Tuesday, August 20, 2013

An interesting insight into Halibut planning

BUB Black Ops Operative Wetnose snuck into a planning meeting for this year's Halibut. As you can see, being TD can be a stressful





*No Wetnoses were harmed in the making of this film

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

EOI for BUML bloggers

This is an EOI for people keen on doing the BUML preview each week. Jangles is too busy mastering the game of Mahjong and I've moved to Townsville to escape the Brisbane winter chill.

Ideally we'd love to have a dedicated blogger for each division. Someone who knows a bit about each team and more importantly is able to make plenty of in jokes that people in the division will get. You can only read about Goose, Atlas, the Pete Allen Niceness Scale and Reece so much before it gets old. Well, maybe not Atlas, that guy is awesome.

So if you think you've got some form of analytical skills and can turn a phrase, comment on this post or contact myself or Jangles. Or maybe even write something in the FB group. Yeah.

#bloggingaboutblogging

HALIBUT!

Halibut. It's approaching. There are already 10 teams registered. Some even have witty names. 'Poached Fish'... I GET IT!

If you're thinking about playing Queensland's (and some would say Australia's) premier mixed tournament, now's the time to either organise a team or do some grovelling and get yourself on an existing team. If you leave it too late, you'll get stuck playing with a pick-up team. Or Reece.....

It's being held at Shaw Road, Wooloowin and is an absolute bargain at only $300 to register a team. The player fee is even cheaper at TBA!!!

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself on a team now!

#halibutrocks

Monday, June 24, 2013

BUML Grand Final Preview

This is it. The night of the season that everyone aims to be playing in. We’ve got 3 crackerjack games happening that should provide plenty of opportunities for cheering and also a good heckle. These 6 teams should be primed and ready to rumble. After all, if you can’t get it up for a grand final, I don’t know what would promote a flush of blood to your nether regions. Maybe a calendar named ’12 months of Myles’ I spose, but even that pales compared to a good GF.

It’s been a big weekend for some though. By my count there were 4 big events over the weekend that were Frisbee related to some degree. While all the uni students were celebrating the end of exams on Saturday, the tallest Behrendorff (not that much of an achievement really) got hitched to his lovely better half. While this was going on, a fundraiser tournament for the Bluebottles was being held. Then to cap it all off, UQ had their AUG selection trials.


Division 1
Poachers (1) v UQ (3)
It’s the final no-one predicted at the start of the season. Not even in Timocles’ wildest Pokemon themed dreams could he have thought UQ would be playing tonight given their start to the season.  Poachers meanwhile have had this date pencilled in since round 1. Which goes to show that they are either a really good team, or Dan is The One and has changed something in the Matrix. Either way, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with come game time.

The key for Poachers, as always, is their frantic offence. Copious use of hammers & blades combined with erratic cuts and frenzied handler movement make it extremely hard to shut this team down. Expect lots of long bombs if conditions are favourable. UQ will play a well rounded, team game, utilising all of their weapons both on O and D. It’s lucky this team is so young, cos they’ll probably be buggered after the weekend. Something else to consider is that UQ are missing Bonnie, one of their key girls. To put it in perspective, UQ losing Bonnie is like the Heat losing Wade, the Maroons losing Cronk or like any team gaining Reece.

I’m tipping UQ, they’ve got momentum, they’ve got fan favourite Atlas, they’re Gee’d Up and most importantly they’ve got superior #hashswag.


Division 2
Quties A (1) v Bermuda Triangle (2)
It’s 1 v 2 in Division 2, with the 2 best teams all season slugging it out for glory tonight. Can Jmac carry Quties to glory in a similar fashion to how LBJ did a few days ago? As far as i’m aware his shoulders haven’t sustained many injuries (at least when compared to anything crotch downwards), so he should be up to carrying the team on them. That’s not to say Quties are a 1 trick-shot pony, but young(ish) Johnny boy is their key to winning. Bermuda have been here before and know how to win a grand final. Led by Geoff, this team will smother you with their defence and then strike back with a fast break point quicker than Wetnose removing his mankini.

The key for Quties is maintaining their composure in the face of the Bermuda Zone. If they can move the disc quickly and not let the zone set, it’ll go a long way to getting a victory. Responding to a drop and switching to D effectively will also be important. For Bermuda it’s all about making the most of the turns they generate. If they don’t grab the cheap points on offer, Quties will eventually work it downfield to score. These teams split their regular season games down the middle so it’s hard to say who has the psychological edge.

I’m going with Quties. This is a team that knows how to get the job done in the clutch Robert Horry style ya'll.


Division 3
Brick Killed a Guy (1) v Quties B (3)
The story of Div 3 this season has been Brick Killed a Guy. In case you haven’t heard, they’re kind of a big deal. They’ve dominated the field in a way reminiscent of how a certain news team used to dominate the ratings. I’m certain ESPN will do a doco on this team at some point they’re that good. Quties are the definite underdogs for this battle and who doesn’t love an underdog! Led by occasional ‘fatboy’ and part-time blogger Jangles, Quties are a team that is running on belief and determination, with a little bit of momentum and bath salts thrown in for good measure.

