BPL Grand Final

So given my bias for the final I thought I would call in an expert to help me break down the final. Unfortunately no one would answer the call so I had to settle for "Mr Nice" himself Pete Allen

What do you like about the Bugs offence?

The Bugs offence has transitioned in the seasons since Mike and JRay to be a lot more dependent on the short running game and all round team effort. That being said, they have got the most consistent thrower in Australian ultimate at their disposal in Buzz, who will always be ready to take that shot and more often than not it will be served on a platter. Hard running is the name of the game this season with Bugs, focussing on simple yet effective plans. Against a zone, they will have Jangles popping along with a few others lending a hand and that hammer to the weak side is always an option with Buzz around.

Where will the bugs struggle on offence?

Although they are hard running and quite efficient, with the large amount of pressure that Slamtown is capable of applying to them with their man D and zone D alike, they may have the propensity to make simple errors. The few less experienced or those who have been sitting a bit idle of late may be just that weakness that is exploited. They will fare well with decisive cutting and attacking every single disc, but even one single slow approach to the disc could present that opportunity that Slammers are only too willing to take.

What would you recommend the bugs do on D?

The Bugs defence has proven to be quite effective this season, there is no real secret to it really. They don’t do anything out of the ordinary or special in any way (well if they do it’s not obvious). They just stick to the basics; hold a force, take away the unders and get to the contests. Any zone they put on is done to apply pressure and does so quite well. Against, Slamtown, this may work well, but they are going to have be very close to their man at all times because when that huck comes (which it will pretty much every point, especially if Kalin gets his hands on the disc), they are going to need to be there in numbers to prevent the plethora of Slamtown receivers from taking easy catches. In my opinion, you know pretty much exactly who on Slamtown is going to huck it and when, so if you are aware of who and where the disc is you can go help out when it comes.

Who are the Bugs Key players?

There are obvious Bugs players who are key to their game and have been there when they win this season. Buzz, obviously is a key handler, and Slamtown will struggle to shut him down even when they try their darndest. Jangles will be running constantly and in straight lines all over the field. But it is going to come down to who can get some important blocks throughout the game and here I think it falls down to 3 or 4 players, who will have to step up. Trevor, Special, Twebb and Matt Ryan. Trevor has shown glimpses of being a game changer when he wants too, Special has been doing it for years quietly, Twebb has the athleticism and Matt has the Tenacity.  These guys will be required to mark the downfield players when those bombs come and get in front and above their marks to take down the stuff that will come their way.

What do you like about the Slammers offence?

Slamtowns rise over the past few years has been quite obvious to all, and it is ongoing, even after a stumble at the start of this season. The basis of this rise is having a group of players that play with each regularly at leagues, tournaments and ... elsewhere. One of the things that stems from this knowledge of each other is their willingness to take shots from anywhere on the park to anywhere on the park and trust their receivers will bring it down (bit like how most previous teams who have won BPL have done). Also helping this is having some great throwers in aL and Abra, and some others that keep defence on their toes (Kalin), and then others that are just safe as houses recycling the disc at the back until an opportunity arises. Then to cap it off, downfield they are strong with their top tier receivers being a constant threat, but then if that is stopped they have a 2^nd tier that is on par with most other teams top tier, making it very hard on any defence.

Where will the Slammers struggle on offence?

The Slammers biggest strength in taking big shots and bringing them down is also their only real weakness. When frustrated they can be forced to take these shots from inopportune areas of the field and if the defence down field is doing their job properly they will always have the opportunity to get there first.

What would you recommend the Slammers do on D?

The Slammers job on D is pretty simple, do what they normally do. Mark hard, with good matchups and make sure when Buzz gets the disc he has limited options down field. They can put on their 2-3-2 from time to time to change things up, but if the Buggers are patient enough they should be able to get through it, so this should be a changeup play rather than the norm.

Who are the Slammers Key players?

The key players on Slammers again stand out for the handlers, with aL and Abra being the shot takers and a few others who will be the safe and sound recyclers. Downfield, it will be hard to look passed Gref and Kalin who are threats both under and long, as well as their most prolific defenders. But I think the player that could stand out and make the big difference is Jordan Stone, often underestimated and given a lesser match-up, he can run rampant deep taking down big grabs and getting great layout blocks from behind his man. And of course, Kocher might turn up which will just be one more player to watch out for. Another massive figure will be the bearded and big haired guy on Crutches, Rapazzo, who will be a leading and shaping the team from the sideline.

What Match ups interest you the most? 

There will be two match-ups (amongst the rest) to keep an eye on, Abra if he is there will probably be given the task of marking Buzz, he’ll try his best and can be good for a few hanging layout blocks in a final, but I expect Buzz if the delivery is good enough will prevail in this matchup using his experience to get free. The other matchup I hope to see is Trev v. Gref. Hopefully they can make this happen as I want to see how it plays out.

Who do you expect to win and why?

Having played against both these teams this season, it is very hard to see Buggers winning it against the minor premiers. If they keep to the basics and frustrate the Slammers they may just have a chance, but due to recent experience against both teams, I’ll be putting my money on Slamtown with the usual Grand Final Score – 15 -8

How do you see the game panning out?

Slamtown will come out strong and get a few points lead, Bugs will lift and trade until half with a break back. After half more trading will ensure, Bugs will get a couple of breaks but then Slamtown will run away with it to finish at 15 – 8. 10 minutes before time, allowing plenty of time for the league wrap from Ads and beers for all involved. I think spirit-wise it will be alright, there will be a few minor arguments over calls as can be expected with these 2 teams, especially with some selective heckling from the crowd, but nothing too unspirited that can’t be laughed about after the game.

Would a 3/4 playoff be more interesting?

A 3/4 playoff, an interesting idea. I think if you could get the 2 teams involved to care about it in some way it would be a closer game. But I think both teams will already be looking to the off-season and next season by now and no heart would be in it. As it is, taking away the home field rights to field 1 for the winners of the previous season was a terrible decision so I can’t see anything worthwhile being offered to the winners of a 3/4 playoff.