Seeing as we only have 4 leagues games after this week (gulp) thought I would start a post on what people's strategy will be come SC finals. I'm assuming you are (1) going for leagues and (2) you are already in the top 8 or 4 of your league and think you will stay there comfortably. Anyway with the teams that have finals byes (NMelb, Cats, Blues, Bombers), what are people going to do with those players when the time comes Trade them out if they have the bye, or rely on a good-ish bench player to provide backup? Personally I'm torn, I was always gonna save 4-5trades for finals to get rid of those that have the bye and swap them for someone else. But am now thinking if you can have a reasonable D8 (ie Hepp, Lower, Adcock), M7 or F8 (say a Didak or Dangerfield) you might not have to trade? What is everyone out there in TS land thinking?
North shouldn't be a problem, with only Petrie to cover for, and will good MPP I should be fine. With the loss of Selwood to my team the Cats' bye becomes less of a problem. Carlton is an issue, but I hope to secure top 4 and win the first final. If not I will have to burn a trade/use MPP to deal with Scotland/Gibbs issue. Solid first bench options will save you valuable trades, for sure.
Nick, you might want to refine your strategy mate - winning the first week of finals and getting the second week off saves you from the Cats bye, not the Blues bye! the way it works is: Round 21, finals week 1, North bye Round 22, finals week 2, Geelong bye Round 23, finals week 3, Carlton bye Round 24, Grand Final, Essendon bye For me, I've been slowly setting up my team for the finals, such that the only north player I use regularly is Brent Harvey, and I have fwd cover for him, so its not a problem. I'm hoping to get week 2 off, but right now I only have Bartel and Enright to worry about from the cats, both of which I can cover quite well. From the Blues I only have Gibbs to worry about, so can cover him. From the Dons I still have heppell and Zaharakis, and will trade them out at the last minute barring any need to do so earlier. I may also be trading out Gibbs in R23, but I haven't planned that far infront.
In two cash leagues - 1st in one and 10th in the other (scores against me would win the $50K - lol). I haven't put a figure on the number of trades I need but want to maximize. I'll have 9 left after this week. I'm scared of injuries, general soreness and byes. I'm keeping my reasonable D8's, F8's as long as possible and maximizing on MPP's. e.g. not downgrading to Dahlhaus, waiting for Callinan. Finals byes are an issue. I traded out Selwood immediately he was suspended but am keeping Adcock. Mundy is a finals player but his injury was too long-term so he was traded out. So rather than constantly improving my team through choice, I'm (generally) using injuries as a guide as to when to up- and down-grade. Doesn't help your overall points score but I'm now in it for the cash. I do have a long term rough trade plan and alter it slightly each week In theory this should have my team at it's peak for finals with maximum trades left and maximum players available.
I think my finals setup is pretty decent. From north my only worry is Petrie, and i should be able to cover him that round. I should win my league games comfortably that week, skipping geelongs bye, and not having to worry about missing Joelwood (although i may trade him today, just not sure if its worth it) and Chappy. I should have enough trades up my sleeve to deal with Murphy and Gibbs (fingers crossed tho) Final round the only bombers player i have is Heppel and i probably will have moved him on by then
Well picked up, I was just going by how it was listed in homerj's post. I'll just save a trade and use MPP to deal with Carlton, and Geelong shouldn't be an issue.
At this stage i'm just trying to make the finals! Despite the highest average score and the highest percentage in the league i'm still unlucky enough to be languishing in 9th. Some big wins and narrow losses have screwed me.
I am pretty similar to everyone here. Traded out Sandi and in an ideal world will trade him back in for Petrie in round 21. I have Dangerfield to cover for Chappy and wont have any Bombers come Round 24 (if I make it). Big concern is Round 23 and it seems most are the same. I have two Blues in my starting lineup and am hoping two do two sideways trades that week. Thing I have going for me is a lot of Carlton supporters in my league that have loaded up with to many Blues in my opinion.
Geelong is my worry with 3 prems I have 6 trades left 5 after I bring Fisher in next week so really I'll have to cover don't think I'll have the trades left, main league I'm sitting 4th so it's crucial I stay there with the league so tight. 3rd to 10th on same points
Hey Nick, didn't mean to confuse you but I'll think you find I did write the finals order correctly in my post Anyway at this stage I plan to trade Petrie back to Sandi before rd 21. I will then have Swallow to cover for NM but Dangerfield should be able to do that. Hoping to avoid Geelong's bye by getting through to the prelim after winning the first final - if I don't will have Selwood and Enright to cover. Carlton I only have Gibbs so can probably move him on if any trades left and planning to trade Hepp this week so no Bombers for me. I will have 5 trades after I buy Fisher next week (team complete). If I want Sandi back though I will need to use another 1-2 trades meaning 3 or 4 for finals. This enough?
if you finish top 4 & win in the first week then yes you skip geelong's bye, but it also gives you an extra week to trade out you Blues players......
good point Sainter, ill be looking to get the week off in my main league but otherwise i have to, Week One: Cover Petrie with Didak/I Smith/Mzungu so should be right Week Two: Cover Stevie J with Didak/I Smith/Mzungu and Enright with Lower/Hibberd/Heppell/Strauss so should be OK Week Three: Cover Judd with Didak/I Smith/Mzungu (big finals for these boys!) and Gibbs with Lower/Hibberd/Heppell/Strauss so no huge concerns Week Four: cover Heppell/Hibberd with Strauss/Lower I SHOULD have 6 trades during this period, I think having Judd for GF is important as he is reliable and he plays STK and he always performs in close contested games so for those of you that are going to trade him you might like to think about that
@AndrewW Yeah, I won't be trading out Judd but I have the feeling that quite a few would be in order not to lose any premiums in the Prelim Final, in a way, if your opponents are trading Judd in that week, if you verse them in the GF, then Judd becomes a sort of POD. I'll be considering dropping Gibbs though, depends how his form has been and if I get my wish to bring in Symes/O'Brien into the reserves in the Prelim, so I can cover him without fuss.
@AndrewW - I agree with Judd being a good R24 prospect. I currently have Zaharakis in my fwds, but he often swings into the mids - where I was thinking I might swap him for Judd for the grand final (assuming I get that far!). Could be a very high-scoring POD, as most teams will have dropped blues players by then...
I made the decision at the start of the season not to get any players from North, Geelong, Carlton and Essendon (or Port) and am sitting 2nd, 2nd and 6th. Will get Judd for the Grand Final if I make it.