I've gone MPM and breakout heavy this year figuring that you need to get them right to win:
MPM: Hopper, Worpel, Callaghan, Bruhn, Flanderses, Callaghan
Breakouts: Young, Richards, Green, Gulden
Bruhn has already been corrected, currently to JHF. Hopper and Flanders may not make it past the weekend. ZB and Rachelle have put their hands up early and I'm also keeping an eye on young Liam Henry from Freo. He seems the sort of player who is in the right role to benefit from Freo's draw up to round 8 or so. 200k F/M. Plays North this week and if he scores well, is gonna be hard to pass up. So there's people to look at there, but I can wait a week. Thinking though that I need to be prepared to ditch an MPM for another.
I also think that there are more breakouts/value to chase with the 3 R's down back (4 if you count Rich but he's too old for my risk profile) and Daicos. THere's DeGoey, Rowell and of course LDU in the middle that might be worth getting on early too once we've had a look and up forward, I really should have kept Cogs instead of Rozee so far but the season is long and I can wait on that one for now.
My bench currently looks like Wilmot, Cowan, Goater, Baker, Chesser, Madden, Flanders, Greene. Ie, a bit of a wasteland. I need to get some cash gen happening there and fast and I think that rules out tinkering with premos for the next couple of weeks.
I've got 22k in the bank and 5 trades left before price rises, not counting any MPMs that demand picking that can be spent on rookies. The two backs don't have anyone yet threatening their spots. I could switch Chesser or Goater back if needs be but Wilmot and Cowan are looking like classic slow burn back rookies while Goater/Chesser look beige or crap. Madden isn't tradeable for obvious reasons. So Goater, Baker, Chesser, Flanders and Greene are in the gun. Baker, I like. Mature age rookie priced and should be able to average 60 when not facing the Melbourne juggernaut. Leaves 3 rookies and Flanders in the gun.
I think Hollands is a must have for reasons mentioned in the game day thread. Likewise, I liked what I saw from Pou and if I'm forced to bring him in this week to make trade room for next week, then I'm ok with that. I think he is the highest reward/lowest risk of the other names on offer. Now I can't fund these guys without altering my 22 and I can't predict which ones I'll need to turf out of there yet. So it has to be funded out of Goater or Flanders. Say Goater and a 123k rookie to Pou and Hollands. Can do that with my 22k in the bank, leaving me 9k. I lose a D/M link in Goater but doubt I would be using that yet with Chesser in there anyway. And if I correct Chesser, with me looking to get Bowes, Yeo or even Crozier down back soon, I'll be able to reform that link with Constable/Ginbey anyway.
Right.... so trade 2 is Goater > Pou. Leaves Chesser, Flanders and Greene near the cannon looking nervous. I've now got a M/F link which is always noice to have and I've funded next week's trade of Chesser/Greene > Hollands.
There's nobody really screaming to get picked this week and I've already claimed a trade for next week. I'm going to have to take a chance on someone this week. It's going to have to be Chandler. I think for Flanders so that I've got the money banked. With only 2 trades left next week already, I don't have the luxury of freeing up cash then and will have to grab the best payers I can for cash gen.
---- me what an essay. Sorry about all that guys but I needed to get the thoughts out on paper instead of bouncing about my head. I was getting really close to going Macrae > DeGoey for the returned cash, onfield points and potential breakout.