2017 The FU Run Home In the tightest FU season to date nothing is certain with any 1 of the 18 teams capable on their day. Year on Year we see 10 wins gets you in to the finals and 9&8 has you in the mix and it appears 2017 will be no different. Team W/L Draw Bold starts favorite Nuytsland: 9&4 (Banchang, Xmas Island, Blanchtown, Korumburra): Leading scorer although injuries starting to bite. Will start favorites in last 4 will finish on top of the table to finish Minor Premiers with 13&4 Groote Eylandt: 9&4 (Cow Bay, Gisborne, Hughenden, Eden): The back to back premiers are sitting nicely in the pack as we round the turn in to the straight. Should finish off with 4 wins however won’t overhaul Nuytsland’s points for. 2nd for mine on points 13&4 Serengeti: 9&4 (Southern X, Hughenden, King Island, Cow Bay) Bound for finals in 2017 massive clash v Southern X this week which is a toss of the coin. Should win at least 3 on the run home: Top 4 beckons 12&5 Southern Cross: 9&4 (Serengeti, Blanchetown, Banchang, King Island) In form and should finish top 3, toss of the coin this week but will start favourites in remaining match ups. 13&4 Ararat: 8&5 (Staghorn Flat, Korumburra, Cow Bay, Pearcedale) Inconsistent of late will start favourites in last 4 games but 1-2 losses will not surprise. Finals bound baring any late season crash 11&6 Coolgardie: 8&5 (Blanchetown, Staghorn Flat, Pearcedale, Hughenden) Will start favourites in remaining games although none are walkovers. Finals bound in 2017 11&6 Blanchetown: 8&5 (Coolgardie, Southern X, Nuytsland, Xmas Island) Toughest run home of those currently in the 8. Needs 2 wins to be safe. One of those teams at risk if one of the teams outside of the 8 gets on a run. For me borderline at 9&8 King Island: 7&6 (Gisborne, Banchang, Serengeti, Southern X) Win against the Bulls propels them in to the 8. Best is very good however has been ordinary on occasions in 2017. 50/50 on the run home. Points for may see them miss? Borderline at 9&8 Korumburra: 6&7 (Pearcedale, Ararat, Eden, Nuytsland)Points for will help – needs 3 wins to be right in the mixtough games against Ararat & Nuytsland will decide if the Blowflies make the 8 Pakenham: 6&7 (Hughenden, Serengeti, Xmas Island, Staghorn Flat) Right in the mix and likely to start favorite in three remaining clashes. Ready to pounce if lower sides in the 8 falter. 9&8 points for likely to see Pakenham scrape in to the 8. Staghorn Flat: 6&7(Ararat, Coolgardie, Gisborne, Pakenham) Horribly out of form of late. Started season 5&2 and has been 1&5 since. Capable of beating all opponents on the run home, however its unlikely. Could upset Coolgardie & Pakenham's finals chances if they drop games to the Bulls. Will miss finals unless Rockliff does things that only he can do and drag the Bulls across the line. 7 & 10 Christmas Island: 6&7 (Eden, Nuytsland, Pakenham, Blanchetown) Could become heart breakers for finals aspirants in Pakenham & Blanchetown. Likely to miss 7 & 10 Eden, Gisborne Pearcedale 5 & 8 the equation is simple must win all remaining games even so points for is likely to see them miss out should any of them get to 9&8 Top 8 Prediction 13-4 Nuytsland 13-4 Groote Eylandt 13-4 Southern Cross 12-5 Serengeti 11-6 Ararat 11-6 Coolgardie 9-8 King Island 9-8 Pakenham 9-8 Blanchetown – misses out on Points For 8-9 Korumburra The rest Good luck to all on the run home!
I'm genuinely excited to be discussed as a potential finals side; it's only taken three seasons but the Sandgropers' window looks like it's finally opened.
Had hoped to get something up this week but getting smashed at work and been crook to boot... Next week!
Would be great if we could get some input for some previews in the run home. This week the pivotal clashes are: Coolgardie & Blanchetown Serengeti & Southern Cross Staghorn Flat & Ararat King Island v an improving Gisborne Danger games for Korumburra v Pearcedale & Pakenham v Hughenden (when will the tide will turn?)
I reckon you are pretty well on the mark for the Bunyips. The slide has well and truly commenced. Shouldn't make the 8!
