WXV Round 2: Tokyo to Eclipse Suns?

[Purple 77]

A normal week regarding lockouts, will hopefully make things simpler.

Round 2, AFL Round 2

Home Team		Away Team	Head-to-Head	Venue
Beijing Thunder	v	Dublin Destroyers	1  v  2	Beijing Olympic Park   EurAsia
Berlin Brewers	v	New York Revolution	3  v  0	Berlin Olympic Stadium
Cape Town Cobras	v	Toronto Wolves	1  v  2	Newlands Cricket Ground   AAP Alliance
Moscow Spetsnaz	v	London Royals	1  v  2	Luzhniki Stadium   EurAsia, Europe
New Delhi Tigers	v	Buenos Aires Armadillos	0  v  3	Tata Stadium
Pacific Islanders	v	Rio de Janeiro Jaguars	0  v  0	Linkbelt Oval, Aiwo, Nauru   AAP Alliance
PNL Reindeers	v	Christchurch Saints	0  v  0	State de France
Seoul Magpies	v	Cairo Sands	2  v  1	Seoul World Cup Stadium
Tokyo Samurai	v	Mexico City Suns	0  v  3	Tokyo Olympic Stadium

Sure Dublin won last week, but it came too close for comfort for the reigning premiers, needing their home ground advantage to get them over the line. Well, they won't have it this week against another 2014-struggler in Beijing... And the hype over there is growing! After an impressive pre-season and a morale-boosting win over 2014-finalist Toronto, I imagine the crowd over at Beijing will be deafening in support for the home team. Unfortunately, I think the close call last week for the Destroyers will wake the sleeping giant, and I predict they will stroll to 160 with ease; dispatching the Thunder-bandwagon.

Berlin is ecstatic coming off such a strong performance last week, leaving dropped jaws all over the competition as they powered to the second highest score of the round without many of their first choice players. The same could be said about the new-look revolution, whom also impressed without key personnel. Strangely enough, New York are yet to beat the Guns from Germany in their three encounters, but with a new list (8 players making their debut for New York last week) rapidly learning how to play with each other, and the Brewers infamous for its inconsistency, New York will fancy themselves breaking the drought. Both teams will be expecting a win here.

I'm calling this one the match of the round. Both the Cobras and Wolves (both finalists from last year) would be bitterly disappointed dropping winnable matches last week, themselves only putting in par performances. 16 points separated these two teams last week, and, when both in form, that small difference between teams is unchanged. It will all come down to the midfield's, with both teams boasting guns across the board, and with neither midfield group performing last week, could be the platform for an epic 290+ game. One very good team will be 0-2 after this game, making the finals race that little bit harder.

Moscow would still be stewing over their loss against the Sands last week; not so much because they lost, but because they failed to crack 130. It's a habit they have never fully been able to get rid of. However, Moscow's best is VERY good and if they deliver it, should be too strong for the Royals. London are currently on top of the World with a big fat juicy percentage boost after merely turning up last week; but this time their opposition will have 15 players. London have been known to take out the good teams, and if they do it again, will themselves prove a finals threat. But one gets the feeling a solid performance won't be enough this week.

If Cape Town v Toronto isn't the game of the round, then it's this one. Both teams scored the lowest last week, having to endure OOP players or no players at all. This isn't going to be a pretty game, and I'm predicting less than 220 points will be scored in this match. However, if the Tigers can get 15 players on the park this week (the ones that should have been selected in the AFL last week), then they will fancy themselves big time to win this match. Buenos Aires know this is going to be a long season, but will look to grab onto a win here. They have the advantage in superior depth... and I think this will get them over the line.

After rudely proving me a fool last week, Pacific WILL look to debut boom recruit Michael Barlow this week after a heartbreaking (and very impressive) loss to the reigning premiers. Pacific, almost all of a sudden, have genuine midfield fire power and solid forwards and defenders and I really give them a crack to beat the Jaguars this week, whom are also coming off a tough loss last week. Rio's debut was far from embarrassing however, and would view themselves performing below the standard they know they can play at last week. Despite the growing stature of Pacific, I'm backing Rio to get their maiden win this week... GAJ is itching to go huge.

And what a fine debut it was for Christchurch last week! They well and truly proved my doubts wrong in scoring a fine 145 in their win against Tokyo, with some noticeable room for immediate improvement in their clash against PNL this week. The Reindeers showed their class and experience against fellow debutant team Rio de Janeiro last week, with an impressive 13 players scoring 75+. In previous years, this still would have amounted to a loss for the Reindeers as is their infamous luck, but things feel different this year... they have more respect from the competition, and just feel like they belong near the top. Although Christchurch outscored the reindeers by a kick (5 points) last week, I'm expecting consistency from the Reindeers will prevail over the new saints.