BriKAG need to not get nervous for this game. It’s a grand final at the end of a perfect season. Expectations are high. It’s also easy for them to fall into the trap of assuming a win. They haven’t lost all season after all. For Quties it’s all about a good start. The only way to stop a team with momentum like BriKAG is to get on top of them early. If a Qutie can step up and make an inspirational play early in the game they have a real shot. More than any other game, grand finals are decided on key moments and to win this one, Quties need to win more of them than the opposition.

Will BriKAG complete the fairytale and make it a perfect season a la the 1972 Miami Dolphins? Or will they finish 1 frustrating head-catch short a la the 2008 New England Patriots? As much as I’d love to tip an underdog, BriKAG are the complete Div 3 package this season and I expect them to win it.


Do you agree/disagree? Who is your tip? Throw it in the comments section.

Monday, June 17, 2013

BUML Finals Preview - Semi Final Edition

IT’S FINALS TIIIIIIIME!!!!!

What’s better than a Monday afternoon Finals Preview? Probably a Friday afternoon Finals Preview. I have a good reason for it being late though, I’m currently in Townsville and it takes the carrier dolphins a couple of days to travel the 1300kms to the BUB Mansion.

This post is only gonna focus on the teams with something to play for. i.e. the top 4 teams in each division. So without further ado, let’s get this party started!


Division 1

Poachers (1) v Dyspnoeics (4)
Who would have guessed at the start of the season that last season’s defending champions would be sitting last after the wrap-up of the regular competition. Certainly not this blogger! What it means though is that the table topping Poachers have a tricky semi-final game ahead of them. Looking at the stats, Poachers have scored 50 more goals than Dyspnoeics this season! However the D’s only conceded 15 more goals. When you consider that Dyspnoeics won less than half of the amount of games that their opponents did, that’s a very interesting stat. Poachers win this game if it turns into a fast paced shoot-out. The league’s best offence will back themselves to outscore any opponent. Dyspnoeics win this game if their offence fires. We know they’ll play tight D, we know they’ll frustrate opponents and make them throw lots of passes. The question is whether they can convert their defensive stops into points.
Even with Reece Stewart out (a negative for Dyspnoeics) for Poachers, I see this going to seed. Poachers by 6.

Drop Bears (2) v UQ Lovers (3)
After a slow start to the season, UQ’s finest have started to register a few wins (including spoiling this bloggers last BUML game for the foreseeable future. Jerks). A number of their players are also super Gee’d up from making various U23 rep teams. Drop Bears on the other hand have not tasted defeat since the 8th of April (ignoring forfeits) and are primed to make a big run for the trophy. They also played out a 16 all draw last week which will no doubt encourage the underdog students.
Bears win by playing smart and matching the energy of their younger and sometimes better looking opponents. Look for Pete Allen to try and impose himself on this contest. Lovers win by playing up-tempo offence and attacking the break side.
Taking into account Myles has had a haircut and will no doubt dazzle half of the opposition (the women & Dusty) with his rakish charms, I think this will be a tight contest. That said, I expect Drop Bears to get the women, courtesy of their powerful female line-up.


Division 2

Quties A (1) v Discheads (4)
Quties are killing it at the moment. They aren’t destroying teams but they are doing enough for the win and that makes them dangerous. With the exception of a blow-out loss to Bermuda Triangle in round 14, this team hasn’t tasted the bitterness of defeat since round 1!! Led by the former poster boy of Queensland Ultimate (Either Gary or Atlas would take that mantle now) Jmac, this is a team with serious designs on winning the comp. Discheads have had to fight all season to stay in the top 4 but are capable of springing a few upsets now they’ve made it. This team’s strongest line is your predictable mix of Behrendorffs and Browns like most Heroes related teams. Throw in the former holder of the title ‘Most Powerful Man in Firestorm’ Dave Warren, and you’ve got a well rounded unit with plenty o experience. Quties win this by keeping momentum in their favour and being close at the end. If they’re close, they’ll get the W. Discheads win this by limiting the amount of long range bombs Jmac drops and by using their well rounded roster. Limiting the amount of touches Carl has would also be advisable.
If there is 1 upset this week it’s gonna be this one. I still can’t go past Quties though in a tight one.

Bermuda Triangle (2) v What the Huck? (3)
Bermuda are always a force in Div 2. Season after season they put that zone on and season after season it works. After the upset loss to Chimichangas in round 10, Bermuda have been posting some quality results. This is a team that works as a unit better than any other in the division. WTH? Probably wanted to finish higher than 3rd on the ladder, but will back themselves in this contest. Led by on field general Tim Johnson, they are a team well drilled and with plenty of patience. Their run home has been horrific, going 1 and 4 to close out the season. Whether or not this can be attributed to Trevor still being hungover from the Nationals party is anyone’s guess, and we here at the BUB are not ones to speculate, but whatever the reason, it’s now or never for WTH?. Bermuda win this if they stifle the downfield options of the WTH? handlers. If they can do this they’ll generate cheap turnovers and easy points. WTH? win this by generating fast movement and not letting the Bermuda zone get set.
Bermuda should win this given WTH?s form of late.


