WXV Preliminary Finals: Destroyers v Reindeers, Saints v Suns

[Purple 77]

Home Team		Away Team	Head-to-Head	Venue
Dublin Destroyers	v	PNL Reindeers	2 v  2	Crooke Park
Christchurch Saints	v	Mexico City Suns	0  v  1	AMI Stadium

The season is nearing its end, and the Destroyers remain brutal and resolute in their quest for back-to-back premierships.  They have only lost their one guaranteed loss a year in London, and really not many other teams have even come close. In fact, only Pacific has lost to Dublin by a margin less than 100 SC points this year. The next closest margin is fascinatingly (but not surprisingly) Mexico City (12 WXV points) and then their current opponent in PNL (17 WXV points). So, if you think about it, opposition pressure as been foreign to Dublin since the loss against London in Round 8... what would happen if PNL was to stick with them throughout the match? How would the Destroyers handle the pressure? We honestly don't know! Regardless, Dublin has been head and shoulders above the rest of the competition for the entire year and as such, go into this match as overwhelming favourites. In fact, they haven't dipped below 160 since bloomin Round 12!

The Reindeers last week celebrated their first ever finals victory in possibly the worst final WXVs has ever produced. Not only did PNL score its second worst score of the season, its opponent in Berlin scored its worst of the season too. The Reindeers would consider that encounter as dodging a bullet, but would be dead set proud of its defence keeping the 4th highest scoring team to its second sub 130 score of the season. That defence needs to come to fore once again, and they need to be a lot better too as the face the highest scoring team of the season by quite a margin. The Reindeers would be hoping to welcome back some depth players missing in last weeks encounter with Berlin, but have already lost arguably the best defender of the year in Luke Hodge through an un-ignorable club suspension, for bumping team-mate Chad Wingard's head into a goal post! If you believed in bad omens... then you'd place your life savings on Dublin. Interestingly though, the ledger is squared at two a-piece between these teams, with the last encounter in Round 13 going the way of Dublin. Had these two teams played each other each week this year, Dublin would be leading.. oh dear... 16-2. Look, I'm definitely tipping Dublin. But I'm definitely going for PNL.

This Christchurch outfit ey? I think it's safe to say no other coach could get more out of this team than meow meow. Look at the points ladder, and you'll see that the Saints are 5th and deserving of a place in the prelims. But how the heck did the manage to get a home preliminary final? I could go on about Christchurch... and I will too. The Saints first 150+ score came in Round 9, at the conclusion of which sat 2nd on the ladder and 6th on points. It's next 150+ score would come back-to-back (Round 12 & 13) fortunately against high-scoring opponents New York and Berlin. The extra effort in those matches meant slowed the Saints for their next game against Rio (127) in Round 14, which is now their last recorded loss. Since then, the Saints have been devastatingly good, posting a 151, a 146 then cracking the 160 barrier for the first time in Round 17 to steal 3rd at the last second, before again reaching 160 in a Sandilands inspired winning qualifying final (had they finished 4th, they would have lost against Dublin). This team has had a mixture of peaking at the right time of the season and at the right games, and also having a bit of luck on their side. That formula has been the feature of many premiership sides. A bonus fact that's worth knowing, is that Christchurch had an unbelievable amount of best XV and backup XV players unavailable last week, in which I was thinking "how lucky where they to win the qualifying final", but no, that wouldn't have mattered anyway. Just have a look at how they went in the Champions League last week (stats courtesy of Levi). No, you're not wrong, they did score 150 with Zac flowering Dawson, and with Shaun McKernan as captain. This team, and meow, can do no wrong.

