(Sorry about missing last week’s games. I just had too much going on.
Week 14: Do or Die for several teams
This is a key week for teams on the edge of making the playoffs and for teams fighting it out for home field advantage (top 4). We do have several really good match-ups this week.
#1 Sydney Sea Wasps (13-0) vs #6 Rochester Iroquois (9-4)
Rochester’s turn to come to town and see if they can upset the high flying Sea Wasps. The Iroquois want to have a little surprise raiding party, but the Sea Wasps have eyes everywhere and won’t be surprised easily. In the end, Sydney will continue their winning ways as they roll with Eivins and Little and fly with Rocks and Rosenthal. Sydney by 27, 40-13
#2 Perth Pirates (12-1) vs #5 Devonport Devils (10-3)
So here is the annual battle between Perth and Devonport. Perth is the superior team that has only lost 1 game and not really been challenged in any others. Devonport can be a dangerous team, especially when they play Perth. This has been a good match-up for 3 straight seasons and should be a good one again this season. No one has gotten closer than 16 points to Perth other than their loss to Sydney, so obviously they will be the favorites (which they won’t like). Perth by 11, 35-24.
#3 Apia Evil (11-2) vs #16 Redcliffe Sharks (0-16 I’ll just fill it in now)
Apia is coming off of a monster lashing of Waikiki last game. This week will be another monster whipping as the Sharks are waiting for Evil to pounce upon them. No real way to tell how many points Apia will score, so I’ll just guess Apia by 105, 105-0.
#4 Waikiki Wrecks (11-2) vs #10 An Album Cover (5-8)
Waikiki’s winning streak had an Evil wreck last week. Unfortunately for An Album Cover, that means this week the Wrecks will be out for blood – AAC’s blood! An Album Cover is in a really tough stretch of their schedule as they have lost 3 in a row – all to top 5 teams. This week is another one. I expect An Album Cover to give it all they’ve got, but their plans will be Wrecked, as Waikiki takes this one by 25, 35-10.
#7 DECATUR STALEYS (7-6) vs #9 Fiji Rage (6-7)
Ok, so finally DECATUR is acting like the team we all expected. I think they just needed to add one or two more coordinators to turn the team around – and they appear to have done that now with two very impressive back-to-back wins against playoff quality opponents. Fiji is on a two game win streak of their own in two close games. The big difference is that these were probably non-playoff quality opponents. There will be a crash of streaks, and Fiji will go home in a Rage as the STALEYS derail them. DECATUR by 32, 42-10.
#8 Samoa Savages (7-6) vs #15 Tasmania Dragons (1-12)
Samoa took a big hit to their playoff aspirations last week from DECATUR. They still are in the driver’s seat for the eighth seed, but they have to take care of business against some tough opponents. But this week isn’t one of those. Tasmania is just about demoted and will be one step closer as the Savages put one of the last nails in Tasmania’s coffin. Samoa by 60, 77-17.
#11 Komodo Dragons (5-8) vs #14 Alaska Wild (2-11)
Komodo is looking for a 4 game win streak to end the regular season. After a nice defeat of Port Moresby last week, Komodo will have an easy win this week against the Wild. There’s nothing really Wild about this Alaska team other than their name. The Dragons move to 2 wins in a row and look forward to DECATUR next week. Komodo by 29, 42-13.
#12 Port Moresby Scallywags(5-8) vs #13 Intergalactic Sub-Mariners (2-11)
Even though their rankings are only 1 apart (#12 vs #13) and their scouting reports are almost identical, these two teams are further apart than that – at least in my opinion. No where else in the rankings is there such a big gap in record as between 12 and 13. I think ISM will make a game of this one, much like they did when they played the Rage, but I believe that the Scallywags will manage to get their 6th victory this week. Port Moresby by 7, 21-14.
That’s it for week 13. As of right now, there are 4 teams officially eliminated from the playoffs (Intergalactic, Alaska, Tasmania, and Redcliffe). After this week, I expect that one or two more teams will join that list.
