WXV Round 14: Billions Cup and a defining Round

[ossie85]

Write up to come after final results are in

Round 14      AFL Round 16   
         
Mexico City Suns   v   London Royals   Guadalajara   
Toronto Wolves   v   Cape Town Cobras   Rogers Centre   AAP Alliance Premiership Match
Sao Paulo Pumas   v   Pacific Islanders   Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru   AAP Alliance Premiership Match
Moscow Spetsnaz   v   Wellington Warriors   Luzhniki Stadium   
Berlin Brewers   v   Seoul Magpies   Berlin Olympic Stadium   EurAsian Premiership Match
Buenos Aires Armadillos   v   Cairo Sands   Estadio de River   AAP Alliance Premiership Match
New York Revolution   v   Tokyo Samurai   MetLife Stadium, New Jersey   
Beijing Thunder   v   New Delhi Tigers   Beijing Olympic Park   Asian Premiership Match & Billions Cup
PNL Reindeers   v   Dublin Destroyers   State de France   European Premiership Match
         


Mexico City v London

Mexico City will start strong favourites here, as they continue to push for another Minor Premiership. London need an upset or 2 to make the finals, may as well start at the top.

Mexico City run home:
14   H   London Royals
15   A   Dublin Destroyers
16   H   Toronto Wolves
17   H   Cairo Sands

The Suns will fancy themselves this week, but the last 4 weeks they play teams all with strong finals credentials. If they win all 4, they are deserving minor premiers.

London run home:
14   A   Mexico City Suns
15   H   Toronto Wolves
16   A   Sao Paulo Pumas
17   H   Beijing Thunder

At 7-6 London will need to win at least 2, likely 3 matches, to make the finals. They can pencil in Beijing, but the other 3 are extremely tough playing 1st, 4th and 8th. The Toronto match could decide which team makes the final.


Toronto v Cape Town

Basically an elimination final for Cape Town, who need this win against a fellow competitor for the final spots in the 8. Toronto's form has been solid and finally find themselves in the 8. BIG MATCH.

Toronto run home:
H   Cape Town Cobras
A   London Royals
A   Mexico City Suns
H   New York Revolution

Toronto's draw is tricky, with Cape Town and London all gunning basically for the same spot. Mexico City is huge, while they will start favourites against an inconsistent New York.

Cape Town run home:
14   A   Toronto Wolves
15   H   Sao Paulo Pumas
16   A   Moscow Spetsnaz
17   H   PNL Reindeers

Cobras have a scary draw, and because of that, they can definitely not drop this weeks game.

Sao Paulo v Pacific

Pumas will likely make another step towards securing a top 4 spot, while the Pacific improved last week, but will need to go up another level here.

Sao Paulo run home:
14   H   Pacific Islanders
15   A   Cape Town Cobras
16   H   London Royals
17   H   Buenos Aires Armadillos

After this week, it gets a little more tricky for Sao Paulo. They start favourites against Cape Town and London for sure, but on a good day they can cause travel, before they play the Armadillos in an epic final round match.

Pacific run home:
14   A   Sao Paulo Pumas
15   H   Moscow Spetsnaz
16   A   Berlin Brewers
17   H   Dublin Destroyers

VERY tough run home, playing 4th, 5th and 3rd in the last four weeks. Berlin looks its best chance for victory, as the Spoon still not out of the question.

Moscow v Wellington

Moscow will start strong favourites, but Wellington really have improved in the last weeks and look like they want to get off the bottom.

Moscow run home:
14   H   Wellington Warriors
15   A   Pacific Islanders
16   H   Cape Town Cobras
17   H   Berlin Brewers

Moscow have a decent run home, and will pencil in the next 2 weeks. They will also start favourites against Cape Town and Berlin. They have to hope Sao Paulo lose at least 2 matches to make the top 4, due to a strong percentage.

Wellington run home:
14   A   Moscow Spetsnaz
15   H   Berlin Brewers
16   A   Buenos Aires Armadillos
17   H   New Delhi Tigers

The search for another victory continues, but in the next 3 weeks it would be an upset. New Delhi looks its best chance for victory.

Berlin v Seoul

Berlin's upset win over Cairo has given them hope for the finals, while Seoul need to start winning matches now if they are any hope. The loser simply won't make the finals.

Berlin's run home:
14   H   Seoul Magpies
15   A   Wellington Warriors
16   H   Pacific Islanders
17   A   Moscow Spetsnaz

Berlin will probably need to win all 4 to make the finals, 3 if they are extremely lucky. About even against Seoul, they will start favourites against Wellington and Pacific, before the match against Moscow in round 17 looks the biggest stumbling block.

