The Dark Horse of 2019, Cow Bay's Crocodiles dominated round 16 to defeat a poorly-selected Armadillo outfit by 30. AA 1080 v CBC 1110 Rushed by a last minute camping trip, Ararat team selectors chased points of last week rather than using their heads. This was compounded by not selecting an emergency ruck when every man and their dog knew the Peoples Beard wouldnt suit up this week. Some fans are actually now predicting the Armadillos to miss the finals, with key players injured and several tough games in the run home, a betting man would short Ararat ASAP! Special mention goes to mid season recruit Miers who followed up his maiden century with 19... yep thats not a typo - nineteen... thanks Gryan. Over in the victor's rooms they wouldnt be entirely happy either. 11 players scored under their season average so while the scoreline was flattering to Ararat in an honourable loss, it really didnt tell the story of a dominant Cow Bay. Players like Taranto (76), Blakely (66), Worpel (71) and Gunston (50) were all rested in the last quarter. That is the official line from the Crocs, however locals spotted the quartet jumping the back fence and scurrying to the pub after it was revealed they were trouncing the Armadillos. Jordan Clark was good with an 87 and Lycett is a wanker but scored a nice 109.
Thanks for the report @insider To clarify the media report, the quartet were in the sick bay area of the pub receiving pep....I mean...um...anti-inflammatory injections to numb the pain of their bruised egos and coach lashing after a sh!thouse performance.
It was an interesting game in the Goldfields, with the locals going out like the hare, only to be reeled in, overtaken, and laughed at by the visiting Pearcedale Tortoises, errrr Panthers. The final margin of 107 probably aptly explains where both sides were at. @TigersTooTough There were a fair few players named this week, only to not turn up when it mattered most, with Prospectors J Macmillan and B Parfitt and Panther B Reid deciding to stay at home on their Sega Mastersystems, rather than turn up to a game they were all named to play in. Looking at the defensive lines and we had some big scores, with J Sicily putting in a solid performance to score a BoG 141 points, while opponents A Aliir and R Burton managed 108 apiece. In the end the locals won the backline battle my 12 points, their only win for the game. The mids saw 109 from O Wines, in a hopeful return to form, while his colleagues only managed around 80 each. Across the other side of the fence, L Hunter pummeled in 132 points, while A Tomlinson spluttered his way to 53 points to bring up the rear. It all lead to a 15 point midfield battle win for the Panthers. The rucks saw, if I'm not mistaken, the first time that opposing ORFFU rucks lined up against eachother in that lesser-league, with local hero S Martin's 102 points not enough, as he was trounced by Pearcedale bigman D Simpson on 122 points. Has there ever been, that anyone can remember, an instance where ruckmen faced off in both the 'FU and the AFL? (Maybe there's been heaps, and I'm just not noticing it as much as I should). Moving onto the forward line, and Prospector new recruit and emergency N Larkey top scored with 93 points, while O Fantasia was good enough for only 42 points. That miserable haul was less than a half of P Davis, highlighting just how terrible the Coolgardie forwardline performed. Leading the visitors goalkicking brigade was J Simpkin on 125 points, who masterfully weathered the conditions (who am I kidding, it never rains in the Goldfields). In the end it was a huge 10.3.63 belting by the Panthers. Coming off the bench was a whole lot of nothing for the home side to cheer about, with a combined 110 points between the sinful N Hind and H Clarke, no match for the 131 points from the yellow-and-black B Ellis and R Conca (yeah, its a stretch). At the end of the day, with only 14.5 players, the Pearcedale side still managed 1286 points, easily accounting for a few fill-ins and the Coolgardie side's 1179 points. Giant Tap: D Simpson, Pearcedale defeated S Martin, Coolgardie, by 20 points, 122 to 102. The Votes: 3 - J Sicily, Coolgardie, 141 points 2 - L Hunter, Pearcedale, 132 points 1 - J Simpkin, Pearcedale, 125 points Up next sees Pearcedale return home to Frankston to a timely welcome of the biggest losers in the league, the Ararat Losers. Meanwhile the gold-digging Coolgardie boys are on the road to the middle of Clive Palmer country (or should that be Pauline Hanson country?) to take on the Dogs of the Hughenden Prairie Good luck to all four teams.
