WXV Semi Finals: Reindeers v Brewers, Suns v Spetsnaz

[Purple 77]

Dublin & Christchurch now get to sit back and watch their opponents tire.

Home Team		Away Team	Head-to-Head	Venue
PNL Reindeers	v	Berlin Brewers	2 v  2	State de France
Mexico City Suns	v	Moscow Spetsnaz	4  v  1	Fireball Stadium

Coming into this match, I think the question on everyone's lips is... "Has the PNL Blitz really gone?". We asked that exact question the last time these two teams met in Round 6, with myself declaring it was a battle of the most fierce mental demons of the competition (given PNL's notoriously unlucky history and most recent loss against London vs at that time, the 3rd highest scoring team in the comp, but 12th placed Berlin). The Reindeers emerged victorious in an epic affair (150-147), condemning Berlin to 2-4 and finally passing on the Blitz that has haunted them since Round 1 2012, as the Reindeers would go on to win their next 7 matches (and 10 of the final 12) and secure 2nd place. BUT! Last week, it seemed to have re-emerged! Leading the whole match and being served by 10 players scoring 90+ AND with a HGA, they somehow seemed to let the biggest play in WXVs history slip past and take the match away from them! It honestly still shocks me, and really that match was incredible.

Meanwhile at Berlin, the Brewers also seemed to have had the upper-hand from start till finish, until an ultimate clusterflower happened with its core players (5 Melbourne players) whom were involved in a 98 point belting, gave New York the lead midway through the last quarter! Enter, Nat Fyfe; the Brewer's best player that had been out injured for the last two weeks reminded the faithful of just how good he is, recovering from a slow start to post a 76 point second half, cheered by the decisive home crowd to bring the Brewers home from a massive scare! Both teams defence were hell-bent on making sure their opponent weren't playing to their best and that would worry the Brewers, whom haven't scored a 150+ score since Round 15. It's performance against New York won't get the win against PNL, and really they were just fortunate New York had a bad day themselves. The Brewers hope of a victory may come down to two things: 1) Will Adam Treloar win the race to be declared fit? 2) Is the return of the PNL Blitz fact or fiction? These two teams have met 4 times are a squared at two a-piece, with PNL grabbing the last two wins. Had they played each other each week this year, PNL would be up 12-6 despite Berlin being the 4th highest scoring team and themselves the second highest scoring team. Rightfully so, the Reindeers will go in as favourites, but they'll know, just like the great men & women at Berlin, that the Brewers are most certainly capable. I will tip accordingly to the stats (PNL), but in all honestly... Bring. It. On.

The Mexico City Suns are coming off two straight losses to Dublin, in which they scored a mammoth 302 points only to go down both times. The Suns are a fantastic unit, which just goes to show the enormity of taking the premiership away from Dublin. The last time these two teams meant sparked the beginning of two highly contrasting games to come. For Mexico City, the win over Moscow in Round 13 sparked a savage form line reading 173, 148, 167, 152 and 150 with only Dublin beating them. For Moscow, whom at the time were challenging for a top 4 spot, it shattered the confidence of a team that at the time seemed so strong, with scores of 144, 106, 133, 122 and 138 last week, with the score of 122 just enough to account for the Armadillos to take the last spot in the eight. But, last week was a great win for the Spetsnaz whom were without the services of star ruckman Nic Naitanui, and gives them another chance to come belting back to form at the best possible time. The Spetsnaz have hit the 150 mark (the barrier to beat any team on the day) 3 times this year, and 140+ a further 7 times so they most certainly can score and can beat the best. But they haven't this year with Berlin the biggest scalp they've made claim to.

The Suns, well, I've never doubted their claim to the premiership, not even when they started the year somewhat poorly with 5 consecutive below 140 scores from Rounds 2 to 6. They've been biding their time, patiently waiting for their stars to return from injury and form and have peaked at the precisely right time, boasting 5 160+ scores since and even hitting the 170 barrier that only Dublin has hit. The Suns lead the head-to-head 4-1 and had these two teams played every week the Suns would be ahead 14-4 with 11 of the past 12. It's hard to argue that the Suns aren't the overwhelming favourites here, but Worlds is a funny game were anything could happen! Besides, the Spetsnaz are still a chance; they just need to keep nailing the leadership choices and ensure that there is no major failures from any one individual, which has been the case for the last month. I will tip the Suns, but won't be writing off the Spetsnaz. Oh, and before I forget, possibly the most EPIC STAT EVER, this is the 4th consecutive semi-finals appearance for the Spetsnaz (out of 4!), but they have never made it to a prelim! Always been a great team, but can they step into the history books?

And don't forget the reserves!

All four teams (Beijing, Cape Town, London and Pacific) playing this week aren't playing seniors. What I require from you, is that you NAME YOUR BEST SENIOR XV like you were playing finals. I will be scrutinising your best XV to determine if that is really who you would play, so as to ensure that the players available for the reserves matches are the ones that would normally be available. If I don't agree, then I will name one for you.

