Hogg Premier League 2014

[Hondo]

I can't do anything more this round. Barring late outs my best 22 are playing as are my primary bench cover players in each spot. 26 playing in all.

C choice and the SuperCoach gods will decide it from here.

Key players for me will be the 3 Swans I have but Interceptor doesn't in Buddy, Jack and Kennedy. Also for me I need good games from my Crow defenders in Jaensch and Smith.

On the other hand I need Rockliff and Zorko to stay under control v Adelaide.

[Interceptor]

I can't do anything more this round. Barring late outs my best 22 are playing as are my primary bench cover players in each spot. 26 playing in all.

C choice and the SuperCoach gods will decide it from here.

Key players for me will be the 3 Swans I have but Interceptor doesn't in Buddy, Jack and Kennedy. Also for me I need good games from my Crow defenders in Jaensch and Smith.

On the other hand I need Rockliff and Zorko to stay under control v Adelaide.

I've taken a punt with Goddard to regain some form, hopefully starting tonight.
My bench cover is horrible though and any outs are going to cause problems.

[Groover]

And im goneski, goodluck for the rest of the field, its been a very tough league this year and the winner deserves the title

[Hondo]

Sloane and Gray smashed me last night and today, well played Interceptor

Dambit

[Groover]

Same as above lol
As well as simpson and sauce too grr!

[Hondo]

I had those two

Buddy was my main villain this week as we both had Stevie J

[Rik E Boy]

Finals Week 1 Results

Qualifying Finals

Has Been 2322
Buddy Franklin 2217

Cork in the Ocean 2570
Hondo SCC 2469

Elimination Finals

Q Before You 2351
Spuds 2284

Darksiders SCE 2532
Captain Who? 2392

It was a brilliant opening to the Finals series by Interceptor as his Cork in the Ocean combination cleaned up the highly rated Hondo in fine fashion. Corky has been at or near the top all season long and came through against the highest scoring team in the Premier League to advance to the Preliminary Final in a fortnight. In the other Qualifying Final it seems that Buddy Franklin has hit the wall. Out of trades and all of a sudden not scoring all that many points, it looks like Buddy might be headed for a straight sets exit in his first HPL Finals series. Not so Has Been who has made it to the Preliminary Final in his first season in Hogg Premier.

The most interesting result of the finals last week was the well timed return to form by the sleeping giant of the competition Darksiders SCE. A first up score of 2532 makes it appear that Rube has been playing Possum these last few weeks. The team that was ambushed by the two time Premier winners was the 2012 champions Cork in the Ocean whose brilliant late season run came to an abrupt end in the Elimination Final. Also out are the Spuds who finally paid the price for his low scoring ways against the reigning premier Q Before You.

In the Semi Finals next week Q Before You appears to have an easier match against Buddy Franklin with the wheels apparently fallen off the Buddy Bandwagon. Hondo have gone from the Penthouse possibly to the Outhouse as now they must beat a suddenly rejuvenated Darksiders who have a much better finals record in this league than Hondo.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

Semi FInals Previews

1st Semi Final : Buddy Franklin vs. Q Before You

It would be easy to write of the Minor Premier seeing as Buddy has fessed up to being out of trades and that Bartel and Johnson are both out for the Cats. However, Buddy has adequete coverage for both based on last week's numbers for the misfiring Cat duo. Bartelson only scored 139 between them and you'd back Dane Swan and Kalajazzknee to get more than that. Bartel's withdrawal is actually a bigger obstacle for Q. While this week Jed Bews has been selected and can prevent a donut, he only averages 38.3 and shouldn't be considered an onfield option in a Semi Final in a league of this calibre.

However, I believe this match will be settled up forward. The emergence of Stefan Martin as a consistent point scoring machine has transformed a problem area for Q and turned it into a strength. Buddy Franklin is stuck with a battling Pav and looks one short up front when you compare the sides head to head. I think Q will be prepared to part company with Bartel at this stage of the season and trade in a defender that can cover Kolajazzknee or better. I'm selecting Q to advance so that means bye bye Buddy in straight sets.