BUT! The Suns are just a pretty bloody good team as well. If you include the finals series, the Suns are the second highest scoring team of the year; after being 10th on the points ladder after Round 6! I've mentioned the Suns slow start to the season plenty of times now, but for much of the year I've always felt that the Suns are the only team that could take the premiership away from Dublin. I know think they are one of two teams (Christchurch), but the Suns have scored higher for longer compared to the Saints, with 4 160+ scores and a 170+ score; a feat only Rio de Janeiro and Dublin have managed this year. Had these two teams played against each other every game this year, the Suns would lead 11-8, but with 9 of the past 13. But the Saints would have won 3 of the past 5, so this really is quite an awesome match we have on our hands and I'm heavily looking forward to it. It will be interesting to see how Sandilands plays against his the club he took to a premiership in 2012, and he's in amazing form yet again with a 150 and 143 in the last two weeks. He's just a finals specialist, and a legend. Will the Suns regret letting him go? I dunno. I really can't figure out who to tip, such is the evenness. I think I should tip the team I've thought would make it from the beginning (including Round 6), in the Mexico City Suns. But this could be the match of the year yet.

And don't forget the reserves!

Three teams (Beijing, London and Tokyo) 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
Marseille Kings	v	Shanghai Storm	State de France
Yuzawa Yakuza	v	Imperial Princes	Tokyo Olympic Stadium

There is no HGA in reserve matches :)

[Holz]

Murphy Rance Birchall Tmac
Sloane (VC) Selwood Mundy Boak
Goldy (C)
Buddy Gunston Roughy Martin
NDS Thompson

Walters, Hansen, Van Berlo


Im feeling pretty good about this team. Buddy looks likely to play and should be fit. Goldy went good against Sandi so is in huge form and happy to have him back as captain. Sloane is on fire and looks 100%.

Lachy Hansen has had a terrible year but he was supposed to be my D4 before tmac stepped up. Hansen 87 last week was a great sign. Walters despite being great provides great cover on the bench. The only thing missing is Watson instead of Van Berlo.

that is untill mass restings probably come my way.

[ossie85]

I think most would like to see a PNL v Christchurch Grand Final - guaranteed a new premier that way

Great stuff again Purps

[Jroo]

Christchurch V Mexcio City going to be a ripping game. Winner will be premiers

[GoLions]

Christchurch V Mexcio City going to be a ripping game. Winner will be premiers

That's a big call man.

PNL aren't easy beats.

[Holz]

Christchurch V Mexcio City going to be a ripping game. Winner will be premiers

That's a big call man.

PNL aren't easy beats.

agreed Mexico and the Saints will still find PNL tough.

I assume people are just conceding to Dublin and whoever finishes Second will be premiers of the field.

[Purple 77]

Added a poll  :)

[Holz]

Added a poll  :)

interested to see who is the least popular. Would help if my biggest supporters wernt playing me

[Purple 77]

Finished the rest of the OP :)

Yes, I chose the Mexico City and Christchurch pictures on purpose :P

Also, kudos at PNL being the only team to be in both the reserves and senior finals!

[Toga]

Beijing Thunder:
D: C.Hooker, H.Taylor, J.Thurlow, T.Varcoe
M: L.Neale, L.Shiels, T.Miller, M.Jones
R: B.Grundy
F: T.Bell, E.Betts, S.Gray, K.Lambert
IC: M.Kreuzer, M.Weller

Emg: S.Mayes, T.Jonas, C.Dawes

[meow meow]

CHRISTCHURCH SAINTS

B: Harris Andrews, Sam Gilbert, Sean Dempster, Dylan Roberton
M: Sam Mitchell, Matthew Boyd, Hamish Hartlett, Luke Shuey
R: Aaron Sandilands (C)
F: Shaun McKernan, Jake Stringer (VC), Tory Dickson, Jamie Elliott
I: Liam Picken, Dayne Zorko

E: Ben Reid, Jake Lever, Jeff Garlett

[meow meow]

Tory Richardson? Stupid flowering piece of shower swear filter.

[ossie85]

Tory Richardson? Stupid flowering piece of shower swear filter.

rofl!!

[Pkbaldy]

Tory Richardson? Stupid flowering piece of shower swear filter.

I feel your pain... But at least you knew it was the swear filter.. I thought someone was editing my posts...

[Hellopplz]

Tory Richardson? Stupid flowering piece of shower swear filter.

rofl!!

I changed it last night with that in mind cause I remember we tried it in the past for the same sorta thing ;D.