King Island Monarchs B: Rance, Thurlow, Houli, Henderson (Gardiner) M: Rosa, Boak, Murphy, Swallow (Dunkley) R: Smith F: Kennedy, Macrae, Walker, Betts (Rohan) I: McStay, Priddis (McIntosh)
so not having montagna birchall Boyd Grundy all top 15 players and players who contributed to my hot start to the season in which rated me favourites for the season not decimated?
I thought you were just referring to the 1 big out in Grundy - only real negative difference from your team last week. We both have plenty of quality missing from our best 15's as mentioned in last weeks preview. How's bloody Tobias hey!? Constantly affirms my decision to offload him. So talented but such a bloke on the field. Surely the new topic of the week in the old man whinge thread. I say he should go! 2-3 weeks with his appalling record
Semi final Nuytsland predicted 1304 vs Buffaloes predicted 1337 @wrightbrendan out viney (foot) in williams Roberton Rampe Biggs Howe TMitchell Crouch Ross Sheuy Motlop opp Greene Heeney Petracca Mclean Smitchell Williams
Christmas Island - Semi Final In: J. Laverde Out: M. LeCras (omit) D: S. Hurn (c), H. Hartlett, M. Johnson, J. Lever (T. McKenzie) M: D. Heppell, D. Beams, D. Martin, A. Hall (S. Grigg) R: M. Kreuzer F: L. Taylor, I. Smith, B. Deledio, D. Menzel (J. Laverde) I: D. Tyson, L. Dunstan (B. Dale)
Buffaloes semi final squad to take on @bryzza and the Vikings IN: Mumford, Witherden, Merrett, Kennedy OUT: Polec, Pittard, Steven, Elliott D: Steven May, Tom Langdon, Nick Haynes, Alex Witherden (Harbrow) M: Patrick Dangerfield, Josh Kelly, Zac Merrett, Josh P. Kennedy (Steven) R: Shane Mumford F: Charlie Dixon, Joe Daniher, Jack Reiwoldt, Sam Reid (Elliott) I: Billy Longer, Scott Selwood (Polec) A far from settled squad with 4 changes to the team that secured the Buffaloes first finals win but with the class of Merrett, JPK & co available the lure to change things up was too much to resist. Pittard goes out injured but 3 others are unlucky to be omitted but have paid the price for some inconsistent form. Pre-season trade acquisition Jack Steven being the most disappointing and he'll be looking to do everything he can to try and force his way back in to the squad if it makes it through to the GF. With Grundy being unavailable for the Vikings, Serengeti have opted to run with 2 ruckmen to try and make full use of their height advantage while Sam Reid was preferred to Jamie Elliott in hopes to extend that advantage into the Serengeti forward line.
Eden Whalers Semi Final team Def: Tarrant, Vlastuin, Williams, Maynard (Andrews) Mid: Zaka, Scully, Jones, Atkins (Gibson) Ruck: Brown Fwd: Papley, Lester, Pedersen, Jenkins (Ah Chee) IC: Lynch, Crisp (Hrovat) In: Brown, Atkins Out: Leuenberger, Gibson Leuenberger following the simple model; arrive, win a final, leave and Rory Atkins has waited long enough.
King Island Monarchs B: Rance, Thurlow, Houli, Henderson (Gardiner) M: Rosa, Boak, Murphy, Swallow (McStay) R: Smith F: Kennedy, Macrae, Walker, Betts (Rohan) I: Dunkley, Priddis (McIntosh)
Loser Semi Final sees the Bulls looking to break a hoo doo against the Whalers In Mackie, Bruce, Swallow Out: Ellis, Scrimshaw, Lobb D: Mayes, Mackie, Kelly, Bruce oop (Ellis) M: Rockliff, Whitfield, Coniglio, S Hill (Lang) R: McEvoy (Pittonet) F: Roughy, B Hill, Weller, Hoskin-Elliott (Hayward) I: McCluggage, Swallow
Round 22 (Semi Final) Team - Groote Eylandt Barracudas Def: Shaun Burgoyne, Jake Lloyd, Cameron Sutcliffe, Robert Murphy (Jacob Weitering) Mid: Daniel Hannebery, Marcus Bontempelli, Dayne Zorko, Cameron Guthrie (Jack Graham) Ruck: Jake Kolodjashnij* Fwd: Jamie Cripps, Tom Phillips, Mitch Hannan, Kayne Turner Int: Trent Cotchin, Jordan Lewis Out: Rhys Stanley In: The Barracuda's are going the "No Ruck, No Worries" strategy this week against their @DamoH Islander Cup rivals.
