WXV Grand Final - Suns and Pumas in the match we had to have

[ossie85]

Seniors

Mexico City Suns v Sao Paulo Pumas, Melbourne Cricket Ground

Reserves

Imperial Princes v Cape Town Cobras, Melbourne Cricket Ground


Continental Cup

Round 4 (AFL Round 23)

Europe v Americas, Berlin Olympic Stadium
Asia v Africonia, Beijing Olympic Park

(Choose your XV from 16 WXV teams not playing finals, 18 AFL teams)

Each continent:

Americas
Teams: Toronto, New York, Buenos Aires
Head Coach: Nails
Assistant Coaches: Sid/pyronerd, roo boys!

Europe
Teams: Moscow, Dublin, London, PNL, Berlin
Head Coach: Purple 77
Assistant Coaches: Holzman, Hellopplz, Ringo, Jukes (sorry again HP! The rule I put in was the highest ranked coach who hasn't coached yet :( )

Africa/Oceania
Teams: Cairo, Cape Town, Pacific, Wellington
Head Coach: pothead
Assistant Coach: MajorLazer/NigeyS, My Chumps, Jayman/tbagrocks

Asia
Teams: Seoul, Tokyo, New Delhi, Beijing
Head Coach: Toga/Master Q
Assistant Coaches: JBs-Hawks/KoopKicka, Boomz/kilbuff1985, elephants


Mexico City v Sao Paulo

Ladder: 1 v 4
Win-Loss: 18-1 v 14-6
Average: 153 v 150
High: 173 v 173
Low: 132 v 131
H2H: 3 v 1

History
2013 QF: Suns 136 defeated Pumas 131
2013 R17: Suns 157 defeated Pumas 136
2012 PF: Pumas 137 lost to Suns 163
2012 R8: Pumas 154 defeated Suns 141

For the 5th time, the Suns and Pumas clash with the Suns leading 3-1 head to head. The third time these two teams have met in the finals, and the 3rd time they have played in 5 weeks (plus other times in the Champions League!). In one corner we have the reigning premier and current World Cup winner, in the other the current Champions League winner.

The Suns will go in favourites, after posting there highest score of the year last year, but I think it will be the Pumas who will have the crowd on there side! Last week they played away, forced to play THREE players out of position, and won a match when they were behind when the final siren went! Big Will Minson with the goal after the siren! While lesser lights Chris Masten and Mitch Duncan were outstanding.

The Suns had talent across the board - a monstrous effort from Scott Thompson, while Brendon Goddard, Nick Riewoldt and Ivan Maric were amazing!

The Pumas were down and out 2 weeks ago, can they go one more week?

[Maca24]

Mexico City Suns:

Def: B.Goddard, C.Enright, J.Adcock, B.Lake.
Mids: S.Sidebottom (C), B.Ebert, S.Thompson, L.Hodge.
Rucks: I.Maric.
Frwds: N.Riewoldt, J.Lewis, J.Bartel (VC), J.Waite.
Bench: A.Sandilands, B.Vince.
Emg: T.Curren, M.Baguley, S.Crameri.

In: Lake, Sandilands, Lewis.
Out: Merrett, Crameri, Blicavs.

[CrowsFan]

The two most dominant teams of the first two years in the WXV finally meet each other in the grand final. Suns go in heavy favourites after some impressive form, whilst the Pumas are struggling to field a side! But it's only one match and anything could happen!

[Maca24]

Bring it on, can't wait!
Finally get the chance to prove why we are the most dominant XVs team.
#backtoback
;)

Players we acknowledge that helped get us here this year.
Shannon Hurn, Adam Goodes, Daniel Merrett, Aaron Sandilands, Mark Lecras, Brent Moloney.

[Maca24]

Think I'd have preferred playing nails..
You have Ablett vs Giants and Minson vs Dees  :o

[Justin Bieber]

Europe
Teams: Moscow, Dublin, London, PNL, Berlin
Head Coach: Purple 77
Assistant Coaches: Holzman, Hellopplz, Ringo, Jukes (sorry again HP! The rule I put in was the highest ranked coach who hasn't coached yet :( )

The sad life :'(. All good, can't stop the Mighty Europeans though 8).

[ossie85]

Europe
Teams: Moscow, Dublin, London, PNL, Berlin
Head Coach: Purple 77
Assistant Coaches: Holzman, Hellopplz, Ringo, Jukes (sorry again HP! The rule I put in was the highest ranked coach who hasn't coached yet :( )

The sad life :'(. All good, can't stop the Mighty Europeans though 8).

You get it 100% for sure the week after though

[ossie85]

Finals Captain Conundrum

Sao Paulo have an interesting decision to make this week. And it's about leadership.

