We’re back! Round 2 approaches!
Now I know what a bear feels like!
It was the hibernation we had to have. You had to have, I had to have we all had to have. Stay inside to stem the tide. COVID 19 is it all just a dream? Fraid not!
But as we start to open our eyes and slowly start to wake from our slumber, we peer though the darkness and can see a little ray of sunshine off in the distance. Curious we inch forward, as we get closer the light gets brighter. That light my friends is the AFL!
IT’S BACK BABY!!
Gil (god love him) has announced that AFL will recommence on June 11. Take note June 11, put it in your calander June 11, Round 2 commences June 11 – Got it?
I for one was overjoyed to hear this news because if I have to watch one more minute of the POH show I may just puke. So, time to turn off the zoom meeting, put down the garden hoe and plonk yourself in front of the box.
The JR crew tried to fill the void with the online JR evolution game which was great during the hiatus but its now time to get ready for the real thing.
But it won’t be like we are used. There are several protocols that need to be followed.
· Before we even start every player, it seems must be tested every 24 hours.
· Footy can only be played in 3 states so hubs have been created. Kudos to the West and South Australian boys for checking in at the gold coast to allow a restart.
· You are restricted by who you can live with in your house/accom and who you associate with. This has become known as the bonk ban. Unfortunately, another major retailer Trojan has gone into liquidation following the announcement of this ban.
Once these are all met then we can restart but there are still so many questions.
Here are my top 5.
1. What is all the fuss over a shortened lead up to Rd 2?
I am hearing a lot of noise about players won’t have enough time to get fit and don’t have enough pre-season to be ready for round 2. What have they been doing for the last 8 weeks? Surely, they were training by themselves, eating right, be in tip top shape and be ready when footy comes back? Look at young Heens, looks like he could enter a Mr Universe contest at the moment.
Have they forgotten how to kick, mark and tackle? Don’t think so. Then if we go into running patterns and zones. This stuff is drilled into them every day. The guys have been around long enough that it is second nature. Mark my words they will be good to go when the ball is bounced.
2. Injured players?
If there is one good thing to come out of this shutdown is that just about every team will have pretty much a full list to choose from come game day.
In the backline we welcome back
· Bachar Houli
· Zac Williams to name just 2
Midfield
· Callan Ward
· BBQ’s Treloar (though he did do himself a mischief recently)
· Ollie Wines
· Mitch Duncan
Missing – Lachie Hunter (silly boy)
Ruck
· Big Maxy will be fully fit
Fwd
· Buddy is back
· Jack Ziebell
· Jade Gresham
· Eddie Betts
So, no excuses – the boys are back and ready to go.
Weird though isn’t it? That some players who were injured round 1 and were going to miss 5-6 weeks of the season will play round 2 and not miss a game. Funny old season.
3. Hubs – how is this going to work?
This is probably the most perplex one of the lot.
Looks like the teams will play each other in the hubs and then fly in, fly out on the same day to play rival teams in other hubs. To prevent the spread the AFL has announced that the teams will be on the same flight in and out of the state. There is a bitter rivalry between most teams so are Sydney and GWS boys just going be best buds as they fly into Vic to play a Victorian team? Can’t quite see Buddy and Toby Green sitting next to each other and discussing politics or the music they are both into. As there is no other footy, they may have to train together as well. Fyfe onto the chest of JJK? Maybe not.
And what happens with the WA and SA boys? Do they not have to leave the gold coast at all as they made the sacrifice to move interstate to start the AFL again? All teams would come to them. Collingwood may have to travel further than Marvel – Eddie will be pi$$ed.
4. Game Day?
This brings us to game day. We already know there are going to be no crowds at least in the foreseeable future. Hopefully we can get some sort of crowd back for the grand final. Can you imagine a grand final without a crowd at night? This may be the stark reality.
Anyone who watched round 1 (I would think most of us) found it really eerie with no crowd noise and the sounds of silence when a goal was kicked. You could actually hear the crickets.
So, seven has been working hard so that when round 2 kicks off they are going to have fake crowd noise. This is all well and good when a goal has been kicked but what about the sigh when a player misses and kicks a point. The scream of ball when a player is tackled? The white maggot coming from over the fence when your team isn’t awarded a free kick. The Boos for the villains? How far will they go? Only time will tell.
Shorter quarters will mean impact players will be the biggest beneficiaries while the poor old accumulators will suffer.
There will probably be more injuries especially if there is less recovery time.
