The Rugby Magazine Fantasy Game 2021/22

[Scrumhead]

I think we’re all in the same boat. My squad is about 40% different to what I had planned.

[Peej]

I think my squad is more of a team for this week than for the season, but I'm reasonably happy. That said, I think even moderate rotation next week could absolutely shaft me. Time will tell!

[Puja]

Worth noting that Saracens have the bye next week with Quins the week after that. So if you've got 12 Sarries and Quins players, now is your chance to reconsider that!

Puja

[switchskier]

Complete team revamp needed. Anyone know why Davidson at Gloucester is so cheap? He's a reasonable player

[Scrumhead]

Yeah. He was really cheap when he was in the Premiership with Newcastle and got missed out when the salaries were updated. A happy accident for anyone who might have signed him.

I know Ed has tweaked the algos so the cheaper player values will increase a lot more if they perform well.

[Peej]

I was top when I checked the leader board last night. Thought to myself, "this can't last." Only thing I got right this week. Now feeling considerably less clever down in 10th

[Puja]

I think there's a bit of rejigging that will go on with the scores when they get updated. Kenningham is down as only 17 points and 0 lineouts taken. I know for a fact that the latter is incorrect and strongly suspect that the former is as well.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Correct. The stats come directly from Opta so it depends on how quickly the data comes through.

Kenningham is turning in to a very decent lineout option and took a good few today.

His score will almost certainly improve but that won’t be the case for everyone who played today. For example, Ollie Lawrence went from a respectable 17pts to a pathetic 3pts overnight!

I think players’ scores are well down on last season’s average for this round.

[Shiny]

No, keep the scores as they are now. I'm currently 4th in our little league which is the highest I have ever been. If the scores are updated I will move back to the customary lower third of the league.

[Scrumhead]

Still waiting for yesterday’s data to be finalised but had an OK week, just let down by poor scores from Earl and my Bristol players.

One thing to watch out for, player values are rocketing this season. I thought leaving £300k in the bank was a good decision, but actually I’d have been better off buying Sam Simmonds in full knowledge has wasn’t playing. He’s gone up by £12k without playing a game.

[Puja]

One thing to watch out for, player values are rocketing this season. I thought leaving £300k in the bank was a good decision, but actually I’d have been better off buying Sam Simmonds in full knowledge has wasn’t playing. He’s gone up by £12k without playing a game.

I noticed that too and am in exactly the same position with £291k left over. I think it's a good move - disincentivise people keeping money back and having a squad for the first round only. Mind, I'm still comfortable with my decision - squad management is going to be hard this season and I think I value £291k that is immediately fungible over £330k that I have to use a transfer to liberate.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Kind of … but I’ve not quite got enough to buy him without selling someone else. I could have signed him instead of one of the two Wasps players I have and not had to make the transfer.

I suspect he’ll be back this weekend. If not, I dread to think how pricey he’ll be he following week … still, one of the few players that is proven to justify the outlay.

[Peej]

I don't mind player values going up, provided they also drop too if everyone also offloads them. I had a pathetic 50k left in the bank, but I will still have to sell a big name just to fill the squad at times I think. Marcus Smith has gone up 16k and won't even play for another two rounds at least.

[Puja]

Opta are dragging their feet on the stats from the last game. Still not updated on Tuesday.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Yep. Really no idea what’s taking so long there.

[Puja]

Figures have finally updated and have given me a nice little nudge up the table to 6th. I'll take that, considering how many mistakes I made!

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Could be some big scores this week. Well done to anyone who picked Genge as captain.

[Puja]

Could be some big scores this week. Well done to anyone who picked Genge as captain.

I had Genge as captain until quite late when I switched to Dolly. Still not a terrible choice, but I was very glad when he went over for that late try to turn him from 31 to 41 points!

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Yeah Dolly is turning out to be a very savvy acquisition for anyone who bought him early.

For me it was a 50:50 between him and Oghre and I went for the latter. Could actually end up being a good choice given he’s also playing flanker which is a useful bonus from a squad POV.

[Peej]

A mixture of good choices, bad choices, and bad luck. Picked Genge as captain, backed Bristol to do better and selected accordingly, had two players record minus scores, lost both Quirke and Akker VDM right before kick off. So I remain exactly where I was at the start of the week, already several hundred behind the leaders.

[Puja]

A mixture of good choices, bad choices, and bad luck. Picked Genge as captain, backed Bristol to do better and selected accordingly, had two players record minus scores, lost both Quirke and Akker VDM right before kick off. So I remain exactly where I was at the start of the week, already several hundred behind the leaders.

Made a last minute choice to reverse my transfer in of Hodge and bring in Crossdale, simply because the latter was cheaper and I needed the £s to get someone else in. Still only had him on the bench, but one of my better last minute changes!

Quirke pulling out was a killer for my week too. What happened to him?

Puja

[Peej]

I think it was connected to him going off early last week. I very nearly didn't risk putting them in, but gambled. And lost!

I had Crossdale too, also on the bench though. He is one of the cheapest players in the game!

[Peej]

Rotation, injuries and the bye week have shafted me slightly this week. Two players on my bench aren't playing this weekend, and one is starting on the bench (though bearing in mind last week's 2 x minus scores and two late withdrawls I may end up doing better!)

[Scrumhead]

Yeah. Similar for me TBH. I had plans for this week and next that are now shelved …

[Dan. Dan. Dan.]

Is it too early to sell all my Bristol players?