Media S29 Rising Stars

[AuntyBlindEye]

Round 1 saw the S29 rookies hit the ground running. There were a number of great showings on and off the field and if it were up to me I would give two nominations this round, but going by the ARSE one rookie had a marginally better week.

TalkingFootyNow1223 continued to impress, getting himself 83 DT points off the back of a 28 disposal game including 19 handballs.

Drunken Wookie was a tackling machine, racking up 10 tackles to go along with his 19 disposals.

Tonga Bob played with a level of class not often seen in rookies. He helped himself to 92 DT points with a 24 disposal game, taking 7 marks and kicking a goal.

Cesoir was one of two rookies to break 100 DT points in their debut. They were everywhere during the match and made life difficult for their opponents. He kicked an important goal to go along with his 28 disposals and would have probably received the round one nomination had he had slightly better disposal efficiency.

This week's nomination though, goes to Cap. While he didn't get on the scoreboard like cesoir, he had a massive 8 marks, stifling the Royals midfield and launching counter attacks, many of which resulted in goals for Las Vegas. He finished on 102 DT and 28 disposals and when ARSE was applied, he scored highest of all the rookies in round 1 to claim the first nomination of the season.



~~~

I sat down with Cap and Test Tickle for a little chat following this nomination.

Test Tickle
1. G'day Testy. You must be rapt to have one of your new recruits receive the first Rising Star nomination for S29. Just how proud are you?
Thanks for this opportunity Aunty. Yeah on behalf of the club I'm very proud to see young Cap rise to the occasion, sensational start to the season, on and off the ground. You might correct me on this ABE, but i think he had a huge A.R.S.E. in Rd 1, correct?

2. Correct. How did Cap come to join the bears and how do you think he is fitting in so far?
I found him sitting all alone in the sign up thread, i went in to save him and thankfully he decided to stick with the Bears, much to our delight. He has made himself at home with the Bears and we all love what he brings to our club.

3. What position do you currently have Cap playing and can we expect to see you move his magnet around any time soon?
Our selectors are happy with Cap playing a mid field role at this stage, he is a hard ball get man, he loves the in and under stuff, especially in the showers after a win.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
Well obviously our rookies but beside them, Piggy Smalls and Crusty Undies compliment each other well, along with Tonga Bob and Cesoir who have also made impressive starts to the season.

Cheers Testy.

Cap
1. Welcome Cap. Congratulations on receiving the Round 1 Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the SFA?
Interesting story really, I got a PM, I had been drinking far too much on a Monday public holiday and it was something to do with fantasy footy. Nothing to do with Scarlett Johansson kicking the footy nude, but it seems the next best thing.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the bears?
Great so far, I seem to have stumbled on to a group of people who have a perverse lack of respect for the human race, and that makes me happy. I do wonder why they enjoy sending pics of their genitalia but I guess that is part and parcel with playing fantasy football.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
I like to carb up, start with a couple of tinnies of West end draft, then move on to long necks. Packet of Honey Soy chips to help with cramps.

4. Ah a true champions routine. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.
I just want to contribute to the team, make sure that we all play the Bears way. We have a good group of posters which will help us do that.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
I wouldn't say enemies, but WaynesWorld19 seems like a massive w***er, definitely looking forward to running through him when we have our warm up game against his team, assuming they haven't folded by then.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
I'm not sure how to answer this as I don't generally rate my chances of winning as I always assume I will win.

Thanks Cap and good luck for the rest of the year.

~~~



If this week is an indication of what's to come from this batch of rookies then we should look forward to many more big games from them.​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

Round 2 saw some of the higher rated rookies have a quieter week while a couple others stepped up to fill the void. Cap had another outstanding week, gathering a huge ARSE with 137.8 points, rocketing him out to a substantial lead.

Santoz was massive for the Bombers with 6 goals, 4 points off 11 kicks and ended on a massive 94.16 points.

Tonga Bob continued his purple patch with 76.95 points thanks to his 25 disposal game which included 4 tackles and 17 handballs. He is beginning to be known as an inside specialist, able to get the ball out of a contest into the hands of a free teammate thanks to his silky skills.

Leviathan Pie announced himself to the SFA with a veterans game of 24 disposals and a handy goal. The Swamprats would be very happy with how he is progressing and the future looks bright for the young rat.

Despite the amazing efforts of other rookies, the choice for this week's nomination was an obvious one. jusjoshin was superb. An incredible 31 disposals, a goal and 15 kicks showed that even though his aspirations are defense based, he is very handy when it comes to attack. Able to bomb the ball a great distance without losing any accuracy, this young hawk will be a nightmare for opposition wherever he plays. His 138.24 points earns him the Round 2 Rising Star nomination.



~~~

I sat down with Jusjoshin and Agent93 to discuss this young dynamo.

Agent93
1. G'day mate You must be rapt to have one of your new recruits receive a Rising Star nomination for S29. Just how proud are you?
Pride is for two-dimensional characters and lions. I am however rather pleased at the pain inficted upon GCB85 at the BJO last Sunday.

2. How did Jusjoshin come to join the hawks and how do you think he is fitting in so far?
I ran into jusjoshin in the Tour of BigFooty on the Fremantle board. His avatar caught my eye and I figured he'd be a good mate for ArdentEagle despite being infected by that purple disease from that other league. Given that impediment, he's easing into things well and is surpisingly sharp when moments of inspiration take him.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and can we expect to see you move his magnet around any time soon?
JJ will set up off the half-back flank in round 3, but can expect to see time all over the field as we get him used to the competition. He really wants to sit in the back pocket and snot people though, but I reckon he's a bit more valuable than a mere thug like ShaunDuggan.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
Warriors newbie Tonga Bob was good value in round 1 and has promised to join the Hawks after I have set fire to TheInjuryFactory.
Roys rookie PurpleGreenRed was surprising given his outward love for a god awful colour scheme and I think he's made a good choice of club.



Jusjoshin
1. Welcome Jusjoshin. Congratulations on receiving the Round 2 Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the SFA?
I first heard about the SFA after I was tagged into one of the threads calling for new blood. I answered the call and played my first game.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the hawks?
I've enjoyed my time at the Hawks so far. They are all extremely supportive of me as a gun accumulator with the soul of a nuggetty small defender. I save my violence for game day so they don't get to see too much of it in training.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
The night before a big match, I'll generally consume a large pizza by myself, and half a carton of draught. The morning of a match I tend to have an ice coffee and a couple of panadol. I listen to really angry music to put myself into the correct mood to run through some campaigners.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.
I'm hoping to cause the most havoc on the field through either extreme acts of violence or sublime skills, take your pick.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
Anybody who is not a Hawk is the enemy. I will leave no surviving enemies.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
I rate myself highly and see it as a foregone conclusion

Strong words. Congratulations and good luck for the rest of the season.

~~~



A quiet week sees Cesoir drop 3 spots, while Jusjoshin and Leviathan Pie move into the top 7. Cap could probably take the week off and still be in the lead. GWS Goose is doing everything right and is slowly climbing up the leaderboard. Surprising no one the Bombers rookie leads all other for posting as it stands, though it is only round two. ​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

Round 3 was a good week for the rookies looking at the stats. Cap continued his assault on the leaderboard, while serial_thrilla recorded an amazing game, getting zeroes in every stats category despite playing 100% game time. Let's give a round of applause to the young Dragon. Such an effort shouldn't go unnoticed.

In rookies who were big enough losers to actually touch the qooty, jezzajay was huge for the Wonders with 11 kicks, 10 handballs and a ridiculous 10 tackles. The little umpires pet also helped himself to 5 frees for.

GWS Goose showed why the Gumbies took interest in him with a solid game, taking 6 marks, 11 kicks, 15 handballs and 3 tackles.

Bovo started to show some serious skill. Having only scored 2.24 ARSE points in the two rounds previous, he scored 90.27 in round 3 by taking 8 marks, 12 kicks, 3 tackles and just generally being a pest to his opposition.

