Official Match Thread Season 26 Round 1: West Coast Wonders vs Las Vegas Bears at the Colosseum

[Dav]

Qooty is back.

Heading to the Colosseum in Round 1 are the Las Vegas Cubs Bears, keen to avenge their dismal elimination final performance last season. Their opponents, the West Coast Wonders, finished off Season 25 with a long list of controversies and disappointments - #sirengate, #straighsets and the 25 page whingefest that was All-SFA selection. You could say that this clash is between two clubs desperate to start Season 26 on the right foot, but then again, that would be stating the absolute obvious.


The Wonders finished last season in a heap after showing so much promise, dropping out of the finals in straight sets. Off the field however, the club has simply gotten better and Season 26 shows a lot of promise. The Wonders are in the same category as the Bombers and Hawks when it comes to relevance and so it's hard to keep your eyes off their fortunes.

Ins/Outs
It was definitely a successful pre-season for the Wonders, picking up veteran full forward okeydoke7, which lightens the load on captain haydo in the forward line. Swampies ruckman ShaunDuggan, one of the best in the league, comes across as well and the club will also be pleased with the early form of rookie Sab22. Leaving the club was SarahSmiles, but with his antics over the last few weeks, I don't think the club will be missing him.

Players to Watch
Elton Johns Wig has been elevated to captaincy at the Wonders, and as one of the most respected posters in the comp, is expected to go to new heights in his role. All-SFA ruckman U2tigers will no doubt continue to improve on his standout rookie season and there's also much to be expected from the likes of SSwans2011 and NickCC.

Milestones
None


2.2 (14). That's the number that I'm sure is still burned in the back of the Las Vegas Bears' minds, their losing score in the Season 25 elimination final against Baghdad. They've had a strong off-season, capped by their skipper being crowned the number 1 poster in the league, and their on-field redemption starts now against the Wonders.

Ins/Outs
The Bears, one of the worst posting sides in Season 25, have undergone a monumental rebuild over the off-season and have brought in no less than 11 rookies, including the defection of kdavva74 from the Royals. Their major experienced signing is former club captain brahj, who is a massive addition to the side, and their only notable out is ArgusTuft who headed to the Bombers.

Players to Watch
JoshWoodenSpoon is being slated for a defensive role with the Bears but still holds the prestige of being the reigning beez medallist. New recruit brahj and LG members Tommycash and Doctor Gero will provide much needed experience and guidance to such a young side. Out of the eleven rookies, so far the standouts appear to be kdavva74, Barrybran and Argas Tuft.

Milestones
None

• Both clubs were coming off good form, with the Bears winning their last 2 and the Wonders their last 4, although Las Vegas were sitting in 10th and West Coast 3rd.
• The Bears got off to a strong start, leading by 20 at quarter time and 36 at half time; the Wonders came home hard kicking 9 goals to the 4 in the second half but ultimately fell short by just 7 points.
• @ArgasTuft's 24 disposals and kane249's 23 led the way for the Bears, with Striker475 kicking 4 goals from full forward.
• SSwans2011, Elton Johns Wig and Sarah Smiles were amongst the best for the losing side.
• The Bears managed to scrape into finals after this result, whilst the Wonders continued strongly until a goal not given after the season derailed their minor premiership.

• These sides have clashed 22 times in the past, with the Bears winning 12 and Wonders 10.
• They first met in Season 5, with the Wonders defeating the newly founded Bears by 45 points, before resuming their rivalry in Season 18 with a 25 point win to the Wonders.
• 3 finals have been played between these sides - the Season 6 Prelim (Bears win), the Season 21 Elimination (Wonders win) and the Season 22 Semi (Bears win to go on to win the flag).
• Las Vegas have the longest winning streak in this clash, winning 4 in a row from Round 19 of Season 6 to their demise at the end of Season 7.
• The Seventh Wonders' 24.12 (156) in the very first game between these sides still stands as the highest score; their 7.16 (58) in Season 7 is still the lowest.
• In recent times, this game has been incredibly close, with the average margin of the last 7 encounters just 10.7 points.

Both sides had bleak finishes to Season 25, and this fixture tends to be close, but with home ground advantage we're backing the Wonders to get the job done.

Head to Head
West Coast Wonders @ $1.80
Las Vegas Bears @ $2.05

With the teams so evenly matched, and the margins of the last few games between these sides so close, we were hesitant to offer a big handicap and have predicted a final margin of 9.

Handicap
West Coast Wonders +8.5 @ $1.95
Las Vegas Bears -8.5 @ $1.95

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CAPTAINS, PLEASE SUBMIT A TEAMSHEET CONTAINING THE WORDS 'OFFICIAL TEAMSHEET' BY 11:59PM AEST THURSDAY.

