Pie 4 Life
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1st Qualifying Final: City Oval Plovers (1st) $1.40 vs South West Dragons (4th) $2.50
In our first match of the finals series, we see a side that has been able to do the unthinkable - go undefeated through the finals series - pitted against a side that is horribly out of form, losing its last three games, albeit of whom all made finals. The Plovers have taken all before them this year, winning 13 from 13 and now just three wins separates them from a premiership with Jordie_tackles at the helm in just his second season. After a disappointing prelim exit last year, the Plovers will be keen to go two steps further.
For the Dragons, they started off like a castle on fire, but finished like smouldering embers. Their strong start had set them up for a top four finish, but clung on by points for in the end and with several players hopelessly out of form with the likes of Jarryd Roughead, Kade Simpson and Nick Riewoldt all down on form or having injuries over the past month. The Plovers will go in strong favourites to stretch their winning streak to 14 and host a preliminary final. For the Dragons, they aren't without a chance, but they need to find their early season form that saw them record the highest score on record for them to win.
2nd Qualifying Final: South-Eastern Polar Bears (2nd) $1.90 vs Animals run wild (3rd) $1.90
In the other qualifying final, we have two sides that are neck and neck on scoring potential. Both have very strong lineups with very few weaknesses and are the biggest challenges to the Plovers. The Polar Bears were there abouts for most of the season, but their end of season form where they jumped into second was particularly impressive. For the Animals, they too were around the mark and really accelerated into contention with a good back half, despite a last round loss to Classy Gentlemen.
Both sides have the potential to score around 450-500, so on a good day this is expected to be a high scoring clash. At full strength, the Animals might have that little bit more fire power, but the Polar Bears have incredible consistency and you know what to expect from guys like Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell. On the otherhand, the Animals have Todd Goldstein who will just net a 50+ score pretty much every week, so it's triple figures for the Animals before you take into account the other nine players.
1st Elimination Final: Classy Gentlemen (5th) $1.70 vs Draconian Knights (8th) $2.10
The first elimination final feels like the battle of the underdogs. They don't have the finals experience that the other teams do, nor do they have the absolute consistency that the other teams do. Both sides could score 480 or 380, no-one quite knows what to expect. Classy Gentlemen have won one final before and they'll be looking to replicate that, while the Knights are in the finals for their debut season.
Classy Gentlemen's strength lies in a few with Josh P. Kennedy, Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin leading the charge. Liam Shiels had 17 tackles last week, which got them over the line, but they need more consistency from their backs and forwards. Much like amos said last year with The Repeaters and Stefan Martin, if Classy Gentlemen win the premiership with Shaun Hampson as starting ruck, I think we'll all leave the comp. In saying that, they are probably favourites, although with Patrick Dangerfield in good form for the Knights, it's a tough one to pick.
2nd Elimination Final: The Ladyboys (6th) $1.80 vs Mozzie Bites (7th) $2.00
It almost doesn't seem fair that two former heavyweights of the competition go to battle in the elimination final, with one gone from the 2015 premiership race after this weekend. Both have a strong history against each other and there is no love lost between the coaches. This will personally be my favourite to watch this weekend, if only for the banter/bragging rights afterwards.
Both sides can pump out massive scores, but as their win-loss record shows, they have been hit with some pretty big injuries or non-submissions (*cough* amos). The Ladyboys have enjoyed the increased form of Lachie Neale and Patrick Cripps who at the start of the season would not have been too threatening at the mid positions, but there they are. Sam Jacobs and Tom Lynch have also been incredibly consistent, as has mid-season pickup Leigh Montagna. For the Mozzies, they have less fanfare about their starting squad this year, but old heads Dane Swan, Aaron Sandilands and Jordan Lewis just keep getting it done. The forwards tend to be the biggest weakness for the Mozzies, while Scully ranks below others in the tackling department, but those older blokes really pull in big scores.
Finals Race:
QF1: City Oval Plovers vs South West Dragons
EF1: Classy Gentlemen vs Draconian Knights
QF2: South-Eastern Polar Bears vs Animals run wild
EF2: The Ladyboys vs Mozzie Bites
SF1: Loser of QF1 vs Winner of EF1
SF2: Loser of QF2 vs Winner of EF2
PF1: Winner of QF1 vs Winner of SF2
PF2: Winner of QF2 vs Winner of SF1
GF: Winner of PF1 vs Winner of PF2
Good luck to all. Remember captains, vice captains and naming the position of both CCs.
