WXV Round 3: The Rise of Beijing and Pacific

[Purple 77]

Another round of awesome awaits!

Round 3, AFL Round 3

Home Team		Away Team	Head-to-Head	Venue
Buenos Aires Armadillos	v	Tokyo Samurai	2  v  1	Estadio de River
Christchurch Saints	v	Moscow Spetsnaz	0  v  0	AMI Stadium
London Royals	v	Cape Town Cobras	0  v  3	London Royals Olympic Stadium
Mexico City Suns	v	Beijing Thunder	3  v  0	Fireball Stadium
New Delhi Tigers	v	Dublin Destroyers	1  v  2	Tata Stadium   EurAsia
Pacific Islanders	v	Cairo Sands	1  v  2	Linkbelt Oval, Aiwo, Nauru   AAP Alliance, Africonia
PNL Reindeers	v	Toronto Wolves	1  v  2	Stade du Ray
Rio de Janeiro Jaguars	v	New York Revolution	0  v  0	Maracana Stadium   AAP Alliance, Americas
Seoul Magpies	v	Berlin Brewers	1  v  2	Seoul World Cup Stadium   EurAsia

Buenos Aires will be pretty chuffed with a win last week; even if they did get eliminated from the World Idol. For at least the time being, they can ride out this week knowing that they are on top of last years' finalist Cape Town and a handful of other solidly built teams. Tokyo, however, will be even more chuffed with taking out one of the biggest scalps last week in Mexico City, and in convincing style too! As long as Tokyo bring that effort every week, many wins, including this one, will be coming their way.

Christchurch will be grimacing at last week's performance against PNL; as they had a golden opportunity to beat a top 4 threat. If anything, last week has questioned Christchurch's credentials as a finals challenging team. Meanwhile, Moscow answered its critics (for the time being at least), responding to its round 1 disappointment with a good win against London last week. But to properly silence their critics, they need to win this one. And I reckon they will.

London is sitting pretty in 4th place at the moment, but ask anyone on the street whether they're worthy to stay there, I think the answer would be a firm no. Changing that perception starts with knocking off the Cobras this week whom would be more disappointed than anyone with their 0-2 start to the season.  The Cobras have scored an average 133 and 136 in their two matches with the blame presumably squarely on a struggling, yet potentially elite, midfield unit. A win is a non-negotiable for Cape Town this week. I'll back them to do it too.

Some would argue otherwise, but this is MY MATCH OF THE ROUND! This is a huge danger game for the Suns, after capitulating last week with the absence of key players. Beijing convincingly outscored the Suns last week and would really give themselves a chance to do what would have been unthinkable a month ago; and beat the Mighty Mexico City Suns. Beijing last week had a ripper game, scoring the third highest score of the week, It was just a shame they had to be playing a side possessed. The loss aside, the hype continues for the improving Thunder. However, I think the Mexico City crowd might end up being a little louder than the die-hard fans from Beijing (whom have booked out 30 flights already). Mexico City to win on HGA for mine!

I heard the bookies weren't taking odds in this match, and it's easy to see why. Dublin has without a doubt struck fear in the competition last week, scoring an unprecedented 184. New Delhi, oh poor New Delhi, scored just 87, a mammoth 97 points less (or 968 points to be precise) than the Destroyers from Ireland. One would predict Dublin would rest its best 8 players if it could and still come out with a win. I think it all has to do with how much mercy the Destroyers have on the day, but I'll predict a 60 point win here.

Pacific have made the competition well and truly stand up and take notice in the last two weeks. Round 1 saw a heart-breaking loss on HGA to the mighty Dublin Destroyers, and last week backed it up with a convincing win over Rio de Janeiro. They have scored the 3rd most amount of points so far in the competition, and would make for a very wary Cairo, whom are also suffering an equally heart-breaking and it was disappointed loss to Seoul last week, also on HGA. Cairo's best is well and truly worthy of a top 8 team. It's worst... and it looks like a worthy bottom 5 team. This is a trend that seems to have continued from last year. Nonetheless, they would give themselves a chance regardless of the opponent, and would view this match as winnable. But so would Pacific, and I'm backing them to win this one.

