Secret to success

[Dunn - Well Done]

I want to here from the dreamteam coaches that have been top 100 this year and in the past 2 or 3 and if they have been consistantly up there. I know there are a few top dteam coaches on bigfooty and i would love to here there success and why they think they are in the top 100 or top 10 or whatever.

Fairley and Phealy i would love to here about as they are 5th and 7th i think. What picks have made your season and how have you traded and what strategies will you take into next year with the setup of the side.

Also give some golden rules that must be followed and any other hot tips.

Please add to this buy asking those questions that briefly cross your mind at the time. eg: how much research did you do before the season started?

Pleasure from all the top dteam coaches over the past few years. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS?

 

[thebaxters]

These have been posted elsewhere a few times, but these are some posts from the NP board...


In my mind, the season is really made up of 3 key stages:
- the initial draft through Rd 7-8: this is when your unique selections, and you choice of rookies has the chance to prove itself. If you're lucky, you made the right ones (note - these are not necessarily correlated with what is espoused on BF).
- Rd 8-9 through Rd 14-15: this is when heavy trading occurs; cows go out, guns come in. Your team should pretty much be set in this period. Note that when your cows go out, they should only be for other rookies who will provide you with coverage in the event of injury.
- Rd 15-16 through Rd 22: buckle in, sit tight, and hang on. Ideally, you should be trading only to cover injuries, or if you have the trades, upgrading from a Power to a Bartel, or a Akermanis to a Chapman.

So watch carefully over the next 3-6 weeks, this period now is when the game is really run, and this is when you'll start to notice some changes, and some consistent themes in those top teams. Use these to help guide you in your trades. If you are really struggling, write down 5 players in each position you'd like to have in your squad. Monitor them over the rest of the season, if they drop in price, they are a great target for acquisition.

My Top 3 tips for being a better DT'er fall into the before, during and after categories:
BEFORE Start with the end in mind. Draw up the 22 you want to finish the season with. In order to achieve it, you'll need to start with ~12-16 of them in your squad. Why? If you start with 12 of them, you'll need to upgrade 10, each upgrade will more than likely be a double trade to get the $ required. If you started with 16, you'll need to upgrade 6 of them (=12 trades), plus this leaves you some trades for injury.
DURING Make your own decisions. Read all you want to, ask the questions, but trust your gut and go with your own choice. That way you own the decision, and you get to question why you made it. It's a cop-out to take someone elses advice, then blame it if it fails. Also remember that good advice is never free. Advice is always available, but you need to focus on the quality rather than the quantity of that advice. Put it this way - whose advice would you rather take? The person who wins it, but rarely/seldom posts, or someone who finished in 100,000th spot but is always willing to offer an opinion?
AFTER Do a post-mortem on your season - did you run out of trades? When? Why? Did you dump players prematurely because of injury, only to find you wished you had them back in? What can you take form that? What strategies to get an edge did you try this year - what worked and what didn't? Who missed with injury and might be cheap next season if fit? Who impressed you this year, and looks like being a good prospect next year? Which young players finished strongly and might be ready to step up? If you love footy, and you love DT, there is no better resource than your gut. The Prospectus is great, the Freako raves handy, the discussion on BF boards (somewhat) useful, but trust in your own instincts, learn from your mistakes and come back next season and improve.

 

[thebaxters]

Adapted from the Golden Rules thread and other NP posts...



INITIAL DRAFT SELECTION
1) Draft a minimum of 12 keepers (ideally 14-16) that you want to have in your squad at the end of the season. Any less than that, and you won’t have enough trades to get the rest of your keepers in.

2) If a player can be picked up somewhere else other than the midfield – do it. There are fewer premium options in the backs, rucks, and forwards.

3) Draft a pool of about 3 or 4 players that you would comfortable assigning the Captaincy to, and rotate them dependent on who they’re playing, weather and the impact on them of taggers.

4) Look for players who are proven scorers, missed most of the previous season and are therefore undervalued (known as the Lappin rule in 2007 and the Stevens Rule in 2008).

