Mole Creek Glow-Worms (2016-2019 Finals record 0-1) vs Useless Loop Virgins (3-4) Mole Creek enter the first round regaining several players from the bye but still missing quite a few first-team choices through inury and the bye. Despite the winning streak running 9 games, their form has been poor lately and they will look to recapture some fluidity and grind out a win against an undermanned Virgins team. Useless loop had a nightmare final game leading into finals and will be looking to a few of their youth brigade to really step up in finals while they are missing a few key players due to bye and long term injury. A slightly concerning dip in form from dual Dangerfield Medal winner Neale at the wrong time means this looks an uphill battle to keep their season alive. Rutherglen Fugitives (1-4) vs Heard Island Shags (0-1) Rutherglen enters this contest in solid form but has lost a bit of their top-end quality to injury and the bye. It will be interesting to see which young players can step up in the finals for a team that is walking the tightrope of trying to rebuild while contending. Heard Island enters round 1 having scored the highest of any finals team in the previous round. Also balancing a list with a mix of young talent and senior experience. Whilst they will be missing a few key players due to the bye, this is a team who's midfield and defense strength mean they can topple anyone on their day. Neptune Island Noahs (9-4) vs Maralinga Atoms (4-1) Neptune Island elite players at the top end mean they will always score well and can punch out some monster scores, and Max Gawn on his day is basically two premium players in one. It's their middle rung players who need to lift, with guys like Bailey, Fisher, Florent, Ross, AMT, Aish, Cripps all capable of 100's but often throw up 50's and their performance in finals is really the difference between a solid score and a mega one. Maralinga have quality across the field, every line has players that have and can go big on a good day. They have possibly the most even and deepest midfield in the league a top tier ruck in Goldy and a Forward line that can match up on anyone when they are in their current form. Losing Dusty and Mihocek out of that forward 50 this week is massive, and if Lukosius plays forwad what they can get from D3 and D4 behind stars Hurn and Stewart will go a long way to deciding their fate. Walpole Woylies (4-4) vs Jan Juc Ducks (3-5) The second-highest scoring team this season, just lost to the Glow worms last week by 10 points in a match they will both want to forget. A star-studded midfield, three of the best defenders in the game, and two top rucks lead the lines for this team. Their talented but patchy forward line is where they can be beaten, but if they fire it's record scores for this team. Jan Juc has been undermanned all season, with long absences from Sloane, Lycett, Rich, McDonald, Stringer and Hanneberry really handicapping them at times. The news is mixed this week, they should have most of their list available except for their number one ruck in Grundy and D1 in Crisp meaning a team that scores well by being very even all over the park will really have to step it up to try and cause an upset here missing the 2nd and 30th total points scorers in the whole comp this season. *Tried to be fair and even, although I didn't have the time to dig into injuries and selections so please let me know if there are any glaring errors! Editing note - Finals records added by @TheTassieHawk
Mole Creek team D: Saad, Ridley, Williams, Crozier (Petrevski-Seton) M: Cripps, Kelly, McCluggage, Perryman (Fiorini) R: Darcy F: Rayner, Petracca, Rankine, Walters (Preuss) I: Hooker, Richards (Clark)
Great preview James. Noahs massive game vs arch enemy Atoms. Def - Haynes, Laird, Tarrant, McDonald (Bailey) Mid - Gaff, Hunter, Parker, Clarke (Florent) Ruck - Gawn Fwd - Greenwood, Walla, Dawson HH (LDU) IC - Billings, Ross (Fisher)
Useless Loop Virgins Def: Steven May, Kade Simpson, Nicholas Coffield, Josh Battle Mid: Lachie Neale, David Mundy, James Worpel, Trent Dumont Ruck: Rhys Stanley Fwd: Josh J. Kennedy, Brennan Cox, Liam Ryan, Zak Butters (Nick Larkey) Int: Aaron Naughton, Cameron Zurhaar (Hayden McLean) Bye: Isaac Quaynor, Tom Phillips, Liam Baker
Fugitives v Shags @anthak Fugitives up against it this week to put 15 on the park - potentially 8 starters missing Out: Pendles, Howe, Macmillan, Lynch, Cunnington, Cotchin, Rampe, Lipinski D: Salem Birchall Redman Gleeson (D Smith) M: Macrae Sheed Shiel Parish (Vandenberg) R: Witts F: Langford Simpkin Gunston Lipinski (Henry) I: Harbrow Draper (Ham) * Subject to change
Thanks for the write-up @James84 Damn, why Walpole? The one week I needed to try and sneak through. Can't even really do much loophole funny buggers which is probably for the better anyway. D: Rich, Duggan, Lever, Hibberd (McKenzie) M: Boak, Sloane, Setterfield, M Murphy (Ah Chee) R: Lycett F: Hawkins, Wallis, Stringer, T McDonald (B Scott) I: Robinson, Collins
Heard Island also missing a few players. Here's our provisional team, but subject to change: D: Lloyd, Ryan, McGovern, Johannisen (Shaw) M: Mitchell, Fyfe, MCrouch, Ellis (BAh Chee) R: Ryder F: Sinclair, Ratugolea, Neal-Bullen, Blakey (Mahoney) I: Swallow, Carlisle (NJones)
Game over fellas, I've been out of range for a few days and didn't get a chance to put Goldy(101), Rocky(119) or Gray(129) back on field. That mixed with McEvoy, Burgoyne and Hurn all being rested pretty much ensures a Noah's Victory. What of a waste of a year!!!
I have shot myself in the foot many times this year with forgetfulness so it's never over when I'm at the helm. Updated lineup for WPW: D: Daniel (Paton) M: Anderson, Merrett R: (English) F: Darling, Bruest (Ziebell) I: (Allen)
That’s rough @Brett Sanders Can the Noahs @That KI Guy make it 3rd time lucky in a final against the Atoms?
Really hard to try and track live scores in the times of lockouts and loopholes but here we go. JJD 781/8 leading WPW 676/7 in a high scoring and super tight affair, even with some big stars missing from both sides. I took the liberty to include some emergency scores I think will be taken from both sides. As the opposition coach I would say on paper WPW has the strength to come home over the top with Whitfield, Oliver and ROB all in the elite bracket
What did you to my defenders? I want the number of your hitman. If this helps with scores, should be final team: D: Daniel, Wilson, Weitering, Witherden (Paton) M: Anderson, Merrett, Oliver, Whitfield R: Sturt* (English) F: Darling, Bruest, Rowbottom, Acres (Ziebell) I: O'Brien, J.Martin (Allen)
You expecting Witherden to play? I included Paton's score but Witherden could definitely be in this week. Yeah pretty much how I picked your team, although was still uncertain if you might give your boy Newnes a run or not. Seeing Darling and Breust in there early then made me lean to no Newnes. At least your defense is going better than my forward line. I had to seriously consider whether I play Stringer or chuck in any other player and take half their score. I guess him somehow scoring 48 means I made the right call there, just!
I forgot to check teams and didn't make some necessary changes to this team before players locked out. Should give you a bit of a leg-up @tyze1
I've currently got Ratugolea in the forward line, who didn't play. And Ive got Jack Mahoney as the emergency, who also didn't play... Am I allowed to name a 2nd emergency in the forward line, as long as I only name 2 others, so 4 emergencies in total including Mahoney? I'm thinking to put Sam Flanders in the spot who also might not play, but just in case.