This week's Rising Star nomination could only go to one rookie though, Cesoir. This rookie has set the current record for ARSE points scored in a round with a colossal 197.12 points. The young Royal had 16 kicks, 7 marks, 10 handballs and a massive 9 bone crunching tackles. Having only missed out on a nomination in previous weeks due to the brilliance of other rookies, it is no surprise that Cesoir finally has one of their own.



~~~

I sat down with Cesoir and his captain Filthy to discuss the young prodigy.

The Filth Wizard
1. Hola Filthy, You only took in one rookie this season, but it looks like you've picked a ripper. How happy are you with his performance so far?
Cheers ABE, happy to be here. We're very pleased with Cesoir, this is a guy that can say sorry blokes I'm off on holiday, see you next week and still put up 25 posts. He's been a gun.

2. How did Cesoir come to join the Royals and how do you think he is fitting in so far?
I hear I may have been naughty and not realised there was an embargo on recruiting until matches were posted in the recent tour of the Freo board so I got in red hot on both Cesoir and Kapow!!! who I thought were both awesome during the tour. Oh well. He's fitting in a treat and is not only engaging well in match threads he can quite ably lead a discussion which shows a lot of confidence. As he steps out further into the league from match threads he's going to make a big name for himself.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and can we expect to see you move his magnet around any time soon?
Cesoir jumped out very quickly as somebody I knew I was going to be able to rely upon all season so we made the call to name him from the wing with the message being make it your own spot and keep it.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
I've not played Tonga Bob but have seen him about - he was another I got in very early on, I do laugh as he said if he joined he'd go to the Warriors with TIF (and me if they folded) and when I told TIF well done he had no idea. Apart from him I've met and like Royals team thread guardian Santoz and Bovo at the Bombers, Cap and Leviathan Pie have put up some good work and of course there's TFN who seems to have done a solid job of putting his head down after a big first fortnight.



Cesoir.
1. Welcome Cesoir. Congratulations on receiving the Round 3 Rising Star nomination and setting the current record for biggest ARSE in a round. How did you first hear of the SFA?
Thank you ABE. I first heard of the SFA when you guys did your world tour of the Fremantle Dockers thread a month or so ago. I was really happy to see some fun banter without the usual inter club acrimony we get on the main board. The Filth Wizard sensed that the force was strong in me so he broke the rules to snaffle me up before anyone else could seduce me, and trust me I am easily seduced.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Royals?
So far, so good. There have been a couple of feeble attempts to take advantage of my inexperience but they were easily brushed aside. I still have NFI what is going on, so I just lash out at everyone.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
I generally start about Thursday night with a few quiet beers, Friday I graduate to a couple of bottles of red wine with my pizza. Saturday is of course Jack Daniels day, starting with pouring it on my Weeties and generally finishing on the floor in a pool of vomit. After Sunday School I generally start my "retching and stretching" routine before getting the bus to the ground.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league, other than helping the Royals to a win finally?
I'll be happy with the Rising Star for this year, thanks. Just give me your BSB and account number.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
I am in awe of all the talented posters on our team, but of the leftover dregs I have been very impressed with some of the shitposting from Proper Gander, and Tonga Bob is always good value. Stinky cheese Tony is always good for a laugh. I hope I have made lots of enemies - hopefully the entire Bombers side, they are the SFA equivalent of a loaded nappy.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
Winning the Rising Star, or winning the premiership? I am prepared to pay whatever the going rate for the RS is, including any non-fiscal payments you might require Mr Spottswood. If you mean the premiership, HAHAHAHAHA!!!

My bank account and I thank you for your "time" Cesoir.

~~~


Jusjoshin, hot off his nomination last week was barely sighted this week and drops from 2nd to 7th while Jezzajay has broken into 6th. Despite a week off being a rookie, Talkingfootynow is still leading all other rookies for posting but Tonga Bob is doing his hardest to combat him there. The top 3 ARSE point holders look like they are going to cement their spots up there unless some other rookies start putting in a bit more effort on the field.​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

It was a bit of a quiet week in terms of rookie performances. biaseddustyfan continued to make solid progress, serial_thrilla put in a decent effort and Tonga Bob further showed his potential leadership abilities.

Piggy Smalls started to show some class with a very handy performance for the Furies, picking up 11 kicks, 6 marks and 5 handballs to go along with 3.1 goals.

This week's nomination goes to the only rookie who stood out from the pack, and stand out he did. Maylandsman continued the annoying pattern of impressive Dragons rookies, like they don't have enough success to keep them satisfied. His performance sees him rocket up the ARSE points leaderboard to fourth position. His 15 kick, 12 handball, 7 tackle effort as well as his 3 goals has earned him the round 4 Rising Star nomination.



~~~

I caught up with the young Gecko and his adorable captain AceAndy to chat about his nomination.

AceAndy
1. Howdy Ace. You must be ecstatic to have one of your new recruits receive a Rising Star nomination for S29. How impressed have you been with Maylandsman so far?
Great to see one of our rookies recognised by the Rising Star panel, little surprised it took so long but better late than never. Dragons have had a great recent history with the Rising Star award winner for the last two seasons.

Maylandsman has been a quality player from the get go and under the on-field tutelage of fumbler has been one of the Dragons standout players in season 29.

2. How did the little lizard come to join the Dragons and how do you think he is fitting in so far?
Maylandsman came to us via the Dingster Rookie Recruiting Process which usually involves a sharp blow to the back of the head , a blindfold and being bundled into the back of a black SUV and being thrown out at the players gate at Ljp’s Lair.

Really fitting in well at the Dragons and it is clear from the team PM Maylandsman is a ripper bloke.

3. What position do you currently have Maylandsman playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?
Maylandsman is currently playing Ruck-Rover and if his current form holds up I suspect he will play out the season as Ruck-Rover.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
Season 29 looks to be a good one for rookies with most clubs having picked up one or two really good ones. serial_thrilla has been in sensational form in match threads for the Dragons and I imagine he will be recognised by the panel in coming weeks.

We played the Warriors last week and I was very impressed with how Tonga Bob went about it. As I said seems every team has managed to pickup one or two really great ones which is great for the future.


Maylandsman
1. Welcome Maylandsman. Congratulations on receiving the Round 4 Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the SFA?
Dingster started stalking me. My only escape was to join. Never heard of it but in the glad I finally did.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Dragons?
The competition is great, love the banter. Only a few take it like their penis preference, hard. The rest is good old fashioned mickey taking.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
Watching re runs of the mighty ducks under the bridge where I stay. Warm up is getting chased by the local kids throwing rocks at me. Like any good athlete I fuel up at McDonalds in their bins out back. And finish with a Mcshit.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.
To win free wi-fi. Is that a prize? Dingster said it was. Or win a Madonna mask. Oh and meet some disturbing chaps criteria for banter.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
No enemies, fumbler once when he pinched some cans from my bins. Turns out he is a pretty good avatar whose posts I enjoy reading. Fellow rookie Serial Thrilla has some spunk.
I like all posters that are putting in the effort to keep it real and gave some fun. I don’t remember the serious wanks.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
Lay down misere. Particularly if there is a carton of coke or free wi-fi. With the coke cans can be full or empty, organisers decide. So yeh, I’m a chance.

I reckon so too mate. Thanks for your time.

~~~



jusjoshin continued his slide down the rankings, falling out of the top 7 to make way for Maylandsman. Cap, Cesoir and Tonga Bob remain in their positions by putting in decent efforts and look pretty hard to beat so far. Despite being in the top 3, Tonga is yet to receive a nod. Will get a nomination next week or will he be slightly upstaged yet again? Tune in next week whenever the hell I post the round 5 nomination to find out and give it up for Maylandsman.​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

We are about ⅓ of the way through the season so I thought I would look at which rookies would make an all-star rookie team.

Looking at the team it's clear to see that this batch of rookies would be able to challenge any of the teams in the league on match day. There is talent on every front and emerging leaders on all key points of the ground.

If this were an actual team they would get my tip to win the premiership. Quality oozes from this side.


​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

This was a week where a few rookies really showed that they will not be overawed by the occasion and belted their opponents. Cap had a round that sees him pull ahead of the pack, GWS Goose and Tonga Bob were once again overlooked and Santoz had a whole box of doughnuts.

Lemon Boi started to show some promise in the middle with a 14 kick, 6 handball game with great disposal efficiency to help his team to a win.

Chipmunk had a solid debut off half back. He helped himself to 6 kicks, 4 marks and 5 handballs. Not an effort that will yield a great return on ARSE points, but a good enough game to give plenty of confidence going forward.

This week's nomination was an easy choice though. This rookie absolutely smashed the previous ARSE points record, scoring 214.84 ARSE points. The first rookie in history to break the 200 mark. They recorded 14 penetrating kicks, 13 silky handballs, 8 bone crunching tackles, 4 goals and a whopping 7 frees for in an effort to help his team. Any rookies looking for a nomination should have a chat to PurpleGreenRed about how he went about it, as they could learn a lot and it will be difficult to beat. Congratulations PurpleGreenRed, the Round 5 Rising Star goes to you. Give him a round of applause.



~~~

I had a little chat with the young rookie and his captain about his efforts.

TedDougChris
1. Welcome TDC. You must be happy to have one of your new recruits receive a Rising Star nomination for S29. How impressed have you been with PurpleGreenRed so far?
Hi ABE - we've been rapt with PGR so far - he shows all the qualities of someone who will go far in his Qooty. He ignores my instructions, doesn't follow any of my advice on the training track and kicks accurately in front of goal. All the hallmarks of a potential superstar of the sport. If he keeps up this sort of performances, we'll probably have to trade him - he's making a few of us look bad....

2. How did the PGR come to join the Roys and how do you think he is fitting in so far given he isn't a retiree?
We were lucky enough to recruit PGR through the Tour of Qooty covert operations earlier in the year. We had a chat, I lied outrageously and then have constantly ignored his requests for payment. I'm just following in the time-honoured traditions, like making sure as Admin you are in the All SFA side, regardless of your actual performance.... He's settled in well, keeps ruffling Roylion 's hair and pokes Reardo when he's not expecting it.

3. What position do you currently have PGR playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?
PGR has moved through the middle early, currently sitting in the Rover spot (Ro) !! He's performed well, culminating in a fantastic performance in Rd 5 - something even Tony Lynn 15 might have noticed....

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
It's been an impressive recruiting haul this year, not just with true rookies like Tonga Bob and TalkingFootyNow1223 who have been good - but it's also been good to see a few returning characters - such as Kapow!!! , Taylor and Marlowe popping back into the league. Note to Broken - still a list spot here mate !!

PurpleGreenRed
1. Welcome PGR. Congratulations on receiving the Round 5 Rising Star nomination with a record setting round. How did you first hear of the SFA?
First heard of the Roys when the SFA ventured into Fremantle territory. Hooked since

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Roys?
I am enjoying my time @ the Roys. Apart from Induction night....it's all going well. Too much Bourbon flowing and not enough Scotch...but that's another story. The boys have been very welcoming and I've enjoyed the experience.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
Whisky or Uisghe as it's properly known. A bit of pre game banter with the other side and even my own team....and a gentle stroll roll the ground with my Westie "Rover" ... perfect warm up!

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.
My aspirations aren't that high...I'd rather be more Fyfe-esque than Schammer-esque but ...happy to contribute!

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
Strigoi caught my eye last week. I think the only poster that can dribble more than TedDougChris ! She also has never seen Game of Thrones. Sheltered! Still thoroughly wonderful poster..and she's in Pittsburgh. Go Steelers!
The Bombers (quell surprise) were harsh when I tentatively went in to say hello. Avoided since!

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
We won't be winning anything if I don't receive my brown bag full of pineapples as promised by my captain. I'll simply kick the wrong the way and confuse tf out of the sim! One game at a time is the Media department's standard response

Thank you both for your time and nice ARSE Purps.