Yep, massive one this week. Potential top 2 spot on the line! @eagle_eyed Given my lack of recent activity I'll get a preview up for this contest today
@eagle_eyed Mumford v Ryder, JPK v Selwood, Danger v Fyfe, Kelly v Duncan, Hurley v Daniher. What more could you ask for! This matchup has it all and promises to be an epic battle that goes right down to the wire. On season averages alone, the Buffaloes high powered midfield gives it the edge over the surging Sandgropers but the return to form for Nat Fyfe and recent efforts from big man Ryder along with continued excellence from backline H duo Hurley & Hibberd means this one could be closer than those averages suggest. Shane Mumford has struggled to settle in to life out at Serengeti and his recent drop in form compared to the hot streak his Sandgropers counterpart, Paddy Ryder is currently experiencing should get Southern Cross on top in the middle. However if the big Mummy can rediscover his pre-bye form the Buffaloes midfield is firing as well as any in the history of the ORRFU and is primed to give the Buffaloes first opportunities despite the recent form of Fyfe and improvements from Crouch and Cunnington. Selections after the top couple of defenders and forwards on both sides will come with immense pressure and could go a long way to deciding which way this match will fall. Harbrow & May have been in great form all season for Serengeti but Hurley & Hibberd are leading the Sandgroper backline even better. McGovern is currently in a rich vein of form and is supporting the H's well but with the forwardline of Serengeti struggling in recent weeks there have been reports coming out that the Buffaloes may change up their structure and sacrifice one forward to do a tagging job on the in-form 'Groper backline. Selections after this group will be interesting with young-gun Witherden a chance to make his Serengeti debut while Harry Taylor's recent uptick may get him the nod over the more consistent Harmes for the Sandgropers. Neither sides forward lines have been performing as well as they can in recent weeks although Southern Cross have seen some great individual performances. They will be pinning their hopes on the inconsistent Stringer to fill out a solid forward line while the Buffaloes will be doing everything they can to get big men Daniher & Dixon into the game. Serengeti will have some selection headaches on who to add to the forward line in support of the duo with Reid, Riewoldt and Elliot all putting in disappointing performances recently. In a match that will go down to the wire it's predicted that the contest will be decided on whether the Serengeti forward line can fire and get on top of the Sandgroper defence or whether Hurley, Hibberd & co can repel the attacks the Buffalo midfield will offer and blanket the tall Serengeti forward line. Going by recent form it is hard to go past the Sandgropers as it is unlikely we would see some underperforming Serengeti stars all turning it around on the same week. Things may be different come finals time but for this week's matchup the prediction is: Southern Cross 1385 defeating Serengeti 1360
Nice one @wrightbrendan. Like you said averages suggest the Buff and that's where my thinking lies; I reckon you've got me but I'm not without a chance.
2 upsets last week... a major one with Cow Bay knocking of the Cudas whilst the Panthers put the Blowies season to the sword. Only the one clash between top 8 sides this week, however means all the more potential upsets to be had! Match of the week Southern X v Blanchetown A narrow loss last week will see the Bunyips starting to feel very nervous about their position in the 8. Pendles busting a finger doesn't help. Pakenham is slip streaming the Bunyips down the straight however don't want to drop their guard against the unpredictable Whalers. The battle for the lower spots in the 8 is just heating up with 3 games left.
Round 15 / 18 Wrap In the brief round preview one commentator noted 'Only the one clash between top 8 sides this week, however means all the more potential upsets to be had! The round did not disappoint! One match to disappoint was the supposed match of the round as Blanchetown succumbed to the rampaging Southern Cross by a whipping 330 points. Blanchetown remain in the 8 however have 5 teams snapping at their heels just one win behind them. Pakenham blew a golden opportunity to replace Blanchetown in the 8 as they allowed the visiting Whalers a foothold early in the game and were unable to reel their opponents in going down by 69 points. Pearcedale kept their season alive with a crushing 261point victory over Cow Bay who had won 3 or 4 coming in to the clash. Groote Eylandt were well below their best but somehow managed to get the job down over a dogged Gisborne in the weekends close one by just 11 points in a low scoring scrap. Korumburra underdogs and on the road to Ararat crush the inconsistent Dillos by 285 to firmly put themselves back in the mix for a finals berth. Staghorn Flat at home were underdogs against a Coolgardie side looking at securing a top 4 berth. The Prospectors didn't find any rare minerals on this trip going down by 146 points. The Bulls are also back in the mix for the 8. Serengeti held off the determined Hughenden who like North Melbourne have been close so many times this year without bringing home the points. In a high scoring clash the premiership favorites in the Vikings took down the Smugglers in a free flowing game. The Smugglers join the queue for those knocking on the door of the 8. Finally King Island made it three on the trot in another tight close affair against Banchang. King Island have a tough run home playing 1st and 2nd on the table and a finals berth is far from secured. What do we know... The top 4 are safe! However with teams lining up outside the 8 those on 8 & 9 wins wouldn't want to drop the last two games of the season. A massive round awaits and we will check in later in the week to preview the round and the run home for those placed 5th - 13th who all hold claims to finals action this year
Nice work @tyze1 ...all except the beating of my bunch of spuds. Ebert's shoulders are getting really sore this year!