QUAFL 2019 - Pool C & D Preview
/Guest Analyst Stephen Butler continues his preview analysis of the QUAFL Pools with a final article looking at Pool C and Pool D - We apologise for the lateness in posting these together, necessitated by the inclement air conditions...
Pool C
Ah, the pool everyone wants to watch and no one wants to be in. Even the possibility that a Serpents vs Manticores pool could happen excited this writer, so you can imagine my excitement when it came true (and I avoided also being in the group). UNSW, Unbreakables and the Nifflers must consider themselves quite unlucky as they’d all stand strong chances of out performing their pod if the draw went a little differently, but alas, they may just have to settle for that third place spot behind the possible grand final prequel.
Sydney City Serpents
First QUAFL: 2017
Best Performance: Third Place (2017/2018)
The Sydney City Serpents enjoyed a very strong season, losing only a single game throughout the year and securing their second NSW State championship. Even though they lost some strong players in the off-season to newly formed Valkyries QC, they recruited very well and filled in the gaps that had been created.
The Serpents are very notably led by Dropbears Assistant coach and world class beater Luke Derrick, who is a very important factor in their dominance of NSW. However, one player does not make a team. The Serpents chasers feature some (literally) huge names, such as Dameon Osborn, Nicholas Albornoz and Gary Hague, who not only capitalise on the space given to them by the beaters, but are also a tough defensive unit to break down.
Add the beating duo of Natalie Astalosh and Hailey Clonts to that line and the end result is one of the most dominating teams Australia has ever seen!
Their most important game is, quite obviously, the game against reigning champions the Melbourne Manticores. This match is very likely going to decide the winner of the group and could also be important in gaining leverage for a possible (probable) rematch in the finals. This game will be very close and is a must watch for anyone who has free time when they play.
The Serpents should comfortably beat a majority of the teams they play over the weekend and are strong favourites to reach the grand final (surprisingly, it would be their first ever grand final). However, their games against the Manticores, the Muggles and the Unspeakables are harder to predict and present the Serpents with their biggest hurdles of the weekend. Despite that, I will confidently back the Serpents to reach the grand final, where they should meet the Manticores in another tight contest.
Prediction: Grand Final
Melbourne Manticores
First QUAFL: 2012
Best Performance: Champions (2014/2015/2018)
2019 saw a slightly lacklustre set of results from the reigning champions, with the usually dominant Manticores losing six games throughout the regular season and finishing third on the overall Vic Cup ladder. Although the Manticores squad has seen a significant reduction in squad numbers this season, so their drop in results can be partially attributed to this. The Manticores have joined forces with another struggling former QUAFL champion, the Whomping Willows, in order to provide a squad large enough for a two-day tournament, which will help them tremendously.
With the addition of the Willows, this squad now features six former Team Australia Dropbears in Callum Mayling, Nathan Morton, Cassia Menkhorst, Emily Merry, Nicholas Allan and the returning Dean Rodhouse. The quality doesn’t stop there though, with these stars being supplemented with Team UK Keeper Andrew Hull, 2018 Dropbears reserve Anthony Hogan and the incredibly experienced beating of Nicola Gertler, who has played for every iteration of the Victorian State Team.
That’s just the Manticores “top” line, with many talented but less accomplished (for now) players adding incredible depth to this possible champion team.
It’s the purple vs purple clash that both of these teams will prepare most for. Obviously, topping the group gives you a bye through to the top 8, which is a huge advantage in a two day tournament. Manticores vs Serpents is already shaping up as a championship clash, and we’re fortunate enough to see it on Day 1!
When you combine the power of the Manticores and the Willows, you are left with a near unstoppable team. The incredibly tenacious beating offered by Morton and Hogan should allow ample space for Mayling to hit full gear. I don’t see many teams being able to stop this Manticores squad, so they should be one of the two grand final teams.