~~~


PurpleGreeRed's effort sees Leviathan Pie drop out of the top 7, while his record setting score sees PGR up to fourth spot. Cap, Cesoir and Tonga Bob look fairly comfortable in the top 3. It's only round 5 but it is hard to see those 3 being beaten. Tonga and Santoz are upholding the bombers spirit with their posting numbers despite Tonga not even playing for them.

Justice for GWS Goose! And slow down Cap. ​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

I've listened to the complaints from The Warriors people and I have to agree. There is too much feel goodery going on so this week is bad boy week. I'll be calling out all the spuds within the S29 rookie intake.

Butler40, Bovo, Drunken Wookie, Bastyy, biaseddustyfan, BlueE, MatthewB, The Victorian, Cap, windyhill, Crusty Undies and Chipmunk all failed to get higher than 20 ARSE points. Disgusting, disappointing and downright pathetic. I'm ashamed for you all.

There were a couple of decent performances from the rookies, but they had already been nominated so * them.

Of the rookies that bothered to put in any effort to help their team only one put in performance worthy of a nomination and that rookie was jezzajay. They scored 72.9 ARSE points, a pitiful effort when compared to some of the monster showings this season but it does highlight Jezza's ability to put in consistently solid efforts for his team. He might not be a Dr Mantis Taboggan, but he is exactly the type of player you want on your team. Congratulations are due for Jezza. Put your hands together, but not too enthusiastically. We won't want to give the rookies the impression this s**t will be tolerated week after week.



~~~

I sat down with the young wonder and his captain to discuss his season so far.

Dingster
1. Welcome Ding. You must be glad to see Jezza finally receive some recognition. How impressed have you been with Jezza so far?
Jez hit the ground running in the pre season taking it up to some of the more experienced posters and has been a regular contributor in our match threads. I love that he has a crack and is fitting into SFA life with aplomb.

2. How did the Jezza come to join the Wonders and how do you think he is fitting in so far? How has he been handling having to decipher what Bloodied52 is saying on a regular basis?
I noticed Jez dominating the minor leagues and gave a brown paper full of money that I stole from Vegas.

As the official interpreter for B52, I get great enjoyment from misinterpreting his comments. As a result, Jez is never alone in the same room as B52 and will never order the lasagna in room service again.

3. What position do you currently have Jezza playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?
Jez has been playing ruck rover, but as a true team player rookie who does what he's told, he plays other positions to honour our veterans on milestone games. For Clarkey's 400th this week, he'll play at CHF.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your eye this season so far?
Tonga Bob has been the stand out from our match threads so far. serial_thrilla was also great value and I look forward to seeing more of PurpleGreenRed.

Jezzajay
1. Welcome Jezza. Congratulations on receiving the Round 6 Rising Star nomination. You may want to thank the poor performances of other rookies. How did you first hear of the SFA?
I was blissfully unawares of the SFA until I was approached by the Almighty Dingster one sunny afternoon as I was minding my own. When he first asked I was like..."what the hell are you taking about!?" But of course I was submissive and said yes....hell, anythings worth trying (well almost anything) at least once....who knows whether you will like it or not until you try - correct!?
No regrets thus far!

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Wonders?
Yes I am. This provides another level to the BF experience. Firstly it has introduced me to a vast array of new posters/players and brought back a few that I'd lost touch with over time. I just wish I had more time on my hands to spend bantering with everyone...just find it difficult outside of my work, business and family commitments but it's a great escape from all that also. My wife is shocked to see me limbering up on a Sunday arvo before a game...I haven't been this active in years!
The Wonders are awesome...is there a better team with better bunch of players in the league - doubt it!
The support form them is phenomenal!
We have some guns and I'd love to see us win the big prize as a group.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
Crack my knuckles...a little stretch of the neck and back...then put my feet up and sit back and relax as everything unfolds. Sometimes I'll throw a pie and iced coffee into the mix.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.
I want to be seen as a tough nut...and I'm achieving that with my tackle rate already...I'm only a rookie and I'm already hitting big numbers - bigger than most the older entitled hacks have managed in their entire careers that are still hogging field positions.
I'd also like to say I will be a one team player...I'm as loyal as they come. But of course I will consider all options and offer$$.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
There have been many posters that have caught my eye for a variety of reasons. Some are insanely funny....some weird....some 'over the hill' and then there's some that just shouldn't bother.
I'm not going to name my enemies as I'm not sure they are that aware of my distaste for them...as I quote the Godfather - "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer".

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
I really do believe we are close to getting a good run on, and timing it right for the end of season run when everyone else has hit the wall... I mean booze. We are so close to winning games and we've been run over the top in the last quarter on numerous occasions and those teams had to fight tooth and nail to get over us, that will hurt them long term. Be prepared for the Wonders to come home strong! From what I understand of our last season or two...making at least top 4 will be a good result for us..but history means nothing to me (with all due respect to my team mates, stuff the rest though) right now as I'm contributing to the Wonders' legacy.

A true team player Jezza. Always good to see. Thanks guys.
~~~



serial_thrilla had a prolific week in match threads which saw him jump from 7th to 3rd on the posting ladder. PurpleGreenRed had a massive game which sees him bumped to second for largest ARSE. Cap got dragged early which allowed the other rookies to catch up to him, yet most of them sucked just as hard as Cap so his lead remains largely untouched.​

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

In a week where the average ARSE was a paltry 26.07, only two rookies stood out.

GWS Goose was once again very serviceable for his Gumbies. He ended with a considerable ARSE of 79.9 and a performance which is very worthy of a Rising Star nomination........ Unfortunately for him, one of his biggest competitors also decided to perform in an above average matter and completely outshone the goose.

