the club this year, so that includes most of the boys and also some staff members,” Hentschel said.

“Heaps of the training staff are in on it this year, too, so it should be a strong competition. It costs $20 a head this year so it’s pretty reasonable but good prize money at the end.

“When we got the AFL Footy Record over in Dubai, half the boys had already picked their teams by the time we flew back to Adelaide, so they do take it pretty seriously.”

Picking a team…

“I think it’s important to get a good, early team. You need to make a few changes as early as you can and then leave all your trades until late in the year.

“The key is to get as many ‘guns’ as you can under the salary cap, but to get a few young blokes as well and see if you can make a bit of money from them and then trade them late to get a few more guns.

“You definitely have to pick with your head and not your heart - if I picked just with my heart, I think I’d probably come last.

“To get around that I actually had two teams last year. I had a Northern Territory team - so I picked that with my heart and put all the NT boys in there. Then the one I had in the club’s league - I picked with my head and I went all right.

“I think a few of the blokes had themselves in their teams last year and did OK, but I’d never pick myself - no matter how well or poorly I was going.

“It’s not worth the pressure.

“I think last year Dogga [Michael Doughty] took a mark on the siren and because he had himself in his Dream Team, he kicked the ball just to get a stat.”

The must-haves…

“I pick Matthew Pavlich every year. I think. Scotty West usually does really well, too, and so does Jess Sinclair from the Kangaroos.
 
“I probably have Bunji [Andrew McLeod] in there most of the time too because he’s done pretty well for me in the past.

“I don’t think you can go past Dean Cox as your first pick in the ruck. He’ll get you
100 points every week and then maybe go for a young bloke like Ivan Maric or Jon Griffin - I think that’s what I’ll be doing.”

Rowdy’s red-hot buys…

“Kurt Tippett is cheap and so is Dave Mackay, who should get plenty of it when he plays. Jason Porplyzia is a good choice I think. He’s one who could sneak forward and kick a few goals, so probably those three would be by big tips.”

“Then there’s Bernie Vince, who could get a bit more of a go in the midfield this year and the same goes for Brad Symes. I think Symesy is pretty cheap because he didn’t play a lot last year, but he’s showed in the past that he can get a lot of the ball.”

The guys to beat at Adelaide…

“Last year I made sure I had my team in as soon as I’d watched the Footy Show on a Thursday night and had seen the other clubs’ teams. I didn’t miss a week, but I’m sure this year I’ll be more worried about actually playing, so I’ll probably miss a few here and there.

“Nathan “VB” van Berlo won the ‘B’ grade comp last year, but he’ll struggle this year. I think a few of the trainers have done some hard work on it. Apparently their girlfriends don’t see them anymore because they spend that much time on the computer.”