Halibut – Team Review Part 1

People have been pestering me on how my fab tipping went and how my team reviews were received and whatnot. Now, I was waiting to get or see the final results for Halibut 2007 posted somewhere (along with those cool team photos Peta took), but I'm guessing that the post event hangover that all TDs suffer is biting hard (and its taken me a few days to get my life back into order too), so may as well get started at the top end of the table.

Disclaimer of course – the seeding was tweaked to ensure that there were a spread of SEQ teams (although I suspect they were copying me). And of course the tips on this blog we generated a day at the time, as the publishing deadline grew!

Overall 1st - Newcastle Pie Wagon
Perhaps unexpectedly (by everyone but themselves?), Newcastle had an easy and pleasant Halibut. They pasted my team 15-3 (I think) in the politest manner possible, for example (my lot did do better than everyone else in our pool), and took care of Mind the Gap by something like 15-6 in their semi. The Final was tougher, but they still seemed to have the legs to take it fairly smoothly in the second half. It seemed people like me forgot they're the current National Mixed Champions. So polite, they won spirit too. Nice shirts also.

Partied hard by partying early, near as I can tell (when I got there, it seemed the Pasha Bulker had pulled up and parked itself beside the pool table). I haven't heard any particular tales of debauchery, so I figure that although it caused some offence to the Leaping Toilet Party Animal, my 'middle of the table' pick seemed valid. Feel free to prove me wrong with tales in the comments section.

Seeded 3rd, Blog tip 3rd – going on the tipping judging scheme I've proposed over at http://www.ultitalk.com/index.php/topic,150.msg1871/topicseen.html#msg1871 (three points for tipping winner, two points for accurate tipping of place, one point for tipping within one place) this is zero points for both.

Next Year: I expect to see two Newcastle teams at Halibut next year.

Overall 2nd - A Day at the Races
I think people got excited in thinking the Racers would win, as a similarly highly-classified, last-minute all-star pick-up team won Halibut last year. Like the other top four teams, they had an easy tournament up until the semis, where I think Spare Room gave them a push. In the Final they were at 9-9 at one point, before fading – I'm not sure why as I was on the ginger by then. Kudos to Tim for maintaining his little black number through the event, and Brett looked surprisingly normal with the bow tie on.

Partywise, the Racers had numbers out on Friday night so kudos to them (hi to my new friend Kicka). I didn't see much of them on Saturday night because they came quite late I think.

Seeded 1st, Blog tip 1st – one point each. Seeders 1, JdR 1.

Next Year: A Night at the Opera?

Overall 3rd - Spare Room
Sorry, not much to say here, as I barely saw this lot all weekend, aside from a quick chat to Huybe. Could've been the sunshine. Anyone know the score from the playoff for third?

Seeded 4th, Blog tip 4th – one point each. Seeders 2, JdR 2.

Next Year: Chunky Victorian teams always love Halibut.

Overall 4th - Mind the Gap
Is this the least-successful result at a Halibut in Mind the Gap history? Was it a case of too old, too slow? Too many players? Or was it too much drinking (although my tip that Friend Tony would be drunk by lunchtime was ruined by his antibiotic requirements).

On the other hand, my lot got to play them in the quarter-final on Sunday morning, it was one of those really fun games I think (the Lizards went down 15-6, but felt like we'd given them a decent run, at least when JRay and Tony we'ren't pounding their unmatchable hucks to Beth and Rubes). Like I said after the game, all the Brisbane faces are familiar through BPL and such, but we sure don't play much high level mixed Ultimate here.

Partywise, Mind the Gap seemed a bit light on, although its true they all had west-Brisbane homes and families and such to go too and such. aL was also no doubt distracted by the knowledge he was going to lay some awesome ginger beer on everyone on Sunday afternoon.

Seeded 2nd, Blog tip 2nd – zero points – score remains Seeders 2, JdR 2.

Next Year: Despite the tough result, I think they're having too much fun and have too much history together, so will be back – same Gap time, same Gap channel.

More soon