by Rik E Boy » Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:53 pm
The Run Home
There’s three weeks to go to finals and the run home investigates who the likely finalist will be in Hogg Premier League for 2011. It’s hard to see Darksiders SCE missing out on top spot but everyone except for FOOTYLEDGENS, dunKsKrew and Boxhead United remain a chance to play finals this season.
1. Darksiders SCE (40)
To play – Far Q, Woody's Dropkicks and Poon Army
The Dark side should go and secure top spot without too much difficulty. I can see them winning all three of these matches against top eight contenders. Having to play this side during the run home is not a good look for any of those sides.
2. REBCats (32)
To play - Poon Army, Squeakeroos DTC and Far Q
Two games back but ahead of the chasing pack are the REBCats who have somehow scrambled to second spot after some less than glamorous scoring in recent weeks. The Cats might struggle with Squeaky but should account for Poon and Far Q to earn the double chance for the fifth straight season.
3. Dusty Tunnels (32)
To play - Squeakeroos DTC, Poon Army and Woody's Dropkicks
I reckon the Tunnels won’t beat Squeaky but they will beat Poon and Woody and join the REBCats in the top four. If either the REBCats or Dusty Tunnels can secure a win over Squeakeroos DTC then that will go a long way to avoid a dreaded match up with the Darksiders in the first week of the finals. After accounting for the REBCats earlier in the season CoverKing would be pretty confident if this match up was to eventuate in August.
4. Mr Football (28)
To play – FOOTYLEDGENS, chardy socialists and Hondominators YSCC
Pup should go on and make the finals from here but will need to defeat Hondo to make the top four seeing as CoverKing and myself should be able to win two of our final three matches. It’s not really the match up either team needs one week out from finals, especially if trades are low and the double chance is on the line. The last round match up between Hondo and Pup could prove to be a bonus for fellow top eight sides this year.
5. Far Q (28)
To play - Darksiders SCE, Hawkeye and REBCats
On current form I can’t have Q Man winning any of these three matches. Even Hawkeye would salute as the wheels have well and truly fallen off the Q wagon. It would be a massive fall from grace for a team to go 7-1 to 7-8 but it could be on the cards. The clanger he pulled against Hondo might be the game that costs the Q Man his first ever Hogg Premier finals berth.
6. Hondominators YSCC (28)
To play - Boxhead United, dunKsKrew and Mr Football
Hondo has two matches coming up against non contenders although dunKsKrew cannot be underestimated on current form. I reckon that the Hondominators YSCC will be playing off against Mr Football for that final spot in the top four and the lucky winner will then get to face Darksiders SCE in the first week of the finals. Oh the joy!
7. Squeakeroos DTC (28)
To play - Dusty Tunnels, REBCats and Hawkeye.
The Squeaky’s don’t have the easiest run home and so far consistency hasn’t been a hallmark of this team. They’ll need to find some consistency if they are to make the top four as their percentage trails the most likely top four contenders in Mr Football and Hondominators YSCC. This means that Squeakeroos DTC could win all three and still miss out on the double chance. It’s a tough old world.
8. Poon Army (28)
To play – REBCats, Squeakeroos DTC and Darksiders SCE.
The Poon Army play the top two scorers and the top two teams on the ladder in the last three games. If Poon Army don’t beat the REBCats this week and with that percentage I reckon they are gone. Each game gets harder for Poon Army and I don’t think he’ll be there come finals time.
9. The Ginger Ninjas (24)
To play – dunKsKrew, Boxhead United, Blue_Guns
The Ginger Ninjas haven’t been in great form in recent weeks but a brief glance at his upcoming fixtures shows that there is some life in their campaign yet. If Gingernuts can get past dunKsKrew they should go into the last round in good shape at 8-6. The Blue_Guns are not the easiest last round opponent and it could be a tight round 15 as Gingernuts attempt to scramble into the eight. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will do just that as they should beat at least two of these three sides that are currently in the relegation zone. Beat dunKsKrew and they are in.
10. Hawkeye (24)
To play - Woody's Dropkicks, Far Q, Squeakeroos DTC
I reckon Hawkeye needs to win two of these matches to make the eight with Poon and Q Man looking wobbly and facing a tough run home. The next two matches are critical for Hawk as a win over Woody and Q Man would see them in the eight . A loss to Far Q and it’s all over for Woggy but on current form I reckon he wins two of these and ends up in the top eight.
11. Woody's Dropkicks (20)
To play – Hawkeye, Darksiders SCE, Dusty Tunnels
That’s a pretty tough run home for Woody's Dropkicks and at best I can only find the one win against Hawkeye and for me Hawk starts favourite even in that. Woody has struggled for much of this season only briefly showing the form we have seen from him in previous Hogg divisions. A win against Hawkeye would keep the Dropkicks in it but they’d have to beat the Darksiders SCE to make the finals and this task looks beyond them.
12. chardy socialists (20)
To play - Blue_Guns, Mr Football and dunKsKrew
Normally at this time of year finn is busy scoping out his relegation final opponent but this season he is on the outer edges of the top eight. He has a massive match this week against Blue_Guns as a victory there should keep him out of the relegation zone and keep his finals hopes alive. Then the chardies would have an even bigger match the following week. To make the finals chardy socialists need to win all three and Mr Football is the toughest fixture of the lot. Win that one and the chardies could see finals action for the first time. I reckon though that he’ll only get two and miss out by one game.
13. Blue_Guns (20)
To play - chardy socialists, FOOTYLEDGENS, The Ginger Ninjas
The winner of the chardies v Blue_Guns match gets to slug it out for another week and if Blue_Guns can win that then a finals appearance isn’t out of the question. Blue_Guns should be able to take out FOOTYLEDGENS which would mean that that Guns would need to knock over The Ginger Ninjas to make the eight. The Guns haven’t been in great form and I reckon that the only win in this lot is against the Cub which would put the Blue_Guns in the relegation zone with a relegation final against the wooden spooners Boxhead United.
REB’s Eight
1. Darksiders SCE (52)
2. Mr Football (40)
3. REBCats (40)
4. Dusty Tunnels (40)
5. Squeakeroos DTC (40)
6. Hondominators YSCC (36)
7. The Ginger Ninjas (36)
8. Hawkeye (32)
Regards,
REB