5. An AFL player tests positive?
I hope this don’t happen, but it would put the AFL in a world of hurt. You would at least have to quarantine the two teams, the one where the player tested positive and the opposition on the day. You probably wouldn’t need to quarantine anymore as the players are tested so often you would pick it up in a couple of days. But does this mean there is revamp of the fixture for days that doesn’t include these two teams and they just play multiple games once given the all clear. Or do they shut down the AFL again?
Wouldn’t want to be in your shoes Gil. You are fighting a loosing battle no matter which way you go.
So, it is time to dust off the old supercoach team from round 1 have a look back and see if there are any changes you need to make? I would prefer not to look back as the Bont, Dunks and McCrae had a game they would rather forget and I’m hoping they will be busting for redemption come round two. If not Hot Diggity Dog could be in for tough year.
Speaking of tough years what is going to happen with our rookies?
I have heard a number of coaches say once you are in, you’re in. With minimal changes each week. This means that the rookie sitting on the fringe of section is in no man’s land. With no reserves how do they show the coach they are ready for a game? The only way to do this would be on the training track. Honestly though it would have to be sublime training to force some out and you in. Another way to get in is via resting of one of the main players. But this might be short lived as you could be in one week and out the next when the main player returns. This could cause havoc with our teams and leave us with a player stuck on one game.
The only other way is to replace an injured player. So, based on this I think the mid pricer team has a leg up at the moment.
Well that’s it.
Don’t forget Rd 2 – June 11.
Can’t wait not long now.
Gone to my happy place be back in a few …….
On ya Trigga, bring it on!!
Gold Trigger!
Finally!!! <img src="https://tinyurl.com/yxbbsslm" width="1"/><img src="https://tinyurl.com/wwct4y8" width="1"/>
Nice write up Trigger, good to see some activity back here again after the Jrel finished up, yeah the fake crowd noise will be weird for sure but still probably better than nothing I reckon, just hope some sort of crowds can still get into games even 3 metres apart or whatever, the AFL needs the revenue.
Gonna be a strange season, I just hope we can get through to the end without anymore setbacks.
Thanks rust.
Sure is gonna be different but definately need some sort of crowd noise.
U smashed it rd 1 didn't you?
Rumour is we get more trades each round so could be fun to trial some things that u couldn't do in a normal season. <img draggable="false" role="img" class="emoji" alt="😉" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/svg/1f609.svg">
Scored better than my previous 13 years of SC in the first week mate, gotta catch a break sometime ay? lol, had the vc on grundy too so that helped, didn't pick Heeney whom I had all pre-season…at least I didn't back jack Steven.
Yeah if there are extra trades we can experiment a bit for sure, cause I chose Cumming in the backline instead of Roberton, I can afford to get rid of him and get Naismith in while he's still 250k…think it needs to be done for the backup and the cashcowness.
On another note, looking for some advice, I have Grundy Jacobs and Xerri as my loop, not sure whether to bring Naismith in as R3 backup and / Cashcow …I can afford to do it and think Naismith could make more money than most rookies for a future premo upgrade.
What do you guys reckon?
Yeah go on rust
Grundy to Naismith. 🤣
Yep I'll get Grundy back in when he drops in price 200k like he does every year not 😉
jacobs to naismith
Nice write Trigga. Good to see some SC discussion again.
Cheers mate
Good to have footy back at least in some form…
Looks like 5 trades leading into rd 2!!
I'll probably need all of those to cover the rookies not playing! Can't even remember who is in my team now, I guess I'll have to start doing a bit of research again..
5 is a lot but with no byes we won't need as many i will use them MID PRICERS welcome
The extra trades during the byes was great for upgrading team to premiums.
getting to full premium is pipe dreams this year Derek the cash cows wont play enough to generate coin .Those fallen prems or cheaper next rung prems will feature a lot ,Heeney Viney Naismith and Howe will all be thereabouts
5 trades is a nice bonus, hoping to only use 3 though, I can see plenty wanting to use all of em.
Definitely know 2 l want to use already. Having 5 🤔
Yeah bloody Brayshaw must go from mine.
I’m the same Holty trading out a players l forked out a bit for that didn’t perform. Not because they won’t bounce back but the way it is now cant afford him to drop say $40k after rd 3. I’m going to bring in players l think now after rd 1 will make coin. Not going to get full premium, everybit of coin is going to be important to get as close as l can. I play and structure a lot around the byes, now there gone have to use these 5 trades to correct players and make coin
No byes
Use 5
BANG! 💣
I'll tell ya what Trig it's bloody tempting to use all 5, I could make my team a round 2 Juggernaut if I did.
We're back people. I couldnt even bring myself to look at any afl news for a long time, but feel like we are back. Keen to go.
With all these trades, i know i am going to sideways galore, which who knows is right or wrong now.
