The penultimate round of the ORFFA has seen most games go to script, albeit with a few surprises, and only two home teams were able to win for their home fans. With just one round now remaining there are still finals spots up for grabs and draft positions to be decided with some big games coming up. Round 16 Charlies Opening Spelunkers 1293 defeated Wineglass Bay Packers 1059 The Packers are back on the losers list after winning their last two games, just their second and third wins of the season. They have been unlucky most of the year, currently sitting in the bottom three on the ladder despite having the fifth lowest points-for. The Spelunkers on the other hand are at the other end of the ladder having only lost three games for the year! Zac Merrett (139) and Andrew Brayshaw (137) led the way for the Spelunkers in this one as they cruised to a convincing win. Birdsville Battlers 1051 lost to Whitsunday Warriors 1271 Fantastic to see the late TiB's old team get another win on the board! It's their first since round 7. Hopefully they can finish with a bang next week in the club's final game. Tex Walker (157) was huge for them in this win and he was supported well by ruckman Jarrod Witts (134). Cradle Mountain Devils 1258 lost to Waikikamoocow Incorrigibles 1271 This was a massive game in relation to both teams' hopes of finals action in 2023 and it did not disappoint as the two teams dished up the match of the round in Tasmania. Waikikamoocow had to win to stay in contention for the finals and both Nick Newman (137) and Josh Dunkley (133) were on a mission to make sure they didnt go back to New Zealand without the win. The home side's Tim English (163) was best on ground, but it wasnt quite enough as his side fell short by just 13 points! Dunsborough Dung Beetles 933 lost to Wagga Wagga Wombats 1189 Its been a tough season for the Dung Beetles as they sit bottom of the ladder with this being their 14th loss, whereas the Wombats are currently hanging on to 8th position but with a very low 12th-best points-for! Dunsborough had a very poor performance across the board this week with Dom Sheed (93) their best player in the game no match at all for the Wombats players, seven of whom did better than him, with Luke Davies-Uniacke (127) the best on ground. Foul Bay Chickens 1152 defeated Venus Bay Vultures 1119 The Vultures defence strikes again, causing another low scoring affair. The Vultures currently have the lowest points-against for the season as they continually stagnate their opponents, however their game plan doesnt translate to as many wins as you would expect, as they sit 7th on the ladder with a record of 9-7. The Chickens win this one by 33 points and sit third on the ladder, however they seem to be stumbling a bit as the season comes to an end, as this low scoring win got them back on track a little after two losses in a row the last two weeks. The ever-reliable Tom Liberatore (133) was the best player for the winning Chickens, and his mate from the opposition, Bailey Dale (139) was best on ground in a losing effort. Gariwerd Cockatoos 1154 lost to Nareewillock Nuffers 1259 Another loss to the defending premiers, their 9th in a row moving them from a positive win-loss record of 4-3 to a paltry 4-12! Only Waikikamoocow has a worse points-against than the Cockies with all teams out to get the defending premiers this season, as well as the Cows from across the ditch. Errol Gulden (152) was BOG for the victorious Nuffers, but Matt Crouch (144) wasnt too far behind him for the Cockatoos in a very welcome return to form. Gundagai Grasshoppers 1269 lost to Mount Beauty Uglies 1449 In what is sure to be marvellous news for @HeavyMen the Uglies have scored the highest score of the round to take out the top team on their home turf! The game was certainly a spectacle by these two teams in the top-4 with so many high scorers, led by Max Gawn (174) and Christian Petracca (141) for the winners, and Charlie Curnow (137) for the Grasshoppers. Iron Knob Codpieces 1139 lost to Marble Bar Misfits 1205 The Misfits played a player short in this one and still did enough to beat the lowly Codpieces! Unfortunately the Codpieces had a few late outs in interesting selection choices, with three of their emergencies being called up to play this week. The Misfits were led by strong performances by Adam Treloar (144), Lachie Witfield (137) and Jake Lloyd (127). Larrikin Lagoon Lefties 894 lost to Lovely Banks Lilacs 1228 This game went as expected with the Lefties scoring the lowest score of the round and the Lilacs continuing on their post-MSD resurgence, having won 3 of their last 4 to be within striking distance of the 8 with one round to go. Shai Bolton (120) was BOG for the winners. Round 17 I had hoped to do a "run home" and determine the best and worst possible ladder positions for each team depending on results of round 17, however I have ran out of time this week. I will say that there is really only one meaningless game next round between Marble Bar and Larrikin Lagoon with its result likely to have no real bearing on anything! But the other eight games are super interesting as we turn for home! The top-6 teams are all guaranteed a spot in the finals, and we have five teams fighting for the last two spots in the 8. Good luck to all!
Great write up @anthak Spelunkers going to finish in a best ever ladder position at end of home and away
Nice work @anthak . Nice coincidence that the Warriors and the cows both managed the same score (1271) in wins on the road. Dropping Gresham (75, albeit I think he was the sub) for Maric (54) turned out to be the wrong move by @dmandrews . It should be noted that that score that will not be convincing in an unlikely finals appearance.
Cheers Ant. At the bemusement of many, The Lefties have a miserable points for tally but manage to hold down 14th. #longestrebuildeva
Great stuff, Ant. And thanks, Terry (and the Warriors), for one last kick up the arse. Here's to you, mate.