5) Select rookies that are likely to string games together. They may cost more, but look at the top draft picks of the previous year (particularly midfielders). Clubs who are restructuring/rebuilding also tend to give greater opportunities to rookies.

6) If you have to skimp on $ to get your keepers in, do it in the midfield. There is a higher likelihood that selecting a rookie or low value player there will make you money than in the back or forward line.

7) Enter your DT earlier than the afternoon it closes. The bigger the competition becomes, the more likely it is that you won’t get to make edits. Don’t let your planning go to waste – get in early and enter your team.


TRADING DURING THE SEASON
1) Only ever trade up to a full year premium or down to a cash cow. Premium should average 80+ / 90+ (subject to position) through the year and cash cow should be expected to make you 100K to be worth the trade.

2) All "keepers" you choose at the start of the season should be there at the end unless they have been injured / suspended and will be out for an extended period. Form / price for these players will fluctuate but trading them out is a wasted trade. This is the purpose of emergencies.

3). Don't trade in a player who you don't intend to keep all year. Only reasonable exception would be a rookie who has played less than 3 games that you are trading in as a cash cow.

4) Never trade a mid-range player for another mid-range player. This will then require another trade to upgrade to a premium. If a mid-range player has form / injury issues refer to rule 1.

5) Never trade a bench player for another bench player because they have been dropped. The only time to trade out a bench player is when their price has peaked (note – peaked doesn’t mean you have squeezed every last cent out of them, just that their price increase has started to level off. If they are only making you 5K per week, they’ve peaked).

6) Rookies are generally best traded in after 2 games and being selected in the 3rd match. This guarantees their first price rise which is generally the highest (trading them in after their first price rise has likely robbed you of a third of their total price increase over the season). This rule also extends to the price freeze that occurs prior to Round 3.

7) Understand the impact of a players break even on their price to know when to trade. Also understand what score they had 3 weeks ago (which will drop off this week) to know whether it is better to trade them in / out now or next week. Try to coincide rising/peaking rookie prices with troughs in the value of premiums.

8) Leave some trades for injuries after you have “set” your team. You can always use them for marginal upgrades in the final rounds if they are spare.

9) If you question or doubt your trade decisions, think the trade is too sideways or might be a waste of a trade, trust your gut instinct and don’t trade.

10) Never trade before teams are selected. Ever.


Note:
Keepers = Premiums = Guns
Rookie = Cash cows

Caveat – everyone, even the most experienced DT’ers, have broken one or most of these rules in the past. Often in the same season. There are exceptions to every rule, and these are no different.

 

[DTHitman]

currently ranked 80 been hoovering around 30-100 all season
the key is to picking a top squad at the start of the season ....
you want to select enough premiums you dont need trade out to save trades and good cash cows (this year palmer / masten / ibbo / cotchin etc) you also want keepers who u think will overpreform eg didak (was under 300k start of season ) this year it was compulsary to have dean Cox + Troy Simmonds as your 2 ruckman without those 2 you are already disadvantaged then you need to concentrate on your backs/forwards as there are numerous mid options which you can upgrade throughout the season as there is always an elite mid dropping in price, you only really need 1-2 elite mids at the start ideally this season it would have been gablett and thompson this is wot has heart me my elites were kornes + cross

 

[Kenny_01]

It all comes down to the side you select at the start of the season. If you select players who end up struggling, don't waste time on trading them out (i.e. Nicoski). I try to get my best side in as quick as possible. If you wait too long, you will be too far back to catch up.

 

[Dunn - Well Done]

Thanks alot to all i would like to hear a bit more from you kenny if you have time but its up to you. Baxter you were great and a great poster must be going well this year. I have been ranked around the 500 - 700 mark for the past 3 seasons and never consolidated a spot in the top 100.

I think my problem may have been that i didnt get the good cash cows. This was due to a break down in the site but i couldnt get players like geary and co.

