Here are a number of important things to do and don't do when preparing for your draft and then during the draft itself. Following these tips will have you headed in the right direction, but we cannot guarantee you a Premiership. Only the NRLCEO Gods (or former Melbourne Storm CEO Brian Waldrom) can do that.
THINGS TO DO:
1. DO. Know your league point scoring system. Well.
This may sound fairly obvious (and it is) but you'd be surprised at how many coaches forget to look at the scoring system of their competition and choose the wrong types of players accordingly. Each competition in NRLCEO has a customisable scoring system and if your competition does not reward try assists then there is no point picking your two favourite halfbacks/five eighths in the first three rounds. The order in which you choose the positions in your team can also be crucial. Some coaches select a star backline first, but then miss out on the consistency of a regular scoring forward pack. Make sure you have a blend of star backs, halves and forwards.
2. DO. Get to know the NEW rules for 2012.
There are two new rules in 2012 that you need to be aware of. The first is fairly self-explanatory. 40/20's are now included meaning a few extra points for your halves throughout the season. Bearing in mind this happens rarely. Do not focus on halves for this reason along. Secondly, is the introduction of the Double Work Horse. You asked for it., we have provided it. So those hard working forwards can now earn you huge points for an outstanding performance. The new level is based on 60+ tackles and hitups combined as well as over 120m or more in runs for Front Rowers and Back Rowers. For Hooker, this is set at 50+ tackles and hitups as well as 100m or more in runs. To give you a better idea of who these candidates are we have included a "DWH" column in each team stats breakdown further on in the guide.
3. DO. Prepare for your draft.
Again, this may sound pretty obvious, but many coaches don't prepare. Some coaches might forget about the draft and print out a bunch of meaningless statistics without much thought. Lists can be your friend, but do yourself a favour and start getting your materials together about a week before your draft. Remember the 7 P's? NRLCEO is no different!!! There is also the option of a pre-draft list which can be populated before your draft begins and will act as a safety net if you somehow can't take your turn.
4. DO. Draft until the final whistle.
Many coaches can get distracted towards the end of a long draft and place less emphasis on the later picks. Don't be this person. Often, the later picks can be the difference between finishing in the middle of the pack and making the finals. If you can pick up a couple of great late picks you will find yourself I a stronger position. Now the question becomes, who do you pick with these late picks? Most of the players left at the end of the draft are the veterans (you know what you're getting) and the young unproven guys (sink or swim). You should make sure that you have enough veterans to cover your bench, but throw caution to the wind and pick some rookies with the rest of your picks. These are the guys that could be the difference in your competition.
5. DO. Know your League Members.
This rule may not apply to all NRLCEO coaches because they may be in a public league but for those playing in a private league where they know the other coaches, this can be key. If you have known your opponents for years, then you know their tendencies. You might know that one opponent is a sucker for big name players that don't necessarily do well in NRLCEO. Another tip is if you all do your draft together it's a good idea to bring some beers to the draft. It's a guarantee that at least one guy will get distracted making it easier for you to draft the squad you want!!!
THINGS NOT TO DO:
Sure, you can do what you like. This is your game, your way, so you certainly don't need to listen to us, but having developed the game and played competitively against ourselves for 10 years now we think we know our stuff. Hopefully a few of our insights will help you in your drafts.
1. DON'T. Place too much emphasis on the goal kicker.
Ok, so goal kickers are crucial players in NRLCEO and can rack up a majority of your points throughout a season, but you don't want to place all your eggs in one basket. If you are in the first three picks, sure have a crack. Don't be concerned if the first five teams select their goal kickers straight up in the draft. There are plenty of great goal kickers in the NRL and the generic NRLCEO rules allow a first choice goal kicker to always be available, even if your kicker gets injured throughout the year. Yes, you want a good kicker, but there are plenty of good ones out there!
2. DON'T. Get caught up in a position run.
Position runs happen in every draft. That is when a coach takes a star centre (or any position), and everyone else in the competition follows suit so as not to miss out. You don't want to give in to a position run. You want to be the one to start the position run. Ask yourself: "Do I want the third best frontrower or the best of another position..."
3. DON'T. Take your rookies too early.
Rookies can often be everyone's favourite draft picks. Will you be the one to claim the rookie that goes on rack up the points in his maiden season? Everyone has their list of rookies that they have seen or read about and is 'destined to be the next best thing'. Some people become a little too nervous about missing out on their rookies so they take them four or five rounds too early. Generally, rookies should be picked up in the 15th or 16th rounds of the draft, not the 10th! Rookies are unknown quantities and they certainly don't always work out. They may only get minimal minutes, games, or even not play at all. If you take this advice and your rookie selection doesn't pan out to be a good one, at least you didn't select him too early in the draft and sacrifice the opportunity to get a solid player.
4. DON'T. Take the draw into consideration when drafting.
Often people will overanalyse the NRL draw and decide against picking certain players because they are playing a few tough games early in the season, because they have a bad bye week or because they may be injured for the first few rounds. This should all be taken into consideration later in the season when the run to the finals is underway. During the draft stage, don't let small considerations like this influence your decision between two players.
5. DON'T. Get sucked in by the reputation.
Example 1: Darren Lockyer. Fantastic player. Will no doubt be inducted as an immortal in the coming years. Rubbish NRLCEO player. Example 2: Fui Fui Moimoi. Strong, explosive runner. Unfortunately his stats do not always equate to Work Horse points.
The moral of this story is that just because a player is a fantastic NRL player, it doesn't automatically translate to NRLCEO stardom. Do your research and think about how the rules apply to particular players. While Lockyer in his prime might have set up the two winning tries of the game and won Man of the Match he may only get 4 points. Jharal Yow Yeh on the other hand may have benefitted from those two balls and scored two tries with two line breaks equaling 10 points. You do the math.