No turning back from here, all the best.
In our first match of the finals series, we see a side that has been able to do the unthinkable - go undefeated through the finals series - pitted against a side that is horribly out of form, losing its last three games, albeit of whom all made finals. The Plovers have taken all before them this year, winning 13 from 13 and now just three wins separates them from a premiership with Jordie_tackles at the helm in just his second season. After a disappointing prelim exit last year, the Plovers will be keen to go two steps further.
For the Dragons, they started off like a castle on fire, but finished like smouldering embers. Their strong start had set them up for a top four finish, but clung on by points for in the end and with several players hopelessly out of form with the likes of Jarryd Roughead, Kade Simpson and Nick Riewoldt all down on form or having injuries over the past month. The Plovers will go in strong favourites to stretch their winning streak to 14 and host a preliminary final. For the Dragons, they aren't without a chance, but they need to find their early season form that saw them record the highest score on record for them to win.
2nd Qualifying Final: South-Eastern Polar Bears (2nd) $1.90 vs Animals run wild (3rd) $1.90
In the other qualifying final, we have two sides that are neck and neck on scoring potential. Both have very strong lineups with very few weaknesses and are the biggest challenges to the Plovers. The Polar Bears were there abouts for most of the season, but their end of season form where they jumped into second was particularly impressive. For the Animals, they too were around the mark and really accelerated into contention with a good back half, despite a last round loss to Classy Gentlemen.
Both sides have the potential to score around 450-500, so on a good day this is expected to be a high scoring clash. At full strength, the Animals might have that little bit more fire power, but the Polar Bears have incredible consistency and you know what to expect from guys like Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell. On the otherhand, the Animals have Todd Goldstein who will just net a 50+ score pretty much every week, so it's triple figures for the Animals before you take into account the other nine players.
1st Elimination Final: Classy Gentlemen (5th) $1.70 vs Draconian Knights (8th) $2.10
The first elimination final feels like the battle of the underdogs. They don't have the finals experience that the other teams do, nor do they have the absolute consistency that the other teams do. Both sides could score 480 or 380, no-one quite knows what to expect. Classy Gentlemen have won one final before and they'll be looking to replicate that, while the Knights are in the finals for their debut season.
Classy Gentlemen's strength lies in a few with Josh P. Kennedy, Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin leading the charge. Liam Shiels had 17 tackles last week, which got them over the line, but they need more consistency from their backs and forwards. Much like amos said last year with The Repeaters and Stefan Martin, if Classy Gentlemen win the premiership with Shaun Hampson as starting ruck, I think we'll all leave the comp. In saying that, they are probably favourites, although with Patrick Dangerfield in good form for the Knights, it's a tough one to pick.
2nd Elimination Final: The Ladyboys (6th) $1.80 vs Mozzie Bites (7th) $2.00
It almost doesn't seem fair that two former heavyweights of the competition go to battle in the elimination final, with one gone from the 2015 premiership race after this weekend. Both have a strong history against each other and there is no love lost between the coaches. This will personally be my favourite to watch this weekend, if only for the banter/bragging rights afterwards.
Both sides can pump out massive scores, but as their win-loss record shows, they have been hit with some pretty big injuries or non-submissions (*cough* amos). The Ladyboys have enjoyed the increased form of Lachie Neale and Patrick Cripps who at the start of the season would not have been too threatening at the mid positions, but there they are. Sam Jacobs and Tom Lynch have also been incredibly consistent, as has mid-season pickup Leigh Montagna. For the Mozzies, they have less fanfare about their starting squad this year, but old heads Dane Swan, Aaron Sandilands and Jordan Lewis just keep getting it done. The forwards tend to be the biggest weakness for the Mozzies, while Scully ranks below others in the tackling department, but those older blokes really pull in big scores.
Finals Race:
QF1: City Oval Plovers vs South West Dragons
EF1: Classy Gentlemen vs Draconian Knights
QF2: South-Eastern Polar Bears vs Animals run wild
EF2: The Ladyboys vs Mozzie Bites
SF1: Loser of QF1 vs Winner of EF1
SF2: Loser of QF2 vs Winner of EF2
PF1: Winner of QF1 vs Winner of SF2
PF2: Winner of QF2 vs Winner of SF1
GF: Winner of PF1 vs Winner of PF2
Good luck to all. Remember captains, vice captains and naming the position of both CCs.
No turning back from here, all the best.
