HELP?!

[PorkSwords]

My team is as follows:

DEF: Goddard, Hodge, Lake, Gilbert, Kelly, Enright, Waters  RES Hams, Strijk
MID: Swan, Hayes, Montagna, Boyd, Bartel, Selwood  RES Banner, Shuey
RUC: Sandilands, Ryder  RES Lobbe, McNamara
FWD: Goodes, ROK, Gia, Pav, Brennan, Brown, Pods  RES Hughes, Roberts

2 trades, $10,800

I finished top of my ladder, but am facing a danger week this week as I'm versing one of the people that beat me in the 'H&A' season. 

His team is

DEF: Goddard, Hodge, Carrazzo, Malceski, Fisher, Newman, Enright  RES Smith,  Strijk
MID: Swan, Ablett, Montagna, Cooney, Bartel, Farmer  RES Jetta, Blair
RUC: Sandilands, Cox  RES Trengove, Warnock
FWD: Goodes, ROK, Didak, Pav, Thomas, Harvey, Pods  RES Peterson Jaensch

This match is a must win for me. I don't know if he'll trade, but I was thinking of going Banner to Harwood and Pods to Sylvia. If I do this, I will be out of trades.

THOUGHTS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

[McRooster]

It's not a MUST win, you have the double chance.
Pods in rnd22 v Eagles at Skilled looks great + if you face this guy again in the GF you will nullify the fact that he has him.

I reckon your opponent will MPP Farmer with any of those MPP in the backline and then bench him for Smith/Strijk.

Your backline is still stronger if he does this and your midfield in front too.

Brennan and Brown v West Coast (they were BAD last week) might be your trump cards - no natural match ups for them this week.....looking forward to Nic Nat going head to head v Brennan - anything could happen!

I think you're safe, hold those trades...even if he does trade this week and wins you just may be in a stronger position when you face him in GF ;)

[Fireballz]

Brennan and Brown v West Coast (they were BAD last week) might be your trump cards - no natural match ups for them this

Especially with McKenzie/MacKenzie now getting a 1 match suspension. Brown vs Schofield? Sounds great!

[valkorum]

It could also be Brown (J) v Brown (Mitch)

Either way I think JB has an easy match up against a week opposition so it could be the week he goes "BANG".  I sure hope so ;)

[PorkSwords]

Due to Pods and Sandi being out, and Banner with a relatively high BE (for him) I'm thinking it'd be okay to double trade this week?

[McRooster]

He has Warnock as back up Ruck which widens that gap a little again.
This may come across as worst advice ever, but just play possum, don't trade.

The double trade you have lined up is strong and nothing wrong with it, but it might just leave you out of puff in 2 and 3 weeks time.

I'd be weighing up how strong is the team you are potentially playing next week and if you reckon you could take them with your team as it is now, then don't trade.

[PorkSwords]

The thing is, if i don't trade, i have two donuts (if Pods stays out) and he has zero. And with Geelong playing Saturday, we won't know (probably) until then.

[McRooster]

That's the thing, why trade and lose by 50 points when you could save a trade and lose by a couple of hundred.
You still lose.

I'm not saying you definately will lose but rather like Obi Wan to Darth Vader " if you strike me down now, I will become more powerful than you can ever imagine".

Just reckon you would be better placed strategically to fight another day if you hold those trades.
Remember back in '97 Adelaide got smashed by Melbourne in the Qualifying final but went on to win the GF! ;)

[hardnut]

both the GF's I've won I lost the first final.only GF I lost I won the first final. In each case it wa against the team I played in the first final.

Motto = don't stress about the first final if in top4.