What is the advantage of double down over 1up 1 down. SC often provides bottom out prems the same time as two rookies are available to cash out. Which strategy is generally has proven most effective?
It's about balancing the strength of the rookies, their potential cash generation, job security (especially approaching byes) in comparison to ~40 points in the current week from the upgrade.
Basically it's about timing the rookies, premiums are far more available than rookies, the likelihood of finding a premium midfielder at 550k this week, next week or in three weeks time is pretty equal, the odds of finding a good rookie downgrade is genuinely random and not great, most of the top rookie types have already debuted at this point of the season.
This week and next week are a classic example:
Rookies on the bubble this week - RCD, Byrnes, Poulter, Sweet, Owies, Sproule, Edwards, Jeka and Henry.
Rookies on the bubble next week - B. Williams (193k), Khamis and Foley.
I think you can make a legitimate case that there are 6 rookies this week that are better cases than the 3 next week. Given that these downgrades are only not going to be important in the byes if they're so good you've already traded them the rookies are extra important. A good rookie pick now should be worth more than a premium over a rookie this week during the bye rounds.
The only downsides of double down is the lost points and the potential that a rookie you think is a must have (Jones, Highmore or Macrae maybe?) gets in next week and you end up going a 3rd down to get them. Personally I'd say Jones is the only guy who I think fits that criteria so not terribly worried on that front, obviously if that happens and you commit to the rookie then it's double the lost points.
Ultimately comes down to the comp of your own team, if you've got great cover right now and don't need the double down, don't do it, but this week for mine is a textbook example of a double down week, I'd say this is close to the strongest group of rookie downgrades we've had with RCD suddenly having very strong JS and role (for a rookie) to his bye and both Byrnes and Poulter also genuinely playing well. Owies I'm more speculative as Martin and Murphy are so close and he's going to be in a dogfight for the spot, Sweet has Martin, even if I think he probably offers more at this point, Sproule is probably holding ground for Hogan after a good game, Edwards definitely just holding the fort and Jeka/Henry looking incredibly limited scorers.