Cairo won last week, and won well. And for those whom looked at the pre-season as a future indicator for the season (I'm a little guilty), it would have come as a surprise. However, they face a rested Dangerfield-led Seoul this week whose season in their eyes starts now. I like Seoul's list, it's built well with a lot of promising youngsters. But with youth, come unpredictability, and with Cairo, even more unpredictability, so I'm not going to even try to predict the winner here. A Cairo win makes the race to the finals easier, a Seoul win would prove their credibility as a genuine challenger to make the eight.

Tokyo have never beaten Mexico City, but if there ever was a time to do it, they have been gifted a golden opportunity. After a frustrating loss to the Saints last week, Tokyo would love nothing more to compensate that disappointment with one of the biggest scalps around. The Suns seemed to cruise to the highest score of the week and no one is questioning their place in the top 4. But with Rockliff, Sidebottom and Deledio all out this week, they could very well struggle against a Tokyo list with a lot of promise. Hell, you know what? This is my upset of the round, a Tokyo win awaits!

[Vinny]

Buenos Aires Dildos:
D: S.Atley, B.Goodes, T.Chaplin, R.Bewick
M: B.Hill, M.Wallis (C), A.Brayshaw, B.Newton.
R: T.Membrey (OOP)
F: J.Schulz, T.Adams (VC), L.Thomas, J.Melksham.
U: L.Jong, L.Jones.

E: E.Wood, S.Lemmens, N.Wilson.

A game we can win! Come at us Ric and Ele, up the Dillos. 8)

[Toga]

Yeah I think Dublin had a poor week last week so not sure we'll be able to match it with the Destroyers this week. Hoping two of Dawes, Black, Stanley and B.Kennedy are available this week so our forward line performs a bit better!

[Nige]

Yeah I think Dublin had a poor week last week so not sure we'll be able to match it with the Destroyers this week. Hoping two of Dawes, Black, Stanley and B.Kennedy are available this week so our forward line performs a bit better!

Dawes should be back from suspension.

[Holz]

Yeah I think Dublin had a poor week last week so not sure we'll be able to match it with the Destroyers this week. Hoping two of Dawes, Black, Stanley and B.Kennedy are available this week so our forward line performs a bit better!

Droping selwood from captaincy. Sloane is pretty much a lock 110+ hoping for 160

[Boomz]

We usually tend to get an upset or two per season so would be a nice win... Just need to win against the lesser teams :-\

[Jukes]

We're going to lose to London, I guarantee it. Always have the worst luck when we play them, just look at last season.

And good write-ups purps, you're a better comp admin than Oss :P

[RaisyDaisy]

New York Revolution

D: Heath Shaw, Josh Gibson, Paul Duffield Sam Fisher
M: Steve Johnson, Jack Macrae, Mitch Duncan, Leigh Montagna
R: Mike Pyke
F: Harley Bennell, Travis Cloke, Josh J Kennedy, Kurt Tippett
U: Jed Adcock, Matt Rosa

E: Kade Kolodjashnij, Sharrod Wellingham, Jarrad Waite

VC/C to be added later

[Purple 77]

We're going to lose to London, I guarantee it. Always have the worst luck when we play them, just look at last season.

And good write-ups purps, you're a better comp admin than Oss :P

That is a good way to earn more rest bonuses...   :P

[Jroo]

No Rocky, Sidey, Lids, and Bartel unlikely. Luckily we have good depth. Kamdyn likely to keep his spot after his rd1 heroics.

[ossie85]

My Tipping Results from Round 1

A pathetic 4 out of 9 :/

Cape Town to take out Berlin in Germany, with Fyfe to have a quiet one.
Moscow to defeat Cairo, sorry Sands, I think you're in for a struggle.
Christchurch to 'upset' Tokyo, who have a habit of losing matches they shouldn't.
Dublin to defeat a spirited Pacific
New Delhi to snatch a victory over a slow starting London
Buenos Aires to be SMASHED by New York
PNL to be heart broken by a stunning Ablett led Rio de Janeiro
Mexico City to flog Seoul
Toronto comfortably over Beijing

Round 2 Tips

Note - great write ups Purple. This is an outstanding round btw, a lot of coin flip games.

Dublin will be too strong for Beijing
New York over Berlin, just
Wolves over Cobras, just
Moscow comfortably over London
Buenos Aires to edge out New Delhi in a spoon battle
Rio de Janeiro over Pacific who will crash a bit from last week
Reindeers over the Saints in a thriller
Seoul over Cairo
Mexico City to scare us to win over Tokyo without 3 big stars

[Purple 77]

Nice call on the Dublin match, was exactly right

[Nige]

Couldn't have been more wrong for the Cairo/Moscow game.  :P

[Boomz]

Tokyo Samurai
Def: Johannisen, Yarran, Ibbotson, Suckling
Mid: Judd, Miles (CC), Parker (CC), Jack
Ruck: Smith
Fwd: Dahlhaus, Lloyd, Motlop, Cripps
IC: Lycett, Burgoyne
Emergencies: Cunningham, Carlisle, Carrazzo

In: Johannisen, Lloyd
Out: Carlisle, Henderson

Expecting a few more changes but will do for now.

[GoLions]

Seoul over Cairo

Do you never learn