WXV Round 5: Nine Cups to Rule Them All

[Purple 77]

Ugh, both a Monday & Tuesday game.

NAME FIVE EMERGENCIES THIS WEEK

Round 5, AFL Round 5, ANZAC Day Weekend

Home Team	Away Team	Venue	Head-to-Head
Cairo Sands	Cape Town Cobras	Neutral, Etihad Stadium, AAP Alliance, Africonia, Africa Cup	0  v  5
New Delhi Tigers	Beijing Thunder	Neutral, Sydney Cricket Ground, EurAsia, Asia, Billions Cup	3  v  2
Seoul Magpies	Tokyo Samurai	Neutral, Manuka Oval, EurAsia, Asia, Asia Cup	5  v  0
Dublin Destroyers	London Royals	Crooke Park, EurAsia, Europe, British Isles Cup	1  v  4
PNL Reindeers	Berlin Brewers	Neutral, Blundstone Arena, EurAsia, Europe, Europe Cup	4  v  2
Moscow Spetsnaz	New York Revolution	Luzhniki Stadium, Peace Cup	3  v  2
Mexico City Suns	Toronto Wolves	Fireball Stadium, AAP Alliance, Americas, North America Cup	4  v  1
Pacific Islanders	Christchurch Saints	Tuanaimato International Stadium, AAP Alliance, Africonia, Oceania Cup	1  v  1
Rio de Janeiro Jaguars	Buenos Aires Armadillos	Maracana Stadium, AAP Alliance, Americas, Rhythm (South America) Cup	2  v  0

This is the fiercest one-sided rivalry you’ll ever see. These two teams don’t like each other very much and really, I’m not entirely sure why. Cape Town have won all 5 matches against Cairo, but word has it that Nige has said Cape Town will crack any minute purple-monkey-dishwasher . Cairo is absolutely buzzing from last week where it took out the highest score of the round against the reigning premiers! I mean, what?! That was Cairo’s biggest score since... beyond that of my records and if we’re not looking at the oz era, then we’re talking about their highest score ever! Consider my mouth shut well. Meanwhile, the Cobras continued a consistently up and down season with a loss against an otherwise winnable opponent in the Reindeers. If you look at their two bad performances this year, you’ll find that it was because some joker scores 20-something and the midfield not only fail to pick up the pieces, but also themselves. The improvement and game winning ability will come from Prestia, Jack, Hunter and Blicavs and whilst I think they’re due to come together, how could I possibly tip against the Sands?

With their third consecutive 160+ score, I here declare that Dublin is no longer the premiership favourites. Instead, it’s the team that scored three consecutive 90+ scores about this time two years ago. With two 100+ averaging defenders to go along with a 120+ averaging ruck and a 135+ averaging midfielder, this team just looks so, solid! 10 players are averaging more than 90, and another 13 averaging more than 63. They have the list to do it, it’s now just a matter of timing. Meanwhile at Beijing, I dare say no other club has suffered as many painful losses as the Thunder so far this year. With that 157 against Mexico City aside, the Thunder have posted three just average scores to get oh so close to a down New York & Pacific sides, as well as Cape Town in Round 1. These were teams that, had the Thunder beaten, would have made the rest of the year a lot easier. Instead, Beijing will have to grit their teeth and push through, starting with the form team of the competition. Although I’m tipping the Tigers, they are due to come back down.

Perhaps a unique selection, but I just have a feeling that this will be the MATCH OF THE ROUND! Seoul! Last year it was wins that weren’t by enough and awful 120+ score losses that cost them their spot in the finals. Both have been addressed so far this year, with three consecutive 140+ scores (after a percentage boosting 130 score against PNL) rocketing them up to the top of the ladder! The emergence of Oliver and the return of Swallow have been invaluable to this improving side, but when guys like Brandon Matera (159) come to the party, that’s when this side will look to beat your Tigers & Destroyers. Keep going lads! Meanwhile, Tokyo certainly have been a more consistent unit this year, but at the cost of their ceiling it seems. That loss against New York really hurts in what would have otherwise been a great 3-1 start for them, but right now, they need individuals to step up and beat the more fancied opposition, and the first guy I look at is Luke Parker. In terms of average, he should be on par with guys like Neale, Docherty or Josh Kelly, not Jeff Garlett, Matt Suckling and Travis Boak. Give us a big score Tokyo, upset the Magpies! Else, I don’t think I’d even tip Cairo or New Delhi against Seoul.

