BUML Team of the Week - White Lantern

Arguably the peak of the biggest thing in Brisbane (if Clubs count as things), White Lantern is the ‘best of the best’ mixed players from within the Heroes Ultimate Club (HUC). By our count, across its various teams, the Club has had [shit loads] of seasons of Monday night mixed Ultimate since Huddy’s Heroes first put on the green back in January 2007.

Despite all this history, in many ways White Lantern is a totally new proposition, albeit one with a significant profile thanks to the Club blog and some reasonably talented on-line smack-talk. Will all this build up translate into Finals glory in a tough looking Division 1 this season? We invited Carl and Craig up from the Huc Coffee, Chocolate and Cycling Emporium and Warehouse to answer these and more questions.

Brisbane Ultimate Blog (BUB): Thanks for coming in gentlemen. We won’t offer coffee as it won’t be up to standard – we won’t even try. Have a biscuit though – they’re fresh backed. Good stuff. Now, how’s the season looking for White Lantern so far?

Carl: Yuuum. Great biscuit – did you really make those?? Anyways this is definitely the strongest heroes team that Monday nights has seen. Its also a new approach to the heroes game style of old where Id say “Chaddy, Laura... bust long”. Everyone on the field can fill their role and we’re a complete unit. We just have to get used to playing with each other after being assembled from about four various teams from last year. Our handy pick up of Gen Heals has been great.

Craig: Yeah thanks for the biscuits, any beers but? The Club really wanted to put a real Div1 team together this season, and if nothing else, we’ve done that. The classic days of low conversion rates on turns on defence are gone. I really think this White Lantern team has the ability to really show some teams up. But we also aim to be improving as the season goes on and get a long way into the finals.

BUB: You've taken on a name that implies "Life" to some. Who's giving some life to White Lantern on the field?

Craig: I’d say the heart of this team is Sebastian Brown. He is always striving for the ‘perfect’ game and plying a central handling role. Other than that, we have a couple X factor players- like Chaddy or Rick. Both of these can be electric and both are famous for huge bids just to add some potency on offense.

Carl: Well I mentioned Gen already – she’s been great in her first two games, particularly because I haven’t seen a woman so ready to throw a hammer as much as me before! Also Devon is a new recruit to the HUC fold. We secured a trade with him in place of ChrisB (we still think we got a bargin in that deal – Dyspnoeics are suckers). Devon was my man-of-the match against the pickupdiscs last night, so I’m very happy with that trade.

BUB: The new look six-team Division 1 includes yourselves and arguably no particular ‘stacked team’ – who are the big threats and who’s going to get demoted to Division 2 at the end of the season?

Carl: For me its a simple choice - The Ghost Who Walks will struggle in this true Div 1 league and Drop Bear will continue to struggle if they keep turning up savage (even though they’ve got pAllen). Thats not to take anything away from these teams... I just looked at the rd2 ladder and picked the bottom two places. As you said its a very close draw WHICH IS GREAT. Its sure to bring about ‘upsets’.

Craig: I don’t know how many teams are gonna get demoted, but Ghost Who Walks are in trouble. With losses of 9 and 10 it looks like a long season for those guys. Yeah I don’t know why, but I feel like they lack depth and pace around the field.

BUB: You’ve both been with the Club for a long time – how did you originally get into it?

Craig: Actually though Carl, initially I resisted but I slowly got more interested after coming and watching a couple games. Started playing on Discheads in season 1 of 2010, and now play 3-4 times a week.

Carl: Met some Americans on a camp. Played ultimate on the camp. Caught the bug. Now play Ultimate 2-3 times a week.

BUB: Who are the players who’ve left HUC over the many years that you’d most like to have back one day?

Carl: Well Nat Litzow was on the original Huddys Heroes... And of course Huddy was an icon... so they’re always welcome - but you know what! I’ll tell you a guy who I don’t want back on the Heroes BUML rosters... Traitor ChrisB... thats who.

Craig: Yeah, I agree with Carl. Hero for life or nothing.

BUB: Are the rumours true?

Craig: Yes, unfortunately – I am related to Carl. Fortunately, however, this does means I’m related to Laura as well. She is the best Behrendorff after all, right?

BUB: Nice work Craig - any any other rumours we should know about Carl?

Carl: Oh you've caught me out thinking about some other rumour. I thought we managed to keep a lid on it but... Yes they are. Seb and Channy are engaged....

BUB: Wow. I’d never have guessed.

Carl: I KNOW RIGHT!!!!!! All the girls in the club have been pestering Seb to do it for ages.

BUB: Is it true what they say about Chris Brown?

Craig: In reference to that poor goat, Gruffy? Hmmm I think I’d lose my blue card if I talked about that.

Carl: I think the readers know my opinion about that dog already...

BUB: And talking big picture now – where do you see the BUML and the Heroes Ultimate Club in, say two years time?

Craig: Hmm depends on how many more teams the cCub can put together. No seriously, BUML is growing and I think we could end up having a 4th division – possibly on an extra night. I also think Divison 1 will strengthen, with resurgence of ‘real’ Div1 teams.

Carl: BUML is going to be big. I think we’re gonna see a new division of play introduced and that will be an unders competition. With more high school aged kids (Yes I get the irony that I also look like a kid) playing and learning at school, we’re going to have to adopt the “unders” system ie. Under 14s, 15s, 17s etc. AND maybe not in a few years but... wouldn’t it be cool to have to play on a Saturday morning!?!

HUC already has “young” players on our rosters and we’ll certainly be encouraging/developing a junior (not to be mistaken with that idiot Reece) team if it ever gets to that point.

BUB: Anything else you’ve got for us?

Carl: HUC FTW

Craig: Where’s my beer? You never got it….

BUB: And here's why *pulls the lever, and the trapdoor opens beneath Craig and Carl*.

BUB: Thanks again for coming in. No need to do the washing up. So there you have it dear readers – Carl and Craig, taking tickets and naming names. You can see them punching out winners every Monday with White Lantern, and on some other nights in some other Frisbee competitions that we don't bother mentioning around here.