Ando 2024

@The Dolphin Conspiracies I want to change it, just don't know who to. I'm thinking Strange gets the nod if he goes over 40 today.

Round 9

Round Score: 914
Overall Rank: 863th

Trades

Terrell > Plath
Chan > Garrick
ITB: 50k

Starting 17

Egan (43) - This score as a blessing as I think he should have been given a really early HIA
Carrigan (56) - Keeps ticking over nicely, aiming to hold over Origin
Plath (46) - Didn't see the game but played some time on an EDG where he missed some tackles?
Smithies (51) - As mentioned previously as long as the score isn't a blow out he should see good minutes
KPP (52) - Bounced back nicely from last week's score
Crichton (97) - Did you know I traded him well before anyone else did?
Hynes (c) (144) - Highest averaging player in the game, dominating with his new halves partner
Galvin (39) - Even in games the Tigers look poor he seems to be scoring relatively well
Iro (44) - Just looks really solid really glad I own him as I'm sure most are
Garrick (66) - Great first game, happy to hold this CTR partnership for the foreseeable
Drinkwater (58) - He repaid the faith, don't think he will be much of a POD now with the Papy injury
Papenhuysen (34) - Was on for a huge score, unfortunate injury
Kiraz (37) - Think I will look to hold him the first 2 Bye rounds before moving him on, not consistent enough to be a keeper
Brailey (32) - What the hell were those minutes?!
Bateman (57) - Another good showing but named back on an EDG next game?
Piakura (23) - Starting to get annoyed I held him, good chance I trade rage him
Strange (35) - Had a solid second half but really can't trust his scoring in the 17

EMG

Salmon (35) - A huge update just before lockout saved his score and should keep his BE relatively low
Hughes (37) - Could do with him carry on starting to keep boosting his scores
Chevy (DNP)  
Gutho (DNP)

Summary

Scored around Par for the week which saw me lose about 100 places in the rankings which I can't really complain about as I was forced to loop some of the shitto's.

Typical Terrell May went huge after I traded him scoring 22 more points than his replacement but I will just tell myself it was the right decision moving forward.

Of course there were more injuries with another WFB going down... This makes Papy a sell and I think it would also be wise to cut Gutho as there is no certainty he is back for RD13 although not a necessity.

Therefore my first trade is near enough nailed:

Papy > Fa'alogo - Probably doesn't have a huge base but for the price I'm happy to start him at WFB

Tempted by the following second trade to build my bank:

Gutho > Atkinson for a cash grab and Hynes handcuff

With Kiraz playing the Panthers I think I will loop him via Chevy, if he shits the bed I will pull the trigger, if he scores ok I will hold.

The above trades leave a massive $501k in the bank which will be nice to use on upgrades in the coming weeks on the following:

Strange - With him not picking up the KM I see him starting to lose the cash made. Plays RD13 so may try to hold until then
Stewart - Looking like a dud pick unless he gets back into the Raiders side next week, not sure it happens with Rapana back
SHughes - Hoping he can continue knocking off scores in the mid 30's until RD13
Salmon - Same as Hughes but can see him losing his place in the Dogs starting 13 sooner rather than later
Piakura - Awful Bye schedule means he's probably going to be a trade over Origin, can he make any cash before then?

The good news is the Dogs play game 2 in the round so I can take a look at Hughes, Salmon and Kiraz's score early. Depending on how these guys score will decide on whether I use my second and third trade to upgrade Piakura. I'd be looking at grabbing a solid MID, quite like the look of Arrow and Matto although there are some question marks so I could gun up with Tohu or AFB but all of these are luxury trades and I will likely hold.

Thanks for reading!

@WT Winfield

Yeah that's pretty much my thoughts regarding Fa'alogo, the Storm's trick players are all pretty much set up to give Papy space to run, hoping Sua slots into that and he scores respectfully whilst making plenty of cash.

Currently set up for a 4 man loop with SHughes, Salmon, Kiraz and Piakura. Not too confident in my Dogs players this week and think I'll end up missing Atkinson to be honest and grabbing Matterson if he is named at #12 on game day.

Will mean I save my second trade of the season at least. Would love Gutho to be back RD13.

@Liverpool_Bulldog Yeah I think it's a bit of a no brainer pick up for the price. Pretty sure if you could pick up the Storm Full Back for $394k at the start of the season he'd be owned by the majority of players. If he can make it to RD16 that would be perfect then after that you can upgrade him to a RD19 keeper WFB like Latrell.

Think you could be right about Carty, I also vaguely remember Hopgood covering #9 at the back end of a game last season. Matto showed in 2022 he can even score big off the bench so if he's starting he's a bargain. Pretty sure I will end up getting him this week, it's just whether I trade out Piakura, Gutho or Chevy. Piakura is the only Green Dot but he's the one I am leaning to at the moment.

Geez what a rough start to the round... Those Bulldogs scores have determined my trades for the week.

Papenhuysen > Fa'alogo was already locked in.

Kiraz with a very solid score gets looped in via Gutho who I am hoping to hold until RD16.

SHughes gets looped in via Smithies/Chevy in #17.

Piakura is now a hold so I can take his score over Salmon who is likely a sell next week.