Prediction: Grand Final
UNSW Snapes on a Plane
First QUAFL: 2011
Best Performance: Champions (2011/2012)
The UNSW Snapes on a Plane had another slight rebuild after the off-season, losing some experienced players to retirement or community teams, however, the solid foundations had already been built and it took very little time for UNSW to stand out as one of the top teams in NSW division 2. While they finished third on the overall ladder, it was their performance at NQL finals that is most important, as they breezed through all opposition to secure the title of division 2 champions; a well deserved victory for a strong team.
The most impressive thing about UNSW’s success is the relative age and experience of the squad. A lot of their attacking drive comes from the two mountainous Cameron’s (Walker and Elphick), both of whom only started playing within the last two years. Add Jackson Flynn, Mark Thorsby and Isobelle Nugent to that, and you have five young, talented players who are vital pieces of a very strong team. It’s scary to think how strong this team can be in a few years.
Still, they aren’t completely inexperienced, with keeper turned beater Stephen Wang and Sakeenah Wahab bringing years of experience in.
UNSW, despite the difficult draw, should look forward to testing themselves against the Serpents and the Manticores. After physically dominating the second division of NSW, they should be more than capable of meeting the strong chaser lines of the purple clad teams head on.
If you put UNSW in pool A or B, you have a team very capable of upsetting the second ranked team. However, as luck would have it, they are staring down clashes with the Manticores and the Serpents, which is terrifying for any team. I do think they’ll love the challenge and will bring their best, but it won’t be enough. They’ll easily dispatch of the Nifflers and Unbreakables to secure third place. The benefit of pool C is that they avoid facing one of the purple giants in the knockouts and instead have a much more manageable clash against pool A’s runner up (so very likely the Valkyries). They’ll need to be switched on in the beater game, but their chasers are more than up to the challenge.
Prediction: 9-12th...barely...
USyd Unbreakables
First QUAFL: 2016
Best Performance: 11th (2018)
The Unbreakables, USyd's B Team, had a solid 2019, finishing fifth overall and fourth at NQL finals. As always, they had to adapt to the loss of top players to the Unspeakables, but they very quickly settled in as a team and were a constant threat in division 2 early on, almost scoring a huge victory over Macquarie in May, were it not for two clutch snitch catches to break the Unbreakable's heart. They grew stronger as the season went on and will be coming into QUAFL at full strength and full of energy.
The current crop of Unbreakables feature some up and coming stars, who should be knocking at the door of NSW representation very soon. Players such as Alex Buist, Hugo Fahey and Taylor Angelo are already on the cusp of full-time Unspeakables representation, all three having donned the red and yellow at some point this season. Atilla Konuk and Selina Williamson are two of the Unbreakables top beaters, who regularly troubled the top beaters of division 2, and with ample experience under their belt. This squad is young, but constantly improving and should not be underestimated.
The Unbreakables must already realise the tough spot they are in and know that their game against UNSW is very important for qualification to the knockout rounds. They’ve faced UNSW multiple times in 2019, including a preliminary final showdown at NQL finals, so know how difficult they will be but know what to expect and how to prepare.
It was a tough draw for the Unbreakables, who would’ve liked their chances of upsetting Macquarie or Weasleys in another pool. They should handle the Nifflers, though it might not be easy, but will have a tough time beating UNSW to escape the group.
USC Nifflers
First QUAFL: 2018
Best Performance: 20th (2018)
The second of two ‘B’ teams in this pool, the USC Nifflers endured a slow start to their season. It wasn’t until the second half of the third QAQ match day that they picked up their first points of the season. However, after that, the results improved with a few more victories coming their way. After a solid debut performance last year, the Nifflers will be hoping to come back even stronger.
One thing that has been key for the growth of the Nifflers is the influence of the former Dementors on their team. Players such as Sarah Myles, Katie Townsend and Luke Laurikainen have plenty of experience at QUAFL and other interstate tournaments and provide a lot of knowledge to the rest of the Nifflers.
Another notable thing about the Nifflers is that their female players outnumber the male players significantly, which is awesome to see for a squad at QUAFL. The five males on the team may struggle a little bit by the second day, but the sheer amount of female depth and development is a great sign for USC and Queensland Quidditch in general.
