WXV Round 3 - Sands v Reindeers to define season

[ossie85]

Tokyo Samurai       v       Cape Town Cobras       National Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
Dublin Destroyers       v       Beijing Bears       Crooke Park
Paris Nice Lyon Reindeers       v       Cairo Sands       State de France
New York Revolution       v       New Delhi Tigers       MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, USA
Mexico City Suns       v       Seoul Magpies       Fireball Stadium, Mexico City
Pacific Islanders       v       London Royals       Oakley Arena
Berlin Brewers       v       Sao Paulo Pumas       Olympic Stadium, Berlin
Buenos Aires Armadillos       v       Moscow Spetsnaz       Estadio de River
Toronto Wolves       v       Wellington Warriors       Rogers Centre, Toronto

Highlights:
Wellington and Toronto have a rematch of last year's Elimination Final, can the Warriors - who at one stage looked certain top 4 - get revenge for their early exit? Early form says no, with the Warriors looking a shadow of the team they once were. The Wolves can pencil this game in.

The Tokyo Samurai didn't have much to celebrate last year, but a victory over last year's runners-up was one of them. The Cobras won't want to let a match like this slip away again if they are to go one step better. Only 4 points have separated these two teams in the first two rounds, and home ground advantage could be key! Tokyo knows all about home advantage, losing to Pacific last week because of it.

Dublin have shown heart in there first 2 rounds, but could not match the might of premiership fancies the Suns and Armadillos. But they should easily account for a dismal Beijing Bears outfit this week.

The Reindeers host the Sands this week, with both teams winless so far this year. PNL were smashed by the Pumas and pipped by Revolution, while Cairo were disapointing against Moscow and let a chance slip against the Armadillos. A must win match for both teams if they are to push for the eight, and I'd give PNL the edge here.

The Revolution has well and truly arrived! New York are 2-0 after a stirring victory against the unlucky Reindeers and are all but certain to go 3-0 against a New Delhi team struggling to field a team.

The Magpies redeemed themselves against the Wolves last week, but find themselves on the road to Mexico City - and this is a daunting task. A danger game for Mexico, but you can't bet against a team that scored 171 last week.

The Islanders, on the back of a stirring 5 goal effort by small forward Jamie Elliott, pipped Tokyo last week to score a 1 point victory on home advantage. They are at home again to a resurgent London, who will be doing all they can to honour Margaret Thatcher this week and go to an unpredicted 3-0 start to the season.

The Pumas travel to Germany to face the Brewers this week. The Brewers are in indifferent form this year, with a strong performance against the Tigers cancelled out by a disappointing outing against the Cobras. The Pumas on the other hand are in winning form having won the first 2 matches by a combined 81 points. Only an Ablett disaster and a Franklin miracle can stop a Puma victory here.

The first part of the season was always going to be the most difficult for Buenos Aires, with many of there best XV sitting on the sidelines. But they have shown spirit and won both games well, and will go in confident against a Moscow side in inconsistent form. Who will show up for Moscow - the team capable of beating anybody, or the team uncapable of being competitive?

[AFEV]

*subject to change.

[DazBurg]

copies the other guys
*subject to change
lol :P

[Nige]

Cairo Sands - Round 3 Team Sheet



DEF: P.Hanley, B.Goodes, N.Malceski, C.Newman
MID: D.Beams, N.Dal Santo, S.Grigg, B.Sewell
RUC: S.Mumford
FWD: D.Hale, L.Breust, T.Dickson, L.Thomas
UTI: D.Armitage, C.Pearce

EMG: R.Douglas, M.Rischitelli, L.Stevenson

Captain: D.Beams
Vice Captain: P.Hanley

*Subject to change

[Jukes]

Moscow Spetsnaz

D: Shaw, Fletcher, Dixon, Frawley
M: Tuck (c), Griffen, Ward, Fyfe (vc)
R: Sinclair
F: Martin, Monfries, Higgins, Walters
U: Treloar, Darling

Emg: Hoskin-Elliot, Murphy, Adams.


Really need NicNat to come back soon.

[Purple 77]

When can we bank on these threads being made oz? Waited a good hour and a bit last night waiting for it  :-\

[JBs-Hawks]

Seoul Magpies

Gibbs - Duffield - Yarran - Geary
Deledio (vc)  - Dangerfield (c) - Hunt - Coniglio
McEvoy
Kennedy - Bolton - Macaffer - Ballantyne
(Kelly - Anthony)

EMG:

Corey (MID)
Ellis (DEF)
Davey (FWD)

[Torpedo10]

