Dream Team builder: Daniel Giansiracusa

2012 position: forward
2012 price: $436,800
Bye: round 11

Last year's average: 88.3
Last year's high score: 132 (round 15)

Four reasons to have him in your team

1) Every Dog has his day, and when Gia bares his teeth he is a Toyota Dream Team match-winner. In 2010, his best DT season to date, he returned five scores of 125 or better. Four of those scores were over 140, and his best was a whopping 154 against St Kilda. Last year's return was poorer but when on song he remains the Bulldogs' most dangerous forward.

2) Jason Akermanis's rubbishing of Giansiracusa on the eve of his 200th game wasn't the only jibe Gia had to deal with in 2011; former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas called him "sometimes lucky to be in the AFL". But in a rare example of good coming out of Aker's media contributions, it was his barb which seemed to sting his former teammate into life. Gia was the Doggies' best afield in his milestone match, and went on to rack up eight Dream Team tons in his final 13 matches.

3) The games Giansiracusa owners love are the ones when he is given freedom to roam the flanks, and in 2012 the Doggies sorely need his versatility. Giansiracusa led the club's pre-season time trials along with midfield ball magnets Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross, which should be enough to tip off new coach Brendan McCartney that unleashing a revitalised Gia ought to be a key ingredient in his plans to revive the Bulldogs.

4) Although his 2011 form slump mirrored the Dogs', injury was a mitigating factor in Gia's slow start to the year. Subbed in an April clash against Gold Coast after being knocked in the head in a marking contest, he then missed a couple of matches with a hamstring problem. Pre-season sessions suggest neither fitness nor motivation are a problem as he targets his eighth AFL season.

The downside?

Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's ride the Gia rollercoaster. It's round 11 last year, and Gia belts out a 126 against Geelong at the Cattery. Round 12? The Doggies play St Kilda at Docklands and he scores 51. The next week, 105. Two solid hundreds follow before Gia closes out the year thusly: 73, 100, 57, 106, 77, 102, 55, 109.

Risk rating: Gia is a long way from being the costliest forward out there (that honour goes to Steve Johnson at $530,000), but $436,800 is a lot to pay for an ageing star at a club whose fortunes appear to be waning. Three Alan Didaks.

Sign up for Toyota AFL Dream Team Assistant Coach and get the full player list, including positions, prices and the 2012 Team Picker. Register your interest here: dreamteam.afl.com.au.

Previous: Anthony Morabito | Next: Kyal Horsley