2nd Semi Final: Hondo SCC vs. Darksiders SCE

Hondo is starting to emerge as the Ross Lyon of the Hogg Shield. A powerful unit during the minor rounds things start to unravel a bit for him once the Finals arrive. Already the high flying Hondo has two glaring issues in his Semi Final against the emerging Darksiders. Hondo has only poor to fair coverage options for the injured Steve Johnson and the suspended Jarryd Roughead. Not all that many Hogg coaches have the big Orange Roughie so I can just imagine Hondo's reaction to Roughead's Dustin Flectcher impersonation.

Meanwhile, the Darksiders have a history of getting things right during the finals. He was one of the astute coaches that brought in Rory Sloane and this move has been a beauty for anyone who followed suit. Not only that but Marshmellows like Shaun Higgins even tonned up last week and he's not without a chance of scoring well against the flakey Roos either.

Both coaches have the Pav/Cameron condundrum but Hondo must act on Roughead and Johnson in order to keep his Hogg Premiership hopes alive. I am backing that Hondo will pull the right reigns and end the Darksiders season but this match will be very close indeed. Hondo, just.

regards,

REB

[Q.]

Traded out Bartel for Simpson, who is currently doing **** all.

[Hondo]

Roughy wasn't a huge issue for me this week because all it means is I play Pav on field who Darksiders also has

StevieJ however caused a trade so I normalized to Sloane who he has and who has a good run to close out the year. He held onto Bartel and is using Bews on field. We only have 6 players different amazingly. Again it's my Swans and Crows being the POD between us.

ME: Buddy, Parker, Jack, Jaensch, B Smith, S Martin

HIM: Bews, Gray, Hurn, Zorko, Cotchin, Higgins

I have the VC on JPK, he has it on Selwood.

[Rik E Boy]

Kennedy didn't last the half against the Saints. Subbed off in the second quarter with a hammy.

regards,

REB

[Hondo]

Missed the Pendles late out and he's my C with JPK VC and that's it for me for another season

[Q.]

I've got Beams as C...looks like he's just done his medial ligament FFS

[Groover]

All this carnage came a week too late for me!

[valleys07]

I've got Beams as C...looks like he's just done his medial ligament FFS

Hyper-extension is what i'm hearing Q.

[Hondo]

So it's all over and basically Darksiders got up with having Selwood as VC to my JPK. We both had Pendles as C. Oh well best laid plans destroyed by injury carnage what can you do.

[Q.]

Add Ward to my list of carnage. buddy has escaped it all and it will take a miracle for me to beat him.

[Rik E Boy]

Semi Finals Results

Buddy Franklin 2318
Q Before You 2203

Darksiders SCE 2206
Hondo SCC 2119

The underdogs (not Gibbo) both got up last week with Hondo crashing out in straight sets for the second year in a row and newcomer Buddy Franklin ending Q's brave premiership defence. Scores were down for most of the combatants but many teams not playing this week would have beaten al four of the combinations who were fighting to keep their seasons alive.

Darksiders looked GAWN a few short weeks ago but he is once again proving the master coach with the ability to win matches when it matters. Hondo has had less luck than Collingwood in recent finals and this week was a poor end to what had been a sensational season by them up to this point. The wheels well and truly fell off for Q Before You and Buddy must be blinking like Hans Moleman that he is still in the fight for the premiership.

I'll be keeping an eye on Darksiders this week. With carnage everywhere he can card a healthy score with no donuts he could go on to win an unprecedented third Hogg Premier Title. Standing in his way is league newcomer Has Been and he'd have to be nervous about the seemingly indestructable Darksiders. Buddy will back up again up against Cork in the Ocean who got a really low score on his week off so he'll be relying on trades to put Buddy away.

So will we have an all 'promoted' Grand Final or will Darksiders salute for a third or will Corky break through? Rest assured whoever I tip is in deep trouble.

regards,

REB

[Q.]

Shattered to bow out in such shitty fashion, was confident my full side would cover him.

Bah!

[Hondo]

Darksiders has Beams, Fyfe, Pendles and JPK like I do and I suspect he has no trades left

With so many outs I was no chance this week anyway.