So earlier this week QUDA put out the call for hosts to bid for the Queensland Ultimate Open/Women's Championships (aka Northern Regionals) and the Queensland Ultimate Mixed Championships (aka Halibut).
This seems as good a time as any to start some speculation commenting everyone (and of course, with BUML over JdR needs something else to blog about on Fridays).
Here's some triggers for your wild or not so wild thoughts.
Who's going to host, and where?
After the trip to Townsville in 2011, QUDA is getting Regionals back to SEQ, but that's a big space. The Griffith Club submitted their bid to host Regionals at Nathan to QUDA this morning (oo-yeah - inside gossip - we have our fingers everywhere here at the stately mansion!). There were rumours about the event going to the Gold Coast too. Sound good? Is anyone else bidding? What's important to a good bid? QUDA aims to confirm the hosts in early December.
Who's going to play?
Open division first. At the 'top end of town', Firestorm have started their season. Hopefully we'll see FS A and B again, or is that depending on whether or not the key Heroes players feel ready to stand on their own?
Slamtown and Townsville will no doubt turn fully up, to make things interesting in terms of who else qualifies for Nationals. Will 2012 see some B teams for these venerable groups?
At the newbie end of the scale - can Cairns make it under their own name (presumably grabbing a few stray Townsvill-ites?) Griffith's bid says that if they host they'll probably be able to enter a team for the first time, assuming their best players aren't lured elsewhere. Will the event being at the end of Week 2 of lectures enable enough time for some ambitious non-Firestorm UQ players to get a mob together? MattB is crossing his fingers for embers at Gympie and Toowoomba to burn ... can they ignite with the prospect of being able to tell their mums that they're going to the State Championships?
Meanwhile, the form of the Women's division each year has really depended on the level of ambition of key players. Black Betty will no doubt be there to do what they have to to qualify for Nationals, and before then be looking to hoover up the best players they can and the numbers to make their training sessions as good as they can be. Griffith's bid mentions running a Women's Hat on Saturday and then whatever qualification games are required on Sunday - is this the way to go?
Northern Regionals vs Queensland Ultimate Championships?
What's in a name? Northern Regionals has long been the name of the event within the Ultimate community, highlighting its role as the stepping stone towards Nationals. But then any member of the Australian public - including field hirers, sponsors, and your mum - understands the concept of a sport's State Championships.
Ok, let the informed and uninformed speculation begin!
7 comments:
Griffith hosts - Pros are fairly nice fields, close to freeway. Cons are lack of access to accommodation and party. It was also fuckin' hot last time Regionals was there.
It's funny that UQ are 'too good' to put in a team, as in their key people go to play with Firestorm. Whereas Griffith are talking about a team because they're mostly still newbies. There's no reason there shouldn't be 7-8 Open teams in 2012.
Women's hat on day 1 is a good idea. We can then watch the two Bettys duke it out while we each lunch on day 2.
I like State Titles. Let's call it Rolo's State Titles. Everyone knows Rolo.
Griffith heat a 'con'? Pretty safe bet that it will compare quite favourably to last year's regionals in Townsville.
What do carl and kaitlin think?
I'm guessing the temperature at Griffith is likely to be pretty similar to everywhere else in Brisbane...
And I doubt Heroes would put in a team, with a large part of their men pretty committed to the FS system.
Not an official position there, mind you - just a general feel from a fringe-dweller of the HUC.
Well starky, the Heroes agm is next week. you should nominate.
In terms of a Heroes or UQ open teams, I think most people would agree that FS is still the premier clubs to play and train with in Brisbane. Thats not to say that another club could do similarly in the future...
ORIGINAL POST
Aiming for Firestorm + Ignition again. 3rd team? Who knows? We'll see what the season brings...
Slammers have been going great guns. Would be wicked to see a B team.
Hoping that Villains Mixed Nats appearance has triggered something, and that Finny's Brisbane weekend can help him whip some butts into shape. Always a pleasure to have them down south.
Would be sensational to see Cairns make it down. Fingers crossed.
Reports from Gympie on Sat make it sound like they've got the numbers, and it's not a long trip... I'm hopeful.
Re: name, State Champs = Halibut. "Northern Australian Championships" would work if you want to put a spin on it.
ANONYMOUS 1
Because you're posting anonymously, I automatically dislike your comments... just so you know where I stand.
Glad Starky's already ripped on the comment about the heat.
Not sure whether you're having a go at UQ there or just pointing out an interesting comparison...
Valid suggestion about team numbers, though; 8 teams could easily be fielded. The question, as always: how do we turn our hundreds of league players into tournament players?
ANONYMOUS 2
I still dislike your comment, as above... but support the question.
STARKY
Would love to see a Heroes team... I feel there's enough non-FS guys that numbers would be alright, it's just the issue of leadership/organisation...
CRAIG
I like the comment. I actually never intended for Firestorm to be the one & only elite club in Bris long-term... for growth, I think a second (and more, down the line) is needed... it's just a question of when.
My belief is it needs a critical mass of players (enough to support two genuine clubs), but more importantly, two genuine leadership groups that are able to organise, coach, captain, and preferably have some form of elite experience under the belt.
For the first few years, that didn't exist, but my gut feeling is that we're now pretty close...
I agree that a 2nd elite club in Brisbane is definitely needed for top end development, it is just going to be tough to drag a bunch of guys away from Firestorm to set it up. Especially when there isn't any major politics involved in Firestorm and everyone gets along with everyone. If someone could create 2 separate factions within the Firestorm setup, that would make it a lot easier.
I would say that a Cairns team would make a trip down, although would struggle to win any games except maybe against a Townsville B team. Although, everyone up here is glad they went to Regionals this year and all learnt heaps and saw that you can actually do more than throw backhands on the forehand side of the body.
Post a Comment