Tonga Bob was once again red hot. Collecting an ARSE of 102.46 and moving up to second on the leaderboard. Bob was integral to The Warriors loss, standing up and taking charge when those more experienced around him folded under pressure from the opposition. The Round 7 nomination sees one name crossed off the list of spurned rookies and one less pain in my ARSE. Everyone get around Tonga Bob, this has been a long time coming.



~~~

The young Warrior and his captain were gracious enough to sit down with me for an interview, despite my sin of overlooking Bob for as long as I have.

TheInjuryFactory
1. Hello TIF. You must be glad to see Tonga finally receive some recognition. How impressed have you been with him so far?
Round 9? Give me a spell. I mean fair dinkum you blokes.

Let's not sugercoat it here ABE, I think your algorithm has to have been pulled from somewhere firmly up your A.R.S.E. Surely you go back to the drawing board when the indisputable king of this season's rookies isn't recognised in the first fortnight or so?

I've just had to mentor and guide the poor bloke through this harrowing experience of your panel's gross lack of recognition for his outstanding season.

Bobby is without a doubt the best rookie prospect we've seen come through the competition since S26. He's got future captain written all over him, but I've stopped doing that now cos I've run out of room.

2. This is for round 7 but I won't hold that against you. How did Tonga come to join the Warriors and how do you think he is fitting in so far? Is this nomination too little, too late?
We'd crossed swords before on the Freo board, but when we took the Qooty tour there back in January his class shone through right from the get go, and it was clear he had not only the figure, but the smarts that were destined for qooty greatness. I was the skipper of the Freo team, he reached out to me, we reconnected and the rest was history.

He's definitely announced himself since coming the club. He does it every time he walks into the change rooms actually.

Too little, too late? I think you already know the answer to that one ABE.

3. What position do you currently have the young rookie playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?
Bob plays on the wing for us, where he and our marquee off season recruit Cadaver have both enjoyed All-SFA calibre seasons. He loves the wide open expanses of VCP and uses it magnificently well on the outside. He came to us as a skinny half back flanker, so I think he's got another season or two of development in him, but his ball winning nous suggests a future in the engine room here at Coney Island.

4. What S29 rookies have caught your attention for better or worse this season?
Young Dinsdale, another rookie at the club has been super impressive for us on and off the field. Those two remind me of a young TiF and pantskyle.

We've also added iGNITER and Randomizor to the club this season in what is, without a doubt, the premier rookie crop of the competition in S29.

Outside of the Wazzas, I think serial_thrilla has shown glimpses, and guys like Cesoir and PurpleGreenRed look like forging quality qooty careers after promising starts.

Tonga Bob
1. Welcome Tonga. Congratulations on receiving the Round 7 Rising Star nomination. You were one of only two rookies that put in a performance worth watching (the 2nd being GWS funnily enough) How did you first hear of the SFA?
Please, call me Bob. Tonga was my father's name.

Thanks, I really appreciate it! It's an honour to receive the nomination, and I'm thankful that Bloodied52 and Antonio BlueVein (among others) are putting the work in to make it happen.

Like many of the S29 rookies, it was the SFA tour of the Freo board that caught my attention. TheInjuryFactory extended the invitation initially, followed by a few other captains, but the thought of being under the tutelage of the premier media whore curator of BigFooty was an offer too good to refuse. Plus my experience working at a theme park made me a good fit at Coney Island.

Now hurry up and nominate Goose, his whining is giving me the irrits.

2. I shall do no such thing. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Warriors?
As Andrew Symonds once said, "mate you couldn't punch the smile off my face". I'm having an absolute ball here! The Wazzas are a great bunch of people and I'm thankful to be part of the franchise. I've known TIF and his champagne media work for a while now, so being under his leadership is a privilege. pantsredacted has also taken me under his furry wing as well which has been great, and the midfield of Cadaver, comewhatmay, harry000, Dinsdale & pants is elite. And without tagging the whole team in here, everyone has been really encouraging (even the new kid NaturalDisaster).

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?
To paraphrase the late Bill Hicks, during the week I carb load for 8 hours a day and about 10 hours a night. Game day I spend some time praying for the game ahead, chasing the kids around, reading WAFL footy budgets from the 1980's and hydrating with Dare triple shot iced coffee. I then take a deep breath and await whatever punishment the sim decides to hand out.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league?
In the beginning I was tempted by the idea of getting involved in something by doing as little as humanly possible (at least that was the pitch that TIF made to me). And while the shitposting is a lot of fun, I see potential for more in here. I've done media over on the Freo board (here's a game preview from a couple of years ago that got a bit of interest), so I'd like to do a bit more of that. As far as qooty goes, the sim has bestowed me some Ed Langdon energy on the field so maybe some better ball use would be nice.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?
First and foremost, the season 29 rookie cohort are freaking awesome! The future of the comp is in safe hands. On the field I've had good match ups with Cap, Cesoir & GWS Goose, while serial_thrilla & jezzajay have been good value in the threads. We're up against the Bombers this week so I'm looking forward to Santoz's work.

All of the teams I've faced so far have been a good laugh. The gallows humour of the Gumbies in particular was some decent areas. The Bombers & Roys are still to come and I expect nothing less from them. One poster to call out would be Ned_Flanders for the game against the Furies, whose surly approach provided added inspiration for that week.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?
One in 17. It's a numbers game Aunty, and I'm happy to be a part of the conversation. I just want to play my part for the Wazzas, so when I win I'll be able to share the accolades with my team.

Thanks again for the nomination Aunty, let me finish off by saying this...

​

No idea what football is but thanks for your time guys. Good luck for the coming weeks, The Warriors need it.

~~~



Cap appears to be coasting, assuming his lead to be insurmountable but the other rookies are coming up on him fast. If he doesn't pull his finger out we may see a lead change for the first time this season. Which rookie is placed to knock Cap off the throne? One of Cesoir, PurpleGreenRed and Tonga Bob appear to be the ones to bet on.​

 

[Riviat]

I just posted Round 9.....and now we're going backwards into Round 8. Well, as the saying goes, sometimes we need to go backward before we can move forward. Deep


In what would be a free-flowing and high scoring affair between the Roys and Wonders, it seems that the Rookies brought their A+++++ games and a Qooty of their own to kick around. Of the 5 Rookies in action, 4 brought their best with all 4 flogging their direct and more experienced opponents. Previous Rising Star nominees jezzajay (Rd 6) and PurpleGreenRed (Rd 5) have shown that they're not one-hit Wonders, and windyhill was >[SUB].[/SUB]< this close to being this round's nominee for his 5 goal, 102 DT game. Would watch again.

Special mention must go to GWS Goose for his 26 possession and 98 DT for the Gumbies. So close, yet so far for the Rising star hopeful. Can this week be the week?


We're not here to inflate/deflate the egos of the Round 8 runners-up or previous nominees, we're here to celebrate the winners so without much further ado, i present to you your Round 8 winner.

Mego Red showed us this round that you do not need to be in the league for donkeys years to pull out a monster game. In just his 8th game in the SweetFA, he made a mockery of the Wonders and ran freely and uncontested around the field of battle vacuuming up the ball at will and suffering from leather poisoning. His final stats read like a 6 season veteran, rather than an 8 game Rookie. 23 Kicks, 6 Marks, 16 Handballs and 2 goals to rub the salt in for 137 DT. How in the seven circles could we deny this man his Rising star nomination?!

It wasn't even the best on the ground with Runk contributing with a mammoth 142 DT for the Roys.


In a comparatively small-fry arm wrestle, it could be argued that The Roys had the better game against Wonders - although there was very little in it. 27m from 124 to 151.




It seems that ABE pre-recorded another heart-to-heart interview with Roy's captain TedDougChris and Mego Red before leaving.

TDC

1. Hello again TDC. You must be happy to see Mego Red receive the round 8 nom. How impressed have you been with him so far? How has he stacked up against the other rookies you've picked up?

Hi there ABE, this time I'll try to remember to reply to this... We've been lucky with all three of our rookies, they are playing well and adjusting to the league nicely - despite all the chaos around the league and the world...

2. How did the Mego come to join the Roys and how do you feel being the first team to receive multiple RS moms this season?

Mego Red has fitted in seemlessly at the Roys, we picked him up with assistance from the Dingster recruitment factory. We had a discussion about what Mego Red knew about the league and when he replied "Absolutely nothing", we knew we were onto a winner....

We think it's a testament to our ability to develop players - although we are still waiting for a retrospective nomination for Beandip . #justiceforbeandip !!!!

3. What position do you currently have the young rookie playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?

We've run all of them through a few positions to see where they best fit and it's working well. Mego Red is currently running through the wings, PurpleGreenRed is firmly in the midfield and windyhill is in one of the key forward posts.

4. Do you expect to see your remaining rookie get a nomination this season?

windyhill is our remaining rookie recruit and he was very unlucky not to have received a nomination, with a 5 goal game from CHF a few weeks ago in a close win. To see the big fella step up when we needed it was a sensational boost for the club !!

However, I suspect that he may have picked up a case of the Beandip 's and will be tragically overlooked. We might have to look at a perpetual award for those criminally passed over for a RS nomination...


Mego Red

1. Welcome Mego. Congratulations on receiving the Round 8 Rising Star nomination. How do you feel knowing you prevented your teammate Windyhill (2nd for the week) from getting a nod for round 8?

Look, I'm just a battler who's grateful for any opportunities I receive. It's a team game, and I'm really looking forward to sharing team success with Windyhill down the road. We're still a rebuilding side, and I'm hopeful I can be a part of that.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Roys? What's it like being a young lad living in a retirement home?

Speaking seriously - I've actually found the last few months to be pretty tough. It's hard to find a decent repeatable rhythm in life, and I don't feel like I've been able to give enough time to a lot of things that I know I enjoy.

That being said - the Roys are are a team with a deep history and I'm proud to stand on the shoulders of giants.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?

I have a hammock on my balcony.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.

Obviously, I'm only taking it a week at a time, but I would be happy to be part of a rebuildt Roys that be a competetive force in the years ahead.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?

LOL - no. Though I've been impressed with what PurpleGreenRed has brought to the table. And Mobbs is the Hollywood Hogan of the Roys.

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?

We still have a long way to go, but I've seen some green shoots the last couple of weeks that make me very hopeful.

 

[Riviat]

Alright folks we're back after a few weeks' hiatus due to unforeseen circumstances. I'm sure all of the current batch of Rookies are champing at the bit to see whether they have earned a Rising Star nom.

We'll kick off the catch-up session with Round 9. Round 8 to follow once stats are pored over and dutifully analysed for worthiness and corruption (not really, we love and welcome corruption here at Rising Rookie central)

It takes skill to be picked each week for your respective teams and if you're still being picked week-in, week-out then you know that you're doing something right, or you're paying off the right people. Round 9 marked the first game after the half-way point in the season and by now the once nervous Rookies are all finding their feet in the SweetFA and going gangbusters in their RookieChat™ saying how much fun it is and how they love everyone.

The following Rising Star nomination needs no introduction as you've now seen what he is capable of in his Serial Stats Reactive Posting thread. I'm of course talking about serial_thrilla. A worthy back-dated winner of the Round 9 Rising Star award.


The Dragons travelled to The House of Gumby this round in what would end up being a 49 point flogging of the home team - a minor speed bump on their way to going back-to-back?

serial_thrilla racked up a modest 110 posts and didn't really set the world on fire on-field but it was enough to get him over the line for the Round 9 nom.



Before his departure, ABE sat down with a heart-to-heart interview with serial_thrilla and his captain AceAndrew69 AceAndy.

Acey

1. Hello again Ace. Not content with all your recent success and Maylandsman's Round 4 nom you now have another Rising Star nominee. How ecstatic are you to be hogging all this talent?