 

[U2tigers]

In First to tell all the Bears Rookies to stay in their box, and let the adults do their stuff.

Here is to a great week.

 

[U2tigers]

Also kdavva74 , great match preview, just about the best I have seen.

Great stuff.

 

[Dav]

Also kdavva74 , great match preview, just about the best I have seen.

Great stuff.

What was that you said about staying in your box?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Starting with a joke I see.
Elton Johns Wig as a player to watch

 

[Barrybran]

What was that you said about staying in your box?

Something about U2 leaving the ground in a box

 

[Dav]

Something about U2 leaving the ground in a box

I don't know who we're naming at ruck, but I hope to God they annihilate U2tigers. Take the All-SFA ruckman down a peg.

 

[Barrybran]

I might be a little nostalgic here but team threads were for teams. No trolling or s**t stirring from other teams it would just be the one team.

It was an unwritten rule that everyone abided by and the place got a long great.

If you want to troll and s**t stir post a thread dedicated to each other and go he’ll for leather just leave it the **** out of the team thread please.

AM I ALLOWED ON YOUR LAWN NOW GRANDPA?

 

[Barrybran]

By the way SarahSmiles, what position are you playing this week?

 

[U2tigers]

I don't know who we're naming at ruck, but I hope to God they annihilate U2tigers. Take the All-SFA ruckman down a peg.

Stop putting pressure on JoshWoodenSpoon , hes got enough problems trying to find places for you rookies to play against such a tough and experienced side as the Wonders, let alone figuring out who he even has that could attempt to go against me in the ruck.

A stressful week your captains got ahead of him. Give him the space he needs.

 

[U2tigers]

By the way SarahSmiles, what position are you playing this week?

Mods ban this one.

 

[Dav]

Stop putting pressure on JoshWoodenSpoon , hes got enough problems trying to find places for you rookies to play against such a tough and experienced side as the Wonders, let alone figuring out who he even has that could attempt to go against me in the ruck.

A stressful week your captains got ahead of him. Give him the space he needs.

Selection problems?

Bazza dominated on the wing.

I kicked 14 goals in two practice games.

Argas Tuft looked like one of the tidiest half forwards I've seen in a long time.

And twin towers magpienato and caloschwaby are gonna be the best CHF-CHB combo this league has ever seen - they don't even have to swap ends!

 

[Test Tickle]

In First to tell all the Bears Rookies to stay in their box, and let the adults do their stuff.

Here is to a great week.

hey hey hey easy.
have to be a big box.

 

[U2tigers]

Selection problems?

Bazza dominated on the wing.

I kicked 14 goals in two practice games.

Argas Tuft looked like one of the tidiest half forwards I've seen in a long time.

And twin towers magpienato and caloschwaby are gonna be the best CHF-CHB combo this league has ever seen - they don't even have to swap ends!

You do know this is the real thing now, and I sort of feel sorry that you had to face the Wonders in round 1, probably the worst fixture you bunch of rookies could have got.

SFA have done you no favours here.

 

[Test Tickle]

West Coast Wonders @ $1.80
Las Vegas Bears @ $2.05

 

[MKMatty]

Yeah the lads qooty

 

[Barrybran]

You do know this is the real thing now, and I sort of feel sorry that you had to face the Wonders in round 1, probably the worst fixture you bunch of rookies could have got.

SFA have done you no favours here.

You either beat up on kids or get beaten up on by kids. I'd suggest its you that got the raw end of the stick here.

 

[croweater 41]

AM I ALLOWED ON YOUR LAWN NOW GRANDPA?

You’re a muppet.

And you won’t ever be fit to even mow my lawn.

 

[U2tigers]

You either beat up on kids or get beaten up on by kids. I'd suggest its you that got the raw end of the stick here.

In this case, I hope we kick the s**t out of the kids.

 

[MKMatty]

You’re a muppet.

And you won’t ever be fit to even mow my lawn.

That’s an insult.. to muppets.

 

[RookiePick]

Straight sets exit?

 

[Barrybran]

You’re a muppet.

And you won’t ever be fit to even mow my lawn.

Who said anything about mowing your lawn? Get your own damn rookies to do your chores.

 

[Test Tickle]

In this case, I hope we kick the s**t out of the kids.

Go easy on the kids, you old fellas need to look after them, if you can catch em that is.
Are they your frames besides the bench?

 

[Barrybran]

In this case, I hope we kick the s**t out of the kids.

You're on a list

 

[Dav]

That’s an insult.. to muppets.

What a Mad Kampaigner you are.