You’ve watched the scores tick in, overheard mates chatting about trades and finally thought “Alright, maybe I’ll give this SuperCoach thing a go”.

Or perhaps you’ve just signed up and immediately felt a little overwhelmed by the lists, the prices, the positions.

That’s completely normal.

This guide is here to walk you through your first steps, help you navigate those early weeks and make sure you enjoy the ride.

Step 1: Getting set up

Create a SuperCoach account and choose your sport.

Select Classic, the most popular format for beginners.

From there, you’ll be prompted to build your first team.

Don’t stress if you don’t know every player’s name yet.

Step 2: Building your first team

You’re given a salary cap and must fill every position.

Player prices reflect past scoring, so balancing stars with value picks is key.

Start simple:

* Choose a core of reliable premium players

* Add mid-priced options with upside

* Fill out the rest with cheaper rookies to stay under the cap

Your first team won’t be perfect and it doesn’t need to be.

You can make unlimited changes until the season starts, then make more trades through the season.

Name your team, save it and you’re officially in.

Step 3: Joining a league

Leagues turn SuperCoach into a weekly contest.

Use a league code to join mates, colleagues or family, or let SuperCoach assign you to public leagues.

Each round you face an opponent, climb (or slide) the ladder and start seeing why people get hooked.

The first few weeks: Trades and scoring

Early rounds are crucial, but don’t panic.

A few simple rules:

* Trade with purpose. Swap underperformers or long-term injuries and consider trading in players whose roles have changed or who are scoring big unexpectedly.

Watch for cheapies about to shoot up in price – that cash is crucial.

* Avoid rage trades. One bad game doesn’t ruin a player. Trades are limited, so patience pays.

* Focus on winning match-ups. Field a full squad, avoid zero scores and make steady upgrades.

* Captain wisely. Your captain and vice-captain choices can swing games by 100+ points.

* Check your team each week. All positions filled, emergencies set, captains locked.

* Take advantage of the rolling lockout. If the first game of the round has started, don’t panic. You can still adjust players who haven’t played yet.

SuperCoach Plus tools for beginners

Subscribing to SuperCoach Plus unlocks a bunch of tools that will help you in your first season.

* Player stats and Break Evens. Deeper insights for scoring and price changes

* Trade assist. Tools to help make smart decisions before locking in

* Insights and comparisons. See how your team stacks against league rivals

* Ownership numbers and live trade data. See what moves the rest of the competition are making

* Score and price projections. Get ahead of the game

Play it your way

There’s no single right way to play.

Some take a light-touch approach, others dive deep into stats.

Don’t worry about what others do. Use available SuperCoach content to guide your choices and enjoy the process.

Even experts have bad weeks.

That’s the beauty of sport.

Stick with it, celebrate your wins, cheer for players you discovered yourself and enjoy having bragging rights at the coffee run or in the group chat.

SuperCoach is about fun, connection and learning as you go. Hang in there. The close victories and bragging rights are just around the corner.