WXV Grand Final: Toronto v New Delhi

[Purple 77]

If they keep meeting each other, it kinda means they're the very best.

WXVs proudly presents...

Grand Final, AFL Round 23

Home Team	Away Team	Venue	Head-to-Head
Toronto Wolves	New Delhi Tigers	MCG	8  v  2

The Round 1 feelin'

The Wolves were at the centre of controversy in the penultimate week last year, but are now back in safe hands with new coach FTC. The Wolves will enter this year again one of the favourites to take out the flag, but has the rest of the competition caught up?

New Delhi almost seemed to stagnate (albeit in the top 4) last year... they didn't seem to have the same sense of dominance they enjoyed in 2017. Can the Tiges bounce back in 2019? Hmm.

vs

I love grand finals, because they always crystalise who the best teams in the comp have been. You get grabbed by week-to-week form, but as soon as those prelim results emerge, it's always been obvious that the two progressing teams have been the best of the year.

In 2019, this is no different. The Wolves simply cruised to a prelim this year, before almost falling over against a lesser opponent. Whilst New Delhi - despite occasionally faltering in the H&A season -  have overcome the scars of yesteryear and rediscovered its deadly bite from its magical 2016 season. Actually, speaking of...

These two teams are the most recent examples of stunning rebuilds. New Delhi's 2016 season would make a doggies supporter stand up and notice! 16th the season prior, they had an absolute dream run of form at the end of the year and EVERY SO NEARLY lost the grand final. For Toronto, it took them a little while to get going after their re-draft, but from 17th in 2016, then 6th in 2017 and finally runners up in 2018, both teams have rocked WXVs in eerily similar fashion.

So I guess you could ask, who did it better? Toronto or New Delhi? The answer is this weekend with FTCs & Ricophants' FOURTH 2019 clash!

The Prelude

Representative Round

AAP Alliance (29.6.180) def EurAsia (29.6.179*)
Although they weren't coaching their teams, their players heavily featured in WXVs most epic representative clash ever! FTC, stacking the Alliance's forward line with his attack, and Ricophants flooding the defense with their guns. It would prove to be a warm-up for many clashes! FTC took the chocolates in this one, in what might have been the start of a mental advantage developing.

The Audition

Round 15

New Delhi Tigers (23.11.149) lost to Toronto Wolves (25.6.156)
This was one of the better games of the H&A season, with a whopping 12 centurions coming to play! The aforementioned attack & forward lines contributed 6 of those, but it was again FTC's Toronto that would come out on top. The lesson learned from New Delhi is that it might need 1 or 2 players to go above and beyond to overcome the Wolves, who just bat so deep.

The Performance

QF Final 1

Toronto Wolves (27.8.170) def New Delhi Tigers (22.11.143)
It seems the Wolves got the New Delhi memo! Although Bachar Houli did his best for New Delhi, it was Toronto captain Jack Macrae that proved to be the difference with a mammoth 155. New Delhi MUST keep him contained; he's been averaging about 40 touches in the last month or so and seems hell bent on winning Toronto its first premiership. Is the belief at New Delhi wavering?

And now, the Encore
So many learnings for New Delhi & Ricophants, and they will need to call them all up in order to beat the rampaging Toronto who enter this game as favourites. Both of these coaches have been epic this year, and in Ricophants case now for a solid 6 years. The co-coaching duos (and 2016 COTY) contribution to Worlds cannot be underestimated, whom have a claim to the best WXV coaching achievement ever. A premiership win here would be just recognition.

For FTC, coming in last year after Toronto was disqualified from the GF, he has been all class. Trading in a similar vein to his predecessor, he knows what quality looks like, and has brought that into an already quality team. On the season to date, they deserve to win the premiership. But, they will have to do WXVs first in order to do that; break the minor premiers curse. If they win this week, they will be the first minor premiers to win the premiership in the same year, which is quite unbelievable.

My tip? A bloody good game. The winner? I reckon... Robbie Gray to score big in the last game of the round and JUST fall short of a Jack Macrae led 160+ score.

All the best teams! Let's get around them everyone!



Both teams in the grand final this week are not in the seniors. What I require from you, is that you NAME YOUR BEST SENIOR 18 like you were playing finals. I will be scrutinising your best XV to determine if that is really who you would play, so as to ensure that the players available for the reserves matches are the ones that would normally be available. If I don't agree, then I will name one for you.

Home Team	Away Team	Venue
Yuzawa Yakuza	Durban Pirates	Adelaide Oval

[Ricochet]

So a couple of things...

Firstly
https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-08-21/magpies-star-to-miss-bombers-clash-with-ruptured-testicle
:o  :'(


Secondly, Ele and I will be hanging up the boots after this weekend's GF.

It's been a lot of fun, but unfortunately life is a bit more full on these days so I don't get on here as much any more.

Thanks to everyone involved and a massive thanks to Purps who does an amazing job here. Honestly mate it wouldn't be the same without you.

Good luck FTC, but hopefully we go out with a win ;D

[Purple 77]

My write-up definitely had your departure in mind guys  :'(

[GoLions]

The real winner here is the Adelaide Oval

[Purple 77]

I'm a sucker for the fairytale. Come on New Delhi!

And f*ck me, I'd be cursin every living thing if one of my mids missed through a crook testy  >:(

[GoLions]

I'm a sucker for the fairytale. Come on New Delhi!

And f*ck me, I'd be cursin every living thing if one of my mids missed through a crook testy  >:(

Clearly doesn't have the balls to stand up for his side in the big games

[JBs-Hawks]

Been a pleasure boys! Carn the Tigs!

[Holz]

Lets go NDT

sad to see 2 legends go,

take it out in style.

[RaisyDaisy]

Sad to see both of you leave - certainly won't be the same without you two around here

It's been a pleasure dealing with you and all the best not just for this upcoming GF but also life beyond :)

[upthemaidens]

Toronto have been the best team all season, all the pressure is on them not to choke.

Rico it's been a pleasure.  C'mon New Delhi give it some.

[DazBurg]

been a pleasure boys, all the best and thanks for everything

[Toga]

Good on you NDT boys, done a great job at turning this team around 8) Wasn't long ago that you and I were the cellar dwellers down the bottom.

[fanTCfool]

Congratulations on a magnificent time at the helm Ricophants, here's to a ripper final.

[Ricochet]

New Delhi Tigers


DEF Lloyd (VC), Hurn, Houli, Savage
MID  Pendles (C), Brayshaw, Langdon, Hannebery
RUCK SMartin
FWD Darling, Dahlhaus, Gray, Newnes
UTIL  JorDawson, Wills

EMER Tucker, Answerth, McInerney

[Boomz]

For Reserves
D: Williams, Whitfield, Thomas, Johannisen
M: Dunkley, Phillips, Fritsch, Ross
R: Lycett
F: Cripps, Mihocek, Hoskin-Elliott, Cameron
U: Short, Perryman
EMG: Plowman, Dixon, Gleeson