The Ballad of Florida & Oregon

I'd intended to sit down and do a post on my reflections of Nationals today as I nurse a cold, but I jumped on to RSD to find out some news on the UPA College series that has been playing out over the last couple of weeks. I thought there'd be the usual news - my 2007 Mixed Nats teammate's club made Regionals but no futher, Wisconsin smashed all comers and hopefully some Cinderella story coming out of the midwest or somewhere.

But instead I found a veritable shitstorm of posts - two of the top three contenders for the title were out of the running for very different reasons.

Florida have made semis in the last three years, with a title win in 2006 and finalists in 2008 against Wisconsin. They were considered to be the number one team in the nation. They cruised through their pool on day one of Atlantic Coast Regionals, but lost their crossover game. They regathered and breezed past UNCW, then got beaten 14-9 by eventual winners Virginia. This put them in the back door bracket where they were facing NC State in the game-to-go, NC State being known to Australians as the college that Brett Matzuka attends. Here's a write up of that game.

But the bigger controversy is Oregon. They were playing their B-team at Regionals and decided that they couldn't really be bothered with a proper game, so they reported the score as 13-9 and instead played one point of "shirts only vs pants only". Seems harmless enough, but a complaint was filed to their college's sports committee and all of a sudden they found themselves withdrawn from the UPA series by their Club Sports executive committee.

Then it gets weird. They appealed to the committee and the media got involved. Because of prior incidents involving underage drinking and speeding fines, the decision was upheld and the captain of the team was quoted in the Seattle Times...

"Speeding, drinking, nudity — they're not bad things, they're things a big portion of the community doesn't think are wrong."

“We need to recognize the difference between the ultimate culture and the club sports culture.”

The second quote is pulled from a more extensive article from the Oregon Daily Emerald, the college's newspaper. What the captain of that team fails to recognise, is that the media is far quicker to jump all over negative misdemeanours than they are over the positive actions a team or club performs. Sports stars and teams behaving inappropriately is one of their favourite topics - just look at North Melbourne's rooster video, or Greg Bird being found guilty of pulling a 'Chris Brown'.

Hopefully we don't have to face this kind of situation any time soon, but the best course of action would be to not talk to the media without any kind of preperation. It is so easy to be taken out of context, especially when your personal opinion is assumed to be the party line and you end up speaking of behalf of all ultimate players whether you intend to or not.

The other point is that one of the dumbest things we do as a world wide community is try and advertise ourself as a serious competitive sport in some avenues, yet try and obtain different treatment when it suits us. We are either a serious sport or a recreational activity - we can't have it both ways.

Can I be bothered explaning?

"So what's on for the day?"

"Oh, I'm flying out to Perth tonight."

"Really? Sounds alright. What's that for?"


Speaking to close friends/family: "I'm playing national championships for ultimate frisbee."

Speaking to work colleagues and other acquaintances: "I'm playing national championships for ultimate frisbee. Playing with a Melbourne team. We've been training for a few months now. Pretty pumped for it."

Speaking to people who I have only met recently: ""I'm playing national championships for ultimate frisbee. It's like a cross between gridiron and netball played with a frisbee on a field about 100 metres long and 35 wide. Yeah, I can throw about 50 metres accurately, a bit further if I'm not going for a target. Playing with a Melbourne team called Sweet Chilly. There's some pretty good players on the team and we've been training for a few months now. I'm really excited for it because it's the first time I've played Nationals."

Speaking to the checkout chick who is just making small talk: "...oh, just a holiday."

2009 Nationals Preview Part 5: Predictions

So after going through each draw and picking the winners game by game, here's the first round and final standings I'm predicting in each division.


WOMEN

Pool K
1. Wildcard (4-0)
2. ST BAU (3-1)
3. Honey (2-2)
4. Honey Bee (1-3)
5. Indies (0-4)

Pool L
1. Factory Girls (5-0)
2. Sugar Mags (4-1)
3. Bush (3-2)
4. Sultry (2-3)
5. Kaos (1-4)
6. Primal (0-5)


Final Standings
1. Wildcard
2. Sporting Team Box Athletico United
3. Factory Girls
4. Honey
5. Sugar Mags
6. Bush
7. Sultry
8. Kaos
9. Primal
10. Indies
11. Honey Bee