Seoul run home:
14   A   Berlin Brewers
15   H   Buenos Aires Armadillos
16   A   New York Revolution
17   H   Tokyo Samurai

No room for error here for Seoul, they need to win all 4 matches. Round 15 the biggest stumbling block.

Buenos Aires v Cairo

Mammoth match here! Buenos Aires want to secure a home final in the first week, while Cairo are suddenly not a finals certainty.

Buenos Aires run home:
14   H   Cairo Sands
15   A   Seoul Magpies
16   H   Wellington Warriors
17   A   Sao Paulo Pumas

Tricky run home with Cairo and Sao Paulo, but they are still a top 4 certainty. Top 2 is less certain...

Cairo run home:
14   A   Buenos Aires Armadillos
15   H   New York Revolution
16   A   Beijing Thunder
17   A   Mexico City Suns

Cairo's good percentage is key, but if they lose to both Buenos Aires and Mexico City, they are not a certainty to make the finals.


New York v Tokyo

New York missed a golden opportunity for victory, while Tokyo have improved recently. Samurai are favourites.

New York run home:
14   H   Tokyo Samurai
15   A   Cairo Sands
16   H   Seoul Magpies
17   A   Toronto Wolves

Where will that win come from? Tokyo and Seoul look the best bets, but they will start underdogs. A bottom 4 spot could be on the cards.

Tokyo's run home:
14   A   New York Revolution
15   H   Beijing Thunder
16   A   PNL Reindeers
17   A   Seoul Magpies

Tokyo will hope to finish the season in style, and could win 3 of the last 4 reasonably.

Beijing v New Delhi

The Billions Cup! A match that will help decide the Asian cup. New Delhi's chance to win 2 matches in a row, and Beijing's chance to miss out on the spoon.

Beijing run home:
14   H   New Delhi Tigers
15   A   Tokyo Samurai
16   H   Cairo Sands
17   A   London Royals

This week is Beijing's best chance to win, and avoid a spoon. But they are sneaky chances in other rounds.

New Delhi's run home:
14   A   Beijing Thunder
15   H   PNL Reindeers
16   A   Dublin Destroyers
17   A   Wellington Warriors

If New Delhi win 6 matches for the year, they'd consider that great improvement from last year's 4 wins. Beijing and Wellington are genuine opportunities, but PNL and Dublin they will need a miracle.

PNL v Dublin

Another huge match for the finals. PNL look out of the top 4 hunt, but a first finals appearances is very close. Dublin can't afford to drop this match if they want to secure a home qualifying final. Both teams look to make its final appearance.

PNL's run home:
14   H   Dublin Destroyers
15   A   New Delhi Tigers
16   H   Tokyo Samurai
17   A   Cape Town Cobras

PNL's draw opens up after this week, crazy surprised if they miss finals.

Dublin run home:
14   A   PNL Reindeers
15   H   Mexico City Suns
16   H   New Delhi Tigers
17   A   Pacific Islanders

Dublin's next 2 weeks are defining. If they win both, they will win all 4.

[My Chumps]

D: James Gwilt, Cameron Guthrie, Jasper Pittard, Andrejs Everitt
M: Josh P Kennedy (C), Trent Cotchin (VC), Dom Tyson, Ed Curnow
R: Zac Smith
F: Tom Hawkins, Jack Darling, Craig Bird, Shaun Higgins
I: Stefan Martin, Dale Thomas

E: Brad Hill, Jeremy Cameron (F), Jamie Bennell (M)

[kilbluff1985]

Tokyo hopefully ::)

D: S Mitchell, Ibbo, R Henderson, Suckling
M: Jack (cc), Judd (cc), Shuey, Miles
R: Simpson
F: Parker, Dahlhaus, Motlop, Tippett
I/C: Suban, J Merrett

Emerg Ross (mid), Carlisle (def), Ambrose (fwd)

[Ricochet]

NDT for 2 in a row :D

[ossie85]

If selected, we will have 3 players notching up game #50!

