So the community of Supercoaches around the nation threw everything but the kitchen sink at The Cheeky Boys, but still, the team managed to remain in P1.

We all know from watching the Tour de France, that repeated attacks on the leader can be tiring to withstand, but that said, most leaders have implemented energy saving strategies to get them into the lead with enough energy to put on the bursts that sap their rivals confidence.

Last week wasnt the best for The Cheeky Boys, heck even I pulled back some ground on him with Selwood sitting on the pine!   But he continued to strengthen his team, and a couple of incidents I reckon have gone his way.

First, Sandilands went down like the proverbial sack o.  This played majorly into his hands, because the fear would have been genuine about losing 30 points per game with no real way of trading around it.

Second, Watson went down, but theres a few great replacements that Cheeky can use to neutralise opposition strengths.   Is it Swan or Dal Santo who will be utilised in this manner?  Time will tell.

I will have another look at how the top coaches are managing their resources coming up to the multi byes in R16 and R19, after the break of course.

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Last week was one for the ages for the two main Supercoach commenters here, the Dirty Whorks and Impromptu, both smacking back ground on the main leader, and in Dirtys case, keeping the trades in the locker.

It makes me again think that Dirty is the one who has some tricks up the sleeve to pull out.   However, his recent possibly Whorks-driven and one might with an MRP ruling call Reckless trade to General Hodge from Seagull Swan might leave him with poo in the eyes.   Swan has got through the bye, is clearly the straight forward option for Cheeky (though cash might be a major consideration) to trade out of Watson.

Hodge v Swan is I believe a make or break for the Whorks, and like this weeks game, they are up against it, particularly when you factor in Round 17 coming up with Hodge, Savage and Smith out along with Franklin.   Too many Whorks is too much of a good thing and leaves the underbelly exposed (like the TV series did).  That said, never count a champion team out, and like Hawthorn, I can see the Whorks needing to come out fighting.

One thing is through the trade of Sandilands.   Does he go down to nothing buying an extra trade, or go a significant POD to pull in ground against Zac Smith.   Id probably edge toward the latter, even though I can see some real need for a defensive improvement for the Whorks.   Im thinking Fisher still needs to be there, even though its an anti-POD.   Losing Deledio, Adcock and Batchelor in the Round 19 game means the team is skirting on thin ice, when combined with the loss of Goodes and the ROK.   If some diversification can be achieved while still getting a quality ruckman, that would be the best of both worlds.   Boomer Harvey sits outside the team and I have never been his biggest fan, and Im sure theres a voodoo doll with pins sticking in the eyes at the Whorks residence.

Weve already seen some really interesting discussion in the Best Buys about the rucks and its clear to me that the answer is not clear at all!   So discuss here if you want.

Im still watching the teams in the top 10 and a few floating through.  The current byes out of the starting 22 already "banked" is listed below.   On balance, the coverage I think can be better than the player replaced (e.g. Isaac Smith last week) or considerably worse (Heppell last week).   I reckon I can suggest for every starting bye covered, I reckon you can add 50-60 points.

Note in doing this Im including Nick Riewoldt in the teams that could quite honestly put him as the F8, as still a starting premium.

Cheeky Boys (0) - 6
Yamum (101 behind)  - 6
Wood is Good (129) - 6
Impromptu (150) - 5
Dirty Whorks (225) - 4
Sack The Coach FFC (284) - 7
E South (316) - 5
Devil May Cry (343) -5
St Pattys (385) - 6
Cunning Stunts (391) - 8
Shags Nags (435) - 5

Lings Bandits (615) - 6
Buster Gonad (1030) - 8
Rommels Legion (1429) - 8

The coverage you have is important too.   My team may have banked 8 byes with 3 more to come this week, but I still am exposed in Round 16 with Sylvia, Rioli and Pavlich in my squad.  There are similar faults in each Top 10 team if you look hard enough.   The difficulty is exploiting them.

OK now its over to you to discuss...