Very pleased we have two of the best rookies going around and great to see the Rising Star committee (or is it just you ) getting on board and recognising Maylandsman and serial_thrilla

2. How did the Serial_Thrilla come to join the Dragons and how do you feel being the second team to receive multiple RS moms this season?

We managed to grab ST after the Freo exhibition match where he was quite active in the match thread and looked a bloke who would enjoy winning back to back premierships. We only picked up two rookies this season and the fact both have scored RS noms speaks volumes for the Rookie Recruiting Program the Dragons run.

3. What position do you currently have the young rookie playing and can we expect to see him get a run in other positions through the the season?

ST is currently in the centre having started out in the Forward Pocket. A great goal sneak and committed match thread poster saw the Match Committee move him up to a more premium position and he hasnt looked back. I expect ST to be playing in the centre in the Dragons S29 premiership team and a big chance for a Deestroy Medal.

4. What's next for the Dragons and their penchant for winning things?

We are really focused in winning back to back premierships and looking to have yet another Rising Star winner to make it three in a row there. I expect the Dragons will also have a couple of All-SFA players this season as well and a Deestroy Medallist.


serial_thrilla

1. Welcome ST. Congratulations on receiving the Round 9 Rising Star nomination. How do you feel to finally get the recognition you deserve?

Yeah, it's about time. I feel that future iterations could put more weighting on general activity in SFA for nominations, and less on output from a randomly generated sim. There has been unbridled outrage in RookieChat™ surrounding this.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Dragons?

Yeah, it's been a fantastic distraction from real life events. SFA has a great community, even with all the contrived drama.
I'm not sure how Andy scouted me actually: I only posted three times in the Freo tour match, and I missed out on selection because I was late to the party. Clearly he has an eye for talent.
The Dragons have been brilliant. Skipper AceAndy has been nothing but eager to point me in the right direction, and Strigoi , fumbler , Hatchy1992 , Knifey Spoony , Cold Sober and Blaze Storm have been great value in the team PM and in match threads.
For some reason we've have a bit of a negative reputation on here, so it's been great to try and subvert those expectations each week. Obviously the whole Caz thing happened earlier on, but since then I think we've had some cracking match threads.

3. How do you prepare for a qooty match?

I start off on the Monday morning by having a quick scout of the opposition: who are their key posters, what is their posting style, are they whinging about playing the Dragons this week? I might even pop into their team thread to stir one or two of them up. Then it's time to dive into the match thread when it is posted, and depending on the team it may be a good time to assert dominance that night before the oldies wake up. By Tuesday you generally get a feel for the opposition: who to ignore, who to rip on all week, who to post memes/gifs to, who to have some quality discussion with. Luckily the Dragons are an eclectic bunch this season, so the thread will tick along nicely no matter the match up (it's important to not have the match thread with the lowest post count...the Rats usually seem to set that bar). By Friday things are usually slowing down a bit (and Andy will post his traditional Friday anthem), so it's time to talk smack about how great dragons are and that we'll win the sim easily: Strigoi is particularly good at this with her various gifs.

4. What are your aspirations for yourself within the league.

The sim is the sim, so as long as I'm on a good position on the field there's not much else I can do there. A few wins can't hurt though. Other than that, as long as I'm posting content that entertains people, I'll know I'm on the right track. It's a fine balance between being an outright dickhead and a boring nice guy, so hopefully I get the spices right.

5. Have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made any enemies yet?

So far I've faced off against all bar the Bombers and Rats, so I'll withhold judgement on them, but for the most part everyone has been great fun. The Royals were a standout, with Marlowe and Cesoir putting up some fantastic discussion. The Furies were a challenge, with Ned_Flanders and TJASTA being generally obtuse, but you don't want every week to be sunshine and rainbows, so they were entertaining in their own way. The Demons were hard work early, but Tarkyn_24 and manangatang put on a good show.
The rookies this season have been really tight knit too. In our hidden RookieChat™ we've been helping each other out by sharing info on which posters are dickheads and how to piss them off (for some reason NaturalDisaster and Kennedy Parker get mentioned a lot).

6. How do you rate your chances of winning come the end of the season?

I'll clearly have to do some media work in the next few weeks to stand a chance of beating Tonga Bob , so I'll try to think of something good. There's some top notch rookies this season though, so whoever wins will truly be the best of the best.

 

[Riviat]

rookIe corrcorrcorrupTion detectedededed, 'Shuttingting down.......restArting aLl It sErviiiicessss in 3,,,2,2,2,1,,1,,,,.....................................

Sorry about that folks. There seems to be a bug in the Rising Star nomination system that we had to iron out. We turned it off and on again and hey presto, it's back up and running normally.

We've had some exquisite performances and rounds to remember throughout S29 and then there's Round 10. Round 10 was a bit of a stinker after we were treated to such awesome skills in the previous rounds. With Mego Red's round 8 showing still fresh in our minds, the top score for the round was a measly 78 ARSE points.

We're not here to bag the Rookies though, we're here to help but we would like to see more of a showing from Piggy Smalls, Bastyy and Bovo to name just a few.

This round's nominee didn't have the best of games, who am I kidding, it was bog-ordinary and not really worth mentioning but what made up for it was his large contribution to the match thread. Further to this, he is currently second in DT for his team over the season and is in the top 5 for overall DT scored amongst current rookies which makes the delay in his nom till this point quite amazing. It is for the current ladder cellar dweller so may not be all that surprising after all....

Unlike the Round 11 nominee, who was part of a losing team, this rookie helped his team win for just the second time this season. If you haven't guessed who it is then may I present to you your Round 10 Rising Star nominee in GWS Goose. Goose racked up a poultry 18 possessions, 2 marks and nothing else of note but he did contribute 93 posts to his team's numbers against the Hawks.

As always, I sat down with Gumbies captain Barrybran and the Goose himself for a bit of a chinwag with some ARSEQ questions.


Baz

1. Howdy Baz. It's been a long time coming but your premier Rookie GWS Goose is now a Rising Star nominee. How proud are you?

I'm prouder than Gepetto when Pinnochio became a real boy

2. How did the Goose come to find his way to the Gumbies and how do you think he's fitting in at the Gumbies, and in the SweetFA overall?

The Goose held his own against the best Sweet FA had to offer in the Tour of Qooty exhibition match over at the Giants board. At the end of the week, TedDougChris and I played a game of rock-scissors-paper and I won. It's about the only thing I've won this season actually.

GWS Goose has been a fantastic addition to the Gumbies lineup this season. Joining the team just before Round 1, he has picked up the league and the Gumbies really well and it's great to see him enjoying himself. A top three finish in the EKA is a real possibility.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?

GWS Goose is currently playing on a wing, honing his craft under the tutelage of fellow wingman, beez. He's currently second in Dream Team points at the Gumbies and will feature prominently in our B&F, I think. GWS Goose has certainly earned the right to choose his position next season.

4. What S29 Rooks have also grabbed your attention this season?

You've dragged my boy's name through the mud all season, finally given him the recognition he deserves and now you're aking me about other rookies? Please.

Keep an eye out for BlueE and bone2468. BlueE joined us at the start of the season and has taken his time to see what it's all about. He's recently dipped his toe in the Sweet FA waters and he's been good value so far. bone joined us in Round 9 and has had an immediate impact in match threads. Both are Freo fans, which I try not to hold against them.


GWS Goose

1. Welcome GWS Goose and congratulations on finally achieving a Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the SweetFA?

Thankfully we reached an agreement and were able to settle out of court and I have rightfully received my well deserved nominaton. I found out after the SFA tour to the GWS board, seemed like good fun, so I jumped on board.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Gumbies?

The SFA has been good fun and a welcome distraction with no sport and what not on. I'm enjoying my time with the Gumbies. When I joined i specifically asked for a team that was in a rebuild and needed new players. Seems like the rebuild has happened quick of the field, the Gumbies have a nice group of posters now. On the field , not so much!

3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?

Total domination. Just have an interest and a laugh.

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match?

3 or 4 hours of self affirmation and a beer.

5. It's 12 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

In the Gumbies set up I really like what Taylor brings to the table, very clever and amusing. Amongst my fellow rookies I like what Tonga Bob and Serial thrilla do, and new comer chipmunk is great. He'd be right in the mix for the Rookie awards if he participated all year

6. Only passing comments have been said about RookieChat. How do you think it has helped your time in the SweetFA having a chat that only current season Rookies are a member of?

I think it is a good little add on to have a chat and try and work out who's who in the zoo, also added a bit of camaraderie amongst this years rookies

7. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

If judged fairly I should definitely win. But we know that nothing is fair in the SFA

 

[Riviat]

The round nomination that never was and has been a cause of contention amongst this season's bunch of rookies.

We found out through a dodgy media puff piece that Santoz was a rookie all the way back in Season 7. We had to duly strip him of his Rising Star nomination for this round but what should we do with it? We could leave it blank and forget it ever existed or we could look at the next best rookie and give it to them.

Leaving it blank would not be a good look for the Sweet FA so we decided to give it to someone. Rather than mess around with the usual pomp and glamour of an interview, we thought a good ol' fashioned hand over would do the trick.

GremioPower, the international rookie is our new Round 11 nominee! Congratulations for your 4 goal effort as Forwards are always overlooked when it comes to these awards.