Second trade is now Strange > Matto who has near enough peaked.

Hoping for a solid score from Piakura to get the cash gen rolling, and I now have 151k in the bank to look at sorting Salmon and Chevy next week although I am quietly hoping for Chevy to get the #1 jumper to make a little bit more cash.

Round 10

Round Score: 611
Overall Rank: 3,963th

Trades

Strange > Matto
Papy > Fa'alogo
ITB: 151k

Starting 17

Egan (28) - Benched before kick off and made hardly any tackles
Carrigan (vc) (86) - Played 80 but too many demerits
Plath (32) - Second stint cut short by a HIA
Matto (44) - Thought he looked quite well but got most of his points when playing in the middle
KPP (32) - Benched before kick off and played 40 minutes
Crichton (78) - Great score, shame he is owned by everyone
Hynes (c) (DNP) - Late out and foolishly didn't have cover in the EMG's
Galvin (41) - Continues to tick over nicely but will need to be upgraded at some point
Iro (30) - Another respectable score in a dead position
Garrick (26) - Moved to the wing early, was scoring quite well until then
Drinkwater (28) - Poor Cowboys performance until the last 15 minutes
Fa'alogo (19) - Dud pick, will just hold now until Papy is back and hope he gets some better scores
Kiraz (57) - Scored a late junk try to give his score a big boost, was looked at 30's until that
Brailey (48) - Played 80 but a bit of a plodder
Bateman (24) - Was scoring well then moved to CTR and subbed at half time
Piakura ( - No comment
Hughes (30) - Has done his job

EMG

Salmon (23) - Looped out his score for Piakura LOL
Chevy (DNP)
Smithies (DNP)  
Gutho (DNP)

Summary

I've been playing this game for about 10 years and this was hands down my worst ever round, every single player scoring below their average except Crichton and Kiraz.

Only have my self to blame for playing with 16 but really kicking myself. I was out when the Hynes out news broke so wasn't paying attention to realise I had no HLF cover, If I'd known I would have simply done Chevy > Atkinson.

Will likely trade Atkinson and Weekes in this week for the HLF and WFB cover who both should make some decent coin whilst both playing RD13. I think I will try hold Bateman unless it's long term which means Piakura is a definite out and then Salmon and Chevy on the chopping block.

I'm also interested in Arrow after he played 80 minutes but only really want him if he misses Origin. I am going to try hold Salmon through RD13 and then swap him to Arrow after that. Therefore pre-TLT trades are:

Chevy > Weekes
Piakura > Atkinson

This leaves $111k in the bank but expecting some carnage tomorrow which will probably throw this all out of the window.

Thanks for reading, hopefully made you feel better about your week if you struggled.

A bit of a crazy TLT, Trindall being named in the extended squad means I won't be going for Atkinson and the long term injury to Bateman means I will be trading him out.

Piakura > Weekes is locked in which gives me the following team:

Egan
Carrigan Matterson Smithies
KPP Angus
Hynes Galvin
Garrick Iro
Fa'alogo Drinkwater Kiraz  
Brailey Hughes Salmon Weekes
Bateman Plath Gutho Chevy

I will set up team so I can loop Salmon and KPP in case KPP is benched again

I can then trade Bateman to anyone up to 832k to give me 18 green dots and then hold the 3rd trade as there is simply no stand out options to bring in. With the injuries mounting up and trades dwindling I can't really afford to burn them unnecessarily.

I'd love to be able to target a RD13 player for Bateman but there are no stand out option other than Aitken but then that causes issues in RD14 but I'll be looking to upgrade Smithies at that point.

Would love to hear any ideas people may have.

@WT Winfield Hopgood is good but having both him and Matto last year really derailed my season so don't really want both. I'm hoping Hopgood does get Origin and Matto picks up extra minutes, plenty of forward at Parra for him to get a rest in the weeks after Origin too.

Now the dust has settled I think I'm happy enough with the Aitken trade, if he keeps the spot he's a keeper, fair play on Rhino getting him so early when most had their doubts.

Jolliffe's price shouldn't move too much now so I think Smithies > Jolliffe will be a RD14 trade.

Really kicking myself on the Fa'alogo trade last week, but hopefully he is like Papy and has average games and then has huge games.

My Garrick trade in was done based on him getting the #1 jersey when Trbo went down so that's another kick in the nuts and it has led to to me having too many WFB's with Drinkwater, Garrick, Kiraz, Fa'alogo Gutho Chevy and then trading Weekes in this week...

Good chance I finally get rid of Gutho or Chevy in the coming weeks but will only do it once a solid option appears. Current squad gives me the following in the big bye rounds:

RD13: 14
RD16: 12
RD19: 9

@WT Winfield Matto moved to the middle around the 33rd minute and had some really good runs racking up the TB's, he was really starved of the ball before that.

Yeah I am pretty set on Aitken but no doubt he gets injured or something in the next few weeks. I've set the team up to take a look at Hughes, Salmon and Garrick's score first and how they do will determine if I do a 3rd trade which would be Gutho out.

@The Dolphin Conspiracies I think I'm quite happy about that

@The Dolphin Conspiracies What's the aim, to beat me this week or to beat me by seasons end?