Looping is one of SuperCoach's most rewarding mechanics and one that many beginners either do not know about or do not fully understand. Once it clicks, it becomes one of the most satisfying parts of the game. Used properly it can add significant points to your score a handful of times across the season. Used poorly it can be one of the most costly mistakes you make.
What is Looping?
Looping is a technique that allows you to double your vice captain's score instead of your captain's score in certain situations. If your vice captain plays early in the round and puts up a massive score, you have the option to loop the captaincy back to them by switching your captain to a player who is not playing that round. Because your captain takes the field and scores zero, the captaincy automatically transfers to your vice captain and their score is doubled retrospectively.
You might choose to loop when your vice captain has already played and scored huge and you do not think your captain will match it. You might also loop as a safety net when your captain is a late withdrawal and your vice captain has already put up a strong score earlier in the round.
The NPR - Your Non-Playing Reserve
The loop lives or dies on having a reliable non-playing reserve, or NPR. This is the player you switch your captain to in order to trigger the loop. You need someone who is genuinely not playing that round - not named in the 17, preferably injured or a fringe player with absolutely no chance of being called up last minute.
If your NPR unexpectedly gets named and plays, your loop falls apart entirely. Do not trust players who are borderline chances to play. Your NPR must be a guaranteed zero. Smart coaches always keep at least one reliable NPR on their bench specifically for this purpose.
Auto-Emergencies
This is where a lot of beginners come unstuck. If your captain scores zero, the auto-emergency system will automatically bring in your lowest scoring non-selected reserve to fill the spot. This means if you are not careful about your bench structure when attempting a loop, a reserve player could come in and give you a score you did not want, killing the loop entirely.
When looping, always be aware of what your reserves are likely to score and make sure your squad is set up so that no unwanted auto-emergency can sneak in and ruin the move.
AE Nightmares
An AE nightmare is what happens when the auto-emergency system works against you in the worst possible way. The most common scenario is when you are attempting a loop and your carefully selected non-playing reserve unexpectedly gets named in the 17 at the last minute. With your NPR now playing, the loop falls apart and your captain scores zero with no vice captain score to fall back on.
AE nightmares can also occur outside of looping situations. If one of your starting players is a late withdrawal and the only available reserve to come in as an auto-emergency is a player you did not want scoring for you that week - perhaps someone on a low breakeven you were about to sell, a player in terrible form, or a fringe player who ends up playing just ten minutes off the bench and scoring next to nothing - you can find yourself stuck with a score you did not plan for.
The best way to protect yourself against AE nightmares is to always be aware of your bench structure and who is likely to come in if something goes wrong. When nuffing out players, choosing a dual position non-playing cheapie over a bench player specifically eliminates the risk of an unwanted AE ruining your round. The more control you have over who your auto-emergencies are, the less likely you are to get burned by the system at the worst possible time.
Dual Position Players and Looping
Having dual position players in your squad makes looping much easier to execute. They give you the flexibility to rearrange your lineup and slot your NPR into your starting squad without disrupting your overall structure. Smart coaches build their squads with this flexibility in mind so that when a looping opportunity presents itself, they can execute it cleanly without scrambling.
When Not to Loop
Not every big vice captain score is worth looping. If your vice captain scores 100 but your captain is a proven premium about to play a soft match, you are probably better off letting your captain play and taking the doubled score from them instead. A good rule of thumb is that a vice captain score of 110 or more is generally when the loop becomes worth seriously considering. If you are hesitating, it probably was not big enough. A bad loop is worse than no loop.
When to Loop
The loop is at its most powerful when your vice captain plays early in the round - think a Thursday or Friday night game - and absolutely smashes it. A score of 120 or more on a Thursday night with a clean NPR ready to go is what experienced coaches call a gift. You lock in that doubled score and let the rest of the round play out without stress. That is looping at its best.
A note from SC Mattrix
The best looping story I know is not mine - it belongs to Aman from Aman Talks SuperCoach, and it is the reason you should never get too comfortable once you pull the trigger on a loop.
Aman looped a Cody Walker 151. Massive score, seemingly untouchable. The only problem was Turbo - Tom Trbojevic - was yet to play, lining up against the Sharks. This was the year Turbo averaged 144 for the season. Tom went out and scored 220. Two hundred and twenty points. The loop cost Aman his matchup and the story has never died. To this day Aman hates Cody Walker. It comes up at least once a month. It will probably come up for the rest of his life.
The lesson? Looping is a weapon but it is not foolproof. Even a 151 can be beaten. Know your risks before you pull the trigger.