Players i didnt get from start or yet to be in my team at all

M.Murphy (premium)
Burton (premium)
Didak (premium)
R.Murphy (premium)
J.King (premium)
Ibbotson (7th back holder)
J.Hill (cash cow forward)
bradshaw (almost keeper)
Roughead (7th back holder)
Cox (went for sandilands instead because i wanted an extra bit of money)

If you chose all the players above from the start you would be top 100 IMO

I think all the top teams would have picked M.Murphy, Didak, R.Murphy and maybe Burton from the start add in Hill and Bradshaw aswell.

 

[thebaxters]

Thanks alot to all i would like to hear a bit more from you kenny if you have time but its up to you. Baxter you were great and a great poster must be going well this year. I have been ranked around the 500 - 700 mark for the past 3 seasons and never consolidated a spot in the top 100.

I think my problem may have been that i didnt get the good cash cows. This was due to a break down in the site but i couldnt get players like geary and co.

Players i didnt get from start or yet to be in my team at all

M.Murphy (premium)
Burton (premium)
Didak (premium)
R.Murphy (premium)
J.King (premium)
Ibbotson (7th back holder)
J.Hill (cash cow forward)
bradshaw (almost keeper)
Roughead (7th back holder)
Cox (went for sandilands instead because i wanted an extra bit of money)

If you chose all the players above from the start you would be top 100 IMO

I think all the top teams would have picked M.Murphy, Didak, R.Murphy and maybe Burton from the start add in Hill and Bradshaw aswell.

Didak is the only one of the list above I've had up to and including this point.

You can make Top 100 with any number/combination of players, as DTHitman and kenny_01 said (and right on the money), you just have to have your starting squad set, and a plan on where you want to be. You HAVE to start with the end in mind. There are plenty of cows that have passed me by, and I'm still doing OK - one of the key things to learn is that you can't jump on every gravy train - you need to pick and choose, because your trades go quicker than the season does...

 

[sante]

As others have pointed out, the initial 30 you pick is the most important and how you choose to structure your team.

Last year (2007) - Cheap midfielders were the way to go and stack up everywhere else (Priddis, Foley, Selwood etc).
This year (2008) - Cheap forwards were the way to go (Medhurst, Porps, Didak, R Murphy, Deledio, L Davis etc). Backs always needed to be stacked up with the lack of depth.

If you went with the cheap forwards it would have allowed you to select players in the Centres like Bartel, Cross, Swan and Ablett Jnr. Add these players to Didak, Medhurst, Deledio etc. and thats some huge scores early on to seperate you from the rest.

One thing I always try to do, is select 4 Ruckmen that I won't need to trade (except the one cash cow, if possible). I try to select 2 Guns (Cox and McIntosh () this year) and one cheapie to play all year as back-up (Kruezer) and one other to be a cash cow.

 

[LemmingMaster]

There are plenty of cows that have passed me by, and I'm still doing OK - one of the key things to learn is that you can't jump on every gravy train - you need to pick and choose, because your trades go quicker than the season does...

This is another key to success, having the ability to let certain cash cows pass you by.

There are two such examples this year for me, Cotchin and Masten.

Cotchin, I went for Wellingham instead and Masten I already had Bird and Palmer in the cash cow role.

I'm not experienced but I know I still have broken some of the golden rules this year.

Hansen -> Hill
Bowden -> Burgoyne

It is a learning experience, next year I need to spend more time with my starting lineup. I had two selections which should have been different in hindsight. Strangely enough, both those decisions my gut was telling me something was wrong with the selections.

If you keep second guessing your decision, there is a good chance there is something wrong with it.

 

[LemmingMaster]

One thing I always try to do, is select 4 Ruckmen that I won't need to trade (except the one cash cow, if possible). I try to select 2 Guns (Cox and McIntosh () this year) and one cheapie to play all year as back-up (Kruezer) and one other to be a cash cow.