OPEN

Pool C
1. Chilly (2-0)
2. Fyshwick (1-1)
3. Happy Pig (0-2)

Pool D
1. I-Beam (2-0)
2. Fakulti Y (1-1)
3. Fear (0-2)

Pool E
1. Heads Of State (2-1)
2. Karma (2-1)
3. Firestorm (2-1)
4. Sublime O (0-3)

Pool F
1. Fakulti X (3-0)
2. Sublime A (2-1)
3. Sweet Chilly (1-2)
4. Umlaut (0-3)


Final Standings
1. Chilly
2. Fyshwick United
3. I-Beam
4. Fakulti X
5. Fakulti Y
6. Heads Of State
7. Sublime A
8. Karma
9. Firestorm
10. Sweet Chilly
11. Sublime O
12. Umlaut
13. Fear
14. Happy Pig


All the Victorians to team up and destroy every other state at the party.

I'll be posting semi-regular updates to my Twitter page whenever I can.

See you on Thursday (or whenever).

2009 Nationals Preview Part 4b: The South (men)

On the home stretch now...



KARMA
Home town: Adelaide
Captain: Joel Pillar
Qualified: 3rd from South
Last year: 10th

If there's anyone who talks a big game, it's Joel Pillar. He has a long history of making stupid bets that rarely pay off (next time you see him, ask about the Uni Games bet he made with Piers Truter a couple of years ago). However after he predicted Flinders' success at AUG last year, I'm inclined to believe him when he says that this year's Karma squad is the best team to have ever come out of the GMT +9:30 timezone. After seeing them at Regionals, I'm prepared to back Joel's claim - this is the best team Karma have fielded. If they can avoid relying on Joel all the time to dig them out of trouble they should be able to make the top eight.

Key player: Alec Deslandes
Joel was a bit obvious. Alec has been a dominant receiver in the uni game for quite some time and is confident enough to back himself in any aerial contest.

Keep an eye on: Will Christopherson
Going back a couple of years, Adelaide Uni was Will and Kaz. Will is back after spending a couple of years in the wilderness and hasn't missed a beat.



SWEET CHILLY
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: James Reynolds
Qualified: 4th from South
Last year: 14th

See now I'm not sure whether I should continue with the third person or switch to first person perspective here. The strength of the Chilly program cannot be denied - they have come away with three titles this decade and have taken two teams each year, sticking with the A/B format that many other teams have avoided (Fakulti, Fyshwick 07, Firestorm 08). Last year's "development" year wasn't regarded as the success they thought it would be and have reverted to their traditional setup this year. The B's this year are domestic and foreign import heavy, with only half of the team being Melbourne natives. They had some gelling issues at Regionals, but some solid preparation should help alleviate that.

Key player: Alex Ong
Brings valuable A team experience to the B's. Quick on his feet and a smart player.

Keep an eye on: ???
I'm not going to go revealing all of our secrets now, am I? I'll give you a clue...it's not me.



HEADS OF STATE
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: Dan Rule
Qualified: 2nd from South
Last year: 5th

Heads Of State have definitely cemented their position as one of the stronger clubs on the Australian scene, but in the past have always seemed to stumble at the last hurdle. They have a highly structured and disciplined style of training and playing, and are known for being loud and energetic on the sideline. The time Dan Rule and Matt Hill spent in Seattle learning from some of the best in the business has obviously been beneficial to the club - they have adopted a lot of innovative practices and plays that mid and lower level teams will find hard to stop. They have the talent, skills and fitness to go all the way, so what's stopping them? Their ability to keep calm in the face of adversity, that's what. If they can keep themselves composed in close games, and especially in the aftermath if they lose those close games, they will go a long way. Another year just outside the top four, I think.

Key player: Owen Shepherd
It's one thing to play hard D, but it's another thing entirely to generate blocks and turnovers. That's what O-Shep specialises in.

Keep an eye on: Michael "The $25,000 Dollar Man" Stout
A tall, athletic seppo with plenty of top level experience. God, I hate using the "tall, athletic" cliche but what else is there?



CHILLY
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: Lee Baker
Qualified: 1st in South
Last year: 6th

At lot of people are saying, "He's back." Referring of course to Tom Rogacki. But I'm more inclined to say, "They're back," including Steve Campbell and Shane Vuletich in that proclomation. Their build-up has been regarded as low key following their disappointing finish at BC Invite, but most haven't realised that they won GCC without many key players, and they strolled through Regionals with Gack only playing one game (the semi final was a warm up only, apparently) and Shane not there at all. Chilly are a very fit and skillful team - no development selections have been made, with everyone having to earn their spot. Might be the bias talking, but I'm tipping them to win title number four.

