Media Around The Grounds - Round 5 Preview

Barrybran · Feb 6, 2021

Marlowe celebrates the Royals' first premiership

Grand Final Rematch Headlines Season Opener

The Gold City Royals will unfurl their first Sweet FA premiership flag at home in round one against the team they beat in the season 30 Grand Final, the Sin City Swamprats. The ruck rover battle between All-SFA representatives, ant555 and Marlowe, looms as the one to watch while the Royals other All-SFA representatives, including Fred Medalist, The Filth Wizard, all return in the same positions they played in season 30. Mobbs and Deestroy Medalist, Nunez, shifts to a wing to make way for Swamprats' captain, philreich's, return to the followers line.

The Furies travel to Las Vegas to take on the Bears in the other match up this round between two season 30 finalists. This matchup also features five All-SFA representatives including All-SFA vice captain, MWPP. Seven players will make their Sweet FA debuts in this one with three sets of rookies lining up on one another. League legend and the brains behind the Bears' return to the league, Broken, returns for the Bears.

The Roys and Hawks ended season 30 in disappointing fashion, the Roys going out in straight sets while the Hawks managed just five wins for the season to finish 11th. The ruck battle between JackNah_8 and Hate shapes up as the pivotal match up with this one, JackNah_8 finishing 5th among all players for hitouts and disposals last season while Hate was named at ruck in Sweet FA's all time All-SFA team in season 30. Despite a disappointing season, the Hawks saw two players make the All-SFA team with captain, Agent93, joined by new co-captain, Chipmunk. Five players will make their Sweet FA debuts in this match while former Warriors captain, Wosh, returns to the league and will make her Roys debut.

The Demons finished outside the top three for the first time since season 25, winning six games and finishing 9th in season 30. They host Gumbies FFC who finished 5th on the back of a seven-game win streak before going down to the eventual premiers, Gold City Royals, in a preliminary final. All-SFA full back and captain, manangatang, moves to rover while All-SFA rover, Callums_Guns, shifts to a wing. 8-time All-SFA representative, pantskyle, joins the Demons from the Coney Island Warriors and will line up at ruck rover. The Gumbies earned one All-SFA representative in season 30 with full forward, Rodney Dangerfield, earning a nod in a forward pocket. He will line up at full forward again.

The Coney Island Warriors had the second-best offense in season 30 and saw two of their players, Tonga Bob and harry000, named as All-SFA representatives however the third-worst defense in the league resulted in six wins and a 10th-placed finish. The Bombers struggled to convert the fourth-best offense and fifth-best defense into wins, finishing with an 8-8 record, but kicked into gear at the right time, making it to a preliminary final where they fell to eventual runners up, Sin City Swamprats, by one point. All-SFA representatives, Antonio BlueVein and Kilroy, are joined by The Jesus, who dominated last season, finishing first in the league for disposals and fourth in hitouts. Significant changes have been made to both lineups with five players joining from other teams, five returning to the league and five making their Sweet FA debuts.

Finally, the Dragons host the Wonders with both teams looking to improve from their season 30 results. The Dragons have added Bonz (#1 in hitouts and #8 in disposals) alongside All-SFA representative and new Dragons captain, serial_thrilla. The Wonders claimed the season 30 wooden spoon despite full forward, Sab22, who is a notable omission in this match, finishing second in the Fred Medal. ClarkeM has handed off the captaincy to haydo and Cadsky, who line up at ruck rover and centre respectively.

Roys FFC (S30: 10-6; 4th) v East Side Hawks (S30; 5-11; 11th) @ The BJO

S30 Leaders

Rich (BB code):

            ROY                     ESH
Hitouts     JackNah_8        168    The Jesus        172
Marks       A Bit High        80    SM                76
Tackles     Supersuns         71    Agent93           80
Goals       Mooch             39    Itsmyshow         29
                                    11kgm             29
Disposals   JackNah_8        355    The Jesus        367