WXV Round 7: Christchurch v Dublin in Top of the Table Clash

[Purple 77]

Round 7, AFL Round 7

Home Team		Away Team	Head-to-Head	Venue
Cairo Sands	v	Beijing Thunder	3  v  0	Borg El Arab Stadium
Cape Town Cobras	v	Seoul Magpies	2  v  1	Newlands Cricket Ground
Christchurch Saints	v	Dublin Destroyers	0  v  0	AMI Stadium
London Royals	v	Mexico City Suns	0  v  3	London Royals Olympic Stadium
Moscow Spetsnaz	v	Pacific Islanders	2  v  1	Luzhniki Stadium
New York Revolution	v	PNL Reindeers	1  v  2	MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Rio de Janeiro Jaguars	v	New Delhi Tigers	0  v  0	Maracana Stadium
Tokyo Samurai	v	Berlin Brewers	1  v  2	Tokyo Olympic Stadium   EurAsia
Toronto Wolves	v	Buenos Aires Armadillos	0  v  4	Rogers Centre   AAP Alliance, Americas

Despite form that may indicate otherwise, Cairo genuinely are a team that can beat anyone on their day; you just have to look at their Round 1 performance where they scored 148 as proof of that. And that was without star player Pearce Hanley, valuable WXV servant Mark Hutchings, defence stalwart Eric MacKenzie, an unfriendly change to Mumford's SC scoring and the continual cruel run of injuries to Chris Knights. Take this team lightly at your own peril, because they CAN do damage despite all of the above hurdles. Beijing this year has captured the hearts and imagination of the World (including yours truly) this year with stunning performances that really just make you jump out of your seat. Beijing's only losses this year were against the current top 2, which just goes to show that they are worthy of their current place in the eight. However, games like these that they are perhaps expected to win, are team-defining moments; as they now have expectation. It will be an interesting duel, because despite my admiration for the Thunder, I do feel that they have been fortunate to have received abnormally good performances from players that perhaps wouldn't make other teams best XV. I actually think the Thunder may struggle in this match... I'm almost tempted to give Cairo the nod. But I will tentatively back Beijing.

They're back! At long last we saw the Cape Town last week that we have come familiar with over the years; notching up a 150 to register their 2nd win for the year. Albeit against a current bottom 4 team, the performance would be a timely morale and confidence boost for both players and co-coaches as they face a beatable opponent in Seoul this week. Seoul has been the envy of teams like Berlin and Rio, in their ability to produce lower scores and win instead of high scores and lose. The Magpies sit 3-3 with all their wins coming from current current bottom 5 clubs.... Cape Town is a current bottom 5 club... surely their luck will catch up with them? But no, I have a feeling Cape Town are headed for a resurgence of a kind, and I'll back them to win this match.

Top of the table clash; arguably the two most in form teams go head-to-head in match that the rest of the World would be hoping reveals a chink the might Dublin Destroyers' armour. Why isn't this my match of the round? Read on I say! Christchurch have been oddly consistent this year with scores of 145, 122, 140, 141, 145 and 143 to sit second on the ladder. This looks like a team destined for finals and maybe even the top 4 and really might be one of a small few that may challenge Dublin. But...  they won't. Yes Christchurch are second on the ladder, yes they have the HGA and yes Rory Sloane is out injured. But I simply point out this in my argument that Dublin will remained unchallenged: Christchurch have only scored the 7th most amount of points this year, and that the Saints' top score of 145, does not surpass Dublin's lowest of 147. Consistency can get you far, as shown by the Saints, but they need to be a bit more than that to go deep in the finals and step 1 in showing that is to score 150+. Dublin will win this match... but it may only be by about 100 points, yeah, only.

Seeing as PNL have had it two weeks in a row, this is my MATCH OF THE ROUND! London have shown this year (and proven me wrong) that they should be among the best teams in the comp, having twice hit the 150 barrier to sit 5th on the points ladder. Mexico City have been a little unrecognisable to previous years, sitting 3-3 and 10th in both position and in the points ladder. So why are they still considered the team to challenge Dublin in September? Because they have fairly large list of stars on the sidelines at the moment, and whilst patiently waiting for them to return (and to return to form), they have unearthed guys like Adam Oxley, Kamdyn McIntosh and Cameron Ellis-Yolmen. Don't doubt that this team will be a force in the finals. However, currently the Suns have only beaten teams below them and lost to teams above them (bar Pacific)... and London is above them (9th v 10th). Again, I'll harp on say London rise to the occasion, and I reckon they will do it again and break the duck. London to move in the eight for me!

Interesting match this one. Both these teams have scored 140+ three times. For Moscow, it has been every second week, and for Pacific, its whenever they need to. The difference though, is that when Moscow go bad, the score below 130 and lose... every second week, and they are due for it again this week. Whereas Pacific tend to not deviate as much and usually stick to the 130s, bar a 124 against the Suns. Only one win separates these teams yet 7 positions on the ladder do as well. Pacific's rapid rise to the 4 means they should be expected to win this match, and face the same challenge as Beijing in regards to having expectation placed on them now... how will they respond? They will respond with a win, that's how. Pacific for me.

Alright, alright. PNL finally won when they needed to last week, and I think in the process exorcised a few mental demons and superstitions in the process. Not only that, but I think they have cast away any doubts of whether they are worthy of a place in the 4; sitting 4-2 and with the second most amount of points scored to date. But boy, this match is gonna check if the Demons have truly gone, or whether they're hiding away in the troublesome Ayce Cordy. New York sit one place behind the Reindeers and are coming off a character-defining win against the Suns. Although they sit 8th in the points ladder, New York are one of the teams that could claim a spot in the 4 this year and are generally on level pegging terms with the Reindeers. What's even more interesting, is that both teams are in form at the moment, both with scores in highest 4 last week. I will give PNL another challenge; do it two weeks in a row, and I will get off your case. Seeing as I don't think I will get off your case, I'm tipping the Revolution!

