Take some more risks I think and back your judgement on players, I play a very vanilla brand of guns and rookies, doesn't change much over the years and for me most of the time it works. I learnt my lesson though a couple of years when I tried to get fancy with the rucks both in the starting squad and throughout the year, I reckon I burnt 3 or 4 trades just covering rucks - it's an area where you have few options if things go pear shaped so an added luxury of a Gawn Grundy combo is that if one goes down you have options to go to. If you go in with mid price or rookie priced rucks and no cash generation then problems start.
After all the years playing one thing doesn't change for me, I take the best on each line pretty much regardless in my starting squad and play as best I can a traditional Guns & Rookies game. I'm happy to leave mid-price options out of my team early and watch them the first couple of rounds and make corrections early. Doesn't concern me burning 4 trades first couple of weeks if it means getting the starting squad including rookies right by round 3 and then just trade smart. I have a list of who I think will be the top uber premium players in each position throughout the year and target them.
It's much harder and easier now if that makes sense, So much information out there evens the playing field.
One thing though - it's time consuming and every year I say I'm out and every year I'm back.
Went close in Dreamteam finishing 4th overall a few years back and I still blame Colin Sylvia for getting rubbed out last few rounds for costing me - but all in all it's just great fun especially with close mates.
Thanks for sharing your insights and thoughts , very informative.
I think it is probably a game of 2 parts , getting that starting side correct ASAP by nailing the right rookies then trading aggressively and smartly , and also having a lot of luck.
I tend to over complicate things , even though I know I do it , I still do it then wonder why come Round 4-6 my season is over again ,maybe this year I will KISS ?...... hahaha probably not.
Like many last season , I had 3-4 rookies on my bench that stalled after 3-4 games and made very little $$$ which ended up hard to trade in desired premiums.
You are not wrong about information overload , HS dishes out so much stuff very easy for someone to start their research on Tuesday and pick a fantastic side.
Whereas others , like us , spend months hoping to get that winning formula , it certainly is addictive.
One day it might pay off , although I think if I was ever Top ? or higher I would be a nervous wreck.
Good luck with your season.