We normally do an interview but we already did one for Round 11 and I cbfed doing another.

Congrats Gremio!

 

[Riviat]

We now find ourselves fast approaching the end of the season with only 6 rounds to go. There are many Rookies that have not yet earned a nomination that will be following these pages with some trepidation and asking themselves a few questions - Did I give it my all this round? Why am i not getting a nomination? All valid questions but it all boils down to YOU, the Rookie, to be able to answer them.

The Rising Star is all about awarding performances, both on and off field taken into account.

We had an interesting round where some previously nominated Rookies didn't live up to the lofty expectations placed on their young shoulders and some stayed true to their path. Are they all tiring after a long season? It hasn't seemed to affect Roy's recruit PurpleGreenRed who came out firing in his game against the Warriors for 29 posies and 101 DT. Fellow Roy's recruit and Round 8 nominee Mego Red hasn't lived up to his Round 8 heroics but is pacing along nicely with a 28 possession, 76 DT game.

Some of the rookies who are yet to see a nomination include Chipmunk, who was recruited in the middle of the season by the Hawks as he failed to fire and will need to turn his season around to get that elusive nomination and Bastyy from the Furies only had 2 kicks for 2 goals.

Being a FF is a high pressure ask as you are the main avenue to goal and you are usually the one to cop the opposition's best defender. If your team doesn't win, you are usually the first to be blamed but if you fire and the team triumphs, you're the first to get the pat on the shoulder. A rough task indeed. This next Rising Star nominee is no stranger to toughing it out, copping the highs and lows of being a FF in flight. Round 11 saw this Rookie have a rather inaccurate but almost influential game that almost dragged his team over the line.

The Rookie I'm referring to is none other than my fellow Baghdadian Santoz. His return of 4 goals 6 being an inaccurate one but one that he prides himself on for the pressure acts. Other than that, he had a day out in the thread with the Dragons with a lazy 80+ quality posts. In the end, it wasn't the result that Santoz and the Bombers wanted but his performance in the ARSE was enough to get him over the line.

I had a chat with the Bomber's captain WaynesWorld19 and Rookie Santoz to see how he is getting on in the world of Sweet.


Wayneo

1. Howdy Captain. Unlike last season where we had a lot of nominees throughout, including yours truly, Santoz is the first for the Bombers for S29. How proud are you that he has finally managed to gain a nomination?
I'd say I was surprised ....but the Rising Star Committee has never failed to surprise me.

But Santoz is not the media whore types like serial_thrilla and Tonga Bob .....a quieter type than last Seasons Bombers Rookies, he has preferred his on field work to do the talking (LOL)

But seriously for a minute ....4 Rising Star Nominations last season, one this season, a difficult one for Rookies ...yeah pretty proud of the nipper

2. How did Santoz come to find his way to the Bombers and how do you think he's fitting in with us, and in the SweetFA overall?
I saw maybe 4-5 posts from Santoz on another board .....and you know in an instant, this guy has a talent for Qooty.

Most Rookies have a lot of questions about this place, but not Santoz .....he took to the SFA style, like a duck to water ......him and Metalcrusher together in the first 3 rounds, and a couple of matches ago were awesome to watch ....we called them the "Crash Brothers"

He's starting to spread his wings into media threads .....and he has enormous potential as a Qooty Player, a sharp wit and an aggressive retort, that all clubs need, and only the Bombers can foster ......we love him at the Bombers

3. We all know he's currently at FF but will we see a move in the future?
Interesting timing .....we thought the goal square was restricting his flair, and that he had a greater opportunity to influence a match .....plus kicking with his sponsored boots was ....lets just say, he wasn't getting the desired results

So peacocks need to fly, they need space .....so it's Ruck Rover for him this week ....still not sure about the boots, we'll see how he goes covering 14 km's in them

Editors note: Those are some mighty fine boots, I'm sure some in the SweetFA will want to know where he got them from.

4. What S29 Rooks have also grabbed your attention this season?
It's been a great crop of Rookies this season, in a difficult season we'd agree ....I suspect we'd have seen another half dozen really flourish, if not for the virus .....no, that's the other Covid19

Cap has surprised me, knowing him for many years .....he's really flourished & enjoyed the place
Tonga Bob I think is a ripper ....and I liked what Cesoir brings at the Royals
But all the Rookies have added to this place, and I hope they stick around & go to the next level in seasons to come


Santoz

1. Welcome Santoz and congratulations on achieving the most sort after nomination of the season, The Rising Star. How did you first hear of the SweetFA?

I was heavily recruited by Wayne from the SuperCoach board, partly for my dry wit and mostly for the SuperCoach insights I provide in the Bomber SuperCoach PM.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Bombers?

I'm loving my time with the Bombers. We have such a variety in personality and posting styles that each match thread throws up something different each week. Wayne's leadership is superb. He keeps us informed of everything we need to know and supports us all, especially new players like myself. He checks in regularly regarding the question you posed and I obviously have no complaints. The rest of the list are great. The obvious heavy hitters in Vein, TL15 & Kohphi lead from the front and represent the Bomber's ethos wonderfully in the sparring week to week in threads and with media alike. WFL regularly makes me smile with his philreichesque one liners and Norma's Photoshop work is unparalleled. The likes of yourself, Snake, cadsky, Requiem and snoz generally don't post as often as the others, but what you all contribute to improving the Bomber brand and improving the enjoyment levels of threads is often underappreciated by neutrals and opposition. Internally, we see it and that's all that probably matters.

3. What are your aspirations within the league?

To win a premiership. Lately, I've noticed that Consistent Scoreboard Pressure Acts haven't been given much consideration by the league in general and I seek to bring this to the forefront of coaches' minds when it comes to selecting sides and developing gameplans. It's very undervalued, but I see the Bombers utilising this strategy to improve our ladder position and style of play in the run home to the finals. When opposition teams see this, I reckon they'll seek to emulate it themselves.

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match?

A hangover. The more hungover I am, the better I am at delivering CSP's I've found.

5. It's 11 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

All teams have their posting talent, but a rival would suggest that I have an equal.

6. Only passing comments have been said about RookieChat^TM. How do you think it has helped your time in the SweetFA having a chat that only current season Rookies are a member of?

It's a great idea as a support network. I'm not sure how other clubs operate with the group PM, but the Bombers' is great as a support network anyway. Without this, I'd definitely be relying on the RookieChat PM more than I currently need to. It's been an interesting place to bounce a few ideas and see the creativity that many rookies exhibit.

7. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

It'd be nice to add to my trophy cabinet of scalps I've collected along the way in the match threads, but it's not the main goal. Winning premierships is the only thing that really concerns me.

8. Bonus Bomber question. How do you see our Premiership chances?

We've got a few weeks to implement the new CSP system before finals, so who knows what we can achieve if we're firing on all CSP cylinders by finals time


Congratulations

 

[Riviat]

With only 5 rounds to go, the heat is starting to build in the kitchen and the pressure is starting to show in some of these rookies. Errors are being made and game skill levels are starting to drop. 12 strenuous games is a long time in anyone's language as even some of the vets are feeling it too. The crowds are non-existent so playing in front of an empty stadium week-in, week-out can sometimes feel like you have no support.

Previous nominees Cesoir and serial_thrilla were the standouts for the rookies this week with both putting on a clinic against their respective opponents. Outside of these two, there was a mixed bag amongst the rest. There were a few nominees close this week from the Gumbies including TalkingFootyNow1223, bone2468 and BlueE but they were pipped at the post by another. If they can repeat their performances, we may just see them all get close again next week.

Enough about the runners-up again, this nominee is small in stature but big when it matters both on and off the field of battle. He only had a modest day out against the opposition but he did kick 2 goals and had 3 tackles in a losing campaign against the Wazzas. He also contributed 37 posts in the match thread which is nothing to sneeze at either.

They say it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. This week's nominee is none other than the smallest player in the Sweet F.A, the East-side Hawk's Chipmunk.

I sat down with ultra proud captain Agent93, and the overly excitable Chipmunk for a chat.


Agent93

1. Howdy A93. Your mid-season super signing Chipmunk is now a Rising Star nominee. How proud are you?

Howdy pardner. I'm puffed up like a breakfast cereal. The 'munk has been a fantastic addition to the league.

2. How did the Chipmunk come to find his way to the team and how do you think he's fitting in at the Hawks, and in the Sweet F.A overall?

I think a few folks out there know the story: a day or so after CazC30 was sensationally banned from the SFA board this guy rocks up not only claiming to have been invited by Caz, but also apparently coming from the same part of the world. Given Caz's reputation around these parts it obviously scared a number of potential suitors away.

I think in the end Chipmunk's choice came down to us or the Demons, and both 'tang and I had consulted all of the board moderators we could and decided to take a punt on the bloke. In the end the Demons are stacked full of posters, and the Hawks have a little space for a newbie to grow into the league so we were the better option.

As for fitting into the league, Chipmunk's doing great. Jumped straight into a werewolf game which did nothing to diminish the rumours he was a Caz-alt, and it always interacting with the SFA denizens in match threads and on the main board. At this stage, he's probably been our best pickup this season.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?

We had him running off the half-back flank mostly, but switched him to half-forward in Rd 12. He'll be around there for the moment, and probably push for a midfield role in S30

4. What S29 Rooks have also grabbed your attention this season?

Everyone's saying it but rightly so: Bonga deserves his favouritism for this season's EKA, but I wouldn't discount the second talking Dragon serial_thrilla from featuring heavily. S29 is a solid crop; nearly every squad has a rookie who has taken well to the league and should be around for seasons to come.


