AAP Alliance v EurAsia: A Hateful Eight

Purple 77 · June 11, 2019, 08:42:22 PM

Stars may travel from country to country, but they all come out to play in our annual blockbuster

Representative Round, AFL Round 13 scores from Adelaide, Carlton, Gold Coast, GWS, North Melbourne, Richmond + AFL Round 14

Home Team	Away Team	Venue	Head-to-Head
AAP Alliance	EurAsia	Melbourne Cricket Ground	3 v 4

The EurAsia v AAP Alliance match takes place during the latter two AFL bye rounds and provides us some sort of entertainment in what is otherwise our WXV bye week. The coaches of these two sides are decided by who is on top of the WXV Ladder so far in the year, which this time around, is second-time around New Delhi (EurAsia) and the back-to-back Toronto (AAP Alliance)! As seen below:

	EurAsia		AAP Alliance
2	New Delhi Tigers	1	Toronto Wolves
5	Beijing Thunder	3	Cairo Sands
6	Berlin Brewers	4	Rio de Janeiro Jaguars
7	Moscow Spetsnaz	8	Cape Town Cobras
10	Seoul Magpies	9	Pacific Islanders
13	Tokyo Samurai	11	Buenos Aires Armadillos
14	London Royals	12	New York Revolution
15	Dublin Destroyers	17	Mexico City Suns
16	PNL Reindeers	18	Christchurch Saints

As mentioned, Ricophants have indeed coaches EurAsia before - and to victory - in the close tussle of 2017. However, in his debut season in Worlds, FTC sees himself coaching the AAP Alliance! He has coached a masterclass so far this year to be deservedly #1 on the ladder. Can his fresh and innovative approach break this 3-game losing streak from the Alliance?

Hosted at the magnificent MCG, our annual blockbuster really does have some rich history now, with plenty of amazing clashes along the years. But, in my opinion, the 2015 clash will be very tough to beat:

2018 (Purple77): EurAsia (28.11.179) def AAP Alliance (26.10.166)
2017 (Ricochet/elephants): AAP Alliance (25.8.158) lost to EurAsia (26.7.163)
2016 (Holz): EurAsia (27.11.173) def AAP Alliance (23.11.149)
2015 (JROO8): AAP Alliance (26.12.168*) def EurAsia (26.11.167)
2014 (Nails): EurAsia (24.11.155) lost to AAP Alliance (25.18.168)
2013 (Ringo): AAP Alliance (25.22.172) lost to EurAsia (27.21.183)
2012 (CrowsFan): AAP Alliance (28.8.176) def EurAsia (27.11.173)

ROLLING LOCKOUT

This means you can change your team in-between games. Exactly like SC, with loopholing permitted.

Also, name four emergencies.

WXV Round 12
Rep Round Scores

Round 13
Adelaide vs. Richmond
Essendon vs. Hawthorn
Gold Coast vs. St. Kilda
Fremantle vs. Port Adelaide
Carlton vs. Western Bulldogs
North Melbourne vs. GWS

Round 14
West Coast vs. Essendon
Sydney vs. Hawthorn
Melbourne vs. Fremantle
St. Kilda vs. Brisbane
Port Adelaide vs. Geelong
Western Bulldogs vs. Collingwood

Defence
EurAsia have the highest 5 averaging defenders so far this season, largely thanks to New Delhi who boasts all of Jake Lloyd (#1), Shannon Hurn (#2) and Bachar Houli (#4). The Alliance round out the next 4, each from a different team headed by Cairo's own Tom Stewart. EurAsia then have the 10th to 14th best, so it's clear EurAsia - on paper - have the best defence between the two sides.

Midfield
The Alliance have last week's superstar in Patrick Cripps (Rio de Janeiro, #2 highest mid) as its #1 player and prime captaincy candidate. However, EurAsia have Lachie Neale (Beijing, #1 mid), Josh Kelly (Seoul, #3 mid) and Nat Fyfe (Berlin, #4 mid) all on or above the Cripps benchmark, perhaps indicating a dominance here as well. Depth wise, the Alliance have the mids covered, boasting 9 of the top 13 mids. However, these clashes are always decided by the players with big ceilings, and that EurAsian trio can go VERY big.

Ruck
Once again, EurAsia DOMINATE the ruck stocks, headed by star duo Max Gawn (#1 ruck, #1 EurAsia, #1 in competition) and Brodie Grundy (scrub). Goldstein (Dublin) and McEvoy (Seoul) are a very distant 3rd and 4th, with the Alliances highest averager so far this season sitting 5th in Pacific's Jarrod Witts. There is no way the Alliance get on top of the ruck division here.

Forwards
This is where the Alliance comes to the fore, with FTC's own Travis Boak (#1 forward) and Tim Kelly (#2 forward) leading the pack over Seoul's Patrick Dangerfield (#3 forward) and Tokyo's Josh Dunkley (#4 forward). Toronto also has Rowan Marshall (#6 forward) to pick from, so don't be surprised if all 3 are selected (and rightfully so).

Overall
EurAsia go into this match as heavy favourites with several high performing players so far this season. There is a lot of pressure on renowned big scorers in Cripps, Boak, Tim Kelly, Macrae and Bont to reach their ceilings in this game, else this could get ugly, and quick. I'm tipping at least a 100 SC point victory to EurAsia, making it 4 in a row!

Suck it AAP!

fanTCfool · June 11, 2019, 09:20:06 PM

AAP: My inbox is open. If you think you have a player worthy of selection, convince me!

