A League Win

Stop reading if you are chasing the car.

My sole goal is to destroy my mates in my league, win a few beers, a bit of coin and most importantly have gloating rights all summer.  There are many tricks to a league win, and I am just going to run through a few I have picked up to start.  Feel free to have a crack at me, but I speak generally and there are exceptions to all the generalisations and issues I raise below.   But I want to highlight the issues and then you apply them, adapt in your own way to your league – the one you must win!

TRADES

Firstly ladder position at round 19 is not that important, so clear out that competitive nature of yours, you do NOT have to be no 1 on the ladder to achieve the right result. Your sole goal in the home and away season  is too finish top 8, lets hope top 4, starting finals with 4-6 trades.  You need the trades in finals, monitor and guard them with your life.  Plan them out now roughly if you really do care.   Analyse the teams in your comp, know your weak links, easy wins, likely losses.  Do what you need to do to make finals, and minimise your trading where possible.   The trick is not to leave your run too late, whilst cashing up so you do not make top 8.  You may cop a bit of flack from your mates during the home and away but suck it up… until finals, then let rip.

I can almost guarantee that the top 2 in your league will have 0-1 trades left heading to finals.  They are going to fall over themselves with a any LTI’s etc.  Let them have their minutes glory during the home and away, hold your fire – smack’em in the finals.    Finishing 8^th with 6 trades is more important that finishing first with 0-1 trades.

The other little trick, is pretend to you mates, that you have used more trades than you have, I use a plus 3 rule, so you don’t forget.  ie. I have used 19 trades however when my mate rang on Friday I told him 16 – he promptly traded as only used 17.    Feel free to encourage mates to trade unnecessarily, in any way you like.

ROUND 20

For a League win this is just as important as trades.  Much more important if chasing a public league win.  You need to set your team for round 20, start thinking strategy now, especially if you are certain of a top 8 finish.  The biggest problem with round 20 is Collingwood v Swans at ANZ.  The Swans are a shut down side and merciless on DT gods.  Beware, you have been warned.

Hawks v Melbourne, GC V GWS.  These will likely be ripper DT friendly games.  Gablett if on the park, might smash out a lazy 150.  But the first GWS v GC game yesterday needs to be reviewed.   I have not done that.   Overall you need to get across round 20 now, and work out who you think will rip out a lazy tonne, and who will stink it up.  We all know that Swan is better than Mitchell, but in round 20 who will you back?  A big call, made way to early but I am backing Mitchell for round 20.

The Problem with the Hawks is round 22 – tragically they run into the Swans at the SCG.   Load up with Hawks for round 20 & 21.  Trade a couple for Round 22.   GWS actually has a great run, in some respects through the finals.  GC round 20 and then Melbourne in round 21.  Melbourne by that time, may have a new coach… but if they have not sacked him yet and run the current game plan of ‘absolute feeble efforts’, at about that time the Melbourne players themselves look for a new coach ala Geelong game.   I think GWS will get plenty of the ball and rack up at leisure the DT points in two consecutive games.   Hence say a Greene might be good for 2 tonnes in consecutive weeks….   So do you upgrade him… to Swan type or hold, save the trade ahh the imponderables of DT.

Anyway could analyse every game and team but wont at this stage, give everyone something to think about on a league win against the boys. I have plenty of other tricks up my sleeve..  so all good.  I note my name could not be published as my mates will read this…