Five reasons your SuperCoach season can turn around quickly

Carlton star Patrick Cripps had just four SuperCoach points in the first quarter last week and recovered to score 123. There’s no reason you can’t do the same. Here’s how to turn it around.

Patrick Cripps of the Blues.

SuperCoach can be a fickle game. While it is a pastime that many of us love and cherish, it can also be incredibly frustrating.

If you are struggling this SuperCoach season you certainly aren’t alone, even if you wanted to call in sick on Monday after putting the captaincy on Patrick Dangerfield last round (when he scored 26, the second-lowest tally of his career!).

FAIRYTALE: HOW STRUGGLING SUPERCOACH WON $1000

TRADE GUIDE: WHO TO BUY THIS WEEK

EXPERT TIPS: HOW TO WIN YOUR PRIVATE LEAGUE

HACKS: FIVE TRICKS TO BOOST YOUR SUPERCOACH SCORE

But there is more than just pride at stake here. Here are five reasons why you should keep on giving it your all in SuperCoach:

1. Things can change in an instant

Footy is unpredictable at the best of times, but SuperCoach is another thing altogether.

Who would have thought Travis Boak would be among the top five scorers in the competition over the first five rounds? Likewise, few would have picked Clayton Oliver to average just a touch over 100 points across the first seven weeks.

If you feel like you’ve missed out on some of the gun scorers, don’t despair.

Players who selected Lachie Whitfield were sitting pretty a few weeks ago after the Giants defender burst out of the blocks, averaging an incredible 120.6 SuperCoach points over the first five rounds.

But a corkie in the second quarter of the Sydney derby hindered the elite runner, forcing him to the goalsquare for the remainder of the match. He managed just 45 points for the game and missed the next week.

As a result, most teams without Whitfield rose up the rankings this week (and have a chance to trade him in at a reduced price).

There will be a myriad of these moments – good and bad – throughout the season, and that is what makes SuperCoach great.

Isaac Heeney and Lachie Whitfield are both SuperCoach stars.

2. Winning the weekly prize

While you may be out of the running for the $50,000 awarded to the No.1 SuperCoach at the end of the season, there are another 16 opportunities to win the $1000 weekly prize.

Look no further than this week’s winner Trevor McKenna for evidence this prize is up for grabs among the entire SuperCoach world — he was ranked 173,000th overall, and 14th in his league, before producing a score of 2352 out of nowhere.

There are also cash prizes for the second ($500) and third ($250) ranked team each week.

WHISPERS: WILL DANGERFIELD PLAY AGAINST NORTH?

THE PHANTOM: TEAR UP YOUR ROOKIE TRADE PLANS

EXPERT TIPS: IS JACK DARLING A BARGAIN OR TRAP?

3. Making league finals

For many SuperCoach players, it is all about taking out the flag in your league.

You might be struggling in a number of leagues right now, or perhaps just the one, but footy is a funny game.

We’ve seen the Swans make the AFL finals from a 0-6 start in recent years — there is no reason why you can’t turn your season around with some extra dedication.

A strong back half of the season might see you sneak into the eight. From there, things can change quickly.

Players at the top towards the end of the season may have used up all their trades, giving you the perfect opportunity to strike. And players who are out of form now could catch fire when it matters.

The potential of adding a SuperCoach premiership cup to your mantle should drive you to keep the faith with your side.

Carlton star Patrick Cripps had just four SuperCoach points at quarter-time last week and recovered to score 123. You can do the same!

4. Weekly wins — bragging rights with your mates

While it would be an unbelievable feeling to achieve premiership glory, knocking off one of your cocky mates in a SuperCoach home-and-away fixture is just about as good.

We all have one of those friends who doesn’t stop talking up their SuperCoach team. Waving the white flag and suffering a thumping loss to them will only pump up their tyres.

If you are in a league with plenty of those SuperCoaches, it makes it even easier to stay motivated. The potential to knock off a mate each week and have bragging rights until the next weekend is why we play this game.

5. Salvaging a solid overall ranking

Plenty of SuperCoaches take pride in their overall ranking, and it sure to take a massive hit if you lose faith in your coaching ability.

There are still more than two thirds of the home-and-away season left, giving you a heap of time to salvage your standing among the masses.

It’s worth remembering there is no shortage of SuperCoach “experts” attempting to save their season.

FINAL WORD

I was in the depths of despair after a horror start to the year, but a solid month has seen me rise from 70,000 in the overall rankings to inside the top 30,000.

It’s not over – the season has only just begun.

Get more SuperCoach tips from Dan Batten on Twitter @danbatten_