I noticed that and shouldve written something but I was getting really tired by the time I got to your game! You have the lowest points for by quite a large margin. Theres a chance my Cockies could overtake you on the ladder this week, but Im playing Venus Bay and they will be out to win to secure their finals spot
Great job with the review @anthak. The early draft of the Devils Round 16 team had Gresham retaining his position and a rare time that there were no changes made to the CMD team. I was overruled when Ross Lyon omitted Jade Gresham from the Saints 22, which prompted me to bring in Maric to replace Gresh. An injury to an ex-Devil in Zak Jones enabled Gresham to be activated as the Saints sub early on and my change backfired when Gresh outscored Maric by 21 points. Zorko (77) was the only one of the four players selected in the Devils forward line that scored over 55. Including Gresham three of the four available forwards left out of the CMD team scored at least 75 with Gresh joined in this category by Daniel Butler (113) and Lachlan Murphy (88). The Cows left some points on the table as well with a couple of emergencies outperforming players in the 15 man team. Given Buddy’s retirement it was good timing for an ORFFA game to be decided by 13 points and it worked out well that the Cows and Warriors both scored 1,271 in road wins. Well done on the win @graeme.
At the end of Round 16 the Devils were one of two teams on the fringe of making the 2023 ORFFA finals along with the Wombats. Unofficial Round 17 scores Whitsundays Warriors 1,078 lost to Cradle Mountain Devils 1,217 In front of a capacity crowd the Devils on the road had some luck with the Warriors having a couple of avoidable donuts – one in defense and one in the midfield. Across the weekend the Whitsundays Warriors Football Club and its passionate supporters did a fantastic job of honouring the late Terry and paying tribute to his significant contribution to the ORFFA and the Warriors over a dozen seasons. Two of Terry’s selections at the inaugural ORFFA Draft back in 2012 were members of the Warriors Round 17, 2023 team – midfielders Rory Sloane (pick 94) and Travis Boak (pick 130). Fittingly the Warriors two longest serving players who have both played for the Warriors for over a decade are Port Adelaide players – Boak and TIB’s first ever PSD pick, Ollie Wines selected with pick 4 at the 2013 PSD. Sloane started his ORFFA career at the Warriors, left and played for the Packers and Misfits before being traded back to the Warriors from the Misfits in a 2023 mid-season trade. The Warriors three centurions in Round 17, 2023, covered three bases, Pre-season draft, mid-season draft and trade acquisition. One of Terry’s selections at his last ORFFA draft defender/midfielder Mitch Hinge selected with pick 42 at the 2023 PSD was best afield against Cradle Mountain with 123 points. Hinge was joined in triple figures by defender Harris Andrews (103) and ruck Jarrod Witts (109). TIB selected Andrews with pick 82 at the 2015 MSD and Witts was acquired in a trade which I think was with Snoz’s Grasshoppers. Wagga Wagga Wombats 1,109 lost to Foul Bay Chickens 1,218 Whilst the Wagga Wagga Wombats weren’t playing the Devils in Round 17 it ended up being as close as you could get to a head-to-head battle anyway as the Wombats opponents, the Chickens scored 1,218 points, a solitary point more than the Devils. The Wombats weren’t able to match this tally, scoring 1,109 points. With their victory against the Warriors the Devils joined the Wombats on nine wins and with superior points for claimed the last finals position up for grabs* and the Wombats dropped out of the eight. *With the Wombats losing and the Devils winning there was still a very slim chance that the Cows would overtake CMD by winning and bridging the 250+ difference in points for. At no stage did this look a live prospect and the Cows scored less than the Devils in Round 17. The top three teams at the end of the 2023 ORFFA home and away season are: 1. Gundagai Grasshoppers Charlies Opening Spelunkers and Foul Bay Chickens. The Grasshoppers have won their second consecutive minor premiership and third overall, having also finished on top of the ladder in 2020. If the Spelunkers defeated the Lilacs in Round 17 they will finish second and the Chickens will be third. If the Spelunkers lost to the Lilacs they will drop below the Chickens. Charlies Opening have had their highest finish on the ladder ever, surpassing their fourth placed finish in 2013. Foul Bay won back-to-back premierships in the ORFFA’s first two seasons in 2012 & 2013. The Grasshoppers won the 2020 ORFFA premiership. The teams finishing in fourth and fifth at the end of the 2023 ORFFA home and away season are: Mount Beauty Uglies and Nareewillock Nuffers. Mount Beauty will finish fourth except if they lost in Round 17 to Iron Knob and the Nuffers defeated the ladder leading Grasshoppers. If both of these upset results occurred the Nuffers would be fourth and the Uglies fifth. Mount Beauty have made the finals five times including each of the last four seasons and are attempting to win their first ORFFA premiership. The Nuffers have been the revelation of the 2023 ORFFA season and are making their first ever finals appearance, their previous best finish was 11th in 2014. The teams that will finish sixth to eighth at the end of the 2023 ORFFA home and away season (although not necessarily in this order) are: Marble Bar Misfits Venus Bay Vultures and Cradle Mountain Devils. This trio of teams have won three ORFFA premierships between them comprised of one flag each, all from outside the top three between 2018 to 2021. In a fairytale finals series the Misfits had a three game road trip in 2018 to win the flag from eighth, defeating the seventh placed Devils in the Grand Final. In 2019 the Vultures won the premiership from fifth, defeating minor premiers Foul Bay in the Grand Final. The Devils won the premiership from fourth in 2021, defeating the second placed Vultures in the Grand Final. After Round 17 rollover occurs the coaches of the top three teams – Grasshoppers, Spelunkers and Chickens have the difficult task of ranking their possible first week finals opponents in the 5-8 bracket. Will a team from fifth to eighth hit form at the right time to win the flag or will 2023 be the fourth consecutive season that a team from the top four at the end of the home and away season wins the ORFFA premiership?
I hear you mate, now Nick Daicos gone for 6 weeks So in the last three weeks Daicos Darcy Ashcroft Short (now back) Fritsch Wardlaw Murray I'll be a quick kill for someone this week