AN EPIC VICTORY!!! - Updated

Since the blog has inexplicably had 55 visitors today, I think we can assume that people are still buzzing over that victory. Great work - a slow, slow start which become a carnivale of free flowing football!

I need some help for stats and fantasy - who got the goals, who got the assists. The ones I remember (now I may be wrong here, so feel free to correct) are:

Goals: 

Rauru 1/3, Paddy assist

Logan goal, Lloyd assist

Nick1/2, Rauru assist

Nick 2/2, Paddy assist

Rauru 2/3, Logan assist

Logan 2nd goal, Aaron assist

Graham goal, no assist

Rauru hatrick goal, Logan assist?

Aaron goal, Rauru assist

Paddy goal, no assist (Rauru you only get assist points if winning a pen, not a freekick - and you pretend to know your fantasy!).

Throw in your ideas for MVPs, Pony and Stallions.

My thoughts:

Stallion: Has to be Rauru - driving 8 hours to get there, scoring with first touch, hat trick, and god-damn dominating their D - that's the striker we need! Brilliant game.

Pony options:

Logan: Jumping over the fence and falling flat on his face

Paul: The first goal slipping underneath him

Paddy: trying to claim Graham's goal when it took a deflection off his arse as he jumped out of the way.

Reverse Scorpian Volley...

into the back of of his own net. This is a moment of Stallionesque brilliance that takes me back to the Butcher's glorious headed goal all those years ago.

Game 1 - Results and fines

Great win Stallions, and good to get a couple of drinks in (with meals of course).

A couple of the awards decided.

MVPs:
The wide backs put in a huge effort, reflected in the points. Who would have thought Butch leading the standings after game 1!
3 - Mike B
2 - Joe
1 - Paddy

Stallion:
Panda - beating his marker who ends up on the ground, Panda stops, stands over him and lets him know just how crap he is. Stallion!
A close 2nd - Lloyd's hiptoss of the shirtpuller - which somehow managed to get us the freekick.

Pony:
This is a key one - the winner may be wearing the first headband - and of course will have to come up with a match report. Here are the options, this can go to the vote - but announce your vote in the comments section. Polls are no good for this - they can be rigged, and we should be transparent in who we vote for. Nominations:
- Paddy - The Rauru imitation fine - the 1 on 1 chip to the keeper/pass back.
- Graham - could have been a stallion - free header on the backpost, 1-1 midway through the second half - went backwards, followed by a huge FUUUCCCCKK.
- The Butcher returns - a rather nasty chop chop on their winger
- Have I forgotten?

Fines:
All of the above and quite a few others, feel free to nominate/list

Damn, we thought we had a good win

Wests 16 - Lower Hutt 2

There goes the goal diff.

Intel on other div 6 teams from the YF forum

' We (North Wellington) are using one of our 2 teams in the grade as a Development squad to introduce our younger players to senior football (The average age of the team is around 18). It's a good squad with some very quick and skillful players just out of College balanced by some older heads so it will be interesting to see how we go against more experienced older guys.

The club as a whole is looking to move forward this year and finally start moving towards where we should be in Wellington Football for our size (24-25 senior teams this year). It's been a good start with the 1sts winning the HP 2nd div comp. '


''Wests will be eying up 3 straight promotions'

Hmm, both teams could prove tricky. We have Nth Wgtn this week right - wonder if it is this team. If so we better get ready to play the physical old guys game.

It's All About The Benjamin's

So the question needs to be asked: Do we reinstate the fine system? Last year we had some great turn outs at whatever the local pub was and fines could make a come back. The one thing I missed last year was the piss taking. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously and fines are a good way to have a laugh regardless of the result.

It's also classic blog material where we get to recap all the embarrassing moments, and the laughs continue well after the last pint has been drunk.

The only problem with the fine system in the past is that some people paid in full while others didn't pay anything (Tristin, if you're reading this you still owe $732.50), and then some people being the good team men they are (i.e. Spencer) paid all their fines but then wasn't around to enjoy the end of year function.

A thought that I had was to introduce 'Fantasy Fines'. Similar to the Fantasy Football points system that we currently have, but in a more "you're so shit it's unbelievable" kinda way. I figured that it would be the same as the fine system of old but that the fines would be 'fantasy'. At the end of the year the person with the most fines would be awarded the Pony. The good thing about the fines is that it doesn't target 'poor' play necessarily, but often just funny and stupid play. Yours truly missing one the easier chances I'll get this season will still get punished as being poor play, as will the countless shanked passes, but things like Joe tackling his own players, Tangihaere blasting a harmless cross field defensive pass to Paul into Row Z, Gus getting chipped and then getting 'Seaman-ed' are examples of more funny and stupid rather than being shit. Actually, when you think about it...

Anyway, what are your thoughts? I know that with fees being roughly $200 money isn't always there to spend on frivolous fines (especially with all the colts coming through), but it's a thought. Maybe Aaron could set up an anonymous poll to see if people are keen for them coming back? I'm easy either way but did enjoy the laugh of the fines and would be happy enough to see them come back. Maybe we could cap a seasons worth of fines at $50 or something, or a games fines at $4-5, or both?

Heard on the sidelines #2416

Joe: 'I'm a whole new player this season'

Pretty good effort today Stallions, by that I mean no one collapsed in exhaustion, no obvious injuries, and some good play (the first 20 of each half were pretty impressive - I guess that says something about the fitness levels). A loss, but take out the dodgy keeper and who knows. Mind you he was using size 486 gloves.

Some good signs for next week.