Chipmunk

Yawn…Goose’s marsh is over there. Wait, you’re here for me? Pass the nuts.

1. Welcome Chipmunk and congratulations on achieving a Rising Star nomination in half a season. How did you first hear of the SweetFA?

Really, me? Thank you! I only joined BigFooty a couple of months ago to step up my Supercoach game and ABE and Caz introduced me. Then I got on a boat from London to Sweetville. However they stopped the boat because they thought I was Caz, so I had to smuggle in some guy’s Speedos. They should have called it chippie smugglers.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How are you finding the Hawks?

Honestly, it’s been a blast. Agent93 and por_please_ya have been brilliant in helping me settle in and the Hawks have quality and varied posters across the board. All hits, no misses. I’ve also got involved in a couple of the other things around the Board, like being GWS coach in the e-AFL with Callums_Guns.

3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?

More nuts.

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match?

I generally get up around 5 minutes before the game, sneak out of the door of my Qinder date (“I like my tail shaken, not stirred”), wash it to make it extra bushy and I’m good to go.

5. It's 12 games into the season and you've only been here for jut over half of that, have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

Of course the Hawks have the best threads, but I’ve recently burrowed my way into some Bears and Demons threads. Special mention to Blaze Storm ’s K-pop picks. Out of the rookies, I think serial_thrilla is setting the bar. I don’t think I’ve had enough time for an enemy but am preparing for Chipette to join in my 2nd season.

6. Only passing comments have been said about RookieChat. How do you think it has helped your time in the SweetFA having a chat that only current season Rookies are a member of?

I didn’t know about RookieChat until last week, so zero. Flying solo has helped me get to know people though.

7. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

In my previous life I was in a chart-topping band, and my brothers and I wrote a song just outside the top 100 selling singles of all time. I don’t expect to win, but I’ve written a song for the ceremony so I’ll be on stage anyway:

 

[Riviat]

In a round where the greatest winning margin was just a meagre 16 points, we may have witnessed one of the all-time great rookie all-round performances of the past few seasons. PurpleGreenRed's game in Round 8 set the bar originally but another rooke decided to make a mockery of, and laugh at the bar he set.

Strangely enough, 2 of the best performers were rookies and in the same game and on the same team! It's rare enough having one good performance but 2 from the same team?? Not sure what was added to the water there but it did the trick and they managed to drag their team over the line for a 6 point victory.

We would have loved to have given out two noms this round but since we can't do that, an honorary mention must go to Leviathan Pie for a stellar performance. Keep an eye on this man, no, this Leviathan of the Qooty world.

If ever there was a no-brainer nomination, it would be this one. His stats read like someone who is at the height of their career after only a handful of games played. With 13 Hitouts, 14 kicks, 18 handballs, 7 tackles, 2 FF, 1 FA and 3 goals 1 behind, and not a dirty mark to be seen this all-round game will be etched in the Sweet FA history books. Excuse me whilst I stop myself drooling. I'm of course talking about the Swamprats super sub/ruckman, Rich the babe Evans. Congratulations on being the Round 13 nominee.

I sat down with Rich the babe Evans and his captain philreich to get to the bottom of this.


Phil

1. Evening Phil. this was one of the best all-round Rising Star nominee performances of the season by a rookie, what did you put in the water prior to the game? How proud are you of the nomination?

Stephen Dank visited the club that week...…….

2. How did Rich come to find his way to the Swampies and how do you think he's fitting in at the Rats, and in the SweetFA overall?

Fellow Hawthorn fan SarahSmiles got him on board - nice work SS.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?

He's currently coming off the bench, but that may change in the near future - perhaps in this season's finals series.

4. What other S29 Rookies have also grabbed your attention this season?

Guys like serial_thrilla, Tonga Bob, Santoz & Cap have been very good value. I'm sure the winner will come from those 4.


Rich the babe Evans

1. Welcome Rich the Babe Evans and congratulations on an amazing performance with a no-brainer Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the Sweet F.A and what made you apply?

Was dragged into by Sarahsmiles and thought it would be fun to beat up on some plebs.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Swampies?

Now that I'm starting in the best 18 yes and first offer me a contract.

3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?

Convert all my team members to veganism

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match and was there any special peptalk or product Phil gave you prior to this game?

Take these and don't ask any questions.

5. It's 14 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

None yet, heard my opponent Tigerturbulance this week is bit of a campaigner.

6. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

Put your house on it.




Special thanks must go out to serial_thrilla for doing the hard work on the stats for this round.

 

[Riviat]

After the relative excitement of last round, we had a bit of a crash back to reality this round for this season's Rooks. Last week's super sub/Rising Star nominee had an extremely quiet one in this round. Was the Round 13 game just a fluke or some some random act of a sim?! Who knows.

With 3 rounds left, there are quite a few S29 rookies keeping half an eye, or hell, both eyes glued to this Rising Star thread in anticipation of gaining the admiration of the Sweet F.A through a Rising Star nomination - the one true award. * the EKA!

Damn it, I keep getting side tracked, what was I doing again?? Oh yes, the Rising Star award. No idea what happens in this nominee's undies, nor do i care, but this rookie's game was far from Crusty. He managed to do just enough to keep another hopeful, BlueE from winning it this round.

With a modest, yet well-rounded game of 20 Kicks, 4 marks, 6 handballs and a goal it was enough to earn Crusty Undies a nomination.

It was a different interview this week with Wonder's Captain Dingster delegating half the questions to his liuetenant Sab22.


Ding

1. Evening Ding. this was a great performance from an up and coming rookie. How proud are you of the nomination?

26 possies and a goal taking the honours over Cadaver was an outstanding performance. More importantly he a gave away a hard free kick. We pride ourselves on that.

2. How did Crusty come to find his way to the Wonders and how do you think he's fitting in there, and in the SweetFA overall?

I found Crusty moping about on the Saints board. He reminded me of Sab in his early days. Soulless but undoubted potential in the right environment. He starting to thrive having finally learnt to pour a decent drink. Wooshette tagged Crusty in our match thread last week. She may have just been thirsty.


Sab22

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?

Crusty is currently playing Wing (Nicky Winmar). He has been played across multiple positions throughout the season. He'll be played anywhere but FF and Ruck in the future but its reward for the effort at the Wonders.

4. What other S29 Rookies have also grabbed your attention this season?

I've loved what posters like Tonga Bob, serial_thrilla, GWS Goose, and Chipmunk have brought this season. I haven't personally had many interactions with them but I do however scroll through some match threads and media threads and to see these posters contribute not just to their club but league-wide shows promise.

If you can't see the below because of light style BF option, Dark rules suckas!
Crusty Undies

1. Welcome Crusty and congratulations on a great performance for your Rising Star nomination. How did you first hear of the Sweet F.A and what made you apply?

I'm proud to say I never took the effort to apply. Like a star recruit in the NBA I was approached with an enticing offer (talk s**t with no repercussions) and couldn't refuse.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Wonders?

Honestly some of the old guard are a bit long in the tooth but they're an alright mob. Definitely a step above both the footy and qooty iterations of the bombers.

3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?

Least amount of effort required for a League MVP. It's a lofty aspiration I know, but one I sincerely intend to fulfill.

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match?

I try to wake up before the start of the last quarter.

5. It's 14 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

Jezzajay is a fellow wonders rookie who's made a fantastic 1-2 punch with myself in the bants game and whom is also in the running for rising star. Aceandy copped a shellacking in my debut and I intend to make that a habit too.

6. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

We all know it would be a complete and utter stitch up if I don't win. I don't see any other possible outcome than a decisive 1st in the rising star with jezzajay an (admittedly distant) 2nd.

 

[Riviat]

What a Lemon of a round this turned out to be.

With 2 rounds to go, all current non-nominated Rookies are on notice! This is it fellas, do or die and not having a nomination may make or break your careers. Captains want to see a Rising Star nomination on your CVs when you go for any position. Guys like BlueE, bone2468 and GremioPower have come damn close on numerous occasions but haven't been able to give it that extra bit of ooomph that gets them over the line. Your time is now, stand up and be counted amongst the season's rookie greats!

Now that my motivational speech is out of the way a lot can happen in a week or two or even four and the Rookie that's not, Santoz, had a blinder of a game since his move of positions from FF to Follower.

Expansion bids are under way and teams vying for finals can almost smell them, except for those in the bottom 4 who have a fight on their hands. The rookie nominee for this week's team has already clinched a finals berth which means they no longer have this pressure. This could have contributed to this rookies sudden elevation to stardom. With an interesting and even looking statline of 10 kicks, 10 marks, 10 handballs, 3 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FA and 1 G, Lemon Boi had a day out against the Furies and helped his side to the much needed win and locking them into a finals bid! Congrats to The Lemon on being this rounds nominee.

Test Tickle and his charge Lemon Boi sat down with me to answer the ARSEQ questionnaire regarding his sudden rise to fame.

Testy

1. Evening Testy, it has finally happened, the Lemon has gained a Rising Star nom after coming so close, yet so far throughout the season. How proud are you of Lemon Boi?

