The launch of the 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team is less than 48 hours away, and in the countdown to the opening of entries on Wednesday westernbulldogs.com.au will be providing you with an exclusive insight into the Bulldogs putting their hand-up for selection into your team for 2012.

Our Toyota AFL Dream Team preview has been broken down into three-parts - Proven Performers, Rising Stars and Bargain Buys - with insight into the pre-season form and prices of key members on the Bulldogs list.

First up at the Toyota AFL Dream Team selection table we look at an elite group of Bulldogs’ Proven Performers.

While Matthew Boyd racked up the 2nd highest cumulative Dream Team score across the league last year, the Bulldogs also have a number of players who have shown a strong pedigree in racking up the points week in and week out to help get your team over the line.

Here’s a couple of Proven Performers to consider for your 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team squad.
 

Matthew Boyd (MID)    

2011 Games: 22

2011 DT High Score: 160

2011 DT Average: 116 points

2012 DT Price: $573, 800

Western Bulldogs Captain Matthew Boyd has been the point scoring machine in the Bulldogs line-up in recent years. Coming off a Best & Fairest winning season in 2011, Boyd has continued on to have another impressive preseason. Last year over 28% of Dream Teamers had Boyd in their squad and this year his resume looks even more promising. 

A consistent contributor, Boyd would be challenging for captaincy week in and week out in a number of teams. If he had scrapped together three more kicks and two more marks last season he would have bypassed Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury to become the league leading Dream Team player. With a 2011 high score of 160 he is definitely one to consider.
 

Daniel Giansiracusa (FWD)

2011 Games: 20

2011 DT High Score: 132

2011 DT Average: 88.3

2012 DT Price: $436, 800

Daniel Giansiracusa has been runner-up behind Barry Hall on the Western Bulldogs goal scoring list for the past two seasons. Without the big man holding down the fort up forward in 2012, Giansiracusa is likely to increase his responsibility in the forward line supported by a number of developing key forwards. The Bulldogs stalwart had a career high 45 goals in 2011, which was arguably his best season at the club. With a Dream Team high score of 132 last year it could be worth freeing up space in your forward line-up for silky veteran.

Ryan Griffen (MID)

2011 Games: 22

2011 DT High Score: 129

2011 DT Average: 98.36

2012 DT Price: $436, 800

Griffen is set to raise his levels again in 2012 coming off a number of consistent years. The 2010 Charles Sutton Medallist is a regular in the Bulldogs’ best players and after a very solid preseason looks to only improve. With a price tag under the $450k mark, he is a good addition to the midfield stocks without breaking the bank. Having only missed a handful of games in the past four seasons, Griffen is a dependable player to have in your Dream Team.
 
Other consistent contributors to consider for your 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team Line-up include:

Robert Murphy (DEF) 

2012 DT Price: $369, 300 

2011 DT Average: 74.67

Daniel Cross (MID) 

2012 DT Price: $481, 100 

2011 DT Average: 97.27

Stay tuned to www.westernbulldogs.com.au tomorrow as we preview the Clubs’ Rising Stars.

To enter the 2012 Toyota AFL Dream Team Competition click here.