Hogg Premier League Preview 2011

[Rik E Boy]

Hogg Premier League Preview 2011

Even though the Premier League has lost its premier from the year before the comp will be stronger than last year now that Division I guns Woody, Hondo and CoverKing have joined the top flight this year. The teams that are out besides Darcy were Buddy&TheBoys and Brown Nosed Fev who struggled all year so that’s where the improvement will come from.

This year will see a lot of pressure on experienced Hogg Premier coaches such as Gingernuts, Cub, finn and Woggy to retain their top flight status. These coaches have traditionally filled the 6-11 range but might be facing a relegation battle this season due to the quality of the new arrivals. Here is a look at the teams in Hogg Premier in seeded (i.e. 2010 points) order.

Hondominators

Hondo is in his third year of the Hogg and has an unblemished record of two premierships in two years after winning Division IV in 2009 and Division I last year. Hondo is the one to beat but teams who play him early might be a good chance of a sneaking a win in as history has shown that Hondo takes a little while to get going. For mine he’s the premiership favourite.

Woodys Dropkicks

Woody has done it again. For the second straight year he has earnt promotion to a higher grade as a result of someone pulling the pin. However, his consistent high scoring ways have earnt him that right and he’ll prove to be a handful for Hogg Premier coaches to counter again. Woody will be up there all year long but for two years in a row now Woody has dropped the ball in August and has failed to make a Hogg Grand Final even though he is one of the highest scorers. Has he learnt his lesson or will history repeat itself?

Dusty Tunnels

Any team that reminds you of Gerbil explorers can’t be taken seriously in Hogg Premier in my book. CoverKing was pretty ordinary at times during 2009 but really kicked on last year with an excellent season which results in his high ranking. But with Richmond on the march I reckon the Tunnels will be digging one for themselves. Spending as much money on a Mitch Morton is a big risk in my books and I reckon the Tunnels are getting ahead of themselves. CoverKing will find in this league the trades run out a bit faster with no LKIF, cobras or Pickles PA to beat up on. Close but no cigar for this mob.

Darksiders

The 2009 premiers didn’t have a great finals series last year and Rube has already told me he plans to own us all this year. A proven SuperCoach gun coach the Darksiders will be one team that the Divvy I legends will have to watch out for. I reckon they can go top four this year and go deep into the Hogg Premier finals, perhaps even the granny.


Blue_Guns

Gordon promised us pain last year but like Carlton didn’t deliver when it mattered. Gordy is another very good coach in what is fast becoming a very good league. It his hard to see the Blue_Guns missing out on the finals but if he is short on trades when the finals starts then he could be in trouble because there are normally a few more Carlton players in Gordy’s teams than most of his opponents. That Carlton bye in the first week of the finals is a crucial one for the Blue_Guns to overcome.

Mr Football

Pup is the 2008 winner but during the last two seasons he has been related to mid table status. The Crusaders are another one of those sides that is going to feel the pressure of not only three top Div I sides coming in but an expected improvement from coaches such as Q Man who underperformed last year. The Pup has admitted to me that he issues with his technology so perhaps the off field football department could prove to be a factor that could cause the Crusaders to crash out of the eight this year.

REBCats

If you could bet on Hogg Premier, the Bridesmaids for three straight years would be at long odds to make the Granny for a fourth time (and even longer odds to win the darn thing mutter mutter). While as a SuperCoach player I make a good league organiser I can say that the REBCats have a habit of beating teams that outrank them just as I have a habit of losing to teams like Hawkeye that I should be beating. I reckon my REBCats can make the eight but as for the top four all bets are off!

Poon Army

The Poon Army struggled last year and the 2007 premier missed the finals for the first time last season. Poon, an Essendon man could make a few funky selections this year with some dangerous uniques such as Zaharakis and Jetta posing some real problems. It’s never an easy match against Troy but he is one coach who has struggled to maintain his ladder position as the league has improved.

Far Q

Towards the end of last year the Q Man started to get his act together but it was all too late she cried. Q Man is my tip to climb into the top eight from last year’s bottom 8 which means I reckon he can overtake Poon, Cub, Dunks and Woggy. Everything that could go wrong did at the start of last year for Q Man and he seemed to cop a pretty hard draw early on while these disasters were happening. It is for this reason I expect Far Q to be an improver.

Squeakeroos DTC

Squeaky was quite alarmed late last year when I pointed out to him that he faced the very real prospect of relegation. One of our younger players in Hogg Premier squeaky didn’t have a great year last year and was a bit out of his depth after beating Darcy in the Division I Grand Final in 2009. Squeaky will get better this year but this year’s league will be tougher so I reckon he might do a Richmond and just miss.

Hawkeye

Woggy with all of his bloody Hawthorn players sinks me every year so hopefully this is the year I get even with him after four straight losses to him. What pisses me off the most about this jaggy bugger is doesn’t seem to help me out by beating any of my main competitors. So come on everyone do ol REB a big favour and send this Hawker packing! Easier said than done though because normally Woggy picks a solid initial squad which is half the battle. Always better to play him late when he goes point chasing.

FOOTYLEDGENS

Somehow the Cub managed to make the finals last year and I’m still not sure how he managed it. Remarkably, he didn’t replicate this feat in the Piglet last year which was the weakest of all the Hogg leagues. As a teenager he has far to many things going on his life to pay the proper attention needed to survive in this league so I’m tipping he’ll be my Division I captain next season. Relegation bound.