Division 3

Brick Killed a Guy (1) v Disco Disco (4)
BriKAG havn’t lost a game all season. Simple as that. They had a draw in round 1, but have been perfect otherwise. They have an amazing points differential of +99 and have scored 205 goals this season. That’s an average of 15.7 goals per game. They also average a measly 8.1 goals against per game. I don’t really know what else needs to be said about a team that puts up those numbers apart from the fact I like their name. Disco Disco have done it the hard way this season, just scraping into the top 4 by 1 point. They are 3 and 2 from their last 5 games, including a loss to tonight’s opponents.  Led by Leask Marcus, they have a nice even roster and all listed their diet preferences as ‘not fussed’ on AFDA apart Omnivore Daniel Lau. My pick is to watch out for that guy as he’s obviously an X factor for them. BriKAG win this by doing what they’ve been doing all season. It obviously works. Disco Disco’s only hope is to come out hard t the start and out-enthuse their opposition. Get a handy early lead and all of a sudden doubts may emerge in their opponents heads.
BriKAG should win this and win it well.

Dump & Burn (2) v Quties B (3)
Dump & Burn had a cracking season, only losing once and drawing twice. Led by a collection of Cootes, this is a team that knows how to get a result. The name on the list that stands out for me though is Zev Permack. This import has been a revelation in BPL and is especially dangerous on D. With Zev generating turns, Dump & Burn have a distinct advantage over most teams. Quties B are a team full of young, energetic, up and coming players. And Jangles. They only just made the finals and have been inconsistent all season. Looking at their roster the name that stands out is Stephanie Moroz. In Div 3, experienced women are gold and she is definitely capable of causing match-up headaches for opposition captains. Dump & Burn win by hustling hard and shutting down Jangles. My recommendation is to sweep the leg. Quties win limiting turns and making the most of their opportunities. I think this game will come down to whoever comes out firing and gets some momentum.

Quties B in the only upset I’m tpping.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

WUFL Goodness

Some important info from the WUFL Women:


Hey Ladies,

WUFL  is Back!!!!!
EVERYONE is welcome, whether you've never played frisbee in your life or you're a world's player!

This will be an 8 weeks HAT League starting on June 4th, every Tuesday night 7:30-9:00pm at Oakman Park. Plus you will get 2 FREE pick-up nights!!!!! So 10 weeks in total for only $45 (TBC), and $35 (TBC) for players new to WUFL!


To register, log on to the AFDA website and go to:

Register to 'I need a team' and please note how many years you've been playing in the comments. This is important as we will distribute the teams evenly to make this competition extra competitive, yet allowing beginners to have great fun and learn from the best!
If you haven't done so yet, subscribe to WUFL mailing list in order to get updates, know when games are on or cancelled by sending an email to WUFL-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Or you can also follow us on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/227388607272952/

Don't hesitate if you have any questions!


Aurels and Jess
xaurel@hotmail.com or jess_mumford@hotmail.com

Monday, April 29, 2013

BUML Preview Round 9

No Div 1 this week due to all your favourite rep players live Goose, Dom, Briggsy, Gio (but not Reece) and Trevor having Post Tournament Depression. The normal cure for this is to 'play some frizza' as I heard George say once. When he was talking into a loudspeaker. Instead I hear all the Nats players are having a shindig and watching this all night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBIjjQNvcY4
Div 2

BT v GAT
After not getting a win for 3 weeks, BT hammered Agents last week to get back in the groove. GAT meanwhile are having their own little streak, losing the last 2 weeks in tight ones. Ultimate is a game of momentum and Triangle have it again.
BT by 6

Tsunami v Heroes
Is Chris Brown backing up after helping Slamtown to an 11th place finish at Nationals? All of the fashionistas are certainly hoping so. That kid can dress. Even without Brisbane Ultimate's own Gok, I think Heroes will be too good for a Tsunami team that seems to have lost it's mojo from previous seasons.
Green Tide by 4

Chimichangas v Agents
These teams have very similar records, but those of the loud shorts have a far superior points differential. This says to me that Agents have more problems scoring than Abra at.... anything with ladies. If Chimi's can apply pressure on D, they'll walk away with this one.
Mexican food by 8

GG v WTH?
Another game with potentially another huge name missing. Will Trevor Lovering, youtube sensation, debonair pilot and hammer catcher extraordinaire, play? Or will WTH? be without it's paparazzi magnet? Only time will tell.....
Look the Guardians haven't been very good at guarding their endzone this season and WTH? are undefeated. This should continue.
WTH? by 9

Discheads v Quties A
Both teams are led by Firestorm handlers and both have big rosters. How a draining Nationals campaign has effected the 2 inspirational leaders is anyone guess. The one thing we do know is that JMac can and will hammer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBIjjQNvcY4
Tho can he do it accurately enough that a monster layout isn't required? A telling question indeed. Let's be honest, this game isn't about the big names, but the more than capable supporting casts of both teams. People like Peter Truss, Jessie Henders, Rory Dodd, Calvin Tang and Carl Behrendorff. Cos I like orange and Quties has someone named Tang on their team, I've gotta go with them.