Dublin's Nick Dal Santo

(played 17 games for New Delhi and 19 games for Cairo)

Average of 101.82
Named in the best players 25 times.
Captained his teams 6 times.
20 Jim Stynes Votes
5 Teams of the Week
Played 2 finals
Played 2 representative matches for EurAsia
2012 Pringle/Koochew Medal

Moscow's Dustin Martin

Average of 96.86
Named in the best players 24 times.
Captained Moscow 7 times.
12 Jim Stynes Votes
9 Teams of the Week
Played 4 finals
Played 6 representative matches for EurAsia, Europe and the Internationals.
2014 Representative Medal (I v IAS)
2014 International Medal
2013 All-Worlds Selection

Mexico City's Brendon Goddard

Average of 106.27
Named in the best players 32 times.
Captained Mexico City 13 times.
6 Jim Stynes Votes
14 Teams of the Week
Played 7 finals
Played 4 representative matches for the AAP Alliance, Americas and Vic Country.
Played 1 reserves match
2013 Mexico City B&F
2014 Vic Country Medal
2012 All-Worlds Selection
2013 All-Worlds Selection
2012 Mexico City Premiership Player

[ossie85]

Some crazy big matches here this round btw:

Toronto Wolves   v   Cape Town Cobras   Rogers Centre   AAP Alliance Premiership Match
Berlin Brewers   v   Seoul Magpies   Berlin Olympic Stadium   EurAsian Premiership Match
Buenos Aires Armadillos   v   Cairo Sands   Estadio de River   AAP Alliance Premiership Match
PNL Reindeers   v   Dublin Destroyers   State de France   European Premiership Match

All these matches will impact the final 8.

[Purple 77]

Ah, crap!

Hibberd out  :'(

[kilbluff1985]

Tokyo

D: S Mitchell, Ibbotson, R Henderson, Suckling
M: Jack (cc), Judd (cc), Shuey, Miles
R: Simpson
F: Parker, Dahlhaus, Motlop, Tippett
I/C: Broughton, Suban

Emerg J Merrett (fwd), Derickx (ruck), Carlisle (def)

Sub rule in play

very close to full strength i think just Scooter missing

[Nige]

Cairo Sands

D: N.Malceski, P.Hanley, B.Smith, E.Mackenzie
M: D.Beams (cc), D.Prestia, R.Douglas, M.Hutchings
R: S.Mumford (cc)
F: L.Breust, P.Puopolo, S.Dwyer, J.McGovern
I: A.Carrazzo, M.Rischitelli

E: J.Clarke, J.Impey, L.Dunstan

Edit: Almost forgot... Sub rule in play!

[Jukes]

Moscow
D: P. Seedsman, L. Dunn, S. Docherty, J. Hombsch
M: C. Ward (cc), J. O'Meara (cc), D. Heppell, R. Griffen
R: N. Naitanui
F: D. Martin, A. Monfries, T. Vickery, J. Jenkins
U: J. Ceglar, Z. Clarke

Emg: S. May, J. Frawley, C. Sinclair
Sub Rule
Resting Josh Thomas

Shaw, Vlastuin, Fletch out so backline is lacking a bit, luckily Griff is back though. And our best player Cal Sinclair may be back in :D

[Justin Bieber]

PARISIAN NICE LYON REINDEERS

Backs: K. Simpson, M. Jaensch, C. Enright, J. Harbrow
Mids: M. Priddis (CC), N. Jones, M. Thomas, D. Shiel
Ruc: M. Lobbe
Fwds: J. Westhoff (CC), C. Wingard, L. Casboult, J. Billings
Int: D. Myers (10% Bonus), H. Grundy

Emg: T. Lynch, T. Goldsack, C. Shenton

OUT: L. Ball, J. Patton, C. Rioli
IN: D. Myers, L. Casboult, J. Billings

Sub rule please :). Will also rest Marley Williams in prep for our clash with New Dehli :P.

[CrowsFan]

If you're resting Marley Williams you can't name him on the emergency list HP :)

[Justin Bieber]

Thanks HB, was meant to name Goldsack but guess forgot to change it (as originally reversed their roles) :P.

[tbagrocks]

PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Back: T. Mohr, L. Spurr, A. Otten, T. Bugg

Mids: J. Martin, S. Gibson, B. Howlett (Co-C), M. Bontempelli (Co-C)

Ruck: B. Longer

Fwds: A. Tomlinson, J. Blair, M. Hurley, J. Howe

Utils: C. Beams, H. Cunningham

EMG: L. Thomas (F) B. Sheppard (M) D. Terlich (D)

[AaronKirk]

New York Revolution

We will be implementing the "Flood" strategy this week

Backs: C.Dempsey, T.McKenzie, L.McDonald, S.Atley, K.Kolodjashnij
Mids:  T.Liberatore (C), H.Bennell, A.Treloar (VC), J.Macrae
Rucks: M.Pyke
Fwds: T.Cloke, A.Black, K.Stevens (OOP)
Interchange: A.Christensen, D.Armitage

Emg: W.Hoskin-Elliott, J.Batchelor, A.Morabito

In: K.Kolodjashnij
Out: W.Hoskin-Elliott

Sub rule in place.