The SuperCoach Loophole Explained (And How to Use It)
The SuperCoach loophole is the single biggest edge available to every coach, every round — and a surprising number of coaches either don't use it or use it wrong.
Here's everything you need to know.
What Is the Loophole?
The loophole is a captaincy strategy that exploits the staggered timing of AFL games.
In SuperCoach, your Captain gets their score doubled. Normally you pick a Captain before Thursday lockout and hope they go big.
The loophole gives you a second bite. Instead of committing blind, you watch one player's score first — then decide whether to keep it or switch.
Here's the mechanic:
- Pick a player as your Vice Captain (VC) who has an early game
- Set them as your on-field Captain before their game
- Watch their score
- If it's good — leave it. That score counts as your Captain's doubled score
- If it's bad — before your actual Captain's game locks, swap back to your intended Captain and let them play normally
You've just given yourself two captain options instead of one.
The Timing Is Everything
The loophole only works because AFL games happen across different time slots throughout the round.
The classic setup:
- Friday night or early Saturday game — your loop player
- Sunday afternoon — your actual Captain
You watch Friday night, make the call Saturday morning before Sunday games lock.
If your loop player scores 130 on Friday, you lock that in and your Captain becomes irrelevant. If they score 60, you swap back and your Captain plays normally.
This is legal, intended by the game designers, and used by virtually every top-ranked coach every week.
How to Pick the Right Loop Option
Two variables matter: average and game time.
Average
A higher-averaging player has a higher floor and ceiling. If your loop option averages 55, even a good game might not be worth locking in over your 110-averaging Captain. You want your loop option to be someone where a typical score is worth keeping.
Rule of thumb: your loop option should average at least 90. Ideally 100+.
Game Time
Earlier is better. The earlier the game, the more time you have to make the decision before your Captain's game locks.
- Friday night — ideal. Full weekend to decide.
- Early Saturday — fine. Several hours of buffer.
- Saturday arvo/night — tight but workable depending on your Captain's game time.
- Same time slot as your Captain — no use. Both lock simultaneously.
The ideal loop pick: A player averaging 110+ with a Friday night game against a soft opponent.
The Decision Rule
When should you lock in the VC score vs. letting the Captain play?
The simple version: lock in anything above your Captain's average.
If your Captain averages 105 and your VC scored 95, let the Captain play — you expect better. If the VC scored 115, lock it in — you've already beaten expectation.
The more nuanced version accounts for matchup. If your Captain is playing the league's toughest team, you might lock in a 95 against your 105-averaging Captain. If your Captain has a dream matchup, you might need a 120 to lock it in.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Picking a low-averaging loop option just because they have the earliest game
An early game is useless if the player averages 70. You need both — high average AND early game.
Mistake 2: Forgetting to swap back in time
The most painful loophole fail. Your VC scored 65, you decide to let your Captain play, and you forget to actually swap before lockout. Now 65 is doubled.
Set a reminder. Every week. Before your Captain's game locks.
Mistake 3: Looping on too low a score out of fear
Some coaches panic and lock in 85 when their Captain averages 115. Unless there's a specific reason to expect your Captain to underperform (injury concern, tough matchup), stick to the rule: only loop on a score that beats your Captain's average.
Mistake 4: Not having a loop option at all
If all your high-averaging players have late games, you can't loop. The coaches who consistently win are building squads with loophole options in mind — at least one 90+ averaging player in a Friday or early Saturday game.
Loophole vs. Emergency
A common source of confusion: the loophole is different from the emergency system.
Emergency is when a player gets a late withdrawal (sub, omission) and your emergency player's score fills in. That's automatic.
Loophole is an active choice you make based on watching scores. Nothing automatic about it — you're making a strategic decision each round.
The Weekly Routine
Build this into your Thursday-to-Sunday routine:
- Thursday pre-lockout: Check who has the earliest game this round. Is it worth looping on them?
- Set your VC as on-field Captain if you're looping
- Watch the game
- Make the call before your actual Captain's game locks
- Swap back if needed — don't forget this step
RookieBible's Round Brief ranks the top loophole options each week by average and game timing. Check it before lockout.
Bottom Line
The loophole is free points for coaches who use it correctly. Every round you don't have a loop setup is a round you're leaving points on the table.
The best coaches aren't just picking better players — they're managing the loophole better than everyone else in their league.
See this round's top loophole picks →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SuperCoach loophole?+
The SuperCoach loophole is a captaincy strategy where you set your Vice Captain (VC) as your on-field captain before their game, watch their score, then decide whether to keep it as your Captain's score or switch to your actual Captain. If your VC scores well (say, 120+), you lock that in. If they score poorly, you let your Captain play normally and take their score instead. It effectively gives you two captain picks each round.
How do you activate the SuperCoach loophole?+
Set your VC as your on-field Captain before their game locks. After their game, if their score is good, leave it — that score counts doubled. If their score is bad, go into the SC app before your actual Captain's game locks and swap your Captain back to your intended player. You must make the swap before the Captain's game starts or the VC score is locked in.
Who should I pick as my loophole option?+
The ideal loop pick is a high-averaging player (90+ average) with an early game time — ideally Friday night or early Saturday. High average maximises the chance of a good score. Early game time gives you maximum time to decide before your actual Captain locks. A player averaging 110 in the Friday night game is the classic loop setup.
What score should I loop on?+
There's no universal answer, but a common rule of thumb: loop on anything above your Captain's season average. If your Captain averages 105, loop on 100+. If your VC scores 85 and your Captain averages 110, let the Captain play. The decision is about expected value — take the certain good score over the uncertain potentially-better score.
Can you use the loophole every round?+
Yes, the loophole is available every round. In practice, it's most useful when you have a high-averaging player in an early game. Some rounds the matchup or fixture makes it less valuable — a high-avg player facing a tough opponent might not be the right loop pick even with an early game.