In what I hope will be food for thought when we discuss future drafts, the 18th placed (after the H&A rounds) Dung Beetles took down the 9th placed cows quite convincingly (1256 v 1211). And before you ask, yes it was the best available cow team we could put on the park. The writing was on the wall when the result the previous week against the same opponents was 1093 to 1032 in the cow's favour.
Congratulations @chris88 on your win. The Paddy Dow choice was an inspired one, as his 57 points better than average score seems to have made the difference.
Thanks Bandit - I thought when Mr Soldo was subbed out and my Port players started like snails that I may have been in a bit of trouble. But JHF and Marshall did enough, as did Conor Idun. I hope your squad gets back to full health and retains full health into finals next season - the fact you had a number out and still did that well is an indication of your depth. I agree Graeme - I think some of the discussions surrounding this topic and any 'dispersal draft' might be really involved.
After a really bad season, We had high hopes at the Cockatoos for a successful run in the Dawson finals, but we ended up with the worst score in the whole comp this week. This included an achilleas injury to Chad Wingard early in the 1st quarter which will see him miss all of next season. At the stage that our list is at, we are not sure that we will be able to offer Chad a contract to stay with the club through his injury recovery. The loss also means we will not have a chance to send off retiring captain Shannon Hurn who is the only listed Cockatoos player to have been with the team ever since the inaugural ORFFA draft. He has been working hard at his injury rehab in the hopes he could return for at least one last ORFFA game, but alas we couldnt stay alive long enough to give him that chance. Hurn has been a rock in the Gariwerd defence for 12 years with his form never really wavering, and his absence will be difficult to replace! In addition, we also say goodbye to the retiring Aaron Hall, who is still getting over being dropped for the 2022 ORFFA Grand Final after playing both of the first two finals and scoring 105 & 97 in those games - something he may never recover from; but we wish him all the best in retirement. Well done @JC for your win this week. You have a very solid team and will be hard to beat the next two weeks.
@ChiefRussell, commiserations on Foul Bay’s narrow loss to the Devils in the first week of the finals. The Chickens best player and spiritual leader Tom Liberatore suffering a concussion in the second quarter really swung momentum. Foul Bay deserved to have luck going their way, not against them so a game ending injury to Libba was a cruel turn of events. It is great that two of your astute selections at the inaugural ORFFA draft back in 2012 in Round 5 selection (pick 76) Patrick Dangerfield and Round 17 selection (pick 292) Tom Liberatore were at the Chickens for all 12 seasons, played pivotal roles in Foul Bay’s team success and achieved individual success. After averaging 80 in 2011 Dangerfield thrived at the Chickens to average triple figures for the ORFFA’s first decade from 2012 to 2021 including winning back-to-back Les W Medals in 2016 and 2017. It was magnificent that Liberatore had a career best season in 2023 to average 121 points during the ORRFA home and away season and finish second in the Les W Medal with 41 votes. CR, well done on an incredible dozen years as Foul Bay’s coach. The Chickens set the benchmark in the ORFFA right from the start by winning back-to-back premierships in the association’s first two seasons in 2012 and 2013. Somehow you were able to get your chooks to defy gravity to finish in the top half of the ladder in all 12 seasons and win five minor premierships which is a monumental achievement. Foul Bay hold several records including: Most minor premierships – 5 spanning a decade with the 1st in 2012 and the 5th in 2021 Most top 4 finishes - 9 Most top 8 finishes - 11 Most ORFFA Premierships – 2 (equal with the Lefties) Highest winning score in an ORFFA Grand Final – 1,471 in 2012 Highest season aggregate – 24,068 points in 2014 Total SuperCoach points scored – 269,023 Total ORRFA Premiership points – 642 In the last category the Venus Bay Vultures rank second with 544 premiership points, 98 points behind Foul Bay. This means that over 12 ORFFA seasons from 2012 to 2023 Foul Bay averaged two wins more per season than the second ranked Vultures, which highlights how dominant the Chickens have been. In a 17 Round ORFFA home and away season it is difficult enough for a team to be two wins better than its nearest rival for a season but to sustain this level of excellence for 12 years is remarkable. Thank you @ChiefRussell for your massive contribution in the ORFFA as coach of the Foul Bay Chickens, wishing you all the best for the future.
I'd like to echo @dmandrews fine words @ChiefRussell - I do not think anyone would have been surprised if you had marked your exit with another title. To the list of your astute foundation picks I'd like to add Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins; bloody great choices. BTW, I still regret trading Jack Ziebell to you for what turned out to be such a dud I cannot even remember his name!