Probably the two hard-luck teams of the year for different reasons, at least we'll get a smile from one of these teams winning. The Jaguars just can't take a trick at the moment, sitting 15th, 1-5, 12th on the points ladder, without GAJ, and have conceeded the 6th most amount of points for their troubles. New Delhi... are still yet to field XV players in their correct positions this year; being cruelly robbed of players through injury, and even more cruelly taken full advantage of through having conceded more points than anyone this year. I think it's still unfair to judge the team that is New Delhi, not until we see at least 80% of their best XV take to park, heck, at least see a proper XV fielded. To be honest though, I really don't think their list is all that bad... I don't think it is the worst in the competition either. But the Jaguars will be confident of a win here, and boy, is it needed.

Speaking of hard-luck, I'm getting pretty sick of losing by scoring 140+ plus this year >:(. ALL three times that Berlin has scored between 140-148, has resulted in losses. Yes, every time. Berlin sit 3rd in points scored and conceded so far this year, and... have probably inherited the blitz that is haunted PNL for arguably 3 years. Tokyo, however, sit 4-2 with decent scalps of Mexico City, Toronto and London on their list. But that's not the best part... get this, they have done that... by sitting 14th on the points ladder. I have this awful, awful feeling, that this situation has painted a perfect picture of another loss to Berlin, and I think I might cry if it happens. Sigh. Anyway, Berlin travel to Tokyo with hopes to make its way back to the 8, and really cannot afford to lose. They just can't, otherwise finals may be out of reach. I'm gonna back my boys to do it though... Fyfe to lead the way with a score 150+ please.

Toronto would be very disappointed last week; dropping a match to the aforementioned Samurai. The attention-avoiders have been stunning this year; sitting 4th in the points ladder and 3rd overall with a 4-2 win/loss record. The Wolves have captured by admiration this year, just because they are performing despite no one giving them much thought pre-season. But... they let me down last week. So they would be looking for a percentage booster against a struggling Armadillos outfit whom stooped to their lowest score of the year last week; a poultry 97. Say what you will of the Dillos, but they have been closer to winning a few matches than what most people think; (in WXV points) a 14 point loss to Tokyo and a 7 point loss to Seoul would be stinging as missed opportunities to make the most out of a development year, and they must go into every match thinking they can indeed win. But Toronto will get it done... but will they slow down to a 130 score, or be fired up through last weeks loss and post 150+? To be honest... I don't know anymore. Win me back Toronto  :'(

[elephants]

"To be honest though, I really don't think their (NDT's) list is all that bad... I don't think it is the worst in the competition either."

Agreed!

[Ricochet]

"To be honest though, I really don't think their (NDT's) list is all that bad... I don't think it is the worst in the competition either."

Agreed!

[Nige]

SOME CAIRO LOVE, YISSSS!

Bit worried that our win streak against Beijing is in jeopardy this week, hopefully the boys can bounce back.

I feel we're looking a lot like Richmond right now tbh.  :P :-\

But yeah, regardless of the result, #Caijing will be the winner, after all Toga is Cairo alumni.  8)

[RaisyDaisy]

Big Big game vs PNL this week!

The boys are going to need to dig deep to get up here

TAB has PNL as the $1.55 favourites, but $2.10 on New York is some good value and represents an outside chance!

HGA could be a big factor here

[Purple 77]

SOME CAIRO LOVE, YISSSS!

Lol, I tried to spread the love to my whipping boys this week  :P

Instead of Tokyo and Seoul... I hate those guys. I'm so jelly.  >:(

[Jroo]

Good write up Purps!

[Purple 77]

Also,

#GoChristchurch

#NothingHeavenlyAboutASaintOnARampage

[Jay]

Big Big game vs PNL this week!

The boys are going to need to dig deep to get up here

TAB has PNL as the $1.55 favourites, but $2.10 on New York is some good value and represents an outside chance!

HGA could be a big factor here

$50 on PNL please :P

[ossie85]

Good write up Purps!

[Jukes]

D: Seedsman, Vlastuin, Dunn, Docherty
M: Ward (cc), Heppell, Armitage, Bastinac
R: Naitanui
F: Gray (cc), Monfries, Hogan, Daniher
U: Sheed, CPearce

Emg: Hombsch, J. Sinclair, Ballantyne

[Holz]

great right up purp, my percentage my drop a little on this one as it might just be a small win.

good thing they gifted rocky to Mexico or they could have actually beat me.

[Toga]

Good stuff Purps! :)

Will be an interesting match that's for sure. Our team at the moment seems to be riding on great performances by our top 3 defenders, Lachie Neale, Brodie Grundy, Eddie Betts and Tommy Bell. I fear an off week for any of them will have us in trouble if the rest of our players can't sort themselves out :-X

That being said, having Wines, Kreuzer and Danny Stanley as potential inclusions this week will be very handy ;) Would be nice to notch up a first win against Cairo where I used to be an assistant coach! Game on!

[Holz]

CHRISTCHURCH SLAYERS

Rance Birchall McDonald Murphy
Selwood Watson Boak (CC) Mundy (CC)
Goldstein
Franklin Martin Roughy Gunston
Thompson Hansen

Walters, NVB, Bruce


very tough to pick a captain too many guys in that 105-110 range.

[Toga]

very tough to pick a captain too many guys in that 105-110 range.

What a terrible problem to have.........