128. That was the lowest score Dublin has posted since I took over as admin, and wow did it come out of nowhere. This team made me look like a fool when I said they had the best starting 4 mids in the comp, and then they went and scored 317 between them (Sloane scored 124 of that too)! The Destroyers have paid a high salary to keep the star power in its team and I’d say it would be a non-negotiable for them to lift up those who had a down game in any given week, but it didn’t happen against New York. But now, they face bogey team London (well, ignoring the last result), whom are buzzing off their third consecutive win! The Royals have all but mirrored the start to last year, except this time around it’s just a little more impressive. Right now, the Royals are putting up competitive scores and when you mix that week-to-week with just a little bit of luck, you’ll be surprised at how many wins you’ll chalk up. Facing Dublin at Crooke Park, coming off their worse score in years is a scary prospect; one which I don’t envy. You’re on your own here, London.

The Reindeers got one on the board last week with a fine win over the Cobras. After a dreadful Round 1, the Reindeers have been slowly building up to the 137 that they scored last week; certainly showing a lot more belief than they did at the season opener. Like I harped on about, the Reindeers’ bottom 3 or 4 players were noticeably better and their stalwarts Priddis, Hodge & Co led superbly. That game, if nothing else, changed my mind a little bit about the Reindeers; I think they’ll beat most teams on their day. I’ll cry if it’s this week though. Up against my rival and coming off a confidence sapping score (albeit victory) against Moscow last week, I’m desperate for big, fat, juicy win that’ll make the comp take notice. Berlin hasn’t been NEARLY as good as I hoped they would be, and I just need this, please. PNL to successfully stress me out, but I’ll back my Brewers to successfully win the game.

Look, Moscow hasn’t had a fun month or so and the odds are likely that they won’t make finals. So their focus should be to make sure their opponents don’t either; can you imagine how much it would hurt the fringe teams in particular if the Spetsnaz beat them? The tears of the opposition coaches were my fuel when Berlin were hanging tough, and I’m not gonna lie, it was fun. Jesse comes back this week in a major boost for the Spetsnaz and hopefully JOM does too. With Heppell overdue for a great score and a couple of other better individual performances... you just never know. The Revolution, although very fortunate in their results this year, keep pulling off some great wins which just makes the rest of the year so much easier for them. Beating Dublin at Dublin? I bet you no other team does that this year, and when the likes of Tippett, Lewis and Heeney come back, the New York wins will feel more deserved. I’ll back the team with the number 1 defence this year to constrain another opponent here.

The Suns yet again put the afterburners on to dispatch yet another inferior opponent. Why are you so consistently good? Apart from one average performance in Round 2, the Suns just keep quietly going about their business like the professional outfit they are and when you have guys like Rockliff (176) to choose from as captain, you don’t need convincing that they will once again be in the premiership race. Sitting third in points ladder, they’d really like a 160+ score to put the New Delhi boys back in their place, and now is as good as ever. The Wolves would be quite bitter about letting a winnable game slip against the Royals last week, but they should at least know that they have been the second most consistent team behind Rio this year. Sure, their scores aren’t setting the world on fire, but they sit in or close to that competitive range and really all it takes is for Pendles to go bananas and their lowest scorer falls in the 60 range. Enter the game with hope Toronto, is all I’m saying. Else, the Suns for me.

The Islanders cut it close last week, but it was some Motlop magic that got them the win. It was an important game to win and was vital to get some reward for effort after a couple of high scoring losses. Still, 137 last week is about 100 SC points below their average so in a way, they’d be looking to bounce back with a 150+ score just as a reminder to the rest of the comp that the annual blitz hasn’t been passed on to them. If Barlow doesn’t pull up, I guess Pacific will have to name a scrub like Sam Gibson or Guthrie from their reserves to replace him. Dayum. The Saints have a good base of players here, but they know they’ll need more than CC Alex Neal-Bullen to give them a ceiling to compete with the likes of Pacific. Enter Wells? Enter McVeigh? Gee, if they pull up then they’ll make a huge difference at Christchurch; so much so that I could see him hit 150+ if things go right. In the meantime, first year players Cedric Cox and SPS might not just be ready. You never know though, Worlds is a crazy and unpredictable game... I predict the Islanders to win.

