WXV Grand Final 2014: Pumas v Destroyers

[ossie85]

Grand Final

Sao Paulo Pumas v Dublin Destroyers, Melbourne Cricket Ground

Reserves Grand Final

Marseille Kings v Mexico City Suns, Melbourne Cricket Ground

Continental Cup

Round 4 (AFL Round 23)

Europe v Americas
Asia v Africa/Oceania

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

[Purple 77]

Never asked, as I have never needed to, but HA in GF?

[ossie85]

Never asked, as I have never needed to, but HA in GF?

nope

[CrowsFan]

Sam Jacobs to play his 50th in the grand final! We he captain the side??

As for other games related stats...
* Tony Armstrong became the 30th player to pull on the Pumas jersey this year when he played in the qualifying final against the Suns
* 6 players made their debut for the Pumas this year (Polec, Stringer, Paparone, Jones, Daw and Ben Jacobs)
* When Ben Jacobs made his debut in round 15 he became the 43rd player to play a game for the Pumas since the start of the competition

[CrowsFan]

Gunston in doubt for the final! Will be a shame if he misses!!

[RaisyDaisy]

Sam Jacobs to play his 50th in the grand final! We he captain the side??

The grammar king has slipped up! :P

[CrowsFan]

Sam Jacobs to play his 50th in the grand final! We he captain the side??

The grammar king has slipped up! :P

Haha ok ok. Although really I wouldn't call it incorrect grammar, just incorrect word selection... :P No idea how I wrote 'we' rather than 'will'!? ::)

[ossie85]

No love for a Puma win an poll, but 3 want them to win

[CrowsFan]

No love for a Puma win an poll, but 3 want them to win

Didn't even realise there was a poll!!

Think if I had a full strength team it would be far closer, but the fact that I'm missing Gary Ablett and Andrew Walker (resulting in me playing Tony Armstrong) really makes it a tough ask to beat Dublin...

[Holz]

No love for a Puma win an poll, but 3 want them to win

I'm surprised its not alot more to be honest.

#DublinLove

[ossie85]

Dublin's Joel Selwood is only 288 points from the magical 10,000 points scored mark! Meaning he'd have to get 144 as Captain to be the 3rd player behind Ablett (13,352) and Pendlebury (12,625) to do it. Rockliff would need 223 as Captain to reach this mark also!

Most World Points Scored

Ablett   Gary jnr   Sao Paulo   13352
Pendlebury   Scott   Toronto   12625
Selwood   Joel   Cape Town/Dublin   9716
Rockliff   Tom   New Delhi/Pacific/Dublin   9555
Swan   Dane   Buenos Aires   9497
Jack   Kieran   Tokyo   9359
Kennedy   Josh P   Cape Town   9155
Murphy   Marc   Wellington   8438
Priddis   Matt   PNL   8321
Stanton   Brent   London   8123

[ossie85]

While it seems unlikely Will Minson will be up holding the premiership cup with Honey Badger again this year... the bigger question is can the reigning Premiership Captain get back in the coaches good books?

Unthinkable last year - Missing Ablett and Walker (both All-Worlds) and Premiership Captain Minson.

Pumas done well to get this far, and are still a genuine shot (although underdogs)

[ossie85]

Two players notch up Game #50 in the Grand Final

1 from each team!


Dublin's Alex Rance

(Played 18 games for Wellington)

Average of 87.71
Named in the best players 12 times.
4 Jim Stynes Votes
4 Teams of the Week
Played 3 finals
Played 7 representative matches for Europe and Western Australia



Sao Paulo's Sam Jacobs

Average of 101.45
Named in the best players 28 times.
Captained his club 3 times.
14 Jim Stynes Votes
5 Teams of the Week
Played 7 finals
Played 3 representative matches for South Australia
Played 9 reserves matches
2013 Sao Paulo Premiership Player
2014 All-Worlds Selection



Jacobs 9 reserves matches an interesting note!

[ossie85]

Sao Paulo Pumas v Dublin Destroyers


Match: Sao Paulo v Dublin
Position: 4th v 2nd
Record: 14-5 v 16-3
Points Ave: 151.8 v 157.5
Last 5 Weeks Ave: 150.0 v 169.2
Last 5 Record: WWWWL v WWWWW
Head2Head: 1 v 2


Sao Paulo are looking to be the first team to win 2 flags. Dublin are looking to become the first team to win a Spoon and a Flag!

History will be made this weekend!

Sao Paulo's form going into the finals had dipped to an average of 141.5 for the last 4 weeks (not bad, just not up to usual Pumas standards), but just as they did in 2012, they have found something special in the finals with scores of 165 and 168. And that is without Gary Ablett jnr, Andrew Walker and Will Minson.

Dublin are basically at full strength, and incredibly have improved on its dominant season. A 169.2 average over the last 5 weeks is phenomenal.

The Pumas haven't beaten the Destroyers since Dublin's wooden spoon year in 2012, and this is the first (maybe of many) finals clashes.



Records:


Team 1   Coach   Score   Result   Team 2   Coach   Score   Margin   MatchT   Year   Round   #   Ground
Sao Paulo Pumas   Honey Badger   170   defeated   Dublin Destroyers   Holzman   111   59   281   2012   15   H   Estádio do Pumas

Sao Paulo Pumas   Honey Badger   142   lost to   Dublin Destroyers   Holzman   166   -24   308   2013   16   A   Crooke Park

Sao Paulo Pumas   Honey Badger   158   lost to   Dublin Destroyers   Holzman   174   -16   332   2014   8   H   Estádio do Pumas

[ossie85]

Of Last year's 15 Premiership players for the Sao Paulo Pumas, 14 of them are still on the Pumas list! The exception being Mitch Duncan who is now starring for New Delhi.

The question for the selection panel is who gets a crack at a second flag?

Gary Ablett jnr is ruled out with injury.

Rory Sloane is a no-brainer, and a captain chance

Andrew Walker is ruled out with injury

Jarryd Roughead is a no-brainer

Will Minson is struggling with form, as last year's Premiership Captain may seem him on the sideline

Jack Gunston is under an injury cloud

Bachar Houli is a no-brainer

Dylan Roberton is an interesting one!

Chris Masten looks a likely starter...

Ryan Harwood is in good form and looks a starter

Brendan Whitecross is ruled out through injury

Taylor Adams has injury issues

Sam Jacobs is a no-brainer and a captain chance

Matthew Buntine is a finals specialist! If he is selected, and the Pumas wins, that is 2 flags in 6 matches :/


So, the Pumas have a lot of injury worries! Looking forward to selection!



On the Destroyers side of things, they have no premiership players. Joel Selwood and Jobe Watson both played for Cape Town in the Mexico City Grand Final loss in 2012. Both were named in the best, and get a 2nd taste of glory!