BUML17-1 Preview: Days Gone Bye

By our calculations here in the exquisite tea and coffee salon here deep within the stately Brisbane Ultimate Blog mansion, tonight sees the opening round of the 17th season of Brisbane’s Monday Night Mixed Ultimate competition.

And once again, the League has grown – this time by a new team - Co-mingled and an old team - UQ (Starlight have reformed as Slipped Discs) – and evolved with the launch of a much improved website.

Such is the fruit of the current League administration continuing into their fourth season, an almost unprecedented era of steady improvement on the organisational front. Thanks in advance to John, Adilia and Chris for all their work.

But some things stay the same, and in our case, this is the weekly challenge of previewing the competition. And its going to be tough this season, what with the talent involved and the opportunities to bag people that are available (Hi Gav). So thanks for showing up, lets see how we go.

Division 1

The powers that be have kept Division 1 exclusive by limiting to eight teams, the same as last season. But there’s been some exciting change amongst the protagonists.

Most excitingly, following the firm establishment of two separate divisions at the start of the year, the results of last season now count for more than bragging rights. Yes, the top team from Division 2 last season, The Ghost Who Walks, has been promoted to the big time!

Meanwhile, the strength of Division 1 has seen some of Brisbane’s top ‘don’t play Monday night’ players come together to form two new Monday night teams, Co-mingled and the UQ Ultimate Lovers. In the case of Co-mingled, Some will say that this team expects to win the League. Others, like Division 1 warhorses like Wuxi Finger Hold, Heroes, Dyspnoeics and Poachers, will disagree. The UQ Ultimate Lovers appear to have gotten a good idea from Griffith – “Hey, we have a home field, we may as well have a home team!”

Heroes v Co-mingled - Annerley 3A
On paper, Co-mingled look very very strong with a number of national and international level players. But they’re playing against the Heroes, who’ve been multi-combo-ing it up in some form or other for 11 seasons so far. Yes, it’s the classic team of champions verses a champion team, and therefore very hard to tip, particularly because you never know if Buzz is going to make it. Note also that Matt B has avoided matching up against his usual club by “going overseas”. Jo A of course is afraid of nothing.
Our tip: Co-mingled by 7.

Wuxi Finger Hold v The Ghost Who Walks - Annerley 5B
Speaking of champions, this game has it all, and we think draw-meister Foxy has been a bit cheeky by firstly matching up the current Division 1 Champions Wuxi up against the current Division 2 Champions The Ghost Who Walks and secondly putting the game on way over on Annerley 5B. But then again, if one of these teams is going to have to do something they’re not used to (ie lose a game), it may as well be a bit out of sight. Much as we think The Men (and Women) Who Cannot Die are going to come out of the blocks hard (and zone like has never been seen in Division 1 before) tonight, Wuxi have retained most of their talent, and recruited well – Chris won’t want to drive back to Toowoomba without having played a big game.
Our tip: Wuxi Finger Hold by 6.

Dyspnoeics v Bermuda Triangle - Griffith 1
Meanwhile back in the pack, it’s the by now traditional season opening blockbuster ‘blue’ between the D’s and the B’s. Mansauce remains gutted by his team’s showing in coming second in last season’s final, and will no express the full range of his displeasure before, during and after the game. Bermuda Triangle meanwhile are just happy that they’re having a night without the kids (although their regular presence at pickup over the break was noted, and suggests the BT’s might be looking to open up this season). Still, when you look at form, its hard to go against last season’s opener back in March which saw the D’s roll the B’s 17-3.
Our tip: Dyspnoeics by 4.

Poachers vs UQ Ultimate Lovers - UQ 7A
The Poachers got plenty of wins last season, but remain a riddle within a mystery within an enigma within a Myall. They have won the most money in art prizes of all the teams in the competition though. UQ Ultimate Lovers are led by Gref but have pulled a Ricky Stuart and won’t be naming a team until 10 minutes before run on. Hard to call, but we’ll go with experience and a confirmed capacity to turn up on time and not be living on instant noodles.
Out tip: Poachers by 2.

Division 2

Meanwhile, Division 2 grows to twelve(!) teams. All our favourites from last season return, while Discheads and Plastic Scourgery are relegated from Division 1 and will be keen to put some wins on the board. Last season’s new team Starlight have renamed themselves the Slipped Discs and will also been keen to rock and roll.

The growth of the competition has pushed the League to squeeze four ‘thinner’ fields in at the Griffith oval, meaning giving a significant defensive advantage to the locals.

What the Huck v Agent Orange - Annerley 3B
AO had the wood on WTH last season. Will it continue, or have the dutch treats lost all confidence following their coming second in last season’s final. A very hard game to pick.
Our tip: What the Huck by 2.

Chimichangas v Slipped Discs - Annerley 5B
The Chimi’s have recruited well in the off season, while the Slipped Discs have focused on image, renaming themselves from Starlight. Despite the Slippers still being on that massive upward improvement curve that comes from being in your second season of Ultimate, is hard to look past the vastly experienced Chimi’s, arguably one of the ‘foundation clubs’ of the competition. Our tip: Chimichangas by 9.

Tsunami v Griffith Oh Yeahs - Griffith 2
Tsunami have recruited a few extra legs, retained most of their almost-all-conquering squad from last season, and will be looking to go one better this season after falling at the semi-final hurdle back in June. The Oh Yeahs meanwhile have enjoyed a pleasant mid-semester break before spruiking themselves hard at the University Market Days. Will this translate into extra ladies? We hope so. It’ll be close, but we have to tip on last season’s form.
Our tip: Tsunami by 6.

Mellow Yellow v Griffith Go Gos - Griffith 3
This may be by some calculations the fourteenth season straight that Mellow Yellow have been playing against whatever team JdR has managed to amass around himself. And so it’s a big one, at least in some heads. For everyone else, it’ll just be some old fashions fun, with MY looking to loosen the shackles of Division 1 getting in the way of their beverage consumption, and the Go-Go’s just happy to be back on the field.
Our tip: Go-Go’s by 1.

Discheads vs Disc-iples - Griffith 4
Disc may disc recruited disc discing motherdiscers, experienced disc discity disc. Second disc disced and discing, Discheads and Disc-iples, disc discerty doo.
Our disc: Discheads by 3.

Plastic Scourgery vs QUTies - UQ 7B
Let’s finish this week’s preview with a couple of songs:

Plastic Scourgery, belted by gamma rays,
Dropped to Div 2, aint that unglamorous,
Runnin’ up and down with the power of a Dusty,
When you look at him, you’ll feel all lusty.
Look out, its PLASTIC SCOURGERY!

QUTies goin’ ta Halibut, Halibut Halibut,
QUTies goin’ ta Halibut, my you’ve got a big butt.

Our tip: Plastic Scourgery by 2.