I will be trading cavarra for sturt, and are very tempted to sideways dunkley to tmitch, or wven bring in Viney and hope for a massive price rise. Would like to get doedee but doesnt suit my structure. I tell you this year will be very different with so many trades – we wont have enough fresh rookies and people will be looking to find value in price risers. Point chasing galore and we have to try to stick to our guns but maybe look towards the big price risers. Let it begin 🙂
With the lack of def rookies, will probs look towards Hayden Young as a rd 3 downgrade for the zerk or similar
I agree Jess.
Unique year may require a different strategy.
Unless the rooks (once in the side) get a bit of the pill or have an impact they r going to score poorly as the points allocation is the same but Over shorter quarters.
So stands to reason the big boys are going get more of the points.
Cavarra to Stuart will be popular – pulled the TRIGGA on that one. 😉
Probably should have a 6th question.
What will be the impact of the coaches cull?
Are they surplus to requirements or do teams rely/need these guys during the week/year and on game day?
Probably won't impact the seasoned coaches on game day but new kids on the block (Teague/Shaw) may struggle without the help.
5 trades, so many options!
Sturt in for Cavarra is on
Also looking at getting rid of Roberton & MacPherson.
Anyone have a compelling argument why i should keep them?
Would love to try and squeeze Heeney into the lineup, may need a bit of juggling for that to happen.
This is too good an opportunity to knock back jel 2 normal trades and 3 to replace the bye rounds means we are at round 7 with 25 trades ,no brainer imo
Yes, no hesitation in using the trades, just working out what is going to work best.
Unfortunately, there have been no price changes, so we're still working with the original budget, plus players haven't played any games for ~10 weeks, so how much can we read into their pre-season & Rd1 form?
Hey Neil are you gonna take the punt on Harley?..heard he might be ready to go.
He is looking good for Round 3 Russty but no Thinking about Rozee though but SPS might suit better with my flimsy def bench Naismith ,though an expensive bench option is a goer might use Close as a permanent loop in place of a dud R3 Townsend is on the radar and you russty . Hope you survived the storms there mate
Thanks bud, yeah survived ok although my fence extension I built got destroyed, we can rebuild it lol..the 6 million dollar fence!
Nope. Roberton & MacPherson where my two trades before all this even happen LOL.
I already had them locked when I logged in (completely forgot what I had done)
Thankfully started with Sturt.
A bit of a bloodbath, but it kinda works
Dylan Roberton -> Jordan Ridley
Tom Green -> Deven Robertson
Sam Jacobs -> Sam Naismith
Ben Cavarra -> Sam Sturt
Darcy MacPherson -> Isaac Heeney
Hope your all well lads in this crazy times.
Question lads is Ridley a goer or steer clear? I honestly don't know much about him. Got 100 is that a fluke or realistic now in his role?
I either jump on him or sit on the 200k bank and get Rozee in the following week (via swinging Heeney down) and run with BZT on the field instead of Ridley. If I go the Rozee root it means I'm playing rookie Greene on the field for GWS.
So I guess it's Ridley & Greene VS Rozee & BZT on field?
Hi mate, dunno if this helps but I read this the other day, seems to suggest BZT might be under pressure to keep his spot with Ambrose and Hooker being available…and they have Ridley as an onfielder.
AFL Team Tips for Round 2: Dee’s third game in 1750 days, star Swan benefits from the hiatus
(This is the name of the article)
Thanks mate. So sounds like No to BZT & Ridley.
Might just have another look around. I was cutting Gawn from Round 1 trades but now I hit reverse as figure he will be back to form (despite some bloody cheap options in the rucks)
Doedee could be an option..he might be a bit rusty though. Ridley should keep his place.
Rusty or Russty? 😜
Na not russty, if he was me he'd be bad at supercoach 😉
Ridley or Doedee ya reckon then? LOL.
Definitely no from me FTB A burnman never again Is that Toby Greene or TOM?
The rookie Greene.
Dunno about Green beard…he didn't play anything near as good as he did in the pre-season outings..for 166 I expected more.
Alabama's next 4:
Cunnington
Bont/Dunkley
Bbqs Treloar
Titch
Just something else to consider….
Took out Danger rd 1 – cats are clear
It’s frustrating as I didn’t pick Danger, Oliver, Bont etc as they were playing the Giants early or twice through the year. Might just have to grab Danger and Bonts now in the next few weeks
Bont is one the will drop about $35k after rd 3 even more if your patient and can wait longer. Danger now with the cats home games very enticing 🤔
Bont had a bad rd1 but so did the whole team. Don't think we can guarantee a price drop yet
Definitely will be a price drop after rd 3.
