Bully's Boys 2019

[Bully]

After careful consideration think I might just do Baker to Hoff this week, probably last time they will have parity so it's now or never. Trades getting too low to risk a ruck going down.

Hoff has been dropped. You are way to low on trades, need to sit for about the next 5 weeks.

Probably right, sticking with my original trades & if Hoff comes back next week I may consider trading Baker. It is a worry however that Hinkley is brandishing the axe, clearly a chance that Hoff gets dropped again.

[Bully]

So we enter the week of carnage, need to buckle up for this one as I expect there will be some more carnage to follow. Reckon there's a fair chance Gawn will be rested, Danger misses, Cripps won't be back & probably one or two other unexpected surprises. Good thing  I've attempted to create as much flexibility in my team as possible, despite the fact I've only got 3 trades left I'm not as panicky as some.



So having broken into the top 1000 for the first time this year I've decided to set the bar a little higher now & will be aiming for top 100, currently sitting just outside the top 500 so definitely achievable provided I get some luck on the injury front.

If Gawn is out then I'll bring in Hoff for Baker (presuming Hoff gets the recall). If not then things might get a little more tricky. Could do Gray to Lycett although structurally I'd prefer to keep things the way they are. If Gawn is in I may look at Whitfield but with a high BE think it would be better to wait a week. Baker to Chol another possibility, could then fix up my back line bench next week. Really undecided to be honest & things very contingent on the team sheets. One things for sure, I have to get this right because with 8 rounds to go things could go pear shaped very quickly.

[Bully]

So I've come up with a plan of sorts, Baker out, Hoff in, 2 trades remaining. If Gawn is OK then I'm going for broke, Bewley for Chol, Baker for Whitfield, 1 trade remaining.



I get the fact this is super risky but my defensive bench looks like a mess & there's no way I can go through 8 rounds without having to address my lack of cover, donuts almost a certainty. If luck is on my side I make it to the finals with 1 trade still intact & Chol still getting games. If not then I'll likely drop out of the top 1000 & it will be season over. Definitely high stakes but now's the time to get aggressive.

[Bully]

So here we are, round 17, currently ranked 185 & down to 1 trade after I punt Kelly for the Bont. One could say well set for an assault on the top 100 but in saying that, perilously close to season oblivion. Can't see myself surviving without any further injuries so it now becomes a question of damage control & trying to avoid any donuts from this point on.



So with my mids & forwards pretty well set-up I probably have to focus on ways to get my back line in order, I still haven't ruled out making a final play for Whitfield but it all depends on how far I can get without having to use my final trade. If the gods are kind I make it to the first week of finals without any further hitches.

Westhoff to Whitfield

This is my preferred strategy, a touch of robbing Peter to pay Paul but it gives me a fully upgraded team with coverage on every line. Two injuries to the forwards or backs & it's seeya later until 2020. A ruck goes down in the final month & it's also curtains.

Logue to Ryan

Currently have 133k in the bank so could do this as early as next week. Slightly risky as I won't have any defensive cover but this option allows me to keep Hoff who is doing a stellar job holding my team together.

Gardner to Birchall

Clearly a speculative call but it's the emergency switch in case I get a 1-2 weeker at short notice. Birch is 200k so will watch with keen interest if he gets named this week.

Not sure if I've timed my run to perfection or will pull up just short of my best ever finish. Top 100 still firmly on the agenda so let's hope I get lucky.

[Bully]

So this might be it for me this week, didn't jump the gun with a Logue replacement & subsequently copped a zero but still managed to maintain my ground. The reason for that is I didn't want to jump on Birch without a sighter, Short was my other preference but didn't fill me with huge confidence for the next 6 weeks. So now with nothing to lose here's what I''l probably be doing with my last 2 trades.



As you can see I'd be reasonably placed to cover any injury on any line, that to me is a green light to throw a bit of caution to the wind. Rucks the exception but if one goes down then dems the breaks, I think my defence is the most vulnerable & that's where I see some immediate need.

Currently about 100 points off the top 100 so let's see how we go from here. Quite a few similarities with my last top 1000 finish  in that I left myself with zero trades by round 17.

This could go horribly wrong of course, a ruck could go down, Kelly might be out for weeks & I might get some late withwdrawl in the forward line, all that has the potential to derail my season from here.