RaisyDaisy · June 11, 2019, 09:34:38 PM

Quote from: fanTCfool on June 11, 2019, 09:20:06 PM
AAP: My inbox is open. If you think you have a player worthy of selection, convince me!

Or you could just name a team and see if there's any objections?

fanTCfool · June 11, 2019, 09:50:35 PM

Quote from: RaisyDaisy on June 11, 2019, 09:34:38 PM
Quote from: fanTCfool on June 11, 2019, 09:20:06 PM
AAP: My inbox is open. If you think you have a player worthy of selection, convince me!

Or you could just name a team and see if there's any objections?

Yes, but no. This is more interesting.

JBs-Hawks · June 12, 2019, 10:11:57 AM

Here you go Rico, you can finally have Weller play for you!

Jroo · June 12, 2019, 10:39:29 AM

Quote from: fanTCfool on June 11, 2019, 09:20:06 PM
AAP: My inbox is open. If you think you have a player worthy of selection, convince me!

Surely get a few Suns in there FTC :P

Ricochet · June 12, 2019, 12:18:41 PM

Quote from: JBs-Hawks on June 12, 2019, 10:11:57 AM
Here you go Rico, you can finally have Weller play for you!

;D

Purple 77 · June 12, 2019, 08:53:20 PM

Preview done.

Jeepers. AAP are gonna get smashed. Who do you even have?

Purple 77 · June 12, 2019, 09:10:04 PM

If some is averaging 151 in the past month, you chuck the C on them yeah? It's only the #1 ruck himself: big Maxxy Gawn

Then there's last years EurAsian captain, the 154 scoring Nat Fyfe

Oh, then there's the guy whose averaged 129 in the past 3 games in defence: Dane Rampe

David Mundy has been a jet in the forward line, and Michael Walters is a consistent GUN!

Wildcard? Jarrod Lienert. 95 average in his last 4.

That core will win you the game, the rest don't matter. Kinda like AAP

Nige · June 12, 2019, 09:48:55 PM

Tom Stewart is the only defender we need.

PowerBug · June 12, 2019, 10:45:26 PM

Karl Amon

Toga · June 12, 2019, 10:55:02 PM

Brodie Grundy to bathe the Bulldogs lack of ruck division next week. You know who the C should be @Rico ;)

Also gives you a chance to finally coach the great Lachie Neale as well 8)

Ricochet · June 13, 2019, 02:03:35 PM

Ok here we go, thoughts EurAsia? Missing anyone obvious?

Def Lloyd (NDT), Hurn (NDT), Ryan (PNL), Houli (NDT)
Mid Neale (Beij), Kelly (Seoul), Fyfe (Berl), MCrouch (Dublin)
Ruck Grundy (Beij)
Fwd Danger (Seoul), Dunkley (Tokyo), De Goey (Moscow), Walters (Beij)
Util Sloane (Dublin), Merrett (PNL)

Emer: Gawn (Berl), Oliver (Seoul), Mundy (Beij), Sheppard (London)

VC - Kelly
C - Grundy

JJ (Tokyo) will come in for Hurn if he doesn't play next week
and dont' worry Purps, can always loophole Gawn ;)

Holz · June 13, 2019, 02:07:54 PM

Quote from: Ricochet on June 13, 2019, 02:03:35 PM
Ok here we go, thoughts EurAsia? Missing anyone obvious?

Def Lloyd (NDT), Hurn (NDT), Ryan (PNL), Houli (NDT)
Mid Neale (Beij), Kelly (Seoul), Fyfe (Berl), MCrouch (Dublin)
Ruck Grundy (Beij)
Fwd Danger (Seoul), Dunkley (Tokyo), De Goey (Moscow), Walters (Beij)
Util Sloane (Dublin), Merrett (PNL)

Emer: Gawn (Berl), Oliver (Seoul), Mundy (Beij), Sheppard (London)

VC - Kelly
C - Grundy

JJ (Tokyo) will come in for Hurn if he doesn't play next week
and dont' worry Purps, can always loophole Gawn ;)

Smart move putting some PremIErs in the squad, give the team abit of championship pedigree that its lacking.

team looks fine, probably a similar line up to who i would have gone

i think id bench Sloane and put Gawn in the util spot.

Ricochet · June 13, 2019, 02:26:12 PM

Quote from: Holz on June 13, 2019, 02:07:54 PM
Quote from: Ricochet on June 13, 2019, 02:03:35 PM
Ok here we go, thoughts EurAsia? Missing anyone obvious?

Def Lloyd (NDT), Hurn (NDT), Ryan (PNL), Houli (NDT)
Mid Neale (Beij), Kelly (Seoul), Fyfe (Berl), MCrouch (Dublin)
Ruck Grundy (Beij)
Fwd Danger (Seoul), Dunkley (Tokyo), De Goey (Moscow), Walters (Beij)
Util Sloane (Dublin), Merrett (PNL)

Emer: Gawn (Berl), Oliver (Seoul), Mundy (Beij), Sheppard (London)

VC - Kelly
C - Grundy

JJ (Tokyo) will come in for Hurn if he doesn't play next week
and dont' worry Purps, can always loophole Gawn ;)

Smart move putting some PremIErs in the squad, give the team abit of championship pedigree that its lacking.

team looks fine, probably a similar line up to who i would have gone

i think id bench Sloane and put Gawn in the util spot.

I was thinking Gawn could replace Merrett, but just realised Ess is early next week. So will probably swap these two

Sloane should do well against ~~Richmond's mids~~ Dusty