WATCH Brad Ebert's tackling masterclass above on PTV - always good for Dream Team stats. Can't view the video? Watch on YouTube
ROUND 11 marks the start of this year's byes, a dreaded three-week period for Dream Team coaches.
The byes have been hanging over our heads like a date with the dentist, and the way things are going they appear likely to be about as painful as a root canal.
Hopefully there's a few ways we can numb that slightly, although it won't be easy. Firstly, let's get the basics out of the way. Here's when each team will have its bye:
Round 11: Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney, West Coast, Western Bulldogs
Round 12: Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney Swans
Round 13: Carlton, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St Kilda
The main problem with the byes this year is that they are stuck halfway through the year.
Any planning done at the start of the year to prepare for the byes would have been well and truly thrown out by injuries to Dream Team stars in the first half of the season, including Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe, Swans co-captain Adam Goodes, and layoffs for Gold Coast's Gary Ablett and champion Magpie Dane Swan.
[ Join: The Power's official Dream Team group ]
Some very savvy, forward-thinking coaches will have been trading throughout the season to make sure they have a balanced approach when reaching round 11. Others are in a panic now, and that's fine too.
If you have a reasonable amount of trades left (about 15-17) it is a good time to trade out a couple of your Greater Western Sydney cash cows and invest in some rookies from other teams, so that you aren't stuck with up to six or seven Giants in round 11 just giving you nothing.
Defender Tom Bugg might be the on the chopping block. So might Adam Kennedy or even Dylan Shiel.
You also need to check this week how you are situated and how many players you will be missing each bye round. You do have three trades available per week during the bye rounds, but you don't want to be using too many.
For instance, at the moment my team is decimated in round 11, but I should only have one non-scoring player in my side in round 12. My backline will be struggling in round 13, but the rest of my field looks mostly intact.
A tactic many coaches will make is to cop a bad week first, field a relatively strong and full team in round 12, and then use three trades in the lead-up to round 13 to fill holes. Remember, head-to-head league matches will be played through these weeks.
Some other tactics to consider:
- If you're playing for head-to-head league glory, you might not need to change too much. Find out who you're playing and how many donuts they're carrying each week before you do too much. A score of 1600 might be enough in a couple of rounds for a win.
- It's only three games, so if you're already low on trades don't sacrifice your season for the sake of a few mid-year games. Even if you do lose all three, your season is salvageable with trades in the bank in the second half of the year.
- Make the most of your dual position players. Although some you started the season with might have been traded, players who can jump from midfield to defence, or from attack to the midfield, will be even more valuable in this period.
- Some coaches are just going to play through the byes and pretend they're not happening. The 'ignorance is bliss' idea might not be best, but if you're not worried about overall position then it could work for you.