PNL would have been pretty nervous for a time last week, getting the job done with a poultry score of 129. They would have been nervous though because this would have been the sort of game they may have dropped last year. Is this win a sign of a changed (and lucky) PNL? Toronto on the other hand, responded in style last week with a mighty impressive 152 to silence its round 1 critics. Toronto's midfield is genuinely elite, and I would rate its midfield over PNL's. However, it would be argued PNL have much stronger and reliable bookends than Toronto, and this is the decider for mine. PNL to win this one, in the highest scoring game of the round.

Like Cape Town, Rio would be bitterly disappointed with its underwhelming start to the season (and club debut). Three time Jim Stynes medallist Gary Ablett isn't producing, and is exposing a side which would have otherwise been thought of as a clear top 8 team. But, although a dependency on one player can be unhealthy, when that player produces... you wouldn't want to be the opposition. New York on the other hand, are brimming after their drought-breaking win over Berlin last week, and are sitting pretty on top of the ladder. Especially at home, they will fancy themselves to continue their unbeaten run under (seemingly effective) new management. I will back the Revolution on this one.

Winning "by this much" last week, Seoul got on the winners list against a respectable opposition last week in Cairo, and, looking at Berlin, would think they are able to do it again. Although scoring a poultry 128 last week, the win came from only having one centurion; proving there is a lot of room for improvement. Berlin was flat last week; having to rely on an outstanding performance by Captain Nat Fyfe to make the scoreline seem that they had a chance at any point in the match. But, having scored the second most points so far in the competition, are pencilling this match as win, and it has to be if they are to be viewed as finals-quality. I will back my Brewers here.

[Toga]

If our boys can stand up again like they did last week then this could be a real danger game for the Suns!

[elephants]

Round 3, AFL Round 3

New Delhi Tigers

v

Dublin Destroyers

1  v  2

Tata Stadium   EurAsia

Look out Dublin, rest players at your own peril.

[Jay]

Bring it Cairo, Pacific are rolling 8)

[Nige]

Probably should have won last week, so we'll make up for it this week by bringing our Round 1 form back.

[Jroo]

If our boys can stand up again like they did last week then this could be a real danger game for the Suns!

Definitely, I'm not taking you guys lightly.
Lids, Jimmy and MJ back this week should help.

[Ricochet]

Checked the rules to see if we could rest a player against Dublin even if we couldn't name a full squad, to give us a better chance next week... turns out you can't :(

[Purple 77]

Checked the rules to see if we could rest a player against Dublin even if we couldn't name a full squad, to give us a better chance next week... turns out you can't :(

:(

[Toga]

If our boys can stand up again like they did last week then this could be a real danger game for the Suns!

Definitely, I'm not taking you guys lightly.
Lids, Jimmy and MJ back this week should help.

That will definitely help you guys. I'm hopeful Aish might be back this week for us, and maybe someone like Danny Stanley will help our fwd line which has been our weakest position so far.

[Toga]

Don't worry Rico, we had less than 15 players a bunch of times last year and it sure makes things hard. A good reason to chase playing depth next off season, you'll be able to turn it around I'm sure! :)

[Purple 77]

(Dublin aside) I'm gonna make this week of currently scoring more than all of you count.

*ahem*

I've got a better team than you.

[Ricochet]

Don't worry Rico, we had less than 15 players a bunch of times last year and it sure makes things hard. A good reason to chase playing depth next off season, you'll be able to turn it around I'm sure! :)

Ha thanks man. Honestly thought we had the depth this year. Darling, Conca, Trengove, Mullett, Webster, Nicholls, Warnock, KStevens, Kerridge, Impey and Simon White out doesn't help. Possibly ZClarke this weekend also

[Holz]

Round 3, AFL Round 3

New Delhi Tigers

v

Dublin Destroyers

1  v  2

Tata Stadium   EurAsia

Look out Dublin, rest players at your own peril.

Im quietly confident on this one.

[AaronKirk]

Especially at home, they will fancy themselves to continue their unbeaten run under (seemingly effective) new management. I will back the Revolution on this one.

Rio are the home team here purps

[JBs-Hawks]

Didnt you almost lose to Pacific?