I guess bont/danger priced about the same shake.
They scored about the same rd 1.
If they score similar rd 2 bont v saints, danger v hawks stands to reason they will drop about the same amount.
$20-$25k.
hey Trig, have you seen my trade offer in Draft?
How's it going Holty?…I'm thinking of selling Bont off mate, could sell him to you cheap! lol
Deal. All good mate. Been a bit bored of late. I was one of many who got laid off during this pandemic. Although got a payout which is more then what other unfortunate people got so shouldn’t complain. Been a stay at home dad last month and a bit so has its benefits. How are you mate?
Yeah mate it's been a strange ole time the last few months, sorry to hear about your job loss, hopefully you got yourself on jobkeeper or jobseeker asap. I've been ok mate, I'm sort of naturally a hermit anyway so this has been ok for me.
I've simplified my life a lot now, no more business, and we sold my Sis's house and my investment property so just down to one asset now and no complications or extra work.
Maybe see if Lek and co can help you out with that Intense debate login issue you're having there..can't wait for the new season to resume again!..I just hope we can get through the whole thing uninterrupted 🙂
Hi all. Hope your all well? Great to see the footy will start up again soon.
Gee wizz. Max’s next 4 games look good.
Carlton (Pittonet), Essendon (TBC), Geelong (Fort), Swans (Naismith)
Very Derek, maybe after ess game will drop about $40k hopefully with myself l have Jakobs after rd 3 will make $30k. There’s $70k just there!
Is anyone else having issues with their intense debate account? Keep logging in but it doesn’t register in this platform for some reason.
Anyone else thinking still dump Gawn for Jacobs & the cash grab with trades like this? Or nuts?
Probably tempting ftb to cash boost other lines but as Derek pointed out above look at his next 4 opponents.
Scary.
And besides gotta perform as the capt with a do like that … <img draggable="false" role="img" class="emoji" alt="🦱" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/svg/1f9b1.svg">
I'd consider it FTB..if it's for the good of your overall team, even to Naismith, Jacobs could still have to compete with Mummy for number 1 ruck yet.
Buddy did his hamstring 🤔
how long Shake?
2020
Haha probably. Saying for now maybe 3 to 5.
Said 2020 as a joke but latest reports on buddy is wont be far off … 🤔
I'm super happy with my side after doing 5 trades, down side is I had to get rid of Bont and Jacobs to make it happen.
Is this nutty and should I calm down sir?
Bont yes Jakobs no. Jakobs to increase in value in 2 more rds Gawn decreases could be $40 to $50k there
Looking at Jacobs -> Naismith to free up some cash here.
Are you also looking to bring in Naismith?
I'm still playing around to see if I can pull off my other moves without having to do this, but I'm ok if that's the best move for me.
Yeah Jel, Naismith stands to make the most cash I reckon, and score well, he's raring to go and doesn't have to compete with anyone whereas Jacobs still might have Mummy to worry about.
Sam Sturt most likely not to get up rd 2. Bad enough l had his 1st rd score on the pine.
Hey shake, they're saying he might be ok now, just aggravated a previous back issue.
Well I give up on this intense debate account. Says I’m logged in but doesn’t seem to register on this platform for some reason. Getting annoying having to put my name in each time
Same here
Am I crazy going Gawn to Naismith for the $ and get him back once it's closer to even swap.
Means I can get Howe, Rozee, Heeney and Viney in FOR Roberton, Brayshaw, MacPherson etc?
Still got Grundy for Captain too before people say that.
Not crazy at all beardy, I'll do a similar thing, it's almost unlimited trades this year so treat it like AFL Fantasy and do what feels right mate.
Whos watching the rugby league tonight?
Can someone please confirm if prices are going up after round 2 that's what I've been hearing.
Yes they are.
Cheers
Great work Trigga. Greetings community – great to be back after the hibernation/isolation period and more importantly be able to watch live footy again. I have made one of my best ever starts to a SC season and am now worried that it will be all downhill from here as it has happened too many times before. I am also aware that we have five trades which we can use this round, however, don't want to make any rash decisions. My team as it stands is as follows:
B – Lloyd, Laird, Doch, Noble, Zerk Thatch, Brander, Rivers, Watson (Free)
M – Mcrae, Neale, Fyfe, Cripps, Bont,Rowell, Pickett, McInerney, Green, Starcevich, Budarick
R – Grundy, Jacobs, Xerri
F- Whitfield, Martin, Brayshaw, Smith, Sturt, C Taylor, Georgiadies, Davis
I would appreciate any thoughts or advice on who (if anyone) I should give the flick at this stage and who I should bring in.
Thanks Community – its great to be back.