Rucks are a strange one, next year I'm going to go down the path of

Two - Premium rucks (assuming there is no obvious Simmonds type option)
One - NickNat styled ruck
One - 73k Rookie that "might" get a game, Mumford, West.....

 

[WakeUpPies]

NEVER, EVER listen to your friend's suggestions if they suck at DT

"Lecras is going to have a breakout year, trust me."

Picked him over didak

 

[LemmingMaster]

NEVER, EVER listen to your friend's suggestions if they suck at DT

"Lecras is going to have a breakout year, trust me."

Picked him over didak

The funny thing is, I remember joining the Bigfooty forum near the end of the preseason cup. As soon as I joined I thought, whoa, so much knowledge and information this is going to be handy.
The longer you're around BF the more you realise that most people that know what they're doing, don't go posting their teams and telling the world how good "Le cras" is going to be this year.

This is what I would use BF for.

1. Grimlock or Walesy programs, seriously if you're not using either of these programs/sites you have little idea about DT
2. Pre season stats
3. Injury updates and insider information

Option 1 - I attempted to reinvent the wheel at the start of the season... why bother.. These two tools are handy for determining price movements and break evens (If you have no idea about B/E learn). Funny enough, I remember posting saying, breakevens are not that useful, how wrong was I.

Option 2 - This helps you determine possible cash cows (not the be all and end all - think Proud on this one)

Option 3 - I think this is the one percenter of dream team, I know one such instance where this has burnt me. Having to go out for some friday night drinks, I waited until the last possible moment to make my trades...
Rioli -> Chapman 3 weeks ago... Perfect timing Chappy has a low B/E Rioli is maxed out...
Hit the trade, as i'm saying goodbye to a friend, they tell me someone posted on BF that Chapman is out... If only I waited 5 minutes..

Anyway, there is heaps of great advice in this thread.

 

[Dunn - Well Done]

so most people are saying that research is important and looking to the end of the season. Next year i cant wait because hopefully i can choose a good starting squad.

next year im aiming for top 50/100 after 3 years being around the 500/700 mark.

Already looking at the players who i might choose next year. Players who are injured the year before seem to bounce back and have a greater desire to play well more than others who play consecutive years.

The ideal picks wouldve been go mid priced in the forwards eg: Porplyzia, Medhurst, Didak, Deledio, L.B.Franklin, R.Murphy and Burton. Choose Palmer to start with Salopek and M.Murphy and choose guns such as Cross, Ablett and Bartel. Cox and Simmonds in the rucks and backs well must haves are H.Shaw and C.Cornes but then players like J.king, Ibbotson, Ellis, ROughead were ideal.

Important to pick players from teams that will be successful eg: Didak, Medhurst from collingwood, Porpz, Burton from crows, Roughead, franklin, Ellis from hawks

 

[sdsdsdsd]

One thing ive learned this year is not to over react on the friday when teams are released. Not sure if this is the first year its begun like this but before lockout i swapped taylor -> hartlett, palmer -> geary. Next year i am probably going to to a bit more research on rookies and determine the chances of them playing and the actual skill of players rather than basing them on round 1 lineups. Also unless injury Chad, Cox and Pavs are must have. I only realised this is round 2-3 due to my first year and without thinking did deledio -> pav. Next year i beleive it could be a lot easier with haselby, headland, cousins(maybe) and maybe even cornes might be low 300k in price and shuld turn into keepers allowing more money elsewhere. Also fanfooty is a very good site about preseason scores which i didnt know about.

 

[Dunn - Well Done]

As Tarquin was saying the real good dtmers dont post too much and give too much away. next year i want be submitting my team but sometimes its too hard to refuse. Also something that i thought is important is dont read too much into the NAB cup games as many players play out of positions. Its also important to look for those players that were top 10/20 draft picks 3 or 4 years ago that havnt yet reached there ability but could in the following year. I also hear people saying about the unique picks its rubbish in only my view, simply if you pick a player that will average more than a unique player then get them. Its not about choosing unique players its about picking the best team that will average the most. eg: If Franklin will average the most with 105 but hes popular and Gianciracusa will average 95 but not many have him then dont go for him, still choose Franklin.