The Nifflers’ game against the Unbreakables is the game to focus on. It is the game they are most likely to pull out a victory and so it is very important if the Nifflers wish to obtain a higher position than last year.
Unfortunately, I think that squad depth is going to be a big issue for the Nifflers, as bringing five of any gender makes a two day tournament significantly harder. I think they’ll try their hardest but I do think they are outclassed in this pool.
Prediction: 17-20th
So yeah, if it weren’t for the Serpents vs Manticores clash, this group would be very predictable, with the jumps in quality very evident. It will be exciting to see how UNSW fare against the purple superpowers they’ll be facing, but the Serpents and the Manticores are simply the two strongest teams attending QUAFL and any team who can hold them for a significant period deserves some sort of award. Nifflers vs Unbreakables could be interesting contest, if only to see the future of USyd and USC face off.
Article 4: Pool D Analysis
Melbourne Ravens
First QUAFL: 2018
Best Performance: 10th (2018)
The Melbourne Ravens had a very good 2019 season, finishing the Vic Cup season in second place, before solidifying their title of runners up in the Vic Cup Grand Final. Throughout the season they achieved victories over both the Melbourne Manticores and Whomping Willows QC, which is something to be very proud of.
The Ravens, like most of the top teams, is the home to a handful of 2018 Dropbears, these being James Williams, Clementine Round and Demi Tasman. These three all provide great experience and even greater talent to the Ravens. Add the drive provided by Massimo Galli and Max Pockley, the support provided by Hannah Steel and the state level beating offered by Emily Kirsh and you have the makings of a top four team. The sneaky addition of Mikel Poisse, who won the 2018 European Games with Team France, will help the Ravens achieve that top four finish they surely crave.
Raven vs Nightmares, 3:40pm Saturday. Pitch 4. I know I’m looking forward to this game, which should be a really tight affair featuring some insane beating as we get Demi Tasman vs Harry Jones. This game should be the group decider, barring some Newcastle or UTS heroics.
Assuming the Ravens can get past the Nightmares, they should top this group and progress through to the top four. However, they will most likely find their path blocked by a sea of purple, and that’s where I see their run ending.
Prediction: Third Place Playoff.
North Sydney Nightmares
First QUAFL: 2019
Best Performance: N/A
2019 was the debut season for the North Sydney Nightmares, one of two new community teams to join the NSW Quidditch League this season and it was a fairly successful season at that. They finished the season in third place overall, giving both the Serpents and USyd a tough time despite their third place finish. They will only get stronger and will be hoping for a strong QUAFL showing.
Two of the most important players on the Nightmares roster are beater Harrison Jones and chaser turned beater Samantha Chittenden, both of whom have featured as reserves for the Dropbears in the past. They were also important players for last year’s QUAFL grand final for USyd.
The rest of their squad features plenty of talented players, such as Jackson Shields, Sarah King, Maddison Moulton, Thomas Russell and Aden Weatherstone, among others. They have a solid amount of depth in all positions and this will serve them well over the course of the weekend.
The Nightmares will be aiming to top this group, so it will be the game against the Ravens that is most important if they wish to achieve this goal. The Ravens will perhaps be the more fancied team, but the Nightmares have enough talent and strength to beat their Victorian opposition.
This group is probably one of the most difficult to call, as both the Ravens and the Nightmares are possible group toppers. I do think the Nightmares will struggle to deal with the size of the Ravens’ chasers, especially if it ends up being a long game. A tight snitch on pitch game will help the Nightmares. Whether they finish first or second, they should win their first bracket game, but then, similar to Ravens, will have the unenviable task of facing the Serpents or Manticores.
Prediction: 5-8th
Newcastle Fireballs
First QUAFL: 2011
Best Performance: Runners Up (2012)
The Newcastle Fireballs endured a slightly difficult 2019 season, with some important players moving on to other teams in the off season. It was a season of rebuilding for one of original QUAFL teams. They finished the season in fifth place in division 1, their only victories coming against the ANU Owls, however, they did occasionally provide a challenge to the other teams in the division and constantly improved against their top level opposition.
