HA, good to see I am not the only one "spouting" his mouth off about this with Hobin-s (and also a few nice Gaiwanesque).
If I may discuss a similar yet different experience.
Since I virtually always preheat the pot with boiling water for almost all greens, I capture the aroma of the warming dry leaves after I place them into the preheated pot (seconds before pouring the correct temp water into the pot, too long adversely affects the liquor, I feel) ... and I must say this is usually an "OMG, I must sit down experience!"
So therefore, I am not focused on the early aspects you are of allowing some leaves to stay high and dry, I want all the kids into the pool, soaking wet, as soon as I pour the water in. This way they are all brewed for about the same length of time as well.
I first began this purely accidentally with the successive steeps of Japanese teas. The first steeped leaves would be planted against the screen and Hobin interior side wall around the spout.
Simple Solution was to pour the water through the spout which would virtually completely clear the screen and almost all the leaves on the side ... I am fanatical about getting all those leaves back into the pool, instead of struggling for precious seconds while trying to get the leaves off the screen!
This also prevents "blocked screen syndrome."
I have since tried this for first steeps, and I find this helps prevent the small dry leaves of some Japanese greens from going through the screen before they have had a chance to hydrate and expand ... thus fewer leaves in the poured brew ... and saved for successive steeps.
OK, like I said, different than your reasoning. But interestingly similar approaches, wouldn't you say?
