The Supercoach Flex position: What is it and how to use?

The biggest innovation since the ‘boost’ is here and it’s about to change the way we SuperCoach.

After a short trial in BBL SuperCoach, the ‘Flex’ has arrived in NRL SuperCoach – but what is it and how should we use it?

What is the ‘Flex’ position?

The Flex is a 26th and new position added to NRL SuperCoach classic board. It can be filled by a player from any position on the field, and can count towards your weekly score.

As opposed to selecting 13 starters and four bench emergencies for a total of 17 players like previous years, the Flex takes that total to 18 active players each week.

But the major change of the Flex is that we will now be given a ‘best 17’ score each round with the 18th and lowest score set to drop out.

It’s the same principle we get in bye rounds with the ‘best 13’ players, but will occur weekly.

So in short, we now get an extra player to select each week from any position and our lowest score will drop out.

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Three ways we can use it in Classic overall

While the essence of the Flex is to help reduce the impact of injuries and HIAs by having your lowest score drop out, its design unlocks a lot of new strategies we can use – a lot of which are learnings from the recent BBL season.

If you are anticipating for your lowest score to not count it’s possible to effectively concede a normally low-scoring position in your side. 

In BBL we saw teams choosing the cheapest available wicket-keeper in their sides with the view that the Flex would allow them to play a high-scoring all-rounder in their place. And this worked brilliantly.

The other beauty is just the literal flexibility it gives for trades. Wanted to fit in an extra batter? Simply slide him down to the Flex and open up a spot.

Of course, with BBL only having three different positions on-field it is a lot simpler. But the ability to instantly write-off a cheaper player’s low scores and have incredible flexibility in your trades made for an exciting season.

Here’s a few of the popular strategies being discussed so far this preseason.

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Strategy 1: Triple gun fullbacks

We all know that fullbacks are the Ferraris of SuperCoach, and the ultimate goal should be to own three of them to maximise your side’s scoring.

The three standouts last year to end the year were Turbo, Teddy and Ponga. If we find ourselves in a similar arms race this season, you can realistically own all three at the same time – imagine that!

Obviously the negative in starting like this is using a lot of cash in one position which may mean you’re running more cheapies and mids than you’d anticipate. But maybe the points will offset this? Time will tell.

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Strategy 2: Concede a difficult position

SuperCoach has shifted so much in the last four years towards the backs and we are consistently finding it difficult to nail the HOK and FRF position. You can almost throw five-eighth into that this year which is proving difficult to fill.

If you’re happy with one of these low scoring positions knowing your Flex can cover it, simply chuck a bottom dollar non-active player (aka Nuff) into one of the slots.

I see this working most effectively at hooker. With less and less players going the 80, it makes for a scenario where cash generation is poor as players eek out 30s and 40s in less minutes.

If you were to select a nuff like Kalani Going with his 2RF/HOK dual as your reserve HOK and pair with a Connor Watson at 2RF, you can easily swing those players up and down to ensure you have a starter but benefit from not spending that cash for upgrades elsewhere.

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Strategy 3: Get ready for more VC looping

Standing in the way of looping your VC in SuperCoach has always been the ‘AE Nightmare’.

If you’re not sure what that means, it refers to the fact that once you loop, one of your scoring players will be replaced by the lowest scoring member of your bench. 

Well this year that matters less given we know your lowest score will drop out of your side.

Additionally, if you’re running a fullback as part of your Flex, you could have a VC and C on two gun fullbacks to increase your odds of one of them going large. 

Previously with two gun fullbacks you would have had to have the ‘reserve’ tag on one of them meaning they couldn’t get a captains armband. This one could have the biggest impact of them all!

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Strategy 4: Get the best cheapie, no matter where they play

If you, like me, want to focus on cash generation to start the season you’re no longer bound by positions to get the best cheapies.

The Flex position lets you put a player from ANY position into it. So it’s entirely possible you’d be able to sell a HOK for a cheapie FLB or HFB for a cheapie CTW if they’re in your Flex.

Beyond the Flex itself, this also fundamentally increases the value of dual position players who will give you the possibility to swing players around your side with ease.

So while we want three ferraris to end the season, early doors the flexibility of the flex will help unlock cash generation possibilities we never thought possible.

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How I plan to use it

From day 1 there’s been two clear paths for me with the Flex.

Firstly, I won’t be going for the three gun fullbacks from Round 1. The iterations of my side where I’ve done this haven’t looked great so instead I will be trying to use it to help with cash generation.

And I’ve landed on two players to help me do this – both of which are already popular.

The first one is Isaiah Iongi who for obvious reasons is tipped as having the best potential cash generation from Round 1.

Getting Iongi in is great not just for the cash gen either. As a fullback, I’ve slotted him into a reserve spot which allows me to put a gun fullback into the Flex and open up the possibility of a VC and C on my two gun fullbacks.

This is a popular move and one that a lot will use.

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The next guy I’m looking at is Sandon Smith, who beyond his cheap price tag has the handy HOK/HFB dual. Both HOK and HFB are difficult positions hence he opens up a lot of possibilities.

With him in the Flex I can watch for two things in the first three weeks.

I can start both Nicho and Cleary in HFB and if one of them is struggling, I can easily sell one of them to whatever position I want via the flex.

I can also take a look at any of the mooted cheapie hooker options – Peter Mamouzelos, Blake Mozer, Brendan Hands, Danny Levi, Lachlan Croker etc – and make the same sell and swing to any cheapie I want in the Flex via Sandon.

In this hooker example, I could easily sell a cheapie hooker to Iongi if he looks the goods after Round 2.

We won’t ultimately know the right tactics for the flex until we interview the winner after the season. But the cues we can take from what proved effective in the BBL can help us plan a few paths forward.

Bonus: H2H

If you’re a H2H player, go with three gun fullbacks and blow everyone out of the water to start the season.

A fast start can let you consolidate and build your cash in the mid-later parts of the season. Cash gen is still important, but getting the wins in early are super valuable.