Boxhead United

The Real Number 3 has proven himself to be the genuine article in Hogg Premier but according to rankings points he is starting well behind the pack this year. Boxhead has managed to get off to a flyer every season in his Hogg career but last year he managed to finish a bit better than the year before and he played finals. With a step up in class anything less than Boxhead’s normally barnstorming start will mean that he will miss the eight. I reckon at the very least he can win enough games to remain in Hogg Premier in 2012.

dunKsKrew

This time last year I wrote off the Krew who promptly came out and made the finals. This year it will be tougher for the Krew and while I’m not writing him off this time around I reckon he’d have to turn back the clock to his top four 2007 form to get within a bulls roar of the finals this year. Recent form suggests that this is unlikely. 9-12 for Duncs.


The Ginger Ninjas

Gingernuts could very well be facing a long season in Hogg Premier. Ginge hasn’t ever really set this league on fire even during his best season which was his first at this level. Gingernuts will have the benefit of a full season this time around instead of getting his priorities all wrong and jet setting around the globe like last season. Still, if he keeps picking mid priced Crows players then a bottom four spot and possible relegation looms.

chardy socialists

When finn puts his mind to it, he is every inch a Hogg Premier coach but there are often long stretches of time when he doesn’t look at his side. This results in a poor win loss record and a very dangerous opponent with trades up his sleeve during the later rounds. Definitely not one you want to face when you are playing off in a relegation match as Parko would attest. Might struggle to repeat the great escape of last year if rankings are any guide.

Teams you want to play early

chardy socialists, Homdominators, The Ginger Ninjas, FOOTYLEDGENS

Teams you want to play late

Hawkeye, Boxhead United, Poon Army, dunKsKrew

Teams you want to play in finals

Woodys Dropkick, Blue_Guns, Chicky's Crusaders

Teams you want to play in Grand Finals

REBCats, Dusty Tunnels

So keep an eye out on the fixture when it is released. Any combination of the above could lead you to Hogg glory!

regards,

REB

[Pup]

Gee i reckon your a bit hard on me actually REB .

Premier in 2008, Bad year in 09 (8th) and was very unlucky to lose the Prelim last year by 12 points and yes i remember who it was against!.

I am hoping for a very good year.

[Q.]

lol, I'm glad you put my shitness down to bad luck

[Rik E Boy]

Gee i reckon your a bit hard on me actually REB .

Premier in 2008, Bad year in 09 (8th) and was very unlucky to lose the Prelim last year by 12 points and yes i remember who it was against!.

I am hoping for a very good year.

Sorry mate. For the top eight it's me or you. You missed out by 12 points. Maybe Q Man really is carp and he won't take your place.

regards,

REB

[Q.]

Far Q REB, Far Q

[Rik E Boy]

Far Q REB, Far Q

Maybe we can just call you the bye. Seriously though, have a look at the league. Not too many easy games in there.

regards,

REB

[Q.]

Definitely no easy games. Hoping for a bit of luck early with my rookie loaded midfield.

[Hondo]

It's important to note here that CoverKing was an Alan Didak round 22 injury away from winning Div 1 last year

[Hondo]

Also, my slow start last year wasn't entirely planned! A special thankyou goes out to Goodes, Gray, Clark and Tippett.

Fixing that mess was one big reason why I had no trades left in round 22 and got lucky with the Didak injury in the GF.

[Rik E Boy]

It's important to note here that CoverKing was an Alan Didak round 22 injury away from winning Div 1 last year

Sorry, I'm not talking up Coverking. That's HIS job.

regards,

REB

[CoverKing]

It's important to note here that CoverKing was an Alan Didak round 22 injury away from winning Div 1 last year

We had around 7 players out of the 22 that couldnt miss for me and i would have won, and of those 7 Didak cost me.

One reason why im staying away from him this year, the prick haha

It's important to note here that CoverKing was an Alan Didak round 22 injury away from winning Div 1 last year

Sorry, I'm not talking up Coverking. That's HIS job.

regards,

REB

Ill talk myself up over you any day of the week REB. Im looking forward to sending you down a division this year

[Rik E Boy]

Ill talk myself up over you any day of the week REB. Im looking forward to sending you down a division this year

I just logged into Hogg Premier and it looks like you've already sent yourself down a division. I think you've just removed yourself from the league. Either that or my data load is so bad I can't see squat.

regards,

REB

[Q.]

Ill talk myself up over you any day of the week REB. Im looking forward to sending you down a division this year

I just logged into Hogg Premier and it looks like you've already sent yourself down a division. I think you've just removed yourself from the league. Either that or my data load is so bad I can't see squat.

regards,

REB

I don't see Dusty Tunnels either.

[Rik E Boy]

Ill talk myself up over you any day of the week REB. Im looking forward to sending you down a division this year

I just logged into Hogg Premier and it looks like you've already sent yourself down a division. I think you've just removed yourself from the league. Either that or my data load is so bad I can't see squat.

regards,

REB

I don't see Dusty Tunnels either.

LOL. CoverKing smells a rat! Not guilty I say!

regards,

REB

[CoverKing]

I did smell a rat. Quichey or REB can you PM the code back to me so I can rejoin. God knows what happened

[Rik E Boy]

I did smell a rat. Quichey or REB can you PM the code back to me so I can rejoin. God knows what happened

Done mate.

I never joke about my work 007......

regards,

REB

[CoverKing]

Done and back in premier league, well I hope so. Could have been the shortest stay in Hogg premier league in history

[Hondo]

I noticed we were down to 15/16 teams and was waiting for REB to announce someone had dropped out!

Geez, CK ... whatever you did, don't do it on the eve of lockout

[CoverKing]

I noticed we were down to 15/16 teams and was waiting for REB to announce someone had dropped out!

Geez, CK ... whatever you did, don't do it on the eve of lockout

Don't do it on the eve of lockout? What, tell REB he shall be relegated at seasons end??