Having said that, my best outcome for players I can field is 11 plus two oop - and that's pending Sunday teams.
Many thanks @Bandit And @JC, it doesn't matter how many you can muster, just tell those you have they will all be playing for a contract next year.
Depth is being tested this week Howe, Greene and Buddy all out, Henderson, Hogan and Pickett in. Will be keenly following over the weekend hoping for another crack at the flag!
Cradle Mountain Devils team for semi final on the road against reigning premiers, the Gundagai Grasshoppers. Out: T Duryea (omitted), C Mayne (omitted) In: D Heppell, J Hopper Def: D Rich, J Lever, N Vlastuin, H Cunningham (T Duryea) Mid: J Steele, D Heppell, J Hopper, Z Jones (C Mayne) Ruc: T Nankervis Fwd: D Zorko, R Marshall, T Membrey, T Lynch (A Naughton) Int: T English, J Redden(M O’Connor) After Round 14 the Devils hadn’t recorded a victory against a side in the top eight but since then have hit peak form at the right time of the season to record four consecutive victories against top eight sides. In last weekend’s quarter final victory against Mount Beauty at home Cradle Mountain played an exceptional game to score 1581 points and record the club’s highest score of the season, I am almost certain that it is also the Devils highest score in club history. Cradle Mountain are in the fortunate position of having 22 players available for selection with the only automatic selection unavailable being Devils captain Scott Pendlebury who broke his leg in the 51 point victory against the Grasshoppers in Round 16. CMD have made two unforced changes, bringing midfielders Jacob Hopper and Dyson Heppell into the team after they missed one game each due to concussion and a thumb injury respectively. Midfielder Chris Mayne and defender Taylor Duryea are the unlucky duo who have been omitted and named as emergencies. Good luck for the semi final @snoz. Three players from the Hoppers-Devils semi final are in action tonight with Hoppers pre-season trade acquisition forward Harry Himmelberg going head to head against former team-mate Nick Vlastuin who will be joined on the field by midfielder Jacob Hopper and CMD’s only Tasmanian, Toby Nankervis playing in the ruck.
Surely you're taking the piss here @dmandrews hahahahaha...........After scoring a million points last week, you're changes are OUT spuds Mayne/Durtea & IN Hopper/Heppell ? Good grief, way to beat up the pseudo Yank The Hoppers this week welcome back Lachie Neale from his bout of the runs, but remain without our #1 defender in Callum Mills and #1 forward in Tom McDonald. To add further insult, young Jackie Martin twangs his string. In what might be a hollow IN due to rumors of a late out, Charlie Curnow is named for his first game back with the reigning premiers after two years of vacationing in the deep south of the States, enjoying deep fried chicken, grits and crawfish. With Trumpy back in Mar a Lago - there is simply no room down there for these two men so Charlie raises his hand for a berth this week. IN: Lachie Neale, Charlie Curnow OUT: Zac Fisher, Jack Martin DEF: Weits - Dawson - Powell - Coff (Henry oop) MID: Ollie - Neale - Adams - McClugg (Newcombe) FWD: Himmelberg - Curnow - Stringer - Allen (Fisher) RCK: Grundy (Lynch) I/C: Cripps - Blitz Good luck my friend !!!
@snoz earlier in the week I had a look at the season averages for the Grasshoppers and Devils if they were at full strength. The Hoppers came out on top in defence, midfield and ruck whilst the Devils had the stronger forward line and interchange and the overall score was almost identical. A combined Hoppers/Devils best 15 had nine Hoppers, six Devils and included five players that didn't play last weekend comprised of three Hoppers and two Devils so AFL team selection was going to be a significant factor for our semi final battle. It has fallen the Devils way with Hopper and Heppell both being available whilst for the Hoppers Mills and Tom McDonald are both still on the sidelines and Neale was the only one of Gundagai's trio named. Nick Coffield as a late inclusion for Mills last week performed well to score 92. Whilst the Devils have peaked at the right time of the season and scored 1500+ last week the Grasshoppers haven't been too shabby themselves at registering 1500+ scores in recent seasons. I am confident there is plenty of fight left in the Gundagai Grasshoppers and their New York based coach. Hopefully all Hoppers and Devils players get through the semi final unscathed and there are no late outs. Semi final progress score Gundagai Grasshoppers 87/1 - Harrison Himmelberg 87 Cradle Mountain Devils 320/3 - Nick Vlastuin 118, Jacob Hopper 114, Toby Nankervis 88 It has been a high quality start to the semi final with Hopper Himmelberg along with Devils Vlastuin and Hopper all scoring 15+ points more than their season to date average.
