Poll
Question:
Who do you want to win? Who do you think will win?
Option 1: Werewolves/Werewolves
votes: 2
Option 2: Werewolves/Owls
votes: 0
Option 3: Owls/Owls
votes: 2
Option 4: Owls/Werewolves
votes: 1
Option 5: Dragons/Dragons
votes: 4
Option 6: Dragons/Magic
votes: 1
Option 7: Magic/Magic
votes: 1
Option 8: Magic/Dragons
votes: 0
It's finally here, the British XVs Grand Final! What an amazing season we've had already. We've seen teams like the Giants, Steins, and Bunnies improve heavily from last year, along with a fall from grace from the Rams, last years premiers. The new Hurricanes coach iZander took his team all the way to the preliminary finals without losing a single game, only to be beaten by the smallest of margins against the Owls. The Werewolves, Badgers, and Hawks have all battled with injuries up in the top end of the ladder, needing all of their depth to get through some games with 15 players.
I think the best part of this year is how even the competition has been. In just about every single game, whilst it seemed as though a team would win easy, there has always been the chance of an upset, which was evident a number of times, including when the Bunnies upset the Badgers, and when the Giants almost got up against the Hurricanes. And, in all honesty, next year should be even better! But enough of my rambling, let's take a look at our Grand Final match-ups! ;D
Fixture:
(https://i.gyazo.com/24bcb24513e3d4e2351eb6e183d68201.png)
So in the main event, our top 8's Grand Final, we have the Winchester Werewolves taking on the Oxford Owls! Both teams were very good in their preliminary final matches, with the Werewolves getting it done against the Badgers, and the Owls pulling off a huuuuuuuuuuge win against the previously undefeated Hurricanes! Both teams have shown all year that when they are on, they can beat anyone, but both have shown off days as well. This could easily be one of those matches that is decided by the captain scores of each team, I can definitely see it going down to the wire. So hard to pick a winner here, but I think I'm going to go with the Werewolves, who will want to go one better after losing to the Rams in the GF last year!
And in our consolation finals, we have the Dragons against the Magic. I tipped both of these teams to make the top 8 at the start of the year, so it's no surprise that they're battling it out this week for the bottom 8 premiership. The Dragons have been very impressive now that they have Rocky, Zerrett, and Hall all back in the side and playing well. The Magic had a sub-par game in their preliminary final against the Hoods, but could that mean that they're due this week? I'm going to back in the Dragons here, but not by much.
Would also like to quickly mention that the Magic will be playing off in the Champion's League Grand Final as well this week, and I wish them all the best!
Please note: There will be no HGA in the Grand Final, so may the best team(s) win!
Fun fact: The Werewolves lost the major grand final last year, and the Magic lost the minor grand final as well. Who did the Magic lose to, though? The Owls. Can the boys from Oxford break the hearts of the other team for the 2nd year running? :o I can't read :P
Also, I could be wrong, but think the Werewolves have made the GF every year! Winning the inaugural year of the British XVs, but losing the last 2 on the trot! They wouldn't want to make it a hat-trick :P
Um...we won the Minor GF last year,
Quote from: Torpedo10 on August 15, 2016, 10:20:12 PM
Um...we won the Minor GF last year,
Haha shower, mb :P
Big blow for the Werewolves, with Fisher confirmed out for this week!
Quote from: GoLions on August 17, 2016, 01:51:29 PM
Big blow for the Werewolves, with Fisher confirmed out for this week!
Wouldn't be surprised if Ibbotson is dropped again as well which would probably mean an OOP defender ::)
The big one that has me worried though is Cripps is listed as a test :-\
So Gibson in doubt now as well now. That's great, just really great!
Winchester Werewolves
D: Jimmy Bartel, Brad Sheppard, Garrick Ibbotson, Tom Lonergan
M: Robbie Gray (EVC), Matt Priddis (VC), Patrick Cripps (C), Luke Hodge
R: Shaun Hampson
F: Dayne Zorko, Luke Dahlhaus, Dean Kent, Tom Bell
I: Sam Gibson, Toby McLean
E: Andrew Moore (M), Taylor Walker (F), Keegan Brooksby (R), Josh Clayton (D),
Tobyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 8)
Quote from: GoLions on August 19, 2016, 10:44:42 AM
Tobyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 8)
He's got to make the final cut first :-\
Can't believe Tom Bell's back though!
Going in with the UF team. Good luck Rusty!
Quote from: Rusty00 on August 19, 2016, 10:47:23 AM
Quote from: GoLions on August 19, 2016, 10:44:42 AM
Tobyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 8)
He's got to make the final cut first :-\
Can't believe Tom Bell's back though!
Yeah, hopefully he's 100% fit and ready to go ahaha, don't want him to get injured again!
Quote from: Vinny on August 19, 2016, 11:04:11 AM
Going in with the UF team. Good luck Rusty!
Good luck to you mate!