Extremely proud of this young fella, he put in a big pre-season and its paid off, he's just an all round good kid and he always first into the showers to give me a good rubbing down.

2. How did he come to find his way to the Bears and how do you think he's fitting in in the SweetFA overall?

We found him loitering around on his own in the Sign-Up thread, we dragged him out of there, a quick clip under the ears and away he went, he loves the SweetFA and being a Bear, he fits in really well and quite regularly he's happy to tell the opposing players to get further back.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?

At first he was a real flanker, but with hard work and determination he's moved closer to our on-ball brigade, currently Lemmy is playing on the Wing and has really improved our goal scoring opportunities by his constant delivery into our forward fiddy, hitting up tgrs on the tit, lace out.

4. What other S29 Rookies have also grabbed your attention this season?

Our other rookie Cap is as good as Lemmy, Cap and Lemmy have both been big improvers this season. Cap was the Rising Star nominee for Round 1 this season, a brilliant key position on-baller with exquisite skill and like Lemmy loves the hard nut. Cap is playing Ruck Rover this season and is a real chance to take out our B&F this season, he's had a fantastic season. These two rookies will be key to our tilt at a premiership this season. I'm very proud of them both.


Lemon

1. Welcome Lemon Boi and congratulations on a great all-round performance. How did you first hear of the Sweet F.A and what made you apply?

After starting the spicy thread “Rare Long-sleeve Sightings” I gained immediate attention from the BigFooty populace, one of which was the late, great JoshWoodenSpoon.
I was soon coerced into the SFA and began with state representation in January with the Allies.

2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Bears?

I have cracked a smile recently.
The Las Vegas initiations were somewhat off-putting, especially the group showers and the catching of salmon, but the club’s oligarchy will support you to hell and back, and clean up any incidents that may occur in Central America.

3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?

To win an award, regardless of it’s fantastical existence.

4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match and was there any special peptalk or product Testy gave you prior to this game?

Preparations are mainly ironing the team’s longies, that I made myself.
This week, a hefty supply of purple drapes ensured that Ned_Flanders was kept ineffective.
Well, more ineffective than usual.

5. It's 15 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?

In the two matches against the Dragons, the ancient Pie4Life got the better of me on the field.
And I think I made a Rioli melt a few days ago on the S29 Rising Stars thread.

6. and finally, how do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?

I’m a front-runner and will certainly place highly. Although having another great rookie on the team, Cap, may lower my votes.
And GWS Goose will probably use his connections in the Chess Club to gain favour.

 

[Riviat]

A common recurring theme in these is that there's always poor rookies that come close to winning but never get there. With 1 round and 1 Rising Star nomination to go and countless rookies left, it's up to the individual to pull out all the stops. Gut running and gut posting, or even just jutting gut are the order of the day if you want to be counted in the pantheons for the greats.

This non-international rookie had a decent day out in the guts against the Royals and helped his team to an impressive 45 point flogging. They wont make the finals but they're having a good crack at it in preparation for next season.

This week's nominee had a cool as ice 25 possessions, 7 marks and a goal and had a respectable number of posts. TalkingFootyNow1223 looks like he will be with us for the long run so congratulations on being the second-to-last Round 16 Rising Star nominee!

Baz and TFN sat down for a good chinwag over the season so far.


Baz

1. It just seems like yesterday that we were here Baz. Your plan to get another one of your rookies a Rising Star nom has succeeded. How proud are you of TFN after his rocky start to his Sweet F.A career?
I've very happy happy with what TFN has brought to the Gumbies and Sweet FA. Some people get the place immediately while others take time to find their place in the league. TFN has been on a journey throughout his first season and seems to have settled in really nicely now. I look forward to seeing how he evolves with the Gumbies.

2. How do you think TFN has fit in with the Gumbies, both on and off the field?
Tying into my comments above, TFN came out all guns blazing with 28 disposals and 82 posts in Round 1, went through the delisting saga and went quiet for a while. Over the past two weeks he's averaging 21.5 disposals, 5.5 marks and 24.5 posts in match threads. He's still finding his way a bit but I think he's carving out a nice spot for himself in the team.

3. What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a permanent move in the future?
TFN has bounced around a bit this season starting in the centre, spending time on flanks as well as stints at full back and full foward. He earned his nomination at centre this week and will make way for bone2468 or BlueE this week but we'll look to settle the side next season and a midfield spot beckons for TFN with consistent contributions.

4. You have two quality rookies with noms now, how do they stack up against the competition when it comes to the Rising Star award?
I think they stack up pretty well. TFN has bounced around a bit but he's averaged 47 DT points playing most of the season in defence or on a half forward flank and averaged 14 posts per week since Round 3, which is a solid return for a first year player. GWS Goose has cracked 1,000 DT points and averaged 51 posts per week and should feature strongly at the pointy end.


TFN

1. Welcome TFN and congratulations on achieving a Rising Star nomination after a rocky start to your career. How did you first hear of the SweetFA?
Thank you Riviat, a rocky start? I suppose you could say that, i definitely stepped on a few well established toes to say the least. I stumbled upon this fine community after receiving a random pm from Ding after a couple of nudes he mentioned the SweetFA. The rest is history.


2. Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Gumbies?
Absolutely! There is always something new happening from a top notch media thread to WW19 trying to take down the SFA. There is always something to keep you entertained. I find the Gumbies very... Rubbery. But the best group of people to play with.


3. What are your aspirations and goals within the league?
Win medals, become a champion, make a massive name for myself then develop a career ending drug, alcohol and gambling addiction.


4. How do you prepare for a Qooty match?
Carton of red tins, a couple of lines and at least 4 tubs of deep heat.


5. It's 16 games into the season (as of writing), have any teams or posters caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?
So many posters have caught my eye, a lot of diversity and quality but almost to many to mention but here are some of my favourites:
Baz
Filthy
Manag
ND
TIF
Ned
Beez
Taylor
ABV
And yours truly Riviat

TIF is a media god!


6. How do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end and who is your main competition for the title?
If i can knock off the 15 noms before me i think i could win it.. a defult win is still a win

Editor's note: I approve of the above approach!

 

[Riviat]

and so we come to the end of the Rising Star award nominees. It may be the end of the award but it's the beginning of so many exciting careers in the Sweet FA. Chni up to those who didn't get a nomination as your time to shine starts now. There are plenty of finals to prove your worth and not gaining a nomination does not mean anything!

This last nominee assisted the Rats plenty throughout the season and helped them to a dead rubber win over the Roys. Maybe the foot was just off the pedal as there was nothing to lose but now that the Rats are in the finals, this is when the real heroes stand up and be counted! With a modest 18 possession game that included 5 marks and 2 tackles, this gives the Rats the Trifecta of nominees in this Rising Star and the team with the most nominees. The nominee for Round 17 goes to Leviathan Pie.

I sat down with Rats captain philreich and Leviathan Pie for a quick 1 on 1 chat with Cinnamon infused JD. The drink of choice for all aspiring Rising Stars!


PhilReich
Evening Phil, congrats on yet another of your Rookies gaining a Rising Star nomination! That's 3 now, the most in the competition. How proud of Leviathan are you?
I'm extremely proud of all our rookies - the fact that they've now all received a Rising Star nomination is a real thrill for the whole club. Leviathan Pie has been about as quiet in match threads as the Bombers dressing room post match since round 9, but he's doing his job on the wing rather expertly, so a skipper can't ask for much more.


How did he come to find his way to the Swamprats and how do you think he's fitting in, in the SweetFA overall?
He appeared in the sign up thread just prior to Australia Day, and nominated the Swamprats as his club of choice. After being courted briefly by several rival clubs, he stuck to his guns and came to The Underground. Him being a Collingwood fan, I'd be lying if I were to say that he's been getting his teeth into the match threads , but opposition posters will testify to the fact that he's often in there, posting comments to annoy them - which we greatly encourage.

Editors note: You just had to slip that one in didn't Phil?!

What position do you currently have him playing and will we see a move in the future?
As stated above, he's found a home on the wing. I doubt he'll be moving from there before the end of this finals series, but we'll see what happens next season.


This is the business end of the season, how far into the finals do you see yourselves going and how much of an important part do you see Leviathan playing in the finals run?
We're entering this major round, having won 4 of our last 5 - the loss was a last minute loss against the Wonders. So we feel like we're in a pretty good position to give this flag a real shake, and undoubtedly Leviathan Pie will play a pivotal role.


Leviathan Pie
Welcome LP and congratulations on being the last nominee for the season. How did you first hear of the Sweet F.A and what made you apply?
Was poached by the great philreich - who spotted my talent, although it has been on-show for some time.

Are you enjoying your time so far? How do you find the Rats?
I am thoroughly enjoying my time, COVID-19 has thrown the season into disarray but as a leading light I'll continue to find a way.

What are your aspirations and goals within the league?
43 consecutive premierships.

How do you prepare for a Qooty match?
Vinegar bath.

It's 17 games into the season (as of writing), surely there's a team or poster(s) that have caught your eye so far? Have you made (m)any enemies/rivals?
If you're not with us, you're against us. I have enemies league over.

How deep into the finals do you see yourselves going and do you consider yourself an integral part of this tilt at a Grand Final win?
We'll win the flag & i'll be BOG.

How do you rate your chances of winning the Rising Star come season's end?
Betting has been cancelled due to the foregone conclusion that I'll be successful.