IT'S TAKEN 13 weeks and finally the storm has arrived.

The first bye round is upon us and hopefully you have prepared your team well heading into the most testing three rounds of an AFL Fantasy coach’s season.

Over rounds 13, 14 and 15, only the highest 18 scoring players on your field will contribute towards your weekly score. If you are blessed and have structured your byes well, you will have more than 18 playing each week.

Which means the horrid 44 from Sam Collins (DEF, $220,000) last week, wouldn’t have counted if he was your nineteenth player.

So what’s the strategy?

Basic bye strategy 101 is to trade out players who are having their bye, and bring in players who are coming off their bye. This will maximise the amount of players you are having on your field each week and therefore increasing your weekly score.

However, a popular play during this time is to develop a “War Chest”, or as we like to say a “Warne Chest.” Big, bulky and full of cash.

Downgrading rookies, or players who aren’t playing will place cash in your “Warne Chest” ready to bring in premium options next week, who are coming off this round 13 bye. 

Players like Gary Ablett (MID, $521,000), Jack Steven (MID, $561,000) and the Carlton duo Sam Docherty (DEF, $517,000) and Kade Simpson (DEF, $513,000) will all be target options next week.

Many coaches are already up to speed with this strategy and that’s why Sam Reid (FWD/MID, $137,000) and Logan Austin (DEF, $157,000) are the most traded in players this week.

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At the age of 26 and at his second AFL club, Reid showed promising signs last week for his score of 55 and should be serviceable over the next two weeks before his round 15 bye. Port Adelaide’s Austin has his bye next week and is also a viable option after he scored 76 and 42 in his first two games.

How many players will The Traders be fielding in the first round of the byes and what moves will they be making over this tricky period?

Be sure to join us at 6pm AEST right here to CHAT LIVE as the round 13 teams land.