WXV Round 9: The World braces for the Super-Round

[Purple 77]

Normal lockouts  :)

Round 9, AFL Round 9

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

First of all, just take a step back and look at the match-ups this week. Round of the year? I don't think you'll find a more evenly matched round than you will this week. SOOOO many contenders for the match of the round.

So it goes without saying, that the first match of the Super-Round is my MATCH OF THE ROUND! Berlin have had an indifferent season really; 7th on the points ladder, 8th in the ladder that counts and with 4-4 record with no huge scalp or embarrassing defeat. Really, you could say they are just a Nat Fyfe away from really doing some damage and to remain as competitive as they have been without him just proves that they could be a really damaging team (*finishes sip of own bathwater*). Beijing meanwhile have been building up excitement for about 18 months now, and the once 130-135 consistently scoring team of last year is now consistently scoring 140+! Beijing sit just above Berlin in the points ladder (50 more SC points) and have one more win to show for it. This match is really important for both teams to solidify their place in the 8 and are both very evenly matched. Who will win? Despite having no confidence at all and relying on Max Gawn to overcompensate for that "Goldstein-like" let down last week, I'll say HGA will get the Brewers over the line.

Christchurch are a really unique team in this competition; they just have knack in knowing how to win. We all know that they have extensive depth on their list and that allows them to regularly put up competitive scores, but they've only posted two 140+ scores to sit 9th on the points ladder and yet somehow are only percentage away from being on top of the real ladder! Buenos Aires have really come back to life since their Round 4 defeat at the hands of Seoul; surprisingly they're the only team to have been undefeated ever since! And really, as the Dillos losses (along with Seoul) have come from a trio of top 4 contenders (New York, Mexico City & Dublin) along with their fine win over Pacific last week, it's likely that they have the most favourable draw than anyone else from this point forward and are beautifully placed to steal a spot in the finals! If they were to beat Christchurch this week... you'd almost say that they will make finals. Who will win? The loss of Matthew Boyd will really hurt the Saints IMO, and I'll back the Dillos to make it five-in-a-row!

BIG match this one; well, in terms of how many points might be scored at least. It's not as big in context of the season as we know both of these teams will feature in finals (which is why I didn't name it my MOTR). Anyway, the Destroyers had this weird thing called losing happen last week. That's the second time that's happened this year, and the second time was a bit more vicious than the first time! Dublin actually got walloped (by 30 WXV points) and I'd wager that hasn't happened since 2013 so it's going to be really interesting to see how they'll respond against the Islanders this week. Pacific also found themselves as the losing side last week, ending a 4-game winning streak in the process. Nonetheless, the team that sits 5th on the points ladder very much so has the arsenal to take down the Destroyers and inflict their first consecutive losses since... I wanna say 2013, if not 2014. Who will win? Well, the last few times Dublin has lost they came out guns blazing and I reckon we'll see that happen again. They're just too good at Crooke Park.

London are almost like Christchurch mark II this year. Despite sitting 15th on the points ladder they sit 11th and only percentage away from the top 8! The Royals have been able to win all of their games by scoring 132 or less whilst the games they've lost have happened where their opponents score 140+. The equation seems simple when you put it that way, but this London pressure can do things to teams. The Cobras have been sliding ever since their high score of 148 in Round 5 with scores of 133, 127 & last week 114 that marked their season low. But in the Royals comes an opportunity to notch up another confidence boosting win for its young guns, and they've been able to score 4 more WXV points than the Royals so far this year so why can't they win? In fact, I might just tip the Cobras here!

I often find myself trying to say things about the Suns; because there is nothing new to say! The Suns just keep on setting the standard with as little fuss as possible on the back of established veteran guns that will all but guarantee the Suns a spot in the finals. I just feel like these guys are going through the motions until September arrives. In the Samurai, it's almost the complete opposite. Tokyo are the single most unpredictable team of 2016, which... I guess is the only thing predictable about them. I mean, just look at they're scores this year of 152, 132, 117, 126, 119, 144, 125 & 140. They're Schrodinger's WXVs Team; they're hopes at beating Mexico City are both dead & alive. You might say this is the most uneven match-up of the Super-Round, but it's also worth noting that Tokyo beat the Suns last year... and they were the premiership team. Who will win? Probably Mexico City, but who knows for certain?

To be blunt, the Spetsnaz have been the worst team in the past month in terms of losses & points scored. The problem really comes from an under-performing midfield whose last century was scored by Ryan Bastinac in Round 5! I'll say that again, Moscow haven't had a centurion from their midfield since Round 5! That's probably a record. For Cairo, they also join Moscow has a winless team from the past month, so it will be good that ones of these will end the drought after this week. Cairo has been quite poor in this time, with score no bigger than 127 and an score against no smaller than 140. But they have a great chance to add to their PNL & New York scalps this week and rally behind their injured star Dayne Beams, and I think they might just do it.