Key player: John Liddicoat
Likely to be matching up on the opposition's biggest threat, leaving everyone else to run rampant.

Keep an eye on: Dan Resnick
Outstanding player coming out of Tufts University in the States.



So there's a bit of a closer look at the 25 teams competing this weekend. Coming up next, full predictions.

2009 Nationals Preview Part 4a: The South (women)

And now we're on to the largest region in terms of participation - South. Nine teams across both divisions will be representing three states (four if we want to get technical about where players are from) and they're all gearing up for what looks to be a best ever performance from the region in both women and open.

I know the draw is out, but I have previewed every other team so far without seeing it, so for consistency's sake I haven't considered it when previewing South teams.

Right now, we'll have a look at the women...


BUSH
Home town: Hobart
Captain: Ash Martens
Qualified: 3rd from South
Last year: 7th

While this team advertises itself as Bush, it seems to be a mix of Bush, Southside and Suffer Jets. This leaves them with a substantially different list to last year - no Shavawn Donoghue, no Crystal Cheung and no Tania King. However the inclusion of Carlie Ryan and Lucy Keady from Southside will go a long way to alleviating those losses. All eyes, however, will remain on Ash Martens. Interpret that what ever way you wish to. Pottsy correctly predicted back in 2006 that Ash would walk on to the Firetails team, and given how dominant a player she was in the uni scene back then, it is safe to assume she plays a similar sort of game in the women's variety. Earlier I had them slated to make semis, but now I'm not so sure.

Key player: Ash Martens
For reasons outlined above.

Keep an eye on: Shannon Trenwith
Made her Nationals debut last year and a second season of women's will have seen her improve. Also, in general, keep an eye on the Tassie girls at the party.



INDIES
Home town: Adelaide
Captain: Alison Clarke
Qualified: 4th from South
Last year: 12th

While we're on the subject of vastly different rosters, the South Australian women's crew only have four players returning from last year. The four returners - Ali Clarke, Meghan Connell, Bron Dutch and Alex Rogers - and Sarah Pillar will be taking the burden of the workload. The rest of the squad aren't strangers to the sport, having come from uni clubs at Flinders and Adelaide and also from National Youth Training Camp. Ali Clarke will be a good leader for the young squad, but I don't think they'll be able to make the top eight.

Key player: Ali Clarke
Will be playing most points. Especially O points, which this team will probably face a lot of.

Keep an eye on: Bron Dutch
Probably the best D player on the team. Is capable of keeping a high workrate up for the duration of the tournament.



HONEY
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: Cath Matthews
Qualified: 2nd from South
Last year: 8th

Despite having a talented squad, Honey have never been able to do any better than 8th at Nationals. However 2009 looks to be their best season yet. Instead of getting smashed regularly by Team Box, they have been edging closer and closer to them. Their preparation for this year has been full on, with large turnouts at trainings, plus numerous lead-up tournaments (GCC, Kaiamana, BC Invite and Into The Wild) giving them vital big game experience. The three Australian reps - Cath Matthews, Mel Gangemi and Lauren Brown - will need to fire if Honey are to do well, but the depth of the rest of the list is a lot stronger than previous years. Definite chance at semis.

Key player: Lauren "Mama" Brown
Has the height and pace that can rarely be matched.

Keep an eye on: Kerry Justus and Bec Wallbridge
Another two tall receivers. Honey will look to play deep to these two a lot.



HONEY BEE
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: Tiff Mann
Qualified: 5th from South
Last year: -

Honey Bee are being revived after a three year absence from the show, with precisely zero players from 2006 still with the squad. They have recruited well to make a second team, drawing on Melbourne, Monash, Ballarat and Deakin unis to give a new crop of ladies their transition from state to national level. However their big problem is lack of experience - 3 out of 15 have played at Nationals previously. They will struggle to take down teams on day one but the weekend games should be more of a contest for them. If the Honey club is able to retain most of these girls into next season (and with South hosting Nats they should be able to), they will develop into a much better team and we could see Honey becoming the next two-team powerhouse in the vein of Wildcard, Fakulti and Chilly.

