The Swift look at Week 12 of Zeta…
#1 Sydney Sea Wasps (11-0) vs #15 Tasmania Dragons (1-10)
So Sydney slipped by on a FG in the last few seconds against a tough Apia team to remain unbeaten. Fortunately for them, they can rest this week as they take on the ever weak Tasmania Dragons. Tasmania has only won one game and that is all they will win this season. Sydney will relax and still destroy Tasmania by 80, 90-10.
#2 Perth Pirates (10-1) vs #11 Komodo Dragons (4-7)
Perth is quietly going about their business and just winning football games. Other than their one loss to Sydney, no one has come closer than 16 points all season. Komodo is one of those teams that doesn’t have a good record and has lost some games they needed to win, but they have also played a couple of good teams very close. With the playoffs in sight, Perth isn’t about to slip up and let their guard down. The Pirates will slay the Dragons as Perth wins by 24, 41-17.
#3 Waikiki Wreck (10-1) vs #4 Devonport Devils (9-2)
This will be the match-up of the week as Waikiki needs to take out Devonport to keep their #3 ranking. The Wrecks have been very strong all season with no real close games (other than their loss to Perth) except to DECATUR and Fiji. That is an odd set of teams to be in close games with. Devonport has been a solid performer all season also including a single point upset of Apia, but has two losses to Sydney and Rochester (by 2 points). The Wrecks still have 3 of the top 5 teams to face this season and would like to start that stretch right with a victory over the Devils. Devonport has Waikiki and Perth as its last two big games. Winner of this game will most likely end up with the #3 ranking at the end of the season. I haven’t ever done this before, but this is a hard one to call, I think I’ll leave it as even for the spread. It should be a close one either way: score 30-27, you pick the winner.
#5 Apia Evil (9-2) vs #9 An Album Cover (5-6)
Apia is coming off of back-to-back loses (their only losses for the season) by a total of 3 points. They are currently in the #5 ranking, but don’t want to stay there. I’m sure they have their eye on getting to at least #3 by the end of the season. They will be playing a scrappy team in An Album Cover this week. AAC is the other team that I think is dangerous. They don’t go down easily against tough teams, but then will lose or make a game close that they should be able to win. Apia should take care of business with AAC by 17, 27-10.
#6 Rochester Iroquois (8-3) vs #8 DECATUR STALEYS (5-6)
Rochester only has 3 losses - all to very good opponents (Perth, Waikiki, and Apia). They are a solid playoff team and should take care of business against the mysterious STALEYS. DECATUR said they were working on righting their ship, but after being demolished by Sydney, maybe they should just get a new ship. Should this game be close? Yes and No. Based on scouting reports, this should be almost an even game. Based on performance this season, Rochester should win pretty comfortably. Will the DECATUR DR JEKYLL show up like when they played Waikiki just losing by 7 or when they played Apia and just lost by 12? Or will it be the DECATUR run and HYDE who barely comes to play as with Sydney where they lost by 76? No one knows for sure, but I have no choice but to pick Rochester in this game and I think it might be fairly close; the Iroquois by 7, 30-23.
#7 Samoa Savages (6-5) vs #13 Alaska Wild (2-9)
Samoa must work to solidify their playoff position and avoid falling to #8. They should be able to do that easily against Alaska Wild this week. The Wild did earn their spot as the #13 rank, but don’t improve that against the likes of Samoa. Samoa by 24, 38-14.
#10 Port Moresby Scallywags (5-6) vs #12 Fiji Rage (4-7)
Coming off of an outstanding performance, Port Moresby is making their playoff push as they face the Fiji Rage today. With that latest victory over Samoa, Port Moresby has an honest shot at reaching 8-8 or better and contending for one of the last playoff spots. But they can’t drop this one to Fiji. The Rage also have a chance to end up 8-8, but they too must win this one. Fiji has played most good teams to about a respectable 2 TD margin, but then lose by 29 points to Komodo and only beat ISM by 2! This could go either way, but perhaps the Scallywags figured something out last week. Port Moresby by 10, 30-20.
#14 Intergalactic Sub-Mariners (1-10) vs #16 Redcliffe Sharks (0-11)
1/24/2009 - One of the dates Intergalactic had circled on their calendar at the start of the season. They probably were hoping for more this season, but this is one they can notch in the win column. Redcliffe is wondering what happened to the round ball to make it all oblong. It doesn’t matter much. ISM by 45, 48-3.
That’s it for week 12 as we reach the 3/4 point in the season.
