WXV Round 11: Armadillo Rampage to Claim Another?

[Purple 77]

Normal lockouts :)

Round 11, AFL Round 11

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

The bottom two teams of 2014, the big 2015 improvers and now the young formidable 2016 outfits, these two teams have been spoken in the same breath for some time now! Beijing are coming off a stinker of a week; scoring 1199 and losing to an otherwise beatable Moscow. I suppose that just reminded us that they're still young, and that four straight weeks of 140+ scores had to eventually come to an end. Pacific have had a rotten run of late, with 3 consecutive losses to Buenos Aires, Dublin and last week PNL that has seen them slip outside of the eight. Michael Hurley's absence is finally being felt I feel, even if James Kelly's super season has stemmed the bleeding. I personally think Pacific have a bigger ceiling than the Thunder, but I like the Thunder's 140+ overall consistency better and I'll back them for their first win over Pacific!

The Samurai have actually pulled it together after 7 rounds of the admin flinging hate them. In the last three weeks, the Samurai have been able to produce steady scores of 140, 141 & 136 but unfortunately have only been able to post the one win during this time. Just to make you stop and appreciate that competitiveness, that scoreline is from the team that sits bloomin 16th on the ladder! Buenos Aires have really been a story this season, with a fresh start from new coaches seeing them enter the eight from a 0-4 start! That of course means that the Dillos have won the past 6 rounds, with perhaps its most note-able and hard fought win coming last week against the Brewers. Who can possibly stop these rampant Dillos?! Well the Samurai can, but this tactic of "playing Pendlebury in the midfield" is a real winner for the Dillos and I think it might just notch their 7th!

This bottom of the table clash really tempted me with the gong of MOTR, but seeing as Toronto is still probably going to receive the spoon regardless of the result, I didn't. Poor, poor Cairo. After such a promising first month, they have averaged 117 points per game ever since and that hasn't made for pleasant viewing. Adding to the pain of poor form and no Dayne Beams is now the injured Taylor Adams and I can't help but wonder whether Cairo will have to hilariously play an OOP mid... again. Toronto... yeah we all know they've had a winless season, but lets focus on the fact that they could really win this week! In the last 6 weeks, they have outscored Cairo by 9 WXV points and had these two teams played each other every week, Toronto would have won 5 of them, including the last 3! The Wolves just gotta nail that captain selection and we might just see Toronto's maiden win for the season (a potential double up with Fremantle too for coach Ada!). Reading back, I see that I've totally painted these two teams in contrasting lights...that's unprofessional and I'm sorry... GO TORONTO GO!

Christchurch coach meow meow will have you believe that Christchurch will start to improve dramatically from this week onwards, and you can see why with a host of quality players looking likely to be available for selection. But what the amazing thing is, is that these players will walk in to the 13th highest scoring team of the year... in 5th position. Crazy. But London have been a bit similar, being the 16th highest scoring team and only a game and % away from the eight. The Royals have been ultra consistent with 3 130+ scores and the remainder being 120+. It's not world beating, but hey it's got them 4 wins this year and you gotta give their defence credit. But, the Saints have been doing this better for longer and I'd expect them to get over the line for their 8th win... amazing.

There is no arguing that these Tigers are a vastly different unit to what they were last year. I mean, if they lost the remainder of their games this year, the season could still be marked down as a huge success. Despite being 12th on the ladder, the Tigers are the 5th highest scoring team so far this year! Wow! Moscow in that regard, seem to be the complete opposite; sitting 9th on the ladder (when you consider their outs, that's god damn impressive) but 15th on the points ladder. The Spetsnaz though have really turned up in the last two weeks with scores of 136 & 142 and if they post a score in that vicinity again, then you'd give them a chance to upset the Tigers... despite being above them on the ladder. Moscow would have beaten the Tigers last week, but I reckon New Delhi will respond to their recent loss and account for the Spetsnaz.

Two top 4 teams go head-to-head in what is my MATCH OF THE ROUND! The Revolution posted a character defining win against the rising Tigers last week, and I say character defining in that they had quality players miss in a game which, ultimately decided whether they'd be in top 4 at the end of it. The Revs continue to be a threatening force of the competition but are still perhaps fighting for genuine top 4 credentials and respect (despite being 3rd on the points ladder). That fight could be won this week should they beat the Suns, whom are just cruising along nicely being 2nd on both the points and competition ladder. Interestingly, the Suns are yet to win 4 games in a row yet this season with its previous streak of 3 ended by a surprise Seoul effort. It is on 3 yet again, so is this a mental burden on its players? Can it not win 4 games in a row? Or is the admin struggling to find new and interesting things about the Suns? Given the options, I strongly suspect mental demons and I'm hitting the "F*ck it" button and tipping the Revs!

