Discussion Structure, Strategy and Sacrifice
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The midfield is the only spot I'm worried about. I think we'll get enough forward rookies to fill the bench and even F6 if needed. I think Williamson and Brander are best 22 in defense, Gould and Williams close, Hamill and Murphy outside chances for Round 1.
True, but you don't want to robbing the field too much. I could tolerate a few 150k rooks on the bench if needed but no more. I wouldn't want to be splashing out on a 190k Ash type for my bench only to see him get dropped in Round 3.
True, but you don't want to robbing the field too much. I could tolerate a few 150k rooks on the bench if needed but no more. I wouldn't want to be splashing out on a 190k Ash type for my bench only to see him get dropped in Round 3.
Okay so this year more than any other year seems like strategy of structure is going to play a big part in the success or failure of teams this year.
In the past you could bank on a set and forget ruck combination, a 5 premium midfield and 2-3 premiums in the forward and back lines. Why? For starters there were always one or two mid premiums who were set to go super premium so you could afford to have 1-2 $600k and 3-4 $500k-$600k premiums. You could also bank on one or two premiums who were mid-rookie priced because of injury that you had to be on, and then there were the cheap rookies that you could rely on to have about 9 on the bench, including a couple at bargain basement rate like Tim Kelly. In fact some general rules were to not look at rookies over $150k unless they were an out of the box type like Walsh or Rowell, never put someone over $124k on your bench because it was wasted money and don't look at mid-pricers unless they were a premium at a mid-priced price because they let you down more often than they don't.
This year it's different. There $500-$600k premiums aren't there like they've been in the past, the rookies look risky, they either look like poor scorers or look like having poor job security (or both) and so you need to go for the more expensive rookies and mid-pricers to ensure your onfield team is reliable and you need to spend more on your bench. Which means sacrifices need to be made. Do you sacrifice your rucks or go with one less premium midfield (or both) to strengthen other lines? Do you go weak on your forward line or back line to strengthen the other and/or allow you to go fully loaded on your mid and ruck lines. Chances are you are going to have to go in with less premiums than in previous years, which means you need more trades to get your final team, unless you can pick your mid-pricers right.
Sorry for the essay, but I thought it'd be a good discussion to have (and maybe find if others like me are struggling to figure out where to cut?)
In the past you could bank on a set and forget ruck combination, a 5 premium midfield and 2-3 premiums in the forward and back lines. Why? For starters there were always one or two mid premiums who were set to go super premium so you could afford to have 1-2 $600k and 3-4 $500k-$600k premiums. You could also bank on one or two premiums who were mid-rookie priced because of injury that you had to be on, and then there were the cheap rookies that you could rely on to have about 9 on the bench, including a couple at bargain basement rate like Tim Kelly. In fact some general rules were to not look at rookies over $150k unless they were an out of the box type like Walsh or Rowell, never put someone over $124k on your bench because it was wasted money and don't look at mid-pricers unless they were a premium at a mid-priced price because they let you down more often than they don't.
This year it's different. There $500-$600k premiums aren't there like they've been in the past, the rookies look risky, they either look like poor scorers or look like having poor job security (or both) and so you need to go for the more expensive rookies and mid-pricers to ensure your onfield team is reliable and you need to spend more on your bench. Which means sacrifices need to be made. Do you sacrifice your rucks or go with one less premium midfield (or both) to strengthen other lines? Do you go weak on your forward line or back line to strengthen the other and/or allow you to go fully loaded on your mid and ruck lines. Chances are you are going to have to go in with less premiums than in previous years, which means you need more trades to get your final team, unless you can pick your mid-pricers right.
Sorry for the essay, but I thought it'd be a good discussion to have (and maybe find if others like me are struggling to figure out where to cut?)
Strategy this year is pretty simple when it comes down to it.
A: Pick Brodisimus Maxmimus. If you don't pick Brodisimus Maximus, you get Ceglar R2.
B: Pick 5 midfielders. The cheapest of which has to be Oliver, and they must include Macrae and Dunkley, and they must exclude Fyfe.
C: Pick Whitfield and Dustin Martin.
D: Pick Sam Docherty. When you pick Docherty, he can be D1, D2 or D3, but you may not pick anyone cheaper than him that is also over $200k.
E: Pick Rowell, Pickett and Comben.
F: Find the rookies, and pick them.
G: Fill in your D1, D2 and F3. You can arrange them how you like regarding rookies/breakouts etc.