Quties by 2

Div 3

DD v FC
This one looks straight forward on paper. Which would be great if I was using paper. Instead I'm using a computer. So it looks more pixellated. Player to watch: Samantha Lavery on Disco Disco.
DD by 7

MY v BriKAG
I remember when Mellow Yellow were a force to reckoned with in BUML. Led by Jon Good, they dispatched teams in a less than mellow fashion. That was a while ago though, probably before most of BriKAG were born, or at least knew about Ultimate. The lowest AFDA on Brick is 19604. By contrast, that's how many beers Rolo has drunk prematch over the course of his playing career.
BriKAG will do it in a cantering canter by 6

Dump and Burn v Team Lift
Team Lift might not be able to score much on the scoreboard, but they certainly know how to score a good spirit point. The Burners will win this, but Lift will stay atop the spirit ladder.
D&B by 5

GGY v SI
I'm gonna pick Space Invaders for this one purely cos Craig Behrendorff is more likely to read this post than someone from Griffith Go-Yeahs. Hi Craig! Srsly tho, both these teams have very similar records and this should be a tight game. SI have a better defensive record and that's where you win games.
SI by 2

YCTD v Quties B
If Jangles plays he'll be tired and that won't be good for Quties. If he doesn't play, it also won't be good. Based on that and the fact that I like You Can't Touch Disc's name better any of the other puns, they'll win here.
YCTD by 3



Monday, April 22, 2013

BUML Preview Round 8

Div 1

Drop Bears V Dyspnoeics
This game might be closer than one might originally think. The Bears are missing a few people due to OS holidays and Nats road trips, leaving their roster to depend even more on the likes of Musty, Pete and Brianna. The Blue Ds got an upset last time and will fancy their chances again if they can get enough troops on the field.
DBs in a tight one.

Poachers v UQ Lovers
It's 1 v 4, with plenty of exciting match-ups. What everyone is talking about though is Brisbane Ultimate's most exciting Power Couple 'Mylique' being on opposing teams. The twittershpere is going nuts with followers of the couple choosing sides. Hashtags that have popped up are #teamdom #teamatlas #mylique4eva #whoismylique #amishbeardsareawesome and #nevermindatlaswhataboutgoose.
Poachers should win this by 5



Div 2

What the Huck? v Tsunami
This looks pretty straightforward. WTH are 5-0 and leading the comp while Tsunami are struggling to keep their head above water back in eighth. I think WTH will be far too strong and win by 8

Agents v Bermuda Triangle
It's second vs ninth in another Div 2 mismatch. This match should follow the usual 'Bermuda play zone and stifle the Agents handlers, causing a turnover near their end-zone, resulting in an easy Bermuda score'. I'd love to tip an upset here, but I can't.
BT by 10.

Quties A v Grove Guardians
Yet another mismatch. Quties have been getting some good wins in the last few weeks, accounting for Bermuda and Chimis by a single point margins. On the other side, the Guardians have had some heavy defeats. The question I have is will Jmac be using this game to brush up on his Gary skills before Nats?
Quties by 8

Heroes v Chmichangas
Finally a game that, on paper, should be close. Both teams are toward the bottom of the logjam that is Div 2 and a win here will go a long way to potentially securing a finals berth. I'm finding it hard to go against Heroes as they seem to have better depth across the board.
heroes by 2

Griffith A-Team v Discheads
This is another game that will be very important for a finals spot at the end of the season. The A-Team have been doing nicely, sitting in the top 4 and leading spirit. Discheads are Behrly performing at their peak given their roster contains players with Nationals level experience as well as Laura 'the best' Behrendorff. I think the result will be a draw! The talking point from this game will be why coffee tampers are so expensive and who has won the Heroes Disc Design comp.



Div 3

Team Lift v Disco Disco
I really hope Team Lift's cheer is 'Do you even?'. That'd be rad. i think Disco Disco's on field moves will be too slick for their opposition who would need to lift considerably to win this game. Using my secret formula for calculating results, I'm saying a DD win by 7.

Flying Circus v Mellow Yellow
Poor Flying Circus. Not only are they at the bottom of the ladder, but they are also coming last in spirit :'( Given they are a team of newbies, the results aren't a surprise, but the spirit is. With a win here, Mellow Yellow are a still a slim chance to make the finals.
MY by 14

Dump and Burn v You Can't Touch Disc
It's YCTD vs Yet Another Undefeated Div 3 Team. Dump and Burn are yet to taste the bitterness of defeat this season (going off of the most up-to-date ladder I have access to) and I don't think this will change this week.
D&B by 5

Brick Killed a Guy v Griffith Go-Yeahs
What is it with long names Div 3?!?! There's not a team in the division that doesn't have a space in their name. Anywho, this should be a rather entertaining clash. BriKAG are doing really well this season and the G-Yeahs are also kicking goals. I think BriKAg gets the win in a high scoring affair. BriKAG by 3

Space Invaders v Quties B
The final game of the round and potentially a close one. Both teams are mid table and looking to get some momentum heading into the finals. The leaders of both teams (Craig and Jangles) are usually injured so this will come down to the supporting cast. I think Space Invaders by 3.

