2011 in Review - The Biggest Drop Offs

Didak struggled for form throughout most of 2011 and was eventually used as a starting substitute for a handle of games towards the end of the season. Krakouer took his role in the side as the freakish small forwards and since then Didak failed to cement a position in the starting 18.

He's an attractive pick at his current price and he certainly still has the ability to return to his best form. We'll just have to wait and see whether he can re-invent himself or adopt a new position under Buckley.

Brown is going to bounce back, no doubt about it. He's average is low mainly due to two freakish head collisions and his team struggling to make any impact in 2011.

His price reflects his 2011 season, but we all know Brown is a capable player. He did average 96 in 2009, so if he can regain some of that form, his price will skyrocket above $450,000. Age is a concern though, so whether or not he can go throughout the season uninjured is the question

It's often said that a broken leg is the worst injury a footballer can get, since it's the hardest one to come back from. Despite that, Barlow still managed to impress following his return during round 13. From the nine games he played in 2011, he scored above ninety five times, a great achievement.

Let's not forget his debut season, one of the best in recent memory. Barlow shocked us all with an an average of 110 and showed no signs of slowing down prior to his injury. With a full preseason under his belt, Barlow will be superb value at only $425,000. His inclusion into a side also saves one $50,000, given that similiar calibre are worth a lot more.

Gilbert really struggled for form throughout most of 2011 and fell far short of his average from 2010 due to a number of factors. He's performance in the 2010 Grand Final would have hurt his confidence and his eventful preseason didn't do him any favours. In fact, many Saints players feature in this article due to the slump they took following 2010 so it's not entirely his fault that he's fallen so far behind his previous year.

It's hard to gauge St. Kilda's 2012 prospect with a new coach, so it's certainly safer to hold off of the middle tier Saints player such as Gilbert

Waite's shift from the backline to the forward line has hurt his fantasy scoring. While averaging in the mid 80s in 2009 and 2010, Waite dropping over 15% in 2011. He's almost definitely remaining in the forward line and he's also currently, so if you're hoping for a a return to his career best form, you're out of luck

Jack is down year on year in almost all areas. He's not kicking as many goals and he's not taking as many marks. He's a capable player and might have just been experiencing a down year. One would expect him to bounce back to his former form and the more Richmond performs, the more of the ball will find its way to Riewoldt

He has value for his price, but there might be better and safer options in his price range

Goddard was actually averaging nearly 105 in the latter half of last year, but it was his slow start that really affected his average. Between rounds twelve to twenty-four, Goddard achieved a score of 100+ eight times, which coincides to when the Saints as a whole lifted their form.

Even though he never quite reached his 2010 form, Goddard is a very safe pick at $474,000. He's an established elite player and averaged 112 in 2010. If you don't mind having a player that everyone is going to have, you need Goddard

It's difficult to assess how Nick Riewoldt will perform in 2012 after a relatively average 2011, with his goal kicking averaging being his lowest since 2003. Like the many other Saints players featured in this article, there's a feeling that it can only go up from here after their forgetful 2011 season, but it's still uncertain how they will adapt under a new coach bringing a different vision and gameplan. Despite age and injury becoming a concern, there is no reason why one would expect Riewoldt not to improve over last year. He's a hard working individual and a proud captain.

Looking at the players priced similiarly to Nick Riewoldt, it's immediately clear that he has tremendous value. Chances are that he will bounce back, and if he does, he won't be cheaply priced for long.