Tackling The Bye Rounds

There is lots of theory’s on how best to tackle the bye rounds. There is so much to think about with overall ranking plus your league matches that you so desperately want to win. I have heard many coaches so they’re going to tank round 12 or 13, or they’re not even going to give a stuff about the bye rounds and just pick the guys they normally would not caring for structure or a plan. I disagree I think a lot of careful planning and studying needs to be done, to be both successful in overall and your league matches. To those guys who haven’t planned, studied or thought out how they will be tackling the bye rounds it’s not late, but you need to start now. I’ve put to together a guide that can be used to assist in tackling the bye rounds.

Step 1 – Study Your Opponents

You need to identify and continually track how many players your opponent will have out in the round they play you. For example in my main league:

My round 11 opposition currently has 4 out in backs (Waters, Lake, Bugg, Tomlinson), 3 out in mids (Greene, Old Mac, Boyd), 2 out in rucks (Cox, Giles), and 5 out in forwards (Danger, Porps, Kennedy, Hampton, Cameron). That’s a total of 14 outs, but not to mention his reserve rucks are Redden and Orren who’s JS is not great, and his already traded in Horsley last week. So from this information I can presume his going to struggle not to field any donuts in that round.

My round 12 opposition currently has 2 out in backs (Clarke, Smedts),  3 out in mids (Pendles, Selwood, Magnet), no rucks out, and 3 out in forwards (Sidebum, Zaha, Paine). So I can presume that with 3 trades there is a strong chance I could come across 22, looking further into his team I have identified boumann in backs as having massive JS issues. This could be a tough one.

My round 13 opposition currently has 6 out in backs, 1 out in mid, none out in ruck, and 6 out in forwards. A lot of those backs and forwards r premiums. From this knowledge i can foresee a few donuts in round 13.

Step 2 – Know your team

So you need to know your sides structure I have 3-3-3 in backs, 3-3-2 in mids, 1-1-2 in rucks, and 4-3-2 in forwards. So I know I have relatively weak opponents in rounds 11 and 13. So I need to structure my team so that I am taking donuts in these rounds. I have planned my future trades ahead of time allowing for a few different case scenarios on new rookies like zorko/couch getting games. My goal structure is to have a team set 3-2-4 in backs, 2-3-3 in mids, rucks no need to change, 3-4-2 in forwards. With 3 trades in round 12 I could potentially have 22 on the park in my tough round, and also 3 in round 13 leaves me with 22 with a bit of luck.

Step 3 – The Ruck Trio

That’s right it’s a trio not a duo. Forget about crossing your fingers and hoping orren and redden get a recall. If you get a opportunity set up the trio, mine is giles, sandilands (should return soon, pleas don’t get injured in bye period), and Maric (Dirty mullet, but who cares I’m only after points). So if your trio is fit you will not have to use any trades in your ruck department.

Step 4 – Round 11 JS

When trading to get the structure that best suits you really need to consider who has the best JS out of the round 11 guys you have trusted in throughout this period. I plan to have Bugg, Lake, Waters, Shiel, Boyd, Giles, Dangerfield, Adams and Smith. I think there security is slightly better than the guys who i need to cut from my team these being Old Mac (only due to I know at some stage he’ll make way for rookies), Treloar think his behind Smith and Adams in the pecking order. Another guy that might get a game soon from round 11 is Zorko, if his the goods I would consider trading him in for Smith/Adams. That cash could be very valuable in round 12 and 13. Ideally though you don’t want this guy playing till round 9, but nothing is ideal in the DT world.

Step 5 – Who you going to trade?

Looking into my team further I plan to make 6 trades in round 12 and 13. But who? Well that’s easy you don’t want to be sidewaysing premos if you can help. In round 12 I have Smedts, Couch, and Christensen who are my weakest 3 players. So they’ll get the cut. But if say couch still hasn’t got a game ill ride that one donut if I’m confident of a league win in that hard round 12 clash I’m expecting. In round 13 the 3 unlucky guys are Ellis, Morris, Horsley (just brought in for McCarthy).

After all that planning i have a lot more confidence in what i can achieve. I can see 2.5 wins coming and with a bit of luck maybe only 2 donuts and a lot of points to push me closer to that number 1 ranking. Hope some of you guys find this useful

*Note: You need to do your own planning and study to be successful. The assistant coach can’t help you here.

Submitted by Owen.