Friday, April 05, 2013

Rep Selection Process Brouhaha

While waiting for Jangles to finish using the BUB's microwave so I could make some popcorn to eat while watching old ULTI-mates videos, I decided to see what was happening on the AFDA website. What I discovered was an interesting article relating to the World Games Selection Process http://www.afda.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=1327&task=view&Itemid=

The article is in response to a blog post by well known Ultimate player and ginger Tiger Webb http://forcereturn.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/australian-exceptionalism.html

Tiger's post questions the selection process for the World Games Squad, in particular the late addition of Mike Neild and Jonno Holmes, as well as issues with transparency and trust in the Selectors.

The AFDA article written by 3 Selectors goes into reasonable detail in addressing Tiger's concerns and explaining the rationale behind their selection decisions. All well and good.

The interesting point that I took from all of this, that was alluded to by Tiger but not addressed by the AFDA post, is how impartial selectors are and can be when, as stated by Tiger, "all the personnel involved tend to be friends, armchair commentators or fellow players - and usually all three".

I want to state now that by no means am I implying that the selection process of this team, or any rep team for that matter, is unfair or biased and favours the selectors friends/family/team-mates. I have trust in the selection process and the selectors.

It does bring up the question however: How impartial can a selector be if they have a pre-existing relationship with some of the people they are potentially selecting?

Selection panels in Ultimate are often current players who have played with many of the people trying out before and are also often friends with them as well. Does this mean it's harder for new players who don't have a history with the selector to be picked? Especially if the selector takes into account previous playing experiences of the player?

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this issue. The ideal situation in my opinion would be a panel of selectors who have minimal ties with any of the players trying out. This is the case in many professional sports, where selection panels are often made of ex coaches, administrators and players, who have not been directly involved in playing the game for a number of years. I realise that often in those examples the selectors do have friendships with current players as oft happens in professional sport, however they are usually removed enough from the game to be considered impartial.

Do you think this should be the case for Ultimate team selection panels? Or is there simply not enough depth in the sport to find a panel who could be considered completely impartial?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Halibut TD EOI

Straight from our glorious QUDA prez to you:


Ladies and gents,

Halibut will be back in 2013, fresh from its Tournament of the Year award, and it needs some help! Stefan Rappazzo has done a great job with it for a couple of years, but has stepped back in light of other commitments this year.

This is a call for Expressions of Interest for a Halibut Tournament Director (TD).

You're welcome to nominate as an individual, or as a group or club (with a key contact person).
The TD's job is to arrange the event from the ground up, and ensure it runs smoothly.
You will have support from the QUDA committee, whether this be in decision making, administration, budgeting, etc. There are plenty of people with considerable frisbee & TD experience that you'll be able to draw on.

This year's Halibut will serve as the AMUC (Mixed Nationals) qualifying tournament for Southern Queensland.
After considering the timing of various events that affect local players, the date is now August 24-25.
The location may be either Brisbane or the Gold Coast, to be decided once the TD is appointed.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the Halibut TD role are due by midnight next Friday 12 April.
Your EOI does not need to be long, but should describe your Ultimate background, your experience in running tournaments/events, and the reasons why you want to do it/would be suited to it.

EOIs should be sent to quda-executive@yahoogroups.com
Questions can also be sent to the same address.

Cheers all.
John
(QUDA prez)

Monday, March 25, 2013

BUML Preview

Let's start at the bottom with Div 1

Poachers v Dyspnoeics
Poachers are undefeated this season while last season's champions took till round 3 to get a win. If Dyspnoeics play their trademark patient offence and hustle on D they should be in with a chance, however Poachers off-the-cuff, run & gun style play is very hard to handle when it works and for this reason I'm predicting Poachers for the W.

UQ Lovers v Drop Bears
The Bears are looking pretty good this season. The addition of ladies man Michael 'Musty' Dunne should really help the teams game both on and off the field. Lovers have a fresh look to them this season with the likes of Goose, Atlas and Bonnie taking the reins of leadership. If Lovers put it together they could really trouble the other Div 1 teams. Not this week though. This week they are gonna lose by at least 7.


Div the Second

What the Huck? v Heroes
I think this game should be pretty tight. Tighter than the leash Jess has on Trevor. HEYYOOOO. WTH have gotten 2 close wins so far while the CB led Heroes have a W and a D. I'm tipping WTH by 3.