The Reindeers are in the eight! The Reindeers are in the bloomin eight! Wow, I declared their season over when they were 1-4 and in the bottom 5 on the points ladder. Maybe their coaches are right? They need me to hate them in order for their success to eventuate? But don't they see?! When they go and score 147, 145 and 147 in consecutive weeks and save their season from the shower house, I can't hate them for that! That's just damn impressive! The Cobras themselves have attracted turned things around a little, with their past two scores of 141 & 132 above their before then season average of 128. It took the best player in WXVs history to take the win off the Cobras last week, and unfortunately for them, a player of similar ilk in Billy Stretch awaits them in the Reindeer line-up. Can the Cobras overcome this flexible fella? I'll tip the Reindeers, but also test a theory... *ahem*, I LOVE YOU PNL! PNL FOR PREMIERSHIP! *sits back and observes*

The Jaguar hype has quietened substantially of late. Is it a result of their featuring in top 4 being accepted across Worlds and is no longer considered an anomaly? Maybe. Or is it because their last 5 weeks has seen them average more than 200 points less than their first 5 weeks? Nah, probably not. In either case, they should be able to account for the Brewers through a combination of; the Berlin coach marvelling at his team too long before the season started, Berlin being shower, Berin being unlucky, Berlin being screwed over with divine intervention, and the Berlin coach interacting with people IRL which cost him the match last week. Despite being 6th in the points ladder, Berlin has four unimpressive wins to show for it, and is ultimately flowering over this shower flowering season. Jack Viney's absence just enhances the coach's new motto, so yeah, Jaguars easily.

The Magpies are just percentage away from being in the top eight, and with the scalps of Christchurch & Mexico City behind them, who knows what they could accomplish this year? They have a reasonably challenging draw ahead of them however, so the odds are probably stacked against them to make an inspired finals appearance. However, a daring dream of a win against Dublin could seriously change all of that, but they just gotta believe. The Destroyers continue to be the highest scoring team of the comp and number one on the ladder, but what they've shown this year compared to last year, is the odd off game. Although I'm aware in this case that I'm saying an "off" game is a score of 145 or less, but that score is in the beatable territory, so you never know really. But yeah, Dublin should get it done.

[My Chumps]

lmao Billy Stretch ;D

Gotta back Toronto in for their first W! Too many injuries for Cairo.

[Nige]

I don't see what the fuss is about. ???

Pearce Hanley, Luke Dunstan, Karl Amon and Mark Hutchings are a midfield to fear.

[Jay]

Beijing vs Pacific! Great matchup between two clubs who have always been at similar stages of their development.

[RaisyDaisy]

What a cracking round - besides Dublin (no offence Seoul) every game is a genuine 50/50

I don't expect to beat Mexico, especially with Rocky returning to bolster their stocks but we'll give it our best shot! Hoping a few of our starting 15 return this week too

Exciting round for sure!

[Toga]

Beijing vs Pacific! Great matchup between two clubs who have always been at similar stages of their development.

And both have had only three defenders on their ENTIRE flowerING LISTS playing in recent weeks!

But in all seriousness it's gonna be a great matchup, hopefully our boys turn up this week!

[kilbluff1985]

Holz we dare you to rest Goldy

[Hellopplz]

Bloody Purps, if we lose, it's on your head >:(.

lmao Billy Stretch ;D

HOW DARE YOU DOUBT THE MIGHT OF THE STRETCH.

[meow meow]

B: Boyd, McVeigh, Wilson, Reid (r)
M: Gibbs (c), Mitchell, Hartlett, Blakely
R: Cox
F: Montagna (vc), Breust, Stringer, McLean
I: Trengove, Langford

E: Dickson, Gilbert, Ellis

[Holz]

Holz we dare you to rest Goldy

Currie is injured i cant. North may do it for you though.

I cant rest anyone with my outs.

Roughy out is doing major damage.

And walters for yarran :( compounds it

M.Kennedy is doing great in the neafl so maybe my youth policy will pay off.

Jetta needs to lift.

[Ricochet]

Really looking forward to the Pacific/Beijing game this weekend! Two teams with bucketloads of talent

and the New York/Mexico should be a ripper as well

[meow meow]

2 wins
1 loss
2 wins
1 loss
2 wins
1 loss
1 win...

Sorry Ringo, we're not due to lose until next week.

[meow meow]

Injury list

Jobe - Season
Sandilands 3-5 weeks
Griffen - 1 week
Stevens - NFI

Lester - 2 weeks
Anderson - 1 week
Andrews - 1 week
Finlayson - test
Smith - NFI

[ossie85]

Happier times?

The Sands notch up win #9 on the trot, while the Wolves finish season without a peep. Scott Pendlebury did his best to keep them in it, but lacked support, while Richard Douglas was the star for Cairo


Cairo Sands (22.17.149) defeated Toronto Wolves (20.11.131)

Best
Cairo: R Douglas, S Mumford, L Breust
Toronto: S Pendlebury, B Cunnington

WXV Debut
Cairo: L Johnston
Toronto: J White

Club Debut
Toronto: S Morris

SCOTT PENDLEBURY wins a FINALS CHAMPION Medal
CAIRO qualify for SEMI FINAL
TORONTO finish 8th

[Purple 77]

Lol, even the former admin is shoveling salt into Cairo's wounds  :-X