There's a real sense of achievement over at New Delhi, and it's easy to see why. The once resident cellar dwellers and guaranteed win for opposition clubs is know a team that demands respect from whomever they face. At the moment, the Tigers scoring justifies a place in the finals (8th in the points ladder) and with its first win over a genuine top 8 aspiring team last week, even more so. They're match up this week against Seoul is just really interesting IMO, as I think they are genuine peers and also are fighting for the Asia crown. Seoul have proven this year that they can match it with the best with wins over Christchurch & Mexico City and because of these scalps, I would say they are marginally ahead of NDT in terms of development. This match is a "sizing each other up" kind of match, and I one I will monitor with interest. I will tip Seoul here only because NDT are yet to score 140+ in consecutive weeks.

Was it all just a falsity? Was the Rio we saw early in the year just temporary? Or did the defeat at the hands of Dublin have a lasting effect on these Jaguars?  The Jaguars dropped their second game in just three weeks (and the year) against the Saints last week and was also their second consecutive score below 130. The Jaguars first month read scores of 149, 164, 169 & 148 and were rightfully on top of the world. But they're next month (the previous month) has read scores of 135, 133, 123 & 126 to rank 14th in points scored in this time. New York on the other hand, and coming off the biggest score of the year (178) where EVERYTHING just went right and even better, against opposition they would have most preferred it to happen against. The Revolution sit 2nd on the points ladder and 3rd in the past month and enter this match in much better form than the Jaguars. As such, I'll be quick to tip the Revolution, but a win here for the Jaguars could provide a reference point for them in finals.

The Wolves just gotta keep going; a win will happen eventually so long as they just keep believing it will happen. Yes, they may be winless. Yes, they may be last on both the points and real ladder. But what they do have, is a host of quality future players whose company increased by one when debutant Jacob Hopper took home a Rising Star nomination, and the ability of PNL to self-destruct on their side. The Reindeers have been making attempts at turning their horror start to the season around with good wins against New Dehli & Seoul in recent weeks and have increased their scores every week since Round 5. But, it will take a MIGHTY effort to make the finals from here and against Toronto, requires a mental toughness that will be needed in their nightmare last month of the fixture. Who will win? Probably the Reindeers, but come on Toronto, BELIEVE!

[Purple 77]

As I said in the PM, who are your tips for the very special Super-Round?

Use the template below if you like, and bold your tips  :)

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL



My tips:

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL

[Boomz]

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL

Tempting fate  :P

[RaisyDaisy]

Looks like Rio fire when Gold Coast fire, and with Ablett missing this week we've got them on a good week (for us!)

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL

That wasn't easy - a few genuine 50/50's there

[Jay]

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL

[meow meow]

Guess what?

[meow meow]

Fuq Sandi
Fuq Roughead
Fuq McKernan
Fuq Cox
Fuq Soldo
Fuq Goetz

Wilbur is the only ruck I need.

[Holz]

Fuq Sandi
Fuq Roughead
Fuq McKernan
Fuq Cox
Fuq Soldo
Fuq Goetz

Wilbur is the only ruck I need.

you sure an OOP isnt better?

you have that great depth.

[Purple 77]

lol meow!

[Nige]

Beastmode to be unleashed on Moscow this week.

[meow meow]

Gibbs 9
Rocky 0

It's going to be great to watch Bryce crush all Vinny's hopes and dreams. Buenos Aires are a joke of a redrafted team and are just lucky that they were allowed to get away with borrowing ossie85 for a period just long enough to rort the system to gain a Pendlebury. Anyone with any sense of fairness or morality (not overly prevalent in WXV lately, where's my compo) should surely get behind the pillars of justice, the most true and saintly team in WXV this week. Good will triumph over evil and we'll make the heathens crawl back into their shells and return to the bottom of the ladder (hell) where they belong.

[Nige]

That was poetic.

[Purple 77]

Gibbs 9
Rocky 0

It's going to be great to watch Bryce crush all Vinny's hopes and dreams. Buenos Aires are a joke of a redrafted team and are just lucky that they were allowed to get away with borrowing ossie85 for a period just long enough to rort the system to gain a Pendlebury. Anyone with any sense of fairness or morality (not overly prevalent in WXV lately, where's my compo) should surely get behind the pillars of justice, the most true and saintly team in WXV this week. Good will triumph over evil and we'll make the heathens crawl back into their shells and return to the bottom of the ladder (hell) where they belong.

... a reply Buenos Aires?

[iZander]

Gibbs 9
Rocky 0

It's going to be great to watch Bryce crush all Vinny's hopes and dreams. Buenos Aires are a joke of a redrafted team and are just lucky that they were allowed to get away with borrowing ossie85 for a period just long enough to rort the system to gain a Pendlebury. Anyone with any sense of fairness or morality (not overly prevalent in WXV lately, where's my compo) should surely get behind the pillars of justice, the most true and saintly team in WXV this week. Good will triumph over evil and we'll make the heathens crawl back into their shells and return to the bottom of the ladder (hell) where they belong.

... a reply Buenos Aires?

We will let Pendles do the talking this week :P

[Toga]

Huge round this week! Tough game against Berlin, as always a big performance from Maxy will make Berlin a very hard team to beat. No passengers allowed this week!

Berlin v Beijing

Christchurch v Buenos Aires

Dublin v Pacific

London v Cape Town

Mexico City v Tokyo

Moscow v Cairo

New Delhi v Seoul

Rio de Janeiro v New York

Toronto v PNL