Use my last 2 trades or not?

[dockerone]

Ok lads,

Cooney being out and Sandi not returning has left me in a bit of a pickle in an elim final that I would have had covered relatively easy in my main league.

My team as it stands with 2 trades and 291k in the bank

Backs: Goddard, Hodge, Enright, Malsexi, Waters, Hargrave, Gram (Strijk, Webbs)
Mids: Swan, Boyd, Bartel, Stants, Thompson, Shuey (Cooney, Blair)
Rucks: Clark, Warnock (Sandi, Lobbe)
Forwards: Goodes, Didak, Roo, Brown, Higgins, ROK, Pods (Hitchy, Jaensch)

All week I was thinking Pods would get dropped and I would go Pods to Buddy and barring injury/resting Higgins or Brown to Chappy next week.

With my opponent not having Sandi and Cooney out based on the last 4 game average I am only 20 points ahead of him, and I don't know if he has any trades left. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself and go out with a trade and 150k in the bank so i am thinking a lot of different options.

Option 1 - trade Jaensch to Buddy and Cooney to Hayes. With this option I will def win this week and have a team I am happy with and have playing bench cover in backs(1), mids(2) and forwards(2) allowing me cover for any injuries for the prelim but I have no trades left and am obviously leaving myself open to injuries.
Option 2 - Trade Jaensch to Buddy and sit on last trade for an injury/resting with about 85k in the bank and Shuey/Blair on for Cooney. This will leave me about 60 points worse off this week and prob put Hayes out of reach next week (although could get Monty, GAJ or Chappy for Cooney)
Option 3 - Trade Pods for Buddy and sit on 154k for my last trade. maybe Waters/Malsexi to Lake or Higgins/Brown to Chappy
Option 4 - don't trade this week and hope like hell it pays off.

Sorry for the long post lads, I am really torn here - any suggestions much appreciated  ???

[RiOtChEsS]

imo option 4 as painful as it is u put ur eggs in the Prelim/GF basket not this week but thats just my thoughts

[dockerone]

I would love to leave it Marcz, but do you think 20 points is enough of a gap to risk it?

[ossie85]

Option 3 for me.... Just!

[valkorum]

I am also with option 3

[DG]

yeah tough call, pods to buddy looks good, you never know, shuey may sneak a good 80 or 90 and then you're laughing. Good luck!

[thatguy]

what would you kick yourself more over? being knocked out with trades in hand or making a prelim with none?

tough question...

[dockerone]

what would you kick yourself more over? being knocked out with trades in hand or making a prelim with none?

tough question...

Haha that is my exact dilemma - I need a crystal ball  with the scores for this weekend :P

[LF]

what would you kick yourself more over? being knocked out with trades in hand or making a prelim with none?

tough question...

+1
told my son exactly that last week use your last trade because if you get knock out at least you have used all your trades.
pods out goodes in.which helped him win.

[jvalles]

I went option 1, go for broke, will kick yourself if you're eliminated with trades in hand, you seem to have good cover all over the board.  Have you got other options than Franklin and Hayes?  Both are great scoring, but buddy always is a bit reckless and Hayes could get rested.

[dockerone]

Yeah other options I considered in the forwards were Chappy (slightly down recently and much more likely to rest than Buddy) and Daisy (consistant but not really going to break a game open like Buddy can) Agreed Buddy can be reckless but I am backing him in to not get suspended in the Hawks time of need.

I am leaning towards Hayes over GAJ and Monty due to a) his better scoring of late and b) I think he is definitely less likely to be rested than GAJ and probably less likely than Monty

[BratPack]

I think option 3....just. But I would not fault you if you went for broke and chose option 1

[dockerone]

Thanks for all the suggestions boys - i just went option 1, I would hate to go out with a trade and 150k!

Wish me luck!  ;D

[dockerone]

Thanks boys,

Going into the Saints v Kangas I was 228 points down and my opponent had Gilbert vs my Roo, Gram and Hayes.

The double trade saved my bacon, got over the line by 45 points. Fingers crossed for no injuries for the prelim!