Key player: Jude Mitchell
Fast handler who is transitioning from role player to major player. Has learned a lot playing with Honey and Melbourne Uni.

Keep an eye on: Lauren Castillo
I couldn't praise the Deakin Uni team enough last year for the rapid development of their girls. Lauren is a very confident player who should settle into the women's game comfortably.



SPORTING TEAM BOX ATHLETICO UNITED
Home town: Melbourne
Captain: Joy Lee
Qualified: 1st from South
Last year: 6th

Fun fact: ST BAU have not lost a game in 2009. The closest they came was a 13-11 win over Honey in the pools at Regionals, and a 9-6 win over Wildcard X in the final of Into The Wild. The credentials of the squad are ridiculous - 10 current or former Australian representatives, countless Nationals tournaments played by all players, and an even more ridiculous number of in-jokes that are funny to approximately 17 people. No one out there is willing to back the final not being Box v 'Card, so there's not a lot of analysis to be done here. Only question to really ask is "Will the merger of Wildcard X and Y make a difference of 4 points?" Just between you and me, I think it does.

Key player: "One Mistake" Liz Edye
You don't get selected for the World Games team by being shit. One of the best female handlers (the best?) in the country.

Keep an eye on: Cat Phillips
After around about eleventy billion assists at Worlds, Cat is going to be a target of opposition teams. Can keep a cool head and will be able to deal with the extra defensive pressure.




The South men's preview to follow soon. Can't really say "tomorrow" because I have a plane to catch then.

2009 Nationals Preview Part 3b: The East (men)

Running a little behind time. Fought through two practice matches yesterday and spent today setting up my new laptop and interweb connection. In this update, we take a look at the region that has dominated the open scene in recent years - the East


UMLAUT
Home town: Sydney
Captain: Wally Crocker
Qualified: 5th from East (6th at Regionals)
Last year: -

Another club making their Nationals debut. Late in 2008 there was plenty of speculation over whether there would be a new club rise from the ashes of Barefoot to take up the fifth East slot. Instead...well, nothing happened, and Umlaut stepped into the void to take on the rest of the nation. The list contains a number of names not known beyond the state level, but they shouldn't be discounted by other mid-level teams. Day one might be an uphill battle depending on their group, but from Friday onwards they'll be competitive.

Key player: Wally Crocker
Their most experienced player. Fit enough to last the tournament playing most points.

Keep an eye on: Joshua Garfield
Quick defender who would be a great support player on most teams, but will need to be a key player for Umlaut



I-BEAM
Home town: Newcastle
Captain: Chris Warris
Qualified: 2nd from East
Last year: 3rd

After a disappointing semi final loss last year, I-Beam will be looking to go one better. The length of the trip has done nothing to discourage them, with no notable exclusions from the 2008 list. One name that will bolster the lineup is Gav Moore, fresh from a Dingos campaign. The height of Tats, Dave Jarrott and the Lavis boys will make life difficult for other defensive units, and the selectors have gone for speed among their secondary players. John Greenfield and Hobbit Warris will be strong leaders and should take the team to semis again, however I don't think they can go all the way.

Key player: Jonathan Tatham
Rarely referred to by his whole name, Tats will be a focal point for attack.

Keep an eye on: Rhys Clenton
Young player with a lot of raw talent. Will probably be running on defence all weekend and will be hungry for blocks to prove he belongs in the big league.



FAKULTI Y
Home town: Sydney
Captain: Ken Shepherd
Qualified: 3rd from East
Last year: 1st

After finally winning Nationals on their sixth attempt, Fakulti have reverted back to their X/X split that has caused some debate over the benefits versus drawbacks. This year, Fakulti are having to deal with the loss of Matt Dowle and Warwick Shepherd, plus ongoing injuries to top stars. This preview really should be looking at the differences between the two squads. If I were forced to pick who had the stronger list on paper, I'd say Fakulti X did based on experience. However Fakulti Y, aka Fak Kenny, have a lot more speed and fitness than their counterparts, and under the tutelage of Ken Shepherd and Matt Faulkner, they should waltz into the top 8 without any major concerns. However I think Y may not quite get to semis.

Key player: Ant Dowle
Without his brother sharing the limelight, a lot of opposition focus will be on him.