Stellar franchise and coach! Farewell @ChiefRussell and the chooks Hope you stick your head in now and again and perhaps the odd cheeky #chiefsbet post
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I’m not one for grand speeches and all that, but it has been wonderful to be a small part of a great, fantasy football loving community. While I had the ambitious aim of finishing ORFFA how I started it, the team started to tire after the mid-season bye with some of my noble warriors are following me into retirement. The much-promised rebuild never quite happened (unless you count Sheezel as the one-man rebuild). I intended to ride the Cobalt Rollercoaster until the wheels fell off and then build it again, but the boys kept delivering just enough to prolong things another year (for about 5 years). I’m proud that I’m leaving ORFFA with a team that was still very competitive, I didn’t want it to look like I had left because I lost interest because my team was a hot mess, it is genuinely because i no longer have the time to commit myself to the community in a way that is fitting of it. I wish everyone good health and the best of luck. I know it has been a tough year in these parts for many, but hope that blue skies are ahead for all. Take care, CR (Adam)
Love this. You were a very fitting opponent for CR’s last game to point out all these successes afterwards. It’s been an incredible run by the Chooks all these years! Made the top-4 so many times! And I can’t believe missed the finals once! You will be missed around here @ChiefRussell ! All the best to you.
I will miss the cobalt warriors... I will miss our trade discussions as well. The franchise are the benchmark in ORFFA, and that's a credit to you mate but other than that, get stuffed Chief!
@ChiefRussell - Adam......the epitome of an officer & a gentleman. Thank you for all you have contributed over the years, which is a bloody lot. Thanks mate. Onwards and upwards, I hope you have a great life my friend and hope you have 5 mins now & again to pop in and say hi. Will miss you mate.
Fixture is loaded... in a feat of unmatched brilliance, I have wiped out last weeks scores.... will try and get them restored. Apologies This weeks fixture: If anyone wants a grudge / scratch match for shits and giggles let me know who is playing who and I'll load it in
It has been a pleasure, @ChiefRussell . Your mob have been a benchmark in this competition and it has always been great having you around, and having your input through the life of the ORFFA. You'll be missed for sure - and as others have hinted at, please come by, drop in, say hey and annoy us from time to time. Good luck @snoz. I now have to see if I have the courage/stupidity to select Jakob Ryan and his formidable hair for a debut this week.
Cheers @chris88 - To be honest I didn't want to choose either of you this week ! All the best mate !!
Cradle Mountain team for Preliminary Final Out: D Butler (omitted), J Bowey (omitted) In: S Sidebottom, J Hopper Def: N Vlastuin, J Lever, J Laverde, D Heppell (J Bowey) Mid: J Steele, S Pendlebury, S Sidebottom, J Hopper (D Lloyd OOP) Ruc: T English Fwd: D Zorko, A Naughton, L Murphy, J Gresham (J Riewoldt) Int: R Marshall, T Nankervis (R Fox) Cradle Mountain have made two unforced changes for their away preliminary final against Mount Beauty, reverting back to the same 15 players that took to the field for the Devils in Round 17. Forward Daniel Butler and defender Jake Bowey have both been omitted and replaced by two midfielders who missed due to injury last week - Steele Sidebottom and Jacob Hopper. Age breakdown for the Devils: PF Final Full squad Under 22 years old 0 8 22 to 25 years old 4 4 26 to 29 years old 7 8 Over 29 years old 4 8 Total 15 28 11 of the 12 players on the CMD list between 22 and 29 years of age have been named in the club’s preliminary final team including the quartet of players between 22 and 25 years of age – number one ruck Tim English and a trio of forwards - Aaron Naughton, Lachlan Murphy and Jade Gresham. The seven players in the Devils preliminary final team in the 26 to 29 years old bracket are Jacob Hopper, Jayden Laverde, Jack Steele, Rowan Marshall, Jake Lever, Nick Vlastuin and Toby Nankervis. Daniel Butler is the solitary player in this age group that has been left out of Cradle Mountain’s preliminary final team. Three players selected by the Devils in the inaugural ORFFA draft in 2012 - Dyson Heppel, Dayne Zorko and Scott Pendlebury are in this weekend’s team which also includes a fourth player in their 30’s, 2023 PSD pick Steele Sidebottom. Only one player that ranks in CMD’s top 18 for SuperCoach points per game in 2023 – 33 year old defender Daniel Rich wasn’t available for the preliminary final. Rich has a hamstring injury and wont be available for selection next week if Cradle Mountain defeat Mount Beauty to advance to the Grand Final. 2023 is the third year in a row that Cradle Mountain have met Mount Beauty in the finals. In 2021 Cradle Mountain finished fourth and in the first week of the finals defeated the sixth placed Mount Beauty by 285 points 1,581 to 1,296. Last year the roles were reversed with the fourth placed Uglies defeating the sixth Cradle Mountain by 254 points, 1,486 to 1,234. In each of these finals the victor was exceptional and recorded the highest finals score of their clubs ORFFA history. In 2023 the Uglies again finished fourth and the Devils finished eighth. Cradle Mountain will be playing their 13th ORFFA final and have a record of seven wins and five losses. The Devils have performed well on the road with five wins and three losses. CMD lost their first two away finals and since then have been phenomenal when they have travelled to to win five of their past six finals on the road, with the sole loss during this time being to this weekend's opponent, Mount Beauty in week 1 of the finals last year.