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OMG, its like finally here! The opening bounce of the first-ever ORFFL Premiership Season! Im more excited than Big Kev (may god rest his giant bones)! Join us over the break for match previews, instructions on how to enter your line-up and ever, ever so much more!
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First of all, I dont think Ive used that many exclamation marks in a paragraph since last week. Apologies. That must have been very arresting for you.

Secondly, some house-keeping. Yes, there was an ORFFL Challenged Cup GF played on the weekend. However, in true pre-season comp fashion, Ive decided to change the rules for the last week. Why? The answer is two-fold. Scraping DT/100 stats off Freako is a pain in the arse for me to do, and perhaps more importantly, no one gives a proverbial about DT/100 now that the "fine people" at the HUN have released SC scores for the NAB Cup. So taking these two factors into consideration, Ive decided to do the scoring on Best 15 SC basis. And the winner is…

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Warburton Wanderers 1340 Def. Torrumbarry Thunda 1324

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Congratulations EV! May it be the first piece in a cabinet of silverware!

Commiserations SKT! May the pain of losing fuel your premiership dreams!

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Thank god thats over with though, now onto the real thing. Walesy, techno-wizard and all round top-bloke that he is, has set up a page so that we can put in our line-ups each week. What a guy! <a title="Click here to pick your 15" href="http://tooserious.net/ORFFL.php">http://tooserious.net/ORFFL.php[/url]

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And just to remind everyone, if you want to field (including emergencies) a Sydney or GWS player this week, you have to pick them BEFORE SC LOCKOUT. You cannot select them after theyve played.

Secondly, if you do not pick a team at all, you will receive no points. Further to that, there may be some AndyD/STrigg like discussions about your ongoing role in the ORFFL.

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Ah, the West Gippy Rumble. I knew that dance well as a child - or was it a rumba? Regardless, this match sees to of the games greatest players square off against one another; Gazza vs Pendles. Going on pre-season form, the Pigs seem up against it, but if Ive learnt one thing in my life, its that you dont turn your back on an angry pig.

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In R1 the golden boys of Merton find themselves going to Bonnie Doon to meet what I consider, even at this early stage, to be an injury ridden Bandits. By my count 5 of Fezs 7 defenders are out injured. Even so, with big Cox in the ruck, and prodigious talent in the middle, I can see Bonnie Doon making this a contest. Unless of course Richmond smack Carlton, and then all hope of victory is lost.

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A classic clash between youth and experience. Will youth win out, only to find that it has turned into that which it fought so valiantly against? History suggest so. In this match however, I can see the Golden Oldies of Woy Woy conjuring an impressive score from their ageing team. Hodge, Cross, Montagna, Chappy, Black; that is a fair midfield rotation.

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The reigning ORFFL Challenged Cup winner finds himself pitted against a coach, who my sources tell me, spends too much time down on "media street". Im not one to judge, so Ill just leave that hanging there. On the field though, I think the Disappointments will have a hard time overcoming their name this week if the Wanderers are able to bring their pre-season form into the regular.

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Master vs Apprentice, should read the subtitle to this match. Since the ORFFLs inception, Johnson has followed Lucas around like a lost puppy and Lucas has magnanimously lapped up the attention, dolling out Malthousian pearls of wisdom along the way. Now that the real thing begins, and the question is will the student be able to take it up to the teacher? I dont know the answer to that, but in every Star Wars film Ive ever seen it worked out all right for the apprentice.

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Im dubbing this one the Desert Derby, or perhaps if Bearfly is behind the stove, the Dessert Derby. Either/or, this shapes up to be a tasty clash. The Pyrite would appear to have the edge going into the season, with the Couldabeens most likely missing Kennedy and Walker in attack. On the other hand though, P_L has attracted the Curse of the Grim to his team, which may play havoc on all rational predictions of outcomes. Too close to call.

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Everyone’s pre-preseason tip to win the flag finds himself up against The Kash Man, a coach who doesnt even rate his own list bar two players. It doesnt take a genius to predict wholl win this match. Or does it? Can The Kash Man pull something out of his hat? Should Big Gary Turtleton be worried?

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In this match we find a coach consumed with rage at having just lost a preseason GF going up against a virtual recluse in Doobs, the Crown Prince of Glenrowan. No bout adoubt it, the Thunda will be looking to extract some James Brown style payback from whoevers closest, and the Gunslingers will asking Cyril to do something a bit "special" next week. Should be a cracker.

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Last, but not least. No contest. Savages by 60.

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