Trades are the mechanism that allows you to change your squad during the season. No matter how well you build your initial team, injuries, form slumps, and unexpected breakthroughs mean your squad will need to evolve across the year. Managing your trades wisely is one of the most important skills in SuperCoach.
How Trades Work
Each coach receives two trades per round for the majority of the season. Around Origin time, when representative duty depletes club rosters significantly, coaches are given three trades per round to help manage the disruption to their squads. Across the full season you have a maximum of 46 trades to use.
At any point before lockout - which is the moment a player's game begins and they can no longer be traded - you can activate one of your five boosts to gain an extra trade for that round. Lockout applies on a player by player basis, so a player who plays Sunday is still tradeable after Friday night games have kicked off. Always be aware of when your players are scheduled to play before making any moves.
Using Trades Wisely
46 trades across a season sounds like plenty but it goes faster than you think. Every trade you make should have a clear purpose behind it. Understanding the different types of trades and what drives them is one of the best ways to become a more disciplined and self aware coach.
The Types of Trades
The Rage Trade
You are angry. Lockout just ended and you are fed up with this player. They cannot get out of your team quick enough. Logic and numbers might suggest this is a bad trade but you are so angry you do not care. The rage trade happens to every coach at some point. Just try to sleep on it first.
The Cash Gen Trade
This is all about making money. The three week price rise window is done, there is a low or negative breakeven, the player has a role, and it is time to bring them in. The cash gen trade is designed to either make bulk cash, get you points while the cash rolls in, or facilitate a downgrade that frees up funds for a bigger move elsewhere. This is one of the most important trade types to master early in the season.
The Sideways Trade
A trade you usually should not make. It is a like for like swap at around the same price with no real improvement in squad value or scoring output. The sideways trade often aligns with a rage trade or a man crush trade and should be proceeded with caution. If you cannot articulate why this trade makes your team better, it probably does not.
The Luxury Trade
You have saved some trades and now you can go chasing an elite matchup and possibly a captaincy option. It is not a necessary trade but when it comes off there is nothing quite like it. The luxury trade is the reward for being patient and disciplined with your allocation earlier in the season.
The Vibes Trade
There is no real data suggesting this is a good trade. No breakeven analysis, no matchup research, no community consensus. You just feel it in your bones. Sometimes you have to back your gut, and occasionally the vibes trade is the best move you make all season. Just do not make a habit of it.
The Boost Worthy Trade
You have got trades, you have got boosts, and you can make a huge move. This is one of those trades that defines your season. It can align with a cash gen trade, a vibes trade, or a captaincy play - there is no reason it cannot tick multiple boxes at once. When a boost worthy trade presents itself you will know it. These are the moments that separate good coaches from great ones.
The FOMO Trade
The fear of missing out trade. You open the app and everybody is bringing a certain player in. You do not really get it but if everyone is trading him in there must be a reason. Whether it is to save overall rank or match a head to head opponent, the FOMO trade happens often. Sometimes the crowd is right. Sometimes you end up holding a player for three rounds wondering what you were thinking. Proceed with awareness.
The Man Crush Trade
You watch this guy every week and you cannot imagine life without him in your team. He is often from your favourite club or has some defining feature - a beautiful mullet, calves like a horse, a huge motor, whatever tickles your fancy. The man crush trade is rarely the most logical move on the board but it happens to every coach and nobody is judging you for it. Just try not to let the heart completely overrule the head.