What to Expect in the Finals..

As the semester comes to a close, the league of 100+ players have dwindled down and now the championship is being hotly contested by the four in form teams of the competition. Each team competing for the championship has not made it this far simply by luck. A lot of these teams are the ones that arrive early, and finish late. What to look out for in the teams left in the competition:

The Tie Dye Hards have led this competition since Week 1, going undefeated for something like 7 straight weeks. Led by a Finny in his first season, his captainship has dramatically improved throughout the season and his team has been reaping the benefits. A major reason why this team has been so successful is because of Couper and Lisa. Arguably the two best handlers in the league respectfully. With both Americans able to put the disc anywhere on the field, this allowed Finny to exploit the deep option on many points. Not many of whom can mark. The things to watch are Finny’s long cuts; Coupers no look scuber, and Lisa’s clever cuts. Definitely favourites coming into the tail part of the season.

The Rojo Raptures were always looking for a spot in the final, especially with Mike having never missed a Semi-Final. However, at the start of the season, things started of differently, with a loss to Mr. America’s record, going unheard of in the world of Ultimate. However, as any good captain should do, inspired the players to play out of their skin and the team haven’t lost a game since. Tim and Tom have been doing an impeccable job, stepping up to handling duties when they see fit, and Mike’s aerials have become unrivalled to many of those in the league. Will be interesting to see if anyone can stop this steam train of momentum.

The Blue Sharks were expected to make it this far after an early season bid allowed the majority of players to stay together for a second season. This allowed a strong loyalty amongst players and formed a tight bond with the new up and comers. The strength in this team would be the defence, whether man or zone, each player is willing to dig deep for the team to get through the long tough points. With Zane’s full field huck and Peter’s ability to read, run and catch all in one, it will be a tough competition for most teams faced. The Co-Captains of James and Zane will be looking to make a second straight grand-final appearance, and hopefully James will be 100% come championship game, if the Sharks make it through.

Finally, the relatively unknown ‘A Knife in the Dark’. AKITD started of the season with an epic win during the first game. Getting the name from the first game, and matching shirts throughout the season, we all expected something special from the team being captained by Hugh Osborn. However, AKITD slipped under radar until the Quarter Finals when they defeated Yellow Snow seeded third. This threw out a challenge to the opposition, saying that AKITD are here to stay. Hugh will be looking to make it into the Grand-Final after missing out last season. This team will be interesting to watch, and will come down to how much they want it. It will come down to how much Hugh can motivate his players.

As stated above, each team has their own strengths and weaknesses, and the games will be close. Being finals, each game will be determined by preparation, determination and inspiration.

To those who will be sitting on the sideline and watching epic games of Ultimate, remember to stay and watch, as you will never know when you will witness something great. Good luck to all teams in the competition, and I hope for a strong and hopeful Finals series. Good luck to the teams competing for a spot in the Grand-Final.

Happy Throwing!

The Townsville Villain.