For the first time Sao Paulo history - they gave away the Captaincy off champion Gary Ablett and gave it to "Batman" Rory Sloane.

A good thing they did, as that proved the difference between winning and losing.

But who to captain this week? The contenders in my opinion are:

Gary Ablett --> With an easy match to finish the year, can Ablett - who is having a rare century drought - notch up a monster score?

Rory Sloane --> Solid, without being spectacular, as Captain in the Preliminary final, and wasn't too long ago he scored 180.

Will Minson --> Preliminary final hero, kicking a goal after the siren, and has been amazing all year.

Andrew Walker -> Injury concerns probably limit him.

On the other side of the fence, Mexico City have also rotated Captains frequently. With gun recruit Steele Sidebottom provisionally named as Captain, but many others - Brendon Goddard, Nick Riewoldt, Jimmy Bartel or even Luke Hodge could be named. Last year's premiership skipper Ivan Maric also had a huge prelim, but has been down on the year, will Maca24 go back to his champion?

[CrowsFan]

It certainly is a conundrum. At the moment I'm leaning towards giving big Will the job on the grandest stage of all. His huge shoulders could certainly carry the burden.

I'm actually worried that during the week it's going to be announced that Ablett has been playing with injury the last few weeks and won't play against GWS! :o

[Maca24]

Sidebottom will most likely captain us out! Huge responsibility for a 22yr old!
Goddard, Maric and Bartel are also chances.
The captain conundrum is just as big for Mexico :/
Plus who sits on our bench?
Baguley, Vince, Crameri, Curren and Blicavs all chances.
Will Tom Curren debut on the grandest stage of them all?

[ossie85]

Eager for a day in the Sun

Mexico City will have quite a few players this week who weren't involved in the 2012 flag, including:

- Nick Riewoldt, who missed through injury last year

- "Steal" Sidebottom, a likely captain, traded from Beijing

- Scott Thompson, preliminary final hero, traded from Wellington

- Corey Enright, traded from New Delhi

- Jed Adcock, another player traded from Wellington

- Mark Blicavs, an unwanted rookie

With other recruits such as Brent Moloney, Shannon Hurn, Brian Lake, Stewart Crameri and Daniel Merrett either on the fringe, or injured!

Crazy recruits! All wanted there first taste of Premiership glory!

[ossie85]

Mexico City v Sao Paulo

Ladder: 1 v 4
Win-Loss: 18-1 v 14-6
Average: 153 v 150
High: 173 v 173
Low: 132 v 131
H2H: 3 v 1

History
2013 QF: Suns 136 defeated Pumas 131
2013 R17: Suns 157 defeated Pumas 136
2012 PF: Pumas 137 lost to Suns 163
2012 R8: Pumas 154 defeated Suns 141

For the 5th time, the Suns and Pumas clash with the Suns leading 3-1 head to head. The third time these two teams have met in the finals, and the 3rd time they have played in 5 weeks (plus other times in the Champions League!). In one corner we have the reigning premier and current World Cup winner, in the other the current Champions League winner.

The Suns will go in favourites, after posting there highest score of the year last week, but I think it will be the Pumas who will have the crowd on there side! Last week they played away, forced to play THREE players out of position, and won a match when they were behind when the final siren went! Big Will Minson with the goal after the siren! While lesser lights Chris Masten and Mitch Duncan were outstanding.

The Suns had talent across the board - a monstrous effort from Scott Thompson, while Brendon Goddard, Nick Riewoldt and Ivan Maric were amazing!

The Pumas were down and out 2 weeks ago, can they go one more week?

[Ringo]

Had not drifted into the finals threads due to not making it until now. Forgot about our Reserve grade side  :-[ :-[who are in the final so best of luck to the Princes and do London Proud.

[CrowsFan]

Great previews so far os, really building up the excitement! I have a few concerns going in to the match, namely can I name a squad with everyone in their right positions? Walker had the flu, so should be back, and Roberton was just rested so should also come back. But that still leaves the final defense spot, Hartlett suspended, McMahon mysteriously missing from the Roos team (what's going on there RB/Holz?), and Waters injured. Just have to hope that Tape can make it back in to the team after recovering from concussion, or I will be down a man already.

The other concern is which mids do I play if I can name a full team elsewhere? Last round I had 8 mids score 82 or more, 4 of which were above 116. But with Jacobs averaging 104 over the last 4 rounds he has the first interchange spot locked up, so only 5 mid positions available, for 7 players (not counting Raines who scored 86 last week in those actually in contention). It's going to be heartbreak for the 2 that miss out!

[ossie85]

A new poll added!