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Qooty is back.
After a short off-season, and with the Season 25 Grand Final no doubt still in their minds, Roys FFC will begin their premiership defence at home against the East Side Hawks. The reigning premiers taking on arguably the number one posting side in the competition makes for a thrilling Match of the Round that could see either team get their season off to the perfect start. The Roys have added incentive, with league founder and club legend Mobbs celebrating his 400th Sweet FA game, and they'll want to deliver Mr Qooty the win.
The Season 25 Grand Final was just weeks ago, with the Roys lifting the cup against the Swamprats, and that memory will still be in the minds of the players. Will the Roys experience a premiership hangover? Or will they continue the trend begun by the Bombers and push towards a back-to-back premiership? It all starts this weekend at home against the Hawks, and you just know that a win for the Roys could really get them revved up for this season.
Ins/Outs
The Roys had a relatively quiet season coming off the flag, picking up veterans Broken and Freakie as well as a promising rookie in Thommo333. It was the outs that have truly hurt, losing I Dont Care to the Swamprats and xenxen to the Dragons, with both these posters perhaps just one or two seasons away from becoming elite posters in the Sweet FA. Losing this midlevel talent puts a lot of pressure on the shoulders of fitzroybowiedog to pick up the slack and ensure a bigger response from the inexperienced players.
Players To Watch
Premiership captain fitzroybowiedog is coming off unequivocally the greatest individual season the Sweet FA has ever seen - premiership captain, Mobbs Medallist, Deestroy Medallist, Roys B&F and a top 10 finish in the Beez Medal. Whether or not this puts more pressure on him remains to be seen, but he is undoubtedly the most in-form midfielder in the competition at the moment. 3KZ is Football also looms as a big contributor for the Roys, now etched in their folklore for kicking the sealing goal in the Season 25 Grand Final. Mooch is also one of the club's more active posters, and with their off-field performance perhaps at risk of going backwards, will be very crucial to their success.
Milestones
Mobbs - 400 games
The Hawks started last season like a house on fire both on and off the field, and although they eventually faded and fell away in the penultimate week of finals, they can still make a serious claim for being the best posting side in the league. Bolstered by a couple of big recruits and already containing some of the biggest names in qooty, the Hawks are a formidable side and could make a big statement by taking down the reigning premiers.
Ins/Outs
The Hawks will be missing last season's Fred Medallist BRAB, off to the Gumbies, as well as brahj to the Bears, but East Side have arguably turned a net gain in quality this off-season with the acquisitions of The Half Back, Golumless, vanders and Matera92. Combined with a number of excellent rookies heading into their sophomore season, the Hawks have gone from strength to strength this off-season.
Players to Watch
New recruit The Half Back looks up and about early, and appears to be slotting seamlessly into the Hawks outfit. Experienced veterans Loonerty and The Filth Wizard will steady the ship as usual, leaving room for the likes of por_please_ya, The Jesus and perhaps even a rejuvenated Golumless to show their wares.
Milestones
None
- This game was Match of the Round and a top of the table clash to boot, with the Roys' win giving them top spot with just 5 games to go.
- After a 5 goal start, the Roys lead at every stage and held off a fast finishing East Side to win their ninth game of the season by 11 points.
- Eventual Mobbs Medallist fitzroybowiedog picked up 3 votes in this one after 23 touches, 9 tackles and 2 goals, ably assisted by his ruckwoman xenxen who picked up 12 hitouts, 30 disposals and a vote herself
- Hawks spearhead BRAB kicked 10 goals but was unable to pick up a Mobbs vote, with 2 votes instead going to his teammate Milera2Betts (20 disposals, 9 tackles)
- Reardo picked up donuts off the bench for the Roys while Marklar_33 one-upped him for the Hawks, starting on the field and picking up just 1 stat for the day (a free against) to finish with a DT of -3.
- Both sides would go on to make top four at the end of the season, with the Hawks losing in a prelim against the Swamprats and the Roys defeating Sin City the very next week to win the Season 25 Premiership
- This will be the 40th time these two teams have clashed, with the Hawks claiming 21 wins to the Roys' 18.
- The first time these two teams played was way back in Season 6, Round 11, with the Roys taking down the newly formed East-Side Hawks by 22 points.
- East Side won 9 games in a row against the Roys in a spell of dominance spanning from Season 8 to 13.
- These clubs have met in the first week of finals twice, with the Hawks taking the chocolates on both occasions.
- Roys FFC have the highest ever score in this derby, kicking 23.19 (157) in Season 21 against a Hawks outfit that bagged 20 goals themselves.
- However, the Hawks can claim the largest margin, dispatching of the Roys by 109 points (150-41) in the first semi final of Season 13. The Roys total in this game is also the lowest of any clash between these teams.
- The last 10 games between these sides see Roys FFC's 6 wins edging East Side's 4.
It's still early doors in Season 26, but with the Roys coming off the flag and starting at home, we reckon they're slight favourites to win this one.
Head to Head
Roys FFC $1.80
East Side Hawks $2.05
If you want either team on the handicap, we're predicted a narrow margin of just 11 points in favour of the Roys.
Handicap
Roys FFC -11.5 @ $1.95
East Side Hawks +11.5 @ $1.95
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