H: Once you're happy, clear your team, and rebuild it following a completely different structure.
A: Pick Brodisimus Maxmimus. If you don't pick Brodisimus Maximus, you get Ceglar R2.
B: Pick 5 midfielders. The cheapest of which has to be Oliver, and they must include Macrae and Dunkley, and they must exclude Fyfe.
C: Pick Whitfield and Dustin Martin.
D: Pick Sam Docherty. When you pick Docherty, he can be D1, D2 or D3, but you may not pick anyone cheaper than him that is also over $200k.
E: Pick Rowell, Pickett and Comben.
F: Find the rookies, and pick them.
G: Fill in your D1, D2 and F3. You can arrange them how you like regarding rookies/breakouts etc.
H: Once you're happy, clear your team, and rebuild it following a completely different structure.
I have moved around a few strategy related posts from the ruck thread as I think a lot of coaches were feeling the same regarding where the "sacrifices" should be made.
If Naismith allows and there are no other good rookie/cash cow options elsewhere, I was thinking the rucks is not a bad place to make that "sacrifice". It is a risky sacrifice but it could allow for greater balance to the rest of your side in my view and might mean that you avoid potentially having 50 avg rookies on field in multiple places.
I think you just have to play the game year by year. Some years GnR is the clear standout choice with plenty of gun rookie options. But I think you still need to be open to taking a few more midpricer or value selections if that's not the case. This year seems to be an extereme year where potentially in addition to a lack of good basement price options to place on the field, we may not have enough to put on the bench. I haven't thought far enough ahead to understand how that would affect cash growth and upgrades. But it is a good point as well. Seems to make Doch, Smith, Roberton types absolute musts.
If Naismith allows and there are no other good rookie/cash cow options elsewhere, I was thinking the rucks is not a bad place to make that "sacrifice". It is a risky sacrifice but it could allow for greater balance to the rest of your side in my view and might mean that you avoid potentially having 50 avg rookies on field in multiple places.
I think you just have to play the game year by year. Some years GnR is the clear standout choice with plenty of gun rookie options. But I think you still need to be open to taking a few more midpricer or value selections if that's not the case. This year seems to be an extereme year where potentially in addition to a lack of good basement price options to place on the field, we may not have enough to put on the bench. I haven't thought far enough ahead to understand how that would affect cash growth and upgrades. But it is a good point as well. Seems to make Doch, Smith, Roberton types absolute musts.
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I just threw one together with Kelly at M1, Bont at M5, Roberton at D4 and Devon at F4 - everyone else apart from Rowell at M6 is a 123.9k or under rookie.
The thing that stands out for me is that the premo at M5 means you're foregoing value in the DEF and FWD lines and also pricing yourself out of some of the higher priced rookies who look likely to play early.
The thing that stands out for me is that the premo at M5 means you're foregoing value in the DEF and FWD lines and also pricing yourself out of some of the higher priced rookies who look likely to play early.
That's probably been my favourite structure and the one I default back to most this preseason. From there it's a matter of where I spread the rest, sometimes I feel like I want to be courageous enough to load up my forward line and go cheap on my back line, others I want to send some money over to the two lines. At the moment I'm trying to use higher priced rookies and mid pricers on field to limit the cheaper rookies, though it does rely on having cheapies on the bench. How they spread from there is going to depend largely on the rookies I run with.
To do that structure though, you are definitely going to have to compromise on either your defence or the remainder of your forward line (or a little of both).
To do that structure though, you are definitely going to have to compromise on either your defence or the remainder of your forward line (or a little of both).
Great discussion everyone.
As it sits now I've compromised in one place, and that is in leaving out Whitfield at F1. If he comes out and goes 120+ early then oh well, but even if it's 110 it seems the cash spread helps elsewhere enough to cover it.
Doc D3 + Roberton and rookies
Oliver M5 + Rowell, Green, Pickett
GG
Dusty F1, Smith F4 + Hill
Bench rookies are a stretch at the moment so I live in hope, but this feels solid whereas any team with Whitfield in feels too thin.
As it sits now I've compromised in one place, and that is in leaving out Whitfield at F1. If he comes out and goes 120+ early then oh well, but even if it's 110 it seems the cash spread helps elsewhere enough to cover it.
Doc D3 + Roberton and rookies
Oliver M5 + Rowell, Green, Pickett
GG
Dusty F1, Smith F4 + Hill
Bench rookies are a stretch at the moment so I live in hope, but this feels solid whereas any team with Whitfield in feels too thin.
