By now you would have realised the life of an Ultimate League coach mirrors the day-to-day existence of an NRL coach.

Monday means checking to see if your players have come through the weekend unscathed. The middle part of the week is all about preparation and making sure your team is in the right shape to take the field.

And come the weekend, you need to have your ear to the ground to make sure there are any late changes or be prepared to drop a player if he is not performing. The good Ultimate League coaches will have another string to their bow: player recruitment.

How many times have you looked through the available players left in your league, hoping for an untapped gem?

The reality is they are already there. You just need to look – and be willing to take a risk. In a draft league, a squad of players is your best friend. It means you can carry a player on the bench and wait for the right moment to give him a start.

The key is looking for players that are scoring well but lack game time.These players need one injury or suspension to state their case as a top-line player.

The perfect example is Mitchell Aubusson. In round one he scored 15 points. In rounds two and three he has averaged 70 in the absence of Sonny Bill Williams.

He is not the only one. There are plenty more out there – and with the representative season looming, now is the time to plant some seeds that will flower in the next four to six weeks.

With that in mind, here are five players (that still should be available in most leagues) that might be handy in your squad.

1. Joel Thompson: The former Raider scored his highest score of the year so far last week (34) and also played his most minutes (50). Two reasons why I like Thompson: he is a back-rower who you can play in the centres and will be a likely starter when Trent Merrin is on representative duty.

2. Kelepi Tanginoa: His average of eight may not inspire much confidence but there are big raps on the 20-year-old and expect his minutes to increase as he regains fitness. Last year, he became an 80-minute player before he got injured and he could form a potent one-two combination with Manu Ma’u.

3. Paul Carter: A genuine attacking hooker who likes to run the ball, Carter displayed his potential with 43 points last weekend. Carter is currently sharing the dummy-half role with Beau Falloon but with the hooking stocks running low on the Gold Coast, a starting spot might not be too far away.

4. Ryan James: James returned from injury last week and proved he is still worth persisting with if you have room on your bench. You can expect the big man to get more game-time, when Greg Bird and Nate Myles are on representative duties.

5. Adam Cuthbertson: For a big man, Cuthbertson generates big numbers from the bench and can be an attacking force close to the line. If the win-less Knights opt for a change; Cuthbertson could be the main beneficiary.

Ultimate League Team of the Week - Round 3

Fullbacks/Wingers

1. Semi Radradra (92)
2. Brett Morris  (58)
3. Antonio Winterstein (47)

Centres

1. Mitchel Aubusson (55)
2. Steve Matai (53)

Halves

1. Ben Hunt (86)
2. Albert Kelly (78)

Front Row

1. Trent Merrin (71)
2. Aiden Tolman (63)

Hooker

1. Cameron Smith  (76)

Second Row

1. Tupou Sopoaga (61)
2. Tariq Sims (58)
3.  Nate Myles (57)