NMRs

Background

Coaches seek to balance out three strategic issues when they submit their orders:

1. The long term goal of developing and recruiting players to maximise the potential of the team for future seasons.
2. The medium term goal of maximising the development of existing players for this current season.
3. The short term goal of winning matches in a session.

To achieve these objectives, Coaches undertake three general actions:

1. Recruiting players.
2. Coaching players.
3. Choosing their match day squads and associated tactics.

In an NMR situation, these activities either don’t happen for that team or they are automated.  In either case, the aim is not to negatively impact any team (including the NMR) - as far as this is reasonably possible.

NMR Scenarios

There are two scenarios when NMR protocols are required:

1. When a Coach misses the order submission deadline (and it is assumed that this is a one off rather than the sign of a Coach becoming disinterested before quitting).
2. If there are not enough Coaches for the teams available.

The table below sets some thoughts on how the three actions could be managed for each scenario:

	Recruiting players	Coaching players
Scenario 1 (missed deadline)	No bids are made. No youth is recruited.	No coaching takes place. As per MSWL, it may be reasonable to offer Coaches who have NMR’d an end of year opportunity to reclaim some or all lost CPs.
Scenario 2 (NMR team)	No bids are made. Maximum number of SBs recruited - one per position.	XPs are used on PAW for all older players. XPs are used on youth players starting with their most important skills and, when they are fully coached, moving on to the next most relevant skills. CPs are used on players according to an algorithm that prioritises potential and youth (algorithm to be developed)

	Scenario 1 Missed Deadline	Scenario 2 NMR Team
Channel selection	Randomly select the FH or SH position to play in Channel 7.  All positions in other Channels randomly assigned.	Randomly select the FH or SH position to play in Channel 7.  All positions in other Channels randomly assigned.
Matchday Starting Team Selection	Highest rated player in each position’s critical skill (see below) as long as their Energy level > 80 (unless all players in that position have Energy below 80) P + H = STR SH = HND FH = KCK C = PCE W = PCE	Highest rated player in each position’s critical skill (see below) as long as their Energy level > 80 (unless all players in that position have Energy below 80) P + H = STR SH = HND FH = KCK C = PCE W = PCE
Matchday Substitute Selection	Highest Energy level player in each position (not already in the starting team)	Highest Energy level Youth player in each position (not already in the starting team). If no youth player in a position then Highest Energy level player.
Substitution levels	Set at starting level minus 10	Set at starting level minus 10
Aggression	Props and Hooker Hard, all others Normal	Props and Hooker Brutal, all others Hard
Defence Tactics	Random choice of Blitz or Drift	Random choice of Blitz or Drift
Attack Tactics	Random choice of Flat or Deep	Random choice of Flat or Deep