Griffith A-Team v Tsunami
Without seeing too much of either of these teams this season it'd be hard to tip against Griffith. That said, even though Tsunami have had some heavy losees, they were against 2 very strong teams. I think Griffith will get the cookies, but not by much. Maybe 4. Yeah let's go with 4.

Grove Guardians v Chimichangas
The main questions for me in this game are: Do the Guardians still wear purple and do the Chimi's still display loud shorts? If the answer is yes to both questions, then prepared to be dazzled if you happen to glance at the field. Chimi's by 7.

Discheads v Bermuda Triangle
Discheads used to be a force to be reckoned with in Div 2. Then they left things up to Dave Warren and slipped into mediocrity. I have a feeling this season will herald a return to the halcyon days for the D-Heads (lol). With Seb, Chantelle and Laura headlining, they should do well this season. So well i'm tipping an upset against the zone focussed Bermuda Triangle! D-Heads by 1.

Quties v Agents
Looking at Quties official line-up, it's hard to see them losing at all this season. Mat Ryan, John McNaughton and Mike Neild are 3 of the biggest names in QLD Ultimate. Yet they are 1-1 after losing to WTH. I'm guessing the 3 guys listed are taking a teaching approach to the team, which is excellent for QLD ultimate. Agents are also 1-1 and have plenty of experienced Div 2 heads on the team. Gotta give it to Quties though by 5.


Div 3

Flying Circus v Brick Killed a Guy
I'd be lying if I said I knew much about either of these teams apart from the fact they have top notch names. The offical jersey colour of BriKAG is Ron Burgundy so I'm leaning toward them in this contest. BriKAG by 8.

Team Lift v Space Invaders
Is team lift sponsored by Lift softdrink? Probably not. Maybe they just drink lots of Lift. Or maybe they all caught the same lift in a building and got trapped due to a power outage and in between bouts of I Spy and thumb wars, decided that they should use their new found bondedness to form an Ultimate team. Maybe. Space Invaders are another Heroes team led by the less designy Behrendorff. Even though I'm disappointed they didn't go for a Heroes themed name, I'm tipping Space Invaders by 7.

Mellow Yellow v Yet Another Griffith Team
Yet Another Griffith Team.... Really? Even Craig came up with a better name than that. In spite of the name this team tops the leaderboard currently so they must have something going for them. Mellow Yellow are being overly mellow at the bottom of the ladder so far this season. I think MY have the potential for an upset here, but it's hard to go past the Red Tide of Griffith. YAGT by 6.

Disco Disco v Griffith Go-Yeahs
2 undefeated teams. Who will taste the bitterness of defeat for the first time tonight? Potentially no-one if there's another draw. But who wants to see that?! I like Disco Disco's name. I think it'll transfer onto some sweet hip-shaking moves on the field. DD by 3

Dump & Burn v Quties
It would have been a while since Adam 'Jingle Jangle' Beu played a season of Div 3. He helped Ghost Who Walks to a Div 2 title last year... Can he do the same with Quties in Div 3? His team won't find it easy against Dump & Burn and their established 'Coote'nections ( <See what I did there). I think D&B will get a the W. By 2.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

BPL Round 3 Preview

UQ Lovers Vs Blitz 2
Both fresh looking teams and both looking to chalk up a win. The UQ boys would have to go in as slight favourites for the game, but this hinges on the make up of the Blitz team this week. With Garrahy still on the sideline UQ will look to the triple B threat (BW, B moto, Baynes) to get them over the line.

Prediction a scrappy game with plenty of loose zone. UQ by 4

Dojo vs Buggers
The battle of the retirement villagers. Proudly boasting plenty of grey hair on both lines this will be a battle of skill rather than legs. In classic sensai style the off season has seen some scouting for new player talent. Having not found any they have looked to poach players from the other teams. Spesh G has sort out the peace and tranquillity of the Dojo the see out his retirement years. Add to this the return of my room-mate from 2006 Nationals Andy McLean and the old boys are always going to be a dangerous team.

The Bugs on the other hand have been forced to put out an open call for all players. Having lost almost half the team that made the final last year there were doubts if this team would survive. Old Man Trev has taken the reins as captain making him the Youngest bugger captain in history and also the first JTM to captain his team. Cue the return of the Bugs spiritual leader and former captain Mike Nield and this team is going to be a handful.

Prediction, As a Bug I would love to say easy bugs win but reality is that the throwing ability of the Dojo should see them over the line. Dojo by 3

Cobras vs Slamtown
This is my game of the week. Both teams had strong seasons last year to go 1 and 2 in the minor premiership. Cobras have picked up one Linus Mueller fresh from his exile in Germany. Rumour has it he escaped by tunnelling his way out by using nothing but a glow in the dark ultrastar (only thing they are good for).

Slamtown have continued the franchise domination of the SE corner by taking the Northen Regionals trophy from the Firestorm boys. The team has now been quite stable for a number of seasons and boasts probably the strongest line on paper. Added to the defending champions in the Man Giant only known as Rob. Some say he only eats animals he has strangled with his own hands, others that if he shaved his beard he would look like Ryan Gosling. All we know is that for a rookie he has some serious potential and beware if you happen to collide with him on the field.