Keep an eye on: Mike Tarn
Key handler for Sydney Uni for a couple of years. Interesting to see if he plays back or if they send him upfield. Left handed with a strong forehand.



FAKULTI X
Home town: Sydney
Captain: Pete Gardner
Qualified: 4th from East
Last year: 16th

For the purpose of consistency, I have to say that the second Fakulti team came 16th last year, but this team will certainly do better than that. The top shelf on this team (Pete, Tex and James Yorston) will be a match for the top players on other teams, and they have a list with a lot of depth to back them up. The three Thunder reps (Beast, Calan and Max) will bring the intensity and energy, while some of the older hands such as Pete Liddicoat and Neil Roxburgh will balance out the hotheadedness that plagues some younger groups of players. Probably half a notch below the other Fak side. The two of them will probably face off for 5th and 6th.

Key player: Pete "Tex" Blakeley
The experience of a Barramundis campaign puts him at the top of his game. One of the fastest players in the Australian game.

Keep an eye on: Calan Spielman
Tall, athletic and fit. Should be able to negate a lot of long throwing options other teams have.



FYSHWICK UNITED
Home town: Canberra
Captain: Tom Watson
Qualified: 1st from East
Last year: 2nd

In 2008 the Canberra crew finally sorted their shit out and got a talented team together for a tilt at the crown. And they came second. With that fresh in their minds, they'll be a hell of a lot more focussed on winning and go in to the tournament as favourites or close to. With the addition of Matt Dowle and Waz Shepherd to an already stacked roster, the list looks very ominous on paper. While my buddy Twats is listed as captain, I'd suspect Jonno Holmes would be a driver on field. While they dominated at Regionals, a lacklustre performance at the BC Invite should have flagged some warning signs that they have some improvements to make. Anything less than semis would be underachieving.

Key player: Jonno Holmes
It's Jonno. Do I really need to go into this?

Keep an eye on: Max Wheeler
With the attention Dowle and Holmes will get, the handling skills of Max might very well slip under the radar of over cautious teams.


Next part of the preview will focus on the South region. Full predictions will be posted in the final part.

2009 Nationals Preview Part 3a: The East (women)

The East region has traditionally been rather dominant in our little old sport. However hints continue to drop that the reign is on the way out and there's room for a new superpower region. Look at AUG last year, where East only had one semi finalist for the first time ever. And look at the Nationals field - in terms of numbers of players going across both divisions, East is taking less than South (136 and 153 respectively). But it is still expected that East teams will be strong contenders in both divisions.


WILDCARD
Home town: Sydney
Captain: Rachel Grindlay
Qualified: 1st from East
Last year: 2nd

After losing their mantle last year to Ragine Wahine, Wildcard are gunning for their second national title and they are considered favourites to do just that. Their list reveals a lot of depth - some teams may be able to contain one or two of their top players, but the bottom end of Wildcard's squad is better than the bottom end of pretty much every other team. Probably the key thing missing is height. Other than the Carraros there's not a solid match up on the likes of Lauren Brown and Ash Martens, but this is only a very minor weakness, especially if they can effectively shut down the known huckers. Expect Wildcard to be cleated up on Sunday.

Key player: Megan Gamble
How Megan had the stamina (and money!) to star at Worlds, AUG and Mixed Nats in the space of a couple of months is beyond me.

Keep an eye on: Loren Viswalingam
Another World Juniors rep making her Nationals debut. Was one of Terra's best defenders in Vancouver.



FACTORY GIRLS
Home town: Canberra
Captain: Jess Preston
Qualified: 2nd from East (4th at Regionals)
Last year: 5th

Factory Girls have been hit by the cost of west coast travel, with only 5 of last year's squad turning out. Notable exceptions for 2009 include Lorna Barr, Laina Hall and Lucy Stevenson. However they have picked up some valuable experience in Vickie Saye (from Sugar Mags) and Erin Wallis (from Indies). The Canberra women haven't seen semi finals action since the last Perth Nationals in 2005, so with a smaller field of teams they'll be hoping to replicate that performance. But with so many players having their first trip to the show, I don't think they'll be able to crack the top four.

Key player: Helen Osmond
Big game experience is going to be essential in Perth, and Helen is no stranger to the elite scene.

Keep an eye on: Erin Wallis
Sure, everyone knows who Erin is, but how well will she be able to adapt to a new club?



