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Fantasy league drafting?

carlosthedwarf

First Grade
Messages
8,189
I think Supercoach offered it for some of their pro/paid leagues last season.

edit: I see they mentioned that in the roar article.

I like that it will promote different types of teams, but then for league those who get the top picks (Gallen or Parker) may dominate. I'd love to try a draft one in addition to the salary cap one.
 
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hardbaby

Coach
Messages
15,879
I've played both draft and salary cap versions on both the tele and nrl websites. They are both good for different reasons. The best idea is to play both although you do pay for the draft version (it is included in the Vapour Media upgrade package).

The free version (based on a salary cap) is the better, more strategic game. It suits people who really want to think it through and play it like the stock market. Maximise your trade profit, upgrade as you go and pimp hard for the finals. To be really good at this game (I mean Top 500 finish) takes at least 8 hours/week!

The weakness is that by the end of the year, the top sides look almost identical. A couple of scoring points of difference is really all you have (plus non scoring reserves and they do tend to differ a lot). Also there are a number of weeks where there is no head to head (e.g. before Origin games) although points still accrue overall. These are the weeks where the best players shine by the way.

The paid version (draft) involves a lot more luck but the better players still come through in the end. There is a draft at the beginning of the year. You get a pick, then the next player, then the next etc until every team has picked their first player. Then it works its way through subsequent draft selections until everyone has a full team. It is crucial that you are available for the draft. Otherwise your auto sub picks your players and you end up with an unbalanced team.

There are not as many players in your team as the cap version e.g. there may only be 1 for every position + 5 reserves (and the reserves can be in any position). You have unlimited subs. And there is a lot of change because there is a head to head game every week e.g. before Origin, you still play. So if you have 3 Origin players + 4 guys missing because of byes, you are screwed. So you probably keep your guns and trade out everyone else (even though you want to keep them) to make a side. Meanwhile, these traded guys become available for other players. A couple of guys will be lucky and have a complete team so they will knick your good players. Of course, a few weeks later when the next Origin comes around these guys are in trouble and need to trade. So someone else steals his players. There are lots and lots of trades and teams change rapidly.

The biggest problem with this version is that you can trade in two ways. Either from the unwanted players in the player pool or with one of your opponents. The first is easy and fair. The second can create problems. If you are playing in a league with a few guys that know each other, they can email each other on the sly, discuss their trades and effectively swap players. To veto it you need at least 4 guys to smell the rat. In reality most of your opponents won't care or won't notice until it is too late. This version of the game is open to collusion and scamming.

With regards to scoring, both the tele and nrl versions are trying to even up the scoring to ensure pimped sides are more different. They are trying to de-power guys like Gallen and Parker and reward attack more, creativity more and Hindmarsh-style flops less. There are a number of key changes slated for next year. It will never be perfect. But it will be better.

It is worth playing the draft version because every week your players will be totally different from your opponents and there are no dead weeks at all. Luck is a factor but if you are good enough to be in the Top 500 in the salary cap version, I'll back you to win the draft version as well.
 
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great_head

Juniors
Messages
529
Yeah right. I thought that was an inducement to pay for the gold version.

not sure if thats a 'yea right', i saw that too, or a 'yea right' as if!..
but lone scout on facebook confirmed it.. his post was.

'Some big DT changes for 2013: rolling lockouts every week; four extra trades for the bye rounds; and the Dream Team Pro draft game is now free to play. No scoring rule changes for this season.'
 

hardbaby

Coach
Messages
15,879
No I wasn't doubting the truth of what you said. There are lots of changes coming up. I am amazed there are no changes to scoring. That's a big mistake. As for the 4 extra trades for bye rounds that sucks. The best thing about DT is that it is really hard to use your trades at the right time. If you give people more trades it just gives them even more opportunity to pimp their teams perfectly. Can't wait to play the guy with exactly the same team as me. This year one guy had 15 of my 17 scorers!!
 

great_head

Juniors
Messages
529
yep agree completely with all that. will be interesting to see if supercoach follows the same route or tries to refine the point system.

in re: to the extra trades, he goes on to say

'Here's how the extra trades work: there are still a maximum of 2 trades a week for most rounds, but a maxiumum of 3 trades a week for the bye rounds, with the total number of trades boosted from 30 to 34'

i didn't have the problem of similar teams in my league, but now everyones catching on i wouldnt be surprised to see everyone start choosing the same players more and more. maybe the draft systems an option. might give it a shot as a side comp n just see how it goes
 

carlosthedwarf

First Grade
Messages
8,189
Obviously they're seeing lack of use over Bye weekends. My hope is that the trades will allow some different teams, but really it would just be trading out 2 extra guys during Origin and trading them back in later.

For DT it's less of an issue because you have hooker as a separate position.

No scoring rule changes for this season.
This is disappointing.

edit: oh wait this is for DT not Supercoach, nevermind.
 
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