For the last time in 2023, our remaining competitors have to submit their team to this thread by 5:40pm (WA time) this Friday, 25 August. Best of luck to all!
2023 DuFFLe Grand Final
Bizkit (SoS Superstars) v Straddo (Souls) at STFUppercut Stadium
2023 Richmond Cup
Hypen (Hypen's Heroes) v FD1016 (Bay Bros) at Luft Stalag 13
In having a close look at the Grand Final and possible team selections, the numbers strongly point to Straddo taking out the 2023 premiership. The Souls have a dominant ruck (O’Brien), regular point scorers in the back (Vlastulin/Wilkie), big possession gatherers in the middle (Houston/Smith/Parish/Newcombe) and players who can kick goals (Larkey/King).
But putting a line through the Stars is just folly. Biz has coached his way into the Grand Final. It is well known that the Stars haven’t had a ruckman all year yet here they are, challenging for 2023 glory. To take the premiership Pittonet will need to perform strongly and Treloar, Laird and possibly Sam Walsh, will have to pick up lots of possessions. But a safer bet for Biz will be to play Butters. Zak Butters will chip in with a good score in the middle. Daniher must stand up this week and kick a handful and with Breust doing his bit, the Stars have a chance. In defence, Tom Stewart will pull down marks and tackles but someone else needs to do so too.
For the Richmond Cup, both coaches have some careful selecting to do to get their best teams on the park. The ruck positions, however, are easy; the Bay Bros will lead with Oscar McInerney whereas the Heroes have Jarrod Witts. In the midfield battle, the Bay Bros are magnificent: Caleb Serong, Error Gulden and Jack Macrae. Hypen needs to choose from the less dominant Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tom Mitchell, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Ward - all serviceable but they don’t win matches for you.
If Mitchell Lewis returns this week after an ankle sprain, Hypen’s Heroes will benefit greatly as this will enhance their advantage over FD’s much weaker forward line. Neither team have much in the backline to write home about and the result is more than likely to go down to which players the coaches choose to play in defence: Clark and Heeney for FD, and Schultz and Swallow for Hypen? Let’s see…
Kiss of Death
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- Premiership: Straddo’s Souls
- Richmond Cup: FD’s Bay Bros
Bizkit v Straddo
- Played 14 times since 2013.
- Number of victories for Bizkit: 10
- Number of victories for Straddo: 4
- Draws: 0
Hypen v FD1016
- Played 3 times since 2013.
- Number of victories for Hypen: 1
- Number of victories for FD1016: 2
- Draws: 0