SUGAR MAGS
Home town: Newcastle
Captain: Leanne King
Qualified: 3rd from East (6th at Regionals)
Last year: 9th

Newcastle's dominance of the mixed scene in 2006 and 2007 has carried over into a strong men's team in 2009, but the women haven't quite hit that pinnacle yet. The story of Australian ultimate, I suppose. Last year Sugar Mags took 20 to Coffs, and this year they're down to 14. Most teams are in that boat, but when you've lost the likes of Nic Footer, Felicity Jarrott and Jane Altschwager (to that pesky ball sport she plays), it may reveal some gaps. Still, Tegan Sneddon and Katie Bradstock give them the edge in pace, and the two Kings will be consistent as always. Definite top eight, probably not semis.

Key player: Katie Bradstock
Fresh from selection for the World Games team, she'll be on the end of a lot of deep throws.

Keep an eye on: Liz Dodd
Unlucky to miss Green & Gold at AUG. Good handling support for the Kings.



East Open follows tomorrow...

2009 Nationals Preview Part 2: The North

Short one today...


SULTRY
Home town: Brisbane
Captain: Tamara Davis
Qualified: From North
Last year: 10th

This year marks 10 years since anyone outside New South Wales and New Zealand won Nationals. That team was from Queensland, but sadly I don't think the 2009 incarnation of a Queensland women's team is able to replicate that feat. Sultry's best Nationals performance was 6th last time Nationals was in the west, and they have been perennial mid-table finishers since. However they are taking a strong team to what is a weaker field than the last couple of years. While they should certainly be in the quarter finals, I think that will be the end of the line for them.

Key player: Maylin Chuah
Has the pace and the smarts to effectively match up on key opposition players.

Keep an eye on : Tatiana Maya
Handler who plays an aggressive, attacking style, looking to gain ground on every cut and throw.



FIRESTORM
Home town: Brisbane
Captain: John McNaughton
Qualified: From North
Last year: 9th

Firestorm has always been a bit of a mystery to me. They certainly have the talent to factor amongst the top end of placings, but have never done better than 8th. In fact, the last Queensland team to be in the semis was Moreton Bay Buggers back in 2003. Last year they went the X/X split route for development and hopefully that move can pay off for them this year. There are no notable exclusions from the team, and provided Mike Neild and Johnny Mac can fire, there's no reason they couldn't potentially make semis. However I don't think they will this year. Sorry boys.

Key player: Mike Neild
The Space Needle somehow made it through the Dingos campaign without a major injury, so provided he can stay fit he'll be a dominant target for Buzz and Johnny.

Keep an eye on: Liam Gillions
"Who the fuck is that?" I hear you say. He's better known as Wetnose. Very handy defender, and will no doubt be wearing some stupid outfit (if anything at all) at the party.


Tomorrow we'll look at the East region.

2009 Nationals Preview Part 1: The West

Wow, it's been a while since an update. Going back to uni and training for Nationals will do that, I suppose. So while my extensive Southern Regionals review is going to have to be canned (sorry Wetnose) due to me not being able to remember any details from it, I thought I'd launch into my Nationals previews now. It will probably take me a week and half to finish them anyway.

Last year I broke the preview down neatly into pools, but since I don't have a draw yet and we don't have a nice even 16 teams in each division, I thought I'd go by region. So today, we take a look at the West region teams.


PRIMAL
Home town: Perth
Captain: Claire Rogers
Qualified: 2nd from West
Last year: 11th

The problem with Australia being such a massive country and all the ultimate (and population for that matter) being confined to the east coast is that it is rare to see WA teams in action. Twice a year if we're lucky - Nationals and AUG. So my thoughts on WA teams are largely confined to who I actually see play. I saw Primal in action a couple of years ago in Melbourne and they most definitely had their shit together then. However there are a lot of names different on the 2009 list from the 2007 list, and they were defeated by Kaos 15-3 in the qualifiers. Despite this, the home bed advantage could work in their favour. Expect a mid-table finish.

Key player: Debbie Staples
Probably the only player I remember from the 07 side. Solid playmaker on O.

Keep an eye on: Susan Campbell
Very fit and fast. Can mark strong players and can burn most opponents deep.



