Wellity. Wellity. Well. The 2015 ORFFL Premiership Season is upon and order has been restored to the realm of fantasy football (just in time I might add). Coaches have (largely) full lists to choose from with the infidels being unable to comfortably satisfy the fantasy Gods, the aforementioned Gods preferring the time-honoured tradition of sacrificing the lesser, goat-like standard of players in messers Crowley, Keefe and Thomas (sorry J). And perhaps a few others WINK.
So it is with this ceremonial ritual (please let this be an annual thing) that we open the 2015 ORFFL Premiership Season. I trust that we all remember the rules? 4 DEF, 4 MID, 1 RUC, 4 FWD, 2 IC (any play). 4 EMG, so 1 line misses out. Given it is a Thursday night game that means the loophole is in effect, but remember you must have a full team of 15 players on the park by the beginning of the first game on Saturday. <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Meaning: if you're going to loophole with the EMG you can't leave any blanks spaces on the field[/b]. So make sure you have some players who aren't named this week in your squad if you're trying it on. Otherwise you'll get a zero for that blank spot(s)[span style='font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;].
<strong style='font-size: 14px;]HORNSY'S MOST WATCHABLE BESIDES YOUR OWN GAME OF THE ROUND[/b]

<strong style='font-size: 14px;]BUNDALONG BULLFROGS VS SMITHS BEACH SEAGULLS[/b]
Everyone wants to see how the new kid on the block goes in his first encounter. I haven't taken a straw pole or anything, I'm basically just Projecting my own desires on to the rest of you. But back to the competition n00b5 and I'm of the opinion that they'll acquit themselves quite well here. Will they win? I haven't thefoggiest. But for a team(former) that finished dead last in 2014, I look at their list and it whispers seductively 'middle tier brah, i'm in the middle tier brah'.
<strong style='font-size: 14px;]Rance[/b], <strong style='font-size: 14px;]McGovern[/b], <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Haynes[/b] and <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Hampton[/b] (selections permitting) is a pretty fair DEF line, while a FWD line of <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Martin[/b], <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Edwards[/b], <strong style='font-size: 14px;]JRoo[/b] and <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Hoskin-Elliott[/b] (who looks set to prove me wrong and become an ORFFL standard player) is nothing to sneeze at. Historically (heh), it's been the MIDs that have always been the Bullfrog's problem, yet here in lies the beauty of their drafting this year. Picking up <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Newton[/b], <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Miller[/b] and <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Bastinac[/b] in the middle rounds of the PSD was canny drafting as all are chances to get games early and hit the scoring tarmac running. They'd need to gain around a 50 ppt improvement out of the MID and IC lines to challenge for a finals spot and I actually don't see that as insurmountable.
I could echo similar thoughts about their opponent Smith's Beach Seagulls finals aspirations this year. To put it bluntly, they're a much better team than the position they finished at the end of last year. I think even at this early stage Smith's Beach is going to make it on to this blog a lot this year. Simply, I just want to watch <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Nakia Coackatoo[/b] play. He's the next <strong style='font-size: 14px;]Dangerfield[/b] (who SBS also have), but a better kicking version.
Still have doubts about the pick in terms of list management, but in terms of brand promotion and ticket sales it is already a resounding success. And isn't that what this game is all about?

2015 ORFFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON ROUND ONE

Jimcumbilly Jackrabbits vs Mililkapati Snakes
Bundalong Bullfrogs vs Smith's Beach Seagulls (Battle of the relative n00bs)
Poowong Potoroos vs Warburton Wanderers
Sarah Island Savages vs Queenstown Quolls (Abel Tasmanius Cup)
Humpty Doo Hammerheads vs Tarwin Lower Pigs
Bonnie Doon Bandits vs Glenrowan Gunslingers (Stashhouse Shootout0
Popanyinning Pyrite vs Coulta Couldabeens
Purnululu Bungle Rangers vs Malacoota Magicians
Mount Buggery Disappointments vs Defending Champion Woy Woy Wizards