Predition, This will come down on who has less turns and calmer offence. Both teams can crank up the Defensive pressure, but tend to give the disc back. Cobras by 1

Blitz 1 vs Heroes
Blitz 1 come off a strong showing in week one to face up against a Heroes team looking to reclaim that winning feeling. I would expect Cunliffe will look to strengthen Blitz 2 this week so this could give the Heroes boys a chance. The questions is can Jmac use his left hand this week or will the likes of Myles,Craig, Goose and Spesh have to step up. I hate not know the rosters.

Heroes don't look like much on paper, but don't let that fool you. They have plenty of talent simmering below the surface. The Brown town have both come a long way, Seb has become a solid handler and can drop some great bombs from all over the field. CB as he is going by these days has his ups and downs, his ups make him look like one of the best players in brisbane, his downs make him look like a rookie. Regardless expect these boys to feature heavily on this team. Add to the team is Tassie import Michael "Musty" Dunne who when it comes to the ladies makes Hef look like some old wrinkled dude. His skills extend beyond the ladies and he has a deadly high release flick huck.

Prediction, I expect Blitz will continue to go from strength to strength and the heroes will go down fighting. Blitz by 5

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Regionals Wrap

Ladies and gentlemen,

It was a beautiful, sunny weekend of Ultimate at Northern Regionals, upwards of 30 degrees with low wind. Here's the breakdown.

SATURDAY

The morning games saw Black Betty and Cherry Bomb setting themselves apart, taking easy wins over the less experienced Blackberries and Purple Llamas. The quality of all four teams' uniforms was outstanding, as was the fact that we had four teams at women's Regionals! An exciting outcome, and kudos to everyone who played, and everyone who made it happen.
After lunch, the Blackberries took a golden point thriller over the Llamas for third place, while the established force of Black Betty had their way with Cherry Bomb. I saw little of the game, but a 13-5 scoreline seems an emphatic victory. Both teams should qualify for Nationals without difficulty, and we're excited to see two Queensland teams competing in the women's division.

On the Open side, this day's results had no bearing on Nationals qualification/seeding; it was simply a long day of fun Ultimate. Kudos to all those teams who came together for this, especially those who fought through with low numbers on a hot day. Firestorm, reigning champions for several years, split their team into two squads for extra challenge and more game time. Congratulations to Fire, who swept through the day convincingly to take the win.

Congratulations to the Blackberries, who took out the women's Spirit win, and to the Griffith A-Team for taking Open Spirit. The spread of different finishing times meant we didn't have a chance to acknowledge you on the day, but well done.

Full Saturday rankings:

OPEN
1. Fire
2. Slamtown Flatball Club
3. BPL Retirement Village
4. Storm
5. Townsvillains
6. Griffith A-Team
7. UQ Lovers

OPEN SPIRIT
1. A-Team (51)
=2. Fire (48)
=2. Villains (48)
=2. Lovers (48)
5. Village (47)
6. Storm (44)
7. Slamtown (41)

WOMEN
1. Black Betty
2. Cherry Bomb
3. Blackberries
4. Purple Llamas

WOMEN SPIRIT
1. Blackberries (24.5)
2. Cherry Bomb (23)
3. Purple Llamas (22)
4. Black Betty (20)

SUNDAY

Sunday saw the Open competitive playoffs. With Ignition losing several players on Saturday to injuries or changed minds, a late decision was made to merge Townsvillains and Ignition and create a three team draw.
In the first two games, the composite Ignillains group (got any better ideas?) worked hard, but were outmatched by Slamtown and Firestorm, in that order. It set the stage for the match these teams had been looking forward to.

Slamtown have a number of big-time playmakers, and use these talents to play a high-risk, high-reward style on both O and D. In previous matches against Firestorm, this hadn't worked out in their favour, and a revamped Firestorm offence was able to score consistently as their defence generated turns. When the risks work out, though, Slamtown will be able to put points on any team in the country, and this game saw their throwers absolutely on point.
Firestorm's offence was put under big pressure by a hard-working Slamtown unit, and when they generated turnovers, Slamtown were unwilling to give back the disc. They forced early turnovers and converted, going up 6-3. Firestorm's time-out didn't change the direction, as Slamtown took half 8-4.
The second half continued in a similar fashion; Firestorm were struggling to generate turnovers as Slamtown continued to nail pinpoint hucks down tight sidelines and leading hammers in the back of the endzone. The lead continued to extend, and only a couple of late points brought Firestorm to double digits, as Slamtown handed out Firestorm's first ever Regionals loss.
It was a convincingly display from the Gold Coast/Brisbane mix, and one that will presumably be celebrated in true Slamtown style. To both teams' credit, the game was played in excellent Spirit despite the level of intensity and desire.