KAOS
Home town: Perth
Captain: Sally Ray
Qualified: 1st from West
Last year: -

Nationals being in Perth will always produce new teams of players who suddenly don't have to shell out $400+ for eastbound flights. And so Kaos is the 2009 product of this phenomenon. Kaos have snapped up all the younger players in the Perth area, with 5 coming from the 2008 UWA AUG list. Ballarat faced UWA early in the week but were overwhelmed by the pace and fitness of all the girls on the team, so if they can carry this over to the club game they should run a lot of O teams ragged. A big win at Regionals will give them plenty of confidence on Day 1. Their list contains a few breakaways from 2008 Primal so if a local derby happens it ought to be a fierce match up. Or maybe quite friendly, who knows.

Key player: Sarah McKerracher
One of the drivers behind the formation of the new team.

Keep an eye on: The UWA girls (Sarah Brereton, Lou Delane, Steph Hancock, Danya Meakins and Sarah-Jayne Robinson)
Expect to see any combination of these girls running the wall in a pommy zone.



HAPPY PIG
Home town: Perth
Captain: Andrew Hutcheon
Qualified: 3rd from West
Last year: -

Last year I vaguely remember announcing the death of the "pickup team" at Nationals. If someone were to argue that these guys were filling that void, I'd shout back that they played Regionals and therefore weren't pickup at all going by the policy. Nevertheless, this team would not have formed if Nationals was on the east coast, but you can't fault the lads for taking the chance to play when it's in their backyard. Nationals experience on this list is very thin, with only one player having been to the show in the last two years. They're likely to spend Thursday and Friday getting their ass kicked and their real test will be if they're still holding their heads up and grinding out every point by the playoff stage.

Key player: Andrew Hutcheon
Will attract the opponent's best defender. Shut down Hutchy and you're set.

Keep an eye on: Marc Copes
08 Martin Laird Award nominee making the transition from uni to club.



FEAR
Home town: Perth
Captain: Gareth McDonald
Qualified: 4th from West
Last year: -

"Beware the wily veteran handler in an upwind point" was the advice ringing in my ear when I matched up on Buzz Burwell at Halibut last year. Unfortunately as well as having any throw he wanted, he was a lot quicker than me over a muddy ground and scored pretty much every point. But I digress. FEAR has a few players who are certified veterans of the sport (such as Steve Baker, Brian Vanallen and Colin Wagstaff) and will be able to outsmart a lot of players half their age. They may be at a home ground advantage if the Fremantle Doctor (while we're here: what a stupid for a weather occurence) decides to come and check out the afternoon action, but fitness may be lacking to keep up with the top teams.

Key players: The veterans
The three vets I mentioned before will be controlling most of the offense.

Keep an eye on: Felix Kennedy
Starred for UTas and Zing at 2006 AUG/Mixed Nats but has kept a low profile since then.



SUBLIME OBNOXIOUS
Home town: Perth
Captain: Christian Krogdahl
Qualified: 2nd from West
Last year: -

One of three clubs fielding two teams this year, Sublime are out to show the east coast just how much depth they have. What will hurt them is a lack of elite experience. They have a couple of players who have run with the best, but a handful of players does not a team make. The home bed advantage will definitely be at play for these boys, but can only hope for one or two upsets over the stronger teams. They will finish in an even numbered spot because I'll be surprised if they even show up on Sunday, let alone beat anyone.

Key player: Paul Staples
Has been a Sublime regular for the last couple of years, and will be leading the B team into battle.

Keep an eye on: Dan McNaughton
Plays a fierce D and will throw himself around the field like Mark Schwarzer.



SUBLIME ANTI-SOCIAL
Home town: Perth
Captain: John Daimiani
Qualified: 1st from West
Last year: 8th

This year's hype is surrounding Sublime. Their win at the BC Invitational blew the wind up a few east coast teams, but it could be argued that their pickups made a significant difference. Irregardless, the now often-mentioned-in-this-post home bed advantage could either help or hurt Sublime, depending on their attitude towards mid-tournament drunken buffoonery. History has shown this is laconic at best, but a serious shot at the title could change their minds. Right now, I have them slated to make semis.

Key player: John Daimiani
I have heard on the grapevine that Sublime's Offensive Playbook is just a photo of JD on the turps.

Keep an eye on: Cupcake Tulett
Yeah, everyone knows who Cupcake is, but he is a similar type of player to JD. Be interesting to see where he fits in to Sublime's game.


Next update will be a short one - focusing on the North teams.