The experience and knowledge provided by James Hosford has been very important in the development of this Newcastle squad. George Curan and Josh Brown are two other experienced players who stepped up their game to fill the holes left by departing players.
However, it is the Newcastle new blood that is most exciting to talk about. Both Alexander Butler and Phoebe Hollott are two of the newer players in the team, but have both shown incredible growth and look to be fine players for the future.
Newcastle need to be wary of their game against UTS, who are perhaps the strongest pod 4 team attending QUAFL. If they can avoid defeat against UTS, then they should secure third place and another trip to bracket play.
Unfortunately for Newcastle, I think the UTS/ANU amalgamation will provide too much of a challenge and will upset Newcastle. They should finish in fourth place, but the Bin Chickens are very unpredictable.
Prediction: 13-16th
UTS Opaleyes
First QUAFL: 2013
Best Performance: 9-12 (2016)
The 2019 UTS season can be split into two eras; BA (before ANU) and PA (post ANU). While UTS were a consistent threat in division 2 BA, they lacked the depth to match the top three. It was their merger with ANU before NQL finals that really pushed UTS to the top of the division. They finished the regular season in a solid fourth place, but with their new recruits, they had a very strong NQL finals, reaching the grand final before falling to the UNSW powerhouse.
At the NQL awards night, UTS notably collected both the female and non-female ‘Beater of the Year’ awards. Dynamic beating duo Kelsey Collins and Kieran Ponnusamy have been so important all season, sometimes being the only beaters available, and a lot of UTS’s success can be attributed to them. They have provided plenty of opportunities for the UTS chasers, with Matt Blissenden, Kelly Hlevnjak, Cameron Neale and William Siomiak all being strong goalscoring threats.
Adding key ANU players Logan Davis, Jamie Turbet and Aidan Kerr to the squad provided a lot more coverage and should set UTS up nicely for QUAFL.
UTS will be salivating at the opportunity to face the fresher, less experienced Newcastle team. The winner of that game is likely to finish third in the pool and sneak their way through to the finals bracket.
UTS look likely to be the only pod four team to escape pool play, as they should outclass the Bin Chickens and may now have just enough quality to sneak past Newcastle. However, that is perhaps their limit as a match up with the Dementors is highly likely to end their QUAFL journey.
Prediction: 9-12th
Brisbane City Bin Chickens
First QUAFL: 2018
Best Performance: 18th (2018)
The Brisbane City Bin Chickens, historically the biggest threat to the USC dominance of Queensland, had a mixed 2019 season, facing stiff competition from UQ Dumblebees for that second place slot. They started the season strongly winning three out of four games, but a few losses at the following QAQ match days hurt their season. They did achieve an absolutely monstrous 350-80* victory over QUT, which is an incredible feat for any team.
The Bin Chickens have a solid core of players who have been with the club since its inception, and even before that with the ACU Paladins. Daniel Scharf, Samuel Chittenden and Kia Seeto have all represented the Thunderbirds and provide a lot of potency in attack. Chloe Tapp is another long term Bin Chook and offers a strong voice and is a key motivator, in addition to her on pitch contributions. The Bin Chickens also provide us with a set of Quidditch siblings, with Tim and Jack Gunstone both running out for BCQC, both offering a strong mix of size and speed.
For the Bin Chickens, either of their games against Newcastle or UTS will be important for BCQC. On their day, BCQC are capable of pushing both teams to the limit and a victory against either will completely shake up the pool.
However, if their Queensland results are anything to go by, the Bin Chickens look fairly hit and miss. This inconsistency is likely to hurt their QUAFL chances and even if they score one upset, two seems unlikely. They could end up being best of the fifth place teams however.
Prediction: 17-20th
Pool D is the most open and unpredictable pool at QUAFL 2019. Top spot is not guaranteed, nor is the final qualifying spot. Whoever wins the Ravens vs Nightmares match will eventually finish in the top four, that’s my big prediction for the group. As stated, I think UTS will take third place over Newcastle, with BCQC finishing in fifth, but there is absolutely no chance I’d bet on that.