Home Team		Away Team	Venue
Shanghai Storm	v	Durban Pirates	Beijing Olympic Park
Imperial Princes	v	Port Morseby Iguanadons	London Royals Olympic Stadium

There is no HGA in reserve matches :)

[Holz]

Go PNL go. If you win I cant lose next week. Im either in the grandfinal or I get to watch you guys

Beat those pretenders

[Jukes]

Can we have extra points for submitting first?

D: Vlastuin, Dunn, Docherty, Hombsch
M: Ward (cc), Heppell (cc), Sheed, Bastinac
R: Naitanui
F: Gray, Hogan, Daniher, Jenkins
U: May, Moore

Emg: Monfries, Alex Pearce, Vickery


btw I didn't even vote Moscow & Moscow

[Boomz]

For reserves:

Def: Ibbotson, Burgoyne, Carlisle, Henderson
Mid: Miles, Jack, Cunningham, Carrazzo
Ruck: Lycett
Fwd: Dahlhaus, Cripps, Motlop, Suban
IC: Phillips, Dawson
E: Cameron, Gleeson, Merrett

[Purple 77]

You have the week off anyway boomz :)

[ossie85]

Wow four semi finals in a row, love to see a Spestnaz victory!

New Zealand must be watching Mexico City and Moscow, after dismal performances from Wellington they are suddenly hosting a Prelim with Christchurch

[Holz]

very very happy to have this week off.

gives buddy another week to rest and i dont like Goldy v Sandi matchup

[Toga]

Tips for this week would have to be PNL and the Suns.

Beijing:
D: Taylor, Hooker, Thurlow, Varcoe
M: Neale, Shiels, Caddy, Miller
R: Grundy
F: Bell, Betts, Lambert, Dawes
I/C: Kreuzer, Weller

Emg: Mayes, Jones, Gray

[Boomz]

Haha oops should probably pay more attention

[Hellopplz]

Go PNL go. If you win I cant lose next week. Im either in the grandfinal or I get to watch you guys

Beat those pretenders

Looks like the crowd is also on our side, backing us to grab our first finals win! We could use a confidence booster in case we do run into you guys next week should we win.

Marseilles could use the week off as our reserves side is starting to feel the strain of the long season. Need to regain a few more players to press for our first reserves Premiership!

[Purple 77]

Go PNL go. If you win I cant lose next week. Im either in the grandfinal or I get to watch you guys

Beat those pretenders

Looks like the crowd is also on our side, backing us to grab our first finals win! We could use a confidence booster in case we do run into you guys next week should we win.

Marseilles could use the week off as our reserves side is starting to feel the strain of the long season. Need to regain a few more players to press for our first reserves Premiership!

Yeah, what is this?!

No, wait, if I think about it, you've got 7 votes wanting you to win. So that's like *thinks back to the people I did wrong*, 4 people from Cairo...then obviously the enemy, so 2 people from PNL... and then Holz.

You've got no one Reindeers :P

[Hellopplz]

Go PNL go. If you win I cant lose next week. Im either in the grandfinal or I get to watch you guys

Beat those pretenders

Looks like the crowd is also on our side, backing us to grab our first finals win! We could use a confidence booster in case we do run into you guys next week should we win.

Marseilles could use the week off as our reserves side is starting to feel the strain of the long season. Need to regain a few more players to press for our first reserves Premiership!

Yeah, what is this?!

No, wait, if I think about it, you've got 7 votes wanting you to win. So that's like *thinks back to the people I did wrong*, 4 people from Cairo...then obviously the enemy, so 2 people from PNL... and then Holz.

You've got no one Reindeers :P

We don't need no man to tell us how to live our lives. We are strong, independent Parisians!

[Holz]

Go PNL go. If you win I cant lose next week. Im either in the grandfinal or I get to watch you guys

Beat those pretenders

Looks like the crowd is also on our side, backing us to grab our first finals win! We could use a confidence booster in case we do run into you guys next week should we win.

Marseilles could use the week off as our reserves side is starting to feel the strain of the long season. Need to regain a few more players to press for our first reserves Premiership!

Yeah, what is this?!

No, wait, if I think about it, you've got 7 votes wanting you to win. So that's like *thinks back to the people I did wrong*, 4 people from Cairo...then obviously the enemy, so 2 people from PNL... and then Holz.

You've got no one Reindeers :P

We don't need no man to tell us how to live our lives. We are strong, independent Parisians!

You have the might of Dublin behind you.

Its just tall poppy syndrome mixed with an underdog overtone.   PNL the real deal.

[meow meow]

We're certainly making the most of the week off.

Picken, Roberton, Dempster, Lever, Buntine, Maguire, Gibbs, Boyd, Scully, Steele, Vandenberg, C.Smith, Lester, Freeman and McLean all out injured. Even Clay Cameron and Kyle Langford have been omitted. While Wilbur and Hrovat are still unseen.

[Purple 77]

We're certainly making the most of the week off.

Picken, Roberton, Dempster, Lever, Buntine, Maguire, Gibbs, Boyd, Scully, Steele, Vandenberg, C.Smith, Lester, Freeman and McLean all out injured. Even Clay Cameron and Kyle Langford have been omitted. While Wilbur and Hrovat are still unseen.

I think you meant to say, Zac Dawson is suspended.