The Fantasy King: Round 26
By Mick Adams
Well, we’ve finally made it. Congratulations to anyone playing a fantasy grand final this weekend. This number does not include me, having been thrashed in the two comps I had managed to stay alive in. It seems there were points being scored everywhere except within my 17 in Round 25. Personally, it’s a fitting end to what has been a pretty risible year of fantasy. There were few players that could be reliably counted on to bring in the big points, and even that those that could all spent time on the sidelines at various periods. By now there’s nothing really left to be said, so I thought I’d instead talk about something that’s been on my mind a lot recently:
A BETTER WAY
All year I’ve spoken of the need to create a better system for fantasy, and I think one solution might be to follow the NFL model. I recently took the plunge and signed up for a couple of leagues, and keenly await the imminent start of the gridiron season. The excitement of the online draft got me thinking that something similar could be done here. As I’m still trying to hash this thing out, I thought I’d weigh up the pros and cons and see if it’s a workable proposition for NRL fantasy:
Why It Won’t Work
1. Depth
Far and away the biggest obstacle, and one I’m not sure could be overcome. In the NFL you have 32 teams, and 53 players in each squad. Generally speaking fantasy leagues use only offensive players, but it still dwarfs the NRL in terms of player numbers.
And with that depth comes options. If you miss out on Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers at QB you can still grab Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton or a host of other productive quarterbacks. Arian Foster and Ray Rice drafted? No worries, just pick up Jamaal Charles or Ryan Mathews.
However, who do you take once the big three are gone in the second row? Who’s your plan B once JT’s off the board. And plan B is your second best case scenario. What if you’re stuck with plan G, H or I? As I said, it’s a massive concern.
2. Draft/Trades
American sport revolves around a drafting and trading culture that we just don’t have in the NRL. For this reason it might be hard to get Australia’s fantasy public behind such a concept. Sure, we have trades, but there’s a big difference between just swapping an injured player for the next best option to physically contacting your mate and trying to convince him that swapping Will Chambers for Shaun Kenny-Dowell would be a great move for him.
Why it will work?
1. Strategy
So what, you missed out on Paul Gallen. When I was a kid playing Monopoly I used to cry and flip the board over if somebody got Mayfair or Park Lane. Now as a (sort of) mature adult, I realise that loading up on hotels in the red and yellow districts will get you victory just as easily. You are not going to have the best available players in every position. Once you accept this fact, the challenge of building a well-balanced, formidable squad could be a million times more engrossing than just loading up on the usual suspects and hoping for the best, as per the current NRL fantasy model.
2. Draft/Trades
What I learned from my maiden NFL fantasy draft day was that it is extremely fun. Watching the countdown; seeing the names of players drafted by other teams come up; and furiously readjusting your wish list as one by one the big names start dropping off the board is an exhilarating experience. Replicating that in a rugby league setting would add that extra bit of anticipation to the already exciting time of year when after months of waiting for the new season to start kick off is just around the corner.
The trading also adds that extra degree of intrigue to the fantasy concept. Just say you have a Feleti Mateo, doing his usual trick of being rubbish when you need him to carve up. He makes for a lucrative piece of trade bait, so you dangle him out there in the hopes of strengthening your squad. Will it pay off? Or will he come good just as you punt him, coming back to burn you later in the year while playing for your opponent? Gambles like these make life worth living sometimes.
3. Rookies
Every year there’s a fresh new batch of youngsters breaking into the NRL, and every year a select few are anointed as fantasy stars in the making. That leaves you with a situation where 70% of teams own players like Konrad Hurrell or James Tedesco as you head into round one. Imagine if a draft was in place. Do you take a risk on a fancied rookie in the early rounds, knowing that he is likely to get snapped up sooner or later? Maybe you do, and end up with someone like Tariq Sims or Matt Gillett. Maybe you do and you end up with Tautau Moga. Again, it just makes every decision that much more important.
Overall, I think the idea has legs. Obviously you would have to customise it somewhat to suit the NRL but I think it makes for a much better all-round competition. If I had the motivation I would run a pilot program next year and try to see if an NFL-style fantasy league would work in the NRL. For now though, I’m putting a frustrating year of fantasy behind me and moving on. Best of luck to those competing on the weekend.