#1 Sydney Sea Wasps (11-0) vs #15 Tasmania Dragons (1-10)
So Sydney slipped by on a FG in the last few seconds against a tough Apia team to remain unbeaten. Fortunately for them, they can rest this week as they take on the ever weak Tasmania Dragons. Tasmania has only won one game and that is all they will win this season. Sydney will relax and still destroy Tasmania by 80, 90-10.
#2 Perth Pirates (10-1) vs #11 Komodo Dragons (4-7)
Perth is quietly going about their business and just winning football games. Other than their one loss to Sydney, no one has come closer than 16 points all season. Komodo is one of those teams that doesn’t have a good record and has lost some games they needed to win, but they have also played a couple of good teams very close. With the playoffs in sight, Perth isn’t about to slip up and let their guard down. The Pirates will slay the Dragons as Perth wins by 24, 41-17.
#3 Waikiki Wreck (10-1) vs #4 Devonport Devils (9-2)
This will be the match-up of the week as Waikiki needs to take out Devonport to keep their #3 ranking. The Wrecks have been very strong all season with no real close games (other than their loss to Perth) except to DECATUR and Fiji. That is an odd set of teams to be in close games with. Devonport has been a solid performer all season also including a single point upset of Apia, but has two losses to Sydney and Rochester (by 2 points). The Wrecks still have 3 of the top 5 teams to face this season and would like to start that stretch right with a victory over the Devils. Devonport has Waikiki and Perth as its last two big games. Winner of this game will most likely end up with the #3 ranking at the end of the season. I haven’t ever done this before, but this is a hard one to call, I think I’ll leave it as even for the spread. It should be a close one either way: score 30-27, you pick the winner.
#5 Apia Evil (9-2) vs #9 An Album Cover (5-6)
Apia is coming off of back-to-back loses (their only losses for the season) by a total of 3 points. They are currently in the #5 ranking, but don’t want to stay there. I’m sure they have their eye on getting to at least #3 by the end of the season. They will be playing a scrappy team in An Album Cover this week. AAC is the other team that I think is dangerous. They don’t go down easily against tough teams, but then will lose or make a game close that they should be able to win. Apia should take care of business with AAC by 17, 27-10.
#6 Rochester Iroquois (8-3) vs #8 DECATUR STALEYS (5-6)
Rochester only has 3 losses - all to very good opponents (Perth, Waikiki, and Apia). They are a solid playoff team and should take care of business against the mysterious STALEYS. DECATUR said they were working on righting their ship, but after being demolished by Sydney, maybe they should just get a new ship. Should this game be close? Yes and No. Based on scouting reports, this should be almost an even game. Based on performance this season, Rochester should win pretty comfortably. Will the DECATUR DR JEKYLL show up like when they played Waikiki just losing by 7 or when they played Apia and just lost by 12? Or will it be the DECATUR run and HYDE who barely comes to play as with Sydney where they lost by 76? No one knows for sure, but I have no choice but to pick Rochester in this game and I think it might be fairly close; the Iroquois by 7, 30-23.
#7 Samoa Savages (6-5) vs #13 Alaska Wild (2-9)
Samoa must work to solidify their playoff position and avoid falling to #8. They should be able to do that easily against Alaska Wild this week. The Wild did earn their spot as the #13 rank, but don’t improve that against the likes of Samoa. Samoa by 24, 38-14.
#10 Port Moresby Scallywags (5-6) vs #12 Fiji Rage (4-7)
Coming off of an outstanding performance, Port Moresby is making their playoff push as they face the Fiji Rage today. With that latest victory over Samoa, Port Moresby has an honest shot at reaching 8-8 or better and contending for one of the last playoff spots. But they can’t drop this one to Fiji. The Rage also have a chance to end up 8-8, but they too must win this one. Fiji has played most good teams to about a respectable 2 TD margin, but then lose by 29 points to Komodo and only beat ISM by 2! This could go either way, but perhaps the Scallywags figured something out last week. Port Moresby by 10, 30-20.
#14 Intergalactic Sub-Mariners (1-10) vs #16 Redcliffe Sharks (0-11)
1/24/2009 - One of the dates Intergalactic had circled on their calendar at the start of the season. They probably were hoping for more this season, but this is one they can notch in the win column. Redcliffe is wondering what happened to the round ball to make it all oblong. It doesn’t matter much. ISM by 45, 48-3.
That’s it for week 12 as we reach the 3/4 point in the season.