Groote Eylandt Barracudas 1,336 def Hughenden Prairie Dogs 1,227 Another choke late in the game by the P Dogs handed Groote their 6th win of the season to keep their slip final chances alive. There were high hopes for Hughenden with the ruck monolith Sandilands (36) making his first appearance of the season but the younger agile Stanley (105) ran him ragged, providing great service to the midfield with Bont (146), Phillips (102) and Zorko (95) the beneficiaries. When the old fossil did get his hand on it Oliver (158) and Shiel (123) did their best to get the team inspired but to no avail. Hughenden’s defence battled hard with Sheppard (131) and DBJ (121) doing their best to stop the Bara onslaught but with great mid-field service Cripps (99) and mid-year recruit Zurhaar (112) shining in the forward line. While all the action appeared to be through the Bara forward line there was plenty of rebound out of the back half with Lloyd (122) directing traffic and limiting Hughenden’s scoring opportunities with only Breust (106) providing any resistance. Again it was the inconsistency of Hughenden’s playing group that disappointed the fans and they can only lament another frustrating season of what ifs. Groote are on the road to play the bottom placed Whalers and keep their finals dream alive and the P Dogs host the Prospectors. BAFFU Awards 3 Oliver (158) - HPD 2 Bontempelli (146) – GEB 1 Sheppard (131) - HPD
Southern Cross Sandgropers 1104 defeated @choppers Banchang Barcrawlers 1041 For the second week running Southern Cross hosted a match to forget, with neither side getting out of second gear. Only three players saluted, Prestia 125 & Darling 100 for the home side, whilst Greenwood 103 was the only Barcrawler. Neither side could field a ruck and had to make do with OOPs; with Kennedy doing enough to take out the Giant Tap for the locals against Switkowski. There were way too many passengers for both sides in what was a poor showing from two teams looking to feature in this seasons finals series. Southern Cross in 9th remain in the hunt with only 4 points separating us from 4th. After the loss, Banchang sit nicely in 7th. Giant Tap M.Kennedy 35 (SCS) defeated S.Switkowski 17 (BB) BAFFU 3 votes - D.Prestia 125 (SCS) 2 votes - H.Greenwood 103 (BB) 1 vote - J.Darling 100 (SCS)
Thanks @Batfink for doing the match report, had Brendon Bolton filling in the coaching role while I was away and he didn't realise how serious we are in the FU!
Round 16 - Korumburra Blowflys (7th) defeated Eden Whalers (18th) by 115 points, 1351 v 1236 With the Whalers being known for the solid defensive structures, a dour low scoring affair was expected at the Terrordome. This was not the case as this match providing the highest combined points total in the ORFFU this round. Eden's trademark defense was tough again with the lowest scores coming from key position stoppers Andrews (91) and Tarrant (90). Crisp (99) and Zac Williams (112) provided plenty of run and carry, regularly turning defense into attack for the vistors. For Korumburra it was the long kicking, Irish hard nut Tuohy (115) who was most damaging in a similar role. He seems to be really hitting his straps now in the back half after missing the opening games of the season coming off major knee surgery. A fairly even battle in the midfield saw the champs Pendlebury (100) and JPK (118) go head to head, while Curnow (111) starred in a blanketing role on the rest of the starting Blowflys mids. Dunkley (103) was solid rotating up from the forward line while Miles (95) came off the bench and delivered again for the home side, giving them the edge around the ground. Korumbuurra took the honours in the ruck battle, despite a creative move from the Whalers - naming Phillips - who had stayed home in Eden - and sneaking young Soldo (97) onto the field at the last minute to contest the opening bounce. He battled manfully but was no match for the experienced champ Goldstein (148) who was named BOG and clearly won the Giant Tap in a dominant display. The home side got creative themselves with a vacant forward position. The selection commitee has been scratching their heads trying to come up with a way to fill that hole until the likes of Menegola, Ainsworth and Buddy are fully recovered and ready to play. This week they threw a guernsey into the huge mits of the forgotten giant Preuss. His height, agility, and ferocious tackling worked a treat for the Flys as he smashed out a massive 140 (70 oop) in his first game in a long time for Korumburra, helping the home side get the win. Next week sees Eden hosting a Groote Eylandt team fighting for a finals spot, while Korumburra travel to Nuytsland for what should be an engaging battle between 2 teams currently holding a spot in the top 4. BAFFU 3. Todd Goldstein (KB) 148 2. Josh P. Kennedy (KB) 118 1. Zach Tuohy (KB) 115 @HOLKY
The Whalers @HOLKY get off to a smashing start with 241/2 120.5 while the Barracuda's suffer a hamstrung JCripps on 237/3 79
Early in the second at Mill Park sees the Bulls with their noses in front in what has been a slow opening. SFB 438/6/73 PAK 314/5/63 @ddsaints
@wrightbrendan The hosting Crocs currently lead the visiting Buffaloes by 124 points but have had an extra player take the field. Cow Bay 538 / 6 / 89.7 Serengeti 414 / 5 / 82.8 Cow Bay's Connor McKenna (113) currently holds BOG honours. Ben Brown's 71 point effort in the ruck (143/2) may cost the Serengeti coach...those extra 72 points may come in handy if this remains a close one.
The Whalers @HOLKY continue to smash away 918/9 102 while the Barracuda's sit on 887/10 88.7. Will be an interesting last quarter, Eden certainly in the box seat with a lead and an extra player to come.
@wrightbrendan Dangerfield's 163 has seen Serengeti take the lead by 97 points. Cow Bay 628 / 8 / 78.5 Serengeti 725 / 8 / 90.6
The visiting Sandgropers 986/11/90 lead @Tylo ’s Monarchs 628/7/90 by 358 points albeit with 4 additional players on the field. Will the score on the board be enough for Southern Cross to hold on for the win or will the two OOPs to come end up being the difference. This one could go either way. Go ‘Gropers!
At the Dino Dome it is a tight tussle with the home side in front by 93 points as we enter the final stanza:- Hughenden 906/12/75 Coolgardie 813/11/74 Hughenden's choke status will again be put to the test........@JPK
Upset brewing at Mill Park SFB 833/12 + Rocky + Salem + McCluggage PAK 896/13 + Butters + JJ @ddsaints its going down to the wire