Round 8! How did this come around so quickly! Each and every game this week has a huge bearing on who will make the top 4 with so many ways the finals could shape up next week. Let's get into the previews.... Lima Llamas @hoschke118 (5-2) vs Kyoto Kruisers (4-3) With Lima dropping 2 games in the last weeks, they will be keen to take some winning form into finals. On the back of Brownlow favourite Jasmine Garner and rising star Keeley Skepper (who needs to pass a fitness test), the Llamas have been ultra consistent all year. The Kruisers are riding a wave of momentum at the moment with back to back 1000+ scores and hope to bring their high octane game again if they want to play again next week. (Thanks to the tribunal as well for freeing up Maddy Prespakis for the Kruisers!!) Darmstadt Dynamos @WillH_VI (5-2) vs Vancouver Vultures @Athos123 (1-6) Darmstadt will be looking to lock in top spot when they host the Vultures this weekend. The Dynamos have had strong contributions all year from Bonnie Toogood, Mon Conti and Georgie Prespakis while the Vultures will need some huge scores from their young guns like Rising Star leader Abbey Dowrick. On paper David vs Goliath but will complacency hit?? Majorca Islanders @TheTassieHawk (4-3) vs Korean Kickers @Chloe (1-6) 1-6 doesn't seem like a great launching pad for their final game but to be fair to the Kickers, missing Turbo Bowers for multiple games hasn't helped. Ella Roberts has been a shining light and the Kickers will be hopeful of another high scoring game from their young gun. The Islanders however are looking at finals and should be merciless with Anne Hatchard and Ally Anderson ready to lead from the front. At home the Islanders should be hard to beat Lagos Royals @Peter W (3-4) vs Stuttgart Storm @Jono Steven (5-2) This could be the match of the round with the result of this game impacting the finals makeup. With both teams scoring almost the same points over their last 3 rounds this has the makings of a monumental battle! With Lagos boasting fantasy goat Ebony Marinoff and the awesome Charlie Rowbottom their midfield is loaded and ready to tackle the Storm's high scoring Ash Riddell and #1 forward Laura Gardiner - surely the most improved fantasy player in 2023!! Bring on the high scores in this one! Good luck everyone - when the dust settles we will see who makes finals for 2023!!
The Kruisers selection committee has met and was devastated to hear of two key injuries to the team prior to selection with Alice Edmonds and Daria Bannister both unavailable. Thank goodness we sorted Maddy Prespakis tribunal hearing... 2 emergencies listed are out of position players selected in desperation! Def: Hannah Priest, Charlie Thomas, Lauren Butler (Madi Scanlon) Mid: Bri Davey, Maddy Prespakis, Alison Drennan, Amy McDonald (Mimi Hill) Ruck: Lauren Wakfer (Aileen Gilroy - OOP) Fwd: Zarlie Goldsworthy, Issy Huntington, Dana East (Jess Fitzgerald - OOP) IC: Jenna Bruton, Claudia Whitfort (Sofia Hurley) In: Wakfer, Huntington Out: Edmonds, Bannister
Half time sees the Llamas and Kruisers be neck and neck which makes for a fantastic Super Sunday! Llamas 8/650 ave 81.2, Kruisers 5/414 ave 82.8
Midway through the 3rd quarter the Islanders have edged ahead 8/583 to the Kickers 7/551 @Chloe, with the visitors appearing poised for victory. Emonson, Morrison, Wales, Hooker and Lewis yet to play for Majorca and Bowen, Molly McDonald, Bowers, Kauffman, B Smith and Roberts still remaining for Korea.
The Kickers @Chloe have hit the front early in the first quarter, 11/835 to the Islanders 10/730. The home side have Wales, Hooker and Lewis running out on the round’s final game against the visitors B Smith and Roberts, needing to overturn a 3 digit deficit in the last stanza.
Unofficial scores have the Islanders 965 defeating the Kickers 914 @Chloe in a contest that was tight throughout. The Islanders appeared to have secured a finals spot given their points scored for the year was healthy prior to this weeks result.