 

[bones25]

Rule 69: Don't come on BF until after Rd 1

 

[LemmingMaster]

Rule 69: Don't come on BF until after Rd 1

The old dinner for two rule!

 

[mookieb]

What is the Grimley or Wasley programs? Never heard of them.

 

[Butane]

Rule 69: Don't come on BF until after Rd 1

Seriously, it's a yes and no thing. For example I wouldn't have considered Dyson for my team. But lots of people were talking him up so I went out of my way to research him. While doing this I came to the conclusion that he just wasn't up to it, especially for DT purposes so I didn't take him.

Morale of the story: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

(Also if I hear one more person say 'I shouldn't have listened to that dud on bigfooty say to get this player' I'll spew. It's your own fault you listened to the dud not their fault they are a dud DT'er)

 

[WakeUpPies]

Seriously, it's a yes and no thing. For example I wouldn't have considered Dyson for my team. But lots of people were talking him up so I went out of my way to research him. While doing this I came to the conclusion that he just wasn't up to it, especially for DT purposes so I didn't take him.

Morale of the story: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

(Also if I hear one more person say 'I shouldn't have listened to that dud on bigfooty say to get this player' I'll spew. It's your own fault you listened to the dud not their fault they are a dud DT'er)

if you were referring to me, i said FRIENDS, not people on bigfooty

, very hard to not pay attention to them when they give you "suggestions" when ever you check your team

 

[Schulzenfest]

Adapted from the Golden Rules thread and other NP posts...



INITIAL DRAFT SELECTION
1) Draft a minimum of 12 keepers (ideally 14-16) that you want to have in your squad at the end of the season. Any less than that, and you won’t have enough trades to get the rest of your keepers in.

2) If a player can be picked up somewhere else other than the midfield – do it. There are fewer premium options in the backs, rucks, and forwards.

3) Draft a pool of about 3 or 4 players that you would comfortable assigning the Captaincy to, and rotate them dependent on who they’re playing, weather and the impact on them of taggers.

4) Look for players who are proven scorers, missed most of the previous season and are therefore undervalued (known as the Lappin rule in 2007 and the Stevens Rule in 2008).

5) Select rookies that are likely to string games together. They may cost more, but look at the top draft picks of the previous year (particularly midfielders). Clubs who are restructuring/rebuilding also tend to give greater opportunities to rookies.

6) If you have to skimp on $ to get your keepers in, do it in the midfield. There is a higher likelihood that selecting a rookie or low value player there will make you money than in the back or forward line.

7) Enter your DT earlier than the afternoon it closes. The bigger the competition becomes, the more likely it is that you won’t get to make edits. Don’t let your planning go to waste – get in early and enter your team.

And the Haselby/Coughlan rule in 2009

 

[Butane]

if you were referring to me, i said FRIENDS, not people on bigfooty

, very hard to not pay attention to them when they give you "suggestions" when ever you check your team

No I wasn't referring to you.

 

[Ryder]

Seriously, it's a yes and no thing. For example I wouldn't have considered Dyson for my team. But lots of people were talking him up so I went out of my way to research him. While doing this I came to the conclusion that he just wasn't up to it, especially for DT purposes so I didn't take him.

Morale of the story: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

(Also if I hear one more person say 'I shouldn't have listened to that dud on bigfooty say to get this player' I'll spew. It's your own fault you listened to the dud not their fault they are a dud DT'er)

Who would not just you but everyone consider to be good posters on this forum ? Obviously all the " No Passengers " are fantastic posters but who else would you consider to be a good poster ?

 

[wellst]

go with your head not your heart this cost me last year but have learnt and am now a very much improved dremteamer

 

[Stormer]

go with your head not your heart this cost me last year but have learnt and am now a very much improved dremteamer

If Heart = Instinct then I disagree. Trust your instincts, it'll be the key to success