New Delhi Tigers

Defenders: Ben Jacobs, Dale Morris, Jordan Murdoch, Nick Vlastuin

Midfielders: Leigh Montagna, Aaron Mullett, Ryan Bastinac, Jake Melksham

Ruck: Max Bailey

Forwards: Jarryd Blair, James Podsiadly, Terry Milera, Daniel Giansiracusa

Interchange: George Horlin-Smith, Rhys Palmer

Emergencies: Martin Mattner, Nick Duigan, Ian Callinan

Captain: Jarryd Blair

Vice-Captain: Ryan Bastinac

[AFEV]

[Ringo]

Simple list

Backs:  REILLY, Brent; MACKIE, Andrew ; O'BRIEN, Harry;  REID, Ben
Mids:  STANTON, Brent; BROADBENT, Matthew; HANNEBERY, Daniel; MACKAY, David
Ruck:  BELLCHAMBERS, Tom
Forwards: HILL, Josh; LYNCH, Quentin; MAYNE, Chris; BROWN, Johnathan
Utilities: McVEIGH, Jarrad ; PEARCE, Danyle
Emergencies: PETTARD, Ricky; YOUNG, Tom; WARNOCK, Metthew
Captain: STANTON, Brent
Vice - Captain: McVEIGH, Jarrad

Subject to change when teams announced

[ossie85]

When can we bank on these threads being made oz? Waited a good hour and a bit last night waiting for it  :-\

Yeah, my bad, I should have them up BEFORE the round finishes in the future. As I have evidence you were ready (via a PM you sent) am going to give you +10 also

Oz

[My Chumps]

Defence: C.Heath, T.Chaplin, L.Spurr, J.Pittard
Midfield: J.Watson (VC), T.Cotchin (C), J.Kennedy, R.O'Keefe
Fowrward: T.Hawkins, C.Sylvia, S.Dwyer, D.Thomas
Ruck: S.Martin
Utilities: A.Cooney, J.Garlett

Emerg: Jeremey Cameron, Craig Bird, Cameron O'Shea

Out: B.Smedts, C.Bird, Z.Smith (all omitted)
In: S.Dwyer, D.Thomas, S.Martin

Unavaliable: Nathan Bock (leg), Greg Broughton (calf), Alex Johnson (knee), Lynden Dunn (leg), James Gwilt (knee), Cameron Guthrie (calf), Gary Rohan (leg), Nathan Vardy (groin), Josh Cowan (achilles)

Annoying unavaliable list!

Smedts, Bird and Smith learn the hard way that poor preformances will not be tolerated! Sylvia gets one more chance after his abismal score last week and Spurr is also on pretty thin ice after a good preformance from O'Shea in the reserves last week.
Hopefully Daisy will get up in time for his long awaited Cobras debut!
Should be a close game against Tokyo. Need our boys to fire!

[Purple 77]

When can we bank on these threads being made oz? Waited a good hour and a bit last night waiting for it  :-\

Yeah, my bad, I should have them up BEFORE the round finishes in the future. As I have evidence you were ready (via a PM you sent) am going to give you +10 also

Oz

Thanks oz :)

[roo boys!]

Few selection dilemmas this week for the Wolves hence the team being posted later, anxious to see the teams tomorrow night.

Preliminary team now just incase

Toronto Wolves Rd3
Def: Nathan Grima, Sam Butler, Michael Johnson, Michael Jamison
Mid: Scott Pendlebury (C), Andrew Swallow (VC), Jack Ziebell, Clint Jones
Ruc: Paddy Ryder
Fwd: Jack Riewoldt, Dayne Zorko, Mitch Robinson, Aaron Hall
Int: Brock McLean, Ben Cunnington

IN: Michael Jamison, Ash McGrath
OUT: Dan Nicholson (omitted), Darren Jolly (chest/ribs)
NEW: Aaron Hall

Jolly's a huge blow in terms of team structure and still unsure if Hickey will play or not so could change around a bit depending on if he's named or not. Aaron Hall is named for his debut as it's between him and Ash McGrath to replace Jolly if Hickey isn't named and coming off 67 last week I'm backing the young man Hall in for his debut.

Michael Johnson was lucky to retain his spot, as was Nathan Grima but I decided enough was enough with the underperforming backline and had to get Jamo in there so Nicholson was the one to go.

Brock McLean has been demoted to the bench due to the sub vest but I'm hopeful it won't happen again and I've kept him in the team as we all know what he's capable of when fit.

[CrowsFan]

Bachar Houli (equal leading games holder) has been dropped after some below par performances, with Roberton replacing him in the side. However the bigger news is last years world rising star Mitch Wallis has been omitted and told to find form in the reserves with David Zaharakis making a return to the senior team after a strong performance for the Jaguars last week. A disappointing performance by Stephen Hill last week sees him on thin ice, but has been given another week to perform. Whilst all forwards are on notice after a very poor round by all 4 last week, they can count themselves lucky there aren't many others fighting for their spots at the moment...