Another 140+ score, another loss... and this time to Cairo?! The luck of the WXV draw is an amazing thing, and I would have thought that the team with the lowest standard deviation so far this year with an average of 142 would likely to be at least 3-1. The Jags are perhaps living a repeat of the 2015 season where they were IIRC the 5th or 6th highest scoring team that year and finished in the bottom 4... ah well, at least they have the premiership cup cradled in their arms. Still, pretty shower luck, and if I were Levi, I’d be constantly letting everyone know it. Well, at least they’d be confident 140 will account for the Dillos whilst I a-count their 5th individual century with Walker’s 142 last week. You just gotta grit the teeth Dillos and take the year game-by-game with the belief that the players in your team are all going to click at once and that some unsuspecting fool is going to bear the brunt of it. When that happens, take some extra joy if that team finished 9th-11th this year. In the meantime, I’ll have to back the reigning premiers.

[Purple 77]

Get about them! I've scheduled all of them to play in the one round, so I remember them :P

Africa Cup
Billions Cup
Asia Cup
British Isles Cup
Europe Cup
Peace Cup
North America Cup
Oceania Cup
Rhythm (South America) Cup

[Torpedo10]

We don't have Steven May either.  :'(

[AaronKirk]

We could get a few back this week. Lewis, Tippett and Heeney could all be available for selection. Would create selection quandaries.

[Nige]

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we'll actually win our first African Cup.

[JBs-Hawks]

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we'll actually win our first Cup.

Fixed  :P

[Nige]

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we'll actually win our first Cup.

Fixed  :P

You're right, one step at a time.  8)

[GoLions]

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we'll actually win our first African Cup.

Famous last words! :P

How are we not MOTR though, 2 assistants of Karen leave her for Kate, smhtbqh Purps.

[Adamant]

Pearce Hanley*
Scott Selwood
Jordan De Goey
Angus Brayshaw
Shane Savage
Marco Paparone

All MIA. Our ceiling is about 125 at the moment. Mexico City haven't scored below that in their past 23 games. We also have HGA against and potentially an OOP ruck depending on which Kreuz turns up. Simply put, we can't win.

Have the week off Scott, you've earned it.

[meow meow]

CHRISTCHURCH SAINTS

B: Bob 300, Montagna (C), Andrews, Cedric
M: Gibbs (vc), Mitchell, Wells, Fiorini
R: Sandilands
F: Neal-Bullen, Hoskin-Elliott, Steele, Higgins
I: Masten, Clay

E: McLean, Blakely, Lever
Rest: Petrevski-Seton

Daicos and English good chances to debut for the Weta this round.

[Holz]

The Redemption Team


Alex Rance, Tom McDonald, Jacob Weitering
Rory Sloane (C), Dustin Martin (VC), Nathan Jones, Stephen Hill
Todd Goldstein
Jack Gunston, Justin Westhoff, Jack Reiwoldt, Tom Hawkins, Jack Silvagni
Adam Treloar, Brad Crouch

Troy Menzel, Lachie Plowman, Ed Vickers Willis, Henry Schade, Brayden Preuss

doing the forward press thing

[Purple 77]

The first of many reminders, to name 5 emergencies this week ;)

[iZander]

The first of many reminders, to name 5 emergencies this week ;)

Far out Purps, i struggle naming 3 :(

[GoLions]

flowerin bring it Nige, Polo. Already got our matchups sorted.

Kate Upton Cobras

DEF: Jasper 'better than Adams' Pittard, Callum 'the real Governor' Mills, Luke 'don't worry i won't let you go missing from my list for a year' McDonald, Lachie 'isn't probably 2nd cousins with half the planet' Hansen
MID: Josh 'Dayne who' P Kennedy (C), Dion 'I eat meatballs like Newnes for breakfast' Prestia (VC), Lachie 'haha McGrath actually thinks he was the #1 pick in the draft' Hunter, Mark 'I will not have a dig at the Clugg' Blicavs
RUCK: Toby 'too good for NSW' Nankervis
FWD: Touk 'Jeffy got nothing on me' Miller, Blake 'not a poopstain' Acres, Dean 'Travis is such a massive' Kent, Ben 'tbh I just play for a shower team, so Rory wins this one' Griffiths
UTIL: Kieran 'doesn't look like Ronald McDonald' Jack, Timothy 'can't stand ya Jason' Broomhead

EMG: Peter Wright, Kayne Turner, Jake Carlisle, Jack Bowes, Sam Collins

[Ricochet]

Although I’m tipping the Tigers, they are due to come back down.

Cloke out for a while. Expecting consecutive sub-1200 scores going forward :'(