Bartel out :-X
I don't know if you want my sympathy after what transpired 12 months ago Rusty, but you absolutely have it. :P
Quote from: Nige on August 19, 2016, 02:35:35 PM
I don't know if you want my sympathy after what transpired 12 months ago Rusty, but you absolutely have it. :P
Time to relive this post from last year :(
2014 GFAblett out injured
Fyfe out suspended
Cox out rested
Lynch out injured
Zorko out injured
Myers out injured
2015 GFAblett out injured
Fyfe out injured
Hodge out suspended
Myers out injured
2016 GFAblett out injured
Fyfe out injured
Roughead out illness
Bartel out rested
Fisher out injured
Quote from: Rusty00 on August 19, 2016, 04:24:30 PM
Quote from: Nige on August 19, 2016, 02:35:35 PM
I don't know if you want my sympathy after what transpired 12 months ago Rusty, but you absolutely have it. :P
Time to relive this post from last year :(
2014 GF
Ablett out injured
Fyfe out suspended
Cox out rested
Lynch out injured
Zorko out injured
Myers out injured
2015 GF
Ablett out injured
Fyfe out injured
Hodge out suspended
Myers out injured
2016 GF
Ablett out injured
Fyfe out injured
Roughead out illness
Bartel out rested
Fisher out injured
haha deserving of a premiership but i just cant see it happening for you :/
Good luck to both
Great argument for why Fyfe should be traded to the Hurricanes^^^ just saying ;)
33 of our list is playing this week. :o
Most missing are through injury too!
Good luck to Torp and Magic in the challenge final.
Quote from: Rusty00 on August 19, 2016, 10:41:54 AM
Winchester Werewolves
D: Josh Clayton, Brad Sheppard, Garrick Ibbotson, Tom Lonergan
M: Robbie Gray (EVC), Matt Priddis (VC), Patrick Cripps (C), Luke Hodge
R: Shaun Hampson
F: Dayne Zorko, Luke Dahlhaus, Dean Kent, Tom Bell
I: Sam Gibson, Toby McLean
E: Andrew Moore (M), Taylor Walker (F), Keegan Brooksby (R), Mitch McGovern (D) (OOP)
flower you Jimmy >:(
Hurricanes to get the highest score of the year? Probably, wouldnt put it past them.
A big flower you to Cunnington and Wells who decided to turn up this week and the biggest flower you to Shane Edwards to just about beat his average over the last 5 rounds at halftime and cost the Hurricanes the premiership.
Anyone for a forward for forward swap?
Quote from: Ringo on August 19, 2016, 06:29:02 PM
Good luck to Torp and Magic in the challenge final.
why u wishing him luck and not me? :'(
Quote from: kilbluff1985 on August 20, 2016, 08:59:03 PM
Quote from: Ringo on August 19, 2016, 06:29:02 PM
Good luck to Torp and Magic in the challenge final.
why u wishing him luck and not me? :'(
Think he meant the Champs League final kb!
Quote from: kilbluff1985 on August 20, 2016, 08:59:03 PM
Quote from: Ringo on August 19, 2016, 06:29:02 PM
Good luck to Torp and Magic in the challenge final.
why u wishing him luck and not me? :'(
Because we need it? :P
That first quarter of Ollie Wines has me worried :-\
Quote from: GoLions on August 20, 2016, 09:01:55 PM
Quote from: kilbluff1985 on August 20, 2016, 08:59:03 PM
Quote from: Ringo on August 19, 2016, 06:29:02 PM
Good luck to Torp and Magic in the challenge final.
why u wishing him luck and not me? :'(
Think he meant the Champs League final kb!
Looks like I'm going to lose both. :-X
Geez I wish I'd started Brooksby over Spud Hampson :(
don't do this to me Rocky
(http://imgur.com/5eOv6iL.jpg)
Congrats Vin!
Too many spuds playing for us this week.
Much deserved Premiership for the Owls :)
Owls were the Runners Up in the Shield last year :o.
Premiership here we come. ;)
Everything will be up in the next hour or so :)
Well, we've finally come to the end of what has been an awesome year in the British XVs competition! I won't waste any more of your time, so on to the results! ;D
I'll start with the bottom 8 grand final:
We had the Birmingham Dragons up against the Manchester Magic, coached by kilbluff and Torp respectively. Both teams showed throughout the season that they could compete with the best, so it was fitting that they both made the bottom 8 grand final. But, only one team can be the winner, and that team is...
Birmingham Dragons
Congratulations to coach kilbluff and his Dragons!
Unfortunately, this turned out to be an extremely comfortable win for the Dragons, with the Magic failing to show up in the last week of the competition. Still, both teams should be fairly happy with how their seasons have turned out, and would be looking forward to next year with high hopes!
Final Score: Birmingham Dragons 2294 defeated Manchester Magic 1733
Now, on to the main event!
We had the Owls fighting it off against the Werewolves in our main Grand Final, with the Werewolves hit pretty badly by injuries, losing Bartel and Fisher on the eve of their match, along with other stars such as Fyfe and Ablett. They fought with spirit, but it wasn't enough, which means that our 2016 British XVs Premiers are...
Oxford Owls
Congratulations to Vinny for an outstanding year, knocking off both the Hurricanes and Werewolves to get that premiership cup!
The Owls were most certainly on this weekend, so one could say that even at full strength, the Werewolves may have still gone down. There were contributors everywhere from the boys of Oxford, led by captain Ollie Wines, with supporting roles from Andrew Swallow, Bryce Gibbs, and even Lin Jong! For the Werewolves, that makes it 3 Grand Final losses in a row, which just has to be heartbreaking. But I'm sure we'll see them back here in finals next year, looking to capitalize further on their amazing dominance in the competition to date.
Final Score: Winchester Werewolves 2157 defeated by Oxford Owls 2478
Once again, congratulations to Vinny and kilbluff!
not happy about this season at all the draw cost us a top 8 spot
we have secured 2 good defenders for next season though which should help
Thanks mate, very happy with this season! Unlucky Rusty, have no doubt you'll be back though. ;)
Go Owls!