Week 14: Do or Die for several teams
This is a key week for teams on the edge of making the playoffs and for teams fighting it out for home field advantage (top 4). We do have several really good match-ups this week.
#1 Sydney Sea Wasps (13-0) vs #6 Rochester Iroquois (9-4)
Rochester’s turn to come to town and see if they can upset the high flying Sea Wasps. The Iroquois want to have a little surprise raiding party, but the Sea Wasps have eyes everywhere and won’t be surprised easily. In the end, Sydney will continue their winning ways as they roll with Eivins and Little and fly with Rocks and Rosenthal. Sydney by 27, 40-13
#2 Perth Pirates (12-1) vs #5 Devonport Devils (10-3)
So here is the annual battle between Perth and Devonport. Perth is the superior team that has only lost 1 game and not really been challenged in any others. Devonport can be a dangerous team, especially when they play Perth. This has been a good match-up for 3 straight seasons and should be a good one again this season. No one has gotten closer than 16 points to Perth other than their loss to Sydney, so obviously they will be the favorites (which they won’t like). Perth by 11, 35-24.
#3 Apia Evil (11-2) vs #16 Redcliffe Sharks (0-16 I’ll just fill it in now)
Apia is coming off of a monster lashing of Waikiki last game. This week will be another monster whipping as the Sharks are waiting for Evil to pounce upon them. No real way to tell how many points Apia will score, so I’ll just guess Apia by 105, 105-0.
#4 Waikiki Wrecks (11-2) vs #10 An Album Cover (5-8)
Waikiki’s winning streak had an Evil wreck last week. Unfortunately for An Album Cover, that means this week the Wrecks will be out for blood – AAC’s blood! An Album Cover is in a really tough stretch of their schedule as they have lost 3 in a row – all to top 5 teams. This week is another one. I expect An Album Cover to give it all they’ve got, but their plans will be Wrecked, as Waikiki takes this one by 25, 35-10.
#7 DECATUR STALEYS (7-6) vs #9 Fiji Rage (6-7)
Ok, so finally DECATUR is acting like the team we all expected. I think they just needed to add one or two more coordinators to turn the team around – and they appear to have done that now with two very impressive back-to-back wins against playoff quality opponents. Fiji is on a two game win streak of their own in two close games. The big difference is that these were probably non-playoff quality opponents. There will be a crash of streaks, and Fiji will go home in a Rage as the STALEYS derail them. DECATUR by 32, 42-10.
#8 Samoa Savages (7-6) vs #15 Tasmania Dragons (1-12)
Samoa took a big hit to their playoff aspirations last week from DECATUR. They still are in the driver’s seat for the eighth seed, but they have to take care of business against some tough opponents. But this week isn’t one of those. Tasmania is just about demoted and will be one step closer as the Savages put one of the last nails in Tasmania’s coffin. Samoa by 60, 77-17.
#11 Komodo Dragons (5-8) vs #14 Alaska Wild (2-11)
Komodo is looking for a 4 game win streak to end the regular season. After a nice defeat of Port Moresby last week, Komodo will have an easy win this week against the Wild. There’s nothing really Wild about this Alaska team other than their name. The Dragons move to 2 wins in a row and look forward to DECATUR next week. Komodo by 29, 42-13.
#12 Port Moresby Scallywags(5-8) vs #13 Intergalactic Sub-Mariners (2-11)
Even though their rankings are only 1 apart (#12 vs #13) and their scouting reports are almost identical, these two teams are further apart than that – at least in my opinion. No where else in the rankings is there such a big gap in record as between 12 and 13. I think ISM will make a game of this one, much like they did when they played the Rage, but I believe that the Scallywags will manage to get their 6th victory this week. Port Moresby by 7, 21-14.
That’s it for week 13. As of right now, there are 4 teams officially eliminated from the playoffs (Intergalactic, Alaska, Tasmania, and Redcliffe). After this week, I expect that one or two more teams will join that list.
