WXV: Parisian Nice Lyon Reindeers

[Justin Bieber]

Round 12

Plucky Beijing not enough for Reindeers
Beijing Thunder (20.12.132) lost to PNL Reindeers (21.16.142)

Best
Beijing: L Neale, O Wines, M Rosa
PNL: J Westhoff, M Priddis, J Harbrow, D Shiel, C Wingard

Reserves
Shanghai Storm (3.7.25) lost to Marseille Kings (30.12.192)

Best
Shanghai: A Toovey
Marseille: J Billings, H Grundy, L Ball, J Patton, D Myers, B McKenzie, M Thomas

We have made our place known as serious top 8 contenders this year and are on the verge of making a top 4 spot ours this season. So far have a 7-4 record prior to the round. Against a Beijing side who put up some fight, we go 8-4! Certainly was far from the performance of the week before, but a win is a win. Hoffman had a big game and was clearly best on the field. Priddis finding his groove now and some handy performances from some youngsters helped get us over the line.

Also just when you think Marseilles couldn't get any better, they top their previous high score of 183 with 192 ;). Quite a few will be called upon if needed but Myers especially is making a case after his return and getting a few games under his belt.

B&F Votes
3 J. Westhoff
2 M. Priddis
1 J. Harbrow

[Justin Bieber]

Round 13

Suns too good for PNL

PNL Reindeers (20.13.133) lost to Mexico City Suns (24.17.161)

Best
PNL: N Jones, M Priddis
Mexico City: S Sidebottom, S Thompson, J Bartel, C Yarran, L Hodge, B Goddard

Reserves
Marseille Kings (18.12.120) defeated Mexico City Suns (15.13.103)

Best
Marseille: D Myers, TT Lynch, L Casboult, T Goldsack, C Shenton
Mexico City: J Lewis, M Blicavs

A week to forget for us, a thrashing at the hands of Mexico ends our best ever 4 match win-streak. This match was also the start of a massive double header with Dublin coming up the following week, two of the competitions big 4 teams. Too many passengers this week, with many not carrying their weight and letting down the team. Jones and Pridda did their part, but there were no freak scores nor alot of good scores to even give Mexico a scare in the end. On the upside Marseilles kept their win streak going and is now up to 7.

B&F Votes
3 N. Jones
2 M. Priddis
1 K. Simpson

[Justin Bieber]

Time for another award :D. This time the Coaches Award!

This award is going to the player I think was a vital part in our performance this year. May not be the highest scorer but we needed him badly which was a key success to our season. This season it goes to Matthew Lobbe!

Behind the outstanding years of Pridda and Nate, there stood one man, one very large man, who without him PNL likely wouldn't have made finals for the first time in club history. Lobbe had an injury riddled first season with PNL which left us ruckless for periods of times and forced to play out of position players. However it was this year where he's played almost every game (bar one), and took his scoring to a whole other level! Just like last year, looks like slow starts will be a regular occurence, but once he kicked into gear, he sure set the Worlds XV on fire! 9 scores over the 100 mark including gigantic 145, 150 and 178 showed he can certainly keep it up with the best of rucks in the game. He was a vital cog in the PNL lineup with no viable backup option all season long. Had he gone down, there would have been a much slimmer chance we would have even been in with a chance for a top 4 spot! Not only this, but after round 6, he did not hit a score under 80 showing consistency which PNL love in our players :D.

[Justin Bieber]

B&F Tally after 13 rounds

13 Votes - N. Jones, M. Priddis
11 Votes - K. Simpson
9 Votes - M. Jaensch
8 Votes -  J. Westhoff , C. Rioli
7 Votes - M. Lobbe
2 Votes - F. Ray, C. Wingard, T. Lynch, D. Shiel
1 Vote - J. Harbrow

Priddis makes his move, now equal with Jones at the top. Kade is staying in the hunt only 2 votes behind. Rioli and Jaensch are unlikely to move while Hoffman and Lobbe are looking like they should crack top 5 vote getters this season. But the top prize is still very much up for grabs, which is why I'll leave the final 5 rounds to be covered later on while people catch up (if anybody reads these :P ).

Betting odds would be roughly...

