Foxsports Supercoach 2013 Leave a comment

1 average blokes response to Tom Waterhouse

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Hello Tom, we’ve never met or spoken and I’m not expecting you to actually read this. Maybe the person running your social media accounts will pass it on. Anyway, I just wanted to respond to your letter today.

Your “apology” letter today, just pissed me off a bit to be honest. I’m not the type that writes complaint letters, I don’t listen to AM radio and call up to bitch about Julia Gillard either. I’ve written one complaint email in my life – to Pizza hut when my supreme Pizza arrived with a total of 5 pieces of topping on it (totally justified I’m sure you’ll agree) I’m 29, I love Rugby League and I have the odd punt, so I’d fall into your target market.

What irked me about your “apology” was the apology part of it was over in the first 3 lines. The majority of the letter is researched facts about your industry and your business. You’re not apologising at all, you’re defending your actions. If you get in a fight with your wife, you don’t rattle off numbers to support your argument like “70% of women like to cook and clean” or “50% of women like anal sex after the 4th time” You apologise, it’s that simple.

I’d buy into your “apology” letter if I believed you spent more time writing the apology instead of researching the facts the support your argument. Apologies don’t need facts Tom. Instead of coming across as apologetic, to me you come across as a spoiled teenager who knows they are in the wrong, but won’t admit it.

No one asked you to apologise, just to get off the TV when we are watching the game we love. You haven’t listened at all.

Regards

Mitch

State of Origin , Leave a comment

Lose now, win later

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For many old school Supercoach players, the rule change to include Origin rounds as scoring rounds this year was a major adjustment. For the Foxsports Fantasy players (cheers to you comrades, how have you been? Alright? The Mrs? Oh really, she’s single then…) we were used to it but also had the luxury of a Wildcard (just saying that word gives me a little tingle at the base of my shaft. Wildcard. WILDCARD! … Sorry) But now we must all adapt to survive.

The seasoned veterans out there would have had Origin planned for by rd 3. Spreadsheets, whiteboards, those see through boards they use at the Ponds Institute, collages you name it. But for the rookie, the lazy man, seat of the pants player, you’ve left it until now. Good on you, I like you.

Before I share my wisdom, I must explain that this tactic is specifically for H2H players. Those gunning for overall rankings and finishing positions, should take a plan of bye coverage evenly spread points out. My recommendation for those in H2h – depending on your current spot on the ladder – is to cop a loss in Rds 12, 15 & 18. Cop a loss you ask? Forfeit? You’re crazy, you smoke the ganga, you mental. That’s what you’re thinking. Firstly, back up man. You don’t know me. Secondly, just read on a bit and see if you like what you hear.

If you haven’t been able to keep your trigger finger off trades each rd, you might have burnt through 20 trades already? Maybe you’ve restricted it a bit and you’ve got 24-30 left? Think of the number of trades you’ll burn to cover those 3 games.

The definite Origin players and popular SC players – Smith, Farah, Gallen, Inglis etc – they’re popular for a reason. They score points. Replacing them with Kiwi’s, English and the Fensom’s of the league that can’t get a run in Origin is all well and good, but you don’t win H2H comps on final standing. You win in The Finals. Let’s look at my forward pack as an example and before anyone starts, yes I am missing George Burgess, I sold him to get Farah before his price exploded. I still lose sleep over it:

 

Screen shot 2013-05-22 at 5.30.57 PM

Assuming Parker and Merrin get picked for Origin and Klemmer isn’t named for the Dogs in rd 12, I’d have 3 players in my front and second row – Stockwell, Burgess and Graham. Sure I can trade the others now, I can even make 4 trades in rd 12 but why? I want these players in my team for the finals (rounds 23-26) Trading them out now, only means I need another trade to get them back in. And look at the scores from these monsters – averages of 70-80 across the park.  They are beautiful creatures. Trading them out would make me feel dirty. Sometimes the best thing to do is no trades.

When people ask me about Bye coverage and players for rd 12, it can be tricky for me to answer as I’m thinking the opposite. Players with a bye in rd 12 are good for me, great even. Rd 12 is a write off, I’ve lost it already, the bloke coming last in our comp will have a field day with my team, my for and against will be rat shit which could hurt me in positioning but I doubt it.

Also, the players you get to pick from that don’t play origin and have good bye coverage, do you really want to burn 2 trades (one to get them in, one to get them back out) when you wouldn’t pick them otherwise? There is a perception with some that Origin players, that their scoring drops dramatically over the Origin period. Let’s look at a few of the above over the same period last year.

Smith Rds 12 – 19: 45, 93, DNP, 81, 71, DNP, DNP, 75

Farah: 61, 59, DNP, DNP, 74, DNP, DNP, 93

Hayne: 56, 92, DNP, 61, 52, DNP, DNP

The DNP’s (DID NOT PLAY) hurt but remember, some of those are byes too. The hit in those major bye rounds, could save you any number of trades.

Where this approach has it’s merits, you may also take gambles on selling these players at their peak, hoping for reduced minutes and points and buying them back cheaper. You also need to weigh up your current position on your ladder, can you afford 3 certain loses?

My goal is to make the finals (top 8) and have 8 trades in hand so I can still adjust my team and allow for any injuries and suspensions. Even if I sneak in at 8th, with my best team and trades in hand, I’m happy. My H2H is for cash and I’m not concerned about my overall ranking, if I was playing for that I would have set up a second team. It’s my plan and I’m sticking with it.

Make sense? Questions? Hit me up on Twitter