Can’t make this shit up - Captain Cripps out, replaced by rook Duke Newcombe on the I/C line. Bytel comes into the mids emergency line.
So…I have buggered up picking my finals opponent for what feels like the 7th year in a row now. A brutal Saturday night after a promising start. Parker, Big O, Crisp and Daniher have torn me a new one. Monster score coming for @Fitzy Let’s hope the Granny sees 2 x 1500+ scores. Both finalists in form.
I've got you at 1141 with Shephard, Kelly and Snelling to come I'm at 1043 with Fiorini, Pickett, Brayshaw, Yeo and Gaff to come Crisp 124 Houston 91 Henderson 94 Fantasia 84 Parker 148 Gaff Yeo (Brayshaw) Big O 131 Dale 108 Daniher 103 Hogan 51 Pickett Fiorini Higgins 109 Mcevoy 90 Saad 45 Howard 84 Sheppard Libba 132 Selwood 100 Kelly Shiels 82 Goldstein 92 Ziebell 60 Danger 169 Hawkins 109 Snelling Ceglar 90 Murphy 88 Not over yet, especially after I've seen Neal-Bullen last week have the game of his life in an attempt to knock me out. I would've been more confident if O'Meara wasn't a late out, Brayshaw and Pickett are inconsistent. Both of us are going to score pretty well.
Gundagai Grasshoppers are 888/11 and trail Cradle Mountain Devils 1014/11 No player from either side has gone 120+ and the six tons scored between the two teams have all been in the 110’s. Most players that took the field on Saturday scored less than their season to date average. A notable exception was Duke Newcombe who as a late inclusion for Hoppers captain Cripps scored 94, 39 more than his season to date average to be Gundagai’s fourth highest scorer in the game so far. Hoppers midfielders Taylor Adams (116) and Hugh McCluggage (113) both scored tons whilst defender Jordan Dawson (99) fell just short of triple figures. Four Cradle Mountain players have registered tons – Nick Vlastuin (118), Dayne Zorko (117), Jacob Hopper (114) and defender Harry Cunningham (111) who scored 40 points more than his season to date average. Devil’s acting captain Jack Steele (99) had a blistering first half but was nullified in the second half and finished a solitary point shy of triple figures. With four players to take the field for each side on Sunday the Devils lead the Hoppers by 126 points. Gundagai Grasshoppers still to play - C Oliver, W Powell, J Stringer, O Allen. Oliver is the Hoppers number one ranked player this season, averaging 123 points per game. Cradle Mountain Devils to take the field on Sunday - J Lever, D Heppell, T Lynch, J Redden. Heppell and Redden are two of the three Devils in this semi final that were selected by CMD at the inaugural ORFFA draft with the other player in this category being D Zorko.
That game was a rollercoaster, even contest --> Hurn going down and matchup seeming done --> ANB having a blinder and keeping you in front --> Lightning break --> Yeo takeover One of the more enthralling finishes for sure, today could be similar
Assuming Brayshaws 25 and Picketts 61 is scaled I'm at 1129 with Fiorini, Yeo and Gaff, CR at 1141 with Shephard, Kelly and Snelling
Score update Three players have taken the field for each side today and returned to their respecting clubrooms leaving Hopper Oscar Allen and Devil Jack Redden as the last two players on the ground. Gundagai Grasshoppers 1185/14 trail Cradle Mountain Devils 1290/14 by 105 points Hoppers forward Stringer (147) kicked five goals to become the first player from either side to go 120+ in this semi final At half-time of the Dockers-Eagles game the estimated scores are Hopper Allen with 30 and Devil Redden with 81 which extends Cradle Mountain’s lead to 156 points.
Very rough calculation has the cows (1202) just edging out the wombats (1157). But very much E&OE. Now have a greater appreciation of life in ORFFA without an established ruck - it's tough.
Fixtures are loaded... good luck @graeme, @Fitzy & @dmandrews If anyone wants a grudge/scratch match, give me a shout