$1.40 Matt Priddis
$1.75 Nathan Jones
$7.15 Kade Simpson
$9.00 Matthew Lobbe
$16.50 Justin Westhoff, Matthew Jaensch

I should also mention I take positions into the account which means that it may help players outside Prddis/Jones ;).

[ossie85]

What a read!

And go to bed :p

Priddis should get up from here

[Purple 77]

So Jaensch wins the WXV coaches award, but Lobbe wins it for PNL  :P

Cool awards ceremony! The dedication to do it at that time made it even better  8)

[Nige]

Held at the best hour(s) possible.  :P

[Justin Bieber]

I am slightly insomniac these days, so thought may as well do this instead of uni work :P. Went to bed around 6 haha.

So Jaensch wins the WXV coaches award, but Lobbe wins it for PNL  :P

Jaensch won most improved, but Lobbe was just phenomenal, was our 3rd highest scorer this season outside Pridda/Jones and if he went down, we'd be screwed :P.

[roo boys!]

Great write up HP! Looking forward to the cliffhanger of a finish

[Nige]

The suspense is killing me.

[DazBurg]

The suspense is killing me.

LOLOLOL
pure gold Nige gave me a bloody good chuckle

[Justin Bieber]

Round 14
Home Crowd Lifts PNL

PNL Reindeers (22.14.146) defeated Dublin Destroyers (22.9.141)

Best
PNL: M Priddis, D Myers, M Lobbe, M Jaensch
Dublin: T Rockliff, L Hansen, N Dal Santo, R Gray, T McDonald

Reserves
Marseille Kings (16.12.108) defeated Belfast Braves (9.8.62)

Best
Marseille: Z Merrett, M Williams
Belfast: B Martin

PNL WIN! PNL WIN! PNL WIN! We were able to cause probably our biggest upset of our great season here against the highly fancied Dublin. Looking at their team compared to ours looked like we stood no chance, but a well round team performance helped lift us over the line, that and our fans were there to make sure they gave us that little extra push when we needed it the most! Was probably the match of the year for us if you are talking about the competition we were up against. Priddis was his usual self, while Lobbe/jaensch put in fine performances but best aground was David Myers who played the game of his career after having a rest the previous week.

B&F Votes
3 D. Myers
2 M. Lobbe
1 M. Priddis

[Nige]

The suspense is killing me.

LOLOLOL
pure gold Nige gave me a bloody good chuckle

8)

[Justin Bieber]

Round 15

Reindeers Slay Tigers

New Delhi Tigers (17.14.116) lost to PNL Reindeers (20.14.134)

Best
New Delhi: T Greene, R Bastinac
PNL: C Enright, M Priddis, D Myers

Reserves
Mumbai Elephants (8.7.55) lost to Marseille Kings (11.12.78)

Best
Mumbai: Nil
Marseille: Z Merrett

Was not a pretty game against the Tigers, but was enough. Certainly was needed after a big game last week which took alot out of the boys. Wasn't too much happening in the stand outs, Marseilles also continued their streaking form while Enright was best afield, being the rock down in defence to limit Dehli's influence up forward.

B&F Votes
3 C. Enright
2 M. Priddis
1 D. Myers

[Justin Bieber]

Round 16

Reindeers Look to Football Gods

PNL Reindeers (24.15.159) defeated Tokyo Samurai (20.14.134)

Best
PNL: M Priddis, J Westhoff, K Simpson, N Jones, C Enright, M Lobbe, F Ray, M Jaensch
Tokyo: J Carlisle, A Miles, C Judd, L Shuey, K Jack

Reserves
Marseille Kings (19.12.126) defeated Yuzawa Typhoon (13.9.87)

Best
Marseille: M Thomas, J Patton, J Billings, T Goldsack
Yuzawa: J Rivers

This point in the season PNL are certain of finals footy, and this match was a great score in order to show teams we came to play this year 8). Massive score with big performances by many players able to push us up over Tokyo. Priddis dominated with full captaincy but Hoffman and Kade were brilliant in their lines. Quite a few players had huge games which means there were not enough votes to give out for all who deserved it after this performance, with Hoff able to nudge out Pridda for best a field with a fine performance, showing he's still got plenty left for many more seasons.

B&F Votes
3 J. Westhoff
2 M. Priddis
1 K. Simpson