Completely agree with this, especially 'don't ruin your team structure purely to get 18+ players on-field in each bye week'
I was looking at having 18 playing, now with injuries and possible selections I might be looking at 15/16.
With trades/cash generation already beyond tight for most, I'm considering taking a donut or 2 this week (and next), trading up efficiently as the time comes and trying to claw back the points throughout the season.
I'd assume most will run out of cash/trades to get to full premo. If I take 2 donuts, then I save 4 trades that I think many will be making. Realistically these will be for rookies that may average 60 points a game each, so 240 points down. I think I can make this up over the remainder of the season by trading efficiently.
I have 16 trades and need 6 upgrades (Hurn, Gawn, 1 Fwd (probably Daniel) and 3 Mids, including Williams and Heeney as premo's). I have B Crouch and Mummy (although Mummy/Gawn recent scores have hurt me), so 2 of the upgrades aren't massive upgrades. But I know I'll be struggling for rookies to cull, so think I'll be struggling to get the final 2 premos in any time soon unless some great rookie options pop up.
Anyone you trade in this week is going to be bye impacted, so unless you have plenty of trades, targeting players who have peaked/bottomed, upgrading efficiently etc, blowing trades for a small gain in the short term could burn you bad, especially if plugging a hole this week results in more holes and issues in following weeks.
Having said that, I can see myself trading Drew (or Hayes depending on rookies available) and Bolton this week, as Drew/Hayes hasn't been playing so I can have cash ready for next week and Bolton has some nasty scores so I need to preserve his value (plus may not be playing). Hopefully I only have one or 2 donuts this week. No idea who I'm trading in though, if Hately is in for Whitfield that would be nice, perhaps Rotham gets 2 games in for Hurn.
If you think you are the only one struggling,
Here's a few players (non bye this week) who won't be/may not play this week
Hore (49.0% teams), sore calf last week, usually more than 1 week, Monday game may help
Whitfield 43.1%, listed 4-6 weeks, so 3-5 games
Scott 37%, hasn't played since Rd 4 and hasn't been lighting up the VFL afaik
Burgess 27%, No guarantee to play, Leslie maybe better matchup this week, scores low anyway
Williams 22.3%, missed 2 with minor hammy, maybe given an extra despite saying he's right
Constable 19.1%, played well in VFL despite reported injury last week, missed 4/7 games
Hurn 18.7%, hammy, listed 1-2 weeks (becomes 3 weeks if 2 due to bye)
Hately 17.5%, played 2 games
Sloane 15.4%, minor hammy, may not come up
Scrimshaw 15.2%, 3-5, knee
Collins 11.1% (perhaps this far down, a chunk still holding have given up on this season)
MCrouch 9.4%, at this stage no guarantee for this week from the hip issue
I'd assume most have at least 3 on this list. If you have at least 3 on this list then chances are at best you will have 18 playing this week, some may be struggling for 18 after trades depending on how many you have with the bye this week.
You then have on the bye Duursma (49.5%) and Butters (16.6%) who have low BE's and Drew (26.5%) who isn't exactly leaking cash yet but hasn't been picked in 3 games. Plus Hayes in a similar situation (15.6%) but he won't get you much cash if downgraded. (I can see logic trading Drew/Hayes this week as they may not play in coming weeks anyway, but who for and will this result in more trades in the next fortnight when the trade ins have a bye.
Is it worth trading and how much this week to avoid donuts is what you need to weigh up. There will be plenty of donuts getting around this week I think. Reminds me a bit of last year when 1 bye week had carnage (but this year plenty of premos have next weeks bye to further impact), I thought I had plenty of trades and traded to avoid donuts, 8 weeks later I didn't have enough trades and some late season injuries really hurt me.