Eden Whalers Minor Grand Final team Def: Tarrant, Vlastuin, Williams, Maynard (Andrews) Mid: Zaka, Scully, Jones, Atkins (Gibson) Ruck: Brown Fwd: Papley, Lester, Pedersen, Jenkins (Ah Chee) IC: Lynch, Crisp (Hrovat) No Changes, keep what works
It's been a long season with plenty of ups and downs. From breaking the magical 1500 mark for the first time to not even being able to field a full 15 man squad.For all that has happened this week makes it worthwhile as the Buffaloes make their maiden Grand Final appearance against fellow GF newbies the Smugglers. The team attempting to take Serengeti to premiership glory; IN: Pittard, Steven OUT: Witherden, Longer D: Steven May, Tom Langdon, Nick Haynes, Jasper Pittard (Witherden) M: Patrick Dangerfield, Josh Kelly, Zac Merrett, Josh P. Kennedy (Polec) R: Shane Mumford F: Charlie Dixon, Joe Daniher, Jack Reiwoldt, Sam Reid (Elliott) I: Jack Steven, Scott Selwood (Longer) Jack Steven comes back into the team after responding well to his omission from last week's semi-final win at the expense of Billy Longer. The two ruck policy did not work as well as hoped during the semi-final and after Billy didn't pull up as hoped after the flight back from WA the call was made to go with the extra midfielder. The unluckier player may be first year youngster Alex Witherden. Witherden has not done too much wrong after debuting late in the season but once Pittard was declared fit after rolling an ankle the week before the coaches decided to go with the experience and back in Jasper's improved recent form. So there it is. It all comes down to this week, this match up, this contest. Will it be these 15 Buffaloes who taste ultimate glory or will it be @DamoH and his Smugglers from Christmas Island. There has been some great write ups and previews already that have predicted an epicly tight contest and I can't see it going any other way. Best of luck @DamoH!
Eden Whalers Minor Grand Final team (take 2) Def: Tarrant, Vlastuin, Williams, Maynard (Andrews) Mid: Zaka, Scully, Jones, Atkins Ruck: Brown Fwd: Lynch, Lester, Pedersen, Jenkins (Ah Chee) IC: Gibson, Crisp (Hrovat) In: Gibson Out: Papley
Christmas Island - Grand Final No change D: S. Hurn (c), H. Hartlett, M. Johnson, J. Lever (T. McKenzie) M: D. Heppell, D. Beams, D. Martin, A. Hall (S. Grigg) R: M. Kreuzer F: L. Taylor, I. Smith, B. Deledio, B. Dale (J. Laverde) I: D. Tyson, L. Dunstan (D. Menzel) No changes to the squad from the semi-final victory over the Barracudas, but Bailey Dale comes into the starting line-up at the expense of Dan Menzel. For the other selection calls (Hartlett/McKenzie, Tyson/Grigg) the coach is relying on the fairytale narrative being our main route to victory and so has in both cases favoured the Smuggler that was taken in the original draft. There are 4 foundation Smugglers left on the list and the coach felt it was only fair to recognize their contribution to the club in the maiden GF: Dustin Martin (R1) Dyson Heppell (R5) Hamish Hartlett (R7) Dom Tyson (R13) (As an aside it would be interesting to know how this compares to other sides, I would have thought 4-5 foundation players would be the average?) Best of luck to @wrightbrendan - looking forward to a cracking game!
@DamoH (As an aside it would be interesting to know how this compares to other sides, I would have thought 4-5 foundation players would be the average?) Banchang has only the one.....Jarman Impey
I can't remember my original team, and don't have it on this computer, but I believe I have carried 6 players: Oliver Wines Jaeger O'Meara Brad Ebert Matthew Wright (was nearly dropped when Adelaide dumped him, but kept him when he got picked up by Carlton) Mark Baguley Drew Petrie (was nearly dropped when North dumped him, but kept him when the Eagles picked him up)
Tough game to pick, although with some ex-Sandgropers featuring for the Smugglers I'll be barracking for the islanders. Southern Cross still hold; M. Duncan P. Ryder M. Hurley D. Sheed The interesting part is the players I've traded or on-traded that I wouldn't mind on my list at the moment; S. Docherty M. Kreuzer L. Franklin A. Gaff L. Shuey M. Crouch There are others too but they probably haven't had similar impacts as their new clubs...yet!