Slamtown will take the #6 seed to Nationals, while Firestorm is likely to attend in the #15 position, but must wait for confirmation of AFDA wildcard allocations. Townition (definitely not better...) will be heading to Div 2 Nats to represent the North.
It's extremely exciting to see a second strong club emerging here in Queensland, and we look forward to battling with others from around the country.

SUMMARY

Well done to our winners and our Spirit winners.
Thanks to Dom, Myles, Gary, Mat, Timocles, Luke for significant help with running the tourney.
The QUDA AGM was also held, and reports from that will come separately.

Cheers
John (TD)

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Coaches Needed


The 2013 school and Uni semesters have begun and QUDA will expect to see an increased demand for Ultimate coaches for schools.

In 2012:
The Met North West program (in its 2nd year) grew to approximately 220 students across 5 high schools.
The new South District program coached and supervised an interschool competition with about 100 students from 4 schools.
The Gap SHS junior sports program (also in its 2nd year) delivered Ultimate to another 400 students; girls & boys from yrs 8-10.

So that’s over 700 high school students who played Ultimate in SE Qld last year!!!
(Plus whatever Stef on the GC and other teachers elsewhere did on their own.)

Good on us all!

This year we are also seeing big sign-ons for Ultimate clubs in O-week at Uni.  Many of these new recruits signed up because of some exposure to the game they received at school.  Success in our schools programs will translate into bigger and better leagues and more players participating at Nationals and beyond.

This is a call out for people who are interested in paid School Coaching positions this year.

==============================
SCHOOL ULTIMATE COACHES:
==============================

Remuneration:
·              $40/hr for AFDA Level 1 accredited coaches
·              $35/hr for non-AFDAL1 accredited coaches

Pre-requisites:
·              That you have a love of the game and willingness to work with school students.
·              That you are a competent Ultimate player with a reasonable knowledge of the rules.
·              That you either have a current Blue Card, or that you will submit an application for one.
·              NB:  AFDA Coaching accreditation is NOT necessary, (but will attract a higher pay rate.)

People:
School coaching positions would suit any current players, particularly:
·              Students or Part time/Casual workers.
·              Workers with flexible working hours.
·               In most cases you would be working as part of a coaching team and you will not be required to run a program by yourself with no prior experience.  Some programs will demand a more experienced coach and we

If you are interested in taking on a role please get in touch.

================================
Mat Ryan
Mb: 0434 275 661
================================

NOTE:
The first program we have been requested to service is the Met. North West Interschool Sports Program.
We’ll require 3-4 coaches per week from THIS Wednesday for a 9 week interschool competition (coaches are required to adjudicate games rather than coach).
Please indicate if you are able to do this one, or else if you’d like to be considered for other programs as and when they arise.

And..
This advertisement is specifically interested in WOMEN coaches.  Half our students are female and it is highly beneficial to have our excellent female players coaching this student group.

OK.  Have a think and get in touch.


Mat Ryan
mb: 0434 275 661

Monday, February 25, 2013

Learn to Play Canceled, Captains meeting moved

Wet weather strikes again and has washed out our fun. 

Tonight's Captains Meeting is ON.
When: 7pm Monday 25th Feb
Where: Sticks Bar, entry level of the Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabbahttps://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=the+chalk+hotel+park&hl=en&fb=1&gl=au&...
Parking: Located at the rear of the hotel via Reid street.
Attendance: Mandatory for Captains, vice captains. If your Captain/vice are unable to attend, please have another representative from your team that can make decision on behalf of your team.

Agenda Items
-League structure
-Fields Liaisons
-Fields
-League Cost
-New teams
-Roster, topping up teams, ladies
-Juniors

Friday, February 22, 2013

Learn to Play & Captains Meeting

We just received this fax from the BUML-OC Bunker:


Hello BUML Community,

Learn to play:We are pleased to announce the beginning of the BUML season with two nights of introduction learn to play sessions.  Coaches will provided on the night to help all the beginners learn to throw and the rules of the game. Pick up games will be played on the adjacent fields, so all BUML members are encouraged to come down for pick up and bring your friends.  

Captains Meeting:
Hi BUML Captains, I would like to hold a quick captains meeting at 8pm at the learn to play night to discuss, team division allocation, captains obligations, fields liaisons, team roster, team fee payment and to answer any questions you may have about the league.
We would like as many of the BUML captains or a team representative to attend as possible.  Please email BUML OC if you or a team rep is unable to attend.

What: BUML Learn to Play and Pick up game.
Where: QUT Kelvin Grove, Sports Ln, Kelvin Grove.
When: Arrive 6.30 for 7:00-9:00pm
Captains Meeting: 8pm
Dates: 25th Feb
Bring: White shirt, Dark Shirt, Cleat boots, Water bottle, Disc, friends, family, work mates, girlfriends, boyfriends, Grandma, anyone!
Cost: FREE
League Rego: http://www.afda.com/index.php?view=details&id=1377&option=com_eventlist (Make sure you are signed into the AFDA home page before clicking link if you'd like to register yourself to "I need a team")

Look forward to see you at the fields.
Thanks
BUML OC