REVERSE ENGINEERING

Sometimes you know what the end product should look like before you start. In my case I know what I want my team to look like come round 3. When this occurs it makes sense to work backwards, or reverse engineer the solution. Great in theory but easier said than done. Knowing where you want to go is half the problem though. You need that plan, whether you get there or not is beside the point, at least you're heading in the right direction. Without a plan you'll end up like Alice. Cast your mind back to when you were a kid reading Alice in Wonderland and Alice comes across the Cheshire cat;

“Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to. Alice: I don't much care where. The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go. Alice: ...So long as I get somewhere. The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”

Anyway, enough of my useless and unused Uni degree that I never finished, we're here for super coach.

So where do I want to get to? Come round 3 I'd love to be looking at a team that has Cole Anthony and Arnas Velicka at Guard - that combo has me salivating. Oduro with his dual position eligibility is a great fit at either Centre of Forward and then this leaves me looking very longingly at Luke Travers and Zylan Cheatham. Alternatively I could swap Cheatham for Tyrell Harrison or Pinder - form dependent - and be equally happy.

Is this realistic? Based on opening night prices the starting 5 would cost us circa $1.485m leaving just over 500k for the bench. It's doable but leaves us getting creative with some cheapies.

The bridge to this is round 2 trades with a Boost complimenting a round 1 team that does enough to put points on the board whilst still having enough playable bench options to prop up round 2.

Round 2 is worth a closer look. There are no teams on the double in Round 1 that also have a double in Round 2. Round 2 however features, Illawarra, Cairns and Adelaide who all commence a stand of three consecutive doubles, alongside Perth with a lone double.

How many of the cheaper players here can you stash on your bench in round 1 that are borderline startable round 2? I have Racocevik, and Dell'Orso alongside Cheatham who I will start in round 1.

This has me trading out both PJC, Mennenga and Mays using a boost to free up close to $1M to splash in order to set up for Round 3. Bringing in the likes of Pinder, Jaylon Brown/Milt Doyle, and Cole Anthony would have me with all starters on a double and primed to target Travers and Oduro commencing Round 3. It would also give me a steady team over the next few rounds with great schedules allowing me to tinker with the cheaper bench players as their first and second price rises come in.

At this point a second boost to access Velicka is a luxury rather than a must and could occur through sacrificing Jaylon Brown keeping in mind Brisbanes sparse schedule prior to round 6.

Obviously a lot can happen between now and round 3, injuries, breakouts, busts, the whole lot, yet like with Alice, if you don't have a direction in mind then it really doesn't matter which path you take.