Serious SuperCoach: Why a zero on the field can be a winning tactic

EVERYONE hates a zero in SuperCoach. But last year’s winner says picking a deliberate “doughnut” can be a winning move.

IN THE latest instalment of our pre-season series of tips from the SuperCoach experts, 2013 winner John Bruyn explains why a dreaded SuperCoach “doughnut” does not always spell doom and gloom.

EVERY SuperCoach knows the feeling.

Even the best of them. Your team is flying. Your captain choice for the weekend, the one your mates said you were crazy for picking, cashed in big time. Even that rookie you threw onto your field scored like a seasoned pro.

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But there it is, staring you in the face — a zero. And it hurts.

Avid SuperCoaches affectionately refer to players who score a zero for their side as a “doughnut”. Big, fat, lose-the-unlosable-match-against-your-mate-doughnuts.

So give me one good reason why someone would intentionally select a player in their team with the sole purpose of them not playing?

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In fact, there are a number of very lucrative SuperCoach tactics that rely on you having a non-playing player in your side each week. Maximising these can literally make the difference between you taking home the big $50k or taking home ... doughnuts.

THE VICE-CAPTAIN LOOPHOLE (VCL)

In simple terms, the VCL gives SuperCoaches two shots at picking a captain every round.

To use the VCL, pick a player to be your vice-captain who plays BEFORE both of a) your preferred captain option for the week, AND b) your non-scoring player. If your vice-captain scores highly (most weeks 120 is enough for me) move your non-scoring player onto the field and make them captain.

The conservative players among us typically place the VC/C combo on Gary Ablett and Scott Pendlebury. I like to play riskier than this and generally give the VC to a less common player I have in my side who plays before one of those two.

I attribute a large part of my 2013 SC victory to a particular VCL win I had in Round 20 last year. That week I banked a massive 160 from my VC Joel Selwood on a weekend when popular captain choice, a certain Gary Ablett Jr, posted an astonishingly low (by his standards) 67 against a struggling Melbourne. This gave me a huge boost on the rest of the comp.

Look for VC choices that will set you apart from the pack if they come off. SuperCoach is meant to be fun, take the risk!

THE EMERGENCY LOOPHOLE (EML)

On any list showing a SuperCoach’s worst nightmares you’ll find, a few spots below Ross Lyon, those times that one of your emergency players scores a big hundred.

Capturing those unexpected benched points can be massive in some weeks and it is via the EL that we can try and do exactly that.

Choosing who to put the EMG on when trying to use the EL is a lot like selecting your VC for the vice-captain loophole. Once again, they must play BEFORE your non-scoring player. If they happen to score well (I’d say 80 is about par if they aren’t a premium player) we just move our ‘doughnut’ onto the field and lock in the points.

For most SuperCoaches, putting their best players onto the field and looking at a few VC options is as strategic as they get. Remember though, we’re not here to be like most players. The EMG loophole is quite versatile and there are a number of ways we can use it that go beyond simply putting the EMG on our best bench player.

ROOKIES

There are some weeks when a huge number of coaches are playing the same rookie on the field. In weeks like this try and use the EMG loophole on this rookie if your squad allows it. If he scores poorly, or cops the subs vest, you’ll have the chance to avoid that score — without the risk of missing out if he goes big.

UNIQUE PLAYERS

Another use for the EMG loophole is as an insurance policy against your unique players.

You know those weeks when it feels like one player is going to determine how you go? Towards the end of 2013 for me this player was Lance Franklin. Due to the fact so few teams in the top 10 had Buddy, how he performed had a big impact on whether teams would catch me or not.

Faced with this situation I started him as the EMG in my forward line so I could pick whether to take his score week to week. This tactic is great for those big, must-win league games.

Keep in mind that using these loopholes carries real risk. In practice you are using your EMG to chase points. You have been warned!

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SHOULD YOU BE LINING UP WITH A DOUGHNUT IN ROUND 1?

Having a squad who score points and increase in value is still the key to SuperCoach success.

The only position any coach should be looking to sacrifice for the sake of using the various loopholes from Round 1 is your fourth ruckman.

Even then if there is a viable rookie option who will make your money early in 2014, jump on him — who was talking up Tom Nicholls at the start of 2013? No one! With the expensive rookie prices this year, cash will be king early.

If you still think maximising the use of the loopholes is a must early on, then only consider the cheapest ruck options from teams that play a lot of games late in the round. In saying this, don’t ignore the slightly more expensive Ruck/Fwd dual position players. You never know when they could come in handy.

And finally, if all of this sounds way too complicated, don’t worry because injury, form and suspension will inevitably deliver you plenty of non-playing squad members throughout the year!

Follow John Bruyn on Twitter @imjohnb