Follow these six steps to ensure SuperCoach Draft success in 2019

It is SuperCoach with an edge. SuperCoach Draft tests your team building and strategy like no other game. But are you prepared for success? Check out our six step guide to beating your mates and walking away the champion.

Will Patrick Dangerfield be the first player picked in your SuperCoach team? Picture: AAP Images

If you haven’t played SuperCoach Draft before, you’re missing out.

Take part in a league with your mates — or join any available public league — and select your own unique SuperCoach team through a live draft where each player is only available once.

That’s right — one Patrick Dangerfield, one Brodie Grundy, one Dustin Martin. Once they are off the board, they are gone.

WHO TO PICK: SUPERCOACH DRAFT POSITION RANKINGS

QUICK GUIDE: HOW TO HOLD YOUR FIRST SUPERCOACH DRAFT

TOP 50: THE PHANTOM’S MARCH DRAFT RANKINGS

You can then trade players with other teams throughout the season and pick up any undrafted player from the free agency pool as you go.

To reign supreme in the Draft format, one must remain persistent and driven to succeed.

Here are some of the hot tips to help you take out your Draft league.

1. KNOW YOUR OPPOSITION

If you are in a Draft league, chances are you are playing with a group of your mates. That means, like in all good friendships, you can manipulate them to your advantage.

Let’s set the scene in the draft. If you are looking at selecting Tim Taranto and your mate with the pick after you has been talking him up the whole pre-season, chances are he is not going to let him slip.

Better yet, if you are all in the one place, look over their shoulder to see who they have in their ‘next picked’. A sure-fire way to cause an argument on draft night.

In season, offering up premiership captain Trent Cotchin to the die-hard Tiger of the league could see you getting overs on the trade table.

Do you know a Richmond fan who loves Trent Cotchin? Picture: Getty Images

2. KNOW YOUR DRAFT PRIORITIES

If you are yet to begin your draft, knowing your drafting priorities before it starts is essential.

There are a range of different strategies you can adopt and they can change on the night — especially in leagues with a set timer for selections when nerves take hold.

You might decide to load up on midfielders to maximise your scoring. Some opt to go for the best available player at the time of their selection, and lock them in.

Others may wait until the closing stages to select their ruckman — especially in eight team leagues — considering the spread of ruckmen are fairly even besides Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn.

Do you think premium defenders are the prized options? Or do you see defenders as more even across the board?

If the latter, you would opt to pick premiums in other lines and still back yourself be able to draft a solid defensive line.

3. TAKE NOTE OF THE HIDDEN GEMS

Along with outlining your priorities, ensure you are across all of the hidden gems on offer.

The draft format ranks players by their price in SuperCoach classic — essentially, basing their ‘pre-draft rank’ off their average the previous year.

This means players like Bulldogs hard nut Tom Liberatore and Crows ball-winner Brad Crouch are further down the order than their talent suggests.

It means you can snag a player of Zac Williams’ calibre under everyone’s noses at a later pick.

Just don’t go too early on these players — or you could be left with egg on your face.

Keep an eye on Tom Liberatore at your SuperCoach draft. Picture: Michael Klein

4. USE THE TRADE BUTTON

Like in SuperCoach Classic, it is often the players that are most proactive and inventive with trading that succeed.

For instance, if you see that a star full forward has a great run home, you might look to offload one of your underperforming stars to acquire his services.

But as they say, you have to spend money to make money. You won’t get anywhere if you constantly offer one-sided deals. A straight swap of Patrick Dangerfield for teammate Zac Tuohy probably isn’t happening.

Another strategy is trading a player at their highest point. The Cats play four of their first nine games at Kardinia Park, a venue that Tom Hawkins loves. An aggressive draft player would look to trade Hawkins for another star with a favourable run home.

Don’t try to be too cute though, or you’ll be the butt of the jokes in the league’s group chat.

5. KEEP AN EYE ON THE WAIVER WIRE

The players you pick up on the waiver wire can give you the extra edge over your mates.

Like the NBA, all players who miss out on the draft — or the ‘free agents’ — are able to be picked up during the season. Depending on the league setting, they are generally available to all players early in the week.

That’s why it is essential to keep an eye on the free agency pile as there will be plenty of bargains on offer as the season progresses.

Draft players who picked up Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw last season would have been very happy with his return.

You will find players in your league may trade out players if they suffer a 3+ week injury. If you have spare spots on your bench and can see that player being an asset, snare him before one of your mate does! That player could turn out to be the difference come finals time.

Angus Brayshaw was the perfect mid-season selection last year. Picture: Getty Images

6. TAKE IT ONE WEEK AT A TIME

It’s the old footy adage and it’s rather cliché, but this is arguably the biggest key to success in Draft.

Just like any footy team, taking it one week at a time is crucial. Each week you will encounter injury, suspensions, late outs, omissions and everything in between, but it is the SuperCoaches that remain focused who will bring home the bacon.

Be mindful of the fixture each week. If you are playing one of the weaker sides, perhaps you can utilise a player from the waiver wire to fill the void of an injured gun.

For a must-win game to clinch a top four spot, you might look to roll the dice and trade a key player who is missing the week with suspension for an in-form player from your mate’s side.

FINAL WORD

Enjoy the year as you battle it out with your mates for bragging rights and SuperCoach glory. Best of luck for the Draft season — may the best list manager win.

Originally published as Follow these six steps to ensure SuperCoach Draft success in 2019