ASIA - Who Will Win 2015?

[ossie85]

The Contenders

Beijing Thunder
Finished: 2nd, 4th, 2nd
Record: 4-5
Comment: Apart from an attrocious 2013 (0-3, 85%), the Thunder have been very competitive in this Cup, Runners-Up twice on percentage, but never tasting glory. Can they win it this year? With an improving list, they are in the mix.

New Delhi Tigers
Finished: 1st, 1st, 4th
Record: 6-3
Comment: Managed to win the comp in 2012 despite scoring the least points of all, and managed to go back-to-back despite scoring the 2nd least the following year! But luck ran out and finished dead last. Have clearly scored the least points over the 3 year history, but are the most successful team! Think will struggle a bit this year, but this competition is very close, so I'm not ruling out.

Seoul Magpies
Finished: 4th, 2nd, 3rd
Record: 4-5
Comment: The Magpies are the opposite of the New Delhi - scored the most points in 2012, finished last. Most points again the following year, and runners-up, while where middle of the range last year. Feel Boom or Bust for Seoul, and a lot relies on its midfield to get them through games.

Tokyo Samurai
Finished: 3rd, 3rd, 1st
Record: 4-5
Comment: Samurai deserving winners last year, having scored the most points. Will be right in the mix again, and the defending champions won't want to get let this go.


Fixture
R   Team 1   W   v   Team 2   L   Ground
13   Beijing Thunder   2   v   Seoul Magpies   1   Beijing Olympic Park
14   Beijing Thunder   1   v   Tokyo Samurai   2   Beijing Olympic Park
14   Seoul Magpies   0   v   New Delhi Tigers   3   Seoul World Cup Stadium
15   Tokyo Samurai   0   v   Seoul Magpies   3   Tokyo Olympic Stadium
16   Tokyo Samurai   2   v   New Delhi Tigers   1   Neutral, TIO Stadium
17   New Delhi Tigers   2   v   Beijing Thunder   1   Tata Stadium

All 4 teams are in the same grouping, meaning the Cup will be played out across the last 5 rounds of the year!


Prediction

This is a particulary hard one to choose. Feel any team can beat any other on its day.

1st - Beijing, An upset, to taste glory for the first time
2nd - Seoul, More heartbreak
3rd - Tokyo, a slip or 2
4th - New Delhi, Tigers used all luck


History

2012
Position   Name   Score   Scored Against   Wins   Loses   Percentage
1   New Delhi Tigers   385   374   2   1   102.94
2   Beijing Bears   414   427   2   1   96.96
3   Tokyo Samurai   421   413   1   2   101.94
4   Seoul Magpies   423   429   1   2   98.60

A bizarre ladder, with the lowest scoring team at top, and the highest scoring team at the bottom! The New Delhi Tigers take out the Premiership, with the Seoul Magpies not being able to win a trick. Beijing also miss out despite being the only team to make the finals.

2013
Position   Name   Score   Scored Against   Wins   Loses   Percentage
1   New Delhi Tigers   372   363   3   0   102.48
2   Seoul Magpies   410   356   2   1   115.17
3   Tokyo Samurai   378   389   1   2   97.17
4   Beijing Thunder   312   364   0   3   85.71

And New Delhi win back-to-back Asian premierships, again with Seoul the unlucky high scoring team. No team from Asia made the finals this year.

2014
Asia   Name   Score   Scored Against   Wins   Losses   Percentage
1   Tokyo Samurai   407   348   2   1   116.95
2   Beijing Thunder   369   376   2   1   98.14
3   Seoul Magpies   388   386   1   2   100.52
4   New Delhi Tigers   334   388   1   2   86.08

New Delhi era of Asian dominance over! Slipping to last, with Tokyo clearly the strongest team for the year.

[Ricochet]

NDT! :o

[Toga]

Quite a close group this one! Think the cup could be anyones, would be good to get some silverware in Beijing at last though ;)

[ossie85]

Quite a close group this one! Think the cup could be anyones, would be good to get some silverware in Beijing at last though ;)

Beijing are the only Asian team to have ever made the finals, not silverware, but bragging rights at least.

[Nige]

I think Beijing might get up.

[kilbluff1985]

Seoul is cursed  :o

[ossie85]

Seoul is cursed  :o

Yep. When I was coach of them, we were playing New Delhi... cruising to victory, and then 3 Brisbane Lions players scored over 500 points between them - they all happened to be on New Delhi - including a flowering 170 from Daniel flowering Merrett. I mean what the hell!

[Ringo]

Seoul is cursed  :o

Yep. When I was coach of them, we were playing New Delhi... cruising to victory, and then 3 Brisbane Lions players scored over 500 points between them - they all happened to be on New Delhi - including a flowering 170 from Daniel flowering Merrett. I mean what the hell!

Lions like devouring magpies  ;)